Chapter 106: The Flaws of Hyacinth
November 24, Sunday, overcast.
In the early winter of Longquan Mountain Forest Park, deep greens are mixed with vibrant colors, while the sound of the forest remains, but the most beautiful snowy winter landscape has yet to arrive.
In Wan Yue’s private villa on Longquan Mountain, the leader of the Hyacinth stood alone in a landscape pavilion a hundred meters away, gazing at the distant mountains, dressed in a winter dress.
At this moment, Wan Yue’s eyes were deep red, and waves of vigorous, boiling blood energy were being released in an extremely regular pattern, long and trailing, proud and dignified, impervious to all evil.
If there were a way to measure it, one would find that the amount and intensity of pheromone released by Wan Yue during the boiling blood were perfectly stable and consistent every second, as if a precise instrument were in operation.
As a high-ranking baron, Dai Feng, or perhaps a slightly stronger half-step viscount, Wan Yue had suppressed her ascension for six years. Only due to an extremely high level of control over internal and external hormones was she able to prevent this pressure cooker from breaking down prematurely.
Every month, Wan Yue would return here to burn away the blood energy proteins in her body that could no longer be contained through boiling blood, honing herself in the repeated processes of pressure and relief, compensating for some natural shortcomings of the Siberian blood clan.
Jiang Yan, who was brewing tea in the front yard of the villa, was also concentrating her attention, feeling the intricacies of Wan Yue’s control throughout the process.
Ten minutes, twenty minutes, half an hour. As time passed, the admiration on Jiang Yan’s face gradually transformed into a profound respect.
The flaws of the Siberian blood clan, besides the low threshold for boiling blood leading to weak explosion power, included the poor stability of boiling blood, which resulted in a shorter duration of sustained combat and was unfavorable for prolonged battles.
But now, Wan Yue had clearly compensated for this flaw to a great extent; the boiling blood aura, which was already blurred at the viscount level, showed that Wan Yue’s microscopic control over her internal and external hormones had reached a remarkably high level.
The content contained in Wan Yue’s pheromone was so rich and colorful, with a fierce killing intent in its fury, and gentle tenderness like water in its passion; it had both a cold and severe dignity that looked down upon everything, and the graceful ease of loving boldly and hating fiercely.
If it were spring or summer, it was likely that all sizes of insects within a kilometer radius of the mountains and forests would be excited by it.
What a feat! Perhaps Sister Wan’s suppression of her own ascension didn’t mean she couldn’t escape her predicament… She actually had a new understanding and plan for her own growth and was firmly practicing it… Looking at the graceful figure in the pavilion, Jiang Yan was filled with emotion.
A vibration came from her pocket; Jiang Yan quickly opened her phone— it was a call from Zhao Peng.
“Xiaoyan, is Wan Jie with you…? Hmm, please tell her that Zhou Ping and Xiaodong have awakened…”
On the other end of the line, Zhao Peng spoke for three minutes without interruption; he seemed to be in a much better mood than before.
It looked like Wan Jie had turned off her phone again… This was probably the best news that had eased Jiang Yan’s mood in the past few days, and she understood why Wan Yue often appeared to be out of contact in the eyes of the Hyacinth members.
In the Hyacinth, whether good or bad news is a significant pressure; Wan Yue always sought tranquility free from disturbance in the cracks of time.
The fluctuation of Wan Yue’s pheromone gradually calmed down, the boiling blood subsided, and finally returned to the mysterious and unpredictable chaos.
“Sister Wan, Zhao Peng just called…”
At this point, Jiang Yan hurried over, her face filled with joy.
“Is it news about Xiaodong and Zhou Ping? They’ve awakened, right…”
Wan Yue turned around, her beautiful eyes, tempered by boiling blood, were clearer, with a faint sweet smile that was very pleasing to the eye.
“Yes, they are basically out of danger; most physiological indicators are quite optimistic. Miss Su plans to transfer them out of intensive care in two days.”
Jiang Yan nodded, but the next second, a patient’s voice, low and anxious, came from a distance: “But, Brother Zheng has not woken up yet; it is said that his organs are severely necrotic, and Elder Jin has decided to perform a second surgery…”
Wan Yue nodded lightly, the smile fading as she slowly walked to the stone table, sat down, lit a cigarette, and remained silent.
At this moment, Jiang Yan could only sit quietly to the side, pouring tea. She had not had the habit of drinking tea before, but now she seemed to be learning from Wan Yue, treating tea drinking as a way to regulate her body and mind.
“I wonder if Zheng Shaolin can pull through… Generally, barons would not be able to survive such a situation completely intact.”
Having smoked about half the cigarette, Wan Yue finally spoke, her gaze quietly fixed on the cigarette tip, her expression calm: “He has been with me for twenty years, second only to Zhao Peng, and the only other member of the Dark Arrow Brigade before you sisters came.”
Only the two? Who else besides Brother Zheng?
Jiang Yan was taken aback, images of Zheng Shaolin’s strong, tower-like physique and his always confident and cheerful smile appearing in her mind.
In fact, Wan Yue had hinted at Zheng Shaolin’s previous involvement with the Dark Arrow Brigade once or twice before.
This was Jiang Yan and Zheng Shaolin’s first meeting since joining the Hyacinth, the first collaboration, but possibly their last, the last time working side by side.
Such feelings were undoubtedly poignant.
“Hehe, you want to ask who the other person is?”
Wan Yue discarded the cigarette butt and lit another, her gaze turning towards the distant, colorful winter forest: “Zheng Shaolin, Southern Inspection Area, Team 204, Logistics Platoon’s clerk. I, Central Inspection Area, Intelligence Department’s staff officer. It’s been sixty years; I have almost forgotten many things…”
Just as predicted, Wan Jie was also from the Dark Arrow Brigade, but it was only today that she mentioned it out loud, confirming her deep ties.
Sixty years ago, what a stormy era it was! Did the seniors of the Dark Arrow Brigade share experiences similar to those of today?
Watching Wan Yue’s calm demeanor, Jiang Yan’s heart gradually settled. Even though blood clan members were already at odds with the Dark Arrow, she still felt as if she were facing an elder with an inexplicable sense of respect and intimacy.
“Actually, you haven’t tasted the dishes made by Zheng Shaolin; they’re wonderful. That guy really likes to study cooking; it would be a pity if he never became a chef…”
“Although he was once part of the Dark Arrow, he was merely a lowly clerk, not proficient in combat or command. It’s just that in the Hyacinth, the short man is the tall one; a starving camel is bigger than a horse.”
Wan Yue recounted and teased, downplaying her own matters while going through Zheng Shaolin’s life in detail.
In that moment, Jiang Yan felt that Wan Yue resembled Meng Huai or was like a matriarch, always able to clearly remember every detail about her juniors in her heart, yet often struggling to express it. Perhaps, some of those departed from the Hyacinth’s past still resided in Wan Yue’s heart.
As she listened, Jiang Yan’s thoughts began to drift elsewhere; images of Meng Huai appeared in her mind, a sense of unease surfacing that made breathing difficult, almost awkward.
“He stayed at the Hyacinth Villa for over ten years, helping me watch over and nurture those rescued blood servant juniors. He had a great personality and was very approachable. Just a normal blood type, grew very slowly, and his aptitude was even lower than Zhou Ping’s.”
“He and Zhao Peng took turns striking, occasionally organizing efforts against the dark blood clan. Though these were minor skirmishes, we all unconsciously presented the Hyacinth as a beautiful, almost Dark Arrow Brigade-like appearance in battle. This guy always took pride in his identity as a Dark Arrow; he doesn’t even realize how he’s showing off…”
As she spoke, Wan Yue laughed and sighed, tilting her head, but found that Jiang Yan seemed to be in a daze.
“What’s wrong? Do you find what I’m saying boring? Or are you saying that I’m wrapping the Hyacinth in a somewhat awkward layer of nostalgia?”
Noticing Jiang Yan seemed a bit distracted, a hint of self-mockery appeared on Wan Yue’s face.
“Oh, no… I was thinking, at the military hospital last time… I already noticed that the Hyacinth does indeed have some operational styles reminiscent of the Dark Arrow Brigade’s support squads; in terms of containment, sniping, lurking, and encirclement tactics, they are quite similar. But without true assault coordination training, we cannot undertake the complex tasks of assault tactics in a challenging environment.”
Jiang Yan quickly came back to her senses, her face slightly reddened as she promptly expressed her viewpoint.
Wan Yue smiled, instantly understanding what Jiang Yan meant: “Perhaps having been a blood clan for too long, we have a high degree of confidence in our instinctive advantages in close combat. So, Zheng Shaolin and I have been deliberately strengthening mid to long-range support tactics.
However, it seems we are like trying to draw a tiger by imitating a dog; because neither of us understands the tactical training of assault squads, we only grasp the superficial aspects… However, the blood clan and ordinary people have inherent differences; just in terms of coordination, the Hyacinth cannot simply emulate the tactics of the Dark Arrow.”
“You and Jiang Yao, once you go into high-intensity boiling blood, it’s likely that those like Zhou Ping will be thrown into complete disarray within a radius of dozens of meters, let alone me… This is why I generally won’t act in tandem with them.”
As she listened to Wan Yue’s almost soliloquizing murmurs, Jiang Yan lightly nodded.
She wondered if Wan Jie had ever done any reflection in front of the Hyacinth members before; at least today was the first time she had seen it. Wan Jie was too exhausted; perhaps just a few days ago, she was still dealing with matters that no one else knew about, rather than merely acting as a hands-off manager.
In Jiang Yan’s eyes, Wan Yue had almost taken womanhood to its utmost limit; aside from that captivating allure that would attract anyone, men or women, she had nearly reached the point of blurring gender.
“Actually, my reflections don’t hold much significance… The Hyacinth is too weak, and my absolute control is the only answer and true crux at present.”
Today, I brought you here to have some conversation with me. Additionally, I want to use these few days of peace to train and enhance your control over boiling blood.
Wan Yue suddenly broke into laughter, lightly brushing off the dried leaves that had unknowingly stuck to her dress as she stood upright, preparing to take Jiang Yan to the wooded area behind the villa for special training, only to find that the black-haired girl across the stone table had once again fallen into a daze.
“Jiang Yan, are you thinking too much today?” Wan Yue frowned slightly, a touch of displeasure evident.
“No… I am only pondering one matter.” Jiang Yan shook her head, slowly standing up, her expression gradually turning serious, “Sister Wan, we can conduct special training in rotation within the Hyacinth; if you trust me, I can develop some tactical training content similar to assault squads tailored for the characteristics of the blood clan…”
As she gazed quietly into Jiang Yan’s eyes, Wan Yue suddenly understood, her smile blossoming broader, and she slowly nodded.
“Actually, I was very satisfied with your performance back then. Since certain social dynamics exist, they must have their reasonable side. In fact, apart from Zhao Peng, Zheng Shaolin, Zhou Ping, and a few others, most of the Hyacinth members fear you and Jiang Yao more than they trust you.”
But if that fear can help everyone survive as much as possible, then so be it… It’s not just externally, but internally as well.
Wan Yue stepped forward to stand before Jiang Yan, looking down from above, reaching out to touch her hair, smiling warmly and gently, exuding a sense of elderly affection.
“You decide the time, the place, and the subjects; it’s time for everyone to step out of their comfort zone. The Black Dragon Society is just the first presence that must be dealt with; the Hyacinth will face…”
In the past, every step closer to the truth made me feel utterly powerless without capital; now you and Jiang Yao are my greatest capital to play on with them!
After finishing her words, Wan Yue’s eyes suddenly turned red again, entering the boiling blood state once more. She grasped her skirt, and her body surged like lightning, leaping toward the distant mountains.
Quiet as a maiden, swift as a hare.
A few minutes later, waves of torrential pheromones exploded and expanded deep within Longquan Mountain, resembling silent and invisible heavyweight bombs. Even from thousands of meters away, that overwhelming pressure still left Jiang Yan in awe.
…
At noon, Han Xiao hurriedly arrived at the Western Inspection Area Commander Shao Building, blocking Zhen Guangquan, who was about to go downstairs for lunch.
“Chief, I have important investigation results to report to you!”
With one hand gripping her briefcase and the other wiping the sweat from her forehead, Han Xiao didn’t dare to remove her military cap for ventilation.
“Oh? That was quick; let’s hear it.”
Seeing the people passing in the corridor, Zhen Guangquan stepped aside and took the document Han Xiao handed over.
“I have compared the video data; the 1120 explosion case and the 907 military hospital operation both featured unknown blood clan forces with identical combat equipment. Moreover, there are similarities between them and the unknown blood clan smuggling groups encountered around the southwestern border.”
Zhen Guangquan looked at the document in hand, slowly nodding: “The smuggling blood clan forces in the southwestern border, including both the dark blood clan and the wandering blood clan, are difficult to identify in-depth… As for the follow-up investigation of the 907 military hospital operation, which involves Xia Yan and overseas blood clan forces, it has already been referred to the headquarters’ Intelligence Bureau.”
“Well, we can at least confirm that Xia Yan is likely connected to the Wang family and is probably still in City C! Chief, could we ask headquarters for permission to continue participating in the investigation of Xia Yan, even if it’s just as support?”
Han Xiao hurriedly explained, fearing the other party overlooked her line of thought.
The more serious Han Xiao was, the more helpless Zhen Guangquan’s tone became: “Little Han, if your judgment is entirely correct, then whether it concerns Xia Yan or points to the Wang family, it is no longer within the jurisdiction of the Western Inspection Area; this has been clearly stated by headquarters.”
Seeing the disappointed expression on the other party’s face, Zhen Guangquan quickly changed his tone: “However, I will submit your investigation conclusions to the headquarters’ Intelligence Bureau as well, and I believe they will respect and consider your work成果.”
“Alright, since you’ve come all this way, let’s have a working lunch together, and you can also tell me about the combat readiness of the Embroidered Uniform Team.”
Zhen Guangquan’s attitude was very amicable; Han Xiao had no choice but to follow him, but her spirit had significantly deflated.
