Tianwu barely slept that night. The weight of the mysterious stranger's words clung to him like an invisible shroud, making it impossible to shake the feeling that his life was no longer his own. The idea of being a pawn, caught in a game larger than he could ever understand, gnawed at him relentlessly. He tossed and turned in his bed, unable to quell the storm of thoughts swirling in his mind.It was well past dawn when Tianwu finally rose, the early light of the sun filtering softly through the window. The quiet peace outside felt like a cruel mockery of the turmoil in his heart. His fingers itched to move, to do something—anything—to take control of the situation, but there was nothing to do. Nian's return, the stranger's ominous warning, the feeling that his entire life had been manipulated from the shadows—it all left him feeling hollow, stripped of agency.He dressed quickly, the routine motions of preparing for the day offering a brief respite from the chaos inside. As he finished tying the final knot of his robe, he glanced at his reflection in the polished mirror. He barely recognized the face staring back at him—no longer just the eldest son of a wealthy family, but a man entwined in forces that threatened to devour everything he had ever known.Tianwu made his way to the study, where Yuren and Xianglu were already waiting. As he entered, he noticed that Xianglu's usually sharp eyes seemed clouded with something deeper, a concern that didn't go unnoticed by Tianwu."You're up early," Yuren remarked, his voice softer than usual. There was a hint of exhaustion in his tone, too, though he still carried himself with an air of composure.Tianwu nodded, settling into a chair at the head of the table. "I couldn't sleep," he admitted, his voice flat. "That man last night... he spoke as though everything is already decided."Xianglu's gaze shifted from Tianwu to Yuren before he spoke. "It's clear we're being drawn into something bigger than we anticipated. Whatever game Nian is playing, he's not doing it alone."Yuren clenched his jaw. "There's something more to this. Nian's return wasn't a coincidence. And neither was that man last night. They're connected."Tianwu leaned forward, his fingers pressed against the table as if grounding himself in the reality of the situation. "Then we need to find out what their plan is. We can't wait any longer. If we do, we'll be caught off guard when it's too late."Yuren nodded in agreement, his expression hardening. "I'll send out scouts. We need information, and fast."Xianglu crossed his arms. "I don't think it will be that easy. If Nian and the stranger are as connected as we think, they'll be expecting us to move. We need to be smarter. The last thing we want is to walk into a trap."Tianwu's mind raced as he thought through the options. He had always relied on his own abilities, his own strength, but the weight of his lineage—the very blood that ran through his veins—was not something he could simply ignore anymore. His past had come back to haunt him, and whether he liked it or not, it was a part of who he was.But as his thoughts swirled, another feeling tugged at him—one that had become impossible to ignore. His thoughts drifted, unbidden, to Yuren. The quiet intensity between them had grown over the past few days, and the more Tianwu saw of him, the more he realized there was something deeper than mere camaraderie between them. Something unspoken, yet undeniable.His gaze flickered toward Yuren, meeting his eyes briefly before he quickly looked away. Not now, he thought, frustrated with the timing of his emotions. The last thing he needed right now was to get tangled up in his feelings, especially with everything else falling apart."Xianglu's right," Tianwu said, forcing himself to focus. "We can't be reckless. We need to gather information without revealing our hand."Yuren gave a sharp nod. "We'll need to be discreet. The moment we show our intentions, we'll be marked. I'll handle the scouts. But we need someone to keep an eye on Nian—on the inside."Tianwu felt his stomach twist. "That's... me, isn't it?""Who else?" Yuren said with a shrug. "You're the one who knows him best. And if he's as dangerous as we think, we can't afford to leave any loose ends. We need someone who can get close."Tianwu sighed, his gaze drifting toward the window. "I've spent so many years trying to forget him, trying to move on from everything he represents... but now, it seems like there's no escaping it. No escaping him."Yuren's eyes softened, though his voice remained firm. "You don't have to do this alone. We'll be there to support you every step of the way."Tianwu met Yuren's gaze, his chest tightening at the sincerity in his words. If only it were that simple, he thought.The day stretched on with planning and preparations, but the weight of the task ahead seemed to grow heavier with each passing hour. As night fell, Tianwu stood before the mirror once more, staring at the reflection of a man caught between two worlds—one that had always been his, and one that had been thrust upon him.He thought of Nian, of the past they shared, and the feelings that still lingered beneath the surface. A forbidden connection, one that should have been buried long ago, was resurfacing, and Tianwu couldn't help but wonder if it was already too late to stop it.The knock on the door broke his reverie. He turned to see Yuren standing there, his eyes unreadable."Are you ready?" Yuren asked, his voice low, though there was an unmistakable edge to it—an edge that hinted at something more.Tianwu nodded, swallowing the lump in his throat. "Ready as I'll ever be."---To be continued...---