Chapter Twenty-Two: Ripples of Alertness
The headquarters of the Lunar Organization takes on a unique rhythm at dusk. The daytime's intense training and external affairs have temporarily subsided, but the night's vigilance and potential operations have yet to begin.
This was a relatively relaxed break, during which members gathered in twos and threes to eat, talk in hushed tones, or handle some internal chores.
The air was filled with the aroma of food, a faint smell of tobacco, and a slightly weary tranquility that settled after a day of intense activity.
Xiya had just returned from the North City Wharf after dealing with a dispute over the division of smuggling routes, still carrying the dampness of the river and a trace of lingering hostility.
He strode through the headquarters' spacious but simply furnished common areas, his red hair like a flowing flame in the afterglow of the setting sun. Several subordinates who were wiping their weapons stopped immediately upon seeing him and nodded respectfully: "Mr. Whale Shark."
Xiya waved casually, his gaze habitually sweeping across the crowd, searching for that familiar figure. Soon, he spotted Zhong Si at a long table near the kitchen exit.
The boy was carrying an empty plate, seemingly having just finished a simple dinner, and was about to leave. What made Xiya's red eyes narrow slightly was that Zhong Si didn't go straight back to his room or to the training room for extra practice as usual. Instead, he stood by the table, tilting his head slightly, listening to someone speaking beside him.
The person had their back to Xiya, was slender, and wore a pale yellow knit sweater. Their gradient hair was particularly striking under the light—pink, yellow, and orange intertwined, like an untimely rainbow that had intruded into this space dominated by dark gray, black, and metallic colors.
It was that girl who helped out at the "Rye Tavern," Qianxu Wuyun.
Weston's pace slowed almost imperceptibly. He remembered the girl. Old John had introduced her, saying she was an orphan from the River District, hardworking, and worked as a temporary worker at the tavern.
He had vaguely heard his subordinates mention that the girl had a cheerful personality and was very popular with the patrons. Sometimes she would help deliver some insignificant items to the outskirts of headquarters. A peripheral, insignificant figure.
But at this moment, seeing her standing so naturally beside Zhong Si, with an atmosphere between them that was... too harmonious, Xi Ya's brows furrowed almost imperceptibly.
A kind of instinct formed from years of battle, like a deep-sea shark smelling an unusual scent of blood from afar, instantly put him on high alert.
He took a few steps closer and overheard snippets of their conversation.
"...So, Miss Muye's training today focuses on identifying distractors in information filtering?" Qianxu Wuyun's voice was clear and crisp, with just the right amount of curiosity, but not overly probing. "That sounds really difficult, like trying to find real gold nuggets in a pile of sand."
Zhong Si gave a soft "hmm," his purple eyes showing the fatigue of training, but when he looked at Qian Xu Wuyun, there was a rare, relaxed light in them. "Yes, it's mainly about identifying pre-set logical traps and emotional misdirection... Miss Mu Ye said that this is the foundation."
"But you can definitely do it!" Qianxu Wuyun smiled encouragingly, her bright yellow eyes like blooming sunflowers. "You're so smart. Didn't you say last time that you could already build a basic information association model? I think that's amazing!"
Zhong Si's ears turned slightly red, and he lowered his head somewhat embarrassedly, but the corners of his mouth couldn't help but turn up slightly.
Such straightforward and sincere praise is extremely rare within the organization. Here, results and efficiency are valued more than encouragement during the process.
Just then, Xiya walked up to them, his tall figure exuding an invisible sense of oppression. The conversation abruptly stopped.
“Mr. Xiya.” When Zhong Si saw Xiya, he immediately stood up straighter, his tone carrying his usual respect, but the light in his eyes caused by Qianxu Wuyun had not completely faded.
Qianxu Wuyun also turned around, her face still bearing that sunny and cheerful smile, and bowed politely to Xiya: "Good evening, Mr. Whale Shark." Her demeanor was natural and proper, without any flaws.
Xi Ya's gaze fell on Qian Xu Wu Yun as if it were a physical object, so sharp that it seemed to peel away her bright smile and see the essence beneath.
He didn't respond to her greeting, but looked directly at Zhong Si, his voice steady yet carrying an undeniable air of caution: "Zhong Si, is training over? Have you had dinner?"
“Yes, Mr. Xiya. I just finished eating,” Zhong Si replied, keenly noticing the unusual coldness in Xiya’s tone.
“Hmm.” Xia responded, his gaze turning back to Qianxu Wuyun, this time with a clear scrutiny. “Miss Qianxu, I remember your work area is mainly at the ‘Rye Tavern.’ It’s the core area of headquarters; non-related personnel shouldn’t linger there.” His words weren’t overtly hostile, but the demarcation based on status and authority was clear and cold.
Qianxu Wuyun's smile remained unchanged, and she responded very appropriately: "Yes, Mr. Whale Shark. I was delivering a batch of coffee bean samples that just arrived for Mr. John to have the kitchen manager inspect. I happened to run into Zhong Si after he finished his meal, so we chatted for a bit. I'll be leaving now."
As she spoke, she smiled at Zhong Si, "Then I'll be going now, Zhong Si, good luck in training tomorrow!"
After saying that, she nodded politely to Xiya, turned around and left with light steps. Her gradient hair color drew a warm line under the light, which was out of place with the cold and hard environment of the headquarters.
Only after her figure disappeared at the end of the corridor did Xiya turn her gaze back to Zhong Si. A faint trace of melancholy lingered on the boy's face, which he quickly concealed, but it did not escape Xiya's notice.
“Zhong Si,” Xi Ya’s voice lowered, her red eyes filled with serious consideration, “you and her seem to be quite familiar?”
Zhong Si paused for a moment, seemingly not expecting Xi Ya to ask this directly. He pursed his lips and replied, "Well... not very well. I've only seen her a few times at the bar. She's a very nice person, very... sunny." He carefully chose his words, a barely perceptible hint of protectiveness flashing in his purple eyes.
“Sunshine?” Sia repeated the word, a cold smile curving her lips, a smile that carried the instinctive skepticism of someone who had experienced darkness towards “sunshine.” “In places like this, ‘sunshine’ often means a lack of necessary vigilance, or… worse.”
He paused, looked into Zhong Si's eyes, and raised his voice, adding a warning tone, "Remember your identity, Zhong Si. You are someone the organization is grooming from the core. Your time and energy should be focused on improving yourself, not on having too much contact with those people of unknown origin on the periphery. Especially... those who are overly 'enthusiastic'."
Zhong Si frowned slightly. He could sense the concern and protectiveness in Xi Ya's words, which stemmed from Xi Ya's sense of responsibility towards him and her deep-seated fear of losing her "brother".
He was grateful for the protection, but deep down, the "normal" warmth and ease represented by Qianxu Wuyun was something he desperately craved but couldn't obtain within the organization. This longing subtly conflicted with the warnings from Xiya based on security logic.
“Mr. Xiya, Qianxu… she’s just a temporary worker at the tavern, Mr. John has also vetted her.” Zhong Si tried to explain, his voice not loud, but with a rare stubbornness in his attempt to stick to his opinion, “She has no ill intentions towards me, she’s just… just rather friendly. Talking to her makes me… relax a bit.” He spoke the last few words very softly, but they revealed his true feelings under the high pressure of the organization.
Seeing the determination in Zhong Si's eyes, Xi Ya felt an inexplicable anxiety intensify. He wasn't heartless; he knew that Mu Ye's training was taking a huge toll on Zhong Si's mental strength.
But he trusted his intuition more, the sense of danger he had honed through countless brushes with death.
That Qianxu Wuyun was too perfect, so perfect it seemed like a meticulously designed illusion. Her smile, her enthusiasm, her perfectly timed appearances and concern all exuded an unnatural, deliberate quality.
“There are many ways to relax.” Sia’s voice hardened, carrying an undeniable authority. “You can find a sparring partner, you can review the mission, or you can even come to me. Instead of confiding in a stranger whose background you don’t know.”
He took a step forward, looking down at Zhong Si, his red eyes gleaming with a molten lava-like light—the undeniable side of the "Whale Shark." "Remember," he said, "trust needs to be proven with time and blood, not with a few nice words and a harmless expression. I don't want to see you get into unnecessary trouble, or even... danger, because of a moment of carelessness."
These words were quite harsh. Zhong Si's face paled, and he lowered his eyes, biting his lower lip tightly. He knew that Xi Ya was doing this for his own good, out of a desire to protect him.
But West Asia's warning was like a bucket of cold water, extinguishing the nascent hope for "normal" interaction in his heart.
He felt wronged and helpless. Why did Xi Ya see all the goodwill from the outside world as necessarily having an ulterior motive? Why was he even deprived of the possibility of having a simple friend?
“…I understand, Mr. Xiya.” Finally, Zhong Si said in a low voice, his voice filled with suppressed emotion. He didn’t argue anymore, because he knew that on matters of security and trust, Xiya’s will was absolutely dominant, and he himself couldn’t produce any evidence to refute Xiya’s doubts. He just…felt a deep sense of loss.
Seeing Zhong Si like this, Xi Ya's tense nerves eased slightly. He didn't want to stifle all of Zhong Si's emotional needs, but the responsibilities on his shoulders and the shadows of his past forced him to choose the most cautious, and also the most ruthless, way to protect the person he wanted to protect.
He reached out and patted Zhong Si's shoulder stiffly, his tone softening slightly: "Go back and get some rest. Tomorrow's training won't be easy."
This is his way of expressing concern.
Zhong Si nodded, silently turned around, and walked towards his room, his back view appearing somewhat lonely.
Xi Ya stood there, watching Zhong Si leave, his brows still furrowed. The sharpness in his red eyes hadn't faded; instead, it had deepened.
He turned to a corner of the public area, where Gongyang Yandaosi was holding a glass of water, seemingly having inadvertently witnessed the scene just now. Their eyes met briefly in the air, and they both saw the seriousness in each other's eyes.
Without a word, a consensus was reached: the girl named Qianxu Wuyun needed to be placed on a more closely monitored list.
In this dark jungle, any flower that is too brightly colored may be hiding a deadly thorn.
The guardian's duty is to detect that faint, sweet, and fishy smell before the poisonous stinger extends.
This minor conflict was like a pebble thrown into a calm lake; though the ripples were small, they foreshadowed the undercurrents that might exist beneath the surface.
Cracks in trust often begin with the first clash between the smallest concerns and the most independent will.
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