Chapter 31: The Assassination Plot

The pale golden petals gradually lost their luster within a minute. Both the petals and the deep purple stamens began to dry, curl, and fall away. Suddenly, a small green bud emerged at the top. The bud trembled and swelled at an astonishing speed, as if a creature within was about to break free. In just a few minutes, it had grown to the size of a lychee.

A crisp sound snapped through the air. The skin of the bud burst open, revealing a cluster of fruits inside. The fruits were nearly transparent, not perfectly round, and their surfaces bore tiny protrusions. Bathed in moonlight, they refracted a dazzling array of colors.

Everyone stared in amazement.

Bai Huabing exclaimed, “This is too beautiful! It looks just like crystal!”

She reached out to touch it.

“Don’t!” Su Hanyan quickly stopped her. “We need special tools to harvest it—don’t affect the medicinal quality. Xiao Nan, hurry and get the tools.”

Gu Xiangnan produced a specially crafted jade box, its workmanship exquisite and its surface warm and lustrous, perfectly suited to preserve the spiritual energy of the Celestial Spirit Seed. With a silver pair of scissors, he carefully snipped off the fruit and placed it in the box, his expression focused and cautious.

At last, they had accomplished the most important task.

Both Bai Huabing and Yang Dianfeng were in exceptionally good spirits. The group made their way back, returning to the hot spring hotel.

Gu Xiangnan and Su Hanyan entered their room. After the night’s rescue, soot clung to their bodies. Su Hanyan slipped into the bathroom first, and Gu Xiangnan followed, “Want to shower together?”

Su Hanyan neither agreed nor refused. She took his hand and turned on the shower.

They embraced and kissed, water pouring down and soaking their clothes, which clung uncomfortably to their bodies. Gu Xiangnan, multitasking, reached behind her and unclasped her bikini. Without hesitation, he kissed her, fierce and ravenous as a starving beast tearing into its prey.

Su Hanyan’s eyes reddened at the corners, her fingers threading through his hair.

Just then, knocking sounded at the door.

“Who is it?” Gu Xiangnan’s gaze darkened, and he called out irritably.

“Su Hanyan, Miss Su? We’re from the police department, here to ask about the incident.”

“Please wait a moment.”

Su Hanyan bit her lip, found clean clothes, and dressed. After Gu Xiangnan had changed, they opened the door.

Two officers stood waiting.

They explained their purpose: investigating the cause of the fire and the situation regarding the men in black. The two followed the officers to the police station. By the time their statements were recorded, the sky already showed the pale light of dawn.

Yang Dianfeng’s convoy waited outside, ready to take them all back to Jiangning City.

Two hours later.

Su Hanyan went directly to the company to handle the aftermath of the fire, while Gu Xiangnan was sent home.

After an all-nighter, he hadn’t managed to advance his cultivation with his senior sister. Sleepless through the night, Gu Xiangnan collapsed into bed and slept.

Capital City, Sunrise Tower.

The entire building belonged to the Fusang Han Medicine Association. Year-round, they collected medicinal herbs from across China, then shipped them to Fusang. Traditional Chinese medicine in China dates back thousands of years, with its own deep history and research. The Han Medicine Association constantly watched this cultural treasure, aiming to subtly transform it into their own heritage.

That was the purpose behind the Han Medicine Association’s branch in China.

Suzuki Genjiro was the branch’s resident practitioner of Chinese medicine, traveling throughout China to gain more experience.

“What? The Sugikuchi group’s people were all arrested?”

In the top-floor office, a short man stood up in surprise from behind his desk.

The man in black across from him replied, “Yes. Sakamoto led the first group and was injured by someone named Gu Xiangnan. Takemoto, who arrived later, was wounded by Gu Xiangnan and Yang Dianfeng together.”

The short man blew his beard and glared, “Damn it! Didn’t the herbal plantation burn down?”

The Han Medicine Association had planned to purchase large quantities of herbs in Jiangning, but Su Hanyan and allied pharmaceutical companies had resisted them. In anger, the association hired Sugikuchi group members to set fire to the plantation, intending to intimidate Su Hanyan.

“No, but they still lost some herbs.”

The man in black bowed deeply, “The mission failed. Please help us avenge this.”

“Those who follow us prosper, those who oppose us perish. Anyone who stands against our Han Medicine Association must suffer.” The short man’s face darkened.

The association would not swallow this insult.

He dialed Fusang, reporting the situation to headquarters. Headquarters promised to send ninja and samurai to assist in assassinating Gu Xiangnan and Yang Dianfeng.

Ninja were already undercover in China, ready to act at any moment.

After hanging up, the short man told the man in black, “Yang Dianfeng is influential—not easy to deal with, so more planning is needed. But Gu Xiangnan, that kid, can be eliminated now. Kill the chicken to scare the monkey, let Yang Dianfeng take heed.”

“Yes!”

The man in black bowed and withdrew.

Afternoon.

After careful selection, Wang Mei finally prepared generous gifts. She photographed each item and sent them to her boss via messaging app.

Her boss replied: [Looks great. You’ve put in the effort.]

Receiving her boss’s approval made Wang Mei happy.

A new message arrived, this time with her junior’s address and name.

Wang Mei examined it carefully and froze.

“Gu Xiangnan? How could it be him?”

She double-checked the address against her phone several times, finally admitting it was indeed Gu Xiangnan, someone she had tangled with before.

Whenever she saw Gu Xiangnan, Wang Mei always ended up on the losing side, and just thinking about it made her angry.

“Don’t be angry, don’t be angry—no one will take care if you fall ill from rage.” The phrase popped into her head, and she recited it to herself as a form of self-coaching.

She thought of a clever solution: simply mail the gifts, sparing herself a face-to-face meeting.

She was about to congratulate herself for her ingenuity when another message arrived: Go deliver it now, and remember to take a photo of him for me.

Wang Mei drooped; it was a direct order from the boss, and she had to obey.

No other choice, Wang Mei braced herself, rode her Kawasaki motorcycle up to the Rose Garden’s hilltop villa district, and rang the doorbell.

Gu Xiangnan was sleeping soundly, dreaming of intimate moments with Su Hanyan.

Suddenly, in the dream, his master rang the class bell and Su Hanyan immediately ran off.

Gu Xiangnan woke abruptly, though his mind was still foggy. In a daze, he pressed the door-opening button on his bedside table.

And promptly drifted back to sleep.

Wang Mei stood outside; no one answered, but the door opened on its own.

“Is anyone there? Gu Xiangnan?”

Wang Mei called out, but received no answer.

She pushed open the door and peeked inside, making her way cautiously.

No one appeared along the way.

“Is anyone home? Gu Xiangnan?”

Still no response.

Determined to complete her boss’s assignment, Wang Mei forced herself further into the villa.

She circled the ground-floor hall.

“Is anyone here? Gu Xiangnan?”

Still nothing.

She climbed to the second floor, where a door bore a sign: “Junior.”

This must be it.

Wang Mei was about to knock when the door suddenly opened, and a hand closed around her throat.