Operation Red Book

Snow-white camellia flowers bloom among clusters of green leaves. The soft moonlight shines on the plump and round petals, making them look exceptionally pure and flawless.

As the breeze blew, the camellia petals separated from the buds and drifted away in the wind, spreading the camellia's fragrance all over the earth and blending with the grass after the rain.

Another gust of breeze blew by, and petals fell with a whoosh. The camellia petals on Ivy's head were also carried away by the thin hooks hidden in the wind, floating past Ivy's eyes, and then drifted all the way and fell into Dorian's palm.

Ivy looked back along the floating petals. Dorian pinched the petals in his hand, put them under his nose and sniffed them carefully, then raised the corners of his lips.

"Excuse me, who are you..." Ivy asked doubtfully.

"My name is Dorian Emerson, the third son of Mrs. Emerson."

A clear voice sounded, sounding even more youthful in the moonlight.

Ivy squatted down and saluted: "I have long heard of Master Dorian. I was just asking Earl Waite for advice, so I found a place with few people..."

"You said you've heard of my name a long time ago?" Dorian said playfully, standing on tiptoe with his hands behind his back.

"Yes." Ivy smiled politely.

"Ever since before the ball started, I've been hearing servants and ladies talking about you. They say that Master Dorian is gentle, polite, humble and filial. It's a blessing to be able to talk to Master Dorian."

The corners of Dorian's mouth curved even more, and he stared into Ivy's eyes, his olive pupils sparkling with water.

"Did they talk about my two brothers?"

"Well... yes." Ivy thought.

"Lord Duke Andrew is very steady and has great demeanor. Young Master Edward is fighting outside, and every time he comes home, he is very considerate of his servants. Although he looks cold, he is actually a warm-hearted person."

"Actually, you don't have to cover up for them. I know what the servants are saying in private."

Dorian put away his smile and slowly walked towards the railing next to Ivy.

"Brother Andrew is always busy with work and affairs. He became the owner of Macmillan Manor three years ago. This is something that a 16-year-old boy like me cannot achieve."

“Brother Edward is in charge of military affairs and is protecting our homeland. He rarely appears in our sight.

"I am just a clumsy person. All I can do is to accompany my mother and share her worries."

Dorian looked at Ivy with a smile. His charming face seemed to startle the evening breeze, and it stopped at this moment.

"Sometimes I get angry with my brothers. Why do they seem to not love our mother when she loves us so much? So I can only rely on her more and let her feel my love for her."

"But maybe this is just my illusion. After all, I am not their biological brother."

After listening to this, Ivy stood aside in silence for a long time, so long that Dorian couldn't help but tilt his head and blink his narrow eyes and ask "What's wrong?"

Ivy sighed heavily, took two steps back, and held the handkerchief in her hands, which fell in front of her.

She lowered her head, her face no longer smiling, and said in a stiff voice:

"Master Dorian, there are only two of us here, you don't have to pretend anymore."

Dorian was visibly stunned, his smile frozen on his face, a dangerous light surging in his olive eyes.

"As for the descriptions of Lord Duke Andrew and Master Edward, they were all my own observations. No one else said much."

"You keep praising your two brothers, but in the end you put the focus on yourself. I've seen this kind of tactics many times. To be honest, it's so bitchy."

Ivy forced a smile and looked straight at Dorian, whose face was blue in front of her.

The confusion in Dorian's eyes disappeared, replaced by an awkward smile and unnatural movements.

"Master Dorian, since you have the ability to win the favor of Mrs. Emerson, why bother with your two brothers?"

"Why do you say that?" Dorian's mouth dropped.

"You must have said a lot of these things to the lady and the servants in secret, praising yourself highly while trampling the two young masters down harshly."

"I can hear the arrogance in your tone, and I can also see the contempt in your expression. You claim to be noble, so why do you deny the love between them?"

Ivy finished speaking in one breath, and then she and Dorian faced each other in silence.

The breeze lifted her skirt and blew away all the camellia petals on her head.

There was only a gold hairpin and a hairpin left in Ivy's bun, which made her look less lively and innocent.

"hehe."

Dorian covered his mouth and laughed, but the crisp sound was just ridiculous to Ivy.

"You are just a small assistant at the Chinese dock. I underestimated you."

Dorian lowered his head and grinned, his voice cold and arrogant.

Ivy couldn't help but feel worried when she heard that his condition was completely different from before.

Cold sweat broke out on her back and she kept backing away.

"How do you know about the Chinese dock? What do you mean by looking down on me?"

"If you hadn't had a connection with SCO and could have brought Joshua here, do you think Mr. Zhu would have received that invitation?"

"Joshua? SCO? Who are you!" Ivy exclaimed.

Dorian slowly raised his head. His eyeballs turned scarlet, his teeth turned into rows of jagged teeth, and some glowing black lines appeared on his charming face.

His body continued to expand, and a pair of blue-black horns emerged from his olive-colored hair, continuing to extend and curl outwards.

Ivy was trembling all over, her legs felt like they were filled with lead. She slowly squatted down along the railing, tears streaming down her face uncontrollably.

There was light filtering through the curtains beside me, and joyful songs were ringing in my ears, so close yet so far away.

She quietly took off the jewelry on her head, leaving her hairpin in place and holding the gold hairpin tightly in her hand.

Dorian showed his sharp teeth and approached her step by step with a grin.

Ivy breathed heavily, her heart sank, she stood up and rushed towards Dorian, stabbing the hairpin into Dorian's neck.

Dorian pulled her off and threw her onto the open space outside the railing. Ivy fell among the camellia petals covering the grass, and the hairpin slipped from her hand and disappeared.

Dorian twisted his neck and the wound healed at a speed visible to the naked eye.

He leaped in front of her and pressed his long black nails against her neck.

"Shh, I'll break your neck before you scream."

Dorian's voice was so cold that it gave Ivy goosebumps.

"Get up and go to the woods. You won't stop until I tell you to."

Ivy stood up with her neck stiffened, and the two of them walked into the white camellia forest one after the other, and were soon swallowed by the darkness.

The moonlight and camellia remain unchanged, but unexpected changes are quietly taking place in the darkness.