Chapter 271: The Return of Fate?
Saturday, June 13, 2020.
A full week has passed since that nightmare battle.
Unlike the northern regions enjoying the high temperatures early, City C in the south has been engulfed in a continuous stretch of rainy days, trying to hold onto the last bit of coolness before the impending summer heat arrives.
At the Phoenix Cemetery, in a corner known for its good feng shui, a new grave has been erected beside a luxurious burial site that has only been constructed for a few months.
Two graves stand side by side, one large and one small. The former is a typical modern polished stone monument, elegant and solemn; the latter is a rectangular monolith with a strong Japanese style, simple and exquisite.
In the light rain, two young men in suits sit silently in front of the tombstones.
“Brother, are you going to return to the Dark Arrow and join the Blood Dragon Squad?”
Zhong Jing, maintaining his squat, adjusted his supporting leg and turned to Meng Huai.
“From what you’re saying, have I been kicked out by Hyacinth?”
Meng Huai remained motionless, his gaze still fixed on his mother’s tombstone, his tone unusually calm.
Hehe, then what are they doing here?
Zhong Jing pursed his lips, stood up, and turned to look in a certain direction behind him.
Two female soldiers, holding umbrellas and flowers, stood a few meters away.
Han Ye and Tao Qiao’er nodded slightly at Zhong Jing before walking behind Meng Huai.
Tao Qiao’er stepped forward, the first to present her flowers to Meng Xiang, then turned her head curiously to look at the unmoving Han Ye.
Looking at the side profile of the indifferent figure, Han Ye hesitated. After a few seconds, she gently placed the white lilies she held at Kurumi Haruka’s grave.
Zhong Jing showed no expression, bracing against the needle-like raindrops. He lit a cigarette as if no one was around, but just took two puffs before awkwardly stepping into the soil beneath him.
Letting out a sigh, he stopped looking at Meng Huai and the others and turned to leave. Behind him, the stone tablet at Kurumi Haruka’s grave bore the message he had personally written:
“To you who sought freedom and love, soaring to the sky.
Thank you for your short yet brilliant life.
Your dreams will bloom in our hearts forever like flowers that never fade in this world.
May you be free and happy beyond that sky.”
…
…
Saint Mercy Hospital, W District, City C, Province S.
The special ward on the top floor remained quiet, in sharp contrast to the bustling lower-level treatment area.
Jiang Yan, wearing a patient gown, pushed her IV stand slowly into Jiang Yao’s single room.
On the hospital bed, Jiang Yao sat up with a mask on her face, her messy light golden hair obscuring most of her features.
A few meters apart, such a close distance, Jiang Yan could sense nothing of Jiang Yao’s pheromone scent, besides the faint fluctuations from her lower abdomen. The girl before her seemed to have turned back into an ordinary person.
The aftereffects from the collapse of full-blood strength left Jiang Yao temporarily unable to utilize her full abilities. Although much lighter than a complete lockdown, she still exhibited numerous minor issues.
The battle injuries from a week ago were mostly healed, but some wounds, both physically and emotionally, were far from recovery.
Jiang Yao’s face displayed subtle distortions; though minor, it was enough to cast a grotesque and ugly mask over what was once a delicately beautiful visage.
“Can you not come in…?”
Jiang Yao instinctively raised her hand to press down the edge of her mask, not daring to look up.
“Jin said it’s only temporary. As long as the child doesn’t have any issues, you will be more stable than me.”
Jiang Yan reached the bedside, reached out to smooth Jiang Yao’s hair, her tone calm: “Once we get the medical report, we’ll go back to Hyacinth Manor.”
Jiang Yao dodged, fearing her mask would accidentally slip, burying her head lower: “Sister, I had a dream last night… I… My face and hands turned back to how they used to be…”
She said this while looking down at her hands, every finger still slender and fair. As her pupils lost focus, her vision grew increasingly blurry, and she suddenly felt a sense of adhesion between her fingers.
Her heartbeat began to quicken, her breath became shallow, and the sweat on her body dripped louder and louder, every drop like a countdown for this seemingly perfect shell in others’ eyes.
“I don’t want…”
Deep, mournful cries squeezed out from Jiang Yao’s throat, her fists clenched, her face pale.
“Are you afraid of losing something…?”
Jiang Yao now understood well what Jiang Yao was thinking.
The loss of full-blood capability had turned Jiang Yao back into a powerless weakling, and what frightened her even more was the return to fate seemed to have been completely lost once again.
Jiang Yao shook her head and glanced at Jiang Yao’s patient gown before reaching out and rolling up the other’s left sleeve.
Not just her wrist; the bandaged area extended to her elbow. The self-deceiving fragrance of perfume was thick and pungent.
“Sister… will you die…? Everyone will leave me, right?”
Her fingers grazed the surface of the bandage, and after a few seconds, bright red veins appeared in Jiang Yao’s eyes, drowning in clear tears.
Little Yao, the imperfections weren’t just in the past body but also in the heart. Yet her kindness and aspirations towards this world remained, just like me, not knowing how to grasp what belonged to her…
A pang of heart-wrenching pain spread from her heart, but on the surface, Jiang Yao remained calm as water.
“Jiang Yao, the test report is out, and you ran here.”
The door swung open, and Su Xiaomeng in a white coat entered, holding two report sheets in her hand.
“Mm, just give them to me. By the way, did Dr. Lu’s arm… The Wang family’s mass blind attack didn’t expose anything here, right?”
Jiang Yao grabbed the test report but stuffed it into her patient gown pocket without looking.
Luckily, it’s been reattached; with Dr. Lu’s skills, he should fully recover in a month or two. This time, the Wang family has faced a serious threat; they can only turn a blind eye and avoid any issues.
“Wow, I really didn’t expect that the Frankenstein serum, which has a high risk of collapse for above-baron levels, actually succeeded in Yawahara Mountain. This old ghost’s luck is astounding; you and Little Yao almost couldn’t hold up.”
Thinking about the Wang family’s losses this time, Su Xiaomeng felt somewhat apprehensive.
“Mm, I’ll go tidy up my things. You two talk.”
Jiang Yao nodded, pushing her IV stand out of the room. Compared to herself, she felt Su Xiaomeng was more skilled at comforting Jiang Yao.
The ward was silent. Su Xiaomeng didn’t know what to say, just sitting beside Jiang Yao and peeling fruit.
“Meng Jie, my sister…”
Jiang Yao opened her mouth, revealing her heavy eyes, carrying a hint of hope.
“This time, she bled again and is overdrawn, and her bleeding stability and full-blood threshold have been continuously decreasing. Uncle Jiu is also trying to find a way; I heard there’s progress! Eat more and sleep well; your issues will recover soon!”
After all, it’s thanks to her that the situation has reversed.
Su Xiaomeng smiled, pretending to slice fruit while quietly avoiding Jiang Yao’s gaze.
“Oh, what about Zhong Jing…”
Upon hearing the words “there’s progress,” a boulder in Jiang Yao’s heart barely fell, yet another layer of anxiety still lingered.
“He’s been busy with Kurumi Haruka’s affairs. Japan has agreed to bury Kurumi Haruka in Huaguo. Now, the two sisters, Kurumi Miki and Kurumi Haruka, are together again… By the way, did you see the news online?”
Saying this, Su Xiaomeng took out her phone, tapped a few times, and turned the screen toward Jiang Yao: “Right now, Japanese netizens are saying that the Zhong family took advantage of the Kurumi consortium in Japan, and their words are getting harsher!”
Jiang Yao was taken aback, quickly snatching the phone. Unfortunately, she couldn’t understand the heap of Japanese and had to rely on Su Xiaomeng to translate.
In the Kurumi consortium’s public statement, the chairman’s only granddaughter, Kurumi Haruka, died in a traffic accident during a pre-wedding photoshoot trip with her fiancé in Southeast Asia, at the young age of twenty.
According to Kurumi Haruka’s last wishes, the shares belonging to her in the joint venture pharmaceutical company established by the Kurumi consortium, Zhong Jing, and the OEVN Group would all belong to Zhong Jing, making him the largest shareholder of the new company.
“The Fujiwara family, due to the Yawahara Mountain incident, seems to have fully compromised on the surface, yet they still pulled a trick, fearing that Huaguo would forcibly detach their partnership with the Zhong family. They’re trying to morally blackmail Zhong Jing, wanting the whole world to know!”
Right now, rumors are spreading domestically that Zhong Jing has risen to power and wealth and lost his wife, sarcastically implying that he’s benefiting from her death, but Zhong Jing and Kurumi Haruka haven’t even married yet!
On certain issues, Su Xiaomeng absolutely stood on Jiang Yao’s side.
Not nearly as good as Kurumi Haruka? Because she dared to disregard everything for her love… Jiang Yao sighed, turning her head, “Am I very selfish, always wanting the whole world to compensate me?”
Since Jiang Yao fell into a coma, Zhong Jing had not appeared. Regarding Kurumi Haruka’s death, Jiang Yao felt a visible sense of anxiety.
It seemed that Kurumi Haruka had taken away not only a brilliant life but also all the hidden cards on the table, leaving someone with no game left.
“Well… not really, I feel that a woman like Kurumi Haruka… well, regardless, it’s all Zhong Jing’s fault for always being ambiguous!”
The deceased is important, especially considering the sacrifice for the Zhong family. Knowing the whole story, Su Xiaomeng felt it inappropriate to evaluate Kurumi Haruka. She stuttered for a long time, unable to squeeze out a complete sentence, ultimately placing all the blame on Zhong Jing.
“Meng Jie, if my face can never recover, will Zhong Jing still be like before?”
Jiang Yao instinctively touched her mask again, her voice lower.
“I don’t know how he got close to you at first, but if he’s that kind of person, then it’s better not to be together. Besides, why are you so nervous? Grandpa said it’s only temporary!”
“Ugh, you should think about how to comfort Zhong Jing… By the way, maybe in two weeks, you’ll start showing; your test report shows indicators of decreasing serum thresholds, so stop trying to be tough!”
Seeing the young girl’s emotions drop further, Su Xiaomeng quickly changed the subject.
Showing?
Jiang Yao froze, lifted her patient gown, staring at her flat and smooth abdomen, feeling a tumult inside her heart.
…
Western Inspection Area, Command Building.
In a meeting room, Han Jie Qian was staring at a laptop, the open document only having a title written on it.
The door behind opened, and Han Xiao and Tao Qiao’er walked in, standing silently at one side.
“Sorry, Third Sister, Tao Team.”
Han Jie Qian stood up, forcing a smile, “Regarding this incident in Tarusa, I have reported to headquarters; your suspension review shouldn’t last too long now.”
Han Xiao looked indifferent, while Tao Qiao’er appeared uneasy, stepping forward with a nervous expression: “Han Consultant, does the Dark Arrow really have a special troop, all becoming blood family like Meng Team? This victory was because of Meng Team’s involvement, right?”
Tao Team, even if you suspected something, keep it in mind. Meng Ge sacrificed last year and was buried at the martyr cemetery in the eastern suburbs!”
Han Jie Qian’s face turned numb, his voice cold.
“Sorry, sorry…”
Tao Qiao’er’s face paled slightly, slowly backing out of the meeting room.
“When did you start acting like Dad, being harsh on your own people? You might not have had this attitude when you took me and Tao Qiao’er to Jingguo without informing your superiors!”
Han Jie Qian stepped closer to Han Jie Qian, leaning over her laptop to pry into her work, “Hehe, your self-criticism report, how many days have you been writing? Just a title?”
“Sigh, that’s not the point.”
Han Jie Qian closed the screen, both hands cradling her head, leaning back against her chair, “Did you see Meng Ge at Phoenix Mountain today?”
Han Xiao didn’t speak, slowly nodding after removing her military cap.
“You were still thinking about persuading him back to the Dark Arrow, I guess he ignored you, right?”
Han Jie Qian sighed, shaking her head repeatedly, “Even if he wanted to return, it would be difficult.”
“Why! Isn’t it to carry out orders from above? Even if you manipulated him privately last time, there were reasons for that!” Han Xiao frowned, her tone suddenly turning icy, “Now that the person has a full victory, you’re abandoning him—how is that fair?”
“Fair?” Han Jie Qian was stunned, laughing helplessly, “Try saying that word to everyone in the Blood Dragon Squad, not just to Meng Ge!”
In all the public data, they were dead; they were people who didn’t exist in this world anymore. And all those who were contaminated by blood in battle—how could one talk about fairness…
Han Jie Qian’s mind wandered back to the scene during the Jingguo battle, where Li Hongjun led a batch of people, silently departing from the Blood Dragon Squad after their victory.
“By the way… I heard some bad news in the hallway earlier. Tao Qiao’er, she might retire and transition… Why didn’t you and Dad stand out for our Han family?”
After a long silence, Han Xiao slowly spoke.
“Did you only realize that this is a Han family problem?”
Han Jie Qian closed her eyes, her expression weary, “Sister, Tao Team, you…”
Aunt, second aunt, and my mom have all submitted retirement applications to headquarters…
…I heard that Auntie is also about to leave headquarters to serve at the Northwest training center. These are all meant by Third Uncle…
What!? Who did the Han family offend to have all members purged from the Dark Arrow, just over Ye Jiu… Ye Zhijun’s matter? Though he was close with our Han family, what does it have to do with us!?
Han Xiao suddenly stood up, utterly unable to comprehend.
“The actions I took with Third Uncle during the last battle, while they didn’t involve any benefits or prestige, have become detrimental to the Dark Arrow’s long-term development… Third Sister, do you believe that the Han family enjoys some privileges in the Dark Arrow as a matter of course?”
But… but that was all for confidentiality and victory…
Han Xiao stared blankly at the ground, feeling a pang of discomfort inside.
Sigh, Third Sister still knows nothing… Looking at the indignant Han Xiao, Han Jie Qian felt a mix of emotions.
“Third Sister, do you still like Meng Ge? What do you think attracted you to him back then?”
Another minute of silence passed before Han Jie Qian suddenly asked a very abrupt question.
“He is a very pure and serious person; sometimes, he feels like a lonely and pitiful child…”
Han Xiao was stunned, her face reddening slightly. After a long moment, she shook her head, “But right now, I no longer think about that; perhaps I and he are simply no longer people from the same world…”
“Xiao Qian, is Meng Ge destined to belong to the world of the blood family? I heard that his brother and Kurumi Haruka helped him avenge his mother this time, but it seems he hasn’t let it go.”
Yeah, he hasn’t let it go, because a bigger heartache has arisen… Han Jie Qian revealed a pained smile, feeling bitter inside.
“Han Consultant, confidential communication from Commander Han!”
An officer from the Western Inspection Area poked his head in, interrupting the conversation between the siblings.
After exchanging a glance with Han Xiao, Han Jie Qian grabbed her military cap.
…
When Han Jie Qian entered the confidential communication room, she found Han Guowei already sitting in front of the screen.
“Have you revised your self-criticism report?”
In the screen, Han Guowei was still reviewing documents without looking up.
“Well, Uncle, I’ve written four different self-criticism reports… Aren’t you and the Chief of Staff going to let me off the hook?”
Han Jie Qian replied, a grimace on her face, and a hint of dissatisfaction in her brows.
“It’s unrelated to Wu Zhongxian, it was my request! Moreover, there is no Three Uncle here!”
Han Guowei looked up with an exceptionally serious expression: “I see you’ve lost your focus; do you think a bit of cleverness in defeating Liang Laoer and Chu Dali makes you the god of war of the Dark Arrow?!”
“I can’t even be bothered to detail the rest; just in the Blood Dragon Squad, fourteen individuals have fallen, and the Defender Army almost was entirely wiped out!”
The pen in Han Guowei’s hand slammed heavily against the table, and his face twitched slightly, “You were so confident that a cornered Fujiwara Kitayama would surrender obediently? Didn’t you make any contingency plans?!”
If it weren’t for having the Wang family on site, who knows what kind of harm that creature would cause to the nearby villages. Were you capable? You didn’t even set up any isolation measures, letting ordinary people appear near the scene!
And a film company shooting horror movies—you think managing public sentiment is child’s play?! It took so much effort for Wu Zhongxian to stabilize it!
Soldiers aren’t afraid of sacrifice, but if your incompetence or negligence causes the death of such excellent comrades, can you rest easy with that?!
The more he spoke, the angrier he became. Han Guowei threw down the pen, his fury practically spilling out of the screen.
Han Jie Qian dared not speak, merely lowering her head slightly, staring at the table.
After a few minutes of silence, Han Guowei finally calmed his anger: “Let’s discuss another matter—that’s concerning the investigation report you submitted regarding Xia Yan and Gu Yao’s identity definition two days ago.”
You were right before; someone is testing our stance. Xiao Qian, if we ask the Wang family for someone now, based on your judgment, would they hand them over?
At this mention, Han Jie Qian immediately sat up straight, her eyes glued to the screen:
Sir, the Wang family has cut off communication with me again; right now, besides Meng, I have no chance to contact the Wang family.
I have a speculation: Grandma and the Wang family are absolutely in sync regarding the ancestral plan. I even suspect that the introduction of strategic tasks is based on the assumption that the Wang family would stand with the Dark Arrow.
The establishment of the Blood Dragon Squad led to a corresponding reaction from the Wang family, which I can understand. However, this time the Wang family deliberately exposed Xia Yan and Gu Yao to us, which surely has other intentions?
In thought, “They hint that if the Wang family helps Dark Arrow, then Xia Yan and Gu Yao will belong to the Wang family?”
Sigh, this Third Uncle, when ruthless is absolute, but when sly, he’s not inferior to the younger generation. Why is he so straightforward on this issue… Han Jie Qian sighed inwardly, feeling a bit helpless.
After carefully considering her wording, Han Jie Qian showed a cautious expression: “Sir, I have some immature thoughts; I mean Xia… Jiang Yan and Jiang Yao, I’ve also interacted with them for several days, and I feel they should be like Zheng Yuanchao; should we wait and see?”
This topic is extremely sensitive. Han Jie Qian was anxious; behind the screen, Han Guowei’s expression was also serious.
The nature is different… The Empress is an uncontrollable existence; many risks don’t adhere to human will. Furthermore, since the Wang family dares to directly meddle in the Blood Dragon Squad, do you truly understand their real intentions regarding Xia Yan and Gu Yao?
After about ten seconds of silence, Han Guowei gently shook his head: “Han Jie Qian, I’m now authorizing you to draft a new operation plan to capture them, regardless of life or death!”
The Wang family has helped the Dark Arrow, but in East China and South China, they’ve had their fill this time; no one owes anyone anything. Since they want to test, we will make our attitude clear first!
Since Mengde has grasped a lot of their intelligence and joined your plan. I won’t press on issues with him and Wu Zhongxian, and afterward, join the Blood Dragon Squad to aid the Defender Army in rebuilding the team!
With that, the communication was cut off. Han Jie Qian stared vacantly at the dark screen.
…
Walking out of the confidential communication room, meandering through the halls, Han Guowei pushed open a door.
Before him lay a vast underground sealed space, with a thick glass wall separating the corridor.
Behind the glass wall, dense arrays of instruments formed a circle, with a large cylindrical transparent cultivation tank at the center, inside of which floated a mass of tissue about the size of a fingertip.
“Why, did you scold your precious nephew again?”
Wu Zhongxian turned around, offering a slight smile to Han Guowei: “Old Han, I know you are strict with him, but don’t put too much pressure on him; he’s only twenty-three after all.”
Despite the significant losses of the Blood Dragon Squad this time, confirming Gu Yao and Xia Yan’s new identities, exposing the mole, and disrupting the ancestral plan’s layout were all intricate to his efforts. Calling him the greatest contributor wouldn’t be an exaggeration. If you hadn’t blocked me, I would have promoted him long ago.
Han Guowei didn’t engage with his old partner’s words, instead focusing on the first cultivation body, after a few seconds, revealing a serious expression: “Honestly, what progress has been made on the anesthetic drugs targeting the grandmother and the Empress?”
It’s okay, currently, the first sample has a strong reaction to the anesthetic, showing a significant reduction in cellular activity. The Empress and grandmother share a common origin, so the effects shouldn’t be poor. It’s costing several billion in expenses here again.
Wu Zhongxian nodded, his expression slightly twitching, seemingly distressed over the lab’s expenditures.
“Old Wu, the red diamond has teamed up with the Wang family; what’s their position? I’m not planning to beat around the bush with them anymore. I’m not an ungrateful person, but Xia Yan and Gu Yao must be within the hands of the Dark Arrow for me to feel secure.”
“You’ve seen the video; a viscount-level Frankenstein monster has considerable destructive power, perhaps comparable to a blood family marquis. This risk is something no one can afford to bear; it can’t happen again!”
The Intelligence Bureau is still being reorganized, and while waiting for them to restart their work, who knows how long it will be delayed? I’ve given Han Jie Qian a direct order to initiate the next phase of action as soon as possible!
Furthermore, once everything is settled, I’ll apply for retirement; at that time, I’ll arrange for Han Jie Qian and Han Xiao…
Hearing this, Wu Zhongxian panicked, clutching Han Guowei’s arm tightly: “Old Han, you need to remain calm, don’t act impulsively. The organization has already defined your status; you have made significant contributions, with no faults. Our squad doesn’t tolerate that kind of stuff!”
In another two years, I’ll be retiring too; I really can’t think of anyone but you who can succeed this chief of staff position of the Dark Arrow!
Han Guowei smiled, shaking his head gently: “No, I see it very clearly. The Han family has made significant contributions to the Dark Arrow, and I’m proud of that. However, getting entangled with the blood family will lead to obsession; any slight mistake will cause immeasurable damage to the Dark Arrow.”
“Old Wu, you also know that behind Ye Zhijun, my dad…”
His lips twisted several times, but Han Guowei could not complete the last half of his sentence.
Seeing his old partner so resolute, Wu Zhongxian could only let out a heavy sigh.
