Chapter Twenty-One: The Serpent's Temptation

Chapter Twenty-One: The Serpent’s Test

As his senses swept out, he realized with surprise that Chu Yuxi was no longer inside. Alarmed, Shen An quickly expanded his perception. Suddenly, he detected Chu Yuxi’s aura outside. Without hesitation, Shen An opened the door and stepped into the night.

The moon hung high overhead, its silvery light spilling across the land. The sky was exceptionally clear tonight. Shen An walked beneath the glow of the streetlights, noticing that Chu Yuxi had slipped away alone and silently. He had no idea what she was doing out so late.

Driven by curiosity, Shen An followed her until she entered a restaurant. He watched as Chu Yuxi stepped inside. Just as he was about to follow, he caught sight of a familiar figure—it was none other than Bai Weiwei.

Shen An’s intrigue only deepened. He hadn’t expected Chu Yuxi to know Bai Weiwei. After all, Bai Weiwei was not an ordinary person; she worked for the Special Affairs Bureau and, moreover, had recently awakened her abilities. How had she and Chu Yuxi become acquainted? Shen An was baffled.

He had to admit, his understanding of powerful families was limited. Of course, that was simply because he hadn’t yet entered their circles. Perhaps, with time, he would see things differently.

So, Shen An chose not to go in. Instead, he kept watch on the two women. Inside the restaurant, Chu Yuxi and Bai Weiwei sipped coffee and chatted. Outside, Shen An wandered idly, pretending to be a passerby taking a break. He leaned against a trash bin, a cigarette dangling from his lips, legs bouncing rhythmically.

Seconds ticked by. Suddenly, Shen An was seized by a bone-chilling sensation, as if a venomous snake had fixed its gaze on him. His back went cold. He dodged instinctively. At that moment, a dagger pierced a hole through the trash bin and clattered to the ground.

Shen An’s eyes darkened as he looked up. Across the street, a man in a newsboy cap made a throat-slitting gesture, a cruel grin twisting his lips.

“Damn it.” The narrow escape left Shen An fuming. Seeing the sinister smile on the man’s face, rage surged within him and he charged across the street.

The man in the newsboy cap smirked, then turned and disappeared into a nearby alley shrouded in darkness. When Shen An reached the corner, the man was already gone. Shen An pressed on, venturing deeper into the shadows. Although the moon was bright, the tall buildings blocked much of its light, casting most of the area in gloom.

Moving cautiously, Shen An heightened his senses, alert to any movement. Suddenly, that same venomous gaze bore into his back. He rolled forward just in time as the man appeared at his previous position, dagger in hand. The blade gleamed with a cold, murderous sheen.

Shen An was startled; his senses hadn’t detected any energy fluctuations, which surprised him greatly. Yet as he dodged and spotted his attacker, he was already preparing to fight back. In a flash, a machine gun materialized in his hands—summoned by a mere thought.

Without hesitation, Shen An aimed at the sinister man and pulled the trigger.

Ratatatatata!

Gunfire erupted, and the man tried to dodge, but he was a moment too slow. Several bullets struck his chest. Clearly, he hadn’t anticipated Shen An would be armed with a machine gun—or that he’d have nowhere to conceal such a weapon. Bewildered and furious at having been outmaneuvered, he gritted his teeth and, wounded, slipped back into the shadows, vanishing from Shen An’s sight.

The commotion drew attention from outside. Shen An quickly vaulted the wall and left the scene. Soon after, he saw police officers arriving. He searched for the man for a long time, but found no trace. By the time he returned, Bai Weiwei and Chu Yuxi had already left. Shen An made his way back to the Moonlight Pavilion Hotel, sensed Chu Yuxi safe in her room, and finally relaxed. Exhausted, he returned to his own room and fell asleep immediately.

Not long after Shen An’s departure, a woman’s graceful silhouette appeared in the moonlight. Beside her, the wounded man in the newsboy cap knelt on both knees, pain etched across his face.

“You shouldn’t have provoked him,” the woman said flatly, her expression devoid of emotion.

“I only wanted to test his strength. The organization needs to assess him for future decisions,” the man replied, head bowed, unable to meet her gaze.

“Remember this—he’s very powerful. Don’t provoke him lightly. The organization has no desire for another formidable enemy,” the woman said coolly.

“Yes, but I heard from Su Yuan that the higher-ups are considering inviting him to join us,” the man ventured cautiously.

“That’s none of your concern,” she replied, impatience flickering across her face. She continued, “Don’t meddle with Chu Yuxi. As for Shen An, keep a close eye on him, but make sure he stays alive. The affairs of the powerful families are not for us to interfere with. You should know what to do.”

Without another glance at the man, she melted into the night, vanishing as if she had never existed.

Only when the beautiful woman had fully disappeared did the man finally lift his head. The wounds on his body were already beginning to heal, bullet fragments slowly being pushed out of his flesh.

Clink, clink, clink—

A few shards fell to the ground. The man adjusted his cap, looked up at the night sky, and headed toward the Moonlight Pavilion.

Silver City’s night was especially lively. Amid the dazzling lights, one figure after another dressed in black moved quietly, making preparations. These were extraordinary times—times that could drive anyone mad.

Shen An and his companions woke early. It promised to be another tedious day, though Shen An felt the company of so many beautiful women more than made up for it.

Today, Chu Yuxi wore black stockings, and in their close proximity, Shen An found it difficult to keep his composure. He couldn’t help but steal glances at her legs, though for the sake of his gentlemanly image, he did so discreetly.

As before, Shen An stayed close to Chu Yuxi, protecting her at every moment.

…

“Now, we come to the final event of the day—the award ceremony.”

At last, the closing ceremony arrived. Upon hearing the host’s announcement, Shen An grew alert. He instinctively positioned himself beside Chu Yuxi, standing in such a way that he could shield her from any threat that might approach.