Back to hospital Suo Ran slowly opened his eyes as the afternoon sunlight filtered through the window.The steady beeping of the monitor was the only sound breaking the silence. He remained still for a moment, his hand instinctively moving toward the thick bandage wrapped around the left side of his abdomen. As he touched he felt pain. He frowned slightly and let out a quiet breath before carefully sitting up against the bed. Every movement pulled at the stitches, but compared to the thoughts weighing on his mind, the pain hardly mattered. His eyes drifted toward the empty chair beside the bed. It had been hours since anyone had visited. He lowered his head, rubbing his forehead tiredly. "Jun Wei..." he murmured under his breath, his voice barely audible. "Where are you now?" He closed his eyes for a brief moment, remembering the frightened look on Jun Wei's face before everything had gone wrong. His fingers slowly clenched the blanket."Just wait a little longer," he whispered quietly. "No matter where they took you... I'll find you."
A soft knock suddenly came from outside the room. Suo Ran opened his eyes and looked toward the door. "Come in!" he said calmly. The door opened slowly,and a doctor stepped inside while pushing a medical trolley.He gave a polite nod before smiling faintly. "Good afternoon, Mr. Suo. Sorry to disturb you. I'm here to change your dressing and check your wound." Suo ran returned a small nod but didn't speak immediately. Instead, his eyes quietly followed every movement the doctor made as the man rolled the trolley beside the hospital bed.
The doctor picked up the medical chart and glanced through it before speaking again. "How are you feeling today? Is the pain around your abdomen still severe?" Suo Ran answered honestly, "It's manageable." The doctor nodded. "That's good. The bullet narrowly missed your vital organs. You were fortunate." Suo ran gave a faint smile that never reached his eyes. "I don't think luck had much to do with it." The doctor looked up at him with what appeared to be curiosity. "No?" Suo Ran slowly leaned back against the pillow. "If I were lucky... Jun Wei would've never been taken."
The doctor lowered the chart and looked at him for several long seconds before quietly saying, "You care about that child very much." Suo ran's expression softened imperceptibly. "He's my only family." The doctor nodded thoughtfully. "Family..." he repeated softly before placing the chart back onto the trolley. "That's a dangerous thing to have these days." Suo ran looked at him again, this time with a slight frown. "What do you mean?"
The doctor didn't answer immediately. Instead, he slowly walked toward the door. Suo ran watched him without saying a word. Then... the doctor quietly reached for the lock.Suo Ran's eyes immediately narrowed. His posture straightened slightly despite the pain pulling at his abdomen."Doctors don't usually lock patients inside their rooms!" he said,his gaze never leaving the doctor's back.
The doctor remained silent for a moment before slowly turning around. His polite smile was still there... but somehow it no longer reached his eyes. "You're very observant, Mr. Suo ran." Suo ran didn't return the smile. "You still haven't answered my question." The doctor calmly walked back toward the trolley and picked up a prepared syringe filled with a clear liquid. He held it loosely between his fingers before saying, "Sometimes... it's better if patients don't ask too many questions." Suo ran's eyes shifted toward the syringe before returning to the man's face. "You're not here to change my bandages, are you?" The doctor looked at him for several seconds before giving a slow, almost approving nod. "No," he admitted quietly. "I'm not."
Suo ran's eyes remained fixed on the syringe in the man's hand before slowly lifting back to his face. His expression didn't change, but every muscle in his body had already tensed. "Then tell me who you are!" he asked. "If you're going to stand in front of me pretending to be a doctor, at least have the courtesy to introduce yourself." The man let out a soft chuckle,"Courtesy?" he repeated with faint amusement. "You expect courtesy from someone who just admitted he isn't a doctor?" Suo ran gave faint smile. "I was hoping you'd surprise me."
The man slowly twirled the syringe between his fingers before placing it back onto the trolley. "You're different from what I expected." Suo ran raised an eyebrow. "Is that supposed to be a compliment?" The man shrugged lightly. "Take it however you like." He folded his gloved hands behind his back and quietly studied Suo ran from head to toe. "Most people panic the moment they realize they're trapped in a room with someone who wants them dead." Suo Ran leaned back against the bed, careful not to pull the stitches near his abdomen. "Maybe that's because most people haven't spent half their lives dealing with people like you." The man's eyes narrowed slightly. "People like me?" Suo Ran nodded once."The ones who hide behind masks because they're too afraid to show their real faces."
Man quietly asked, "Do you always provoke people pointing weapons at you?" Suo Ran answered without hesitation, "Only when they're boring." The man's eyes lifted ever so slightly. "Interesting." He took one slow step closer. "Do you know why you're still alive?" Suo ran met his gaze without flinching. "Because you haven't finished talking." The man laughed softly. "You're smarter than the reports described."
Suo ran's expression remained calm. "Reports?" The man realized his mistake and immediately fell silent. Suo Ran noticed the brief pause and his eyes sharpened. "So you've been watching me for a long time." The man neither confirmed nor denied it. Instead, he calmly changed the subject. "Tell me something, Suo Ran." His voice became quieter. "If you had to choose..." He stopped only a few steps away from the bed. "...between saving Jun Wei..." His eyes locked onto Suo Ran's. "...or protecting the thing they want from you..." He paused deliberately. "...which would you choose?"
Suo Ran frowned. "I don't know what you're talking about." The man chuckled again. "No?" Suo Ran slowly shook his head. "If you're trying to test me, you're wasting your time." The man stared at him for several seconds before quietly saying, "You're a terrible liar." Suo Ran's expression didn't change. "And you're asking the wrong person." The man tilted his head slightly. "Am I?" Suo Ran answered firmly, "Whatever you're looking for... I don't have it." The man's gaze remained unreadable. "Maybe not." He paused briefly. "But someone believes you do." Suo Ran's brows slowly drew together. "Who?" The man smiled beneath the mask. "Now that..." He reached into the pocket of his white coat. "...would ruin the surprise."
Meanwhile after passing another intersection, Zheng Rui suddenly switched on the indicator and guided the car into a crowded roadside convenience store parking area. Cars were parked everywhere, and people walked in and out carrying coffee, snacks, and shopping bags. He slowly pulled into an empty space and turned off the engine. Lian Ziho frowned in confusion and looked at him. "What happened? Why did you stop here?" Zheng Rui unfastened his seatbelt without answering immediately. He glanced into the rearview mirror before speaking. "I'm thirsty." Lian ziho stared at him. "You're joking."
Zheng Rui shook his head. "No." Lian ziho frowned even deeper. "You don't suddenly stop in the middle of an investigation because you're thirsty." A faint smile tugged at the corner of Zheng Rui's mouth. "You're right." Lian ziho folded his arms. "Then tell me what's going on." Zheng Rui looked toward the road through the side mirror. "We've had company for a while." Lian ziho's expression immediately changed. "Since when?" "A few streets back." Lian ziho instinctively turned to look through the rear window. Zheng Rui stopped him. "Don't make it obvious."
Lian ziho faced forward again. "Someone's following us?" Zheng Rui nodded once. "Maybe." Lian ziho lowered his voice. "Maybe?" Zheng Rui opened the driver's door. "If they're following us, they'll wait." He stepped out before adding, "If they're not, they'll keep driving." Lian ziho understood immediately. He opened his own door and climbed out, acting as naturally as possible. "You're testing them!" he muttered while walking beside Zheng Rui. "Exactly!" Zheng rui replied quietly.
The two of them entered the convenience store with the rest of the customers. A cashier greeted them with a polite smile before returning to scanning another customer's groceries. Lian ziho walked toward the refrigerator and grabbed a bottle of cold water while Zheng Rui headed for the coffee machine. "You still drink black coffee?" Lian ziho asked casually. Zheng Rui nodded while filling two paper cups. "It keeps me awake."
Lian ziho smirked faintly. "Or keeps you from sleeping." Zheng Rui handed him one of the coffees anyway. "Take it." Lian looked at the cup before sighing. "If I don't sleep tonight, I'm blaming you." Zheng Rui almost smiled. "You weren't planning to sleep anyway." Lian couldn't argue with that. They slowly wandered through the aisles like ordinary customers. Lian ziho picked up a packet of chips, looked at it for a second, then put it back. Zheng Rui grabbed a sandwich from the shelf before making his way toward the front counter. Neither of them appeared rushed. Neither of them looked nervous.
As they waited near the checkout, Lian ziho casually shifted closer to the large front window. Without turning his head too much, he looked across the road. His eyes immediately found the same black SUV parked beneath a row of trees. It hadn't moved an inch. He quietly took a sip of water before speaking under his breath. "They've been standing there for a long time." His eyes remained outside. "Patient." Zheng Rui slowly followed his gaze without making it obvious. "They're professionals." Lian ziho narrowed his eyes. "Can you see the driver?" Zheng Rui studied the car carefully before giving a slight shake of his head. "The windows are too dark."
Lian ziho sighed, "So they're watching us..." Zheng Rui remained silent for a moment before replying, "Or waiting for someone else." Lian ziho glanced at him. "You actually believe that?" Zheng rui shrugged slightly. "We don't know if we're the target." Lian ziho frowned."After everything that's happened?" Zheng Rui calmly took another sip of coffee. "Assumptions get people killed." Lian looked outside again. "You're telling me that car across the road is just a coincidence?" Zheng Rui answered honestly. "No." He paused briefly. "I'm saying I don't know who they're really interested in."
Lian ziho's grip tightened around the water bottle. "I don't like this." Zheng Rui nodded. "Neither do I." Lian ziho looked back toward the SUV one more time. "Should we confront them?" Zheng Rui shook his head. "Not yet." "Why not?" "Because if they're watching us..." He calmly placed his coffee on the counter to pay for it. "...then someone else is probably watching them too."
Lian Ziho stood near the refrigerated drinks with a bottle of water in one hand, and pretending to read the label while his eyes stayed fixed on the black SUV parked across the road. It hadn't moved for several minutes. He noticed that engine appeared to be running, but the dark tinted windows revealed nothing.Beside him, Zheng Rui stirred his coffee absentmindedly, his expression calm on the surface, though his eyes never stopped observing the street. Lian ziho let out a quiet breath and spoke without taking his eyes off the SUV. "They're still there."
Zheng Rui gave a nod but didn't answer immediately. Instead, his gaze shifted slightly farther down the road. His brows slowly drew together. "No..." he murmured almost to himself. Lian ziho immediately noticed the change in his expression and turned toward him. "What?" Zheng Rui didn't answer right away. He slowly lifted his coffee cup and used it to point casually through the window. "Look behind them." Lian frowned and followed the direction of his gaze. At first, he saw nothing unusual. There were cars passing through the intersection.And delivery motorcycle stopped briefly before driving away and couple crossed the street carrying shopping bags.
Everything looked ordinary then his eyes landed farther down the road. Parked near an old bus stop sat a plain white delivery van.There were no company logos on its sides, no advertisements, no markings except for a small patch of faded paint near the rear door.Lian ziho frowned. "Was that there before?" Zheng Rui slowly shook his head. "No." Lian ziho looked back toward the SUV, then toward the van again. Neither vehicle moved and driver got out. Both simply remained parked as though waiting for something.Lian ziho tightened his grip around the water bottle. "Another surveillance team?" he asked quietly.
Zheng Rui didn't answer immediately. His eyes continued moving between both vehicles, studying every detail. "Maybe," he replied. "Or maybe something else." Lian ziho looked at him. "Something else?" Zheng Rui nodded slightly. "Professional surveillance usually avoids attracting attention." He took another slow sip of coffee before continuing. "But now we have two vehicles sitting in almost the same line of sight." Lian ziho frowned even deeper. "So who's watching who?" Zheng Rui's gaze never left the street. "That's the question."
They continued to watch them.Lian ziho leaned a little closer to trying to catch even the slightest movement inside the SUV, but the heavily tinted glass reflected only the morning sunlight. "Can you see anyone?" he asked. Zheng Rui narrowed his eyes. "No." "What about the van?" "Same problem." Lian ziho sighed quietly. "Either they're very patient..." He paused before finishing the thought. "or they're very confident." Zheng Rui gave a small nod. "People who panic don't sit still this long." Lian ziho glanced sideways at him. "Then what are they waiting for?" Zheng Rui answered calmly, "The right moment." Lian ziho looked back outside once more. His instincts told him something wasn't right.
Just then the cashier walked towards them. "Excuse me, sir." Both men turned toward him. The young cashier smiled politely and lifted a small brown paper bag from beneath the counter. "You forgot this." Lian ziho frowned immediately. "That isn't ours." The cashier looked confused. "Really?" He glanced at the receipt beside the register. "A man paid for it about two minutes ago." Zheng Rui stepped closer. "What man?" The cashier pointed toward the entrance. "The one wearing the black cap and gray jacket." Lian ziho's eyes widened. "Where is he now?" The cashier looked through the glass door. "He already left."Without another word, Lian ziho and Zheng rui hurried outside.
They scanned both sides of the street. People walked past carrying breakfast and newspapers.Some cyclist rode by and woman wewaiting for the traffic light to change. But there was no man in a black cap anywhere. Lian ziho turned in every direction before looking back toward the road. The black SUV was still parked across the street. The white delivery van hadn't moved either. It was as if nothing had happened. Zheng Rui slowly lowered his gaze to the paper bag still in his hand. "Let's see what's inside." Lian ziho nodded.
Lian Ziho nodded and instinctively stepped closer, shielding the bag from the people walking past. Both of them leaned over it at the same time, their shoulders brushing lightly. Zheng Rui shifted without noticing, and his arm accidentally pressed against Lian ziho's. Lian ziho stiffened for a split second before quickly taking half a step back. "Sorry..." he muttered under his breath. Zheng Rui looked up, confused. "For what?" Lian ziho rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "Nothing... we were standing too close." Zheng Rui stared at him for a moment before letting out a quiet laugh. "You're weird." Lian ziho looked away with an awkward cough. "Just open the bag." Zheng Rui shook his head with amusement and carefully unfolded the top of the paper bag.
As Lian ziho watched him, an image flashed through his mind without warning. He remembered standing shoulder to shoulder with Suo ran outside a convenience store months ago. Jun wei had been excitedly choosing snacks while Suo ran complained that he was buying too much candy. Lian ziho had accidentally bumped into Suo ran then too. Unlike now, Suo ran had only glanced at him and said with a small smile, "Watch where you're standing." Lian ziho had laughed and replied, "You're the one who walked into me." Jun Wei had giggled between them and declared, "Gege and Lian-ge are fighting again!" The memory disappeared as quickly as it came. Lian ziho blinked once and silently scolded himself. Why am I thinking about him now...? He let out a quiet breath and focused on the present again.
Just as Zheng Rui slipped his fingers inside the paper bag, a sharp scream suddenly echoed from farther down the street. Both men immediately looked up. A young woman stumbled backward into the road, pointing toward the opposite side of the intersection. "Run!" she screamed. "Everybody run!" Before anyone could react, three deafening gunshots shattered the air. *Bang! Bang! Bang!* The peaceful street instantly exploded into chaos. People screamed and scattered in every direction. Someone knocked over a fruit stand, sending apples rolling across the pavement. A motorcycle tipped onto its side as its rider abandoned it and fled. Drivers slammed on their brakes, horns blaring continuously. A mother grabbed her crying child into her arms while office workers dropped briefcases and sprinted without looking back. Glass suddenly burst outward from the second floor of a nearby building, showering sparkling fragments across the sidewalk.
Father grabbed his little daughter into his arms and ran toward the nearest building while office workers dropped briefcases and fled without looking back. The front windows of a nearby clothing shop suddenly shattered, showering the sidewalk with sparkling pieces of glass. Lian ziho reacted instantly. Without thinking, he grabbed Zheng Rui's wrist and pulled him hard behind the thick concrete pillar outside the convenience store just as another loud gunshot echoed through the street. *Bang!* Dust drifted through the air while frightened pedestrians pushed past one another, desperate to escape.
Lian ziho's grip remained tight around Zheng Rui's wrist until Zheng Rui glanced down at it with a raised eyebrow. "You can let go now." Lian ziho blinked, and he immediately releasing him. "Sorry." Zheng Rui rubbed his wrist once before smiling faintly. "That's the second apology today." Lian ziho looked away awkwardly. "I wasn't thinking." Zheng Rui chuckled. "I noticed." Lian ziho frowned. "You talk too much." Zheng Rui smiled. "And yet you still keep me around."
Before Lian ziho could answer, another scream echoed across the street. Both of them carefully peeked around the pillar. "Can you see where the shots are coming from?" Lian ziho asked quietly. Zheng Rui looked for barely a second before ducking back. "No. They're using the buildings. The echoes are everywhere." Lian clenched his jaw. "This isn't random." Zheng Rui nodded. "No... someone planned this." Another loud shout came from the crowd. "Look out!" Both men turned toward the road at the same time.
More people rushed past them in panic, nearly knocking Lian ziho off balance.Zheng Rui quickly grabbed his arm and pulled him back before a speeding motorcycle swerved onto the sidewalk. "Watch it!" Zheng Rui said sharply. Lian ziho steadied himself and nodded. "Thanks." Zheng Rui glanced toward the parking lot. "Our car." Lian ziho immediately understood. "Let's move." Keeping low, both of them slipped through the frightened crowd. A woman stumbled in front of them, and Lian ziho instinctively caught her before she fell. "Are you alright?" he asked quickly. The woman nodded repeatedly with tears in her eyes before hurrying away without another word.
Zheng Rui looked around carefully, his eyes constantly scanning the nearby buildings. "Don't stop." Lian ziho caught up beside him. "I'm right here." They crossed behind several abandoned vehicles before finally reaching the parking lot. Their car was exactly where they had left it. Zheng Rui unlocked it with a press of the key. "Get in." Lian ziho opened the passenger door and climbed inside while Zheng Rui slid behind the steering wheel. He immediately locked all four doors. Both men remained silent for several seconds, listening to the distant sirens that were now growing louder.
Lian ziho looked back through the rear window. "The street's completely blocked now." Zheng Rui started the engine but didn't drive away immediately. His eyes remained fixed on the rearview mirror. "They're still out there." Lian ziho followed his gaze. "The SUV?" Zheng Rui shook his head slowly. "Whoever was behind it." Lian leaned back against the seat and let out a slow breath. "I hate this feeling." Zheng Rui glanced at him briefly. "Which one?" Lian ziho rubbed his forehead. "Like we're always one step behind." Zheng Rui didn't answer.
At that moment, his phone suddenly vibrated on the center console. Both men looked down at it. It was Unknown Number. Zheng Rui frowned. "Unknown?" Lian ziho asked quietly. Zheng Rui nodded once. "Could be nothing." "Or it could be something." The phone continued vibrating. After a brief hesitation, Zheng Rui picked it up and answered. "Hello?" For several seconds he said nothing, simply listening. The calmness on his face disappeared and his eyes narrowed. "Who is this?" The caller said something that Lian ziho couldn't hear. Zheng Rui sat up straighter. "Where did you find the body?" His expression immediately hardened. "...Near the river crossing?"
Lian ziho's head snapped toward him. Zheng Rui continued listening. "When?" Another pause. "An hour ago?" His grip on the phone tightened. "Did the police identify him?" Silence. Then Zheng Rui spoke again. "No identification? And What about fingerprints?" He listened carefully before asking another question. "You're saying they were deliberately burned?" Lian ziho stared at him without blinking. Zheng Rui's voice became lower. "Was there anything left at the scene?" He paused again. "...A piece of paper?" Another few seconds passed. "What was written on it?" The caller answered.
Zheng rui's expression changed completely. "Are you sure?" He whispered, "Don't tell anyone else yet." He paused one final time before saying quietly, "I'm on my way." The call ended. Silence immediately filled the car. Lian ziho watched him carefully. "Zheng Rui..." Zheng Rui slowly lowered the phone into his lap without looking at him. His eyes remained fixed on the windshield. "What happened?" Lian ziho asked again, his voice growing more anxious. Zheng Rui took a slow breath before finally turning toward him. His expression was grimmer than Lian had ever seen. "They found a body near the river crossing."
Lian ziho's heartbeat quickened. "Who is it?" Zheng Rui slowly shook his head. "They don't know." Lian ziho frowned. "Then why do you look like that?" Zheng Rui looked down at his phone for a long moment before speaking. ".Because of what they found beside the body." Lian ziho leaned forward. "What was it?" Zheng Rui swallowed once. "A note." Lian ziho waited. Zheng Rui finally met his eyes. "And it has Jun Wei's name written on it."