Chapter 149 It’s Also a Spy Thriller

Chapter 149: A Spy Thriller, After All

"Hiss—good heavens, so this was a spy thriller all along!"

After hearing Xie Tingsheng's words, Hua Diao suddenly felt incredibly naive. Look at them—they'd already moved beyond basic survival, engaging in internal strife. You use a honey trap to turn my teammate, hoping to sow discord and dismantle us from within. But I'm one step ahead—ha! I'd already planted a mole in your ranks, and now they've climbed to a core position, spilling all your plans.

Xie Tingsheng truly was superior!

No wonder a master businessman's mind worked so fast. All those shadowy figures, all those insidious plots—he saw right through them!

Hua Diao's eyes sparkled as she eagerly pressed, "So what's their plan for tonight? Tell me quickly!"

Xie Tingsheng's lips curved into a faint smile, and he calmly soothed her, "Don't rush, let me explain slowly. Their plan for tonight is simple: Quan Yumeng, acting as an inside agent, will feed information to Roaring Tiger. Once Song Yan and her team head to the old district, Roaring Tiger's people will ambush them there, catching them off guard. If Song Yan agrees to defect, they won't do anything. If she refuses, they'll either capture or eliminate her directly."

"Hiss—that ruthless? I never would have thought Quan Yumeng was so cold-blooded. All for a man, she'd betray and even scheme against her good friend?"

Hua Diao tilted her head, utterly perplexed.

"What's so surprising? You can know a person's face but not their heart. Not everyone is as kind as you."

As he spoke, Xie Tingsheng lowered his eyes, a dark, mocking glint within them.

In elite circles, truly clean individuals were few. Everyone wore two or three masks. On the surface, they'd call each other "sisters" affectionately, but behind their backs, envy, jealousy, and hatred festered. One day, two people might be drinking together like brothers, and the next, they'd tear each other apart, fighting tooth and nail over a project, using every trick, fair or foul.

The Xie family he once belonged to was even murkier. Uncles, brothers, sisters, parents—every single one was a master of manipulation. They'd smile to his face by day, and by night, they'd plot how to poison or assassinate him.

Compared to that, Quan Yumeng's schemes were barely worth mentioning.

Both she and Song Yan were once prominent socialites in Qingcheng. However, Song Yan's family background was superior, making her more radiant and popular. Quan Yumeng, from a lesser family, could only tag along as a minor follower. With such a disparity, it was hard to guarantee that Quan Yumeng hadn't harbored jealousy or even resentment towards Song Yan even before the apocalypse. Given that, her ruthlessness towards Song Yan wasn't surprising.

Or, even if she had no prior animosity towards Song Yan, she might have been completely infatuated by the handsome Chu Zexuan, becoming a "love-struck idiot" willing to commit murder or arson for love.

Seeing his wife's dawning realization, Xie Tingsheng didn't elaborate further. Things were different now. In the past, people killed without shedding blood amidst polite conversation at banquets. But now, in the apocalypse, as long as one was strong enough, these convoluted schemes were nothing to fear. If she disliked someone, what if she just killed them directly?

Xie Tingsheng was precisely that domineering, protective, and ruthless when it came to his wife!

Hua Diao blushed slightly. Actually, she wasn't *that* kind-hearted.

To conserve energy for the night's monster wave shift, the two dozed off in their tent. News from Song Yan's side trickled in continuously.

As planned, Roaring Tiger Team ambushed the old district. Song Yan's team, caught off guard, was immediately surrounded.

To their surprise, despite Song Yan's apparent grievances with Peanut Squad and her reservations about Hua Diao earlier that day, she did not defect under Quan Yumeng's persuasion. Instead, she insisted on breaking through the encirclement, fighting Roaring Tiger Team to the death.

Fortunately, Roaring Tiger Team had suffered heavy casualties from the monster wave, so the number of people they dispatched that night wasn't too large. When Song Yan resisted fiercely, she didn't suffer much loss. With Xie Tingsheng's covert reinforcements, Song Yan's team escaped unharmed, while many of Roaring Tiger Team's members died. The remaining few survivors fled with Quan Yumeng.

This battle was another resounding victory for Peanut Squad!

After hearing the full account, Hua Diao clicked her tongue twice. "I never thought Song Yan would be so loyal to Peanut Squad. Or... is it that she couldn't bear to leave you?"

She rolled over, lying face to face with Xie Tingsheng, her bright, sparkling eyes playfully studying his close-up features: sharp phoenix eyes, defined brows, a high nose bridge, thin, cool lips. His facial contours were distinct and exceptionally handsome, especially his eyes—deep and dangerous, yet containing a forbidden tenderness, as if a demon had stooped and fallen into love, captivating and alluring. He truly possessed the charm to make women go mad, go wild, and throw themselves against walls for him.

Xie Tingsheng smiled helplessly, reaching out to flick her nose. "Or is there another possibility: that she's quite intelligent? Between Roaring Tiger Team and Peanut Squad, whose advantage is stronger, and who can survive longer, is self-evident. Any smart person wouldn't choose Roaring Tiger for a bit of petty emotional awkwardness. According to Zhu Bin, this Song Yan is also a smart person; she saw reality clearly."

"Ah." Hua Diao thought about it. That possibility truly existed.

For every Quan Yumeng, blinded by male charm and willing to betray a better team, there was naturally a Song Yan, who was more rational and not controlled by emotions.

Leaving aside Roaring Tiger Team's affairs, they had made no further moves after the old district ambush, dutifully guarding the city gates. Song Yan and her team, with their strong hearts, continued to act as "firefighters" within Qingcheng, providing assistance wherever needed.

Hua Diao and Xie Tingsheng also joined Peanut Squad's rotation. That night passed peacefully without any further incidents, until early the next morning, when the temperature plummeted.

"Hiss, it's so cold."

The moment Hua Diao extended her hand from under the covers, she shivered from the cold and quickly pulled it back, tucking it into Xie Tingsheng's embrace for warmth.

Xie Tingsheng felt the icy touch on his chest and was amused. "You're getting bolder and bolder now."

During the high-temperature period a few days ago, she was still wary of him, insisting on a pillow or doll between them. Now, however, she was becoming increasingly uninhibited.

Hua Diao blinked her large eyes, looking innocent. "I'm just getting warm. How normal is it for a husband to warm his wife?"

Xie Tingsheng raised a hand to grasp her small one, his lips curving helplessly. What else could he do? He had spoiled her, so he might as well continue spoiling her.

He leaned in, forehead touching forehead, nose touching nose, his perfectly sculpted chin slightly lowered. He kissed her lips intimately, then asked in a husky, lazy voice, still heavy with sleep, "Getting up, or sleeping in a bit longer?"

Hua Diao adjusted her position, snuggling into his arms, resting her head on his arm. After a comfortable sigh, she spoke, "Wait a moment. Let me check the group chat to see what's happening."

"Mhm." Xie Tingsheng hummed softly, holding her close, chin resting on the crown of her head, in no hurry to get up.