"Shen Lang?"
Hearing the familiar voice, Chu Ge's eyes flashed with joy on the high platform.
She hadn't expected Shen Lang to arrive as promised, let alone to make such a grand entrance. It seemed her status in Shen Lang's heart was indeed very high.
It was a pity, however, that Chu Ge truly couldn't recall the things Shen Lang had mentioned. Thus, while she felt grateful to Shen Lang, it was only gratitude.
"How did this kid show up here?"
Among the guests, Qi Tuojiang and Kong Wudao were visibly shocked. They never imagined that at Zhao Shengtian's engagement ceremony, Shen Lang would not only attend but also bring such a large contingent of martial guards, and furthermore, declare Zhao Shengtian a criminal suspect and intend to arrest him.
Whether Qi Tuojiang and Zhao Shengtian were friends was debatable, but he and Kong Wudao were one hundred percent enemies with Shen Lang, wishing they could kill him with a thousand cuts and then feed his corpse to wild dogs. Such deep-seated hatred.
Therefore, after a slight moment of surprise, Qi Tuojiang stepped out from the crowd and slowly approached Shen Lang, smiling and saying, "Young Master Shen, long time no see. Your charm remains as ever."
"Oh, isn't this Qi Tuojiang? You've become so subordinate after not seeing you for a while. You used to be the protagonist wherever you went, so why are you willing to be a supporting character at someone else's engagement ceremony today?"
Seeing Qi Tuojiang emerge, Shen Lang, ever sharp-tongued, retorted sarcastically.
"No one is born a protagonist for life, are they?"
Qi Tuojiang looked at Shen Lang and smiled, "Take me, for example. I used to have smooth sailing everywhere and was always the protagonist. But after encountering Young Master Shen, my life has never been smooth. It's understandable that a born protagonist has fallen into a supporting role."
"Qi Tuojiang, stop with your nonsense. Don't think I don't know what you and Kong Wudao, you scoundrels, have been up to behind my back."
Seeing Qi Tuojiang, Shen Lang recalled fighting the Yang country's martial artists at Sakura Square, bleeding and sweating, risking his life. Meanwhile, Qi Tuojiang and Kong Wudao had seized the opportunity of his struggle to bloodbath the Sun Palace. They had done so effortlessly, and in the end, reaped both fame and fortune.
"Young Master Shen, what are you talking about? We don't understand."
As Shen Lang finished speaking, Kong Wudao stepped out, approached Shen Lang, and said with a chuckle, "Young Master Shen is now renowned, known to all under heaven. Please speak plainly, don't be cryptic."
"Kong Wudao, you've come too?"
Seeing Kong Wudao's face, Shen Lang felt an urge to stomp on him with his size 46 shoes and said fiercely.
"Young Master Shen, don't be like that. We're all acquaintances, no need to be so petty."
If it were anyone else, daring to make such a face at Kong Wudao, the temper of the Kong family's young master would have long ago slapped them away. But then again, Shen Lang was not an ordinary person after all, and Kong Wudao was quite wary of him.
This wariness wasn't sudden; it stemmed from repeated failures. Kong Wudao knew how formidable and unreasonable the man before him was. If provoked, he could skin you alive even when there was no real issue.
"Less nonsense. I'm not here to deal with you today. If you know what's good for you, get out of the way immediately, or I'll deal with you right here."
Shen Lang glanced impatiently at Qi Tuojiang and Kong Wudao and uttered coldly.
This was Shen Lang's warning. If Qi Tuojiang and Kong Wudao were not sensible, he would not be polite.
"Young Master Shen, look at you, this is not good, very not good."
After Shen Lang spoke, Qi Tuojiang and Kong Wudao showed no intention of leaving. Instead, they chuckled and said, "Zhao Shengtian is our friend, a brother we grew up with. Today is his engagement ceremony. We hope Young Master Shen won't vent your grievances on him, can you?"
"What?"
Hearing Qi Tuojiang and Kong Wudao's words, Shen Lang seemed to have gone deaf, looking at the two with disbelief and saying, "You think I'm here to arrest him because of you?"
"Qi Tuojiang, Kong Wudao, you're not that important. If I wanted to deal with you, I wouldn't need any martial guards; I could handle you myself."
"Let me tell you again, this is official business. You'd best get out of the way and not interfere with official duties, or I'll deal with you first before making the arrest."
"Alas..." Shen Lang's words caused Qi Tuojiang and Kong Wudao to spread their hands and sigh in resignation. Then, they both turned to look at Zhao Shengtian on the high platform and said with a smile, "Young Master Zhao, it seems you'll have to resolve this matter. Our faces aren't enough."
"Shen Lang, I know you. You're that rising patriotic hero, aren't you?"
Zhao Shengtian, holding the ring he was about to place on Chu Ge's finger, walked down the high platform step by step. Two martial guards tried to stop him, but Shen Lang signaled them to let him pass.
Thus, Zhao Shengtian walked directly to Shen Lang, looked at him with a smile, and said, "We have no past grievances, no recent enmity, and I am law-abiding. Why do you seek to trouble me?"
"It's not me troubling you; you have committed a crime."
Shen Lang smiled and replied, "The Emperor who breaks the law is punished the same as a commoner. Therefore, even if you are the son of a prominent family, you can only be arrested and taken back for investigation."
"Crime?"
Hearing Shen Lang's words, Chu Zhanpeng and Lin Ziyuan looked at Zhao Shengtian in confusion and asked, "Xiaotian, what's going on?"
Zhao Shengtian smiled gently upon hearing this and said, "Uncle, Aunt, it's nothing. If this isn't a case of someone framing me, then it's a misunderstanding. Please calm the guests' emotions first, and I will handle the rest."
"Alright!"
Chu Zhanpeng replied to Zhao Shengtian.
"Shen Lang, you say I've committed a crime. What crime have I committed?"
After Chu Zhanpeng and his wife left, Zhao Shengtian looked at Shen Lang with disdain and asked.
"Colluding with the Killing Dao Association, establishing the Paradise Island biological laboratory. Is that not a crime?"
Shen Lang looked at Zhao Shengtian and replied with a smile.
"What?"
Upon hearing this, Zhao Shengtian's face changed drastically, and he said angrily, "Shen Lang, what Killing Dao Association, what Paradise Island laboratory? What are you talking about? I don't know anything about this. Don't try to smear my name."
Shen Lang looked at Zhao Shengtian and smiled, "Whether you admit it or not, I am here to tell you that we have obtained crucial evidence of your actions."
"Right, speaking of which, I should also thank Young Master Kong. If it weren't for Young Master Kong's help, I wouldn't have found your evidence of guilt."
Zhao Shengtian's eyes widened at this, and he glared at Kong Wudao.
Kong Wudao's expression changed, and he said to Shen Lang, "Shen Lang, what nonsense are you spouting? When did I help you?"
"Did I not?"
Shen Lang looked at Kong Wudao innocently and said, "Yu Linling said that the evidence of Zhao Shengtian's crimes she provided me were all hard-won findings you helped her obtain."