Chapter Twenty-Five: Undercurrents
In London's underworld, news travels faster than the plague.
When news of the formal alliance between the Xuyue Organization and Lian Yeyi's WV Organization, known for its ruthlessness and efficiency, spread like wildfire, the entire shadowy map was shaken.
To demonstrate strength, solidify the alliance, and deter potential enemies, a grand banquet was held in a secluded hall on the banks of the Thames, under the control of the Xuyue Organization, in a converted abandoned brewery.
Tonight, this normally gloomy and empty industrial behemoth has been infused with an abnormal vitality.
Beneath the towering dome, several chandeliers made of brass and frosted glass hang from the massive cast-iron beams, emitting a warm and hazy glow that dispels the darkness and chill of the past.
The rough brickwork on the walls is concealed by a heavy, dark green velvet curtain, which projects swaying, meticulously designed patterns of light and shadow, cleverly masking the building's raw ruggedness and creating an understated yet luxurious atmosphere.
The air was filled with the rich aroma of cigars, the subtle fragrance of expensive perfumes, the smoky scent of roasted meat, and the spiciness of aged whiskey.
Well-trained waiters in matching black vests moved like silent fish, carrying silver platters filled with drinks and delicate pastries, weaving effortlessly through the bustling crowd.
The guests included prominent figures from London's underworld—ship captains who controlled the dock smuggling routes, middlemen who managed the black market, lawyers who operated in the gray areas, and politicians and detectives with ambiguous identities who maintained delicate relationships with all sides.
They were well-dressed and chatted amiably, but deep within each pair of seemingly cheerful eyes lay shrewd calculations and a barely perceptible vigilance.
The main characters of the banquet were undoubtedly Xu Yue and Lian Yeyi. Xu Yue wore a well-tailored silver-gray satin dress with a high neckline that accentuated her long neck and gave her a cold and aloof demeanor.
She didn't wear much jewelry, except for a small silver stud earring on her left earlobe, shaped like a crow's beak, which occasionally flashed with a cold light.
Holding an untouched glass of champagne, she stood in the lounge area, which had been converted from the main control panel and was slightly elevated above the ground in the lobby, her gaze calmly sweeping across the entire space like a queen surveying her territory.
Lian Yeyi stood a step slightly behind her, wearing a dark purple velvet suit with the collar open, revealing a small patch of bronze skin. A nonchalant smile played on her lips, but her eyes were as sharp as a hawk's. She chatted and interacted with the people who came to offer toasts with ease. The two, one still and one active, one cold and one warm, formed a wonderful complement and balance.
Gongyang Yan Daosi, like a silent gray shadow, stood guard near the entrance to the passage leading to the core rear area, whispering with several trusted confidants who were clearly in charge of security. His silver-gray eyes were like a precision scanner, not missing a single unusual movement.
Mu Ye was hiding in an observation room on the second floor, partially obscured by a curtain. In front of her were several bulky but powerful listening devices. Her cold gaze passed through the one-way glass, recording every seemingly casual conversation and every unintentional physical contact below.
As the organization's symbol of force, Xiya naturally attended the banquet. He changed out of his usual action attire and into a well-fitting black suit. His red hair was meticulously combed, but it still couldn't completely conceal the fierce aura of a drawn blade.
He did not blend into the noisy crowd, but leaned against a huge load-bearing pillar, holding a glass of amber-colored liquor in his hand. His red eyes, like burning embers, were filled with undisguised scrutiny, mainly on the unfamiliar faces that were close to Xu Yue and Lian Yeyi.
His very existence is a silent warning.
In this setting, Zhong Si seemed somewhat out of place. He was wearing a slightly loose suit, clearly hastily chosen, and his violet eyes held a hint of restraint and curiosity.
Xu Yue intentionally showed him this scene, as a kind of training. He tried to stay near West Asia or in a relatively quiet corner, observing the undercurrents surging behind this glitz and glamour.
He saw the formulaic smiles on the faces of the usually serious members, and heard the probing and exchanges hidden beneath the flattery.
This gave him a deeper understanding of what Xu Yue meant by "another set of rules for how the world works".
Just then, a bright figure entered his field of vision.
Qianxu Wuyun also appeared at the banquet. As a tavern employee, she was temporarily reassigned to help manage the drinks counter in the side hall.
She wore a neat apron with the "Rye Tavern" logo, but underneath was a pale yellow dress that made her gradient hair color even more striking.
With an impeccable, enthusiastic smile on her face, she deftly poured drinks and served snacks to the guests, her clear voice like cheerful notes, standing out in the slightly somber air.
When she saw Zhong Si in the corner, her eyes lit up. Taking advantage of a brief moment of free time, she quickly walked over with a small plate of carefully decorated fruit tarts.
"Hey! Zhong Si! You're here too?" Her voice was filled with genuine surprise as she handed him the fruit tart. "Try this, it just arrived from the kitchen. I heard the cream on top was made by a chef from France, it's really something!"
Looking at her radiant smile, Zhong Si's initial awkwardness instantly dissipated. He took the plate and smiled back, "Thank you. It's... quite lively here." He paused, then lowered his voice, "It's just a bit noisy."
Qianxu blinked understandingly and replied playfully in a low voice, "You bet! I'm almost frozen from laughing. But it's quite interesting to see so many... important people." As she spoke, her gaze seemed to casually sweep over Xuyue and Lianyeyi in the main seats before quickly looking away, her eyes revealing just the right amount of curiosity and awe.
The two stood in the shadow cast by the pillar, briefly escaping the noisy center, as if they had a small world that belonged only to them.
Zhong Si ate the sweet fruit tart, listening to Qian Xu Wuyun quietly complaining about a customer's picky demands, and his mood gradually relaxed. He could feel Xi Ya's gaze occasionally sweeping over them, with her usual scrutinizing look, but he didn't pay any attention to it.
In his heart, Qianxu Wuyun was like the only real light in this hypocritical feast.
“Look over there,” Qianxu Wuyun suddenly gestured with her eyes to a group of people talking not far away, among whom was a middle-aged man dressed in fine clothes with a delicate and effeminate demeanor. “That man, I heard he’s in the shipping business, but Old John secretly told me that he has deep connections with people in the council… I never expected someone like that to come here.”
Her words sounded like a little girl sharing gossip, but the information she provided subtly pointed to the guests' backgrounds and potential networks. Zhong Si's heart stirred slightly; Mu Ye's training had made him subconsciously begin to analyze this information.
But when he looked into Qianxu Wuyun's clear, innocent, bright yellow eyes, he immediately suppressed his doubts. She was simply curious, he thought.
"This world is far more complex than we imagine," Zhong Si murmured, more as if speaking to himself.
Qianxu Wuyun looked at his slightly furrowed brows, a complex emotion flashing in her eyes, but it was quickly replaced by a smile: "Yes, so it's good to be able to talk quietly like this for a while." Her tone carried a hint of affection.
West Asia's gaze swept across faces that were either obsequious, wary, or hypocritical, like a searchlight.
He loathed these occasions; every flattery felt like a desecration of power, and every insincere handshake reminded him of the blood that might be stained beneath his gloves. The strong liquor in his glass went down quickly, as if only the burning sensation could suppress the restlessness in his heart.
Just as he was about to turn around and get another glass of wine to separate himself from the glitz and clamor, his gaze suddenly fixed on the edge of the crowd.
It's her. The girl from the record store. Zhou.
She had clearly dressed up for the evening, wearing a simple, misty blue silk dress that made her unusual hair color, which looked like a spilled palette, even more striking.
She was not alone, but attended as a formal companion of a veteran intelligence agent known for her well-informed background and neutral stance.
The gray-haired intelligence broker was talking to someone, while she stood quietly a step behind, her gaze calmly sweeping over the crowd, completely out of place in this scene filled with desire and scheming.
Xi Ya's heart skipped a beat at an inopportune moment. He tried to look away, but his body felt as if it were nailed to the ground.
He saw her tilt her head slightly, seemingly showing some interest in a piece of music. Her focused profile, under the swaying light, had an unreal purity about it.
Just then, Zhou's gaze seemed to casually sweep across his direction, and then stopped.
She didn't immediately flash a social smile like the others, nor did she show any fear or surprise upon seeing him.
She just looked at him quietly, her clear gray-blue eyes holding a knowing look that made Xiya's heart flutter.
Then, before Sia could react, she whispered something to the intelligence broker beside her and walked straight toward him.
Xiya's body tensed instantly, like a wild beast whose territory had been invaded. He instinctively wanted to back away, to blend into the shadows behind him, but his legs felt like lead.
He watched her walk through the crowd, her skirt swaying gently, like a clear spring flowing through a murky swamp, until she finally stopped a few steps in front of him.
“Good evening, Mr. Whale Shark.” Zhou’s voice was not loud, but it strangely pierced through the surrounding noise and reached Xiya’s ears clearly. Her tone was calm, without flattery or fear, as if stating a fact.
Xiya's throat tightened, and he replied stiffly, "...Hello." His fingers gripped the wine glass tightly, his knuckles turning white. He couldn't understand why she had approached him, this blood-soaked man who seemed so out of place at the banquet.
Zhou didn't notice his stiffness. Her gaze fell on the wine glass he was gripping tightly, then slowly moved upwards to meet his eyes, which were even redder with vigilance and confusion.
“The music here is very lively,” she suddenly said, seemingly unrelated, “but you seem to… only hear the sound of your own heartbeat.”
Xi Ya was jolted, as if something had pierced her heart.
How did she know? Amidst the commotion, he could only feel his heart pounding heavily and alone in his chest, accompanied by the echoes of memories of killing and an uneasy restlessness.
Zhou tilted his head slightly, gazing into his eyes, a gaze that seemed to penetrate, able to see into the most chaotic corners of his soul. "You... have many heavy colors on you."
She spoke softly, as if talking to herself, or perhaps whispering to him, “Like congealed blood, like the sea before a storm, like… a fire that is about to go out but is still burning desperately.”
Sia felt a chill run down her spine. Her words were indistinct, yet they precisely described his inner state—a bloody past, repressed violence, and an almost desperate obsession with Xuyue, the organization, and perhaps… something ethereal and intangible. This feeling of being seen through terrified him more than facing a gun. He was used to hiding, used to using ruthlessness as a mask, but he was completely exposed in front of this seemingly fragile girl.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Sia’s voice was hoarse and clearly resistant; he almost wanted to turn around and run away immediately.
Zhou didn't press him further, nor was she deterred by his attitude. She simply looked at him quietly, her eyes filled with a compassion beyond her years that deepened.
“Sometimes, when you carry too much, your shadow will engulf you.” After saying this almost prophetic sentence, she nodded slightly. “I won’t bother you any longer.”
Then, just as she had come, she turned around naturally and walked back to the intelligence dealer, as if it had just been a casual greeting.
Xiya stood frozen in place, cold sweat seeping from his back. The remaining wine in his glass swayed, reflecting his bewildered face. Her words echoed in his mind—"heavy color," "congealed blood," "a fire about to go out"... and that phrase, "the shadow will devour itself."
Who exactly is this girl? Can she really "see" anything? Or is it just a keen observation and a coincidental description?
Amidst the panic, an indescribable, intensely drawn feeling uncontrollably arose within him. Under the gaze of those clear eyes, he felt as if all pretense had been stripped away, exposing his most authentic and vulnerable inner self, a feeling that was both terrifying and strangely... liberating? He shook his head, trying to dispel this absurd thought.
Meanwhile, in the main control area, Lian Yeyi leaned close to Xu Yue and said in a voice that only the two of them could hear, "It seems that the 'Saltwater Crocodile' and the 'Jackal' have joined forces again, keeping many people up at night."
His gaze swept meaningfully toward several figures in the crowd who appeared relaxed but whose body language was actually stiff.
Xu Yue picked up her champagne glass, gently swirled the golden liquid inside, and curled a cold smile at the corner of her lips: "It's better if you can't sleep. If you do sleep, you're more likely to have nightmares."
Her gaze swept across the entire room, finally meeting silently with that of Mu Ye on the second floor through the one-way glass.
Mu nodded slightly, indicating that everything was normal, but Xu Yue keenly caught a fleeting, extremely subtle warning signal in her eyes—a highly professional anti-eavesdropping device had been briefly activated in some corner.
BXX's tentacles have indeed reached in, like a venomous snake hidden beneath a luxurious carpet.
The atmosphere of the banquet reached its climax with an impromptu toast by Lian Yeyi, a toast that was both bold and subtly threatening. Thunderous applause and the clinking of glasses filled the air.
But beneath this clamor, countless secret deals, silent tests, and malicious schemes are quietly brewing amidst the glitz and glamour.
The brief exchange between Zhong Si and Qian Xu was also submerged in this torrent. For them, this was perhaps the last moment before the storm, a time when they could pretend to ignore the surrounding darkness and immerse themselves in each other's light.
The grand feast will eventually end, but the real undercurrents are only just beginning to stir. When the music stops and the lights go out, the fangs hidden beneath the finery and smiles will be fully revealed.
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