At thirty, I started my comeback from the intelligence system.

Thank you Yingningjun and Jinzhuanghongmeiwang for the monthly tickets, and thank you Moyueyoulan for the reward!

……

After an unknown amount of time, consciousness drifted in and out of the chaotic abyss.

It was cold, damp, musty, and had a foul odor mixed with rust and blood.

My whole body aches, especially my left arm, which feels like it's on fire. My throat is parched and my lips are cracked.

Yang Yongchao struggled to open his heavy eyelids.

Visibility was blurred; only a dim light could be vaguely seen, like a faint glimmer of light coming in from a small window high up.

He found his hands tied behind his back with rough ropes that dug into his flesh.

I was in a place that looked like a warehouse, surrounded by dusty junk.

Fragments of memory flood back: the nightclub, Lu Jiahao, Li Yilong, that terrifying back kick... I was arrested. Where am I? How much time has passed? A day? Two days?

He tried to move his body, which aggravated his wound, and he couldn't help but groan.

My left arm is probably fractured, and my ribs may also be broken. I have a dull ache in my internal organs.

He had to find a way to escape. Lu Jiahao spared his life not to treat him to a meal.

Just as he was enduring the excruciating pain and trying to rub against the rope, a very faint rustling sound, almost drowned out by his own heartbeat, came from his side and behind.

It wasn't a mouse. It was the sound of someone deliberately making their footsteps softer!

Yang Yongchao tensed up instantly, held his breath, and his only remaining right hand instinctively reached for his waist, but found nothing; his handcuffs and service pistol had already been taken away.

He closed his eyes, pretended to be unconscious, and heightened all his senses to the extreme.

The footsteps stopped behind them.

They didn't act immediately, seemingly observing.

A few seconds later, the person approached and gently placed a hand on his shoulder.

Yang Yongchao suddenly opened his eyes and slammed backward with all his might, while simultaneously kicking backward with his right foot!

This was his long-awaited counterattack; even if he could only move one hand, he was determined to fight for a chance to survive!

The other person seemed to be an ordinary person. He was kicked several meters away, and, enduring the pain, he whispered, "Captain Yang! Don't move! It's me!"

That voice... was familiar, carrying a hint of urgency and reassurance.

Yang Yongchao froze, turned his head in disbelief, and struggled to focus his vision in the dim light.

A young, composed face, now covered in dust and sweat, came into view.

The man crawled over in pain, holding a small knife in his hand. He cut the rope around his ankle and was about to untie the restraints on his wrists.

"Chen...Geng?!"

Yang Yongchao's eyes widened, his chapped lips trembling, almost thinking he was hallucinating.

"How... is it you? How did you find this place?!"

Sham Kong Pier No. 3, an abandoned container warehouse, late Saturday night.

The damp river wind, carrying a strong smell of rust and fish, seeped in through the cracks in the damaged shipping container walls.

With Chen Geng's help, Yang Yongchao staggered out of the container that had been converted into a temporary cage and stepped into the more spacious dock area filled with abandoned containers.

His face was pale, his left arm hung down unnaturally, and every step he took aggravated his injuries, but the sharpness and vigilance in his eyes remained undiminished.

"This is... Pier No. 3?" Yang Yongchao asked hoarsely, recognizing the blurry outline of the port in the distance.

"Hmm, Area B, abandoned warehouse," Chen Geng replied in a low voice, his eyes scanning the surroundings warily.

In the dim light, the huge shipping containers cast long, dark shadows, like lurking beasts.

The two moved towards the outer perimeter of the dock along a relatively secluded route that Chen Geng had scouted out beforehand.

Supporting Yang Yongchao's heavy and battered body, feeling his slight trembling from the pain, Chen Geng's thoughts drifted uncontrollably back to yesterday, that seemingly ordinary Friday night.

……

Friday night, underground parking garage of Hanfeng Group.

Chen Geng worked overtime until 9 p.m. before rubbing his throbbing temples and turning off his computer.

The framework of Starry Sky Media's "Sun, Moon and Star" project is basically complete. It combines Lan Yuhe's core guidance with modern design language. He feels that it has many highlights and is just waiting to submit it to Yang Zhenzhen and Zheng Baichuan for review on Monday.

The elevator descended to the B2 parking garage, where the lights were cold and white, and the air was filled with a faint smell of gasoline and dust.

Chen Geng walked towards his parking space and saw a tall figure standing next to his Lincoln Z, seemingly looking at something.

As he got closer, Chen Geng was stunned.

Is it her? That tall, mysterious, and low-key woman with extraordinary skills in Luohu Park? What is she doing here?

The tall woman heard the footsteps and turned around.

She wasn't wearing sportswear today, but rather a well-tailored off-white casual suit. Her long hair was casually draped over her shoulders. She looked less sharp than she had the night before, and more capable and sophisticated, but her outstanding temperament and beauty were still captivating.

Upon seeing Chen Geng, she seemed slightly taken aback, then a faint, ambiguous smile appeared on her lips.

"Chen Geng? What a coincidence." The tall woman spoke first, her voice clear and crisp.

"What a coincidence, what are you doing here?"

Chen Geng was somewhat surprised and walked over. "Is there something wrong with the car?"

He thought his car was blocking the way.

"No, I was just browsing. You looked familiar, and I didn't expect it to be you."

The tall woman's gaze lingered on Chen Geng's face for a moment, then swept over the briefcase he was carrying. "Working overtime until now?"

"Yeah, I have a project to finish. What about you? Do you also work in this building?"

Chen Geng asked casually, but in his heart he thought that there were many companies in this building, but he had never encountered such a person before.

"I guess so. It's my first day here, so I'm getting familiar with the environment."

The tall woman spoke casually, paused, looked at Chen Geng, and suddenly asked, "Are you familiar with Shenzhen?"

"It's alright, I've been working here for a few years now."

"I studied abroad since I was a child, for more than ten years. I just came back and I'm quite unfamiliar with China, especially Shenzhen."

The tall woman's voice carried a rare, almost imperceptible hint of distress. "I want to go out for a stroll tonight, to experience... well, the local nightlife, but it's a bit boring to go alone, and I don't know where to go."

After she finished speaking, she looked calmly at Chen Geng, without pleading or hinting, as if stating a fact and waiting for his reaction.

Looking into her clear eyes that seemed to see right through people, Chen Geng almost blurted out, "I'll go with you."

He quickly suppressed this inexplicable impulse, but what came out of his mouth was: "I just finished working overtime and haven't eaten yet. If you don't mind... I know a few nice places I can take you to see. But they might not be high-end, so please don't be put off."

He was stunned for a moment after he finished speaking.

Why did he agree? Was it because she had saved him, even though it was a misunderstanding at first? Or was it because he was attracted by her skills and mystery that night?

Or perhaps it's simply that she's a "returnee" who just came back to China and is unfamiliar with the place, so she...needs help?

A glint seemed to flash in the tall woman's eyes. She nodded slightly, her tone still calm: "Okay, thank you for your help. By the way, my English name is Ann, you can just call me Xiao An, that's what my family calls me."