Chinese animation: Starting with Bad Guys

He raised his palm, gathering his remaining inner strength, and was about to slam it down on the top of his head!

Just then, Qin Chuan's indifferent and calm voice, like a cold, clear spring, clearly entered his consciousness, which was on the verge of collapse:

"Although Wei Yong is dead, your child with Wei Qianqian is still alive."

Xuan Jian's hand, which was about to strike his own head, suddenly froze in mid-air!

He suddenly raised his head, his bloodshot eyes fixed on Qin Chuan, filled with disbelief, a desperate hope and immense fear like a drowning person grasping at a last straw!

"What...what did you say?!"

His voice was hoarse and trembling, each word seemingly uttered with all his strength.

Qin Chuan's gaze was profound, as if it could pierce through his soul:

"The infant that Wei Yong used to threaten you did not die. He was taken away by the Luo Wang (a secret network of intelligence) as their last bargaining chip to control you, and also as a useful 'tool' in Lü Buwei's hands. At this moment, he should be imprisoned in the most secret stronghold of the Qin Luo Wang."

Like a thunderclap exploding in his mind, Xuan Jian trembled violently! His child! His and Qianqian's child! Still alive?! In Lü Buwei's hands?!

The immense shock nearly made him faint again, but the word "child" was like the most intense flame, instantly igniting his ashes!

The children that Qianqian protected with her life... their bloodline is still alive!

"Save him..." Xuan Jian's voice was filled with unprecedented humility and pleading as he struggled to crawl toward Qin Chuan. "Please... save my child! Do whatever you want! My life! My sword! I'll give them all! Just please save him!"

Qin Chuan looked at the man before him, who was driven mad by love, turned to madness by hatred, and humbly begged for a glimmer of hope. A very subtle and imperceptible fluctuation flashed in the depths of his eyes.

This may be one of the reasons why he did not end Xuan Jian's life directly when he was in the dilapidated temple.

Besides considering the sharpness of the sword, there was also a touch of pity for this sense of despair and hopelessness.

"Yes." Qin Chuan's voice remained calm, yet carried an undeniable power. "I promise I will rescue your child."

Xuan Jian's eyes instantly flashed with wild joy, like a drowning person finally breathing air!

“But,” Qin Chuan’s tone shifted, his gaze falling on Xuan Jian like an icy blade, “the price is that from now on, you and the sword in your hand belong to me. You will become a sharp blade in my hand, cutting down all obstacles. Your life will no longer be yours.”

Xuan Jian did not hesitate at all! As long as he and Qianqian's child could be rescued, he would be willing to be a slave or a sword, or even be shattered to pieces!

"I, Xuan Jian, swear in the name of my deceased wife, Qianqian!" He struggled to kneel on one knee, ignoring his injuries, his head bowed deeply, his voice as firm as iron, "This life, this fate, this body, this sword, all belong to their master! If I disobey, may my soul be annihilated, and I be condemned to eternal damnation!"

At this moment, he was no longer a weapon of the Net, but a sword reborn to protect the bloodline.

"Very good." Qin Chuan nodded slightly.

Immediately, to the astonishment of Gai Nie, Wei Zhuang, and the others, Qin Chuan's figure blurred, and he instantly appeared in front of Xuan Jian.

He pointed his fingers like a sword, the tips of which gathered a point of icy, bone-chilling, soul-freezing blue light, and struck several major acupoints on Xuan Jian's chest with lightning speed!

"Puff puff!"

With a few soft sounds, Xuan Jian's body trembled violently, and he spat out blood again. His aura instantly weakened, and his face turned ashen, clearly indicating that he had suffered severe internal injuries!

However, the injury was extremely subtle. It looked serious, but it avoided the real vital points and would not be fatal. It was more like a state of severe injury after a fierce battle.

"Return to Luo Wang with this wound."

Qin Chuan's voice entered Xuan Jian's ears with icy coldness:

"Tell them that the assassination attempt failed, and you were intercepted by Gai Nie, Wei Zhuang, and a mysterious master. You escaped with serious injuries. Go into hiding and await my orders. The day you settle accounts with Lü Buwei will be the day you and your son are reunited."

Xuan Jian instantly understood Qin Chuan's deeper meaning!

This is to send him back to act as an inside man!

Despite the excruciating pain and weakness, a new flame, a flame of hope and loyalty, burned in his eyes as he kowtowed deeply.

"Your subordinate obeys! I will certainly not fail my master's trust!"

He struggled to his feet, picked up the black and white swords from the ground, and gave Qin Chuan a deep look, as if he wanted to etch his master's image into his soul.

Then, staggering, covered in "horrific" injuries, like a truly defeated general, he quickly disappeared into the deepest darkness before dawn, fleeing towards the direction where the Net was waiting to intercept him.

Inside the courtyard, smoke and dust filled the air, leaving only traces of the fierce battle and a profound silence.

Gai Nie and Wei Zhuang looked in the direction where Xuan Jian had disappeared, their expressions complicated.

They witnessed the despair and rebirth of a fallen assassin, and also saw Qin Chuan's terrifying methods of turning the world upside down and recruiting the top assassins of the Luo Wang organization to his own side.

Even the vertical and horizontal swords seemed to have limited scope in front of this young man in black.

Qin Chuan stood with his hands behind his back, his black robes fluttering slightly in the rising morning breeze.

His gaze turned westward, towards the Qin state, and also towards the stronghold of Lü Buwei and the Luo Wang organization. In his deep eyes, a cold star seemed to twinkle.

The time for reckoning is approaching.

Chapter 33: Zheng Ge's Maneuvers, the Restoration of Qin

The somber atmosphere in the courtyard and Xuan Jian's mournful cries seemed to be isolated outside the elegant pavilion by an invisible barrier.

When Qin Chuan reappeared at the entrance of the Elegant Pavilion, Xuan Yi remained calm, as if he had just gone out for a walk.

Only the lingering, faint chill that had not completely dissipated indicated that things had not been peaceful just moments before.

The atmosphere inside the elegant room froze slightly upon his return.

Ying Zheng shifted his gaze from Han Fei and looked at Qin Chuan with a questioning expression.

Han Fei secretly breathed a sigh of relief. The shrill scream he had just heard had left him with lingering fear, but seeing Qin Chuan safe and sound, his tense nerves finally relaxed.

Honglian's eyes lit up, and she almost shouted out again, but Zinu stopped her in time, and she could only watch helplessly as Qin Chuan returned to the main seat.

Ying Zheng turned back to Han Fei, his imperial majesty tinged with a hint of genuine appreciation:

"Master Han Fei's talent is extraordinary. I sincerely invite you to join me in planning for a peaceful and prosperous world. Are you truly not going to reconsider?"

Han Fei took a deep breath and bowed deeply to Ying Zheng, his posture respectful yet not servile.

"I am deeply grateful for your kindness, Young Master Shang. However, I was born and raised here. No matter how many faults Han has, it is still my motherland. I cannot bear to abandon it. This is my personal sentiment and my foolish loyalty. I hope you will understand."

He paused, then looked up, his eyes gleaming with wisdom:

"However, the teachings of Legalism should benefit the whole world. Although Han Fei cannot personally serve you, my lord, I am willing to recommend someone to you. This person is deeply versed in Legalism, especially in practical matters, and his talent for governing the country is by no means inferior to Han Fei's! If you trust him, my lord, he will surely be the backbone of your efforts to eliminate long-standing problems and strengthen the country and its military!"

Upon hearing this, Ying Zheng's eyes suddenly narrowed!

He almost instantly recalled Qin Chuan's confident assertion: "This person will soon be at your disposal."

Could Han Fei be referring to Li Si, the soon-to-arrive retainer of Lü Buwei?

A very subtle look of surprise flashed across Ying Zheng's eyes, which then turned into a deeper sharpness.

He gave Han Fei a deep look, then glanced almost imperceptibly at Qin Chuan, who stood silently to the side.

My brother from Sichuan is not only incredibly resourceful, but his ability to judge people is also terrifying!

Han Fei's move, seemingly a polite refusal, was in fact a generous gift and also a way out for himself.

"Oh?" Ying Zheng remained calm and composed. "To be so highly praised by Mr. Han Fei, I am truly eager to meet this person. May I ask who this gentleman is?"

Han Fei smiled slightly, without directly pointing it out:

"This person is already on his way to Xinzheng. Once he arrives, you will know. I, Han Fei, dare to offer this recommendation in return, and earnestly request you, my lord, to quell this assassination attempt on the Qin envoy and temporarily cease hostilities between Qin and Han! Han is weak and cannot withstand the ravages of war; countless innocent people have perished!"

He bowed again, his words earnest.

Ying Zheng remained silent for a moment.

His secret visit was intended to quell the incident and meet with Han Fei.

Han Fei's request was exactly what he wanted.

He nodded slowly, his imperial promise carrying immense weight: "Very well. I will handle the assassination attempt on the Qin envoy properly, ensuring that the flames of war do not spread to Han."

Han Fei felt a huge weight lifted from his heart and solemnly bowed in gratitude: "Thank you for your kindness, young master! Han Fei takes his leave."

He knew that the stage ahead no longer belonged to him, but to the King of Qin and the "genius" he was about to introduce.

"Ninth Brother, wait!"

Seeing that Han Fei was about to leave, Honglian hurriedly broke free from Zi Nu's hand and ran to Qin Chuan.

Her face flushed slightly, with girlish shyness and a hint of barely perceptible courage. She pulled out the roll of drawing paper she had been clutching warm from her bosom and quickly stuffed it into Qin Chuan's hand.

"Here...here you are!" Her voice was barely audible, but her eyes sparkled as she looked at Qin Chuan. "I...I spent so long drawing this! Don't say it's not pretty!"

After saying that, before Qin Chuan could react, she turned around and ran back to Han Fei's side like a startled rabbit, tugging at his sleeve and urging, "Ninth Brother, let's go!"

Han Fei shook his head helplessly yet affectionately, bowed to Ying Zheng and Qin Chuan again, and left the elegant pavilion with Honglian, who kept turning back to look at him, her cheeks flushed.

Qin Chuan lowered his head and slowly unfolded the drawing paper in his hand.

The person in the painting, dressed in black, stands by the window of the Purple Orchid Pavilion, his back view solitary and aloof.

His profile was hard and cold, his eyebrows and eyes were downcast, his thin lips were tightly pursed, and he seemed to be surrounded by an unyielding coldness and loneliness.

Honglian captured that sense of aloofness, that feeling of keeping strangers at arm's length, with remarkable skill, even with her somewhat immature writing.

Qin Chuan quietly looked at himself in the painting.

Upon arriving in this world, he relied on his prophecy and power to steadily advance, crush powerful enemies, and take control of the situation.

Everything is proceeding in the most efficient and rational manner.

He was used to coldness, to scheming, to breaking the deadlock with force, regarding all emotional fluctuations as unnecessary disturbances, and suppressing them deeply beneath a layer of rationality.

He became known to others as the "ice block face," a powerful yet unpredictable figure.

Honglian's paintings are like a mirror, clearly reflecting the posture he deliberately shaped and immersed himself in—powerful, yet lonely.

An indescribable feeling stirred within him, like a pebble thrown into an icy lake, creating ripples in the long-dormant surface of his heart.

Has he... suppressed his "human" side too much? Has he relied too much on cold rationality and neglected to perceive the warmth of the world?

He looked up, his gaze falling on the doorway, where Honglian's red skirt disappeared around the corner.

That innocent, willful, yet courageous girl tried to get closer to him, this iceberg, in her purest way.

Qin Chuan's lips twitched upwards very slowly and in an extremely rare manner.

It wasn't a deliberate smile; it was more like the trace of ice quietly melting.

Though faint and fleeting, it was like the first ray of sunshine in early spring, breaking through the frost that shrouded his brows and bringing a breathtaking, awe-inspiring gentleness.

As Honglian was about to leave, she seemed to sense something and subconsciously looked back.