The taxi stopped two blocks from the Junyue Hotel.
"Go any further? I don't dare," the driver said, glancing at the line of luxury cars parked in front. "If my car gets scratched, I'll have to sell it to cover the costs."
Shen Qingxian didn't reply. She silently paid, stepped out, and closed the door.
The salty sea breeze hit her face, but it was quickly drowned out by the overpowering stench of perfume—the scent of wealth, built on nothing but lies.
A white Rolls-Royce glided past, its window rolling down slowly to reveal a face often gracing the covers of financial magazines.
She sneered. "The city's 'elite' gathering tonight, are they holding a wealth-sharing meeting?"
She looked down at her worn-out canvas shoes, the edges already white from wear. Stepping on the marble floor outside the hotel felt like leaving a stain.
She bypassed the front and headed to the back alley, slipping into the staff entrance.
The smell of disinfectant, greasy food, and stale sweat hit her nostrils—real, raw, and comforting in its honesty.
Here, there were no pretenses. Just survival. And she had learned to live with it.
The back area buzzed with activity. Trays clattered, footsteps rushed, and servers in identical uniforms moved like ants in a colony.
Li Jie, the head server, stood in the center, barking orders. "Shen Qingxian! What are you doing, statue? Go change, grab a tray! Tonight, the big shots are all here—one sneeze, and you'll be out! Move quickly!"
"Yes, Li Jie, right away!" Shen Qingxian nodded, her face contorting into a submissive, nervous smile.
But inside, her heart was ice-cold. The storm was coming, and she was here to tear down their golden walls.
She quickly changed, stuffing her worn shoes into the bottom of the locker.
Then, a girl around her age approached, whispering excitedly, "Did you hear? Gu Jingming's here tonight! Even people from the Shengshi Group came!"
Shengshi Group?
Shen Qingxian's fingers paused.
The Lu family. Yuncheng's true powerhouse. If the Gu family was a loud, arrogant emperor, the Lu family were the silent puppeteers.
"Shengshi is supporting the Gu family?" she asked casually, though her heart tightened.
"Of course! Even the Qins are here! This gala's got more layers than we can imagine. We're just small fish. Keep your head down, serve the trays, and don't look or listen too much," the girl said, eyes sparkling with awe and fear.
Shen Qingxian didn't answer.
Gu family, Lu family, Qin family… three out of the four great families had arrived.
This gala was going to be more dangerous than she had expected.
And far more... interesting.
But none of that mattered.
Her target had always been one: Gu Jingming.
She grabbed the silver tray with several glasses of red wine gleaming a deep crimson. One glass could pay her rent for half a year.
Drawing in a steadying breath, she pushed open the double doors leading to the banquet hall.
The moment she stepped inside, it felt like she had entered another world.
Crystal chandeliers blinded the eyes, string instruments hummed softly, the air thick with the scent of wine and power.
She lowered her head, blending into the crowd, moving as quietly as a shadow, her tray steady as a mirror.
But her eyes? Razor-sharp.
She found him.
In the center of the room, surrounded by people, Gu Jingming raised his glass in a boisterous laugh.
His bright blue Versace suit shone under the lights, his hair impeccably styled, his wrist gleaming with a Patek Philippe watch.
That face, that smile—arrogant, flirtatious, condescending. The very expression that had haunted her nightmares.
Five years ago, in the flames of the Shen family mansion, he had stood on the edge of the inferno, that same smile on his lips as he looked at her, curled on the ground.
"The game's over, Princess Shen."
Her breath hitched, her nails biting into her palm.
Hatred twisted in her chest, nearly spilling out.
But she forced herself to look away.
Her steps remained smooth and steady, her service flawless, as she tracked his movements—left booth, third on the left.
Empty, dimly lit, right in the intersection of two blind spots. Perfect.
Just as she refocused, a shadow caught her eye.
Instinctively, she glanced up to the second-floor balcony.
A tall figure stood, blending into the shadows. His black suit melted into the darkness, nearly invisible, but the cold, piercing pressure he exuded made her spine tingle.
It wasn't a gaze of inspection. It was a gaze of a predator.
He turned. His eyes locked with hers across the room.
A shiver ran down her spine.
He was watching her.
Who was he?
A member of the Lu family?
It all made sense. The Lu and Gu families had been locked in a silent war for years. If he was from the Lu family… then the malice in his gaze suddenly clicked.
Interesting.
Turns out, she wasn't the only one who wanted to see Gu Jingming bleed tonight.
She dared a quick glance again.
The balcony was empty.
He had vanished.
But she knew.
He was still there.
Hidden, waiting for the perfect moment. Just like her.
The corners of her mouth curled into a bitter smile.
It didn't matter.
Let there be more hunters.
The one who pulls the trigger tonight… will be her.
With a deep breath, she straightened, resetting her expression to one of subservience, quiet and unremarkable.
She lifted the tray again and began