SWNOVELXO Chapter 23:
Chapter 23: Reported News:
Shen Wuxiao glanced at Lin Fan, who looked completely at ease, and instantly understood what he was thinking. Lin Fan believed he had successfully killed Shen Wuxiao and avenged his brother. He had no idea that the man he killed was actually the young master of the Haisha Society!
The heir to Haisha Society had been slain—there was no doubt the retaliation would be terrifying. An unprecedented storm was brewing.
Lin Fan might be relaxed now, but his troubles were only beginning.
Shen Wuxiao guessed that Haisha Society might create a lot of noise, but ultimately, they wouldn’t be able to defeat Lin Fan. Still, they could issue a massive bounty and let top-tier bounty hunters, domestic and international, come after him.
After all, most protagonists get this kind of treatment sooner or later. Lin Fan was no exception—it was perfectly logical.
As for arranging those bounty hunters personally? That wasn’t Shen Wuxiao’s job. All he needed to do was guide Haisha Society’s anger toward Lin Fan.
“Brother Lin Fan, are we heading straight back to the hotel?” Shen Wuxiao asked, pulling Lin Fan out of his thoughts.
Lin Fan looked over. “Brother Sikong, thank you for everything today.”
“You should go back and rest. I’ll just grab a taxi to the hotel.”
He didn’t want to keep troubling him, so he spoke politely.
Shen Wuxiao didn’t mind. As long as Haisha Society came for Lin Fan and made him suffer, he would still earn system points—it didn’t have to be by his own hands.
That was the rule: as long as it negatively impacted the protagonist, the reward was his.
He only needed to continue playing his “Brother Sikong” persona.
Right now, Shen Wuxiao was waiting for the infamous Jiang Huaiyue to appear.
Rumors always said that Lin Fan was eventually cheated on, and Shen Wuxiao was determined to make that a reality. Although Lin Fan and Jiang Huaiyue weren’t officially a couple, the emotional connection between them was obvious. That made betrayal sting all the more.
As for Liu Ruyan, she likely wouldn’t seek cooperation with Lin Fan anytime soon. She knew the environment she was currently trapped in. Even if she planned to ally with Lin Fan, she would investigate first.
And when Liu Ruyan and Lin Fan finally meet for a discussion, the truth about their identities would come out. Shen Wuxiao could only hope Lin Fan wouldn’t be too shocked when it happened.
Until then, while the persona of “Brother Sikong” still had value, it was best to keep tricking Lin Fan and earning more points.
Without saying much more, Shen Wuxiao got into his car, waved at Lin Fan, and drove away.
He wanted to be close to Lin Fan—but not become his errand boy.
Lin Fan watched Shen Wuxiao’s car disappear, opened his mouth to say something, then thought better of it. It was just a formality anyway. He then turned and walked off.
Maybe he really is just a straightforward guy.
Lin Fan hailed a taxi and headed straight to the Longting Hotel.
A lot had happened today.
Things had gone well—but not completely. Something felt off.
It was like invisible hands were pulling the strings behind the scenes.
Still, Lin Fan didn’t overthink it.
His heart was light—his brother had been avenged.
Sitting in the backseat, he even started humming a tune.
The taxi driver had a look of disgust, wondering if this man had ripped open his pants pocket—the stench was unbearable. And now he was singing?
He considered saying something but decided against it. Instead, he cleverly took a longer route, thinking, Well, I deserve a bonus for the car wash after this.
Lin Fan was in too good a mood to care. He arrived at the hotel, paid the fare—even though he knew he had been charged fifty yuan extra—and didn’t complain.
Normally, he wouldn’t accept being overcharged. But today was different.
Sometimes, when you lose a little, you gain peace of mind.
After checking in, Lin Fan immediately washed himself clean. The smell was unbearable, and he wanted it gone.
Then he ordered some food and drinks to be delivered to his room.
Getting injured was routine for him—it wasn’t a big deal. This moment, though, called for celebration.
He poured two glasses of wine. No one was there to drink the second one, but he raised it anyway, imagining his younger brother Lin Chen sitting across from him.
“Xiaochen, your brother has avenged you. Now you can rest in peace.”
He poured that first glass of wine onto the floor, a silent tribute.
“Forgive me for commemorating you this way. Now that revenge is done, I’ll find your body as soon as I can.”
“They say fallen leaves return to their roots. I’ll bring you home. You’ll finally be able to rest.”
Lin Fan said a lot that night—his heart full of guilt and sorrow. He drank a lot, too.
Eventually, he started reminiscing about family.
“Xiaochen, you always told me that a man should be bold. When you like someone, you should say it.”
“You were right. I’ve always hesitated. I never confessed my feelings to your sister Huaiyue.”
“I know she feels the same. Next time we meet, I’ll tell her everything. She’ll become your sister-in-law.”
“Watch over us, okay?”
Lin Fan pictured Jiang Huaiyue’s elegant, beautiful face, and his heart rippled with emotion.
She wasn’t just a brilliant strategist in the Sirius Squad—she was also one of the few with awakened powers. Gifted, intelligent, cool, and incredibly charming.
Their relationship wasn’t just camaraderie. There was something more. Something deep. Just a thin wall of silence separating them.
It was Lin Fan’s fault—he had always told himself he’d wait until everything was stable before confessing. He thought it wouldn’t be fair to let her speak first.
But after Lin Chen’s sudden death, he realized something.
Some things can’t wait.
Miss the chance once, and you might lose someone forever.
So yes, Lin Chen’s death had meaning—it taught Lin Fan to act while the roujiamo was still hot.
That night passed without words.
Lin Fan slept soundly for the first time in a while. When he woke, he did a full set of military boxing drills in the living room.
After a shower, he sat on the sofa and turned on the TV to relax.
Back when he was overseas, life was full of danger. He had to sleep with one eye open, always on edge.
Now, for once, he could just breathe.
He flipped through the channels lazily. Eventually, the news shifted to a live report from the Zhonghai area.
And the moment Lin Fan saw it, his smile vanished.
The report was about a gunfight at the Jinnanwan villa district the night before. A well-dressed anchor held a microphone and spoke energetically.
“At midnight, a major clash occurred in Zhonghai’s Jinnanwan, a high-end residential area!”
…
“Haisha Group’s young master, Luo Han, was assassinated. He was killed by a mysterious expert using a shard of glass!”
“The scene was chaotic. According to early analysis, the killer is likely a fifth-rank martial arts master. The Zhonghai Martial Arts Association is now investigating.”
Lin Fan, who had just been smirking, leapt to his feet in shock.
What?!
Who was killed?!
Haisha Group? Luo Han?! Not Shen Wuxiao?!
His mind spun in confusion.
Was there a mistake in the report?
But the footage clearly showed Villa No. 19 in Jinnanwan—the same place he attacked.
Had he… killed the wrong person?
But then again, no one ever said their name was Shen Wuxiao.
When Lin Fan had escaped that night, he remembered someone shouting, “How dare you attack me, young master! Kill him!”
He had assumed that was Shen Wuxiao speaking. After all, Shen Wuxiao lived in that villa, and who else would call himself “young master”?
But what about this news…?
Just as he stood there, stunned and confused, his phone rang.
He looked down.
The caller ID said: Brother Sikong.