Chapter 98: Undercurrent Surges (Part 2)

You used your own people?

Lin Xiao's voice turned cold, the warning in his tone quite obvious.

Recently the Supervision Bureau's patrols have become increasingly frequent; just last week they intercepted two batches of illegal supplies. Being this blatant is no different from just handing it over to them.

Sha Yu Feng waved his hand dismissively, not taking Lin Xiao's words to heart at all.

Oh please, you're just too cautious. It's because of this fussy attitude that the Undercurrent's expansion on Heavenly Crown Mountain is so slow! In my opinion, we should just suppress them with force—what's the point of all this infiltration and intelligence work?

Lin Xiao lifted his teacup and gently blew away the floating leaves on the surface.

The wise use strategy, the foolish use force. Do you really think with just that bit of brute strength you could get far under the Church's nose?

Yue Chengzhang is no ordinary opponent; Lin Xiao knows exactly how strong he is.

Reckless behavior like Sha Yu Feng's only brings the Undercurrent many unnecessary risks.

Ha! Risk and reward are always directly proportional.

Sha Yu Feng shot to his feet, hands braced on the table, staring straight at the calm Lin Xiao before him.

You're just too conservative. It's about time the boss started considering whether to replace whoever's leading the Undercurrent's operations in Tianmian City...

Sha Yu Feng's forces operate mostly in remote areas, where they rarely clash with the Church, and the troops stationed there by the Church are also fairly ordinary.

This, in turn, only inflated his arrogance.

He's like a beast in the jungle that, by brute force, has seized a small patch of territory and now thinks it can conquer the whole forest.

Sha Yu Feng's hands rested on the smooth tea table, his body leaning forward with an oppressive presence; beneath his dark blue short hair, his blood-red eyes almost seemed to spit sparks.

Lin Xiao, you're guarding this juicy piece of Tianmian City but only dare to nibble at it with a small knife—what a joke! In the Western Wasteland, where not even a bird would drop its droppings, I've relied on my men and guns to carve out three stable smuggling routes.

And you? Besides sitting in this elegant reception room sipping tea and reading, waiting for intelligence to drop into your lap, what else have you done?

His voice grew hoarser, laced with undisguised mockery.

The boss values your planning and caution, but his patience is limited; the times have changed, Lin Xiao—it's no longer the era for you old-school aristocrats to play elegant games.

Only with real knives and real guns, daring to fight and seize, is the true principle.

Sha Yu Feng vented his feelings, but Lin Xiao completely disregarded his words, treating them as mere wind in the ears......

No, just treat him like a rabid hyena barking by the roadside.

One shouldn't stoop to the level of a small animal.

Just as the two were facing off, the command room door slid open again, and this time Dieyu Zhe hurried in.

He seemed utterly unsurprised by Sha Yu Feng's appearance, quickly walking to Lin Xiao's side and leaning in to whisper in his ear.

"Regiment Leader, the distinguished guest has arrived."

Dieyu Zhe's voice was kept low, but in the quiet command room it was still clearly audible.

Sha Yu Feng narrowed his eyes, his gaze darting between Lin Xiao and Dieyu Zhe; obviously he had also precisely caught the information Dieyu Zhe had conveyed.

Just as he was about to utter a mocking remark, Lin Xiao had already risen and smoothed his cuffs, his movements calm and unhurried.

"It seems our conversation has to end early," Lin Xiao said in a flat tone that allowed no rebuttal, "You still have 'important' smuggling to attend to, don't you?"

Sha Yu Feng stood up with a grim expression, glaring fiercely at Lin Xiao and Dieyu Zhe.

"Remember my words, Lin Xiao."

He turned and walked toward the door.

"What the Undercurrent needs is a leader who dares to act, not a coward who hesitates."

The automatic door closed behind him, cutting off his retreating figure and the lingering hostile echo.

Lin Xiao turned to Dieyu Zhe; his expression seemed unchanged, but he had become much more serious.

"Has he arrived?"

Dieyu Zhe nodded.

"He's waiting for you in the reception room; following your orders, I took them through the Number Three Secret Passage to ensure no one tailed them."

"Them?" That means he didn't come alone.

Lin Xiao gave a slight nod, lowering his gaze to the tea in his hand.

The tea's fragrance filled the air, seeming like the perfect time for tea.

But unfortunately, a jerk barged in during his break, fouling his 'tea' with an unpleasant gritty taste.

"Have our people keep a close watch on this shipment's movements, but there's no need to intervene."

Lin Xiao gave the order, and finally his eyes showed disgust toward Sha Yu Feng.

"Also, prepare an emergency response plan; if Sha Yu Feng's people are caught by the Supervision Bureau, don't let them lead the bureau back to our base."

Dieyu Zhe stood at attention and saluted.

"Understood, Regiment Leader, as for Sha Yu Feng's side......"

"Let him bear the consequences himself."

Lin Xiao said coldly, turning toward the door, "Some lessons must be experienced firsthand to be remembered."

——————————————

Thanks to Sha Yu Feng, the reception room originally prepared for distinguished guests had to be hastily changed to another location.

Here the decor is dominated by cold-toned metal; the relatively comfortable seats and an alloy tea table fall far short of the soft, cozy room Lin Xiao had just been in.

And waiting in the reception room were two people.

Leading them was a man in his early thirties, seated in the chief guest chair, his body covered in various patterns; though his posture was relaxed, he inexplicably gave off a sense of danger.

He had a head of dull gray, short, coarse, dry hair, but his eyes were a rare reddish-purple and amber heterochromia; in this uncommon pair, the expected ripples were absent, instead a dull gray haze floated over them.

His eyelids lay slack over his eyes, as if they could close at any moment from fatigue.

Beside him stood a girl with long brown hair, wearing a vivid red cloak, her hair tied into two braids that hung over her chest, looking exceedingly cute.

Yet her face showed no expression, like a delicate doll, silently watching Lin Xiao as he entered.

"Nice to meet you." The grey‑haired man spoke, his voice quite hoarse, as if he hadn't spoken in a long time.

He didn't get up, merely nodding slightly toward Linxiao as a gesture.

"Captain Linxiao, I am Lei Zhao, and this is my companion, Hong Ling."

Linxiao walked to the main seat and sat down, his gaze lingering on Lei Zhao for a moment.

He could sense an unusual aura emanating from the man, one that didn't belong here.

"Mr. Lei Zhao, I've long heard of you."

Linxiao replied calmly; even if the name Lei Zhao is mentioned nowadays in the church, many people would still have an impression of it.

"May I ask what brings you two here from afar?"

Lei Zhao's heterochromatic eyes shifted slightly; the reddish‑purple of his left eye glimmered strangely in the light.

"We are looking for a person."

He said it bluntly, without any pleasantries: "I hope to get your help."

"The Dark Current organization isn't a missing‑persons agency; you could just file a missing‑person report with the church. Why come to me specifically?"

Linxiao retorted, obviously they couldn't find that person through legitimate means.