Chapter Forty-Six: Clash
The alarm from Muye's intelligence network was as sharp as a fingernail scraping glass, shattering the oppressive calm at Xuyue headquarters.
The signal source pointed to the edge of a forgotten industrial area in the east of the city, where a spiderweb of abandoned railway lines and overgrown warehouses intertwined, making it the most suitable area for hiding and trading in the shadows of the city.
The "Black Edge Siblings" are currently conducting a deal with an arms dealer concerning the flow of heavy weapons. If these weapons fall into BXX's hands, they will deal a devastating blow to the already precarious defenses of the Xuyue Organization.
There was no time for meticulous long-term planning. The flames of revenge burned in his chest, desperately needing an outlet. Xu Yue stood before the electronic map in the strategy room, his gray eyes coldly locking onto the target area. His fingertips swiped across the screen, issuing commands.
"Gongyang stays behind to solidify the defenses. Muye, provide remote support and monitor all signal frequencies. I need to know if they have any backup plans."
Her voice was completely flat as she turned her gaze to Sia, who stood beside her like a demonic sword about to be drawn, and to Dalia and Linzhi, who stood silently awaiting orders. "Sia, you lead the team. Dalia, provide support, Linzhi, observe. Target: intercept the transaction, capture the Black Edge siblings alive if possible. If the situation becomes critical..." She paused, a cold glint flashing in her eyes, "...eliminate them first."
“Understood.” Sia’s voice was hoarse and low, like sand rubbing together. He raised his eyes, and the collapse and madness of the past few days were gone from his red eyes, leaving only a settled, extremely cold killing intent, as if all emotions had been frozen, leaving only the purest destructive instinct. He needed this battle, he needed the enemy’s blood to temporarily numb the excruciating pain.
Dalia nodded slightly, a hint of seriousness flashing in her nightingale-like, calm eyes. She inspected the specially modified weapons she carried with her, her movements fluid and precise.
Lin Zhi stood silently behind her, his grey-blue eyes like a frozen lake, devoid of any emotion. But when his gaze swept over Dalia, a barely perceptible ripple would appear beneath the ice.
The expensive custom-made sniper rifle in her hand was meticulously maintained like a work of art, but the knuckles of her fingers gripping it were slightly white from the force. She loathed this kind of direct confrontation, and even more so, she loathed that Dalia had to put herself in danger.
The convoy slipped into the night like ghosts, silently approaching the target warehouse. The air was damp and cold, carrying the pungent smell of rust and chemical waste. The abandoned factory area was eerily silent, save for the howling wind through broken window openings and the occasional bark of a stray dog in the distance.
Following Mu Ye's directions, they infiltrated the designated ambush site—a two-story abandoned dispatch room overlooking the trading warehouse. The room was filled with dust and debris, and the air reeked of mildew.
Like a leopard before its hunt, Xiya lurked in the shadows, its red eyes fixed on the faint light shining from the warehouse entrance below through the broken window.
Dalia silently took up another advantageous shooting position, while Lin Zhi set up his sniper rifle behind her. The lens, like a cold pupil, scanned every corner below, while also diverting some attention to vigilantly perceive any subtle movements around them.
Her intuition screamed that the "silence" in this area was abnormal, too...clean.
Time ticked by. Several figures appeared at the warehouse entrance below, exchanged a brief conversation, and then began moving crates. The transaction appeared to be underway.
"Target confirmed, two people. Matches the characteristics of the 'Black Fate Siblings'." Lin Zhi's cold voice came through the encrypted channel, with a hint of tension that was barely perceptible. "Male, dark clothing, wearing a mask, slender build, and his state... is unusually relaxed, not like he is engaged in a dangerous transaction. Female, long dark blue hair, amber eyes, wearing... a dark dress, humming a song."
Humming a song? In a place like this? A chill ran down everyone's spine.
Just then, something unexpected happened!
Without any warning, the seemingly sealed-off metal wall on the other side of the control room suddenly burst open! Amidst the flying debris, two ghostly figures shot in! The attack didn't come from below, but from their supposedly safe ambush point itself!
"Watch out!" Xiah's roar and gunshot rang out at the same time! His reaction was astonishingly fast. He dodged the first ray of cold light by turning to the side, and flames shot from the muzzle of his gun, forcing the figure back.
But the second attack was aimed directly at Dalia, who was changing positions! It was a petite figure with long, dark blue hair that drew eerie arcs in the darkness—it was Hei Yuanying!
Her speed was beyond reason, her movements possessing a dance-like rhythm, yet harboring deadly intent. In her hands were not guns, but two oddly shaped, short daggers that gleamed with a ghostly blue light.
Despite the danger, Dalia remained calm, parrying and counterattacking in one fluid motion. But Hei Yuanying's attacks were like a relentless tide, and even more terrifying was her gaze—those amber eyes, at close range, clearly reflected Dalia's image. The pupils would sometimes shrink to pinpoints, radiating a beastly madness, and at other times appear empty and unfocused, as if sleepwalking. This extremely unstable mental state made her attack trajectory completely unpredictable!
"Ying! Left!" A hoarse command, accompanied by violent coughing, came from the breach. Hei Yuankong did not directly participate in the assault; he clung to the shadows at the edge of the breach like a weightless ghost, his eyes above his mask empty and unfocused, as if "sensing" the entire battle.
His very existence is like an invisible form of spiritual pollution, making the surrounding air thick and oppressive.
His instructions were brief and precise, as if he could anticipate Dalia's every dodge attempt. Under his guidance, Hei Yuanying's attacks became increasingly cunning and ruthless.
"Bang!" Lin Zhi's sniper rifle finally roared, the bullet accurately hitting the location of Hei Yuankong, attempting to break this strange connection.
But Hei Yuankong merely tilted his head slightly; the bullet grazed his temple and struck the wall behind him, sending sparks flying. He didn't even look in Lin Zhi's direction; his unfocused eyes remained "locked" on his sister's battle.
“It’s no use… Miss Pigeon…” Hei Yuankong’s voice came through the mask, with a cough and a chilling calmness, “Your ‘thread’ is too obvious…” The “thread” he mentioned seemed to have something else in mind, as if he could see through the invisible bond between Lin Zhi and Dalia.
Meanwhile, Xiya engaged in a firefight with another BXX member attempting to storm in through the main entrance, the gunfire deafening in the enclosed space. Like a mad tiger, he fired every shot straight for vital organs, fighting with his life on the line. He temporarily suppressed the enemy in front, but was unable to provide reinforcements.
"Their target is Dalia! It's Lin Zhi's 'thread'!" Mu Ye's urgent voice rang out in the channel, filled with rare anxiety. "They're trying to sever our cooperation! Be careful of that older brother! His 'sensory' methods are very abnormal!"
Just then, Hei Yuanying let out a laugh that sounded like a child's playful laughter, yet sent chills down one's spine. The short dagger slashed towards Dalia's ribs at an unbelievable angle! Dalia dodged at the last second, but her movements were a fraction too slow. The sharp tip tore through the edge of her bulletproof vest, leaving a trail of blood!
"Dalia!" Lin Zhi exclaimed, her icy composure shattering instantly! She almost leaped from her sniper position! But her strong self-control kept her rooted to the spot, simply turning her gun around and relentlessly unleashing bullets at Hei Yuanying, trying to create an opportunity for Dalia to break free.
Hei Yuanying moved through the hail of bullets like a ghost, with most of the bullets hitting empty air. Meanwhile, Hei Yuankong, taking advantage of the moment when Lin Zhi was distracted and his firepower was diverted, moved silently a step toward Lin Zhi's flank like a venomous snake slithering into the shadows.
He didn't attack; he simply "existed," which created immense psychological pressure. He seemed to thoroughly enjoy this torturous "connection" process.
"Pigeon! Hold your position!" Dalia hissed through gritted teeth, trying to keep Lin Zhi calm. She knew that if Lin Zhi left his sniping position and was exposed in the open, the consequences would be dire.
She endured the stinging pain in her ribs and launched another attack, engaging Hei Yuanying in a fierce battle, but was clearly at a disadvantage. The twisted, interdependent fighting style of the Hei Yuan siblings—one attacking like a madman, unpredictable; the other controlling the situation with an almost eerie calmness, possessing a complete understanding of the overall situation.
The two worked together seamlessly, as if sharing a single soul. Their two extreme personality traits complemented each other perfectly, creating a terrifying combat power where one plus one was far greater than two.
"Xiah! Support Dalia!" Mu Ye's voice rang out again, carrying an unquestionable command tone.
A crimson light surged in Xiya's eyes. He forced back the enemy in front of him with a single shot, ignoring the attacks coming from behind, and forcefully turned to rush into the battle between Dalia and Hei Yuanying! His arrival temporarily relieved the pressure on Dalia, but the entire control room was already in chaos. Bullets flew, metal clashed, and roars and laughter mingled, like a frenzied nightmare.
"Tsk... This is really... a real disappointment..." Hei Yuankong mumbled a complaint from behind his mask as he watched the stalemate. His unfocused eyes seemed to glance in the direction below the warehouse. "The transaction is complete... I've had enough of the toys... Ying, it's time to go."
Before he could finish speaking, a violent explosion suddenly came from the direction of the warehouse below! It was clear that the other party in the transaction had destroyed the scene during their evacuation! The huge shockwave caused the entire control room to shake violently, and dust fell in a flurry.
"Retreat!" West Asia made a decisive decision. If they continued to fight, the consequences would be unimaginable once the enemy's reinforcements arrived.
Hei Yuanying let out a soft, dissatisfied snort, but her movements were swift and decisive. She feinted an attack, then drifted backward like smoke, rejoining her brother. Hei Yuankong gave Lin Zhi and Dalia one last "look," his empty gaze seemingly carrying a hint of…mockery?
Immediately, the brother and sister vanished like ghosts behind the hole in the wall, just as they had come, disappearing into the darkness outside, leaving behind only a mess and a strong smell of blood.
The battle began abruptly and ended just as abruptly.
"Clean up the scene! Check for casualties! Mu Ye, track them down!" Sia's voice trembled with anger and frustration. He walked to Dalia's side, his brow furrowed as he looked at the blood seeping from her ribs. "How is she?"
"It's just a superficial wound, nothing serious." Dalia's face was pale, but her tone was calm as she quickly gave herself first aid.
Lin Zhi practically rushed down from her sniper position. She grabbed Dalia and supported her, her grey-blue eyes filled with lingering fear and undisguised panic. Her fingers trembled as she examined Dalia's wounds, her voice losing its usual coldness and choked with sobs: "How are you? Does it hurt? I told you I shouldn't have come! These monsters!"
Dalia took her cold, trembling hand in hers, shook her head gently, and tried to give her a comforting smile, but the corner of her mouth tugged at her wound, making her gasp.
The on-site statistics were quickly compiled. On the Xuyue organization's side, besides Dalia's minor injuries, two peripheral members were seriously wounded, and one was killed. The Heiyuan siblings, however, were unharmed, successfully covering the completion of the transaction and easily escaping. It was a complete and utter failure.
The atmosphere in the return carriage was so oppressive it could drip water. Sia leaned back in his seat, eyes closed, but his clenched fists and slightly trembling body revealed that his inner rage was far from subsided.
The Black Edge siblings' eerie yet powerful fighting ability was like a bucket of ice water, extinguishing the restlessness in his flames of revenge and leaving behind a deeper, colder killing intent. This brother and sister were more difficult to deal with than he had imagined.
Lin Zhi sat close to Dalia, silent the whole way, only holding her hand tightly, as if she would disappear if he let go. She looked at Dalia's pale profile from blood loss, her mind replaying Hei Yuankong's empty, mocking eyes, and his words about "threads."
A strong sense of foreboding, like cold vines, tightly coiled around her heart.
The appearance of the Black Edge siblings was not just a tactical setback, but also an ominous sign, foreshadowing a more brutal attack that targeted their weaknesses.
For the first time, she offered a silent, desperate prayer to the elusive "God" she loathed.
The subsequent news from Mu Ye only made matters worse: the Hei Yuan siblings seemed to have vanished into thin air, and all tracking signals were cleverly interfered with or redirected in the wrong direction.
These two "demons," upon their first appearance, dealt a heavy blow to the vengeful crow flock with their absolute advantage and eerie style, making everyone realize just how terrifying the core power of BXX truly was. The road to revenge was now fraught with even more monstrous thorns and traps.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
