Chapter 72: The Plan

Wan Caixuan watched in silence from the sidelines.

While Lin Xiao carried out the interrogation, Wan Caixuan held back from interrupting. She understood that matters like these were best left to professionals—and when it came to interrogation, Lin Xiao’s expertise far surpassed her own.

At the same time, as she watched him, her curiosity regarding Lin Xiao’s identity reached its peak.

She was no fool. It was clear from the man’s words that he knew Lin Xiao and was deeply terrified of him.

‘Night Emperor,’ Wan Caixuan silently mulled over this name in her heart.

Unaware of Wan Caixuan’s thoughts, Lin Xiao focused his gaze on the man from the Dark Night Order, asking coolly, “Made up your mind? To speak or not to speak?”

“I’ll talk,” the man replied, his tone heavy with resignation. “But on one condition: spare the Order.”

A low chuckle slipped from Lin Xiao’s lips. “You know who I am, and you still think you’re in a position to bargain?” He had spared the Order once before—and now they dared show themselves again. There was no chance he’d agree.

“Then forget it,” the man said firmly. “You won’t get a word out of me.”

A flash of determination crossed his eyes. Without warning, he bit down hard, crushing a hidden pill tucked inside his mouth.

His body convulsed violently. His face flushed an unnatural red. Blood trickled from his nose, ears, and lips. Then, with a final shudder, his head slumped forward—lifeless.

The sudden, gruesome death startled Wan Caixuan. She instinctively reached for Lin Xiao’s arm, her voice trembling. “What… what just happened to him?”

“He killed himself,” Lin Xiao replied with a slight frown. “A suicide pill. They’re trained for this.”

Lin Xiao knew well that every assassin from the Dark Night Order carried a suicide pill. Still, he hadn’t expected the man in black to be so loyal—to choose death without a second thought the moment he realized escape was impossible.

“Dark Night Order assassins always carry poison,” Lin Xiao explained calmly. “It’s meant for use only if a mission fails and capture is inevitable. Most hesitate. But this one had it hidden in his mouth and took it the moment he realized he couldn’t withstand interrogation. I underestimated his loyalty. That’s on me.”

Wan Caixuan shook her head, waving off the apology. “It’s not your fault.” She lowered herself onto the sofa, visibly unsettled. Her calm exterior was cracking.

“Who exactly wants me dead?” she asked quietly, her voice tinged with disbelief.

“You’re safe,” Lin Xiao said, his tone steady. “As long as I’m here, no one will harm you.”

She glanced at him. For the first time, his presence felt like a shield—solid, immovable, reassuring.

“What should we do now?” she asked, her voice soft but resolute.

Wan Caixuan had been through countless challenges in her life. But after surviving back-to-back assassination attempts, the world around her suddenly felt unsteady.

Unlike Wan Caixuan, Lin Xiao remained unfazed. Death was nothing new to him—whether delivering it or witnessing it. He had long lost count of how many times he’d been targeted. Only after he rose to power in the underworld did the attempts finally taper off. By then, it was clear to all: trying to assassinate Lin Xiao was a losing game, one that only led to more bodies.

“First, let’s report this to the police,” Lin Xiao said, pulling out his phone.

“No!” Wan Caixuan suddenly shot up from the sofa, stopping him. “We can’t involve the police.”

“Why not?” Lin Xiao asked, surprised. “President Wan, if we want to find out who’s behind the attempt on your life, we’ll need their help.”

Wan Caixuan’s expression shifted through a range of emotions before settling into one of cold determination. “Not yet. There’s something else we need to handle first.”

“Which is?”

“Uncovering the traitor by my side,” she said, her voice calm but sharp. There was a steely glint in her eyes now, the unmistakable resolve of someone who’d made up their mind.

“A traitor?” Lin Xiao’s gaze narrowed. He knew she wasn’t someone to jump to conclusions. “You’re certain?”

“I am. Otherwise, that assassin wouldn’t have found my residence so quickly.”

Her voice grew firmer, her composure returning in full. “Only a handful of people know I live here in Jinghai City. Even with the Dark Night Order’s resources, it should’ve taken time to locate me. But he showed up far too fast. That only means one thing.”

“Someone close to you leaked your whereabouts,” Lin Xiao said, finishing the thought for her. “So… what do you plan to do, President Wan?”

Wan Caixuan pursed her lips and furrowed her brows, her mind swiftly working through the next steps.

Lin Xiao slipped his phone back into his pocket and quietly took a seat across from her, resting his hands on his knees. His expression was calm, patient, as he waited for her decision.

In that moment, Lin Xiao’s respect for her deepened.

Any ordinary woman, faced with back-to-back assassination attempts, would’ve fallen apart. But Wan Caixuan, though briefly shaken, had regained her composure in no time. She’d already identified inconsistencies, analyzed the situation, and reached a logical conclusion: someone close to her had betrayed her.

Though there was no hard proof yet, Lin Xiao was convinced her instincts were likely spot on.

After a long moment of contemplation, Wan Caixuan finally spoke. “I have a plan, but I’ll need your help.”

She raised her eyes to meet Lin Xiao’s. Beneath her calm gaze was a flicker of hope.

Lin Xiao didn’t hesitate. “Just tell me what you need.”

“Come sit next to me. I’ll explain.”

He moved beside her, and as she leaned in to whisper her plan, the warmth of her breath and the soft, captivating tone of her voice caused his heart to skip a beat. But he quickly centered himself, pushing the distraction aside to focus on her words.

Wan Caixuan’s plan was bold, but Lin Xiao found it both clever and feasible.

“We’ll go with your idea,” he agreed. “But to pull this off, we’ll need Sister Ning Xi’s cooperation.”

“Alright. I’ll call her now.”

Lin Xiao hesitated, then handed her his phone. Wan Caixuan took it and dialed.

“Couldn’t sleep, Lin Xiao? Calling just to hear my voice?” Ning Xi’s drowsy voice teased playfully on the other end of the line.

Wan Caixuan’s expression shifted, clearly displeased. She shot Lin Xiao a sharp glance, leaving him momentarily confused.

“Ning Xi, it’s me,” Wan Caixuan said coldly. “Sorry to disappoint you, but I’m not the Lin Xiao you’ve been dreaming about.”