The Return of the Cannon Fodder Trillion Heiress - Chapter 342

Chapter 342: Chapter 342 Unexpected Gain
This realization helped them find a much-needed solution to the problem. Although Hera had mixed feelings about seeing this side of Luke, she knew that if she wanted to truly accept the male leads, she couldn’t allow them to descend further into darkness or follow the path Alice had led them down in the original novel.

By following Alice’s methods, she didn’t truly help them become better versions of themselves; instead, she manipulated them. The novel might have portrayed her actions as beneficial, but if they had truly improved, why would they have destroyed a good family like the Averys just to protect Minerva, who was clearly in the wrong?

Instead of lurking in the shadows like vultures, waiting for the Avery family’s downfall and letting others fight over the scraps, why didn’t they confront the situation head-on, like true protagonists? They acted more like romanticized villains—powerful and possessive male leads designed to create tension and drama for the sake of the story. Meanwhile, Alice was portrayed as a pure angel, praised for managing to coexist with these so-called devils, but in reality, it only serves to highlight her in contrast to their darkness.

After Hera collected herself and reorganized her thoughts, she decided not to place all the blame on Luke or the other male leads for who they had become or how they handled things. Instead, she resolved to help them become better people, proper human beings, even though she knew it would be difficult and might not succeed. But at the very least, she wanted to try to guide them toward the light.

Although she didn’t want to come across as a clichéd angelic figure, like characters in other novels, Hera knew she had to take on this responsibility. Ignorance might be a bliss, but now that she understood what kind of people the male leads were and how far they could fall, she realized that failing to act meant willingly surrounding herself with wolves that could turn on her at any moment if her plans went awry.

They might not have turned out as bad as they did if Alice hadn’t manipulated them into committing even worse acts to further her own career and life. All Hera could think about now was preventing them from becoming the monsters they were destined to be—monsters that would bring destruction not only to her family but to countless others, all to satisfy Alice’s vanity and ambition.

Although she wanted to be angry at the male leads, those events hadn’t happened yet, and she still had time to change as much as she could. She needed to start with these men, and luckily, she was given some time to do so. Hadn’t she already begun with Rafael long ago?

Luckily, Rafael wasn’t as stubborn as a bull in insisting on his ways. If he had been, Hera wouldn’t have known how to straighten a crooked stick without risking it breaking instead—and that wouldn’t do anyone any good.

At the same time, she acknowledged the wrongs they had done. Although Alice led them deeper into the abyss and the storyline pushed them in that direction—especially Luke—they still had to take responsibility for their actions. Turning them over to the police wouldn’t solve anything; it might even escalate the situation. Luke could turn the whole place upside down, and if he didn’t, his subordinates certainly would. This was why she wanted to help change them, knowing that a different path was necessary for true redemption.

Without Luke, his people would be like headless chickens, and his organization would weaken significantly. Other forces would undoubtedly seize the opportunity to pounce on the chained tiger and eliminate it completely. If Luke were to die, how would the story progress, and what would become of Hera and her people?

These are scenarios she wants to avoid as much as possible, especially since she hasn’t yet figured out how everything works. Being thrown into another complex situation would be counterproductive and only make things more difficult for her.

4o mini

After her bout of overthinking subsided, Hera calmed herself and turned her gaze back to Luke. This time, her expression was free of worry or fear, replaced instead by a calm, sweet smile. “Was that call about arranging someone to assist Rafael with the investigation?”

Luke nodded, a relieved smile spreading across his lips. He exhaled the breath he’d been holding, almost chuckling as he did. The weight of worry that had settled on him when he saw Hera’s apprehension seemed to lift, lightening his heart.

He had never felt fear before, which was precisely why he had ventured into the underground world. It was his lack of fear towards those living in the shadows, or being drawn into endless battles for territory and power among those who had glimpsed the abyss and had been stared back by the abyss that pulled them deeper into the darkness, and it was also what drove him into this dangerous realm.

But now, he understood fear in a way he never had before. He feared that Hera might be repelled by him or his bloodied hands. His insides trembled with dread as his mind raced through countless unsettling possibilities. This was an unfamiliar sensation for him, and the intensity of his fear was so overwhelming that he felt as if Hera might instantly reject him. Moreover, his standing among his friends and Leo seemed to plummet to the lowest point.

He knew that although Rafael could be douche, he didn’t engage in illegal activities like Luke did. Dave, despite his laziness and tendency to dodge work, still managed to perform his duties without compromising integrity and had never become a corrupt official. Zhane, the responsible older brother, had his only flaw in being a workaholic, while Xavier, the youngest, was focused solely on his own pursuits. Despite their flaws, each of them maintained a clear conscience and never crossed into inhumane behavior.

As this realization sank in, Luke felt the darkness within him growing more intense, spreading fear throughout his body and mind. He now truly understood the weight of regret. If he hadn’t ventured into illegal activities, he might have faced Hera with the same pride as his friends did. Instead, he felt undeserving and deeply anxious around her.

Luke felt a flush of embarrassment and found it difficult to maintain eye contact with Hera, as if she could see through him. He shifted his gaze and nervously took a sip of tea. Unbeknownst to him, his hand trembled slightly, a detail Hera observed but chose not to mention.

In that moment, Luke vowed to avoid any actions that would make him feel embarrassed in front of Hera. Little did Hera know, even without her intervention, Luke had already resolved to change his ways out of fear of being excluded and rejected, motivated by the clear apprehension he sensed in her gaze.

So, this could still be considered as her achievement, although unintended but it still reached the same conclusion and she didn’t even need to lift a finger to make Luke choose to change. If Luke’s subordinates in the underworld heard someone says that their big boss has chosen to be a good guys out of fear for only being stared down, they would certainly call it bullcrap and laugh their ass of without concern.