Chapter 161: Don't Move, Let the Bullet Fly for a While - It’s the Cyber Age—Still Playing a Traditional Villain?

Chapter 161: Don't Move, Let the Bullet Fly for a While Friendships between girls often arise in inexplicable ways. At least this was the case for Xia Wuyou and Jiang Chengcheng—a reality they were suddenly pulled into by Xu Shi. Before that night, they weren't exactly well-acquainted, but with just one evening spent together, their conversations flowed with the familiarity of close friends. Naturally, after sharing a lollipop and accidentally kissing in a haze, their bond grew rapidly. This is the magic of Impart (just kidding). Interestingly, neither Jiang Chengcheng nor Xia Wuyou were particularly comfortable with the idea of "attending to Xu Shi together" initially. It was something they both resisted and couldn’t fully embrace... What they thought in their minds was one thing; how they acted was another. But Xu Shi, with his endless methods and demands, orchestrated everything in a way that left them overwhelmed. From intricate arrangements to awkward positions like the "U-shaped lock," involvement with him grew unexpectedly intimate and complex. When you're with someone you like, even things you dislike can become enjoyable. Coupled with the influence of the "Entropy of Malice," things naturally took that course. "Who would've thought, Manager Xia, you're quite... eloquent with your tongue?" The next morning, Jiang Chengcheng awoke, looking at Xia Wuyou across Xu Shi with a playful expression. "Ahem, don't mention it..." Xia Wuyou felt an overwhelming sense of shame. Somehow, she had ended up licking her in the chaos of last night, and what didn’t seem inappropriate then now felt utterly embarrassing. The biggest difference between her and Jiang Chengcheng was this—though Jiang Chengcheng didn’t have much experience either, she was more willing from the heart to experiment with Xu Shi's new fantasies. Not Xia Wuyou. Just weeks earlier, she had been an innocent young girl, for whom this kind of experience was quite obscure. Having been drawn into peculiar experiences by Xu Shi in the hospital, and now with such an intense encounter, she had matured significantly. Xu Shi, watching her discomfort, had no intention of comforting her. Instead, he teased her more, finding endless joy in their exchanges. "You bully," Xia Wuyou bit him grudgingly. "Of course, I'm bullying you." Unbothered, Xu Shi continued to tease her, finally sitting up, "Okay, let's get ready. The field team will soon be busy, and we still have some tasks for you." "Really?" Xia Wuyou nodded, blushing, as she got up to help Xu Shi dress alongside Jiang Chengcheng. She understood the situation well—though recent days had been calm, with Xu Shi running all over, she sensed something substantial was brewing. "Hmm? What's going on?" Jiang Chengcheng seemed less informed, having lost herself in work at the engineering department, oblivious to external happenings. But after Xu Shi explained, she understood immediately. "Is there anything I can do?" Having comprehended the situation, she asked proactively, without much surprise. By now, both Xia Wuyou and Jiang Chengcheng had come to expect these things from Xu Shi—Jiang Chengcheng wasn’t troubled by his tendency for mischief at all. For instance, Lin Xing being detained was Xia Wuyou’s doing, but Jiang Chengcheng herself had been the one to remodel him. This is truly the notion of "don't question right or wrong, just comply." "Not really," Xu Shi chuckled, appreciative of her attitude but shook his head, "You’ve already made the greatest contribution." "Yujing" was the best gift she had brought to him. With it, during any confrontation, his confidence would vastly increase. Currently, his abilities had improved from close to A- to nearly A+. This was no small improvement. However, "Unfortunately, other matters you can't help with. For safety's sake, come stay with me for a few days." He said seriously, as Jiang Chengcheng wasn’t a combatant, and it was best not to leave her alone, to prevent any unforeseen troubles. "...Alright then." Although a little disappointed, Jiang Chengcheng didn’t object. In truth, she was somewhat conflicted—deep down, she harbored a possessive desire for Xu Shi, a being irreplaceable to her, one to whom she wished to give her everything. Naturally, she was reluctant to share him with others, making an exception for Su Lin, which was already her limit. Living alone was part of her desire, to have Xu Shi visit her whenever possible, where they could indulge in their own world privately, doors closed. However, she understood the impossibility of this scenario—Xu Shi was inherently a flirtatious soul, and it wasn’t realistic to expect his thoughts to solely revolve around her. Thus, she compromised, eventually prioritizing his intentions. This was in no way surrendering to rivalry but genuinely concerning her safety, something that brought her joy. "There's just one little question." In her happiness, however, curiosity remained, "Since you already have everything figured out, why not take the initiative?" From his explanations, she realized neither Lin Wenhua nor Shen Qin, nor even Long Tianding, had escaped his notice, including the He Family Siblings. Why wait for them to make a move first? "That's why I say you're a bit naive." Xu Shi pinched her nose playfully, "Have you ever heard of this saying?" “Huh?” "Let the bullet fly for a while." ... "So, I still say, you're quite the little devil." Jiang Chengcheng’s insight in this area was limited, not fully grasped by many indeed. However, Xia Ke'an was one who did, and upon Xu Shi’s return, she sought him out, teasingly remarking about his guile. "Really?" Xu Shi feigned ignorance, understanding her insinuation. "Not yet." The white-haired lass gave him a knowing look, seeing through his strategy. She knew exactly what Xu Shi needed—he intended for these people to stir Night Sin City into chaos, further solidifying his status. While uncontrollable riots were undesirable, controllable ones, from a market perspective, were hugely beneficial. As they say, demand creates market opportunities, especially during times of societal tension. With the entry of the "Forgotten Ones" and his intentional provocations, the city's original residents had already been brewing with discontent. Given the delicate balance, any misconduct by the "Forgotten Ones" could convert tension into an explosive situation. Residents, having begrudgingly accommodated the newcomers, would tolerate no further disputes, reacting harshly as a collective should any incident arise. Such a climate allowed Shen Qin's group a chance of success, but failure meant a backfire for all "Forgotten Ones," potentially relegating them to second-class citizens—a convenient scapegoat for growing unrest. Moreover, not touching on "Serpent Ring"—a munitions enterprise—gaining prominence through turmoil, Xu Shi could advocate for something like universal firearm ownership, leveraging fear for profit. As they say, the bigger the storm, the more valuable the catch... High-level dealings were similarly advantageous. With "Serpent Ring" akin to a version T0 now, its standing would only become unshakable, particularly with "Dragon City" as a target. Fortuitously, "Shark Tooth" had also entangled themselves... As goes the saying, if one strike isn’t enough, a second follows. "So, I must thank them, huh." Xu Shi grinned, acknowledging the twist. Truly, he hadn’t anticipated the He Family Siblings diving into this mess, rendering them an unexpected boon. Xu Shi had been closely monitoring He Lao San ever since he heard unsettling news about his good friend Qiang Zi a few days back. Following the leads, he discovered that Qiang Zi had indeed aligned with Shen He once more, secretly making plans. Truly a case of a leopard not changing its spots, Mr. Xu felt a pang of betrayal. Wasn’t he a good friend to his brothers? Why plot against him in the shadows? Though it stung, Xu Shi could understand the reasoning. It was obvious to anyone, even to the not-too-bright He Yu Qiang, that Xu Shi intended to swallow "Shark Tooth." Anyone with some backbone would make a desperate attempt to strike back. And He Yu Qiang was not one to meekly accept his fate, thus making his actions somewhat inevitable. More intriguingly, soon after, Xu Shi received a call from Xie Qing Yan, reporting suspicious behavior from He Yu Zhao. He seemed to be following a similar path as his brother. Thinking it through, Xu Shi realized this was another clever move by young Shen He—neither of the brothers appeared to be aware that the other was also being drawn in. This way, as they were worn down by internal conflict, Shen He's side could easily scoop up the benefits... Xu Shi had to admit, it was a well-conceived setup, though still manageable, not overwhelmingly complex. In fact, Xu Shi felt a tinge of gratitude towards Shen He for inadvertently paving the way. With Long Tianding hedging his bets and his stance unclear, single-handedly targeting him wouldn’t create sufficient deterrent. However, involving "Shark Tooth" perfectly set the stage for Xu Shi to take decisive action. Given his existing desire to annex them, this situation provided an excellent excuse. Actions need legitimization, after all—otherwise, it would be outright thuggery, wouldn’t it? Seeing Xu Shi's increasingly cunning smile, Xia Ke'an couldn’t help but rub her forehead in helplessness. The more time she spent with him, the more she pitied those who opposed him. While others were preoccupied with countering him, Xu Shi was contemplating how to leverage situations to maximize his gains. The starting point and scale of his thinking were on a completely different level—how could they even compete? On the brighter side, Xia Ke'an found comfort in knowing she'd made the correct choice back then by not letting Xia Wuyou oppose him... For someone like Xu Shi, standing on his side brought significant benefits. Especially for Xia Wuyou, who had come around and even developed a personal rapport with him, the relationship would only grow stronger, leaving her with nothing to fear. "Of course, if I claimed unease in my heart, would you believe me, old lady?" Lost in thought, Xu Shi sighed, his tone turning serious. “Really?” The white-haired girl blurted out. “Really." Xu Shi nodded, "Theoretically, I should have accounted for everything, yet I still worry if there’s something I've overlooked." And this overlooked aspect could likely be substantial enough to influence the final outcome. "…Are you worried 'those people' will make a move?" Xia Ke'an blinked, testing her thoughts aloud. Certain matters were only understood by the two of them. The so-called 'those people' referred to the enigmatic forces they had previously discussed, those responsible for the overnight downfall of "Prism" and "Milky Way"... As she had once mentioned, once Xu Shi reached a certain level, it was a concern that couldn’t be ignored. "It shouldn't be." Xu Shi shook his head, "When you think about it, it doesn't seem likely, does it?" Indeed, it was true. If 'those people' were to intervene, the most probable approach would be infiltrating through the "Forgotten Ones," an unfamiliar third party. However, had this been the case, the "Forgotten Ones" wouldn't have been suppressed for so long. The power of 'those people' likely surpassed all imaginations—had they intended to intervene, they wouldn’t have needed to use intermediaries like Shen Qin to spark action. "Seems you’re right." His explanation resonated with the older woman too. "What else could it be then? Forgive me, Xu Shi gege, but I can’t think of anything," she sighed, acknowledging her limitations. Her demeanor, reminiscent of a child imitating an adult, amused Xu Shi. Though the situation was serious, her casual use of "big brother" made it hard to maintain a grave atmosphere. He even feared hearing terms like “trash” or “small fry” from her lips, sensing she might have the potential for mischief. Truth be told, her figure was arguably even more compelling than Gu Yi’s... "I can’t figure it out either." Quickly regaining his focus, he looked at the white-haired girl with earnest anticipation, "But I refuse to remain in the dark. I want to clarify everything." "So?" Xia Ke'an blinked blankly, picking up hints of something more in his statement. "So, for my sake, would you?" Xu Shi extended his fist towards her, "Use 'Foresight' on them." End of Chapter