Chapter 196: The Trap

Wan Shixuan elegantly raised his glass, taking a sip with a poised demeanor, “Given your assurance, I’ll be watching. However, if you fail again, our agreement will terminate, and you’ll be left to fend for yourselves.”

A flash of suppressed anger crossed Blood Shadow’s eyes, his displeasure with Wan Shixuan’s dismissive attitude evident. But, as the saying goes, one must bow under the eaves of another’s house.

As the leader of the Dark Night Order, Blood Shadow was in a precarious position due to the current weakened state of his organization. Thus, he was forced to act subserviently.

The man before him was no ordinary wealthy heir. He was a legitimate successor of the Wan family, wielding immense power and backed by a powerful family.

Blood Shadow had expended considerable effort to establish a connection with Wan Shixuan. With Wan Shixuan’s and his family’s support, resurrecting Dark Night to its former glory–and perhaps reaching even greater heights–seemed within reach.

For his ambitions, Blood Shadow was prepared to temporarily humble himself. Once Dark Night Order regained its full strength, if Wan Shixuan dared to treat him with the same disdain, he would not hesitate to let Wan Shixuan taste the true wrath of the Night.

Wan Shixuan noticed the flicker in Blood Shadow’s eyes, but he didn’t care.

He thought to himself, ‘He’s just the head of an assassin organization. Does he really think he’s something special? Once I become the head of the Wan family, killing him will be as easy as crushing an ant.’

Yet, for now, Dark Night still held some value, particularly in handling Wan Caixuan. Therefore, Wan Shixuan contained his revulsion, maintaining a facade of cordiality with Blood Shadow.

As each harbored their own motives, a man in a black suit with a somber expression hurried into the hall and murmured a few words into Blood Shadow’s ear.

Crack!

Blood Shadow, usually composed, couldn’t contain himself any longer. The glass in his hand was crushed into smithereens, sending shards flying and red wine splattering all over the floor. His face behind the mask turned an iron blue.

Wan Shixuan arched an eyebrow, his gaze shifting from laziness to a chilly detachment, “It seems there’s more bad news. What happened?”

Blood Shadow looked like he was about to erupt, but restrained himself under Wan Shixuan’s icy stare. He took several deep breaths before speaking.

“It’s not much. I tried to make contact with the Hundred Seat Society in Jiangnan Province, but they shockingly refused to cooperate.”

His voice was hoarse, and each word seemed laboriously spoken.

“As I expected, trash remains trash,” Wan Shixuan said emotionlessly, downing the last of his wine in one go, “Give me the full details.”

Blood Shadow clenched his fists, his nails nearly piercing his palms. Even though Wan Shixuan had insulted them, he was too preoccupied to worry about petty insults.

He had been confident about this mission, hoping to leverage the strength of the Hundred Seat Society to intimidate Wan Shixuan, but it had unexpectedly failed.

“I sent people to request assistance from the Hundred Seat Society, considering it’s their territory. Instead, they outright ejected my men.”

Blood Shadow managed to calm his nerves, suppressing the fury within.

“Don’t worry, I never really counted on you anyway.”

Wan Shixuan casually patted the derriere of the woman snuggling in his arms, eliciting a mild protest from her as she sat up straight.

“I originally planned to give you a chance to prove your worth. But how can I when you can’t even stand firm on your own? Blood Shadow, let me be clear. If you handle tasks diligently for me going forward, I’m willing to keep supporting you. Otherwise, we can simply part ways. What do you think?”

The failure of the Dark Night Order turned out to be good news for Wan Shixuan, presenting him with a prime opportunity to subjugate the organization.

Given his status, once he made up his mind, there was no need for discretion. He spoke plainly, utterly indifferent to Blood Shadow’s feelings.

Blood Shadow’s face behind the mask alternated between green and white, overwhelmed with embarrassment. At this point, he lacked any leverage to negotiate with Wan Shixuan.

Who cares about those who can’t deliver results?

If he didn’t accept Wan Shixuan’s terms, Blood Shadow feared he might not leave this villa alive.

“Young master is right. I’ll depend on you from now on,” Blood Shadow acknowledged, rising from the sofa and bowing deeply to Wan Shixuan.

“Please look after me!”

“Haha, good,” Wan Shixuan responded with satisfaction, playfully pinching the cheeks of the woman in his arms, “Akayuki, fetch a new glass for Blood Shadow. I want to share a drink with him.”

Just then, another man entered, dressed in colorful attire with his face covered in paint. He was tall and muscular, moving with the stride of a dragon and the stance of a tiger, his eyes cold and deadly. He wore a bulletproof vest, a submachine gun slung on his back, and grenades hanging at his waist.

“Young master, the fish has bitten,” the man said bluntly upon entering, unbothered by Blood Shadow’s presence. “We’ve just received word that three vehicles are parked at the hill’s base, one of which is a Rolls-Royce identical to Miss Wan’s. It is presumed that Miss Wan is in one of them.”

Wan Shixuan’s eyes sparkled, a cold, confident smile crossing his face as he drained his glass of wine.

“I knew she wouldn’t be able to resist after receiving my message. Act immediately, capture her for me!”

After speaking, Wan Shixuan added sternly, “If anyone tries to stop you, kill them without mercy.”

His last words bristled with lethal intent.

“Understood.”

The colorfully dressed man turned and departed promptly, demonstrating decisiveness and efficiency.

Blood Shadow, stunned by the unfolding events, hesitated before cautiously inquiring, “Young master, what is this?”