Chapter 62 The Best Candidate
At dusk, Han Jieli drove back to the family building in the logistics yard with Han Xiao, who was lost in thought. The moment Han Xiao, pale-faced, exited the hospital, Han Jieli completely understood that this seemingly cheerful and spirited cousin, who had a strong personality, was actually no different from an ordinary woman.
After watching Han Xiao go upstairs, Han Jieli returned to the car, turned on the interior light, glanced at the time, and pulled out a document from the car’s compartment to read slowly.
…
Although Han Guowei held a high position as the deputy commander of the Western Supervisory District, he lived in a very humble manner, in a four-room, two-hall flat with simple decorations, far inferior to some local officials.
In the spacious living room, Han Guowei sat alone on the sofa, flipping through a photo album in his hands.
The album contained records of his son Han Jiechen’s growth—from infancy to school, to military academy, and finally to marriage—now this record had permanently stopped growing.
His wife and daughter-in-law had gone to another city to attend his son’s memorial service, leaving two unfortunate women to spend a significant amount of time together, while Han Guowei became the observer of this family.
Dinner time had long passed, yet his daughter Han Xiao still hadn’t returned. Han Guowei put down the album, expressionless, and picked up the remote control to change the news channel.
The door opened, and Han Xiao appeared like a wandering soul, her eyes slightly red and swollen, clearly having cried. Her military cap was crushed in her hands, and she let her hair spill out messily behind her after taking off the hairnet.
“Han Xiao, you just got discharged this morning. Why are you running around everywhere?”
Seeing his daughter walk in, Han Guowei slowly rose, a hint of concern in his eyes.
With her son sacrificed, and only this daughter left by his side, even a stern military man couldn’t ignore the changes in his daughter’s physical and mental state.
“I’ve eaten…” Han Xiao glanced blankly at her father in military uniform in the living room, a hint of despair on her face. “Dad, I don’t want to see Meng Huai again.”
Han Guowei was taken aback, his gaze gradually growing complex.
“Meng Huai can be a bit cold, but he is disciplined, stable, and principled.”
Taking a deep breath, Han Guowei pulled his daughter to sit beside him, gently patting her hand. “He’s in the hospital now, worried about whether he can still stay on the front lines. He is a devoted and ambitious soldier. Xiao Xiao, as his colleague and comrade, you should care for him. After all, feelings can always be cultivated.”
“Ha, a bit cold, stable, and principled? Should I just bring a rock home instead?”
With red eyes and a faint sneer, Han Xiao said, “The Han family has been marrying internally for hundreds of years, and now it’s my turn. Is this how the Han family treats its children?”
“What happened?! Did he lose his temper with you in the hospital?”
Han Guowei frowned, feeling that his daughter’s emotional management had started to show signs of losing control since her injury.
He always had a deadpan expression; if he were to show a little anger, that would be good!
Wiping away a tear, Han Xiao recalled a scene from a few hours ago in the hospital room.
Meng Huai conversing intimately with a girl—a treatment that had never happened since she had known him for years.
In terms of stature and appearance, she considered herself to be among the top beauties in the Shadow Arrow Corps.
Regarding family background, the Han family had a history of several hundred years, and could even be seen as half the founders of the Shadow Arrow Corps.
Not to mention, her father Han Guowei was the second-in-command of the Western Supervisory District.
In terms of capability, Han Xiao had been the captain of the uniformed clothing team at age twenty-three, and was only now a little over twenty-five.
One could say that in everyone’s eyes, Han Xiao was perfect beyond perfection. However, it seemed that none of this mattered to Meng Huai.
“Dad… I don’t have any mood to be with him anymore. Please let me go!” Saying this, Han Xiao began to cry again. “To him, I don’t even exist!”
“Xiao Xiao, do you know why I’ve insisted on you getting along with him all these years?”
Han Guowei gently brushed back his daughter’s messy hair, his gentle smile mixed with pain and guilt, yet deeply wrapped in unwavering resolve.
“Isn’t it the family rule of the Han family? Since my brother and I were born, it was destined that we would join the Shadow Arrow Corps, and we could only choose our life partners from within…” Listing the family members, she could feel the pain in her heart.
“This is only part of it… Xiao Xiao, Meng Huai is a very special soldier of the Republic, one that appears only once every few decades. There are some confidential matters that I cannot disclose, but I can say that we must ensure Meng Huai’s heart and roots remain in the Shadow Arrow Corps. He is destined to carry out the most arduous tasks in this world!”
“So, Xiao Xiao, you are the one chosen by Dad to keep Meng Huai’s heart and roots in the Shadow Arrow Corps… There’s no one better suited than a member of the Han family.”
With both hands covering his face, Han Guowei rubbed his eyes vigorously, trying not to let his emotions surface.
Is it still for the war against vampires? The Han family is nearly extinct, and now you intend to sacrifice your own daughter’s life for it?
Han Xiao finally broke down, sobbing uncontrollably. Aside from tightly gripping her shoulders, Han Guowei remained expressionless, unable to find any words.
…
The sacrifice of Han Jiechen was not only the most painful event for Han Guowei’s family but also for the entire Han family, practically shaking their emotional foundations from the very moment the news returned.
After all, in strict terms, Han Jiechen was the true and only heir of the Han family. His sacrifice could be said to have proclaimed the effective end of the Han family’s lineage.
As for Han Jiechen, he was merely the son of Han Ling, the only daughter of the Han family’s fourth branch. He changed his surname even before birth, joining the Han family’s genealogy. Now, through a twist of fate, he became the only male descendant of this generation of the Han family, and the last hope in name.
As the clock struck eleven, Han Jiechen, who had gone through countless work documents, arrived punctually at the door of Han Guowei’s house.
“Is my sister okay?”
As soon as Han Jiechen entered, this was the first thing he said, with a smile as he glanced at a closed door at the corner of the corridor.
“She’s sleeping. Let’s talk in my study.”
Han Guowei calmly led the younger man into the study, and as they sat down, their demeanor resembled that of a serious confidential meeting.
“Third Uncle, the internal investigation regarding Work Group 430 has been ongoing for a week without discovering any issues.”
Han Jiechen smiled as he took out a document from his bag and gently placed it on the desk, his expression a bit awkward.
There are only sixteen people in total, including you and Zhen Xiaoqing, and you can’t find a clue? Hasn’t the intelligence department found any traces at all?
Han Guowei quickly scanned the document, frowning slightly and shaking his head, his expression somber. “I thought the Shadow Arrow was our country’s most secure organization. I didn’t expect it to be infiltrated by the blood clan…”
“It’s impossible to investigate. After all, when the action guidelines were sent out last time, they were also reported back to headquarters. If we start speculating like this, it will reach the headquarters…”
Han Jiechen forced a smile while leaning back in his chair, hands clasped behind his head, staring absently at the chandelier on the ceiling.
“Are you planning to expand the scope of your attacks? Don’t talk recklessly!”
A twitch at the corner of Han Guowei’s eyes made him glare purposefully at the younger man, though his expression gradually returned to normal. “Forget it, I didn’t have much hope anyway. It’s better to let the headquarters send a specialized investigation team. This task shouldn’t fall on you.”
“Understood!”
Seizing the meaning behind his words, Han Jiechen quickly straightened up, the casual demeanor he displayed earlier vanishing instantly.
“You just graduated from military academy this year and entered the headquarters’ intelligence department. Are you getting used to it?”
Looking at the family talent in front of him, who had entered a special class at Huake University at sixteen and was later personally recruited by him into the military academy, Han Guowei’s lips showed a hint of a satisfied smile.
“Not really.”
Han Jiechen shook his head decisively, causing Han Guowei’s smile to freeze for several seconds.
“That’s right; your real role is in the special operations group. You will serve as Meng Huai’s liaison, and later you will also be the successor of your second grandfather.”
Han Guowei sighed, standing up and walking to one side of the bedroom, gently opening the window.
This is the last night of the Mid-Autumn Festival. The outline of the full moon hasn’t changed much; it still appears round and flawless, intermittently revealed by dark clouds.
A minute later, Han Guowei withdrew his gaze from the moon, turning around to say calmly, “According to the plan of the special operations group, the time you will begin contacting Meng Huai will be when he shows secondary symptoms, but this time is quite coincidental, as you happened to get involved in the Tang family incident…”
“Third Uncle, I’ve read Meng Huai’s files… If it’s really as you say, then there’s no need to involve my sister… What I mean is, all the psychological tests he underwent initially were passed perfectly…”
Seeing the neutral expression on Han Guowei’s face, Han Jiechen couldn’t help but voice a question that had been on his mind for a long time.
“Nothing is absolute. I just want to avoid any accidents, no matter how small!”
Han Guowei shook his head slightly, his tone growing more somber. “The special operations group has suffered a loss before. Sigh… Perhaps I’m overthinking it, wanting everything to be one hundred percent controllable.”
“Alright, that’s enough for today. Meng Huai will be arranged for a medical check-up in Beijing soon, and I will teach you some things gradually. For the time being, the organization will let you stay in the Western Supervisory District under the guise of grassroots training, and you will take a position as an intelligence advisor in Zhen Guangquan’s team.”
Hearing this, Han Jiechen smiled immediately. “Third Uncle, does that mean I will be an undercover in the Western Supervisory District for the special operations group?”
“In a certain sense, yes.” Han Guowei was momentarily taken aback before slowly nodding.
Once he finished speaking, a brief silence fell in the study as the two, uncle and nephew, both pondered.
At one in the morning, in a certain cultural preservation alley in District J.
The subtle autumn air brought by the full moon was quietly descending. It might not be apparent during the day, but the coolness of the night was starting to show.
In a small courtyard, a graceful stone pillar lamp was lit. Jiang Yan sat at a stone table, with tea placed before her, resting her chin on her hands, silently observing a bonsai in the corner, lost in thought.
Meng Huai was likely steeped in a state of self-destructive behavior that others couldn’t comprehend, showing increasingly strange yet familiar and sorrowful behavior. Perhaps he was using this attitude to resolve his own inner grievances?
For Jiang Yan, the day that was about to pass was extraordinarily brilliant, perhaps the most complex day she had experienced in her life, far more profound than those days of blood and flesh battles.
“Hey, sister, guess what! The club issued promotion bonuses today, how much do you think!?”
After dinner, Jiang Yao had been unsure of what she was doing in the bedroom until now when she stepped out proudly, shaking her phone at the door.
Turning back, under the light, Jiang Yao was wearing a short black dress with lace see-through shoulder sleeves, with her legs clad in black thigh-high stockings.
Her once simple blonde ponytail had vanished, now styled with delicate braids on one side, the rest flowing naturally over her shoulders like the poster of Asuna taped in her room.
Jiang Yan was taken aback for a moment and scanned Jiang Yao’s appearance several times, surprised.
This wasn’t just a simple change in style, but more an expression of a natural aura that had stepped beyond the imitation stage. Even after experiencing two significant transformations in her realm, Jiang Yao had subtly transitioned from her once goose-egg face to an oval shape.
It was said that in the mid-sixteenth century, a radical secret scholar in Europe concluded that vampires are a variant of humanity moving towards self-perfection.
Whether that scholar was burned afterward is unknown, but an observable phenomenon was confirmed by modern science hundreds of years later: Infusion of blood and becoming a vampire marks the beginning of a second phase of physical development, not merely at the microscopic level.
As one’s personal realm continuously improves, the details of a vampire’s stature and appearance undergo subtle changes. The higher the level of a vampire, the more pronounced these changes become.
By the time one becomes a knight, it’s said that the current AI facial recognition technology struggles to match a vampire’s face with their pre-infusion appearance. Many visible details may still seem familiar to the human eye, but to the AI system, they might appear as two different individuals.
Over time, the past visage naturally fades as if it were a discarded exterior, forgotten by others and even oneself; the only constant is memory.
It’s not surprising that none of the knight-level members in the Hyacinth organization are even remotely unattractive, despite variations in their looks. Wan Jie, Uncle Liang, Brother Zhao, Xiao Ai, Xiao Ling, Xiao Dong, etc., all possess appealing appearances.
“Brother, um… Sister, what do you think?”
Noticing her gaze drifting away, Jiang Yao felt a bit embarrassed and lowered her head, looking at her legs, awkwardly smiling, “Hehe, the hem is a bit short, and these socks are for speed; this outfit was chosen by Xiao Ping.”
“Hmm, Xiao Ping and the others dress very stylishly. It’s good to have your own style; those black stockings look great. You can finally manage your image on your own.”
I’m worried about her relationship with Zhong Jing, and perhaps she’s also nervous about my interactions with Meng Huai? This isn’t just the outcome of becoming a female vampire; rather, it’s a reaction to the isolation between flesh and soul memories… Jiang Yan came back to her senses, a hint of bitterness appearing on her face.
“Sister, Meng Huai is part of the Shadow Arrow Corps. If he enters the club surrounded by vampires, won’t that scare someone to death…”
Jiang Yao sat next to Jiang Yan, casually fiddling with an orange from the table, her face adorned with an exaggerated expression. “Sister, do you think Wan Jie or Brother Zhao Peng would let him into the club?”
“I can’t answer that question; Meng Huai’s personality is hard to predict.”
Jiang Yan continued to observe Jiang Yao’s outfit, and a peculiar thought suddenly popped into her head. She quickly stated, “Xiao Yao, what do you think Wan Jie was before becoming a vampire?”
“Let me guess, before Wan Jie?”
Jiang Yao paused for a moment, her expression strange: “Her realm is so high, and her skills are so powerful; she must have been a vampire for at least seventy or eighty years… Back then, New China hadn’t even been founded.”
Hearing this, Jiang Yan gently shook her head, deep in thought: “Xiao Yao, regarding the matter at the military hospital, I noticed Wan Jie seems to understand the combat characteristics of the Shadow Arrow Corps very well, and the arrangement for my and Brother Zhao Peng’s withdrawal bears a striking resemblance to the Shadow Arrow Corps’ support unit strategies…”
As soon as Jiang Yan finished her sentence, Jiang Yao jumped up, her eyes wide: “No way! If Sister Xiao Ai or Sister Xiao Ping were ever part of the Shadow Arrow, you would definitely have noticed it!”
“I’m not talking about the Hyacinth. I mean to say that since the founding of the country, every year there have been members of the Shadow Arrow Corps who have gone missing after being infused with blood. These individuals, like you, often escape detection.”
Jiang Yan’s brow furrowed, as if the answer was just beyond reach: “Where did they go? Did they join the legitimate vampires, living as rogue vampires, or did they fall into the dark blood clan?”
“Do you remember what Zhou Ping said last time? Wan Jie left the Hermit Alliance twenty years ago. As far as I know, the Hermit Alliance is just a loose organization of rogue vampires but has long been under the Shadow Arrow Corps’ close observation. Sometimes the Shadow Arrow Corps’ offensives against them can be comparable to those against the dark blood clan.”
Jiang Yan understood, appearing contemplative: “Are you implying that those who successfully fled after being infused with blood have formed a bond since several decades ago, possibly becoming the Hermit Alliance? But that doesn’t make sense. The Shadow Arrow Corps has only been established for just over seventy years, while the Hermit Alliance is said to have a history of several hundred years.”
“You silly girl, who told you to count only from the establishment of the Shadow Arrow Corps? The Yunzong Brigade, the Xiu Yi Brigade, the Bingjing Brigade—each of these legacy units has a history spanning hundreds if not thousands of years. The depths of the Hermit Alliance’s history are probably far beyond our understanding!”
Jiang Yan reached out to touch Jiang Yao’s face, appearing quite cheerful, as if she had finally broken through some logical barriers.
“Wow, sister, with what you just said, I feel even more proud to be part of Hyacinth! Look, Wan Jie was a big shot in the Hermit Alliance, and now she still has ties with them. If the roof collapses, there are those above to hold it up; we don’t have to be afraid!”
Jiang Yao played with her hair happily, appearing very optimistic.
This Xiao Yao has become overly optimistic. If the relationships in the vampire world were that simple, Wan Jie wouldn’t be rushing around like this.
Moreover, it seems Wan Jie is planning to completely sever ties with the Hermit Alliance. What has transpired between her and the Hermit Alliance?
A cloud covered the moon. Watching Jiang Yao, who lives in the present without a care in the world, Jiang Yan’s heart also cooled down, but the hidden fears still lingered, unable to dissipate.
