Chapter 97: The Heart of the Problem
Half an hour later, Su Xiaomeng left with an expression of anxiety, even forgetting to say goodbye to her sisters-in-law. In the luxurious private room on the second floor, Zhao Peng and Jiang Yan stood side by side in the center of the room, looking puzzled, while Wan Yue quietly leaned against a small table by the window, sipping her coffee.
As expected, several agents and business partners of the Wang family in City C had died, just ten days ago at Wanjiaoli Plaza.
After finishing her cup of coffee, Wan Yue turned her head and raised her hand toward Zhao Peng and Jiang Yan: “Let’s sit down and talk… It’s pretty much what I expected. This time, the Hyacinth will have to pay protection money to the Wang family.”
Pay protection money? Jiang Yan was a bit stunned, but Zhao Peng nodded slightly, understanding.
With the Liang family’s internal strife in the south, the Wang family had to get involved. As a result, they were undermined from behind, losing their most valuable external agents in one fell swoop…
Wan Yue smiled and lit a cigarette, lightly waving her hand toward Zhao Peng and Jiang Yan: “Jiang Yan, you were the only one there at the time. What do you think?”
Sister Wan, at that time, I noticed that the black-blood clan servants and blood thralls appearing at Wanjiaoli Commercial Plaza looked as if they were forcibly controlled, acting like brainwashed suicide squads, not one of them attempted to escape.
After a moment of thought, Jiang Yan shared some of the confusion that had been on her mind.
Wan Yue lightly laughed and her expression turned primarily to one of disdain: “That’s right, just some disposable pawns from the black-blood clan. They were under the influence of a large dose of Linglong San, resulting in severe mental excitement and dependence. They would do whatever they were told…”
Linglong San, that’s the term used by the black-blood clan in the country; its real name is Fuzhilan, a new medication that came out a few years ago… Even servants can be used as cannon fodder; regular black-blood clan gangs can’t afford that.
After saying that, Wan Yue turned her gaze to Zhao Peng: “Zhao Peng, what’s your opinion?”
If it really is Linglong San, then the Black Dragon Society is the biggest suspect… However, the Black Dragon Society has always steered clear of the Wang family. For them to step out and do something so big this time, there must be someone else behind it. But who is behind it is not something we concern ourselves with; that’s the Wang family’s business.
What we’re afraid of is a second or even third incident similar to what happened at Wanjiaoli Commercial Plaza. It’s possible that the dark arrows, due to pressures from the security situation, might concentrate their forces in City C and launch indiscriminate searches against all blood clans. At that point, we would all get caught up in it, which is exactly what those behind it would want to see.
After pondering for a while, Zhao Peng shared his thoughts. Wan Yue couldn’t help but nod repeatedly, affirming the long-standing tacit understanding between them.
As Wan Yue’s closest confidant, as well as the chief steward of the entire Hyacinth organization, Zhao Peng did not dare to reveal any suspicions about the Engel family until he received explicit instructions from Wan Yue, to avoid putting undue psychological pressure on Jiang Yan and the others.
That makes sense; if we don’t clean up the black-blood clan lurking in City C and interrupt their rhythm, there’s a high probability that they will stir up trouble again. Anyway, with the black-blood clan’s aggressive nature, they’ll only consume a bit of cannon fodder.
Thus, Old Jin hopes to have us ambush the Black Dragon Society at their base in City C. They don’t want any of the spoils, plus they’re giving us a batch of operational supplies. It’s rare for the Wang family to be this generous.
As she spoke, Wan Yue picked up a card from the small table by the window and waved it: “Old Jin has already located several black-blood clan hideouts. Regardless of whether they are from the Black Dragon Society or not, they plan to make an example of them. This is our task; it’s time to lean on others and put in our effort.”
Since the black-blood clan is brazenly ambushing under the Wang family’s nose, it is believed that their usual concealment work is quite good, so we must ensure the authenticity and timeliness of the intelligence to strive for a single decisive strike.
Jiang Yan couldn’t help but interject. Her thoughts were simple: the key implementation condition for the Hyacinth to take action against the black-blood clan is the authenticity and timeliness of the intelligence.
Correct.
Wan Yue was very pleased with Jiang Yan’s reaction because this result-oriented thinking happened to be Zhao Peng’s shortcoming; previously, she handled these matters personally.
Zhao Peng, you need to go to this address with Huang Gu to verify the situation. This type of task must be clear to you; you can’t rely completely on the Wang family’s intelligence. Old Jin tends to be sluggish and careless, spending his energy on women, so the information he provides will surely be lacking.
Understood, Sister Wan.
Wan Yue waved her hand at Zhao Peng, who quickly took the card from her.
Haha, those old turtles in the Wang family have gotten too used to their dominant lifestyles, always thinking they could bully others without anyone daring to touch their tails. Now they’ve been bitten by the mice in the sewers.
Wan Yue extinguished her cigarette, her expression gradually becoming serious. If the Black Dragon Society really did jump out to ambush the Wang family, they must have received some tremendous benefit. I believe this is just the beginning of the attacks on the Wang family and not the end.
Sister Wan, the Wang family is large and powerful, and City C is one of their most important territories. Just the knights of the sealed lands in City C alone must have a dozen or twenty, more than most baron families. How could Old Jin possibly not send people for a few knight-level black-blood clan hideouts?
Zhao Peng frowned, still not quite understanding. With the Wang family’s thousand-year foundation, they shouldn’t be relying on the Hyacinth, a small player, for a rescue.
Ten seconds, twenty seconds, thirty seconds, one minute later, Wan Yue returned to the sofa, lazily twisting her sultry body. The troubles of the Liang family to the south may be greater than we imagined, and Old Jin must have pulled quite a few people away.
Moreover, the Wang family has been acting like old turtles for so many years, with an increasingly larger plate to manage. Now that this incident has occurred, they must focus their manpower to protect the more important individuals, not daring to allow any mistakes.
For this matter, you and Jiang Yan will cooperate on it. She will be responsible for formulating specific action plans, and you will be in charge of coordinating personnel and equipment.
As she spoke, Wan Yue shifted her gaze to the direction of the door, as if hinting at something. But I’ll say this first: the Hyacinth only has a few small cats and dogs, we can only do our best. Deploying a few knights would be like going bankrupt.
Let’s leave it at that. Zhao Peng, go arrange dinner for tonight. We will eat at the club.
Wan Yue casually mentioned to Zhao Peng, who knew she wanted to talk privately with Jiang Yan and immediately understood to leave.
With Zhao Peng gone, only Wan Yue and Jiang Yan remained in the room.
Looking at Jiang Yan, who was sitting upright, Wan Yue stood up with a smile and began to stroll around the room slowly. Although her expression was calm, there was a trace of inscrutable worry hidden beneath.
Seeing Wan Yue in thought, Jiang Yan remained silent, only feeling that Wan Yue must have kept her behind for some deeper external connection concerning the Wang family, perhaps even related to herself.
Wan Yue stopped walking, suddenly turned her head, and asked, “Do you know why I arranged for Jiang Yao to protect the Zhong family today?”
Did Brother Zhao Peng say anything earlier? Jiang Yan thought for a moment and shook her head in confusion.
“Kurumi Haruka contacted me at midnight today. She is returning to Japan for a while… She is worried that someone might exploit Zhong Jing’s situation, proving to be someone who cannot grasp the overall situation, while being meticulous.”
Wan Yue smiled as she sat beside Jiang Yan, reaching out to twist one of her strands of hair: “Do you believe in the saying that women have intuition? I tend to channel all the malice I see and don’t see toward what I consider the core issue.”
“Sister Wan, are you referring to that big round ball… are you talking about me and Xiao Yao? Does the Zhong family have something to do with this too?”
Jiang Yan slowly mulled over Wan Yue’s words, deep in thought. For a moment, she pictured Mond, but it was fleeting.
“In the past few years, everything has been peaceful. It wasn’t until the Tang family’s incident that two sisters like you appeared… The whole world seems to be stirring. The major events of this year surpass the combined occurrence of the last twenty years. Isn’t that the heart of the problem?”
“In this country, if someone wants to obtain you, they must do two things: first, thoroughly muddle the waters so that no one can see someone’s true intentions; second, remove or shatter any obstacles that could prevent them from obtaining you, or distract them from their own affairs… If either of these pieces isn’t completed, a certain someone won’t take real action.”
“Then, who would become a significant obstacle in someone’s eyes within the borders of Huaguo? The Wang family obviously can’t escape, the dark arrows count as one, the Hidden Alliance barely qualifies, and perhaps the ambitious Fujiwara family should be included… As for the Black Dragon Society, they are merely tools to stir the waters.”
“If anything unexpected happens to the Zhong family, it will signal a war of attrition between Huaguo, the Wang family, and the Fujiwara family—dark arrows and the Fujiwara family will both have their hands full… Kurumi Haruka knows a lot of secrets; even if she doesn’t say, I can roughly guess… For now, this poor woman can be considered our ally.”
“Actually, the situation hasn’t devolved to that extent; the Zhong family is still safe, and many people are watching… It’s just that Kurumi Haruka is testing us with an attitude to see if there’s a potential for cooperation. I naturally need to respond to this test; you can consider it a rivalry between me and her, haha!”
“How to put it, I don’t actually care for the significance of the big round ball anymore; I just firmly believe that the Engel family sees you two as essential! If they can’t have you, that is my victory, and afterwards, I will have enough time to share the truth with you.”
After finishing, Wan Yue released Jiang Yan’s hair, walked to the floor-to-ceiling window, lit a cigarette, and gazed at the urban landscape under the setting sun, falling into silence once more.
“Is everything orchestrated by the Engel family behind the scenes to get me and Xiao Yao?”
Jiang Yan felt a chill run down her spine, finally comprehending, and slowly nodded.
“Hehe, perhaps they are still just puppets being manipulated… But there’s no need to worry too much because the Wang family has already been dragged in; when the sky falls, it’s the tall ones who will bear it first, so it’s not yet our turn to worry, nor do we have the ability to do so.”
She clearly expressed her self-deprecation.
Brother Zhao Peng said that Hyacinth is Sister Wan, and Sister Wan is Hyacinth.
Sister Wan is a woman with a strong sense of the bigger picture and a great ability to execute, and her cunning can be described as exceptional. It’s no wonder everyone in Hyacinth follows her so unconditionally and relies on her wholeheartedly.
In contrast, Jiang Yan’s understanding of the world of blood clans remained shallow; her knowledge of colossal entities like the Wang family and Engel family, and even the entire operational dynamics of the blood clan world, revealed serious cognitive blind spots.
Just as Jiang Yan was deep in thought, Wan Yue suddenly turned around, wearing a relaxed smile: “It seems now that since the Wang family borrowed dark arrows to eliminate the Tang family, they’ve already connected with the Engel family and started testing our willingness to cooperate.”
“When we help share some of the Wang family’s troubles, it’s also about solving our own problems; it signifies our stance. But as long as things aren’t made explicit, we still cannot miss the benefits we are entitled to.”
“Though Old Jin is pushing us into this situation, it’s also a good opportunity for training… The Black Dragon Society is but a toad for the Wang family but a giant black bear for Hyacinth, not to mention the ensuing complications.”
“Zhao Peng has been with me for many years, but so far he’s only operated on a solitary level. To put it bluntly, he can act as a bodyguard or a tough guy, at best a competent steward.”
“Jiang Yan, you possess strong execution abilities; your experience should be of help when it comes to complex operations.”
Seeing Jiang Yan’s increasingly awkward expression, Wan Yue’s smile took on a hint of mystery: “No need to be surprised, nor do you have to refute me. I hope the past of you two sisters can become a kind of mutual trust; everyone has secrets worth safeguarding, including myself.”
“Thank you, Sister Wan…”
Jiang Yan lowered her head, staring blankly at the shoes peeking out from under her skirt, her face filled with a bitter smile.
Seeing that the girl had essentially agreed to everything, Wan Yue walked up to Jiang Yan, crouched down, and held her hand: “Most of the people in Hyacinth used to be just ordinary civilians; fighting has never been their forte, nor their desire. Now they’re forced to fight just to survive.”
“Hyacinth lacks sufficient foundation; that’s its biggest shortcoming. Relying solely on me, Zhao Peng, and Zheng Shaolin, it’s hard for Hyacinth to truly become a refuge. This is what I have always wanted to change. Can you help me?”
“Brother Zheng? The one at Longquan Mountain camp?” Jiang Yan had only heard of this person from Jiang Yao but had never seen him before. “He used to… be with the dark arrows?”
Wan Yue didn’t answer; she simply nodded gently.
Brother Zhao Peng always said that Sister Wan carries the entire Hyacinth by herself, which is hardly an exaggeration. Whenever she is away for over a week, or if her phone is off, most of the people in Hyacinth become severely lacking in confidence, feeling insecure; the organization is actually quite fragile.
Jiang Yan looked at Wan Yue’s serious expression, slowly nodding, hesitating for a few seconds, and finally said softly: “Sister Wan, I will do my best; I… I want to become someone like you!”
After saying that, Jiang Yan shyly tidied the ends of her hair to mask her emotions.
“Someone like me, or a woman like me? Haha, you little girl, how bold! I’m quite good at seducing men; are you? Do you dare to learn?”
Wan Yue laughed boldly, her demeanor shifting, and the mystery in her eyes along with her smug smile was visible. Just a few words made Jiang Yan blush, feeling flustered.
After finishing her laugh, Wan Yue walked towards the door, glancing back before exiting: “Jiang Yan, I’m very happy that you see me as your ideal, but becoming a woman like me might not necessarily be a good thing…”
“Gender is just a signpost in life, presenting us with countless doors. But it’s not a baton that forces us to enter a specific door… Regardless of gender, we shouldn’t be slaves to it, nor should we imitate; just feel from the heart.”
Sister Wan possesses a unique confidence and charisma typical of strong women, coupled with understanding, calmness, intelligence, and sensual charm, all perfectly fused together. As a woman, she should have reached a perfect realm; can this be my pursuit?
However, Sister Wan must have already guessed the true secret of Xiao Yao and me, right… Looking at Wan Yue’s departing figure, Jiang Yan fell deep in thought.
…
Night fell early, following nature’s rule of long, dark nights after winter. Inside the Jinhe Club, those assigned tasks were busy at work.
“Starting from midnight until six in the morning… not even part of the dark arrows anymore, and still encountering such lurking missions.”
In a long-sleeved dark brown shirt and a black school-style suspender dress, Jiang Yao was changing into clothes for her outing in a few hours in the changing room, grumbling in dissatisfaction: “In this cold weather, I have to hide outside for several hours while others are sound asleep. It’s just insane…”
“You know winter is here. Aren’t stockings cold? Change into thicker tights; don’t tie the belt on your thigh too tightly, as holding a position for too long will affect blood circulation and lead to bodily movement and reaction issues.”
Jiang Yan snatched the black stockings from Jiang Yao and handed her an unopened pair of black tights: “If it weren’t for considering the travel back and forth, you should wear combat gear; it’d be easier to carry weapons.”
“Yeah, just thinking of a certain beautiful girl squatting in a corner in a skirt makes me feel… quite excited? Ouch! Sister, why are you hitting me? I’m just saying!”
Jiang Yao blurted out, only to be unexpectedly knocked on the head by Jiang Yan.
“Come on, I know you don’t like using guns, but it will restrict your tactical choices and responses to unexpected situations, it’s still better to carry one; I’ve already equipped it with a silencer.”
After a few clicks, checking the gun safety and the ammunition in the magazine, Jiang Yan unceremoniously lifted up Jiang Yao’s skirt and tucked the gun into the holster on her thigh, “Remember to check the emergency communicator; if any issues arise, you need to send a rescue signal.”
“What if I get hungry? What if I need to go to the bathroom? What if…”
Jiang Yao bundled her Tang Dao into a long cloth bag, slinging it on her back to test the tightness while watching Jiang Yan check her gear eagerly.
“Get lost! Think for yourself; didn’t you learn about lurking during training at the center?”
Jiang Yan now felt that Jiang Yao was becoming more trouble than before, increasingly resembling a younger sister who relied heavily on her.
“Hehe! Who told you to be such a mother hen!”
After saying that, Jiang Yao’s body flashed, and she dashed out of the changing room. When she had just reached the corridor, she realized she had forgotten to wear her shoes and had to return with her tail between her legs, only to receive another punch from Jiang Yan.
