At The Beginning Of The Novel, The Villain Forced The Protagonist’s Step-Mom To Bear His Children

Chapter 62:

The objective had been accomplished. The Liu family and their influence had already drained the Brotherhood’s resources. They were no longer of any use. Or were they?

If the Liu family father and son died quietly, who would be the first suspect? 

It would undoubtedly be the Brotherhood, with Chen Mo being the prime suspect. 

No one would believe that Chen Mo harbored no ill will after being framed by Liu Fei and imprisoned for three years. Things were about to get interesting.

Would the authorities crack down on them, or even attempt to dismantle the Brotherhood? At the very least, the Brotherhood members would likely be questioned, leaving the gang leaderless. This would be the perfect opportunity for their rivals, the Blood Massacre, to seize control.

Even in death, the Liu family could still be of value. Capitalists would weep at the very thought of such a strategy.

…

(At the night)

The moon hung low, and the wind whispered through the darkness—an ideal time for murder and arson. At the Liu family villa, two figures stealthily climbed over the wall and hurried into a van parked by the roadside. The van’s driver was one of Mr Liu’s most trusted men, a former special forces soldier who had once saved his life.

“Are we really going to be okay?” Mr. Liu asked the driver, his voice laced with anxiety.

“Don’t worry, Mr. Liu,” the driver replied confidently. “I’ve observed the patterns of those men over the past three days and managed to lure them away earlier. As long as we reach the airport quickly, we’ll be fine.”

The driver was an experienced soldier with a sharp eye for details, was confident in his judgment. 

Mr. Liu nodded, trying to ease the knot of fear in his chest. They were heading to the airport, planning to flee the country. 

Mr. Liu had done many things he wasn’t proud of, but he had also prepared several identities for situations like this. He wasn’t worried about being caught at the airport.

“Dad, do we really have to go abroad?” Liu Fei asked, his voice trembling with fear. He was a far cry from the arrogant rich kid he once was. Haggard and pale, his eyes were filled with lingering terror.

Since his misdeeds had been exposed online, triggering investigations, Liu Fei had been living in constant fear. He dreaded the moment he would be shackled in handcuffs, sentenced to spend the rest of his life in prison. The thought of being confined to a dark, damp cell terrified him.

Liu Fei was the second generation of a wealthy family. With assets worth billions, he had enjoyed a life of luxury and excess. The idea of spending the rest of his days in prison made him shudder. 

Now, his father was planning to take him abroad, and the uncertainty of life in a foreign land only added to his anxiety.

“Damn it,” Liu Fei cursed under his breath. “This is all Chen Mo’s fault. That bastard is out to ruin us.”

Mr. Liu had been playing it safe these past few days, but he hadn’t been idle. At least, he had managed to discover who was behind the attacks on his family: Chen Mo and the Brotherhood.

“Shut up!” Mr. Liu snapped, his anger flaring. “I’ve told you not to cause trouble, but you never listen. Now look at the mess you’ve made. Someone’s seeking revenge!”

Hearing his father’s scolding, Liu Fei shrank back, muttering to himself, “How was I supposed to know that loser would meet the Brotherhood’s big shot in prison?”

“KR…”

Mr. Liu raised his hand as if to strike him but hesitated. Looking at his son’s haggard face, he held back. After all, blood was thicker than water. He kept reminding himself of that.

Liu Fei flinched, expecting a slap that never came. Curious, he peeked over at his father, who had lowered his hand with a heavy sigh.

“When we get abroad, you’d better remember to change your ways,” Mr. Liu said, his voice weary. “People over there won’t be as easy to bully as they are here. You won’t even know how you died if you don’t.”

“Okay,” Liu Fei replied weakly.

As Mr. Liu lectured his son, the driver suddenly slammed on the brakes, causing the father and son to lurch forward in their seats.

“What the hell’s going on?” Liu Fei shouted, anger bubbling up inside him. 

Did this driver even know how to drive? He was about to lash out at the driver when he noticed a truck blocking the road ahead. There was no way through.

“What kind of idiot parks their truck in the middle of the road?” Liu Fei cursed, but the driver and Mr. Liu remained silent, their expressions grave. This was a critical moment in their escape, and now their path was blocked. A sense of foreboding crept into their hearts.

“I’ll go check it out.” The driver said with a serious tone. He pulled a short knife from the glove compartment and stepped out of the van.

“Is anyone there? Why’d you park here?” the driver called out, cautiously approaching the truck’s driver’s seat. 

Just as he was about to peer inside, a figure suddenly lunged at him from the shadows.

A dagger flashed, slicing across the driver’s neck in an instant. The driver didn’t even have time to react. All he saw was a glint of steel before a chilling sensation spread across his neck. His consciousness faded quickly.

The driver was a trained soldier, skilled in combat. He could easily take on three or five average men. Against untrained opponents, he was nearly invincible. But in the face of a true expert, he was just another easy kill.

After dispatching the driver, the tall, muscular figure didn’t hesitate. He moved toward the van, where Mr. Liu and Liu Fei sat in growing terror.

Inside the van, Mr. Liu had been anxiously watching the driver’s every move. 

When he saw the driver fall to the ground, his throat slit, a wave of cold fear washed over him. His worst nightmare had come true.

An accident would have been one thing. If the authorities had blocked their escape, he could have accepted that. But this…this was a targeted attack. They were doomed.

Mr. Liu’s mind raced as he realized the gravity of the situation. If the man outside could kill the driver so effortlessly, they didn’t stand a chance. He quickly hit the button to lock the doors and scrambled into the driver’s seat, desperately trying to start the engine.

But it was too late.

The van’s door was ripped open with a violent kick, the sheer force of it making the entire vehicle shudder. Mr. Liu had just managed to turn the key in the ignition when a dagger slashed across his neck. His eyes widened in shock as blood bubbled from his mouth. He collapsed onto the seat, his eyes still open in disbelief, never finding peace in death.

Liu Feiren, seated in the back of the car, was terrified. There was no escape from the impending doom. Soon, he would reunite with his father in the underworld. 

After completing his grim task, Old Mo took a final look around, ensuring no evidence was left behind. Satisfied, he and his men boarded two trucks and drove away. It wasn’t until another vehicle passed by and witnessed the horrifying scene that the police were called.

….

Outside Xia Qingge’s community, Xu Hao didn’t return home with his daughters. 

Instead, he took Xia Qingge out for dinner and a bit of shopping before finally dropping her off at her residence. 

Xia Qingge held the gift Xu Hao had given her, a happy smile spreading across her face. “Uncle, drive home safely,” she said sweetly as she prepared to get out of the car.

Before she could open the door, Xu Hao stopped her. Xia Qingge turned in confusion. “Uncle, what’s wrong?”

“Qingge, aren’t you forgetting something?” Xu Hao asked, a peculiar expression on his face. 

Realizing what he meant, Xia Qingge playfully rolled her eyes before leaning in closer to Xu Hao. 

Having spent considerable time with him, she was no longer shy about such small gestures.

[Ding! Xia Qingge is in a happy mood, +631 emotional points]  

[Ding! Chen Mo is furious, +769 emotional points]  

[Ding! Chen Mo is stunned, +823 emotional points]

What neither of them knew—or rather, what Xia Qingge didn’t know—was that someone was watching them from a distance. 

Chen Mo stood there, his mouth agape, his pupils dilated in shock, and his face filled with horror. 

What he saw was happening inside Xu Hao’s car. 

Chen Mo had originally planned to take down the Liu family and then target Xu Hao. After failing to find anything useful the last time, he decided to try again today. 

By chance, he spotted Xu Hao taking Xia Qingge out, and he followed them, watching as they dined and shopped together, noting their close relationship. He had assumed Xu Hao was still trying to woo Xia Qingge, but the scene before him shattered that belief. 

Xia Qingge had willingly thrown herself into Xu Hao’s arms, and it was clear that this wasn’t the behavior of an inexperienced girl.

Chen Mo’s mind raced. If Xia Qingge was being so proactive, it meant that she and Xu Hao had already crossed all boundaries. The girl he had idolized for so long was now involved with another man—an older man. 

Chen Mo couldn’t process this. He muttered to himself, “No… no way… this can’t be true.”

By the time he snapped out of his shock, Xu Hao had already driven off, leaving Xia Qingge standing alone, waving goodbye. 

Pain gripped Chen Mo’s heart as he watched her walk toward her community. Unable to bear the pain any longer, he rushed forward, determined to confront her.

He had to know why. Why would Xia Qingge choose a 50-year-old man over him? 

Chen Mo caught up to her, his voice tinged with desperation as he asked, “Why were you with Xu Hao just now? Are you together?”

Chen Mo clung to the hope that Xia Qingge would deny it. But Xia Qingge was startled by the sight of him, his face twisted and eyes red with anger. She recognized him and immediately frowned, recalling how he had once spoken ill of Xu Hao in front of her. 

Although Chen Mo had once saved her, Xu Hao’s words had swayed her opinions, and now her heart was fully devoted to Xu Hao. Naturally, she had no good feelings toward anyone who opposed him. Her tone was cold as she responded, “It’s none of your business.”

Seeing her displeasure, an idea flashed in Chen Mo’s mind. “Qingge, did Xu Hao force you? He’s the boss of the Xu Group. Did he coerce you into this? You don’t have to be afraid of him. I can protect you. He’s nothing in front of me…”

Chen Mo’s voice grew increasingly frantic. Xia Qingge was his beacon of hope, the one who had kept him going during the darkest days when he was framed and imprisoned by Liu Fei. Whenever he was bullied, whenever he thought of ending it all, he would remember the girl who was like a light in his life. After being released from prison, he had vowed to protect her forever. But now, seeing her with an older man, the world he had built around her began to crumble.

Xia Qingge’s frown deepened. Hearing Chen Mo insult Xu Hao only added to her frustration. “Are you out of your mind?” she snapped. “As you guessed, Uncle Xu and I are together. He likes me, and I like him very much. We’ve done everything. Satisfied now?”

She gave Chen Mo a cold look, her disgust apparent. “You don’t need to worry about my life. Please, don’t ever show up in front of me again and disturb my life.”

With that, she turned and walked into the community, leaving Chen Mo standing there, his mind reeling. He felt as if he had been struck by lightning. His legs gave way, and he collapsed to his knees, utterly devastated.

As he knelt there, a tricycle passed by, collecting scrap metal, its speaker playing a melancholy tune: “Snowflakes are falling, the north wind is blowing, and the land is vast…”

…

At the headquarters of the Brotherhood Gang, police cars roared by. With a wave of his hand, the lead officer ordered his men to storm the building, guns drawn. Several core members of the gang, who had recently been trying to live a more law-abiding life, were caught off guard. 

“What’s the meaning of this?” the gang’s second-in-command demanded, his eyebrow furrowed. “Why are you arresting us? We haven’t done anything wrong.”

The lead officer sneered. “You killed the Liu family, father and son, and a driver. Is that reason enough?”

The four members of the Brotherhood were stunned, exchanging looks of confusion. None of them had given the order for the killings. But then, the name of a certain someone came to mind—Chen Mo.

Chen Mo had gone out earlier that day and hadn’t returned. It didn’t take long for them to piece together what had happened. Anger flared among them. They knew that Chen Mo had a personal grudge against the Liu family, but the timing of his actions was catastrophic. The Liu family was still under investigation, not yet convicted. Killing them now would bring severe consequences, not only for Chen Mo but for the entire Brotherhood.

If the higher-ups decided to crack down on crime and eliminate their gang, they’d all be in trouble. Revenge could have waited until the Liu family was convicted and imprisoned. The fact that Chen Mo had acted on his own, against their warnings, left them deeply disappointed.

Despite knowing it was likely Chen Mo’s doing, the second-in-command maintained a look of disbelief. “There must be some misunderstanding,” he said, trying to defuse the situation. “We’ve been here all night. We haven’t been anywhere else.”