Shadow Heir II: Dark Glory - Chapter 1

Linzhou, by the shimmering waters of Yunyun Lake—Empress Bar.
The city’s top beauty hotspot.
On the second floor, in a semi-private booth, a young man and woman sat across from each other. Standing beside them was a towering bodyguard, easily over two meters tall.
The man spoke first.
“Miss Mu Qianyu, allow me to introduce myself. I’m Su Wuji. Twenty-four. Lazy, aimless, and hopeless. I opened this bar with my family’s money. It makes… okay profits. Every month we earn around…”
He turned to the hulking bodyguard.
“How much this month?”
The bodyguard replied with a stony face, “Boss, three million.”
Su Wuji’s grin widened. “Peanuts. No reason to get cocky. We’ve got to keep grinding.”
The bodyguard added, “Boss, the account book says we lost three million.”
Su Wuji’s smile froze.
“Impossible! It’s only the second day of the month!”
The bodyguard, built like a human tank, rumbled, “Boss, you got drunk last night, snatched the DJ’s mic, and shouted ‘Drinks on Young Master Su!’ That’s how we got here.”
Damn alcohol… always causing problems.
Su Wuji smacked his own forehead. “Xiao Pang, would it kill you to read the room before blurting out the truth? I’m in the middle of a blind date—with Linzhou’s most beautiful woman!”
Pfft.
Across from him, Mu Qianyu broke into a laugh.
Her long hair cascaded over her shoulders. Not a trace of makeup touched her porcelain skin—yet her features were so finely sculpted, so gracefully composed, that she looked like a work of art. Her beauty was clean yet bold, delicate yet arresting.
From the curve of her waist to the arc of her hips, her figure was absurdly flawless—like a chaebol princess who’d stepped straight out of a manga panel.
She smiled as she took a sip of fruit juice.
“Most beautiful in Linzhou? That’s just gossip. My dad forced me into this blind date, so I figured I’d see what Young Master Su was really like.”
Su Wuji chuckled. “For someone like Miss Mu to agree to meet me… I’m honestly shocked. My reputation’s pretty trash around here.”
He wore a gaudy floral shirt. His hair was slicked back and gleaming. A silver chain glinted around his neck. A cigarette—unlit—hung from the corner of his mouth like a prop.
Truth be told, Su Wuji had a handsome face. His features were clean and well-formed. But his flashy getup made him look like your typical nightclub clown.
Mu Qianyu smiled. “I’ve heard the stories. The eldest Su brother, Su Nian, is as sharp as a blade. The second brother, Su Qin, is calm and steady like a mountain. But Third Young Master Su? He’s the classic good-for-nothing—burns through girlfriends faster than outfits. And now that I’ve met you in person…”
The unlit cigarette still dangled from Su Wuji’s mouth as he grinned.
“…you’re realizing the rumors were spot on?”
“Actually,” Mu Qianyu said with a soft laugh, “I think Young Master Su is… rather amusing. The rumors don’t do you justice.”
But then, a glint of clarity lit her eyes.
“Let me be frank. My family’s in trouble. And my father said… that in all of Linzhou, only you can help me.”
Su Wuji broke into a broad, amused smile.
“Miss Mu, your dad—no, Second Master Mu—really overestimates me. I’m just a walking headline, a barfly with a bad rep. What power do I have to meddle in your family’s power games?”
Just then, three gorgeous women happened to pass by. Their tight dresses hugged their curves, their exposed skin glowing under the lights. The dangerously short skirts teased at forbidden sights, each step dripping temptation.
Su Wuji whistled shamelessly and called out with a grin, “You three better come find me later! Same as last night—we party till sunrise!”
The women giggled back, winking and blowing kisses. “Of course, Boss Su! We’ll give it our all!”
Su Wuji hollered, “Nobody leaves till they break their back!”
Mu Qianyu arched a brow, then smiled. “Still flirting at a time like this. Young Master Su, you’re quite the character.”
There was no disappointment in her eyes—almost as if this performance had been exactly what she’d expected.
After all, the rumors about Su Wuji weren’t pretty: black market dealings, shady businesses, womanizing to an outrageous degree—no sin left untouched.
But Mu Qianyu couldn’t quite understand—why would her father insist that someone with that reputation was her best hope?
Suddenly, from the booth next to theirs, came an angry, slurred shout:
“You stuck-up whore! If you don’t drink this, forget signing that contract!”
They turned.
A sharply dressed man was yanking a young woman by the hair, trying to force a bottle into her mouth.
Su Wuji scowled.
“So noisy.”
He snapped his fingers. “Xiao Pang, shut them up.”
“Yes, Boss.”
The mountainous bodyguard stepped over.
With a thud, his massive fist crashed into the man’s face.
Crack!
The guy’s nose exploded in a spray of blood. He collapsed like a rag doll, knocked out cold.
Xiao Pang lumbered back.
“Boss. Quiet now.”
Yes. The entire bar had fallen into absolute silence.
Su Wuji’s mouth twitched.
“How many times have I told you—be gentle! Gentle!”
Xiao Pang looked genuinely puzzled. “Boss, I only used ten percent of my strength. That was gentle.”
Su Wuji coughed awkwardly and rubbed his temple. “Miss Mu, my friend here’s… not too bright. Born that way. Please forgive him.”
Mu Qianyu laughed again.
It was the kind of laughter that bloomed like a daffodil in the dusk—soft, radiant, quietly unforgettable.
She steered the conversation back.
“Honestly, I have no interest in inheriting the family estate. I only agreed to fight for it… to protect myself.”
“Self-protection, huh?”
Su Wuji shook his head with a smile.
“The struggle for inheritance in a family like yours? One wrong move and you’re dead. I’m rather fond of being alive. So as far as helping you goes… sorry, I’m out.”
But then, she set an envelope on the table.
“If you agree to work with me, I promise you won’t walk away empty-handed.”
Su Wuji propped a foot on the sofa, cigarette still dangling, and lazily opened the envelope.
Out slid a check for eight million.
Mu Qianyu’s voice turned serious.
“This is just the deposit. If we succeed, there’ll be more.”
Su Wuji glanced her up and down, then grinned.
“Miss Mu, I don’t need money. If you want my help, you’ll need to offer a different kind of deal.”
Xiao Pang: “Boss, finance says we’re really short on funds.”
“…Take it out of your salary then!” Su Wuji snapped, exasperated.
Mu Qianyu nearly burst out laughing.
She couldn’t help but feel that Su Wuji was… different. Not quite the brutal, sleazy bastard the rumors had painted.
Meeting his playful gaze, she murmured softly,
“Name your terms, Young Master Su. I’m listening.”

Translator’s Notes:
This is Ink Hub, your translator speaking. Welcome! Please let me know if you find any errors in the translations. Happy reading.