The Third Young Master stepped forward and extended his hand to shake Kane’s, wearing a perfectly calibrated gentle smile, every gesture finely measured.“Captain Kane, I’ve heard so much about you.”“Hello.” Kane replied briefly, sizing the man up discreetly.The Third Young Master was not particularly striking‑looking. He had a long face with narrow eyes and a somewhat dark complexion. No flashy luxury goods adorned him; his clothes were plain and understated. He kept a polite smile throughout his mannerisms, seeming composed and harmless, lacking the arrogance typical of high‑ranking elites. Yet this very restraint made him all the more formidable.“Please, sit.” The Third Young Master gestured sideways, his bearing courteous.Kane and Cole followed and settled into the leather sofas beside the card table.“Theodore, pause the game for now,” the Third Young Master called over toward the card table in a casual tone.A burly man with close‑cropped stubble, nearly one‑ninety centimete

Smoke hung thick in the office. Cruz sat at his workstation, a cigarette pinched between his fingers, staring down at his phone. He was about to type out a leave request so he could head to Viera with Kane.*Knock knock knock.* A sharp knock cut through the air.A third-unit officer pushed the door open. "Captain, the Chief wants you. Right now."Cruz looked up, surprised. "Me?""Yeah, it’s urgent.""Alright, I’m on my way." Cruz stubbed out his cigarette and stood to leave.Five minutes later, inside Harrington’s office.Harrington sat behind his desk, cutting straight to the chase with a cold, crisp tone. "You still have that time-sensitive case under supervision?""I do. The serial robbery-homicide case. We’ve nearly mapped out all the leads and are ready to close the net any day now," Cruz answered honestly and sat down.Harrington spoke flatly. "Hand it over to Unit Two."Cruz froze, utterly confused. "Chief, the case is at the final stretch. Why hand it off all of a sudden? Runn

"Uncle Calvin, you haven’t kept up your physique like you used to," Charles joked casually, handling the atmosphere perfectly.Calvin laughed loudly and sat down. "I’ve been holding back. I work out twice a week; otherwise, my weight would’ve spiraled out of control long ago."The group settled onto the sofa, chatting and laughing. Watching Charles maneuver through the crowd with easy poise, Cruz’s expression turned complicated. He now fully understood the foundation of Charles’s deep roots within this elite circle.......Hartley stepped out of the vehicle to survey the area. Three military trucks were parked neatly in the open space beside the checkpoint, and several armed soldiers stood scattered about chatting. Security was tight."Hold the vehicle for now. I’ll make contact," Hartley whispered to the driver, then dialed the private number Kane had given him.Six or seven minutes later, a burly middle-aged man walked down from the second floor of the checkpoint. A cigarette hung f

“It’s settled.” Kane lay back on the bed and confirmed the plan. “I’ll head back to your hometown with you tomorrow. Cham’s staying here to keep watch. We’ve got enough men, and the situation is stable. Nothing will go wrong. The rest of you can take care of shopping and resting.”“Alright.” Hartley nodded firmly.“Wash up and get some sleep.” Kane was worn out. He got up, rushed into the bathroom for a quick shower, then fell straight into bed and passed out.......The next morning, a knock came right on time.“Kane, you awake? Time for breakfast.” Cham’s voice called out.Kane woke up, rubbing his throbbing head, and replied. He checked the time and noticed Hartley was already out of the room.He lingered in bed for a minute, then got ready and headed to the hotel dining hall. Silla, Anthony and the others were already sitting and eating.“Where’s Hartley?” Cham looked up and asked.“He’s gone to pick up supplies for his family visit. Left early this morning.” Kane picked up an egg

"My mom stayed up all night sewing clothes for others just to scrape together my tuition. She only earned twenty cents for each garment. My tuition, my future, were stitched together stitch by stitch by my mother, earned through backbreaking labor and endless hardship from my dad and brother out in the freezing cold!"Hartley fought back the moisture in his eyes, his tone resolute and unyielding. "That’s why I have to make something of myself. I’m not just carrying my own life on my shoulders — I carry my whole family’s hope for a better future. I can’t change where I was born, but I will change how my story ends.""Other people miss their hometown and cling to their roots. Not me. I made up my mind when I was a teenager: I had to get out of here, and take my whole family away from this barren land."Kane turned to look at the resilient young man beside him. He finally fully understood where that ruthless, driven fire inside Hartley came from.Born in despair, you either sink into rui