(For Chapter 1-163, go to (https://chrysanthemumgarden.com/novel-tl/awbtv/))
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The rain outside the window was falling harder and harder.
Rose vines climbed up the snowy-white walls of the Western-style house, swaying and shedding under the weight of the damp, heavy wind—petals breaking apart in scattered crimson.
The garden was lush and overgrown; every tree, leaf, flower, and blade of grass stood soaked in layers of deep and pale greens, as if smeared with diluted ink.
The hot dishes had been cleared away, and the Faguo dinner in the study had gradually moved into the dessert course. The vehicles sent out earlier had also begun to return one after another.
Louis knocked on the door and entered, bowing respectfully as he handed Adams a list.
But Adams, who still held a silver dining knife in hand, didn't reach out to take it. He only cast a brief, casual glance at it.
Yet that single glance made the ease on his brows vanish, replaced by a new crease. His movement of slicing the cheese paused, and he shot a look at Louis—one full of obvious doubt and displeasure.
Louis, however, kept his eyes lowered to the floor, completely failing to sense the irritation simmering beneath Adams' calm exterior.
"Mr. Adams, is something the matter?" Chu Yunsheng broke the brief but delicate moment of tension.
Of course something was wrong. Terribly wrong!
Adams forced down his emotions, cursing fiercely in his heart.
For the first time, he found himself deeply annoyed by Louis' rigid, by-the-book work attitude and his complete lack of tacit understanding at critical moments.
He even briefly suspected, upon seeing the contents of that list, that Louis might actually be a spy planted by Chu Yunsheng… After all, the purge list was far too thorough—practically digging up every last bit of the Dongyang operatives' roots.
Adams was certain that not a single one of the Dongyang spy sites within Green Eagle's intelligence network had been spared. All of them had been wiped out in the gunfire tonight. Green Eagle had moved as if throwing in everything it had—nearly ninety percent of its intelligence personnel and military forces dedicated solely to eradicating Dongyang influence.
Movements on this scale—such commotion—had occurred only a handful of times even when Deyizhi was at its strongest, when the entire nation was backing Adams' ambition to seize control of Haicheng and even all of Huaguo.
Under normal circumstances, if Green Eagle executed his orders with such swift, flawless efficiency, Adams would have been extremely pleased, perhaps even generous enough to reward them handsomely.
But right now, all he felt was ridicule—and a pounding headache.
He had absolutely no intention of tearing his face off with the Dongyang.
Putting on a show, making a token move just to placate this armed madman for the moment—that was the correct approach.
After all, this doctor currently stood alone. He could neither walk out of here nor contact the outside world by any remote means.
Deceiving him would be the easiest thing in the world.
And as for later—surely no one would truly believe that Adams was some kind of philanthropist who would let a man pointing a gun at his head walk free?
He had even already decided which part of the river would be most suitable to sink this arrogant, reckless doctor's body into afterward.
"No, no problem at all."
Adams subtly smoothed out his expression, shook his head with a pleasant smile, and gestured for Louis to hand the list to Chu Yunsheng across the table. "I was merely struck by a thought, my friend. You can't imagine it—every department, every institution, even intelligence organizations—none of them are spared from the curse of tedious procedures and endless delays."
"Perhaps only at times like this… when their superior's head may explode at any given moment, does Deyizhi's Green Eagle finally display such astonishing and formidable efficiency."
"I must say, it's quite amusing in its own way."
Even though Adams was masking everything with wry humor and self-deprecation, the series of setbacks tonight and the steadily unraveling situation had shaken his normally unshakeable composure. A faint chill seeped into his tone despite himself.
Chu Yunsheng sensed the shift in Adams' emotions, but he didn't care.
He wiped his fingers and accepted the list Louis handed over. In the same motion, he slightly lifted his palm, allowing the jade cufflink—returned to him earlier—to slip back into his hand.
That gesture meant the other party had agreed to the deal.
"I see your sincerity, Mr. Adams."
Chu Yunsheng looked down at the list, cross-checking it with the clues in his mind. He could roughly confirm that Green Eagle had indeed done their utmost.
This was also the sincerity Louis offered on behalf of Faguo.
Perhaps they could deceive him, but they could never deceive Yu Jingzhi waiting outside the villa.
"When it comes to friends, I have always been sincere, Mr. Chu." Adams' smile carried a hint of strain.
He was already thinking about how he would mend relations with the Dongyang afterward—and the cost of doing so would undoubtedly be a troublesome one.
Adams glanced at the pristine white quartz clock on the cabinet and continued with a light laugh, "The matter of the trains seized by the Xuan family and Qilu has also been resolved. Our dinner is nearly finished. Though some unfortunate misunderstandings occurred tonight, we're quite lucky they didn't damage our friendship."
"I'm very glad to have met a friend like you, Mr. Chu."
He set down his knife and fork, picked up a napkin to wipe the corner of his mouth, and spoke with natural friendliness: "It's getting late. Would you like to stay the night, or shall I have Louis take you back?"
The hour hand had already moved from nine toward ten.
It truly was getting late.
Chu Yunsheng withdrew his gaze from the clock as well. He focused for a moment on the sound of rain seeping through the window cracks, and the tire-slick noise of the returning cars outside.
"No need for courtesy, Mr. Adams,"
Chu Yunsheng said. "Someone will be coming to pick me up."
Adams paused—his expression shifted slightly, and the smile at the corner of his lips stiffened. "Oh? At this hour, someone will still come for you?"
Perhaps realizing that his tone had revealed a hint of the murderous intent he'd been concealing, Adams hesitated for a moment, then added, "Believe me, Mr. Chu, this is not a place easily found. Of course, if you prefer to leave alone, that's perfectly fine— I won't stop you."
"Just remember my attitude toward friends. That completed purge list is my sincerest goodwill…"
Chu Yunsheng didn't respond.
Because at that very moment, an extremely sharp and jarring car horn suddenly blared outside, slicing through the humid, quiet rain-soaked night.
Adams shot to his feet, whipping his head toward Louis.
Louis wore just the right amount of panicked confusion. "Sir, this isn't our—"
Before the explanation was finished, Adams—almost as if he had planned it beforehand— abruptly dragged Louis in front of himself as a shield. With his other hand, he reached into Louis' gun holster with lightning speed, drew the pistol, and—without even looking—unleashed a barrage of bullets toward the sofa chair across from him.
Plates exploded with sharp cracks, shards of porcelain scattering, the coffee table toppling over.
"Go to hell!"
Adams' calm façade finally tore apart. Using Louis as a shield, he fired wildly, pulling the trigger over and over with manic fury.
But Chu Yunsheng was faster.
The instant Adams stood and reached for a gun, Chu Yunsheng had already drawn his own. He twisted his body, braced one hand on the back of the chair, and vaulted behind the sturdy, wide armchair.
Bullets punched into the chair, erupting with constant blasts, the air filling with the burning stench of scorched fabric.
Chu Yunsheng shifted positions as he dodged, carefully tracking Adams' and Louis' movements.
Barely two seconds after the first gunshot, the study door burst open with a thunderous crash. More than a dozen gun barrels—long poised in ambush outside—appeared all at once.
The muzzles aimed at the armchair, and streaks of bright scarlet fire spat from them as bullets rained out.
Chu Yunsheng moved instantly, abandoning the armchair and leaping behind a cabinet further back.
The study filled with smoke and flying debris in an instant.
The armchair shuddered and lurched under the barrage of gunfire, nearly flipping over, fragments of expensive wood splintering through the air. Behind it, countless valuable antiques and rare oil paintings exploded into debris. In the blink of an eye, half of the once opulent, Ouhua-style room had been reduced to ruins.
One side of the riddled armchair was a field of devastation, forming a stark contrast with the untouched, pristine half of the room separated only by a table.
Under such intense suppressive fire, Chu Yunsheng had no way to lift his head.
But he knew this situation wouldn't last long.
Sure enough, just as the gunmen at the door concluded that Chu Yunsheng had lost the ability to resist and were preparing to advance with their weapons raised, a sudden scream erupted from their midst.
That scream seemed to trigger a new scene entirely—the distant end of the second-floor corridor burst into fierce gunfire, followed by the wet thuds of bullets tearing through flesh, accompanied by continuous screams and shouts.
Almost at the same time, gunfire erupted in the garden outside the villa.
"Bang—!"
A bullet shot through the window where the curtain hung.
But this time, the bullet was not aimed at Chu Yunsheng's head—it flew straight toward Adams.
But at that very moment, Adams threw Louis aside, wanting to use this brief opening to dash out of the study.
The bullet grazed his shoulder and struck the wall.
Shards of glass along the window frame shattered and fell with a crisp crack as a figure—silent and unnoticed until now—appeared behind the billowing curtain.
"Yu Jingzhi!"
Adams turned back in terror, raising his gun toward the windowsill. "Louis, protect me!"
Louis looked at Adams—but made no move at all.
At that moment, Chu Yunsheng stepped out from behind the cabinet and abruptly raised his hand.
A dull thud.
A mist of blood, tinged with white bone fragments, burst from the side of Adams' skull.
The finger on his trigger froze.
"You… you all…"
Adams's facial muscles twisted grotesquely as he slowly turned his head toward Chu Yunsheng, who was standing coldly with his gun raised. His eyes widened to the point of tearing, filled with utter disbelief… Even when he had just been firing wildly at Chu Yunsheng, he had never imagined that this damned Huaguo man would use the same bullets to make him die under his gun.
How?
How could a Huaguo person dare kill him?
They clearly knew what consequences his death would bring. They clearly came seeking something, only daring to threaten. They clearly had no power to resist Deyizhi's occupation and could only survive on his charity…
Another bullet burst into his chest.
The last traces of Adams's consciousness collapsed.
He fell backward to the ground, blood spreading beneath him.
Yu Jingzhi—having fired that extra shot purely out of spite—stepped forward.
He was drenched from head to toe by the rain, his thin shirt clinging to his lean, long figure, outlining a willow-like waist, slender yet strong. His pale skin and smooth muscle lines showed faintly through the fabric. In the dim, flickering light, he carried a strange, gentle translucence—like jade beneath stone skin, a quiet beauty contained within.
But aside from Chu Yunsheng, no one alive would have the mind to appreciate such a sight. A single glance at the damp, blood-scented aura surrounding him was enough to inspire terror.
"Louis… Wendell. Birth name: Sweet… Valk. Faguo. Orphaned young, adopted at age five by Major Érich of France. Between ages thirteen and nineteen, a complete blank. At twenty, he appeared in a small town on the Deyizhi border and saved the fallen Adams."
"You spent ten years sharing hardship with Adams, step by step earning his trust, becoming his right hand, and helping him seize Green Eagle from his mentor. I imagine you wouldn't want all that effort to go to waste?"
Yu Jingzhi narrowed his eyes and spoke in cold, fluent Faguo.
His boots stepped forward, leaving blurred, darkening footprints on the deep red carpet.
He strode quickly toward Chu Yunsheng, but the gun in his hand—still reeking of sulfur from the recent shot—shifted the moment it finished blasting through Adams's chest. The muzzle swung sharply, now aimed at Louis standing to the side.
Louis slowly straightened his posture. Amid the calmness on his face, a faint realization emerged. "So this is Jianmen's investigation on me? I must admit… both Adams and I underestimated you, Mr. Yu."
The confusion Louis had felt earlier—when he saw the message hidden within the jade cufflink—was now fully dispelled by Yu Jingzhi's words.
He even understood much more.
Perhaps they had known from the very beginning that neither he nor Faguo could refuse such a tempting opportunity. That was why they dared to act so boldly—allowing themselves to be "kidnapped" here by Adams, using him and Adams to kill each other without hesitation.
In truth, he really did owe Chu Yunsheng some gratitude.
Had Chu Yunsheng not created such a powerful and unexpected disruption, Louis knew that based on his fabricated background, it would have been completely impossible to replace Adams and take charge of Green Eagle's operations in Huaguo as originally planned.
And Adams—suspicious, cunning, and obsessed with control—would never allow it. As long as Adams sat above him, Louis would never be anything more than a meek, mediocre lapdog, unable to rise as a true high-level spy.
Of course, he had considered killing Adams himself—letting Adams die in a perfectly designed "accident."
But Adams was simply too cautious, too careful.
The Deyizhi rigor and arrogance manifested fully in him. And his arrogance never compromised his caution.
In all the years they had been in Huaguo, Louis may have had countless opportunities to kill Adams. But chances to do it without drawing suspicion, and to successfully and smoothly take his place afterward?
None. Not a single one.
If not for the news of Deyizhi's defeat in Ouhua, and the shifting situation back home that caused Adams to lose some of his usual calm—making him anxious and impatient—he likely would never have agreed to meet Chu Yunsheng indoors with only a single bodyguard present, thus placing himself in a situation where he could be taken hostage.
However, given the strange doctor's skill, even two or three bodyguards probably wouldn't have made any difference.
Yu Jingzhi did not respond immediately. Instead, he took a careful look at Chu Yunsheng, who was also walking toward him.
The moment his gaze landed on the spreading bloodstains on Chu Yunsheng's body, his dark eyes grew even colder. His rain-soaked lips, flushed a deep red, pressed together sharply, carrying a blade-like chill.
Chu Yunsheng knew exactly what Yu Jingzhi was thinking, and spoke at once: "Just a scrape. I wasn't hit."
He had an animal-like instinct for danger, always observing his surroundings and watching Adams's movements. His reactions and evasive steps were naturally swift.
Besides, firearms of this era were far from powerful or precise, and they certainly couldn't fire endlessly without reloading. Even so-called well-trained gunmen often sent bullets flying everywhere; very few could actually shoot accurately.
If he still ended up seriously injured under such conditions, then he truly should go home and get treated properly.
This wasn't the time or place for explanations. Gunfire continued nonstop outside and throughout the building. Chu Yunsheng didn't elaborate further. He simply pressed his hand lightly over the back of Yu Jingzhi's, a small gesture of reassurance.
"You can leave through the window, circle around to the eastern wall, and use the hidden door beside the neighbor's stable to get out of the alley. The man mainly responsible for contacting André—I've already killed him. Deyizhi soldiers will need at least twenty minutes to get here. Until then, that route is safe."
Louis walked to Adams's corpse, pried open his stiffening fingers, and retrieved his own gun. "Leave here, and our deal will be officially complete."
Chu Yunsheng looked at Louis and said evenly, "I expect the concession to be safe by tomorrow morning."
Louis's hand, which was checking the magazine, froze.
After a few seconds of silence—and with two gun barrels still pointed at him—he chose to smile. "Very well. It won't be easy, but it's a reasonable request."
As he spoke, Louis's eyes flickered. Then he asked, "Mr. Yu, Mr. Chu — I'm with Faguo, not Deyizhi. You can offer me more deals, such as influencing the outcome of the Ouhua conference… If I say this, it should be far more reliable than Adams."
"But the outcome will not change," Chu Yunsheng replied calmly.
At this point, with the conference nearing its end, everything was already settled.
To sway an exchange of interests, one must offer greater interests.
Huaguo had none. And even if it did, it would be like an infant carrying gold through a crowded marketplace. Unless one day that child grew up — grew strong — and held both weapons and gold firmly in his own hands.
Their brief conversation ended there.
Chu Yunsheng and Yu Jingzhi did not stay any longer. They quickly climbed out the window and disappeared.
The dark curtains fluttered wildly in the wind and rain.
Inside the chaotic, wrecked study, Louis listened to the gradually weakening gunfire, changed his magazine, and decisively opened fire.
He fired three shots in total — one into his own thigh, one into his arm, and the last into his chest.
If you want to act, you must act the whole part — act convincingly.
By falsely passing on Adams's orders, Louis hadn't been able to remove all of the defensive arrangements Adams had set up in advance in case of an attack, but he had still managed to shift some of the manpower inside the house.
This could perhaps still be explained as a clever setup by Adams, confident enough to lure the enemy into a trap. But if, in this bullet-riddled study, the attack ended, the intruders escaped, Adams lay dead — while Louis, his subordinate, stood perfectly fine without a scratch — even a blind man would sense something wrong.
The bullet to his chest avoided any vital organ, but even so, Louis's vision went black for a moment. His entire body went cold, wracked with violent, trembling pain.
A few seconds later, the men Louis had arranged — along with Adams's remaining confidants — rushed inside.
"Mr. Adams!"
"Mr. Louis!"
"Doctor! Doctor!"
The study instantly filled with screams and panic.
In the alleyway several dozen meters from the villa—
A pitch-black car, like a nocturnal predator lying in wait, stood silently in the pouring rain.
Chu Yunsheng and Yu Jingzhi climbed over the wall and immediately got into the car.
They did not trust the route Louis had pointed out. And though Yu Jingzhi had only placed a small number of people around Adams, it was still enough to secure a hidden escape route for them.
The car engine started.
A dry, soft blanket was draped over their backs and heads.
Chu Yunsheng lowered his head slightly and saw Yu Jingzhi pull a small medical kit from beneath the seat, then reach over to unbutton his shirt to check his wounds.
He tugged one corner of the blanket over and pressed it onto Yu Jingzhi's head, slowly rubbing his rain-soaked hair dry.
Yu Jingzhi said, "I was very scared."
He exhaled slowly, heavily, warm breath damp against his lips, his voice so soft it was nearly drowned out by the rain against the windows. "Even with all the preparations… even knowing everything that would happen… I was still afraid. And what fear draws out of me is usually… madness."
Under the blanket, he lifted his eyes to Chu Yunsheng, and whispered, "But I… haven't gone mad."
Chu Yunsheng gazed into those pitch-black eyes. For a brief moment, he seemed to glimpse a scene from deep within his memory — yet in that memory, those eyes were always shrouded in thick, unmoving clouds of blood, violent and cold, without a trace of warmth.
"May I kiss you?" Chu Yunsheng asked softly.
Yu Jingzhi froze. He snapped out of that strange emotional haze at once, a faint flush spreading from the side of his neck to his ears.
Chu Yunsheng chuckled, rubbed Yu Jingzhi's head, and their four cool, rain-chilled lips brushed together — a soft, fleeting kiss.
The car soon drove out of the Faguo Concession and into the Foreign Concession.
After finishing a simple bandaging of Chu Yunsheng's wound, Yu Jingzhi also packed away some emotions that, even to him, felt inexplicable.
Half-leaning against Chu Yunsheng, he glanced out the window and suddenly asked, "When do you think the Faguo will act?"
Chu Yunsheng followed his gaze into the curtain of rain. "Tonight," he said lightly.
From that final probing remark before they parted, he already knew Louis intended to kill him — a perfectly natural response. No one would willingly allow someone who knew too much to remain alive and unrestrained.
From this moment on, he and Yu Jingzhi would face assassination and attacks several times more frequent than before.
One careless mistake, and they would be doomed.
Suddenly, Yu Jingzhi seemed to recall something. "Right — tonight's intelligence says Gao Lan of Ganbei Province will arrive in Haicheng in two days. He's supposed to come speak with Adams about cooperation, but according to my information, his people have been working far more closely with the Dongyang in secret."
"Now that Adams is dead, Gao Lan's value will change. What do you think he'll do next?"