Dual wielding volcanoes, killing through the west

"It's so late, Professor, you're still not resting?" Lu Aniu asked in a casual greeting, his eyes half-closed.

Beneath his calm expression lay no emotional fluctuation; even a seasoned veteran like Henderson couldn't discern what he was thinking.

It is precisely these unpredictable and mysterious people who truly inspire fear.

“I’m waiting for you.” Henderson nodded slightly, quickly establishing his and the other person’s positions in the interpersonal interaction.

“…Alright, let’s sit down and talk.” Lu Aniu showed a rare smile.

But to think he's genuinely happy right now would be naive. At least for now, there's still a chance to have a conversation.

Henderson took a deep breath and snapped his fingers.

"Snapped!"

After they were seated, a girl dressed as a servant, with demure eyes and somewhat crude makeup, appeared before them carrying a wine pot. Her makeup was very simple, even intentionally designed to resemble that of a "peasant," but it still couldn't conceal her beautiful young face.

"Pour wine for the master."

The girl was very obedient. She gracefully poured Lu Aniu a glass of red wine, then stepped aside and waited patiently for further instructions.

“You’ve chosen a new sommelier,” Lu Aniu glanced at her.

“Yes,” Henderson nodded, his expression unchanged. “There are plenty of beautiful, young girls in this city.”

Chapter 823: Hidden Agent (Five chapters today!)

a few hours ago.

"Okay, let's arrange it like this for now."

Xiaomei checked everyone's schedule one last time, and her gaze towards Mike and Theon was tinged with emotion.

In this situation, the willingness to stay behind and buy time for others goes beyond mere "bravery." Despite a certain advantage in equipment, the numerical disparity is difficult to overcome. With the enemy army pressing in, they could only delay the inevitable for a short time.

They were almost mentally prepared for the extremely high probability that they would die here.

Xiaomei closed her eyes slightly, and when she opened them again, all the worrying micro-expressions had vanished from her face.

With Mike absent and Zhang Renfeng also absent, she was now the highest-ranking leader in the team. She needed to shoulder the responsibility of organizing a massive evacuation of over four thousand people in an orderly and swift manner. At this critical moment, she had to harden her heart. No weakness, not even a delicate, worried furrow of the brow, could be revealed!

“Time is tight, we have too much to do.” Xiaomei composed herself and said, “Weapons, supplies, ammunition, bring as much as we can. We must maintain a certain level of firepower so that when a desperate battle comes, we can at least have the strength to fight back.”

"Everyone, let's hurry and get started!"

……

“Miss Mesalia, please…please wait a moment.” A somewhat timid voice interrupted, surprising everyone.

On stage, facing hundreds of ardent audience members, she remained fully immersed in her role, delivering a captivating performance. Even so, this was the first time she had formally expressed her opinion within the Red Cross faction. The pressure they faced was entirely different, which made her appear particularly nervous, her cheeks slightly flushed.

Xiaomei was also a little surprised, but she still nodded to her in a friendly manner, "If you have anything to say, just say it quickly."

"I feel that this arrangement... is not quite appropriate."

Evelyn swallowed subconsciously, then laid out her thoughts one by one, "Of course, retreating with the troops is no problem. But the ultimate goal of this strategic retreat is to reunite with Mr. Callaway and the others, and then reorganize the counterattack with the troops, right?"

"If all our people evacuate from this city, wouldn't that be tantamount to handing over the entire situation of Oak City to others?"

"..." Xiaomei paused for a few seconds.

In a time of emergency, her first thought upon receiving the news was how to preserve her forces; she hadn't considered that aspect at all.

It's highly unlikely that Mike and Theon alone can hold Oakwood. The best-case scenario is that they can resist long enough to escape unscathed. But even in that best-case scenario, continuously gathering intelligence from the city will be impossible.

This city, as can be seen with the naked eye, has many large buildings. Soldiers can hide inside them, turning them into armed fortresses, making them easy to defend and difficult to attack.

Even if the Raven raiders led by Calaway were to try and take this place head-on, the number of casualties would be considerable.

unless……

……

“It’s too dangerous.” Mike frowned. “By then, the whole city will be under martial law, everyone will become your enemy, and it will be easy to spot.”

“I am very confident in my acting skills; it’s the only thing I’m good at,” Evelyn said, pressing her hand to her chest. “I can play the role of an insignificant servant. There are many girls in this city with that kind of status, so one more wouldn’t be strange.”

"With me here, it's like having an informant in this city. We agree on a time and place, and every night I'll put the intelligence in a place that only we know."

"I can help you find out about the soldiers' movements and logistical reserves. If we're lucky, we might even be able to find out the Illuminati's high command's follow-up plans. Wouldn't that be great?"

"..."

Xiaomei pursed her lips, her brows furrowed slightly, and she fell into deep thought once again.

From Evelyn's description, the role she wanted to take on was not just a simple "informant," but a highly risky female spy.

Time passes by every second.

With the already limited time available, she voiced her dilemma, "But... if I leave you alone, what if something happens..."

"I can't explain this to Mr. Zhang."

……

Evelyn's eyes changed slightly, from being confused and vulnerable to being incredibly determined.

Like a warrior who has been reborn.

“Please, Miss Mesalia,” the girl said softly, “this is my own choice.”

“He gave me my life. I hope to be like you, or like Miss Nymeria…”

"I'll help him as much as I can."

----

Henderson was somewhat surprised.

He thought Lu Aniu would definitely ask him about the chapel.

This small chapel, which holds the ultimate secret of the Illuminati, is a top secret. There's no need to investigate who leaked the information, because only the most elite among the elite knew of its existence. At least, in this city, only Henderson knew.

He had already prepared a set of statements to deal with Lu Aniu's questioning. Essentially, it was to admit what he had done and then subtly shift some of the responsibility onto others. Since the deed was already done, there was no point in trying to justify it further; he might as well admit it openly.

As long as the other party doesn't kill you immediately, there's still room for negotiation.

However, the reality left him somewhat at a loss.

Lu Aniu chatted for a long time, but didn't mention the chapel once, or even the person "Zhang Renfeng." They just talked about random topics, such as what they had been busy with lately, how many stunt doubles they had found, and what style of scripts they had written... Even when they talked about Oakwood City, he only asked easy questions like "How did Norton die?"

He poured glass after glass of fine red wine, and as he drank more, Henderson's mental defenses gradually became less clear.

Lu Aniu, however, was completely unaware of this; to him, this level of alcohol was no different from drinking water.

"Alright, that's enough wine and meat."

After clearing away all the exquisite dishes on the table, Lu Aniu clapped his hands and stood up, saying, "That's enough for tonight."

"About me..." Henderson hesitated.

"Your business? What business of yours?" Lu Aniu asked with a half-smile.

"..."

Henderson could hardly believe that his stance had been so easily dismissed.

"You seem quite clever as a sommelier..."

Just before leaving, Lu Aniu suddenly turned around, like a scorpion casting its hook, and threw out his real stinger.

He looked at Evelyn, his eyes narrowing meaningfully, "I'd like to borrow it for a few days..."

"You wouldn't refuse to part with it, would you?"

Chapter 824: My Story, But It's Like This

"You seem very calm."

Halfway there, Lu Aniu suddenly uttered these words without turning his head, causing the girl behind him to pause slightly.

When it comes to fighting, shooting, and killing, Evelyn is naturally clueless and can't offer any help. But when it comes to acting, she is undoubtedly the "Pearl of Nanbang."

This title may be half due to her beauty, family background, and figure, but at least half is due to her acting skills. The stage is the arena for young women, and through years of practice, she has developed a mature acting system that allows her to immerse herself in any role in a very short time.

Simply put, it's about "experience".

By observing other people's behavior, speaking style, actions, expressions, and other details, the performer can incorporate the other person's identity into their performance to increase authenticity.

There are countless examples to draw upon in this city. Evelyn meticulously crafted many details for her character—she doesn't need to say much, but even when out of sight, the performance continues silently.

Until Lu Aniu suddenly spoke up, interrupting her rhythm.

"I...I'm not quite sure what you mean..."

Evelyn did not detach herself from her role, keeping her head bowed humbly and obediently.

In this character's eyes, she doesn't know who the person in front of her is; she only knows that he is a powerful figure who can decide her fate at any time.

Therefore, her eyes and attitude should have been humble, and with a hint of fear.

……

One finger.

A finger, as thin as withered wood, reached out from below her line of sight, gently pressing against her chin and forcibly tilting her head back. Those cold, black eyes roamed brazenly over the girl's face.

The character she played had no right to resist, so Evelyn portrayed a captivating yet terrified expression.

He spread his five fingers and placed them on the girl's crown.

The hand that could only crush stones was now carefully and gently touching Evelyn's parietal bone, occipital bone, and skull.

"..."

The entire movement was very meticulous, as if he were measuring something. After feeling the bones of her head, Lu Aniu used the sides of both hands to press down on the girl's neck bones, and then, through her clothes, he pinched her shoulders hard twice before he finished.

What are you doing?

"Interesting, very interesting!" A smile played on Lu Aniu's lips. In the night breeze, his gaze towards Evelyn changed somewhat. "When I first saw you, I felt your 'bone structure' was unusual, but I didn't expect it to be like this..."

"If you live long enough, you'll see all sorts of things."

"Please forgive me, I don't understand what you mean." Evelyn was genuinely confused. "Are my bones any different from others'?"

"This is an ancient Eastern secret technique. We believe that everyone's bones, growing in different bodies, will have subtle differences. And these differences are the footnotes of fate for us."

"Your grandson will become the emperor of this country."

……

……

……

This is what it means to say something truly shocking or outrageous.

Evelyn was so shocked that for a moment she forgot her current identity as a spy.

“I…this is really…I can’t understand it. How is this possible? America doesn’t have an emperor, it never has. The country is governed by three institutions: the president, Congress, and the Supreme Court. Didn’t you know that?”

"Don't look at me like that, little girl. Do you think I'm crazy?" Lu Aniu laughed nonchalantly. "This world is much bigger than you and I can imagine, given enough time..."

Anything can happen.

"A child will be born who inherits the most powerful parts of both his father's and mother's bloodlines. Absolute power, coupled with absolute inspiration... Ultimately, he will become emperor. He will sweep away the proud institutions of this nation like autumn leaves!"

"The fate of countless people will be completely rewritten because of his birth."

Lu Aniu slowly extended his right hand, his five fingers taut, making a hand-knife gesture.

The moonlight is cold, and all makeup has been washed away.

Bathed in moonlight, he gently pressed the hand knife against Evelyn's abdomen.

Lu Aniu squinted and pondered, "Perhaps I should kill you tonight to prevent him from coming into the world."

"Ah……"

After a long silence, he finally put down the chop, and the chilling atmosphere dissipated as if it had never happened.

"Why would someone like you come here?" Lu Aniu asked.

"..." Evelyn was still shaken by his prophecy. Caught off guard by the question, she paused for a moment before remembering the story she had made up.