THEIR WORTH...

The cool air in the office brushed against Yibo's skin, making him even more aware of the presence and authority of Shan Tunan, the man seated across from him behind an enormous desk. The office itself was grand, expansive, and tastefully decorated, but none of it held as much weight as the commanding presence of its owner.

Shan Tunan was an older man, dignified and imposing, with an aura that naturally commanded respect. His skin was strikingly pale, especially on his hands, but his face was slightly darker in comparison. A prominent burn scar stretched across one side of his face, subtly altering his appearance when viewed from certain angles.

Unlike a typical executive's desk, there were no stacks of paperwork, computers, or files in sight. Instead, it was covered with an assortment of food—plates of various dishes, sealed containers, and even an array of bottled beverages.

Today, Shan Tunan had declared that no work would be done in his office. He had arranged a feast for everyone, celebrating Yibo's arrival. From the moment Yibo stepped inside, he had been taken aback by the warm reception. Every staff member had greeted him with beaming smiles, as if he were someone they had known for years. After that, he had been escorted straight to Shan Tunan's office, where the older man himself had risen from his chair and embraced him.

"Welcome, Yibo," Shan Tunan had said with genuine warmth. "I am grateful to have lived to see this day before my time comes."

After that, Shan Tunan had refused to even exchange pleasantries, instead giving orders left and right about the food that should be served. Now, the feast was laid out before them, yet Yibo couldn't imagine even ten people finishing it all, let alone just the two of them.

What Shan Tunan didn't know, however, was that Yibo wasn't thinking about food at all. He hadn't eaten or drunk anything since that morning.

His mind had been a whirlwind of thoughts ever since sunrise. Nothing had unfolded the way he had imagined. Today was unlike any other day in his life. Two monumental events had occurred—his long-awaited meeting with Shan Tunan, the man he hoped could provide the answers he sought, and the first, more personal event that had taken place earlier that morning.

Today, he had married Zhan.

The ceremony had taken place in a small temple near the house where Shan Tunan had arranged for them to stay. The night before, Yibo had met with the temple's head monk, explaining the story he had carefully crafted about himself and Zhan. His words had deeply moved the monk. When they arrived at the temple that morning, the monk had spoken with Zhan, ensuring his consent before proceeding. Satisfied with the response, he had agreed to officiate the wedding.

After the morning prayers, the monk had asked those present to bear witness to the ceremony. And just like that, it was done.

Even now, Yibo wasn't entirely sure what he felt about it.

The night before, he had acted with conviction, moving forward with his plans without hesitation. But the moment they stepped into the temple that morning, something inside him had shifted. His body had felt different, his senses heightened, his mind suddenly acutely aware of the significance of the moment.

There hadn't been a single familiar face in that temple. Not one person he knew had been there to witness his marriage. Yet fate had ensured that those strangers would be the ones to stand as witnesses to this turning point in his life.

And when the ceremony ended, something strange had stirred in his veins.

Guang's words echoed in his mind—Marriage is not something to be taken lightly.

He had brushed off that sentiment before, refusing to dwell on it. But now, as the weight of it settled inside him, he found himself unable to ignore it.

Yibo remained seated long after everyone had left the temple. Eventually, the monk approached him and Zhan, offering a few words of wisdom and sharing his observations from their brief time together. The monk sat with them, delivering yet another lecture—a lesson Yibo actually listened to this time. He took in every word, and as he did, he realized how vastly different the monk's perspective was from what he and Zhan had originally planned for their marriage.

From the start, Yibo had viewed this marriage as a temporary arrangement...something that would serve its purpose for a while before dissolving when the time was right. But Zhan had drawn his own boundaries, setting conditions that pushed the idea even further away from anything resembling a real marriage.

Yibo could still recall how Zhan had intertwined his fingers, his touch firm but deliberate, as he stated his terms.

"We'll go through with the marriage as you said," Zhan had told him, his voice calm and unwavering. "But after the vows, nothing changes between us. Nothing at all."

His words had been simple, yet they had left Yibo momentarily speechless. It had taken him a full minute to process what Zhan truly meant—there would be no intimacy, no connection beyond the legal framework of marriage.

But what puzzled Yibo the most was why Zhan had even thought of such a condition in the first place. What had made him feel the need to say that so early on? Because if Yibo was being honest with himself, he had never once considered that aspect of their arrangement. His decision to marry had always been about protection—giving Zhan a shield to help him navigate his current situation more easily. He had never thought about what it would mean beyond that.

When Yibo had remained silent, merely watching him, Zhan had looked up again, meeting his gaze directly.

"I need you to understand me," Zhan had continued. "I know this marriage will make things easier, and I do want to return home as you promised. But I don't want my life to change any more than it already has. I don't want to carry anything from this experience that will leave a lasting mark. I just want to go back and live as I always have."

The words had caught Yibo off guard. He had always viewed Zhan as young and naïve, someone who didn't fully understand the complexities of the world. But this—this was different. There was a depth to Zhan that Yibo hadn't accounted for.

For a long moment, Yibo had simply stared at him, those sharp, piercing eyes that looks exactly like his sister Liu, making him feel exposed. Then, clearing his throat, he had reached up to rub the bridge of his nose before replying.

"Don't worry, Zhan. I agreed to this marriage to make things easier for you, not to complicate them. I have no intention of making things worse. So set your mind at ease—I won't do anything to hurt you."

In Zhan's eyes, Yibo had seen something shift—relief, perhaps. And yet, even as they sat there, listening to the monk's words, Yibo could feel that peace unraveling again. The moment the monk finished speaking, something in Zhan's expression changed. The calm Yibo had seen the night before was slipping away, replaced by something heavier.

That was why, when morning came, Yibo had left without looking for him. He had simply gotten ready and walked out the door.

And yet, here he was now, feeling his heart pull him back toward the house.

How many times had he already driven past, considering going in to check on Zhan? Even with his anticipation of finally meeting Shan Tunan, his mind kept circling back.

"You've done well, Yibo," Shan Tunan's voice suddenly broke through his thoughts, pulling him back to the present.

"You've managed to keep your whereabouts hidden all this time. That's not an easy thing to do—especially in today's world."

Yibo blinked, realizing that the last of the staff had finished serving the food. He forced himself to focus on the conversation at hand, but in the back of his mind, the thought remained.

Zhan.

Was he all right?

Yibo adjusted his position on the plush chair, running a hand over his nose before shaking his head.

"I'm still not sure about that, sir. After all, you were able to trace me."

Shan Tunan smiled, the expression deepening the amusement on his face as he shook his head.

"Don't start, Yibo. Don't call me 'sir' or anything like that. I'm not your boss. In fact, with everything in your mind that we don't even know, we should be calling you our boss instead."

Without meaning to, Yibo let out a faint smile—the first in a long time.

"So, everyone here calls me 'Brother,' but that's just a title. A form of address. If you prefer, you can simply call me Shan Tunan."

Yibo smiled again, this time a little more genuinely, but remained silent.

"Don't confuse my search for you with theirs, Yibo. I've been following you for four years now—it didn't start just yesterday."

Yibo adjusted his position again, sensing that the conversation was moving in a direction he wanted.

"And in all those years, I'm sure you could have found me anytime you wanted. So why now?"

"Because only now does finding you truly matter. Only now will you willingly accept me, even seek me out—just like what's happening right now."

Yibo remained silent, watching him carefully, trying to decipher the meaning behind his words.

"In the past, even if I had reached out, you wouldn't have come, Yibo. You were too dedicated to your work, too loyal in a way I had no power to break. So I waited, tracking you until that loyalty broke on its own. I knew it would happen—I knew the moment A-Lee handed me your file with all your details.

Your story and mine, Yibo, are almost identical. I don't need to tell you who I am—your agency has already given you all the necessary information about me. The relentless work I did, the sacrifices I made, and the reputation I built to ensure my name would never be forgotten.

But what they didn't tell you is what happened after they handed me my termination letter—just like they did to you."

Yibo's eyes flickered with surprise, though it wasn't just shock—it was also a flood of unspoken questions. He didn't need to ask; Shan Tunan continued speaking as if he already knew them.

"In my final year at the agency, I was assigned an extremely dangerous mission in Shanghai. Not just anyone could take on this case, which is why they chose me—they were convinced I was the only one capable of handling it.

The mission was to investigate a high-ranking government official suspected of embezzling massive amounts of public funds—sums so large that no one could even estimate them. But before we could move in, we needed undeniable proof. That's how I ended up infiltrating his home, posing as an electrician sent to repair a deliberate power outage.

I completed both objectives within two days. The first was repairing the electricity, and the second was gathering the evidence I was sent for. But what I uncovered was far beyond our expectations.

The man wasn't just embezzling money—he was a notorious mafia leader who laundered his wealth using human blood and body parts.

And above him? He had a superior—a man who, at the time, was the president's chief advisor.

Escaping that house was a miracle, Yibo. You know better than anyone that in our line of work, nothing is ever without risk. But even after I made it back and delivered all the intel to the agency, they took everything from me and ordered me never to speak of it again. In fact, they wanted me to act as if nothing had ever happened—to bury the truth entirely.

Not because they were protecting me. But because even they knew it was beyond their power.

At the time, I still believed in my work, in my duty to uphold justice. I couldn't accept turning a blind eye when thousands of innocent people were suffering. So, without hesitation, I went to the media.

I took the evidence straight to the most powerful radio station and newspaper in the country. I didn't name names, but I made sure the world knew that high-ranking politicians were behind the atrocities.

And that," Shan Tunan said, leaning back with a knowing gaze, "was the day everything changed."

So, the journalists and the public started searching for me everywhere. At the same time, chaos erupted within our organization, eventually leading to the dismissal of the leader in charge at the time.

During all of this, I thought that the termination letter I had received was the final punishment they would give me… but I was wrong. A week after my dismissal, the true horror that had been following me struck.

On a Tuesday at midnight, men from my former organization—men whose identities were beyond question—broke into my home with a mission: to kill me. Right before my eyes, they slaughtered my wife and two children, then tied me up in front of their lifeless bodies before setting the house on fire, making it look like an accidental blaze.

By some miracle, I managed to free myself before the flames consumed everything. But I couldn't save them. I barely made it out alive. By the time the neighbors could intervene, my home and everything in it had already burned to the ground. Later, only the charred remains of my wife were found in the ruins. Because of that, the world believed that I, too, had perished in the fire along with my children.

From that moment on, Shan Tunan was dead in the eyes of the world. People whispered about the fire, claiming it was no accident—that it was a deliberate act to silence me and my family. But words were just words. No one dared to take action, no one investigated, and as time passed, so did the interest in what had happened.

That was when I realized that in this world, you can only rely on yourself. No one else will save you, especially not in a world like ours.

I suffered greatly after that, Yibo. My life was empty, everything came to a halt, and I had to start over from nothing. I won't waste your time with every painful detail, but I went through things no one should ever endure before I managed to rebuild my life.

I changed my name from Shan Tunan to Kang Ming and ventured into business. Fate was kind to me in that regard—I found success and built a new life. I remarried and had more children. Five years ago, I opened this place—a secret sanctuary for people like me, for those who needed to disappear. Here, I operate under my old name, Shan Tunan, not Kang Ming. And from here, I've been quietly gathering information, searching for a way to take revenge on those who destroyed my past life.

The people you see working here aren't just employees; they are my eyes and ears. They dig deep, track movements, and uncover secrets—everything I need to find those responsible for my suffering. And that search, Yibo, is what led me to you.

Ever since you started gaining recognition and awards in this field, I knew history would repeat itself with you. I saw the same patterns, the same threats I once faced. And I was right. It didn't even take as long as I expected for them to come after you.

They tried to do to you what they did to me. The only difference is that you are not an easy target. You have no weaknesses they can exploit, which is why they're determined to eliminate you completely.

Now, you and I share the same story, Yibo. And because of that, our purpose must also be the same. That is why I sought you out—to join forces. To fight against those who shattered our lives in every way possible by taking away our families."

His voice faltered at that moment as he fixed his gaze on Yibo, analyzing him with every ounce of focus his mind could muster. Then, he continued.

"There's something I didn't tell you, Yibo… All those powerful figures you see in this country, nearly all of them operate under the confidence of one man. This single man controls a vast network of operatives—people who are masters of every dark craft imaginable and who act solely on his command. Every crime, every scandal, every orchestrated disaster… it all traces back to him.

Yibo, every assassination, every kidnapping, every explosion, every illegal arms trade you've heard of—it all happens at the word of this one man. He gives the orders, and his people execute them.

If he were removed from the equation, I assure you, dismantling the entire corrupt system of these so-called elites would be far easier."

Yibo nodded, keeping his gaze fixed on Shan Tunan. Not a single word the man had spoken had escaped him. Yet, one thing unsettled him—when Shan Tunan mentioned seeking his alliance for revenge against those who had destroyed their lives by killing their families.

It became clear that Shan Tunan knew his story from beginning to end. It was no longer surprising that he was aware of his mother and sister's deaths. But what puzzled Yibo was the connection between his parents' murder and everything Shan Tunan had just revealed. Was it all linked? Or was this just about his profession?

As if sensing his thoughts, Shan Tunan reached into the drawer of his desk, pulling out a white envelope. He slid it across the table, pushing it past the scattered remnants of their meal.

"Open it and look at the photo inside, Yibo. This man is the pillar of the elites I told you about… and he is the reason we lost our families."

Without hesitation, Yibo tore open the envelope. Inside, there were three photographs—each showing the same man.

PING!

:-*:-*:-*:-*:-*

In Beijing, inside the office of Chief Inspector, a heavy file was placed on the desk as Shi Lei finished reading through it. The report, compiled by forensic specialists, confirmed that his son, Peng, had died of cardiac arrest—not from the injuries he had sustained.

"How many copies of this file exist?" he asked, his voice low and measured.

The officer standing before him folded his hands on the desk and answered, "Only one, sir. This is the complete and only record."

Shi Lei nodded slowly. "Then I want it to disappear. Burn it completely, and make sure there's no trace left behind… After that, continue the investigation from where it was left off."

"You'll receive an important message later tonight."

A slow, knowing grin spread across the officer's face as he reached for the file. "Understood, sir. Consider it done."

Shi Lei smirked in return, slipping his hand into his jacket pocket. He pulled out a single photograph and placed it beside the file.

"And this… is my wife."

Zhanxianyibo💚❤️💛