Guo Baocai sank into the velvet-lined chair.
Stiff. Frantic. Desperate to match the man's terrifying poise.
"It's... it's an honor, Mr. Lu. A true honor."
His face twisted into forced flattery.
Up close, the "Ghost of the City" was worse. Early thirties. Features so sharp and aristocratic they looked chiseled from marble. He moved with old-money grace—silent, heavy elegance that reeked of boardrooms and bloodlines.
But his eyes paralyzed the Chief.
Hawk-like. Calculating. Deep as an abyss.
Lu Zhouyue smiled—a thin, clinical curve of the lips. Still, a primitive chill crawled down Baocai's spine. The alcohol in his system evaporated. Cold, sobering dread replaced it.
The service was impeccable. Five-star delicacies filled the table. Dishes that cost more than Baocai's annual salary.
As Chief of Police, Baocai had dined with governors and senators.
But this?
This felt like a last meal before an execution.
Lu Zhouyue leaned back. Swirled vintage red wine in a crystal glass. Talked about the city's economy. Local politics. Shifting tides of the global market.
His insights were brilliant.
The more he talked, the colder Baocai felt.
A dark premonition took root in his gut.
Three rounds of drinks. Then Lu Zhouyue snapped his fingers. Soft. Rhythmic.
The mahogany doors opened.
A woman stepped in—crisp white shirt, tailored black blazer. She moved like a runway model. A small team of assistants followed. She stopped before the trembling Chief.
Reached back.
An assistant handed her two bottles of vintage Macallan 1926 Fine and Rare.
Her voice slid like silk. "Chief Guo, we heard you were a connoisseur of fine spirits. Mr. Lu pulled these from his private collection. Just for you."
Baocai stared at the bottles. His breath hitched.
Secondary market? Nearly $100,000 per bottle.
Two hundred grand. Sitting right in front of him.
He'd taken bribes before. But there was always a clear 'ask' attached.
This man? He had no idea what a titan like Lu Zhouyue could possibly need from a local police chief.
Before he could find his voice, the woman opened a velvet-lined box.
Inside lay a Burmese Jadeite bracelet. Vibrant. Translucent. Glowing under the chandelier light.
"We also heard Mrs. Guo has a passion for high-end jewelry. A small token of Mr. Lu's esteem. We hope she enjoys it."
Baocai was speechless.
This wasn't just a gift.
It was a king's ransom.
The final blow came next.
The woman stepped forward. Placed a heavy platinum keycard on the table.
"And finally." She smiled. "This is for the Pacific Horizon Estate. The crown jewel of our newest coastal development. Mr. Lu reserved the villa with the best ocean view."
She paused.
"Specifically for you."
Guo Baocai couldn't take it anymore.
He bolted upright. His chair screeched against the floorboards. He stared at the mountain of wealth on the table. His voice cracked. Trembled like a broken reed.
"Mr. Lu... what... what is the meaning of this?"
He swallowed hard.
"What do you want from me?"
Lu Zhouyue set his crystal glass down.
Slow.
The amber liquid swirled one last time. Then settled.
He looked up. His eyes locked onto the Chief's. A smile that didn't reach his soul.
"Chief Guo." His voice casual. Almost bored. "I heard your son had a bit of an... incident today?"
"Yes! Some little b—"
The word died in Baocai's throat.
The temperature plummeted forty degrees in a single second. Lu Zhouyue's eyes hadn't moved. But they'd turned into shards of black ice. The air thickened with malice.
The Chief choked on his next breath.
"A misunderstanding!" Baocai squeaked. Forced a frantic, oily grin. "Just a little disagreement between classmates. Nothing serious. Heh... heh..."
Lu Zhouyue didn't answer.
He looked down at the table. Lost in thought.
The silence was deafening. The kind that precedes a landslide. Baocai heard his own heart hammering against his ribs. Loud enough to be an insult.
Finally, Lu looked up again.
The clinical, polite mask was back.
"The thing is, Chief... the student your son had this 'misunderstanding' with?" He paused. "It turns out she's an old acquaintance of mine."
Baocai went rigid.
Felt like he'd been struck by lightning.
"I heard she's currently being held at your precinct." Lu's tone softened into a terrifyingly smooth purr. "She's just a young girl. Inexperienced. Perhaps you could find it in your heart to... show a little mercy?"
He didn't even finish the sentence.
Baocai's survival instincts kicked into overdrive. He scrambled to interrupt. His voice desperate.
"Mr. Lu! Say no more! Consider it done! Just a schoolyard scuffle. No need to involve the law. I'll call them right now. She'll be out before dessert hits the table!"
"I appreciate your cooperation, Chief."
The shadow behind Lu's eyes flickered. Then vanished.
Baocai fumbled for his phone. Barked orders to his subordinates. Release the girl immediately.
He hung up. Turned back to Lu with a sycophantic grin. His eyes drifted greedily toward the Macallan and the villa keys.
Too busy mentally counting his new fortune to see the flash of pure loathing cross Lu Zhouyue's face.
To Lu, this man wasn't a partner.
He was a parasite.
Lu stood up. Fluid. Sharp. He fastened the bottom button of his charcoal blazer.
"Thank you for joining me tonight, Chief. I have other matters to attend to. I'll take my leave."
"Mr. Lu, the honor was all mine!" Baocai bowed so low he practically stared at his own shoes. "Truly, a privilege!"
Lu offered a hand. Brief. Professional. The contact felt more like a brand than a handshake.
"Until next time, Chief."
"Yes! Next time! Absolutely!"
Baocai still grinned at the empty doorway long after Lu Zhouyue vanished into the shadows of the hallway.
---
**The Precinct.**
The rain still roared.
Torrential.
Xu Liulian stumbled through the heavy station doors. They shoved her out. Three steps into the deluge.
Her knees turned to water.
Her vision blurred into a swirl of grey and black.
Hours in that interrogation room. They didn't just question her. They tried to break her. Cranked the AC to sub-zero. Watched through the glass as she huddled in a corner.
Shivering until her teeth rattled.
Now the fever burned through her brain like a forest fire. Every breath felt like inhaling shards of ice. She reached for a railing.
Her strength was gone.
The world faded to black.
The last thing she felt: cold pavement against her cheek. And the relentless, unforgiving rhythm of the rain.
They wanted to break her.
This wasn't justice. It was execution.
If she died from the fever in that freezing cell? Chief Guo would probably throw a party.
The men who questioned her offered two choices. Become Guo Ziyao's trophy girlfriend. Or face felony assault charges.
They'd already forged the medical records.
A year in prison would destroy her reputation. Her career. Her soul.
The headache pounded glass against her brain. But even through the haze, she knew she couldn't lose.
She wasn't just fighting for herself.
She was her mother's only anchor. If she vanished into a prison cell in this distant city, who would pay for the inhalers? Who would hold her mother's hand during the attacks?
Fear eroded her pride.
*Fine.*
Her lips trembled.
*He's just a spoiled brat. He'll play with me for a month and move on to the next shiny thing. I'll take the first option. I'll be his girlfriend...*
Before she could mutter the words of surrender, the world turned black.
---
When she finally came to, a guard told her she was free to go.
Her head felt like lead. Her legs were two strips of overcooked noodle. She didn't ask questions. Scrambled out of that station like the building was on fire.
Terrified they'd realize their mistake and drag her back into the cold.
She stumbled into the rain. Grey fog blinded her. The pavement was a slick, black mirror.
A tall, dark silhouette tore through the mist. Sprinting toward her.
She tried to focus. Tried to see if it was another predator or a savior.
Her strength gave out.
The last thing she felt: crushing warmth. A pair of powerful arms catching her.
Then nothing.
---
**Midnight. The Penthouse.**
Rain still hammered against floor-to-ceiling windows. Jagged streaks of water reflected a man standing by the glass.
Tall. Motionless. Dangerously quiet.
Lu Zhouyue stood in a black silk robe. A glass of amber liquid in his hand.
He didn't drink.
Just watched the city lights blur through the storm. His face—usually a mask of iron—held a flicker of something dark and exhausted.
*Knock. Knock.*
"Enter."
His voice was a low vibration.
Shanni stepped in. His lead secretary. The definition of corporate steel. Sharp. Efficient. Currently looking like she was walking on eggshells.
She glanced at the king-sized bed. A pale girl lay buried under the duvet. Shivering in her sleep.
"Mr. Lu." Shanni kept her voice below the roar of the rain. "The conference in the capital tomorrow morning... the investors are expecting you."
They were supposed to be on a private jet hours ago. This development deal was the cornerstone of Shen Yuan Group's expansion. A billion-dollar play.
But Lu had canceled the flight at the very last second. His security team called. He drove back like a madman—hands white on the steering wheel—just to get to that police station.
Lu didn't turn around.
Stared at the girl on the bed for a long, agonizing beat.
"Tell the driver to ready the car." His voice went cold. "We're driving through the night. We leave in ten minutes."
Shanni opened her mouth to protest.
The words died in her throat.
Five-hour drive. Rain-slicked highway. 1:00 AM. He hadn't slept in three days. He'd walk straight from the car into a boardroom meeting that would last ten hours.
"Understood, sir."
She closed the door behind her.
---
Standing in the hallway, Shanni let out a long, jagged breath of self-mockery.
She wanted to tell him his health mattered. Wanted to tell him she'd stay by his side if he just slowed down.
But she knew the truth.
She was a shadow in his world.
The girl in that bed was his sun.
Six years. She'd been his shadow for six years. Watched him burn for this girl when Liulian was a rebellious teenager full of thorns.
Now, six years later? The girl broken and soaked in rain.
His eyes still hadn't moved.
The world changed. Empires rose and fell.
But Lu Zhouyue's obsession?
The only thing that remained immortal.