Am I a Kamen Rider or the real young master who was switched at birth?

There was a brief silence in the cubicle.

The silent man raised his head and looked calmly at Ye Yang. Then he pointed to the empty single sofa between him and Su Tan.

"Good evening, Mr. Ye. Please have a seat."

Ye Yang walked to the sofa, sat down, and sank in a little.

He glanced at Su Tan on his left, then at the silent man in front of him, before leaning back on the sofa and saying casually, "Good evening, both of you. Is there something you wish to discuss with me privately?"

The man lifted his hands from his knees, then interlaced his fingers in front of him, and said in a deep voice, "Let me introduce myself first. My name is Qin Yue, the head of Abyss Prison. You've already met this person—Su Tan, my deputy."

"I came here today specifically to attend your family reunion banquet, partly to see the newly returned young master of the Lin family in person, and partly to explore cooperation opportunities with you. I wonder if Mr. Ye would be interested?"

"You want to collaborate with me?" Ye Yang raised an eyebrow slightly, his gaze sweeping back and forth between Qin Yue and Su Tan.

Su Tan leaned back on the sofa armrest, a faint smile on her lips, without interrupting.

"Yes. I heard you're going to attend an auction in a few days," Qin Yue continued.

Ye Yang nodded, his tone becoming more serious as he said, "That's right. There are some things we need to investigate—Shen Yunzhou's Silent Beast Cocoon is still missing a few key materials; there might be clues at the auction."

Qin Yue and Su Tan exchanged a very brief glance.

Then Qin Yue turned back to look at him and said in a steady voice, "Perfect timing. We obtained some intelligence about the organization behind Shen Yunzhou from Zheng Dao and Song Zhiming."

"The organization is called 'Zero,' and its core members are known to number at least a dozen, scattered across various levels of the Federation. There are people from the military, people from the business world, and even a few old guys who have been retired for many years."

"They are all waiting for an opportunity—for the Silent Beast cocoon left by Shen Yunzhou to hatch successfully, and then use that cocoon to cultivate an ultimate Silent Beast capable of destroying the Federation's existing order."

"Zheng Dao revealed the locations of Zero's several strongholds in the central Federation, and Song Zhiming disclosed the organization's complete experimental procedures for cultivating Silent Beast Fusion Bodies. But just as we were preparing to continue digging along these two leads—"

He paused, his fingers tightening slightly as he spoke, "Zheng Dao and Song Zhiming are both dead."

Ye Yang's expression changed slightly. He looked at Qin Yue and waited for him to finish speaking.

"Zheng Dao died in the interrogation room of Yuan Prison. The cause of death was cardiac arrest. The forensic examination revealed that he had a type of mute beast cell in his body that we had not detected before. Under certain conditions, it will automatically dissolve and release a toxin powerful enough to stop the heart from beating within seconds. We are still investigating the triggering conditions."

"Song Zhiming died during the transport. The convoy lost power while passing through a tunnel. There was only a very short gap between the two sides. By the time the emergency power was restarted, he had already stopped breathing."

Qin Yue's tone became more serious as he continued, "The only people who can simultaneously obtain information about the Abyss Prison interrogation room and the escort convoy are high-ranking officials within the Federation."

Su Tan picked up the conversation, speaking slightly faster than Qin Yue: "So there might be Zero's spies around us. This person or group of people can access the Abyss's operational plans and know in advance the interrogation points of Zheng Dao and Song Zhiming."

Ye Yang leaned back on the sofa and tapped his fingers lightly on the armrest several times.

After a moment of silence, he suddenly chuckled softly. Looking at the two core figures of the Abyss before him, he said in a relaxed tone:

"I see—I think I understand. It's inconvenient for the two of you to show yourselves, for fear of alerting the enemy. But I can participate in the auction legitimately as the young master of the Lin family. With your intelligence and my combat power, we each get what we need. Is that what you mean?"

As he spoke, he stood up from the sofa and nodded slightly to Qin Yue and Su Tan.

"Then we'll keep in touch. Before the auction, send me all the information you can share."

Su Tan also stood up. She didn't say anything polite, but simply extended her hand to shake hands with Ye Yang, a familiar smile on her lips.

"Then thank you, Young Master Ye. Don't worry, you won't have worked for nothing; Yuan Yu owes you a favor."

Ye Yang waved his hand, then raised the magenta camera on his chest and casually pressed the shutter in the direction of Su Tan and Qin Yue.

The camera clicked crisply, and a photo popped out from the bottom.

He flicked the photo around, then glanced at Qin Yue's expressionless face and Su Tan's faint smile in the picture, and said in a light tone, "No problem. Let's talk about it next time."

The cubicle door closed gently behind him.

Qin Yue sat on the sofa, picked up the cup of coffee that had gone mostly cold again, took a sip, and then looked at Su Tan with a slight smile on his lips.

"This kid is interesting. His reactions just now didn't seem like those of an ordinary eighteen-year-old. Your eye for talent is as sharp as ever."

Su Tan leaned back on the sofa, her hands casually folded on her knees, her smile more relaxed than before.

"I never misjudge people. I knew this kid was something special when we were at the factory last time. He doesn't lack ability, he lacks intelligence. Give him the intelligence, and he'll be better suited to operate outside than we are."

Qin Yue didn't say anything, but simply finished the last sip of cold coffee in his cup, then placed the cup back on the saucer with a crisp, light sound.

When Ye Yang came out of the cubicle, he mentally reviewed what Qin Yue had said.

The Zero Organization, with a dozen core members, has infiltrated all levels of the Federation.

He took a deep breath and then stuffed the double-image photo into his suit pocket.

He was heading towards the banquet hall when he ran into Lin Yuanshan.

Lin Yuanshan leaned against a pillar at the end of the corridor, holding a glass of champagne that had lost its bubbles, as if he had been waiting there for a long time.

He saw Ye Yang come out, instinctively straightened up, his gaze lingered on Ye Yang's face for a second, and then asked in a flat tone, "How did the chat go?"

Ye Yang shrugged and said casually, "It's just about the upcoming auction. Su Tan and Qin Yue have some information they want to share with me, about the cocoon left by Shen Yunzhou and some organizational matters. It's nothing serious, don't worry."

Lin Yuanshan looked at Ye Yang and remained silent for a moment. Then he placed the champagne glass in his hand on the side table next to him and patted Ye Yang on the shoulder.

"Prepare well. Whatever you do, the Lin family will always be your support. Remember, the Lin family doesn't have the habit of letting their children shoulder responsibilities alone."

Ye Yang smiled at Lin Yuanshan, then said in a more serious tone, "Understood. Dad."

The noise in the banquet hall had mostly subsided, and most of the guests had already taken their leave.

Ye Yang walked across the long dining table, picked up a glass of juice he hadn't drunk from, and glanced around the room.

Lin Yumin was standing at the door seeing off the last few elders. The Han siblings had already left, and the desserts on the buffet table were almost completely gone.

Then he saw Lin Ying standing alone by the French windows.

She turned slightly to the side, one hand resting gently on the window frame, quietly gazing out the window.

Moonlight streamed in through the glass, falling on her pale purple gauze dress and casting streaks of silver light of varying shades.

Ye Yang walked to her side and followed her gaze to look out the window.

Outside the window was the bamboo grove in the Lin family's backyard, the moonlight gilding the edges of the bamboo leaves with a fine silver rim.

He stood beside her for a moment, then spoke softly, "What are you thinking about?"

Lin Ying turned her head slightly to look at Ye Yang, then quickly looked away.

She looked around, then said softly, "There are just too many people... it's a bit stuffy. I... I'm not used to having so many people talking around me."

Ye Yang nodded, then gently placed the juice on the windowsill.

He tilted his head to look at Lin Ying and said in a similarly soft voice, "Then—would you like to go for a walk?"

Lin Ying looked up at him, her light gray eyes appearing exceptionally clear in the moonlight.

After a brief silence, she nodded gently.

The two exited through the side door of the banquet hall and walked around the corridor where Ye Yang had almost gotten lost the first time he visited the Lin family.

The courtyard was quiet; the noise from outside was completely blocked by the thick stone walls.

The wisteria trellis casts dappled shadows under the moonlight. The koi in the pond are asleep, and the water is as smooth as a mirror, with only the occasional bamboo leaf falling and creating a tiny ripple.

They walked slowly along the cobblestone path, and no one was in a hurry to speak.

Ye Yang unbuttoned his suit jacket, and the collar of his magenta shirt underneath was slightly turned up by the wind.

He turned to look at Lin Ying walking beside him. Her skirt was gently swaying in the wind, and she and the two shadows on the ground, elongated by the moonlight, moved together.

"Are you feeling any better?"

Lin Ying nodded. Moonlight fell on her profile, casting a pale silver hue on her eyelashes.

"Much better. It's much quieter outside—and the air is fresher. There were so many perfumes mixed together in the banquet hall, it made me a little dizzy. I feel much better now."

Ye Yang pointed to a stone chair hidden under an osmanthus tree by the roadside, and then wiped a few fallen osmanthus petals off the chair with the back of his hand.

After he sat down, he moved to the side to make room for Lin Ying.

"Would you like to come and sit for a while?"

Lin Ying lowered her head, tiptoed, and after a moment of silence, sat down next to him.

Neither of them spoke. The osmanthus trees beside the stone bench were in full bloom, and occasionally a few delicate petals would drift down.

After a long while, Lin Ying suddenly spoke in a very soft voice, "What a round moon—is it a full moon today?"

Ye Yang looked up at the perfectly round moon in the sky and nodded.

He glanced at Lin Ying, who was looking up at the moon, her profile appearing exceptionally soft in the moonlight.

But both her hands were on her knees, her fingers gripping the hem of her skirt tightly, pinching several fine wrinkles into the pale purple tulle skirt.

"What's wrong? Are you in a bad mood?" Ye Yang asked softly.

Lin Ying shook her head. She lowered her head, her silver-white bangs covering most of her face, revealing only her small nose and slightly parted lips.

After a long while, she slowly spoke, "It's not that I'm in a bad mood. It's just that... I've been thinking about something. Ever since I saw you standing on the stage saying, 'I am the son of the Lin family and also a child from the orphanage,' I've been thinking about it."

"You said you found your biological parents and know who you are... I'm happy for you, really happy. But—"

She paused, her fingers gripping the hem of her skirt even tighter.

"But... I still don't know where my biological parents are. My mom and dad... treat me like their own daughter, they've never made me feel like an outsider."

"But... but sometimes I still wonder, what were my biological parents like? What did they look like? What were their personalities like? What did they sound like?"

"When I was little... when I was switched at birth... did they look for me like Uncle Lin and Aunt Su looked for you? Or did they not know I existed, or even if they did, they didn't want to find me?"

As she said this, her body trembled slightly, and then her voice shook as she spoke:

"I know it's not fair to my parents to think like this. They've been so good to me... but every time I think about this, I feel like I'm caught between two worlds."

"It's not that I'm ungrateful for my parents' upbringing; I just want to know where I came from."

She lowered her head even further, her voice almost inaudible, "I'm sorry—did I say something strange?"

Ye Yang did not answer immediately. He leaned back in the stone chair, looked up at the full moon, and remained silent for a while.

Then he said calmly, "I see. Lin Ying, you want to find your biological parents. There's nothing to be ashamed of in this."

"You are the daughter of the Lin family. Your parents raised you, and your eldest and second eldest sisters treat you like their own sister. But it's only natural for you to want to know where you came from. And—"

He turned to look at her, grinned, and said, "You're not alone. If you want to find your biological parents, I'll help you. We can take our time, there's no rush."

Lin Ying looked up at him. Moonlight fell on Ye Yang's profile, and he wore that familiar smile on his lips.

She looked at him, her lips moved several times, and then she asked softly, "Why—why are you willing to help me?"

Ye Yang tilted his head and said matter-of-factly, "Because we're family. Family members should help each other—you help me, I help you, isn't that just natural?"

Lin Ying lowered her head, and a gentle smile involuntarily appeared on the corners of her mouth.

"Thank you—" she said softly and sincerely.

Ye Yang smiled, and then he slowly stood up from the stone chair.

He walked to the bushes by the roadside, bent down, and examined them carefully by the moonlight before reaching out and picking two leaves.

He held one of the leaves to his mouth, then gently pinched the edge of the leaf between his lips and gently exhaled.

A clear and melodious birdsong came from among the leaves.

Lin Ying opened her mouth slightly, her eyes brightening a bit more than before, and said with a hint of surprise in her voice, "It sounds so good—what is this?"

Ye Yang took the leaf from his mouth and then handed another clean, new leaf to Lin Ying.

After he sat down again, he pointed to the leaf in his hand and began to speak patiently:

"This is called a leaf whistle, it's a musical instrument made from leaves. I learned it from an old man on the next street when I was a child at the orphanage. He called it a 'grass whistle,' and you can make different tunes by using leaves of different sizes. Would you like to try it?"

Lin Ying carefully took the leaf with both hands. She looked down at the fine veins on the surface of the leaf, and then, imitating Ye Yang's action, gently held the edge of the leaf between her lips.

She took a deep breath and blew hard, but no sound came out except for the hissing sound she made as she blew.

Somewhat puzzled, she took the leaf from her mouth, then held it up to the moonlight to examine it, confirming that there were no holes in the leaf. She tried again, but still no sound came out.

She tilted her head slightly, looking at the leaf in her hand, then looked up at Ye Yang, blinking her big, watery eyes with a cute expression, her eyes filled with confusion.

Ye Yang couldn't help but smile as he looked at her earnest yet adorably oblivious expression.

He placed his leaf on his lap and then moved a little closer to Lin Ying.

He pointed to the leaf in her hand and patiently explained, "It's not about blowing hard—you gently hold the edge of the leaf between your lips and exhale from the center of your lips. Don't press your lips too tightly; let the leaf vibrate. See, like this."

He picked up his leaf and demonstrated again, this time slowing down his movements so that Lin Ying could see the changes in his lips.

A soft bird song drifted out from among the leaves, carrying far into the quiet night.

Lin Ying looked down at the leaf in her hand and put it back between her lips.

Her eyelashes drooped slightly, and her lips gently pressed against the edge of the leaf.

She exhaled softly, and the leaf vibrated gently between her lips, emitting a whistle like a fledgling bird taking its first flight.

Lin Ying's eyes lit up. She gently removed the leaf from her lips, then looked down at it, her smile slowly widening.

Ye Yang looked at her, then raised his leaf back to his lips and blew out another light and cheerful melody.

A simple, gentle, and melodious folk song drifted slowly through the bamboo forest under the moonlight.