After dinner, everyone headed straight to the meeting room without needing to be told. The pace was surprisingly fast—like they couldn't wait for the excitement. The fastest, obviously, was Shadow 8. He bolted upstairs like a fool, practically tripping over himself in eagerness. Han Yue's mouth twitched at the sight.
Once everyone was seated, Han Yue coughed lightly. "Secretaries, please note this down," she said calmly. "Most of what I'm about to share is from Shadow 8's mouth in my past life. Some were regrets. Some were about how you died. Some are… well, weird. He talks a lot, so I don't know what might be useful or not."
Long Yi's secretaries, Xu Mo and Qiao Rui, nodded instantly and opened their notebooks. Meanwhile, Shadow 8 was bouncing in his seat like an impatient puppy. Everyone else remained calm, eyes fixed on Han Yue.
Not wanting to drag it out, Han Yue finally sighed and began, "Alright, I'll start with how I met this idiot and became his lifelong victim—the poor soul who had to hear all his gossip day and night in my past life."
Everyone's mouths twitched at the blunt introduction. Shadow 8, on the other hand, looked curious and proud—like a baby waiting to be praised for causing chaos.
Han Yue leaned back. "It was right after the first major earthquake. The world had just started to fall apart. My family and I were still wandering, trying to get to the main base. That's when I met Shadow 8."
She glanced at him and then continued, "He looked completely lost—standing there in the rubble like a child who lost his parents, turning his head in every direction. I thought he was… you know, special. Like a poor abandoned kid. So I asked him if he was lost."
Her expression deadpanned. "He looked up and yelled, 'OMG OMG OMG! Aren't you HAN YUEEEEE?! I saw your baby photo in Bodyguard Tao's phone OMGGG!'"
Everyone turned to Long Yi, who gave a slight nod—confirming that there was indeed an old orphanage photo of him and Han Yue stored on his phone.
"After that," Han Yue continued, "his mouth never stopped moving. I thought he was just lonely and excited. But no. The entire journey to the base, he talked to me every single time I was alone. Never when my family was nearby. Only me."
She sighed deeply. "He even made me pinky promise—every day—to never tell anyone his secret gossips. And I was so bored I just let him talk. Every. Single. Day."
The team started to chuckle. Shadow 8 grinned like a goblin child.
"Anyway, the first person he gossiped about... was Shadow 1."
Han Yue turned to Shadow 1, who looked calm as always—serious and silent, as if already preparing for whatever bomb she might drop.
"According to Shadow 8, Shadow 1 doesn't like to talk nonsense. Super loyal to Long Yi. The kind who never complains." She paused. "But... Shadow 8 said you had melons."
Everyone blinked.
"Emotional melons," she clarified dryly. "Apparently, there was a photo hidden under your bed. Shadow 8 eventually found out it was of your younger brother."
Now the room went still.
Han Yue continued gently, "He said that during the first extreme cold wave, he got you drunk on hot corn wine. You confessed then, told him about your missing brother—you regretted not finding him before everything fell apart."
She exhaled. "You knew where he was. He worked as a young sous-chef at a hotel restaurant called Jinghua Pavilion. Shadow 8 said he resembled you. Unfortunately… when the first extreme heat hit, he was trapped inside the hotel kitchen. No way out. He died alone… probably of dehydration, starvation, or worse."
Shadow 1 didn't react right away.
Then slowly, he clenched his hands. His voice was hoarse when he finally asked, "...Is it true?"
Han Yue met his gaze and nodded once.
Shadow 1 didn't speak again. He simply lowered his head, pulled out a notebook, and wrote down the restaurant's name in sharp, clean strokes.
Everyone understood. It was already past 8 PM. He couldn't leave now—he was still on duty. But when time allowed, he would go. He needed to.
Silence lingered for a moment before the other Shadows began to react.
"Shadow 8… you nosy little b— ahem… baby," one muttered with a grin.
"For once, your mouth actually did something good," another added, smacking his shoulder lightly.
Even Secretary Wen gave him a firm pat. "Good job."
Shadow 8 raised his head, puffed his chest, and looked as proud as a hero returning from war. Han Yue laughed when she saw it.
Long Yi, who had been silent until then, glanced at his right-hand man. "Look into it. Get everything we can on that hotel and what happened. Pass it to Shadow 1 later."
His tone was calm but firm. Orders had been given.
The meeting had just begun—and already, the past had returned to ripple through their present.
After taking a long sip of her warm fruit tea, Han Yue gently set her cup down and shifted her gaze onto Shadow 2.
She didn't speak—just looked at him quietly, her expression calm but unreadable.
Shadow 2, feeling her eyes on him, grew visibly flustered. He lowered his head slightly, unsure of what was coming.
Finally, Han Yue opened her mouth.
"That night... after a long, exhausting day of walking through ruins and dodging mutated creatures, I was just about to fall asleep when I felt someone right beside me. I opened my eyes—"
She paused.
"—and nearly screamed."
Everyone blinked.
Han Yue sighed and added, "It was that idiot, Shadow 8, kneeling beside me with tears streaming down his face."
A few lips twitched.
"At first, I thought he was being bullied or had gotten hurt, so I sat up and asked, 'What's wrong?' But instead of answering, he cried even harder and sobbed…"
Han Yue's voice turned quiet.
"'I miss Shadow 2… and Grandpa Long…'"
Shadow 2 visibly stiffened. The room, once light-hearted, began to tense.
Han Yue continued slowly.
"He told me that, before the apocalypse came, Shadow 2 was presumed dead while on a confidential mission."
At that, Shadow 1 stood up abruptly. His eyes were wide. Shadow 3 and 4 froze. Even Long Yi and Colonel Long's faces turned cold, their eyes narrowing sharply.
Han Yue didn't stop.
"Shadow 8 said your mission was to investigate the disappearance of Grandpa Long. Apparently, Grandpa went to the temple for his annual memorial visit with his usual six bodyguards… but none of them returned. No bodies, no vehicle, no signs."
She glanced around. No one moved. She took a breath and continued.
"Afterwards, Long Yi sent Shadow 2's team to investigate. But not long after… all contact with them was lost too. Then the end of the world hit. Everything collapsed."
The room was dead silent. Even the air felt heavy.
"But Shadow 8 kept crying and finally said he found out the truth... accidentally. During a flood, he was trapped in an unfinished building along with… Second Uncle's son."
The atmosphere immediately shifted.
Everyone knew that name.
Han Yue's voice turned flat.
"That bastard started bragging and mocking while they were trapped. Said that he and Second Uncle conspired to kidnap Grandpa Long. They locked him in the basement of an abandoned mansion in a suspended construction zone—so no one would notice."
She met Colonel Long's furious eyes.
"They kidnapped him for the vault password and to force him to transfer his shares. But Grandpa… he was too stubborn. Never gave in."
Han Yue's voice lowered.
"Then that bastard said he found out Shadow 2 was investigating them… so he ordered Shadow 2 to be captured. He personally tortured him."
Everyone stared at Shadow 2. He didn't move.
Han Yue whispered, "He said Shadow 2 was skinned. Cut. Mutilated. But never spoke a word. He laughed and said, 'Gotta admire the loyalty… but what's the point when you're dead anyway?'"
Colonel Long's face had gone pale with fury. Long Yi was no better. The air around them was chilling.
"And when Shadow 8 asked about Grandpa Long… that bastard just laughed and said they left him in the basement. Chained. When the extreme heat wave came… he probably burned alive."
Shadow 8, previously gleeful, had his head lowered now. The room was dead silent.
Murderous aura filled the meeting room.
Han Yue glanced at Long Yi's face—his clenched jaw, his narrowed eyes. She said nothing.
After a long while, Long Yi finally spoke. "…Continue."
Han Yue nodded. "Shadow 3, 4, and 7 are all alive and loyal. They followed Long Yi until the base was formed. Shadow 8 too… though he did get lost again."
Shadow 8 scratched his head awkwardly. "Hehe…"
"To cheer me up, Shadow 8 started gossiping again. He laughed so loud in the night it nearly got us into trouble. Turns out…"
She glanced at Shadow 5 with a subtle smirk.
"Shadow 5… wore a green hat."
The other Shadows snorted. Shadow 5's mouth twitched uncontrollably.
Shadow 8 had said it like this:
"He had a long-time girlfriend called Minnie. He gave her everything—salary, gifts, two matching iPhones, matching shirts, a house… even phone cases!"
Han Yue chuckled softly.
"But during the early stages of the apocalypse, Shadow 5 rushed to get her… only to return three days later, alone and dejected. We thought she was dead. We even drank with him to console him."
She paused.
"But when he got drunk… he bawled. Turns out, she was cheating—with her neighbor."
Shadow 3, 4, and 7 were openly laughing now.
Shadow 5 covered his face with a hand.
"She always asked him for things in twos so she could gift the extra one to her other boyfriend," Han Yue said, her tone amused. "He beat them up, burned their house, and came back to Long Yi in rage."
Colonel Long cleared his throat. "Calm down. That was still during law and order. Investigate first. When the end of the world comes, then burn it."
Han Yue blinked at him, amused. Truly a man of rules.
Then she turned to Shadow 6.
"Shadow 8 said… before we arrived at the base, Shadow 6 was kidnapped by rogue researchers. They dissected him."
Shadow 6: "???"
Shadow 8 quickly added, "They found out he had a rare supernatural power—he could tame mutant beasts!"
Shadow 6 gasped. "Oh! Like in the beastmaster novels?!"
Everyone looked at him. Han Yue was speechless.
Shadow 8 pouted, "HMPH! I want to be a beastmaster too!"
Han Yue nodded, thoughtful. "Well, technically, it is possible. Some mutated beasts can be tamed, especially if you raise them from young. It depends on luck and bond."
The room lit up with interest. Colonel Long silently took notes about military dogs and potential applications.
Then Han Yue took another sip of her tea… and turned to Colonel Long.
Everyone noticed.
Even Long Yi raised a brow.
Han Yue cleared her throat.
"…Colonel. You have a son."
BOOM.
The meeting room exploded in stunned silence.
Old Butler, seated off to the side, gasped with glittering eyes. A grandson?! The Old Master will be thrilled!
Long Yi turned and gawked at his uncle. Wait… wasn't he still a virgin?!
Colonel Long's ears turned red. He coughed. "Ahem. Continue."
Han Yue explained that Shadow 8 learned from a close soldier that Colonel Long had a ten-year-old son… but the boy died after being used as a hostage. An evil base had tried to blackmail Colonel Long for supplies—when he refused, they sent the child's head, along with a photo, a birth certificate, and a secret paternity test.
Colonel Long had been stunned, then furious.
Apparently, the boy's mother once spiked Colonel Long's drink because she thought he was handsome and wanted to trap him. After getting pregnant, she realized his identity—and panicked. She secretly gave the child up for adoption and kept the test as insurance.
Years later, she told the gangster leader of the evil base, hoping to impress him. He adopted the child to use as blackmail.
When the apocalypse came, their plans fell apart. But after the earthquake, they learned of Colonel Long's location and acted.
After hearing all this, Colonel Long was silent, face ashen.
He instructed Secretary Wen to guard the orphanage, test the paternity again, and investigate everything thoroughly.
Long Yi and Han Yue looked at him silently.
Long Yi, amused, quietly swore: Han Yue is never going to a bar.
Then Han Yue stood and stretched.
"That's all for now—it's already 12AM."
She picked up her sleeping bunny from the desk, who had passed out with all limbs stretched out.
Long Yi stood. "Dismissed."
Everyone rose. The atmosphere had completely shifted—from tension, grief, rage, to disbelief and newfound revelations.
As Shadow 2 was about to leave, Long Yi called out.
He walked over, placed a hand on Shadow 2's shoulder, and said softly, "…Thank you for trying. I'm sorry for what you endured."
Shadow 2 froze. Then he knelt without hesitation.
"It was my duty, Young Master. If I had to do it again, I would."
Long Yi helped him up and patted his back. "Rest well."
The meeting finally ended.