Chapter 247: It’s Her
In the early spring of 1978, a special memorial service was being held at a certain funeral home in the capital city.
Zhu Qianhua lay quietly in the casket, her military uniform neat, covered with the national flag. A faint smile appeared on her dimmed face, as if after years of hard work she could finally relax and sleep.
Of the five children Zhu Qianhua had with Han Changwen, only her second son, Han Zhongliang, remained to see her off. At this moment, Han Zhongliang stood solemnly by the casket, wearing a black mourning scarf, greeting the mourners from the Dark Arrow headquarters to various supervisory districts with silent nods and respectful gazes.
Behind Han Zhongliang stood ten younger generations, including his three sons.
“Grandma!”
Under five-year-old Han Guo and eight-year-old Han Ying cried loudly at the memorial service, while the older Han Guowei and others simply lowered their heads, tears in their eyes.
Turning back, Han Zhongliang’s gaze swept over these newer generations of the Han family, and his heart felt heavy—starting today, as the only second-generation male of the Han family, he would take on the entire family’s burden.
The image of his mother, Zhu Qianhua, toiling alone to raise her five children resurfaced in Han Zhongliang’s mind, as if it were yesterday.
“Uncle…”
A boy of about thirteen or fourteen, guided by his parents, cautiously approached the casket and began to recite accolades for the late general.
“Xiao Jun, study hard, and you’ll go to college in the future.”
After a brief exchange with the elders of the Ye family, Han Zhongliang stood in front of the boy, affectionately ruffling his hair and finally showing a faint smile.
“I’ll go wherever Wu Chengqi and Guowei go from now on!”
Ye Zhijun glanced at his downcast childhood friend some distance away, his young face serious.
The boy’s loud voice drew the attention of the adults present, several gazes turning in their direction, with the elders of the Ye family looking particularly displeased as they playfully ruffled their son’s hair.
More and more familiar faces filled the memorial service, and Han Zhongliang welcomed people as time slipped away from him.
……
As dusk approached, Han Zhongliang returned to his study, holding only an urn.
The old courtyard felt even emptier; of the five brothers, only he remained to guard his mother’s side.
“Report!”
“Come in and speak.”
A familiar voice sounded outside the study door. Han Zhongliang caressed the urn and did not look back, simply responding softly.
“Sir, we just received a notice from headquarters, officially confirming your appointment as the leader of the Special Confidential Operations Group.”
The young soldier Wu Zhongxian, just over twenty, took a few steps to stand behind Han Zhongliang, raised his hand in salute, eyes straight ahead, stern.
“Xiao Wu, the college entrance exams are back, and military schools are also reopening for enrollment. How is your review coming along?”
Han Zhongliang turned to his assistant Wu Zhongxian, signaling for him to sit down.
“I… everywhere is about protecting the country. I’m not good at studying; getting into a military school is too tough for me… I plan to follow you, sir.”
Mentioning his studies, Wu Zhongxian’s expression dulled considerably.
“Heh, no matter how hard studying is, can it be harder than fighting?”
Han Zhongliang smiled, his gaze sweeping over the urn on the desk, his tone much heavier: “Back in the day, my mother, amidst the chaos of war, made sure to have us siblings learn to read and write every night.”
“Knowledge, just like steel guns, is a weapon for us to defeat our enemies. You’re still young; you need to seize the time to learn more, keep up with the times, so you can better fulfill the duty of a Dark Arrow soldier!”
As Wu Zhongxian listened, he blushed and quickly nodded.
“I brought in the briefcase; is there any document you need me to sign?”
After a brief lecture, Han Zhongliang shifted his gaze to his assistant’s armpit.
“Oh, it’s a notice from the headquarters’ office; they received a call asking you to lead a delegation to visit Europe next month.”
Wu Zhongxian was taken aback, hurriedly pulling out a document from his briefcase and placing it in front of Han Zhongliang, curiosity getting the better of him: “Sir, do the vampires in Europe outnumber our country? Are their special forces’ weapons and equipment more advanced than ours?”
Han Zhongliang chuckled, took out a pen, and signed the document while responding: “If calculated by population, theoretically there are half as many there compared to our country; however, the old vampire families there are quite powerful, and the situation is much more complex…”
“The weapons, well, there are only so many kinds. But with relations between our country and Europe and America improving, we can exchange experiences more frequently.”
Looking at the list of visiting countries on the document, Han Zhongliang sighed slightly.
Since the establishment of the country, the Dark Arrow troops had been disconnected from the mysterious agencies of other countries for a long time. Many tactics and weapons were not much different from those of World War II. Not to mention some top-secret research results on bloodlines, Europe and America had long been ahead.
In recent years, the relationship with Europe and America had gradually warmed, providing the Dark Arrow with an opportunity to reconnect with the world, which was also a necessary means to counter the vampire clans.
Xiao Wu, this time it’s too late—you must enter military school, and then you will come out with me more to broaden your horizons; you must study foreign languages diligently!
After handing back the document and dismissing Wu Zhongxian with a few words, Han Zhongliang was busy finishing up in the study and sat back down at the desk.
Taking a deep breath, Han Zhongliang opened a drawer and took out a series of letters his mother, Zhu Qianhua, had left for him before her death.
Mom, can we really win? But even if we defeat the vampires, isn’t our country still suffocating under the pressure from the Soviet Union and the United States…
As he read through one letter after another left by his mother, Han Zhongliang found himself grappling with a question he had pondered for many years.
Perhaps the times have changed, and Dark Arrow cannot simply view defeating the vampires as the only route to protect the strategic development of the country.
Muttering a series of thoughts that only he could hear, Han Zhongliang picked up the last of his mother’s letters.
Upon opening the envelope, the first line of text made Han Zhongliang perk up: theories regarding the Ancestor Project and several strategies for maintaining a strategic understanding with the country’s normal bloodline clans.
Mom, do you have deeper feelings for the Dark Arrow or for the Wang family?… After all, the Wang family is self-serving.
After finishing the last letter, which was also the longest, Han Zhongliang fell into deep thought.
……
On May 13, 2020, Wednesday.
Today marked the lunar birthday of Han Zhongliang, the former Chief of the General Staff of the Dark Arrow, the day he officially entered his sixties.
Under the guiding principles of low profile and simplicity, only a select few guests were invited to Han Zhongliang’s birthday banquet. Most of his retired colleagues had already passed before him.
However, on such an important day, Han Guowei was absent, and only Han Jieqian hurried back from S Province temporarily to celebrate Han Zhongliang’s birthday as the only male in the Han family.
The Chief of Staff!
Han Jieqian was responsible for receiving guests outside the courtyard, and the first to arrive was Wu Zhongxian.
Old official, such a big birthday, too low-key! Wu Zhongxian glanced at the people moving about in the courtyard, sighing repeatedly. “The timing is not right; your third uncle is still at the southern garrison and cannot get away.”
“By the way, has Director Ye arrived? I noticed he left work early today too.”
“He’s already here, chatting and playing chess with the old man in the study.”
Han Jieqian quickly pointed to a certain direction behind him.
“Well… you come along too; it’s just right, we can discuss some matters together.”
Wu Zhongxian patted Han Jieqian on the shoulder and headed toward the study.
“What else can we say? Everyone is staring at me, and there’s still no news from the Wang family!”
Han Jieqian helplessly followed behind Wu Zhongxian, feeling a wave of despair. His biggest fear now was sitting with these high-ranking officials.
Now, every scrutiny and question from these old-timers made Han Jieqian’s heart race.
In the study, Ye Zhijun was accompanying Han Zhongliang in a game of chess; both were quietly discussing while pondering over the board.
“Wu Zhongxian has arrived… um, sit over there and remember to observe in silence; don’t give this old chess bucket any tips! Jieqian, pour tea for the two leaders!”
Seeing Wu Zhongxian and Han Jieqian enter, the old man fell into a determined rhythm as he played, giving instructions.
“Old uncle, commander, your momentum is still as strong as it was back in the day!”
Wu Zhongxian, like a shy young man, laughed as he sat beside Ye Zhijun. After glancing at the board for a moment, he smiled even more: “Old Ye, if I didn’t know your level, I would think you were letting me win!”
“I really can’t win; I’m absolutely no match!”
Ye Zhijun sighed, pondering for a long time before cautiously moving a piece.
“Stop flattering!”
Han Zhongliang shot a glare at Ye Zhijun, immediately pronouncing his chess game dead. Although he didn’t say it out loud, his eyes couldn’t hide the amusement.
Han Jieqian, like a transparent figure, served the three important figures. As he handed the old man a teacup, his gaze inadvertently settled on the back of the man’s hand.
It was withered and yellow, seemingly just skin over bones, with prominent veins and dark spots, as well as one or two healing needle marks from recent intravenous infusions. Even being so close to the old man allowed Han Jieqian to faintly catch the faint, unpleasant scent of aging.
The doctors from the headquarters’ health services said that grandpa might not make it through this year… Watching the old man chat freely, Han Jieqian felt a twinge in his nose.
… Don’t push him; he’s still the commander of the oversight district, at the frontlines. I won’t have any objections!
The old man took things lightly, showing no resentment toward his son for not being present on his birthday.
“By the way, has there been any change in the Wang family’s position?”
After some idle chatter, the old man opened the formal topic first, keeping an eye on Ye Zhijun.
“There’s nothing we can do; the previous contacts with the Wang family either no longer exist or they simply won’t respond.”
Ye Zhijun raised his teacup, his mood slightly sour.
“The Wang family really has developed a prejudice against us… haha, I really didn’t expect the butcher Wang to turn down profits!”
Han Jieqian quickly adjusted his posture, not daring to breathe.
Suddenly, he laughed: “Normal—once bitten by a snake, one is afraid of rope for ten years. If they were to show their cards first, I would instead begin to doubt the authenticity of the intelligence.”
“But their attitude towards us has changed; the sample of the Frankenstein serum and the Baohengdan formula they provided last time has already been verified as genuine.”
Wu Zhongxian pondered for a moment but was still puzzled.
“Hmph… that’s useful to us, but of little value to the Wang family. After all, it’s not their own treasure; they only earn someone else’s money.”
Han Zhongliang sipped his tea, sneering: “The Wang family knows that the Dark Arrow is in front of them and knows what we need at this moment; they’re still pretending to be mute… Wu Zhongxian, even if you told them Guowei’s real intentions, they might not believe it.”
Forget it, if you want something, you’re better off relying on yourself; let’s not discuss this anymore.
The old man shifted the topic, reminiscing while sipping tea about anecdotes from past generations. Sometimes sorrowful, sometimes proudly reminiscing, Wu Zhongxian and Ye Zhijun played the role of supporting actors, fully cooperating with the old man’s every topic.
Rather than Han Jieqian reminiscing about his past achievements, it was more about being old and fearing marginalization; he had to use these stories to maintain a sense of presence.
Watching Ye Zhijun chat freely with his own grandfather, Han Jieqian suddenly had a strange thought—what interests drove the mole hidden in the Dark Arrow headquarters to collaborate with the foreign blood clans represented by the Engel family?
Han Jieqian didn’t quite believe that the moles at the senior level of Dark Arrow were simply driven by the desire for immortality or wealth. Those who reached this level were all blood-soaked survivors hardened in the battlefield and had long seen life and wealth as secondary.
At least, remaining alive was not their foremost desire; otherwise, the Gu family wouldn’t have taken the decisive stance of explosive destruction.
As the old man’s laughter faded in his ears, Han Jieqian stuffed his hands into his pockets, drifting into a daze.
A series of mobile phone rings echoed, causing the few people in the study to stop talking and turn their gazes toward the seemingly transparent young man.
Han Jieqian snapped back to reality, realizing it was his phone ringing, and it was a special ringtone he had set earlier.
Wu Zhongxian was the first to notice Han Jieqian’s expression was a bit unusual, quickly lowering his voice: “Is it from the Wang family?”
As soon as he finished speaking, everyone present, including the elderly Han, held their breath, their eyes fixed on Han Jieqian as he slowly pulled out his phone.
Looking down at the screen, a few seconds later, Han Jieqian looked up, glancing left and right, and nodded solemnly: “A text from Wang Sheng, requesting to meet tomorrow. But it’s already almost two o’clock; I wonder if I can catch tonight’s flight…”
Business comes first; you’ll go back after dinner! Han Zhongliang’s expression turned serious as he spoke, then made a gesture to Ye Zhijun: “Xiao Ye, it should be no problem for Jieqian to grab a ticket for tonight’s civil airline, right?”
Ye Zhijun nodded repeatedly and immediately snatched up the phone from the desk.
Taking the chance to go to the restroom, Han Jieqian left the study and took out his phone to check, sighing helplessly.
The earlier ringtone was one he had set in advance, not from Wang Sheng calling at the moment. The meeting with the Wang family had actually been scheduled two days prior.
Han Jieqian did this merely to avoid letting anyone know about the true nature of his contact with Wang Sheng; the two sides had been in close contact through various means all along.
Looking back toward the study, Han Jieqian tightened his grip on his phone and strode out.
……
C City, as night fell.
Most of the lights at the Golden River Club had dimmed, yet the golden splendor remained.
Wan Yue, akin to bidding farewell, wore a faint smile, the numerous lights flickering alluringly in certain directions.
Ten years ago, the Golden River Club transformed from a Western restaurant to a high-end salon club, blending seamlessly with Wan Yue’s pursuit of elegance and became a calling card for the Hyacinth.
However, now was the time for such sentimentality to either be added to or replaced.
Zhao Peng stood behind the long bar in the drink area, meticulously polishing the crystalline drinkware under the golden light, as if putting the finishing touches on his gleaming armor.
He knew this was his last shift.
“Xiao Ai, Xiao Dong, everyone who has followed Wan Yue for more than ten years, you can choose whatever clothing is in the dressing room; take as much as you want. The remaining selections should be sent to Axin Te, some changing rooms will be available there too.”
“Zhao Peng, the liquor should be almost handled, right? The leftovers should be sent to the Hyacinth Manor.”
“Liang Qin, move out what needs to be moved in the underground part, and take a few more checks to ensure nothing is overlooked.”
Wan Yue kept issuing instructions, as if it were the eve of the Golden River Club’s grand opening, attending to every detail personally.
“Sis, there are so many dresses and shoes; I’ve already picked out three boxes, leaving half… why aren’t you going to pick?”
Jiang Yao approached Jiang Yan, hands laden with several tote bags, only to discover that the sofa beside her was completely devoid of anything.
“Let them choose first…”
She chuckled, sporting a nonchalant attitude.
Having only been there for less than a year, she didn’t want the place anymore. Had Wan Yue planned this all along? I remembered how she used to disregard this place, rarely coming here. Now that she finally did, something significant must have happened.
Jiang Yao followed Wan Yue’s figure with her gaze, rummaging through her tote bags to find a can of clearance beverage.
“You see your time here is short, yet you still lead with preconceived notions…”
Jiang Yan turned her head, also pulling out a can of drink from Jiang Yao’s tote, but as soon as she opened it, she heard Jiang Yan emit a sound of surprise.
Jiang Yao’s complexion paled slightly, and she dashed to the restroom. Moments later, more intense retching sounds echoed, alarming Jiang Yan and several other girls to rush after her.
“… What’s the good of being a woman, one troublesome thing after another, so annoying…”
Before long, Jiang Yao was helped out of the restroom by Jiang Yan, still furrowing her brows as she continuously complained.
Meng Huai stood quietly in a corner, watching with an expressionless face.
“Meng Huai, come with me to the second floor; I have something to tell you.”
Wan Yue approached, glanced at the direction Meng Huai was looking, chuckled lightly, then turned and headed toward the spiral staircase leading to the second floor.
……
As midnight approached, Meng Huai entered Jiang Yan’s old rental apartment carrying two travel bags.
With the closure of the Golden River Club, Meng Huai had also lost his temporary accommodations and had to “temporarily” stay at Jiang Yan’s home.
“Meng Huai, you can use Xiao Yao’s room. There might still be clothes in her closet that she hasn’t taken away. Tomorrow I’ll clean up… Please check the refrigerator to see if there are expired items to be cleaned out.”
Jiang Yan’s voice came from the half-closed master bedroom, startling Meng Huai, who quickly set down what he was holding and walked to the refrigerator.
After a few seconds, Jiang Yan emerged from the bedroom clutching a slip dress and a large towel, only to lock eyes with Meng Huai. Embarrassed, she quickly rolled her clothes into a ball and shut herself in the bathroom.
Water sounds came from the restroom; Meng Huai turned back, and through the frosted glass door, he could only make out a pale yellow lampshade and the extremely blurred silhouette of a young girl.
Checking his watch, Meng Huai picked up one of the travel bags and quietly tiptoed into Jiang Yan’s room.
Scanning the area, he opened the wardrobe and began to rummage through it, trying to maintain the arrangement of the clothes inside.
Unfortunately, he found nothing.
Meng Huai then noticed the bottom drawer of the wardrobe, gently pulling it open, when he froze, his face slightly flushed—inside the drawer were all kinds of undergarments belonging to the girl, in various colors, but all very understated in style.
After hesitating several times, Meng Huai finally reached out.
Reaching the last layer, a sheathed dagger caught his eye, and in an instant, Meng Huai’s pupils dilated as he slowly retracted his hand, quickly pulling out his phone to take a picture before returning everything back to how it was.
It was a standard issue silver combat dagger of Dark Arrow, and the sheathing bore a small engraved serial number.
“Why are you in my room, Meng Huai?”
A few minutes later, a curious voice came from the doorway of the bedroom.
“I cleaned out the refrigerator, and I’ve put your things in.”
Meng Huai turned around, continue to pull out books and bottled drinks from the travel bag, carefully placing them on the desk beside the bed.
“Meng Huai, Wan Jie said you’re representing her to meet with Han Li tomorrow?”
Jiang Yan, touching her hair, sat at the edge of the bed, nervously looking at the young man in front of the desk.
The discussion was outlined… She said this is my best opportunity to understand the current situation and what we can do in the future.
Meng Huai naturally sat on a chair beside, his gaze landing on Jiang Yan, but after just a second, he couldn’t break his stare.
Her smooth thighs, low-cut spaghetti straps subtly revealing a hint of her curves, her glossy dark hair cascading over her shoulders like a blooming lotus, exquisite and enticing.
This is a genuine woman, and I’ve interacted with her many times… Meng Huai felt a tightness in his throat, quickly diverting his gaze.
Clearly feeling Meng Huai’s eyes roaming over her, Jiang Yan’s heart skipped a beat, but she quickly regained her composure.
A brief silence fell between them; Jiang Yan quietly observed the suddenly reserved tall young man, and gradually a faint smile appeared on her lips.
“You should rest; I’ll head back to my room to practice the blood control techniques Wan Jie taught me…”
Meng Huai left, actively closing the door behind him.
Just as the door lock clicked, Jiang Yan rushed to her desk, opening the drawer to grab the medication that tightly wrapped her essence and retreating to her bed with a flushed face.
With her menstrual period approaching, Jiang Yan knew that Meng Huai would surely be influenced by her, yet she still displayed a strong sense of self-discipline.
Soon after, the sound of Meng Huai showering in the bathroom filled the air, and Jiang Yan’s mind raced with the imagined movements of the person beside her.
Minutes later, Meng Huai’s footsteps transitioned to the adjacent bedroom, with a wave of barely controlled fervor accompanying him.
At this moment, Jiang Yan, acutely sensitive to her surroundings, could feel Meng Huai’s familiar presence amplify; the wafting male pheromones were surprisingly robust and distinctive.
“God, please don’t ignite…”
With her hair cascading down, Jiang Yan burrowed into the blankets, tightly clutching them, her body trembling slightly as if blood was boiling.
Jiang Yan felt she was under Meng Huai’s influence, her body temperature rising slightly, and she was beginning to feel restless.
She regretted why she had whimsically invited Meng Huai to stay at her place again—was it driven by a subconscious impulse?
Or was it that after Wan Jie had entrusted her with the utmost confidence in Meng Huai, she too let go of all her vigilance?
Jiang Yan buried her head in the duvet, covering her ears, thinking that perhaps this was the only way to block out Meng Huai’s pheromonal invasion of her body and mind.
Now she finally understood why Jiang Yao had so easily ended up in bed with Du Yao; this was not merely a resolve but the unique emotional impulse of a queen on the eve of her menstrual period, that kind of restlessness could truly lead one to a downfall!
“No, no…”
Jiang Yan flung the covers off and began to get out of bed, walking toward the door before returning to the bed, wrapping her head in a towel and curling up in the corner, shivering.
But in the bedroom next door, Meng Huai, surprisingly, was still engaging in the intense blood control exercise, the emanating pheromones like an enticing cat toy, continually triggering Jiang Yan’s mind.
……
In the secondary bedroom, with the door tightly locked, Meng Huai sat cross-legged on the bed, propping his notebook on his legs, flipping through materials on last year’s 11.01 million Qiaoli incident while using blood control to mask himself.
Photos of various objects taken from different angles came into view, revealing pistols scorched and rendered unrecognizable—those were the most rudimentary weapons, having been returned to Jin Jieqian, only photographs remained to trace their history.
Then he opened an attached document, which contained the weapon storage records previously assigned by Xia Yan.
Looking at a series of numerical identifiers, Meng Huai hurriedly pulled out his phone to cross-reference the numbers from the dagger he had secretly photographed in Jiang Yan’s bedroom.
No doubt, it was the standard dagger Xia Yan had issued during her time in the Dark Arrow, which was not recovered from the underground factory in D City. This most primitive weapon had been concealed in Jiang Yan’s home.
Xia Yan, Jiang Yan, Shun Yao, Jiang Yao, W District Children’s Welfare Institute, the same remittance account, the special polysystem bloodlines…
Conducted by Huang Guo, who had long been active in D City, now a prized asset in Wan Yue’s possession, gaining the attention of the Wang family’s ancestors…
Known intimately about all my personal habits, well-acquainted with the tactics of the Dark Arrow…
The queen’s secret: only through pregnancy can the stability of the bloodlines manifest and the internal blood type shift…
Do I need more evidence?
Meng Huai deleted everything from his laptop and ceased the blood control, adjusting his emotions to avoid alerting Jiang Yan.
Turning back to look at the bedroom door, Meng Huai wore a calm yet slightly panicked and sorrowful expression.
In his mind, two different figures finally pieced together from previous chaotic consciousness into a seamless joint, perfectly fitting together.
Jiang Yan was experiencing something similar; the vigorous training stimuli from the adjacent bedroom made her feel dazed, nearly pushing her to Meng Huai’s room several times.
She sensed that Meng Huai’s emotions tonight were also chaotic, the mix of tension, anxiety, and excitement felt entirely out of control.
This extraordinary fate of life and death was like a burning iron chain, tightly linking them both, imprinting marks upon each other.
