The Truth Unveiled
With the name 'Horizon' hanging over his head, Gerard knows he's being hunted by something far more powerful than he anticipated. Meanwhile, Wei Meiying decides to confront Li Xian directly, her curiosity now a dangerous edge. And the true nature of the enemy Gerard is facing is about to come to light.
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13:15 – The New Hideout – Unexpected Visit
The new hideout was a run-down apartment building, the kind of place nobody paid attention to.
Gerard sat hunched over the table, maps and documents spread out before him.
Jian slouched on the couch, his legs propped up on a broken coffee table. "You sure you don't want me to check in with my contacts? 'Horizon' sounds like the kind of thing they'd know about."
Gerard shook his head. "Too risky. Whoever these people are, they've got connections everywhere."
Jian nodded, though his impatience was obvious. "Yeah, but right now, we're chasing our own tails."
Gerard was about to reply when—
A soft knock on the door.
Both men tensed, eyes meeting.
Jian's hand drifted to his pistol.
Gerard's eyes narrowed. "That's not one of our people."
Jian scowled. "Want me to make them disappear?"
Gerard held up a hand. "Let's see what they want first."
He moved to the door, his gun ready. "Who is it?"
A voice came through the door, calm and controlled. "It's Meiying. Let me in."
Gerard's eyes widened.
Jian stared at him. "Well, that's unexpected."
Gerard exhaled sharply, his mind racing.
Letting her in was dangerous.
But turning her away was worse.
He slid the lock, opening the door just enough to see her. "What do you want?"
Meiying's expression was unreadable. "Answers. And I'm not leaving until I get them."
Gerard hesitated. Then—he opened the door.
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13:20 – The Confrontation
Meiying stepped inside, her gaze taking in the disheveled room, the scattered papers, and the cold, calculating presence of Jian.
Her eyes narrowed at the sight of Jian's lazy, predatory grin. "You've made new friends, Xian."
Gerard's voice was colder than ice. "Friends are for the weak. This is business."
Meiying's gaze hardened. "Business? You're living like a rat in a hole. That's not business, that's desperation."
Jian chuckled. "Bold words from a girl who's standing in a lion's den."
Meiying ignored him, her eyes never leaving Gerard. "Whatever happened to you, Xian, you're clearly not the same. And I want to know why."
Gerard's lips curled into a dark smile. "You want the truth?"
She folded her arms. "Yes."
He leaned forward, his eyes glinting with a cold, lethal promise. "The truth is, I woke up to find my entire life torn apart by a scheming bitch and her little snake of a daughter."
Meiying blinked, the mask of composure slipping. "Excuse me?"
Gerard continued, his voice sharper than broken glass. "You think I don't know what you and your mother did? Poisoning Father. Having me committed. Paying those low-life doctors to make sure I never saw daylight again."
Meiying's face paled slightly, but she recovered quickly. "If you think I had anything to do with that—"
Gerard's fist slammed against the table, making her flinch. "Don't insult me with your lies. I have all of Li Xian's memories. Every single one. The loving big brother you knew? He's gone. And I am not here to make peace. I am here to destroy you."
Meiying's eyes narrowed, anger and fear warring on her face. "So, what now? You brought me here to kill me?"
Gerard's smile was a twisted thing. "Kill you? Not yet. Not when you're so much more useful to me alive."
Her brows furrowed. "Useful? For what?"
He leaned back, his demeanor once again calm but predatory. "For making your mother suffer. And to make sure you get everything you deserve when I finally tear your world apart."
Jian's grin was pure enjoyment. "I like this side of you. Real nasty."
Meiying's face went blank. "You really think I'm going to just let you manipulate me?"
Gerard's eyes gleamed with sadistic amusement. "You don't have a choice. I know you're tired of living under your mother's thumb. That desire for independence you've always craved? I can give it to you. Or I can take everything from you and leave you with nothing."
Meiying's jaw clenched. "You want me to betray her."
"Betray her?" Gerard let out a harsh laugh. "Oh, it's much worse than that. I want you to help me ruin her. Publicly. Painfully. And I want her to know you were the one who made it all possible."
The silence that followed was thick, suffocating.
For the first time, Meiying looked truly afraid. But underneath the fear was something else.
Curiosity. Temptation. And maybe even a hint of admiration.
But Gerard didn't care about that.
To him, she was just another piece on the board.
A piece he would break when the time was right.
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[Ding! Mission Progress: Truth or Deception]
- Wei Meiying acknowledges the truth of Gerard's identity.
- She now knows she is being manipulated but understands she has no choice but to play along.
- New Objective Unlocked: Use Meiying to destroy Madam Wei's empire from within.
- Reward: $500,000 + New System Ability: Ruthless Intimidation (Intimidation and coercion are significantly more effective, even against powerful opponents).
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