Chapter 24: But Inside This House, Only One Person Can Walk Out Alive!

This is not an exaggerated metaphor, but a factual statement....

The former Chen Yan was truly already dead; otherwise he could not have come into this world.

Since he has arrived, he will return the humiliation and torment once inflicted on the original host a thousandfold!

"Cold‑blooded, heartless wretched fiend!"

"I'll strangle you to death!"

"I'll send you to see your mother!"

Chen Yan's words shattered Chen Zhiyun's last illusion; embarrassed and enraged, she rose in fury, her hands reaching straight for Chen Yan's throat.

Swearing to die together, to vent the hatred in her heart!

"Snap!"

"Ah!"

Chen Zhiyun moved at breakneck speed, just a foot away from leaping onto Chen Yan, but Zhu Yi's movement was even faster.

A slap whooshed onto Chen Zhiyun's face, sending her flying sideways.

The heavy slap echoed in everyone's ears inside the room.

"Zhu Yi, haven't you eaten?"

Chen Yan cast a sidelong glance, clearly displeased, and retorted.

He paused, then continued: "Swing it round and strike!"

"Yes."

Zhu Yi was momentarily stunned, then suddenly understood; after a brief reply, he hurried forward, lifted the fallen Chen Zhiyun, and swung his hand back.

The wails and cries rose and fell.

"Come, bring the Fan family from this mansion up here, let them reunite as a household first...." Chen Yan snapped his fingers and commanded loudly.

Song Fei, Zhang Wenqian and others responded swiftly, bringing the Fan children, who had long been detained outside, before Chen Yan.

"A Yan, humans are not saints; who can be without fault!"

Fan Qiming, seeing his children appear neatly in line, was instantly terrified, fell to his knees before Chen Yan, and pleaded: "We truly realize our mistake!"

"Could you graciously raise your hand and give us a chance to reform?"

At that moment, Fan Qiming was genuinely panicked and could no longer maintain a paternal image before his children.

He keenly felt that Chen Kaiyuan's fate was beckoning him....

"Cannot."

Chen Yan gave a half‑smile, half‑frown, and slowly uttered two words.

He paused again, then continued: "Educating you is Old Master's business; what I want is to send you down to see Old Master!"

"Moreover, privately pardoning a felon is a grave crime; we are all family, Uncle, you wouldn't want to trouble your nephew, would you?"

Use the barbarians' techniques to subdue them.

Moral blackmail is their forte, and Chen Yan happens to be adept at it as well....

Since Old Master hasn't taught his daughter properly, Chen Yan must laboriously send her down so he can teach her again!

"Cold‑blooded beast, do you still have any thread of Gutou kinship!"

Dizzy from the slap, Chen Zhiyun heard Chen Yan's words, braced herself against the ground, hair disheveled, and roared: "When the day comes and we are beneath the Nine Springs, how will you face your grandfather!"

Chen Zhiyun knew clearly that the nephew before her had undergone a drastic change, renouncing all six relations.

The only one who could restrain him was probably the grandfather who dotes on him.

"Well said!"

Chen Yan clapped his hands, fully agreeing.

He paused, shifted tone, and continued: "However, I suggest you first discuss with Chen Kaiyuan how to explain to Grandfather the way you plotted against me...."

The old man in his memory was a man of clear reasoning.

He should be able to discern who staged this Gutou‑rending drama!

The once‑mad Chen Zhiyun was instantly silenced.

For the Duke of Wei's heir position, she schemed to throw his most beloved grandson into Tianlao Siyu; she feared she would be the first to be whipped....

"No!"

Who would have thought Chen Yan wouldn't follow his mother who died early, nor depart with his father!

Had he wisely died early, today's dispute would never have arisen!

"Come on!"

"Seize the entire Fan Mansion and escort everyone back to the Mingjing Office!"

Chen Yan, too lazy for more idle talk, waved his hand and ordered.

Next is to follow the procedure just like Chen Kaiyuan, and send them on their way....

"Cousin, I don't want to die!"

"You don't want to die!"

"Spare my older cousin!"

Even with his hands bound, Fan Yihang poured all his strength into a frantic struggle, shouting desperately for mercy.

Fan Yihang panicked.

He still has a bright future; later, relying on his uncle's family, attaining high office or titles would be no problem.

He doesn't want to die here, doesn't want an untimely death!

"Hang'er, don't demand him!"

"This mad, blood‑soaked beast, his hands drenched with kin's blood, the Buddha will surely consign him to the Avici Hell!"

Chen Zhiyun gritted her teeth, her eyes brimming with malice, and tried to shout Fan Yihang to stop.

In this era, Buddhism flourished, and the three southern and northern kingdoms were no exception.

Chen Zhiyun was also one of the Buddhist believers.

She firmly believed that this cold‑blooded, heartless beast would certainly meet a bad end!

"No!"

"No!"

Fan Yihang was terrified to the point of losing his courage; for the first time in his life he defied Chen Zhiyun, abandoning all dignity, crawling on the ground and pleading, "Cousin, please spare me!"

"As long as you spare my life, I'll become a Herd of Cattle or a Horse, whatever you wish…"

"I really don't want to die!"

Just the thought of death filled Fan Yihang with deep terror…

He wants to live; he must live!

As long as he can survive, he's willing to do anything!

"Are you really that scared?"

"Anything is fine?"

Chen Yan smiled, sizing up this cowardly cousin, amused.

For some reason, seeing his spineless demeanor, Chen Yan conceived a brilliant idea…

"Yes… yes…"

Fan Yihang kept answering, "As long as you don't kill me!"

"Spare your life? That's not impossible…"

Chen Yan licked his lips and said meaningfully.

Song Fei and Zhang Wenqian, seeing this, exchanged a glance in unspoken agreement.

Both sensed that their Mirror-Handling Master… wasn't holding back any good deeds…

"Really?"

Fan Yihang's eyes lit up, as if he had seen the dawn.

"Of course!"

Chen Yan nodded, first affirming, then said calmly, "However, there's no free lunch in this world…"

"You tell me, you tell me!"

Fan Yihang rejoiced, impatiently saying, "Anything is fine, I can do it all!"

"That's what you said, you know!"

Chen Yan's mouth curved upward uncontrollably, and he gestured to the nearest Embroidered-Cloth Envoy, "Come, give me your sword…"

"Yes."

The Embroidered-Cloth Envoy immediately drew his sideblade and held it up with both hands.

After Chen Yan took the sword, he first cut the rope on Fan Yihang's hand, then thrust the blade into his hand.

"What is this…?" Fan Yihang stared dumbfounded, clueless, gazing blankly at Chen Yan.

"If you want to survive, it's actually simple…"

Chen Yan stood up, smiled lightly, raised a single finger, and said playfully, "But in this room, only one person can walk out alive!"

Song Fei, Zhu Yi and the others were instantly stunned, including Chen Zhiyun and Fan Qiming.

Undoubtedly, they all caught the subtext of Chen Yan's words.

"What do you mean by that?!"

Fan Yihang's hand holding the sword, and even his voice, began to tremble.

He could not believe what he had heard…

"Be a bit more confident, it's just as you think…"

"Go!"

"Let's step out and wait for good news!"

Chen Yan shrugged, his smile full of intrigue, waved to his own people inside, and led the way out.

He left the house for the Fan Family to enjoy alone.

"Heartless thing!"

"Chen Yan, you really are a beast!"

Chen Zhiyun stared at Chen Yan's back and cursed furiously.

She had originally thought those earlier incidents were already his lowest limit…

Now she realized he has no limit at all!

"Only one person can walk out alive…"

"Only one person can walk out alive…"

Fan Yihang knelt on the ground, holding the sword, repeatedly muttering Chen Yan's words.

"Hang'er, don't be deceived by that demon Chen Yan!"

"He wouldn't dare to kill us!"

"Even if he entered the Mingjing Office, your great‑uncle would surely rescue us!"

Seeing Fan Yihang's condition was off, Chen Zhiyun hurriedly shouted a warning.

"Exactly!"

Fan Qiming also realized something was wrong, and immediately echoed, "That bastard Chen Yan is just making alarmist statements…"

"Big brother, please don't be fooled by him!"

"He is indeed deceiving you!"

The remaining members of the Fan Family also chime in, urging him.

"But he has already killed Uncle Two's whole family...."

"With Grand Tomb Governor backing Chen Yan, he is utterly without scruples...."

Amid the family's urging, Fan Yihang's eyes filled with blood vessels as he slowly tightened his grip on the knife.

Then, leaning on the knife, he staggered to his feet.

"Hang'er, what do you want to do?"

"I am your mother!"

Chen Zhiyun, seeing this, felt a shiver in the heart.

"Don't!"

"I am your father!"

Fan Qiming broke out in cold sweat, his pupils trembling.

"Father and mother, I'm sorry...."

"The gratitude for being raised will be repaid in the next life!"

"I really don't want to die!"

Fan Yihang steeled his heart, without any hesitation, and swung the knife forward....