A few minutes later, Cai Lang was already sitting inside the back seat of his black car. The city lights flashed past outside the windows as the driver silently guided the car through the late-night traffic. The interior remained dim and quiet except for the soft hum of the engine. Cai Lang leaned back against the seat and loosened his tie slightly before taking out his phone again. His thumb hovered over the message for a moment before opening the photos once more. The first picture showed Suo Ran sitting inside a bar while Lin Yichen sat beside him. Warm lighting surrounded them, and both looked relaxed.
Cai Lang's eyes moved to the second photo. Lin Yichen was leaning closer while Suo Ran appeared to be listening to him attentively. Then he opened the third one. From that angle, they looked even closer.Cai Lang stared at the screen for several long seconds without blinking. Slowly, his jaw tightened. Then he suddenly laughed. "I was wondering what he was doing," he said quietly while continuing to stare at the pictures. "I was worried about him." Another humorless laugh escaped him. "And what is he doing?"
He shook his head once before leaning back into the seat. "He's out there having fun." The bitterness in his voice was impossible to miss. He lowered the phone slightly and looked out at the passing city lights. His own reflection stared back at him through the window.Then he spoke again, this time as if talking to himself. "And what about you?" His lips curled into another self-mocking smile. "You're running around trying to uncover the truth." He shook his head again. "Trying to prove that you're wrong about him." His fingers tightened around the phone until his knuckles faintly whitened.
For several seconds he remained silent.Then he brushed his hand lightly against the car window.His eyes narrowed slightly. "Suo Ran…" he said quietly."Don't let me see you." Silence immediately filled the car afterward. The driver sitting in front instinctively glanced at him through the rearview mirror. His expression carried a trace of confusion and caution. He had worked for Cai Lang long enough to know when not to ask questions, but after several moments he still spoke carefully. "Young Master! are you alright?"
Cai Lang didn't answer. His gaze remained fixed on the window while endless streams of city lights passed by one after another. After waiting for a moment, the driver quietly returned his attention to the road. The car fell silent again. Cai lang lowered his eyes toward the phone once more, his thumb hovering over Suo Ran's photo for a brief second before locking the screen.The darkness reflected his own face back at him. He stared at that reflection for several moments before quietly exhaling and leaning his head against the seat.
Meanwhile Lian ziho and zheng rui stepped into Zheng rui's apartment late at night, the hallway light flickering for a second before the door closed behind them with a dull click. The place was cramped but lived-in, papers stacked unevenly on the dining table, a laptop still open with faint blue light spilling across scattered files, empty coffee cups lined near the sink.Lian Ziho stood at the entrance for a moment, taking it all in before he frowned slightly and said, "Do you even clean this place?" Zheng Rui walked in without looking up, dropping his keys onto the table with a tired clink and answering flatly, "I know where everything is." Lian Ziho stepped further inside, lifting one of the folders and glancing at the messy handwriting and clipped documents inside, "I wasn't asking that."
Zheng Rui already moved toward his laptop, pulling out the chair as he replied, "I've been busy." The screen lit his face in glow as he typed something quickly. Lian Ziho let out a small breath through and shook his head slightly, lowering the file back onto the table, "I can see that." The room stayed quiet for a moment except for the soft hum of the computer and the distant sound of traffic outside the window.
Zheng Rui pushed a stack of papers aside and cleared a space on the table, the wood surface already marked with faint coffee rings and pen scratches, then he placed his laptop to one side and sat down slowly as if his body had finally caught up with how tired he actually was. Lian Ziho stood for a second longer before stepping closer, taking Jun Wei's bracelet out of his pocket carefully and placing it in the center of the table. Then he added the folded note beside it and slid the warehouse photos out, spreading them one by one so the table slowly turned into a scattered map of fragments.
Zheng Rui leaned forward slightly, eyes scanning everything without speaking for a moment, then he exhaled and said quietly, "Let's go over everything again." Lian Ziho pulled a chair out and sat down heavily, running a hand through his hair before replying, "We already did." Zheng Rui didn't look at him when he answered, just kept his eyes on the photos, "We missed something." Lian Ziho let out a short breath and rubbed his forehead, fingers pressing against his temple like he was trying to force clarity, "We're missing a lot of things." Zheng Rui nodded once, "Exactly."
Lian Ziho leaned forward slightly and tapped the edge of one photo with his finger, the warehouse chair still visible in the image, the broken restraints catching faint light, "We keep going in circles," he said lowly, "every time we think we understand something, it slips again." Zheng Rui shifted in his seat, opening his laptop and pulling up scanned files, the screen lighting his face in a cold glow, "That's because we're only looking at what was left behind."
Lian Ziho looked at him, "What else are we supposed to look at?" Zheng Rui didn't answer right away, his fingers hovering over the keyboard before he said, "What's been removed." Lian ziho frowned slightly, "Removed?" Zheng rui turned the screen slightly toward him, several file names showing gaps, missing entries, and redacted sections that didn't match standard classification patterns, "These aren't normal deletions," he said, "someone didn't just erase data, they rewrote the absence."
Lian Ziho stared at the screen for a moment, then leaned closer, eyes narrowing, "So you're saying someone made sure there would be nothing to find." Zheng Rui nodded once again, "Not just nothing. Something that looks like nothing." Lian Ziho sat back slowly, the weight of it settling in his expression, then he glanced down at Jun Wei's bracelet again, his fingers tightening slightly as he spoke, "Jun Wei's bracelet was left behind on purpose."
Zheng Rui looked up at him, "Why do you think that?" Lian Ziho didn't answer right away, his gaze fixed on the small object in the center of the table, "Because everything else is controlled," he said quietly, "but this wasn't hidden properly."Zheng rui leaned back in his chair, studying the bracelet now, "Or it slipped through." Lian ziho shook his head slightly, "No," he said, voice firmer now, "nothing about this has been accidental so far."
Zheng Rui didn't argue, instead he reached out and turned the bracelet slightly with two fingers, observing it closely, "Then it means someone wanted us to find it." Lian Ziho's expression tightened slightly, "That doesn't make me feel better." Zheng Rui gave a faint exhale, "It's not supposed to." Then Lian ziho took paper in his hand,"The note said transfer completed successfully," he reminded, tapping the paper once, "what does that even mean in all of this?" Zheng Rui's fingers paused over the keyboard, then he slowly looked at it again, "It means Jun Wei wasn't taken in one step," he said, "he was moved."
Lian Ziho frowned, "Moved where?" Zheng Rui answered honestly, "I don't know yet." Lian Ziho let out a short frustrated breath and leaned back, staring up at the ceiling for a second before speaking again, "And Suo Ran still isn't answering." Zheng Rui glanced at him, "He's either ignoring you or he can't respond." Lian Ziho's jaw tightened slightly at that, "He doesn't ignore me!" he said quietly. Zheng Rui didn't react, just continued flipping through files on his screen,"Then something's stopping him."
Lian Ziho leaned forward slightly, elbows on his knees, hands clasped together as if trying to steady himself, "If he's in danger, and he's not answering… then that means we're already late again." he muttered. Zheng Rui paused for a second, then said calmly, "Or he's doing something on his own." Lian Ziho shook his head, "Then he's doing something stupid."Zheng rui leaned back in his chair, rubbing his temple briefly, "Maybe he's investigating something."
Lian Ziho looked at him sharply, "Then he should answer his phone." Zheng rui shrugged slightly, eyes still on the screen, "Maybe he doesn't want you involved." Lian Ziho's expression darkened instantly as he stood a little straighter, voice firm, "Too late for that." Zheng rui looked at him properly at that, studying him for a second before nodding once, "That makes sense."Lian Ziho pulled the chair closer to the table again, his gaze dropping to the scattered files and the bracelet resting between them then he said, "If he's really investigating something alone… then he's probably already stepped into the same mess we're in."
Zheng Rui was still scanning one of the older documents on his laptop when his fingers suddenly stopped mid-scroll. His entire posture changed in a subtle but noticeable way, like something in the file had pulled his attention completely. Lian Ziho caught it leaning forward slightly, "What?" he asked.
Zheng rui didn't answer right away. Instead, he tilted the screen a little closer, eyes narrowing as he zoomed in on a faded scanned report, "Look at this." Lian Ziho pushed his chair in and leaned over the table, his eyes moving across the document, "What am I looking at?" he asked, confused at first, scanning lines of old case notes and archived data.
Zheng Rui pointed at a section with a cursor, voice low and serious, "The ages." Lian Ziho followed it slowly, reading under his breath, "Eight… nine… seven…" He paused, brows beginning to draw together as he processed it, then he looked up at zheng rui, "So?" Zheng rui leaned back slightly, still staring at the screen, "Doesn't that look strange?" Lian Ziho frowned, thinking for a moment longer, his eyes flicking back to the list again, then something in his expression shifted, small at first, then sharper, "They're all children?!" he said quietly. Zheng Rui nodded once without hesitation, "Exactly."
Lian ziho slowly leaned back into his chair, the realization settling in his chest, "You think Jun Wei is connected to this?" he asked, voice lower now. Zheng rui didn't respond. He closed the file on the laptop with a soft click, the sound oddly final in the quiet room. Then he reached forward and picked up Jun Wei's bracelet from the table, turning it slightly between his fingers, "I don't know yet!" he said honestly, eyes fixed on the worn charm, "But I don't think this is a coincidence anymore." Lian Ziho's gaze stayed on the bracelet and said,"We're running out of time!"
Back to building they turned a corner and stopped instantly. At the intersection ahead, armed intruders emerged from both sides, blocking the corridor completely, their footsteps echoing against metal walls as both groups froze in place.Qin yue stepped forward, weapon raised but not firing yet, "Why did you break into our place?" she demanded sharply, eyes locked on the masked figures, "What do you want?"
One of the intruders raised his gun and pointed directly at suo ran and said,"Him." The entire group stiffened at once. The driver's expression darkened as he shifted sideways, placing himself slightly in front of auo ran without thinking, "Then there's nothing to talk about!" he said flatly, and in the next second everything exploded into chaos.
Gunfire erupted down the corridor as everyone dove for cover behind concrete pillars and storage crates, bullets slamming into metal walls and sending sparks showering through the air. Qin yue moved fast, firing while sliding behind cover, her voice sharp and controlled, "Behind the pillar!" she shouted, "Don't stay exposed!" The driver returned fire with unexpected precision, leaning out just long enough to suppress one attacker before pulling back again, "Stay down!" he said to suo ran, who was pressed against a wall, breathing hard.
The older man grabbed Suo Ran's shoulder and yanked him back just as bullets tore through the space he had been standing in, "Left side! They're flanking!" he called out, scanning the corridor with sharp focus. Suo Ran clenched his jaw, frustration mixing with fear, "They're everywhere!" he snapped, trying to find an opening while staying low. Qin Yue reloaded quickly, sliding to a new position, "We can't hold this corridor!" she shouted, "We need movement!" The driver fired again, then glanced back, "Then move!" he yelled, "Now!"
Suo ran hesitated for only a second before one attacker rushed him from the side, and instinct took over as he grabbed the man's wrist, twisted hard, and forced the gun out of his hand. The weapon clattered to the ground, and without thinking suo ran snatched it up,his breath uneven as he stared at it for half a second, conflict flashing across his face.
The driver saw it and shouted, "Good! Keep moving!" Suo Ran exhaled sharply,"Shut up!" he yelled back while firing blindly down the corridor to force them back. The driver actually gave a short laugh while ducking behind cover, "I don't know how to shut up! You teach me!" he called out, reloading quickly.Qin Yue moved sharply between pillars, firing controlled shots while glancing toward the driver instead of suo ran, her voice cutting cleanly through the chaos, "What exactly do you want to learn from him in a situation like this? How to die dramatically?"
The driver peeked from behind cover and shot back, "Hey, I'm learning survival instincts! Very advanced technique!" Qin Yue scoffed while reloading, "If that's your survival technique, I'd hate to see your death strategy!" as she leaned out and fired again, forcing two attackers back behind a broken barrier. The driver laughed once,"My death strategy is your responsibility, Qin Yue!"
Qin Yue didn't even look at him when she replied, "I'm not accepting that job!" and fired another precise shot that made the enemy duck instantly. The driver leaned out again, adjusting his grip, "You're so cold, no wonder you work alone!" Qin Yue snapped back instantly, "I don't work alone, I just don't trust loud people who talk during gunfire!" while smoothly shifting position to keep pressure on the attackers, her movements sharp and controlled as she signaled with her hand, "Left flank collapsing...push forward!"
The older man stayed close to Suo Ran, pulling him back whenever another shot came too near, "Don't stop moving!" he warned, voice steady even in chaos. Qin Yue fired again, eyes sharp, "We push through left side, now!" she ordered. Suo Ran moved with them, firing in short bursts, his hands unsteady but improving with every second, until suddenly during a quick shift in position he shoved one attacker away too hard, turning just as the man stumbled back.
The driver moved with surprising ease between the pillars, no longer just joking but fully locked into the fight, his body sliding into cover just as bullets struck the metal edge where he had been standing a second earlier. He peeked out, fired two quick shots, then leaned back with a grin,"Suo Ran, I'm starting to think saving your life is becoming a full-time job." Suo Ran fired another shot down the corridor before glaring at him. "Nobody asked you to." The driver placed a hand over his chest dramatically. "That hurts. After all we've been through together?" Suo ran rolled his eyes and said,"We've known each other for less than a day." "A tragic love story then." "Shut up." "Fine, fine."
The driver shot another attacker in the shoulder. "Then how about this? If we survive, you treat me to dinner." Suo Ran stared at him for half a second in disbelief. "You're negotiating dinner plans during a gunfight?" "Exactly." The driver smiled brightly. "Life is unpredictable. We have to seize opportunities."Suo ran ducked as another bullet flew over his head. "You're insane." "Thank you."Qin Yue, who was firing from another pillar, looked utterly unimpressed. "Can you stop flirting for second?" she snapped.
The driver looked offended, "Who's flirting?" Qin Yue rolled her eyes and fired twice more. "Everyone here except him can see it." The driver said, "I'm simply trying to build team morale." Qin Yue snorted. "You can build team morale after we're alive." The driver grinned. "See? Even you're planning for our future." "I'm planning your funeral if you don't focus." "Cold." "Accurate."The older man sighed quietly while shielding Suo Ran as more bullets rained down around them. "Can all of you survive first before discussing dinner and funerals?"
Then another attacker rushed from the right side. "Watch out!" Qin Yue shouted.Suo Ran immediately spun and fired.The man ducked, forcing Suo Ran backward. The driver instantly appeared beside him and kicked another attacker in the stomach before pushing him into a wall. "Left side!" he shouted. Suo Ran reacted immediately and fired toward another shadow moving between storage crates.
The attacker dropped back into cover. Sparks exploded around them as bullets continued striking the pillars. The entire underground corridor echoed with gunfire, alarms, footsteps and shouts. Suo Ran's breathing was becoming heavier now. His arms were starting to ache from gripping the gun for so long. Sweat slid down his forehead and into his eyes. Still, he kept moving. The older man's expression darkened. "More people are coming." Suo Ran's eyes widened. "More?" The driver sighed dramatically. "Great. The guest list keeps growing."
Qin Yue clicked her tongue. "We can't stay here much longer." The older man nodded once. "We push forward." Suo Ran adjusted his grip on the weapon. His heart was still pounding, but fear was no longer controlling him. He glanced at everyone around him for a brief second then he nodded. "Okay." The driver smiled at him. "See? You're getting used to chaos already." Suo Ran immediately frowned. "I don't want to get used to this.""It's not in your hand." The driver grinned. "Dinner plans still stand though."
Suo Ran stared at him. "If we survive, I'll consider it." The driver's eyes immediately lit up. "You heard that, everyone?" Qin Yue deadpanned, "Nobody heard anything." "I heard it." "Nobody cares." "That hurts my feelings." "Good." Another masked attacker suddenly appeared from the right side. Suo Ran reacted quickly and fired first. The man dropped behind a crate. "Watch your blind spot!" Qin Yue shouted. Suo Ran spun around just in time to avoid another attacker rushing toward him with a knife. He instinctively shoved the man's wrist aside and kicked him backward.
Suo Ran pushed another attacker away and quickly turned around to move toward the others. He had barely taken a single step when a deafening gunshot suddenly echoed through the corridor. *BANG.* Everything inside his head went silent. His body froze in place. His eyes widened slightly in confusion, almost as if his mind had failed to understand what had just happened. Then pain exploded near his stomach and spread through his entire body. His breath caught instantly. His body jerked violently and his hand moved toward the pain on pure instinct. His fingers pressed against his shirt, and when he pulled them away, they were covered in blood. Suo Ran stared at it blankly. He noticed blood. For a second, he simply stood there, unable to process it. The gun slipped from his hand and crashed onto floor with a loud metallic clang.
"Suo Ran!" Qin Yue's eyes widened in shock. She rushed toward him while firing two quick shots over her shoulder to keep the attackers from advancing. "Get back!" she shouted at the intruders before turning her full attention toward him.The driver froze for half a second when he saw the blood."SUO RAN!" he yelled and ran toward him without hesitation.