Going to Yemen ultimately proved to be of little use. It wasn’t as if no information had been gathered. But in fact, he had obtained plenty.

In Sana’a, where Jeong Jaeui had been, Yuri confirmed that a member of Raumaan Abid Al Saud’s group, the suspect believed to have kidnapped Jeong Jae-ui, was still missing. The truth was, this person had been trailing him since Varanasi.

Moreover, Yuri successfully met with a friend of Al Faisal and managed to earn his favor. For some reason, Yuri always found it easy to win the affection of older people regardless of gender. He even received an invitation to visit Al Saud’s villa in Seringe.

Probably no one could have made better progress in such a short period of time than Yuri.

However, despite these achievements, everything he had accomplished felt meaningless.

It was because, in the mere two or three days Yuri had been away, Jeong Taeui’s whereabouts had become unknown.

The timing was astonishingly precise. Just 5 seconds after Yuri stepped off the light aircraft and turned on his phone, it began to ring.

He tilted his head to glance at the number on the screen. It wasn’t surprising that this man was calling, but the timing that early in the morning was unusual. Normally, he would contact Yuri at a certain time in the evening, so there was no reason to call again in the morning unless something urgent had happened.

He had a bad feeling.

That ominous feeling had been lingering in his head since yesterday, when I received an unexpected call late yesterday afternoon, and now it was growing even stronger.

“What’s wrong, James?”

[“Yuri, where are you?!”]

Yuri paused for a moment at the sudden as the voice of his former colleague echoed through the line. Then he replied: “I just arrived in Seringe. I got off the plane about 30 seconds ago and was about to head straight back to my lodging.”

Earlier this morning, just a few hours ago, Yuri had contacted Berlin after calling him when Yuri left Yemen. There was no way he could forget where Yuri was after only a few hours. No, this brilliant man must have already calculated that Yuri had just arrived in Seringe. James, a man with a few years older than Yuri, was sharper and more perceptive than most younger people, even in his forties. It made sense, because without that sharpness, he wouldn’t have survived working under a boss like Kyle.

This poor man, whose competence had ironically brought harm to his own life, let out a groan as if in pain. Yuri wondered briefly if Kyle had run off again without James knowing, then asked once more: “What’s going on?”

[“It seems that damn lunatic second son has caused trouble again. I just got a call from the Ling clan.”]

Yuri pressed his lips together. A few words strung together brought with them an ominous sense of foreboding. His heart thudded, as if he’d been struck square in the chest. In that moment, the phone call from yesterday afternoon flashed through his mind.

“What did Rick do? To Ling Xinlu?”

[“It’s clear he did something, but the exact situation is uncertain. It seems all of Ling Xinlu’s bodyguards were injured so severely that they’re unable to make proper contact or report anything.”]

[“That lunatic second son is determined to ruin our business in Asia! The Ling clan is furious, declaring they won’t let this slide—and honestly, I fully support them! I wish they’d just throw that psychopath in jail once and for all!”] – James’s curse-laden voice echoed loudly through the phone.

Riegrow. With Ling Xinlu…… and then……

Yuri muttered to himself with his mind clouded as if shrouded in thick black fog: “Ling Xinlu…… Is he dead?”

[“There’s no news yet. In the worst-case scenario, he might already be dead by now. But whatever the outcome, we need to prepare for anything. So Yuri, I know you’re tired from just arriving, but can you make your way to Ling Xinlu’s location?”]

He didn’t even know what state of mind he was in when he replied: “I understand.” After that, his thoughts became hazy. However, despite all the confusing news, he was still coherent enough to retrieve my luggage, hail a taxi, and state his destination. By the time he came to his senses, the car was already heading toward the Suhapa district where Ling Xinlu was staying.

The sun was high overhead. Even the wind blowing in through the open car window was so hot it made him feel faint. No, the dizziness was more from my turbulent thoughts. ‘Get a grip, Yuri!’ – He pulled a water bottle from his bag and took a slow sip, letting the last drops slide down his throat as his thoughts cleared.

It always felt like something like this was bound to happen sooner or later. The situation made it inevitable. Riegrow and Ling Xinlu were not the kind of people to quietly concede, nor was this a matter they could resolve through simple compromise. Even if an extreme scenario unfolded, it wouldn’t be surprising. Still, if possible, though unlikely, he wished for things to be resolved peacefully, in a way that all three parties could accept. Because it was all too obvious who would end up getting hurt. Not just physically, but emotionally as well. The future where Ling Xinlu suffered heartbreak was already faintly visible to Yuri, who had spent the last few days with Riegrow and Jeong Taeui.

“Can you go a bit faster?”

Yuri urged the driver, who was leisurely humming a tune to himself, and his head slowly resting against the seat. It had been a long time since Yuri had felt this anxious.

The news of Jeong Taeui’s disappearance reached Yuri when he arrived in Dar es Salaam through a local contact staying there. To be more precise, the signs had been ominous since the night before, when Riegrow suddenly called and bluntly asked: [“He hasn’t come back. Do you know anything?”] No—if Yuri were to pinpoint the exact moment it started, it would be a few hours earlier that afternoon, when he received a call from Ling Xinlu.

When heard the cheerful words: [“It’s me”], from the owner of an unfamiliar number, Yuri froze for a few seconds in disbelief. It was unmistakably Ling Xinlu’s voice, yet he couldn’t bring himself to believe it.

[“Don’t you know who I am? It’s Ling Xinlu……”]

“……I know.”

Rrecalling the last time he had seen him, Yuri replied bluntly. It was odd—how the cold-faced young man who had punched him the other day and walked away was the same person now speaking brightly on the other end of the line, his tone cheerful and his voice accompanied by what sounded like a radiant smile.

[“What’s wrong with your voice? Hey, are you upset about something?”]

Surprised by the cheerful tone saying: [“Why sulk just because someone got a little angry?”] Yuri stiffened even more, which made his voice sound even colder as he replied: “No, I’m not.”

Yuri found himself more curious about why Ling Xinlu had called him than about how he had gotten his number. There was no way he would call to say: ‘I’m sorry for hitting you.’ (Based on Yuri’s understanding of Ling Xinlu’s personality, it seemed far more plausible that he was simply calling out of boredom.)

While Yuri hesitated unsure of what to say, the cheerful voice continued to flow through the phone.

[“I’m calling to apologize.”]

The answer Yuri had dismissed as impossible came up first. More shocked than he had been when he realized the caller was Ling Xinlu, Yuri found himself momentarily at a loss for words again. Even so, he managed to muster a response.

“No, well…… It didn’t hurt that much. I’m fine.”

[“Really? Wait, what?”]

“……Didn’t you call to apologize?”

[“Huh??? Oh, I see what you mean. No, that’s not it—I called to apologize in advance.”]

“Huh?…… What are you saying?”

The conversation was subtly going off track.

Yuri, now certain that the reason for Ling Xinlu’s call wasn’t to apologize for the violence he had inflicted, furrowed his brows skeptically at the mention of an ‘apology in advance’.

[“I’m at the hospital right now.”]

“Are you injured somewhere?”

Yuri’s voice wavered slightly, though it sounded mostly unaffected. In response, Ling Xinlu’s cheerful laughter echoed back.

[“No, no, not that. I’m waiting for Taei-hyung. He went to the hospital to check if his ankle has fully healed.”]

“Ah, I see…… that’s good news.”

[“Yes, it is. So, I was thinking it’s about time I take him with me. I’m waiting here in front of the hospital to try convincing him.”]

Yuri remained silent for a moment.

“Convince him…… I don’t think Mr. Jeong Taeui will agree to go with you, Ling Xinlu.”

[“Well, I don’t think it’ll be that easy either. But I’m thinking of taking him with me anyway. I’ve grown tired of just watching.”]

Yuri fell silent again.

Yuri thinks what Xinlu means is that he’s going to take Jeong Taeui with him, whether he convinces him or not……

“Rick is nearby……?”

[“No, he came alone. Seriously, isn’t it terrible to send an injured person to the hospital by themselves? Cutting ties with a guy like that would be better for him, don’t you think?”]

“……”

[“Either way, I’m going to take Taei-hyung with me. But if ‘that guy’ causes a fuss later, it’s obvious the people left behind are the ones who’ll suffer. So, I called to apologize to you in advance. But you’re in Yemen right now, right? It’s lucky you’re out of town. Stay there for a few more days to avoid getting caught up in anything unpleasant.”

Should he thank him for the heads-up? While Yuri, who was experiencing a headache unlike anything he’d ever felt before, remained silent, unsure of what to say, Ling Xinlu left a parting remark, sweet as honey: [“Then, see you when the chance arises.”] And with that, he hung up.

Yuri was dazed for a few seconds, holding the phone that now only emitted intermittent beeping sounds. But he couldn’t stay like that forever. In front of him was Al Faisal’s associate, patiently waiting for him to finish the call.

Hoping everything would be fine and that Ling Xinlu’s efforts would somehow fail, Yuri turned back to focus on his work in Sana’a. Yuri spent the entire afternoon rushing around, a lingering unease in the back of his mind, and managed to finish his work just barely. But the fragile sense of peace he’d clung to was abruptly shattered by a call from Riegrow.

When Jeong Taeui didn’t return, Riegrow had called to ask if Yuri knew anything. That was when Yuri felt a sudden headache coming on.

“No, I don’t know.” – Yuri replied, almost unconsciously lying. Riegrow hung up immediately, as if he didn’t have time to continue the conversation. Once again, Yuri found himself staring blankly at the phone for a while. Immediately after, he wasted no time booking the first flight to Dar es Salaam for the next day.

“Sir, we’re almost at Suhapa.”

It wasn’t until the taxi driver glanced at him through the rearview mirror and spoke that Yuri realized his destination was now coming into view. He mentioned the name of the place where Ling Xinlu was staying and prepared to pay the fare. At the same time, he steeled himself for the horrific scene he might encounter. In the worst-case scenario…… a corpse. Yuri had seen dozens of corpses before, many of which were unrecognizable as human, and he had never once felt fear. But now, just thinking about the possibility of Ling Xinlu’s corpse unsettled him in a way he couldn’t ignore.

Like an idiot.

It would have been better to return immediately upon hearing Jeong Taeui had been kidnapped, so why linger here any longer?

Though perhaps, he already knew something like this would happen.

“……”

Yuri tilted his head as if to say something, then rubbed his chin.

Yes, Ling Xinlu must have known. He couldn’t possibly be unaware that Riegrow wouldn’t stand idly by after learning of Jeong Taeui’s disappearance.

So why didn’t he leave the island immediately or take any action? Was there a reason for staying?

As he mulled over this, the taxi came to a stop at its destination.

The guards who should have stopped Yuri at the resort entrance were nowhere to be seen. Stepping through the wide-open doors without anyone to stop him, Yuri quickly understood why. From deeper inside the resort, a fair distance away, faint sounds reached him. Screams, curses, and shouts all chaotically mingled together.

Among the voices, there wasn’t a single familiar one, but Yuri quickly realized what was happening.

It was Riegrow. The situation was still unfolding.

His first thought was relief. The fact that it was ongoing meant that Ling Xinlu hadn’t yet reached the worst-case scenario.

Clicking his tongue, Yuri sprinted toward the commotion.

But there was nothing to feel relieved about.

The soil of the neatly arranged flower bed appeared unnaturally dark, because it was soaked with an overwhelming amount of blood.

Standing on the flower bed, Yuri froze as he noticed his footprints leaving clear red stains on the stone path, sending a shiver down his spine.

No, even that wasn’t the main issue. The horrifying figures sprawled across the garden – whether they were corpses or critically injured individuals who merely looked like corpses – barely registered in Yuri’s mind.

What drew his attention first were Riegrow and Ling Xinlu, standing face to face.

Ling Xinlu, still dressed in what appeared to be outdoor clothes, seemed to have just returned from somewhere. Perhaps that was why he hadn’t yet ended up among the piles of bodies. However, his appearance wasn’t far removed from that of a corpse.

His shoulder hung loosely, almost detached from his torso. His twisted ankle somehow managed to hold his weight, and his body was smeared with blood, much of which likely wasn’t even his own.

Yet, as if oblivious to the pain, Ling Xinlu glared fiercely at his opponent, his gleaming, predatory eyes resembling those of a beast on the verge of death. The once clear and beautiful black eyes that Yuri had admired now burned with murderous intent, resembling a vivid crimson flame.

“Hand it over. Then I might, just might, consider letting you keep your life.”

Riegrow’s low and slow voice was oddly languid, completely mismatched with the grim tension of the scene. *Thump, thump* His slightly twitching fingers moved with a deliberate slowness, yet they seemed as menacing as a deadly weapon.

In that moment, Ling Xinlu’s dark eyes appeared to falter for an instant before swelling with unrestrained fury, as if on the verge of bursting.

Why.

The thought struck Yuri suddenly, as if time itself had stopped.

Why hadn’t he left? After securing Jeong Taeui yesterday afternoon, Ling Xinlu had plenty of time to leave this place.

And Jeong Taeui…… where was he? Why wasn’t he here, even as Ling Xinlu stood in the midst of this destruction? Yuri’s gaze lingered on Ling Xinlu, whose lips twisted slowly into a strange expression. A blend of hatred, satisfaction, rage, and bitterness.

What was it???

“Hand it over? Did I leave something with you? Even if I did, I wouldn’t want to give it to you.”

The mocking words barely left Ling Xinlu’s lips before Riegrow made his move. Unwilling to wait any longer, he reached out. The pitch-black glove, its original color indistinguishable, shot unerringly toward Ling Xinlu’s neck. And the moment that hand touched his throat, was it the end of his life?

“Stop. Mr. Jeong Taeui is not here.”

Yuri only realized that the voice that had burst out in shock was his own when the black glove halted just before touching that white neck. What caught his eye before Riegrow’s indifferent and chilling gaze slowly turned to him, was the face of Ling Xinlu staring at him with wide glaring eyes.

The face that seemed as though struck on the back of the head, was quickly replaced with a terrifying visage, like that of an Eastern ghost.

“Gable!”

A voice filled with seething rage called out to Yuri. However, Yuri deliberately turned his gaze away and looked at Riegrow. Riegrow slowly withdrew his hand away and tilted his head slightly as if he had lost all interest in someone like Ling Xinlu.

“Then where is he?”

“I’ll find out soon enough. But he’s not here. He’s not the one who took him.”

That’s why he had stayed here. To chase after Jeong Taeui, who had disappeared without leaving a trace that even he could follow.

“You’re dead meat, you punk……!”

It was clear that Ling Xinlu intended on provoking Riegrow, so he stepped toward Yuri. His seething rage was written all over his face. However, before he could move further, Riegrow cast him a glance.

“Fine. Whatever. This actually works out perfectly. I never liked this little brat anyway. Might as well take this chance to clean things up for good.”

“I’d prefer if you didn’t.”

Yuri spoke with a troubled expression. Riegrow frowned slightly and stared at him coldly.

“James contacted me……” – Yuri continued –  “He told me that any trouble with the Ling clan needs to be minimized, no matter what. So I have to protect him, even if it means putting my life on the line. And before you can harm him, you’ll have to get through me. But if I get hurt, who’s going to find Mr. Jeong Taeui? Is there anyone better suited for the job than me?”

“Are you threatening me?”

“I’m simply presenting a practical argument.”

Riegrow stared at Yuri in silence for a moment. He was likely running through the situation in his head, but his sharp, narrow eyes seemed to pierce straight to the heart, sending chills down Yuri’s spine. It felt as though, if things went wrong, Riegrow might sweep him away as well.

Finally, Riegrow let out a light sigh.

“Fine. Someone like him doesn’t matter to me.”

Yuri barely had a moment to feel relieved, sensing that Riegrow wasn’t entirely dismissing his proposal. But that relief was short-lived as Riegrow continued speaking.

“But you know, even so, if you were with Taei until last night, what use are those useless eyes that couldn’t even keep track of where he disappeared to? Don’t you think?”

The words had barely left Riegrow’s mouth.

The hand that had seemed to withdraw suddenly thrust forward again. At that precise moment, Ling Xinlu seized the opening and aimed his gun at Riegrow. The gloved fingers extending and the finger pulling the trigger happened almost simultaneously.

Without any chance to evade, the gun fired at a perfectly timed moment. Riegrow’s brow furrowed slightly as his hand seemed to flinch just a bit.

However, both attacks fell just short of delivering a fatal blow.

“……!”

The bullet grazed past Riegrow’s left chest, only a few centimeters off, tearing through his clothes and scraping deeply against his skin.

Blood glistened as it trickled through the fingers of Ling Xinlu, who clutched one of his eyes, his breaths coming in short and sharp gasps.

Aside from the sound of the gunshot, the silence was deafening, yet it felt as though a scream had erupted. Watching Ling Xinlu biting down on his slightly parted lips, swallowing the cry that threatened to escape, Yuri found himself thinking that.

“Ling??!”

Yuri instinctively began to call his name but quickly shut his mouth. Instead, he took a step toward him.

Riegrow couldn’t evade in time, had the side of his chest deeply gouged, blood soaking his clothes in an instant. He frowned slightly but didn’t hesitate. He delivered a vicious kick to Ling Xinlu’s side. The force was enough that it might have broken a bone, yet Ling Xinlu tightly wrapped an arm around Riegrow’s leg while clutching one eye. Xinlu twisted his body with the intent to break it completely.

All that remained in him was pure malice, as if he couldn’t bear to stop until he had destroyed this man, even if it meant shattering his own body in the process.

Just as Ling Xinlu twisted his body, ready to snap Riegrow’s knee, Yuri stepped in between them. He struck Ling Xinlu’s forearm with his fist, forcing the arm that had been gripping Riegrow’s leg to release it involuntarily.

“Gable! You dog of the Riegrow family! Stay out of this!”

The one eye glaring at Yuri was even more chilling and gleamed more fiercely than the blood-soaked one. It wasn’t human, it resembled a ghostly apparition.

Without a word, Yuri kicked Ling Xinlu’s ankle, already twisted in an unnatural direction. A short scream escaped his lips as his balance faltered, and his body collapsed to the floor. Supporting Ling Xinlu with one arm, Yuri positioned himself between him and Riegrow.

His pale face was drenched in cold sweat, yet his sharp icy-blue eyes remained unwavering as Ling Xinlu stared at Yuri.

“Let go. Move aside. Don’t get in my way. I’ll kill him if I have to……!”

“Are you even aware of your own condition? If you don’t want to humiliate yourself further in front of him, stay still.”

Yuri’s sharp reprimand was spoken in Ling Xinlu’s native tongue, a language Riegrow couldn’t understand. For a moment, a flicker of surprise crossed Ling Xinlu’s eyes. Whether it was because the words were in Chinese or because of what Yuri had said was unclear, but he didn’t respond further. His gaze gradually dimmed, leaving only the occasional muttered words like a pained mantra: “It hurts…… damn it, it hurts……” (In Chinese)

“James must’ve given you strict orders, huh? Seeing how far you’re willing to go to shield that guy.” – Riegrow remarked coldly.

Riegrow scoffed behind Yuri and muttered under his breath, but he didn’t seem inclined to take further action. Supporting Ling Xinlu on one shoulder, Yuri frowned as he turned to face Riegrow.

“James will cry over this.”

“As if. That man wouldn’t cry over something this trivial. I don’t care. Just find Taei, Gable. I’m not waiting long.”

“You won’t have to wait long.” – Yuri replied.

At that moment, someone must have made a call, the distant sound of sirens grew louder. It was the sound of an approaching ambulance.

Yuri glanced at Ling Xinlu, whose face was drenched in cold sweat as he bit down on his lip, as iff struggling to hold on to the last shreds of consciousness through excruciating pain. Yuri carefully pried away the hand covering Ling Xinlu’s injured eye to inspect it. For a moment, he was at a loss for words. Perhaps sensing the slight tremble in Yuri’s hand as he gently held his, Ling Xinlu gripped his hand just a little tighter.

When the sound of the sirens finally stopped nearby, Yuri spoke heavily.

“But before that, we’ll need to take that ambulance to the airport first.”