Luan Xie watched Ye Rou, his gaze sharp and calculating as he observed the man teetering on the edge of madness. The way Ye Rou's eyes burned with desperation, the way his voice cracked with barely suppressed emotion—it was almost pitiable. Almost. The same man who had once been so untouchable, so ruthless, now reduced to this frantic, panicked mess all because of Zhong Qing. Luan Xie found the irony bitterly amusing.
He couldn't help but scoff inwardly at the situation. Ye Rou, the man who had taken everything from him, who had ripped apart his life piece by piece until there was nothing left, was now the one who was losing something precious. The memories of what Ye Rou had done to him flashed through his mind—how he had stolen his innocence, stripped him of his dignity, and destroyed his family without a second thought. Every wound, every scar, had been etched by Ye Rou's hands.
And now, here he was, scrambling to save someone who might just be his Achilles' heel. Zhong Qing, the man who had trailed after Ye Rou like a shadow, always there, always loyal, was suddenly the most important person in Ye Rou's world. The irony was almost poetic.
Luan Xie's lips curled into a cold, mocking smile as he watched Ye Rou struggle to hold himself together. This was the man who had once held all the power, who had toyed with Luan Xie's life as if it were a game. And now, he was the one who was powerless, desperate, clutching at straws to keep from losing the one thing that might actually mean something to him.
But what twisted the knife even deeper was the knowledge that Ye Rou hadn't even realized it yet. He was too blinded by his own arrogance, his own self-importance, to see the truth that was right in front of him. Zhong Qing wasn't just a pawn, a tool to be used and discarded. He was the one person who had seen Ye Rou for who he truly was, who had stayed by his side despite everything. And now, Ye Rou was finally facing the possibility of losing him, of being left with nothing but the emptiness he had created for himself.
The thought brought Luan Xie a twisted sense of satisfaction. Let Ye Rou feel that fear, that helplessness. Let him understand what it was like to have everything you cared about ripped away from you, to be left with nothing but the cold, crushing weight of loss.
Luan Xie's gaze hardened as he turned away from Ye Rou, his thoughts already shifting to the task at hand. They had agreed to join forces to find Zhong Qing, but Luan Xie knew better than to trust Ye Rou. This alliance was a temporary one, born out of necessity rather than any real desire to work together. As soon as Zhong Qing was found, Luan Xie would make sure Ye Rou paid for everything he had done.
But for now, he would play the game. He would help find Zhong Qing, if only to see the look on Ye Rou's face when he finally realized just how much he had to lose.
"If anyone had to take Zhong Qing away, it would be you," He Shun said softly, stepping closer to Luan Xie. His gaze was gentle, filled with understanding, as if he could sense the storm of emotions brewing beneath Luan Xie's composed exterior.
Luan Xie's eyes flicked to He Shun, then back to Ye Rou, who was standing a few feet away, visibly struggling to keep his composure. Ye Rou's fists were clenched at his sides, his breathing uneven, the tension in his body radiating outwards like a palpable force. He was trying, and failing, to calm himself, to maintain the cold, calculated demeanor he was known for. But it was clear that the situation was pushing him to his limits.
Luan Xie let out a slow breath, a bitter smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "Look at him," he murmured, his voice low and tinged with a mixture of amusement and disdain. "The great Ye Rou, falling apart over a man he barely even acknowledged. It's almost poetic, isn't it?"
He Shun's hand rested gently on Luan Xie's arm, offering a quiet, comforting presence. "He's desperate," He Shun replied, his voice calm and steady. "And desperation makes people do things they wouldn't normally do. But that's also where we have the advantage."
Luan Xie nodded slowly, his gaze never leaving Ye Rou. "I just never thought I'd see him like this. After everything he's done—after everything he's taken from me—it's almost satisfying to see him this vulnerable."
But there was a flicker of something deeper in Luan Xie's eyes, something that He Shun could sense even if Luan Xie wouldn't admit it. A part of Luan Xie was still struggling with the memories of the past, with the what-ifs that haunted him. What if Ye Rou had truly loved him? What if things had been different?
Ye Rou's voice, sharp and strained, cut through the heavy silence. "Where is he?" His eyes were wild, darting between Luan Xie and He Shun, as if searching for a sign, a hint that would lead him to Zhong Qing. The calm facade he had tried so hard to maintain was crumbling, and underneath, there was a raw, frantic need that Luan Xie had never seen in him before.
"With the Black Serpents," He Shun replied coolly, his voice steady and controlled. But inside, his thoughts were racing, trying to piece together their next move, to figure out how they could turn this situation to their advantage.
Ye Rou took a step closer, his eyes narrowing. "If anything happens to him—" His voice broke, just for a second, before he forced it back under control. "If anything happens to him, I will make sure both of you regret it for the rest of your lives."
For a moment, the tension in the room was suffocating, the air thick with unspoken threats and the weight of past betrayals. But then, Ye Rou took a step back, his hands trembling slightly as he tried to compose himself.
"I'll get the bracelet," he finally said, his voice cold and detached. But there was a crack in that facade, a hint of the desperation that was still clawing at him from the inside. "I'll do anything. Just... help me in saving him."
Luan Xie watched as Ye Rou turned on his heel and left the room, the door slamming shut behind him. He let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding, his shoulders sagging slightly as the tension began to drain from his body.
He Shun stayed close, his hand still resting on Luan Xie's arm, a silent offer of support. "We need to find Zhong Qing, and fast," he said quietly, his voice filled with a sense of urgency. "This situation is getting more dangerous by the minute."
Luan Xie nodded, his mind already racing with plans, strategies, anything that could help them regain control of this rapidly unraveling situation. "You're right," he said, his voice firm. "We can't afford any more mistakes."
But as they stood there, side by side, both of them knew that the path ahead was fraught with peril, and that they were running out of time to set things right.
And as soon as they found Zhong Qing, Luan Xie would make sure to kill him right in front of Ye Rou.
Ye Rou had postponed the auction, buying himself and the others another week. It was a calculated move, but not without its risks. He knew that delaying would only increase the pressure, but he needed time to get Zhong Qing back. As the hours dragged on, each one feeling like an eternity, Ye Rou's mind raced, weighing his options, planning his next move.
When he finally returned, the tension in the room was palpable. Luan Xie and He Shun looked up as he entered, their expressions a mix of curiosity and wariness. Ye Rou's face was a mask of grim determination, his eyes dark with something close to dread.
"The leader of the Black Serpents reached out to me," Ye Rou began, his voice tight with controlled anger. "He wants to meet."
Luan Xie exchanged a glance with He Shun, their expressions hardening. The Black Serpents were notorious, a gang that thrived on power and fear. A meeting with their leader was not something to take lightly.
"And what does he want?" Luan Xie asked, his voice steady but edged with suspicion.
Ye Rou hesitated for a moment, as if weighing the impact of his next words. "In exchange for Zhong Qing, he wants the bracelet."
The room fell into a tense silence. Luan Xie's jaw clenched, the implications of the demand settling heavily in his mind. The bracelet wasn't just a valuable object—it was a symbol, a link to his past, to the mother he had lost. But now it had become a bargaining chip, something that could either save or doom them all.
He Shun's gaze flicked between Ye Rou and Luan Xie, his mind racing. "It's a trap," he said quietly, his voice laced with concern. "There's no guarantee that even if you give them the bracelet, they'll let Zhong Qing go."
Ye Rou's expression tightened, his fists clenching at his sides. "I know that," he snapped, his frustration boiling over. "But what choice do I have? Zhong Qing is..."
He trailed off, his words catching in his throat. The reality of the situation was suffocating him, pushing him to the edge. He had always prided himself on being in control, on staying one step ahead, but now, for the first time in a long time, he felt like the ground was slipping out from under him.
Luan Xie stepped forward, his eyes boring into Ye Rou's. "You're willing to risk everything for him?" There was a challenge in his tone, a hint of disbelief.
Ye Rou met his gaze, his eyes burning with a fierce, almost desperate resolve. "Yes," he said, his voice steady and unyielding. "I am."
Luan Xie's expression darkened, memories of their past flashing through his mind. He could see the desperation in Ye Rou's eyes, the same desperation that had once driven him to do unspeakable things. And now, Ye Rou was on the verge of repeating those same mistakes, all for a man he had barely noticed until he was gone.
"And what if they don't give him back?" Luan Xie pressed, his voice hardening. "What if they take the bracelet and kill him anyway? Or worse, what if they use him against you?"
Ye Rou's eyes flashed with a dangerous intensity. "Then I'll make them pay. I'll burn their entire organization to the ground if I have to."
The room fell silent again, the weight of Ye Rou's words hanging heavy in the air. Luan Xie could see the determination in his eyes, the fierce protectiveness that had been awakened in him. It was a side of Ye Rou he had never seen before, and it left him feeling unsettled, conflicted.
He Shun, sensing the growing tension, stepped forward, placing a hand on Luan Xie's arm. "We need to be smart about this," he said softly, his voice calm and measured. "If we're going to save Zhong Qing and get out of this alive, we need to plan carefully."
Ye Rou's gaze softened slightly, the fire in his eyes dimming just a fraction as he looked at He Shun. "What do you suggest?"
He Shun glanced at Luan Xie, then back at Ye Rou. "We need to find out more about the Black Serpents. Their movements, their weaknesses. If we're going to negotiate with them, we need leverage. Something that gives us an advantage."
Ye Rou nodded slowly, the gears in his mind already turning. "I'll reach out to my contacts," he said, his voice more controlled now, the anger that had fueled him earlier giving way to cold, calculated determination. "We'll find out everything we can about them."
Luan Xie watched him closely, his mind still racing with doubts and questions. But for now, he knew they had no choice but to work together. The stakes were too high, and the risks too great to let their past grievances get in the way.
And with that, the uneasy alliance between them was forged, bound by the shared goal of saving the one person who had, in his own way, come to mean everything to each of them.