Shadow Heir II: Dark Glory - Chapter 9

Twenty-eight minutes later.

Su Wuji made another call to Xiaopang.
“We’re almost at the half-hour mark. Where’s the car? Why hasn’t it picked me up yet?”

Xiaopang replied, “Boss, you’ll need to come to the gate. The security guards won’t let it inside the compound.”

Su Wuji didn’t complain. “Fair enough. At least the guards are doing their job.”

But when he strolled up to the entrance with his hands in his pockets and caught sight of what was parked outside, his eyes went wide.

“This… this is the car you brought?”

Xiaopang nodded earnestly. “Boss, you said you wanted something sturdy.”

Su Wuji tilted his head back to get a better look at the towering beast of a vehicle—its tires were nearly as tall as he was—and gritted his teeth.

“Isn’t this a bit too sturdy?!”

Right in front of him sat a massive Scania heavy-duty truck.

The kind that could haul sixty tons in its stock form.

And this one had been modified.

And that wasn’t all.

Behind the truck were two flatbed trailers. Each one carried a full-sized, long-arm excavator.

Su Wuji exhaled through his nose, twin streams of air flaring from his nostrils. He stared at Xiaopang, his face dark.

“Other people rush in to rescue the damsel on white horses or luxury cars. Got it?”

“Got it.”

“Then have you ever seen anyone roll up in a truck and an excavator?!”

Park Yanxi

 couldn’t hold it in anymore—she doubled over, laughing.

But Xiaopang remained dead serious. “Boss, with two excavators running at full speed, we can flatten the Mu Family estate in under two hours.”

No hesitation. No deviation. Just the loyal execution of orders.

Su Wuji raised a limp hand and weakly patted Xiaopang’s shoulder.

“Why don’t you just bring in a hundred excavators while you’re at it?”

“Yes, sir!”

Without missing a beat, Xiaopang whipped out his phone and called the long-legged manager of Queen’s Bar, Xiao Yinlei.

“Manager Xiao, the boss says we’re still short ninety-eight excavators. Get them. Fast.”

Before he could finish the call, Su Wuji stumbled, his body swaying as though he were about to faint.

Park Yanxi immediately stepped in and caught him in her soft, warm embrace.

Xiaopang blinked. “Boss, are you worried about Miss Mu’s safety?”

Su Wuji shot him a glare. “I’m worried about your brain!”

He hesitated a moment in Yanxi’s arms. Honestly, it felt too good to leave.

But as soon as she saw he was fine, she pushed him away with a sly smile.

“Go save the girl, Hero. Even if Qianyu doesn’t need saving, it’s the thought that counts.”

She looked every bit like a doting big sister, concerned for her younger brother’s romantic prospects.

Su Wuji gave Xiaopang one last scowl, then climbed up into the massive truck’s cab, ass sticking out awkwardly.

He started the engine, face grim.

The Scania roared to life and thundered forward.

“Boss! You forgot me!” Xiaopang called after him.

Su Wuji’s voice rang out from inside the growling cabin. “We’re splitting up! I’m heading to the Mu family estate. You—go find Mu Zhihui!”

Xiaopang climbed into one of the excavators, killing intent radiating off him like steam.

“Yes, sir! Once I find him, I’ll carve him into eight pieces!”

He hadn’t forgotten the order.

Su Wuji stuck his head out the window and yelled, “Carve my ass! Just drag him by the ear and haul him to the Mu estate!”

But with all three vehicles roaring like beasts from hell, it was hard to tell if Xiaopang had even heard him.

—

On the eastern side of Yunyun Lake stood a sprawling estate, more than two hundred mu of classic Chinese gardens and winding courtyards.

This was the Mu Family’s ancestral residence.

Lush greenery, carved beams, and painted eaves. Ancient trees and priceless bonsai lined the walkways like silent sentinels.

The Mu Family had once ruled Jiangnan’s business scene, dominating textiles, international trade, and real estate. Even now, though the economy had shifted, they remained a dragon among horses.

The elders believed their enduring strength came from a simple principle: always let the younger generation fight for power.

But that principle had a price. With every generation, familial bonds grew colder, more fractured.

At this moment, the Mu Family’s main hall was wrapped in tension, heavy as a storm cloud.

At the front stood three ornate chairs.

The one in the center sat empty—Mu Chengye, the current patriarch, had fallen ill and wasn’t present.

He’d always favored Mu Qianyu.

On either side sat the Second and Third Elders: Mu Chengchang and Mu Chengsheng. Though long retired from daily affairs, their words still carried weight.

To the sides sat a dozen middle-aged men and women—the second-generation core, with Mu Shanhou, the eldest uncle, at the head.

In the center of the hall stood Mu Qianyu, dressed in white, graceful and calm as ever. She stood alone, as though facing a tribunal.

Bang!

Fifth Uncle Mu Xudong slammed his hand on the chair arm.
“Mu Qianyu! Do you even know why this emergency meeting was called?”

The moment he returned from out of town, Mu Xudong had sent his wife Qiao Yueru and son Mu Zhihui abroad by private jet, then called for this family assembly.

Mu Qianyu remained unfazed, lips curving slightly.
“Fifth Uncle, you called this emergency meeting to strip me of my candidacy for the heir position. That’s what this is really about, right?”

Mu Xudong’s face darkened.

“You and Su Wuji ganged up to beat your cousin bloody. The fallout is serious! You’ve disgraced the Mu name!” His voice turned cold. “You can keep your place in the family, but you must drop out of the succession race.”

So that’s how it is—threaten her with exile?

Mu Qianyu didn’t bother responding. Instead, she turned to the two elders.
“Second Granduncle, Third Granduncle, do you think it’s worse to beat someone up, or to have a minor caught using drugs within the family?”

Mu Chengchang’s cloudy eyes gave nothing away.
“Qianyu, we’re not here to talk about Zhihui’s mistakes. He’s still underage. Today’s meeting is about your involvement in violent criminal activity.”

How convenient. Avoid the real issue.

Mu Qianyu smiled coolly.
“Su Wuji is a criminal?”

To everyone else, maybe.

But she had seen the real man beneath the mask.

For a moment, her thoughts flickered to the wounds he bore. Her gaze softened—but only for a heartbeat. Her mask stayed in place.

Mu Xudong slapped his chair arm again.
“Mu Qianyu, defending that bastard like this shows just how blind you are! If you take over this family, we’re doomed!”

Third Granduncle Mu Chengsheng added gravely,
“Su Wuji’s reputation in Linzhou is filthy. The fact that you’re even associated with him is a huge disappointment.”

One by one, the second-generation elders began to chime in.

“She’s right. Qianyu, if you just listen to your elders, we’ll still give you a place in the family.”

“You assaulted your cousin—we’re trying to help you avoid an even worse outcome!”

They were all prepared. Every word is polished. Every argument is loaded.

This wasn’t a discussion. It was an ambush.

Mu Qianyu didn’t flinch. She smiled even wider.
“Uncles, Elders, Granduncles. Why don’t you just lay all your cards on the table?”

Mu Xudong’s eyes narrowed.
“Two choices, Mu Qianyu. Step down from the heir candidacy—”

He didn’t get to finish.

“—Or I marry into the Fang Family.” Her voice was ice.
“To Fang Jingyang, the capital’s so-called rising star. So the Mu Family can form a new alliance with the north’s emerging aristocracy. Right?”

She spoke clearly, each word like a needle in flesh.

And in that moment—just a flicker—Mu Qianyu felt something like anticipation.

She wondered:

When Su Wuji finds out they’re trying to marry me off… will he be so mad he charges in here himself?

🔎 TRANSLATOR’S NOTES
[1] Face-slapping – A common trope in webnovels where the protagonist humiliates or defeats those who underestimated them.
[2] Two hundred mu – Roughly 33 acres. A massive estate.