200: Chapter 200 Cooperating with Scarface Qiang

Scar Strong's "okay," which carried the intent of burning one's bridges, came through the receiver and crashed heavily into the air. Cao Kun held his phone, the corners of his lips curling into an extremely faint, cold arc.

Everything was under his control.

No accidents, no deviations; all the chess pieces were in place, all the plans were finalized, and all that remained was the moment to finally pull in the net.

He slowly hung up the phone, tucked it back into his pocket, and swept his cold gaze across the corner of the living room.

Lou Dong was still slumped there like a pile of mud, unconscious, with a trace of turbid saliva hanging from the corner of his mouth. He no longer had even half the arrogant demeanor he usually displayed when bossing Shang Yuya around.

For this man, Cao Kun felt not a shred of pity, nor any superfluous emotion.

From killing his wife for insurance fraud to personally feeding her aphrodisiacs to hand her over to thugs to be defiled, Lou Dong had long ago trampled humanity, conscience, and bottom lines under his feet.

From the moment he chose gambling, domestic violence, and murdering for money, his life's end was already predestined.

This wasn't revenge; it was simply the cycle of karma, a fate he brought upon himself.

Cao Kun raised his foot, avoiding the mess on the floor, and without giving Lou Dong another look, he turned and pushed open the bedroom door.

The light in the room was very soft. Shang Yuya had already sat up in bed, a soft, thin quilt wrapped tightly around her.

Her face was still as pale as ever, her eyes were slightly red, and unshed tears still hung from her long eyelashes. She looked as fragile as a porcelain doll that would shatter at a touch.

But unlike before, the extreme panic and despair in the depths of her eyes had been replaced by a calmness born of burning one's bridges after experiencing a life-and-death ordeal, along with an imperceptible determination for the future.

Hearing the footsteps, Shang Yuya immediately raised her head and looked straight at Cao Kun.

The moment she saw him, her tense body relaxed slightly.

This man was her only reliance at this moment, her only source of confidence, and the only light she could grasp.

In this dark and hopeless life, it was Cao Kun who had forcibly pulled her back from the edge of hell, giving her the courage to resist and the hope of liberation.

"Is... is everything arranged?"

Shang Yuya's voice was very soft, carrying a trace of trembling that was hard to hide.

She knew what a crazy thing she had agreed to, but at the thought of all the evil deeds Lou Dong had done to her, that bit of fear was completely overwhelmed by sky-high hatred and indignation.

Cao Kun walked to the bedside and slowly sat down. His movements were steady and his breathing was calm, giving her a sufficient sense of security.

He nodded gently, his voice deep and powerful as every word reached Shang Yuya's ears clearly.

"Yeah, everything is properly arranged. For the next few days, you don't need to think about anything or fear anything. Just act as you normally would."

Shang Yuya gripped the corner of the quilt tightly, her slender fingers turning white at the knuckles from the exertion. She bit her lower lip hard and nodded. "I understand. I'll be obedient. I'll pretend I don't know anything and won't show any flaws."

Having experienced the fear of suffocating in lake water, the despair of being betrayed by her husband, and the humiliation of being cornered by thugs, she was no longer that naive, weak little girl who held unrealistic fantasies about love.

The former Shang Yuya had broken ties with her parents and left her hometown for the sake of love, thinking she was marrying for love, only to fall into an abyss of eternal damnation.

Two years of marriage, two years of domestic violence, and two years of mental torture had worn her down and left her covered in scars.

And this time, Lou Dong's actions had completely crushed the last shred of hope in her heart.

Did she hate him?

She did.

She hated him to her very marrow.

But she also understood that on her own, she could never escape this demon.

It was Cao Kun who gave her the opportunity and the strength, giving her the courage to end this nightmare.

Cao Kun watched the transformation in her eyes, and his heart stirred slightly.

This woman seemed weak, but she possessed a very strong resilience in her bones.

Long-term oppression hadn't made her sink completely; instead, she had cleared her head in the midst of a desperate situation. In this regard, she was much stronger than many people.

He softened his tone and spoke soothingly, as if comforting a startled little animal.

"No need to be nervous, and don't carry any psychological burden."

"I will handle everything cleanly without leaving any trace. You won't have any trouble, let alone face any legal consequences."

"You just need to wait with peace of mind. Once everything is over, you'll be completely free. You can leave this place far behind and start your own life anew."

Freedom.

These two words were like a warm current, instantly flowing through Shang Yuya's cold heart.

It had been far, far too long since she had felt the taste of freedom.

Ever since she married Lou Dong, she had been like a caged bird, losing her family, her friends, and the right to choose her own life.

She lived every day in fear and caution, terrified that saying one wrong word would bring about a beating.

She thought she would be trapped in this cage for the rest of her life until she died.

It was Cao Kun who told her she could be free.

Shang Yuya's eyes grew moist again, and hot tears slid down silently, hitting the bedding and spreading into a small wet patch.

She raised her head and stared blankly at Cao Kun.

The man before her was tall and upright, with a handsome face, steady and gentle eyes, and a powerful aura.

He wasn't selfish and cowardly like Lou Dong, nor was he vicious and wretched like those thugs.

He was powerful, reliable, and upright. In her most desperate and helpless moments, he had stepped forward time and again to protect her.

By comparison, they were worlds apart.

A sentiment she had never felt before quietly sprouted, spread, took root, and blossomed in her heart.

It was gratitude, reliance, admiration, and even more so, an irrepressible flutter of her heart.

In these dark and hopeless years, Cao Kun was her only light.

She gave a soft "mm" and lowered her head. Her long eyelashes hid the surging emotions in her eyes, and a faint blush quietly rose on her fair cheeks, like the most delicate flower of early spring.

Cao Kun didn't notice her subtle emotional changes; at this moment, all his thoughts were on the meticulous execution of the plan.

He looked up toward the bedroom wardrobe and asked, "Where did you put that insurance policy?"

This was the most critical piece of physical evidence in the entire plan, and there could be no mistakes.

Shang Yuya immediately snapped back to her senses and hurriedly replied, "In the top drawer of the wardrobe, inside a red file bag. I've been keeping it safe."

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