Chapter 159: What a Well-Behaved Dog, Miss Lin Yue - It’s the Cyber Age—Still Playing a Traditional Villain?

**Chapter 159: What a Well-Behaved Dog, Miss Lin Yue** Seeing Lin Yue agree so readily, Shen He experienced a mix of concealed joy and an unsettled feeling that hadn't fully dissipated. He was naturally happy that she was so easy to agree; it suggested that their past ties hadn't been entirely severed. However, the bond likely only lingered at this level — neither Lin Yue nor Shen He himself felt much of the same connection they had during their days with "Spark". With Lei Song and Zhang Shinian gone, it was just him and Lin Yue left; Shen He couldn't let go of that, and he suspected Lin Yue felt the same. Therefore, he didn't propose anything else. He couldn't leverage his former leadership status to demand she hand over the Sixth District for him to manage. It was unrealistic even to think about it... Moreover, he was already on a different path now, with the "Forgotten Ones" being his new foundation. "Shall we leave it at this for now?" After discussing some specific plan details with Lin Yue, he stood up to take his leave. "I'm grateful you're willing to stand with me. As for the rest... we can talk more once everything is settled?" "…Alright." Lin Yue forced a smile as she sent him off. She then sat in the seat Xu Shi had occupied days ago, lost in thought. When she finally became aware of her surroundings again, it struck her that she hadn't asked Shen He many things — what had he experienced these past days? How did he return? What about details concerning the "Forgotten Ones"? Had she overlooked it? Or was it... Upon introspection, she realized that at some point, matters concerning Shen He had become insignificant in her heart. Instead, she was more concerned about her sister, and by extension, Xu Shi, the demon... Perhaps this was why she found it so easy to make her decision. If she thought about it closely, using Shen He in exchange to guarantee Lin Xing's safety seemed quite worthwhile. After all, he was the one who abandoned her first, wasn't he? *Sigh...* Thinking this, Lin Yue felt less guilty. However, to be fair, Shen He's return to the City of Night Sins entailed quite a bit of detail. After leaving the Sixth District, he turned back to the Fifth District with his men. A number of people awaited him there — Shen Qin, Lin Wenhua, Long Tianding's emissaries, as well as Li Tang and other capable subordinates of Shen Qin, who had infiltrated along with him. "Was the negotiation successful?" Seeing him return, Lin Wenhua cleared his throat and asked. "Yes, Lin Yue is willing to support our actions." Shen He nodded, but he was not particularly friendly towards the old man. The mention of "The Serpent's Coil" nauseated him now, and even Lin Wenhua, who stood on their side as a double-dealer, didn't improve his impression significantly. "Your influence in the past seemed quite significant, brother." Shen Qin pouted, with a hint of jealousy in her tone. She was equally resentful toward any girl who showed interest in her brother, regardless of who they were. "Mr. Shen is indeed a remarkable leader." Li Tang helped smooth things over. "Outside the city, our people and Zhao Yuan's side have no issues. Once we receive the order, they will launch an assault on the City of Night Sins." Over the past few days interacting, Li Tang had witnessed the capabilities of the leader's brother — in just a few months, he had secretly unified all the "Forgotten Ones" outside the city, winning their steadfast loyalty. Certainly, there was capable assistance involved, which he didn't deny, but for the "Forgotten Ones," methods don't matter as much as results. The fact was, even though Zhao Yuan was the nominal leader governing the "Forgotten Ones" outside the city, he was practically rendered powerless. There was no urgency to take him down yet, but once things were accomplished, his downfall would be inevitable. The thought was quite terrifying, though Li Tang felt no qualms, being a supporter of the Shen siblings himself. "As for weapons, there's no need to worry." A representative from Long Tianding spoke up, "The batch ordered additionally by Lord Long is already on its way. It will be directly transported to the Fifth District for you all to distribute as needed." He also issued a pre-emptive caution, "Beyond that, Lord Long will not be offering further assistance. If you fail, please adhere to the agreement and don’t implicate him." "Lord Long's assistance so far is more than appreciated." Shen He nodded in understanding, but he knew that if they truly failed, no matter how they tried to drag Long Tianding down, he could still remain distant... merely providing the Fifth District as a base and supplying these weapons wasn't enough to entangle him. He could claim ignorance and wash his hands clean. As for the envoy’s pessimism... truth be told, they indeed lacked absolute confidence. One might say those present formed an alliance of losers; who among them hadn't suffered setbacks under Xu Shi? He had been hit first and hardest; to claim he felt assured of victory would be self-deception. But having reservations wasn't a reason not to act. Otherwise, they’d be like frogs boiling slowly in warming water, leading to dismal ends. Their only option was to take a bold risk. "In that case, let me wish you all success." Having said so, the envoy couldn't add much more and took his leave after a few parting words. "I also need to return for some preparations. I still have a few people at my disposal; it might offer some assurance." Lin Wenhua didn't linger either, exchanging a few polite words before hastily departing. "Brother, I..." Having not seen him in a while, Shen Qin wanted to spend some intimate time with Shen He and dismissed Li Tang and his group to be alone with her brother. However, she couldn't stay long, as it was technically a workday. The irony irritated her — on one hand, she was part of the plan against Xu Shi, yet on the other, she had to continue working for him to avoid suspicion. However, Shen He's first words displeased her. "Sister, promise me one thing." Shen He spoke seriously, "During the chaos, allocate some personnel to protect someone." "Oh? Who?" Shen Qin curiously inquired. "Miss He Yuxia of the 'Shark Fin' conglomerate." "...Why her?!" Shen Qin's brow furrowed at the name. "What's special about her?" She was unaware of any incident between Shen He and He Yuxia, and the mention of this girl heightened her wariness. "To be honest, she is rather special." Shen He patiently explained, "Without her assistance, I might not have re-entered the city so easily." Initially, He Yuxia's promise hadn't meant much to him; he assumed returning to the city was simple enough without needing anyone's help. Then he discovered the process was fraught with complications — the six major conglomerates and City Hall's combined efforts made approvals for "Forgotten Ones" entering the city unbearably strict. Original plans for impersonation had nearly backfired, almost exposing him. As a result, he had to reach out to Miss He, seeking some aid. She readily agreed, tweaking a list originally meant for "Shark Fin" to enable their seamless entry into the city. For her, gradually mending her family ties, this wasn't a difficult task. "After all, I'm indebted to her." Reflecting on it, Shen He sighed, "Moreover, in my plan, the 'Shark Fin' cannot be overlooked." "Brother, do you have other intentions?" Shen Qin was curious as this was the first time she'd heard such a plan from him. "Indeed," Shen He nodded. "Long Tianding's allies are unreliable, and Lin Wenhua has only a handful of subordinates… to be frank, once action begins, our main force remains the 'Forgotten Ones'." "In such circumstances, gaining any additional support is beneficial. Currently, the 'Shark Fin' is the only viable ally." "But I recall something about old grievances with 'Shark Fin'?" Shen Qin frowned, "Our previous interactions with them weren’t exactly smooth, so..." "Thus it's more suitable for you to start negotiations. Should that fail, I'll step in." Shen He smiled, "Their internal unity isn't ironclad. Hence, contact He Yuzhao and He Yuqiang separately, ensuring neither is aware the other is our ally." This indeed was a risky move. Shen He had collaborated enough with He Yuqiang to understand some dynamics within "Shark Fin" — He Yuzhao was essentially "Prism's" dog, while He Yuqiang himself was under Xu Shi's control. If either of them rejected the offer, they could betray the whole plan in an instant... yet Shen He understood their dispositions well, which is why he devised such a strategy. Whether it was He Laoda or He Laosan, both were still young leaders of the conglomerate. Who wouldn't want to escape being slowly consumed while living under someone else's roof? Now, an opportunity lay before them, and the worst-case scenario would be to hedge their bets like Long Tianding. Moreover, these two individuals weren't as cunning as Long Tianding, the old fox, and their "Ascenders" abilities weren't too strong. If Shen He could influence He Yuqiang with his abilities before, he naturally could do so again now. Shen Qin realized that this served as an additional contingency for their side. With this in place, they could push Zhao Yuan and Lin Wenhua to the forefront as shields, depleting their strength to some extent, which felt like reaping benefits without effort... Thinking about it, she found it amusing—truthfully, if they considered Xu Shi as the final boss, their ultimate target, then they ought to unite wholeheartedly. Regrettably, no one could achieve that unity. Zhao Yuan might be easy to reason with for now, but Lin Wenhua certainly had his own schemes, and Long Tianding too had his ambitions... It was simply that they were not a united front from the start, gathering temporarily only for mutual benefits. "Of course, that’s not all." Shen He continued calmly, "That Miss He also gave me another insight." He leaned closer to Shen Qin and whispered a few words, making her eyes light up. "Brother, your abilities... can be used this way?" "I hadn't thought of it before either." Shen He chuckled and sighed. "I was truly reminded by someone. I’ve been experimenting outside the city these days; not only have I regained my previous level, but I've even surpassed it." As he spoke, he opened his communication wristband and pointed to an icon. "Because I’ve found a very good channel." Shen Qin, not being foolish, quickly grasped the feasibility of her brother’s plan. "That’s why I can’t thank Miss He enough, and I naturally don't want her to be affected by anything." "Tch, calling her Miss He this, Miss He that—brother, you’re not actually…" Shen Qin pouted, softly grumbling in a way that wouldn’t dampen the mood. Shen He remained silent, but his smile widened. The truth was, he had been in frequent contact with He Yuxia during this time, moving beyond a simple savior-and-rescuee relationship. It felt even deeper than friendship, reminiscent of an internet romance? Regardless, compared to other girls, even his own sister, He Yuxia's purity and kindness had a strong appeal to him. She had genuinely tried to speak up for the "Forgotten Ones," although her efforts were thwarted by "Virtuality." Yet this act touched him, particularly after his emotional setbacks... The incident with Xia Wuyou still cast a shadow over him, and the thought of that dastardly pair disgusted him. So, should things really work out, he would be inclined to explore something more with He Yuxia... *Heh.* Shen He shook himself back to the present, dismissing the notion—this wasn’t the time to be popping champagne; they could relish success later. "What about Lin Yue?" At this critical point, Shen Qin refrained from dwelling on it further and continued seriously, "Wasn't she one of your former subordinates? Does she need to be informed about these things?" "…Not for now." After contemplating, Shen He ultimately shook his head. "It's better to maintain the current status." Realistically speaking, he couldn't entirely trust Lin Yue anymore, at least not with such pivotal arrangements that had potential to be game-changers. Time had shifted things—she wasn't the reticent little follower from "Spark" anymore; theirs was now merely a typical collaborative relationship. An unspoken barrier of substantial distance had, unbeknownst to them, arisen between them. His expectations of Lin Yue weren't high; if she chose to help when the time came, that would be ideal, but if she opted to watch from the sidelines... he wouldn't comment. Perhaps he owed her that much. Maintaining this level was satisfactory. After all, Lin Yue wouldn’t possibly betray these plans, would she? He truly couldn’t envision a scenario where Lin Yue and Xu Shi would align; the thought was absurdly preposterous. Yet, unbeknownst to him, before discussions on his side concluded, the details of the impending uprising had already landed on Xu Shi’s desk. "Well, isn't this thorough." Perusing the documents Lin Yue sent, Xu Shi couldn't help but praise. To deal with him, they were willing to plunge the City of Night Sins into chaos... one might say they had put in an extraordinary amount of effort. He found it quite an honor. "Thank you for the intel, Miss Lin Yue, or rather, Leader Yue." Through the virtual screen, he reached out to mimic patting her on the head, "What a well-behaved little dog." (Chapter ends.)