Chapter 142: Each Takes a Step Back
Lin Guantang shifted his gaze from the gun pointed at him to the other person's face. Even though half of his face was covered, he could still make out his ferocious features.
——He looks like someone who is not easy to deal with. He might really collapse in anger, and then he would really kill himself.
But now that I'm here...
You have to bear whatever happens.
Lin Guantang said thoughtfully:
"Will it be worth it for you to die with me?"
Dionysus—since he has no objection, let's use this title for now.
Dionysus said with disdain:
"Huo Shizhen is not with you, so you can only die by yourself."
"Do you think you can escape... That's not certain."
Lin Guantang chuckled twice, took a step or two towards the car, leaned on the door, tilted his head, and his smile was even more cunning.
Dionysus didn't intend to waste any more time talking to him - he had already said enough nonsense, and he didn't think Lin Guantang could escape death at his hands.
But before he could make up his mind to pull the trigger, a bullet came straight towards him from behind Lin Guantang.
Even though he dodged in time, the bullet still passed by his temples.
If he had hesitated for a moment, or if it was Violet standing in front of Lin Guantang, his head would have exploded.
How is that possible!
Both Dionysus and Violet, who heard the sound of bullets breaking through the air in her headphones, were shocked by this sudden turn of events.
Since they arranged people to ambush here, and before that, they also arranged people to isolate other vehicles outside, so in the end only this one vehicle remained in the ambush trap.
Of course, all the places nearby that could be used for long-range sniping had already been ruled out.
Of course, there are more suitable sniping spots further away, but with the sniping skills of the students at the Central Military Academy, it is absolutely impossible...
etc--
If Huo Shizhen wasn't here, where would he be?!
In an instant, a possibility came to mind -
With Huo Shizhen's sniping ability, it would not be difficult to hit the target from a thousand meters away.
His sniping ability was certainly terrifying, but considering that he had actually chosen to call an omega to take such a risk, Dionysus felt a sense of absurdity before he felt any fear.
"Huo Shizhen is so cowardly that he sent an omega like you to explore the realm, but he only knows how to ambush from a distance."
Lin Guantang placed one hand on the car door, leaning forward slightly. He responded to this question in a relaxed tone:
"Did I say it was Huo Shizhen?"
Who else could it be but him?
The ability to hit a target from a thousand meters away is not something that any sniper can achieve, not to mention that the entire auxiliary area system is paralyzed and there is no way to use intelligent assistance, which makes the difficulty doubled.
Maybe he was lying on purpose.
When this thought popped up in Violet's mind, another anxious voice interrupted:
"I saw Huo Shizhen near the Sea Tower... He went into the tower!"
"Are you kidding me? The tower gate was locked a long time ago. How could he blow it open?"
Violet was extremely frightened. She didn't expect Huo Shizhen to appear near the Sea Tower.
To be on the safe side, the gate of the sea tower has been locked. Not only does the gate have multiple layers, but the entire tower has countless layers of protection, and it cannot be blown open even with bombs.
Even if there really were explosives with sufficient destructive power, it would be impossible for them to be brought in without anyone noticing, not to mention that no sound was heard.
But combining the current situation with what Lin Guantang said, it all made perfect sense. He really went to the Sea Tower.
The person in charge of monitoring also spoke anxiously, seemingly completely confused about the situation:
"He seemed to have got the key and opened the door and went in."
There is a traitor.
This is the first reaction.
But there is more than one gate to the tower, and it is impossible that all the people responsible for opening the gates have betrayed us.
Violet let out a long sigh. There was no point in dwelling on what had already happened.
He admitted that it was his mistake.
Whether from the intercepted military academy intelligence or their own repeated analysis, Huo Shizhen’s important target should be the Garden of Eden.
In the past few hours, the number of people who launched attacks on the Garden of Eden far exceeded three or four times that of the Sea Tower, which was enough to prove this point - destroying the Garden of Eden was the key point. As for the system, after all, it was just equipment used by people and should not be the focus of attention.
Even if they were to split up, Huo Shizhen should go to Eden Garden, and Lin Guantang should go to the Sea Tower...
But the reality is the opposite.
But making a mistake on this point is not completely unacceptable——
Huo Shizhen was not someone who could figure out the routine, and with the addition of Lin Guantang who was good at acting, it was not impossible for the two of them to collude with each other and suddenly adjust their strategy on a whim.
Although it is still unclear how Huo Shizhen obtained the way to enter the tower——
However... since Huo Shizhen chose to die in the tower without seeing the weather, it is not impossible to fulfill his wish.
"Execute Plan C."
"yes."
After the other party responded, there was no sound.
***
Since it has been confirmed that it is not Huo Shizhen, then the person who can snipe the target from a thousand meters away must be——
"Could it be that Yin Zhiyou has also come to Fugan District... then he really is planning to fight to the death."
Violet's mumbling to herself reached Dionysus' ears, causing him to frown and subconsciously want to refute.
He and Violet are partners. Although Violet is the one who uses the brain and he is responsible for the hands-on work, it doesn't mean that he has no brains at all.
He had some information about Yin Zhiyou. It was said that he went to the border area of the empire a few months ago and carried out a very difficult and arduous mission.
Where would I find the time to travel thousands of miles to come to Fugan District?
Even if he came, there was no way he would not be recognized - like Huo Shizhen, he was also an acquaintance of Eden Garden. Even if he wore a human/skin mask, there would be a way to identify him.
unless……
Violet's words came, which were neither disparaging nor lamenting:
"It's said that bad guys are cunning and changeable. This group of military academy students are so deceptive that it's hard to guard against them. I'm afraid the so-called mission is fake. As early as a few months or even a year ago, Yin Zhiyou changed his appearance and infiltrated the Fugan District."
No wonder I didn't recognize him.
A few months ago, or a year ago, everything was calm, but no one cared whether people entering and leaving the Fugan District wore disguises.
If this is true, it means that the Central Military Academy had sent people to ambush in the Fugan District long before they planned, waiting for the final blow at the last moment.
Dionysus quickly found a position and angle where he wouldn't be sniped - but he could kill Lin Guantang with one blow.
Then he said to Lin Guantang:
"Even if that person is Yin Zhiyou, he can't run to another suitable sniping point in such a short time, and it won't take me more than a second to kill you."
"Then why didn't you shoot?"
Lin Guantang smiled at him.
It's a completely undisguised provocation.
Dionysus gritted his teeth and looked at the smiling face in front of him, which was simply disgusting.
But when he decided to kill the man in front of him, another person's voice came from the headphones.
"Don't shoot."
At the same time, Lin Guantang's voice also sounded in front of him:
"Because someone doesn't want you to die here."
——It was guessed.
It's not just a guess that someone else is remotely directing the situation.
Along with the two voices, there was the sound of another bullet breaking through the air.
——From another direction, Dionysus was able to dodge it by relying on his instincts gained from years of fighting.
The arm was not spared, but the scratch was painful and the smell of blood spread instantly.
Lin Guantang blinked and then said:
"I didn't seem to say there was only one sniper. You don't really think that the number of snipers among the Central Military Academy represents the level of snipers in the entire empire."
Dionysus sneered and said:
"I mobilized the sharpshooters of the entire empire to protect you alone. I didn't expect it would be so great."
"Why not tell me? It's because I value you so much."
Lin Guantang corrected his words and said:
"In short, you should already be quite clear. You can certainly kill me in an instant, but you definitely can't escape. Now the problem is back to the beginning—"
"Is it really worth it for you to let your most cherished friend and a lowly councillor like me perish together, while leaving Huo Shizhen, the one who truly deserved to die, unscathed?"
——The first half of the sentence was addressed to the person in front of him, while the second half was addressed to the person conducting the conversation in Dionysus's earphones:
"Violet."
Dionysus instinctively felt angry, but before he could react, Violet's words came through the earphones:
"Use another device and open up the external sound."
Violet's voice rang out from the device, though the sound heard through the device wasn't entirely real—
Since the system was paralyzed, the old equipment that was urgently used had obvious distortion, but compared to the sound heard during the military academy's final drill, the modified sound was more human.
However, he is not as sinister and cunning as imagined. Instead, he is well-mannered and refined, which makes people imagine the image of a workplace elite.
Violet said:
"You know a lot about me."
"Just like you know me, no more, no less, just enough."
Lin Guantang said slowly:
"If I hadn't confirmed that it was you and your friend who were trying to rob me, I wouldn't have dared to get out of the car."
A cunning rabbit has three burrows. A suspicious and thoughtful person would definitely suspect some conspiracy when seeing Lin Guantang appear alone, and would not act rashly.
Next, Dionysus says that he is a person who does not follow rules - whether this is actually true is not yet known, but Violet is obviously a very rule-abiding person.
Otherwise, the last time they met at the military academy, they would not have known when to quit, but would have retreated very quickly without any thought of taking any risks.
This is also confirmed in Violet's resume file.
If Huo Shizhen could be successfully intercepted, or if Lin Guantang was added, it would not be impossible for his good partner Dionysus to die here together, but if only Lin Guantang was intercepted - then in the end the only ones who died were his good friend and the Lin Guantang who was unable to do anything - it was not only because the boss ordered that Lin Guantang should not die here, but also because he was very well-known and was a legitimate imperial senator.
Unlike Huo Shizhen, no matter how famous the imperial weapons were, he had not been awarded a proper position. Even if he died, in the eyes of the public, he was just a young master who died.
Lin Guantang was different. If he died at the hands of Eden, it would really arouse public outrage, and the empire could launch a massive attack in the name of seeking justice for the members of parliament.
Violet laughed twice with unclear meaning, and said somewhat unwillingly:
"I didn't expect you were a gambler too."
Lin Guantang said:
"Fortunately, we were able to successfully intercept the vehicle arranged by Huo Shizhen. Think about it, there is no other choice except your partner."
Violet laughed:
"So, Ashan is quite a threat to the Central Military Academy. However, Huo Shizhen is relieved to let you face Ashan here. Let me say this: this is not a sign of true love."
"This is the only way I can ensure my survival, right?"
Since there was no life-threatening situation, Lin Guantang didn't mind chatting with him for a while to buy some time for the others:
"If Huo Shizhen is in charge of the sniping now, you can bet on whether Huo Shizhen is more ruthless or you are more cruel. If you are lucky enough to win the bet and he doesn't want to hurt me, then you can also take me as a hostage."
"Others wouldn't have such concerns. After all, military academy missions only need to be carried out."
"Huo Shizhen is known for being cold-blooded and ruthless, prioritizing missions above all else... Others perceive him as someone who only cares about the Empire's orders. He doesn't even bother maintaining relationships with his blood relatives, so why would he care about my life or death?"
This is also what Violet thought in her heart——
Doing so can even prevent others from criticizing his character for killing his lover with his own hands.
Besides, the one who carried out the sniper mission was Yin Zhiyou...
According to the information Eden has, Yin Zhiyou was born to be the replacement for Huo Shizhen. Who would be willing to stay in the reserve field forever, especially someone with outstanding talent?
If anyone knew that they were chosen to be another person's substitute just because of their extraordinary talent, they would vomit blood and die.
At least Violet asked herself, if this was his fate, it would be considered a great act of kindness on his part if he did not poison his entire family, including Huo Shizhen, to death when he learned the truth.
Yin Zhiyou was able to remain silent all this time, he is truly an invincible ninja.
Although he has never concealed his mockery of this fate, his unusual language skills, in turn, can cause people trouble and speechlessness, but their damage is no less than that of a straightforward and venomous tongue.
As for his attitude towards Huo Shizhen, he was completely indifferent.
It's good to be alive, as it can give him a few more days of freedom. It's also okay to die, as it can allow him to inherit all the inheritance painlessly.
If this is the case, it is even more impossible to treat Lin Guantang, who is relying on Huo Shizhen, kindly.
In essence, both of them inherited the ruthless bloodline and twisted personality of the Yuan family.
Since Huo Shizhen is not here and Lin Guantang cannot be killed, there is only one outcome for this aggressive siege.
Let each other go.
Dionysus was unwilling, but he obviously listened to Violet's arrangements. In the end, he reluctantly went back to the car and left dejectedly.
But before leaving, Violet couldn't help but ask curiously:
"After setting up such a big show, they just let our people go like this. Don't you think it's a loss-making business?"
"Arranging them along the route is just part of a comprehensive plan. It doesn't mean the ultimate goal is to catch the robbers along the way—whether it's you or not."
Lin Guantang said disapprovingly:
"Dying here means nothing to me. Even if I let you escape, where can you go? Violet, I swore an oath that the next time we meet, I will make you admit defeat."
Such arrogant words almost make people hallucinate Huo Shizhen. It seems that it makes sense that people will influence each other when they get along for a long time.
The implication of the first half of the sentence is that even the Fugan area has been completely uprooted, so of course they don’t care about one or two fish that slip through the net.
As for the second half of the sentence, Violet only sighed twice and said:
"You are truly impressive. I look forward to seeing you again, Kobayashi."
Dionysus threw the loudspeaker to the ground. When Violet finished speaking and turned off the communication, the other party's vehicle had already sped away for a distance.
Naturally, there were other people responsible for tracking the vehicle. Lin Guantang did not leave immediately. He just looked at the equipment thrown on the ground. His instinct told him... Violet had something else to say.
At least there's no judgment on who won or lost in this meeting, right?
The vehicles were running on the road as if they were flying. There were no outsiders around. Dionysus complained quite bluntly:
"Have you ever thought that your obstruction was also part of his calculations?"
"Perhaps, then I will admit defeat."
Without outsiders around, Violet's voice grew tired and sluggish:
"I can't let you die in vain knowing that your sacrifice is meaningless. Even if Huo Shizhen was responsible for the sniping, I can't afford to gamble."
Dionysus sneered:
"Do you really think they will believe that bad people can have any moral integrity?"
"Others may not believe it, but this Xiaolin classmate is obviously completely sure of your importance to me. So the key question should be--"
Violet's mind quickly flashed through the images of everyone in the Garden of Eden, trying to guess who had revealed his background.
"As you said, he shouldn't be so sure that the archival materials describe the truth. So who betrayed us?"
Without thinking, Dionysus said:
"Who else could it be? Only Hermes. I don't know how he came up with this idea, but he actually dared to let him take full charge of the Imperial Capital Project."
"It's because the boss doesn't trust him that he lets him act under his nose, right? But you're right."
Violet said:
"He's most likely the one who leaked the secret. If that's the case, then I'll give him a gift, and also give one to Kobayashi-san."
He opened the communicator again, and regardless of whether there was anyone waiting on the other end, he said directly:
"On the thirteenth floor of the Purple Leaf Building, I have prepared a mysterious gift for you, Xiaolin."
After saying this, without waiting for any reaction from the other party, he hung up the communication and pressed the remote detonation system, blowing the communicator into pieces.
Afterwards, he specially called Hermes who was far away in the imperial capital, and very considerately exchanged with him the information that Yin Zhiyou appeared in Fugan District, and reminded him that his good friend Ge Xiheke was still staying in Fugan District.
The implication, of course, was to remind him not to do anything he shouldn't do, otherwise his friend's life would be in danger.
Hermes also responded thoughtfully:
"Thank you for sharing the information. My sincerest condolences to you and Dionysus for your sacrifice. I hope your friend Dionysus is still alive and well. You don't seem to be crying, so he probably wasn't killed by the sniper."
As expected, even if they are brainwashed and become companions, they are still very disgusting.
Violet finally said a routine sentence and asked him to convey her greetings to the boss, then simply hung up the phone decisively.
There was actually no need to convey that, because when the message was received, Hermes was standing in the boss's office.
The boss was hiding in the shadows, not paying any attention to the verbal exchanges between the two of them. However, he was surprised by Yin Zhiyou's whereabouts.
"It seems that he has concealed a lot from you, even making you have no idea where he has been."
"Isn't that natural?"
Hermes thought of his daily life as an undercover in the military academy—especially the moments he spent with Yin Zhiyou—and couldn't help but frown, showing utter disgust.
"He and I are mortal enemies, and I won't let him know my movements."
"Young man."
The boss chuckled twice, as if envying the young man's vibrant emotions. After a moment, he waved his hand and said:
"Old man Huo is claiming to be ill, and the news about the others has been blocked. There's nothing to worry about. Since he's also gone to Fugan District, this is good news. Let them transfer all the forces they can to Fugan District. You can arrange your next plan in the imperial capital with more confidence."
After a pause, he said meaningfully:
"Once everything is settled, I'll have Xiao Ge return to the capital and assign him a leisurely position to keep you company. Go ahead."
Hermes's casual attitude became slightly serious and... relieved because of this last sentence.
Then he said goodbye and left.
***
In Fugan District, after watching the small communication device explode in front of his eyes, Lin Guantang got back into the car and drove to the Ziye Building.
The Ziye Building, or Ziye Center, whose full name is Ziye Commercial Center Building, has become a landmark building in Fugan District and the number one commercial center in Fugan District. Who would have thought that its underground is the nest of the Garden of Eden?
And what is waiting for me on the thirteenth floor underground?
The vehicle drove onto the road leading to the Purple Leaf Building.
The sky was still gloomy, and the streets were still decorated with various anniversary celebration banners, leaving behind the afterglow of lively celebrations.
On the way, we passed by the restaurant that appeared in the fantasy world——
There actually is such a restaurant in the real world.
However, the restaurant was still the same restaurant, but the lights were off and it was closed. There was no familiar person in the restaurant late at night, waiting for anyone to arrive.
Lin Guantang withdrew his gaze, took a deep breath with his uneasy heart, and thought optimistically that no matter what, he had overcome the difficulties.
Perhaps what we should be most grateful for is... the autumn period.
On the night when he first saw the Dionysus file, he and Qiu Qiqi met in a common online game on the market. His account was very small and was robbed by others. Qiu Qiqi controlled his character to drop from the sky and helped him deal with those players with a few swipes.
Then they chatted briefly.
"Why help me?"
"It's a matter of reciprocity, little rookie. I see your ID is familiar. Didn't you help my friend a few days ago? I just saved you as a reward. You're welcome."
After saying this, Qiuqi flew away again.
It was really a chance encounter, and there was a lot of chivalry in it.
But they all knew that they were not just talking about what happened in the game.
Dionysus, the god of wine worshipped in the old era.
but--
Lin Guantang recalled that he didn't think that the half-exposed face of Dionysus matched the little prince and princess at all, at least not in his aesthetic taste.
So, please don’t change the fable randomly.
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