Chapter 1: The Overlord of Northern Xin, Li Beitian

Heavy, ragged breaths echoed from the bedroom.

A woman, her waist gripped tightly by a man, was pinned before the floor-to-ceiling window as he claimed her lips with forceful insistence.

“Be good, relax.”

As if tireless, the man’s broad frame wrapped her in a powerful embrace, his face buried against her chest, his voice hoarse beyond bearing.

Under the influence of alcohol, Nanxing’s cheeks flushed crimson, a strange heat coursing through her body.

Suddenly emboldened, she rose onto tiptoe, her slender arms circling the man’s strong waist, returning his kiss with fervor.

“Mmm... Good girl, I’ll make you feel wonderful.”

Desire burning, the man let out a guttural growl, like a beast awakened after a long slumber, and drove her to tears with his intensity.

When it was over, Nanxing lay limp and helpless on the bed, her lips parted, sweat pouring in large beads down her still-flushed face.

Meanwhile, footsteps sounded outside. “Fourth Master—”

Fourth Master?

That sounded so familiar...

Bathed in the ambiguous, dim light, Nanxing opened her eyes and looked over.

What she saw shook her even more than before.

The man before her was no stranger—it was none other than her ex-fiancé Li Si Chen’s uncle, Li Beitian.

Li Beitian, the ruler of Beixin, head of the Li Group, a man not only of immense power but also with influence in both legal and underground circles, notorious for his ruthless methods.

It was said that those who crossed him never came to a good end.

And just now, she had slept with him!

Just as panic seized her, Li Beitian suddenly opened his eyes.

He reached out an arm—skin sun-kissed and taut with strength—snatched the ashtray from the nightstand, and hurled it forcefully at the door.

“Wait outside!”

With a sharp bang and his irrefutable command, the noise outside ceased immediately.

A moment later, Li Beitian rose, dressed himself with slow deliberation, never sparing Nanxing so much as a glance, and strode straight for the living room.

Nanxing shrank beneath the covers, only daring to peek out once she was sure he’d left.

It sounded like Li Beitian was discussing business in the outer room. She had no interest in eavesdropping. Gritting her teeth against the pain wracking her body, she climbed out of bed and straightened her clothes as best as she could. At last, she fished a coin from her pocket and placed it on the table.

A breeze drifted in from the window. Narrowing her beautiful, almond-shaped eyes, she hesitated not a moment—she went to the balcony and leapt into the night.

Under the shroud of darkness, she performed a deft aerial twist and landed as lightly as a feather.

Meanwhile, having finished his work instructions, Li Beitian asked, “Are all the gifts for the Nan family’s event prepared?”

His assistant nodded, checked the time, and reminded him, “The banquet starts at eight. We have just under an hour—counting the drive, we’ll be right on time.”

Li Beitian responded with a curt hum, instructed Qi Zheng to ready the car, and returned to the bedroom.

The room was unlit, shadows thick. Standing at the foot of the bed, he took a check from his jacket pocket.

His voice was cold and merciless. “Who sent you? Tell me, then take this money and disappear from my sight. What happened just now never happened.”

Only silence answered him.

Was it not enough?

Li Beitian frowned in displeasure, intending to get a good look at this greedy woman. But when he flicked the lights on, the room was empty.

Only the lingering traces of passion hung in the air.

The disarray of the bed and everything upon it was clear evidence that the whirlwind moments just prior had truly happened.

So where had the woman gone?

Puzzled, Li Beitian’s gaze was drawn to the nightstand by something peculiar.

Approaching, he saw what it was—and his chiseled face instantly darkened.

Damn it!

The woman had not only taken her pleasure and left, but had even left him money—what did she take him for?

Was he so cheap?

Was he someone anyone could buy?

What an audacious, reckless woman!

His chest seethed with fury. Then, glancing up, he noticed the door to the balcony stood open.

His expression black as thunder, Li Beitian grabbed his phone.

“Investigate! Everyone who was at the party tonight—find out who’s been up to no good… And above all, find that woman!!”

…

In the back of a taxi, Nanxing quickly applied heavy smoky makeup.

Bold, winged eyeliner, outrageously curled false lashes, a sweep of gold-brown shimmer above the black eyeshadow, and finally, she pressed her fiery-red lips together, making them look even fuller.

A true queen of the Shamate style.

Pleased with her reflection, Nanxing curved her lips in satisfaction and sent a text: Erase all traces of me from the surveillance at Meise, destroy it completely.

Almost instantly, a reply popped up: What trouble have you gotten into this time?

Nanxing: ?? You want me to cut off your allowance next month?

[Sorry, boss, I was wrong! Mission will be completed!]

Tsk.

Imagining the other’s smirking face, Nanxing shook her head in disdain.

Still, she was generous and wired over eight hundred thousand without another word.

[Thank you, boss, you’re my real boss from now on.]

Nanxing smirked, put her phone away, and leaned against the window, feigning sleep.

An hour later, the taxi arrived at the Nan family home.

After paying and getting out, Nanxing’s legs nearly gave way beneath her.

Every nerve in her body reminded her just how wild things had gotten at Meise.

They say men in their thirties are like wolves, in their forties like tigers—how true. Li Beitian was truly skilled.

But she had no desire to repeat the experience.

Pleasurable, yes, but damn, it hurt.

Grumbling inwardly, she looked up to see a high-end black Maybach parked by the curb.

License plate: Bei A88888.

It looked familiar.

She vaguely recalled seeing this car at the Li family’s old mansion—parked in the courtyard, though she hadn’t known whose it was.

Surely it wasn’t that idiot Li Si Chen’s? He loved showing off, often arriving in flashy sports cars under the pretense of visiting her, only to fool around with Nan Zhen’er.

Nanxing was about to investigate when the man leaning against the car, cigarette in hand, turned around.