"Tap, tap, tap..."
Accompanied by the sound of footsteps echoing on a deserted, abandoned road, a group of stern-faced individuals made their way toward a derelict factory ahead.
If one were to look closely at the group, they would recognize them as members of the Dark Palace, the organization tasked with capturing Xie Yuyan. Leading the group was the old man with a goatee who had presided over the previous strategy meeting.
Just as the old man and his entourage reached the factory gate, they came to a halt. The goatee-adorned elder glanced down, immediately understanding the situation. He turned toward the warehouse and called out loudly, "Come out, everyone. Aren’t we here to discuss cooperation? Why hide in the shadows?"
After a brief pause, a red laser beam appeared, targeting the old man’s forehead. The Dark Palace members around him quickly drew their weapons, their eyes scanning the surroundings with heightened alertness.
"Protect Elder Goatee!"
Yet the old man remained unshaken, his voice calm and steady as he spoke, "Is this how you treat your guests?"
Almost immediately, a gruff voice echoed from within the warehouse, "Gecko, lower your weapon! These are our guests."
As soon as the words were spoken, the laser dot on the old man’s forehead vanished, and the factory doors creaked open. The same gruff voice called out again, "Please, come in, esteemed guests of the Dark Palace."
The interior of the factory was shrouded in darkness, its true state hidden from view. One of Elder Goatee’s trusted aides leaned in and whispered, "Elder, should we send a team in first to assess the situation?"
"No need," Elder Goatee replied, waving his hand dismissively.
"They’re only testing to confirm our identity as the Dark Palace. There’s no cause for concern. Let’s proceed."
"Yes, Elder."
With that, Elder Goatee stepped over the tripwire at his feet and strode confidently into the factory. His followers followed suit, clearly aware of the traps laid beneath them.
Once inside, the group was met by several armed mercenaries stationed at various points, their eyes fixed on the newcomers. At the center of the room sat a burly man perched on a crate, watching them intently.
Upon seeing Elder Goatee, the burly man sheathed the combat knife he had been holding and slowly approached.
"My apologies for the lack of a proper welcome. The reputation of the Dark Palace precedes you, but in our line of work, caution is the key to survival. I hope you won’t take offense."
"Not at all," Elder Goatee replied with a serene expression, seemingly unbothered by the man’s explanation. "Given the nature of your work, it’s only natural to be cautious."
The burly man chuckled. "Well then, I’ll get straight to the point. The reason we’ve invited the Dark Palace here is simple: we aim to kidnap Li Mucheng, the daughter of the CEO of Li Corporation. We hope the Dark Palace can lend us their assistance."
"Our organization has already briefed us on the matter. We can help, but we have one condition."
"Please, Elder, go ahead."
"Given that we have a special mission in Shu City, our involvement will be limited to infiltration. We won’t participate in the main operation."
"That’s perfectly acceptable. We’re well aware of the Dark Palace’s capabilities, which is precisely why we seek your help."
"Secondly, if the operation fails, you must not reveal any information about the Dark Palace. Should anyone leak our involvement, the Dark Palace will take... special measures."
The burly man knew exactly what Elder Goatee meant by "special measures"—eliminating the leak, plain and simple.
"Of course. Are there any other conditions, Elder?"
"That’s all."
The man nodded with a smile and extended his hand toward Elder Goatee. "Then let’s wish ourselves a successful partnership."
"To a successful partnership."
With that, the two groups ventured deeper into the factory, the heavy doors closing behind them as if nothing had ever transpired.
......
"Hmm..."
As evening fell, Ye Feng stared at the system interface, deep in thought. The progress of his tasks had stagnated, with both Xie Yuyan and Li Mucheng’s progress bars stuck at 89%. Ignoring the cryptic progress bar below, he couldn’t help but feel that time was slipping away, and he was being slowly worn down.
While there was another task involving the kidnapping of Su Yuxin, Ye Feng dared not act recklessly at this critical juncture. The current situations with Xie Yuyan and Li Mucheng were already causing him enough distress. Fortunately, Xie Yuyan’s organization was gradually fading from the scene, and soon he would be able to breathe a little easier.
As he glanced at the items in his inventory—antidotes, limit-break capsules, and substitute dolls—a faint sense of unease crept over him. The system had provided these items for a reason, but their descriptions suggested they were meant for dire circumstances. He couldn’t help but wonder what the so-called side effects might entail...
"Creak..."
Just then, Xie Yuyan emerged from the bathroom, her hair damp as she toweled it dry. Seeing Ye Feng lost in thought, she couldn’t help but feel as though his soul had left his body, leaving behind an empty shell. Combined with the way he had inexplicably recognized her before and his sudden mastery of combat techniques, she found him increasingly enigmatic.
"Ye Feng."
"Huh?"
Snapping out of his reverie at Xie Yuyan’s call, Ye Feng turned to see her standing there, her hair still wet.
"Xie Yuyan, you’re done? I’ll go shower and get ready for bed then. You should rest early..."
"Ye Feng..."
Xie Yuyan suddenly tugged at his sleeve and whispered softly, "Can I... sleep with you again tonight?"
"Ahem, that was only because of special circumstances before. I’m sorry, but I can’t agree to that. Don’t worry, though, Xie Yuyan. Once this is all over, I’ll find you a safe place where you can have your own room."
"It’s not about having a room or not! Fine, if you won’t agree, then forget it. Go shower. I’ll dry my hair."
Seeing Ye Feng’s refusal, Xie Yuyan’s mood soured. If she tried to wet the bedsheet again as she had before, he would surely grow suspicious. It seemed her plan to share a bed with him had failed.
"Hmm..."
Truth be told, Ye Feng had felt moments of connection with Xie Yuyan during their time together. But he was acutely aware of his predicament and deliberately avoided getting too close to her.
After Ye Feng entered the bathroom, Xie Yuyan lingered at the door for a moment before leaving with her hair dryer. Her fists clenched slightly as she muttered under her breath, "I won’t give up. I’ve decided, Ye Feng—you’re mine! Don’t think you can escape me!"
Rather than dampening her resolve, Ye Feng’s evasiveness only fueled Xie Yuyan’s determination. One day, she thought, he would find himself inescapably entangled with her.