Chapter 34: Resolution

“Is this our new CEO? She’s absolutely stunning.”

“You’re right. She’s breathtaking. She outshines all those so-called celebrities.”

“The CEO has become my idol. But who’s that man next to her? How dare he be so close to my goddess? He’s as good as dead!”

These enthusiastic exclamations echoed around them, creating an atmosphere comparable to a grand star-studded concert.

Observing the spectacle, Wan Caixuan maintained her composure. She was accustomed to such reactions, and her earlier sense of dejection from Lin Xiao’s indifference was slowly dissipating. It wasn’t that she lacked charisma, but rather, Lin Xiao wasn’t your average individual.

“Please proceed, President,” someone prompted.

Wan Caixuan nodded, shooting a somewhat smug glance at Lin Xiao.

Lin Xiao looked a little perplexed by Wan Caixuan’s triumphant gaze, but he continued with his duty. He escorted Wan Caixuan into the research and development facility.

“Hmm?”

Lin Xiao suddenly stopped in his tracks. His eyes swept the surroundings with sharp precision, then locked onto a nearby corner. Just for a moment, a shadowy figure flickered into view—then vanished without a trace.

“What’s wrong? Is something amiss?”

Lin Xiao’s sudden stop, paired with the sharp focus in his eyes, instantly put Wan Caixuan on edge.

“You can relax, President Wan. I’ll handle it,” Lin Xiao said softly, leaning close to whisper in her ear.

His breath brushed against her skin, unexpectedly warm, sending a subtle ripple through her composure.

This was the third time she had been this close to Lin Xiao, first during the assassination attempt, when he had shielded her, then while sleeping on his shoulder, and now. However, the first incident had been so fraught with tension, and during the second one, she was asleep, making this the first time she was consciously this close to a man.

“Just… be careful,” Wan Caixuan said, concealing the unusual glint in her eyes.

Lin Xiao nodded and slipped away from the crowd, his steps quickening as he headed toward the spot where the shadowy figure had vanished.

Though the person had moved with care, their hurried escape left behind faint traces—imperceptible to most, but clear as day to Lin Xiao.

He followed the trail, focused and steady, until the figure came back into view. A flicker of anticipation crossed his face—then he suddenly stopped and sidestepped to the right.

A deafening bang rang out—a gunshot. A fresh bullet hole marked the spot where Lin Xiao had stood just moments earlier.

Lin Xiao looked up sharply. About ten meters away, nestled in the dense canopy of a tree, a black-clad figure crouched with a sniper rifle, its barrel still trained on him. That was the shooter.

“So, the ones who slipped through the net have come back,” Lin Xiao muttered, his gaze shifting from the sniper to another figure in black lurking just ahead.

They were the survivors—the remnants of the group that had tried to assassinate Wan Caixuan.

The sniper in the tree and the black-clad figure on the ground stiffened in disbelief—Lin Xiao had dodged the shot. The trap they’d so carefully laid had failed. One was supposed to lure him in, the other to finish him off. But Lin Xiao had seen right through it.

Without hesitation, both raised their weapons and fired again, aiming straight for Lin Xiao’s head.

But even as the bullets left their barrels, the two were already turning to flee. They knew Lin Xiao’s capabilities. Guns or not, they stood no chance in a direct fight.

Their ambush had been their only shot. Now that it had failed, escape was the only option.

“Trying to run? I let you go once. This time, there’s no escape.”

Lin Xiao sidestepped the bullets with ease. In the blink of an eye, he closed the distance to the black-clad figure nearby and unleashed a brutal kick.

The man was sent flying, landing squarely on a jagged shard jutting from the ground. It pierced clean through his chest. After a few spasms, he fell still—dead.

Lin Xiao didn’t stop. Without missing a beat, he darted toward the sniper’s perch.

The sniper paled and bolted. But outrunning Lin Xiao was a fantasy—he caught up in moments.

Cornered, the sniper drew a hidden blade in desperation. But before he could lift his arm, Lin Xiao slammed him to the ground. A crisp crack followed as Lin Xiao snapped both his arms.

“Speak. Who sent you?” Lin Xiao’s voice was cold as ice, his hand pressing the sniper’s head into the dirt.

The man let out a harsh, guttural laugh. “Hahaha… You want answers? Keep dreaming. Go ahead, kill me! What do I have to lose? You think I’d survive after botching an assassination? Don’t get cocky. I’ll be waiting for you in hell.”

Lin Xiao’s gaze narrowed. “Oh? And which organization do you belong to?”

The sniper’s grin twisted into something darker. “You won’t get me that easily. But I’ll give you this—what you’ve seen today? We’re just pawns. Foot soldiers. When the real ones come… You won’t even have time to beg.”

Without waiting for Lin Xiao’s response, the sniper raised his broken hand and, with a final burst of willpower, drove the dagger into his own throat. Blood spurted like a fountain.

Lin Xiao’s brows drew together in a tight frown. The man had chosen death over capture—an act that spoke volumes. This wasn’t the behavior of common thugs. Only the most disciplined, fanatical organizations trained their operatives to die before speaking.

Shadow, Blood Blade, Punishment, Divine Retribution…

Names of several notorious assassin groups flashed through Lin Xiao’s mind. Yet none of them matched—these assassins wore no insignia, left no clues. Nothing to trace.

“No matter who they are, I’ll deal with them,” Lin Xiao muttered, shaking his head. Groups like these were persistent, like a festering infection, but they didn’t pose any threat to him.

Wiping the blood from his sleeve, he turned and made his way back to Wan Caixuan.

When Lin Xiao returned, Wan Caixuan looked at him with barely concealed worry.

“It’s handled. The situation is under control,” Lin Xiao softly reassured her.

Relief washed over Wan Caixuan. Though she was the CEO of a multi-billion company, she was still a twenty-year-old girl. The constant threat to her life had her on edge.

Once Lin Xiao had defused the situation, Wan Caixuan was able to focus again. She began a thorough inspection of the Brilliant Aya Limited research facility.

She started with a meeting with the facility’s management team, discussing research development. Then, she moved on to talk with the rank-and-file staff. The inspection kept her busy for over two hours, and it was close to five in the evening by the time she wrapped it up.