Chapter 282: Hidden Currents

Huang Caixing reluctantly got into Huang Xinyu’s car. She rolled down the window and waved at Lin Xiao. Her expression was as though she were parting forever.

Huang Caixing cupped her hands around her mouth like a megaphone and shouted, “Big Brother Lin, YuYu, I’m leaving now!”

Lin Xiao smiled faintly and waved back from the roadside.

Yuan Yu leaned against Lin Xiao, clearly exhausted. Her large, bright eyes were barely open, hazy and unfocused. After all, she had just recovered from a high fever the day before and was physically weak. Even so, she forced herself to stay awake.

Huang Xinyu rolled her eyes from the driver’s seat and said irritably, “Caixing, why are you being so dramatic? It’s just one day apart from your Big Brother Lin. You’re acting like you’ll never see him again.”

“Hmph, I like it. It’s none of your business,” Huang Caixing pouted, rolling her eyes right back at her mother.

“You little brat, raising you all these years has been for nothing.”

Huang Xinyu, irritated by her daughter’s defiant attitude, was fuming. The contrast between how Huang Caixing behaved around Lin Xiao and how she acted now was infuriating.

Huang Caixing glanced at her mother’s chest, stoking the flames further.

“Don’t be so angry, Comrade Xinyu. Be careful not to blow up your chest.”

Huang Xinyu reached over to pinch Huang Caixing’s ear.

“Don’t think I won’t discipline you just because Lin Xiao is here.”

Huang Caixing dodged her mother’s hand, twisting around in the seat to avoid her.

Seeing the two bicker as soon as they got into the car, Lin Xiao knocked on the window and said, “Huang Caixing, listen to your mom. Stop messing around.”

Lin Xiao’s words were more effective than anything else. Huang Caixing immediately stopped moving and obediently let Huang Xinyu pinch her ear.

“You’ll be the death of me one day,” Huang Xinyu sighed, shaking her head. She let go of her daughter’s ear, glanced at Lin Xiao, and said, “Lin Xiao, we’re leaving now. Remember to come visit again next time.”

“Alright,” Lin Xiao replied.

Huang Xinyu waved at Yuan Yu before driving off.

“Let’s go too.” Lin Xiao lifted Yuan Yu into his arms. “Tired?”

Yuan Yu murmured a soft “Mm,” wrapping her arms around Lin Xiao’s neck. Resting her cheek against his chest, she slowly closed her eyes.

Lin Xiao opened the car door, gently laid Yuan Yu on the back seat, and covered her with a blanket. After making sure she was comfortable, he got into the driver’s seat and started the car, speeding away.

An hour later.

Lin Xiao opened the car door quietly and lifted Yuan Yu, who was still asleep. Her small face was flushed with a rosy hue, smooth and delicate as jade. Even in slumber, she radiated an incomparable beauty, her lips gently pressed together.

Startled awake by being lifted, Yuan Yu blinked and mumbled drowsily, “Big Brother Lin, are we home?”

“Yes, we’re here,” Lin Xiao replied, carrying her upstairs.

“I can walk by myself…”

Although she said this, Yuan Yu remained curled up in Lin Xiao’s arms, adjusting her position like a small cat before closing her eyes again.

Her body was light as a feather, soft and weightless in his arms.

Lin Xiao carried her into the house and laid her gently on the bed. He lightly patted her rounded hip and said, “Remember to take off your clothes and shoes before you sleep, okay?”

Yuan Yu murmured in response without opening her eyes. It was unclear if she had even heard him.

Lin Xiao stepped out of Yuan Yu’s room. He stripped off his mud-stained clothes, changed into shorts, and headed into the bathroom for a long, refreshing shower. Afterward, clean and relaxed, he felt completely revitalized.

***

Meanwhile, in Jiangbei City, at a remote estate on the outskirts.

The leader of the Hundred Seats Society, Fang Haoyan, flashed a cold, murderous glare at the man sitting across from him.

“Young Master Wan, my men have already located the girl by Lin Xiao’s side. We can act whenever you say the word.”

“Good, good!” Wan Shixuan laughed loudly. “I want that bastard to die without a burial place!”

Turning to the men beside him, Wan Shixuan barked orders, “Black Fury, Uncle Wang, be ready to move. The moment Fang’s men succeed, you’ll strike Jinghai City immediately and capture Wan Caixuan.”

The men beside him included the previously defeated steward, Uncle Wang, and a tall, cold-eyed man.

The man’s face was smeared with camouflage paint, making it impossible to discern his features. He wore black combat gear, grenades, a pistol strapped to his waist, and a submachine gun slung across his back. A military-grade triangular dagger was secured to his calf. He was fully armed, exuding a chilling, murderous aura.

This man was Black Fury, the leader of the Black Fury Mercenary Group.

While the name Black Fury was obscure domestically, it was infamous abroad. In certain war-torn countries, his very name could stop children from crying at night.

Previously, Wan Shixuan had set a meticulous trap for Lin Xiao, yet not only had it failed spectacularly, but Lin Xiao had managed to abduct Wan Shixuan’s decoy. This humiliation left Wan Shixuan seething, while Black Fury was equally ashamed of the defeat.

For someone like Black Fury, such a loss demanded retribution. However, he had remained dormant, awaiting Wan Shixuan’s command.

“Don’t worry, Young Master Wan.” Black Fury twirled his pistol deftly before holstering it with precision. He sprang up from the sofa, eyes gleaming with bloodlust. “I’ve been waiting for this day. That guy, Lin Xiao, dared to kill my brothers. I’ll make him pay in blood!”

Uncle Wang nodded in agreement. “Young Master, while that brat is skilled, this time we’ve found his weakness. He has nowhere to escape.”

“Haha, good. Then I can rest easy.” Wan Shixuan turned to Fang Haoyan. “Boss Fang, everything depends on you this time.”

“Don’t worry, Young Master Wan. I’ll act tomorrow,” Fang Haoyan replied with a nod. “But as we agreed, the girl will be mine.”

“Of course. I’m only interested in dealing with Lin Xiao. That girl is just a tool to take him down.”

Wan Shixuan smirked lewdly.

“But I must say, Boss Fang, you have good taste. That pure and lovely girl, if you hadn’t asked first, I would’ve enjoyed her myself.”

Fang Haoyan merely smiled faintly, saying nothing. While he found the girl stunning, he wasn’t driven by lust, especially when this matter involved someone as powerful as Wan Shixuan. If not for the international organization targeting the girl, Fang Haoyan wouldn’t have made such a request.

While the Hundred Seats Society held significant influence in Jiangnan Province’s underworld, it was nothing compared to Wan Shixuan’s background.

Yet, driven by his hatred for Lin Xiao, Wan Shixuan agreed, which gave Fang Haoyan confidence. He was determined to handle this matter flawlessly.