Blazing Armor

Ren Yi rushed to the monitoring room, where, in addition to the security guards, there were also Sun Zhiyi, Liu Hui, venue staff, and Zhang Zhong, the captain leading the police force on duty.fFgemztcjQsfkhqeMZxuRZzvMCYQcS

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“What happened?” Ren Yi had done his best to adjust his mood on the way. Sun Zhiyi might usually like to joke around—actually, they all did—but when it came to serious matters, he was always meticulous. Ren Yi could already sense the gravity of the situation from Sun Zhiyi’s tone.pTWtIxCFxjmPkMZNAqelLDsSeYrpzx

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Sun Zhiyi pointed at the monitor screen. “Play it again.”rwCavmnYnuPgbjhKEzupflmbqhjSik

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The security guard clicked on a pop-up window and explained, “I was just on duty, and suddenly all the screens went black, then this video popped up.”mfBEjPduEpsMJPrhzsgTaEgukmQKjZ

LbfCfXbffLQeHXY

The pop-up window was completely dark at first, and after a few seconds, a grotesque, smiling bird mask appeared on the screen out of nowhere!JhwDOfOIOdRCaeQvtSWcBqQlhAppqo

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Ren Yi’s heart skipped a beat—could this mask be…?TvMGFvObEqcsmdSwGpYaPFwQDBRlUD

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The camera slowly zoomed out, expanding the view. The man wearing the bird mask was dressed in a black robe, sitting barefoot in a chair. In the camera’s view, apart from the man and the chair, there was only empty darkness.HFzIXpCnbTldDblnVhVHXXbIgZPVui

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The image was incredibly eerie.hmDZfslFhrswLxGLPoFWUlCROCVCee

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“Dr. Gong, Captain Ren, hello.” The man spoke, his voice distorted, making it sound even more sinister and terrifying.PCHmVRgStYRTBboNoAhigndEsnkHDW

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Ren Yi felt his skin crawl just from looking at the screen.riaquuQLbGfZWnuylwaYRzUmTpuwrj

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“I think you can guess who I am, but out of courtesy, let me introduce myself,” the man said. “My name is Purple Flame. I am the humble messenger and devout follower closest to the God of Light.”KNuxgVnDbsiXaZrZGskiVFzDwXIvgC

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Purple Flame!rTtYiVTEXoPURXRnHQBJWZwMdFSdnA

bttGNfhDMzZIdrI

“All the unpleasant experiences that happened before, I deeply regret. In truth, we are all doing the same thing—we are all trying to save others, just using different methods. You might say we are evil, or criminals, but that’s a narrow view. You also sacrifice others to save lives, like Hongyan.” The man’s tone turned admiring. “Hongyan proved his loyalty and courage. He will forever be remembered by his brothers and sisters.”dLdHZggnjtbpLIfTbeNtPJfDEmVCxt

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Ren Yi clenched his fists tightly.qaKBqvABHOFJaDxIIRNklyxZEbJNuu

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“Have you ever considered whether fire descending from the heavens is a reward or a punishment for humanity? Fire brought mankind into the agricultural age, igniting the dawn of civilization, but it has also claimed countless lives, erasing the traces of that very civilization. In Greek mythology, Prometheus stole fire and brought it to the world. Unfortunately, humanity misinterpreted his intention—he wasn’t a savior, just a missionary. Fire represents the will of the gods. It has no concept of good or evil, right or wrong. Like thunder, sunlight, the breeze, and rain, everything that comes from the gods lacks intent, at least not in the sentimental way humans perceive it. They simply treat every plant, every person, every object in the world impartially. Thus, water nourishes farmland but also floods villages. Fire scorches the plains but enriches the soil, and when the spring wind blows, life is renewed. All things reincarnate, the cycle of life continues endlessly.”AVeGofzprzyjNDGzyAwXwZyEscqCMF

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Everyone in the room was frozen in stunned silence.qOACUByeFEVQJEFtaszlrlIxvjOzsk

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The man’s voice grew even more hypnotic as he continued, “The gods do not descend upon the world; fire descends in their place, representing their will. Therefore, reward and punishment, prosperity and decline, life and death—all follow the divine order. Those who are enlightened by the gods will use fire in different ways to convey their will. Housewives use fire to cook food, hunters use fire to stay warm, rulers use fire to wage war and conquer, and scientists use fire to advance progress. And you, Captain Ren,” the man suddenly pointed at the camera.WxaMXOmHhiNpsMITmlQgXhHnUVBslu

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Ren Yi stiffened, staring at the screen.HpeAnECZyBeIoBmoCjPzimfkfKWIKz

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“You outwit fire, rescuing people and objects trapped within its flames. And you, Dr. Gong, you watched your own family perish in the blaze, spending your life seeking a way to escape the prison of that inferno. As for me, I purify evil with fire, allowing guilty souls to be reborn through the flames. How fascinating it is, this unbreakable bond between us. Perhaps this is the subtle guidance of the gods.”FzUzgCJVLUcnaqvQYGRwkmMawsXthk

KnXKEsjnrZYQPrc

Ren Yi thought to himself, this cult leader’s ability to brainwash people is truly terrifying. He spoke up, “Captain Zhang, have you notified Captain Qiu?” The police responsible for public event security were civilian officers, not criminal investigators; this wasn’t something they could handle.NacXCvRdTxLqgWUTIuKbKmHJpMLFbR

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“I did, Captain Qiu is on his way.”oOcQsKgcnlTwKDgutrRcbDfrwUEvfI

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Ren Yi figured Qiu Yan would definitely inform Gong Yingxian, so he no longer wrestled with the decision of whether or not to call Gong Yingxian directly.esNFthCvzVBRRCvjdFZSkeFefPNNaZ

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The camera zoomed in again, enlarging the bird mask step by step until it filled the entire screen.wFtWOfXlRLIxjbWZeXxgzFjSpweCUe

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The man spoke slowly, “This bond between you all, and between you and me, began eighteen years ago. Only the will of the gods can explain such coincidences. Even though I often admire the holy light of divinity, I have yet to fully rid myself of human shackles. That’s why, in the past, I instinctively avoided you, just as a criminal avoids the police. This was wrong. Defining our relationship as one between good and evil is even more wrong. Just like the fire that burns the plains—it destroys the grasslands, but it also enriches the soil, leaving behind fertile farmland. Before the fire has burned everything, who can truly say what’s right or wrong? So, I’ve decided to follow the will of the gods and ignite this fire, to see where the ties between us will ultimately lead.”SFYacDnxGHfwwRQRWXwwjsaGAlNzZV

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Ren Yi furrowed his brow deeply. He had a terrible feeling about what the man was about to say next.eMjVMKgOMZWlSfvxAGFTcHlnoklqUC

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Suddenly, the door to the monitoring room was thrown open violently. Ren Yi turned his head, and his breath caught in his throat.OLpERoUsZQjvVOxOfMtFpwISyGvlPe

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It was Gong Yingxian. Though Ren Yi had expected him to show up soon and thought he had prepared himself emotionally to face him, when Gong Yingxian appeared in front of him, he realized he wasn’t ready.PCQqDQuDkBpshROAMRuVlqsFSlXfNJ

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Gong Yingxian saw him too. Their eyes met in the air, colliding.PfsELdxGMCmozGBieFFUZFOfQFCbTu

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Gong Yingxian’s expression was complicated. He quickly looked away, and Ren Yi, feeling uncomfortable, lowered his gaze as well.QhbDfDqBihDVmQjOsipAPUOBciORej

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“Dr. Gong!” Captain Zhang called out, “You got here fast.”FppsuhTnXpFRJPmYczEExypDqplHUo

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“…I was nearby.”MBJQwtqSektQRNiGPaNObxzFUhAqTm

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Just then, a low chuckle came from the man on the screen. “You’re currently at the Honglin Stadium, where a New Year’s charity concert is taking place. I’ve decided to give you all a New Year’s gift, so listen carefully now.”QhmuKoEFMVjOFNEBTirLfzyFhfTvAG

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Gong Yingxian turned to look at the screen, and his face instantly darkened. The familiar bird mask felt like a dagger plunging into his heart.OpZcwKanuyUsAxHeDtQqHctIDHyNoF

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“There is exactly one hour left until the New Year. I have planted six bombs inside the stadium. They will detonate on the stroke of midnight.”qmxpJRjxluyfulCmOjwPOkQAyRbHfG

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The room filled with the sound of sharp intakes of breath.xMRQlmrBjZJnisrqnQcXzWsCblHdkX

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“You can find them before the countdown ends,” the man continued, “but if you attempt to evacuate the crowd, I’ll detonate the bombs early. If you try to stop the concert, I’ll detonate them early.” He chuckled. “After all, I want to enjoy hearing Song Juhan sing with the fans too.”NFIVSFAOyWOqivgwgDCqtJeAPRaZDg

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Sun Zhiyi, pale, turned to Ren Yi. “Captain Ren, could he be bluffing? We’ve already checked the entire venue!”JcEZpOxeXqMsTVGMxgudroWkrlOVqc

vvTnDGcZTkThvrv

“Believe it or not, the consequences are on you.” The man spread his arms wide. “Go ahead, be the heroes—brave firefighters and police officers.”DszYMmDLFbpEHlrFfrmGGNUbEwjHfz

WBKUepnBlAcHaCp

The video cut off abruptly, leaving only the eerie image of the bird mask frozen in the center of the screen. The eyeholes, dark and hollow, seemed to stretch into endless voids.wvHEXqkTtuxdFXYhCcnuOHpxnrVlOq

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Gong Yingxian, having only heard the last part of the video, pointed at the screen, his voice trembling. “What the hell is going on?!”YXzpzQCNOYIZoZSKmlsVHLxUbkzSQl

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Ren Yi shot a quick glance at Gong Yingxian. “Is that the mask?”cfxXNXEreqCpjxTrLvhEgkTPdZlrrr

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“…Yes.”LSALuiKiQcVGrLNjGTPkgaYzaKpoeU

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Zhang Zhong explained, “The security guard was on duty in the monitoring room when the system was hacked, and that video was played.”PlVxPWUZzUIHbxoFieOvgrLydapCZR

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“Play it again,” Gong Yingxian ordered.NGOYLSZkBBqgSndVelJhRQAZYlXwVa

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As the video started over, Ren Yi glanced at his watch. Seven minutes had already passed since he’d left the rest area, arrived at the control room, and watched the recording. That left them with just 53 minutes to find the bombs.DZGwtyTqhsVijNYYBJcyLVnKUXilIJ

nmixTMoCMiWSZVM

He had no doubt that Purple Flame was telling the truth. He had seen and experienced firsthand the madness and cruelty of this organization.pJqrHFTSryQmGdqvgLynYpQLDKKFxO

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When the video finished, Gong Yingxian looked as if the blood had drained from his face. “Captain Zhang, how many people do you have right now?”cdqVVNaTNpOaEpZeuyOLaBOFZqymyx

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“Fifteen.”oopjRdIPVzpreDMoPelujzrCtPVrNs

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“Captain Qiu is on her way, and she’s bringing equipment and a bomb squad. But since Purple Flame is so confident, these bombs won’t be easy to find. I need you to gather all your personnel and review all surveillance footage from the past week, both inside and outside the venue, at maximum speed. Flag anything suspicious.”DqoFUGfZkavuMQtFItejcXjgtZnVgq

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“Got it.”kGrEAkqhSEEKwmijOYaVYKpLjeFpWJ

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“Ren Yi, I need the building plans.”lczbdYHhXyOWqquiiPDbbVuAewHdXs

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“They’re already here.” Sun Zhiyi immediately handed the blueprints to Gong Yingxian.EPnJbaiIydKIHVivlRxolzRepjacJY

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The stack of blueprints was thick, almost like a book, far too much to go through in a short time.xYpxiGyEOTVUqmBTcQVbsXWUIpSxCn

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Gong Yingxian held the plans, closed his eyes, and silently repeated to himself: *Stay calm, stay calm, stay calm.* When he opened his eyes again, he said, “The venue is too large. Searching blindly won’t work. We need to analyze his motive and intentions to predict where he might have planted the bombs.”aAvCSlHkMTtOsdpqlxaUuGVmfTMMQC

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“No matter where he planted them, there are over 30,000 people in the venue. Any explosion would cause massive casualties,” Sun Zhiyi said anxiously. “We should mobilize everyone available for a full sweep immediately.”YTQHkAxDYJKhFbDfdGUbJPTTlYEYOo

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Ren Yi shook his head. “There’s no time, and we can’t evacuate the crowd. What if he’s placed bombs among the people?”ttZwCUSjrvhpdXJqxSHDsymdKrpMNU

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Gong Yingxian agreed. “There’s no time. First, we need to eliminate areas where it would be impossible for him to plant a bomb.”QEgKFJMkqCqzJGQWxOysdZXHXNTpOI

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The head of security spoke up. “I don’t think it’s likely in areas with dense crowds. The security check this time was extremely strict. Not only were people and bags scanned, but there were also manual inspections. The stage and seating areas are simple, and we used metal detectors around both. Bringing a bomb in or pre-planting one there would’ve been nearly impossible.”AKnJcTPYxCXhyVIBBXokqQZVkJYjop

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Gong Yingxian nodded. “We can rule out the outdoor stage and seating areas.”AqBpAgoFkzZOUKGrnNzQvSfbMOAzsB

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Ren Yi turned to the venue manager. “Mr. Li, are you familiar with the design of the venue? We don’t have time to go through all these blueprints. We need someone to help identify where bombs could be hidden and which areas can be ruled out. Electrical circuits, heating, piping, ventilation—everything.”NdfouAAbIEsBOIXTxBAyYyvAzdGfHU

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Mr. Li responded in a panic, “I’ve only been here two months. Old Chen, you’ve been here longer than me. You should know better.”hXEzckPcDOqAjrbzvfMfEuaXvgudEb

PUtESbirXwWhLFY

The head of security, Old Chen, said, “I’m familiar with the venue, but I don’t know much about the structure, wiring, and that sort of thing. With something this big, I really can’t say I’d be much help.”RYQjOiqfpBOAaxkCMOpAfjIAkGpTaI

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“Just do your best.”dFLtWMrGcevhgpLQxVHXjmtKuXEjcT

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“Oh!” He slapped his forehead. “I just remembered someone who definitely knows this place better than me.”IGVpUcTYVSvsHNwDnjCohNMcdrQGQI

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“Who?”FwBBbmVxOyUFhNIyndvbllUPdlZKFn

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“The venue’s engineer.”UBazSQsPUmsBbpDynKhojZVpXQvKRL

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Gong Yingxian immediately dismissed the idea. “There’s no time to call an engineer now.”mhqscrItorYjIpRbzdFMCHehIVsSQd

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“He’s already here in the venue. I just saw him earlier. His surname is He. We’ve known each other since the stadium was built a few years ago. He’s with that celebrity.”clEKfSdLKXdEvObnUBBCiHTLFgWErq

HfxsBnkeFbHgYwM

Ren Yi paused for a moment, then asked, “Could it be He Gu?” He vaguely recalled some gossip from back then, mentioning He Gu’s profession—an engineer, if he remembered correctly.LdyOYDlzTpVXVlbJLKODXGTBPHqIou

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“Yes, it’s Engineer He.”lSnUvQGDXmHGPwGBbjEaEotaZeHgwi

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Gong Yingxian picked up the blueprints. “Go find him. Captain Zhang, don’t let this information spread. We can’t cause a panic, and Purple Flame is likely monitoring us somehow. Wait for Qiu’s team.”GxbWJrzJjcFhaSVHgMTiwuAseOPjSF

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“Understood.”DxbsnFjLhgolqxlPexZEbgqjgyIoDn

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Ren Yi also gave his orders, “Sun Zhiyi, Liu Hui, notify the chief of staff immediately.”HZjklEvfdNJCWIeEZUoavXseYiIHZk

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“Yes, sir.”zGlnbnxlEgznOcSKdXBjRfkqlXoMCW

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Gong Yingxian and Ren Yi headed out, making their way toward Song Juhan’s dressing room.brRDqVEgisEjCJzlOVYBTiKFCUbbgO

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Song Juhan’s performance was scheduled to begin in forty minutes and last until the New Year’s countdown, so he was most likely still in the dressing room.EhPkEBdhzUBJeGNVsAdyYIPVuFJjXU

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The two walked in silence until they reached a fork in the hallway. Gong Yingxian stopped, unsure which way to go.IFxgVDqJSHjCVSyKCtVAFELrPKlspI

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“Left,” Ren Yi said softly.oExctfpdKzHIDPHwCjAXoKFjezxoxR

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But Gong Yingxian didn’t move, his shoulders rising and falling heavily with his breath.McsfOGvksVFwPQhsSRYrwHxssyuedh

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Ren Yi knew just how much seeing that bird mask had shaken Gong Yingxian, but this wasn’t the time to let emotions run wild. He wanted to comfort him—before, he would have had both the position and the right to offer comfort. But now…JTTcIZbsLEWbaqoZdrkyRVhxSlTtQJ

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“Yingxian, are you okay?”WlkQnudGvOvjKCUqENlAuUnnlkYtbK

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Gong Yingxian shook his head. “You go ahead.” His emotions were already raw from everything that had happened with Ren Yi, and being blindsided by that mask—an echo of his childhood nightmares—had left him reeling. He had tried so many times to recall that horrific mask in the fog of his memory, but it had never been clear. Now, it had forced its way into full view, at a moment when he was neither mentally prepared nor supported by a professional. The shock of it hit him hard.loXzEgoczAigVRojDObCZEJkkWPnlM

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The terrifying night associated with that mask flooded his mind—raging flames, panicked faces, agonized screams—all rushed back to him. His body swayed, and he quickly braced himself against the wall.mOuPVagyAqzwbWPQZZdJZBZGoqiZcP

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Ren Yi, filled with worry, reacted without thinking. He instinctively placed his hand on Gong Yingxian’s shoulder. “Yingxian, are you—”lorUioyUndvNOxcAKYuMmPxTBmRiuJ

mjbEnoQbzewvSwn

Gong Yingxian’s body stiffened at the touch. That warm, heavy hand on his shoulder suddenly became the outlet for all his pent-up emotions. He snapped, growling, “Don’t touch me!” He forcefully shoved Ren Yi’s hand away.HFbeIHZcnxRgILqwbAmpIPcCcPOSAl

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Ren Yi stood frozen, staring at Gong Yingxian. His heart felt as if it had been pierced through, and his face burned with humiliation. Instinctively, he raised both hands in a gesture of surrender, his voice trembling as he whispered, “…I’m sorry.”pZXxscmBcSLGBTWDrHpcIzkJNPNYnx

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They were back at square one. No, it was worse than square one—because now, Gong Yingxian truly hated him.auZAJWAYnEqFEEeHoTBJqKYhpsOTHU

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Gong Yingxian caught sight of the despair in Ren Yi’s eyes, and it made him feel even worse. He wished so deeply that Ren Yi’s open hands were meant to embrace him, and that he himself could accept that embrace without hesitation. Shaking his head to clear those thoughts, he steeled himself and turned away, striding off quickly.lQCTLiMzRgqpQNUPXDIHYuekWLIaIf

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Swallowing the pain and the unbearable shame, Ren Yi forced himself to push through it and hurried after him.uZTLUBqRglhAzgrSGCIsgyipJBveYB

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Kipzi – Poor RY x.xlVgsnwNTZIyMRgTQKxykMeBVepswis

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