The Gimmick

A leaf falls, the autumn wind gradually rises, and a chill begins to creep in, vast and covering the entire earth.

In the evening, a black curtain gradually enveloped the sky, attempting to swallow the last trace of light in this world. A gentle breeze blew a fine rain, adding a bit more chill. Rows of streetlights extended along the winding path, stubbornly and unyieldingly contributing their faint light.

The night was silent, the chirping of insects gradually fading, eventually being drowned out by the sound of dripping rain, making it even more tranquil.

Suddenly, two sets of footsteps broke the silence. Following the sound, a man and a woman emerged from the night.

Upon closer inspection, both were dressed in black. The man appeared to be around twenty-six or twenty-seven years old, tall and slender, standing as straight as a spear. His expression was stern, his sword-like eyebrows reaching his temples, exuding a heroic aura. Especially his eyes, which were as bright as stars; a casual glance of his gaze, a few sharp glints, could inspire awe.

However, at this moment, this handsome man's face was etched with deep sorrow. A slight stubble on his chin and messy hair added to his mournful appearance.

In this cool, rainy autumn, the man wore no raincoat, nor did he carry an umbrella. His originally black suit, now dampened by the fine rain, appeared even darker. Against this backdrop, the white flower on his chest stood out conspicuously, telling a sad story.

Black attire, white flower – this is how one dresses only for a funeral. Where this man had been was unknown, but his sorrowful expression indicated that the deceased was someone of great importance to him.

Turning to the woman, she was about fifteen or sixteen years old, petite, and a head shorter than the man. Her appearance was lovely, still retaining a touch of youthful innocence. In the autumn rain, her eyelashes trembled, her dark eyes like stars, her cherry lips slightly bitten, her expression tinged with sadness.

As if recalling something, the young girl's delicate nose twitched slightly, her eyes reddened, and tears welled up, making her look even more desolate.

Like the man, the girl was also dressed in black. A white flower was pinned to her black dress, making her appear so delicate and mournful in the night and rain. Unlike the man, she wore a black raincoat, the oversized garment enveloping her small frame, giving her a fragile appearance.

The two walked on like this, aimlessly, as if without purpose.

"Brother Ye, my sister she..." As she uttered these words, the tears in the girl's eyes finally began to stream down.

"Yue'er, you..." A slightly hoarse and world-weary voice sounded, but before the man could finish, he was interrupted by several sharp braking sounds.

The man looked in the direction of the sound, his expression becoming slightly wary. However, as if discerning no danger from those individuals, his wariness lessened, though his expression grew much darker.

Five or six sedans stopped about a hundred meters behind the pair. More than ten men in black rushed out of the cars and headed straight for them.

These men were all dressed in black, their movements synchronized and orderly, clearly well-trained. They moved swiftly, like a black tide surging forward. Though there were only a dozen or so, they gave the impression of a vast army.

These dozen or so men quickly surrounded the man and woman, but they did not attack immediately. One man, who appeared to be the leader, stepped forward slightly and said with a hint of respect, "Mr. Ye Luo, on the orders of the family head, we are here to escort the second young lady back to the family. We hope you..."

"Hmph, tell Father, I'm not going back." The girl interrupted the man. Although her voice was soft and tinged with tears, her words were firm and unwavering.

"Miss Zhiyue, the family head's orders to us are mandatory. We hope you will cooperate, otherwise..."

Hearing the man's words, Ye Luo's brow furrowed slightly, and his expression turned colder. "Otherwise what? Are you planning to forcibly take Yue'er away? With just you people?"

"Kid, don't be so arrogant. If it weren't for the elder young lady's face, we wouldn't bother talking nonsense with you." One of the men in black said, his forward step indicating he wasn't just speaking.

Hearing the words "elder young lady," a soft expression flashed in Ye Luo's eyes, but it quickly turned to sorrow, and then to coldness. "Then stop talking nonsense and just make your move."

"Kid, you're asking for it. Then don't blame us for being impolite!" The man roared in anger, then leaped forward. With a flash of cold light, a blade about a foot long appeared in his hand, and he thrust it directly at Ye Luo.

Judging by the speed and angle of the man's attack, it was clear he had some skill with a short blade. A strike like this would be extremely difficult for an ordinary person to dodge.

At first, the leader frowned upon seeing the man attack, but after recalling Ye Luo's previous words, he relaxed his brow and did not intervene.

Cold light flickered, the blade danced like a butterfly. With a "thwack," the blade struck and then was withdrawn, drawing a spray of blood that, under the dim streetlights and fine rain, appeared particularly vibrant and eerie.

"Ah!" After a long moment, a pained cry echoed through the heavens. The man who had attacked first stumbled back, clutching his arm.

Having attacked first and then being injured, this bizarre scene caused even the well-trained men to gasp in shock, all staring at Ye Luo not far away.

Ye Luo stood calmly, having taken half a step forward, subtly shielding Yue'er behind him. In his right hand, he now held a white spike about a foot and a half long. The drops of blood rolling off the spike proved that he was the one who had attacked.

"Such speed, such a swift blade!" The leader exclaimed in surprise, his tone carrying a hint of admiration. "The spike instantly pierced his arm, yet managed to avoid major blood vessels and nerves. Your eyesight is truly masterful. Mr. Ye Luo, thank you for showing mercy, but as I said before, we must carry out the family head's orders."

Glancing indifferently at the leader, Ye Luo merely twirled the short blade in his hand, his meaning clear.

"Hmph, big brother, stop wasting words with him. He's just one person. If we all go at him together, I don't believe we can't take him down!" Another man from the group scoffed, already drawing a blade as he spoke.

Sighing inwardly, the leader nodded helplessly. With a flash of cold light, a short blade appeared in his hand as well, and he charged forward first. His speed was even greater, and as the blade cut through the air, it faintly produced a whistling sound.

Seeing their leader make his move, the others also attacked, transforming into over a dozen black shadows that converged. Over a dozen short blades, gleaming under the streetlights, shone brightly, creating quite a spectacle of flashing blades.

Faced with over a dozen simultaneous attacks, Ye Luo's brow furrowed slightly. With a movement of his left hand, a short blade about a foot long appeared.

Unlike the spike in his right hand, this blade was as black as ink, making it difficult to spot in the dim night.

However, the leader had been watching Ye Luo closely. He saw the black blade, and in a flash, information surfaced in his mind. He murmured, "White spike in the right hand, black short blade in the left, surname Ye... could he be the legendary former captain of Dragon Group's first team in the Ministry of State Security, known as Death's Twin Blades, China's One Leaf..."

With this thought, the leader's expression became much more serious, even a flicker of respect and fear flashing in his usually resolute eyes. However, with everyone having already attacked, the arrow was nocked and ready to fly. He had no choice but to suppress his awe and quicken his pace, a bitter smile on his lips:

"He was right earlier. With just us, we can't possibly take the second young lady. I hope, for the sake of the two young ladies, he'll show mercy..."

With over ten people thinking this way about one person, Ye Luo's terror was evident.

As these thoughts raced through his mind, the two sides clashed. The imagined scene of Ye Luo being chopped to pieces did not occur. To Zhiyue's stunned eyes, Ye Luo moved. The white spike flashed repeatedly, dancing like a butterfly, as swift as lightning; like a dragonfly skimming water, nimble as electricity.

However, each dance brought forth a spray of blood, and each touch of water pierced an arm. In a short moment, three or four men were injured and retreated from the battle. Moreover, as Ye Luo swung the spike, more men were getting injured.

His body twisting, Ye Luo drew an arc. The short blade in his right hand moved like a phantom, deftly blocking the opponents' blades.

A series of piercing sounds rang out. Most of the short blades in the hands of the men in black developed nicks, while Ye Luo's ink-black short blade remained intact.

These men's short blades were specially forged, no less inferior to military sabers. Yet, they were easily nicked, demonstrating how sharp and durable the ink-black short blade was.

The battle continued. Ye Luo's footwork was peculiar. With both blades in action, the black blade in his left hand defended, while the spike in his right hand attacked. He moved with ease amidst the attacks of over a dozen people. As the fight progressed, the men in black gradually sustained injuries, but none were severely wounded.

As for Ye Luo, amidst the encirclement, his arm was merely grazed, a shallow wound oozing a few drops of blood. This happened only because he was protecting Zhiyue.

Just as only five or six men in black were still holding on, a shout rang out: "Stop!"

The voice was somewhat hoarse, but carried an inherent authority. At this command, Ye Luo and the men in black ceased their actions, all looking towards the direction of the sound.

As the shout echoed, a middle-aged man emerged from the car. He glanced at his attendant who was holding an umbrella, waved away the crowd surrounding Ye Luo, and without even looking at Ye Luo, fixed his gaze on Zhi Yue and said in a deep voice, "Yue'er, you really aren't coming back with me?!"

The middle-aged man was burly and imposing, but he seemed to have suffered a major blow. His face was slightly ashen, his eyes bloodshot, giving him an air of world-weariness and desolation.

"Daddy, I..." Looking at the man, who was only in his prime but already had streaks of white in his hair, Zhi Yue hesitated slightly. However, after glancing at Ye Luo beside her, her expression turned resolute. "Daddy, Sister asked me to follow Brother Ye. He can protect me..."

"Qiu'er said these things to you before she died..." the middle-aged man murmured. His body trembled slightly, but he steadied himself and looked at Ye Luo, his eyes gleaming sharply. "Qiu'er entrusted Yue'er to you?"

"Mm," Ye Luo replied indifferently. A flicker of resentment crossed his face, and his tone carried a hint of mockery. "Yue'er is fine with me. At least she won't be influenced by your so-called family interests anymore, nor will she be forced like Sister Qiu..."

As he spoke, deep sorrow appeared on Ye Luo's face. The middle-aged man's expression also dimmed a bit, then shifted through anger, resentment, regret, powerlessness, and more, a complex mix of emotions.

After a long while, the middle-aged man calmed himself. He looked at Zhi Yue, his expression softening considerably. "That's for the best. Yue'er will at least be happier following you."

Without waiting for Ye Luo or Zhi Yue to respond, he stared at Ye Luo and continued, "From your earlier actions, I recognized your identity. I'm relieved Yue'er is with you. But can you truly guarantee her safety? Judging by the rumors I've heard about you, you won't let this go easily. With Yue'er by your side..."

A fierce glint flashed in his eyes, and Ye Luo's voice turned much colder. "Those who harmed Sister Qiu must die, even if they are disciples of the Dongfang Family, the so-called second major family!"

"Although you are very strong, and I believe you can kill that beast, you should also be aware of the Dongfang Family's power," the middle-aged man said, his expression growing more serious. "Killing him will cost you your life. I know you're prepared to die and don't care, but what about Yue'er? What about Qiu'er's last wishes? Are you disregarding all of this?"

Hearing this, Ye Luo hesitated, his face contorted with pain. After a long pause, he looked at Zhi Yue and murmured, "Sister Qiu, I finally understand why you entrusted Yue'er to me. But your revenge..."

"Qiu'er's revenge must be avenged, but it doesn't necessarily mean killing him," the middle-aged man interrupted. His expression became resolute, and he carried a more dignified and solemn aura. "You also know that the Dongfang Family is our country's second-largest gaming family. Soon, 'Heavenly Tribulation' will launch. This is the largest game globally, and the Dongfang Family will invest a significant amount of manpower and resources. This is our opportunity."

Upon hearing this, Ye Luo's eyes lit up, and his expression grew determined. "When the time comes, I will enter the game and destroy everything the Dongfang Family has, to avenge Sister Qiu!"

"Come here, I have some things to tell you..." the middle-aged man said. Seeing them approach, he lowered his voice, speaking words that were not overheard. Ye Luo and Zhi Yue listened intently, nodding occasionally.

Half an hour later, the middle-aged man finished his instructions, and the three of them moved apart again.

"Alright, you two should leave now. Don't let the Dongfang Family find Yue'er," the middle-aged man said, waving them off. He then looked at Zhi Yue with affection and added, "Take good care of Yue'er. If you need any help, notify me."

Nodding, Ye Luo took Zhi Yue's hand and continued along the path.

"Alas, it's not easy to destroy the Dongfang Family. After all, they are our country's second-largest gaming family, not to mention the international forces behind them."

"But people need hope to live. Besides, Ye Luo is no ordinary person. Perhaps he can actually do it."

After speaking, the middle-aged man straightened up. He cast one last look at Zhi Yue before returning to his car. The engine roared to life, and the convoy drove away.

The autumn wind continued to blow, but at some point, the autumn rain had stopped. The last dark cloud dissipated, and a full moon hung in the sky, bringing more light and hope to the world.