RMM -Chapter 189 Heaven-Sent Opportunity

There was no need to go into detail about what happened next. Since Xi Yuechen had already come out of the banquet hall, the people waiting outside naturally had ways to pass information to him.

Apart from the four people inside the hall, there were also six members of the action teams stationed elsewhere in Imperial City. They hadn’t gone into the hall originally, planning instead to guard the surrounding area so they could act quickly if needed. What they hadn’t expected was to see Bai Xiong and Boss Zhao walk out of the hall together just moments ago.

The two spoke in low voices, their expressions looking perfectly normal. But the sight of them chatting and laughing together was anything but normal.

The captain had previously briefed them in detail about the Yan Sect, so they all knew about the deep-seated conflict between the Zhao family and the Yan Sect. What’s more, tonight’s banquet was supposed to be the Zhao family’s apology to the Yan Sect. Even if the two sides weren’t openly hostile, they certainly shouldn’t be acting so courteous and friendly toward each other.

As the saying goes, when something is abnormal, there’s usually something fishy going on. The two of them were getting along harmoniously, though no one knew where they were heading. Two members of the action team exchanged glances. One of them subtly shifted his footing and quietly followed behind the pair.

Bai Xiong and Boss Zhao had completely shed the cold hostility they showed in the hall. Laughing and chatting in an unusually harmonious atmosphere, they made their way upstairs. Tian Lie—the action team member following them—tracked them from the second-floor banquet hall all the way up to the fourth floor.

Tian Lie didn’t dare get too close. He followed at a distance and watched as they entered a private room on the fourth floor. In that instant, his expression changed sharply—he had just heard Bai Xiong say something.

The private room Bai Xiong and Boss Zhao entered was located at a corner and seemed to be a high-end, exclusive suite. Bai Xiong swiped a card at the door before pushing it open and going inside.

At the moment the card was being swiped, Tian Lie quickly moved to the corner and pressed himself against the wall, standing silently. He hoped to overhear something useful.

His luck wasn’t bad. He had barely settled into place when the two inside began speaking.

“Those old bastards’ expressions are going to be priceless later.”

“Hmph, they’d never imagine that today we’re just putting on an empty-city ruse…”

The voice that followed likely belonged to Boss Zhao. Before he could finish, the door had already closed, and the thick door cut off the rest of the words. The empty corridor instantly fell silent.

Tian Lie froze in place, his face changing drastically.

An empty-city ruse?!

They were only separated by a corner. Though the voices had been low, he was absolutely certain he hadn’t misheard. The latter voice had clearly said empty-city ruse!

What did that mean? It meant that today’s so-called apology banquet was nothing more than a show. The Zhao family’s so-called compensation was just a farce played on everyone present. The delivery location wasn’t here at all—it had been arranged elsewhere!

Damn it, Bai Xiong! He’d actually played such a trick on them.

There was no time to hesitate. Tian Lie turned and rushed downstairs. This had to be reported to the captain immediately. If they delayed any longer, the Zhao family’s shipment would already be in the Yan Sect’s hands. Then what would all their hard work amount to?

Xi Yuechen had already sensed something was off, so when he received this news, he didn’t look particularly surprised. He nodded, asked which room Bai Xiong and Boss Zhao had entered, then turned and headed upstairs.

Imperial City was equipped with surveillance, so Xi Yuechen couldn’t brazenly go eavesdropping. Besides, the fourth floor was the VIP area, with equally strict security measures. Those specially treated, heavy doors could withstand even ordinary explosions, let alone someone trying to listen from outside.

After casually walking up to the fourth floor, Xi Yuechen’s expression remained calm and unreadable, as if he were merely taking a stroll. In reality, his mind was racing. When he reached the door of the private room Bai Xiong had entered, he didn’t pause for even a second. Instead, he walked a few steps farther and pushed open the door to the neighboring room.

Imperial City was closed to outside guests tonight, and almost everyone present was gathered in the second-floor hall, so there was no need to worry about anyone being inside the private rooms.

After closing the door, Xi Yuechen dropped his relaxed demeanor. He crossed the room in two strides, went to the window, pulled it open, and leaned out to take a quick look.

With just a single glance to confirm his surroundings, he propped himself up with one hand and flipped out of the window. His feet landed on a narrow ledge protruding from the wall, and he moved forward swiftly.

This narrow ledge had been designed during construction purely for aesthetic purposes. No one could have imagined that one day such a small decorative feature would be used like this. Truly, even a thousand careful plans could miss one detail.

That said, this ledge—meant only for appearance—was extremely narrow, barely about four centimeters wide. One couldn’t even place a foot sideways on it, much less walk along it. So it was understandable that it had been overlooked. Even after Imperial City came under the Yan Sect’s control, no one paid it any attention. Just like tonight—despite the Yan Sect’s strict emphasis on security, this small ledge had been completely ignored.

One fears not the impossible, only the unexpected. And now, it had given Xi Yuechen the perfect opportunity.

That said, only Xi Yuechen could walk along such a ledge with a calm expression. For an ordinary person, at such a height and on such a narrow footing, not trembling would already be impressive—moving swiftly and silently would be nearly impossible.

Fortunately, Xi Yuechen was also lucky. The window of the private room Bai Xiong and Boss Zhao had entered happened to face the back of Imperial City. Behind it lay a quiet alley with dim streetlights; only in the distance were brightly lit streets and buildings. As a result, the area behind Imperial City was relatively secluded and silent, with almost no pedestrians. Thanks to this excellent geographical advantage, Xi Yuechen could move along the exterior wall without concern. Had it faced the main street—with bustling crowds, bright lights, and Imperial City’s own dazzling exterior illumination—he would have been completely exposed.

In just a few breaths, Xi Yuechen had moved to the window of their private room. Just as he was about to shift forward another step, he heard movement inside before he could lift his foot. He quietly set it back down.

Bai Xiong didn’t know what he had said to Boss Zhao, but he laughed heartily as he walked to the window. Looking down at the scenery below, he reached out and pushed the closed window open, squinting as he let the bleak cold wind blow against his face.

Seeing this, Boss Zhao also moved toward the window, about to say something—when his phone rang in his pocket.

A call at this time was almost certainly about that matter. Boss Zhao guessed as much while reaching for his phone. Bai Xiong turned to look at him as well, his eyes reflecting the same suspicion.

“Ah Jie,” Boss Zhao answered the call, nodding at Bai Xiong.

“Have you started shipping the goods?”

Boss Zhao asked the question, then raised his brows at Bai Xiong as if seeking confirmation. Only after receiving Bai Xiong’s nod did he reply to the person on the other end.

“Proceed according to the original plan. Head to Zhaohe Bay—there are people from the Yan Sect there.”

As he said this, Boss Zhao kept his eyes on Bai Xiong. When he saw Bai Xiong curl his lips and turn to look toward the street, a flash of vicious light passed through his eyes, his expression briefly turning feral.

Each harbored their own schemes, completely unaware that someone was standing right outside the window, having heard every word they’d said.

Xi Yuechen hadn’t expected such a heaven-sent opportunity. He had just arrived and already overheard the key clue of the night.

Having heard what he needed to hear, Xi Yuechen didn’t linger. Time was tight, and there was no room for delay.

As for what Bai Xiong and Boss Zhao would continue discussing inside, it no longer concerned him. Most likely, they’d be talking about their respective interests and waiting for the Zhao family’s goods to successfully reach the Yan Sect.

After flipping back into the room, Xi Yuechen quickly retreated. The Zhao family had already set things in motion—he couldn’t afford to waste even a second.

As soon as he reached the second floor, he spotted Tian Lie pacing near the stairwell, clearly waiting for him.

Xi Yuechen quickly briefed Tian Lie, instructing them to continue lying low and not to act rashly—only move after receiving his command.

Watching Xi Yuechen’s rapidly departing figure, Tian Lie didn’t ask any questions. Where the captain was heading was obvious. To think they’d gotten a lead so quickly—no wonder he’d been handpicked by the higher-ups. His efficiency truly lived up to his reputation.

Xi Yuechen didn’t return to the second floor. In his current state, how could he have the patience to continue dealing with that crowd? He wished he could split every minute into two.

The guards at Imperial City’s entrance had also been transferred from the Yan Sect. They recognized Xi Yuechen, and seeing him hurry out with such urgency, they couldn’t help but feel curious. Had the banquet ended so early?

Before they could ask, Xi Yuechen said coldly, “Move aside. Important business.”

As soon as the words fell, Xi Yuechen had already exited Imperial City, walking away without looking back.

They had never seen Xi Yuechen so sharp and severe. Forget his usual gentle smile—his current icy, stern expression startled them badly. Had something serious happened?

Yet no matter how curious they were, they didn’t dare stop him to ask. Not only because of Xi Yuechen’s rising status within the Yan Sect, but also because the murderous aura surrounding him at that moment made them genuinely afraid.

Forget it. Whatever the big boss’s favored aide needed to do wasn’t something small fry like them could meddle in. They just needed to guard the gate properly.

After walking some distance, Xi Yuechen stopped to wait for his team to regroup.

Imperial City was currently under layers of surveillance. His departure would definitely have been noticed by Gao Yunxiao and the others.

He scanned his surroundings, then headed straight toward a corner. Gao Yunxiao had just waved to him there.

“Captain, what happened?”

Gao Yunxiao asked anxiously. They had already been waiting impatiently, and seeing Xi Yuechen come out of Imperial City had made their hearts jump. Hadn’t he told them to wait for news? Why had the captain come out himself?

What on earth had happened?