Chapter 335: Chapter 333: Turning Enemies into Friends
"Stop talking nonsense and get out of here fast. Good thing I had someone waiting at Luobo Dock. Even if we can’t get out of Saint Seymour, it’s still better than staying in this hellhole."
Xinxin took a deep breath, feeling every inch of her skin aching.
But the man grabbed her hand. "Don’t rush! If you leave, how am I supposed to explain this to Director Si?"
Xinxin’s face stiffened, and she turned back in disbelief to look at her subordinate.
"Chen Hua! You actually betrayed me?" she bellowed, outraged.
BANG!
The door burst open. Si Yuhuan and Jian Xi walked in from outside.
Xinxin laughed bitterly in extreme anger, her eyes sweeping over her trusted Chen Hua and Si Yuhuan. "You’ve followed me for eight years. What wrong have I ever done to you that you treat me this way?"
She charged forward and fiercely slapped Chen Hua’s face multiple times. With all her strength, Chen Hua’s face quickly swelled up.
"Traitors of Secret Gate deserve to die!" Xinxin, enraged, saw a dagger lying nearby, grabbed it, and stabbed viciously toward Chen Hua.
Yan Qing, with fast reflexes, kicked it away. Xinxin was already injured, her movements sluggish. Yan Qing’s kick sent her tumbling to the ground.
Chen Hua scurried over on hands and knees to hold her in his arms. "Miss, are you all right?"
Jian Xi clicked her tongue. Such a devoted subordinate.
"Get lost!" Xinxin struggled.
Chen Hua looked desolate. It was quite moving to see such deep loyalty between master and servant.
Jian Xi had no time for these dramas and spoke directly, "Chen Hua didn’t betray you. According to your agreement, he really did plan to come rescue you, but Si Yuhuan caught him."
Speaking of this, one couldn’t help but admire Si Yuhuan’s brilliant foresight an hour ago. Jian Xi had been about to lie down to sleep, saving her energy for a showdown with Si Junyan. Si Yuhuan barged in, telling her to ’shut the door to beat the dog.’ They soon discovered Chen Hua skulking about. The man was a doctor, adeptly concealed in the hospital, all for the purpose of seizing the right moment to rescue Xinxin. People from Secret Gate really lived up to their reputation, infiltrating everywhere. Just as Chen Hua was about to make his move, Si Junyan ordered Shang Fu to seize him.
"You sell me out just because you were caught?" Xinxin, furious and desperate, pushed Chen Hua away, her face full of disdain.
Chen Hua kneeled on the ground. "Miss, Si Junyan is not trustworthy. He used you, betrayed you, and even wants to kill you. How could you conspire with such a despicable and shameless man?"
"Director Si was right about one thing: collaborating with him would keep you and Secret Gate safe. I haven’t betrayed Secret Gate; I just disdain partnering with someone like Si Junyan. Please reconsider."
Hesitation flickered in Xinxin’s eyes.
Si Yuhuan spoke coldly, "What did he promise you? Status, power, wealth? Whatever you want, I can give it to you, as long as you do one thing for me—return Jian Xi’s child to her."
"Hahaha! Si Yuhuan, you really are a romantic!" Xinxin’s eyes shone with a serpentine sharpness. "What if I say I want the entire Haohan Group? Would you give that to me?"
Si Yuhuan frowned deeply.
Jian Xi clenched her fists tightly. "I can give you Yaowang Group. I have complete control over it—it’s the world-leading luxury conglomerate. If you have it, you’ll have a never-ending supply of money. Let go of my son, and it’s yours."
"What a joke!" Xinxin sneered coldly. "A mere luxury conglomerate to change my mind? Miss Jian, you really underestimate me."
Shang Fu kicked Xinxin to the ground, showing no mercy for her as a woman. "You think you can negotiate terms with us? You clearly don’t understand your own status," he said. Coming from an assassin organization, he had no patience for Xinxin’s antics.
Xinxin spat out blood from the beating. Chen Hua, furious and anxious, rushed to fight Shang Fu. He was no match for Shang Fu and was quickly knocked to the ground in close combat. As a fist was about to crash down on Chen Hua’s head, it was clear that if this didn’t kill him, it would leave him disabled.
"Stop!" Xinxin screamed.
Shang Fu spat contemptuously. "You only cooperate when you’re beaten, pathetic scum."
Jian Xi shivered subconsciously. It takes a villain to suppress a villain.
Xinxin looked up. Si Yuhuan stood above her, his deep pupils brimming with murderous intent. "Don’t test my patience and limits."
"Si Yuhuan, you just won’t do everything for Jian Xi’s child. Otherwise, why wouldn’t you agree to my terms?" she laughed lowly, like a malevolent spirit.
An understandable pang of pain shot through Jian Xi’s heart. Even though she knew Xinxin was trying to sow discord, she still felt sad that Si Yuhuan wasn’t willing to trade Haohan Group for their son.
"Jian Xi, do you see now? Men are always selfish creatures. They claim they love you, but they aren’t willing to give everything for you. It’s all an illusion. I’m just helping you see his true face."
"Enough with your little tricks!" Jian Xi retorted. "Your methods are too crude. It seems that as the leader of an assassin organization, you’ve got no real skills. Such foolish actions only make me think you’re an idiot. No wonder Si Junyan played you like a fool, and you’re still willing to die for him. Could it be that you’ve really fallen for him?"
Xinxin glared at her with a dark expression.
Jian Xi continued, "Instead of trying to cause a rift between us, you should think about how you’re going to survive. If you don’t cooperate with us, you will die. Saint Seymour isn’t very peaceful these days; one more death won’t make much of a difference."
Jian Xi felt the intense gaze from Si Yuhuan beside her. He was looking at her. Jian Xi didn’t want to respond, still feeling a bit spiteful inside.
She went full force against Xinxin. "I forgot to mention, we let Si Junyan go on purpose."
"What? Jian Xi, have you lost your mind?" Xinxin couldn’t believe it.
Jian Xi lifted her chin. "We couldn’t let him fight desperately and possibly hurt my son, could we?"
"Xinxin, let’s guess: when Si Junyan gets back to your adoptive father, will he suggest rescuing you or killing you?"
Xinxin’s pupils contracted.
Si Yuhuan delivered the last straw. "Ten minutes ago, I received news that all Secret Gate personnel must remain silent with no actions allowed. This is information monitored by Z Group. Whether it’s true or false, you should be able to tell," he said. A cellphone was thrown to Xinxin. When she saw the email on it, she staggered and knelt on the ground.
Heartbroken, Chen Hua said, "Miss, we have no other way out now. We must cooperate."
"My adoptive father... he won’t save me?" Xinxin’s voice broke as she grasped Chen Hua’s arms, laughing in despair. "He actually doesn’t want me anymore! For Si Junyan, he actually gave up on me!"
This was more painful to her than any punishment. Her once bright and beautiful face was now filled with a deathly pallor. Xinxin seemed to have aged ten years in an instant, sitting lifelessly on the ground.
"Alright," she said, her voice hollow. "How do you want to cooperate?"
"If you want to survive, you’ll have to make a clean break," Si Yuhuan stated. "Once you’re out, pass me information to capture Si Junyan in one fell swoop. I’ll give you two billion in cash for you to permanently leave Secret Gate."
Xinxin scoffed in disbelief. "Leave Secret Gate? Easier said than done."
"Whatever Director Si wants to do, no one has been able to stop him," Shang Fu declared. He then stepped forward, showing something to Xinxin.
Xinxin’s eyes widened in shock. "This... this is impossible."
She agreed to the terms, ecstatic.