1 THE MORNING FREEZE

Outside, the sun's rays pierced the lingering shadows and gently illuminated the landscape. The cool air started to warm, and the world slowly stirred from its slumber.

The sky transformed into a canvas of vibrant oranges, yellows, and blues, creating a breathtaking masterpiece. Birds began their morning songs, melodies blending with the gentle rustling of leaves in the breeze.

The dew on the grass sparkled like tiny diamonds, reflecting the growing light of the new day. Each moment felt like a promise, a gentle reminder of the beauty and tranquility that the world could offer.

Yet a man who had endured many struggles and injustices saw only the cruelty of it all. That man is none other than Hei Bao, whose presence made the illuminated room silent.

Still holding his wine glass, he strode to the other couch and sat down. Gou Feng, Shen Jiu, and Huan Zhen remained silent the entire time, not daring to speak or even move their fingers. The air around them felt heavy.

Suddenly, Cheung Qi's phone rang, making them flinch.

"Sorry, I need to take this first," He said, glancing at his cousin, who only waved him off. Without further delay, he headed outside.

With him gone, the atmosphere in the room grew even more oppressive. The air seemed to thicken with unspoken anxiety. Gou Feng, unable to bear the oppressive silence, opened his mouth to speak but was immediately cut off by their pack leader.

"Stop addressing me formally. We're alone," Hei Bao said, his voice carrying a cold edge as he took a measured sip of his wine.

Gou Feng glanced nervously at the two men behind him, his unease evident. Shen Jiu and Huan Zhen locked eyes with him, their faces reflecting confusion and dread. They silently exchanged looks that seemed to scream,

'What? Is he angry because we threw up outside his office earlier? Are we doomed?'

Hua Zhen, prone to overthinking, shivered uncontrollably, his mind racing with worst-case scenarios, while Shen Jiu, composed but still anxious inside, waited for him to speak.

However, he only sighed and turned back to face their leader, leaving them visibly agitated and puzzled.

"Ge," He began, and the two young men behind him immediately gasped in horror, their eyes wide in shock.

Shen Jiu and Huan Zhen hurried closer, whispering in fear.

"Why did you call our Lord 'Ge?' Are you trying to get us three killed?" Shen Jiu asked, his face pale and drenched with sweat.

"I STILL WANT TO LIVE!" Huan Zhen nearly shouted, his face a mask of terror and his voice betraying his panic.

Observing how the two young men synchronized their reactions, it was clear that they were related; indeed, they were cousins.

Shen Jiu and Huan Zhen were unfamiliar with Gou Feng's background. Since he was always quiet, they also chose to remain silent and refrain from asking further questions. Although they could be talkative, they had been taught not to intrude on other's privacy and space.

After Hei Bao rescued Gou Feng, he first took him to his aunt Shen Jiu's mother for treatment, and it was during the visit that the three of them met. From then on, they became inseparable friends, hunting, fighting, and growing up together.

As a result, they became known as the Men in Black and earned the status of Hei Bao's most trusted members within the pack.

"I see you three still haven't changed," The pack leader spoke, returning their attention to him.

"How have you all been?" he asked, eyes fixed on the two men behind Gou Feng, whose faces slowly turning calm, although anxiety still surged within them.

Hei Bao raised his free hand and flicked it, signaling them to step forward. The two young cousins complied immediately and stood beside their childhood best friend, their eyes glued to the floor.

"Huan Zhen," he called. Huan Zhen hastily lifts his head and meets his gaze, stuttering as he said,

"I-I, t-to, um, answer the leader's question, I've been well-"

"Liar," Hei Bao interrupted, making him gulp in nervousness.

"You're not well. Look at your face pale as the corpse you three just sealed."

Upon hearing this, Hua Zhen quickly nodded, too afraid to deny his words, which made Hei Bao laugh out loud, easing the intense atmosphere in the room.

The three young men looked at each other, confused. No matter how many years have passed, they still don't seem to understand this superior person in front of them.

"Oh, Huan Zhen, Huan Zhen, as always, you never fail to make me laugh. After this, you go home and rest," Their pact leader commented.

"Thank, my lord," Huan Zhen answered, head slightly lowered, and remained silent.

Hei Bao then turned to Shen Jiu, who seemed to understand the unspoken command and spoke up without waiting for the question.

"I am well, my Lord, thank you for your concern," His face was calm, covering the deafening drum pumping inside his chest.

Among these three young men, the one who stands out is Shen Jiu, who is endowed with a soft, feminine beauty, while Hua Zhen and Gou Feng have a distinctly masculine appearance.

"Gou Feng," Hei Bao, addressing the other young man.

"I am well, my Lord. I woke up early and trained at the training ground today with a-Zhen and a-Jiu," Gou Feng explained, making him feel a sense of pride and admiration.

"Good," he responded.

"Was the sight of the corpse too much for you three just now?"

The three young men immediately shook their heads, indicating 'no.'

"Really?" Hei Bao asked, his right brow arched, giving him a stern look.

"But I saw you three vomit earlier. Was I imagining things?"

The three young men quickly shook their heads vigorously, insisting that their pack leader had not imagined it, making Hei Bao chuckle.

"Good. It feels better to tell the truth instead of lying, right?" He asked, and the three young men in black immediately nodded in unison, like synchronized robots, making him feel satisfied.

"You three can go now," he added, standing up and heading straight to his office bedroom.

As he closed the door, the two cousins headed toward the office entrance, leaving Gou Feng behind, staring at the closed door with a concerned and thoughtful expression.

Others might say their pack leader is cold-hearted and selfish, but Gou Feng knows deep down that he is just like everyone else who experiences the reality of this world, a person who is also trying to survive another day while fighting those unsavory memories of the past.

He knew this fact, as Hei Bao had repeatedly told him. Back then, when his Ge got drunk, he would always call him and stay at his home, recounting stories from his past until he fell asleep.

Hei Bao often said that he resembled his deceased son and had been searching for his deceased mate for a hundred years, as his dead husband had promised on his deathbed that they would meet again.

Although his Ge did not believe in reincarnation, he still held on to the hope that someday, his husband would return to him.

Whenever Hei Bao spoke about his past, his voice always carried the tone of mourning, filled with guilt—emotions that only those who had endured the endless nightmares plaguing him for a century could understand.

The routine persisted, but everything shifted when Gou Feng reached the age of nineteen to twenty. He could no longer anticipate his Ges' actions, nor could he grasp the growing thirst for violence that had begun to surface.

The emptiness in his eyes also deepened, as if he had lost hope in everything and no longer cared about anything; it was like he had lost his true self.

Had he given up?

It frightened him. He didn't want to lose another important person. Most of all, he feared being left alone in this world.

He eagerly wanted to knock on that door and confront his Ge about the concern in his heart but was too scared to do so, as he could no longer feel the familiar aura that his Ge once had.

The person he saw earlier felt so distant and unfamiliar to him. Gou Feng's face contorted with concern as he heard his two young friends talking nonsense, pulling him out of his thoughts.

"Bro, can you close your mouth? It stinks," Shen Jiu said, covering his nose with his left hand. Despite his soft and feminine aspects as a man, his personality was the opposite. 

Gou Feng, hearing this, couldn't help but smile. No matter what, he could never get enough of his two childhood best friends' silliness.

"A-Jiu, don't say that when your mouth smells too," he said, making Huan Zhen laugh out loud.

"Wha-Tsk!" Shen Jiu managed to utter before quickly closing his mouth, too embarrassed to continue.

Among these young men in black, the elder is Gou Feng, who always intervenes to separate the two young cousins every time they quarrel.

"Let's go," Gou Feng said, and the three of them left the office. Hua Zhen, the most robust of the group, carried the black plastic bag containing the corpse effortlessly.

"Honestly, did our mouths smell?" Shen Jiu asked softly, trying not to open his mouth too wide. Gou Feng nodded in response, causing the two young cousins to hastily cover their mouths with their free hands and remain silent along the path.

Suddenly, they encountered Cheung Qi, who immediately asked,

"Oh, finished already? Where is he?"

To be continued.