Jun Wei held the giant cotton candy as though it were the greatest treasure in the world. The fluffy pink sugar was almost bigger than his head, and after only one enthusiastic bite, sticky strands clung to his cheek and the tip of his nose.Completely unaware, he happily took another bite. Teacher Liu lowered his phone after quietly taking yet another picture. Lian Ziho glanced at him before looking at the growing collection of photos on the screen. "You're building a very serious photo collection today!" he said dryly.
Teacher Liu slipped his phone back into his pocket and smiled faintly. "Memories disappear quickly." Jun wei looked up curiously, still holding the cotton candy with both hands. "Photos stop that?" Teacher Liu nodded gently. "For a little while." Jun Wei frowned in thought, taking the answer surprisingly seriously. He nodded once as though he had just learned something important. A second later, the thought vanished completely when his eyes landed on another ride across the park. He pointed excitedly. "ROLLER COASTER!"
Lian Ziho slowly closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. "No." Jun Wei gasped dramatically, clutching his chest as if deeply betrayed. "You already said yes!" Lian Ziho opened one eye and looked at him calmly. "I said one ride." Jun Wei pointed toward the Ferris wheel behind them. "That means roller coaster." Lian Ziho replied without changing his expression. "That means Ferris wheel." Jun Wei immediately turned toward Teacher Liu with hopeful eyes. "Teacher." Teacher Liu instantly raised both hands in surrender and took a step backward. "I refuse to participate in this negotiation."
Jun Wei puffed out his cheeks. "You're supposed to support your student." Teacher Liu smiled patiently. "I do. Just not against common sense." Lian Ziho folded his arms across his chest and sighed. "This is a terrible alliance." Jun Wei walked over again, gently tugging at his sleeve with both hands. "Please." "No." "Please." "No." Jun Wei leaned closer until he was looking directly into Lian Ziho's face. "Lian Gege." Lian Ziho rubbed his temple, closed his eyes for a long second, and let out a defeated sigh. "...Fine." Jun Wei instantly jumped into the air, raising both fists in victory. "YES!" Teacher Liu laughed quietly as he watched the celebration. "You fold very quickly." Lian Ziho looked at him with a tired expression. "I don't." Teacher Liu smiled knowingly. "You absolutely do."
Elsewhere, the street outside the old apartment remained unusually quiet.Suo ran and Cai Lang stood beside a parked car without speaking.After several minutes he spoke,"You're thinking." Cai Lang leaned one shoulder against the car door and looked at him calmly. "That's usually how it works." Suo Ran shot him an unamused look. "Don't be sarcastic." Cai Lang's expression didn't change. "Then stop pacing."
Suo Ran paused mid-step and let out a slow breath. He rested one hand on the roof of the car before speaking again. "Someone knew Jun wei left the safehouse." Cai Lang nodded once. "Yes." Suo ran frowned. "They're watching him." "Yes." His voice remained calm. Suo ran folded his arms tightly. "But they haven't taken him." Cai Lang gave another slow nod. "Exactly." Suo Ran looked at him in confusion. "That makes no sense."
Cai Lang straightened from the car and faced him. "It makes perfect sense." Suo ran turned fully toward him. "How?" Cai lang folded his arms and spoke without hesitation. "They're not after the boy." Suo Ran's jaw tightened immediately. "They threatened him." Cai Lang met his eyes steadily. "Leverage." Suo ran looked away, frustration clear on his face. "That again." Cai Lang watched him quietly before continuing. "You're the target." Suo Ran remained silent for a moment before exhaling slowly. "I already know that." Cai Lang's voice stayed even. "Then stop acting surprised." Suo ran ran a hand through his hair and looked toward the empty street. "What I don't understand is why they're waiting." Cai Lang lowered his voice slightly. "Because they're expecting something."
Suo ran looked back at him. "What?" Cai lang held his gaze without looking away. "You." Suo ran frowned as the meaning slowly sank in. "So they think I'll go to Jun Wei." "Yes." "And they're setting a trap." Cai Lang nodded once. "Most likely." Suo Ran let out a tired laugh and rubbed the back of his neck. "Great." Cai Lang's expression softened almost imperceptibly. "You don't have to walk into it." Suo Ran looked at him for a long moment before giving a small, humorless smile. "You really think I won't?" Cai Lang didn't answer. He didn't need to. They both already knew the truth.
Back at the amusement park, Jun Wei bounced impatiently from one foot to the other as he stared at the roller coaster. Every few seconds he leaned forward, trying to see how much longer the line was. "How long?" he asked for what felt like the tenth time. Teacher Liu looked up at the waiting time displayed on the sign before answering, "Fifteen minutes." Jun Wei's eyes widened in disbelief. "That's forever."
Standing beside him with his arms crossed, Lian Ziho glanced toward the exit. "We can leave." Jun Wei immediately grabbed his sleeve with both hands. "No!" He shook his head so hard that his hair bounced. "I'll wait!" Teacher Liu smiled, "Remarkable determination." Jun Wei puffed out his chest proudly. "I'm very strong." The line crept forward little by little as people chatted around them. Children laughed, music drifted from the nearby rides, and the cheerful atmosphere made everything seem perfectly normal. Yet Lian Ziho wasn't paying attention to any of it. His eyes never stopped moving. He quietly scanned the crowd, counted unfamiliar faces, checked every entrance, and instinctively searched for anyone watching them.
Jun Wei noticed after a while and tugged gently on his sleeve. "Lian Gege." Lian Ziho looked down briefly. "What?" Jun Wei tilted his head curiously. "Why do you keep looking around?" Lian Ziho's gaze returned to the crowd. "Habit." Jun Wei thought for a moment before smiling. "Hero habit?" A faint smile touched Lian Ziho's face. "...Something like that." Standing beside them, Teacher Liu quietly watched him before speaking in a lower voice. "You saw something earlier." Lian Ziho nodded once without looking away from the crowd. "Yes." Teacher Liu followed his line of sight. "Do you still see it?" Lian Ziho remained silent for several long seconds. His eyes swept across the amusement park one more time before he answered quietly, "Not anymore." Somehow, those words were even more unsettling.
Elsewhere, Cai Lang lowered his phone after checking another message. "No new movement." Suo ran stood beside the parked car with one hand resting against the roof, his eyes fixed on the empty street ahead. "You have people watching the park?" Cai Lang nodded. "Yes." Suo ran looked at him. "How many?" "Enough." Suo ran studied his calm expression before giving a quiet nod. "You're very prepared." Cai Lang slipped the phone into his pocket. "I plan ahead."Suo ran looked toward the road again, his thoughts racing. "You think something will happen today."
Cai lang shook his head slightly. "I think something already started." Suo ran frowned and turned toward him."What do you mean?" Without another word, Cai Lang unlocked his phone and turned the screen toward him. A live security feed from the amusement park entrance filled the display. Families walked through the gates while children laughed and ran past the camera.
Near the edge of the crowd stood three men, separated from one another just enough to avoid attention. None of them were looking at the rides. None of them were talking. Their eyes remained fixed on the entrances, exits, and the flow of people moving through the park. Suo Ran's expression hardened instantly. "They're positioning themselves." Cai Lang nodded. "Yes." "Waiting." "Yes." Suo Ran slowly lifted his eyes from the screen. "...For me." Cai Lang locked the phone and slipped it away. "Looks that way."
Suo ran immediately pushed himself away from the car and started toward the waiting taxi. "Then we're going." Before he could take another step, Cai lang reached out and caught his arm. "Wait." Suo ran turned sharply, glaring at him. "What?" Cai Lang didn't loosen his grip. "If we go now, they'll see exactly what they want." Suo Rran pulled his arm free with a sharp movement. "And if we wait too long?" Cai Lang didn't answer.
Suo ran's patience ran out. "I'm going," he said, his voice low but edged with anger. Cai Lang didn't flinch. He simply folded his arms across his chest and looked at him steadily. "You're not." Suo ran stared at him in disbelief before taking a step closer. "Excuse me? You think you can stop me?" Cai Lang met his furious gaze without hesitation. "I don't think." His voice remained calm, though there was unmistakable firmness beneath it. "I know. You're not going after them alone."
Suo Ran's fists clenched at his sides. "They're following Jun wei! I know it! And you expect me to stand here while someone watches him?" Cai Lang stepped closer until only a short distance remained between them. "I'm not asking you to stand here. I'm asking you to stop rushing into their trap." Suo Ran shook his head. "I've handled worse than a few people following us." Cai Lang's eyes narrowed slightly. "A child is involved this time. That changes everything."
Suo Ran's breathing became uneven as frustration built inside him. "...I don't have time to stop and think. He's being watched right now." Cai Lang's voice softened, but it didn't lose its certainty. "...Exactly. That's why you don't go alone. We do this together. One mistake, and Jun Wei pays the price." Suo ran let out a bitter laugh and looked away. "I don't care what happens to me. I care about him." Cai Lang watched him quietly before speaking again. "That's exactly why you need me there."
Suo Ran slowly looked back. Cai Lang held his gaze. "If something happens to you, Jun Wei loses the person he trusts most. And if we both make the wrong move... he loses both of us." The words struck harder than Suo Ran expected. His jaw tightened as he looked toward the waiting taxi, then back at Cai Lang. Several long seconds passed before he finally let out a slow breath. "...Fine." A faint smile touched Cai Lang's lips. "Good."
Suo ran ran a hand through his hair in frustration. "...You're impossible." Cai Lang's eyes softened with quiet amusement. "I've been told that before." As Suo Ran turned toward the taxi again, Cai Lang reached out once more, this time gently taking hold of his wrist. His grip wasn't meant to stop him, only to remind him that he wasn't facing this alone. "...Let's go!" Cai Lang said quietly. "Together." Suo Ran looked down at the hand around his wrist before meeting Cai Lang's eyes again. The tension in his expression gradually eased. After a long moment, he gave a small nod. "...Together." Only then did Cai Lang let go, and the two of them walked toward the waiting taxi side by side.
Jun Wei climbed into the roller coaster seat with barely contained excitement, practically bouncing as he settled in. His eyes darted from the towering tracks above to the rows of seats stretching ahead of them. "This is going to be amazing!" he declared happily. Teacher Liu sat directly behind him and calmly pulled the safety belt across his lap before fastening it securely. "Remember to scream," he said with a smile. Jun Wei nodded with complete seriousness, as though accepting an important assignment. "I will scream heroically."
Lian Ziho sat beside him and checked the safety bar one more time, making sure it was firmly locked before resting his hands on it. Jun Wei turned toward him with an unusually serious expression. "Lian Gege." Lian Ziho looked at him. "What?" Jun Wei lowered his voice. "If villains come..." Lian Ziho's expression softened slightly. "Yes?" Jun Wei looked straight into his eyes. "...You'll protect me, right?" Lian Ziho didn't answer immediately. He looked at the boy quietly for a moment before placing one reassuring hand lightly on his shoulder. "Always." Jun Wei's worried look disappeared instantly, replaced by a bright smile. "Good."
With a loud mechanical hum, the roller coaster slowly pulled away from the station. The cars climbed steadily toward the highest point of the track as the chain beneath them echoed through the air. Click... Click... Click... Jun Wei leaned forward against the safety bar, his eyes growing wider with every meter they climbed. The entire amusement park slowly spread out beneath them. "Lian Gege!" he shouted over the sound of the wind. "Look how high we are!"
Lian Ziho kept one hand resting lightly on Jun Wei's shoulder while looking calmly across the park below. "I can see." Jun Wei twisted around as much as the safety bar allowed and called to the seat behind him. "Teacher! Are you scared?" Teacher Liu looked surprisingly relaxed despite the growing height. He smiled warmly and shook his head. "Not yet." Jun Wei gasped dramatically. "You have to scream when it drops."
Teacher Liu chuckled. "I'll think about it." The coaster continued climbing. Click... Click... Click... The slow mechanical rhythm echoed across the track. Jun Wei lowered his voice as though sharing an important secret. "This is the part before the hero flies." Lian Ziho glanced at him, unable to completely hide the faint smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "Is that how roller coasters work?" Jun Wei nodded with absolute confidence. "Yes." Teacher Liu leaned forward slightly from the seat behind them, clearly amused. "Then what do the villains do?" Jun Wei thought deeply for several seconds before answering with complete certainty. "They fall off the ride." Lian Ziho let out a quiet sigh. "That seems... unlikely."
The coaster finally reached the very top of the track. For one brief moment, everything became perfectly still. The wind blew gently across their faces as the city stretched endlessly beyond the park. Then the front of the coaster tipped forward. Gravity took over. The cars plunged down the track at incredible speed. Jun Wei threw both hands into the air as far as the safety bar allowed and screamed at the top of his lungs not with fear, but with pure excitement. "AAAAAAHHHHHH!" His laughter mixed with the rushing wind as the coaster raced through sharp turns, steep drops, and twisting curves.
Teacher Liu couldn't stop laughing behind him, his calm composure disappearing with every sudden drop. Lian Ziho held firmly onto the safety bar with one hand while keeping his other hand steady against Jun Wei's shoulder out of habit rather than necessity. The wind roared past them as the coaster sped through another turn before diving downward again. Jun Wei's joyful laughter echoed across the amusement park, loud enough to rise above the music and distant screams from other rides. For those few precious moments, he forgot everything else. He forgot about villains. He forgot about missions. He forgot about being watched. He was simply a child laughing on a roller coaster. Watching the smile on his face, even Lian Ziho found himself forgetting the danger surrounding them, if only for a little while.
Near the amusement park exit, a man wearing a gray jacket casually checked the time on his watch. To anyone passing by, he looked like an ordinary visitor waiting for friends. A short distance away, two other men stood separately with folded park maps in their hands. They occasionally glanced down at the paper, but their attention never truly left the surrounding area. Their movements were subtle, disciplined, and practiced enough to avoid attracting attention.
The man in the gray jacket lifted one hand to his ear as though adjusting an earpiece and spoke quietly without moving his lips. "Ride in motion." A calm voice answered through the receiver mmediately. "Positions?" The man casually looked around without turning his head. "Three confirmed." "Any interference?" "None." There was a brief pause before the voice replied again. "Good." The man lowered his hand and watched the roller coaster rush overhead, his expression remaining completely unreadable. As the cars disappeared around another curve, he spoke one final time into the earpiece. "Prepare for exit."
Elsewhere, inside the car, the only light came from Cai Lang's phone resting in his hand. The screen displayed a live map where three small dots moved slowly through the amusement park. Suo ran stared at it without blinking, his expression growing more serious with every passing second. "Your people are already inside the park," he said quietly. Cai lang nodded once. "Yes." Suo Ran's eyes remained fixed on the moving markers. "They confirmed the watchers?" "Three at least." Suo Ran's fingers tightened against his knee. "And they're near the roller coaster exit."
Cai lang glanced at the map before answering. "Yes." Suo ran muttered a quiet curse under his breath and leaned forward in his seat. "They're waiting for the ride to end." Cai Lang looked at him briefly. "You figured that out quickly." Suo ran didn't take his eyes off the screen. "It's the easiest place to separate someone from a crowd." Cai Lang gave a slow nod. "Exactly." Suo Ran looked out through the windshield at the traffic ahead. "Drive faster." Cai Lang kept both hands steady on the steering wheel. "I am." Suo Ran frowned impatiently. "Not fast enough."
Cai Lang glanced sideways before returning his attention to the road. "You're getting emotional again." This time, Suo ran didn't argue. He simply stared ahead and answered quietly, "That kid trusts me." Cai Lang's expression softened almost imperceptibly. "And he trusts Lian Ziho." Suo Ran shook his head. "That doesn't mean they won't try something." "No." Cai Lang smoothly turned the steering wheel as the car slipped past another line of traffic. His voice remained calm. "But it does mean they won't succeed easily."
Back at the amusement park, the roller coaster gradually slowed as it entered the station. The loud rush of wind disappeared, replaced by the soft screech of metal brakes. The cars rolled to a stop one after another. Jun Wei clapped excitedly the moment they stopped moving, his face still glowing with excitement. "That was AMAZING!" Teacher Liu stepped out of his seat behind him with a laugh. "You screamed louder than everyone else." Jun Wei smiled proudly and folded his arms. "I told you I would."
Beside him, Lian Ziho lifted the safety bar before standing up. He looked down at the boy with the faintest smile. "You're very brave." Jun Wei puffed out his chest. "I know." A park employee smiled politely as the gates opened. "Please exit to the left." Jun Wei jumped out of the car the moment he was allowed to move and immediately turned around with hopeful eyes. "Again!" Lian Ziho answered without even pausing. "No." Jun Wei groaned dramatically and let his shoulders slump. "You're no fun." Teacher Liu stepped down behind them and adjusted his jacket. "Let's walk for a while." Jun Wei sighed before nodding reluctantly. "...Fine."
The three of them followed the crowd toward the exit path along with dozens of other visitors. Families laughed together, children raced past holding colorful balloons, and cheerful music echoed from nearby rides. Everything appeared completely normal. Yet Lian Ziho's attention wasn't on the crowd. His eyes stopped on a familiar figure standing quietly near the exit. The man in the gray jacket hadn't moved much since earlier. He wasn't blocking anyone's way. He wasn't pretending to follow them anymore. He simply stood there watching.
Teacher Liu noticed him a moment later. Without changing his expression, he lowered his voice. "You see him?" Lian Ziho gave the slightest nod. "Yes." Jun Wei looked back and forth between them curiously. "See who?" Lian Ziho answered without taking his eyes off the crowd. "No one." Jun Wei narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "You always say that."
The exit walkway became more crowded as several rides emptied at the same time. Families, tourists, teenagers, and groups of friends all merged together into one slow-moving stream of people. The noise grew louder with every step. Jun Wei walked safely between Lian Ziho and Teacher Liu, absentmindedly holding onto Lian Ziho's sleeve so he wouldn't get separated. He looked up hopefully. "Next ride?" Lian Ziho didn't hesitate. "No." Jun Wei immediately tried again. "Cotton candy?" "No." He frowned. "Then what do we do?"
Teacher Liu smiled at the disappointed expression on the boy's face. "We walk." Jun Wei let out an exaggerated sigh. "That's boring." While Jun Wei complained, Lian Ziho quietly scanned the moving crowd once again. One watcher near the balloon stand. Another pretending to study a park map.
A third standing near the exit gate with his hands in his pockets.None of them approached. None of them looked directly at the group for long. But together, they had quietly surrounded the walkway. Teacher Liu noticed the pattern as well. His smile disappeared. "They're surrounding the exit." Lian Ziho answered without looking at him. "Yes." Teacher Liu kept walking at the same pace. "What's their plan?"
Lian Ziho's eyes followed the gray-jacketed man as he disappeared briefly behind another group of visitors before coming back into view. He shook his head slightly. "I don't know yet." Jun Wei tugged gently on his sleeve again, completely unaware of the silent tension surrounding them. "Lian Gege." Lian Ziho looked down. "What?" Jun Wei smiled hopefully. "Can we get ice cream?" Teacher Liu couldn't help chuckling under his breath. "You're very persistent." Jun Wei nodded proudly without the slightest embarrassment. "Yes."
Cai Lang's phone vibrated again, the sharp sound cutting through the silence inside the car. He glanced at the screen as a new message appeared. Ride ending. Movement beginning. Suo ran noticed the change in his expression and leaned forward in his seat. "What?" Cai Lang kept his eyes on the screen for another second before answering quietly. "They're moving." Suo Ran's jaw tightened. "Faster."
Without another word, Cai Lang pressed harder on the accelerator. The engine roared as the car surged through traffic, slipping between vehicles without slowing down. Neither of them spoke again. Every passing second felt heavier than the last.
Back inside the amusement park, Jun Wei suddenly stopped walking and pointed excitedly toward a colorful souvenir stall. "Look!" Lian Ziho looked down at him. "What?" Jun Wei's eyes sparkled as he pointed toward a small orange fox keychain hanging among dozens of plush animals. "Fox!" Teacher Liu smiled as he followed the boy's finger. "You like it?" Jun Wei nodded eagerly. "It looks like mine." Lian Ziho instinctively scanned the crowd again.
Families continued walking past them while cheerful music filled the air. Everything looked normal, yet the uneasy feeling in his chest refused to disappear. Jun Wei gently tugged on his sleeve. "Please." Teacher Liu glanced around before smiling. "We can stop for a moment." Lian Ziho hesitated, then gave a small nod. "Quickly." Jun Wei happily ran the short distance to the stall while Lian Ziho stayed close behind him and Teacher Liu followed only a step away.
The elderly vendor smiled warmly and lifted the little fox keychain from its hook. "Cute, isn't it?" Jun Wei grinned brightly. "Yes!" Teacher Liu reached into his pocket for his wallet. "Let's get it." At that exact moment, Lian Ziho turned his head for only a second to check the crowd behind them. His eyes swept across the people moving through the walkway. One second. Maybe two. When he looked back, the smile disappeared from his face. Jun Wei was gone. The toy stall remained exactly where it had been. The fox keychain was still in the vendor's hand.
Teacher Liu stood frozen with his wallet halfway out of his pocket. But the child standing between them only seconds earlier had vanished. Lian Ziho's heartbeat pounded inside his chest. "...Jun Wei?" he called quietly. There was no answer. Teacher Liu quickly looked around, confusion turning into panic. "Jun Wei?" The crowd continued moving around them, laughing, talking, and enjoying the park as if nothing had happened. Children ran past with balloons while music echoed from nearby rides. Everything looked completely ordinary except for one terrifying fact. Jun Wei was gone.
Teacher Liu's face turned pale as he searched desperately through the crowd. "Where is he?" Lian Ziho slowly turned in a full circle, his sharp eyes scanning every face, every movement, every possible escape route. Nothing. Teacher Liu called again, louder this time. "Jun Wei!" Several visitors glanced toward them before continuing on their way. No answer came back. The vendor looked at them in confusion. "The little boy?" Lian Ziho stepped closer immediately. "Where did he go?" The old man blinked nervously. "I...I don't know. He was standing right here."
Lian Ziho felt his pulse quicken.Teacher Liu grabbed Lian Ziho's arm, his voice shaking. "What do we do?" Lian Ziho slowly took out his phone, his expression frighteningly calm despite the storm building inside him. "We find him." Inside, however, something colder had already awakened. The gray-jacketed man. The watchers surrounding the exit. The crowd closing in around them. The toy stall. The distraction. Every piece suddenly fit together. They had never intended to attack openly. They had simply waited for the perfect moment. And now, somewhere inside the amusement park, Jun Wei was alone.
Outside the park, the car screeched to a violent stop before the engine had fully died. Suo Ran pushed the door open and stepped out immediately. At the same moment, Cai Lang's phone vibrated once more. A new message appeared on the screen. Target separated. Cai Lang's expression changed instantly. Suo Ran noticed and slowly turned toward him. "...What happened?" Cai Lang looked up, his normally calm eyes unusually heavy. "Jun Wei..." Suo Ran felt his chest tighten. "...What about him?" Cai Lang remained silent for a brief second before answering quietly. "...He's gone." The color drained from Suo Ran's face as the words echoed in his mind. For a single heartbeat, the entire world around him seemed to stop.