During that period, Luo Yu never slept well at night, relying almost entirely on alcohol to numb himself, with two guns placed by his bedside. Because the situation was simply too perilous. If even a hint of his identity as the mole were exposed, he had no doubt Xing Jifu would demand his life; and if his identity as a police officer were revealed, none of the three major criminal syndicates would spare him—he’d be hunted to the ends of the earth and hacked to pieces.
It was then that he truly understood the meaning of what his superiors had said: being an undercover agent was like walking on the edge of a blade. Those thin, razor-sharp edges lay densely beneath his feet. He had to tread lightly, with extreme caution—one wrong step, and he’d be pierced by a thousand blades, dying without a burial place.
The news that Guo Xing might be an undercover agent and could be silenced by the Yunnan gang at any moment—this intelligence came from within the Yunnan faction. Luo Yu learned of it earlier than anyone else in Xiangcheng.
He couldn’t easily tip anyone off, as it could implicate him and expose his identity, causing the entire plan to fail. So he immediately contacted his superiors and confirmed Guo Xing’s identity. His superiors quickly made a decision: Guo Xing was to hand over the evidence he had collected to Luo Yu, who would then determine the course of the entire operation.
Thus, Luo Yu and Guo Xing were supposed to have a secret meeting.
But man proposes, God disposes. When Luo Yu arrived at the fish restaurant, he found only chaotic footprints scattered across the ground, with Guo Xing nowhere to be seen. He tracked the trail and happened to see three youths nervously fleeing from a lake deep in the mountains. His heart jolted violently; at that moment, staring at the calm lake surface, it felt as if he were seeing his own fate.
He dove into the lake and discovered the bound corpse.
From Guo Xing’s inner pocket, he retrieved the carefully hidden USB drive.
In the end, he decided to leave everything as it was and erase all traces of his presence at the scene. The USB drive contained only evidence of the Yunnan drug dealers’ crimes. Bringing it out now would inevitably disrupt his entire plan, so he resolved to keep it with him for the time being.
As he left the lake and stood atop a distant hill, he turned back silently and saluted toward the place where the body lay.
At that moment, he suddenly thought of You Mingxu.
But the faint hopes he once held, the grievances and heartaches he once felt, had long since dissipated. He merely wondered: if someday it was his turn, and You Mingxu learned his true identity, would she feel even the slightest bit of sorrow?
She probably would.
Suddenly, he no longer wished for her to find out in the future.
——
On more than one night, Luo Yu sat before a chessboard, meticulously mapping out his plans step by step.
He discarded the first black chess piece. That was Ahua, Guo Feirong’s right-hand man and the originally designated contact for the transaction. As for Guo Feirong, Luo Yu always felt he couldn’t quite figure him out. On the surface, he appeared to be the most stable and least conspicuous among those who had been with Xing Jifu the longest. Luo Yu couldn’t find any leverage against him and could only continue to watch him closely.
Unexpectedly, after removing Ahua, a white chess piece appeared on the board—You Mingxu.
Once again, she had barged into his line of sight.
On that dark and windy night, he led his men to follow Ahua to the riverside pond. Just as he was about to reveal himself, he saw Ahua preparing to shoot You Mingxu. Without a second thought, Luo Yu fired and killed Ahua.
After all, the lives stained on his hands were already more than one!
Now a heavyweight crime boss, his words to her were true: whoever dared to touch her, he would kill them.However, with so many trusted subordinates watching, he had spared You Mingxu instead of silencing her, which required an explanation.
And he hadn’t expected that his long-dormant heart would stir with restless discontent upon seeing that woman again.
He would drag her into this.
He would allow himself to be willful just once. Perhaps for the last time.
Moreover, to quickly rise by Xing Jifu’s side now, what could better sway the soon-to-retire old man than the identity of a prospective son-in-law? Xing Jifu was ruthless and cunning, yet deeply sentimental toward those he cared about—a trait Luo Yu had clearly observed over the years.
Thus, Luo Yu cast the bait—for You Mingxu, for the police, and for Xing Jifu.
Half-truths and half-fabrications, he acted out a fake relationship with You Mingxu. Though she couldn’t grasp his true motives, he had accurately read her temperament, knowing she would willingly walk into the lion’s den. He deliberately leaked bits of information to her. In reality, he was fully aware that the police initially planned to target northwestern Guizhou. Later, when the police believed he was creating a diversion, it was all within his expectations.
You Mingxu was his pawn, and so was Xing Yanjun. The Yunnan and Xiangtan Lao factions were too.
Even the group of police officers, including Jing Ping and Xu Mengshan, were part of his scheme. However, he would do his utmost to preserve their lives. After these officers were captured, he told the Yunnan and Xiangtan Lao factions, “Leave them to me.” They agreed without hesitation—after all, who would want so many police lives on their hands? With Luo Yu taking responsibility, they were only too glad to oblige.
Once they had left, Luo Yu immediately used a satellite phone to notify his superiors to send rescue. While the other officers were relatively easy to protect, Jing Ping and Xu Mengshan posed greater challenges. Fortunately, by leveraging his usual arrogance and using You Mingxu, he managed to secure their safety.
Having acted to this extent, no one would suspect he was an undercover agent. He orchestrated a scenario where the three rival factions and the police inflicted mutual damage, ultimately leaving the people, the illicit funds, and the contraband all exposed. The Yunnan and Xiangtan Lao factions believed victory was assured. Yet Luo Yu added two more chips—You Mingxu and Xing Yanjun—knowing this would force Xing Jifu to make an appearance. Whether the factions negotiated or clashed after Xing Jifu showed up no longer mattered.
Because as long as Xing Jifu appeared at the transaction site for the first time in years, Luo Yu could arrest him. Arrest all of them.
It was only then that his former superiors, with covert reinforcements dispatched from Beijing, finally revealed themselves.
He had been undercover for eight years, almost single-handedly orchestrating a series of interconnected plans to dismantle three major criminal syndicates in one fell swoop.
To be an undercover agent of his caliber was truly worth it.
…
When Luo Yu was shot and collapsed into You Mingxu’s arms, his mind went blank for a moment. Struggling to keep his eyes open, he gazed at the overcast sky, her choked sobs echoing in his ears, her scent enveloping him. Suddenly, he recalled that along this arduous journey, there had still been many tender and beautiful memories.
She sat in his home, handing him a bottle of water. It was the only time she had treated him kindly, though immediately after, she planted a bug in his phone—unaware that he had deliberately allowed it.
They sat in the car, her fuming with rage, yet he still rested his feet on her lap. It wasn’t about taking advantage; he simply wanted to see her flustered and exasperated.Then he carried her into the car. Everyone thought he was going to assault her, while she stared at him like a lioness suppressing her rage, as if she would tear him to pieces the next second. How foolish of her—how could he bear to assault her? If not for this act, how could he save her brother? Who was also his brother?
Luo Yu felt his vision growing increasingly blurry, his consciousness gradually slipping away beyond his control. He felt her hands holding him tightly—for the first time in his life, she embraced him so firmly.
In his mind, a final image flashed—
That day, at the riverside restaurant, he was smoking while gazing out the window at the distant, tranquil flow of the river.
She seemed to be studying him.
Suddenly, she asked, "You're not... an undercover agent, are you?"
His heart felt as if pricked by a needle, nearly shrinking into a ball. But when he lifted his head, his expression was utterly scornful and incredulous: "What did you say?"
She believed it and never brought it up again.
...
Suddenly, Luo Yu felt extremely distressed, sensing some liquid trickling from his eyes.
He thought, I ultimately won’t be able to stand beside her under the sunlight, wearing a police uniform.
Author's Note:
The final volume begins tomorrow.
Volume 7: The Ghost of Good and Evil
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