Chapter 85 Pandora's Warning
——＜A tense dividing line＞
That afternoon after coming out of the study, Su Yan was in a state of high tension.
He forced himself to read, eat, and even take a nap as usual, but his mind kept replaying the secretly filmed photos and videos, as well as the encrypted file titled "Xiao - The Last Recording." Huo Shen's all-seeing eyes and the omnipresent surveillance were like an invisible net, entangling him tighter and tighter.
He knew that copying that file was a risk, like holding a bomb ready to explode at any moment. Would Huo Shen discover it? What was hidden in that encrypted file? Was it the truth about Xiao's death? Or was it Huo Shen's inner secret?
These questions were like poisonous snakes, gnawing at his sanity.
Huo Shen returned in the evening. Unlike usual, he came back early today, with a barely perceptible trace of fatigue on his face, but his eyes were still sharp.
Su Yan was sitting on the sofa in the living room, an open book on his knees, but he didn't read a single word. When he heard the door open, he subconsciously tensed his body, raised his head, and met Huo Shen's gaze.
That gaze lingered on his face for a few seconds, carrying a deep, hard-to-read scrutiny. Su Yan's heartbeat suddenly accelerated, and he almost suspected that Huo Shen already knew everything.
"You don't look well." Huo Shen took off his coat and said calmly, "Are you feeling unwell?"
Su Yan lowered his eyelashes to hide the emotions in his eyes: "No, just... a little tired."
Huo Shen walked over to sit down opposite him, and the servant immediately brought him a cup of hot tea. He didn't speak immediately, but just picked up the teacup and blew the hot steam slowly, but his eyes never left Su Yan.
The air seemed frozen, and every second felt like a century. Su Yan could hear the sound of his blood flowing and feel the cold sweat slowly sliding down his spine. He was almost certain that Huo Shen knew. He was waiting, waiting for Huo Shen's judgment.
However, Huo Shen spoke and talked about something else.
"Su Chen contacted you." This was not a question, but a statement.
Su Yan's head shot up, a flicker of genuine surprise in his eyes. He immediately looked at his phone—the one that was being monitored and had limited functionality. There were no messages or call records from Su Chen.
"He tried to contact you through a... less secure encrypted channel." Huo Shen took a sip of tea, his tone still calm, but with an arrogance of being in control of everything, "He was intercepted by my people."
Su Yan's heart sank. Su Chen hadn't given up. But his method was too crude, and Huo Shen had easily discovered it. This would undoubtedly make Huo Shen even more vigilant, and put his situation even more dangerous.
"What did he say?" Su Yan heard his voice was a little dry.
"It's nothing more than some questioning, and... stupid words to make you change your ways." Huo Shen put down his teacup, leaned forward slightly, and his gaze was as if it was real. "He seemed to believe that I forced you and bewitched you."
Su Yan remained silent. He could neither defend Su Chen nor admit Huo Shen's words.
"What do you think, Su Yan?" Huo Shen's voice lowered, with a dangerous tone of inducement, "Do you think I forced you?"
Su Yan clenched his hands on his knees. He knew that this was a more difficult test than the password in the study.
He raised his eyes and met Huo Shen's gaze. His pale and stubborn face was reflected in those deep eyes.
"I'm sitting here," he said slowly, his voice trembling slightly but remaining remarkably clear, "because of the choices I made."
He did not directly answer "yes" or "no", but stated a fact - a fact that he could not turn back from the moment he stood behind Huo Shen on the deck of the yacht.
Huo Shen stared at him, his eyes as dark as the night, a complex and indistinguishable emotion swirling within. There was scrutiny, inquiry, and perhaps... a faint hint of satisfaction, one he himself hadn't even noticed.
"Very good." Huo Shen finally uttered these two words after a long moment. He leaned back on the sofa, his posture returning to his usual lazy and controlled state. "Remember your choice. As for Su Chen..."
He paused, a cold arc appearing at the corner of his mouth.
"I'll make him understand what will happen if he covets things that don't belong to him."
This sentence was like a thunderclap, exploding in Su Yan's ears. He could almost foresee the ruthless blow from Huo Shen that Su Chen was about to face.
"Mr. Huo!" Su Yan couldn't help but speak with a hint of pleading, "He... he is my brother after all..."
"Brother?" Huo Shen sneered, his eyes filled with disdain and mockery. "When he chose to cooperate with Zhou Mingchen and tried to replace me, did he ever consider that you were his brother? When he knew you were with me but could only use that clumsy method to contact you, did he ever consider your safety?"
His words were like an ice spike, piercing the last trace of fantasy about family affection in Su Yan's heart.
"Su Yan," Huo Shen's voice turned cold. "Being soft-hearted is an emotion only the weak have. In this game, it will only make you die faster."
Su Yan's face turned pale and he could no longer utter a word.
Huo Shen stood up and looked down at him: "Is that permission card working well?"
He finally asked this.
Su Yan's heart almost stopped beating. He forced himself to remain calm and met Huo Shen's gaze: "I've read some cases and they are very inspiring."
He avoided the main point and did not mention the hidden folder and encrypted file.
Huo Shen stared at him, his eyes so sharp that they seemed to penetrate his skin and see the deepest secrets in his heart. That look almost suffocated Su Yan.
Just when Su Yan thought he would continue to press the issue, Huo Shen suddenly looked away.
"It's good that you're inspired." He said calmly, his tone unrecognizable. "Don't forget what I said. If you touch something you shouldn't touch, you'll pay the price."
After saying that, he turned around and left the living room without stopping.
Su Yan sat alone on the sofa, feeling cold all over.
Was Huo Shen's last sentence a warning? Or did he already know something?
He reached into his pocket, where the USB drive containing the encrypted recording was located, but it felt incredibly hot.
Pandora's box has been opened, and he has no way of knowing whether it will release hope or destruction.
He only knew that he had embarked on a path of no return, and that ahead was deeper fog and a more dangerous game.
All he can rely on is himself and the double-edged sword in his arms that can hurt himself and others.
------
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
