HBWMA -Chapter 403 Dare Touch Her Again?

“Who exactly is the mole?”

Inside the embroidered pavilion, a small bedside lamp glowed softly. Jiang Huashan sat at the edge of the bed, brows slightly furrowed in deep thought.

This trip had triggered four assassination attempts.

Pirates. Killers. Snipers. Kidnappers.

She still remembered when she confronted the assassin—she had deliberately listed every member of the Shen family. Although the assassin concealed it well, she had clearly noticed a momentary hesitation when he pulled the trigger. That alone proved one thing: one of those names belonged to the mastermind.

Among the four threads, only the pirates’ target remained unclear. The sniper and the kidnappers, however, were both after her.

Interesting. Someone in the Shen family valued her life more than Shen Lanxi’s.

The assassin who attacked Shen Lanxi at the Pear Garden had already been exposed—Shen Qian was now the obvious traitor. But what about the other three?

Jiang Huashan sank deeper into thought, her fingers unconsciously tapping her forehead.

“Shen Qian… Shen Yuan… Shen Che… Shen Rang… Shen Zhi…”

Which one was it?

Suddenly—

A dark glint flashed in her eyes.

Poisoning. Perfect alibis…

Perhaps… the murderer wasn’t just one person.

Just like the four assassination attempts last night—what if everyone was involved?

The moment that thought surfaced, a chill ran down Jiang Huashan’s spine.

Was that even possible?

Everyone in Shen Garden… participating in the murder.

But if that were true, everything would make sense.

Why someone as capable as Zheng Song could be silenced without leaving a trace.
Why Grandfather had been completely isolated during the four-hour poisoning window.
Why even the entire Judicial Bureau couldn’t find the culprit.
Why everyone had an alibi.

Because… they had all turned against him.

Because they were covering for each other.

Because everyone had betrayed Grandfather!

Jiang Huashan slowly lifted her gaze. In her clear eyes, a cold, ancient calm swirled with restrained brutality. Her fingers curled tightly into the bedsheet.

If that’s really the case… then every single one of them deserves to die.

“Shanshan! Shanshan!!!”

Fu Sui’er’s voice suddenly rang out from outside the window. Jiang Huashan blinked, forcefully suppressing the murderous intent in her eyes.

“Miss Sui’er? It’s so late—what brings you here…”

“I have something very important to tell Shanshan!”

As soon as she finished speaking, hurried footsteps echoed down the corridor. Moments later, Fu Sui’er burst in, her face lit with excitement.

“Shanshan! I caught the mole!”

Jiang Huashan’s heart tightened. “What mole?”

Fu Sui’er opened the freshmen group chat of the Military-Political Academy. “Look at this.”

The group chat was in chaos—messages flooding in nonstop, already reaching 99+.

The cause?

Someone had just broken the highest score record on the summer credit leaderboard.

Fu Sui’er tapped on a screenshot. A second-year student named Bai Mi had taken first place with 1250 points, crushing second place by 500 points. And notably, the one he surpassed wasn’t just anyone—it was Shen Guiling, who had nearly achieved a perfect score.

Jiang Huashan scanned the leaderboard. “What’s Bai Mi’s background?”

To dominate among elites like this—he couldn’t be ordinary.

“Do you know how he surpassed Brother Ling?” Fu Sui’er smirked, opening another ranking chart, her eyes gleaming with a hunter’s sharpness. “Last night at 9:15, he uploaded a bomb-defusal assignment. He completed it in 15 seconds—breaking the long-standing record set by military experts. Besides the base 100 points, he got an extra 900 bonus points.”

Jiang Huashan frowned slightly. “So… he’s a bomb-defusal genius?”

Fu Sui’er raised a brow, lips curling upward. “He’s not. I am. That problem? I solved it.”

Jiang Huashan paused, then quickly pieced it together, looking at her in disbelief.

“You mean…”

“Exactly!” Fu Sui’er eagerly recounted everything about her bet with the clueless kidnapper. “Shanshan, what a coincidence! That guy turned out to be a student from the academy—and the assignment he used for the bet was actually a summer credit task! He even got me to do his homework. Seriously, his brain isn’t working properly.”

Jiang Huashan’s expression turned complicated. The coincidence was almost too perfect—so perfect it felt suspicious.

“Bai Mi?” she muttered, suddenly recalling something. Taking Fu Sui’er’s phone, she frowned. “Why does that name sound so familiar?”

Fu Sui’er leaned closer, tapping the screen. “That silver-haired guy—Prince Bai Mi of S Country. The princess we beat up recently? That’s his sister.”

Bai Mi was an exchange student under S Country’s “Flower Sea Project.” As a neighboring prince, he had drawn significant attention from the public—his information was easy to find online.

“This is what he looks like?” Jiang Huashan’s gaze flickered.

The man on the screen looked young, with long, narrow eyes and slightly upturned corners. There was an elegant authority in his features—handsome, yet sharply imposing.

Fu Sui’er glanced at it. “He wore a mask, but I remember his eyes. Very distinctive—no mistake, it’s him! But it’s strange…”

She rubbed her chin thoughtfully. “Why would a prince become a kidnapper? Oh!!”

She slapped her thigh in realization. “He’s from the Bai family! Back then, Bai Zheng died because of you and Brother Ling—maybe Bai Mi is targeting you for revenge? Hmm… no, that doesn’t seem right either…”

“He didn’t show any hostility toward me at the time,” Jiang Huashan said softly. “It didn’t feel like revenge.”

Fu Sui’er muttered to herself for a while before noticing Jiang Huashan had gone silent. Seeing her stare fixedly at the screen, she grew curious.

“What’s wrong? Is there something odd about his face?”

Jiang Huashan looked up, her expression serious. “Don’t you think… he looks like someone?”

Fu Sui’er took the phone and studied it carefully. “Now that you mention it… a little. But I can’t quite tell who.”

Jiang Huashan covered the lower half of Bai Mi’s face with her hand. “What about now?”

Fu Sui’er focused intently, then shook her head. “I… still can’t tell.”

Jiang Huashan’s eyes shifted slightly. She zoomed in on the image, leaving only those striking eyes visible.

“What about like this?”

Fu Sui’er stared without blinking. For some reason, a face was forming in her mind—but she couldn’t name it.

Jiang Huashan parted her lips and said slowly:

“Don’t you think… he looks a lot like Shen Guiling?”

It was like a single drop of water falling into a perfectly still ocean.

Fu Sui’er blinked, and the vague face in her mind finally took shape.

She couldn’t describe the shock and unease she felt—she could only stare at Jiang Huashan in silence.

The shock in Jiang Huashan’s eyes was no less than hers. Fu Sui’er had only glimpsed the tip of the iceberg—what Jiang Huashan had touched was the vast frozen world beneath it.

She had always wondered why the storyline involving the Bai family had suddenly unlocked.

But now… she might have her answer.

Could it be—

Shen Guiling was connected to the Bai family?

Was his mother… a member of the Bai family?

After Jiang Huashan pointed it out, Fu Sui’er immediately connected the dots as well. Her expression turned serious. “Looking at it this way, this Bai Mi is crucial. We can start with him.”

Jiang Huashan nodded. “He is a very good breakthrough point. Aside from the Shen family, no one knows that Bai Zheng’s death is connected to me and Shen Guiling. But Bai Mi doesn’t seem to know Shen Guiling was involved too, which is why he only kidnapped me.”

Fu Sui’er’s eyes lit up. “Someone in the Shen family is colluding with Bai Mi?”

Jiang Huashan’s face darkened. If that were true, then perhaps even the pirates had been arranged by someone within the Shen family. Four assassination attempts in one night—if each person arranged one, that meant four traitors. And if those traitors were colluding with each other… then everyone was a traitor.

Jiang Huashan lowered her gaze, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears.

If that were really the case… how desperate must her grandfather have felt before he died? He had sacrificed everything for the family, only to be sent to hell by his own kin.

“Shanshan, what’s wrong?” Fu Sui’er noticed her sudden shift in mood and gently patted her shoulder. “Don’t lose heart. No matter how thick the fog ahead is, as long as we keep moving forward, one day we’ll clear the clouds and see the moon. I’ll stay with you.”

Jiang Huashan’s eyes reddened. “I won’t lose heart. I’ll keep moving forward.”

In this life, she would uncover the truth. She would never allow those evil ghosts to drag her grandfather into hell again.

And if the truth was exactly as she feared… then even if it meant betraying her grandfather’s teachings, she would drag those monsters down to hell with her.

A thunderstorm left countless people sleepless that night.

Seaside Mansion

Shen Yuan sat in a leather chair, expressionless, staring at Shen Qingyu. “Say what you just said again.”

Shen Qingyu replied, “Out of the four groups of assassins last night—which one did you arrange?”

Shen Yuan picked up a wine glass from the table and hurled it at him.

Shen Qingyu didn’t even flinch. The glass grazed past his ear and smashed against the white wall. Shards scattered as red wine splashed outward, its rich aroma spreading through the frozen air.

“Do you even know what you’re doing right now?” Shen Yuan demanded.

“I know exactly what I’m doing,” Shen Qingyu said coldly. “But do you, Shen Yuan, know what you’re doing?”

Shen Yuan instantly flew into a rage. “Shen Yuan, Shen Yuan—between the two of us, who the hell is the father?!”

Shen Qingyu stood up, kicking over the coffee table in front of him. Violence flickered in his eyes as he grabbed Shen Yuan by the collar. “Speak. Which team last night was yours?”

Shen Yuan froze, completely caught off guard by his son’s ferocity. Gritting his teeth, he pried Shen Qingyu’s hand off.

“You dare lay hands on me? Let me tell you, a son hitting his father goes against all—”

He suddenly stopped mid-sentence, shock filling his eyes.

Shen Qingyu had pulled out a handgun from his waist and smoothly cocked it.

“Y-you… what are you doing?” Shen Yuan stared in disbelief. “Qingyu, you’re going to kill me?!”

Shen Qingyu glanced at him lazily, then raised the gun and pressed it against his own temple. “I’ll ask you one last time. Those assassins last night— which ones were yours?”

“You—!” Shen Yuan’s face changed drastically. “Have you lost your mind?!”

“You can fool others, but not me. If last night had nothing to do with you, you wouldn’t have left Shen Garden halfway through. Shen Yuan, I don’t have evidence—but I know you’re plotting something.”

Shen Qingyu looked completely fearless. “You don’t have to say it. But then guess—do you think I dare make sure you die without a son to send you off?”

Shen Yuan’s gaze turned cold. Grinding his teeth, he finally admitted, “That’s right. I did have a hand in last night’s events. I passed word to Bai Mi, telling him Jiang Huashan was the one who killed Bai Zheng.”

Shen Qingyu stared at him coldly. “Why?”

Shen Yuan closed his eyes briefly. When he opened them again, they were filled with ruthless intent. “Why? Why don’t you ask yourself that? There are so many women in this world—why did you have to fall for an adopted daughter?!”

Shen Qingyu’s pupils trembled. His mind blanked for a second.

Seeing his reaction, Shen Yuan grew even more irritated. “Look at you. Weren’t you fearless just now? Why does your expression change the moment Jiang Huashan is mentioned?”

Snapping back to his senses, Shen Qingyu fixed his gaze on Shen Yuan. “You knew I liked her?”

“What’s so strange about that? Do you think you hid it well?”

“And you still wanted to kill her?”

“That’s right!”

“Why?”

Shen Yuan showed no shame. “What ‘why’ is there? Sentiment makes heroes weak. If you want to stand at the top, you can’t have attachments. I will never allow anyone to become your weakness.”

“So you already knew. Saying you wanted to adopt Xiaohua was just a test for me?”

“I did all this for you!” Shen Yuan snapped. “The old master already values that girl more than his own life. Her entry into the Shen family registry is practically guaranteed. If you do something foolish, your life will be over! How will you compete with Shen Lanxi then?!”

Shen Qingyu let out a laugh, his curled lips full of mockery. “When did I ever say I wanted to compete with Shen Lanxi? What’s wrong with being a short-lived overlord like Xiang Yu? ‘For me’? For me, you already forced Mother to her death—and now you want to force Xiaohua to die too? You won’t stop until I’m completely alone, will you?”

Shen Yuan frowned. “I’ve told you many times—your mother and I simply fell out of love.”

“Then you should have let her go!” Shen Qingyu suddenly exploded, his eyes bloodshot. “Why did you tell a mother suffering from depression that staying alive would only make her a burden to her child? Why tell her that without her, Qingyu would live a better life?!”

“You used those heart-piercing words to ‘kill’ her—right in front of me. Why not do it behind my back and keep your hands clean? Because you wanted me to hate you too—to become utterly alone, and then rise above everyone else!”

“But Shen Yuan, did you ever think about this? What you force out of me might not be a bloodthirsty beast—it could just as easily be a broken coward!”

Shen Yuan replied coldly, “The fact that you’re standing here now, pointing a gun at yourself, proves everything I did wasn’t wrong.”

If Shen Qingyu had pointed the gun at Shen Yuan instead, Shen Yuan would never have confessed—even if beaten to death.

But Shen Qingyu was clever. By turning the weapon on himself, he left Shen Yuan with no way out. And that, in turn, proved that all those cruel methods had only sharpened his fangs—not broken his spine.

“Is that so?” Shen Qingyu sneered.

He moved the gun to his chest—and pulled the trigger.

Bang—!

The gunshot shattered the silence as hot blood splattered into the air.

Shen Yuan’s pupils lost focus instantly, his vision dyed red.

“Qingyu!!!”

The bodyguards outside rushed in at the sound.

Shen Yuan dropped to his knees. “Call a doctor! Now!!!”

With Shen Yuan’s beast-taming mindset, even if Shen Qingyu had shot and killed him today, he would have accepted it with a smile—because in his eyes, someone capable of killing their own father was destined for greatness.

Likewise, if Shen Qingyu had retaliated with calculated schemes, Shen Yuan would have relished it, even going so far as to use Jiang Huashan to provoke him further.

To avoid being countered—to end things once and for all—Shen Qingyu had no choice but to take an extreme path.

A triumphant smile appeared on his face. “Shen Yuan… who do you think won?”

Shen Yuan pressed his hand against the wound, forcing back tears. “You won.”

Shen Qingyu’s voice was cold: “Try touching her again.”

Shen Yuan gritted his teeth, nearly losing control. “Doctor! Where the hell is the doctor?!”