The Warehouse:
The van doors slammed open, and Yichen was dragged out, still hooded. He was hauled into a cold, echoing space a warehouse. They pushed him into a small, windowless room and forced him into a metal chair before roughly yanking the hood off.
His vision adjusted to the dim light. The room was bare concrete. The door opened again.
Ruifen walked in, her heels clicking sharply on the floor. She looked at him with cold amusement.
"Chen Yichen. The loyal dog. Finally caught without his master," she said, circling him. "Now. Let's not waste time. Where is Zhiyuan?"
Yichen looked up, his face bruised but his expression deliberately blank. "Who?"
Ruifen's smile didn't reach her eyes. "Don't play dumb. It doesn't suit you. Where is my dear nephew hiding?"
Yichen just stared past her, acting uncomprehending. "I was just buying medicine. For a headache. I don't know any Zhiyuan."
The act of stupidity, of defiance, slowly got under her skin. Her polished calm began to crack. "You think this is a game?" she hissed.
She gave a slight nod to one of her large enforcers standing by the door.
The man stepped forward without a word. His fist connected with Yichen's stomach, then his face methodical, brutal blows. Yichen grunted, absorbing the hits, curling in on himself as much as the chair allowed. The beating went on until he was gasping, blood dripping from a fresh cut on his lip, his vision blurring.
Ruifen raised a hand. "Enough. We need to keep him alive. For now." She leaned down, her voice a venomous whisper in his ear. "You have until tomorrow morning to remember where your master is. Otherwise, we'll start removing pieces. Slowly."
She straightened up, about to leave with her men.
Through the haze of pain, Yichen forced out a question, his voice raspy. "The servants… where are they? Meilin and the others?"
Ruifen stopped. She turned back, and a genuine, chilling laugh escaped her. "Oh, you dumb, dumb boy. The servants?" She shook her head, her laughter echoing in the empty room. "Why would I waste my time capturing useless old maids and drivers?"
The laughter died, replaced by a smug, victorious smirk. "Do you really think I'm that stupid? That I wouldn't know Zhenlong sent his little spies to watch me?"
FLASHBACK:
The night of Xinyi's burial in a remote, rainy gorge. One of Zhenlong's best surveillance operatives, hidden in the trees, watched in horror as Ruifen and Guo Lian disposed of the body. As he tried to slip away, a twig snapped.
Guo Lian was on him in seconds, his gun pressed to his temple in the mud. "Make a sound and you die now," he whispered. For hours, they tortured him for information at gunpoint. Broken, he told them everything he knew about Zhenlong's operations, their safe houses, their plans. To save his own life, he agreed to lie. He reported back to Zhenlong that Ruifen had captured the household staff and was torturing them for information, pushing them to enact a rushed, reactive plan.
BACK TO PRESENT:
The truth crashed into Yichen with the force of a sledgehammer. His blood ran cold. It was all a lie. The captured servants, the urgent deadline it was a trap within a trap. Ruifen had been playing them from the start, using their own informant against them. She had wanted them to launch a rescue mission. She had wanted Yichen to get caught.
His plan to be bait… he had walked right into her snare.
Ruifen saw the dawning horror in his eyes and smiled. "Sweet dreams, little guard dog. Your friends will be joining you soon."
She left, the door locking with a heavy, final clunk.
Alone, slumped in the chair, Yichen's mind raced, panic cutting through the pain. Dr. Shen. He's coming. They're all coming, thinking they're rescuing servants. It's an ambush.
He had to warn them. But how...
He was helpless. The trap wasn't just for him. It was for everyone he loved, and he had led them right into it. The weight of the failure was more crushing than any beating.
Later That Night:
Dr. Shen, leading a small team of Zhenlong's most trusted men, approached the warehouse.
The scene seemed wrong. Suspiciously wrong.
Only four guards were at the main entrance, slouching around a crate playing cards, bottles of cheap liquor beside them. They were loud, sloppy, almost… performatively careless.
"This is too easy," Dr. Shen muttered to the man beside him. But they had no time. The signal said Yichen was inside. They had to move.
They took down the four guards without a sound, their drunken state making them easy targets. Dr. Shen's unease grew. He signaled his team to fan out as they slipped inside the dark, cavernous warehouse.
It was deathly quiet. No sounds of captives. No patrols.
"Spread out. Check the rooms upstairs," Dr. Shen ordered quietly.
Inside the Warehouse - Yichen's Cell:
Yichen, left alone for hours, had worked his bound hands raw against a sharp metal burr on the chair leg until the plastic ties snapped. He stood, his body protesting, and moved to the door. It was unlocked. Another red flag.
He crept out into the main warehouse area. It was empty. No guards outside his door. He saw a loading dock exit on the far side, its emergency exit sign glowing faintly. It was unguarded, the door slightly ajar as if inviting him.
His instincts screamed TRAP. But what was the alternative? Stay and wait for Ruifen to return? He had to warn the others.
He ran for the exit, his heart hammering. He pushed the door open. Cool night air hit his face. No one stopped him. He was out he was ...free
This doesn't make sense. Why let me go?
Upstairs in the Warehouse:
Dr. Shen pushed open a door to a second-floor office, his flashlight beam cutting through the dust.
"Looking for someone, Doctor?"
The cold, male voice came from behind him. He froze. He turned slowly.
Guo Lian stood there, a pistol aimed steadily at his forehead. Behind him, more of Ruifen's men materialized from the shadows. Dr. Shen looked past him, out the grimy window down to the warehouse entrance below.
His heart sank. His entire team, the men he'd brought, were now surrounded on the road outside, hands on their heads, kneeling before a squad of armed guards.
It was a perfect, devastating ambush. They had walked right into it.
On the Road Out of the Industrial Zone:
Yichen ran, his lungs burning. He needed to get to a safe distance, find a phone, contact Zhenlong.
Headlights suddenly blazed, cutting through the darkness from both ends of the narrow service road. Cars screeched to a halt, blocking his path. Men poured out, armed and surrounding him.
Yichen skidded to a stop, panting, his eyes scanning for a way out. There was none.
The door of the lead car opened. A man stepped out, leaning against the hood. Even in the uneven light, Yichen recognized him. The smirk. The way he held himself. And the patch over one eye.
Louis.
Yichen's blood turned to ice.
FLASHBACK - Three Days Ago - Ruifen's Office:
Louis had swept into Ruifen's office, his single eye blazing with a familiar hatred. "I heard Zhenlong sent his beloved dog to protect Zhiyuan from you," Louis said, his voice slick with malice.
Ruifen's eyes narrowed. "Zhenlong… so it was him who sent Yichen. I thought your daddy had finished that job years ago."
Louis's jaw tightened. "Yeah. I wish he had. Unfortunately, no. That old pedo got killed instead." He waved a dismissive hand. "Whatever. I can't touch Zhenlong yet. I'm still too weak for that war. But first… I want Yichen."
Ruifen tilted her head, intrigued. "Why the singular focus?"
Louis pointed a trembling finger at his eyepatch. "He ruined my life! He took my eye! He left me broken, in a coma for four years" Spittle flew from his lips with the force of his rage. "Let's work together. You get everything you want the company, Zhiyuan silenced. I'll help you. In return, you give me Yichen. Alive. I want my revenge. Personally."
A slow, cruel smile spread across Ruifen's face. It was a perfect partnership of mutual hatred. She extended a hand. "Welcome aboard, Louis."
BACK TO THE PRESENT:
On the dark road, Louis's smirk widened, a grotesque sight. "Hello, Yichen," he purred, his voice dripping with long-simmered venom. "Miss me?"
Yichen stood trapped, realizing the horrifying depth of the trap. Ruifen hadn't just outmaneuvered them. She had sold him to a man who wanted to tear him apart piece by piece. And he had no way to warn Zhiyuan that the nightmare had just multiplied.
At the Same Time - The Safe House:
Zhiyuan was pacing like a caged animal, waiting for any news. His phone rang, an unknown number. He answered instantly.
"Hello?"
"Hello, nephew." Ruifen's smooth, victorious voice sent a chill down his spine. "Did you miss me?"
"What do you want?" Zhiyuan demanded, his voice shaking.
"I have a full house," she said, sounding almost bored. "Your dear doctor. All of your father's little soldiers. And soon… your precious guard dog. Though Louis might have started the party without me."
Zhiyuan's heart stopped. "Yichen…"
"Here's the deal, my dear," Ruifen continued. "If you want even a chance of seeing any of them alive again, you will surrender yourself to me. Alone. At the old Liang factory pier in two hours. No tricks, no daddy coming to save you. Just you. For them."
She paused, letting the ultimatum sink in. "If you're not there, or if I see so much as a shadow I don't like… I'll start sending you pieces of them. Starting with that pretty boy's eye. Do we understand each other?"
The line went dead.
Zhiyuan stood in the middle of the silent safe house, the phone slipping from his numb fingers. They had lost. Ruifen held all the cards. Yichen was hurt. Dr. Shen and the others were captured.
His choice was no choice at all. He had to go.
On the Dark Road:
Louis sauntered up to Yichen, who was held tightly by two of his men. He delivered a sharp, mocking slap across Yichen's already bruised face.
"What's the matter, puppy?" Louis taunted. "Lost your master's leash? You don't seem so tough now."
Yichen, despite the pain and the hold, lifted his head. He looked Louis dead in his one good eye and spat a glob of blood at his feet. A slow, defiant smirk touched his own split lips. "At least I have both eyes to see what a pathetic joke you are."
The insult, aimed directly at his deepest wound, shattered Louis's control. The smug act vanished, replaced by pure, unhinged rage.
"YOU!" Louis screamed, his face contorting. "HOLD HIM! HOLD HIM TIGHT!"
His men tightened their grip, pinning Yichen's head back against the car hood. Louis pulled out a small, cruel-looking knife, its blade glinting in the headlights. He brought it close to Yichen's face.
"You took mine," Louis hissed, his voice trembling with madness. "Now I'll take yours. Maybe both. Let's see how your precious boss looks at you then."
The cold tip of the blade touched the skin just below Yichen's eye. He struggled violently, but the men were too strong. A scream of raw fury and pain tore from Yichen's throat as the blade began to press, to cut—
RAT-TAT-TAT! BANG! BANG!
Gunfire erupted from the darkness. Muzzle flashes lit up the night. Louis's men, caught by surprise, screamed and fell as bullets found their marks. The grip on Yichen loosened.
Louis ducked, his eye wide with shock. He looked up to see Zhenlong and a squad of his most heavily armed men advancing from the shadows, weapons blazing. It was a war party.
"Damn it!" Louis snarled. He saw half his men already down. He grabbed the arm of his one remaining loyal guard. "Forget him! We need to go! NOW!"
They scrambled into one of the cars, tires squealing as they peeled away into the night, leaving their fallen comrades behind
Zhenlong rushed to Yichen, who had collapsed against the car, his hand clamped over his left eye, blood seeping through his fingers. He was breathing in sharp, pained gasps, his whole body trembling.
One of Zhenlong's men, gently pried Yichen's hand away. The cut was deep, running from just below the eyebrow down the cheekbone, perilously close to the eye itself. It was bleeding profusely.
"The cut is deep, Boss," the medic said grimly. "The eye might be damaged. He needs a hospital. Now."
"No….." Yichen ground out through clenched teeth, agony lacing every word. He slammed his free fist against the car seat in frustration. "I'm… fine. It's just a cut. We need… to go back. To Zhiyuan. Now."
His loyalty, even half-blinded and in shock, was absolute.
At the Safe House:
Chaos erupted as they helped the bleeding Yichen inside. One of the men with medical training quickly cleaned the gash on his face and applied a thick bandage over his left eye to staunch the bleeding and protect it.
"Hold still, brother," the man muttered, his hands surprisingly gentle.
"Where's Zhiyuan?" Yichen demanded, ignoring the pain, trying to push himself up. His one good eye scanned the room frantically.
Zhenlong, after a quick check on Yichen, stormed upstairs to the room where Zhiyuan was supposed to be under guard. He threw the door open.
The room was empty. The window was slightly ajar.
"ZHIYUAN!" Zhenlong roared, his voice shaking the walls. He ran back downstairs, his face pale with a fear deeper than any battlefield terror. "WHERE IS HE?"
The two guards assigned to watch the door looked terrified. "Boss, he was inside! We were right outside the door! We didn't hear anything!"
Yichen shoved the medic aside and stumbled to his feet, the world tilting. "What do you mean?!"
Zhenlong spotted Zhiyuan's phone on the hallway table. He snatched it up, his fingers trembling as he scrolled. He saw the recent call from an unknown number. He immediately hit 'call back'.
It rang twice before a smooth, familiar voice answered. "Changing your mind so soon, nephew?"
It was Ruifen.
"You witch," Zhenlong snarled, all pretense gone. "Where is my son?"
Ruifen's laugh was light, almost musical. "Oh, Zhenlong. He's being a good boy, coming to visit his auntie. Unlike you."
"You want the property, don't you?" Zhenlong said, his mind racing, bargaining with the only thing he had left. "The gold bars. Wenhao's treasure. Don't touch a hair on Zhiyuan's head. I'll tell you exactly where it is."
There was a pleased pause on the other end. "Now you're talking sense. You should have thought of that sooner.
Meanwhile, in the dimly lit warehouse, Dr. Shen was tied to a corner chair, his body slumped but tense, eyes darting as he tried to make sense of the shadows. Guo Lian paused at the doorway, glancing around to make sure they were alone. His steps were hesitant as he approached, holding a bottle of water.
Dr. Shen looked at him, suspicion flickering across his face, then quickly averted his gaze. Guo Lian cleared his throat, voice low, careful. "Don't worry… there's nothing in the water. And Yichen… Yichen is safe now."
Dr. Shen snapped his head toward him, eyes wide, heart racing.
Guo Lian nodded and gently helped him drink. "Ruifen's madness… it was growing. It scared me. I thought… maybe it's best if she gets caught."
"Why… why now?" Dr. Shen asked, voice trembling.
Guo Lian hesitated, swallowing the weight of what he had to say. "She… she killed her own sister."
Dr. Shen's eyes went wide, disbelief and horror painted across his face. He gasped.
"I promise," Guo Lian continued, voice firm, "I'll help you… in return, all I want is to keep Ruifen away from Yichen and Zhenlong. You can send her to jail, whatever you need… but don't kill her. She's… not that bad."
Guo Lian straightened, his decision clear in every movement, then turned and walked away, leaving Dr. Shen stunned, the bottle of water trembling in his hands.