Ji Xinyu chose to stay in this world because she already had a preliminary understanding of it. Going to a new world would mean starting all over again, rendering all her efforts in this world useless.
[System Message: Understood. You have chosen to stay. Please select your career path once more. Note: The original Son of Destiny, building upon the Ren family's existing foundation, became the world's leading figure in electronic communication devices. Does group member 'Ji Xinyu, the Tycoon Family's Eldest Daughter-in-Law' choose to replace the original Son of Destiny, to become him, to surpass him?]
[If not, the following industries are available for your selection...]
Before the other options could even appear, Ji Xinyu tentatively selected this choice. To prevent her from regretting a potential mistake and causing unnecessary trouble, the group chat system specially compiled the original Son of Destiny's achievements into a video and played it for Ji Xinyu.
Ji Xinyu watched it, and after viewing it, she still insisted on her original choice.
She found the idea of surpassing the original Son of Destiny's accomplishments incredibly intriguing. Furthermore, the phrase "become the world's protagonist" held an immense temptation for Ji Xinyu.
What exceptional person hasn't fantasized about becoming the world's protagonist? Moreover, without the existence of the chat group, surpassing the original Son of Destiny would have been extremely difficult for her.
After all, the original Son of Destiny reached adulthood at least thirty years ago. Thirty years can change a great many things. Take Ji Xinyu's original world, for instance: in thirty years, it progressed from pagers to smartphones.
This world already uses smartphones; what could communication devices become another thirty years later? The original male lead, building upon the foundation laid by the present-day Ren Pingzheng, became the global leader in communication devices.
The gap between that and the present is simply worlds apart!
Ji Xinyu remained firm in her current choice. The group chat system respected Ji Xinyu's decision. Subsequently, her phone returned to normal, and the previously stalled time began to flow once more.
Ji Xinyu looked out the window at the pitch-black sky. "Will this world's original Heavenly Dao appear again?"
[System Message: No. This realm is now managed by the Main Heavenly Dao. The original incomplete minor Heavenly Dao has been absorbed by the Main Heavenly Dao.]
After delivering this message, the group chat system departed. No matter how much Ji Xinyu tried to contact it, she received no response.
Ji Xinyu wasn't disappointed. She had already deduced that this group chat system didn't serve her alone.
Ren Pingzheng, who was tied up beneath the bed, opened his eyes. The moment he realized he was bound, his expression froze. Then, recalling the last second before he lost consciousness, his face changed dramatically.
He began to struggle. During his struggle, he saw Ji Xinyu standing by the window drinking water, the night breeze gently lifting her long hair.
"Ji Xinyu! What have you done to me?" Ren Pingzheng was no fool. He knew that being tied up for no reason was definitely Ji Xinyu's doing.
Connecting this to Song Ping being taken away, he knew his schemes had been exposed. However, he didn't dare believe it. He could only hope that whatever Ji Xinyu used to briefly knock him out was some other drug, not the potent "obedience potion" he had spent a fortune to acquire from abroad.
Ji Xinyu turned around and looked at Ren Pingzheng, who was putting on a brave front. She admitted this man had a decent appearance, but whether in character or ability, he was clearly subpar.
She simply couldn't understand why the so-called Heavenly Dao consciousness would have chosen this man as the father for its own Son of Destiny.
Was it because he was more ruthless? Or more foolish?
"Of course, it's about giving you a taste of your own medicine. How does it feel to be controlled, President Ren?" While the original host's and the Hou Family eldest daughter-in-law's actions were influenced by this realm's Heavenly Dao, Ren Pingzheng's act of drugging them couldn't be easily dismissed.
His encounter with the original host was impure in purpose, and his intention in having a child with the Hou Family daughter-in-law was even less pure. For scheming against them like this, he deserved to die.
Ren Pingzheng's face instantly turned deathly pale, and his gaze at Ji Xinyu was filled with terror. Ren Pingzheng knew exactly what he had done. If these deeds were exposed, his fate would be absolutely dire.
"Xinyu, what do you want?" Ren Pingzheng abandoned any hope of luck. He had personally tested the effects of this obedience potion on others. Those under its influence would almost confess how many times they soiled their diapers as infants.
He didn't believe he could have emerged unscathed from such a potent drug. Therefore, placating Ji Xinyu became his top priority.
Ji Xinyu sat back on the sofa with a faint, mocking smile. "You'll give me anything I want? Then transfer all your shares in Kuangte Group to me."
When Ren Pingzheng murdered his parents, he had made thorough preparations. His parents' shares had all been transferred to him. Combined with the scattered shares he had others collect, Ren Pingzheng owned fifty-two percent of Kuangte Group's original shares.
Thus, Kuangte Group was entirely under his sole command.
Ji Xinyu was directly targeting his foundation. Hadn't Ren Pingzheng murdered his parents precisely for wealth and power? How could he possibly agree to Ji Xinyu's demand?
"Xinyu, choose something else. You know, this group is my parents' legacy to me. I can't give it to you. But I can give you all the assets under my name."
As a Fortune Global 500 company, the profitability of original shares was obvious even to the simplest mind. Ren Pingzheng couldn't part with them. However, he was willing to give up all his other property.
If only that would make Ji Xinyu keep the secret! Of course, if Ji Xinyu agreed, it wouldn't be long before he could take everything back. As for Ji Xinyu, he had ways to deal with her too.
Ren Pingzheng had learned a bitter lesson in this regard. He now firmly believed only the dead could keep secrets.
"So, how much can you give me?"
"One billion US dollars." That was all the liquid cash Ren Pingzheng currently had.
Ji Xinyu nodded. Then she grabbed a shoe from the floor and smacked it across Ren Pingzheng's face. These shoes were provided in every room for guests to change into—house slippers.
The upper was soft, but no amount of softness could change the fact that the sole was made of wood.
Ren Pingzheng's face was slapped red. Having grown up never being treated this way, the look he now gave Ji Xinyu was one of undisguised murderous intent.
Ji Xinyu nodded inwardly. This kind of look was more fitting. A man as wolf-hearted and dog-lunged as Ren Pingzheng shouldn't bother with hypocritical expressions.
It was sickening to look at!
Ji Xinyu delivered another smack with the shoe sole. "You can have a billion dollars in liquid cash, yet you still had to borrow my five-hundred-million dowry!"
Those five hundred million were the original owner's dowry! Since ancient times, using a wife's dowry has been considered shameful in society; any man with a shred of integrity wouldn't touch his wife's possessions.
Ren Pingzheng did have "integrity"—he played the victim and borrowed it from the original owner in person! Deceiving a wife to get her dowry is even more deserving of a beating.
Because before her transmigration, her own father had also deceived her mother out of her dowry. Although that scoundrel and that despicable woman were a perfect match of willing parties, it didn't stop Ji Xinyu from hating this type of man.
Ren Pingzheng had long forgotten about the few hundred million he borrowed from Ji Xinyu. After all, in his view, since Ji Xinyu had married him, her dowry naturally became his as well.
Although he hadn't slept with Ji Xinyu in these past few years, Ren Pingzheng had his own bitter reasons.
One was that the woman most important to him on the outside didn't want him to be with Ji Xinyu; the other was that he himself didn't want to sleep with Ji Xinyu and have a child.
He wanted all of the Ji family's assets. If Ji Xinyu had a child, those assets would surely have to be divided with Ji Xinyu's child. Even though the child would bear the Ren surname, what use is a surname?
Didn't he also bear the Ren surname? Didn't he still kill his own father when he wanted to?
Ren Pingzheng himself had risen to power by murdering his parents, so his wariness towards children was far greater than towards anyone else.
"I'll return it, I'll return it to you." Ren Pingzheng felt his slapped face burning with pain, and the corner of his mouth seemed split.
"I'll give you the Ren family's house in this compound." This compound was built right after the founding of the nation. Those who lived here were either wealthy or noble.
This compound was also the most dreamed-of neighborhood for the wealthy across the country. Residents here were considered a cut above others outside. When the tycoons living here went out to do business, people would give them extra respect.
Ji Xinyu neither nodded nor shook her head, because she heard footsteps approaching from outside.
Ji Xinyu stood up. Speaking of which, the effects of the Yi Shu Thirteen Classics shared in the group chat were truly miraculous. After just half a month of practice, she already possessed such exceptional hearing.
If she had had this before her transmigration, how much more interesting would her life have been?
Ji Xinyu's gaze lingered on Ren Pingzheng's face for a moment before dropping to the area between his legs.
Remembering what Ren Pingzheng had just said—that back in middle school, he had seduced and raped a girl under fourteen... Ji Xinyu raised her foot and kicked down, swift, accurate, and ruthless.
The pain of having his family jewels kicked brought tears to Ren Pingzheng's eyes. Even though he was tied up, it didn't stop him from curling his body into a shrimp-like ball.
Ji Xinyu took a step back as the door was pushed open. Ji Changyuan entered with a man in his sixties, dressed in a black Zhongshan suit.
Behind them followed several men in black. Judging by their build, gait, and eyes, these men were either active military or veterans.
Ji Xinyu glanced at the bulges at their waists and greeted the elder with a smile.
"Grandpa Huang." In the original owner's memories, she had often seen this Grandpa Huang as a child. Every holiday, her grandfather would take her to pay New Year's respects to Grandpa Huang.
Grandpa Huang had always been very kind to her. It was only after she grew up and her grandfather passed away that the visits became less frequent. On the rare occasions she did visit, Grandpa Huang remained very good to her.
When the original owner first got together with Ren Pingzheng, he had even suggested they visit Grandpa Huang's house together.
Even though the original owner was on medication and obedient to Ren Pingzheng, she had never agreed to this request.
"Xiaoyu, you've been wronged." Grandpa Huang looked at Ji Xinyu with pity in his eyes.
Very few people knew that Ji Xinyu's grandfather had once saved Grandpa Huang's life. Privately, Ji Changyuan even recognized Grandpa Huang as his godfather.
Long ago, Grandpa Huang had been sent to work in the village where the Ji family's ancestral home was located, a place by the sea. During a fishing activity, he was almost swept away by the sea.
It was Ji Xinyu's grandfather, who was also fishing that day, who pulled him back. Three people were carried away by the waves that time, and none were ever found.
It was from then on that Grandpa Huang became close with Ji's grandfather. Through their subsequent interactions, Grandpa Huang gradually became true friends with him.
Later, when educated youth returned to the cities, Grandpa Huang went back to Xiacheng. He attended university and entered politics. Ji's grandfather, persuaded by his good friend, left the countryside.
He started as a common construction worker, became a foreman, eventually founded a construction company, and used the money he earned to buy land all over the country.
As for Grandpa Huang, he rose from a minor department clerk to become an official with significant influence in Xia country today.
The deeper he went into politics, the fewer friends he had, making him cherish his childhood friend all the more.
He had always looked after his old friend's son, and treated his only granddaughter as his own.
Seeing his own granddaughter suffer such betrayal, Grandpa Huang was in a very poor mood. Moreover, the man who had caused his granddaughter such grief was also a criminal.
On the way over, Grandpa Huang had already scolded Ji Changyuan the entire journey.
Grandpa Huang felt that Ji Changyuan, as a father, had spoiled his daughter too much and was truly incompetent. If he were capable, given Ren Pingzheng's flagrantly illegal behavior, how could he not have uncovered even a hint of suspicion?
Facing Grandpa Huang's criticism, Ji Changyuan truly had bitter reasons he couldn't explain. He had investigated Ren Pingzheng back then. Regarding his affairs with women, aside from the girlfriend who betrayed him in middle school, he really couldn't find anything else.
As for his business dealings, with so many protectors covering his tracks, it would have been strange if he had found anything.
Ji Xinyu shook her head at Grandpa Huang. "It's not too late now. Everything can still be salvaged."
Ji Xinyu's words earned an approving nod from Grandpa Huang. "Exactly, everything can still be salvaged now."
"Little Wang, take Ren Pingzheng away. Interrogate him overnight. I want to know more, specific details." Whether the things Ren Pingzheng confessed in those videos Ji Changyuan showed were true or false, he must be taken in for investigation.
Just as Ji Changyuan had thought, if the facts were truly as Ren Pingzheng described in the videos, what kind of upheaval would it cause?
But no matter how great the upheaval, what must be done still has to be done.
Ren Pingzheng's protectors were like poisonous thorns embedded in the heart of Xia country. If not pulled out, what immense damage would they cause in the future?
That a thousand-mile dike can collapse because of an ant hole is a truth known since the times of our ancestors!
Ren Pingzheng, filled with rage and pain, rolled his eyes and fainted. Little Wang and another guard went to support him. They noticed the dark stain on his deep black suit pants and caught the faint, lingering scent of blood in the air.
Everyone felt a phantom pain in their own "third leg." Their gazes toward Ji Xinyu held wariness, and beneath that wariness, a deep curiosity.
Just what had this President Ren done to make Miss Ji... blow his balls off?
Ji Xinyu paid no attention to these scrutinizing looks.
Little Wang and the others escorted Ren Pingzheng away. He called Ji Xinyu over to ask about the whole story from beginning to end.
Upon learning it all started because a staff member had worn her clothes and slept in her bed,
Grandpa Huang glared at Ji Changyuan again. "Cultivate the self, regulate the family, govern the state, bring peace to the world. Look at you. Have you achieved self-cultivation? Have you regulated your family?"
"What kind of head of household are you, letting trash like that work in your home? Your father was never this useless." Only a very few people knew that Grandpa Huang was Ji Changyuan's godfather.
When Ji Changyuan was a mischievous child, his parents might go easy on him because he was their son, but his godfather never did.
It was fine if Ji Changyuan didn't see his godfather; seeing him was always a nightmare.
Being called useless didn't bother Ji Changyuan much. After all, in Grandpa Huang's eyes, aside from the women in the family, everyone was pretty much useless.
"I know I was wrong, Dad." Ji Changyuan only used this address in private.
"I hope you truly understand. Come, let's go downstairs and have a proper talk." Ji Xinyu followed Grandpa Huang downstairs.
A man around Ji Changyuan's age was standing at the foot of the stairs, examining the surveillance devices found in the Ji residence.
He was the Uncle Huang Ji Changyuan had mentioned, his ostensible government connection.
To outsiders, Ji Changyuan and Uncle Huang were just schoolmates with a naturally close relationship.
He had followed in his father's footsteps into politics, but in the public eye, his achievements paled in comparison to his father's.
Ji Xinyu listened to the three of them chat, sipping from a water glass.
If Ren Pingzheng weren't the biological father of this minor world's Son of Destiny, with the Ji family's connections like these, how could they possibly have ended up destroyed?
In the original plot, Grandpa Huang did pass away a few years later, but Uncle Huang was no ordinary man either.
So, her whole family was just part of the motivation for the Son of Destiny's struggle, huh?
Ji Xinyu clicked her tongue. If not for the bias of this world's will, a scumbag like Ren Pingzheng would have been dealt with by the law long ago. He wouldn't have had a chance to swagger in front of the original host.
Ji Xinyu still couldn't understand why the previous minor world insisted on digging for treasure in a garbage dump.
No wonder it got purged itself.
As she was thinking this, Xu Ruozhi returned, bringing back a stack of documents. These documents could nail Ren Pingzheng firmly as a rapist.
"I only found out after looking into it. It turns out the women harmed by Ren Pingzheng years ago had already banded together. They possess a lot of evidence of his crimes."
"But no matter which department they submitted the evidence to, they never got any feedback. If I hadn't found them today, they were about to disband the group. Twenty years... they were almost at their breaking point."
