Chapter 54: Shen Chaoxi Takes First Place

The young girl in the wheelchair gazed with a hint of laughter in her eyes, her slender, pale fingers rhythmically tapping the side of the chair. A trace of mockery overflowed from her beautiful eyes as she lifted her gaze, staring unwaveringly at Shen Xin’s furious face.

“If you stopped pretending, perhaps you wouldn’t have to watch your carefully laid trap collapse before your eyes,” she said.

Shen Xin had struggled to keep up her act all this time, only for it to end like this. Anyone in her place would be on the verge of breaking down.

“Shut up!” Shen Xin snapped, her brows tightly knit.

“Shen Chao Xi, I said shut up—” The dagger in her hand trembled with her rising emotions.

At that moment, a thin line of blood appeared on Shen Sisi’s pale neck as the blade cut her skin, and fresh blood began to seep out. Shen Sisi winced in pain, seemingly on the brink of tears.

She looked fearfully at the girl not far away. “Shen Chao Xi, please stop talking, I beg you…”

Her legs shook, her voice trembling with a note of desperation and terror. She even began to suspect that Shen Chao Xi was deliberately taking revenge on her. At such a critical moment, what purpose could such irrelevant words serve other than inciting Shen Xin further? Wasn’t it obvious she wanted her dead?

What Shen Sisi failed to realize was that Shen Chao Xi was provoking Shen Xin to distract her, to draw Shen Xin’s attention away.

But she forgot that Shen Sisi was hopelessly naïve.

Her gaze lingered on Shen Xin for two seconds before she spoke with layered meaning. “It seems I guessed right.”

Shen Chao Xi continued to smile. “You returned to the country this time intending to use Grandfather’s birthday to frame the Shen family.”

That explained all that had happened. After all, coincidences of this magnitude rarely exist.

Just a few days ago, Sheng Ting had received a confidential file listing personnel connections between Y Country and East Continent. Almost immediately, someone infiltrated the Shen family. Clearly, someone wanted to pin all the blame on the Shens, and Shen Xin was merely a pawn for those orchestrating things from the shadows.

But who was truly behind the plot to harm the Shen family?

“Brother Shen Mo…”

Shen Sisi’s throat had a bloodstained gash, the pain stinging her neck, and her face grew pale and lost. “Help me, Brother Shen Mo.”

Her plaintive cry and fearful sobs caught Shen Xin’s attention. Now surrounded by so many members of the Shen family, Shen Xin grew irritable and shouted angrily, “Shut up!”

Her dagger pressed deeper, though not fatally—it missed the arteries, but more blood flowed from Shen Sisi’s neck.

A faint metallic scent began to permeate the air.

Shen Chao Xi’s gaze narrowed.

Shen Mo’s eyes remained calm. His dark gaze fixed on Shen Sisi, held hostage, then flicked briefly to the girl in the wheelchair.

Shen Chao Xi’s expression was cool and indifferent.

Yet in that moment, noticing Shen Mo’s gaze, her lips curled slightly as she exchanged a glance with him.

Then Shen Mo stepped forward, his voice cold but tinged with reassurance. “Don’t hurt her. Whatever your terms are, I’ll agree.”

His tone was steady, eyes locked on Shen Xin. Shen Xin laughed coldly. “Do you think I’d believe you?”

She had taken Shen Sisi hostage, knowing they wouldn’t dare act rashly.

“What do you want, then?” Shen Mo’s voice was icy.

“What do I want?” Shen Xin grew smug. “I want you to take that gun and kill Shen Chao Xi!”

Her laughter was sharp, hidden with menace.

Shen Mo’s brow furrowed, his gaze turning instantly colder.

“You want to save her?” Shen Xin glanced at her hostage, voice bitter. “Then trade Shen Chao Xi’s life for hers—”

“Very well,” Shen Chao Xi replied, smiling.

Shen Xin was stunned. Her expression turned cold and fierce as she looked at Shen Chao Xi. “What?!”

Her brows knitted tightly. Was Shen Chao Xi mad? Or had she misheard?

“We’ll do as you wish,” Shen Chao Xi said lightly.

Shen Xin looked as if she’d seen a ghost.

Shen Chao Xi was playing for surprise, hoping to lower Shen Xin’s guard. But Shen Xin never saw it coming.

When it came to intrigue, Shen Chao Xi was unmatched in the Shen family. The more she smiled, the sharper her calculations became.

Xiao Xiao stood calmly beside Shen Chao Xi, but the disgust in her eyes for Shen Sisi was blatantly obvious. The young lady had tried to provoke her, to shift Shen Xin’s attention, pouring out words of warning, all undone by Shen Sisi’s single plea for silence.

The greatest threat isn’t a formidable enemy, but a teammate as foolish as Shen Sisi.

Suddenly, just as Shen Xin’s expression twisted in confusion at Shen Chao Xi’s unexpected answer, Shen Mo raised his gun.

No! Where did he get the gun?

Shen Xin’s face changed dramatically. In that instant, a surge of dread seized her heart.

Her pupils contracted sharply! There was no time to react—her panicked, furious eyes caught Shen Mo’s raised arm.

A gunshot rang out. She screamed in pain.

Her wrist bone was shattered by the bullet, blood spraying out.

The gun Shen Xin had held dropped to the ground.

She tried to catch it with her left hand, but as she bent down, someone faster seized the opportunity.

A bodyguard tossed something through the air. Xiao Xiao tilted her head, squinting as she caught a black sniper rifle, holding it in a cool pose.

She fired at Shen Xin’s left hand.

Because Shen Xin had suddenly lashed out, all the Shen family’s servants had been dismissed. Only the trained bodyguards remained.

The moment her hand left the firearm, they rushed forward and subdued her.

“Don’t move!” The bodyguards spoke gravely, taking control of the situation.

Shen Sisi, as if escaping a tiger’s maw, hurried toward Shen Mo, clutching her wounded neck, turning to look at Shen Xin pinned down by the guards.

She stared at Shen Xin, trembling.

Shen Xin’s arms were restrained.

“Take her away!” Shen Mo commanded coldly.

“Yes, Second Young Master.”

Shen Xin tried to struggle, but the bodyguards were relentless, dragging her away without mercy.

Xiao Xiao looked up, holding her long sniper rifle, gazing at the girl in the wheelchair.

“Boss, target acquired!”

Shen Mo finally turned around, crouching carefully in front of Shen Chao Xi.

His gaze dropped to her legs, his brows furrowed.

He pressed his lips together, lifting his dark eyes to meet the girl’s gaze.

“You never listen,” he said, his tone cold as if reproaching Shen Chao Xi. Yet the tenderness and concern in his eyes were for her alone.

He already knew what had happened in East Continent.