The conditions are ridiculously high.

Click.

A faint metallic clanging sound came from behind the door; it was the sound of the gun's safety being released.

Ajin and Ivan, who were providing cover, were too familiar with this sound to tell that the opponent was holding a gun with a fully loaded magazine.

Ivan gave Ajin a look, then pulled an M84 stun grenade from his tactical vest with his left hand and reported the situation into his communication headset, lest his own men be unaware of the situation.

The moment the stun grenade hit the door, Ah-Jin turned and kicked the door hinge at its weakest point.

boom--!

The intense light engulfed the entire corridor.

At that instant, Ah Jin fired his gun, taking out the two patrolling mercenaries.

"Clear".

But the loud noise quickly attracted the remaining mercenaries, which was unavoidable.

Yu Chaoxian had already carried Yu Tang out, quickly putting his bulletproof vest and protective mask on her, and also giving her the antidote injection he had in his hand.

Yu Tang was extremely weak because of the sleeping pills. She vaguely remembered reaching out and squeezing his hand. Yu Chaoxian raised his hand and ruffled her hair. "Don't be afraid. Wait for me here. Nothing will happen."

Whether the rest of the people lived or died was none of his concern. The fact that the helicopter that was supposed to pick up Mickey hadn't arrived on time only proved that they had encountered some trouble.

If the X9 poison gas missiles are not removed, the American governments will send B-2 bombers to bomb the island directly; there is not much time to waste.

Soon Yu Chao left, leaving A Jin and Ivan to stay by Yu Tang's side.

Yu Tang could see Yu Chaoxian's receding figure in her eyes, and the stabbing pain in her heart suddenly returned.

Palpitations and heartbeats are very similar reactions, and although Yu Tang often studies cases related to the heart, she cannot tell them apart for the time being.

In order to prevent a large number of mercenaries from coming to Yu Tang's location, Yu Chao first exposed himself on the stairs of the second basement level, which directly attracted the attention of these mercenaries.

From the control room, Berenson ordered everyone to enter combat readiness!

With fifteen minutes remaining before the gas missile launch, Berenson's intention was not to harm innocent people. He only wanted to seek justice for his men, to get back the medals and compensation they were entitled to, and to reclaim his share of the compensation to save his child.

He was prepared to die anyway. If he didn't get the money, and his child wouldn't last long either, then he might as well let the entire American capital be buried with his child.

Chen Diao led his four-man team through the back door to eliminate any remaining threats and rejoined Yu Chaoxian and the others ahead. Chen Diao casually pulled an M67 grenade from the waist of a fallen corpse and tossed it around the corner.

boom--!

The mercenaries at the stairwell entrance were blown to pieces, with blood flowing everywhere. The passage leading to the missile silo looked like a slaughterhouse that had been ravaged by blood.

Yu Chaoxian stopped in his tracks and suddenly called out, "Stop!"

Chen Diao immediately returned to his original position and did not continue descending.

Kai refused to obey, trusting only his own judgment, and ordered his men to continue down to the second basement level.

The next second—da da da da!

The four men died under the enemy's firepower.

The ceiling ventilation mesh suddenly shattered, and the pilot Sam and another mercenary rappelled down, MP5 bullets raining down on them.

Yu Chaoxian lunged behind the control panel, bullets piercing through a row of instrument buttons along the side of his leg.

Chen Diao rolled to the side and into cover, then fired two shots, severing the rappelling rope attached to the mercenary.

The mercenary fell into the electrical box, and the two thousand volts killed him instantly. Just as Sam was about to turn his gun around, Chen, falling down the stairs, grabbed a magnesium flare from the ground and smashed it in Sam's face.

Bang!

In the blinding white light, Yu Chaoxian's bullet precisely pierced Sam's throat. Perfect teamwork.

Yu Chaoxian continued towards the control room on the second basement level. No one noticed that in this enclosed space, Sam's shot shattered the glass bottle containing X9 poison gas next to Yu Chaoxian.

Berenson stood in the monitoring room, watching as Yu Chaoxian broke through the last line of defense and walked towards them.

He took off his communication headset, and the instant the door was smashed open, he shoved his sidearm into his mouth.

Bang--!

Berenson shot himself, the last thing he saw was Yu Chaoxian putting away his gun. Refusing to be taken prisoner—this was Berenson's final act of military integrity.

But the missile launch is still in the countdown.

Yu Chaoxian removed the titanium alloy inner liner containing the X9 poison gas from the warhead, injected the prepared liquid into it to neutralize the X9 poison gas, and decomposed the poison gas into low-toxicity phosphate esters.

Finally, the time on the X9 missile launch pad's screen stopped at 00:00:01.

Yu Chaoxian noticed on the display screen that Berenson's missiles were aimed at a sea area, not the densely populated capital.

The decision not to launch immediately was likely Berenson's final act of goodwill.

No one knows what Berenson was thinking at the last moment.

Mission accomplished, Chen Diao hurriedly launched a signal flare, green smoke filled the air, and a sharp whistling sound came from the sky as the B-2 bomber carrying out the bombing mission roared overhead.

Berenson may not actually want the people in the capital to die, but high-ranking government officials will certainly send bombers to bomb the island. If the task of dismantling the poison gas missiles is not completed, the island will be reduced to ruins in an instant.

The entrance was dilapidated, but several beams of light shone through it. Yu Tang saw the tall figure emerge from the light and shadow, and the moment he embraced her, the man pressed her down onto the ground.

"Xiao Xian, Xiao Xian!" Yu Tang noticed something was wrong with him almost the second he hugged her.

Yu Chaoxian leaned into her arms as if seeking comfort, and took Yu Tang's hand that was holding the syringe.

His neck had turned a strange bluish-purple. Yu Tang quickly unbuttoned his combat uniform, revealing dark purple veins on his chest that looked like a spider web. The VX venom was spreading along his carotid artery.

"Quick, administer a cardiac injection! Boss's been poisoned by some kind of weird gas! There's only one minute left to save him!" Chen Diao had no medical training and had no idea how to administer the injection to Yu Chaoxian. He hurriedly looked at Yu Tang; if she woke up within a minute, the poisoning would be successfully neutralized; if she didn't…

For Chen Diao and his ilk, who teetered on the edge of death, Yu Chaoxian was not only their leader but also a guiding light. Without Yu Chaoxian, they wouldn't know the meaning of their lives; they might have just been small-time thugs, long ago killed in a previous shootout.

It was Yu Chaoxian who told them that no matter their background, they should always be proud of their comrades. And their leader has never abandoned anyone around him.

A-Jin and Chen Diao both looked at Yu Tang. The eldest brother had given the injection to Yu Tang, which meant he was entrusting his life to her.

Yu Tang had never seen Yu Chaoxian so weak before, his eyes tightly closed, as if... she had never realized how afraid she was of Yu Chaoxian dying.

Perhaps she could avenge her brother, who was killed by Yu Chaoxian... He was not a good person, and every day she was imprisoned by his side was enough to kill her.

But Yu Tang's body instincts didn't hesitate for even a second. The moment she saw Yu Chaoxian with his eyes closed, she knew for sure that she couldn't accept anything.

At this moment, compared to the panic of Chen Diao and the others, it was Yu Tang who remained calm.

The syringe needle gleamed coldly; it was a specially made 12-centimeter-long puncture needle. Yu Tang knew this was the only length that could reach the heart.

Yu Tang touched Yu Chaoxian's fourth intercostal space with her left hand and could feel a faint heartbeat under his skin. Whether it was because the other person was Yu Chaoxian or because of her serious classes and practice over the past year, Yu Tang's hand had never been as steady as it was at this moment.

The moment the needle pierced his skin, Yu Chaoxian's muscles tensed instinctively, and veins bulged in his neck. Yu Tang knew he was enduring immense pain.

As the last drop of medicine was injected, Yu Tang's back was already covered in a layer of cold sweat. She leaned against his chest, held his hand, and placed her fingertips on his pulse.

A minute can feel like an eternity.

At the forty-seventh second, Yu Tang finally felt his heart resume beating in her palm, and gradually, the heartbeat began to become regular.

Yu Chaoxian's pupils refocused, and his unfocused gaze gradually settled on her face.

He saw a little face that was crying miserably.

Yu Tang's tears fell onto his chest, mingling with the seeping blood.

Despite the excruciating pain, Yu Chaoxian's arm tightened around Yu Tang's waist, pressing her firmly against his chest. Yu Tang was forced against his sweat-dampened chest, feeling his heart throb from a near-death state to a powerful, renewed beat. His bloodied fingers held her tightly, feeling her heartbeat, as if confirming her presence.

Having faced countless life-or-death situations, Yu Chaoxian wanted to feel Yu Tang's heartbeat more than his own.

The person in my arms is warm, my heart is racing, and I'm so glad to be by his side.

Their eyes met, and Yu Tang reached out to brush away the stray hairs damp with sweat from his forehead, gently comforting him, "It's alright now."

The 12-centimeter-long specially made puncture needle was not the only way to reach Yu Chaoxian's heart. There was another way, and that was Yu Tang.

Yu Chao leaned against Yu Tang's chest, while Chen Diao, who was spoiling the mood, rolled his eyes, wanting to see everything.

Chen Diao had no choice but to turn around, and also make A Jin turn her eyes away.

Ivan originally thought that only he knew about the boss and Yu Tang's affair, but now it seems that he might be the last to find out.

Outside, helicopters roared. Yu Chaoxian heard Mingming and Mickey's voices in his earphones. He was too lazy to open his eyes and just wanted to lean against Yu Tang's neck and sleep for a while.

Yu Tang touched his face; it was a little hot. He did indeed have a fever, a normal reaction to the medication. But seeing the dark purple veins on his chest recede, she felt much relieved.

Hearing someone outside about to come in, Yu Tang pulled down his clothes and put them on. Yu Chaoxian closed his eyes, a smile playing on his lips, and peacefully fell asleep in her arms.

To everyone's surprise, Mickey and Mingming were even more disheveled than Chen Diao, covered in blood and grime, with even half of their sleeves torn off.

It has to be said that the police force is not easy to deal with; they are incredibly persistent.

Carson had sent men to ambush them early on, preventing them from coming to the island to pick up the people. The two men didn't linger in battle; they fought their way out and came to the island to provide backup.

Chen Diao helped the unconscious Yu Chaoxian onto the helicopter. If they had waited for the government to rescue him, he would have been dead a thousand times over. As for the remaining hostages, the government could take them or not; they wouldn't care.

But Yu Tang still went back and brought Chloe with him. The helicopter could only carry a limited number of people, and the rest could only wait for the government to rescue them.

Chen reassured Yu Tang, saying, "This is a good opportunity to promote the government's capabilities. They will definitely send people over and make a big fuss about it."

Sure enough, Chief of Staff Shaw arrived quickly by helicopter and took the unconscious Chloe from Yu Tang's arms. After Yu Tang returned to the helicopter, she looked down and saw that media had indeed arrived by helicopter to conduct interviews.

In the private sanatorium in the capital of the Americas, many doctors were surrounding Yu Chaoxian, especially a young female doctor who took special care of him.

The blonde female doctor wore a mask, revealing a pair of very beautiful emerald green eyes, like gemstones. Out of the corner of her eye, the doctor saw Yu Tang lean down and put something around Yu Chaoxian's neck. However, the subordinates surrounding Yu Chaoxian did not stop the girl from approaching; instead, they made way for her.

However, she didn't have time to think about it; getting Yu Chaoxian's body checked as soon as possible was the most important thing right now.

Mingming and Mickey were hit by stray bullets and are undergoing surgery. Chen Diao, Ivan, and Ajin are guarding the door of Yu Chaoxian's ward.

In a secluded corner where no one was watching, Yu Tang gripped her bag tightly and quietly turned around. As long as there was money in the bag, she felt safe enough to start over.

Yu Tang can never accept her feelings for Yu Chaoxian, and she can never be herself when she is with Yu Chaoxian. Should she hate him or love him?

There were too many things between her and him that she found difficult to resolve.

Her life shouldn't consist only of these intense and painful emotions.

Yu Tang still had many things she wanted to do, and she had to leave; her heart had to find freedom. The heart can be bound, but not imprisoned; she absolutely could not return to the life of confinement she had before.

A path that leads nowhere is a dead end. Everyone's attention is on Yu Chaoxian; this is her best chance to leave.

Yu Tang didn't expect that the person blocking her way at the door wasn't Chen Diao.

It turned out to be Ah Jin.

He approached, his tall figure looming over her, carrying a familiar, suffocating sense of oppression. Yu Tang had always felt that A Jin's aura was familiar, though she hadn't thought about it in detail before.

Jet-black hair, pale skin, sharp, narrow eyes, and an unfathomable depth of vision.

Yes, now that A-Jin has grown up, she does resemble Yu Chaoxian in some ways. Thinking of this, Yu Tang suddenly felt a little afraid of A-Jin.

Ah Jin stared intently at her, saying nothing. Yu Tang retreated helplessly until a gentle voice came from above her.

"I'm not afraid."

Yu Tang called his name.

"Let me go."

"I'll see you off."

Yu Tang and A Jin spoke almost at the same time.

Chen Diao stayed at the door of the ward without leaving for a moment. Everything outside, especially food and water, that was meant for Yu Chaoxian could only pass through his hands.

Yu Tang's desire to leave was within Chen Diao's expectations. No matter how many times Chen Diao had to choose, he didn't want Yu Tang to stay by the boss's side.

Chen Diao wasn't entirely unaware of the feeling of being moved, but he realized that the girl was his weakness, and in the midst of his struggle, he let her go. The girl who scratched his face said, "If you really love me, then make me happy. The only happiness I can feel is freedom; otherwise, we'll only end up hurting each other."

Two hours later, when A-Jin returned, she sat silently in a chair, her eyes fixed on the little crab pendant on her phone.

Chen Diao patted his shoulder reassuringly, "Do you know where she went?"

Ah Jin paused for a very brief moment, then shook her head. "Nobody knows, that's the safest thing for her."

Chen Diao remained noncommittal. Everything good and bad that befell Yu Tang was inextricably linked to the boss. From now on, everything about her would have nothing to do with the boss anymore.

In the midst of the chaos, Carson suddenly came over, as if he knew the female doctor, and called out "Claire".

Carson asked some questions, and Claire frowned, her beautiful emerald green eyes filled with rejection. She replied curtly, "I cannot disclose any information about the patient."

What do you mean "no comment"? Claire is still thinking about Yu Chaoxian! Back in the army, Claire had a crush on Yu Chaoxian, and now that they finally have a chance to meet again, Carson is even more jealous of Claire's concern for Yu Chaoxian.

It's normal for someone to experience a low-grade fever and coma after a cardiac injection. The person who administered the injection to Yu Chaoxian had a very steady hand, and the position didn't shift at all. Even if the hospital director were present, they might not have been able to find the position so accurately.

It could be said that if it deviated by even a fraction of a second, the body lying here would be that of Yu Chaoxian.

This shows that the person who injected Yu Chaoxian with the drug was quite medically gifted.

Claire stared at the handsome man, lost in thought, when Ivan suddenly appeared and blocked Claire's outstretched hand.

Even if the boss is unconscious, only Miss Yu can touch him. Ivan will protect the boss's innocence. He will not let Claire take advantage of him in his vulnerable state!

Chen Diao remained uneasy about the hospital here, especially after seeing Carson reappear. He felt even more unsafe and needed to fly to California as soon as possible. There was a nursing home owned by the Yu family in California.

As expected, Chen Diao discovered suspicious people lurking outside the hospital, all of them armed with guns. If they were to launch a sneak attack here, especially since this was still Carson's territory, things would get complicated.

To avoid attracting attention, Chen Diao didn't drive the Bentley, but instead drove a Cadillac, a common sight in the Americas, with Ivan in the passenger seat as his escort; A-Jin drove the Bentley behind them to disrupt their view.

Mickey and Mingming stayed at the hospital entrance, creating the atmosphere that Yu Chaoxian was still in the ward.

The moment Ah-Jin drove off in his black Bentley, eyes in the darkness quietly followed him.

Since Yu Chaoxian wasn't dead, Carson became restless, determined to kill him. He had witnessed Yu Chaoxian's methods of revenge firsthand—mercenaries, Gideon, and McCarthy—none of them met a good end, and he didn't want to be one of them. Rather than waiting for Yu Chaoxian to wake up, he decided to strike first.

Carson was more cunning than Chen Diao; both cars were within his sight.

Ah-Jin drove the Bentley onto another road, and a helicopter immediately followed in mid-air. Inside the helicopter, the fire control operator precisely aimed the machine gun at the Bentley.

A second before the shot hit the Bentley's fuel tank, Ajin looked to the coastline on his left—the car was tumbling through the air, and the windshield shattered into pieces.

The firelight illuminated A-Jin's profile as he momentarily lost his balance. He pushed open the car door, quickly jumped out, and tumbled down.

"Whoosh—!"

Ah Jin let out a muffled groan as the bullet pierced his body, splattering blood everywhere.

The fire control operator on the helicopter watched as A-Jin rolled down the slope twice before losing consciousness and falling into the sea.

You can't swim in the sea at night.

Seawater surged in from all directions, and A-Jin lost consciousness. The crescent moon in the night sky gradually blurred in her pupils, and blood gushed from the bullet hole in her chest, blooming in the seawater...

The Cadillac sped along the road under the moonlight. Chen Diao found that such a speed was actually eye-catching, and it would be more normal to keep the same speed as the cars next to it.

Yu Chaoxian, who was in the back seat, woke up from his slumber five hours earlier than the time the female doctor named Claire had said.

This body is too strong. With such physique and energy, no wonder Yu Tang wanted to escape. With her little aunt's physique, how could she withstand the boss's constant exertion?

Chen Diao inappropriately drifted off during the meeting, but soon it was his turn to break out in a cold sweat.

All the memories surged back into Yu Chaoxian's mind like a tide, and his unfathomable eyes darkened as he realized that his arms were empty.

"Where is she?" The brief aftereffects left Yu Chaoxian disoriented, but he clearly realized that Yu Tang was not by his side.

The man shook his neck and noticed a familiar necklace. He quickly frowned, and the air inside the car suddenly seemed to drop.

Chen Diao suddenly fell silent, and Ivan became even more evasive. Although Ivan didn't know what was going on, by the time he found out, Yu Tang had already left.

Ivan suddenly gripped his gun tightly and exclaimed, "A helicopter!"

Yu Chaoxian will settle accounts with Chen Diao later. As for the helicopter that came chasing them, it's obvious who did it. Besides Carson, who else would be so eager to kill him?

Fortunately, Cadillacs are everywhere in the Americas.

Yu Chaoxian didn't give Chen Diao a chance to waste words, quickly switching places with him and taking the driver's seat. Even in a high-speed chase, Chen Diao couldn't match Yu Chaoxian.

With roadblocks blocking the way ahead and police cars closing in from behind, Yu Chaoxian didn't hesitate. He shifted gears, applied the handbrake, and slammed on the steering wheel.

The car swerved sideways, sparks flying from the tires as it rubbed against the ground, and he spun right between two passing Cadillacs. This ordinary Cadillac is the most common car in the Americas, so you often see the same model on the road.

The helicopter above has already locked onto the Cadillac in the middle, and will immediately lock on and fire as soon as the car exits the tunnel.

Yu Chaoxian fixed his gaze on the tunnel ahead; this was his only chance.

The light inside the tunnel dimmed instantly. Yu Chaoxian used the handbrake to make the vehicle spin 180 degrees and turn around, instantly switching to the opposite lane. He precisely spun the car and, in the next second after entering the tunnel, swapped positions with the Cadillac on his left. Finally, he made it onto the overpass without any major incident.

Sure enough, the helicopter in the air followed the direction of the Cadillac that had been on the left.

For the first time, Ivan, the co-pilot, did not fire a single shot during the mission, but his face had never been so pale. He was not frightened by the helicopter, but by the speed of Yu Chaoxian's car!

Chen Diao, sitting in the back seat, turned even paler. Now that the danger was over, it was time for the boss to deal with him.

"Where did she go?" Yu Chaoxian's voice was clearly impatient.

Chen Diao genuinely didn't know, and after a long pause, he hesitated before saying, "A-Jin should know."

He had barely finished speaking when he received a call from Mickey, who asked if the boss was awake.

Hearing that it was about the boss, Chen Diao felt a little relieved; at least the boss couldn't deal with him right now.

Chen Diao quickly handed the phone to Yu Chaoxian.

"Speak," Yu Chaoxian said, his voice slightly hoarse.

Mickey's tone was heavy: "Boss, the data from the Bentley is that the vehicle exploded, and Ajin... is missing. I went to the scene to investigate and there was blood in the grass. It should be that Ajin was shot after jumping out of the car and rolled into the sea."

Yu Chaoxian made a sharp U-turn.

The sea was as calm as ever, showing no sign that a life-or-death struggle had taken place here just an hour earlier.

In Chen Diao's hand was a small crab pendant he had found; he knew that A Jin always carried it with her.

Mickey was already at the scene. Seeing Yu Chaoxian arrive, he was once again amazed by the man's recovery ability. He had just experienced a life-or-death situation, but now the man's face showed no signs of fatigue.

“Mingming has already gone to track Carson’s whereabouts,” Mickey reported as usual.

Yu Chaoxian leaned against the car and hummed in agreement, gazing at the calm sea.

Ah Jin was the one most like him among them, not because Ivan was deliberately imitating him, but because he was more composed than Chen Diao and the most suitable person to take over the base. He also intended to groom him. In other words, even if Ah Jin didn't know Yu Tang's whereabouts, Yu Chaoxian was determined to find Ah Jin. As long as someone followed him, regardless of life or death, they had to see it through to the end.

The night wind ruffled the stray hairs on his forehead, and the shadow cast by his brow bone made his eyes appear even deeper, as dark as the sky before a storm, oppressive and dangerous.

A moment later, Yu Chaoxian turned around and ordered, "Spread the news that I fell into the sea and died."

At this point, the fate of A-Jin, the only one who knew Yu Tang's whereabouts, remained unknown.

The crescent moon, though slender, was dazzlingly bright. An airplane flew by, seemingly brushing against the crescent moon, and the people in the cabin all looked up at this rare sight.

The plane flew to a freer and safer place.

Apart from the people on the plane, no one knew where the destination was.

Yu Chaoxian's dark eyes gazed into the distance, as if piercing through the night and landing on a distant place unseen by others.

Mickey suddenly felt that Yu Chaoxian was unusually lonely at this moment.

Or perhaps it was because he had gotten used to seeing Yu Chaoxian always surrounded by slender figures that he always felt there should be two people standing there.

Six months later.

With a chilling scream, the bloodied and mangled member of the Mo Zhou underworld finally spoke: "I...I'll talk. It was customs who gave me the information, but we didn't know it was Yu's goods, otherwise we definitely wouldn't have dared to rob it..."

Ivan went to Mexico to make a deal with the underworld, but the gang ambushed him on the way, intending to double-cross him.

When Ivan heard the fat man say he didn't know, he would have cut the fat man's tongue out if his boss hadn't been there to question him!

That night, Ivan was driving normally when he suddenly heard a warning voice behind him: "Warning again, stop the car, or we will attack immediately!"

Ivan cursed, "When was there ever a first warning?" He immediately opened fire, and the two men were no match for him. Then a police car came up and seized the MP5s.

Ivan was furious when his first solo mission turned out to be such a slap in the face!

Yu Chaoxian casually tossed the dagger to the ground, splattering blood everywhere. But the blood wasn't very noticeable on the ground, because the ground was covered in blood and severed limbs.

Mickey handed the towel to Yu Chaoxian.

As dusk fell, Yu Chaoxian, dressed in a black shirt, leaned against the window, slowly drying his hands with a towel. His collar was casually open, revealing half of a silver chain at his collarbone. The bullet pendant was hidden in the shadows, occasionally flashing a cold light as he turned his head.

"Has the boss not slept for days?" Chen Diao asked Mickey in a low voice. He was keeping a low profile and dared not show his face in front of Yu Chaoxian.

Mickey thought for a moment, first searching high and low in California but failing to find Yu Tang, then receiving Ivan's distress signal, he flew directly to Mexico and didn't sleep for at least five days.

The boss's spirit is... inexplicably excited, he almost never lets himself be idle.

It wasn't until Yu Chaoxian's phone, which he had tossed on the table, flashed an incoming call that it was from Mingming.

"Boss, Carson's location has been confirmed."

Watergate Hotel.

The Watergate Hotel, one of the most legendary luxury hotels in the District of Columbia, is infamous for its association with a former president's political scandals. Now fully renovated, it is a five-star hotel that blends historic charm with modern luxury. The hotel attracts guests with its distinctive curved architecture, Potomac River views, and rooftop terrace.

Carson hadn't eaten in such a spacious and crowded place in a long time. Now he no longer had to hide in the CIA office building and eat like a rat. He sat in the restaurant sipping red wine and enjoying the view of the Potomac River.

A moment later, the waiter brought out the steak. The moment Carson picked up the knife and cut into the steak, blood slowly seeped out, accumulating into a pool of light red blood at the bottom of the plate. The light spots reflected from the chandelier fell on his high cheekbones, making his already sharp features appear even more sinister, and the eye patch he wore bulged up and down as he chewed.

Suddenly, two ladies at the next table looked in the opposite direction from him. Although their voices were not loud, Carson could still hear them praising the man's handsomeness.

Carson straightened his back slightly, a smile appearing on his thin, ashen face. Then he realized something was wrong; they weren't looking at him, but rather at the side in front of him.

The man at the table in front of me leaned back lazily in his chair, a faint smile playing on his impeccably handsome face. Two buttons of his black shirt were undone at the collar, revealing a necklace. His long fingers rested casually on the stem of a wine glass, the red wine swirling gently within, reflecting a dark red glow.

It's Yu Chaoxian! Carson's fork clattered to the ground. How...how could this be?! Wasn't Yu Chaoxian dead?

He quickly looked towards the door, but the bodyguards were nowhere to be seen.

Carson cursed and shoved his chair away as he fled for his life. The chair legs scraped against the marble floor with a sharp, grating sound. As he turned around in his panic, he knocked over a bottle of red wine, the dark liquid spreading across the white tablecloth like a pool of blood.

Although Carson was a million times unwilling to believe it, the person in front of him was indeed Yu Chaoxian, the living Yu Chaoxian, and he could not possibly be mistaken.

Yu Chaoxian's appearance proves that he wasn't the one who fell into the sea that night!

Carson had been extremely cautious. Even after learning that Yu Chaoxian had fallen into the sea and confirming from various sources that Yu Chaoxian was indeed dead, he had remained hidden in the CIA building for nearly half a year without showing his face.

Only after confirming that everything outside was calm did he dare to show his face.

At this moment, Carson completely lost his gentlemanly demeanor and frantically ran towards the elevator to escape. This time, Yu Chaoxian would definitely not just gouge out one of his eyes and let it go.

The elevator's metal door distorted Carson's fleeing figure as he frantically pressed the floor buttons, even desperately trying to escape via the stairs.

"Ding!" The elevator doors finally opened!

The moment the door opened, Carson cursed and backed away.

Three imposing figures in suits emerged from the elevator—Mickey, Mingming, and Chen Diao—and blocked Carson's path.

As for what's behind...

Yu Chaoxian still had that faint smile on his lips. "Director Carson, isn't it time for us to settle old scores?"

Betrayed of her position, assassinated, missing Ah Jin, and even the mercenaries sent to target Yu Tang.

Every single incident needs to be investigated and resolved. Looking back now, when we discovered that Carson had deliberately caused his teammates to fall into the enemy's trap, it would have been too lenient to just give him one eye.

Carson was running so frantically that he tripped and fell to the ground, his knees slamming into the earth. He crawled on his knees, trembling, his expensive suit stained with wine and dust.

Yu Chaoxian walked slowly closer, his strong, long legs stopping in front of him. Carson looked up, cold sweat mixed with blood trickling down his forehead, his lips trembling as he squeezed out a broken plea, "Spare...spare my life, I promise, I'll never let the CIA track you again! From now on, we'll go our separate ways, okay?"

Yu Chaoxian didn't react at all. He grabbed Carson's hair, who was kneeling on the ground, and dragged him forward.

Mickey watched from behind. Although this was the boss's style of doing things, he was still horrified. After Yu Tang was no longer by Yu Chaoxian's side, his violence seemed to have been unleashed, becoming more and more bloodthirsty and irritable, and he liked to slowly torture people to death.

If Yu Tang is not found again, or if Yu Tang is no longer around... no one knows how crazy the boss will go.

The helicopter's rotors whipped up a gust of wind as Mickey hauled the limp Carson into the cabin. The propellers hummed as Ivan piloted the helicopter into the air.

Yu Chaoxian took the rope Chen Diao handed him, put it around Carson's neck, and tied him to the helicopter before throwing him off. He swung like a pendulum, which was quite fun.

Carson knelt before him, staring in horror at the rope around his neck, tears and snot streaming down his face: "Yu...Yu, Shark, can we talk some more?!"

"What do you think?" Yu Chaoxian's eyes flashed with a fierce light; he wanted to kill Carson right now. "We're up in the sky right now. Aren't your demands higher than the sky?"

As the noose around his neck slowly tightened, death drew near. Carson clung to his last breath: "The girl, that girl! Yu Tang! I know where she is!"

Yu Chaoxian stared at him, expressionless, it was unclear whether he believed Carson's dying words. But the hand tightening the rope stopped at that moment.

Mingming, standing behind him, looked at Yu Chaoxian. As soon as the name "Yu Tang" was mentioned, he knew that Carson's life was temporarily saved.

This condition is outrageous.

End of main text.

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Author's Note: Finally, I've reached this point! This story has been revised several times due to its subject matter, and some plot points have been cut, especially the death of Yu Yanting. According to the original outline, that part was planned to be more brutal. Some intimate scenes directly and instinctively reflect the subtle changes in their relationship, but they were repeatedly censored. The last part of the story was cut the most; much content couldn't be included, but thankfully, the main plot of the outline was complete. This wasn't my original title for the book, but there was nothing I could do about it. What surprised me most was discovering that many readers reread the story; this is the happiest thing that has happened since the series began. In short, this story is entirely fictional; please don't compare it to reality.

Did you all notice that Yu Chaoxian kept saying he and Yu Tang had plenty of time to take things slowly? Actually, Yu Chaoxian genuinely intended to take it slow, waiting for Yu Tang to come to her senses and give her time to accept him. (Initially, Yu Chaoxian thought he was annoyed by Yu Tang, but Yu Tang won him over in just half a month.) Later, Liang Jiaqi appeared, and Yu Chaoxian realized his adopted aunt had become interested in someone else, so he broke down his defenses and quickly began a passionate affair. Even later, when he confined Yu Tang to the island, he thought that since Yu Tang was by his side, there would eventually be a day when she would soften and accept him.

Yu Tang has always admired gentle, gentlemanly, and respectful men. Yu Chaoxian didn't fit any of these criteria, but it was also obvious that she was attracted to his looks; she had unconsciously been looking at him several times. Even though Yu Chaoxian didn't meet Yu Tang's ideal definition of first love, he still carved out an unshakeable place in her heart. This shows that when you meet someone you truly love, all preconceived notions can be overturned.

As for why Yu Tang chose to leave, it was because she needed time to accept and process the feelings that had grown within her. Just as Yu Chaoxian told Yu Tang, the more Yu Tang avoided his feelings, the clearer they became. Moreover, some hurts need a wider world to dilute them, and her world wasn't just about love and hate.

Regarding whether Yu Tang loves Yu Chaoxian or not, you can actually look at it from the perspectives of Mickey and Aisha, especially Aisha. As a girl herself, Aisha's words and perspectives are more relevant.

Starting tomorrow, I'll be updating the side stories daily. Don't worry, I promise it will have a happy ending. Thank you to all the fans who have followed me this far; you are truly angels! [heart emoji] Thank you again! [heart emoji]

Next up is the second installment of the Bad Guy Trilogy, "After Being Entangled by My Terrible Cousin." Wallpaper Love | Physical Liking | Big Bad Guy X Innocent Girl: Xu Yu'an falls in love with Xu Yi; the former is saved, while the latter is doomed.

Learning from past mistakes, this book has a larger focus on romance. If you like it, please add it to your favorites! [heart emoji] It was originally called "Slowly Enticing," but I changed it to this more straightforward name. [doge emoji] I'll update it as soon as the side stories are finished.

Xu Yi met a man on her way home from school.

In the shade of the sycamore tree, Xu Yu'an stood beside the car, casually unbuttoning two buttons on his shirt collar. He glanced down at the bloodstains on his cuffs, frowned in disgust, and knew he had to go back to change.

He leaned lazily against the car door, his gaze piecing together a white figure through the gaps in the plane trees.

The man raised an eyebrow, showing some interest.

Coincidentally, the girl had been watching him the whole time and even walked towards him.

Xu Yi walked over, her ponytail brushing against the smooth, delicate nape of her neck, and stopped in front of the man.

"Is it...my brother?"

Xu Yu'an heard her call out to him. Who was she calling? He turned around to look behind him, but there was no one there.

We can't just call him, can we?

"Brother, I'm Xu Yi." The girl glanced at the man again to make sure she was right. She waited obediently for Xu Yu'an to remember that she was his uncle's sister.

Xu Yi kept calling him "brother," which made Xu Yu'an squint his eyes for a moment through the smoke. Many people called him "Brother An," but this was the first time someone had called him that.

What kind of romantic mood is this little girl trying to create?

Soon after, Xu Yu'an stared intently at Xu Yi.

He wanted this younger sister; he couldn't wait a moment longer.

Xu Yu'an stared at her lips, which she had bitten until they were exceptionally red. He felt he should taste what they were like, and that's exactly what he did.

Xu Yi's eyes widened. The soft touch on her lips was completely unfamiliar. The man's sudden action left her momentarily speechless. He was... kissing her?!

Xu Yu'an wrapped his large hand around her waist, pulling her into his embrace. Xu Yi's dangling foot slammed down on the suit jacket on the floor. With Xu Yu'an's movements, Xu Yi's toe rubbed against his jacket, as if it weren't Xu Yu'an's suit, but Xu Yu'an's face.

The expensive suit was trampled into a pile of rags under the girl's feet.

Then the next part is the last book in the trilogy, "After Being Coveted by a Cunning Boss", which is about a "power-for-sex transaction" between a scheming boss and a woman who is attracted to a man's lust.

Please, my darlings, give this a like and add it to your favorites [heart eyes]. I've started over and am now called "I'm Starting Over," so no matter how bad the data is, I will never abandon this story. I will fill every hole I start!