Chapter 255: A Restless Night
The significant movements in the Southern Inspection Zone were already on a countdown, and many departments at the Dark Arrow Headquarters entered a state of continuous operation. Particularly, the Intelligence Bureau led by Ye Zhijun received a massive influx of intelligence every moment, which, after analysis and processing, became the decision-making reference for Han Guowei.
As it approached nine o’clock in the evening, Ye Zhijun finally found some free time, but instead of directly going home, he drove to the capital military hospital.
Han Zhongliang’s re-admission weighed heavily on Ye Zhijun’s heart. According to the Medical Support Department of the Dark Arrow Headquarters, this time Han Zhongliang was unlikely to last a month.
After all, Han Zhongliang was ninety years old. After years of hard work in his youth, reaching such an old age was already rare.
“Brother Jun, Second Uncle is watching television; his complexion looks pretty good.”
In the hallway of the high-ranking officials’ ward, Ye Zhijun encountered Han Rong, who was communicating with a doctor. Upon seeing Ye Zhijun approaching, she quickly greeted him.
“Yes. Han Jiesheng and Han Xiao are both out on a mission, and there’s even less to say about Han Guowei. Uncle Liang here, I’m grateful to you, Han Rong, and Han Ting for looking after him.”
Ye Zhijun rarely referred to Han Zhongliang as “Old Chief,” simply nodded politely to the doctor nearby, and pushed open the room door.
Lying in bed, Han Zhongliang was switching channels with the remote control. Upon seeing Ye Zhijun enter, he smiled and made a gesture with his hand: “Even at this hour, you’re here to see me, Ye Zhijun. This indicates that your work isn’t saturated enough.”
“Uncle Liang, you’re joking.”
Ye Zhijun took off his military cap, sat at the bedside, and casually picked up the fruit on the nightstand to start peeling.
“I have three sons; two have sacrificed, and I see the last one only a few times a year. Yet you, young man, feel more like my son.”
Watching Ye Zhijun quietly peel the fruit beside him, Han Zhongliang’s face revealed a hint of regret.
Ye Zhijun looked up, smiled, and remained silent.
In the room, the only sounds were the newscast from the television and the soft rustling of the knife peeling the fruit in Ye Zhijun’s hand.
“I know my own body… it’s almost time. The future will be left to you. All the things I’ve kept to myself over these days, I’ve already told you. From now on, you are Kongming.”
After a long while, Han Zhongliang suddenly muttered.
Ye Zhijun’s hand trembled, a complex expression on his face: “Uncle Liang, did we really do the right thing…?”
“Those who do not consider the overall situation are unfit to consider a local issue; those who do not consider the long-term are unfit to consider the present… Little Ye, the Chairman once taught us to grasp the main contradiction in the development of events.”
“For over two thousand years, we have ultimately gained the upper hand, and our advantage is only getting larger.” Han Zhongliang extended his hand, gently patting Ye Zhijun’s arm, his expression very calm, “As long as technology continues to progress, the blood clan will inevitably exit the historical stage. In the next hundred years, our strategic rivals won’t be them.”
“Hehe, what is the blood clan… The imperialist desire to undermine our country never sleeps; this is the most crucial issue. Dark Arrow must fight them on another battlefield, striving for benefits for the country!”
Ye Zhijun exclaimed, quickly nodding: “Yes, this is a principle Uncle Liang taught me forty years ago.”
“The Engel family is very smart; they understand that for the blood clan to survive in the future, they can only depend on superpowers like North America and our country. Only superpowers can guarantee their true living space.”
Han Zhongliang looked well, his eyes glued to the television screen, yet he spoke of things unrelated to the news.
“There are many behind-the-scenes partners in the Ancestor Project, but only we and North America can be considered the players. The rest are just pawns. Some may say I’m seeking skin from a tiger, but I know the old guy from the Engel family wishes to maintain the balance between the two superpowers and dares not lean towards either side.”
“Right now, our country still has many historical debts; the accumulation for revitalization is not enough. We can only compromise, using time to exchange for space, seeking an equitable balance with North America in every key area. Given time, this world will return to its original form!”
Han Zhongliang’s eyes gradually grew passionate, and a hint of flush appeared on his face.
“Uncle Liang, you must take good care of your health; you’ll see this day.”
Ye Zhijun sensed something unusual about his state and quickly left his seat, gently pressing down on the other’s body.
“Hehe, are you really treating me like an old child? Han Zhongliang laughed, shaking his head repeatedly; moments later, his expression gradually turned serious, “What you’ve come for today—is it about the matters in the south…?”
Ye Zhijun glanced back at the room door and gently nodded: “Everything is going smoothly. The Wang family lacks sufficient manpower this time; they can only abandon the chess pieces to protect the king—pulling in the Zhou family and some vassal families, preparing to use the Lu family as bait to thoroughly bury Liang Er. I suspect they have already given up on the Blood Dragon Brigade… Regarding Chu Dali, this time he has handed Liang Er and Ruan Shunhong over to us as a token.”
“Mm, once the house is cleaned up, we can host guests. It’s a pity, but if the hidden dangers of the Blood Dragon Brigade are not resolved, Dark Arrow will always be the Wang family’s blade… In fact, the Wang family has laid so many nails for the Blood Dragon Brigade; they’ve also helped them overcome quite a few obstacles.”
Speaking thus, Han Zhongliang turned to Ye Zhijun, his expression somewhat complex: “Mm, has Chu Dali sent Han Jieli to the front? Is he still counting on the Wang family to turn the tide?”
Ye Zhijun hesitated for a moment, lowering his voice: “Yes, I’ve given Chu Dali instructions; ensuring Jieli’s safety is essential.”
Han Zhongliang fell silent, simply nodding slightly: “Good, as long as they know their place… Hehe, look at those people like Chu Dali; they often hang their mouths on national sentiment, only to ultimately be beasts bound by greed and curses. The Wang family may not be any better.”
Today, Han Zhongliang had much to say, as if he had been holding it in for a long time; Ye Zhijun could only cater on the sidelines.
“Alright, I won’t delay your work any further; go back quickly. Once the dust settles, then ask the Wang family for those two people.”
Han Zhongliang glanced at the wall clock and finally issued a dismissal signal. Ye Zhijun then tidied up his appearance and saluted the elder seriously before turning to leave.
Ordinary people and the blood clan are two sides of the same coin in this world. Kongming and the special secret action group are also two sides of Dark Arrow. Regardless of who ultimately prevails, they are all maintaining the highest interests of the country; no one is inhumane… From now on, it is up to you, Ye Zhijun.
As Ye Zhijun’s figure disappeared through the door, Han Zhongliang suddenly muttered:
“I understand, Old Chief. You rest well; I’ll handle the rest!”
Ye Zhijun let out a deep breath, and his expression became exceptionally serious.
…
As midnight approached, the lights in a certain office at the Dark Arrow Headquarters finally went out.
Wu Zhongxian rubbed his sore neck, carrying his briefcase towards the elevator at the end of the corridor. Along the way, many offices on both sides of the corridor still shone brightly, causing a slight smile to appear at the corner of his mouth.
In these twenty years of Dark Arrow, although he had encountered many difficulties under his leadership, it was ultimately stronger than before. Riding on the rapid development of the country, it had become the world’s top secret force against the blood clan, even raising the banner against the blood clan’s evil Ancestor Project.
Suddenly, his phone rang; it was a private call. Without looking at the screen, Wu Zhongxian raised it to his ear, his other hand casually pressing the elevator button.
“Chief, it’s Meng Huai.”
A young stranger’s voice came from the other end, causing Wu Zhongxian to freeze, placing the phone in front of his eyes to see that it was an unfamiliar number.
“Meng Huai?”
Wu Zhongxian’s brow gradually furrowed. As he exited the elevator, he looked around and turned to walk toward a nearby green belt.
Seed code, fearless warrior; strategic task code, demon hunter; seed identity code…
The voice on the other end began reciting in a precise manner.
“Wait!” Wu Zhongxian whispered sharply, his expression unusually serious. “Comrade Meng Huai, why did you bypass the Scarecrow and the Strategic Task Support Center to contact me on a private line!”
“Chief, you are the highest leader of the special secret action group and the direct head of the Strategic Task Support Center. My contact with you is a form of work; I can only use this way to avoid recordings of confidential communications.”
Meng Huai’s voice was calm, as if his actions at the moment were perfectly justified.
Wu Zhongxian’s pupils contracted sharply, and after a while, he sighed.
“You know about the mole in headquarters, don’t you? You suspect it’s within the special secret action group… Fine, let’s consider this a formal exchange. Who gave you my phone number?”
Unfortunately, the other end was silent.
Wu Zhongxian forced a bitter laugh and slowly sat down on a bench in the green belt, his face showing helplessness.
It was evident that Meng Huai, like the other seeds who had already gone missing, had given up on normal communication with the special secret action group. Perhaps he was facing some unimaginable predicament, which was why he reached out to him in secret.
However, at least in his eyes, Wu Zhongxian was still trustworthy, which was some consolation.
After considering for a few seconds, Wu Zhongxian lowered his voice, “Comrade Meng Huai, have you encountered some difficulties?”
“Chief, now please answer me a question: as the direct head of the Strategic Task Support Center, do you also consider yourself one of the action resources available to support the seeds?”
Meng Huai spoke again, his tone colder.
“Theoretically, yes.” Wu Zhongxian hesitated for a moment before nodding, “However, according to relevant regulations, all action resource applications for seeds must go through the Strategic Task Support Center.”
“I hope the Chief can make an exception; otherwise, I will apply to cancel my seed status and strategic mission. After that, I will sever all ties with Dark Arrow!”
Meng Huai’s voice was emotionless, as if he had long anticipated Wu Zhongxian’s attitude.
“Comrade Meng Huai, do you know what you’re saying?”
Meng Huai, initially a key subject of observation and a seed candidate, had also passed through Wu Zhongxian’s hands; at this moment, the dark arrow chief of staff’s face darkened.
“I know, so I’ll give you ten minutes to consider.”
On the phone, the former captain of the Xuanjia Brigade was growing increasingly unrestrained.
“You…”
After several deep breaths, Wu Zhongxian finally contained his anger and put the phone back to his ear: “Alright, you go ahead.”
“Okay, please note down, I need the following action resources, and absolute confidentiality must be maintained before my actions. There can be no records left in the special secret action group!”
“Alright, go ahead!”
Wu Zhongxian’s expression turned serious as he quickly wedged the phone between his shoulder, opened his briefcase, and took out paper and pen.
Underneath the light pole in the green belt, Wu Zhongxian quickly scribbled on his notebook, his hand trembling as he held the pen.
“…Alright, above is what I need for support. Now it’s May 24th, 23:47. I hope the action resources can be allocated by 20:00 on May 26th!”
“You’re crazy! Comrade Meng Huai, where are you now!”
Wu Zhongxian could no longer contain himself, leaping from the bench with a face full of suspicion.
“Alright, both of us are violating operational discipline; what’s the point in asking this question now…”
The other side remained silent. Wu Zhongxian sighed, forcing down his emotions as he sat back on the bench.
“I’ll need an hour to think, after which I’ll give you a response!”
This time, without waiting for Meng Huai to respond, Wu Zhongxian hung up the phone himself.
At this moment, Wu Zhongxian’s心里已经亮堂了不少. He instinctively judged that the action resources Meng Huai was requesting over the phone were undoubtedly related to the operational plan led by Han Guowei.
“Courage that exceeds reason; this must be the idea of that boy Han Jieli… currently, he must be in the South… Han Jieli has likely kept many things from me; huh, it may even be Han Guowei, as a chief of staff, I can’t believe you’ve been treating me like a fool!”
Wu Zhongxian mumbled a string of thoughts, almost without thinking, and dialed Han Guowei’s number again.
“Hello, Han Guowei, it’s me, Wu Zhongxian! What are you up to?”
Wu Zhongxian’s anger was boiling, and his tone was somewhat harsh as he opened fire the moment the call connected.
“Old Wu, I’m still in a meeting. What do you mean? Wait a moment; let me change places and call you back.”
Han Guowei on the phone seemed a bit puzzled.
“I… never mind; Ye Zhijun called me earlier. The old chief is in very poor condition, and you’re not even asking about this matter.”
Wu Zhongxian was momentarily speechless, his emotions barely contained; after a few seconds, he forced himself to change the topic.
“Why are you so angry about this? Ah, it’s hard to be both loyal and filial… Old Wu, I cannot be distracted right now; you should understand. If there’s nothing else, I’m hanging up.”
The conversation abruptly ended. Wu Zhongxian remained listening to the line, the expression on his face growing more and more complex.
Sitting on the bench, staring at the light pole surrounded by moths against the night sky, Wu Zhongxian fell into deep thought.
More than ten minutes passed, and Wu Zhongxian put on his military cap and took out another work phone, dialing a number.
“Hello, is this Old Chen, Vice Commander Chen? I’m Wu Zhongxian…”
Wu Zhongxian was contacting a classmate from military school, who was now the second-in-command of the Southern Theater, holding the same rank as him.
“Old Chen, you should know what I’m doing… Yes, I need you to provide some urgent support according to the secret regulations!”
“…Yes, a decommissioned Y-7 transport plane will do, and prepare a 1,500-kilogram thermobaric bomb inside. I will send one pilot over; be sure to keep it absolutely confidential!”
“…No, I cannot disclose; it’s top secret regarding operations here. I will formally report it to the higher-ups later!”
While on the phone, Wu Zhongxian quickly made his way deeper into the green belt.
…
Over two thousand kilometers in a straight line from the capital, in a remote mountainous area at the border of West G Province and Y Province.
Meng Huai leaned against a tree trunk, looking up at the night sky, where a slender crescent moon flickered in and out of the clouds.
Switching to another phone number, he opened his photo gallery to browse a few images he saved from the Jinhe Club workgroup.
These photos were taken by Xiao Dong when he accompanied Jiang Yan for healing in K City, Y Province, and were once a hot gossip topic among the Hyacinth members. Meng Huai had long since left that workgroup, but he had cherished these photos.
Each one captured moments of his closest interactions with Jiang Yan, and as he looked, there were subtle twitches in Meng Huai’s skin.
Continuing to open the SMS function, he re-read texts he had gone through countless times, and a headache returned.
That night in Northern Myanmar when Jiang Yan decisively killed Sha Chu only brought Meng Huai curiosity and shock. Yet when facing Nava and Deng Baoyi, Jiang Yan exhibited illogical super-advanced blood clan characteristics, providing Meng Huai with a fear that remained inescapable until now.
After that night came a series of tests and secret investigations, ultimately leading to an unbearable truth. Meng Huai felt his unusual fate was more brutal than he had initially imagined.
The psychological test conducted by Wanyue had made Meng Huai realize once again that, unknowingly, he had deviated from certain things.
Perhaps this is the price of reconciling with destiny? However, if he truly wanted to follow Wanyue’s advice, abandoning everything to revisit himself and Jiang Yan in light of time, he found he could neither do it nor persist.
Was this blood clan world not as forgiving as he had imagined? Ultimately, must he choose between himself and Jiang Yan?
As he powered off his phone, Meng Huai took out the SIM card issued by Hyacinth. Hesitating for a few seconds, he crushed it slightly and scattered the remnants into the dark valley.
…
…
Time flowed slowly. In the high-ranking officials’ ward of the capital military hospital, the clock at the nurse station struck twelve-thirty.
At the end of the corridor, with a ding, the elevator doors opened, and a beautiful woman in a black straight-cut dress quietly stepped out. Her high heels echoed crisply against the polished floor of the corridor.
A faint, indescribable dark fragrance wafted from Wanyue’s body, like opened aged Huangjiu, enticing and blooming, gradually permeating every corner.
The unique pheromone intruded into the ordinary person’s external hormonal perception cells lingering on the nasal surface.
This deep soul-tugging ambiance subtly altered certain perceptions within the minds of people, creating false feelings of sweet happiness and dreamy thoughts. In the past, members of the Jinhe Club often lost themselves in it.
The little nurse at the nurse station glanced up at her surroundings, completely ignoring Wanyue as she passed by, appearing perplexed.
Rubbing her eyes, she propped her chin onto her hands, drowsily drifting off to sleep, her face wearing an expression of intense enjoyment.
A few minutes later, Wanyue, now dressed in a white coat and wearing a mask, appeared in a high-ranking patients’ room.
In the care room, Han Ying was sleeping soundly, seemingly in the midst of a beautiful dream, a smile gracing her lips. Meanwhile, in the main room, Han Zhongliang slowly opened his eyes.
The room’s lighting was dim yet soft. Han Zhongliang sat up, casting a glance around with a look of confusion in his eyes.
At this moment, he felt perfectly comfortable all over; even his once-decayed and frail body felt rejuvenated, as if it had regained the vitality of his youth.
“Water…”
A blurry figure in a white coat was slowly approaching nearby, and Han Zhongliang instinctively reached a hand to his throat.
As the woman in the white coat drew closer, she handed him a cup of warm water, then turned slightly and sat down by the bed.
“Who are you?”
Han Zhongliang glanced at the wall clock, then at the figure beside the bed as she pulled down her mask, revealing Wanyue’s enchanting face, ageless and beautiful.
“Second Brother, it’s me. Are you feeling better?”
Wanyue said with a bright smile, reaching out to touch Han Zhongliang’s withered palm.
“My little sister…”
Memories that had disappeared for sixty-one years surfaced from the depths of Han Zhongliang’s mind; his lips began to tremble as he tightly held that delicate hand, tears welling up in the corners of his eyes.
“Am I dreaming… Have you come to take me away? Where are Dad and Mom?”
Han Zhongliang suddenly felt nervous, quickly glancing around, but besides the young woman in front of him, there was no one else.
“Second Brother, do you hate the blood clan?”
Wanyue helped Han Zhongliang sit up, letting him lean against her, speaking softly.
“Not really, but since ancient times, those vampires who prey upon the people have always been the beneficiaries of every era. History will ultimately settle all accounts…”
Han Zhongliang tightly gripped his sister’s hand, as if afraid she would run away.
Wanyue did not comment but smiled: “But in the Han family, the blood clan factor is also embedded in our blood.”
“Mm. Therefore, we can better understand the threat posed by the blood clan and know what their desires are… Little sister, Second Brother will soon be able to see you all… Little sister, Second Brother and Mother miss you terribly…”
Han Zhongliang mumbled incoherently, already growing a bit disordered in speech.
“Don’t think too much; go back to sleep, Second Brother.”
Wanyue slightly tilted her head, whispering gently, avoiding the old man’s murky, tearful eyes, holding him tightly.
Leaning against Wanyue’s embrace, Han Zhongliang felt his memories becoming disordered, as if he had forgotten something, but the indescribably comfortable fragrance enveloped his senses, causing him to close his eyes and let out a soft sigh of slumber.
It was uncertain how much time passed, the room was left with only Han Zhongliang, curled up at the head of the bed, tears streaming down his face.
“Second Uncle!”
Han Ying hurriedly rushed to the bed, draped in a coat, gripping the old man’s hand tightly while glancing at the wall clock—just past one o’clock.
“Child, just now, your little aunt visited me…”
Han Zhongliang opened his eyes, teary-eyed and smiling, a flush on his face.
Upon hearing this, goosebumps rose all over Han Ying’s body.
In our country, there is a saying that the elderly will dream of deceased loved ones visiting them just before they pass.
“Little aunt…”
Regarding this aunt of the Han family who had sacrificed before she was even born, Han Ying had always sensed that her grandfather had a unique feeling for her compared to other members of the Han family. Among all the sacrifices in the Han family, the remembrance of this little aunt was the only one for whom he would personally pay tribute every year as long as he could move.
“Hehe, your little aunt probably has some opinions about me…”
Supported by Han Ying, Han Zhongliang lay back down, mumbling strange words that left her both horrified and confused.
