C22 Plan Successful

77 Carter Road, Encounter Coffee Shop.

A woman shrouded in a veil stepped into the coffee shop at half-past nine and settled at a secluded table in the back.

Tall and poised, her elegance was undeniable, and the delicate skin she revealed bloomed like a flower.

Clad in black, she was wrapped up tightly, yet her remarkable allure seeped through her pronounced curves.

Encounter Coffee Shop was quaint, spanning two levels with neatly arranged tables adorned with fresh flowers. At this hour, it was nearly empty.

The waiter approached her promptly, tamping down his admiration for her beauty, and inquired with a subdued tone, "Good morning, Miss. What can I get for you?"

"Do you carry Ju Xia beans?"

"Yes, we do."

"Are they the treasured beans cultivated by the parent star?"

"We have a stock from the parent star, but it's quite pricey."

"What roast do you offer?"

"Only light roast."

"I'll have an espresso, please."

"Of course, just a moment." The waiter bowed slightly, as if in the presence of divinity, and retreated on tiptoe.

The lady removed her stifling veil, yet kept her oversized sunglasses on.

She appeared both restless and expectant, her gaze darting to the door at every sound that permeated the quiet of the shop.

Two individuals entered, prompting a brief glance from her before she settled back, her hopes dashed.

She checked the time: 9:48 a.m.

Her coffee arrived, its rich aroma filled with fruity acidity and floral notes.

She took a delicate sip.

It was Ju Xia beans, but alas, not the coveted variety from the parent star.

The waiter had fibbed, leaving her slightly disheartened.

Yet, she continued to wait, eyes flicking to the entrance.

The newcomers also seemed to be anticipating someone, their glass of ice water now half-empty.

Little Knife fidgeted in his seat, "Brother Zeng, do you think he'll spot me here and get cold feet?"

Zeng Nian masked his own impatience, gulping down ice water and crunching the cubes with a 'crunch, crunch.'

"He won't. It's not time yet. My only fear is that he's reached out to Phoenix Corporation. If they've made contact, our wait here is in vain. That's the risk I was talking about."

"Why not go into hiding for now? I'll wait here since he doesn't know me," Little Knife suggested.

Zeng Nian pondered the idea and agreed, "Just remember, if you see him send a message, don't do anything impulsive."

"You got it," Little Knife assured him. "I'll handle it."

"Okay, I'll head over there." Zeng Nian surveyed the street through the glass window and picked out a spot at a cake shop.

After Zeng Nian left, Little Knife's eyes vigilantly tracked each person entering the coffee shop.

As people filtered in and out, the crowd thinned until only he and a woman in the far corner remained.

Her beauty was undeniable, even behind the dark shades.

Little Knife, being an ordinary man, found his eyes wandering to the woman from time to time.

Such a knockout!

He marveled to himself yet again.

Had he not been on a mission, he would've surely tried his luck with her.

During another glance at the woman, this time from a different angle, Little Knife stiffened.

Something about her seemed incredibly familiar.

Doubt crept into his mind.

A realization hit him, and his eyes widened in shock.

It was her!

He frantically searched his chip computer for the photo of their mission's target, Yeh Ranyi.

It was her!

Little Knife quickly confirmed his suspicion.

Unless there was someone else in the world who looked exactly like Yeh Ranyi, it had to be her!

His heart raced with excitement.

He scanned the surroundings, wondering, "Where are the bodyguards? If I take her out now, would that complete the mission?"

The urge to inform Zeng Nian was strong, but he hesitated, not wanting to share the glory.

Yeh Ranyi was just a star, defenseless as a trussed chicken. If he eliminated her, the accolades would be his alone.

His heart pounded with anticipation.

The only concern was the bodyguards. Where could they be?

With the keen focus of a hawk, Little Knife scrutinized the passersby outside, only to arrive at a startling conclusion.

No bodyguards?

Yeh Ranyi was out without any protection?

Had she lost her mind?

She knew someone was out to kill her, yet she didn't bother with bodyguards. Was she courting death?

Little Knife felt his blood pounding; he could practically hear his own heartbeat.

"Thump! Thump! Thump!"

Rushing out, he hadn't thought to bring a weapon.

He snatched up a dinner knife from the table, stood, and made his way toward Yeh Ranyi.

One step, two steps...

With each step closer, the image sharpened, and his certainty grew: this was their target.

Luck was smiling down on him!

Little Knife was so elated he shook with joy.

Just then, a thunderous roar erupted from outside.

Glancing out reflexively, Little Knife saw a massive transport flyer taking up half the street, parked right in front of the café.

A figure followed, entering with a box in tow.

Squinting against the backlight, Little Knife couldn't make out the newcomer's features. The man approached swiftly, excusing himself politely, "Sorry, excuse me."

For reasons Little Knife couldn't fathom, he stepped aside.

"Thank you," the man said, carrying the box past him and sitting across from Yeh Ranyi. He set the box on the table with a thud, indicating its weight.

Did they know each other?

Doubts swirled in Little Knife's mind.

Yeh Ranyi stared at the newcomer, visibly overpowered by his presence.

With the light now aiding him, Little Knife got a clear view of the man's face and his eyes widened.

Gu Xian?

They were acquainted?

"Who are you?" Yeh Ranyi inquired with caution.

"You're Xiao Ye?" Gu Xian responded.

At the sound of the familiar nickname, Yeh Ranyi nodded.

"Chen sent me," Gu Xian revealed.

With that, Yeh Ranyi's tension melted away.

Meanwhile, Little Knife was befuddled.

Xiao Ye? They were that familiar?

Might as well finish them both.

After all, if Yeh Ranyi was gone, Gu Xian would be worthless to him.

So reasoned Little Knife.

"This is for you." Gu Xian tapped the box beside him and rose to his feet.

That's when Little Knife drew near.

The dinner knife in his sleeve glinted ominously.

Gu Xian felt a surge of murderous intent and swiftly turned his head.

The sudden onslaught of lethal energy was like a shock of ice-cold water, paralyzing Yeh Ranyi in place.

Xiao Dao's heart raced with terror.

Initially, Gu Xian hadn't considered him a threat, but, by some twist of fate, Xiao Dao had marked himself as a target.

Every cell in Gu Xian's body sprang into action, responding to the scent of life and death.

Without a moment's hesitation, Gu Xian sprang into action. One second he was conversing with Yeh Ranyi, the next he was barreling toward Xiao Dao.

Accustomed to constant ambushes, he mistook Xiao Dao for another assailant.

Bounty hunters, scouts, mercenaries... a myriad of people had tried to end his life. Gu Xian was confident in his acute awareness of such danger and trusted his instincts implicitly.

Xiao Dao, taken aback by Gu Xian's response, was no Yeh Ranyi.

A swift flick of his wrist, and the dinner knife gleamed with a deadly chill, lunging for Gu Xian's throat.

Gu Xian paused only for a split second before ducking and landing a solid punch in Xiao Dao's gut.

The force nearly rearranged Xiao Dao's insides.

His mind reeled with shock and disbelief.

Who is this man? How is he so formidable?

Gu Xian was not fond of killing, but he never shied away from it.

His instructor had drilled into him that mercy on the battlefield was a betrayal of one's own life.

In the blink of an eye, he had twisted Xiao Dao's wrist out of joint.

The knife, no longer wielded with intent, lost its menacing edge and twirled through the air. With a deft kick, Gu Xian sent it soaring into Xiao Dao's throat with a swift "whoosh."

As Xiao Dao lay dying, he couldn't grasp how Gu Xian, a mere technician, possessed such overwhelming combat prowess.

His body slumped to the ground, and Gu Xian didn't bother to look back as he bolted.

He was aware of the trouble he'd stirred.

He didn't know Xiao Dao or why he was targeted.

Yet, he had killed Xiao Dao nonetheless.

It seemed a tranquil life was never in the cards for him. He anticipated the Security Department's pursuit.

Returning to 33 Bay Road was out of the question, and to make matters worse, he was now without a mecha.

No matter how formidable he was, without his mecha, Gu Xian was nothing more than an ant under the siege of police mechas.

He hadn't anticipated murder, but once the deed was done, a flood of chaotic thoughts overwhelmed him.

He needed to flee Aelley before the Security Department could respond.

Gu Xian's mind was razor-sharp, his thoughts crystalline.

The moment he stepped outside, a gunshot rang out.

Trouble! An ambush!

Gu Xian's pupils dilated in alarm, his body instinctively recoiling.

Two more shots followed, sounding like fireworks. A bullet grazed his left leg, and soon his consciousness wavered, and he collapsed to the ground with a heavy thud.

Zeng Nian emerged hastily from hiding, hoisting Gu Xian onto his shoulders. He commandeered a hovercar and sped away from the scene, not sparing a glance for the lifeless Knife.

Knife hadn't sent him any messages; he was oblivious to the events that had transpired in the coffee shop.

He had assumed Knife's cover was blown by Gu Xian, leading to a scuffle.

Luckily, he had anticipated trouble and brought a tranquilizer gun.

Gu Xian's evasion of the first bullet had sent shivers down Zeng Nian's spine, but thankfully, one of the next two bullets found its mark.

He needed to get Gu Xian to safety, fast.

Zeng Nian's thoughts were as sharp and organized as a blade.

With Knife dead and no ID to be found, the Security Department would surely launch a full-scale manhunt.

Killing Yeh Ranyi would become an even greater challenge. They needed to wrap up their mission and get out quickly.

He hadn't foreseen that their target would be at the coffee shop, completely unguarded.

Gu Xian, the only real threat, was now incapacitated by the tranquilizer.

Regardless, he felt a sense of mission accomplished.

If Knife knew the outcome, would he be consumed by regret, lamenting his greed for glory?

The commotion at the coffee shop escalated rapidly.

The distinctive red and blue of the police mechas streaked across the sky, closing in fast.

Zeng Nian deftly evaded them, returning with Gu Xian to the safety of the derelict factory.