By 10 a.m. sharp, the mansion's extended study room—converted into a high-level operations meeting space—was already filled with people. No outsiders, no fillers. Only the most trusted.
Long Yi didn't want a crowd. He wanted results.
A sleek, oval-shaped table dominated the room. Around it sat the key members of Long Yi's personal circle: his first uncle, Colonel Long Zixuan, dressed in casual military green with a cold sharpness to his demeanor; Secretary Wen, ever efficient and composed; Long Yi's right-hand man, Xu Mo, and left-hand strategist, Qiao Rui, both trusted since the days Long Yi first started building his private network. Each had their own laptop open, folders organized, coffee steaming quietly beside them.
Flanking the room, lined up in silent attention, were eight other figures—Shadow Guard Leaders One through Eight. Each wore black, unmarked uniforms. The air around them felt dense with discipline and lethality. Their presence gave the room a weight far beyond that of a normal business meeting.
Everyone here had either saved Long Yi's life or pledged their own for it.
Han Yue stepped into the room with her baby bunny nestled in her arms, looking perfectly relaxed. The extended study felt like a command center: there was a large TV screen mounted on one side, a ceiling projector, laptops, piles of documents, and several video recorders quietly blinking red. Every person had tea or coffee, small plates of sandwiches and pastries, and even a little dish of strawberries set near Han Yue's spot for her rabbit.
When Han Yue's eyes landed on the sharp-featured older man sitting across from Long Yi, her eyes widened with surprise.
"Wait... Oh my god!" She pointed, blinking rapidly. "You're the Colonel who exposed that high-level spy years ago! I remember that report—it was a huge scandal in the government."
Then she paused, blinking again.
"No... wait, that hadn't happened yet... right." She mumbled under her breath and smiled faintly. That must've been from my past life.
Colonel Long Zixuan raised an eyebrow. "Hm?"
Han Yue gave him a bright smile and waved it off. "Nothing! Long Yi just mentioned you were investigating something related to that spy case... I just remembered reading something similar."
Colonel Long gave a slight nod. "Yes. Yi'er brought the matter to me last week. The initial signs point toward internal betrayal. I've already ordered my men to dig deeper and find solid proof."
Then, for the briefest moment, his hard mouth quirked into the ghost of a smile. "We'll catch the rat soon enough."
Long Yi gestured for her to take the seat beside him, and she did so obediently, placing her bunny in a cushioned pet bed near her chair. The bunny began nibbling its strawberries as if it belonged at war councils.
Before Long Yi could begin introductions, Secretary Wen raised his hand.
"There's a breaking livestream from the Capital Police Department," he reported. "The press conference is starting. It pertains to yesterday's case involving the Han Jade Company."
Everyone's eyes turned toward the TV screen, which was already broadcasting the scene: a blue and white police backdrop, an officer at the podium, and flashing lights from numerous reporters' cameras.
On-screen: Capital Police Livestream
"Good morning, esteemed citizens and press members," began the chief officer. "After a full-scale investigation into the Han Jade Company robbery, we are prepared to disclose our findings and clarify recent misinformation."
A hush fell across the room.
"First and foremost, we wish to state unequivocally that Miss Han Yue is completely innocent. She was not involved in the theft in any capacity. On the contrary—she was the intended victim and target."
A new slide showed the raw security footage: Han Jiaojiao sneaking into Han Yue's room with a smirk on her face. Then Han Yue's testimony played, overlaid with transcripts, highlighting:
Why Han Yue had set up the hidden camera (due to a suspicious phone call overheard that morning).
Her account of waking up to find her belongings gone.
The theft of not just her personal items, but the entire company building's contents.
The officer continued, "Thanks to Miss Han Yue's strategic foresight in placing a hidden camera, we were able to secure vital evidence. Her testimony aligns with all timeline markers and supports the sequence of events."
Another video showed officers storming an abandoned riverside warehouse.
"In this location, over 10 large duffel bags of stolen jade—raw materials, sculpted figurines, and high-value accessories—were discovered. Tracing the drop-off locations and transport routes led us to ten confirmed accomplices."
Photos of Xu Jianguo, Han Jiaojiao, and the nine hired criminals flashed across the screen, with charges and sentences listed:
Xu Jianguo: 12 years for grand theft, corporate sabotage, and conspiracy.
Nine accomplices: 10–15 years each, depending on prior records.
The crowd buzzed.
"Han Jiaojiao, while a minor, was the orchestrator of key portions of the theft. Due to her age, she has been placed in juvenile detention and will undergo mandatory correctional education. She is also being monitored for involvement in conspiracy and fraud, and future charges may apply as she reaches legal age."
The officer finished firmly, "Miss Han Yue is to be praised for her resourcefulness and quick thinking in protecting herself, especially after long-term emotional and psychological abuse from her household."
The press room broke into murmurs, many nodding.
Back in the Meeting Room
The moment the livestream ended, the Weibo notifications went off across multiple devices.
Secretary Wen glanced at his tablet and announced, "It's trending again. '#HanYueInnocent,' '#JiaojiaoJailed,' and... oh—'#BabyBunnyJustice' are now top three on Weibo."
Han Yue blinked. "...What? Why baby bunny?"
Xu Mo smirked and turned his screen for her to see — someone had clipped a shot of her hugging the bunny during her last interview with the police and added the caption: "Even the bunny knew Jiao Jiao was guilty."
Han Yue groaned in disbelief. "Why is the internet like this?!"
Qiao Rui chuckled. "They love a clean revenge arc. Especially with a bunny mascot."
Colonel Long Zixuan finally spoke, voice calm and cold, "This level of public clearance is valuable. Miss Han Yue, you now hold both sympathy and legitimacy in the public eye. Use it wisely."
Han Yue straightened. "Understood, Colonel."
Long Yi finally turned to the group, his sharp eyes sweeping across the table. "Now that the outside world has been handled—let's begin.."
He gestured for Secretary Wen to start distributing files.
The moment the door closed and the screen went black, a heavy silence settled over the room.
Secretary Wen stood. He gave Han Yue a subtle look—seeking silent permission.
Long Yi leaned back slightly and met Han Yue's gaze as well. Everyone here was one of their own. Still, this wasn't a small decision.
Han Yue, mid-bite of a flaky mini tart, casually nodded.
Go ahead.
Secretary Wen's expression tightened with gravity. He opened the leather folder before him, then said clearly, "What I am about to present involves classified-level intel. It has not been verified by existing authorities but originates from a first-person account of a rare type—rebirth."
A sharp breath swept across the room, although no one spoke. Several eyes flickered toward Han Yue, who simply took a sip of tea and waved for him to continue like this was a discussion about weather patterns.
"Miss Han Yue," Wen said, "has experienced a full cycle of life before the impending collapse of the world as we know it."
A few sharp inhalations were heard, and Colonel Long Zixuan's brows twitched before smoothing again. Even the Shadow Guards, though statuesque, subtly shifted their weight.
Long Yi finally spoke, his voice low. "I confirmed this information myself. Her memories have aligned with events we were already investigating in secret—long before she ever knew I was involved."
Secretary Wen nodded and turned to the rest of the table. "Before this meeting, most of you were only told that a confidential environmental threat was surfacing and asset liquidation was necessary. From today onward, we're laying it all bare. The real source of our information… is the girl with the bunny."
Han Yue held up her bunny with mock pride.
"…She also has cookies," she added, before popping another one in her mouth.
A few tense shoulders eased slightly.
The colonel's expression didn't change, but there was something contemplative in his eyes now—something sharper than before.
Qiao Rui broke the silence first with a raised brow. "You're telling me the world ends, and we only have six months?"
"Correct," Secretary Wen replied. "And the countdown has already begun."
He gestured toward the folders before them. "Please turn to page two. Miss Han Yue has recalled specific anomalies and crises that will unfold month by month. Cross-checking her memory with classified and open-source data revealed disturbing consistencies. This is the projected sequence of the next six months before the collapse."
As one, everyone flipped to page two.
📄 TOP SECRET: SIX-MONTH COLLAPSE TIMELINE (Reconstruction Based on Witness Memory) ✅ MONTH 1 — Preparation Phase (No Public Anomalies)
Multiple financial and land-based assets quietly liquidated across provinces.
Movements suggest premeditated withdrawal and resource centralization.
No overt events, but flagged for retroactive surveillance.
Keywords: #AssetLiquidation, #SilentPrep
⚠️ MONTH 2 — Political & Meteorological Disturbances Begin
1. Governor Hou Wenlong – Tax Evasion Scandal
Role: Provincial Finance Chief, Eastern Province
Exposed hiding ¥3.1B in shell companies
Arrested quietly, mass reshuffle followed
Keywords: #GovernorHou, #HiddenBillions
2. Actor Kim Jianyu – Domestic Abuse Allegations
Prominent film star, age 45
Several credible testimonies with video/audio evidence
Blacklisted overnight
Keywords: #ActorKim, #DomesticViolence
3. Tornado Cluster – Unnatural Storm Activity
Impact zones: Henan, Hubei, Anhui
12+ tornadoes in 72 hours, zero warning from bureaus
Civilian deaths; weather authorities overwhelmed
Keywords: #TornadoCluster, #WeatherDisruption
⚠️ MONTH 3 — Military Compromise & Agricultural Cover-Up
4. Officer Xu Leiming – Foreign Spy Uncovered
Role: Tactical Logistics, Northwestern Command
Attempted assassination of General Wang Tianlei
Captured alive; base under full lockdown
Keywords: #SpyXu, #InternalThreat
5. Dr. Lin Shaoyang – Suppressed Grain Report
Analyst, Agricultural Bureau
Found 37% shortfall in national grain reserves
Silenced immediately; all records scrubbed
Keywords: #DoctorLin, #GrainCrisis
6. Southern Cold Snap
Locations: Guangzhou, Guangxi
Temperatures plunged to -12°C for 3 consecutive days
Aurora-like lights seen in sky
Thousands of livestock perished
Keywords: #SouthFreeze, #TemperatureAnomaly
⚠️ MONTH 4 — Science & Infrastructure Disruptions
7. Satellite Signal Collapse – Mariana Zone
5 military satellites & 7 drones lost contact
Source: deep-sea energy pulse
Retrieval squads sent; data sealed
Keywords: #DeepSeaPulse, #SatelliteDown
8. Qinrui Convoy – Biohazard Disappearance
Chemical mutagen shipment vanished in Hebei
Staged crash; only melted steel and bio residue found
3-person crew missing, case closed
Keywords: #QinruiLeak, #ConvoyMissing
⚠️ MONTH 5 — Financial Systems & Biological Threats
9. Nine-Minute Bank Freeze
Banks affected: Zhonghua, YunXing Trust, Golden Vault
All systems locked for precisely 9 minutes
Trillions moved digitally; "system update" blamed
Keywords: #BankFreeze, #NineMinuteGlitch
10. Changbei Facility – Containment Breach
Classified veterinary lab, Inner Mongolia
Genetically modified lab animals released
Entire compound under blackout military quarantine
Keywords: #ChangbeiOutbreak, #MutatedSubjects
⚠️ MONTH 6 — Light, Darkness & Atmospheric Collapse
11. Qingbei Township – Daylight Disturbance
Daylight persisted 120+ hours, no sunset
Residents suffered mass insomnia, hallucinations
Evacuation ordered under solar radiation alert
Keywords: #NoNightTown, #DaylightLoop
12. Eastern Black Fog Event
Mist blanketed Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Shanghai
Visibility dropped to <1 meter
Static blocked all digital tracking; rural disappearances spike
Keywords: #BlackFogEvent, #SensorFailure
🧩 FINAL RECOMMENDATION:
If 6+ of the above events occur in real time, escalate the Anonymous Warning Document YH-01 to Crisis Tier Command.
Recommend immediate audit of:
Mariana deep-sea logs
National grain warehouses
Military bio-research centers
Satellite telemetry from Month 4
Prepared by: Division Ω – Domestic Threat Forecasting
Date:Pending Revalidation
The last page of the dossier bore the Division's sigil, with redacted reviewer signatures.
As the final words were read, even the lightest of personalities at the table had gone quiet. Serious eyes skimmed the timelines again. The air was heavy now, a full shift from the earlier chaos of livestreams and public sentiment.
Only Han Yue continued nibbling her mochi as if this were a tea party.
Long Yi leaned back, fingers steepled. "Let's move to strategy."
And just like that, the war council began.