Zi Ning sat in the back seat of Lu Yichen's car, her mind replaying everything that had happened. The warning message, Jiang Yue's fear, the man who had followed her—it was clear. She had stepped into a very dangerous game.
But if they thought she would run away, they were wrong.
Lu Yichen drove in silence, his grip on the steering wheel tight. The tension in the car was thick, but Zi Ning could feel his anger simmering beneath the surface.
She turned to him. "I know you're mad."
His jaw clenched. "Mad doesn't even begin to cover it."
Zi Ning exhaled. "I had to go. I needed answers."
Lu Yichen's knuckles turned white. "And you almost got yourself killed."
Zi Ning sighed. "I was careful."
He shot her a sharp glance. "Careful? You walked into a trap, Zi Ning. That man was waiting for you. If I had been a minute late, what do you think would have happened?"
Zi Ning fell silent. She knew he was right.
Lu Yichen took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. "I've already asked my men to track Jiang Yue's phone. She's in danger. If she disappears, we lose an important lead."
Zi Ning nodded. "Then we can't let that happen."
They drove back to Lu Yichen's penthouse, and as soon as they arrived, his assistant, Zhou Wei, was waiting for them.
"We found something," Zhou Wei said, handing Lu Yichen a tablet.
Lu Yichen's eyes narrowed as he scanned the information. "The number that sent the warning text to Zi Ning—it's a burner phone. No owner, no trace."
Zi Ning wasn't surprised. Whoever was behind this was smart.
Zhou Wei continued, "As for the man who followed Zi Ning, we checked the surveillance footage. He's a professional. He was careful not to show his face, but he has been seen around the city before—always near important figures."
Zi Ning frowned. "So he's not just a random thug."
Lu Yichen's expression darkened. "No. He's an enforcer. Someone hired to send a message."
Zi Ning felt a chill. "Then that means someone high up is involved."
Lu Yichen looked at her. "That was never in doubt."
Zi Ning clenched her fists. She had spent years fighting to survive in the entertainment industry, dealing with scheming people and backstabbing colleagues. But this… this was something else.
This was organized. Powerful. Dangerous.
And if she wasn't careful, it could destroy her.
But she wasn't the same weak girl from before.
She had come too far to back down now.
The next morning, Zi Ning woke up early, her mind still filled with thoughts about the case.
She needed to see Jiang Yue again.
But before she could leave, Lu Yichen stopped her. "We need to move carefully. If you go to Jiang Yue now, you could be putting both of you in even more danger."
Zi Ning exhaled. She knew he was right.
Lu Yichen continued, "I'll send someone to bring her here. It's safer."
Zi Ning hesitated, then nodded.
A few hours later, Jiang Yue arrived at the penthouse. She looked pale, her eyes darting around nervously.
Zi Ning led her to the living room. "You're safe here."
Jiang Yue swallowed hard. "No one is safe."
Lu Yichen sat down across from her. "Tell us everything."
Jiang Yue hesitated, but then she spoke. "I started looking into Wang Xue's case because something felt off. The way she suddenly disappeared from the industry, the rumors about her being blacklisted—it didn't add up."
Zi Ning listened carefully. "Go on."
Jiang Yue took a shaky breath. "I found out that Wang Xue had a secret recording. A conversation she had with someone powerful. She was planning to expose them."
Zi Ning's eyes widened. "Who?"
Jiang Yue shook her head. "I don't know. But whatever was on that recording, it was enough to make her a target."
Lu Yichen leaned forward. "And now you're a target too."
Jiang Yue nodded. "Last night, someone broke into my apartment. They didn't take anything. But they left a note."
She pulled out a crumpled piece of paper from her pocket and handed it to Zi Ning.
It had one sentence written on it.
Stop digging, or you'll be buried too.
Zi Ning's heart pounded.
This wasn't just a warning. It was a death threat.
Lu Yichen's expression turned cold. "We're dealing with someone who doesn't leave loose ends."
Zi Ning gritted her teeth. "Then we have to find that recording before they do."
Jiang Yue nodded. "I think I know where Wang Xue hid it."
Zi Ning and Lu Yichen exchanged glances.
This was it.
The first real lead.
But it also meant one thing—
The enemy wouldn't let them walk away alive.
That night, Zi Ning and Lu Yichen, along with Jiang Yue, drove to an old apartment building on the outskirts of the city.
Jiang Yue explained, "Wang Xue used to rent a place here under a different name. She didn't tell many people about it. If she hid the recording anywhere, it would be here."
Zi Ning felt a growing sense of urgency. If they found the recording, they might finally uncover the truth.
But as they stepped into the dimly lit hallway, a bad feeling settled in Zi Ning's stomach.
Something wasn't right.
Lu Yichen noticed it too. He pulled Zi Ning closer. "Stay behind me."
Jiang Yue led them to a door at the end of the hall. She pulled out a key with slightly shaking hands and unlocked it.
The door creaked open.
The apartment was dark and silent.
Too silent.
Zi Ning's instincts screamed at her.
Danger.
Just as she opened her mouth to warn the others—
A shadow moved.
Lu Yichen reacted first, shoving Zi Ning behind him just as a masked figure lunged out from the darkness.
A knife glinted in the dim light.
Lu Yichen blocked the attack, twisting the man's wrist. The knife clattered to the floor.
Jiang Yue gasped and stumbled back.
Another attacker appeared from the shadows.
Zi Ning didn't hesitate. She grabbed a metal rod from the floor and swung it with all her strength.
It hit the second man in the arm, making him grunt in pain.
Lu Yichen took down the first attacker with a powerful punch, sending him crashing into the wall.
The second man turned to run, but Zi Ning wasn't letting him go.
She lunged forward, kicking him in the leg, making him fall.
Lu Yichen grabbed him by the collar. "Who sent you?"
The man spat blood and laughed.
Zi Ning's blood ran cold.
This wasn't a normal thug.
This was someone who wasn't afraid to die.
Before they could react, the man reached into his pocket—
Lu Yichen shoved Zi Ning away just as a flashbang went off.
A blinding light filled the room.
Zi Ning covered her ears as a deafening ringing filled her head.
By the time her vision cleared, the attackers were gone.
Lu Yichen's face was stormy. "They were ready for us."
Zi Ning clenched her fists. "But that means we're getting close."
Jiang Yue, still shaken, pointed to a loose tile near the wall. "That's where she hid things."
Zi Ning rushed over and pried it open.
Inside was a small flash drive.
Her heart pounded as she held it up.
This was it.
The truth Wang Xue risked her life for.