Xiào had just woken up and was going through his usual morning routine. There was no need to rush—he had all the time in the world now that he was suspended from the design college.Just as he was about to prepare breakfast, the doorbell rang.


    He froze, confused. Who could it be?


    He reached the door and peeked through the keyhole. He saw Chengxi Huang. Xiào had forgotten that Huang had told him he would visit yesterday.


    Xiào opened the door, greeting Huang. "Good morning. I was expecting you."


    Huang looked at Xiào with an unreadable expression—he knew Xiào was lying. Xiào invited Huang inside. The living room was small, with a table and two chairs, serving as his dining room as well.


    Xiào offered Huang a seat, and he sat down. Xiào asked if he wanted something to drink, but Huang declined.


    "I''m here to tell you something and answer your questions as best as I can," he said.


    Xiào sat in the chair opposite Huang. He had a question from the moment he first spoke with Huang. "Why were you watching me?"


    Huang looked at Xiào. For the first time, his face showed emotion, but Xiào couldn''t recognize it—maybe it was guilt or something else. He didn’t know.


    Huang hesitated for a moment but then chose to speak. "I knew your father.he was a senior officer at white lotus—I promised him I would look after you, but because of my line of work, I couldn’t directly watch over you until you awakened."


    Xiào paused, his breathing hitching for a second. "My father?" His voice came out unsteady. "A senior officer… in White Lotus?"


    It didn’t make sense. He had never known his mother—she had died when he was just a year old. His father was the only family he had left… and now, it turned out he had barely known him at all.


    He let out a dry laugh, shaking his head. "That’s impossible. My father wasn’t some secret agent. He was just… a man. He worked, he came home—he raised me. That’s all."


    Huang remained silent.


    Xiào''s fingers curled into fists. "Why didn’t anyone tell me?" His voice hardened. "Why am I only hearing this now?"


    Huang hesitated. "Because he wanted you to have a normal life. He didn’t want you caught up in any of this."


    Xiào scoffed. "Well, that worked out great, didn’t it?"


    His whole life, he had accepted that his father was gone. He had never questioned it—people die, that’s just how life works. But now? Now, it felt like someone had rewritten his past without his permission.


    He exhaled sharply, his mind racing. "How did he die?"


    Huang’s gaze flickered, just for a moment. "In the line of duty."


    "Doing what?"


    Silence.


    Xiào studied Huang’s face, searching for something—a crack in that unreadable mask, an answer he wasn’t saying.


    Xiào let a deep breath. He realised he was not going to get any answers— after pause. xiào Finally spoke again. "You mentioned something about ''awakening'' before. And now you tell me my father was part of this." His eyes narrowed. "What are you telling me? Am I… supposed to take his place?"


    This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.


    Huang extended his hand. Golden flames flickered to life in his palm, casting eerie shadows across the room.


    "That depends on you. But whatever your choice is, I need to hear it now. If your choice is no, I won’t bother you anymore. If your choice is yes, you will have to come with me."


    Xiào was upset about what he had just heard about his father. If what Huang was saying was true, he could find out more about father. Looking at Huang, he confirmed his decision.


    "I will join White Lotus."


    Xiào had no idea what happened next. One moment, he was in a car with Huang. Before he could even come to his senses, they had already reached their destination.


    Both of them exited the car. Xiào looked around and turned to Huang, who was looking straight ahead. One thing was on Xiào’s mind—we are in the middle of freaking nowhere.


    Huang walked forward, and Xiào noticed something strange—Huang seemed to disappear into thin air.


    Xiào''s jaw dropped comically. "What the hell—?"


    Before he could call out to Huang to ask where he had gone, a voice came from nowhere.


    "What are you waiting for? Follow me."


    Xiào was still in disbelief. "Where is the rest of your body?"


    Huang looked at himself. "Come forward, and I’ll explain."


    Xiào stepped forward. The moment he crossed the spot where Huang had vanished, he found himself in an entirely different place. He turned to Huang.


    "What’s happening? Why couldn’t I see this before?"


    Huang gestured to the building in front of them. "There is a veil separating this place from the outside world, so the public can’t see or enter."


    Xiào was confused. "Then how did I get in?"


    Huang didn’t turn to look at him. "Because you were with me. A normal person crossing the veil won’t enter this space, but someone with potential—like you—can."


    He started walking again, and Xiào followed.


    As they approached the building, Xiào noticed how big it was. Inside, there was no one to be seen. They walked into a room where a man was sitting in a chair, working on a laptop.


    The man noticed them and stood up. "Sir—"


    Huang cut him off. "At ease, Kai."


    Huang glanced at Xiào. "This is Xiào. He’ll be in your care."


    Saying this, Huang turned and started to leave the room.


    Xiào frowned. "Wait—what am I supposed to do?"


    Huang didn’t look back. "You stay with Kai. He will help you."


    Xiào turned to look at Kai, who was already seated back in his chair.


    Xiào hesitated. "So… what now?"


    Kai glanced at Xiào. "Let me finish this, and I’ll be with you in a minute."


    Hearing that response made Xiào feel a little more comfortable. "So, what are you doing?"


    Kai didn’t look away from his laptop. "Writing a report."


    Finishing the last few sentences, Kai looked up at Xiào. "And now that’s done."


    He stood up and smiled. "Why don’t you take a seat? We can talk and get to know each other."


    Xiào was surprised by how friendly Kai seemed. "I was going to ask Huang… I don’t see anyone else here besides you two."


    "That’s because this White Lotus facility is new. It’s an elite training facility to train the next generation of White Lotus officers. The recruits will arrive next week, and we will start your training tomorrow. Huang already told me about you. Any questions?"


    Xiào gestured that he doesn''t have any questions


    Kai stood up. "Come on, let me show you your room. You’ll be sharing it with two other recruits."


    Xiào followed Kai. As they walked through the facility, he was amazed by how big it was.


    Kai interrupted Xiào’s thoughts. "This is where you’ll be living. Get comfortable."


    After showing Xiào his room, Kai returned to his office. He still needed to submit his report to Huang.


    Kai grabbed his laptop and made his way to Huang’s office. Standing near Huang’s desk, he waited for him to finish his call.


    Before Kai could speak, Huang interrupted him. "I need you to go to the airport and pick up someone."


    Kai frowned. "Who, sir?"


    Huang’s expression remained unreadable. "Change of plans. One of the recruits is arriving today."


    Kai nodded, sensing there was more to it but knowing better than to ask.


    Shanghai Pudong International Airport – 4:35 PM


    The plane from Kyoto touched down smoothly on the runway. Passengers disembarked, some stretching their legs, others hurrying to their destinations.


    Among them, a lone figure stepped onto the terminal floor, adjusting the strap of his bag. H


    is eyes scanned the bustling airport, sharp and focused.


    He exhaled, murmuring to himself, "So this is where it begins…"


    To be continued…