Min Gui Wen's PoV


How can so much change in such little time?

I was no stranger to change. Being married to Prince was synonymous with constant flux, never knowing what exactly the next day would bring. Our children were no different, both Lan Lan and Feng Wen always teaching me something new in whatever they got themselves into.

This was so much more different, though.

Alone in the makeshift war room of Long Industries' Headquarters, I sat at a desk full of computer monitors. Each screen held a different clue to the chaos unfolding in every direction far away from me. One flashed warnings of my home's break-in, a reminder of our failure to protect the Jun family. Another displayed the picture of a 15-year-old Hong Peng, the tattoo of the Huang Taizi fresh on his skin. Of all of them though, only one held importance to me now— the party member locator.

It was supposed to be a simple rescue mission. We thought we had covered all the possibilities. I thought I had figured out every plausible situation. How could I be such a fool? How could I underestimate what Lei Qiang was capable of? Now...

The sensors for the system were located in the helmet of each individual that went to that damned villa, allowing me to see their global position in real-time. Originally I thought it would be a source of comfort, being able to see where my family was on the map. Instead, the motionless dots that represented my wife and son within the mansion only brought me dread. Still, I continued to stare hopelessly, it being the only link to them since Lei Qiang's attack.

The ring of my cell phone jarred me out of my trance, quickly grabbing it off the desk and answering it. "Hello!?"

"Dad!" My daughter's voice cried, "Get to the hospital! It's Mom and Feng Wen!"


The ten-minute journey from Long Industries to XX City Hospital felt like an eternity. I ran through the doors of the ER entrance as they opened, unfortunately have become enough of a regular that the secretary let me through without a word. I rushed to Room 3/4, a shared trauma room that separated the two beds with only a curtain. In one bed laid my wife, weak but awake as she clung to an oxygen mask with one hand and her ribs with the other.

"Xiao Lan!" I cried, struggling to hold back my tears from seeing her alive. I quickly kneeled beside her and began to stroke her hair, when I immediately noticed how short it had become. "What happened to your hair?" I asked in bewilderment.

She let out a small laugh, that turned into a harsh cough, "Stupid Gui," She said playfully, "I'm lying in a hospital bed and the first thing you ask is if I had a haircut!"

Relief with a tinge of embarrassment washed over me, "We all know His Majesty— "

"WHERE IS THAT BASTARD HONG PENG!?" The voice of my son roared from the other side of the blue curtain, "I'LL KILL THAT PIECE OF SHIT IF IT'S THE LAST THING I DO!"

"Young man, please!" A woman begged from behind the curtain, "If you do not cooperate we wil— "

"I WANT HIM DEAD!" He howled, the anguish paining my heart.

"Put him in restraints!" Another woman shouted over his screams for vengeance, "He's going to hurt himself or someone else at this rate!"

"Gui..." Xiao Lan voice cracked. I turned back to my wife, her eyes misty, "I'll be okay. Go be with our son— he needs someone more than ever, now."

I swallowed the lump in my throat and nodded. I gave her a brief kiss on the head before I stood up, admittedly fearful of the state Feng Wen was in. What is it that Arctic Fox once said? The only thing more dangerous than a wild beast is an injured one?

I timidly pulled back the curtain, willing myself to be strong no matter what the scene that would lay before me. It took my everything not to sob at the sight of my beloved child, each limb shackled in soft restraints to the bed rails. He continued to jerk his arms and legs, though not with his usual strength. He locked eyes with me, his expression feral, "Where is he!?" he demanded of me, "Tell me where he is, damn it!"

"Hong Peng isn't here, Feng Wen," I said gently, cautiously walking over and sitting down next to him on the edge of the bed. "No one knows where he is, either."

"Then I'll find him, and rid the world of that fucking—! "

"Feng Wen!" I cut him off, "Listen to yourself! How are you any better than Lei Qiang right now, demanding death and vengeance on someone you love?"

Feng Wen remained silent, returning only a vacant stare. I waited to see if he would say anything, as I also thought about the other boy, if I'm honest with myself, I don't really know how to feel about Hong Peng now either. In such a short amount of time, he's made such an impact on my family. Especially Feng Wen... I looked away from my son's face, and down at his restrained hands. Even though I was likely not supposed to, I undid one of the restraints and grasped Feng Wen's hand. Whatever Hong Peng's real motives are, I do believe that the friendship he had with Feng Wen was real. Now Feng Wen has lost him.

I lifted my head to Feng Wen again, "It's okay to cry, Feng Wen. You've lost so much today."

His hand began to tremble at my words, followed by tears slowly streaming down his cheeks. He clenched his teeth and bowed his head, "Why did it have to be Hong Peng, Dad?" He asked, his voice broken and defeated. I felt my own tears welling up as I pulled him close. "It could have been anyone, why did it have to be him?"


Later that night, I quietly slipped out of the room that my wife and son were admitted into for overnight observation. Both were exhausted from the events of the past 18 hours, and I was able to sneak out to my secret rendezvous. I'd rather not leave them, feeling a little guilty, but I need to know what exactly has happened since yesterday afternoon.

After a trip down the elevator and the main hallway of the hospital, I made it to the cafeteria. I grabbed a cup of coffee to help me focus, barely noting the flustered expression of the young cashier. It did not take me long in the vacant cafeteria to find the somber-looking group at a large table, consisting of Arctic Fox, my daughter, and in-laws. Everyone's spirits, except for Fox, looked like they had been beaten and dragged through the mud.

Seeing Lan Lan's bloodshot eyes only made my anxiety worse, "What..." I started, unsure how to start the conversation. Happened? Went wrong? "What... Do we do now?" I finished.

The group was quiet, their eyes either fixated on their beverage or the table. A few looked amongst each other, mainly towards Lolidragon or Arctic Fox. Lolidragon was the first to speak, "I don't know."

Yang Ming scoffed, "What can we do!? Our house has been partly obliterated by the yazi Lei Qiang sent to kidnap his ex-wife and youngest kid! We found out that my nephew has unknowingly been getting cozy with the most powerful triad heir in Southeast Asia! And if it couldn't get much worse...!" Yang Ming trailed off, his emotions catching him off-guard.

Whatever Yang Ming was going to say, the gravity was felt by the rest of the group. Lolidragon stifled a sob, and Lan Lan put her face in her hands. "What happened, Yang Ming?" I reluctantly asked. Wicked was the one to answer.

"Nan Gong Zui is dead."

No.

I felt my jaw move, but no words left my mouth. I willed myself to think, but my mind unable. I tried to feel something, but all was numb. The whole cafeteria seemed to become so surreal as Wicked's words began to truly sink in. The table remained silent as I now joined them in their absent gaze.

Am I at fault? A rogue thought breaking through the mental static, did I kill Nan Gong Zui? The idea made me physically sick. Old memories of unfounded jealousy and spite towards Nan Gong Zui involving Prince crept up, the disgust I had towards myself worsening my nausea. How could I even think like that about such a loyal friend? What would Xiao Lan think of you if she knew the extent of your churlish mindset back then? The thought of my wife only made me want to be with her, to want her strength. Are you at fault for her being hospitalized, too? And Feng Wen? I started to feel lightheaded, they could have suffered the same fate as Nan Gong Zui...

"Do you think this is how Nan Gong Zui wants to be remembered?" Xiao Lan's voice from afar breaking the silence. Shocked, I spun my head around, seeing my beloved being pushed in a wheelchair by an aide. Xiao Lan thanked the young lady as she parked the wheelchair at the table before continuing, "By giving up hope and blaming ourselves for his death?" The last part of her question obviously directed towards me.

"Xiao Lan..." I said weakly.

Though she still looked tired, her eyes held the same fire that had enraptured me so many years ago, "What? You thought you could slip out without me noticing, dearest husband?" A sly smirk appeared on her lips, "I've been a parent long enough to know when someone is sneaking around." Lan Lan cheeks flushed a soft pink at her mother's words, drawing a small smile out of me. Moms always knows, right?

Yang Ming was the first to properly reply, albeit sour, "You can't give up hope if there isn't any to begin with."

Xiao Lan looked dubious, "If there is one thing I have learned, there is always hope. I have moments when my heart falters on that knowledge, but it has yet to be proven untrue."

"Then what hope do you see, Xiao Lan?" Wicked asked.

Xiao Lan did not speak immediately, instead silently studying the faces present at the table. Her gaze paused a moment longer on me, her eyes telling me that she knew the absurdity of her words, "Hong Peng."

"You're a fool." Arctic Fox said coolly, "If you knew what I did, you would have let me taken care of him in that villa."

Xiao Lan's eyes narrowed, "And what do you know, Fox? Don't think I didn't hear what you said to Hong Peng, you've known who he was since you first saw him." Are you kidding!? I was in total disbelief, as was the rest of the group. Anger started to swell in my chest, he's known Hong Peng's ties to the Lei Qiang for months, yet has kept it hidden from—

Slap!

There was a collective gasp, and a red imprint of Lolidragon's handprint immediately emerged on Arctic Fox's face. "That was for Nan Gong Zui." Lolidragon's voice trembled vehemently, "I don't care if you're some great assassin in some powerful triad. If there's one thing I have learned, it's that secrets kill." Her bottom lip began to quiver, "Because secrets are what killed Long Dian-biǎogē."

Arctic Fox let out a sigh and began to rub his new welt, "Even though I was near certain he was Lei Qiang's son, I had very little proof to base it on." He began, "An accusation such as that is not one to make lightly, especially on an 18-year-old boy. If I had turned out to be wrong, an innocent life could have been unjustly taken."

Even though Arctic Fox's explanation didn't quell my emotions, his reasoning was sound enough to satisfy me. "At this point," I started, trying to draw attention back to more immediate matters, "we need to regroup, to figure out what exactly Lei Qiang's long-term goal is and what role Hong Peng plays in it." I turned to my wife, "While I don't fully understand why your faith in Hong Peng, I understand enough to support you in it, my beloved."

"You've got me too, Mom!" Lan Lan exclaimed.

"Make that three." Wicked said with a smile.

Arctic Fox let out another sigh, "Whatever you say."

"I guess if Fox is in, I am too..." Yang Ming said reluctantly.

Lolidragon let out a small laugh, "Leave it to Prince to rally the troops!"

Xiao Lan flashed a grin, "I knew I could count on you guys! Yet..." Her lips receded to a somber smile, "I think the one who needs to have hope the most, will be the hardest to convince."