040 : The Hidden Hand Behind the Curtain.

The next few days passed quietly. Too quietly.

Lin Tian went to school as usual, kept an eye on Su Yun, and pretended everything was normal. But something had changed.

He could feel it.

The air was different. The stares lasted a little too long. The teachers hesitated before speaking to Su Yun, as if something had been said behind closed doors.

Someone was watching.

And then—the first threat arrived.

It was late at night when Lin Tian found it. As he walked toward his apartment, a small white envelope was placed in front of his door. No name. No signature.

Just a note inside.

"Stay away from her."

Lin Tian's golden-black eyes darkened.

So it had begun.

They weren't going after Su Yun directly. Not yet.

They were coming for him first.

Lin Tian's smirk returned.

"Good."

Let them come.

He would tear apart every secret, expose every hidden truth, and when the time came—he would make them regret ever thinking they could control fate.

Lin Tian didn't sleep that night.

Instead, he sat near his window, watching the city lights flicker in the distance. His fingers tapped lightly against the table as he analyzed every possibility.

There were too many questions.

Who was behind this?

Why now?

And most importantly—what would they do next?

Then, just before midnight—he heard footsteps outside.

Slow. Deliberate.

Someone was here.

Lin Tian didn't hesitate. He grabbed his jacket and moved.

As he stepped outside, the air was thick with tension. He followed the sound, turning a corner into a narrow alleyway—and stopped.

A man stood there. Not Xu Wei.

Someone else.

Dressed in black, his face shadowed by the dim streetlight. He wasn't an ordinary civilian. His stance, his breathing, his presence—it was controlled, precise.

A professional.

Lin Tian didn't speak first.

The man exhaled, then said, "You should listen to the warning."

Lin Tian smirked. "Or what?"

The man didn't answer. Instead, he took a step forward, lowering his voice. "This is bigger than you think. Walk away now, and you won't be caught in it."

Lin Tian's gaze was unreadable. "And if I don't?"

The man's eyes sharpened. "Then you'll regret it."

Silence stretched between them.

Then, Lin Tian did something unexpected.

He laughed.

The man frowned. "What's so funny?"

Lin Tian stepped closer, his golden eyes burning. "I've faced things you wouldn't even be able to imagine. And you think a little warning is going to scare me?"

The man's jaw tightened. "Then you're making a mistake."

Lin Tian's smirk widened. "No. You are."

The man hesitated.

Then, without another word—he turned and disappeared into the night.

Lin Tian exhaled, watching him go.

The first enemy had revealed himself.

Now, the real battle would begin.

And Lin Tian?

He was ready.

The city was silent, the streets nearly empty as Lin Tian stood alone in the alleyway, watching the dark figure disappear into the night. The encounter had been brief, but it confirmed what he already suspected—there were people working in the shadows, pulling the strings, making sure Su Yun never uncovered the truth.

The warning had been clear: Stay away from her.

But Lin Tian wasn't someone who followed orders.

If anything, the threat only confirmed that he was on the right path.

Leaning against the cold brick wall, he thought back to Xu Wei's words—how Su Yun's mother had fought for her, how she had been erased from history. Someone powerful had made that happen. Someone who still had influence even now.

"Who benefits from keeping Su Yun in the dark?"

It had to be her biological family.

Her father had erased her mother's existence—but was he still watching? Or had another force taken over?

One thing was clear—Su Yun wasn't safe.

And Lin Tian wasn't about to let anyone take her away again.

The next morning, when Lin Tian arrived at school, something unusual happened.

Instead of heading straight to class, he was stopped by a teacher.

"Lin Tian," the older man said, adjusting his glasses. "You've been requested to meet someone."

Lin Tian raised an eyebrow. "Who?"

The teacher hesitated. "The principal. And a guest."

Lin Tian's instincts immediately sharpened.

A guest?

Something wasn't right.

He gave a slow nod and followed the teacher down the hallway, his golden eyes scanning everything carefully. Every step felt heavier, as if he were walking into enemy territory.

When they reached the principal's office, the teacher knocked once before pushing the door open.

Lin Tian stepped inside—and saw him.

Sitting across from the principal was a man in a tailored black suit, his presence cold and commanding.

Lin Tian recognized him instantly.

Xu Wei.

But this time—he wasn't alone.

Beside him stood another man, older, with sharp eyes and an air of authority. Unlike Xu Wei, who had the sharp presence of someone who worked in the shadows, this man exuded something else—control.

Power.

He looked at Lin Tian with interest. "So, you're the one."

Lin Tian's smirk didn't fade. "That depends. Who's asking?"

The man chuckled softly, though there was no warmth in it. "My name is Zhou Jianhong. I represent certain… interests in Su Yun's life."

Lin Tian's gaze didn't waver. "Interests? You mean the people trying to erase her past?"

The principal shifted uncomfortably in his seat, clearly out of his depth in this conversation. Xu Wei remained silent, watching the exchange carefully.

Zhou Jianhong sighed, as if speaking to someone who just didn't understand. "You're getting involved in something much bigger than you realize, Lin Tian. Su Yun is better off not knowing certain things."

Lin Tian leaned back in his chair, arms crossed. "Is that so?"

Zhou Jianhong nodded. "You're a smart young man. I assume you've already put together some of the pieces. Su Yun's mother… disappeared. But she wasn't just taken away." His voice lowered slightly. "She was eliminated."

The words sent a chill through the room.

Lin Tian's expression didn't change, but inside, his mind was racing.

"Eliminated?"

Did that mean Su Yun's mother had been killed?

If so, who gave the order?

Zhou Jianhong continued, his tone calm but firm. "The people responsible for her disappearance are still watching. And they don't want Su Yun looking for answers."

Lin Tian exhaled. "And let me guess—you're one of them?"

Zhou Jianhong gave a small, almost amused smile. "No. I'm here to make sure this doesn't escalate into something worse." He clasped his hands together. "That's why I'm offering you a deal."

Lin Tian's golden eyes flickered. "A deal?"

Zhou Jianhong nodded. "Stay away from Su Yun. Stop asking questions. In return… you walk away from this unharmed."

Lin Tian chuckled softly. "And if I refuse?"

The air in the room grew heavy.

Zhou Jianhong's eyes darkened. "Then you'll regret it."

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