While Adrian pushed his friend to drive faster toward Red Wolf Valley, the County Revolutionary Committee remained one step ahead.

The roar of the tractor as it ground to a halt at the threshing floor sent a ripple of primal fear through the villagers and the city youth alike. In their world, a visit from the Committee was never a harbinger of good news; it was a storm that left broken lives in its wake.

As the figures climbed down, Barrett’s face underwent a series of grim transformations. He squeezed the cigarette in his hand—a prized "Flying Bird" brand—until it was mangled beyond recognition.

The village accountant paled beside him. Why him?

The man leading the group was Victor, the Deputy Director of the Revolutionary Committee. Years ago, his name was synonymous with ruthlessness. He was a man who achieved his ends by any means necessary, leaving a trail of ruined families behind him. Though rumors suggested his health had been failing recently, the sheer weight of his reputation was enough to mask any physical frailty.

But Victor was more than a terrifying official; he was Barrett’s brother-in-law.

It was a fractured connection. Years prior, Barrett’s sister, Lisa, had lost her first husband in a tragedy indirectly caused by Victor’s hand. The entire family, including her former in-laws, had forbidden her from seeing him. But Lisa, driven by a desperate, hunger-striking defiance, had married Victor anyway. On their wedding day, not a single member of the Barrett family attended. Since that day, she had never set foot in Red Wolf Valley.

"Director Victor! Welcome, welcome!" the accountant stammered, though he was mentally spitting at the ground.

Victor looked sallow and worn, but his presence was a razor’s edge. "Cough... We have received a public report," he began, his voice raspy.

The air in the clearing turned frigid. Who had turned informant? And what was the charge?

"Could there be a mistake?" the accountant asked with a nervous smile. "Every resident of Red Wolf Valley is a model of revolutionary spirit—hardworking, frugal, and utterly devoted to the cause."

Victor pulled a handkerchief to his lips, dabbing away a cough. He spoke with agonizing slowness. "It is no mistake."

Barrett stepped forward, his voice low and dangerous. "Speak plainly, then. Who is the target?"

Victor’s dark eyes swept the crowd. "The 'moral conduct' and lifestyle of two young people from the city."

Barrett’s gaze turned into a blade as he rounded on the group of city youth. Mark and the others shifted uncomfortably, their faces pale. What could they possibly have done?

Victor coughed again, then looked up. "Which one of you is Julian?"

Julian froze. Me? How could it be me?

As the villagers turned their eyes toward him, a collective realization dawned on the crowd. If it's Julian... well, that actually makes sense.

"There is nothing wrong with my conduct!" Julian declared. Unlike the others, he wasn't trembling; he truly believed his family background afforded him a shield.

Seraphina felt a cold dread settle in her stomach. She tried to slip toward the back of the crowd, but Victor’s voice caught her like a hook.

"And which one is Seraphina?"

She forced herself to step forward, her expression one of practiced grievance. "Director Victor, I am new here. This report must be a malicious fabrication. You cannot simply take someone’s word without evidence."

Victor didn't let her set the pace. "What is your relationship with Julian?"

Seraphina could guess exactly what was in that letter. She looked at Julian, her mind racing. What should she say?

"We are both from Jiangcheng," Julian cut in, eager to take control. "We grew up together. We are friends—closer than siblings, really."

Seraphina bit her lip. She felt a sting of resentment at how quickly he sought to categorize their relationship as something platonic and safe.

Victor’s eyes narrowed into sharp slits. "Is that Seraphina’s version as well?"

She nodded silently, her heart hammering.

"It’s a misunderstanding..." Barrett tried to interject.

Victor raised a hand to silence him. "It is not." He turned to his assistant, Roy, signaling for him to take over as another fit of coughing seized him.

"Before arriving, we conducted discreet inquiries in the valley," Roy said, his voice ringing with authority. "The two of you share meals in public. You are seen in constant, intimate proximity. Your behavior is... ambiguous at best."

In these times, such things were ignored as long as they remained whispers. But once a formal complaint was lodged, "ambiguity" became a crime.

"More than one witness believes you are a couple," Roy continued with a mocking sneer. "And yet, you claim to be mere friends? Do you wish to maintain that lie?"

Julian clenched his teeth. "It is a misunderstanding. We are like brother and sister. If we seem close, it is because of our shared history. There is no 'ambiguity' between us."

Deep down, he cursed his own stupidity. He had only flaunted his attention toward Seraphina to make Evelyn jealous—to force her to come crawling back to him.

Victor let out a dry, mirthless chuckle. "Barrett, you know me. I don’t travel this far unless I have proof in my pocket."

Barrett’s face was a kaleidoscope of fury and frustration. He looked at Julian with a heavy, warning stare. Just admit you're together, his eyes screamed. It’s the only way to settle this without a scandal!

"Julian, think very carefully about your answer," Barrett warned.

"I am telling the truth!" Julian shouted, his ego flaring. "I have no romantic connection to her! My fiancée is someone else entirely! She is—"

"JULIAN!"

The roar came from the edge of the crowd. Adrian stepped forward, his eyes behind his glasses cold and overflowing with disappointment. He looked like a dark pool of water—deep, still, and dangerous.

You fool, Adrian thought. You were about to drag Evelyn into this mess.

Julian’s bravado evaporated. He held an instinctive, bone-deep fear of his cousin. However, seeing Adrian also brought a flicker of hope. Surely his cousin would save him.

Roy whispered something into Victor’s ear. In qingping County, Victor was a titan, but Adrian was a rising star with powerful backers. Victor was here to play a delicate game: he had to show Barrett respect, but he also had to acknowledge Adrian’s position. Had this been anyone else, he would have simply hauled them away.

"Cousin! You have to tell Director Victor," Julian pleaded. "Seraphina and I, we’re just—"

SMACK.

The sound of the slap echoed across the threshing floor. Adrian’s hand had moved so fast Julian didn't even see it coming. The force of it cut Julian’s sentence in half and left him reeling.

Adrian’s eyes narrowed behind his lenses. "If you don't know how to speak, keep your mouth shut."

Julian’s cheek burned with shame and pain. But he was convinced that if he didn't explain the situation to Victor, his life would be over. "Cousin!" he cried, his eyes searching Adrian’s for a lifeline.

Adrian ignored the pathetic display. He stepped toward Victor and extended a hand. "Director Victor. I have heard much of your work. I apologize for the meeting taking place under such circumstances. My cousin is young and insolent; I hope you can overlook his lack of manners."

Victor shook his hand, a glint of genuine appreciation in his eyes. "Every family has its wayward children. Men of your caliber, Director Adrian, are rare indeed."

Adrian suggested they move the discussion to the brigade office to settle the matter. As the primary subjects of the report, Julian and Seraphina were forced to follow like prisoners.

It was only then that the crowd noticed the vehicle Adrian had arrived in. It wasn't a tractor, but a military-grade Jeep. And sitting inside were a man and a woman, both dressed in the sharp, unmistakable green of the army.