The final toll of the midnight bell echoed through the deathly silent corridors of Rosewood Manor like a cold death knell. Yun Che's heart plummeted in response. His gaze locked onto the encrypted folder named "Dawn VII-Type Directed Energy Weapon System" on the screen. His finger hovered over the mouse for only a fleeting moment of hesitation. He clicked to preview it: complex energy matrix diagrams, intricate structural breakdowns, dense parameter tables… Yes! This was it! The core design schematics for the laser weapon!
He swiftly drew a specialized black USB drive from a concealed pocket on his tactical belt and plugged it into the high-speed port. On the screen, a green progress bar crawled forward like a venomous serpent, devouring precious seconds. Yun Che constantly checked his wristwatch, a sheen of cold sweat beading on his temples. Each passing second felt like a knife twisting in his heart! Files of this classification triggered central computer alarms instantly upon unauthorized copying! Security teams were undoubtedly already en route!
He hadto reach the rooftop before the guards closed in! That was his only lifeline—ifthe Security Bureau helicopter could breach Rosewood Manor's air defense net and arrive on time. But that "if" itself was as faint and fragile as starlight on a frigid night. Rosewood's defenses were an iron fortress, its anti-air firepower impenetrable. A helicopter attempting a forced entry would be like moths to a flame.
Time stretched agonizingly, each millisecond a torment to his nerves. Finally, the progress bar filled! Yun Che snatched the USB drive back into his pocket and bolted for the elevator bay! His finger stabbed at the rooftop button, only to be met with a glaring red light and a cold electronic voice: "Permission Locked. Elevator Service Suspended."
"Damn it!" Yun Che cursed under his breath, raking a hand through his hair in frustration. The elevator was remotely locked down! Without hesitation, he spun around and charged towards the emergency stairwell.
Just as he reached the first-floor landing, heavy footsteps pounded up from below! Two burly, fully armed guards were charging straight towards him! Yun Che's pupils constricted. His right hand instinctively flew to his waist, drawing his pistol in a flash! The cold muzzle of the Glock traced a lethal arc through the dim light, aiming unerringly at the forehead of the lead guard!
The muscles in his trigger finger tensed! A fraction of a second's decision could blow the man's head apart! But at the moment of pulling the trigger, a flicker of conflict crossed Yun Che's eyes, and his wrist jerked downwards!
"Sorry…" his voice rasped, laced with a barely perceptible hint of guilt.
Bang! Bang!
Two gunshots exploded in the narrow stairwell! Bullets tore through the air, embedding themselves precisely in the thigh muscles of both guards! Blood sprayed instantly!
"Argh!" The guards screamed, collapsing to the floor, weapons clattering away. Yun Che didn't spare them a glance. Like a sleek black panther, he vaulted over the fallen men, his boots splashing through the spreading crimson on the steps as he raced desperately towards the top-floor rooftop! Behind him lay the writhing, pain-racked figures and the expanding pool of scarlet.
One guard struggled to prop himself up, watching Yun Che's retreating back vanish up the stairs. His eyes held no anger, only an indescribable complexity. He pulled out his radio, his voice unnervingly calm: "Target ascending stairs via stairwell, destination likely rooftop. Subjects injured, non-life threatening. Repeat, target armed, has discharged weapon twice, moving towards rooftop."
A flat, emotionless voice came through the radio: "Acknowledged." Cang Ming turned to Ye Jin, seated by the floor-to-ceiling window. "Sir, the target has proceeded to the office building rooftop, as anticipated."
...
In the opulent main living room, Ye Jin reclined with languid ease on a deep crimson leather armchair. Beyond the vast window sprawled the city's glittering lights and the deep river of the Milky Way. Starlight, like scattered diamonds, glinted in his silver-white hair, casting a soft glow. His posture was elegant, as if he were watching an inconsequential play.
Cang Ming's report drew a faint, pitying smile to Ye Jin's lips. "Poor child," he sighed softly, as if speaking of a lost lamb, "He's probably still naively hoping... for that rescue that will never come?"
Ye Jin rose slowly, his silver hair cascading over his shoulders like a waterfall. He absently adjusted the collar of his impeccably tailored black shirt, his long fingers unconsciously tracing the hexagonal platinum cufflink at his wrist. Among his collection of priceless jewels, this cufflink seemed ordinary, almost cheap. Yet, it was a New Year's gift from Yun Che years ago. Ye Jin always wore it, as if the cold metal could hold some phantom warmth.
His fingertips brushed the cool metal surface. A flicker of unreadable emotion passed through Ye Jin's eyes before dissolving into a sigh. "Did he get it?"
Cang Ming glanced at the open laptop screen on the coffee table. "Central logs confirm Mr. Yun copied the schematics to the USB drive. Given his pattern, his next move will likely be transmitting the data out of the manor via the encrypted network."
"Let him transmit," Ye Jin's gaze drifted towards the office building silhouetted against the night, its rooftop ominously silent. "A blueprint riddled with 'flaws' and 'misinformation' will only cause headaches for the Security Bureau, posing no real threat." He paused, a glint of icy mockery deep within his rose-colored eyes. "Moreover, once the Bureau gets their 'coveted prize,' Bambi's hoped-for 'rescue'... will be utterly severed."
...
Crash!
Yun Che kicked open the heavy wooden door of a sixth-floor office! The door slammed against the wall with a resounding boom! He slipped inside, pulling the door partially closed behind him, and rushed to a desk, powering on the computer. His heart hammered against his ribs, a sense of foreboding coiling around him like icy vines—the rooftop remained deathly silent! No engine roar, no whir of rotor blades! Worse, the chaotic, heavy footsteps from below were growing louder! The pursuers were closing in!
He forced himself to stay calm. The aerial extraction was always high-risk; he'd anticipated this. The priority now was transmitting the schematics! As long as the data reached the Security Bureau safely, the mission was mostly accomplished! He still had a chance!
Yun Che jammed the USB drive into the computer's side port, simultaneously connecting his encrypted phone. His fingers flew over the keyboard, inputting complex commands to access the overseas encrypted network. A file transfer window popped up, the green progress bar crawling forward once more! Every second felt like dancing on razor blades!
Simultaneously, footsteps pounded clearly in the hallway outside! Yun Che decisively disconnected, yanked out the USB drive, and stuffed it back into his pocket. He scanned the room—the door lock was shattered by his kick, useless. Gritting his teeth, he dragged a heavy mahogany desk across the floor with all his strength, wedging it firmly against the warped door!
The digital clock on the wall read: 00:07.
Eight minutes left! Just eight more minutes! Qing Lan's extraction team should be here!
He raised his pistol! His left hand, clad in black fingerless gloves, steadied his right wrist as he aimed the muzzle at the massive floor-to-ceiling window! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!—
A rapid barrage of gunfire shattered the silence! Bullets struck like woodpeckers at the corners of the tempered glass! Spiderweb cracks instantly spread! Then, grabbing a solid wood chair nearby, he summoned all his strength and hurled it at the bullet-riddled center of the glass!
CRASH!—
The glass exploded! Countless shards cascaded like an icy waterfall, spraying outwards and plummeting into the darkness below! A biting night wind surged in, carrying the deep autumn chill and the city's scent, whipping his sweat-dampened black hair!
Yun Che smoothly ejected the spent magazine, slammed in a fresh one, and racked the slide. He then perched himself on the desk beside the shattered window frame, one leg braced, the pistol held loosely, muzzle pointing casually at the floor. His back was to the perilous drop beyond the gaping hole. His dark eyes, hardened like tempered steel, remained fixed on the door, trembling against the heavy desk blocking it. Cold wind howled through the broken window, tearing at his clothes.
Outside, the clatter of metal and the thud of combat boots grew denser, more numerous. The door wouldn't hold long against the trained guards outside. Strangely, they didn't press the attack, seemingly waiting in silence.
Soon, a faint stir came from the stairwell entrance. The guard ranks parted like the Red Sea, bowing respectfully. Ye Jin's figure appeared at the end of the corridor.
He wore his perfectly tailored black shirt, the platinum cufflinks gleaming coldly in the dim light. His silver-white hair was tied back with a matte black silk ribbon, a few strands falling across his forehead, accentuating the cold severity of his breathtakingly handsome face. Cang Ming followed close behind, a silent shadow.
Ye Jin approached the door with unhurried steps, his gaze calm as he addressed the guard captain. "Status report?"
"Sir!" the captain snapped to attention. "The target is barricaded inside, resisting arrest! He just shattered the window—intent unknown! Sixth-floor height..."
A faint, knowing curve touched Ye Jin's lips, his tone laced with piercing mockery. "Height is never a problem... if rescue is coming." His gaze swept over the closed door, seeming to pierce the thick wood to the stubborn, wary figure within.
He reached out and pushed lightly against the door, feeling the heavy resistance behind it. A flicker of amusement danced in his rose-colored eyes. The barrier was meaningless to him. But he wasn't in a hurry. The game with this little deer, stripping away his desperate pretense, watching him cling to the faintest sliver of hope for salvation—this was the most enjoyable part of the long game. The hunter savored the prey's final moments of illusion.
He curled his knuckles and rapped lightly on the door. His voice, carrying a teasing, indulgent note, pierced through the wood and echoed clearly within the room:
"Bambi, it's very late. Stop being difficult. Open the door, won't you?"