***
Bonus chapter! Thank you to --- for the donation! ^^
***
"What?" Luo Qing was utterly stunned. He looked up at his boss, his beautiful eyes filled with shock and disbelief.
But the boss clearly wasn’t joking—in fact, he seemed to think this "task" was absolutely perfect.
If Luo Qing went through with it, the situation would definitely change—at the very least, it wouldn’t be as terrifying as it was now.
If he refused, the boss would have a legitimate reason to kick him out, ensuring he wouldn’t bring disaster upon them anymore.
The more the boss thought about it, the more he convinced himself this was a brilliant idea. His tone hardened. "This is the task I’m assigning you. Our group doesn’t support useless—"
Remembering the two men nearby, he swallowed the word "trash." "—Our group doesn’t support people who can’t complete their missions. If you can’t do it, leave on your own."
Their conversation wasn’t hushed, so the two men standing nearby heard everything. Their steps faltered, and instead of approaching, they silently ducked behind some nearby clutter, pretending not to see anything—yet making no move to leave.
Their subordinates: "…" You two are truly shameless.
Luo Qing, unaware of the eavesdroppers, paled at the boss’s words. His voice was strained. "But… our group only handles human trafficking."
The boss knew this "task" was unreasonable, but he’d reached his limit. His tone was unyielding. "Who’s the boss here—you or me? I decide the assignments. Everything in this group is under my control."
Luo Qing clenched his fists so tightly his palms ached, but leaving wasn’t an option. Finally, he bit out through gritted teeth, "…Who?"
The words were so humiliating they came out barely audible. The boss frowned. "What?"
Luo Qing’s expression darkened as he repeated, "Who do I have to sleep with?"
The boss was a ruthless man—cold-blooded and decisive. He’d trafficked hundreds, killed more than a few cops, and could solve any problem with brutal efficiency.
But this question stumped him.
He fell silent, momentarily at a loss.
Who, indeed?
If he’d only seen one of them earlier, he could’ve just named him. But both were present. If he dared pick one, the other would undoubtedly make sure he regretted it.
After a pause, the boss offered a careless suggestion:
"How about… you take them both?"
Luo Qing didn’t answer. Instead, he stared at the boss with an expressionless face. "Men of their status… would they really share someone?"
The boss’s face went stiff. "...Probably not."
Those two were notoriously fastidious. They couldn’t stand even slightly dirty environments—they’d been nitpicking since the day they arrived. Sharing the same person? Unthinkable.
Besides, with their power, they could have anyone they wanted. Why would they tolerate leftovers from a rival? The only reason they’d both taken an interest in Luo Qing was likely to one-up each other.
The boss gave up. He tossed the decision back to Luo Qing.
"Figure it out yourself. I’m not some devil—I won’t force my team into things. Just pick whoever you prefer and stick with them."
With that, the boss fled, his retreating figure uncharacteristically frantic, as if terrified Luo Qing might ask another dangerous question.
He never noticed that the eavesdroppers weren’t limited to just two.
Pei Rong stood in the shadows nearby, his icy gaze fixed on the boss’s retreating figure. A faint glint of murderous intent flickered in his deep, indifferent eyes.
Silently, he followed.
***
After the boss left, Luo Qing emerged from the corner, his expression darker than ever. Restlessness clung to him like a second skin.
Leaving wasn’t an option. The police were locked up on the other side of the factory. Without his cover, Jiang Yan would discover them sooner or later.
When that happened, those officers’ deaths would be added to his "illustrious record," cutting off any chance of future cooperation with the police.
The police route was blocked. So was the syndicate’s. If the organization ever learned he’d deliberately led the cops here, he’d be dead either way.
He had no choices left. No escape. His only path forward was to keep aiding the officers—straight into the abyss.
But the boss’s "task" was its own nightmare. Luo Qing had never been intimate with anyone, let alone slept with a man.
Still, no matter how hard it was, survival was harder.
Luo Qing took a deep breath. He’d play it by ear and cross that bridge when he came to it.
After all, the boss hadn’t set a deadline or specific demands. For now, he could feign ignorance.
Luo Qing was distracted, completely unaware that the two people they had just been talking about were standing not far away.
Jiang Yan and the male high school student exchanged a glance, each seeing nothing but ice-cold disdain—and a faint trace of murderous intent—in the other's eyes. It was as if they might draw knives and stab each other at any moment.
And indeed, they wanted to. Their brief time together had only deepened their mutual hatred, turning them into fire and water that could never coexist.
Falling for the same person made peaceful coexistence impossible from the start.
Sharing? That was pure fantasy. The mere thought of the other even looking at Luo Qing for too long was unbearable—how could they ever consider sharing him?
Yet neither acted. The consequences of killing the other were too great to bear. And because of each other’s presence, neither could simply take Luo Qing away by force.
After all, neither of them was supposed to be here in the first place.
"Since the choice lies with Luo Qing, then it’s a matter of skill." Jiang Yan lowered his gaze indifferently, adjusting the sleeve of his trench coat.
"Whoever he chooses, the other backs off. Agreed?"
"Fine." The high schooler had no objections—even offering a gentle, sunny smile. But a closer look would reveal that the warmth never reached his eyes.
And so, their agreement was struck.
Whether either of them would actually honor it, though—that was anyone’s guess.
***
Jiang Yan had come to City S for a mission, but from the very first day, he’d tossed that objective aside entirely.
Not only had he clashed with the police, but now he was caught up in a petty rivalry over a man.
The bodyguards watched as Jiang Yan picked out clothes, their expressions utterly lifeless. They desperately wanted to ask, "Do you even remember why we’re in City S?"
But they didn’t dare. Instead, when Jiang Yan asked, "Do I look good?" they could only reply flatly, "Yes."
Right now, Jiang Yan was like a peacock in mating season—every inch of him radiating courtship energy. Even his usually unkempt hair had been meticulously styled.
With his sharp, striking features, the effect was runway-model levels of devastating.
And he wasn’t the only one.
The high schooler had changed into a cream-colored sweater, the soft fabric lending him an air of gentle refinement—a sweet young master, leveraging his youth for all it was worth.
Both men were undoubtedly among society's elite, whether in terms of status or appearance.
Yet when they casually passed by Luo Qing—seemingly by accident—he didn’t even glance up from his phone.
Bodyguards: "…" Hold it in. Don’t laugh.
Jiang Yan and the high school boy watched the person engrossed in his phone, then found another excuse to walk past him again, this time deliberately making noise.
But Luo Qing, seemingly absorbed in his game, still didn’t look up.
The scene was eerily familiar—just like when the policeman had tried (and failed) to get Luo Qing’s attention before being "taken away."
Similar, yet different. These two had far less patience than the cop. When Luo Qing ignored them for the third time, they simply sat down on either side of him.
Both stood over 180 cm tall, their imposing frames trapping Luo Qing between them, making him appear even more delicate.
Luo Qing had noticed them long ago—he was just pretending not to. But he hadn’t expected them to sit down.
Under their gazes, his body stiffened slightly. His fingers curled almost imperceptibly around his phone, his slender form radiating unease.
Jiang Yan saw right through his discomfort. His eyes darkened. This person never realizes how much his nervousness just makes people want to bully him harder.
To make him cry. To make him beg.
Suppressing the urge to destroy, Jiang Yan masked the danger in his gaze. He smiled lightly. "Don’t be nervous. I was in the wrong earlier."
"I’d had a bit to drink—you know how men get when they’re drunk, losing control and all."
The table held baijiu, laid out by the boss to entertain these VIPs. As he spoke, Jiang Yan poured two glasses, sliding one to Luo Qing and downing the other in one go.
"My drink’s finished. No pressure." He showed Luo Qing the empty cup—a gesture of "sincere" apology.
Before Luo Qing could react, the high schooler let out a mocking snort. "Drunk?"
"Funny how you didn’t lay hands on anyone else while ‘drunk.’ We’re not kids here. Drop the excuse."
Unfazed, Jiang Yan poured another glass and replied leisurely, "A little brat who’s never even tasted alcohol wouldn’t understand. Drunkenness reveals desires you’d never act on sober."
The boy "heh’d" coldly. "Damn right I don’t know—I don’t smoke or drink. My life’s goal is to be a devoted family man."
"Not smoking or drinking makes you a good man? How childish."
The two men clashed, while Luo Qing stayed silent beside them, as if none of this concerned him.
They quickly realized their argument was pointless—Luo Qing’s opinion was clearly what mattered now.
But asking him outright "Who do you want to sleep with?" would expose that they’d been eavesdropping, not to mention make them seem cheap and vulgar.
Jiang Yan switched tactics. He glanced sideways at Luo Qing and asked, "Hypothetically—just hypothetically—"
"If he and I were drowning, who would you save?"
