After Becoming a Cannon-Fodder Lackey, I Swore to Protect the Young Lady to the Death - Chapter 34

Despite her best efforts to fade into the background, Su Momo was spotted by Gu Yan. Feeling his unblinking gaze fixed upon her, she took a series of deep breaths to force herself into a state of calm.

Miss Lu told me I have to face him head-on. With the lawsuits coming up, we’ll be seeing a lot of each other. I can’t afford to be this nervous every time…

Su Momo lifted her head and met Gu Yan’s gaze with newfound courage. She straightened her back and drew a deep breath, striving to appear composed and unshakeable.

Gu Yan offered a gentle smile as he began to walk toward her. However, there wasn’t a single flicker of emotion in Su Momo’s heart; she knew exactly what kind of evil was hidden behind that mask of a smile.

“Miss Su, we meet again.” Gu Yan stood before her, his smile thin as his oppressive presence washed over her.

“Yes, what a coincidence,” Su Momo replied flatly. Her tone was so calm it actually caught Gu Yan off guard.

He studied her, searching for a hint of panic or maidenly shyness in her expression. He was disappointed; Su Momo’s eyes held nothing but cold determination.

“You’re becoming more interesting by the second, Miss Su,” Gu Yan said, his lips curling slightly. “Though, I must say, I preferred the way you used to be…”

“I’m afraid I’m going to have to disappoint you, then,” Su Momo interrupted him. “I won’t be bowing to your threats ever again.”

“Oh? Is that so?” Gu Yan arched an eyebrow. “Well, then… we’ll just have to wait and see.”

Su Momo clenched her fists and glared at him. Then, as if a sudden thought had occurred to her, she offered a serene smile. “I’d like to give you a gift,” she said calmly.

“A gift?” Intrigued, Gu Yan took a step closer.

Su Momo delicately lifted the hem of her skirt and flashed him a sweet, sugary smile. Then, she brought her stiletto heel down with everything she had, grinding the sharp point into his expensive leather shoe.

A piercing, agonizing pain shot up from the bridge of Gu Yan’s foot.

Remarkably, Gu Yan showed no reaction on his face. He simply stopped looking at her and turned to walk away. Su Momo watched his departing silhouette and let out a long, silent sigh of relief.

Just then, Lu Jiaoyue walked over and patted her on the shoulder. “Well done, Momo,” she praised.

Su Momo turned back to her and squeezed out a smile. “Thank you.”

Lu Jiaoyue took her hand. “Don’t mention it. He’s going to learn his lesson soon enough.”

Su Momo nodded, though she still felt a sense of unease. She knew that the battle with Gu Yan had only just begun.

“From now on, we have to be even more careful,” Lu Jiaoyue warned. “He won’t let this go easily.”

Su Momo took another deep breath. “I know. But I won’t back down. I’ll fight him right alongside you.”

******

The gala ended in laughter, but danger followed close behind.

Lu Jiaoyue and Li Gangjiao headed home in one car, while Su Momo and a team of bodyguards headed toward the hospital in another.

A gunshot shattered the night. A bullet tore through the air and slammed into the rear window of Lu Jiaoyue’s car. Fortunately, Lu Jiaoyue had been proactive enough to have the windows replaced with bulletproof glass just a few days prior.

“We’re on a main road! Since when is he this brazen?!” Li Gangjiao grabbed her gun, ready to roll down the window and fire back.

“Don’t!” Lu Jiaoyue stopped her immediately. “They’re trying to lure us out of the car.”

Before she could finish the sentence, a heavy truck lunged out of a side street, charging straight for them.

“Hold on!” Uncle Liu, the driver and bodyguard, yanked the steering wheel in a desperate attempt to dodge. The car veered across the pavement in a terrifying arc, but it couldn’t quite clear the path.

With a deafening crash, the car slammed into a tree by the roadside. The massive force of the impact sent Lu Jiaoyue’s head snapping against the window.

Several men in black suits leaped from the truck, smoke grenades at their belts and guns and shields in hand. They began to close in on the sedan.

“Protect Miss Lu!” Uncle Liu kicked his door open and drew his handgun, engaging the enemy in a fierce firefight.

Li Gangjiao didn’t hesitate. she rolled out of the car, using the surrounding debris for cover as she ducked bullets and looked for an opening to strike back. However, the men in black were numerous, and the group was quickly being surrounded.

At the critical moment, the car carrying Su Momo arrived. She and her bodyguards joined the fray, instantly turning the tide of the battle.

“Get in! Quick!” Su Momo shouted. She was firing her weapon with trembling, terrified hands, gesturing for Lu Jiaoyue to escape.

Lu Jiaoyue and Li Gangjiao seized the opportunity to scramble into Su Momo’s car. Su Momo looked at the black-clad men blocking the road, gritted her teeth, and slammed her foot onto the gas pedal. The fear of death forced the men to scatter, clearing a wide path for them.

Bang!

Bang!

Li Gangjiao: Crap! This car doesn’t have bulletproof glass!

Hot blood began to seep from Su Momo’s arm. The intense pain made it nearly impossible to think; she could only bite her lip to stay conscious as her hands gripped the steering wheel tight.

Fighting through the agony, Su Momo drove the car to a safe zone. Her face was deathly pale, and cold sweat beaded on her forehead.

“You’re hurt!” Lu Jiaoyue frowned, looking at the wound in a panic. “We need to get to the hospital, now!”

“I’m… fine…”

Before she could finish, Su Momo collapsed into unconsciousness.

Li Gangjiao quickly called for an ambulance. It arrived shortly after and rushed Su Momo to the hospital.

*****

In the hospital ward, Su Momo remained unconscious.

The doctor removed his mask and sighed. “The injuries are serious. She passed out due to blood loss combined with extreme shock. The bullet grazed the bone, but thankfully it didn’t break. She should be able to recover full mobility.”

Lu Jiaoyue sat by the bed, looking at Su Momo’s exhausted face with a heart full of gratitude and guilt. “Momo, thank you. We owe you our lives,” she whispered.

Just then, Su Momo’s phone began to ring. Lu Jiaoyue picked it up and saw an unknown number. She answered it.

“Su Momo, I told you…” a low, male voice said from the other end. “We’ll see.”

Lu Jiaoyue went silent. She understood everything now; this had been a meticulously planned act of revenge. She hung up the phone, her mind a whirlwind of complex emotions. She decided that once Su Momo woke up, she would thank her properly.

But now, it was time to make Gu Yan pay.

Up until now, she had used her own resources to harass him with minor inconveniences. But this time… she needed her father to step in.

The Gu Group appeared to be a prestigious public company on the surface, but in reality, that was just a thin veil for their black-market operations. The string of recent scandals had already begun to plummet their stock market valuation.

Once the court documents were officially served, Lu Jiaoyue immediately bought three days of top-tier trending topics. With the help of paid influencers, the public descended on Gu Yan like a pack of wolves.

In the world of business, losing the public’s trust means you’re standing on the edge of a very steep cliff.

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