The next day felt wrong from the moment it started.
Too quiet.
Too normal.
As if the city was waiting for something to happen.
The Decision
"No."
Li Wei said it immediately after Chen Hao brought up the warehouse again.
"We're not all going."
Chen Hao threw his hands up.
"Why do you always say things like you're the boss of a crime movie?"
"Because someone here has to think clearly."
"That's definitely not you right now," Chen Hao muttered.
Lin Meiyu hid a small sigh behind her teacup.
The Plan Changes
After an hour of arguing, they settled on something barely acceptable:
Li Wei and Chen Hao would go inside the warehouse.
Lin Meiyu would stay nearby in the car to watch for movement.
Yulan would stay at the shop.
Absolutely not.
Yulan Refuses
"I'm not staying behind."
Li Wei's expression immediately hardened.
"You are."
"And if I say no?"
"You don't understand how dangerous this is."
Yulan stepped closer.
"And you don't understand how tired I am of hearing that."
Silence.
Sharp.
Li Wei looked like he wanted to argue again—
But stopped himself.
That somehow made the tension worse.
The Quiet Compromise
In the end, Yulan agreed.
Technically.
But Chen Hao noticed the look on his face immediately.
"…Oh, he's definitely going to follow us anyway."
Yulan looked offended.
"I would never."
"You absolutely would."
Li Wei pinched the bridge of his nose tiredly.
"…Why is everyone around me impossible?"
"Because you have terrible luck," Chen Hao answered immediately.
Nightfall
The warehouse sat near the edge of the industrial district.
Old.
Dark.
Half-abandoned.
Rainwater dripped from rusted metal beams as Li Wei and Chen Hao slipped inside quietly.
Everything smelled like dust and oil.
The silence felt unnatural.
Something Is Wrong
Chen Hao whispered:
"…I officially hate this place."
Li Wei scanned the room carefully.
"Stay focused."
A pause.
Then—
Footsteps.
Not theirs.
Li Wei turned sharply.
Too late.
The Ambush
A metal pipe swung toward him from the darkness.
Li Wei blocked it with his arm and drove the attacker backward instantly.
More figures emerged.
Three.
No—
Five.
Chen Hao's eyes widened.
"…Why are there ALWAYS this many people?!"
One man lunged at him—
Chen Hao barely dodged.
"Okay, nope! I hate this! I hate all of this!"
Action Scene – Warehouse Fight
The warehouse exploded into motion.
Li Wei moved fast, striking one attacker hard enough to slam him against stacked crates.
Another grabbed him from behind—
Li Wei twisted sharply and threw him into a metal shelf with a violent crash.
But this time—
The attackers were organized.
Not random street fighters.
Someone trained them.
Outside – Yulan Arrives
Across the street—
Yulan stepped out of a taxi quietly.
He looked toward the warehouse.
Lights inside flickered suddenly.
Then came the sound of something crashing.
His heart dropped instantly.
"…Li Wei."
Without thinking—
He ran inside.
The Trap Closes
Inside the warehouse, Chen Hao was struggling to hold one attacker off while yelling incoherently.
"This is NOT how I wanted to die!"
Li Wei grabbed another man by the collar—
Then froze.
Because someone else had entered the warehouse.
Yulan.
Li Wei's expression changed immediately.
"Yulan?!"
Wrong move.
One attacker took advantage instantly and slammed Li Wei hard into a metal support beam.
The impact echoed brutally through the warehouse.
Yulan's breath caught.
"…Li Wei!"
Everything Falls Apart
The attackers shifted focus immediately after seeing Yulan.
Exactly like before.
Like they had been waiting for this.
One grabbed Yulan's arm hard—
But Yulan fought back instantly this time, shoving him away hard enough to stagger him.
The second attacker moved in—
Then stopped suddenly.
Because Li Wei had him by the throat.
Li Wei Loses Control
Something changed.
Completely.
Li Wei's restraint disappeared.
He slammed the attacker against the wall hard enough to crack the wood behind him.
"Touch him again," Li Wei said quietly, dangerously, "and I'll kill you."
Even Chen Hao froze at that tone.
Because Li Wei meant it.
The Reveal
One of the attackers laughed weakly despite bleeding from the mouth.
"…There it is."
Li Wei's expression darkened.
The man grinned.
"That's exactly what they wanted to see."
Silence.
Cold.
Then Li Wei understood.
This wasn't just an ambush.
It was observation.
A test.
The Enemy Watches
Above them—
Hidden behind the upper metal walkway—
A man quietly lowered a camera.
Photograph taken.
Evidence captured.
Li Wei protecting Yulan.
Violently.
Emotionally.
Personally.
Retreat
Police sirens sounded faintly in the distance.
Lin Meiyu.
She must have called them.
The attackers scattered immediately.
Running into the shadows.
Gone.
Aftermath – Emotional Damage
The warehouse became silent except for harsh breathing.
Yulan rushed toward Li Wei instantly.
"You're bleeding."
"I'm fine."
"You keep saying that!"
Li Wei grabbed his wrist suddenly.
Not harsh.
Desperate.
"…Why did you come here?"
Yulan stared at him.
"…Because I knew you'd go alone."
Li Wei closed his eyes briefly.
Like the answer hurt.
The Breaking Truth
"They used you exactly how I said they would," Li Wei whispered.
Yulan's chest tightened.
"…And they used you too."
That made Li Wei go silent.
Because it was true.
Final Scene – The Photograph
Elsewhere—
The developed photograph slid slowly across a desk.
Li Wei gripping a man by the throat.
Protecting Yulan behind him.
Completely exposed.
Li Wei's uncle looked down at the image calmly.
Then smiled faintly.
"…So that's his weakness."