Chapter 64: The Ant Nest

For instance, the owner of the villa who was watering the flowers with a hose was quite intriguing in Lin Xiaosu’s eyes. He knew that when the water pressure in the hose reached that level, the force would be considerable—most people would have to grip it tightly. Yet this middle-aged man wielded it as though it weighed nothing.

Or consider the elderly man carrying a bundle of firewood. He appeared frail, yet his hands were covered in calluses. Upon closer inspection, these calluses were not from years of chopping wood; the wear patterns from holding a hatchet and gripping a dagger were subtly different.

Then there was the young man sitting outside playing with his phone, whose features were nothing like the middle-aged man’s.

If one were to judge by appearances, this seemingly ordinary farming family, resembling three generations under one roof, might already have a lineage that’s gone completely astray.

There were several others, too. They all seemed used to life in the countryside, bearing unmistakable traces of rural living. Yet, if you possessed the insight of the Way of Heaven, you could see, more or less, the seeds of suspicion in them all...

If his eyes were not deceived, if his uncanny sixth sense was not leading him astray—

All these people were genetically modified humans!

The situation had become grave!

He practiced ancient martial arts, but in real combat, who would prevail—an ancient martial artist or a genetically engineered human?

Aside from shaking hands with Dongzi to communicate that Lin Xiaosu was powerful and not someone to be silenced, he had never truly crossed paths with them.

Thus, he had no intention of gambling.

Fortunately, there was no need for him to take such a gamble.

Knowing how to leverage others was the sole reason a smart person could live to eighty...

As the sun set, Yuntai Mountain was gradually shrouded in twilight.

Far across the sea, on an island—

A high peak pierced the sky like a sword.

The sun had just dipped below the horizon, and starlight illuminated a small courtyard.

Within, red blossoms and green trees made for a clean and elegant setting. A swing swayed gently in the sea breeze.

On the swing sat a beautiful woman, her long hair fluttering. Perhaps only when she sat on that swing could she truly relax—for she was Changye, a woman whose presence was too formidable for this vast world.

Why? Because her hair was a deadly weapon; each strand carried a fatal toxin.

Opposite her sat another woman, petite and curvaceous, clearly meticulous about her figure. Yet, one glance at her habits would reveal the lie in “to stay fit, you must eat less and move more”—for she never restrained her mouth.

Even after dinner, even in this quiet courtyard, she continued popping grapes into her mouth.

And she spoke as well: “Sister Changye, have you deciphered that mutant orchid from Laoshan yet? Can you splice its genes with these grapes?”

Changye could only shake her head. “Still dreaming of turning grapes into watermelons, are you?”

“Of course! Imagine, if the grapes were that big, you wouldn’t have to watch over me like a thief every time—I’d only need one grape per visit!”

“You seriously have no idea what’s important. Do you think I’m guarding these grapes because I can’t bear to lose them? I’m worried you’ll recklessly gobble up my genetically modified grapes before I even analyze their makeup!”

The moment she said this, Crescent Moon’s interest was piqued. “Come on, just let me try one—just one...”

“Out! I’ve told you already, even I haven’t figured out what’s inside these grapes. Aren’t you afraid your genes might suddenly mutate from eating them?”

“Wouldn’t a mutation be great? I’m afraid of everything—rules, losing points, that old fossil 88 flipping through the Reserve Corps Charter—but gene mutation? That’s the one thing I’m not afraid of...”

Changye shook her head, exasperated. “I give up on you. What everyone else treats as a cautious gene experiment, you treat as a thrill ride. I promised your grandfather I’d keep you alive, so I won’t indulge your madness!”

“Hah! Just because you promised, does that mean you’ll always keep your word? Didn’t you also promise to find me a man to test the waters? Did you?”

“Oh heavens, that’s even crazier...” Changye said. “Enough nonsense. I asked you to check on Lin Xiaosu—have you?”

“Already done! Ever since his name showed up in the business registration system, I’ve been following your instructions. Honestly, the kid’s doing quite well in the civilian world—he’s making a splash in Phoenix City...” Crescent Moon began her report.

He dared charge thirty thousand just to find a dog!

Ten thousand to catch an adulterer!

Tell me, is this what a decent person does? The kid is completely obsessed with money. I’ve heard he’s behaving himself now, walking the straight and narrow, frantically saving for a wife’s dowry. At this rate, he’ll have enough soon and might even find a wife—because in this messed-up world, as long as you have money, even an old man who can’t get it up could find a bride, let alone a roguish, somewhat dashing type like him.

“You keep calling him a scoundrel... has he really done anything so bad?” Changye asked nonchalantly.

Crescent Moon sprang up in annoyance. “During that intense battle, he still found time to target my ‘grandma’—if that doesn’t prove his scoundrel nature, what does?”

Changye looked at her, her expression one of mild exasperation, as if to say, are you going to hold that grudge forever?

Crescent Moon understood her look and added, “If you need further proof, his actions speak for themselves. He’s all lovey-dovey with a woman called Miao Ruolan, the two of them practically set off fireworks in that little detective agency of his every day. And that’s not all—the fireworks seem to be spreading... There’s also a policewoman called Zhou Mei who goes out on walks with him. There are signs the next ‘explosion’ could happen under the willows on Yishui Bund...”

“Zhou Mei?” Changye was taken aback. “Isn’t she involved in the recent 5.16 case in Phoenix City?”

“That’s your focus, Zhou Mei? She’s nothing—you should be looking at Miao Ruolan. Do you even know who she is? An ancient martial arts heir! One of these days I’m going to fight her...”

Changye was surprised. “Why would you fight her?”

“There you go, jumping to conclusions again! You think I’m fighting her over a man? I just want to see who’s stronger—us gene people or practitioners of ancient martial arts...”

Suddenly, Changye swiftly picked up a pair of glasses from the coffee table.

She put them on, and her surroundings seemed to morph into another scene.

Beneath the vast starry sky, ripples radiated outward...

The Grand Xia!

Dingxi Province!

Jianghe County!

Yuntai Mountain Scenic Area!

It took only five seconds for the incoming call to be precisely located...

The caller: Xiaosu.

The swing beneath Changye stopped abruptly; her hair, which was floating halfway in the air, slowed.

It was a strange sight.

Crescent Moon jumped up. “Who’s calling?”

“It’s him!”

“Damn it! Lin the Lecher...”

With a wave of Changye’s hand, Crescent Moon’s mouth snapped shut.

A slow smile appeared on Changye’s face as she answered, “I thought you’d forgotten me.”

“Usually, that wouldn’t be a problem, but tonight is hardly usual,” came the calm, clear reply.

“What’s going on?”

“...”

Changye’s expression changed; she was off the swing in an instant.

“Stay where you are. Do nothing. We’re coming right away!”

“...”

“All right. Don’t worry.”

Changye ended the call, her eyes shining. “If I’m not mistaken, we’ve found a nest of ants! And a sizable one at that!”

Ant nest...

A code word...

Crescent Moon was stunned. “An ant nest! He found one? How is that possible? How could an auxiliary member find an ant nest?”

An ant nest—a secret stronghold of foreign forces within the country.

It was what Hidden Dragon had spent years searching for.

Many Hidden Dragons spent their lives in vain pursuit of one. Many died on the hunt.

To uncover one was a feat of great service to the nation.

Even for a full-fledged Hidden Dragon, it was a rare and great accomplishment!

As a reserve member, Crescent Moon dreamed of becoming official. If she found an ant nest, even the old fossil 88 couldn’t keep her down.

And so, her greatest obsession lately was to find one herself.

But those “ants” were cunning beyond measure.

They were never easy to find. Years of careful planning, layers of security, elaborate disguises—the search was always a game of hunter and hunted...

And tonight, this man, dismissed from Hidden Dragon, had found one?

How?

Why would he put in such effort?

For a moment, Crescent Moon’s normally sharp mind stalled.

In theory, Lin Xiaosu had already left that path behind, with no further ties to Hidden Dragon. Yet here he was, working so hard—did he really never give up?

The thought excited Crescent Moon.

She was not one to simply accept her fate.

When Lin Xiaosu was around, he had overshadowed her again and again, even going so far as to touch her “grandma”—no, to slice her “grandma” with a knife in battle. On Laoshan, his brilliance outshone the moon itself, leaving her, the self-proclaimed greatest reserve member in history, utterly eclipsed.

Did she accept that?

Not at all!

She refused!

But a single order had redirected all her resentment.

Now her defiance was against that order itself.

Tonight, if this man achieved a great feat and returned to Hidden Dragon’s path, it would be worth looking forward to. With her newly learned eighteen moves, she would crush him until he begged for mercy...

Let’s go!

Back to Yuntai Mountain!