The threat posed by Xiao Yifeng was gone. Another protagonist, Fang Heng, was also not a concern. In Wang Haoran’s view, Fang Heng was like a “wealth-bringing boy” type of protagonist. Not only did he pose no threat, but he would also continuously help Wang Haoran accumulate wealth.

During the afternoon, Wang Haoran was quite relaxed. He was pondering how to extend his influence towards Xu Muyan and Mu Zhaozhao. As for Qin Yunhan, he wasn’t as interested anymore. It was like a delicious dish he had already tasted; while it was still appealing, it no longer held the same allure.

Wang Haoran wanted to try something new. Compared to Qin Yunhan, Xu Muyan, with a favorability of 70 points, seemed easier to win over. But how could he create an opportunity to pursue her? Wang Haoran was deep in thought about this.

Just then, his phone rang. Seeing the caller ID, it was Tang Bingyun. Wang Haoran answered the call and greeted her with a slightly teasing tone:

“Aunt Tang, what made you suddenly call me?”

“Haoran…” Tang Bingyun’s voice sounded choked and hoarse. Wang Haoran was slightly taken aback. Could it be that calling her “Aunt Tang” had struck a nerve?

“Aunt Tang, what’s wrong? You sound upset,” Wang Haoran asked.

“My grandfather wants me to marry a man I’ve never met. That man is thirty-five years old, and I’m only twenty-three. He’s so much older than me. I really don’t understand what my grandfather is thinking, making me marry such a man,” Tang Bingyun cried out in grievance.

Hearing this, Wang Haoran’s heart stirred. Could there be another protagonist involved?

“Do you know anything about that man’s background?” Wang Haoran immediately inquired.

“Not much, but I heard he used to be in the military and just returned from abroad,” Tang Bingyun replied.

A former soldier returning from abroad? Could he be a soldier king? Tang Bingyun’s situation seemed to fit the template of an “ice-cold CEO” female lead. In urban novels, there are many like “My Ice-Cold CEO Wife” or “My Wife is a CEO,” where the male lead is often a soldier king. The plot usually starts with the female lead being forced into marriage.

Tang Bingyun’s current situation seemed to fit perfectly.

“It’s the 21st century, such things are absurd. Aunt Tang, you can refuse,” Wang Haoran suggested.

“Of course, I don’t want to agree, so I argued with my grandfather. He got so angry that he spat blood and called a doctor. The examination revealed that my grandfather has… has…” Tang Bingyun’s voice became more choked, and she couldn’t continue.

“Does he have a terminal illness?” Wang Haoran asked.

“Yes, the doctor said… said my grandfather is in the late stage of lung cancer,” Tang Bingyun finished, bursting into tears.

Wang Haoran immediately sensed a familiar plot device. This was a typical storyline where the female lead is coerced into marriage through such a dire situation to drive the plot forward.

“Damn! Late-stage lung cancer, that’s serious. I’ll inform my mom, and we’ll visit Old Tang together,” Wang Haoran decided to visit personally. Although seeing Old Tang was secondary, he mainly wanted to meet this soldier king protagonist and assess him.

After ending the call with Tang Bingyun, Wang Haoran immediately called Zhen Li. Zhen Li’s National Beauty and Heavenly Fragrance had business dealings with the Tang family and knew Old Tang. Given Old Tang’s serious illness, it was appropriate to visit.

Zhen Li, upon receiving the news, set off without hesitation. Wang Haoran called for a driver to take him to the Tang family estate. They met at the estate’s entrance.

Tang Bingyun, knowing Wang Haoran and Zhen Li were coming, waited at the door. Her usually cold and beautiful face showed signs of fatigue, and her eyes were red, indicating she had cried many times.

“Aunt Zhen,” Tang Bingyun instinctively called out. Zhen Li frowned, clearly displeased with the title, as it made her feel old. However, seeing Tang Bingyun’s state, she didn’t argue.

“Bingyun, there might still be hope. Don’t be too sad, and take care of yourself,” Zhen Li comforted.

“Thank you for your concern, Aunt Zhen. Please come in,” Tang Bingyun gestured with her hand. Because Zhen Li was present, Tang Bingyun felt uneasy and didn’t say much to Wang Haoran, only giving him a few intense glances.

Subsequently, Tang Bingyun led Zhen Li and Wang Haoran into the estate. They walked through a garden path and soon arrived at a serene and elegant room. The room was filled with the scent of high-quality sandalwood.

Old Tang lay on the bed, his face pale and sickly. Sitting upright on a stool beside the bed was Yan Guishan, his sharp gaze sweeping the room with an air of dominance.

Wang Haoran observed this and immediately made a judgment. Just by sitting there, exuding such an aura, he was likely the protagonist. He spent 100 villain points to investigate further.

Protagonist: Yan Guishan

Combat Power: 539

Charm: 148

Protagonist Aura: 421

Skills: Master-level Single Combat, Master-level Assassination, Master-level Firearms Proficiency, Master-level Sniping, Master-level Mixed Martial Arts, Master-level Reconnaissance

These attributes and skills clearly marked him as a super soldier king. In terms of combat power alone, Wang Haoran could easily overpower this soldier king. However, this guy could snipe. If he were to set up on a rooftop and snipe from hundreds of meters away, Wang Haoran might get injured.

Yes, it was only possible to get injured. Because Yan Guishan’s protagonist aura was only 421, while Wang Haoran’s villain aura was more than double that. The higher the aura points, the higher the luck value. Yan Guishan’s luck value was far inferior to Wang Haoran’s. The possibility of Yan Guishan successfully sniping Wang Haoran was almost negligible.

In short, this soldier king protagonist posed little threat. Wang Haoran had already labeled Yan Guishan as a “fat sheep” in his mind, ready to be exploited.

Xiao Yifeng’s mysterious backer remained a hidden danger. Additionally, from Qin Kai and Qin Yunhan’s conversation, Wang Haoran learned that there were hidden martial arts sects in the world. Currently, with only 20 years of cultivation, Wang Haoran was no match for the top experts of these hidden sects.

To reach the pinnacle of martial power in this world, the fastest way was to accumulate villain points to exchange for cultivation. If he could amass one or two hundred years of cultivation, he wouldn’t have to worry so much. By then, he could easily deal with any protagonist he encountered.

Of course, this was an optimistic view, limited to scenarios involving only martial arts. A more pessimistic view would suggest it wasn’t that simple.