*In early July, on the shores of Zhonghai City, dusk crept in. The ocean breeze, tinged with the sea's briny freshness and cool dampness, swept away the sweltering heat of summer.
Clad in black, with a face etched in stoic determination, Su Luo stood on a jagged reef, staring into the vast expanse of the sea. His thoughts churned like the waves before him.
Three years.
The events of that fateful day three years ago still echoed vividly in his mind.
"Brother Luo, we've been set up! Those treacherous bastards sold us out..."
"Brother Luo, I'll hold them off. You have to escape—only you can avenge me…"
"Brother Luo…"
Haunting memories surfaced relentlessly. Su Luo exhaled heavily, the weight of the past pressing on his soul.
Back then, he was the infamous Yama Sovereign—a name that made the world tremble. His left hand dealt death, his right hand healed the gravely wounded, with powers so formidable that even the King of Hell stepped aside. His medical skill was legendary, capable of bringing the dead back to life. Countless begged for his aid, offering fortunes that rivaled kingdoms, just for a single favor.
But a cunning betrayal during a fierce battle cost him everything. His strength was sealed, and he barely escaped the clutches of death.
Three long years had passed since then. For three years, Su Luo had painstakingly rebuilt his power. Now, at last, his efforts had borne fruit.
A steely glint flashed in his eyes, and an aura of unbridled power surged around him, fierce and unstoppable.
As darkness draped over the world, Su Luo turned away from the sea, striding toward a nearby three-story villa.
Just as he reached the entrance, an angry voice erupted from within.
"Su Luo, you useless bastard! Where the hell have you been?"
A striking woman stormed out, her figure lithe and graceful, but her face flushed with rage.
"I went for a walk," Su Luo replied calmly, meeting her fury with a level gaze.
"A walk? You've got the nerve to stroll around while my sister is still missing?"
Lin Weiwei's frustration boiled over. She clenched her fists, her anger barely restrained. How she hated that her beloved sister had married such a man.
Su Luo—a man Lin Miaoyan had stubbornly brought home three years ago, defying her family's wishes to marry him. Everyone had assumed he must be extraordinary to win over someone as exceptional as Lin Miaoyan. But in truth, he was a disappointment—a man who idled away his days or sat in cross-legged meditation like a character from some forgotten wuxia novel.
Their family had become a laughingstock, mocked even within their own clan. Yet this so-called husband remained as useless as ever, impervious to scorn.
Lin Weiwei glared at him, her voice cracking with rage. "My sister told me she had an important business meeting tonight. She was supposed to meet the chairman of Tai'an Pharmaceutical Group to beg for help with our company's crisis. But I just found out from a friend that the chairman didn't go—his son, Zhou Hao, did!"
"Zhou Hao is a notorious playboy, and if my sister met with him, she's fallen into his trap. Now her phone is off, and something terrible could've happened. Yet you, you worthless fool, had time for a leisurely stroll?"
Her fury spilling over, she stepped forward and slapped Su Luo hard across the face.
"If anything happens to her, I swear you'll pay."
With that, she stormed away, desperate to find her sister.
Su Luo watched her go, his expression unchanged. He turned silently and ascended the stairs.
Back in his room, his demeanor transformed. If Lin Weiwei could see him now, she wouldn't recognize the submissive, unassuming man from the past three years.
Su Luo exuded an aura of divine authority, as though a god had awakened, ready to command the heavens and reshape the world.
He pulled out his phone and dialed a secret number with more than twenty digits. When an automated message confirmed the number was invalid, he hung up.
Less than a minute later, his phone rang.
"My exalted master, finally! I've been worried about you ever since you vanished three years ago," came a voice, breathless with reverence.
Su Luo's name was Yama Sovereign, a title that struck fear even in the underworld. His dominion, Nine Heavens, was a shadow empire whose influence spanned continents.
Nine Heavens was divided into the Upper, Middle, and Lower Heavens, and Su Luo ruled over it all.
His reason for becoming the Lin family's live-in son-in-law? A debt of life he owed Lin Miaoyan's brother, Lin Bubai. During that fateful betrayal, Lin Bubai had sacrificed himself, shielding Su Luo from death's grasp.
Reining in his thoughts, Su Luo gave his order: "Sorens, listen. Track down a car with license plate Zhong A520… I need its location immediately."
Sorens, an intelligence chief of Nine Heavens' Lower Heavens, replied instantly. "Give me one minute, Master. By the way, we've uncovered some leads on those who betrayed you. We've traced them to Yanhuang, but their true identities remain hidden."
A glacial gleam passed through Su Luo's eyes. "Understood."
He ended the call, lighting a cigarette. His eyes gleamed with lethal intent. He had vowed to protect Lin Miaoyan, whether as payment for a life debt or simply because she was his wife.
Seconds later, a text notification arrived. Reading the message, his gaze turned deadly, his resolve as fierce as a storm.
He stepped out, hailed a taxi, and commanded, "Blue Bay Hotel."
Blue Bay Hotel, a luxurious five-star establishment newly built near a scenic lake, exuded elegance and charm. Its refined, Scottish-inspired architecture made it the perfect venue for high-stakes business deals.
Lin Miaoyan had no idea how worried her sister was. She had simply told her she'd be late and had set her phone to silent, slipping it into her purse.
Arriving at Blue Bay Hotel, she took the elevator to a business suite on the sixth floor.
"Zhou Hao? What are you doing here?"
Pushing the door open, she frowned at the sight of a young man lounging on a plush sofa.
Zhou Hao, in his twenties, had a handsome face and a lean build, but his polished smile couldn't hide the hunger in his eyes.
"Miaoyan, you're here. Please, have a seat," he invited, his gaze roving over her.
Zhonghai's most beautiful woman was even more breathtaking in person.
In her tailored business suit that accentuated her flawless figure, Lin Miaoyan exuded a commanding, cold elegance that was impossible to ignore. Her glossy black hair cascaded over her shoulders, framing a face both stunning and resolute—a vision of allure and strength.*
Let me know your thoughts on this refined version!