CHAPTER 383: CHAPTER 383; HOW DISCREET?

Who is going to believe that the original Tang Fei was dead and was replaced by her assassin sister’s soul?

She let her eyes close, let her body fully relax against his.

And eventually, despite everything, exhaustion claimed her.

She slept.

And for a few precious hours, the world and all its complications faded away.

Leaving just two people in a bed, holding each other through the darkness.

Waiting for dawn.

And whatever it would bring.

— — — — — — — —

"Twilight, what happened here?" Huo Qi’s voice was tight with shock as he surveyed the carnage. Secretary Li stood beside him, his face pale despite years of dealing with the Huo family’s darker business matters. Bodies littered every corridor, blood painted the walls, and the sheer brutality of the scene was staggering.

This couldn’t be the work of their gentle, kind Missus. It was impossible.

Twilight’s expression remained carefully neutral behind her mask. "People came out of nowhere and started shooting. In all the chaos and darkness, they couldn’t tell who their enemies were and who the intruders were. They started firing at each other in the confusion." She paused, letting that sink in before continuing. "Huo Wu shielded us and handled most of these men."

Both men turned slowly to stare at Huo Wu, who stood rigidly at attention, his face expressionless.

"Huo Wu did... all of this?" Secretary Li’s voice was filled with disbelief. His eyes swept over the dozens upon dozens of corpses, the mutilated bodies, the sheer scale of the slaughter. "By himself?"

Huo Wu was known to be skilled, exceptional, and even. But this... this was beyond exceptional. This was the work of someone operating on an entirely different level.

"Yes, Secretary Li. Huo Qi." Huo Wu’s voice was flat, emotionless. "That was the situation."

He couldn’t say another word. Wouldn’t say another word. Whatever the truth was, it would stay buried with him. He’d made his choice the moment he’d agreed to accompany Mrs. Huo tonight.

Huo Qi studied him for a long moment, suspicion clearly in his eyes, but he didn’t press. Not here. Not now. There would be time for questions later.

"All right," Huo Qi finally said, turning back to survey the scene. "Let’s clean up this place. Get the men to carry all these bodies to the morgue, dump them there, and let their families be notified through the proper channels."

His gaze landed on several corpses with mutilated faces, and he grimaced. Some had their heads completely severed, lying several feet away from their bodies. The level of violence was shocking even for someone who’d seen his share of dark dealings.

"What about those?" Secretary Li pointed to the bodies that were beyond recognition.

"DNA identification," Huo Qi replied curtly. "It’ll take longer, but it’s the only way. Make sure the forensics team documents everything before the bodies are moved. We need records."

"Understood." Secretary Li pulled out his phone and began making calls.

Huo Wu immediately began coordinating with the other guards who had arrived with Huo Ting Cheng. "Team A, start with the upper floor. Bag and tag everything. Team B, secure all the victims we rescued and prepare transport. Team C, sweep the building, make sure there are no more hidden rooms or survivors."

The guards moved with military precision, though even these hardened men looked shaken by what they were seeing.

Twilight stepped closer to Huo Qi, her voice low. "The children who were rescued, the younger ones who were being held as merchandise, need to go somewhere safe. Somewhere they can recover from all these traumas before we know how they had gotten here if it’s their families that sold them or they were kidnapped."

"Let’s take them to that orphanage Missus had visited the other day, we also went there," Huo Qi said, already pulling up information on his tablet. "The director there is trustworthy. We’ll have them transported there with medical supervision. They’ll need psychological counseling as well."

"Good." Twilight nodded, then hesitated. "There are six others. Teenagers. The ones who helped us. They were prisoners here, but they’re not... ordinary victims. They’re resourceful. Smart. Mrs. Huo wanted them taken to the new training center, the one established for actors and actresses."

Secretary Li raised an eyebrow at that. "The acting academy? Why there?"

"Because they are actors and actresses they are resourceful," Twilight replied smoothly. "And because Mrs. Huo believes in giving people second chances. They can start afresh."

"Fine," Huo Qi agreed. "I’ll arrange secure transport. They’ll be enrolled under false identities until we’re certain they’re safe from retaliation."

Twilight nodded, then added quietly, "There are also two others. Two men. They’re in critical condition, malnourished, possibly tortured. They need immediate medical attention, but it has to be discreet. Very discreet."

"How discreet?" Secretary Li asked sharply.

"Private hospital in a private wing. No records that can be traced back to them or to us." Twilight’s voice was firm. "These two are... special cases. High profile, in certain circles. If word gets out that they’re alive, it could create serious complications."

Huo Qi and Secretary Li exchanged glances. High profile? In what circles?

But again, they didn’t press. Tonight was full of mysteries, and they were beginning to understand that some questions were better left unasked.

"I’ll handle it personally," Huo Qi said. "They’ll be taken to the private medical facility we use for sensitive cases. Full security. No visitors without clearance."

"Thank you." Twilight’s relief was genuine.

The cleanup took a few more hours.

By the time they were finished, it was nearly three in the morning. The bodies had been removed, the blood cleaned as much as possible, and the victims all transported to their designated locations.

The building itself would be dealt with later, likely demolished or burned, erasing all evidence of what had transpired here.

Twilight supervised the departure of the six teenagers, making sure they were comfortable in the transport vehicle and understood they were going somewhere safe. The young boy who had sent the email, the one who had called out to Tang Fei, gripped her hand before leaving.