Chapter 87

Chapter 87

In that instant, the two nearby insurance company vehicles were essentially finished, unable to hold out for more than a few minutes.

Their vehicle suffered the most damage.

One! Two! Three! The sniper's aim was precise, the bullets hitting exactly the same spot.

The bulletproof glass wouldn't hold out much longer.

Xie Yunshen slid into the driver's seat and stepped on the accelerator; the car lurched forward with startling speed.

He estimated the sniper was using a Barrett rifle with a range of five thousand meters. They couldn't escape its range quickly.

The moment they accelerated, a bullet struck a rear tire.

But this car had been modified by Yan Shiying's company; the tires were made of a highly durable, adhesive material, so they wouldn't instantly blow out.

Xie Yunshen took a sharp turn behind another skyscraper, finally getting out of the sniper's view.

However, he had underestimated the situation. This was a multi-angled ambush.

From the opposite building, another sniper opened fire.

Two more bullets hit the car's rear tire. Bang!

The car veered out of control, but thanks to Xie Yunshen regaining control just in time, they didn't crash into the wall.

Xie Yunshen stopped the car and grabbed the rifle from the car—also a Barrett—confident he could fight back.

He lowered the last bulletproof shield for Mr. Yan in the back seat. "Mr. Yan, remain inside. I'll deal with them."

As he spoke, Xie Yunshen had already set the rifle barrel in the gun port on the car window.

Yan Shiqi grabbed his hand. "Come with me!!"

Xie Yunshen didn't look at him. "Mr. Yan, you know my job is to protect you."

Utterly matter-of-fact and resolute. From beginning to end, he had never lost sight of his role and mission.

Yan Shiqi's expression hardened.

Xie Yunshen had already pushed him into the back seat, and the special fiber shield slid down.

Since earlier, they had lost contact with Yan Shiying. He guessed Yan Shiying was facing trouble too; no help was coming now.

A few minutes passed. For Yan Shiqi, those minutes probably felt like hours, days, or even years.

During that time, bullets relentlessly pounded the car's body. Each impact felt like the sniper was closing in, the car being progressively shattered.

The sound of a helicopter approached from a distance. Xie Yunshen glared at the looming threat and cursed, "Fucking hell."

The sniper was in a helicopter!

In all his years as a bodyguard, this was unprecedented. But since they had the elevated position and maximized killing power, the stability of the aim probably didn't matter to them anymore.

But helicopters aren't bulletproof, right?

With grim satisfaction, Xie Yunshen fired a shot, hitting the cockpit windshield. Another shot followed swiftly, striking the pilot's head.

The co-pilot tried to take over the controls but was instantly killed by a bullet.

The helicopter lurched and crashed onto the city avenue with a thunderous roar.

Capitalizing on the moment, Xie Yunshen got out and yanked the car door open. "Mr. Yan! Let's go."

Yan Shiqi grabbed the strong hand extended to him. With one pull, he was yanked out like a kite, his coat billowing as they dashed through the nighttime city.

The two ran down an alley, Xie Yunshen not daring to waste a second. He knew there must still be assassins behind them.

Until they saw a man standing ahead. Xie Yunshen felt today was indeed extremely dangerous.

It was Bai Le Bai. He wore a thin gray coat, hands in his pockets, that inhuman smile still perverted enough to send chills down one's spine.

Xie Yunshen released Yan Shiqi's hand and stepped in front of him. "Do you want to kill Mr. Yan? Or kill me?"

Bai Le Bai smiled. "Guess?"

"If you want to kill me, let Mr. Yan go first. If you want to kill Mr. Yan, then please wait while I call my good buddy Lao Wu over."

Of course, he couldn't actually get Lao Wu over; Lao Wu was still in Country A. He said this just to buy some time.

"The organization told me to kill Black Impermanence. There shouldn't be many people in this world who know you're Black Impermanence, right?"

"..." So it was aimed at him.

Xie Yunshen deeply regretted it. If he had known he'd encounter Bai Le Bai, he would have dragged Lao Wu over even if it meant pushing a hospital bed.

"Then let Mr. Yan go!"

Bai Le Bai maintained his smile. "When an assassin is on a mission, there's no room for negotia—"

Bang! A gunshot. Bai Le Bai fell backward to the ground.

Xie Yunshen stared in shock at Mr. Yan behind him.

Mr. Yan held a gun, a wisp of smoke curling from the barrel.

"Damn cool, Mr. Yan," Xie Yunshen gave him a thumbs-up.

"Let's go."

Just as they were about to leave, Bai Le Bai suddenly sprang up like a zombie, with half a bullet still embedded in his forehead.

He forcefully tore off a piece of fake skin attached to his hairline. Underneath was a piece of bulletproof soft armor; the half-bullet was embedded in it, leaving only a trace of blood.

Both men were stunned.

Bai Le Bai took a pistol from his coat pocket and ejected the magazine. "Actually, I don't really like using guns either. Out of respect for you, I'll discard this thing."

Clang. The gun and bullets were thrown to the ground.

"Thanks," Xie Yunshen took the gun from Yan Shiqi's hand. "But, I like guns..."

Before he finished speaking, he aimed at Bai Le Bai's head and fired two shots in quick succession.

This place had only one straight path, no objects for cover, and no branching escape routes. They either had to go past Bai Le Bai or turn their backs and flee.

With Mr. Yan by his side, not shooting meant certain death.

He didn't believe Bai Le Bai could have layered multiple ballistic panels on his head.

As if he'd anticipated it, the other man effortlessly tilted his head to the side, dodging with an uncanny maneuver. The bullet grazed his hairline and ear, leaving a trickle of blood.

Xie Yunshen’s pupils shook in shock: Is this even human?!

Bai Le Bai’s smile remained glued to his face like superglue. He pulled another pistol from his other pocket. "Good, I like guns too. In fact, I like several at once."

"..." What a double entendre.

Xie Yunshen stood in front of Mr. Yan, firing repeatedly. From the moment Bai Le Bai reached for his gun, Xie Yunshen could no longer track his movements—this guy was faster than him!

He had to seize the initiative.

Bai Le Bai fired without hesitation as well.

With nowhere to hide, the two could only resort to a brutal exchange of gunfire. The shooting lasted over ten seconds.

Xie Yunshen didn’t stop until his magazine was empty.

By then, Bai Le Bai had already collapsed on the ground, his body stained red.

In a life-or-death moment, everything happened in less than half a minute.

Thank you, Mr. Yan, for making me wear a bulletproof vest before coming here.

"Mr. Yan, good thing you made me wear the vest," Xie Yunshen said, turning to look at Yan Shiqi.

What he saw startled him. Mr. Yan’s eyes were terrifyingly red, his face pale with panic, stripped of its usual composure. In a daze, Xie Yunshen saw his lips tremble before he frantically embraced him.

He was saying something, but Xie Yunshen realized with horror that he couldn’t hear it—he couldn’t hear anything around him.

He had never seen Mr. Yan so out of control before.

He looked down and saw his own blood staining Mr. Yan’s clothes.

Xie Yunshen stood there in a daze, suddenly understanding: Bai Le Bai was wearing a bulletproof vest, just like him.

They had both aimed at the same spot on each other’s chests, firing until that spot gave way and the vests failed.

So both he and Bai Le Bai had been shot—it was just that he hadn’t died on the spot.

A lonely sliver of moonlight cast its light on the two figures in the alley.

Mr. Yan, driven by fear, was screaming his name wildly.

A pair of trembling hands pressed tightly against him, clinging to his body, warm breath continuously washing over him.

He wanted to raise a hand to touch Mr. Yan but found he couldn’t lift it, no matter how hard he tried.

He hadn’t fallen because Mr. Yan’s arms were wrapped around him, holding him with all his strength, as if cradling a coffin.

Xie Yunshen’s eyes were closed, but his consciousness hadn’t faded. He could feel Mr. Yan holding him, keeping his body upright as if he were still alive. His forehead pressed tightly against his face, as if transferring warmth.

"Mr. Yan… isn’t this tiring?" he asked him.

The surrounding sounds suddenly became clear.

Then he lost consciousness.

Two pools of blood bloomed in Yan Shiqi’s vision, sinking deeper and deeper into the snow.

"A-Shen, don’t fall asleep… I’m begging you…"

When Yan Shiying found them, Yan Shiqi was clutching Xie Yunshen’s body tightly, refusing to let go.

Both of their bodies were covered in blood. Yan Shiqi knelt in the snow, head bowed.

The blood on the ground, mixed with snowflakes, had already begun to darken.

In the bitter cold of deep winter, it was clear Xie Yunshen’s body had lost its warmth.

Yet Yan Shiqi had taken off his coat, wearing only a single layer, using his own body heat to warm a corpse.

"Brother…" Yan Shiying looked at him with concern.

Yan Shiqi didn’t respond.

For a moment, Yan Shiying thought his brother’s eyes were dripping blood.

"I’m sorry…" Yan Shiying crouched beside him. If only he could have arrived a little faster, maybe things wouldn’t have turned out this way.

The BKB assassin organization had been attacking them since the awards hall—clearly to buy time.

He even suspected these incidents were likely orchestrated by the Top Star Group.

The police from Country C arrived late and simply stood by, watching.

An ambulance came and took Bai Le Bai away; it was said he was still breathing.

A doctor briefly checked Xie Yunshen’s breathing on the spot, then shook his head, indicating there was no need for the hospital.

Yan Shiqi remained silent from start to finish. There was no outburst as Yan Shiying had imagined—which was even more terrifying.

"I got him killed," Yan Shiqi’s voice sounded like shifting sand.

"Brother!"

Yan Shiqi struggled to his feet. In the process, he held Xie Yunshen’s corpse in his arms; the heavy weight nearly made him fall.

Yan Shiying watched him walk through the snow. Had his brother really fallen in love with a man?

One month later, Country A.

Old Xie sat in the Yan family’s living room, observing the sympathetic glances. There were no wails or grief as people might have expected—just a pair of aged eyes calmly regarding everyone.

Lin Jin, with the Bai family’s bail and given Shang Guanhong’s crimes, received lenient treatment and was out on bail awaiting trial.

He looked at Xie Yunshen’s portrait, feeling both estranged and incredulous.

No matter what, he still couldn’t believe that someone like Xie Yunshen could die.

How could he die? That guy didn't look like he'd die young.

With the Top Star Group apprehended, this globally shocking case saw police investigate for a full month, yet they only uncovered the tip of the iceberg. Over decades, the people and events involved had covered the Southern Province and Northern Realm.

Even the incidents Yan Shiqi had uncovered were probably less than a tenth of the whole.

In contrast, Gao Langdong, as a victim, had obtained a new national identity, restored his registration, entered the National Research Institute, been honored for his contributions, and received public sympathy and respect.

Gao Langdong stepped up to Xie Yunshen's portrait and offered a stick of incense: "Thank you for saving my life."

From an unnoticed angle, behind his glasses, his eyes held a hint of a smile.

Third Uncle looked worriedly at Old Xie: "Uncle Xie, from now on, Shiying and Shixin will be as your own grandsons."

Old Xie shook his head: "I've been prepared for this for a long time. Being a bodyguard means you might die."

His equanimity was surprising.

Third Uncle looked around but didn't see Yan Shiqi, so he turned to Yan Shiying: "Where's your eldest brother?"

In truth, he could tell that Yan Shiqi felt differently toward Xie Yunshen.

"Eldest Brother has been holed up in the study lately."

"Is he... how is he holding up?"

Yan Shiying found it a bit strange: "I don't know. I think Eldest Brother is acting oddly. It seems like..."

Except for the day Xie Yunshen died, in the days that followed, although Eldest Brother was quiet, he didn't seem as devastated as Yan Shiying had imagined.

Though he shouldn't think this way, Yan Shiying truly felt something was off.

On the contrary, the one taking it the hardest was Yi Wuyi. Having just recovered from a serious illness, the shock of this news hit him hard. His already reserved personality became even more silent, tormented by deep guilt, his brow perpetually furrowed.

Yan Shiying thought perhaps his eldest brother lacked the capacity to grieve.

He decided to go look in on him.

He pushed open the study door to find Yan Shiqi standing before the desk. Outside the window, lights were ablaze. According to Uncle Zhao, they were holding the vigil for Xie Yunshen tonight.

Yan Shiying was startled to see a few gleaming white strands at his eldest brother's temples, sprouted unnoticed, perhaps because he hadn't left the study for so long that no one else had noticed either.

The desk wasn't covered with documents but entirely with books about supernatural mysteries, spilling over onto the floor.

His eyes held a cold, bloodshot intensity. He had grown much thinner, and books lay toppled one by one on the floor.

This was the scene Yan Shiying encountered upon entering the study. He picked up the books—all about strange phenomena, explaining soul transmigration or soul division.

He asked, stunned: "Eldest Brother, what are you looking for?"

"A way to find him." Yan Shiqi didn't look up, his voice hoarse.

"What?"

His eldest brother had lost his mind.

Yan Shiying realized this.

He took hold of his brother's hand: "Eldest Brother, Xie Yunshen is already dead."

Yan Shiqi paused, then pushed his hand away: "I'm not crazy. Get out."

The shove was surprisingly strong, knocking Yan Shiying back a step.

"Eldest Brother, A-Xie's remains are being buried today," Yan Shiying reminded him.

After a moment, Yan Shiqi turned to look at him: "I know."

————

Yan Shiying watched his eldest brother closely the entire way. Yet, when facing the coffin being lowered into the ground, his eldest brother was largely unmoved, his expression calm and composed.

Completely different from earlier.

This reaction made Yan Shiying frown. Was Eldest Brother truly mad, or was this the calm before the storm?

A sense of foreboding unease settled over him.

After the funeral ended, Yan Shiying said: "Eldest Brother, he's gone. Please don't grieve too much."

"I'm not grieving."

Yan Shiying frowned: "What did you say, Eldest Brother?"

Yan Shiqi told him: "A year ago, Xie Yunshen accepted money from the Top Star Group and sold some Yan family secrets."

Yan Shiying could hardly believe his ears: "What? How is that possible?"

"A year ago, I learned of this. I had planned to have him removed from the family. But then, he suddenly saved me at the port. After that, he was a completely different person. I'm certain he was not Xie Yunshen."

"People can change."

Yan Shiqi said: "No, they were two distinct people, with different lives, different souls."

His emotionless gaze followed the funeral procession as he stated word by word: "The one I care about is the Xie Yunshen who was with me this past year. The one I lost is the Xie Yunshen who gave his life for me, not the body lying in that grave."

Yan Shiying stared blankly at Yan Shiqi. He had always trusted his eldest brother completely, but today's words were beyond belief.

"What are you planning to do, Eldest Brother?"

Yan Shiqi's gaze was resolute: "I will look for him. I will find him."