"Holy shit!"
Lian Hai, who had been cheering for Chao Musheng, looked up at the doorway after catching a meaningful glance from his companion. "Why is Old Master Song here? That bastard Song Cheng has no honor—can't handle a fight, so he calls in his grandpa?"
Turning back, he saw Chao Musheng still pinning Song Cheng to the ground, beating him relentlessly. Lian Hai braced himself and shot Chao Musheng a pointed look—Dude, stop for a second. At least turn around and see who’s here!
Perhaps his glare was too intense, because Chao Musheng finally noticed and paused, glancing over his shoulder.
The young heirs were practically salivating for drama. Everyone in their circle knew Song Cheng’s parents had passed early, leaving Old Master Song to spoil him rotten. Now that Song Cheng was getting his face rearranged, how could the old man just stand by?
Some of the less influential heirs, wary of getting dragged into trouble, had already started sneaking toward alternate exits.
Only Lian Hai spared a pitying glance at Shen Ran, standing alone. If Chao Musheng backed down now in front of Old Master Song, Shen Ran would have no hope of escaping Song Cheng’s clutches—unless Song Cheng got bored of this twisted game.
The moment Chao Musheng locked eyes with Old Master Song, the crowd held their breath, waiting for his next move. But he merely looked, then turned away as if the old man were air, resuming his brutal assault.
"Grandpa!" Song Cheng curled into a ball, clutching his head. "Save me!"
Chao Musheng answered with an even harder punch.
"Enough!" Old Master Song’s cane thundered against the floor as he watched Chao Musheng land several more blows. "Pull them apart!"
Pull them apart?
Lian Hai frowned. His grandson was getting pummeled into a pulp, and all he did was order his bodyguards to separate them? That wasn’t like Old Master Song at all.
Before the Song family guards could intervene, two other bodyguards blocked them. "Apologies. Until our young master is satisfied, no one interrupts."
At this, even the cautious heirs stopped trying to leave. Defying Old Master Song’s authority? These bodyguards had nerves of steel. The scene was too explosive to miss.
Old Master Song took a deep breath, addressing the two brawlers in the center of the court. "Stop this madness!"
He marched forward—only for Chao Musheng’s guards to block him too.
"Can’t we settle this like civilized people?" Old Master Song circled, but the guards mirrored him, forcing him to shout past them. "This is disgraceful!"
"Grandpa, get this rabid dog off me!" Song Cheng, emboldened by his grandfather’s presence, spat, "He’s insane!"
"Oh, so now that Daddy’s here, you’ve got a spine again?" Chao Musheng grinned, hammering two more punches into him. "Who’s the insane one, huh?"
"Grandpa!" Song Cheng howled, writhing in pain. When he saw the Song family guards still frozen, he screamed, "You useless idiots! Kill him already! What are you waiting for?!"
Whatever this lunatic ate, it gave him the strength of an ox—Song Cheng couldn’t break free.
As the Song guards finally stirred, Old Master Song barked, "Who told you to move?!"
"Grandpa?!" Song Cheng, barely able to stand, gaped in disbelief. He was being beaten to death, and his grandfather forbade retaliation?
Lian Hai’s eyes widened. Just who was Chao Musheng, to make Old Master Song hold back like this?
"What is the meaning of this?" Old Master Song avoided Song Cheng’s accusing stare, turning instead to Chao Musheng.
"Your precious grandson grew up spoiled rotten, looking down on everyone beneath him," Chao Musheng said, releasing Song Cheng’s collar. He dusted off his pants—though there was no dirt—and strode to Shen Ran’s side. "Maybe it’s how he was raised. He enjoys playing the lawless tyrant. Me? I prefer being the righteous hero."
The heirs gulped. Such a blunt accusation, stripping the Song family of all dignity—it might as well have been a direct insult to their upbringing.
They braced for Old Master Song’s fury.
"You disgrace!"
A crisp slap echoed across the court. Song Cheng, already bruised and swollen, now wore a fresh red handprint from his grandfather.
What?!
The crowd reeled. Song Cheng was the one getting hit?
Eyes darted between Old Master Song and Chao Musheng. Did the old man have some deadly secret in Chao Musheng’s hands?
"Grandpa?" Song Cheng clutched his cheek, utterly lost. Why would his grandfather humiliate him in public?
"Is what he said true?" Old Master Song’s glare burned hotter.
First the slap, then the question?
Song Cheng seethed. Who was the real grandson here?
"Shen Ran came with me willingly! This bastard butted in—how is that my fault? He knew I was your grandson and still dared to act like this. He’s spitting on our family!"
Never in his life had he suffered such indignity.
"And you two caused this scene over some worthless trash?" Old Master Song didn’t even glance at Shen Ran. "Pathetic. Both of you, come with me."
"Grandpa, you can’t just let him go!" Song Cheng’s voice cracked with fury and disbelief.
Chao Musheng ignored them entirely, turning to soothe a trembling Shen Ran. "Let’s go. I have connections on this cruise. We’ll get you to a doctor and arrange a new room."
Old Master Song’s temper flared at being dismissed. "Musheng, is this how your father taught you to respect elders?"
"Apologies," Chao Musheng smirked. "I’ve never met an elder like you."
"Musheng?" Song Cheng’s face twisted in shock. "You’re Chao Musheng?!"
Cradling his battered face, his expression warped between rage and guilt—finally settling on accusation. "How did you even get to the 12th floor?"
After his uncle and Chao Yin left the Song household, he’d rarely seen them—especially Chao Musheng, who existed only in Old Master Song’s stories.
Without the Song family’s influence, Chao Musheng shouldn’t have access to the upper decks. Unless…
A cold dread gripped him. He’d never let Chao Musheng return to compete for the family fortune.
"None of your business." Chao Musheng scoffed at Song Cheng’s lack of remorse. "I’d have thought you’d be more shocked that I’m not just alive—but thriving."
Old Master Song’s face darkened. "Musheng, enough!"
"True, you've always been bold. Back when I was still in my mother's womb, and you were just five years old, you dared to push her down the stairs." Chao Musheng paid no heed to Old Master Song's attempts to intervene. "Now that you see me standing here unharmed, capable of beating you until you cry for mercy, I doubt you're scared at all."
Back then, Song Cheng had pushed Chao Musheng's mother down the stairs, nearly killing both her and the unborn child. The old man, biased toward his grandson, couldn't bring himself to punish Song Cheng. Instead, he pleaded with Chao Musheng's mother to forgive the boy, citing his young age and the fact that he had lost his parents.
According to Chao Musheng's grandparents, his usually mild-mannered father had beaten Song Cheng half to death, severed ties with Old Master Song, and wrecked the entire Song family estate before taking his wife and unborn child away.
For the past twenty years since Chao Musheng's birth, his father had never taken him back to the Song household.
His father once told him that Song Cheng was a little beast, while he and his mother were his most precious treasures. As a sane man, he would never place his treasures alongside a beast.
Now, seeing this little beast tormenting others, Chao Musheng was reminded of the suffering his mother endured. If not for the constraints of the law, he would have beaten Song Cheng to death.
Five years old?
Pushing a pregnant woman?!
The crowd's gazes toward Song Cheng turned uneasy. They might fool around, but for a child so young to commit such a cruel act—what kind of twisted mind did he have?
"Chao Musheng!" Song Cheng could feel the disdainful stares burning into him. "You're deliberately slandering me in front of all these people?"
"Stating facts isn’t slander," Chao Musheng scoffed. "If your comprehension is that poor, go enroll in an elementary school reading class."
"Grandfather!" Song Cheng, unable to retaliate against Chao Musheng, turned to Old Master Song for help. "Are you just going to let him humiliate our family like this?"
"Musheng, it's been so long. At your age, you should learn to move forward." Old Master Song sighed, reluctant to air family grievances in public. "Back then, Cheng was just a child who didn’t know any better—"
"My, my, what a lively scene."
Secretary Liu pushed through the crowd and stepped beside Chao Musheng. "A dispute among youngsters, and now the elders are involved?" He glanced at Old Master Song with a mocking smile. "Old Master Song, surely you and Young Master Song aren’t ganging up on our young Chao just because he’s younger?"
"Secretary Liu." Old Master Song hadn’t expected the secretary of Kunlun’s CEO to appear. He forced a polite smile. "My grandson has caused you trouble."
"I’m afraid I don’t quite follow. Our Chao is young—whether he’s troublesome or not is debatable. But since Song Cheng, who’s five years older, called for you, his elder, to intervene, then this matter should naturally be settled between the elders." Secretary Liu finished speaking and looked toward the doorway.
Xiaojuan, who had been anxiously watching from the sidelines, turned her head. Su Chenzhu was walking in, followed by several men in black shirts.
Though his expression was calm and his steps unhurried, she inexplicably sensed urgency and a chilling aura around him.
Still, the moment she saw the CEO arrive, her frantic worries eased.
Only when Su Chenzhu passed by did she remember her usual fear and instinct to avoid him.
Strange—this time, her eyes didn’t hurt when she looked directly at him.
The moment Su Chenzhu appeared, silence fell over the entire venue.
No one had expected this commotion to draw out the reclusive Mr. Su.
"Mr. Su, greetings." Old Master Song handed his cane to a bodyguard and stepped forward to bow slightly.
Su Chenzhu gave a slight nod but didn’t pause, walking straight to Chao Musheng. "Did someone bully you?"
"Mr. Su, why did you come down?" Chao Musheng hadn’t anticipated Su Chenzhu involving himself in such a trivial matter. His emotions tangled. "I’m sorry for causing you trouble."
"It’s no trouble." Su Chenzhu smiled faintly, the gold in his eyes shimmering. "I’ve already heard—you were standing up for someone."
He glanced at the jacket draped over Shen Ran. "If others call for their elders, then you should have yours too." Turning to Old Master Song, he said coolly, "Musheng is mine. If you have anything to say, say it to me."
Chao Musheng stared blankly at the broad back shielding him. Did Su Chenzhu just declare himself his guardian?
What did he mean by "mine"?
Old Master Song’s lips trembled. He pointed at Chao Musheng behind Su Chenzhu, speechless for a long moment. "You… you…!"
No wonder the bodyguards following Chao Musheng had been so assertive—they were from the Su family.
"That old man’s got a weak heart. Seeing you so young and already the CEO’s right-hand man, he’s green with envy," Secretary Liu whispered to Chao Musheng. "How did you cross paths with Song Cheng? I hear Old Master Song dotes on that grandson of his excessively."
"Enmity from the womb." Chao Musheng noticed Shen Ran’s legs shaking and helped him sit down. "Rest here. This’ll be over soon."
"Thank you." Shen Ran lifted his head, the jacket slipping to reveal a delicate, pallid face.
"No need. Song Cheng and I were never meant to get along." Chao Musheng’s gaze lingered on the bruises—old and new—covering Shen Ran’s arms, the skin stretched taut over bony limbs. His eyes were skittish, uneasy.
"Don’t be afraid."
Chao Musheng bent down to readjust the jacket, shielding Shen Ran from prying eyes.
This person was already ill.
Mentally.
Through the gap in the fabric, Shen Ran stared numbly at the young man’s resolute back, fingers clutching the sleeves tightly. Could he… really be freed?
"Mr. Su, some young men lack ambition and will do anything for money. My useless grandson has been spoiled since childhood—how would he know the depths of human malice?"
"The victim is right here, and Old Master Song still has the gall to lie through his teeth," Secretary Liu muttered as Chao Musheng returned. "But don’t worry. With the boss backing you, you could dance on the Song family’s graves if you wanted."
Chao Musheng: "…"
That might be excessive.
"Mr. Su—"
"No need for explanations, Old Master Song. I already know right from wrong." Su Chenzhu pulled Chao Musheng to stand beside him. "Musheng has a gentle temperament."
The crowd glanced at Song Cheng’s bruised face. No one dared argue.
"If even Musheng couldn’t hold back from teaching someone a lesson, that person should reflect deeply." Su Chenzhu’s voice was icy. "Our Musheng is timid. Before the ship docks, those who shouldn’t be seen should stay in their rooms."
Gasps rippled through the onlookers. He was outright confining Song Cheng, stripping the Song family of all dignity.
The usual lackeys who followed Song Cheng around were so terrified they didn’t even dare to breathe loudly, casting resentful glances at Chao Musheng. If only they had known his backer was Su Chenzhu—who in their right mind would have dared to provoke him?
Even just the name of Secretary Liu alone was enough to command their respect, let alone Su Chenzhu himself.
When Su Chenzhu spoke, Old Master Song’s expression turned awkward. Just as everyone assumed he was feeling wronged on behalf of Song Cheng, the old man finally spoke up: "What do you mean by that, Mr. Su? Chao Musheng is my own grandson. Since when did he become yours?"
What?!
Lian Hai and the other young elites were so shocked their jaws nearly hit the floor. Chao Musheng was the young master of the Song family?
Xiaojuan crouched by the doorway, surveying the crowd of privileged locals decked in gold and purple insignias across the field, her face etched with world-weariness.
She should’ve known. Wherever Chao Musheng went, he was never just some insignificant background character.
In the school arc, he was the guide. In the corporate arc, he was the genius protégé. And now, in this luxury cruise arc, he turned out to be both the assistant favored by the big boss and a hidden young master of a wealthy family.
This was what it meant to be the chosen one.
"Old Master Song, Xiao Chao is not only an assistant in Kunlun Enterprises’ executive office but also a technical consultant for the R&D department. He played a major role in the success of our company’s latest hit software."
This kind of verbal sparring was where Secretary Liu truly shined: "Since joining our company, Xiao Chao has contributed immense economic value. Doesn’t that make him one of us? And if he’s one of us, then by extension, he’s our boss’s person. What’s the issue here?"
"Impossible! He’s only a second-year college student—how could he be Kunlun’s technical consultant?" Song Cheng blurted out reflexively. "You’re lying."
Secretary Liu smiled understandingly. "For someone as mediocre as you, grasping the brilliance of a genius like Xiao Chao must be difficult. But there’s no shame in that. No need to feel insecure."
Song Cheng’s face twisted with humiliation, leaving him speechless.
He turned to his grandfather in panic, only to see undisguised admiration for Chao Musheng in the old man’s eyes.
"Musheng, if you wanted to join the company, why didn’t you tell your grandfather?" Old Master Song’s thoughts were exactly as Song Cheng had guessed—if the boy was already a consultant at Kunlun at such a young age, just how extraordinary was his talent?
A pity he bore the surname Chao, not Song, and had been raised by Chao Yin to distance himself from the family.
What a waste.
"Old Master Song, you must be joking. We’re hardly acquainted," Chao Musheng said, peeking out from behind Su Chenzhu, who steadied him with a hand on his arm to prevent him from stumbling.
"As for Song Cheng’s medical expenses, I’ll gladly pay double." With Su Chenzhu by his side, Chao Musheng felt like the fox borrowing the tiger’s might. "I’m sure someone as magnanimous as Old Master Song and Young Master Song wouldn’t hold a grudge against someone as young as me, right?"
Old Master Song paled at the words, his resentment toward Chao Yin flaring. Why dredge up old grievances to poison the younger generation?
"There were misunderstandings back then. Don’t just listen to your mother’s side of the story. If she hadn’t kept us apart, you would’ve grown up as the Song family’s young master—"
"My father told me all this. What does my mother have to do with it?" Chao Musheng shot a glance at Song Cheng. "Besides, is being a Song really such a big deal?"
"If I recall correctly, Young Master Song didn’t do well on his college entrance exams and had to study abroad, right?" Secretary Liu smoothly cut in. "Our Xiao Chao wasn’t as fortunate—he had to rely on his own efforts to become the provincial top scorer and attend Jinghua University. Just some small projects with professors, a little national research, and landing a consultant position at Kunlun before graduation. Nothing special."
"Xiao Chao is just an ordinary college student, nowhere near as impressive as Young Master Song, who amuses himself by bullying others." Secretary Liu tapped his phone. "I’ve taken the liberty of compiling some of Young Master Song’s… notable achievements and sent them to you, Old Master Song. No need to thank me."
Old Master Song glanced at his phone, his hands trembling with rage.
From behind Su Chenzhu, Chao Musheng gave Secretary Liu a thumbs-up. "Well played, Liu-ge."
Only you could pull off the ultimate secretary trope—digging up the protagonist’s entire dossier in thirty seconds flat.
"Just doing my job." Secretary Liu grinned before hastily schooling his expression when he remembered his boss was present. "I’ve already arranged for the ship’s staff to provide medical care and a room for Shen Ran."
"Thanks, Liu-ge."
"All the boss’s orders." Secretary Liu lowered his voice. "He doesn’t tolerate this kind of behavior. Now that he’s made an appearance, no one will dare cause trouble for the rest of the trip."
Knowing Secretary Liu had no regard for the Song family, Old Master Song swallowed his pride in front of the crowd. "My apologies, Mr. Su. I failed to discipline him properly. This won’t happen again."
"It’s Mr. Chao." Su Chenzhu corrected coolly, unconcerned with others’ opinions. He only cared about Chao Musheng’s feelings. "He’s my assistant."
If Chao Musheng refused to acknowledge the old man, then he was nothing more than a stranger.
"Song Cheng." Old Master Song, shrewd as ever, immediately grasped Su Chenzhu’s meaning. "Apologize to Mr. Chao."
"I’m sorry, Mr. Chao." Every shred of Song Cheng’s dignity had been stripped away. His eyes burned with humiliation as he stared fixedly at his feet. "Please forgive me."
If only Chao Yin had miscarried him back then!
"You resent him?"
Su Chenzhu’s voice struck Song Cheng like thunder. He jerked his head up in panic. "Mr. Su, I would never—"
"No explanations needed." Su Chenzhu pulled Chao Musheng closer, his arm resting protectively over his shoulders. "Let’s go."
The crowd parted like the Red Sea, clearing a path.
Chao Musheng glanced at the hand on his shoulder and suddenly understood why so many people in movies and books were willing to play lackey to powerful young masters.
If the young master was Su Chenzhu, he’d happily be a lackey too!
Seeing Chao Musheng safely out of danger, Xiaojuan slipped back into the crowd. Among the thirty players aboard this cruise, she couldn’t let the others know she and Chao Musheng were already acquainted.
"Musheng, are you alright?" The chief officer of the Moonchaser hurried over, pausing in surprise when he saw Chao Musheng with Su Chenzhu. He tipped his hat respectfully. "Mr. Su."
"Chief Officer." Su Chenzhu’s gaze flicked to the man’s insignia. "You’re the Moonchaser’s first mate?"
The chief officer ranked just below the captain, overseeing daily deck operations and navigation shifts.
And judging by his demeanor, he clearly knew Chao Musheng well.
"Yes, Mr. Su." The man—Chief Officer Chao—explained, "I’m Musheng’s uncle. I came as soon as I heard he was in trouble."
So this was the family member Chao Musheng had called.
Su Chenzhu lowered his arm from Chao Musheng’s shoulder. "Chief Officer Chao."
"Xiao Chao, you know the chief officer on this ship and didn’t even tell me?" Secretary Liu directed the medical staff to carry Shen Ran to the infirmary before turning around to see Chief Officer Chao chatting with the boss.
"At lunch with the boss, I sent photos of the restaurant to my grandparents. They mentioned it to the villagers, and that’s how we found out Uncle Chao was also on the Moonlight." Chao Musheng said to Chief Officer Chao, "Uncle, Mr. Su has already helped me resolve things here, so don’t worry about me."
"Alright, come find me if you need anything." Chief Officer Chao was cheerful and straightforward. Seeing how close Chao Musheng was with Mr. Su, he gave him a hearty pat on the shoulder—so hard it made a thumping sound. "Our Musheng has really made something of himself!"
Even the captain couldn’t get a word in with Mr. Su, yet Musheng was on such good terms with him. Truly worthy of being the pride of their village, the role model for all the kids!
"Musheng?" After Chief Officer Chao left, Secretary Liu smiled teasingly. "So that’s what they call you?"
Su Chenzhu’s gaze lingered on the spot where Chao Musheng had been patted a little too hard, his hands clenching slightly behind his back.
"Chaochao" would have sounded just as nice.
With the commotion over, the second-generation rich kids lost interest in playing ball and retreated to their rooms. But hidden among the crowd, the players’ eyes gleamed with excitement.
A passenger actually being related to the ship’s chief officer? This had to be a key figure for clearing the stage later!
Who’d have thought that in less than eight hours since entering the instance, they’d stumble upon such a crucial lead?
The System had finally shown them some mercy—this instance’s opening couldn’t have gone smoother!
