They continued eating, the clinking of cutlery against plates echoing in the air, accompanied by a subtle tension that lingered between them. Sun Lixia, glancing at Li Chen periodically, contemplated the path they were about to embark on—a journey filled with uncertainties and potential dangers.

"I am sorry, son, we failed you," she finally admitted, her voice carrying the weight of regret.

Li Chen looked up from his plate, a mixture of curiosity and concern in his eyes. "What do you mean?"

Sun Lixia took a deep breath, her gaze unwavering as she spoke candidly, "I can see it in your eyes—something has activated the drug in you. The darkness in your eyes says it all."

Li Chen, taken aback, instinctively touched his temples, as if expecting to find physical evidence of the turmoil within. "There’s nothing wrong with my eyes."

The room fell into a momentary silence before Sun Lixia continued, her tone heavy with concern. "I have photos of you for the past 24 years, so I know exactly what your eyes actually look like. And right now, I see coldness in them." 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

Li Chen’s expression shifted from confusion to a subtle acknowledgment of the gravity of the situation. The realization that an external force was altering his very essence weighed heavily on him.

"Is there a way to get rid of this?" he asked urgently.

Sun Lixia paused, her gaze searching for the right words. "I have to be close to you so I can monitor you."

Li Chen’s eyes flickered with understanding. "So where is the issue there?"

Sun Lixia felt a tug at her heartstrings. She had feared bringing up the prospect of living together, concerned about how Li Chen would react. Yet, his immediate acceptance eased her fears and heightened her sense of responsibility.

"I mean, like living together," she explained, her voice softer now.

Li Chen, seemingly unfazed, nodded. "I don’t see a problem. It will give me more time to ask all the questions I have."

Meanwhile, Sun Gang sat in his expansive office, frustration etched on his face. Master Kong, his supposed consultant, remained seated in front of him, an air of mystery surrounding him. Sun Gang couldn’t contain his impatience, and he voiced his displeasure.

"It’s been a whole week, and you still haven’t given me anything," he exclaimed, his tone laced with irritation. Master Kong, however, remained silent, his gaze fixed on the ground.

"Hey, I am talking to you, old man!" Sun Gang continued, his frustration escalating. "I have wasted my money getting you here. Now I am certain you are not an expert but a con man."

Master Kong slowly raised his head, revealing a pair of eyes that seemed to shimmer with an unusual green hue. Sun Gang blinked, unsure if he was seeing things. He rubbed his eyes, attempting to clear his vision, but when he looked again, Master Kong had lowered his gaze.

A minute of uneasy silence passed, and suddenly, Sun Gang’s mind went blank. He sat there, motionless, like a statue. Master Kong, now wearing a sinister smirk, stood up. He circled the table and placed his hand on Sun Gang’s temples. Leaning in, he whispered something inaudible, and then he returned to his seat.

Abruptly, Sun Gang snapped back to his senses, a throbbing ache in his head. The room seemed to spin for a moment as he tried to comprehend what had just transpired.

Sun Gang, still recovering from the peculiar encounter, implored Master Kong, "You have to help me find the manual."

Master Kong, with a husky voice that carried an air of ancient wisdom, responded, "You need to find a guardian. They are the only ones who can read the code written in that scroll. But what I know is that the information in that scroll will lead you to at least one page of the manual."

Sun Gang, feeling a renewed sense of urgency, asked, "How can I find the guardian?"

Master Kong leaned in, his eyes now glowing with an otherworldly light, and spoke, "I will lead you to him. You do the rest."

Sun Gang, though somewhat apprehensive, agreed, "Okay, then."

As Master Kong raised his head once more, Sun Gang couldn’t shake the feeling that he was dealing with forces beyond his comprehension. The glowing eyes seemed to carry a magical essence, a connection to something ancient and mystical. Sun Gang, now more intrigued than ever, prepared himself for the journey ahead, guided by the enigmatic Master Kong and the cryptic secrets hidden within the scroll.

Sun Gang, still under the influence of Master Kong’s mysterious aura, uttered with a cold determination, "My brother."

Master Kong responded sternly, "You have to get rid of him."

Sun Gang, entranced by the words, affirmed, "You are right. I have to send my men to do the job."

Master Kong, reinforcing the notion, stated, "Yes, he is competition, and we don’t need competition."

Sun Gang mechanically repeated, "He is competition, and we don’t need competition."

Master Kong, satisfied with Sun Gang’s compliance, stood up and declared, "What we discuss here shall be forgotten."

As soon as Master Kong closed the door behind him, Sun Gang snapped back to reality, a throbbing headache lingering. Realizing the gravity of the situation, he picked up his phone and promptly called Deng Chenglong, commanding, "Come to my office now." The wheels of a dark and mysterious plan were set in motion, and Sun Gang was now entangled in a web of intrigue and manipulation.

Deng Chenglong quickly arrived at Sun Gang’s office, standing with utmost respect as he awaited instructions. Sun Gang, with an air of cold determination, declared, "My brother is going to be an obstacle."

Deng Chenglong, inwardly startled but composed, inquired, "What do you mean, sir?"

Sun Gang, with an impatient tone, retorted, "Do I need to spell everything out for you? Make him disappear."

Deng Chenglong hesitated for a moment, struggling to process the gravity of the command, but managed to reply, "But, sir, that is your own brother."

Sun Gang, walking closer with an intense gaze, questioned, "Are you questioning my command?"

Deng Chenglong quickly reassured, "I would never, sir."

Sun Gang, satisfied with the response, emphasized, "Good. I need good news before family dinner on Monday."

Deng Chenglong, uneasy but obedient, affirmed, "Yes, sir."

Sun Gang, with a final order, dismissed him, saying, "Get out."

As Deng Chenglong bowed and left the office, he couldn’t shake off the disturbing feeling of being tasked with eliminating Sun Gang’s own flesh and blood. The brothers may not have been exceptionally close, but Deng Chenglong understood the complexity of their relationship and the weight of the order he had just received.

As Deng Chenglong exited Sun Gang’s office, leaving the latter alone in the dimly lit room, a heavy silence descended. Sun Gang sank into his leather chair, surrounded by the opulence of his expansive office. His mind was a tumultuous sea, waves of conflicting thoughts crashing against the shores of his consciousness.

The command he had just given weighed heavily on him. The words echoed in his mind — "Make him disappear." Sun Gang couldn’t shake the feeling of unease that gripped him, a nagging uncertainty that lingered in the corners of his thoughts.

Deep down, Sun Gang grappled with a moral struggle. He tried to resist the ominous urge to eliminate his own brother, a blood tie that should have meant something more profound. Yet, an unseen force seemed to be pushing him toward a darker path.

Sun Gang closed his eyes, attempting to find solace within himself. The room felt oppressive, the air thick with the tension of his internal conflict. He questioned his own sanity, wondering how he had become entangled in a web of darkness, where familial bonds were sacrificed for power and ambition.

As his mind whirred with conflicting thoughts, Sun Gang found himself unable to comprehend the magnitude of the situation. He felt like a puppet, controlled by an unseen hand, and the realization left a bitter taste in his mouth.

The turmoil within him intensified, the battle between familial loyalty and the thirst for power raging on. Sun Gang’s heart yearned for understanding, a glimmer of clarity in the haze of confusion. Yet, the darkness within him seemed insurmountable, clouding his judgment and threatening to consume the last shreds of his humanity.

Alone in the lavish office, Sun Gang remained haunted by the echoing command and the relentless struggle within. Little did he know that the path he chose would send ripples through the fabric of his family, leaving scars that might never heal.

Sun Gang stepped out of his office, the weight of his decisions clinging to him like a shadow. The club, with its pulsating lights and rhythmic beats, beckoned him. Perhaps, in the midst of the chaotic energy, he could find a fleeting escape from the overwhelming thoughts that plagued his mind.

As he drove through the city streets, neon signs blurred in his peripheral vision. The rhythmic thump of the music grew louder as he approached the club, a cacophony that drowned out the noise in his head. The entrance greeted him with an explosion of colors, drawing him into a world where the boundaries between reality and illusion seemed to blur.

Inside, the thumping bass reverberated through his core, and the flashing lights painted patterns on the faces of the revelers. Sun Gang sought refuge in the chaotic dance of bodies, hoping to lose himself in the relentless tempo of the night.

He ordered a drink, the amber liquid swirling in his glass like his own turbulent thoughts. Each sip was an attempt to silence the disquiet within him, to numb the awareness of the dark path he had set foot upon. The relentless pursuit of power had become a haunting melody, playing in the recesses of his mind.

As the night wore on, Sun Gang found himself surrounded by a sea of faces, each one oblivious to the internal struggle of the man in their midst. The music became a hypnotic force, temporarily easing the burden on his shoulders. Yet, in the moments between beats, the reality of his choices resurfaced, a relentless undertow threatening to pull him under.

In the neon-lit haze of the club, Sun Gang danced on the precipice of his own morality. The search for the manual had become a treacherous journey, and the club, with its sensory overload, was both his sanctuary and his prison. The night unfolded as a feverish escape, a fleeting attempt to forget the echoes of his own commands lingering in the corners of his consciousness.