Thunder shook the warehouse walls.
The red emergency lights continued flashing across the room, staining everything in sharp pulses of crimson. Outside, rain crashed violently against the metal roof while the black vehicles remained parked beyond the gates like predators waiting patiently for the right moment to strike.
Xiaoyu stared at the security monitors, her heartbeat hammering against her ribs.
There were too many of them.
Armed.
Organized.
Prepared.
This wasn't random.
This was planned.
"They knew we'd come here," she whispered.
Lu Shen's eyes remained fixed on the screens. His expression had gone completely cold now, every trace of exhaustion buried beneath focus.
"Yes."
The calmness in his voice made her chest tighten harder.
"How are you so calm right now?"
He finally looked at her.
"Because panic gets people killed."
Before she could respond, the warehouse lights suddenly flickered.
Once.
Twice.
Then half the building went dark.
Xiaoyu's pulse jumped instantly.
"They're cutting the power."
Lu Shen moved immediately toward one of the metal cabinets along the far wall. He entered a code quickly before the doors unlocked with a sharp mechanical click.
Inside—
Weapons.
Handguns.
A shotgun.
Extra magazines neatly arranged beside combat knives and tactical gear.
Xiaoyu froze.
"You keep all this here?"
Lu Shen grabbed a handgun and checked the magazine calmly.
"My father believed preparation was survival."
Another loud bang echoed outside.
Closer this time.
The front gate.
"They're inside the property," Lu Shen said quietly.
Xiaoyu's stomach dropped.
Rainwater dripped from his dark hair as he handed her a small handgun.
She stared at it immediately.
"No."
"You know how to use one."
Her eyes snapped toward him.
"How would you know that?"
A strange silence followed.
Then he answered.
"Because I taught you."
The words hit like lightning.
"What?"
But there wasn't time to process it.
A gunshot exploded outside.
Then another.
The security camera near the entrance suddenly cut to black.
One by one—
the monitors began shutting off.
"They're taking out the cameras," Xiaoyu whispered.
Lu Shen loaded another magazine calmly.
"Which means they're moving in."
The warehouse suddenly felt much smaller.
Xiaoyu looked at the gun still in her hands. It felt wrong. Heavy. Unreal.
"I can't do this."
"Yes, you can."
"I've never shot anyone!"
Lu Shen stepped closer, his voice lowering.
"And I'm trying to make sure you never have to."
Another violent crash shook the building.
Metal screamed somewhere near the entrance.
They were breaking through.
Lu Shen grabbed a flashlight and killed the remaining lights manually.
Darkness swallowed most of the warehouse instantly.
Only the flashing red emergency lights remained.
"Stay close to me," he said.
The tension in his voice had changed now.
Not calm anymore.
Dangerous.
Xiaoyu followed him quickly through the warehouse as thunder rolled overhead. Shadows stretched across the walls while rainwater leaked slowly through cracks in the ceiling.
Then—
Voices.
Inside the building.
"They're splitting up."
Lu Shen stopped near a steel support pillar and motioned for silence.
Footsteps echoed nearby.
Slow.
Careful.
Searching.
Xiaoyu held her breath.
A beam of light suddenly swept across the far wall.
One of them was close.
Very close.
Lu Shen's posture shifted instantly.
Predatory.
The man stepped around the corner with his weapon raised—
And Lu Shen moved.
Fast.
He grabbed the man before he could react, slamming him hard against the pillar. The gun fired once into the ceiling before Lu Shen ripped it away and knocked him unconscious instantly.
The entire thing happened in seconds.
Xiaoyu stared in shock.
Lu Shen tossed the stolen weapon aside.
"Move."
More footsteps echoed nearby.
They had heard the shot.
The warehouse exploded into motion.
Flashlights cut through darkness from multiple directions while shouting echoed through the building.
"There!"
Gunfire erupted instantly.
Bullets tore through metal shelves beside them as Lu Shen grabbed Xiaoyu's wrist and pulled her down behind cover.
Her ears rang violently.
This was real.
People were trying to kill them.
Or worse.
"Stay down!" Lu Shen shouted.
Another burst of gunfire slammed into the steel shelves above them, sending sparks flying everywhere.
Xiaoyu's breathing became ragged.
"We can't stay here!"
"I know."
Lu Shen glanced quickly toward the far side of the warehouse.
An exit.
Too far.
Three armed men already moving toward it.
Their path was closing.
One of the attackers suddenly stepped around the shelves nearby and aimed directly toward them.
Time slowed.
Xiaoyu froze.
The gun pointed straight at her.
Then—
Lu Shen stepped in front of her.
The gunshot exploded through the warehouse.
Lu Shen jerked violently.
Xiaoyu's eyes widened in horror.
"LU SHEN!"
He fired back instantly, taking the attacker down before collapsing hard against the metal shelving.
Everything inside Xiaoyu stopped.
Blood spread rapidly across his side.
Too much blood.
"No no no—"
Lu Shen grabbed her wrist tightly before panic could fully take over.
"Listen to me."
His breathing had become uneven now.
"They're after your memories."
Xiaoyu stared at him, tears mixing with rainwater still clinging to her skin.
"What are you talking about?!"
"The fire," he said sharply. "You saw something that night."
Another gunshot echoed nearby.
Closer.
They were running out of time.
"You need to remember before they take you."
"I don't care about that right now!"
"You have to."
His grip tightened painfully around her wrist.
"For years your father protected one truth."
His voice lowered.
"And if they find out you remember it…"
A shadow moved nearby.
Someone approaching.
Lu Shen noticed instantly.
His eyes hardened.
"Run when I tell you."
"No!"
"Xiaoyu."
The way he said her name this time made her chest ache.
Not cold.
Not controlled.
Almost desperate.
Footsteps closed in rapidly.
Then a familiar voice echoed through the darkness.
"You really would die for her."
The man from the apartment stepped slowly into view, his gun lowered casually at his side.
Rainwater dripped from his black gloves as he smiled faintly.
"Interesting."
Xiaoyu felt fear lock around her throat.
The man looked directly at her.
"You still don't remember, do you?"
Lu Shen tried to stand immediately despite the blood loss.
The man noticed—and laughed softly.
"You should stop protecting her from the truth."
His eyes shifted back toward Xiaoyu.
"After all…"
The smile on his face widened slightly.
"She's the reason the fire happened in the first place."