Chapter 019: The Sinister Young Man

Chapter 019: The Enigmatic Youth

“No wonder you’re the Shadow Dragon—to notice me so quickly...” A figure emerged from around the corner, only a dozen meters from Chu Fei, speaking in a tone of dejection.

He was a young man whose handsomeness defied all description. Chu Fei himself was striking—unquestionably among the most attractive of men—but beside this youth, he was clearly outshone. The young man’s beauty was so exquisite, so flawless, that words failed to do him justice. Perhaps only the word “refined” could suffice: a slender figure, a perfect face, every feature without flaw, so exquisite it was almost excessive, yet never effeminate.

But his aura was the very opposite of Chu Fei’s. Chu Fei exuded a rugged, sunlit charm, his eyes deep and at times a little languid; his smile could warm anyone’s heart. To those unaware of his true identity, he seemed the quintessential gentle yet dashing man. The youth before him, however, possessed an air of eerie grace, tinged with a trace of devilish allure. When the corners of his mouth curled up, as they did now, he was the very embodiment of seductive wickedness.

He was a calamity incarnate—a man whose mere presence spelled trouble for women, especially those lonely in their chambers or cloaked in presumed nobility. For such women, he was nothing short of a natural-born nemesis. Indeed, the number of women he’d led astray was known only to himself, if anyone at all.

Yet, upon seeing this enigmatic youth, Chu Fei’s tension melted away in an instant. The aura he’d gathered dissolved; he knew this young man well—intimately, even.

Blood Fox—that was his codename. A fox as ruthless and cunning as any demon.

They were, in a sense, the same kind of people.

—

“Well, what brings you here?” Chu Fei asked quietly, gazing at the enigmatic youth before him.

They stood in a quiet, atmospheric bar—an expensive one, where the clientele was always sparse by design. This was a place meant for liaisons, less for romance than for fleeting encounters, where “love” was a verb, not a feeling.

In such a bar, single men and women, flush with self-assured success, came to hunt for equally alluring prey.

The arrival of Chu Fei and the enigmatic youth instantly drew every gaze, especially the latter, whose overwhelming beauty was the focus of every woman in the place, regardless of age or status. Their eyes shone with open desire.

But the two men paid no heed. They chose a quiet corner, ordered two bottles of expensive liquor, and ignored the growing fervor around them.

“If I told you I was just passing by, you wouldn’t believe me,” the youth said with a smile.

Chu Fei remained silent. He wasn’t a fool.

“I came here specifically to find you,” the youth continued, this time with complete candor.

Chu Fei frowned, looking at him. “Did Big Sis send you to drag me back?”

“If she truly wanted you back, she wouldn’t send me alone. She’s not stupid. No one in the organization could capture you single-handedly.” The youth shook his head.

“Then why say you came looking for me?” Chu Fei asked, puzzled.

“I’m here to kill you,” the youth replied, his expression odd.

“Kill me?” Chu Fei was taken aback.

The youth’s face twisted with irony. “I took a contract online. The target was you.”

“Is that so?” Chu Fei’s expression grew equally strange, as if he’d just heard the greatest joke in the world.

“The name was your real one—Chu Fei. The client clearly doesn’t know who you truly are. If they knew they were trying to kill the Emperor of Assassins, they wouldn’t dare put out a bounty, not in a hundred lifetimes.”

Chu Fei’s brows drew together. Someone wanted him dead, and had used his real name—who could it be?

He shook his head and looked up. “So you took the job?”

“I happened to be nearby. I picked it up out of curiosity—few know your real name. I wanted to see if it was you or just a namesake. Didn’t expect it to really be you.” The youth gave a lazy smile.

“And now?” Chu Fei asked. “Are you planning to make your move?”

“I’m not stupid. I’m not looking to die,” the youth replied.

“But you accepted the contract. According to the rules—”

The youth cut him off with a dismissive sneer. “To hell with the rules. The living care about rules. The dead don’t.”

Chu Fei couldn’t help but smile wryly. He’d been joking; the youth could never kill him. Chu Fei didn’t have many true brothers in this world, but this youth was one of them. If anyone tried to kill him, the youth would stand before him without hesitation. And he would do the same.

Brotherhood—it wasn’t just a word. It was a bond of life and death.

“You vanished after your mission in southern Vietnam. Big Sis is furious,” the youth said suddenly, downing his wine in one gulp, as if it were water—a waste, truly.

Chu Fei fell silent.

“You’ll have to explain that to her yourself. She cares for you, but the real issue is Mei’er. If she finds out you’re here, she’ll come running, no matter what...” The youth gave Chu Fei a peculiar look. “You certainly leave a trail wherever you go—never short of beautiful women. That girl just now was quite something. Not stunning at first glance, but a true beauty in the making—and, crucially, untouched. Once awakened—”

“Her name is Chen Xiaoman,” Chu Fei said coldly, casting a sharp look his way.

“She’s Xiaoman—Ergou’s sister?” The youth’s expression darkened, and he looked at Chu Fei with a mixture of emotions. “Sorry, I didn’t know,” he said with a bitter smile.

“It’s nothing,” Chu Fei replied. “When are you heading back?”

“I’ll stay a couple of days—rare chance to relax,” the youth grinned, flashing his teeth. He rose and walked straight over to two elegant, mature women who had been stealing glances at them.

These two women were well-dressed, their poise marking them as anything but ordinary—likely ladies of prominent families, and easily the most beautiful and refined women in the bar. Seeing the enigmatic youth approach, both flushed and lowered their heads, embarrassed and shy.

He said a few words to them—who knows what—and both nodded. Standing up, they nestled against him, one on each arm, as he led them out of the bar.

Before leaving, the youth shot Chu Fei a wink, as if to say, “I’m off to have some fun—you’re on your own.”

“What a scoundrel,” Chu Fei muttered through gritted teeth. He stood and left the bar alone—he was in no mood for fleeting pleasures tonight.

His departure left many hopeful women sighing with disappointment. Two had even been working up the courage to approach, and now could only sigh in regret.

Outside on the bar’s steps, Chu Fei paused. He hesitated, then took out his phone and dialed a number buried deep in his memory—so strange that anyone seeing it up close would be shocked. It wasn’t even a proper phone number, just a string of random digits.

“Chu Fei?” The call connected quickly, and a sultry woman’s voice, tinged with confusion, came through.

“Big Sis, I’m exhausted lately. I want to take some time off,” Chu Fei said after a moment’s hesitation, his voice uncharacteristically tense, afraid she might refuse.

“How long? When will you be back?” The woman’s questions were simple and direct.

“I haven’t decided yet...”

“All right.”

Chu Fei was stunned. He hadn’t expected such an easy agreement. Relief quickly followed—he’d truly feared she’d order him back immediately. No one knew better than he how terrifying that woman could be—a true madwoman, overwhelmingly powerful. When she gave an order, Chu Fei had no choice but to obey.

After a pause, he added, “Don’t let Mei’er know. I’m worried...”

“Don’t worry. I’ve sent Mei’er to Africa on a mission. She won’t be free anytime soon,” the woman replied.

“Oh.” Chu Fei finally let out a long breath. If anyone could give him a headache, it was wild Mei’er, even more than his formidable Big Sis.

“Anything else?” the woman asked.

“No, that’s all—”

Click.

She hung up without hesitation, never giving him a chance to say more.

Chu Fei stood there for a long moment before putting away his phone. He couldn’t help but wonder why his usually unpredictable Big Sis had been so agreeable today. Still, he could finally relax. If Blood Fox could find him, Big Sis certainly could—he’d been genuinely worried she’d force him to return. Even if she couldn’t come to China herself, she could easily send a few brothers like Blood Fox, and Chu Fei wouldn’t be able to resist—not against his own brothers.

At least, for now, he didn’t have to worry.

He stepped off the stairs, heading for his residence.

But as soon as he reached the bottom, his expression changed. A blinding white light flashed over him, followed by the roar of an engine—an out-of-control car barreling toward him.

Screech—

The car braked violently, coming to a sudden halt.

The door slammed open, and a flamboyantly dressed girl, no more than eighteen or nineteen, sprang out. She rushed to Chu Fei, shouting, “Damn it, do you walk around blind? What if I’d killed you—would that be suicide or murder?”

Chu Fei stared wide-eyed at the girl. He’d barely dodged in time; otherwise, he’d have been sent flying. As it was, his arm was grazed, a thin line of blood welling up.

“Cat got your tongue, idiot? Did I hit you? Are you crippled? Can you still move?” The girl’s words, though seemingly concerned, were delivered in a tone that made one want to throttle her.

“I—” Chu Fei began, only to be interrupted.

“Save it. Get in the car, I’m taking you to the hospital.” Without waiting for a response, she dragged him to the passenger side and shoved him in with surprising strength, then darted to the driver’s seat. She floored the accelerator, sending the car roaring off like a beast unleashed.

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