Two muffled thuds.
Blood instantly exploded!
The leader convulsed violently. The moment the bullets pierced his neck, they tore a void through the muscle. He didn’t even have time to cover the wound before he instantly pitched backward. The sheer force of the two shots was enough to practically snap his neck.
Only as the warm fluid that had splattered on his face slowly slid down did Chen Zemian realize the person was no longer alive.
Before fear could set in, he heard Chen Qingyu call down from upstairs. “Son, come over here.”
The dagger dropped, landing with a faint clink—a sound imperceptible in the clamor of gunfire still erupting in the main house. Chen Zemian snapped back to attention, picked up the dagger, and expertly looted the body.
He dragged the dead leader behind cover, first taking the submachine gun, then donning the bulletproof vest. He tried on the helmet but found it too heavy and confining, and since it was covered in blood, he took it off and tossed it to Lu Zhuonian outside the door. “Thanks, buddy.”
Lu Zhuonian wasn’t sure if Chen Zemian was thanking him or the dead man. He was operating under high tension, forgetting the danger as he focused entirely on covering Chen Zemian’s ascent to join Chen Qingyu. Seeing Zemian throw something to him, he caught it without looking. Only when his hands closed around it did he realize it was a blood-soaked helmet. He immediately threw it down in disgust.
The bloodied helmet rolled down the steps like a severed head, stopping at the feet of Ye Chen, who had just dismounted.
“No time to be picky,” Ye Chen said, picking up the helmet. “What’s the situation?”
Seeing the arrival of reinforcements, Lu Zhuonian immediately deployed them. “Chen Zemian went inside. I’m covering him here. You go get weapons from the butler.”
Ye Chen grabbed Yan Luo, who was about to charge into the main house, and cascaded the urgent task downward. “I’ll cover Lu Zhuonian and Chen Zemian here. You go get weapons from the butler.”
Yan Luo froze, looking hesitantly at Lu Zhuonian. Lu Zhuonian nodded in agreement.
“Go on. Minors are prohibited from participating in dangerous activities,” Ye Chen pulled out his sidearm and deftly chambered a round. At the same time, he grabbed Xiao Kesong, who was trying to rush upstairs. “You go with Yan Luo to get weapons too.”
Xiao Kesong exploded. “I’m not a minor!”
“But your marksmanship is poor, your guts are small,” Ye Chen said mildly. “And you’d worry about sacrificing yourself and preemptively sell out the organization.”
Xiao Kesong was speechless.
As a frequent victim of Chen Zemian’s betrayals, Lu Zhuonian empathized deeply. “Everyone go get guns first. Ye Chen and I have this.”
Meanwhile, Xue Duo and Liu Yuebo arrived and met with the police, who were being guided by the butler, in front of the main house.
As police sirens wailed, the cornered gunmen inside grew even more desperate and frantic.
Chen Zemian scrambled up the stairs and joined Chen Qingyu in protecting Wilson, retreating toward the safe room. Chen Qingyu was like a swift, agile cheetah, traversing the hail of bullets. His turns and leaps seemed tightly calculated, perfectly evading attacks. He and Chen Zemian worked together seamlessly, one attacking and one defending, forming an unbreakable line of defense.
With a successful iris scan, the wall silently slid open, revealing a metal door that led to the safe room stairs. As soon as they stepped onto the stairs, a burst of gunfire erupted behind them, but the metal door slammed shut instantly, intercepting all the bullets.
— * — * — * — * — *— * — * — * — * — *— * — * — * — * — *
Amid the deafening clatter of gunfire, Wilson praised Chen Zemian. “Like father, like son. You are as valiant as Chen Qingyu was in his youth.”
Chen Qingyu frowned, looking sideways at Wilson. “I’m more valiant now, thank you.”
Wilson looked at Chen Zemian, who was a carbon copy of Chen Qingyu, his appreciation unconcealed. He tried to persuade him to stay and protect him. “No wonder you looked familiar the first time I saw you. With such great skill, would you be interested in working for me? I will pay any price you name.”
Chen Qingyu raised the hand holding his gun, blocking Wilson’s intense gaze. “Impossible.”
“My dad and I are going back to China,” Chen Zemian interjected, seizing the chance to flip Wilson. “Why don’t you come to China? It’s really safe there.”
Wilson blinked.
Chen Qingyu wiped a speck of blood from Chen Zemian’s cheek with the back of his finger. “You watch Mr. Wilson here. I’m going out to clean up the rest of them.”
Chen Zemian tugged on the corner of Chen Qingyu’s shirt. “Don’t bother. The police are here now.”
Chen Qingyu paused slightly, considering something, and then nodded. “That’s true.”
Wilson looked at Chen Qingyu, astonished. It was the first time he had ever seen the legendary “God of Slaughter” voluntarily back down.
In his surprise, he suddenly heard Chen Qingyu speak. “That man was shot and killed by Lu Zhuonian. I did not fire a shot.”
Wilson, who had just watched Chen Qingyu pull the trigger: …
To maintain an image in front of his son, some people really will say anything.
Hearing this, Chen Zemian was taken aback. “Really?” He vaguely remembered hearing the two muffled thuds of bullets entering flesh. Had Lu Zhuonian fired two shots?
“I didn’t fire a shot.”
After the dust settled, Lu Zhuonian lowered his eyelids and casually threw the blame onto Chen Qingyu while wiping the blood from Chen Zemian’s hands with a damp towel. “Your dad’s marksmanship is truly excellent. One shot, and the villain was dead.”
Chen Zemian: ????
Wait, what is going on?
Lu Zhuonian said he didn’t shoot, and Chen Qingyu said he didn’t shoot. Then how did the villain die? Did he just drop dead?
It couldn’t have been a shot from his own people, could it?
“Maybe one of his men shot him during the chaos,” Mr. Wilson offered a high-EQ answer when Chen Zemian asked him about the police investigation results regarding who killed the gunman. “These mercenaries are desperate men. Maybe they had a long-standing grudge against their boss and seized the opportunity to kill him and take his place.”
Chen Zemian did not look convinced. “You think so?”
Wilson nodded, patting Chen Zemian’s shoulder with a look of affectionate esteem, as if speaking to a promising junior. “Don’t worry too much. Once the autopsy report comes out, we’ll know who fired the shots based on the bullet caliber. I promise I will tell you then.”
Chen Zemian remained skeptical. “You better not lie to me, Mr. Wilson. I’m very hard to fool.”
Wilson couldn’t help but chuckle. “How could I possibly lie to you?”
Chen Zemian was now suspicious that not only Wilson but also his dad and Lu Zhuonian were lying to him. There were clearly two shots, so how could they both claim they hadn’t fired? Were they treating him like an idiot?!
Seeing Chen Zemian’s displeasure, Wilson looked up at the main house, where police tape was now being strung. “I originally planned to give you this manor, but it’s been spoiled. There’s another one in the West Suburbs, Wild Rose Manor. It’s a few dozen kilometers further, but the scenery is better. You can have that one to enjoy.”
Chen Zemian’s attention was successfully diverted. “That’s not necessary. I don’t like flying, so I probably can’t travel back and forth often.”
Wilson sighed softly. “Please take it. Consider it my repayment for saving my life. You can come and go as you please, and if you don’t want to use it, renting it out is still a substantial income.”
Chen Zemian picked up on Wilson’s hidden meaning. “Does that mean you won’t be needing my dad’s protection anymore?”
“He wants to go home with you, and I cannot force him to stay. China always speaks of fate. When Miss Cheng returned to the country that year, she told me four words: ‘Our fate is over’,” Wilson showed a helpless smile. “It seems now… perhaps my fate with your father has also run its course.”
Chen Zemian stammered. “Uh, I don’t think that’s quite the same analogy, but I understand what you mean.”
Wilson glanced at Lu Zhuonian in the distance. “He was not a good-looking baby at all.”
Chen Zemian looked back too. “He’s good-looking now, and that’s all that matters.”
Wilson shrugged. “Well, as long as you like him. I often advised your father to be more open-minded.”
Chen Zemian offered an awkward smile. “Thank you. You have a lot of things to deal with here, so we won’t overstay our welcome.”
Wilson instructed the butler to bring the manor deeds and other documents. “It is a bit of a mess here. I won’t keep you. Go enjoy Wild Rose Manor. The roses are about to fade; it would be nice if you could go see them for me.”
After Chen Qingyu’s departure, Wilson’s travels would have to be much more cautious. Sightseeing and enjoying beautiful views would be out of the question for the near future. For safety, he was best off not moving around. Everyone has their troubles, and even the fabulously wealthy Wilson could not have everything go his way.
Chen Zemian agreed, promising to send Wilson photos of the flower fields and inviting him to visit China sometime.
— * — * — * — * — *— * — * — * — * — *— * — * — * — * — *
In the evening, Wilson personally saw Chen Qingyu and the others off.
Chen Qingyu remained composed and distant, as if he could never be disturbed by the pangs of farewell. Wilson, too, showed little sadness, offering a polite smile and a wave. There were no long pavilions, no ancient roads, and no endless green fields—only the setting sun accompanying their departure.
Before getting into the car, Chen Qingyu simply left one sentence: “Try to live a long life.”
Wilson smiled and nodded. “I’ll try. You take care, too.”
Beyond that, there were no other words, though they both knew this separation might mean they would never see each other again. Their bond was one forged in life and death; some things didn’t need to be said. Without Wilson, Chen Qingyu would have died in the ocean twenty years ago. Without Chen Qingyu, Wilson would likely not have lived to see today. The good deeds sown twenty years ago had blossomed into over seven thousand days and nights of selfless protection. Perhaps the relationships between people truly have a fixed trajectory, destined for separation from the day they meet.
The attack concluded with Chen Zemian gaining another manor.
Wild Rose Manor was even more vast and luxurious, boasting endless rose fields, high-end smart home systems, and entertainment facilities. It was late summer, and the roses were in their final blooming phase. Every single flower was exerting all its strength, opening to its fullest, filling the entire manor with rich fragrance. Splendid, gorgeous, and blazing like fire. Even if they were to turn to dust the next second, they would burn intensely in this one.
Xue Duo held his camera, trying to capture the entire flower field, but Yan Luo would pop up from the rose bushes, followed by Liu Yuebo. Just as he chased those two away, Xiao Kesong and Ye Chen would emerge from somewhere else. They were impossible to fully shoo away, popping up like moles in a game, driving Xue Duo mad enough to want to pinch his own pressure points.
Lu Zhuonian and Chen Qingyu, oblivious to the beauty, stood outside the field with paintball guns, comparing their marksman skills. Xiao Kesong, biased toward his good brother, secretly tried to disrupt Chen Qingyu, who shot him in the forehead, splattering a blue flower of paint.
Lu Zhuonian laughed loudly and without shame.
Xiao Kesong was furious. He grabbed a paintball gun and charged the two of them, launching a literal moth-to-a-flame attack. He hit the enemy twice and was hit twenty times in return. Xiao Kesong rallied Ye Chen, Yan Luo, and Liu Yuebo to challenge the authority of the two veterans in a four-against-two fight. Suddenly, a stray round hit Xue Duo’s camera lens, dragging the focused landscape photographer into the fray.
What followed was a glorious brawl.
Chen Zemian stood on the hill overlooking the vibrant, lush sea of flowers, a strange peace settling in his heart. His family, his friends, and his beloved were all by his side. A beautiful moment, within reach.
Down in the field, everyone was covered in paint splatters. In the melee, friend and foe were indistinguishable, and even Chen Qingyu and Lu Zhuonian hadn’t escaped the paint.
Xue Duo, his hands dirty, switched lenses and called everyone over for a group photo.
During the photo, they suddenly noticed that an impeccably clean Chen Zemian was standing just outside the frame. Everyone immediately called for him to come down.
Xiao Kesong waved. “Little Mian Mian, come take a picture!”
Chen Qingyu: “Come take a picture, son.”
Lu Zhuonian also called to him. “Come on, Mian Mian.”
Chen Zemian replied three times in quick succession. “Coming! Coming! It’s coming!”
He ran down the hill like a passing wind—
Blowing towards the mountains, blowing towards the sea of flowers, Blowing towards freedom and passion.
——— Main Text Finished ———
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The author has something to say:
There are a lot of extra chapters in the comments section, and I can’t hold them all when I write them. Starting from Chapter 139 (the next chapter), they are all set as extra chapters. If you don’t buy them, it won’t affect your full subscription. If you don’t like reading, you can skip them. Please don’t let the extra chapters affect the final rating.
Please, please (っ｡•́︿•̀｡ς) ★★★★★ The final rating is very important and give it five stars. If you can’t give it five stars due to the mechanism, you can come back and give it later. (ㅅ´ ˘ `) (Bow)
TL has something to say:
And that’s it for the Main Text!!!
You can buy the Extras in my Ko-Fi Shop. The Side Stories will be there shortly.
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Author: LazyHermitGal
A Lazy Hermit Gal wondering in the void and falling into the translation abyss.
