The isolated clearing behind Royal Crest was thick with silence, like a storm on the verge of breaking. The dim evening sun painted long shadows across the ground, stretching the tension even further as if time itself had slowed.
Qin Lei's silver eyes remained locked onto Qiao Ling, his expression unreadable. His gaze wasn't hostile—but it wasn't forgiving either. It was a slow, piercing kind of scrutiny, the kind that made people unravel just by existing under it.
Qiao Ling's breath came in short, uneven bursts. The cool evening air should have soothed her overheated skin, but she felt nothing except the crushing weight of her own fear.
For thirty unbearable seconds, no one moved.
For thirty suffocating seconds, the only sounds were the distant chirping of birds and the erratic rhythm of her breathing.
Then—
Qin Lei shifted his gaze away.
A breath should have escaped her lungs. Relief should have followed. But it didn't.
Because his silence was worse than his stare.
Now she didn't know what he was thinking.
Was this over? Had she convinced them?
Or was the worst yet to come?
Then, breaking the quiet—
"What's going on here?"
The voice was light, curious, almost playful—but for some reason, it sent a fresh wave of dread rolling down Qiao Ling's spine.
Lin Yuxi had finally spoken.
She stood at the edge of the scene, her expression carefully composed—wide eyes blinking in confusion, lips slightly parted in innocent curiosity.
Anyone else would have believed her act.
But Qiao Ling saw it.
The subtle calculation in her gaze. The way she was already reading the entire situation before even asking a question.
A predator in the skin of a lamb. She was too familiar with this kind.
Qiao Ling's stomach twisted violently. This was bad.
Yuxi inwardly assessed everything.
She had thought, at first, that Qin Lei was somehow involved in this entire mess. But now, the situation was different than expected.
If Qin Lei had something to hide, he wouldn't be interrogating Qiao Ling—he would be silencing her.
No. He wasn't behind this.
Which raised an entirely new question.
Why was Qin Lei interested in this case?
She didn't let her real thoughts show. Instead, she played her part, tilting her head slightly.
"I was looking for Ruoyan when I heard voices," she said lightly, blinking as if she were struggling to make sense of the situation. "Thought she might be here."
Jiang Cheng snorted, crossing his arms.
"You sure have great timing, Lin Yuxi. Showing up just when things were getting fun."
Lu Bei smirked, leaning lazily against a tree.
"Or maybe fate brought her here," he mused. "A damsel appearing in the middle of a confrontation—very dramatic."
Qin Lei remained silent, his gaze sharp as ever.
But the tension in the air loosened slightly.
Meanwhile, Qiao Ling kept sneaking desperate glances at Yuxi, her eyes practically screaming for help.
"Say something."
"Get me out of this."
But she knew better, Yuxi was not here to help.
But Yuxi simply tilted her head, as if she didn't understand.
She let the silence stretch.
And then—
"Do you really not know?"
Qin Lei's voice was calm. Too calm. There was no accusation in it, no frustration—just a simple, piercing question.
Yuxi met his gaze, feigning confusion. "Know what?" Her voice was light, playful even.
Qin Lei studied her, searching for any cracks in her expression.
She gave him none.
Jiang Cheng exhaled through his nose, shaking his head.
"Alright, let's make this simple. Qiao Ling here—" he gestured toward the trembling girl "—was the one who stole the file."
The words hit like a gunshot.
Qiao Ling visibly flinched, her breath catching.
Yuxi remained still.
So. It was her.
But why frame her?
Before she could think further, Qiao Ling panicked.
"I-I didn't mean to—! It wasn't supposed to—! I swear, I didn't mean to get anyone in trouble!"
Her words spilled out in a frantic mess, her hands trembling violently trying to justify her actions but this didn't seem to help her.
Yuxi stepped forward.
Her movements were slow and deliberate as she placed a gentle hand on Qiao Ling's shoulder.
The effect was instant. The girl's wild breathing slowed, and the tension in her limbs eased, if only slightly. Her heartbeat, erratic just moments ago, became more even, as if in a trance.
Qin Lei's sharp gaze flickered.
He had noticed.
Yuxi ignored him.
Her fingers pressed ever-so-slightly into Qiao Ling's shoulder.
"Calm down," she murmured. "It's okay."
Her brown eyes locked onto Qiao Ling's.
And just like that, she was inside her head.
The girl stopped shaking.
She swallowed hard, blinking up at Yuxi like a lost child.
"I… I didn't mean to involve you… I was just told to…"
Yuxi's thoughts sharpened.
Told to? As expected.
Qin Lei's voice cut through the moment like a blade.
"Who asked you to do this?"
Qiao Ling flinched violently.
Her lips trembled.
"I-It was me! I did it on my own!" she blurted, shaking her head furiously. "No one asked me to! I swear!"
Yuxi immediately knew she was lying. Not just because of her voice, but because of her fear.
She wasn't afraid of getting caught.
She was afraid of someone else.
Yuxi kept her tone soft, coaxing.
"It's okay… If someone forced you, you can tell me."
Qiao Ling bit her lip, her entire body trembling.
"You don't understand," she whispered. "They—They will—"
Yuxi didn't let her finish.
"If someone else was behind this, telling me won't make it worse. Keeping it a secret, however…" she leaned in, her voice lowering just a fraction, "that might."
Qiao Ling's pupils dilated.
Her knees buckled.
She was breaking.
And then—
She collapsed to her knees.
Her breath came in short gasps. Her fingers dug into the dirt.
"They…" she shuddered, voice barely above a whisper.
"They will kill me."
Silence.
Lu Bei let out a low whistle. "Damn, that's dramatic."
Jiang Cheng elbowed him. "Shut up, idiot."
Yuxi crouched beside Qiao Ling, her voice steady.
"Who?"
Qiao Ling's wild, frantic gaze darted around the clearing, as if she expected someone to be watching.
And finally—
"The twins," Qiao Ling whispered.
The words left her lips like a curse, trembling and barely audible, yet somehow they felt deafening in the heavy silence.
A chill rippled through the air, unseen but unmistakable.
Qin Lei's face remained unreadable, his silver eyes steady and devoid of emotion. But something in his posture shifted—so subtly that most wouldn't notice.
Jiang Cheng, usually laid-back and full of mischief, tensed. His smirk was gone.
Lu Bei, who had been half-amused just moments ago, suddenly looked entirely alert. The humor drained from his face, replaced by something sharper, something colder.
Lin Yuxi, on the surface, didn't react.
Her posture remained relaxed, her features untouched by shock or fear.
But inside—
Her mind snapped into focus like a blade being unsheathed.
"The twins."
Who the hell were they?
She had never heard the name before. No whispers in Royal Crest until now.
And yet—
Qiao Ling's terror told her everything she needed to know.
Whoever these twins were, they were dangerous.
Not just to Qiao Ling.
But maybe—to her as well.