I have a plan

"Leave no one alive."

That's exactly what I think.

Several muffled thuds rang out in succession, and the few armed men who had been so arrogant just moments before all fell to the ground, sprawling haphazardly on the damp, muddy alleyway floor, their weapons scattered everywhere.

The henchman who had just been spouting filthy thoughts, his eyes wide open and still grinning, fainted instantly, his fate unknown.

Their fate is unknown, that means...

Xingsu withdrew the force from his hand, his body still radiating a chilling aura, and his gaze swept over the group of scumbags sleeping on the ground.

Arlecchino walked slowly to Xingsu's side, carefully avoiding the footsteps of the thugs who were sleeping on the ground. The night made her features appear even colder. She turned to Xingsu and asked, "Do you want to go through their memories?"

"No, thank you." Xingsu shook her head, her voice turning somber. "I don't want to see those disgusting scenes a second time."

Xingsu casually tossed them into the intricate waterways of the Fleuve Cendre. "I remember Lyney mentioned Valerius, right?"

"Hmm. Unlike Daerdufu, who is willing to serve as a henchman for other nobles, Valerius is a true veteran noble of Fontaine. Taking action against him rashly could easily provoke resistance from a group of old nobles, causing dissatisfaction and turmoil in Fontaine's upper echelons. Moreover, at present, we do not have any concrete evidence to definitively smear him."

The night wind, carrying the damp moisture from the Fleuve Cendre, swept through the alleyway.

"When I met Clervie, his men had already approached her, trying to sell her L㏒s."

"..."

Arlecchino's aura instantly darkened, her crimson eyes suddenly filled with a chilling coldness, and the air around her seemed to grow colder.

"That's not all. The initial capital she used to take over that dessert shop, that debt, was also borrowed from Valerius."

This was hardly a well-intentioned effort to support a young pastry chef; from the loan to the investment in L㏒s, it was a net that was gradually tightening from the very beginning.

"From the very beginning, Valerius had his eye on her. He used debt to trap her, then used L㏒s to corrupt her, gradually pulling her into his grasp." Xingsu's fist clenched quietly. "Luckily, I made it there that day, otherwise the consequences would have been unimaginable."

"It seems this nobleman has been lovesick from eating too many red beans." Arlecchino's murderous intent was impossible to conceal.

"Do you have any information about his movements?" Xingsu asked.

"Very rarely. After Daerdufu was killed and many people in his network of connections were arrested, he lived a secluded life and rarely showed his face. His shady dealings are currently handled by his second-in-command."

Unable to keep track of his movements? Xingsu recalled the information about Valerius and began to ponder.

In Daerdufu and Threshold Bro's memories, the orphanage under his control was a breeding ground for dirty deals involving children, while he secretly ran the underground trade of L㏒s. Greedy, lustful, and with twisted and peculiar fetishes, he was the quintessential despicable aristocrat, possessing status and position but utterly corrupt inside.

So now we need to get this rat hiding in the gutter to peek out from the shadows.

I have a plan!

I disagree!

In the sealed war room, the candlelight flickered quietly, but the tense atmosphere suddenly exploded at this moment.

Lyney slammed her hand down on the cold, solid wood table, the force causing the stacks of files and intelligence reports on the table to tremble.

The moment he finished speaking, he realized he had lost his composure. His tense shoulders relaxed slightly, his clenched fingers slowly loosened, and his voice lowered, filled with helpless apology.

"I'm sorry... Father, Lord Xingsu Su, I just..."

Before he could finish speaking, Lynette beside him spoke softly, her voice clear yet incredibly firm:

"Brother, I've already agreed."

Lyney immediately turned to look at her sister, her brows furrowed deeply. "But this time it's just too dangerous."

"With Xingsu personally leading the team, there won't be any problems." Lynette slightly raised her eyes, calmly meeting his anxious gaze. "Moreover, I'm only responsible for infiltrating and gathering intelligence, remaining completely hidden throughout. All subsequent dangerous work will be handled entirely by Xingsu Valerius's crimes, I will immediately seize the opportunity to retreat."

"No! Absolutely not!"

Lyney's tone was stubbornly defiant, showing no intention of backing down. He took half a step forward, his attitude resolute, "Unless I also participate in this operation! I'm going with you!"

"Lyney, now is not the time to fool around."

Xingsu, who had been silent all along, finally spoke. His cool gaze fell on the boy's tense face, and his tone was steady but carried an undeniable authority, instantly silencing the restless atmosphere in the conference room.

Overwhelmed by worry, Lyney disregarded hierarchy and etiquette. He suddenly looked up, his eyes filled with stubbornness. "Xingsu Su, I'm not being reckless! I haven't slacked off at all during this time. I've been training day and night to improve my physical strength, agility, disguise, and adaptability. I've become stronger, and I can definitely keep up with the pace of the operation. I won't hold anyone back!"

But his words only earned him a cold and indifferent response from Arlecchino.

The Hearth glowed, illuminating her silver hair. Her crimson eyes were calm and still, yet they firmly rejected the young man's claim. "Lyney, you don't yet Vision. The barrier between those with the Vision and ordinary mortals cannot be easily bridged by a few days and nights of intensive training. You simply cannot withstand the dangers of this operation."

Lyney was overwhelmed by utter helplessness and fear. He bit his lower lip hard, his breathing became slightly rapid, and his eyes reddened. Looking at his dignified father and the composed Xingsu, he finally forced out the most taboo words.

"Then... Father, please allow me to use the ' Delusion '!"

The moment those words were spoken, the entire room fell into a deathly silence.

The air seemed to freeze completely in an instant, and the candlelight stopped flickering as if frozen in place.

All eyes in the conference room suddenly focused on the boy.

A rare flash of anger crossed Arlecchino's gaze as she looked at Lyney, her fierce, evil cross-shaped eyes almost piercing Lyney's soul. "Lyney, we both know the price of the Delusion. Besides, have you considered whether Lynette would agree to you doing this?"

Lyney paused, then turned to look at Lynette beside her.

He had never seen his sister like this before.

The Damselette's clear, light-colored eyes darkened completely, filled with a deathly coldness. A thin layer of moisture now clung to her usually calm eyes, her eyelashes trembled slightly, yet she stubbornly refused to shed a single tear.

She didn't speak, but simply looked at Lyney quietly.

But that gaze was too somber.

She absolutely could not accept that Lyney had willingly touched the forbidden Delusion in order to protect her.

Looking at his sister's appearance, Lyney felt a sudden tightness in his chest, as if it were being gripped tightly by an invisible hand. A wave of bitterness and panic instantly overwhelmed all his stubbornness.

He opened his mouth, but all the stubbornness and arguments that were about to come out fell silent at that moment.

"Yes, Father, I accept the arrangement."