Linjiang City, outside the Happy Bookstore...

Li Mu was lounging leisurely on a rocking chair, eyes closed in peaceful repose.

"Vroooom..."

The roar of engines shattered the quiet. Several black, extended-wheelbase Maybachs with Beijing license plates pulled up in front of the bookstore, drawing gasps from passersby.

"Quickly!"

"Move, move, move..."

Dozens of bodyguards in black suits stepped out of the vehicles and formed two respectful lines at the bookstore entrance.

An elderly man with striking silver hair emerged slowly from one of the cars. Dressed in an imposing Tang suit, he moved with an air of quiet authority, drawing reverential glances from both his entourage and curious onlookers as he approached Li Mu.

"Young Master..."

"Scram!"

The single syllable spat from Li Mu's lips stopped the old man mid-sentence, leaving him momentarily stunned.

"The Old Master, he—"

"Scram!"

Again, the elder tried to speak, only to be cut off by the same terse command. Li Mu didn't even bother to open his eyes.

Instantly, the old man's expression turned awkward.

As the chief steward of the Yanjing's most prestigious noble family and one of the "Four Tigers of the North," Li Chonghu was a figure long renowned in the martial world. He was confident that no one in this world would dare speak to him in such a tone—except, of course, the young man lounging leisurely in the sunlight before him.

Because this was no ordinary young man. He was not only the young master of the Li family, Yanjing's foremost aristocratic household, but also the War God whose might shook the heavens.

"Young Master, the Li family is planning to invest in Linjiang—"

"Choose between death and leaving."

A glint of sharpness flashed in Li Mu's lazy, star-like eyes as they briefly opened, sending a shiver down Li Chonghu's spine. It felt as though he had been locked onto by a peerless blade—one more word, and he would surely lose his life.

"Get lost. If you dare block my sunlight again, I'll take your old life."

Only when Li Mu stretched lazily and closed those starry eyes once more, reverting to his languid demeanor, did Li Chonghu's tense body finally begin to relax.

"Yes, there won't be a next time."

Li Chonghu bowed respectfully before turning to leave. It wasn't until he got into the car that he realized his back was drenched in cold sweat.

"He's grown even stronger."

Glancing back at Li Mu, who still lounged lazily by the bookstore entrance, Li Chonghu couldn't fathom why the unrivaled War God of the East would willingly settle in Linjiang as a mere live-in son-in-law—even enduring the reputation of being a freeloader.

But he knew one thing for certain: Li Mu was nothing like the idle man he appeared to be.

When the War God raged, blood would stain the land for miles.

"Pass down the order—under no circumstances are we to provoke his anger..."

"Sir, is that young man really that formidable?" The driver up front finally spoke up.

Anyone who saw the driver's face would have been utterly shocked.

Because the man behind the wheel was none other than Huang Yaotian, the former patriarch of the Huang family—one of the four great clans of Linjiang.

It was common knowledge that Huang Yaotian had retired from public life decades ago.

Back then, he alone had dominated the other three great families of Linjiang, leaving them powerless to resist.

"Really that formidable?"

Li Chonghu's lips twitched slightly as he thought to himself: How could the word "formidable" even begin to describe him?

That man might appear lazy and indifferent, but he was a figure who struck terror into the hearts of people in both the underworld and the world above.

"There are very few in this world who can stand as his equal."

"Do not provoke him. Not even the old masters of the North could protect you if you did."

"Because he is the youngest War God of our era."

Having said this, Li Chonghu slowly closed his eyes, as though struggling to calm the rapid rise and fall of his chest. He spoke no more.

What—?

God of War?

Up ahead, Huang Yaotian's hands trembled slightly as they gripped the steering wheel. He tightened his grip, forcing the black Maybach to continue its slow advance into the distance.

...

"Li Mu, bad news—"

"Your wife's been kidnapped!"

"Li Mu, your wife's been taken!"

The moment Li Chonghu left, a gloating voice rang through the streets. A lanky teenager came sprinting toward Happy Bookstore, barely containing his excitement.

"Damn mutt."

Li Mu, lounging in his recliner, shot the scrawny kid an exasperated glare and snorted. "Speak properly."

"Your wife got snatched at the Liu family's place."

"Impossible."

Li Mu eyed the smug grin on the boy's face as he crossed his arms, itching to kick him. Liu Wan'er was the goddess of Linjiang. Even if the Liu family had fallen from grace—almost slipping from third-tier nobility into obscurity—she was still untouchable.

However, after all these years of operation in Linjiang, the Liu family still had considerable influence.

Snatching Liu Wan'er away from the Liu family? Even the top-tier families in Linjiang wouldn’t dare attempt such a thing.

Unless…

The Liu family had planned it all along.

Li Mu shot to his feet in an instant, his entire demeanor shifting like an unsheathed blade—sharp and terrifying. His voice was a thunderous command: "What the hell is going on?"

"Ah, you haven’t heard yet? The Li family, the most powerful aristocratic clan from Yanjing, is coming to invest in Linjiang. Every major family in the city is losing their minds over it."

"Rumor has it that the Huang family—one of Linjiang’s top-tier families—has some connection with the Li family. They’re hosting a banquet at the Huang Family Clubhouse to welcome the Li family’s representatives. Huang Shaoming, the Huang family’s young master, sent that old dog of theirs to snatch your wife away."

The Li family of Yanjing?

So, the Liu family was trying to curry favor with the Huang family by offering Liu Wan'er as a bargaining chip—all to get closer to the prestigious Li family.

It seemed the Liu family was digging their own grave deeper and deeper.

Little did they know, Li Chonghu—the Li family’s chief steward—had just left Li Mu’s presence moments ago.

If he had known earlier, he wouldn’t have let that old dog Li Chonghu walk away so easily.

Slicing him in half would’ve saved a lot of trouble.

A flicker of cold killing intent flashed through Li Mu’s eyes as he turned and strode toward the Huang Family Clubhouse, Gouzi following close behind.

…

The Huang Family Club.

One of the most luxurious clubs in Linjiang City, owned by the prestigious Huang family.

Tonight, a "Closed for Business" sign stood at the entrance, flanked by security guards clad in black suits. The atmosphere was tense, almost foreboding.

"Li Mu, don’t you think barging in like this is a bad idea?"

Gouzi glanced at the fleet of luxury cars parked outside—each worth millions—then down at the rickety electric scooter beneath him. His expression soured.

The contrast was downright embarrassing.

"Li Mu, there’s no way they’ll let us in. Maybe we should try a different approach?" Gouzi chuckled nervously, his grin laced with mischief.

"Hey, punk! What the hell are you doing here? Can’t you read the sign?"

Sure enough, before Gouzi could finish, two black-suited bodyguards blocked their path, their voices icy. "We’ve got VIPs tonight. Scram before you regret it."

"Hey, hey, easy there, big guys. My bad."

Gouzi hopped off the scooter with a cheeky grin, patting one of the bodyguards on the chest like an awestruck fan. The guards exchanged disdainful looks.

Typical coward, all bark and no bite.

"Just get lost already."

The bodyguards turned to leave, clearly done with the nuisance. But what happened next caught them completely off guard.

The moment their backs were turned, Gouzi whipped out two bricks from nowhere and smashed them down on the guards’ heads with brutal precision.

*Thud… Thud…*

Two dull, heavy impacts. The dazed bodyguards swayed, their eyes glazed over in confusion before their massive frames crumpled to the ground.

As darkness swallowed their vision, one bewildered thought lingered:

*Who the hell dares to pull this shit on Huang family turf?*