Ever since meeting Hao Mingyu, something inside him had changed.
Today alone, he had lost control of his emotions.
That had not happened in decades.
His patience had unraveled with alarming ease, and for the first time in years, he had allowed anger to cloud his judgment.
Worse, he had released his Alpha pheromones without restraint.
Hei Bao's fingers unconsciously tightened around his phone.
If Gou Feng hadn't endured it. If the young man had been any weaker.
He closed his eyes briefly.
The thought alone left a bitter weight in his chest.
He had spent centuries mastering himself, believing there was little left that could shake his composure.
Yet one encounter with Hao Mingyu had thrown that certainty into question.
If Leo's agitation truly stemmed from Hao Mingyu, then he needed proof.
Whether Hao Mingyu truly was his destined mate. Or whether Leo had simply mistaken him for one.
He needed answers. Not assumptions, not instinct. Proof.
And if Hao Mingyu wasn't the one, then Hei Bao would prove it to Leo beyond any doubt, until his inner wolf had no choice but to abandon the idea and settle once more.
Because if this continued, he might lose control again.
And the next person standing before him might not withstand the force of his pheromones.
Hei Bao's jaw tightened almost imperceptibly.
He refused to let something he couldn't even explain become a threat to the people under his protection.
Especially the child he had raised with his own hands.
"Bring me a complete report as soon as possible."
"Understood." Cheung Qi answered.
"I'll handle it myself, and as always... I'll keep it confidential."
Hei Bao gave a faint nod, though he knew his cousin couldn't see it.
"I'll see you tomorrow."
The call between them finally ended.
Hei Bao released a breath before stepping away from the balcony railing.
Hao Mingyu, Leo's unrest, and the questions weighing on his mind could all wait.
Tonight, only one thing mattered.
Gou Feng.
With that thought, he returned to the bedroom, where the young man remained asleep.
The next morning arrived in peaceful silence.
The oppressive heat of the previous day had given way to a cool morning breeze, bringing with it a welcoming fresh air.
Outside, the city was already awake.
Vehicles moved steadily along the roads. Street vendors arranged their stalls while the scent of freshly brewed coffee drifted from nearby cafés, mingling with the aroma of warm bread and breakfast rice from restaurants opening for the day.
Above it all, the morning sun slowly climbed over the skyline, casting a golden glow across the city.
Meanwhile, the headquarters of Hento Entertainment and Trading Crops Company was already bustling with activity.
Employees hurried toward the office building carrying briefcases, laptops, and steaming paper cups of coffee.
Others moved through the lobby with tablets and documents tucked under their arms.
Meetings were being prepared, schedules were reviewed, and phones rang without pause.
The steady rhythm of another workday had already begun.
Employees flowed in and out through the main entrance while security personnel maintained their posts around the premises.
Today, however, the atmosphere felt noticeably different.
The top floor had been completely sealed off.
Additional security personnel had been deployed throughout the executive level.
No visitors were permitted without prior authorization.
Even senior employees found themselves double-checking their identification cards before entering restricted areas.
Everyone understood that something important was happening.
No one knew the details, but they knew enough not to ask questions.
At the center of it all stood the man responsible for overseeing the entire corporation.
Hei Bao.
Dressed in his formal suit, he stepped out of the elevator and strode through the executive floor.
His expression remained as indifferent as ever, cold, and unapproachable.
The employees he passed immediately straightened up.
"Good morning, director."
Hei Bao merely nodded.
Without stopping, he continued toward the conference hall reserved for today's gathering.
The moment the doors opened, the atmosphere changed.
The room was already occupied. Representatives of the three major races sat around the enormous conference table.
Humans, Vampires, and Lycans.
At the center sat the Prime Minister of the Mundane Council, together with several cabinet ministers and officials from the Internal Bureau.
Today's meeting revolved around a single incident.
Fei Nian.
More precisely, why a vampire had secretly entered Lycan territory and approached one of the Lycan Pact Leaders.
Whether it had been espionage or coincidence, no one in the room believed the matter was small.
Hei Bao took his seat without a word.
Across from him sat the Vampire delegation.
Among them was Rong Qiqiang.
The Fourth Lord of the Vampire Clan leaned comfortably against his chair, fingers lazily tapping its armrest.
His sharp eyes found Hei Bao almost immediately.
A faint, familiar smile tugged at the corner of his lips.
It was the same smile he always wore whenever the two of them met.
One that quietly challenged. One that expected Hei Bao's usual cold glare in return. Instead, the Lycan pact leader simply met his gaze with expression calm, and unmoved.
Then gave the slightest nod before shifting his attention toward the front of the room.
As though the Vampire Fourth Lord were no different from anyone else present.
The smile on Rong Qiqiang's face froze.
For the first time that morning, genuine surprise flickered across his features.
That's unusual.
In the past, normally, Hei Bao's patience with him lasted no more than a few seconds.
Were those idiots actually right?
Has this big dog really changed?
Could dogs even change?
The thought was so absurd that Rong Qiqiang let out a silent chuckle.
What a ridiculous thing to wonder.
And yet, for the first time, he found himself genuinely considering it.
Dogs can change ha, how boring…
Seated beside him was his younger brother, Yun He.
Once, Yun He had served as a pastor in one of the mundane Organization's churches. But after an incident neither of them cared to revisit, he had abruptly resigned and returned to his former life as the Second Prince of the Vampire Royal Clan.
Long before politics and the strained relationship between Lycans and vampires, he had also been Bai Lianhua's closest friend, Hei Bao late mate.
A wide yawn escaped the young vampire.
Several heads turned in his direction, and Yun He only blinked at them, looking genuinely puzzled.
"...What?"
No one answered.
He simply shrugged and slouched deeper into his chair, utterly unconcerned by the solemn atmosphere that had settled over the meeting room, simply didn't care of what was anyone's guess.
The Prime minister cleared his throat.
"Let's begin."
He looked toward the Director of the Internal Bureau.
"Present your findings."
The director stood, opened the thick investigation file before him, and adjusted his glasses.
"Our investigation has concluded."
The room grew still.
"We have confirmed that Fei Nian was, in fact, a member of the Vampire Clan."
Several Lycan elders exchanged grim looks.
The director continued.
"Her identification seal, blood registration, and faction records have all been verified."
He turned another page.
"We also confirmed that her employment inside Lycan territory was approved by Lord Yun He."
Every eye in the room shifted toward the young vampire.
Yun He straightened slightly.
"The investigation, however, found no evidence that the Vampire Council officially ordered an espionage operation."
The director then closed the file, and lastly said.
"That concludes the report."
Almost instantly, a Lycan elder slammed both palms onto the conference table.
The sound echoed throughout the chamber, causing several human officials to flinch.
"So the investigation confirms exactly what we suspected."
His sharp gaze locked onto the Vampire delegation.
"A vampire infiltrated our territory. And your own noble approved her entry."
Several vampire elders frowned. One of them spoke immediately.
"The report also states there is no evidence of an official operation."
The Lycan elder laughed without humor.
"No evidence?"
He pointed toward Hei Bao.
"Our Pact Leader was being monitored."
He swept his arm across the table.
"Do you expect us to believe that happened by coincidence?"
Another Lycan elder rose to his feet.
"A trained operative just happened to seek employment inside Lycan territory? That explanation insults our intelligence."
The atmosphere grew colder, even the Prime Minister who stayed silent began to feel unease.
He wanted both sides to speak before intervening, but I guess he could intervene now.
However, before he could open his mouth, Yun He stood.
Unlike the anger surrounding him, his voice remained surprisingly steady.
"I admit I have helped her with her employment."
The room finally quieted.
"Several months ago, Fei Nian approached me. She told me she wished to leave the capital and start over somewhere quieter."
He glanced briefly around the table.
"Then, one of my people said that one of the Lycan affiliated companies had an opening. So, I recommended her and she got in. That is all."
A murmur spread throughout the room.
Yun He continued.
"I never instructed her to gather intelligence. I never ordered her to approach Lord Bao.If I had known what she intended..."
His expression darkened.
"I would never have approved her transfer. For that… I sincerely apologize."
Before anyone could say something, one among the third Lycans elders who still stood scoffed openly.
"Ridiculous. Apologize?"
His eyes burned with fury.
"You expect us to believe this was merely carelessness? You expect us to believe a trained vampire operative deceived one of your own nobles?"
Another elder chimed in.
"A vampire enters our territory. Approaches our Pact Leader. Carries an official Vampire identification seal. And you call it a misunderstanding?"
Several Lycan voiced their agreement.
"So convenient."
"Far too convenient."
One among those elders pointed directly toward Yun He.
"Your recommendation placed one of your own inside our territory. Whether intentional or not, the result is the same."
Another one said.
"How do we know this wasn't the beginning of another infiltration?"
The accusation ignited the room.
Some vampires immediately rose, including the younger one who just promoted in among the elders.