More footsteps approached, the sound growing louder as more soldiers joined the search. Ye Jingsheng hurriedly pushed the dirt back over the disturbed ground, but the enemy was closing in fast, leaving him no room to escape.

If he stayed, they would find him eventually. But if he ran, where could he go? Gritting his teeth, he reached for his King Cobra tucked in his side pouch, his fingers trembling as he prepared for the worst.

A hand suddenly clasped over his from behind. Ye Jingsheng froze, his body stiffening in shock. He hadn’t heard anyone approach, let alone expected someone to sneak up on him.

Before he could react, the stranger tightened their grip, restraining his movements. In a low, urgent voice, they said, “Follow me. Don’t confront them directly.”

There was no time to question or hesitate. Ye Jingsheng, ever the pragmatist when it came to survival, obeyed.

The pitch-black forest swallowed them as they ran. The silhouette of the stranger ahead of him felt oddly familiar, yet he could not place it. His instincts screamed at him to be cautious, but the tension in the air left him no choice.

They moved swiftly, the sound of their footsteps crunching against dry leaves and brittle grass merging with the pounding rhythm of Ye Jingsheng’s heartbeat.

Whoever the stranger was, they knew the terrain well. The shouting soldiers, barking dogs, and bursts of gunfire grew fainter with every step, until they melted into the distance like a bad dream.

Above them, the night sky offered little comfort. The dim light of distant stars barely pierced through the oppressive darkness, leaving only shadows and questions in their wake.

“You’re safe here. From now on, act like nothing happened,” the man said as he turned around, only to find himself staring directly down the barrel of a gun.

Ye Jingsheng’s expression was cold as ice as he pushed the gun forward slightly. “Pei Jun. I didn’t expect to see you here.”

The man’s face, sharp and chiseled like a sculpture, softened for a moment. A faint smile tugged at his lips. “I just saved your life. Zachis isn’t exactly known for his kindness.”

Ye Jingsheng tilted his head, his eyes narrowing. “If I tell Zachis who you really are, I bet he’d be even less kind. Don’t you think?”

Pei Jun met his gaze with calm detachment. “I’m just a businessman,” he said in a flat tone. After a brief pause, he added, “Just like you, I’m interested in Zachis’s ‘goods.’”

“Bullshit!” Ye Jingsheng snapped, his voice sharp with disbelief. He didn’t buy a single word of it. The scene in front of him blurred and overlapped with memories from five years ago, searing through his mind like a wildfire.

“Ah Sheng,” Pei Jun said softly, a faint smile lingering on his lips. “I taught you how to shoot. Do you really think you can kill me?”

Pei Jun reached out and let his fingers brush against the cold steel barrel of the gun, gently pushing it down. His voice dropped lower. “I’ve been looking for you all these years.”

Those pitch-black eyes—just like back then.

After a long pause, Ye Jingsheng smirked and holstered his gun. “I know I can’t kill you. And I don’t care why you’re here now. But this time, what I want is non-negotiable. Stay out of my way.”

“Why are you getting involved in Hongyun’s internal power struggle?”

Ye Jingsheng ignored him and turned to leave.

Pei Jun raised his voice and called after him, “How’s Xiao Ling? His illness—”

Ye Jingsheng’s fiery temper exploded. He spun around and roared, “What the fuck does it have to do with you?!”

Pei Jun, after all these years, do you still think I’m that naive, hot-blooded fool?!

What right do you have to mention him in front of me?!

You and I… we’re no longer who we were back then.

Pei Jun stood there, watching him walk away until his silhouette disappeared into the darkness. After a long moment, he exhaled slowly.

“Ye Jingsheng, you’re still too softhearted.”

At that moment, Emma Stone approached him silently and whispered, “Mr. Pei, Mr. Zhong is on the line.”

Pei Jun glanced at her, shrugged, and walked back inside.

——

Ye Jingsheng swaggered into the room, and the moment the lights flicked on, he froze briefly before letting out a low whistle. “Yang ge, you must’ve had too much to drink and got confused, huh? Even walking into the wrong room?”

Fang Yang, casually draped in a bathrobe, was sitting on the bed. His freshly showered, slightly wavy black hair was still damp.

Seeing that Fang Yang didn’t respond, Ye Jingsheng closed the door behind him and added, “Where’s Vivianne? Doesn’t seem like you, ending things so fast.”

“You don’t have to worry,” Fang Yang said slowly, his words cutting like a blade. “I never leave women disappointed, especially the ones you kindly sent my way.”

Ye Jingsheng raised an exaggerated eyebrow. “Okay, I’ve always trusted in your abilities. But now, explain why you’re sitting on my bed looking like you’re ready to start a fight.”

Fang Yang stood up slowly, his gaze piercing. “Where did you go just now?”

Without missing a beat, Ye Jingsheng replied, “Doing the same thing as you. A man’s gotta deal with his needs, right?”

Fang Yang let out a cold laugh. “Is that so?” Without warning, he swung his fist, landing a solid punch straight into Ye Jingsheng’s stomach. The blow knocked him off balance, and he stumbled backward onto the bed. Propping his hands lazily behind his head, Ye Jingsheng smirked. “Why so mad, Yang ge?”

Fang Yang stared at him, feeling a wave of frustration like never before. Ever since this snake of a man had slithered into his life, he’d been forced to break rule after rule for him. And now, even in the middle of all this chaos, the bastard had the nerve to act so calm and composed. What the hell!

“Cut the crap!” he snarled, glaring at Ye Jingsheng like a predator. “You’ve got some guts, causing all this trouble on the first day here!”

Ye Jingsheng responded leisurely, “What kind of trouble could I possibly cause?”

“Then what’s with the injury on your face?!” Fang Yang roared.

Ye Jingsheng had been missing for hours, throwing the entire camp into an uproar, yet here he was, sitting smugly and asking, all innocence, “What kind of trouble?”

Before Fang Yang could say more, a loud knock echoed through the room. Both men fell silent instantly, exchanging a tense glance. It was likely the search party, there to investigate.

“Strip,” Fang Yang ordered sharply.

Ye Jingsheng shed his clothes and slipped under the blanket. Fang Yang gathered the bloodstained, dirt-smudged garments along with his own hastily discarded bathrobe and stuffed them beneath the covers. Then, wasting no time, he climbed into bed, pulling Ye Jingsheng close and wrapping an arm around his half-naked body.

The knocking grew louder, each bang punctuated by impatient curses. Then, with a sudden crash, the door flew open, and several armed soldiers stormed in. They stopped mid-step, eyes widening in shock at the scene before them.