Chapter Eighty-Six: The Death of Chen Yang

Just as Qin Yu stepped into the stone chamber, a cold arrow suddenly shot out from within. She quickly tilted her head, and the arrow flew straight toward Chen Yang’s head. Chen Yang’s eyes flashed with sharpness; with a flick of his hand, a white light gleamed, and the arrow snapped in two. Witnessing this, a shadow passed through Qin Yu’s eyes. Chen Yang glared at her viciously, barking, “Don’t try any tricks!”

Qin Yu smiled and replied, “Isn’t it instinct to evade danger?”

Chen Yang’s face darkened but he said nothing more. He gave Qin Yu a shove and ordered, “Move!”

Though pushed, Qin Yu showed no anger. She glanced at Tao, who was being held at gunpoint, and flexed her fingers slightly, then proceeded forward at a measured pace.

Whether intentional or not, Qin Yu walked faster than usual. Watching her quicken her steps, Chen Yang grew anxious—if she seized the mission item first and refused to hand it over, conflict would be inevitable, though it might have been avoided otherwise. With this thought, he hurried to catch up with her.

He failed to notice, however, that his own team members were lagging behind, their footsteps unusually slow.

Strangely enough, they encountered no further attacks along the way. After about ten minutes, Qin Yu suddenly halted.

Chen Yang gave her a cold look and asked, “Why have you stopped?”

Qin Yu tapped the gun aimed near her face and said, “Captain Chen, shouldn’t we wait for the others?”

Only then did Chen Yang realize his people hadn’t kept up. His face clouded over. “If anything happens to them, you can forget about surviving this!”

Qin Yu waved her hand dismissively, feigning nonchalance. “Captain Chen, I haven’t done anything.”

“You…” Chen Yang started, but before he could continue, Zhao Meng and the others appeared behind them.

Chen Yang’s subordinates still held Zhao Meng and the others as before. If not for Qin Yu’s sharp eyes noticing the lack of vitality in their gaze, she might have thought her plan had failed.

Thanks to Qin Yu’s subtle provocation, Chen Yang was already unsettled and failed to notice any difference in his men. Even under normal circumstances, Chen Yang might not have seen through it—after all, Tao’s hypnotic powers were formidable.

Watching Xiao Wu and the others shuffle slowly forward, Chen Yang barked, “What, didn’t you eat? Move faster! If you delay our business, can you bear the consequences?”

The others kept their heads bowed in silence, but Xia Cheng looked at the irate Chen Yang and said, “Captain Chen, is there any need to get so worked up? It’s bad for your health. See, we’re here now. Instead of lecturing us, wouldn’t it be better to focus on the task at hand? The mission is urgent, after all.”

Chen Yang glanced at Xia Cheng and replied coolly, “Meddlers don’t live long.”

Xia Cheng shrugged, an expression of wounded goodwill on his face, and said no more.

Chen Yang, seeing Xia Cheng apparently subdued, gave a cold snort, then turned to Qin Yu. “You—keep moving!”

Qin Yu glanced at the two doors ahead and asked, “Captain Chen, you’re putting me in a difficult position. How am I supposed to know which one to choose?”

Chen Yang looked at the nearly identical doors and hesitated. After glancing at those behind him, he said, “We’ll split up. Xiao Wu, take two others with you through the left door; the rest, come with me!” He gave these orders to his trusted subordinate, Xiao Wu.

Xiao Wu nodded silently and took Tao toward the left door. Chen Yang couldn’t shake the feeling that something was amiss, but he couldn’t pinpoint what.

He watched Xiao Wu and the others disappear into the darkness, then forced Qin Yu through the right door.

As soon as they entered, Chen Yang felt darkness close in. Almost immediately, he realized Qin Yu had vanished. His heart sank. “Xiao Liu? Xiao Qi, are you there?”

There was only silence and boundless blackness in response. A growing sense of dread crept over Chen Yang; he had a premonition that he might be doomed this time. Still… He gripped his gun tightly and tried to push the door open, only to find it had somehow closed and wouldn’t budge.

Taking a deep breath, Chen Yang called out, “Qin Yu, I know you’re nearby. Come out and let’s talk.”

Only the sound of his own breathing answered him. Panic flickered in his eyes as he continued, “Captain Qin, I promise you—if you help me accomplish the mission, I’ll give you half the reward! No, better yet… sixty-forty, you sixty, me forty—how about that?”

Still, there was nothing but dead silence. Now truly terrified, Chen Yang sensed something watching him. Years of honed instincts told him that gaze wished nothing more than to tear him to pieces. The chill that ran down his spine confirmed it was not Qin Yu’s eyes fixed upon him.

He pointed his gun into the darkness and, forcing a semblance of calm, said, “Captain Qin, if you help me finish the task, I’ll give you the entire reward. All of it! Just come out! Please!”

His words had barely faded when suddenly a bright light flashed before his eyes. He raised a hand to shield himself and, through his fingers, saw a figure standing in the glow—it was unmistakably his trusted subordinate, Xiao Wu.

Relief flooded Chen Yang, and he lowered his hand, preparing to speak—when suddenly his eyes widened in shock. Looking down, he saw blood welling from his chest, disbelief etched across his face.

At the far end of the white light, Xiao Wu stood unmoving, gun pointed at Chen Yang, his face expressionless. Beside him stood Qin Yu and the others.

Chen Yang pointed a trembling finger at Xiao Wu, unable to believe that the shot had come from him. The bullet had struck his heart, snuffing out his life in an instant.

A single tear slid from the corner of his eye. He slowly closed his eyes and fell straight to the ground. Xiao Wu, seeing what he’d done, was seized by a violent internal struggle. He dropped the gun, crouched down, and let out a howl of anguish. Tao, witnessing the scene, picked up the gun and, with a single shot, ended Xiao Wu’s suffering. Xiao Wu slumped to the ground, all the while never taking his eyes off Chen Yang’s corpse. Tears of blood trickled down his face.

Qin Yu observed all this, her gaze shifting to Tao.

Tao dropped the gun and said, “His death broke my hypnosis. If I hadn’t killed him, he would have died from mental collapse—much more painfully. If he must die, let me be the villain and end it quickly.”

Tao stared at the lifeless Xiao Wu, his eyes still locked upon Chen Yang, blood tears slowly dripping onto the floor. Something indescribable flickered in her own gaze.

Qin Yu looked at the bodies of Chen Yang and Xiao Wu and sighed softly, lost in thought.