Chen Xu

Changlin Mountain Road, night.

The roar of engines tore through the mountain silence. Tires scraped across the ground, kicking up the acrid smell of burning rubber and clouds of dust.

More than a dozen extravagantly designed, wildly expensive sports cars were scattered around a relatively open bend on the winding mountain road like restless beasts.

Well-dressed young men and women leaned against car hoods, raised their glasses, and laughed loudly as deafening music blared.

This was one of the secret spots where the wealthy children of Youcheng and its surrounding areas came to seek thrills, flaunt their wealth, and show off their speed.

Elsewhere.

Hua Yin sat in the passenger seat of the Special Affairs Bureau's ordinary-looking but reinforced SUV. Through the window, he watched the noisy, extravagant scene outside with an utterly calm gaze.

This was another world—lavish, restless, and hollow. It did not belong with his formerly shabby, silent life, nor with his current daily existence filled with power and bloodshed.

"That one—the guy in the silver-gray jacket, leaning against the red Ferrari."

Sun Haoran, who was driving, lifted his chin and pointed toward a young man in the center of the crowd. He looked to be in his early twenties, with a deliberately flamboyant expression and a trace of gloom.

Li Fu.

A few days ago, the Information Department had traced residual energy signatures backward, cross-referenced a vast number of surveillance and spending records, and identified him as the prime suspect in the destruction of the Spirit-Pattern Pillar outside the city.

"His family does import-export business. Nouveau riche. He got connected to a few people over the last two years, and now his tail's stuck so high in the air it might as well be in the clouds."

Zhao Tiezhu added in a deep voice from the back seat, rolling his thick wrist.

"We're still investigating his motives, but this brat definitely has something to do with it."

Hua Yin nodded and pushed open the door.

The night wind carried the chill of the mountains and a faint scent of gasoline exhaust.

Hua Yin was still dressed in the standard black tactical uniform today, with the White Butterfly insignia embroidered over his chest.

The three of them, clad in standard-issue Special Affairs Bureau gear, walked over. Their stern aura, so different from that of the rich kids, immediately drew part of the crowd's attention.

The noisy music was lowered a little, and the laughter faded. Curious, appraising, and disdainful gazes turned toward them.

Without looking around, Hua Yin led Sun Haoran and Zhao Tiezhu straight through the colorful sports cars and crowd until they stopped before Li Fu.

Today was Hua Yin's first time leading a mission.

Li Fu seemed to have expected this. He was not particularly panicked, though the gloom on his face deepened slightly.

He set down his glass and raised his eyelids to inspect the three of them. His gaze lingered for a moment on Hua Yin's overly youthful face before his lips curled into a less-than-friendly smile. "Oh? Special Affairs Bureau? You're a little slower than I expected."

"Li Fu."

Hua Yin spoke. In the silence following the commotion, his voice was exceptionally clear and cold. He displayed the electronic summons, the Special Affairs Bureau emblem and encrypted code on its screen glimmering faintly in the night.

"You are suspected of damaging an important national security facility. You are hereby summoned in accordance with the law. Come with us and cooperate with the investigation."

The procedure was simple, with no unnecessary words.

Hua Yin's gaze rested calmly on Li Fu's face. He neither exerted pressure nor showed any emotional fluctuation. He was merely carrying out his duties.

The surroundings fell completely silent, and every rich kid held their breath as they watched.

To their circle, the Special Affairs Bureau was mysterious and distant, representing power and danger on another level.

Watching the usually arrogant Li Fu be publicly summoned like this, many eyes flickered with different thoughts.

Li Fu shrugged, seemingly trying to appear relaxed, but his gaze darkened.

Just as he was about to say something—

"Huh? Chen Xu, isn't that the... cheap older brother you kept going on about? The one your mom had with her ex-husband?"

A somewhat surprised male voice, not particularly quiet, came from one side of the crowd.

The speaker was Su Wenzhang, a neighbor a few years older than Chen Xu whose family had business dealings with Chen Xu's father.

Tonight, out of social obligation and to curry favor, he had specifically brought Chen Xu—who had always clamored about liking sports cars—here to broaden his horizons.

At that moment, he had an arm around Chen Xu's shoulders, but his finger pointed uncertainly toward Hua Yin.

The instant those words left his mouth, it was like a boulder crashing into still water!

Almost everyone's gaze instantly shifted away from Li Fu and focused on Chen Xu, whose face had abruptly flushed red.

Then, with all manner of amusement, curiosity, realization, and contempt, their eyes swept back and forth between Hua Yin and Chen Xu.

Chen Xu felt as if his face were on fire. He wished he could crawl into a crack in the ground!

He had always hated it when people mentioned that half-brother from the same mother but different father, the one who was "too embarrassing to show his face." Chen Xu considered him a stain on his perfect family and proof of his mother's "shameful" past.

And now, in a setting where he desperately wanted to fit in and show himself off, it had been exposed in public!

And in such an awkward way—because the Special Affairs Bureau had come to arrest someone!

Especially those looks around him. They seemed to be silently saying: Look, Chen Xu's poor, shabby older brother is actually with the Special Affairs Bureau? And he came to arrest someone from our circle? How interesting...

Humiliation, rage, and the inexplicable disgust and contempt he had long held toward Hua Yin mixed with a teenager's vanity and impulsiveness, erupting like a volcano in that instant!

He violently shook off Su Wenzhang's hand. In a rush of heat, before anyone could react, he charged out of the crowd!

His target was clear—the back of that "cheap older brother" who had made him lose all face!

"Hua Yin! Who told you to come here and show off?!"

Chen Xu roared. Borrowing his momentum, he viciously kicked Hua Yin in the back just as Hua Yin was signaling for Li Fu to follow and turning to leave!

A dull thud.

Hua Yin had never expected such a thing. Caught off guard, he staggered forward, but his footing was extremely steady. He immediately regained his balance and did not fall.

But the impact from behind and the undisguised malice in it made him narrow his eyes at once.

Almost at the exact moment Chen Xu's foot struck Hua Yin, Zhao Tiezhu moved!

"Looking to die!"

His furious shout boomed like thunder!

Zhao Tiezhu already had a fiery temper, and he had just witnessed one of his teammates—an S-rank treasure of their team—being publicly attacked by some brat!

This was nothing less than a provocation against the Special Affairs Bureau's authority!

His fan-sized hand shot out, giving Chen Xu no chance to react. He grabbed the leg Chen Xu had not yet managed to withdraw after the kick and slammed him to the ground as if tossing a chick!

His other hand had already whipped out handcuffs. With a sharp click, he efficiently cuffed Chen Xu's hands behind his back!

The entire process took less than three seconds.

"Ah!"

Chen Xu was thrown so hard that his head spun. The cold touch of the handcuffs and the pain of having his arms twisted behind his back made him scream.

Then, the overwhelming humiliation and treatment he had never suffered before made him completely lose his mind.

As he struggled futilely, his face flushed red as he hurled vicious curses at Hua Yin and Zhao Tiezhu, filthy insults mixed with venomous maledictions about Hua Yin's shameful origins:

"Let me go! Do you know who I am?! You dare arrest me?!"

"Hua Yin! You bastard! You little bastard! What right do you have to arrest me?!"

"I'll tell my mom! I'll tell my dad! I'll make you pay for this!"

"So what if you're the Special Affairs Bureau? You're just a bunch of watchdogs!..."

The shrill curses echoed across the silent mountain road.

The other rich kids were stunned by the sudden violent clash. No one dared step forward. Even Su Wenzhang stood frozen with his mouth open, realizing that he might have caused trouble.

Sun Haoran frowned tightly and held down Li Fu, whose face had instantly darkened as if he wanted to make a move. "Behave yourself!"

As for Hua Yin.

Slowly, he turned around.

There was no anger on his face at being publicly attacked, nor any agitation at being subjected to vicious insults.

There was only the cold, still calmness of a deep pool.

Beneath that calm lay a chill that seemed capable of freezing someone solid.

He looked at Chen Xu, who writhed and cursed on the ground like a maggot.

This nominal younger brother of his. This teenager who had monopolized all of their mother's care and attention. This "family member" who had shown him nothing but contempt and neglect from childhood onward.

Once upon a time, such insults and disdain might have pierced his heart and made him curl further into himself in silence.

But now...

Hua Yin felt the pale spiritual power circulating slowly within him, cold and powerful. He felt the butterfly wings at his back, ready to spread at any moment and carry him soaring. He felt the White Butterfly insignia on his chest, symbolizing power and responsibility.

He suddenly found it somewhat... absurd.

And faintly, not even enough to be called pity, weary.

He walked up to Chen Xu, who was firmly pinned down by Zhao Tiezhu, and looked down at his face twisted by rage and fear.

The teenager's gaze was vicious, but it could not conceal the panic and bluffing bravado beneath it.

The air around them seemed to congeal under Hua Yin's unnerving calm.

All eyes were focused on him, waiting for his reaction.

Hua Yin adjusted the body camera on his chest.

Then he spoke. His voice was not loud, but it was clear enough for everyone to hear. His tone was so steady that it held not the slightest ripple, as if he were stating official business unrelated to himself:

"Chen Xu."

He called him by his full name, not little brother.

"You maliciously assaulted an executive officer of the Special Affairs Bureau. Your conduct is extremely egregious. The facts are clear, and the evidence is conclusive."

With every sentence Hua Yin spoke, Chen Xu's struggling weakened, and more color drained from his face.

"You are now being detained in accordance with the law."

Hua Yin's gaze swept across Chen Xu's pale face before finally settling on his eyes, filled with disbelief and gradually overtaken by fear. He added one last sentence—the only one carrying even the slightest personal note, yet making it all the colder:

"Anything you have to say,"

"can wait until your parents get here."

After saying that, he did not look at Chen Xu again, as though the tear-streaked, miserable teenager on the ground had nothing whatsoever to do with him.

He turned to Sun Haoran and Zhao Tiezhu and gave a slight nod. "Brother Sun, Brother Zhao, take Li Fu and wrap it up. This one—"

He glanced at Chen Xu. "Bring him back too. Handle it as assaulting a public officer."

"Got it!"

Zhao Tiezhu grinned and unceremoniously hauled up Chen Xu, who was so frightened that he could no longer curse.

Hua Yin turned and walked toward the Special Affairs Bureau SUV, his steps steady and his back straight.

The mountain wind brushed through the loose strands of hair over his forehead, revealing those deep, cold eyes, though they reflected the distant lights of the city.

Behind him stood a deathly silent crowd, a limp Li Fu, and a devastated Chen Xu.

At that moment, Hua Yin understood with absolute clarity that the former Hua Yin—the one who had needed to tread carefully, endure scornful looks, and could not even afford a decent meal—had died completely.

The one who remained was White Butterfly, an officer of the Special Affairs Bureau.

And the word "family" had long since become a distant, blurred relic of a previous world to him, from the moment those pale butterfly wings first spread.

Tonight's mountain wind seemed especially biting.