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nShe ignored him and snatched the cup off his hand, finishing it all in one gulp.

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nYang Feng took the cup back and handed it to his secretary for him to refill. Chen Gaonan frowned at his new job as a water boy, but nonetheless, went to fetch the water.

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"Does it hurt anywhere?

" Yang Feng asked, brushing away her messy fringe to reveal the thick white bandage on her forehead. Seeing it, his lips tilted into a frown.

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"No.

" Zhao Lifei curtly answered, pushing him away and casting her eyes downwards. She remembered his expression when he saw the bloodshed. Sitting here, she was waiting for him to tell her he didn't want a woman as crazy and uncontrollable like her.

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nYang Feng saw her lower her gaze and sighed. His arms felt empty without her in it. She had reverted back to distancing herself. He knew it was also his fault, but he knew he had gotten her to lower her walls before. It wouldn't be hard to do it again.

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"Where did you learn to wield a gun like that?

" He wanted the truth this time. Keeping his voice gentle and his eyes adoringly warm for her and no one else, he hoped it would beckon her to open up.

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nIt shocked his younger siblings who couldn't believe they were personally witnessing this side of him. Even though Ruqin had already witnessed her henpecked brother's treatment of Lifei, seeing it again still surprised her.

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nYang Yulong eyed his brother. He didn't think the man was even capable of such fondness! Who would've known he was a pampering lover?!

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"Don't try to hide the truth. I can't protect you if you don't tell me everything. You're not allowed to keep me in the dark.

" He demanded, leaving no room for objections.

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nYang Yulong looked at his brother incredulously. H-Hey buddy, I don't think we should provoke this crazy woman who killed 29 men in the span of one night!

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nShe raised her head to look at him, before eyeing the other Yang siblings and Chen Gaonan who stood by the door with the cup of water. When she heard his words, she knew she couldn't delay the truth anymore.

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nSighing, she gestured her hand to the couch in the expansive hospital room suitable for royalties.

"Sit down, it's a long story.

" She muttered.

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nYang Feng adjusted her hospital bed so she can comfortably sit, before making himself comfortable beside her. He hovered over like an overprotective husband and she didn't know how to react to it.

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nChen Gaonan sensed this would be private information, so he made sure that the security detail outside knows that no one is allowed near the room as he himself stood by the locked door to guard it.

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nYang Ruqin had been awfully surprised to know that her Feifei can wield a gun. They had grown up together, and as heiresses, they knew basic self-defense. For her brother to ask about her Feifei's ability with a gun, it would seem it was remarkable. Was this related to the time when she disappeared?

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nShe was beyond curious about where her Feifei has mysteriously vanished for two years without leaving a single note or word behind. She just went up and left, taking none of her belongings — not even a wallet or cellphone.

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nZhao Lifei looked to the tinted glass window as her Qinqin and her other brother moved to the couch. She saw her haggard reflection, the white bandages on her head, and her cheeks that had became incredibly hollow.

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nYang Yulong was the first to eagerly sit down, his ears excited to listen to this crazy lady. He was now incredibly wary of her due to her abilities. Most of her kills were clean shots that resulted in instant deaths!

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nThis type of woman was suitable for the underworld. He had been embroiled in it for a long time but he had never seen someone that seemed inexperienced go on a ruthless rampage. But with how possessive and overprotective his brother was of this woman, he doubted Yang Feng would ever allow her to take even a single step towards any kind of danger.

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nHe doesn't know much about her aside from what Qinqin had told them, and his brother has made sure early on that no one in the family, even him, can get a background check on her. Even if she's acknowledged by Zhao Moyao, there were other women who are qualified to be his brother's woman. And they all had a better reputation than her.

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nTo him, there weren't any benefits to Zhao Lifei aside from her pretty face.

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"Two years ago, I reached the brink of my sanity. My life was a never-ending cycle of alcohol, antidepressants, and plotting the downfall of Xia Mengxi. I was a mess.

" Her voice was low and hesitant. She didn't want to remember her past, but the more she ignored it, the more it came back to her. She knew that it was better to embrace it than push it away.

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"I lost sight of who I was. I lost sight of the confident woman that my foundation was built upon.

" She lifted her head and stared out the window. The sky was beautiful and seemed picturesque, which was a stark contrast to her tainted and gloomy past.

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"I needed a way to escape everything that has happened and the things I've done. I didn't want to be here anymore, I needed change.

" She thought back to the memory of the confrontation she had with her grandfather. She had misused her skills, her power, and authority to commit sins he didn't approve of.

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"So I left.

"

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nShe remembered climbing into the discreet black van without anything except the clothes on her back.

"I wasn't thinking properly. I didn't care where I went, what I did, I just wanted to escape — to leave Shenbei and never look back.

"

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nShe remembered how she came to that decision. One day, she had looked at the mirror and saw how haunting she looked, nothing like the woman she had always seen herself as. Her lifeless eyes barely concealed defeat. She had always been skinny, but she lost so much weight that all her clothing was too big on her. The mental and physical exhaustion from chasing after Zheng Tianyi had slowly turned her crazy.

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"At first, I didn't know where to go. So I simply went with grandfather's arrangement.

"

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nThe Yang siblings sat in quiet anticipation as they waited to find out what happened to her for two years.

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"Grandfather knew I was in a precarious situation. The Zheng private army is formidable, and I needed to be somewhere safe while I heal. He used some of his connections and kept me hidden where no hackers, assassins, mercenaries or any of my enemies can track me down. I was securely tucked away in the military, strengthening my mind and my body.

"

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nBecause she had so many demons within herself to fight, she had gone through intensive training. Memories of how her body was pushed to the limit by loud drill sergeants flashed by. With her state of mind, the day she had picked up her first gun, she had unwittingly become the perfect weapon — she killed without hesitation.

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"And for the next two years, I stayed in the military. I flourished without having to rely on my identity or background. Grandfather's military influence is unrivaled, and I did not want to stand out. Only the people with access to the highest level of security clearance knew who I truly am.

"

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"I didn't plan on coming back to Shenbei. I planned on staying there for as long as I wanted, and simply work on the missions I get.

"

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nShe remembered telling her grandfather about not wanting to come back, and him storming to the military compound the next day to take her back to the city. He tore into the higher-ups who were brainwashing her just so they can continue utilizing her exceptional skills.

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nShe had grown to use the same ruthless strategies she had learned in the business world as war tactics. Combined with her marksmanship, she would have gone far if she pursued a military career. Although they calmly released her, they knew her leaving was not the end of it.

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"But you came back. Why?

" Yang Ruqin asked as she remembered the day she got a phone call from an unknown number.

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nShe had taken a leap of faith that day and picked it up to discover it was her one and only Feifei. But what surprised her next was the sound of her voice. It sounded so chillingly different that it scared her. What happened to that childish and outgoing woman?

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"Grandfather wanted me back as a consultant.

" Zhao Lifei responded and avoided any kind of eye contact. That wasn't the only reason why she came back, but it was the major one.

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nYang Feng could tell that she had still kept part of her reason a secret. However, she had already taken baby steps in sharing her secrets. That was enough for now. It would be better to talk more about this in private when none of his annoying siblings were around.

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nYang Ruqin and Yang Yulong did not pick up on this as they were both preoccupied in putting the pieces together in their minds.

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