THEIR WORTH...

Min opened her eyes, finding herself still lying on the airplane seat. The unfamiliar environment brought everything back to her...the moment she stepped out of her house, got into the car that came to pick her up, and had that last phone call with Fen. That was when Fen had laid out new conditions that hadn't been mentioned before, making it clear that Min was to stay out of the man's personal affairs. All she had to do was follow his instructions until the trip was over.

The words had unsettled her, but she had no choice but to accept them before ending the call. After that, she had been taken straight to the airport, where the driver handled everything until she was safely inside the plane. She had taken her seat, her eyes darting around, overwhelmed by all the new sights. That was when the man had arrived.

She had expected to see an older, more imposing figure, someone like the men she had dealt with in the past. But instead, he was young, casually dressed, with glasses perched on his nose. He barely spared her a glance before settling into the seat beside her.

Min thought she had greeted him, but she wasn't even sure if he had responded. He had simply turned to look at her before returning to whatever he was doing. And from that moment on, he kept to himself, not saying a word, even as the plane took off into the sky. She forced herself to stay calm and endure the anxiety until the journey was well underway.

At some point, exhaustion overtook her, and she fell asleep. She had been told the flight would last over three hours, and now, as she woke up, she found herself still on the plane, with the night sky stretching endlessly beyond the windows.

In front of her, a few meal trays had been placed, the sight of them immediately making her stomach growl. But before she could even think of reaching for one, the man beside her turned to face her again. His expression was unreadable, completely devoid of warmth, and just like that, her heart dropped.

"You came here just to sleep?" he asked in flawless Mandarin, catching her off guard.

She quickly shook her head. "No."

He scoffed and looked away, then reached into his bag and pulled out a small red handkerchief, holding it out to her.

"Take this. We're landing soon. Before we do, make sure you wipe your private parts with it and give it back to me."

The shock that shot through Min's entire body felt like a direct lightning strike to her brain. They were still in the clouds, but the storm inside her had only just begun.

What she didn't know was that this was only the beginning of her nightmare.

▫️🔸🔹

Shenzhen

Shan Tunan stared at the document in his hands, his eyes scanning every detail with deep concentration. After a moment, he nodded slowly before lifting his gaze to Yibo, who stood before him.

"This is… I don't even know what to say, Yibo. This is everything! This is what we've been searching for all these years."

Yibo stood at the edge of the hospital bed, arms folded behind his back. He ran a hand over his nose thoughtfully before saying, "When they sent me the text, they assumed I'd panic and call them right away, or at least text them back. So they left the line open for a while, expecting a response. I took advantage of that—I didn't call, didn't reach out at all. Instead, I forwarded the number to Jixuan, and he was able to track their location easily."

Shan Tunan looked at him, nodding in approval. "This is brilliant, Yibo. So they have no idea we know where they are?"

Yibo shook his head. "I doubt it. After some time, when they realized no one had contacted them, they disconnected the number. I'm sure they're planning to send another threat by tomorrow, expecting us to take the bait."

Shan Tunan exhaled. "If you think they'll contact us tomorrow, when exactly do you plan to execute your plan?"

Without hesitation, Yibo met his gaze. "Tonight. It has to be tonight."

Shan Tunan shook his head. "That's not possible, Yibo. It's too early, and you know it. You understand how dangerous this situation is. The plan we originally had for confronting them is useless now. This new approach of yours needs careful analysis and a solid strategy. You can't just come up with something and execute it on impulse."

Yibo's eyes were fixed on Shan Tunan, watching him closely from the moment he started speaking until he finished. Only then did Yibo shift his stance slightly and say, "We don't have time, sir. And I know you understand that even better than I do right now. So we can't take any chances. You and I both know there's nothing those people wouldn't do."

"I know," Shan Tunan replied, his voice firm. "And that's exactly why we have to be meticulous in our approach. This isn't just a place you can walk into, take what you need, and walk out."

Yibo nodded. "I understand."

Shan Tunan opened his mouth to say something more but then hesitated, closing it again. Instead, he leaned back against the bed. "Who are you taking with you?"

"No one," Yibo answered, shaking his head.

Shan Tunan turned to look at him again.

"Yibo…"

"We're not involving anyone else, sir. This is risky, and we put everything together at the last minute. Jixuan is the only one monitoring from the office, nothing more."

Shan Tunan didn't respond immediately. He simply kept staring at Yibo for a long moment before letting out a deep breath and rubbing his face with both hands.

"Alright," he finally said. "Do you have the room number yet?"

"Jixuan is working on it," Yibo replied. "He assured me that within the next hour, he'll have cracked the hotel's system. We already have their password."

Just then, Shan Tunan's phone rang for what felt like the hundredth time since they started talking. He glanced at the screen, reading the name of his wife before picking up and pressing it to his ear. Yibo turned away, pulling out his own phone even though he had no one to call. He just wanted to give Shan Tunan some privacy.

Even without eavesdropping, he could hear Shan Tunan reassuring her, telling her to stay calm and that everything would be fine.

Yibo still didn't know how she had managed to go home. The last time he saw her, she was completely distraught, to the point of calling her family and informing them of the situation. It was likely that only the presence of their children had convinced her to leave.

A heavy weight settled in Yibo's chest. What he was about to do was no small thing, and he knew it. This was the very mission they had spent years fighting for, the reason he had crossed paths with Shan Tunan in the first place. They had planned every detail meticulously, but now, that plan had crumbled. What he was about to attempt hadn't even been fully outlined—it was something he had only pieced together within the past hour.

If he was being honest with himself, even he couldn't guarantee success.

His only sources of confidence were two things: his unwavering belief that fate was on his side and the image of Zhan in his mind. Every time he pictured Zhan, he knew—without a doubt—that right now, Zhan was in a terrible situation. And the thought of that made everything else feel easy. It only intensified the fire of revenge burning inside him, sending a surge of anger up his throat.

He checked the time on his phone... 10:07 PM. The coming hours loomed before him, heavy with uncertainty, but he had faith that everything would unfold as he had planned.

"Yibo..."

Shan Tunan's voice pulled him back to reality. He turned quickly to face him.

Shan Tunan had sat up straight on the bed, still holding his phone.

"Before you go anywhere," he said, "stop by my house first. I told Zhao Min to open my study for you. In my wardrobe, there's a safe. The code is eight-six-two-three. Inside, you'll find a gun…"

He trailed off for a second, as if hesitating over his own words, then simply stared at Yibo.

Yibo swallowed hard, adjusting his stance slightly. Neither of them seemed to know what to say in that moment.

::-*:-*:-*:-*:-*

1:00 AM

Yibo entered the hotel premises alone. His clothes were all black...tight-fitting, blending seamlessly into the darkness. A black cap covered most of his face, forcing him to tilt his head up slightly just to see clearly.

Stepping out of his car, he scanned the massive hotel structure, studying every corner with keen eyes. His heart pounded against his chest. Right now, Zhan was somewhere behind one of those windows, possibly crying himself into exhaustion, curled up in distress.

Yibo adjusted the small earpiece lodged in his ear and spoke.

"Are you done? Do you have it?"

Jixuan's voice came through the earpiece.

"Yes, it's done. The room was locked around 4:00 PM, and no one has entered since."

Yibo nodded.

"The entire building is labeled C-Squire..."

"Don't worry, I have all the details. Just stay close," Yibo replied.

Yibo pulled his cap lower and moved forward. He crossed the parking lot, heading straight toward the grand entrance of the hotel—the main reception area where every guest was first greeted. The bright lights illuminated every inch of the space, making it as bright as daylight. The place was buzzing with people from all walks of life—some enjoying their night, others carrying out necessary business.

Inside, Yibo's sharp eyes darted between the receptionist desks. There were five in total, each positioned at different sections. He spotted a young woman attending to guests with a polite smile. Her line was slightly longer than the others, so he made his way toward her.

He stood behind a tall man who was speaking rapidly in Cantonese over the phone, gripping a briefcase in one hand. It only took thirteen minutes for the line to clear, and soon, it was Yibo's turn.

"Welcome to our hotel, sir. How can I assist you?" The young woman greeted him with the same professional smile.

Yibo subtly adjusted his cap.

"I'm with C-Squire. Our boss stepped out this evening and misplaced his room key. We need a replacement."

She nodded and turned to her computer, typing swiftly. A few seconds later, she looked up at him.

"Can you confirm the room number?"

"Room number one, penthouse side."

She glanced back at the screen, then nodded again.

"It looks like no one comes or go in since in the evening, correct?"

"Correct."

"I see here that the room was locked at exactly 4:00 PM and hasn't been accessed since."

Yibo gave a slight nod, acknowledging the information.

"There's a lost key charge along with..."

"Just add everything to the final bill."

She smiled and nodded before clicking a few more keys. Then she looked up at him again.

"Give me one moment."

Picking up the intercom beside her, she pressed a number and spoke into the receiver.

"Spare key for Room 1, penthouse side, C-Squire, please."

After hanging up, she turned back to him with another polite smile.

"Please wait just a minute, sir. Someone will bring it right over."

"Thank you."

That was all Yibo said before stepping aside and leaning against a nearby chair, his sharp eyes scanning the place.

Just as the receptionist had promised, within minutes, a hotel staff member approached, holding a key card in a small envelope. After the receptionist gestured toward him, the staff handed it over.

Yibo clenched the key in his hand, gripping it so tightly that his knuckles turned white. It felt like he was holding a boulder—one that carried a weight so heavy that it could either crush him or be shattered by his own will.

A breath escaped his lips, one he hadn't even realized he was holding.

Step one was complete.

🔹🔸▫️

Inside Room 1, C-Squire Wing, at exactly 1:30 AM, Wu Jing sat up in bed, adjusting the towel wrapped around her body. The only thing covering her now was that single piece of fabric. Her eyes flicked to the clock. 1:30...

She would have to wait until morning before leaving.

Even though she had prepared herself for the possibility of spending the night, this wasn't how she had imagined it... especially after Ping had made it painfully clear that he didn't want her there earlier. She had no idea what had changed his mind afterward, but judging by the way his eyes had traced every inch of her body when she arrived, she had a feeling that her persistence had worked in her favor.

She turned to look at him. He was fast asleep, his breathing steady, completely at peace after getting exactly what he wanted.

A scoff left her lips before she could stop it... not that he would hear it, even if he were awake.

Fine. He got what he wanted. Now it was her turn.

He had no choice but to give her what she needed. No matter what, she would make him find Yibo for her, and she wouldn't tolerate any delays.

Her eyes landed on her purse resting on the chair. She needed her phone.

Just as she moved to get up...before her feet could even touch the ground—she felt a strong hand wrap around her waist.

Ping's arm tightened around her stomach, pulling her back against him.

"Where are you going?"

His voice was heavy with sleep… and something else.

Wu Jing swallowed hard. What was he implying? Did he not realize how much effort it had taken for her to go through with this in the first place? And now he was acting as if...

She turned her head, ready to glare at him.

Ping's half-lidded eyes watched her lazily, a smug smile playing on his lips.

Wu Jing's hand twitched. She wanted nothing more than to slap that look right off his face.

But before either of them could make another move...

The door swung open.

Both of their eyes snapped toward it, wide with shock.

Ping's mind raced. Which of his men would dare to enter his room without permission at this hour? And more importantly… hadn't he locked the door himself?

Wu Jing, on the other hand, was frozen in pure panic.

Whoever had just walked in... whoever had seen her like this—was the last person she wanted to face right now.

Because the moment he stepped inside and closed the door behind him, striding toward them with purpose...

She realized that this…

This was real fear.

▫️🔸🔹

Yibo gripped the room key tightly in his hand, his fingers pressing into the smooth plastic with all the strength he could muster. It felt like holding a stone so heavy that only one of two things could happen—either he would shatter it, or time itself would reverse, and the weight would crush him.

A deep breath escaped his chest before he even realized it.

Step one was complete.

That thought settled in his mind as he slid the key into his pocket and strode purposefully toward the exit of the reception area. He had no idea where the C-Squire building was located, but asking for directions was not an option. Any question—no matter how small—could jeopardize his plan.

So instead, he wandered for a few minutes, making a careful loop around the premises until he spotted the massive structure labeled C-Squire at the far end of the building.

Two security guards stood at the entrance.

Without hesitation, Yibo stopped behind a parked car, tapping the small device in his ear before speaking.

"Jixuan."

A voice crackled in response through his earpiece. "I'm here."

"There are two men at the entrance. Do you recognize them?"

"No. Just hotel security, I assume. You should be fine to proceed."

"Got it."

Yibo stepped out from his hiding spot and walked straight toward them, his stride steady and confident—giving them no reason to suspect anything unusual.

As he approached, he didn't say a word. He simply made his way toward the door, fully intending to walk in without issue.

"Sir, hold on a second," one of the guards called out, stepping forward. "Who are you looking for inside?"

Yibo turned to him, his expression unreadable.

"What do you mean? Do I look like someone who doesn't belong here?"

The guard hesitated but held his ground. "Well, it's late, and we've been stationed here all night. No one has come out of that building. Just following protocol."

Yibo stared him down, exuding the kind of quiet authority that only came with experience. He knew exactly what kind of men worked for Ping—and what they were capable of if things went sideways.

Without breaking eye contact, he clicked his tongue in mild irritation before reaching into his pocket.

He pulled out the key card.

"I lost my room key and had to retrieve a replacement from reception. Is there a problem with that?"

The security guard's face shifted immediately. His shoulders relaxed, and he let out a small chuckle before stepping aside.

"Apologies, sir. We're just doing our job. Just making sure no one unauthorized gets in."

Yibo didn't respond. He simply reached into his pocket again and pulled out a few crisp bills, handing them to the guard.

The man took them instantly, his fingers trembling slightly. "Thank you, sir. Have a good night rest."

With that, Yibo pushed open the door and stepped inside.

The interior was vast—an open courtyard filled with carefully placed plants, their leaves casting long shadows under the dim lights. The numbered doors lining the walls told him his target was on the upper floors.

Without hesitation, he made his way up the staircase.

Halfway up, he spotted someone approaching from above.

Quickly, he stepped to the side, pressing himself against a large potted plant at the edge of the stairs. The dim lighting worked in his favor—the man walked past without noticing him and entered one of the rooms.

Once the coast was clear, Yibo moved swiftly.

His eyes scanned the door numbers as he reached the top floor. Taking a sharp turn at the end of the hallway, his gaze locked onto the room he was looking for.

No second thoughts.

He reached for the key card, slid it into the lock, and with a soft click, the door opened.

Stepping inside, he shut the door behind him and removed the key.

The first thing his eyes registered—beyond the sheer size of the room and the dim golden lighting—was the large bed directly in front of him. The blurry figures made it clear that two people had been sleeping in it.

He moved forward, the light shifting as he approached.

Standing at the edge of the bed, he reached into his back pocket and pulled out two syringes he had prepared earlier.

There was no hesitation.

Before the man in the bed could even react, Yibo yanked the blanket away and plunged both syringes into his legs.

A gasp. A muffled curse. A sharp intake of breath.

The woman beside him let out a startled scream, rolling off the bed in sheer panic, landing ungracefully on the floor.

Yibo didn't flinch.

He took a step back, pressing his body against the wall. His fingers brushed over the light switch.

With one flick...

The room flooded with bright light.

And there, sprawled across the bed, groggy and disoriented, was none other than Ping.

Still gripping the syringes embedded in his legs, Ping's stunned eyes locked onto Yibo's.

Both men stared at each other...one in shock, the other in cold calculation.

This is him!

This is the same Ping he remembered, the man who had shattered his life in every possible way, the man who had brought so much suffering to his mother and sister that they had perished alongside him... The only difference was the years. Strip away time, and this older man would become the very same Ping that Yibo would never forgive—not in this life or the next.

A sharp scream from the woman standing nearby snapped Yibo out of his thoughts. Without hesitation, he lunged toward her, clamping a hand over her mouth as her body trembled violently, like a coiled spring suddenly released.

"I swear, if you don't shut up right now, I'll silence you myself," Yibo growled, locking eyes with her.

She nodded frantically, tears streaming down her face, and in that instant, something clicked in his mind.

He knew her.

That face...where had he seen it before?

Wait... No. It couldn't be. Wu Jing? No, that was impossible. How could she be here?

His thoughts crashed to a halt as she whispered his name, her voice shaking.

"Yibo..."

Stunned, Yibo let go of her, pushing her away with such force that she stumbled to the floor. His wide eyes stared at her as if he had just seen a ticking bomb about to detonate. His mind spun as he struggled to process the reality before him.

Wu Jing scrambled to adjust the towel slipping from her body, her hands trembling. Tears streaked down her cheeks as her entire frame quivered.

"Oh my God... What are you doing here? How did you end up in this place?" Yibo blurted out, his thoughts spilling from his mouth before he could stop them.

Wu Jing shook her head, rising onto her knees, pressing her palms together in front of him as if pleading.

"Yibo, please, let me explain... I swear, it's not what you think—it's not what it looks like!"

She didn't get the chance to finish.

A sudden crash from behind them shattered the moment. They both turned instantly, and Yibo's gaze locked onto Ping. The older man had tried to get out of bed despite his weakened, paralyzed legs. In his struggle, he had knocked over a small table, sending glass cups shattering onto the floor.

Yibo wasted no time. He bolted past Wu Jing, heading straight for the phones on the other side of the room before Ping could reach them.

Ping glared at him, his reddened eyes burning with rage.

"If you want to leave this place alive, hand over those phones," he snarled.

Instead of responding, Yibo calmly sat on the armrest of a nearby chair, facing him.

"Oh, I do intend to leave here alive," he said, a slow, calculated smirk playing on his lips. "Which is exactly why I won't be giving them back."

He leaned forward slightly. "Let's drop the formalities, Ping. You know exactly who I am, and you know why I'm here. The only thing you don't know is that just as you've been hunting for me, I've been hunting for you. And trust me, I've been preparing for this moment for a long time."

He tilted his head toward Ping's swollen, numb legs.

"That..." he pointed, "...was just Step One of my plan. But if you cooperate, you might not lose them entirely."

Ping didn't answer. Instead, he turned his attention to Wu Jing, still cowering on the floor. His voice was sharp, commanding.

"There's a gun in the drawer beside you. Take it out and shoot him. Now."

His voice rang through the room like a gunshot itself.

But to his surprise, Wu Jing didn't move.

Instead, she shook her head violently, sobbing harder.

Yibo barely spared her a glance before returning his gaze to Ping, his expression dark and unyielding.

"You should know," Yibo said, his voice quiet but dangerous, "if you kill me, you're as good as dead yourself."

He reached into his pocket and pulled out three identical small vials, placing them on the chair's armrest.

"In two of these vials is the exact poison currently in your bloodstream," he said smoothly. "So if you drink one by mistake, you'll just speed up your own death. And even if you manage to drink the antidote, it won't be enough to fully counteract the dose you already have in you."

Ping's eyes flickered with uncertainty.

"So here's the deal," Yibo continued, his smile widening slightly. "If you truly value your life, you'll follow my instructions exactly as I say. Otherwise..."

He leaned back casually.

"...before your men even break down that door, you'll be nothing more than a corpse."

From the moment Yibo began speaking, Ping's body grew heavier. For the first time in a long while, he felt his heart waver with an emotion he couldn't quite name. His legs were now more swollen, and a burning sensation spread from deep within his stomach to his throat—proof that Yibo had been telling the truth.

"Twenty-seven years ago, can you recall the worst sin you've ever committed? Do you remember a girl named Liu? The one who..."

"Liu!" Ping interrupted before Yibo could finish, his eyes widening.

"How could I ever forget Liu? I never have, not even for a single day... A boy came here, one who looked just like her... he's here somewhere..."

His words were disjointed, but from the mere mention of Zhan, Yibo knew Ping had understood exactly which Liu he was referring to. However, the way Ping spoke made it clear that he was beginning to lose his grip on reality.

Yibo gave a slow nod. "I am her younger brother, Ping. I am the boy you forgot while you were destroying our lives. I don't have time to explain everything, but I need you to know—what drove me to find you wasn't just revenge for myself, but for my mother and my sister, whom you took from me. I never forgave you, and even now, I don't believe I ever will."

Ping's entire body began trembling as he stared at Yibo, his expression frozen in shock. Wu Jing's muffled sobs reached Yibo's ears, making him glance in her direction. Perhaps she was finally regaining her senses, as she was now struggling to put on her discarded clothes from the floor. But Yibo quickly returned his focus to Ping.

"Who is she, and what's your connection to her?" Yibo asked, nodding toward Wu Jing.

Despite his deteriorating condition, Ping's expression remained unreadable—no fear, no surrender. He met Yibo's gaze head-on, and to Yibo's surprise, he answered.

"I don't know her. She came here for her own reasons, just as I needed her for mine."

"That's not true, Yibo!" Wu Jing's voice wavered with panic as she protested, but Ping cut her off.

"What? You know him?" he snapped, his eyes narrowing at her.

Before she could answer, Yibo silenced them both. He had already gotten what he needed—the confirmation that stunned him, filling him with both disbelief and frustration over Wu Jing's situation. But there was no time to dwell on it. He had to focus on Ping, whose body was beginning to react more violently to the poison spreading inside him.

"You're going to take your phone now and call one of your men. Tell them to bring your captives to your door, but to leave immediately after dropping them off. You'll convince them. You'll do it calmly and persuasively, because if you don't, you'll be playing with your own life."

Sweat poured down Ping's face as Yibo's words sank in. Every symptom proved Yibo was telling the truth. With great effort, Ping swallowed dryly and reached for one of the phones Yibo had taken from him. His fingers trembled as he held it.

Yibo simply gestured toward him, indicating that he had no time to waste.

Ping searched for Emmanuel's number—it was already at the top due to the countless missed calls he'd received while he had been occupied with Wu Jing.

"Sir, I've been calling for a while. The file you gave me, the one about the target we're supposed to capture... it's the same Yibo we've been looking for..."

Ping swallowed hard, cutting Emmanuel off. His own voice sounded foreign to him...weak, uncertain. For the first time in his life, he faced a situation where he wasn't the one in control. All his preparations, all his confidence in having the upper hand against Yibo, had crumbled in an instant.

"Forget that case, Emmanuel," Ping said, forcing his voice to remain steady. "Right now, bring the captives to my door. Once they're there, you don't need to come in. Just leave them outside—I'll handle things from here."

"Understood, sir."

Emmanuel's immediate obedience stung Ping in a way he never expected. For years, he had commanded absolute loyalty, unquestioned authority. But now, that very loyalty....his men's blind trust in his orders...was being used against him.

As Ping spoke, Yibo watched him intently, his face unreadable but his eyes filled with quiet satisfaction. This was a moment Yibo had waited for...a moment that fate had rewritten, giving him the chance to change a long-buried past.

In his mind, he saw that moment clearly....the moment he could still recall...when Ping sat calmly in his chair while his men took turns being the cause of his sister's anguished screams that echoed everywhere.

Without hesitation, Yibo yanked the phone from Ping's hand just as he finished delivering his message.

"Yibo, please listen to me! Let me explain everything. I swear, I came here because of you!"

Wu Jing's pleading voice, laced with desperation and tears, reached his ears. He turned abruptly, his eyes flashing with disbelief, while Ping struggled with the persistent coughing that seemed to be breaking him apart.

"I love you, Yibo. You know that. You've known that since we lived under the same roof, but you shut every door that could've made you see me. I tried to forget. I really did, especially after you left. But I couldn't... That's why my marriage with Xu Liang failed. That's why I left everything behind to find you. I went through so much, Yibo, so many dead ends before I finally met this man, who promised to bring me to you if I agreed to his terms. I had no other choice, Yibo! My heart has loved you beyond reason, beyond limits. That's why I did it, just to have you again..."

Since she had started speaking, Yibo had been staring at her, his expression unreadable. He couldn't afford to process her words fully—not with the situation at hand and the fact that Zhan and Guri would arrive any moment now. Even if he understood her, it didn't matter. He already knew his answer. It was the same one he had given her before, the same one that had left her shattered the day she foolishly confessed her love to him while still married to a man he had considered family.

"I don't know what kind of thoughts drove you to do all this, but let me make one thing clear again, Wu Jing. I will never, under any circumstance, share my life with you. Even if every other woman or man disappeared from the face of the earth, I still wouldn't. So if you want my advice, focus on your children, straighten your life, and move on."

With that, he turned his back on her, shifting his attention to Ping. At that moment, the only thing on his mind was the man he had found here—the man who deserved to suffer.

Ping's legs were now completely swollen, his body trembling violently. His gaze was locked on the three bottles sitting near Yibo, his breathing ragged. Yibo followed his line of sight, then smirked.

"Don't worry," he said, his voice calm. "I promised I wouldn't take your life with my own hands, and I keep my word. Your judgment lies with the one who created us... who sees everything you've done. So yes, I'll give you the antidote. You'll live. But from this day forward, you'll never be able to walk again, and that thing you rape my sister with.... Your body will be nothing more than a shell, useless, waiting for the day you finally leave this world straight to the hell."

Ping's forehead was drenched in sweat as Yibo handed him a bottle before pocketing the others. The moment was interrupted by the sharp knock on the door...Emmanuel had arrived with them.

Yibo swiftly unlocked the door and swung it open, revealing Zhan, Guri, and the driver standing in the dimly lit hallway. Their eyes widened at the sight of him, but before they could react, he gestured for silence. Their mouths were gagged, their hands and feet bound.

Without hesitation, Yibo turned back into the room. Ping was now collapsed, barely conscious, his body convulsing. Yibo look at Wu Jing and said "You can come with us if you want, because I can't grantee your life when his men reach here". Grabbing a small knife from his pocket, Yibo knelt and sliced through the ropes binding Zhan and Guri's feet. Their eyes were filled with confusion and alarm, but he ignored them. He worked quickly, cutting through the ropes on their wrists before moving toward the driver.

But just as he lifted his foot to step forward, Wu Jing's voice stopped him.

"Yibo..."

Something in her tone made him freeze. He turned sharply, and what he saw made his stomach drop.

Wu Jing stood inside the room, gripping a gun in her hands...Ping's gun. The same one Ping had told her to retrieve earlier.

Yibo's mind raced. His gaze flickered to the barrel, then to her trembling fingers wrapped around the trigger...and because of how panic Yibo's, he doesn't know among the four of them which one Wu Jing pointed with the gun.

"Life isn't a fairytale, Yibo," she said, her voice eerily calm. "Not everyone gets everything while others are left with nothing, no matter how hard they try..."

Zhanxianyibo💚❤️💛