Striking Back

Zi Yan sat by the window of the countryside villa, staring at the moonlit trees outside. The silence of the night was calming, but her heart was anything but peaceful. She was no longer just a woman trying to survive—she was a woman preparing for war.

Across the room, Lu Yichen and Chen Wei continued discussing their next move. Papers, maps, and a laptop were spread out on the wooden table. The Guo family's businesses, secret accounts, and illegal dealings—Lu Yichen had gathered a shocking amount of information.

Zi Yan stood up and walked over to them. "What's our first move?"

Lu Yichen tapped on a document. "The Guo family's biggest weakness is their greed. They control real estate, media, and entertainment, but they also have illegal dealings that they keep hidden. If we expose the right secrets, they will be in deep trouble."

Chen Wei nodded. "I have some old contacts who can help leak information to the authorities. The Guo family thinks they're untouchable, but they're wrong. We just need to push them in the right direction."

Zi Yan's fingers tightened into fists. "Let's do it."

Just as they finalized their plan, Lu Yichen's phone vibrated. He answered quickly.

"What is it?" he asked in a low voice.

The person on the other end spoke urgently. Zi Yan could only hear Lu Yichen's responses, but his expression changed—he was getting valuable information.

"Are you sure?" he asked. "Good. Send me everything."

After a few more words, he hung up and turned to them. "We have something big. A whistleblower from the Guo family's company just leaked a file to us."

He opened his laptop, and within seconds, a document appeared on the screen. Zi Yan leaned in, her eyes scanning the lines of text.

Her heart pounded. It was a contract—a proof of illegal land deals signed by Guo Bao's father.

"This is enough to launch an investigation," Chen Wei said. "Once the media gets hold of this, the Guo family's reputation will take a hit."

Zi Yan's lips curled into a cold smile. "Then let's give them a taste of their own medicine."

The next morning, news exploded across the city.

"Guo Family Involved in Illegal Land Deals? Shocking Evidence Revealed!"

"Top Business Family Under Investigation for Corruption!"

Articles spread like wildfire. Online forums, social media, and newspapers were filled with discussions about the scandal. The Guo family's name, once untouchable, was now being dragged through the mud.

Zi Yan watched the news from her phone, her heart racing with satisfaction. This was only the beginning.

Meanwhile, at the Guo family mansion, chaos erupted.

Guo Bao slammed his phone onto the floor, his face twisted with rage. "Who did this?!"

His father, Guo Zheng, stood beside him, his expression grim. "Someone leaked our files. The authorities are already investigating."

Wang Yin, who had been sitting quietly, finally spoke. "It's her… It has to be Zi Yan."

Guo Bao's jaw tightened. "That bitch… She thinks she can fight back?"

His father sighed. "Right now, we have to focus on controlling the damage. Call the PR team, tell them to deny everything."

Guo Bao clenched his fists. "I'll make her pay for this."

Back at the villa, Zi Yan, Lu Yichen, and Chen Wei knew the Guo family wouldn't sit still.

"They'll try to cover this up," Lu Yichen said. "But we have more."

Chen Wei pulled up another file. "These are records of their money laundering. If we send this to the right people, the government will have no choice but to step in."

Zi Yan took a deep breath. She never imagined she would be in the middle of such a dangerous game. But she had suffered enough. She was done being the victim.

Just as they prepared to send the next wave of evidence, a loud bang echoed outside.

Everyone froze.

Lu Yichen immediately moved, pulling Zi Yan behind him. "Stay here," he whispered.

Chen Wei grabbed his gun and moved toward the door. Carefully, he peeked outside. His face darkened.

"They found us," he muttered.

Zi Yan's heart pounded. "How?"

Lu Yichen's eyes were sharp. "They must have followed Chen Wei's car last night."

Outside, black SUVs had parked in front of the villa. Several men in suits stepped out, their faces cold and ruthless.

Guo Bao had wasted no time.

Lu Yichen looked at Zi Yan. "Stay hidden."

Zi Yan shook her head. "I'm not running anymore."

He stared at her for a moment, then sighed. "Fine. But stay behind me."

Chen Wei checked his gun. "Let's end this."

The front door burst open, and the first of Guo Bao's men rushed inside.

Bang!

Chen Wei fired a shot, hitting one of them in the leg. The man collapsed, screaming.

Lu Yichen moved fast, throwing a punch at the nearest attacker. The man staggered back, but another one lunged forward with a knife. Lu Yichen dodged and twisted the man's wrist, forcing him to drop the weapon.

Zi Yan grabbed a wooden chair and swung it at an approaching attacker. The impact sent him crashing to the ground. She was breathing hard, but she didn't feel fear. She felt alive.

The fight continued, but one thing was clear—the Guo family had underestimated them.

Within minutes, the last of Guo Bao's men were either unconscious or fleeing.

Lu Yichen wiped blood from his lip. "That was their warning shot. Next time, they won't hold back."

Zi Yan clenched her fists. "Then neither will we."