Years turn into wind

Chapter 146 The Storm

The candlelight in the study gradually burned out, and the night deepened. Ling Xiaotian and Cheng Yuwei discussed the matter all night, and only returned to their rooms for a short rest when the east was just beginning to brighten. However, just when they thought they had temporarily stabilized the situation, an invisible shadow quietly approached.

Ling Xiaotian left his study and stood in the corridor, gazing at the morning light. A cold breeze brushed his face, bringing a chill. He took a deep breath, as if trying to dispel the depression in his chest. This crisis was more complex than he had imagined, and the enemy's cunning and elusive tactics kept him on edge.

Cheng Yuwei was in the courtyard, sorting through the clues she'd gathered the previous night. Her mind was constantly reviewing the fragmented information, trying to piece together more details. Just then, a faint sound of footsteps reached her ears. She looked up and saw a maid approaching, holding a cup of hot tea.

"Miss Cheng, this is what the Marshal asked me to prepare for you." The maid smiled respectfully and handed over the teacup.

Cheng Yuwei took the teacup, her heart warmed, and she whispered a thank you. Ling Xiaotian's attentive care, though unspoken, was pervasive. She took a sip, the warm aroma of the tea filling her mouth, bringing a sense of comfort.

However, the next moment, her brows furrowed slightly, and while savoring the aroma of the tea, she seemed to detect a strange smell.

Cheng Yuwei set down her teacup, her fingertips trembling slightly. She had a PhD in chemistry, and her sensitivity to smells was far superior to that of ordinary people. The faintest odor set off alarm bells in her heart.

"Is there something wrong with this tea?" she wondered, looking up at the maid. The maid lowered her head, her expression expressionless, but it was this calmness that made Cheng Yuwei feel a little uneasy.

"Thank you." She smiled faintly, pushed the teacup away, and said, "I'll drink it later." The maid nodded, cleared the tea tray, and left. After she left, Cheng Yuwei immediately poured the tea into the flowers nearby, observing the flower's reaction intently. In an instant, the edges of the petals turned slightly black, as if burned.

"It's poisonous indeed." Her heartbeat quickened, her thoughts racing. Who could have poisoned Ling Xiaotian's residence? What was their intention?

Not far away, Ling Xiaotian happened to walk over. Seeing Cheng Yuwei's pale face, he immediately stepped forward and asked, "Yuwei, what's wrong with you?"

Cheng Yuwei briefly explained the situation, and Ling Xiaotian's expression suddenly turned cold. He waved his hand and summoned his guards, his tone stern and murderous, "Find out who sent the tea, find the maid, and bring her to me immediately!"

The guards took the order and left quickly, leaving the air filled with tension. Ling Xiaotian turned to look at Cheng Yuwei, his eyes filled with worry and anger: "Did you drink much?"

Cheng Yuwei shook her head and said soothingly, "Don't worry, I'm fine. But this means that there is a greater threat lurking in the mansion."

Ling Xiaotian was silent for a moment, a chill running down his spine. Someone had dared to attack his territory; it meant the enemy had infiltrated deeply. He had to investigate. No matter who was behind this, he would not tolerate such provocation.

A moment later, the guards returned, escorting the maid. Her face was pale, her lips trembling slightly, clearly aware of her predicament. Ling Xiaotian's sharp gaze swept across her like a blade, and he asked coldly, "Who ordered you to do this?"

The maid trembled incessantly, and finally broke down crying under Ling Xiaotian's cold gaze: "It was...it was the Second Young Master, he forced me to do this! I was also forced!"

"Second Young Master?" Cheng Yuwei and Ling Xiaotian exchanged glances, their brows furrowed. This Second Young Master was actually Ling Xiaotian's half-brother, and had always harbored a hidden hostility towards him.

This time, the conspiracy was obviously more involved. Cheng Yuwei's heart moved, and she realized that this was not just an internal family struggle, but might be related to external forces.

Ling Xiaotian's lips curled up into a cold smile, his eyes flashing with a cold light: "Okay, very good. I will handle this matter personally."

Ling Xiaotian waved his hand, and his guards dragged the maid away. Only he and Cheng Yuwei were left in the courtyard, and the air was so silent that even the sound of the wind seemed to be suppressed.

"It seems that our enemies are more cunning than we imagined." Cheng Yuwei said softly, with both worry and determination in her eyes.

Ling Xiaotian looked at her in silence, the coldness in his eyes gradually softening. He stepped forward, gently took her hand, feeling the coolness of her fingertips, and whispered, "I'm sorry for putting you in such danger."

Cheng Yuwei looked up at him, the corners of her mouth slightly raised, her eyes flashing with determination: "We are now people in the same boat, what is there to apologize for? What you have to do is to find out the black hand behind this, so that we can feel at ease."

Ling Xiaotian stared at her, a complex mix of emotions welling up in his heart. From initial distrust to current mutual dependence, this woman had become indispensable to his heart. He gently embraced her in his arms, feeling her warm body temperature, and murmured, "Yuwei, I swear, no matter who it is, I will not let him hurt you."

Cheng Yuwei was slightly startled, a blush spreading across her face, but she quickly regained her composure, gently pushed him away, and said seriously, "Don't just talk sweet nothings. Our top priority now is to investigate the Second Young Master's motives and whether there's someone behind this."

Ling Xiaotian nodded, his eyes returning to that cold light. "You're right. I'll immediately arrange for someone to thoroughly investigate this matter."

As daylight gradually brightened, Ling Xiaotian quickly gathered his confidants and began making arrangements. Cheng Yuwei, meanwhile, sat in her study, mulling over the events of the previous night. She couldn't help but recall her time in modern laboratories, researching dangerous substances. After a moment's deliberation, she suddenly came up with a bold hypothesis.

"If that cup of tea was just the first step, what would their next step be?" she thought to herself.

Just as she was lost in thought, there was a knock on the door. She looked up and saw Ling Xiaotian walking in with a stern expression.

"I have some clues," Ling Xiaotian said. "Our people have found out that the Second Young Master has been in frequent contact with a foreign businessman recently, and this businessman's identity is questionable."

"Foreign merchants?" Cheng Yuwei frowned, feeling a little uneasy. This matter seemed to involve a larger situation.

Ling Xiaotian nodded, a murderous look flashing in his eyes: "Yes, this businessman is likely connected to our hostile forces."

Cheng Yuwei pondered inwardly. Her expertise and keen intuition told her that this was more than just a simple poisoning incident. The enemy had chosen to strike at this moment, clearly after careful planning.

"Xiaotian, we can't just wait for them to attack. We must take the initiative and find out their next plan." She said in a firm tone.

Ling Xiaotian's eyes flashed with approval. He had already determined in his heart that this intelligent and determined woman in front of him was his most powerful helper in these troubled times.

Ling Xiaotian took a deep breath and nodded, "You're right. We must take the initiative. According to current intelligence, this foreign merchant will appear at the auction in two days. I need you to go with me. Perhaps your observation skills can reveal some details that we cannot perceive."

Cheng Yuwei's heart tightened slightly after hearing this. The auction was not only a place where power and interests intertwined, but also a place where enemies could hide their murderous intentions. She nodded, a firm light flashing in her eyes: "I will go with you."

Two nights later, the vast auction hall was ablaze with lights, and the VIP seats were filled with representatives from various factions. Ling Xiaotian and Cheng Yuwei sat side by side, flanked by several personal guards, vigilantly observing every move around them.

"Pay attention to the masked man in the corner over there." Ling Xiaotian reminded in a low voice, with a hint of coldness in his eyes.

Cheng Yuwei followed his gaze and saw a man in fancy clothes and a mask, staring calmly at the auction table with a cold and secretive expression. She was shocked, her intuition telling her that this man was no ordinary person.

Halfway through the auction, the host announced that a rare antique would be the finale. Everyone's attention instantly focused on the display stand, where the antique shimmered with a strange brilliance under the lights.

At this moment, Cheng Yuwei caught a glimpse of the masked man in the corner, slightly sideways, as if making a secret gesture behind him. She immediately sounded the alarm in her heart and whispered, "Xiaotian, be careful, he might make a move!"

Ling Xiaotian's eyes were cold, and he quickly signaled his guards to heighten their vigilance. Suddenly, a commotion erupted from the auction hall. A waiter carrying a tray accidentally fell, spilling the drinks all over the floor. Taking advantage of the chaos, the masked man in the corner quietly stood up and headed for the back door.

"Let's follow!" Ling Xiaotian stood up decisively, took Cheng Yuwei's hand, signaled her to be careful, and the two quickly chased towards the back door.

Outside the back door was a dark alley, the air chilly. Cheng Yuwei held her breath, the only sound in her ears being her own heartbeat. The masked man, seemingly aware of being followed, suddenly turned around, a sharp glint in his eyes.

"You are here as expected." His low and hoarse voice contained a hint of mockery, and a dagger suddenly appeared in his hand.

"Who are you? Why are you approaching the Second Young Master?" Ling Xiaotian questioned, his eyes as sharp as knives.

The masked man sneered: "Do you think you have the situation under control? In fact, this is just the beginning." After he said that, he suddenly rushed towards Cheng Yuwei.

Cheng Yuwei's pupils shrank, but she didn't panic. Instead, she calmly dodged the attack. Ling Xiaotian took the opportunity to leap forward, quickly knocking the dagger away and wrestling with the masked man.

The masked man was agile. Though he'd lost his weapon, he didn't panic at all. Instead, he nimbly dodged in the darkness, trying to find a chance to escape. Ling Xiaotian, on the other hand, was like a tiger descending from the mountains. Each of his moves carried a steady and deadly force, forcing the masked man back step by step.

Cheng Yuwei nervously watched the fight unfold. Although she wasn't a martial arts expert, she always managed to find the right moment to lend a hand at crucial moments. Seeing the masked man being cornered, he suddenly sneered, pulled out a small smoke bomb from his arms, and quickly threw it to the ground.

"Oh no! It's a smoke bomb!" Cheng Yuwei exclaimed.

A pungent cloud of smoke instantly filled the alley, completely obscuring vision. Coughs echoed through the fumes. Ling Xiaotian attempted to catch the masked man, but he had already escaped in the chaos, leaving behind only the sound of receding footsteps.

"He ran away." Ling Xiaotian frowned, a hint of annoyance in his eyes. He turned his head and looked at Cheng Yuwei. Seeing that she was covering her mouth and nose and coughing, he hurried forward and asked with concern, "Are you okay?"

"It's okay, just a little choking." Cheng Yuwei waved her hands and tried to calm her breathing. Although the enemy had escaped, she was not upset because she noticed that the masked man had left something behind when he fled - a piece of paper that seemed to have been dropped accidentally.

Ling Xiaotian bent down to pick up the piece of paper and found a map drawn on it. The location marked on it made him and Cheng Yuwei look at each other in surprise - it turned out to be a secret warehouse near the Marshal's Mansion.

"He's hinting at us, or this is a trap." Cheng Yuwei analyzed in a low voice.

"Whether it's a clue or a trap, we have to find out." Ling Xiaotian's eyes lit up with fighting spirit. He carefully put the piece of paper away, held Cheng Yuwei's hand tightly, and whispered, "Come with me, but be careful."

Cheng Yuwei nodded, feeling the warmth and determination of his palm, and her heart warmed. No matter how many dangers the future held, as long as she could fight alongside him, she would be fearless.

However, what they didn't know was that in the distance, a pair of eyes hidden in the shadows were staring at them coldly, with a sinister smile on the corner of their mouth.

Ling Xiaotian and Cheng Yuwei returned to the Marshal's Mansion and quickly arranged a reconnaissance operation. Following the markings on the map, they carefully planned how to safely enter the warehouse. Ling Xiaotian dispatched trusted soldiers to ambush the surrounding area to prevent any unforeseen circumstances. As night fell, moonlight bathed the courtyard of the Marshal's Mansion, adding a touch of mystery.