Chapter Thirty-Five: Suffocation
The bloody ambush on Crow Road spread rapidly within the Xuyue organization like a cold plague. The victims' remains were secretly transported back and placed in a cold storage room temporarily used as a morgue deep underground at headquarters.
Sorrow is silent, yet more penetrating than any cry, a mixture of anger at the traitor and helplessness at being unable to protect one's comrades, weighing heavily on everyone's heart.
The atmosphere, which was tense yet orderly in the past, was completely gone, replaced by an extremely tense and suspicious silence. The members exchanged glances with a hint of scrutiny and barely perceptible defensiveness.
Gongyang Yandaosi was under immense pressure. He was the one who devised the defense plan and confirmed the route, and now that such a major oversight had occurred, he was the first to bear the blame.
He worked almost non-stop, with a few absolutely reliable confidants, meticulously examining the backgrounds, recent whereabouts, and contact records of all those in the know, trying to find that potentially fatal loophole.
His face was even more ashen than usual, and his silver hair seemed to have lost its luster, but the focus and stubbornness in his eyes reached their peak. The cause had to be found, otherwise, the next one to bleed might be Xu Yue herself.
Meanwhile, Mu Ye's intelligence hub was shrouded in a different, chilly atmosphere. Data scrolled wildly on the instrument screen in front of her, attempting to trace back from the source of the bullet, the type of bullet, and any tiny traces the attacker might have left.
However, the attackers were too professional, and the scene was cleaned up too thoroughly, which in itself points to a chilling possibility—the attackers were not only powerful, but also had a thorough understanding of the investigative capabilities of the Syrian Moon Organization.
This kind of "understanding" often stems from within. Her silver-gray eyes swept over the list of personnel who had access to the core contingency plans, her gaze lingering briefly on a few names, including... Zhong Si.
It wasn't a question of his loyalty, but rather a clear understanding of how much he knew, and... his recent overly close contact with that escort girl.
The real storm erupted the evening after the ambush in the equipment room where Yusia was in charge of combat training.
The equipment room was filled with the smells of sweat, leather, and a faint rust. Sia had just finished a near-venting, extremely intense individual training session. His sweat-drenched red hair clung to his forehead, and his bare upper body was covered with a mix of old and new scars, rising and falling with his rapid breathing.
He paced restlessly around the room like a trapped beast, each step heavy and forceful. The horrific scene of the ambush and the pain of losing his brothers burned within him like poisonous fire. The suspicion of a traitor within the ranks further fueled this fire, igniting a frenzied killing intent.
He needs to find an outlet, someone to take responsibility for this disaster, or he will be driven mad by his anger and powerlessness.
Just then, the door to the equipment room was gently pushed open. Zhong Si stood in the doorway, his face pale, dark circles under his eyes. He had mustered all his courage to come, wanting to see the situation in West Asia, perhaps…
He also wanted some reassurance from Xiya, some evidence to refute the terrible suspicions in his heart. Seeing Xiya's bloodshot eyes and taut muscles, his heart tightened, and he whispered, "Brother Xiya... are you... are you alright?"
This sentence was like lighting a fuse.
Xiya suddenly turned around, his red eyes like two burning embers, fixed on Zhong Si's face. He strode closer, his tall figure exuding a strong sense of oppression, casting Zhong Si into shadow.
"I'm fine?" Sia's voice was low and hoarse, yet contained a storm within it. "I'm fucking fine! Watching my brothers get beaten to death like dogs, blown to pieces, I couldn't be better off!"
His chest heaved violently as he stared into Zhong Si's flickering purple eyes. The anxiety, doubts, and that thought that had been lingering in his mind for days burst forth uncontrollably: "Zhong Si! I'm asking you! Have you mentioned the backup route and contingency plan to anyone outside the family? Not even a single word?!"
Zhong Si's pupils suddenly contracted, and his heart felt as if it were being gripped tightly by an icy hand. The thing he feared most had been asked.
Under Xiah's sharp, piercing gaze, he felt utterly exposed. He wanted to deny it, to lie, but his deep-seated awe and dependence on Xiah, coupled with the immense guilt within him, made his tongue feel tied in knots. His eyes darted around in panic, and his voice was barely audible: "I...I didn't...How could I..."
His panicked and averted gaze was, in Xiya's eyes, nothing less than a guilty admission. Worry, fear, and the preconceived notion that "the child might make a mistake" were instantly replaced by immense disappointment and a deeper sense of dread.
He suddenly reached out, not to strike, but to grab Zhong Si's thin shoulder tightly, his fingers digging until his knuckles turned white, almost crushing his bones. His voice trembled as he desperately suppressed his anger, yet it carried an even more suffocating sense of oppression:
"No? Then tell me! How did those bastards from BXX know all this?! The route! The timing! The contingency plans! How could they calculate it so accurately?! Huh?!"
He shook Zhong Si's body as if he wanted to shake him apart. "Didn't I tell you! Stay away from that mysterious Qian Xu Wu Yun! Didn't I say something was wrong with her! Did you listen?! Do you think that her smile and cheap concern are more important than the lives of everyone in the organization?!"
These words lashed at Zhong Si's heart like a whip. Xi Ya's suspicions pointed to Qian Xu Wu Yun, which pierced the most conflicted and unspeakable part of his heart.
He knew that Xiya meant well and was worried about him, but this indiscriminate accusation and control made him feel extremely wronged and suffocated.
He abruptly raised his head, his purple eyes flashing with intense emotions for the first time when facing Xiya—resentment, anger, and a desperate, resigned despair: "How dare you say that about her! How dare you ask me that! In your eyes, am I always just that little kid you need to watch over, guard against, and who might mess things up at any moment?! Yes! I did talk to her! So what?! Does that mean I have to be blamed for everything that happens in the organization?!"
This was the first time Zhong Si had so fiercely resisted Xi Ya. His rebuttal was less of a defense and more of an emotional outburst driven to desperation.
"You're to blame?" Xi Ya was hurt by his intense reaction and words, especially the word "child," which precisely hit the most sensitive spot in his heart—he was afraid that Zhong Si would never grow up, and even more afraid that he would leave his protection when he grew up.
This fear, mixed with his current anxiety, made him speak recklessly, his words becoming incredibly sharp and hurtful: "I wish it weren't you! But look at yourself! You're so easily fooled by a few kind words! Do you even know what it means to be wicked?!"
Do you know how many people you could kill with just a casual remark?! I'm telling you this right now: if it turns out the problem really lies with your unbridled tongue, with that woman, I'll be the first to personally kill…”
"Enough!"
A cold, authoritative rebuke came from the doorway.
Xu Yue appeared, her grey eyes like frozen lakes, sweeping over the two tense figures. Her presence instantly extinguished the scorching heat of the equipment room.
Xiya abruptly stopped talking, her hand gripping Zhong Si's shoulder unconsciously loosening its hold, but her chest was still heaving violently, the anger in her red eyes not subsided, but mixed with a trace of panic and regret for losing control.
Zhong Si seemed to have all his strength drained away. He staggered back two steps, leaned against the cold wall, lowered his head, his shoulders trembled slightly, and tears welled up in his eyes, but he stubbornly refused to let them fall.
Xu Yue's gaze lingered on the two for a moment, without questioning or judging, but coldly said, "Gongyang and Mu will also investigate the matter of the traitor. Before there is conclusive evidence, any unfounded suspicion and internal strife are only helping the enemy."
Her gaze finally settled on Xiya. "Control your emotions, Xiya. Anger won't solve anything." Then she looked at Zhong Si. "The same goes for you, Zhong Si. Remember who you are, remember where you are."
After saying that, she turned and left, leaving behind a deathly silence.
The conflict was forcibly suppressed, but the rift had already formed.
Over the next few days, Xiya and Zhong Si fell into a deliberate and uncomfortable cold war. Xiya continued to ensure Zhong Si's safety and training, but the casual banter and physical contact of the past were gone. Her gaze was complex, filled with scrutiny, lingering anger, and disappointment, and…
A subtle, almost imperceptible, awkwardness—a desire to get closer yet a lack of knowing how. He would quietly place food at Zhong Si's door, maintain strict demands during training without explaining why, and subconsciously tense his jawline when Zhong Si passed by.
Zhong Si became even more silent, almost retreating into his shell. He was afraid to see the complex emotions in Xi Ya's eyes, which were more unbearable for him than direct anger.
He completed the tasks assigned by Mu Ye as usual, but his eyes lost their luster, as if he had turned back into the apprehensive boy he was when he was first brought back to the organization.
He was filled with resentment, fear, and immense guilt. He knew that although Xiya's words were harsh, they might have touched on some of the truth. This realization tormented him, making it impossible for him to face Xiya, let alone himself.
They were all wounded in this sudden storm, and hurt each other because of their care. Xiya's love, marked by protection, became suffocating due to excessive worry and fear of loss; Zhong Si's dependence, mixed with the desire to grow and the burden of secrets, became fragile and rebellious under pressure.
This conflict is a deep scratch on the foundation of trust, not betrayal, but an inevitable clash between two wounded souls who don't know how to properly express and receive emotions, under immense external pressure. They are still of one mind, but their methods of love have temporarily caused them to lose their way to each other.
In the shadows, Qianxu Wuyun learned of the conflict through clandestine channels. Upon learning that Zhong Si was being so harshly questioned and estranged from Xiya because of her, her heart ached as if it were being torn apart.
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