Chapter 24: The Death of Yan Baiyue

Chapter 24: The Fall of Yan Baiyue

Blizzard No. 1 Thermal-Ore Mine.

At the former site of the Night Owl Syndicate casino, a new electronic screen displayed the mine's name in large letters. The facility was ringed by high walls and guards, with heavy machinery humming quietly.

As the first large-scale mine—and the first co-developed by Yan Wanqiu and Blizzard City's local powers—it had quickly secured its official mining permit thanks to Mr. Ai's maneuvering, begun initial operations, and gained an official name.

Xie Chi, carrying a backpack and wearing a thin down jacket, stood beneath the electronic sign, waiting. He occasionally smiled and nodded to workers as they passed, though the smile never reached his eyes.

Today was the day Yan Baiyue made his move.

According to his plan, he would lure Yan Wanqiu into the mine and ambush him there. Meanwhile, the two thousand elite soldiers he'd brought would surround the mine. Even if Yan Wanqiu managed to escape, he'd only run into wave after wave of troops.

Xie Chi's task was to accompany Yan Wanqiu as his trusted subordinate, wave Yan Baiyue's elite soldiers in from outside the mine, assist Yan Baiyue in ambushing Yan Wanqiu, record the key footage, and provide cover for Yan Baiyue's escape.

By now, all outsiders in the mine had been completely cleared out. Only camp soldiers and a few local civilians remained—civilians Yan Baiyue had earlier told him to plant in the mine. The soldiers were there to protect Yan Wanqiu; the civilians, to lull Yan Baiyue into complacency.

Xie Chi touched the wrist communicator on his arm—a gift from Yan Baiyue, containing a remote-detonated bomb.

It wasn't a great feeling, putting your life in someone else's hands. For this mission, Xie Chi's spatial ring held three quantum guns and over a dozen bombs, all freshly repaired or handcrafted by Shi Peijue, just in case.

The backpack he carried was just for show, so he could whip out a weapon at a moment's notice.

Watching the aircraft looming closer in the distance, Xie Chi sighed softly.

Of course, it would be best if nothing unexpected happened that would force him to draw a quantum gun.

As he was thinking, the aircraft touched down.

The cabin door slowly opened, and Yan Wanqiu stepped out with Yan Baiyue.

Xie Chi snapped into professional mode, stepped forward, and saluted: "Second Prince, Third Prince, everything inside the mine has been arranged. You're all set to start the tour whenever you're ready."

Yan Baiyue looked at the massive thermal-ore mine and brand-new equipment before him, a flicker of surprise and greed flashing in his eyes before he cleared his throat and pretended to be unimpressed: "Meh. A backwater dump."

Yan Wanqiu said flatly: "Since my brother finds it so poor and remote, let's head back. I'll escort you to Ice City—I'm sure Lord You would roll out the red carpet."

Yan Baiyue was caught off guard and snapped: "Yan Wanqiu, don't play dumb with me!"

Why else would he come to a godforsaken place like Blizzard City? Yan Wanqiu had to know—there was no way he'd pass up seeing the thermal ore.

Yan Wanqiu shot a look at Yan Baiyue with his blood-red eyes. Yan Baiyue was so startled he forgot to keep threatening him.

An awkward silence fell between them.

It was Xie Chi who spoke up: "Are we still touring?"

He was eager to get this killing over with and see his wife.

This morning, his wife had worn fuzzy slippers and sent him a photo, saying she hoped they'd see each other soon.

Yan Wanqiu finally tore his eyes away from Yan Baiyue, looked at Xie Chi, and let out a low laugh: "Of course we're touring. Little brother, let's go."

Yan Baiyue snorted coldly, with a look that said, "Fine, since you asked so nicely, I'll grace you with my presence," but he kept his mouth shut.

Xie Chi led the two of them straight into the mine without any trouble.

"The thermal ore resources in this region are abundant. Currently, we've only developed Mine No. 1 as a pilot, projected to produce ten million tons a year. Two more large-scale mines will be developed here in the future. All town residents have been relocated to new homes near the camp, and we've also set up a hiring preference for locals."

"We're now in the main mining area of Mine No. 1. The workers beside us are hard at work. Because Blizzard City sits on deep permafrost, we're using a phased mining approach and keeping each dig shallow. The underground tunnels are lined with insulation to keep them warm without messing up the permafrost's temperature balance. During blasting, we also use small-scale explosions to reduce vibrations and keep cracks from spreading and causing cave-ins."

Xie Chi explained as he gave them the tour.

During this period, he had visited the thermal-ore mine more than any other place—he had practically watched it being built, so he knew the place inside and out.

Yan Baiyue's greed intensified.

Hearing reports from informants was one thing, but seeing the seemingly endless thermal ore with his own eyes was another.

He'd had dealings with the Mechanical Civilization and understood the strengths and weaknesses of electromagnetic guns inside and out. Once he had thermal ore, combined with electromagnetic guns, wouldn't the whole United Kingdom be his and his brother's to rule outright?

Looking further ahead, the Mechanical Civilization was also hurting for energy. They were working together to hunt for off-world resources. According to his brother's preliminary estimates, the thermal-ore deposits within Blizzard City's territory could keep them mining for almost a hundred years. By then, he and his brother could even turn the tables on the Mechanical Civilization and everyone else, becoming the undisputed rulers of the galaxy!

This wasn't just ore—it was endless wealth and power calling his name.

Yan Baiyue pulled himself together, reluctantly tearing his gaze away from the thermal ore, and smiled at Xie Chi as if on cue: "Captain Xie, I'd also like to see the edge mining area. Is that possible?"

Xie Chi blinked, then glanced at Yan Wanqiu.

Yan Wanqiu appeared impatient: "Suit yourself."

Xie Chi then said: "Alright, follow me, Your Highnesses."

Several workers in the mine were Yan Baiyue's plants—familiar faces he'd had inserted—and Xie Chi had spent the whole time playing the loyal lapdog, just like the original owner of this body would have. Outside the mine, two thousand elite soldiers were stationed.

Yan Baiyue suspected nothing, following behind Xie Chi and Yan Wanqiu, shooting daggers at Yan Wanqiu with pure hatred.

The explosives were placed in the mining area at the mine's edge, and so far, Yan Wanqiu hadn't seemed on guard at all, just annoyed—clearly he didn't think Yan Baiyue could get his hands on the mine, let alone strike so openly.

Yan Baiyue flashed a vicious grin.

Yan Wanqiu, drop dead.

.

"This is the edge of the mining area. The permafrost here is extremely fragile, so we're planning to seal off and insulate the whole perimeter. Since we haven't mined this far yet, the sealing work hasn't started. The terrain here is rough and slick—please be careful, Your Highnesses."

At the edge of the mining area, the rock walls were covered in a thick layer of pale blue ice—frozen rock that was too hard to mine without thermal-ore equipment. Xie Chi slowed his steps on purpose so he wouldn't slip.

Yan Baiyue pretended to look around, then said to Yan Wanqiu in a half-joking tone: "Brother, you've built this place up so quickly. With all this thermal ore, the capital will take it over anyway. Why not give me half first? You once said you'd add to my wedding gift when I marry—I won't treat you badly then either."

Yan Wanqiu raised an eyebrow: "When I was exiled, I also said I'd kill you all. Should I make good on that too?"

Yan Wanqiu's tone didn't sound like a joke. Yan Baiyue's blood ran cold for a second, then his resentment flared even hotter.

He glanced at Xie Chi, who gave him a subtle nod, and suddenly his confidence came rushing back.

Confident that Yan Wanqiu had already fallen for the trap, Yan Baiyue no longer concealed his malice: "Who do you think you are? Yan Wanqiu, I've put up with you long enough. I was kind enough to offer you a way out, and you dare speak to me like that?"

"A way out?" Yan Wanqiu almost laughed.

Yan Baiyue lifted his chin: "My brother has already decided to confiscate all thermal ore within Blizzard City's territory. That's why he sent me to inspect. Your mine is already surrounded by my men. Give me half now, and I might consider letting you live."

Yan Wanqiu's smirk widened: "Your men?"

Yan Baiyue, clueless, got even smugger: "Of course. Not just the soldiers I brought—you probably don't even know this, but even your trusted subordinate is just another one of my dogs. Yan Wanqiu, you've been betrayed again. How pathetic—A Chi."

"Here." Xie Chi answered, his face blank, and moved to stand beside Yan Baiyue.

Seeing Yan Wanqiu's surprised expression, Yan Baiyue finally got the satisfaction he wanted: "Yan Wanqiu, if you get on your knees and beg now, I might just be kind enough to put you out of your misery."

Yan Wanqiu looked at Xie Chi, then at Yan Baiyue.

Yan Baiyue had never once hidden his malice toward him. Without Xie Chi's intel, the current situation might have been somewhat tricky, but as things stood, Yan Wanqiu merely found Yan Baiyue to be like some clown putting on a show.

He let out a soft sigh.

How had it come to this?

Back in the old days on the main star, little Yan Baiyue would hold his hand and call him "brother." Yan Wanqiu had been more than happy to spoil his omega little brother—carrying him when he refused to walk, hunting down recipes when he got picky.

As the eldest brother, Yan Huishi always put on the airs of the eldest brother and Crown Prince, scolding Yan Baiyue for being too spoiled, then turning around and warmly inviting him to attend court sessions at the Father Emperor's palace.

Their parent had been gentle, and even though Yan Wanqiu wasn't their biological child, they never held it against him and raised him personally.

Memories of the past—countless familiar faces slowly twisting into broken, vicious masks—froze at the moment he learned the truth upon his exile.

His light had been too dazzling, so much so that these people could no longer keep up their hypocritical masks of decency, doing everything they could to get rid of him—the threat standing in the way of Yan Huishi's rise.

Yan Wanqiu's sigh wasn't out of soft-heartedness, just a bit of wistfulness.

After all, this was probably the last time he'd ever see Yan Baiyue.

He ignored Yan Baiyue's provocation and instead asked, "Yan Baiyue, what exactly are you and Yan Huishi plotting? Why are you building up forces at the border? And where did you get your pheromone toxin?"

This question had been bugging Yan Wanqiu for a long time.

Yan Huishi's influence at the border clearly wasn't built overnight, but as the eldest son and Crown Prince, even if Yan Wanqiu had once been a threat to him, border forces wouldn't have been much use in taking him down.

What exactly was Yan Huishi scheming?

When he'd schemed against Yan Wanqiu, he was only nineteen—a prince who'd barely ever left the palace, just barely of age. How could he have gotten his hands on a drug the whole Kingdom had never even heard of?

Yan Baiyue sneered. "I don't owe a failure like you any explanation. Even if you did know, so what? Do you really think you're gonna survive today to treat your Pheromone Dysregulation Syndrome?"

Yan Wanqiu didn't get angry, just gave Yan Baiyue one last look like he was already a dead man. "Fine, don't talk then."

After all, once Yan Baiyue was dead, Yan Huishi would surely panic and act rashly—then he'd have plenty of chances to confront Yan Huishi directly.

And with Yan Baiyue's brains—getting used as a pawn without even realizing it—he probably didn't know anything important anyway.

Yan Baiyue was riled up by the pity mixed with wistfulness in Yan Wanqiu's gaze. "What's that supposed to mean? You looking down on me?"

He'd completely lost any patience for messing around with Yan Wanqiu, and said furiously, "Xie Chi! Kill him!!"

"Yes." Xie Chi replied.

At the young man's words, a thunderous series of explosions erupted around them, the whole frozen ground seeming to shake.

Yan Baiyue waited smugly for the mine to collapse, ready to savor the terror and despair on Yan Wanqiu's dying face before leaving with Xie Chi.

But what came first was the cold glint of a blade against his own neck.

Yan Baiyue's eyes went wide in disbelief as he stared at the person holding the knife to his throat. "Xie Chi?!?"

Xie Chi didn't answer. Catching Yan Baiyue off guard while he was still smug, he cleanly slit his throat.

Warm blood splattered everywhere, quickly congealing in the sub-zero cold.

Because of the freezing cold, Yan Baiyue didn't die right away from blood loss, but he instantly lost the ability to move. His eyes bulged as he stared at Xie Chi, like he'd never imagined this outcome.

Xie Chi kicked him to the ground, planting a foot on Yan Baiyue's stomach to stop him from struggling, then looked up at Yan Wanqiu and said, "Fire."

Yan Wanqiu froze for a second.

Xie Chi helpfully added, "For revenge, you should get the final shot."

He'd done revenge-kill accompaniment jobs before—letting the client take the kill shot was standard practice for any accompaniment assassin.

Besides, Yan Baiyue had really been messing with Yan Wanqiu this whole time. Not letting him kill Yan Baiyue himself just wouldn't be satisfying.

Once Yan Wanqiu snapped out of it, a faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips as he pulled his gun from his waist.

He aimed at the middle of Yan Baiyue's forehead. Yan Baiyue looked at him in terror and desperation, frantically shaking his head, making hoarse gurgling sounds of pleading from his slit throat.

He no longer had time to wonder why the explosives hadn't collapsed the mine, or why Xie Chi had suddenly turned on him. With a fatal wound to his neck, all Yan Baiyue had left was the instinct to survive, desperately trying to stir Yan Wanqiu's pity.

"Ah—brother, please—"

"Bang—"

Yan Wanqiu pulled the trigger.

The bullet hit the middle of Yan Baiyue's forehead, and he went silent for good.

The world was bleak and cold; the edge of the mine was dead silent. He'd killed with his own hands the family member he'd once treasured.

"Crisp applause rang out, totally out of place at the edge of the mine."

Yan Wanqiu's mouth twitched. He didn't even spare Yan Baiyue's corpse another glance, turning to look at Xie Chi, who was still clapping. "What are you doing?"

Xie Chi thought for a second. "Showing support?"

Yan Wanqiu: "..."

Any trace of melancholy Yan Wanqiu had felt vanished completely.

He sighed inwardly at the thought that he was actually married to this idiot, then instructed Xie Chi, "Alright, enough with the applause. Take off the smart device Yan Baiyue gave you. Now that Yan Baiyue is dead, with your smart device transmitting real-time information, Yan Huishi on the main star will likely react immediately. That device of yours could explode at any moment—it's too dangerous."

Xie Chi naturally knew this as well. He had already removed the device and tossed it into his spatial storage before applauding, and now simply showed Yan Wanqiu his bare wrist. "Already taken off."

"Good." Yan Wanqiu remained vigilant, speaking calmly. "Yan Baiyue's men are still surrounding the mine. Most of them likely have direct channels to contact Yan Huishi. Yan Baiyue's death won't affect their assault. Our people are coordinating from outside—prepare to break through and evacuate."

Xie Chi nodded. This had been their original plan all along.

The two abandoned Yan Baiyue's corpse, its eyes still wide open in death, and immediately prepared to leave.

However, at that very moment, a faint "crack" sound came from the rocks behind them.

Xie Chi's keen senses caught the subtle noise, and he instinctively looked toward its source.

There, on the ice covering the frozen rock face at the edge of the mine, several cracks had appeared.

The cracks spread rapidly, accompanied by fine "crackling" sounds of ice splitting, followed by a dull rumble as the ice surface shattered completely. Deep fissures raced along the rock walls, sending gravel and ice crystals tumbling down.

The fragile frozen rock layer had actually collapsed from the vibrations caused by the empty explosive charges and gunfire!

All of this happened in an instant. Xie Chi's pupils contracted as he grabbed Yan Wanqiu's hand—the latter having turned back at the sound—and ran with all his strength toward the outside of the mine.

"This place is caving in! Run!"

At Xie Chi's shout, the rocks, no longer held in place by the ice, split apart with a thunderous roar, sending chunks of frozen mud flying in all directions. The edge of the mine collapsed behind them, burying Yan Baiyue's body completely.

If Xie Chi had been even half a second slower, the two of them would have been buried alive right there.

Yan Wanqiu caught on too. Without wasting a second, he quickly followed Xie Chi out, while using his comm to order the soldiers in the mine to evacuate.

He'd placed these men there as a surprise force for the breakout, but there was no time to worry about staying hidden—being found out beat being buried alive.

The soldiers in the mine got the order and evacuated in an orderly manner. Nie Huaiyi, disguised as a miner, grabbed the confused worker next to him and bolted.

The Blizzard City native Yan Baiyue had planted there looked totally confused, sure he'd been found out. Gripped by Nie Huaiyi, he didn't dare make a peep and instinctively ran along.

Xie Chi and Yan Wanqiu had been at the very back of the thermal ore field.

By the time the whole field let out a dull rumble and the tunnels started caving in, the two barely made it out.

With no time to dodge the hail of debris, Xie Chi just leaned on his combat suit and stopped dodging, putting all his focus into shielding Yan Wanqiu. His clothes were shredded, and a bloody gash had been cut across his face.

Yan Wanqiu wasn't much better off. Xie Chi had done his best to protect him, but he couldn't block every piece of rock and ice. His trench coat was now just half its original length.

"Whew—we made it out."

Xie Chi let go of Yan Wanqiu's hand and looked back at the thermal ore field, still shaken, silently cursing Yan Baiyue as a bad-luck charm.

He'd been involved in building the thermal ore field from start to finish. Mr. Ai's safety measures were solid, and he'd double-checked the placement of the dummy explosives through terminal simulations.

But the permafrost ecosystem was fragile. Nobody expected such a faint vibration to set off a tremor that big across the whole mine.

Luckily, it was just some shaking, and the collapses were limited to already fragile spots. The mine itself wasn't badly hit. Once this was over, Mr. Ai could come fix it up and they could get back to work.

He and Yan Wanqiu had just been plain unlucky this time.

Yan Wanqiu, now released from Xie Chi's grip, frowned at the dried blood on the other's cheek and pulled out a healing solution, offering it to him.

Xie Chi pushed it back and looked into the distance. "I've got plenty more. It's just a minor scratch—I'll treat it all when we get back."

Hearing this, Yan Wanqiu seemed to sense something and looked up in the direction Xie Chi was staring. His expression turned cold.

Around the mining site, countless figures in Main Star Army uniforms emerged from every direction, all heavily armed and perfectly arrayed—a stark contrast to the two of them who had just stumbled out in disarray.

In the front formation, several electromagnetic guns stood out prominently, their cold gleam reflecting off the snow.

Because of the tremor in the mine, they had not only been prematurely exposed within the encirclement but had also lost the advantageous terrain for holding their ground and fighting back.

The Main Star Army advanced slowly and finally halted less than a hundred meters from the mining site. The camp soldiers had already drawn their weapons, and Xie Chi silently stepped in front of Yan Wanqiu.

His wife was still at the camp—Yan Wanqiu absolutely could not come to harm.

The two forces faced off for a moment, then a stir rippled through the Main Star Army ranks. A man who looked like an officer stepped forward and addressed Yan Wanqiu: "Second Prince, His Highness has a message for you."

His tone was purely informational, not seeking Yan Wanqiu's consent. With that, he directly activated his comm device's projection.

A massive light screen appeared above the mining site. A young alpha with short white hair and cyan-blue eyes looked down at the crowd from above.

His gaze lingered on Xie Chi for a moment, as if puzzled why Yan Baiyue was dead but Xie Chi was still alive.

He didn't dwell on it for long. A moment later, his gaze passed over Xie Chi and locked directly onto Yan Wanqiu's blood-red eyes.

"Little brother, it's been a while."