Han Yue was definitely looking forward to visiting Rainbow Country—not because of Shadow 8, no way. They were not besties. In her past life, she had been one of his unfortunate victims, forced to listen to his non-stop chatter like a never-ending horror podcast. No thanks.
The real reason she was excited? Her mobile houses were finally here! Plus, Rainbow Country was famous for its vast fields and ancient forestry areas. Their trees were so massive it looked like some ancient giant planted them. Just one tree could probably cover a basketball court. She had to take a few back. Hehehe.
Rainbow Country also specialized in advanced scientific equipment and cutting-edge tech, so this was going to be a fruitful trip.
After disembarking from the jet, Long Yi met with Shadow 8, who was already peeking at Han Yue like some clingy ex. Han Yue immediately had a bad feeling—ugh, this idiot is going to start monologuing again. Thankfully, Long Yi gave him a cold glare and pulled him away for a separate mission.
Whew. Saved!
Shadow 2 remained with Han Yue and helped her begin collecting her assigned warehouses. Inside were massive quantities of grains, fruits, dairy, wine, beer, teas, and more. This place was bursting with fertile land and rich forestry. No wonder it was so abundant.
After loading her warehouses, they visited the market district. Han Yue was amazed to find rows and rows of local foods—especially pickled vegetables. Big jars, giant tubs, and plastic vats full of veggies swimming in vinegar. Shadow 2's eyes gleamed—vinegar was his latest obsession.
Han Yue sampled a few and passed them around. The taste? Crunchy, tangy, divine. She immediately bought out every store they passed. There were so many.
Shadow 2 was now hugging a full pickle jar like it was his firstborn.
Then they stumbled upon Crisp Shops—potato chips in all kinds of pickled flavors. Addictive. Han Yue bought out the entire stock, and Assistant Liu even contacted the factories to secure the next five days' worth of supply for her warehouses.
Next stop: fast food! Pizza joints, sandwich stalls, shawarma stands—Han Yue bought 300 of everything. Yup. She was on a roll.
They headed to the wet market where vegetables, fruits, seasonings, fruit saplings, nut trees, tea trees, rubber trees, silicon trees, and exotic flora were everywhere. Han Yue? One hundred of each. Boom.
Then came the science expo. Scientists and inventors proudly showed off their creations.
Advanced water filters? 1000.
Portable toilets? 1000.
Solar, air, wind, and water energy panels? 1000 each. Thank you.
Seeing a generous sponsor, all the inventors flocked to her like seagulls to fries. One showcased a new high-tech garment: light, waterproof, tear-proof, and temperature-resistant from -60°C to 60°C.
Before she could buy it, Assistant Chen beat her to it and started chatting up the scientist like he was ready to invest his soul. Han Yue just laughed—he was probably going to buy the tech and take the inventor home with him.
She continued exploring and found signal and connection towers—the kind used for satellite communication. There were only 150 available. She bought them all.
Then—TRAINS! Futuristic, sleek, and fast. Not like wizard trains—these were high-speed wonders. She bought 100, plus tons of track.
Shadow 2: "...She has a thing for trains."
Other gadgets on display: sleds, carriages, ice tents, inflatable houses with tear-proof material. Bought. 500 each. Delivery in 5 days.
She came across nutrient-packed, 10-year shelf-life ready meals that claimed to be 5-star in satisfaction. She tried one—it was delicious. Might as well donate it later. She bought out the entire stock.
She glanced at her bank app.
💸 Remaining Balance: 150 million yuan
"Goodbye, money!"
And with a blink, she spent it all.
Han Yue: Officially Bankrupt.
While wandering around in blissful poverty, she stumbled upon something that made her scream internally—
ANIME EXPO.
WTF LET'S GOOOOO.
Inside: cosplayers, panels, snacks, merchandise, plushies, figurines.
She wanted everything. But... she had no money.
Text to Grandpa:
Grandpa I'm bankrupt 😭
1 minute later:
📱 You have received 500,000,000 yuan from Grandpa Long Account #143245
Text to Grandpa:
WOW GRANDPA YOU'RE SO RICH AND HANDSOME!!!! 💖
Time to shop again!
She found alien wizard merchandise—WASN'T THAT HER!? She bought 100 of each.
Life-size Harry Wizard figurines? Bought 1 each.
Limited edition wands—40,000 yuan each. Bought two. One for her, and maybe one for Grandpa, if he was secretly a fan.
By the time she returned to the hotel, she was exhausted. She had way too much fun today. Almost forgot—
Tomorrow: The Forest.
Part 2: Camping Chaos and Confessions
After collecting another full batch from her assigned warehouses, Han Yue tilted her head with a puzzled look.
"Hm… Why is my warehouse full again so fast?"
Assistant Liu silently twitched the corner of her mouth. Isn't it obvious!? You bought out half the country yesterday.
Their next stop was the famed Giants' Forest. True to its name, the scenery was majestic—towering ancient trees so large it felt like giants themselves had planted them. Shadow 2 and his squad expertly drove through off-road paths while Han Yue enjoyed the view, looking every bit like a naive tourist.
Unbeknownst to her entourage, deeper into the forest—trees were vanishing. Ancient giants disappeared one by one into her space dimension, relocated to a hidden corner of her ever-growing forest area. Han Yue even spotted exotic wildlife: sleek leopards, pumas, spotted deer, fluffy rabbits, plump pheasants, chittering quails, and a riot of colorful parrots. All were gently swept into the space. She even scooped up an entire wolf pack, pups included. Too cute to resist!
Eventually, they stopped in a wide clearing for a break.
Han Yue clapped her hands. "Camping time!"
The guides began roasting meat, while Assistant Chen and Liu swiftly set up a high-grade tent. It looked like a luxury campsite from a wilderness magazine. Han Yue, in full camper mode, pulled out her baby beast Snowball, letting it wobble around. Snowball was instantly mesmerized by the meat and planted itself beside the grill, staring hungrily.
Excitedly, Han Yue began making s'mores. She took a selfie in front of the fire, chocolate and marshmallow in hand, the tent behind her.
[Post: "I'm bankrupt, so I have no choice but to live in the wilderness T^T"]
She giggled and started sandwiching more marshmallows. Shadow 2, curious, made one for himself and munched with serious appreciation.
"Hehehe. A fellow foodie," she thought gleefully.
Just then, they heard faint rustling. Multiple footsteps. The scouts perked up instantly.
From the west side of the forest, a group of armed mercenaries appeared, rifles raised. They shouted harshly, "Hands up! On the ground, now!"
Han Yue didn't move. She was still roasting marshmallows like she was watching a sitcom.
Shadow 2 and his team didn't hesitate—phfft, phfft, phfft—silenced shots to the hands and knees. The mercenaries dropped with shrieks and groans, their weapons clattering onto the forest floor.
Once the intruders were fully disarmed and writhing by the fire, Han Yue finally glanced at them.
"What are you doing here?" she asked, not missing a bite of her s'more.
No one answered.
Shadow 2, unfazed, cleanly sliced one man's throat with a blade. The body dropped. Screams erupted. The rest immediately began trembling, eyes wide in horror.
Han Yue, still chewing, asked again in the same calm tone, "What are you doing here?"
Finally, a panicked voice stammered out, "W-we're traffickers. This forest is one of our drop points… our holding area for exotic animals. We ship them out to rich collectors—Dubai, Chocolate Country, and places like that..."
Han Yue raised an eyebrow mid-chew. "Just animals?"
The silence that followed was loud. Her gaze sharpened. A flick of her fingers, and Shadow 2 stepped forward again.
One of the mercenaries blurted out, "We also do people! Rare ones! Mutants, pretty ones, kids with powers—we trap them and sell them to the highest bidder! Please don't kill us, we didn't know you were government!"
Han Yue's smile faded.
"Oh," she said softly.
The mercenaries shivered.
Part 3: Shadows of the Past
After hearing the traffickers' confession, Han Yue's expression turned cold. She gave her orders calmly but decisively.
"Shadow 2, Assistant Chen, Assistant Liu—go investigate. I want records, logs, and any connections to their headquarters. Check if any children or captives remain. Also, contact Long Yi. They mentioned trafficking mutants and awakened individuals. I want confirmation—were there others who awakened before me?"
Camping was no longer on her mind. "We're done here. Pack up. Return to the hotel first. Let the investigation teams handle the rest."
Back in her hotel suite, the others were already mobilizing. Scouts were sent into the Giant Forest, hackers were combing through connections, logs, and signals. The hotel room was quiet, but tense.
Han Yue sat on the couch watching TV when her phone buzzed—Long Yi had messaged.
"You've found one of their drop-off points. I'm investigating their HQ now. No humans in your location. Just exotic animals, herbs, and rare materials according to our intel. Be careful."
Right on cue, Assistant Chen knocked and entered.
"The scouts confirmed the same. Exotic animals, medicinal herbs, rare plants. No people."
Han Yue nodded. "Let Long Yi take care of the rest."
She changed into a fitted black combat outfit—simple, sleek, and practical. Nothing flashy. Just the color of night. Shadow 2 and the team were ready.
They stormed the drop-off site swiftly. Guards and mercenaries didn't stand a chance. The group moved like shadows—efficient and ruthless.
Inside, cages lined the walls. Exotic birds cried out. Crates overflowed with rare herbs and sealed boxes of medicine. Han Yue swept her gaze across the room before quietly opening her space and absorbing it all.
Then her spiritual sense rippled out—calm and steady.
~~ ~~ ~~ ~~
She frowned.
"There's something nearby… underground."
She pointed toward a half-covered corner. Shadow 2 moved silently, uncovering a hidden hatch. A secret compartment.
Inside was a bunker.
There, snoring loudly on a creaky cot, was a bloated man with a greasy face and a belly that rose and fell like dough.
Han Yue stepped forward—and her eyes suddenly narrowed.
That face.
She recognized him.
In her past life… this man kidnapped her. After she awakened her ice powers, he had her thrown into a cage like livestock, ready to be sold.
If it hadn't been for Long Yi…
Her chest tightened.
She looked away, then said in a low voice, "Don't kill him. Subdue him. Take him back."
Shadow 2 obeyed. The man was gagged and tied up, stuffed into a sack like garbage.
Before leaving, they found a logbook hidden beneath loose floorboards. Han Yue tucked it away silently.
The ride back to the hotel was quiet.
No one dared speak.
Han Yue sat staring out the window, lost in thought.
Back in her room, she checked her phone.
Long Yi: "Still cleaning up the HQ. Some mutant children want to follow us. Some want to return to their families. I left it to Shadow 8 to handle."
Han Yue set her phone aside and lay on the bed.
She stared up at the ceiling, silent.
If Long Yi hadn't rescued me back then… I'd be like those children. Sold. Forgotten. Maybe worse.
Her fingers curled into the blanket.
This world is too dark.
Eventually, she closed her eyes.
And sleep slowly took her.
Part 4: Warm Light, Cold Shadows
By the time Long Yi completed the raid with Shadow 8 and his team, daybreak had already painted the sky in soft pastels. The headquarters of the trafficking ring was nothing but a smoldering wreck behind them.
They had found more than twenty awakened individuals, locked in cages. Some had been imprisoned for weeks, others for months. Their conditions were grim.
Some said they'd been sold off by their families—greedy parents who saw a "dangerous mutant" as a burden or a quick payday.
Some whispered they'd been kidnapped, and their families were still searching, heartbroken.
Some stayed quiet, hollow-eyed. They already knew no one was looking for them.
Long Yi crouched before the quietest ones and gently released a pulse of energy—his awakened power.
"I'm the same as you," he said softly.
A flicker of surprise lit their dull eyes. For the first time, hope glimmered.
They nodded. They'd follow him.
The kidnapped children who longed to return to their families were handed over to Shadow 8's team. Quietly, efficiently, they were sent home.
Meanwhile, Shadow 2 had returned to Long Yi with news.
"A hidden bunker was found. There was… a fat man inside."
Long Yi's eyes narrowed.
"And Han Yue?"
"She seemed distracted when she saw him. Her tone changed. She ordered him sacked and tied, but… she wasn't herself."
Long Yi sighed. A shadow passed over his eyes.
It must be someone from her past life. The only thing that could rattle Han Yue like this.
"I'll come back tomorrow," he said darkly.
That day, Long Yi worked quickly. Supplies and weapons were seized. Shadow 8 ensured the rescued children were safe. All logs and documents were confiscated.
Then, the entire facility was destroyed—burned to ash and rubble.
~~ ~~ ~~
The next day…
Han Yue woke up feeling refreshed.
She yawned, stretched, and muttered, "Ugh, I'm starving…"
She'd dreamed of her past—the day Long Yi rescued her. Back then, she had been so grateful. But in the end… she still returned to protect her family. And Zhou Rui.
She sighed.
"I was such a fool."
After a hot shower, she picked a cute little shepherd-style dress with ribbons and lace. Adorable and sunny—like she'd never carried a burden in her life.
Downstairs, her secretaries and Shadow 2 joined her at the buffet.
To everyone's relief, her mood seemed bright and calm.
"She's back to normal…" Assistant Chen murmured, quietly relieved.
Shadow 2 silently munched on a huge bowl of pickled vegetables and a plate piled with meat. Han Yue blinked at the sight.
"…I need to stock up again," she mumbled. "At this rate, my reserves won't last."
After breakfast, they visited one of her storage warehouses. As expected—completely packed again.
She grinned. "Perfect~"
Then she told Assistant Chen, "Look into more pickling factories. Or brands. Buy everything they've got."
"Yes, Miss Han," he said, already typing.
From the side, Shadow 2's eyes twinkled like stars.
~~ ~~ ~~
That afternoon was peaceful. No urgent missions. No schemes. The giant trees were already secured into storage.
So… why not relax?
They went to the mall.
Han Yue shopped to her heart's content—buying souvenirs, cute clothes, and even LEGO sets.
She discovered sets with spacecrafts, dinosaurs, skyscrapers, and a massive wizard castle.
"Perfect for Zhihan… and maybe Grandpa too?" she mused, arms full.
Then she visited a restaurant inside the mall and—without blinking—ordered 200 meals of each dish.
She strolled out sipping milk tea, satisfied.
When they returned to the hotel, Long Yi was already there.
He was standing outside a private room, where his men were interrogating the fat man they'd brought in.
The man was screaming.
Long Yi's face was blank, cold as glacier ice.
"Continue," he said simply, and turned away.
Just then, Han Yue walked in.
Her eyes brightened.
"Welcome back!"
Long Yi's expression softened instantly. He reached out and gently held her hand.
"Come," he said. "Let's talk."
~~ ~~ ~~
In his suite, he sat her down.
"What happened yesterday?" he asked, voice low, serious.
Han Yue hesitated. Her fingers curled in her lap. Then, softly—
"…I remembered that fat man."
Long Yi's eyes sharpened.
"He was the one who kidnapped me when I first awakened my powers. I was still weak then… and he locked me in a cage like an animal. Planned to sell me."
Her voice trembled faintly. "But you found me. You saved me."
Long Yi stepped forward and pulled her into a tight embrace.
"You won't have to go through that again," he murmured. "I'm here now. I'll protect you—always."
Han Yue's eyes were glassy with emotion.
He's really so good to me…
She leaned into his chest. They stayed like that for a while, wrapped in warmth.
Then she pulled back with a smile and a blush.
"I'm okay now~"
Long Yi looked at her, then cleared his throat.
"Ahem… I'll go clean up that trash you brought back."
Han Yue nodded. "Okay~"
She returned to her room to wash up and play with Snowball, her soft white baby leopard.
~~ ~~ ~~
As for Long Yi—
Once Han Yue entered her room, the warmth vanished from his face.
He entered the interrogation room again, silent and grim.
The fat man was barely conscious. Long Yi didn't speak.
He simply rolled up his sleeves.
For thirty minutes, the room echoed with horror.
No one dared look up. His men stood still, heads bowed.
When it was over, the man was a corpse.
Long Yi stepped out, calm again.
"Clean it up."
Then he walked back to his room… and took a shower.