RoleplayNovel Chapter 56 The Hunter
Chapter 56 The Hunter
That night, Xiao Tu, in the footage, arrived alone at the brightly lit nightclub.
After being harassed by nightclub owner Ding Lixi, Xiao Tu finally managed to meet Mr. Xu, the leader of the Xingrong Gang.
Mr. Xu, who controlled the underworld in Shanghai, clearly didn't have a good impression of Xiao Tu, this "major traitor." He leaned back on the sofa and sarcastically remarked:
"I really have to thank the Military Intelligence Bureau's anti-traitor squad for bringing us so much business. This is the 37th traitor to come to me this month. By the way, do you mind if I say you're a traitor?"
Xiao Tu could only force a smile and agree:
"I don't mind."
"Actually, I've always felt that there's nothing shameful about being a traitor."
Boss Xu smiled dismissively and continued.
"Mr. Xiao, you're truly good material for a traitor. In these chaotic times, everyone has their own way of surviving. The profession of traitor is like prostitution—it's just about making a living. The only difference is that a prostitute sells herself, while a traitor sells others. Mr. Xiao, you've come to me to prepare to betray the Japanese, haven't you?"
"Oh dear, that's a really harsh thing to say."
Lin Wan pouted in the live stream, unable to help but feel indignant for Xiao Tu.
"But there was no other way. In order to survive and to remain in hiding, we had to trample our self-respect underfoot."
In the game, Xiao Tu remained expressionless: "It seems nothing can be hidden from Mr. Xu."
"But I already have enough intelligence on the Japanese."
Mr. Xu leaned forward slightly, his sharp gaze fixed on Xiao Tu.
"I'm only giving you one chance to see if you can tell me something that interests me."
Three options popped up on the screen.
Lin Wan stroked her chin and analyzed:
"This is a gang leader, he must be interested in war, right?"
She selected "the transportation route of Japanese munitions" and "the recent troop movements of the Japanese army" on two separate occasions. However, Mr. Xu did not even raise his eyelids after listening, directly expressing no interest and waving for someone to see her out, which directly led to the failure of both infiltration attempts.
"Why is this old man so stubborn?"
Lin Wan scratched his head and could only rewind the storyline, moving the mouse to the only remaining option, "Information on Muto Shio and Muto Junko".
Xiao Tu took a deep breath and said:
"Not only does Muto Shio work at the consulate, but he also controls an intelligence organization called the Muto Mansion."
Ding Lixi chuckled dismissively upon hearing this, while Mr. Xu spoke seriously:
"Mr. Xiao, I already knew about this information. Please see him out."
"etc."
Xiao Tu quickly added.
"Shio Muto also has a daughter named Junko Muto."
Mr. Xu shook his head:
"Mr. Xiao, why do you think I would be interested in his daughter?"
Xiao Tu's eyes blazed as he unleashed his trump card:
"Muto Shio may seem like an invincible man, but everyone has weaknesses. And Muto Junko is Muto Shio's biggest weakness."
Upon hearing this, Mr. Xu finally revealed a satisfied smile:
"That's interesting. Lixi, make a note of this."
After Xiao Tu promised to provide information on Junko Muto's whereabouts and thereby seek protection from the Xingrong Gang, Mr. Xu nodded, making the final decision:
"From today onwards, you are a member of our Xingrong Gang."
After successfully joining the Xingrong Gang, Xiao Tu went to the bar downstairs from his home.
He had recently experienced too many heart-wrenching separations and deaths. He had personally shot his mentor and watched helplessly as his innocent junior fell to his gun. Exhausted, he sat at the bar, wanting nothing more than to drink some alcohol to drown his sorrows.
Just then, a light footstep sound approached, accompanied by an intoxicating fragrance.
The camera slowly pans up, and Ren Wei, who plays Zhuang Xiaoman, gracefully walks into the frame.
At that moment, the chat in the live stream exploded!
In the video, Ren Wei has shed her cold, military uniform and donned a dark green cheongsam, draped with a snow-white fox fur shawl. The dim, ambiguous bar lights illuminate her exquisitely flawless face, her fiery red lips slightly upturned, and her long, wavy hair cascading lazily over her smooth collarbone.
Her eyes sparkled, her every move exuding a breathtakingly mature charm and deadly allure.
It was a beauty that was dangerously beautiful, like a poppy blooming in the dark night, knowing it was poisonous, yet still irresistibly drawing people closer.
"Holy crap!!! This is so beautiful!!!"
"My mom asked me why I was kneeling while watching the live stream, and I said I was paying homage to my cybernetic wife!"
"With Ren's looks and charisma, what do those young actresses in the Chinese entertainment industry have to offer? Tang She is practically the enemy of all men online!"
"This isn't a bad woman, she's a vixen who's stolen my soul!"
Lin Wan was also stunned, cupping her cheeks in her hands, her eyes filled with stars:
"This senior is so beautiful... If I were a guy, even knowing she had a gun, I'd still give in!"
In the game, Zhuang Xiaoman took out an exquisite pistol, casually playing with it, and sat down next to Xiao Tu, her voice sweet and seductive:
"Mr. Xiao, why are you crying in a bar, a place for pleasure?"
"Thinking of old friends inevitably brings a few tears."
"It seems Mr. Xiao still has a few good friends in his heart."
Zhuang Xiaoman gently removed the white shawl from her shoulders, revealing a large expanse of fair skin. She lit a slender cigarette, took a deep drag, and exhaled wisps of smoke, looking at Xiao Tu through the smoke:
"With my looks and sweet talk, I've managed to make my way in Shanghai's social circles for years, and today I've finally established a certain status. Come to think of it, which government official, Japanese military officer, or business tycoon doesn't have some connection with me? Men are all the same, including you, Mr. Xiao."
Just then, Xiao Tu's body suddenly stiffened. He felt a cold, hard gun barrel pressing firmly against his waist.
"But women are different; women can have genuine friendships."
Zhuang Xiaoman's eyes instantly turned cold and sharp.
"And it was Xiao Gu who made me realize this. You killed Wu Mingda, and then you killed Xiao Gu. I saw it all clearly. I was watching everything silently from a place you couldn't see."
"What?!"
Lin Wan exclaimed in surprise.
"The third person was actually her?!"
Zhuang Xiaoman revealed the answer with a cold smile:
"Do you know why I didn't rush out and kill you? Because killing Wu Mingda was also part of my mission."
"You're the one from the Military Intelligence Bureau's anti-traitor squad!"
Xiao Tu's pupils contracted slightly as he looked at her in shock.
"Mr. Xiao is truly intelligent."
Zhuang Xiaoman's tone was chilling.
"If necessary, I will kill Xiao Gu myself."
"Since we share a common enemy, why didn't you stop your people from assassinating me?"
"That night, Li Feng was following you. Wouldn't assassinating you have conveniently cleared you of suspicion?"
Zhuang Xiaoman moved closer, exuding a deadly aura of pressure.
"However, I really do want you dead. Tell me, how does it feel to personally kill a junior who admires and respects you? Were your tears shed for Xiao Gu?"
Xiao Tu remained silent for a long time before slowly replying:
"There were a few drops."
Then, without any fear, he swallowed the wine in his glass in one gulp.
Zhuang Xiaoman stared intently at him:
"As soon as I pull the trigger, it will all be over. Yours and mine. We should all be free from this damn nightmare."
Xiao Tu smiled, seemingly having truly disregarded life and death. He didn't care about the gun at his waist, calmly picked up the wine bottle, and poured Zhuang Xiaoman a glass of wine.
"Mr. Xiao really understands me."
The two of them drank one glass after another at the bar until they were completely drunk.
Finally, Zhuang Xiaoman, slightly drunk, said:
"Regardless, I want to thank you for spending the night with me."
Then, Xiao Tu felt a wave of dizziness and collapsed onto the bar. Before closing his eyes, he only vaguely heard Zhuang Xiaoman's last words:
"Mr. Xiao, you're drunk."
The screen went completely black.
Immediately afterwards, a blood-red death message popped up.
"Infiltration failed"
System prompt:
"The sweetest thing in the world is a girl's smile. You should pay attention and try to increase Zhuang Xiaoman's favorability."
"Huh? How did he die?!"
Lin Wan was dumbfounded. She scratched her head, frantically trying to recall every option she had just made.
"That's not right! Every choice I made in my conversation with Zhuang Xiaoman just now clearly increased her favorability rating! Could it be... that the earlier choices were wrong?"
A sudden inspiration flashed through Lin Wan's mind.
"If Zhuang Xiaoman was the member of the anti-traitor squad who was hiding in the shadows watching everything, then she must have heard everything I said to Xiao Gu before she died!"
Lin Wan suddenly slapped her thigh.
"It's over! Back then, Xiao Gu begged me to spare her parents, but I refused because I was afraid the anti-traitor squad would misunderstand! Zhuang Xiaoman cares about Xiao Gu so much; hearing how heartless I was, she must be devastated!"
The viewers in the live chat suddenly realized:
"Holy crap, this foreshadowing was incredibly well done!"
"Is this the legendary butterfly effect? One sentence directly determines whether I'll get shot later!"
"The logic of this plot is simply divine!"
Without any hesitation, Lin Wan immediately rewound the storyline back to that critical moment when she faced Xiao Gu's pleading in the kitchen.
This time, he chose to say that to Xiao Gu:
"I am willing to protect your parents."
Skipping quickly through the plot, Lin Wan returned to the scene where she met Zhuang Xiaoman at the bar.
The conversations remained unchanged, still consisting of probing, gunshots, and drowning one's sorrows in alcohol.
This time, however, when Xiao Tu collapsed on the bar, he did not fall into a permanent sleep as he had before.
The screen lit up, and Xiao Tu slowly opened his eyes amidst a splitting headache.
The last image before his blackout is of Zhuang Xiaoman gracefully removing the last bullet from her pistol magazine in an extremely captivating manner.
She gently placed the cold brass bullet into Xiao Tu's palm, a meaningful smile playing on her lips:
"I didn't expect Mr. Xiao to have such a low alcohol tolerance. I should have shot him in the head... but thinking about it, never mind."
Zhuang Xiaoman glanced at Xiao Tu, who was sleeping soundly beside her, and lit a slender cigarette again.
She elegantly wrapped the snow-white fox fur shawl around her body, and with a crisp "clack-clack" of her high heels, she left the bar, leaving behind a stunningly beautiful yet resolute silhouette.
As that slender figure disappeared into the night, the screen gradually went dark.
The story of Chapter Two came to an end with that bullet, still warm from its trajectory.