Systemless Villain

Chapter 242 Forged in Fire

The clock struck 2 AM, casting a faint glow in the dimly lit parking lot as Long Tian and Alexia Qian exited Suisei Pavilion, their footsteps echoing against the pavement.

Alexia stole a glance at Long Tian, her curiosity evident in her voice. "So, is this a regular spot for you?" she asked, her tone casual, yet tinged with intrigue.

Long Tian's response was nonchalant as he replied, "First time here, actually. But it's not too shabby."

"Not too shabby for what? Plenty of eye-catching company?" she inquired, her tone shifting, now sharp with suspicion. Her gaze narrowed as she awaited his response.

Long Tian, however, didn't falter. "And what about you, Mrs. Alexia? Despite having a husband, you're out at an entertainment center past midnight, surrounded by both men and women," he countered, his words delivered with ease.

Alexia was momentarily taken aback, caught off guard by Long Tian's swift rebuttal. Yet, she swiftly composed herself, a hint of defiance in her demeanor. "I'm here because my friends invited me after a night of discussing business," she explained, her voice steady.

Long Tian's response was equally casual as he shrugged. "Then my answer is the same. I'm here because my friend invited me after I finished business with someone," he stated, a faint smirk dancing across his features.

Alexia fell silent for a beat, processing Long Tian's words.

"Fair enough," she finally conceded.

As they approached a sleek sedan parked nearby, Alexia reached into her purse and swiftly retrieved her key, handing it over to Long Tian.

"Mind if you do the driving?" she inquired.

Long Tian nodded. "Sure," he affirmed.

Taking the key, he slipped into the driver's seat with practiced ease, followed by Alexia settling beside him.

With a soft purr, the car's engine roared to life, its vibrations humming through the cabin. Long Tian skillfully navigated the vehicle, smoothly maneuvering out of the parking lot. As he pressed down on the accelerator, they smoothly departed from Suisei Pavilion, disappearing into the night.

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Inside the car, the atmosphere grew palpably quiet, accentuated by the deserted road stretching ahead as the early morning hours enveloped them in a blanket of silence.

"I've been curious about this for a while. Long Tian, are you and Qian'er really dating?" Alexia's voice broke the silence, laced with a mixture of curiosity and concern.

Long Tian glanced at her, the dim interior of the car casting subtle shadows across his features as he replied, "What? Why do you ask? Of course, we're dating."

Alexia's brow furrowed as she pressed on, her eyes narrowing slightly, "Are you serious? You're not just putting on an act, are you? Don't tell me you agreed to be Qian'er's fake boyfriend to break off her engagement with Zhang Jun?" Her tone carried a hint of suspicion.

Long Tian met her gaze evenly, the faint glow of the dashboard illuminating his expression as he explained, "Well, to be honest, yes. I did play the part of her fake boyfriend at one point. But before that, we genuinely had a strong relationship; she even chose me over her boyfriend. However, due to certain circumstances, our relationship hit a rough patch. And when it came to Zhang Jun, she asked me to pose as her girlfriend. Now, our bond has only grown stronger, and I suppose we've become a real couple."

Alexia fell silent, processing every word Long Tian uttered.

"Wait, so she cheated on her boyfriend with you? Or did you steal her away?" Alexia probed, her suspicion evident in her narrowed gaze.

Long Tian leaned back slightly, a faint smirk playing on his lips as he responded, "Things took an unexpected turn. We reconnected after a long time, grew closer, and, well, her boyfriend just couldn't measure up."

"You're quite ruthless, aren't you? And what about him?" Alexia inquired.

"He's gone now. And as for Zhang Jun, I took care of him too," Long Tian replied nonchalantly.

Alexia's eyes widened in disbelief.

"You did what? You killed Zhang Jun?!" Alexia's voice rose with incredulity.

"Yeah, even Liu Qian witnessed it. It's no big deal," Long Tian replied casually.

Alexia was dumbfounded, unable to comprehend what she was hearing.

"Stop the car immediately!" she exclaimed, her anger evident in her tone.

Long Tian instinctively hit the brakes, bringing the car to a halt in the middle of the forest road.

He looked at Alexia with raised eyebrows, questioning, "What's wrong?"

Alexia's expression was filled with anger as she scolded, "Do you realize what you've done?! You've killed the young master of the Zhang family! You have no idea how powerful they are!"

In contrast, Long Tian remained composed. "They're just the Zhang family; there's no need to worry about them. Liu Qian also informed me about their status, likening it to that of an ancient family. But if they dare to come here, they're signing their own death warrant. There's a reason why the Dragon Martial Spirit is so rare, yet my entire family possesses it," he explained confidently, a smirk playing on his lips.

Alexia fell silent, contemplating Long Tian's words, which made a strange kind of sense. With several tiers of martial spirit, the Long family boasted the highest tier - Mythical type.

"You might be concerned about your fate and that of your family upon returning to the Yuan dynasty, but rest assured, there's no need to worry. I killed Zhang Jun in a portal, completely in another world. His body will remain there, never to be discovered," Long Tian reassured.

Alexia felt a sense of relief wash over her, yet a lingering unease remained.

"But you, you always resort to violence to solve your problems, don't you? You mentioned killing Qian'er's boyfriend too?" she inquired, her brow furrowing in concern.

"Yeah, besides my desire for Liu Qian, I had personal issues with him as well. So now, I'm not concerned if you ultimately return to the Yuan dynasty," Long Tian explained.

Alexia sighed and rubbed her temples. "I never imagined the sweet boy I once knew could become so ruthless," she murmured.

Long Tian's smile widened, his eyes gleaming with a hint of mischief. "I call it character development. I'd rather tackle problems at their core than let them fester, potentially posing a threat to me," he explained.

Alexia nodded, "You're like your father, I see. It reminds me of the exploration event of the five kingdoms in the Aldroff forest in the Roman Empire. He was so strong that he could single-handedly take down two 4-star soul beasts," she reminisced, a faint hint of nostalgia softening her features.

Long Tian's playful demeanor surfaced again. "What? Are you in love with him?" he teased.

Alexia chuckled, her eyes twinkling mischievously. "Hmmm, perhaps, if he had stood out the most at that time. Unfortunately, he vanished before the exploration concluded," she replied playfully.

"I suppose Uncle Liu will be sad to hear this," Long Tian remarked.

Alexia shook her head, smiling fondly. "Alright, I think that's enough reminiscing. As for Zhang Jun, truth be told, I'm relieved you killed him, especially in a portal. But when it comes to Qian'er, promise me you'll never break her heart," she implored, her tone turning serious.

"I promise," Long Tian affirmed solemnly.

A warm smile graced Alexia's lips once more as she said, "Now I can rest easy."

Long Tian nodded, his foot pressing down on the gas pedal. Yet, a reflex compelled him to glance back, only to be met with the sight of a truck laden with goods hurtling towards them!

With no time to react, the truck collided with them!

CRASH!

The deafening cacophony of metal smashing reverberated through the air, as the sedan erupted into flames upon impact, careening into the roadside barrier, shattering it to pieces.

Simultaneously, the truck overturned in a violent upheaval, its cargo of wooden planks spilling across the road in a chaotic sprawl.

But then, a thunderous explosion tore through the night.

Boom!

The truck ignited into a colossal fireball, casting a blazing inferno across the once-quiet forest road.

In the wake of the devastating crash, the road lay strewn with the aftermath of the fatal collision.

Amidst the turmoil, Long Tian, propelled from the wreckage, fought through the debris and rose to his feet. Despite the vehemence of the impact, he appeared unscathed. Yet, his countenance betrayed an unmistakable worry as he surveyed his surroundings.

"Mrs. Alexia, where are you?" he called out, his voice tinged with concern.

The force of the collision was so immense; surely, an ordinary individual would have died instantaneously.

Without hesitation, Long Tian hastened to search for Alexia.

However, his movements halted as he caught sight of something amidst the chaos.

Standing amidst the smoldering remnants of the car, Alexia emanated a crimson aura enveloping her form, her irises aglow with a fiery hue amidst the nocturnal darkness.

Despite the tattered and singed remnants of her attire, she exuded an air of grace, devoid of any blemish or injury.

Sensing Long Tian's presence, Alexia's crimson aura dissipated, her pupils returning to their natural state.

Long Tian's curiosity piqued. "What is that? Is that your power, Mrs. Alexia?" he inquired.

Alexia nodded affirmatively.

Content with her response, Long Tian approached her cautiously.

"But are you okay?" he asked, concern lacing his tone.

"I'm fine, don't worry," Alexia reassured him.

Long Tian nodded, his attention shifting to the burning wreckage of the truck.

"I didn't anticipate being struck by a truck. And it seems the driver is no longer among the living; I can't detect any signs of life," he remarked.

"Sigh, tonight has been exhausting. Now, how do we get home? My smartphone is in ruins, and there isn't a vehicle in sight," Alexia lamented.

Long Tian pondered for a moment, then suggested, "Perhaps I can escort you home, Mrs. Alexia."

Perplexed, Alexia queried, "How?"

A smile graced Long Tian's lips as two dark wings unfurled from his back.

Observing the emergence of his wings, Alexia fell silent. "Seriously?" she uttered in astonishment.

"Yes, if you don't mind. Alternatively, we could walk together. I couldn't possibly leave you stranded here alone, Mrs. Alexia," Long Tian replied, his smile unwavering.

Alexia crossed her arms, a hint of skepticism in her expression. "The way you speak... Are you attempting to flirt with me?" she questioned, her eyes narrowing.

Taken aback, Long Tian protested, "What? No! How could you even think that, Mrs. Alexia?"

Unfazed, Alexia maintained her playful demeanor. "Well, I'm just exercising caution. There's no harm in that," she retorted.

Long Tian sighed, shaking his head. "Come on, I wouldn't dare flirt with you. You're the mother of my girlfriend. Even if it were plausible, it wouldn't be appropriate," he explained.

Alexia chuckled softly. "Fair enough. Which position do you prefer?" she inquired.

"Well, I don't mind being above or below," Long Tian smirked playfully.

Alexia couldn't help but laugh, saying, "Stop joking; you're interpreting it in a bad way."

Long Tian smiled, "Alright, let's get serious now. I just need to carry you in the normal way," he said.

The smile on Alexia's face didn't fade, and she leaned closer to Long Tian.

"Since my wings are positioned behind me, I have no choice but to carry you in front," Long Tian explained.

"It's a bit embarrassing, but I have no other option," Alexia admitted.

Long Tian gently wrapped his arms around Alexia's back, while his other hand lifted her legs, assuming a front carry position.

"Are you ready?" he asked.

Alexia nodded, securing her arms around Long Tian's neck. "Let's go," she replied.

With a nod, Long Tian propelled himself upwards, gracefully ascending into the enveloping darkness of the night sky.

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