Chapter 18. Two Months Ago - Early May

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The calm before the storm has never felt more like the slow drip of poison, a cavernous space just waiting for the flames of an explosion.

A graphic scene of hell itself written in grey eyes the very moment someone shoots Jiang Cheng.

An assassination that thankfully failed, but the wound the Sect Leader received while not grievous...could have been fatal. 

And its the 'could' that haunts Wei Ying, that winds that coiled spring just a little tighter.

Plus, it was nearly fatal, except for the sharp reflexes of Wei Ying, a curse flung so quickly it nearly blurred, followed by Suibian. Jiang disciples flank their wounded leader, a response so well-trained Wei Ying must have rehearsed this very possibility.

Jiang Cheng is pulled to safety off the front steps of Furong's headquarters in Yunmeng, his violet coat lost in the crowd of greys and aubergines as they usher him inside. The brothers had been only slightly apart, Wei Ying in black half a step behind.

The bullet that should have horrifically hit Jiang Cheng in the side of the head, struck his shoulder only because Wei Ying's hands threw him forward.

The working theory was that Wei Ying had set wards on the front steps and the bullet had to have passed through them, alerting everyone. Wei Ying's eyes when he turned, covering his brother's body, had been fierce and murderous. And just for a second, if you slowed the footage down enough and cleaned the image, you could just see a handgun tucked into a holster inside Wei Ying's coat, knives and a wad of talisman paper.

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It was without a doubt a hit paid for by the Wen Sect and the assassin would by now, some sixteen hours post-shooting, be long cold, his body never to be found.

That was appalling enough, Wei Ying angry and shaken, but hours later at the technology meeting, Wei Ying and Jiang Yanli attended in Jiang Cheng's stead, Wen Jiao the spokesman for Wen Industries had made some kind of remark, televised and recorded, that turned Wei Ying's face to something...predatory.

And Lan Zhang knew without Jin Zixuan's frantic calls, that something had been put into motion. A war had begun and Wei Ying was anticipating it. He was in the center, determined with single-track focus on protecting his family, uncaring that his life was going to be the one lost.

Lan Zhan was left with the stark realization that if he didn't put an end to this soon, tensions were going to escalate into something deadly. Touch Wei Ying's family, and the Wen were going to pay. Again. 

Becoming an endless cycle of violence until there was a line Wei Ying was unable to cross or fully defend without sacrifice.

The idea of that violence touching Wei Ying yet again, touching little Wei Sizhui...it was unbearable.

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