Zheng rui slowly stood and walked toward a broken metal cabinet that had fallen against the wall years ago. Dust covered every inch of it, and one of its doors hung loosely from a single hinge. Lian ziho followed a few steps behind, watching quietly. "What is it?" he asked in a low voice. Zheng rui didn't answer. He crouched down beside the cabinet and carefully brushed away some of the dust near the floor. His eyes narrowed. "Help me move this."
Lian ziho stepped forward immediately. "You found something?" "Maybe." The two of them gripped the edges of the cabinet and slowly pulled it away from the wall.The rusted metal scraped loudly across the concrete floor before stopping. Behind it, hidden from plain sight, was a small portable router connected to a black battery pack. A thin cable disappeared into a crack in the wall, almost impossible to notice unless someone was looking for it. Both of them stared at it in silence.
Lian Ziho looked cable and asked,"That's what they used?" Zheng rui slowly nodded without taking his eyes off the device. "Looks like it."Lian ziho crouched beside him, studying the equipment. "Can you check it?" Zheng rui carefully removed his backpack and took out a slim laptop. "I'll try." He connected a cable from the router to the laptop and waited as the screen slowly came to life. Lian ziho stood beside him, his arms folded as he watched lines of text appear one after another. The loading icon spun for several seconds before a login page appeared. Zheng rui typed a few commands, his fingers moving quickly across the keyboard. Another screen appeared almost immediately. *Access Denied.* He tried a different method and same message appeared again.
Lian ziho looked down at the screen. "Can you get in?" Zheng rui let out a quiet sigh and leaned back slightly. "Not without time." Lian frowned. "Do we have time?" Zheng rui looked up at him with a tired expression. "What do you think?" Lian ziho gave a small, humorless smile. "I figured you'd say that." Zheng rui disconnected the cable and carefully closed the laptop before slipping it back into his bag. "Whoever set this up knew exactly what they were doing." Lian glanced at the hidden router once more. "Which means they expected someone might find it." Zheng rui nodded. "Or they expected someone to try."
Before either of them could say another word, a faint sound echoed from outside the room.* Step... Step... *Both of them froze instantly.Lian ziho slowly lifted his head. "Did you hear that?" Zheng rui gave a single silent nod. "I did." The footsteps continued. *Step... Step... Step... * They were slow and growing closer with every second. Lian ziho's expression hardened. Without making a sound, he pointed toward a row of tall metal shelves against the far wall. Zheng rui understood and two of them slipped behind the shelves just as another footstep echoed outside the doorway. They remained completely still, controlling even their breathing.
The footsteps outside continued at an unhurried pace,each one echoing through the building. Lian Ziho instinctively shifted his weight, trying to get a better view through the narrow gap between the shelves.Before he could lean any farther, Zheng rui quietly reached out and caught his wrist.Lian ziho immediately looked back at him, his brows drawing together in annoyance. Zheng rui slowly shook his head once, his eyes telling him not to take the risk.
Lian ziho lowered his voice to the faintest whisper. "I need to see." Zheng rui didn't let go. "You need to stay hidden." Lian frowned. "If we can't see them, we can't predict them." Zheng rui held his gaze without flinching. "And if they see you first, prediction won't matter." For a brief moment, neither of them looked away then after few seconds lian ziho tried to pull his wrist back, but zheng rui tightened his grip just slightly. "Stop!" he whispered. Lian ziho stared at him, clearly frustrated. "You're being overprotective."
Zheng rui's expression remained calm, though there was unmistakable concern in his eyes. "Maybe." Lian ziho sighed. "You sound exactly like Suo ran." Zheng rui blinked once but said nothing.Lian ziho quietly looked away, his eyes dropping toward the dusty floor. His jaw tightened for a brief moment, and he didn't speak again. Zheng rui noticed the change but chose not to comment. He simply released Lian ziho's wrist slowly, his fingers brushing lightly against it before withdrawing.Outside, the footsteps stopped.
The old door creaked open little by little, the rusty hinges groaning loudly in the otherwise silent room. Both of them watched through the narrow gap between the shelves without making a sound. Two figures stepped inside. Their faces remained hidden beneath dark caps and the shadows cast by the afternoon light. One was slightly taller than the other, broad-shouldered and calm. The second man quietly closed the door behind them before scanning the room. They moved in.
The taller man walked directly toward the back wall without hesitation. His eyes settled on the space where the broken cabinet had originally stood. He stopped. His expression changed almost instantly. "...It's gone." His voice was low. The second man walked over and stared at the empty space for a long second before looking around carefully. "Someone found it." The first man slowly turned his head, his sharp eyes sweeping across every corner of the maintenance room. He examined the broken chairs, the scattered tools, the dusty floor, and doorway. His gaze lingered for a moment, as though calculating something. "They can't be far."
The second man quietly slipped one hand inside his jacket.
Lian ziho couldn't see what he was reaching for, but every instinct told him it wasn't anything good. The second man lowered his voice. "Should we split up?" The taller man remained silent for a brief moment before giving a single nod. "Find them." Without another word, the two men separated. One headed toward the doorway while the other began moving deeper into the maintenance building, checking every corner with slow, deliberate steps. Hidden behind the shelves, Lian ziho felt his heartbeat quicken.The footsteps were coming closer. Beside him, Zheng rui slowly lifted one hand again, silently signaling him not to move. Lian gave the smallest nod, but his eyes remained fixed on the approaching figure. Every step echoed through the room.
The unknown man walked past their hiding place without looking their way, then stopped beside the clean table near the center of the room. He slowly ran his fingers across its surface before glancing toward the hidden router behind the cabinet. The second man joined him a moment later and crouched beside the equipment. He examined the cables carefully before looking up. "The equipment is still here." The taller man folded his arms and studied the router for a few seconds. "But somebody accessed it." The second man frowned. "You can tell?"
The taller man pointed toward the cable lying loosely beside the battery pack. "It wasn't left like that." The second man looked more closely before giving a small nod. "You're right." The taller man's expression darkened. "Boss won't be happy." Second man looked around and said,"Should we tell him now?" The taller man thought for a second before shaking his head. "Not yet." The second man looked puzzled. "Why?" The taller man slowly stood and looked around the maintenance room, his sharp eyes moving from one corner to another. "Let's make sure they didn't leave anything behind." The second man nodded."Understood."
Hidden behind the shelves, Lian ziho slowly turned his head toward zheng rui. Their eyes met for only a brief second. Neither of them spoke.Both had reached the same conclusion. Whoever these men worked for, they weren't acting on their own. There was someone above them giving orders. Zheng rui's expression remained calm, but Lian ziho noticed the slight tightening of his jaw. That tiny change was enough to tell him zheng rui had realized the same thing.
The taller man began checking the room more carefully. He opened drawers one by one, looked beneath the broken table, and even examined the dusty windowsills. The second man walked toward the scattered tools, kicking aside a rusted wrench before inspecting the floor beneath it."Nothing here!" he muttered. "Keep looking!" the taller man replied without turning around. "If someone was here, they made a mistake somewhere." The second man let out a quiet breath. "You always assume people make mistakes." "Because they do." He glanced toward the doorway before adding calmly, "Even careful people."
Lian ziho felt a chill run through him as the second man slowly turned toward the shelves. His footsteps echoed softly through the room. *Step. Step. Step." Each step brought him closer. Lian ziho instinctively slowed his breathing until it was almost silent. Beside him, Zheng rui didn't move at all. His eyes stayed fixed on the man, calm and focused. The footsteps stopped only a short distance from where they were hiding. The man stood there quietly, looking over the shelves. Several long seconds passed then he slowly bent down.
Meanwhile at hospital three of them quietly entered the room together. Same sound of the heart monitor *Beep... Beep... Beep...* coming.Suo ran lay peacefully on the bed, his face still pale beneath the soft light. The oxygen tube remained beneath his nose, and the bandages across his body reminded them how close he had come to losing his life. Han Yi stopped beside the bed, and the moment he saw suo ran up close,.he felt relieved.He scratched the back of his head awkwardly before letting out a quiet sigh. "You really scared all of us this time." He forced a small smile. "You always make things difficult, don't you?" He looked at suo ran's sleeping face and quietly added, "Next time... Don't try to be brave."
Qin Yue walked to the other side of the bed. Looking down at Suo ran, she gently brushed a loose strand of hair away from his forehead. Her movements were careful, almost sisterly. "You should've rested instead of trying to carry everything by yourself," she whispered softly. "You're always worrying about everyone else... but never about yourself." She lowered her eyes for a moment before smiling faintly. "Wake up soon. Han Yi has been complaining nonstop since you came here. I'm getting tired of listening to him."
Han Yi looked at her with an offended expression. "Hey, when did I complain nonstop?" he asked, lowering his voice so he wouldn't disturb suo ran. "I was just... concerned." Qin Yue glanced at him from the corner of her eye, unable to hide a small smile. "Concerned?" she repeated. "You wore a path into the floor outside pacing back and forth." Han Yi rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "I couldn't just sit there."He looked back at suo ran and sighed. "Besides...someone had to stay awake in case he woke up."
Qin Yue crossed her arms lightly. "You didn't sleep all night." Han Yi gave a helpless shrug. "How could I?" His gaze lingered on suo ran's face. "Every time those machines made a different sound, my heart nearly stopped." He let out a quiet laugh, but there was no humor in it. "I've never realized waiting could be harder than fighting." Qin Yue's smile slowly faded. She looked back at suo ran and spoke softly. "You hear that? People have been worried sick because of you."
Han Yi nodded. "Exactly." He leaned a little closer to the bed. "So you'd better wake up soon." He folded his arms and pretended to sound annoyed. "You still owe me a proper explanation." After a brief pause, his voice became quieter. "And you still owe me dinner. You promised before all of this happened." Qin Yue looked at him in surprise. "You're thinking about food at a time like this?" Han Yi sighed. "It's not about the food." He looked at Suo ran with a faint smile. "It's about him keeping his promise." His expression softened. "So wake up... and complain about how expensive the restaurant is. I'll gladly listen this time."
Qin Yue gently pulled the blanket higher over suo ran's shoulder before letting her hand rest lightly against the edge of the bed. Her eyes remained fixed on his peaceful face. "You know..." she said softly, "you've always been like this." Han Yi looked at her. She smiled faintly without taking her eyes off suo ran. "Whenever someone needed help, you were always the first to run over." She shook her head gently. "You never stopped to think whether you could handle it... you just went."
Han Yi nodded in agreement. "That's exactly what makes him so frustrating." His tone sounded annoyed, but the concern in his eyes couldn't be hidden. "He'll throw himself into danger without thinking twice, then tell everyone else not to worry." He looked down at suo ran and muttered, "You really don't know how to make life easy for the people around you."Qin yue smiled helplessly. "He probably thinks he's protecting everyone." Han Yi gave a small snort. "Well, he failed." He pointed lightly toward himself and Qin Yue. "Look at us." Then he glanced toward the older man standing quietly by the window. "Look at Boss." His voice became softer. "None of us have had a peaceful moment since you disappeared." He lowered his head for a second before quietly adding, "So next time... trust us a little too."
The older man slowly turned away from the window and walked back to the bedside. He stood there looking at suo ran for several long seconds before speaking in his usual calm voice. "You did enough." His eyes softened almost imperceptibly. "The rest can be shared." He reached out and gently rested his hand on the edge of the bed. "Jun Wei... we'll find him." His voice remained steady, carrying quiet certainty. "You don't have to chase every answer alone anymore."
Han Yi nodded firmly. "Boss is right." He folded his arms again and looked at suo ran with a determined expression. "You just focus on waking up." A faint grin appeared on his face. "Leave the running around to us for once." Qin Yue smiled and quietly agreed. "When you open your eyes... we'll already have news waiting for you." She looked at Suo ran's sleeping face and whispered gently, "So don't make us wait too long."
Just then, the older man's phone vibrated inside his coat pocket.He glanced at the screen before answering without taking his eyes off suo ran."What is it?" he asked.The person on the other end spoke rapidly, causing the older man's expression to slowly become serious. His brows drew together. "What did you say?" he asked after a few seconds, his voice noticeably lower than before.
Han yi and Qin yue turned toward him after sensing the sudden change in his expression.The older man continued listening in silence. "No!" he said quietly. Another pause followed. "Are you certain?" His gaze slowly shifted toward the floor as the caller continued speaking. After several more seconds, he finally nodded once. "I see." He remained silent for a brief moment before giving another order. "Keep watching. Don't let anyone notice you. And don't make a move until I arrive." Without another word, he ended the call and slowly lowered the phone.
Han Yi took a step closer. "Boss..." he asked cautiously, "what happened?" Qin Yue also looked at him, concern visible on her face. The older man remained silent for several long seconds, his eyes fixed thoughtfully on the unconscious suo ran before he spoke in a calm but heavy voice."They found something."Han Yi stepped closer,the trace of relief from a few moments ago disappearing from his face. "Jun Wei?" he asked without hesitation, his eyes fixed on the older man. The older man slowly shook his head once. "No." Qin Yue frowned and stepped forward as well. "Then what is it?" she asked quietly. The older man looked toward the dark window for a brief moment before turning back to them. His expression had become noticeably more serious than before. "They found car!" he said in a calm voice.
Han Yi's eyes narrowed. "The car?" He paused before asking, "They found the car that picked Jun wei up?" The older man nodded once."They found it." Han Yi instinctively let out a slow breath. "That's good!" he said. "If they found the car, then they can follow the trail." But the older man's expression remained unchanged. There wasn't the slightest hint of relief on his face. He looked at Han Yi and replied quietly, "It would be..." He paused briefly. "...if someone was still inside." Han Yi's expression stiffened at once. "What do you mean?" he asked.
The older man answered calmly, "The car was abandoned."Qin Yue's brows knitted together. "Abandoned?" she repeated in disbelief. The older man nodded. "It was found near the outskirts of the city, hidden behind an abandoned warehouse." He spoke slowly, as though carefully choosing every word. "No driver." He paused. "No passengers." Another pause followed. "No Jun Wei."
Han Yi clenched his fists. "Damn it..." he muttered under his breath. "So whoever took him abandoned the car and disappeared." Qin Yue lowered her eyes for a moment before asking quietly, "Were there any cameras nearby?" The older man shook his head. "Very few. Most of them were already damaged.The area has almost no surveillance." Han Yi clicked his tongue in frustration. "Whoever did this planned everything."
The older man slowly slipped his phone back into his pocket. "Perhaps." Han Yi frowned. "Then... we've lost the trail." "No." The older man's answer came immediately. He looked directly at Han Yi, his gaze steady. "The trail didn't end." He paused. "It only became more interesting." Han Yi and Qin Yue exchanged puzzled looks before turning back toward him. Qin Yue spoke first. "What do you mean?" The older man remained silent for several seconds. Then he quietly said, "There was something else inside the car." Neither of them interrupted him.
Han Yi unconsciously took another step forward. "What?" The older man's expression darkened ever so slightly. "Blood." The single word hung heavily in the air. Neither Han Yi nor Qin Yue spoke.The steady sound of the heart monitor continued behind.*Beep... Beep... Beep... *Han Yi slowly swallowed. "Blood?" he repeated quietly. "A lot?" The older man nodded once. "Enough to tell us someone was injured." Qin Yue's face grew pale. "Did they identify whose blood it is?" The older man shook his head. "Not yet. Samples have already been sent for testing."
Han Yi rubbed both hands over his face, his thoughts racing. "It could belong to Jun Wei..." he said quietly. Qin Yue replied, "Or it could belong to the kidnapper." Han Yi looked at her. "Or someone else entirely." The older man folded his arms behind his back again. "Until the report comes back, we assume nothing." Han Yi let out a frustrated sigh. "Waiting is the worst part." He glanced back toward the unconscious Suo ran lying on the hospital bed. "And he's the only one who might know what really happened." Qin Yue followed his gaze. "If he remembers anything."
The older man quietly looked at suo ran for a long moment before speaking. "Whether he remembers or not..." His voice remained calm, but there was determination beneath it. "...whoever took Jun wei made one mistake." Han Yi looked at him. "What mistake?" The older man's eyes slowly narrowed. "They left something behind." Neither Han Yi nor Qin Yue asked another question. They both understood. If there was blood... then there was evidence. And if there was evidence... the game between hunter and prey had only just begun. Behind them, the heart monitor continued its steady rhythm, echoing softly through the quiet ICU. Beep... Beep... Beep...