Lu Xuan looked at Liu Hanyan, who was prostrate at his feet, not even daring to raise her head, and a faint curve appeared at the corner of his mouth.
He flicked the cigarette lightly with his fingertip, and the ash fell, landing on Liu Hanyan's hair.
Liu Hanyan didn't move.
"Hmm, you're sensible," his voice was flat, betraying no emotion, "Considering your good skills and how well you take care of people, I'll spare you this time."
Liu Hanyan's body trembled almost imperceptibly.
Only now did she truly understand that Lu Xuan's terrifying nature extended far beyond the "Black Material" he possessed.
This man was simply a devil; he precisely seized her Achilles' heel—no, he gripped the throat of her entire Liu family.
Resistance? She had thought about it before. But what would be the consequences?
Ruined reputation, universal condemnation, imprisonment... these she might be able to endure through gritted teeth.
But what about her father? What about the Liu family?
Just as Lu Xuan said, the spittle of public opinion could drown a person.
Her father's lifelong reputation, the Liu family's accumulated prestige over generations, would all be destroyed because of her.
In this era, there were too many envious people, too many waiting for you to make a mistake, then swarming in to devour you whole, leaving not even a bone shard.
She, Liu Hanyan, was once a favored child of heaven, the youngest doctoral supervisor at Yan University, a goddess admired by countless students.
But now, she was just a dog wagging its tail begging for scraps.
"Master... Master is right, Yanyan... Yanyan will definitely be obedient from now on. Please, Master... please be merciful and don't publish those... those embarrassing things about me."
Liu Hanyan's voice was broken and hoarse, every word seemingly squeezed out of her throat, "I promise, I will never livestream again! Absolutely never!"
As she spoke, she pressed her forehead against the cold floor, a posture of complete surrender of dignity.
"The Liu family... the Liu family will also be at Master's disposal from now on. I... I am just Master's dog."
Lu Xuan reached out, his fingertips slightly cool, and pinched Liu Hanyan's chin, forcing her to look up.
That once beautiful and arrogant face was now covered in tear streaks, pale without a trace of color.
Those once proud and aloof phoenix eyes were now shimmering with tears, without a trace of resistance, only a nearly twisted adoration and complete submission.
Lu Xuan narrowed his eyes, carefully scrutinizing her expression.
"Teacher, can I trust you?" he asked softly, his tone unreadable.
The faint starlight in Liu Hanyan's eyes flickered violently, as if she had grasped a life-saving straw.
Lu Xuan temporarily released her.
Liu Hanyan, this person, was indeed still useful.
Her father, Liu Jie, the Executive Vice President of Yanjing University, this signboard carried significant weight in Yanjing, especially in the education sector.
In the future, whether it was integrating forces or handling some illicit matters, it would be much more convenient.
His most urgent task now was to consolidate the power he controlled.
Although the Black Material APP system was powerful, exposing one person's black material was equivalent to creating one or even a group of enemies.
The black material he currently held was enough to make several families in Yanjing hate him to the bone.
His ability to remain safe until now, in addition to the crucial role played by the control value given by the system, also contained an element of luck.
His previous path of revenge had been too hasty, too aggressive, and many details were not handled meticulously enough.
The methods he used against Liu Hanyan today, in retrospect, also seemed somewhat impulsive.
He was like dancing on the edge of a cliff; one wrong step would lead to eternal damnation.
Therefore, he had to slow down.
He needed to consolidate these people he controlled, turning them from scattered pieces into a truly cohesive network of his own.
Seeing that Lu Xuan seemed to be relenting, the string in Liu Hanyan's heart, stretched to its limit, loosened slightly, and her survival instinct immediately prompted her to react.
Disregarding the pain in her knees, she quickly shuffled forward, practically crawling on all fours to Lu Xuan's feet, and kowtowed twice heavily, her forehead hitting the floor with dull thuds.
She hastily raised three fingers, swearing with all her might.
"Master! Master, please rest assured! I, Liu Hanyan, swear to heaven, everything about me, from body to soul, belongs to Master! If there is half a false word, or a hint of disloyalty, then let my Liu family... let my Liu family suffer endless turmoil and eternal damnation from now on!"
Her voice was tearful but exceptionally firm, as if she were sacrificing her very soul.
Lu Xuan looked at her swearing like this, a hint of amusement flashing in his eyes.
What he wanted was not blind loyalty, but absolute control. However, the current effect was quite good.
"Hmm, since Teacher is so sincere, I'll believe you for now."
Lu Xuan smiled slightly, his tone more relaxed, "Now, there's a small matter that needs your help, Teacher."
"Master, please instruct! I will go through fire and water without hesitation!" Liu Hanyan immediately declared, her eagerness as if she feared Lu Xuan wouldn't give her a chance to atone for her sins.
Lu Xuan tapped the table lightly with his finger: "As you know, I am a student of the Chinese Department. I've been quite busy lately, and I'm afraid I don't have much time to spend in the classroom."
Liu Hanyan was incredibly perceptive and immediately understood Lu Xuan's meaning.
"Does Master want to... apply for exemption from attendance, or a long-term leave of absence?" she asked tentatively.
Lu Xuan nodded: "Smart. Can you do it?"
"Yes! Of course, I can!" Liu Hanyan replied without hesitation; this matter was merely a trivial favor for her.
"Master, don't worry, I'll arrange it immediately. I guarantee no one will disturb Master."
She paused, then carefully added: "Then... Master's grades..."
Lu Xuan smiled. This Liu Hanyan really knew how to "take care of people."
The system's reward of 【Full Marks for All Courses in Yan University's Chinese Department】 was still fresh in his mind; he didn't need to worry about this at all.
However, this matter could also be considered a test for Liu Hanyan.
"Oh? Regarding grades, does Teacher have any good suggestions?" he asked, feigning ignorance.
Liu Hanyan quickly said: "Master doesn't need to worry! Whether it's final exams or regular assignments, I will arrange everything properly for Master. I guarantee all subjects will be excellent, and it will absolutely not affect Master's future development!"
She even thought about whether to use her father's connections to directly arrange a postgraduate recommendation spot for Lu Xuan—no, directly a doctoral recommendation!
As long as she could satisfy this lord, let alone such a small matter, even if he asked her to dance in the principal's office right now, she would probably just grit her teeth and comply.
"Very good." Lu Xuan nodded in satisfaction, stood up, walked to the window, and looked at the lush scenery of the Yan Garden outside the window.
The game had just begun. And Liu Hanyan was just a chess piece that had just been activated on his chessboard.
Next, there were more interesting things waiting for him to do.
As for Sun Hao... a cold smile curved at the corner of Lu Xuan's mouth.
Anyone who dared to buzz like a fly while he was working had to be prepared to be swatted dead.