Chapter 197: Action

“The fish has bitten. My dear sister, Wan Caixuan, has finally arrived,” Wan Shixuan sneered. “Blood Shadow, this is your only chance. Otherwise, if you fail again, don’t blame me for being merciless. I don’t need a useless organization.”

Blood Shadow’s face beneath the mask stiffened, then he confidently replied, “Don’t worry, young master, this operation is bound to succeed.”

“That’s reassuring to hear.”

Wan Shixuan’s hand clenched suddenly, his voice brimming with commanding confidence, “Now, I’m eager to see how she can possibly escape from the palm of my hand.”

***

Lin Xiao clung to the villa’s wall like a giant gecko, silently and steadily ascending toward the roof.

Despite the barrier of the wall, he could still clearly hear the footsteps inside the villa. These footsteps were firm and vigorous, indicative of exceptional physical conditioning.

Lin Xiao held his breath, reducing his breathing and heartbeat to the barest minimum, yet he continued to ascend relentlessly. He soon reached the villa’s rooftop. Planting his hands deep into the wall, he engaged his core and legs to perform a mid-air flip, landing solidly on the roof.

Crouching low, Lin Xiao quickly scanned his surroundings, immediately grasping the layout around the villa.

‘This is definitely a trap,’ he thought to himself.

Not far off, two men in colorful attire, fully equipped, stood in the shadow of the rooftop. Each had a submachine gun slung over his back and a cigarette in hand, shrouded in clouds of smoke.

Lin Xiao narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing the two men. His gaze was sharp and calculating, like a predator in the dark studying its prey.

From his observations, Lin Xiao could tell these weren’t regular soldiers but likely members of a mercenary group.

If these were soldiers, their discipline wouldn’t be this lax, nor their posture so slack. Only mercenaries would smoke during guard duty.

This was understandable. The military was a finely honed weapon. How could it possibly serve as Wan Shixuan’s personal guards?

Since they were mercenaries, that made things simpler.

Those two mercenaries could never have imagined that death had already silently descended upon them.

Lin Xiao, like a massive civet cat, leaped from the rooftop and landed silently behind the two men. Without hesitation, his hands shot out, seizing their necks.

One man didn’t even have time to grunt before Lin Xiao swiftly broke his neck with a sickening crack.

The other man, though his neck was not broken by Lin Xiao, was unable to utter a sound either. Lin Xiao’s gaze was icy as he continued to apply pressure, lifting the man with one hand. No matter how the man struggled, he didn’t budge.

After a few minutes, the man’s eyes rolled back, his struggles slowed, and he eventually fell unconscious.

Lin Xiao let go, setting the man down gently, then listened intently.

Only after ensuring no one was approaching did Lin Xiao tear off a piece of cloth to gag the man’s mouth, dislocate his limbs, and then deliver a punch to his chest, jolting him awake.

“I ask, you answer. No tricks, or you die,” Lin Xiao said without mincing words, placing his hand ominously on the man’s neck, his voice colder than ever.

The man’s eyes showed utter despair. He closed them, disregarding Lin Xiao, resigned to his fate.

As a soldier specialized in sabotage and assassination, Lin Xiao knew exactly how to interrogate an enemy. Expressionless, he lifted his left hand and with a knife-hand strike, jabbed forcefully under the man’s ribs, releasing a burst of energy from his fingertips.

“Ah!”

The man suddenly opened his eyes, his face contorted in agony, his body convulsing like a dying fish. Sweat poured down his forehead, soaking his colorful uniform within seconds.

Until the man was nearly fainting from the pain, Lin Xiao lightly patted him, easing his agony.

“Are you ready to talk now?”

The man vigorously nodded, his eyes filled with fear. He had no desire to endure that excruciating pain a second time.

Lin Xiao removed the cloth from the man’s mouth, but just as he did, the man’s eyes suddenly gleamed, and he opened his mouth to shout.

Crack!

With a sharp snap, before he could utter a word, Lin Xiao broke his neck.

“He was a tough one, but a pity we are enemies. Since you weren’t cooperative, I had no choice but to end it,” Lin Xiao closed the man’s eyes, whispering softly.

Suddenly alert, Lin Xiao moved swiftly to the edge of the rooftop to look down. The villa’s main gate had flung open, and several Humvees thundered out, racing down the hill.

The vehicles were loaded with fully armed mercenaries. Lin Xiao even noticed rocket launchers among the heavy weaponry they carried.

As they vanished into the distance, Lin Xiao’s expression darkened. He pulled out his phone and dialed Wan Caixuan’s number.

“Hello, Lin–” came Wan Caixuan’s voice a few seconds later.

“Get out of there immediately and return to the main city as fast as you can,” Lin Xiao cut in, his voice urgent and rapid, “Wan Shixuan has found you, a squad of mercenaries is heading your way.”

“What?”

Though initially shocked, Wan Caixuan wasn’t just any ordinary girl. Quickly regaining her composure, she decisively said, “Okay, I’m leaving now. Lin Xiao, be careful yourself.”

Seconds later, the three cars at the foot of the mountain turned around and sped toward the main city.

Lin Xiao ended the call and stood still, pondering for a moment. His calm, indifferent eyes slowly sparked with a gleam of cold light.

This unexpected turn of events actually presented him with an excellent opportunity to capture Wan Shixuan. With most of the villa’s mercenaries gone to chase Wan Caixuan, the defenses would surely be weakened. Wan Shixuan might have skilled protectors, but to Lin Xiao, they posed little challenge.

Taking a deep breath, Lin Xiao’s gaze toward the villa was ice-cold. He lifted his right leg and violently kicked the metal door that led from the rooftop to the villa.

The door could not withstand Lin Xiao’s formidable strength. It twisted and deformed, flying into the villa and crashing heavily against the wall with a loud noise, stirring up a cloud of dust.

The sudden movement of the door startled the two mercenaries inside.

While most of the mercenaries and Dark Night Order assassins had left to pursue Wan Caixuan, a few remained to guard the villa.

Upon hearing the loud crash and seeing Lin Xiao emerging from the dust, the mercenaries’ eyes nearly popped out in shock.

Overcome by surprise, they instinctively raised their handguns at Lin Xiao. But before they could fire, Lin Xiao had already charged at them, grabbed their collars, and flung them aside.

The two mercenaries, both over 1.7 meters tall and weighing more than 120 kilograms, were tossed aside by Lin Xiao like rag dolls. They rolled down the stairs, ending up severely injured and bleeding.