After ninety-nine online romances, I finally met my ex in person when school started.

"Coo coo. Coo coo."

The masquerade bird song rang out again in the darkness.

Zhu Xunchuan stood at the edge of the birch forest and looked up in the direction from which the sound came.

Within thirty meters ahead, fifteen special operations sentry posts, representing the highest level of official combat capability, had already silently lay flat in the pile of fallen leaves, without even making a sound.

A two-story red brick building.

A vintage carved wooden window was half-open. Bai He perched on the narrow windowsill, her hands wrapped around her knees. Her black, tight-fitting combat suit accentuated her petite yet powerful curves, and the night breeze ruffled her twin ponytails.

She looked down at Zhu Xun Chuan below, winked smugly twice, and then held up three fingers, making a tactical gesture that said "all done".

Zhu Xun Chuan's lips curled into a smile. He took two running steps forward, his military boots landing on the mottled red brick wall, using the momentum to propel himself into the air. His right arm gripped the outer edge of the second-floor balcony, his waist and abdomen tightened, and he lightly and silently flipped onto the windowsill, landing beside Bai He.

As soon as it landed, the white crane flew directly into his arms.

She rubbed the tip of her nose against Zhu Xun Chuan's dark gray suit jacket. The man carried a mixture of several top-tier colognes, clearly having just emerged from the seductive allure of his luxurious apartment in the China World Trade Center.

"You did a good job." Zhu Xun Chuan ignored her jealous little gestures, placed his large hand on her head, and ruffled her two pigtails. "It's cold outside, come inside and stay here."

Bai He pressed her cheek against Zhu Xun Chuan's warm palm.

"Brother." Bai He tiptoed and whispered in Zhu Xun Chuan's ear, her warm breath brushing against his earlobe, her voice soft and sweet, "Those uniformed guys outside will at least be able to sleep until noon tomorrow. I'll keep watch for you tonight. This is a secret between the two of us. When you get back, you absolutely mustn't tell those vixens in the big apartment."

A top-tier assassin on the dark web, in order to claim all the credit, turned a top-level infiltration mission into a little girl's attempt to curry favor.

"You deserve the credit." Zhu Xun Chuan pinched her cheek.

Bai He raised her chin with satisfaction, retreated, and disappeared into the shadows of the curtains at the end of the corridor. She held two high-density ceramic shards in her hand, her gaze fixed on the stairwell, fully alert.

Zhu Xunchuan turned around and walked forward down the corridor.

Inside the red-brick building in the municipal party committee compound, a quiet and oppressive atmosphere, characteristic of the center of power, permeated the air. Thick, handmade wool carpets covered the corridor floors, their sound completely swallowed by military boots. Dim wall lamps cast long shadows on the solid wood wainscoting.

Based on the previously reviewed internal architectural drawings, Zhu Xunchuan accurately stopped in front of the innermost room on the second floor.

The door is made of thick rosewood, with dark copper soundproofing strips around the edges.

Zhu Xun Chuan raised his right hand and tapped the solid wood door panel twice with his knuckles.

"Tap. Tap."

The only sound in the corridor was his own breathing.

Two seconds later, a deliberately hushed voice came from inside the door.

"I'm going to bed now. Is there anything I can help you with, Aunt Wang?"

Fu Xinghe's voice was cold and clear, carrying an extremely heavy sense of defensiveness. For the past few days, her mother, Song Xingyao, had cut off all contact with the outside world, and special agents were stationed outside her door 24/7. She was extremely wary of anyone knocking at this hour.

Zhu Xun Chuan had one hand in his trouser pocket, leaned slightly forward, and pressed his thin lips close to the crack in the door.

"it's me."

The room fell into a deathly silence.

Immediately following was a series of hurried and disordered footsteps. It was the dull sound of bare feet stepping on solid wood flooring.

The footsteps stopped behind the door. Separated by only a door, Zhu Xun Chuan could clearly hear Fu Xing He's rapid breathing, a sign of oxygen deprivation following extreme emotional turmoil.

"How did you get in?" Fu Xinghe's voice completely lacked the composure of a Peking University professor, trembling noticeably. "The outside is full of special agents arranged by my mother, and the balcony is sealed off from all sides. You'd better leave quickly, or you won't be able to get out if they find you!"

Zhu Xun Chuan did not move, but placed his palm on the door panel.

"Open the door."

"I can't open it!" Fu Xinghe pressed against the door, his voice trembling with urgent sobs. "My mom took the key. This door is locked from the outside, and even the spare key is in the guard room."

Separated by only a wall, Zhu Xun Chuan could even imagine her helpless state at that moment. The Fu family's daughter, who was unapproachable in academia and dignified and elegant in the municipal party committee compound, was now desperately trying to protect him.

This is enough.

"Take two steps back," Zhu Xun Chuan said calmly.

Fu Xinghe, who was inside the door, was stunned for a moment, but her subconscious obedience made her do as she was told, and she stepped back barefoot.

Zhu Xun Chuan placed his right hand on the antique-style brass doorknob.

This is not an ordinary indoor lock, but a specially made thickened anti-theft mechanical lock cylinder for the compound, with the entire interior made of high-quality steel.

Zhu Xun Chuan didn't use any tools. The muscles in his right arm instantly bulged under the dark gray fabric of his suit, veins popping out. His fingers clenched tightly, gripping the base of the brass handle.

The ultimate explosive power, enhanced by the system, was poured into his right palm at this moment.

"Click".

A dull, metallic sound of dislocation.

Zhu Xun Chuan twisted his wrist outward and suddenly exerted force backward.

The metallic, grating sound of teeth grinding was particularly jarring in the silent midnight corridor. The solid steel latch, fixed to the rosewood door, was bent into a limp shape by this inhuman force.

"Bang."

Along with a ring of broken wood chips, Zhu Xun Chuan pulled the entire brass lock cylinder out by hand.

He casually tossed the twisted, broken metal lock cylinder onto the carpet and silently pushed open the heavy solid wood door.

The room was dark. Only the faint moonlight filtered in through the window.

The family rules set by Song Xingyao, the insurmountable power threshold in the compound, couldn't even last ten seconds in the face of absolute violence.

Zhu Xunchuan crossed the threshold.

The moment the door was pushed open, a whiff of air mixed with high-end shower gel and Fu Xinghe's unique, cool fragrance rushed out.

In the darkness, a slender figure rushed forward recklessly.

Fu Xinghe was only wearing the white silk nightgown from the photo. She didn't care about her mother's furious outburst when she saw the dilapidated door the next morning, nor did she care about the so-called proper demeanor of a noble lady.

She crashed directly into Zhu Xun Chuan's arms, wrapping her arms tightly around his waist.

Soft and fragrant.

The body trembled uncontrollably in Zhu Xun Chuan's arms due to extreme fear and longing.

Zhu Xun Chuan closed the dilapidated door behind him and supported Fu Xing He's lower back with his large hand.

"Are you crazy..." Fu Xinghe buried his face in his chest, his fingers gripping his suit lapel tightly. "This is the municipal party committee compound. If you smash the door, my mother will definitely turn on you tomorrow."

"You dare to lie about being pregnant, so what's a door smashing for you?" Zhu Xun Chuan grasped her slightly cold right wrist with his left hand.

P.S.: I'll be giving away 52 (currency unspecified) to one lucky winner. Newcomers, don't forget to follow and leave a 5-star review with text! I'm begging for donations! Kind boss, please feed me, I don't want to starve! And if I get the number one spot on the leaderboard, there'll be a 520 bonus! Hehe~