On a late August night, heavy rain poured down on the city.
Thick clouds swirled like spilled ink, as bright lightning and thunder tore through the sky. Large raindrops pelted the rustling trees and steep cliffs loomed along the winding mountain road, with the exposed soil threatening to crumble under the onslaught of rain. In the distance, two figures staggered forward as they supported each other. The rain was so intense that it forced their eyes shut, yet the overwhelming fear in their hearts prevented their pace from slowing.
The torrential weather could conceal many sounds, such as cries, car engines, and even gunshots. But amidst the thunderous roar that echoed through the vast sky, it was clear that something seemed to be rapidly approaching.
A slight warmth could be felt on his cheeks. It was strange; his skin should have been soaked from the rain, but it seemed that his mind foresaw what would happen all along. The hand holding onto his loosened, and as he lowered his head to look, someone who barely reached his shoulders pushed him aside with a forceful shove.
Suddenly, everything before his eyes lit up when the car headlights pierced through the thick darkness. The two beams of light were like merciless swords, cutting through the rain with no mercy.
The person’s mouth moved open and closed, shouting something at him desperately. However, his words were drowned out by the rolling thunder and the roaring rain, creating an eerie and heart-pounding scene.
A lightning bolt struck across the sky. Under the instant burst of white light, he finally saw the other’s features clearly.
—The two words he shouted were “Run quickly.”
In the next moment, the oncoming car sent him flying like a ragdoll.
“No!”
When the thunder outside the window crackled, Huo Mingjun sat up abruptly with his chest heaving, and an uncontrollable cough in his throat. He clutched at an old scar on his chest as it throbbed in pain.
The veins in his arms bulged when it tensed up from the effort to restrain himself, and it took some time for Huo Mingjun to finally stop coughing. He rose out of bed to fetch a glass of water, but any traces of sleepiness had entirely vanished.
For the past ten years, he often dreamed of this experience, and the dream would come to an abrupt halt at the moment of the collision. However, it was particularly different today; a decade was enough time to blur a memory beyond recognition, and Huo Mingjun could no longer vividly recall the person’s appearance from his memories. But tonight, he finally saw his face.
The man he encountered at the Blue Horizon Club reappeared in his mind. Huo Mingjun picked up his phone, furrowing his brow when he opened the investigation report in his email and directly skipped to the attached images.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
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While makeup and cosmetic surgery can change facial details, it cannot alter one’s underlying bone structure. Regardless of attire, Huo Mingjun couldn’t help but feel that if the person from his dreams grew up, he would resemble Xie Guan.
He knew that there are many people in this world who look alike, and even deliberately searched for them, but none took after Xie Guan as strikingly.
This thought was incredibly crazy, but like a vine that took root, it rapidly drew nourishment from doubt and firmly clung to that seemingly unbreakable “fact.”
After half a sleepless night, Huo Mingjun inquired about Xie Guan’s situation early the next morning. However, Huo Zhikaun called back at noon with somewhat unfavorable news.
“Gone missing?”
In the entertainment industry, people come and go, and nobody would pay attention to the whereabouts of a minor artist unprompted.
Initially, it was him who didn’t care, and now, it was also him who pursued the matter again. Huo Zhikaun saw people’s sentiments as fleeting, but hesitated to speak bluntly. He ended up shifting blame onto the company: “Not long after the incident, Starlight Entertainment terminated their contract with Xie Guan… I can’t say they were targeting him, but there were indeed some conflicts. Essentially, he was left with nothing. Xie Guan applied to various film and television companies, but no one wanted him, and then he disappeared completely.”
“Has the police received a missing person report?”
Huo Zhikuan comforted him feebly, “Young people in the entertainment industry these days have three minutes of fame. If they don’t become famous after a few years, they naturally switch careers. Perhaps he’s become disheartened and returned to his hometown to farm.”
“Go investigate,” Huo Mingjun decisively cut off any retreat, his voice devoid of emotion, “Until we find his exact location.”
Huo Zhikuan felt a chill down his spine as he pictured the other’s expression. He quickly agreed, “Yes, yes, I’ll do that.”
Huo Mingjun put down his phone when his secretary entered the room, presenting his schedule for the day: “Mr. Huo, you have a flight to Hong Kong at one o’clock this afternoon. In the evening, there’s a reception arranged for you by Mr. Liang Jiancheng, Chairman of Longfeng Group, and his son, Mr. Liang Chen. The reception at the Hong Kong office is all set and ready for your arrival.”
“Understood. Have the person in charge of the Cuiping villa project come to my office for a brief meeting in half an hour.”
That evening, the Huo family’s private plane landed on Hong Kong Island.
Longfeng collaborated with Hengrui Group in China in the previous years, and the two companies had a good personal relationship. Although Huo Mingjun was nearly twenty years younger than Liang Jiancheng, they interacted as equals, and Liang Jiancheng’s eldest son respectfully addressed him as “Mr. Huo.”
Huo Mingjun’s trip was to discuss Hengrui’s acquisition of the real estate projects held by Longfeng Group. Consequently, the dinner that evening was exceptionally difficult to swallow. The table was filled with well-dressed individuals engaging in a delicate dance of mutual probing. Even the dishes on the table seemed to have hidden agendas, a slight misstep could have someone choking on a fishbone.
Liang Jiancheng was a sly old fox, and Huo Mingjun didn’t expect to reach any conclusions over a single meal. After three rounds of drinks, he excused himself and asked to go back to the hotel to rest. Liang Jiancheng expressed some insincere concern, and then asked his eldest son Liang Chen to send him back so that they could take a look at the buildings and shops.
Huo Mingjun was noncommittal, and Liang Chen let out a sigh of relief. He hurriedly invited the other into the car and instructed the driver to head to the North Harbor area.
This was Liang Chen’s first time meeting Huo Mingjun. He heard his father speak highly of this person in the past, so Liang Chen naturally classified him as “someone else's son“. However, after meeting him, he felt that this person was somewhat different from what he imagined.
Huo Mingjun was young and handsome, but his complexion was pale, perhaps due to fatigue, and he looked a little sickly. This gentle and harmless demeanor was incredibly deceptive, as the moment he spoke, a hardness concealed beneath became immediately apparent.
Liang Chen was a rich second generation who enjoyed a life of luxury, and couldn’t fathom how Huo Mingjun secured his position and came to wield such power. Liang Chen had not yet cultivated the same level of cunning as his father, but he couldn’t help but feel a hint of unease.
As night fell, North Harbor remained bustling and lively—reminiscent of a city that never sleeps. They originally planned to take a brief stroll in the area before leaving, but the open parking lots were full, with cars so tightly packed that even a mouse would struggle to find a way through. Even the local young master Liang Chen who didn’t play by the traffic rules could only glare and shout: “What? No parking spaces? Take me to the security booth; I want to call the property manager!”
Upon hearing this, Huo Mingjun, who was resting his eyes, opened an eyelid and glanced at the other. He was secretly surprised: “This guy who can turn any minor issue into a big deal managed to hold back until now. Young Master Liang has been hiding his true colors well.”
The driver quickly said, “Please calm down. If you both don’t mind, we can go around to the back of the building to park. There’s not much foot traffic there, but it’s a bit secluded.”
Huo Mingjun nodded without hesitation, but Liang Chen remained indignant, “I really don’t understand how they manage things here. Do they also keep my dad trapped in the car when he visits? Unbelievable.”
The driver held his breath, nervously driving while Liang Chen continued his rant. Huo Mingjun couldn’t be bothered to respond to him. The Rolls-Royce glided silently into the shadow cast by the towering building and came to a steady stop in a narrow alley.
Through the gaps between the buildings, they could see the brilliant and colorful neon lights outside, casting a reddish glow over the sky. It was a world entirely different from the dark corner they found themselves in. Liang Chen took a deep breath, inhaling the cool sea breeze. When his assistant and bodyguards disembarked from the other car, he gestured to Huo Mingjun, saying, “Mr. Huo, this way.”
Huo Mingjun followed his lead, and after walking less than ten meters, his gaze unintentionally swept to a corner of the building. His steps suddenly halted. In a fleeting moment, he saw someone who absolutely should not be there.
The basement of this building had a large hall with exceptionally high skylights, about half a meter above the ground. The dusty windows revealed a stage that was brightly illuminated by spotlights, highlighting a face he hadn’t seen for a long time.
The setting, the lighting, and even the angle were all eerily similar to the dream Huo Mingjun had the previous night, like two faint sketches overlapping and vaguely piecing together a fragment of a past.
“What’s down there?” Huo Mingjun pointed at the window through which the light shone, “Where’s the entrance?”
Liang Chen was puzzled, “Huh?”
The driver stepped in to save the situation, “This building is quite old. I remember the basement used to be a theater, but it seems to have been abandoned now. They often use this place for filming.”
Huo Mingjun’s interest was piqued, “Take me there.”
Once they reached the entrance, Liang Chen still couldn’t understand how a simple “accompany for a visit” turned into an unexpected haunted house adventure. The stairwell showed signs of long neglect, with flickering fluorescent lights overhead. The corridor was empty, except for their footsteps. In the distance, faint music could be heard, sending shivers down his spine.
The atmosphere here was eerie and desolate, perfect for ghostly encounters.
Liang Chen huddled between his two bodyguards as his legs trembled uncontrollably, resembling a timid quail. However, Huo Mingjun paid no attention to his surroundings and seemed unaffected. His presence was commanding, like he possessed a unique immunity against all forms of fear. He walked confidently to the entrance of the underground theater and pushed open the door.
Suddenly, the music blared to life. The place was too noisy, and the busy crew didn’t even notice the uninvited guests outside.
Huo Mingjun gazed toward the center of the stage, illuminated by the spotlight. After about ten seconds, his expression shifted abruptly from brooding anger to explosive fury.
The man whose life had inexplicably crossed paths with his own, the “missing” Xie Guan according to Huo Zhikuan, was now onstage performing a striptease dance.
Thanks for the chapter 😍🥰😘💗
Xie Guan’s role is a strip tease dancer👯?
Thanks for the chapter!
What role is that even 😭 can’t imagine how xie guan was feeling at that moment ugh