King-In-Law, The Hidden God Of War!

“Coward! You're not worthy of being a husband!” Following the scolding, a crisp slap echoed, leaving only the scene of a rather handsome young man being slapped harshly across the face by a beautiful girl. To say she was merely beautiful would be insufficient; she exuded the elegance of an aristocratic lady. But standing beside the plainly dressed young man, the contrast was stark. The girl cried, her beautiful face resembling a pear blossom drenched in rain, making anyone who saw her want to comfort her. But the young man just stood there silently. Finally, the girl continued: “Raymond Wang, if you take even half a step out of the Thompson family's gate today, then I, Sophia Thompson, will never again consider you my husband!” This girl was Sophia Thompson, a young lady of the prestigious Thompson family. Because she loved Raymond, she had defied all opposition, organizing a groom-selection event specifically to choose Raymond, determined to be with him despite his lack of wealth or status. But now this man was saying he wanted to enlist, to leave her behind. “I'm sorry, Sophia. I underestimated how unequal our backgrounds truly are. Right now, I'm too inferior. I want to leave for a while and return to find you once I've achieved success.” Raymond lowered his head, unable to face Sophia directly. People weren't wrong; they said he was useless, and now he was running away from the insults and contempt of the Thompson family. “Success? Until when? Until I'm old and ugly, or what? Have you ever considered how I would feel, left alone here? You're a coward. All you know is running away!” “I'm sorry...” Raymond didn’t explain further, because this was a secret. He had chosen to heed the advice of a mysterious person who told him that if he joined the army and achieved notable success, it would elevate his status within the Thompson family, and his wife would no longer be ridiculed or despised for marrying a poor, useless husband. But that person did not permit him to reveal this until he achieved success. Thus, for his wife to be proud in front of others, he chose to leave. “Raymond, I trusted the wrong person, loved the wrong man! Get lost, you useless coward!” Sophia seemed to have lost all faith in Raymond; she had given him everything but ended up in this situation. She wept uncontrollably, her tears falling endlessly like rain… “Commander, are you really leaving? Everyone wishes for you to stay.” Suddenly, a solemn yet regretful voice of a young man rang out, pulling Raymond from his memories. Standing next to him was Tommy Young, his closest lieutenant, and in front of him were the barracks and thousands of soldiers watching him with respect and reluctance. After four years away from home, Raymond had finally achieved what he desired, becoming one of the country's top ten generals. Now, nobody could look down on him anymore. Raymond tightly gripped the leave notice in his hand, speaking in a deep voice: “It’s been too long. It’s time I return.” “If that's the case, let Vera accompany you. At least we'll feel more reassured. Moreover, with your current status, it’s inconvenient to appear openly. She can help you with many things since she’s already well-known.” Tommy said, pulling Vera toward Raymond. Vera and Tommy were twins, as well as Raymond’s closest comrades. Though a woman, Vera was extremely resilient and capable, her skills matching those of her brother. Considering Tommy’s reasoning to be sound, Raymond nodded: “Alright, Vera, come with me.” “Yes, sir.” Raymond glanced again at the soldiers below, many words caught in his throat. Finally, he managed only a brief sentence: “Protecting the country is a duty we all share. Even without me, I believe everyone will do well. We will surely meet again.” The entire training ground fell into silence, overcome with emotion, regret, and reverence. As Raymond turned away, the soldiers shouted together: “Farewell, God of War!” “Farewell, God of War!” Their voices followed him out of the barracks as he stepped onto a new path, to face everything, particularly Sophia, the woman he loved most and owed the most. After leaving the barracks, Raymond and Vera drove an old jeep along the road back to the city. He didn’t want to flaunt his identity, nor did he want his wife to be overwhelmed by his current status, so he planned a simple reunion first. After more than four years of separation, even familiar scenery felt strange. On the dashboard, the gas indicator flashed urgently, prompting him to stop at a roadside gas station. As Raymond stepped out of the jeep, a brand-new SUV suddenly sped up and rudely cut in front of him. The driver, blond hair neatly styled, dressed in a branded shirt, was none other than Eric Wood. Raymond clearly remembered this man who had once pursued his wife. Eric glanced at the attendant, saying arrogantly: “Me first.” The gas attendant stammered, unsure of what to do. Raymond had arrived first, but Eric’s notorious reputation preceded him; not following his instructions would surely invite trouble. Seeing the attendant hesitate, Eric turned his gaze to Raymond, then suddenly sneered mockingly: “I thought you'd died on the battlefield, Raymond?” So, this guy still recognized him and was even saying such foul things. “Hey! What nonsense are you saying? Do you want me to rip your mouth off?” Vera suddenly stepped forward. For this kind of arrogant bully, the best remedy was a good beating. “Oh, who’s this? Why is this little beauty accompanying a pauper like Raymond?” Eric rubbed his chin, staring at Vera, and continued: “Or better yet, come with me instead, warm my bed, and I'll give you thousands a day for shopping. Deal?” “Despicable!” “Smack!” Before Eric could reply, Vera’s slap landed sharply on his face, followed swiftly by several more slaps. Her fiery temper didn’t spare anyone. Raymond merely shook his head, signaling the attendant to continue refueling. He had no intention of interfering with Vera’s teaching someone a lesson. But Eric refused to remain silent, continuing his provocation: “Having a beautiful mistress outside, how classy! And daring to lay a hand on me?” “Raymond, I bet you don't know Sophia was forced to sign divorce papers, right? How pitiful, you’ve just returned and already lost your wife!” Raymond clenched his fists, eyes darkening. He had not been informed of this. Eric became even bolder, adding: “Furthermore, I heard tonight Sophia will host another groom-selection event, exactly like the one she held for you back then!” “They call it ‘selecting a groom,’ but in reality, the groom has already been decided: it’s an engagement to the young master of the prestigious Grant family, Victor Grant himself. The Thompson family is determined to upgrade their status, not letting her be linked to a useless man like you any longer!” “Everyone knows that to prevent the Thompson family from harboring unrealistic dreams, the Grant family deliberately invited only worthless candidates, allowing Young Master Grant to dominate and demonstrate his power. Ha ha ha, they thought they’d climb higher, but in reality, nothing could be more humiliating!” The air seemed to freeze solid. Raymond looked directly into Eric's eyes, the icy gaze causing Eric to hesitate slightly. “I'm telling you the truth. What's the point of staying in this city anymore? You and Sophia have long been over, or perhaps…” But before Eric could finish, Vera delivered a fierce kick straight to his stomach, knocking the wind out of him. Unable to breathe, Eric could only shut his mouth. He was the young master of the renowned Wood family, yet here he was, beaten to a pulp by a mere mistress of a pauper like Raymond. He would definitely not let this adulterous pair off easily! As for Raymond, he stood silently, a surge of complicated emotions rising within him, pain, anger, and an unprecedented sense of outrage. He knew the Thompson family had never respected him, but he hadn't imagined they would be this heartless, nor that they would treat his wife so ruthlessly. Raymond got into the car, gripping the steering wheel tightly, his expression darker and more somber than ever before. Vera climbed into the car beside him, casting one final glance at Eric before decisively slamming the door shut. As they drove away from the gas station, Vera spoke softly, her voice calm yet clear: "Anyone who dares touch you, I won't spare them. You're this country's treasure, don't ever forget that." Raymond nodded slightly, his gaze fixed upon the fiery red horizon. The news about Sophia being forced into another groom-selection echoed in his mind like an alarm bell. If Sophia had chosen him through such an event in the past, history could repeat itself, but this time, he would not allow history to repeat its bitterness once more. “Vera, contact headquarters. Mobilize a few top-tier vehicles from the reserve squad. Send them to the Desert View Hotel. Originally, I didn't want to be ostentatious, but now… they need to understand clearly whom they shouldn't provoke.” Vera nodded decisively and immediately took out her phone, swiftly dialing: “Understood, Sir.”