CHAPTER 384: CHAPTER 384; THE FOLLOWING MORNING

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.

"Thank you," he whispered, tears in his eyes. "Thank you for coming. For saving us."

Twilight squeezed his hand gently. "You’re safe now. That’s all that matters. Focus on your future, not your past."

He nodded and climbed into the vehicle with the others.

Secretary Li personally oversaw the transportation of Lin Yue and Mei Fang, though he had no idea who they really were. To him, they were just two more victims of this hellish place. He made sure they were handled with care, their fragile bodies carefully secured for the journey to the medical facility.

The younger children, frightened, traumatized, but they were alive, were loaded into separate vehicles with medical personnel and counselors. They would be taken to the orphanage where they could begin the long process of healing.

Finally, with everything handled, the teams began to disperse.

"Twilight," Huo Qi called out as she was about to leave. "You should come back to the mansion. It’s late, and I’m sure Mrs. Huo would want you close by."

Twilight shook her head. "I need to make sure everything is properly settled. I’ll check in tomorrow morning."

Huo Qi studied her for a moment, then nodded. "Be careful."

"Always am."

Huo Wu rode in silence in one of the transport vehicles heading back to the Huo mansion. His mind was racing, replaying everything that had happened earlier on.

He’d made a choice tonight. A choice to protect Mrs. Huo’s secret, even though it meant taking responsibility for a massacre he hadn’t committed.

He knew what awaited him.

Punishment.

The Huo family had strict protocols. Any guard who engaged in unauthorized action, who operated outside the chain of command, or who made decisions without approval faced consequences.

And what he’d supposedly done tonight? Taking down dozens of armed men in a unilateral rampage? That would require serious disciplinary action, even if the outcome had been positive.

But he’d do it again.

Mrs. Huo had trusted him. Had brought him along for a reason. And whatever she was, whoever she truly was, she’d done something good tonight. She’d saved people. Freed victims. Destroyed a trafficking operation.

That was worth any punishment he’d receive.

The vehicle pulled up to the Huo mansion just as dawn was beginning to break. The sky was turning from black to deep purple, stars fading as the first light touched the horizon.

Huo Wu exited the vehicle and immediately headed not to the main mansion, but to the security wing, a separate building where the guards were housed and where disciplinary matters were handled.

Huo Ling was waiting for him there, his expression grim.

"Huo Wu."

"Sir."

"You know why you’re here?"

"Yes, sir."

"You acted without authorization. You engaged in combat operations without clearance. You failed to call for backup until the situation was already out of control." Huo Ling’s voice was flat, and professional. "Do you dispute any of these charges?"

"No, sir."

"Do you have anything to say in your defense?"

Huo Wu was silent for a moment, then met Huo Ling’s eyes directly. "I did what I thought was necessary to protect Mrs. Huo and complete the mission. I would make the same choice again."

Huo Ling studied him, and for just a moment, something that might have been respect flickered in his eyes. But then his expression hardened again.

"Your loyalty is noted. But loyalty doesn’t excuse protocol violations." He paused. "You’ll be confined to quarters for seventy-two hours. No contact with other personnel. You’ll also forfeit one month’s pay, and you’re suspended from active duty pending a full review."

Huo Wu nodded. It was lighter than it could have been. Much lighter.

"Dismissed."

Huo Wu saluted and turned to head to his quarters, a small but comfortable room in the security wing. He’d spend the next three days there, alone with his thoughts.

It was fine.

He’d need the time to process everything he’d seen tonight anyway.

In the main mansion, the household staff were beginning their morning routines. They moved quietly, aware that both Master Huo and Mrs. Huo were sleeping and shouldn’t be disturbed.

Huo Minghao had finally fallen asleep around two in the morning, exhausted from worrying about her mother. She slept peacefully now in her pink bedroom, surrounded by stuffed animals, her small face relaxed and content.

The guards who had returned were debriefed briefly by Huo Qi, then sent to their quarters to rest. Everyone was exhausted.

Secretary Li went to his own office in the mansion and poured himself a stiff drink, something he rarely did. But tonight... tonight warranted it.

He sat in his chair, staring at nothing, processing everything he’d seen.

The bodies. The blood. The sheer brutality of it all.

And at the center of it, supposedly, there was one guard.

One man.

He didn’t believe it. Not for a second.

But whatever the truth was, it was clear that no one was going to talk about it. The story would be that Huo Wu had handled everything. That in the chaos and darkness, the traffickers had turned on each other while Huo Wu had protected Mrs. Huo.

It was a neat story.

A believable story.

A complete lie.

Secretary Li downed his drink and poured another.

Sometimes, in service to the Huo family, it was better not to know the truth.

Sometimes, loyalty meant accepting the lies and moving forward.

Tonight was one of those times.

As the sun finally crested the horizon, painting the sky in shades of gold and pink, the Huo mansion settled into an uneasy quiet.

In the master bedroom, Huo Ting Cheng and Tang Fei slept, wrapped in each other’s arms, both of them carrying secrets they weren’t ready to share.