Hades, the Urban Legend

Chapter 695: Chapter 698: The Backup Plan

The inertia of the large truck was too great to stop suddenly. It barreled through the intersection at over 100 kilometers per hour, crashed into the barrier, and flipped over!

"Crash! Bang! Boom!"

After a series of loud crashes, the truck finally landed in a muddy ditch beside the road, kicking up a cloud of black and yellow dust that frightened passing drivers on the highway.

Still shaken, Lin Ruoxi watched as the truck flipped over. Though she felt a fleeting joy at narrowly escaping death, she quickly calmed down. Turning to Yang Chen, who had a mocking expression, she asked, "Did you know someone was trying to harm me?"

Yang Chen clicked his tongue. "It wasn't just about harming you. They wanted to kill both of us. If you had been poisoned, they might have made their move in the hospital, but you discharged yourself too quickly, disrupting their plans. They couldn't organize another attack right away, so our return to Yu Lei from the hospital was relatively safe. Now that the enemy has regrouped, they won't act recklessly at Yu Lei headquarters, but they'll definitely try something if we're alone in a more secluded area."

"You mean they're targeting both of us?" Lin Ruoxi pondered. "I can understand why they'd want to kill me. Li Minghe is after me and fears I'll retaliate, but why do they want to kill you? Do you have a grudge with them?"

Yang Chen's expression darkened slightly before he smiled. "Who knows? Maybe they want to eliminate all loose ends to prevent me from seeking revenge."

Lin Ruoxi didn't entirely believe him but didn't press further. She pouted and said, "No wonder you insisted on driving me to the company. You knew about this and didn't warn me. I know you're not afraid of such ordinary threats, but you could've at least prepared me mentally."

Yang Chen fell silent, started the car, and resumed driving. After a moment, he asked, "Ruoxi, do you hate Li Minghe now?"

Surprised, Lin Ruoxi looked at him, unsure why he was being so serious.

"I don't exactly hate him, but I definitely dislike him. I still don't understand why he's so fixated on me, going to such lengths to see me fail or even die."

Yang Chen frowned. "He tried to kill you and me, and you don't hate him? I think it's only fair to shoot him on sight."

Lin Ruoxi frowned slightly. "I know you're worried about me, but I think legal means are better. If we resort to killing because of their actions, how are we any different from them?"

"At a time like this, you're talking about morality? He tried to crush you into pulp!" Yang Chen scoffed impatiently.

Biting her lip, Lin Ruoxi replied, "I know you think I'm being naive, but I'm just a businesswoman. I can outmaneuver my competitors and remain calm when they lose everything, but I can't take a life, directly or indirectly. You might find me annoying or overly sentimental, but I can't simply kill someone."

Yang Chen smiled bitterly and shook his head. "Women are really different. If this happened to Rose, she'd lead a team to kill them without me saying anything."

Lin Ruoxi gave him an angry look. "Don't use Rose to provoke me. I won't compare myself to her. You know where Li Minghe is, so why don't you just catch him and hand him over to the police? Wouldn't that solve everything?"

Yang Chen sighed. "As long as he's alive, it doesn't matter where he is. It's better to let him go for now and catch a bigger fish later. Just leave it to me to keep you safe."

The car fell into silence again, with neither speaking.

It wasn't until they reached a street food stall that Yang Chen bought a box of glutinous rice balls for Lin Ruoxi before continuing their journey.

Holding the box of her favorite snack, Lin Ruoxi glanced at the brooding man and softly asked, "Yang Chen, am I a burden to you?"

Yang Chen chuckled. "Don't overthink it. If you can accept a thick-skinned, scheming man as your husband, I can accept a woman who's overly kind in some aspects as my wife. Marriage is about mutual tolerance. No couple is perfectly compatible."

A slight smile appeared on Lin Ruoxi's delicate face as she nodded.

In the afternoon, the conference room at the headquarters of Yang Xia Bank in downtown Zhonghai was abuzz with activity.

Dressed in a sharp women's business suit, the elegant Luo Cuishan entered the conference room, followed by several assistants. The presidents of various major banks, who had been waiting for a while, immediately greeted her with smiles and visible excitement. After all, she was not only the Prime Minister's wife but also a high-ranking official herself.

After a brief round of handshakes, Luo Cuishan sat down and got straight to the point. "How is the situation with Yu Lei International developing?"

An elderly bank president with white hair smiled and replied, "Thank you for your concern, Director Luo. Yu Lei International's stock has already fallen by over 35% in the U.S. market. The situation is quite bleak. Additionally, the leaked information makes it hard for Yu Lei to recover. However, the major banks have received notifications from Minister Jin of the CBRC that we will offer some special favorable policies to assist such a large multinational enterprise, which is understandable."

Luo Cuishan's expression was subtly amused. "All of you are experienced veterans in the financial sector. I'd like to ask, does Yu Lei International have any chance of surviving this crisis?"

Another bank president sighed. "It's hard to say, but anyone with a bit of common sense can see clearly. If the situation continues like this, when the market opens this afternoon, Yu Lei's stock will surely plummet. Once it falls below 50, not even a deity can save them. We've calculated that unless Yu Lei has more than 40 billion in cash reserves to invest in the stock market, which would have been evident by now if they had it, they're in deep trouble."

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Other bank presidents agreed, noting that financial aid would be like drinking poison to quench thirst, only delaying Yu Lei's bankruptcy.

Luo Cuishan showed a hint of regret. "In that case, I think it's best for you all to refrain from making futile investments."

Everyone exchanged surprised glances.

The elderly bank president asked in confusion, "Director Luo, didn't you come here today to discuss aiding Yu Lei? Why the change?"

Luo Cuishan spoke earnestly. "The Prime Minister is far away in Yandu and isn't fully aware of the situation. He's merely concerned about a well-known domestic enterprise. Since you all see it this way, even if the Prime Minister wants to aid Yu Lei, it should be based on the actual situation. Of course, this is my suggestion, so you won't be held responsible. Just please don't let the Prime Minister know about this matter to spare him some face. Can I count on you all to help maintain his dignity?"

The bank presidents, seeing the faint coldness behind Luo Cuishan's smile, couldn't help but feel a chill.

"Since Director Luo has spoken, we will be pragmatic and abandon the aid plan for Yu Lei," they all responded promptly.

Luo Cuishan's smile became more relaxed and natural. "Thank you for your hard work. I can't stay long this time, so we won't have lunch together. Next time, I'll be sure to join the Prime Minister for a few drinks with you all."

Everyone quickly stood up, bowing as they escorted Luo Cuishan out of the conference room, not daring to show any dissent.

After leaving the conference room and entering the elevator, Luo Cuishan's smile disappeared. She asked one of her assistants in a cold voice, "How are the preparations?"

The assistant quickly replied, "Everything is ready. The information is comprehensive and can be delivered to Lin Ruoxi anytime."

Luo Cuishan praised, "Well done." Then she asked, "Is that fool behaving?"

The assistant smirked. "Yes, he's staying at the villa with the woman he's been using."

"This is the final stage. Make sure everything abroad is also in place. We can't afford any mistakes," Luo Cuishan said ominously.

"Yes!"

At that moment, the elevator door opened with a "ding," and they reached the ground floor.

Luo Cuishan's face once again donned a gentle and dignified smile as she stepped out of the elevator, exuding a spring-like warmth.

To read the manga version, please click the YouTube link https://youtu.be/Jw-q2euGywY