Suo Ran's face went completely pale.
"What happened?"
Cai Lang held the phone tightly in his hand. The message still glowed on the screen like a warning.
"Jun Wei…"
Suo Ran's voice trembled.
"…What about him?"
Cai Lang didn't soften the truth.
"He's gone."
For a moment, the world stopped.
No sound...No breath.
Nothing.
Then Suo Ran moved.
Not calmly....Not logically.
He grabbed Cai Lang's jacket collar so fast the chair behind him crashed to the floor.
"What do you mean he's gone?"
Cai Lang didn't fight him.
"He disappeared in the amusement park."
Suo Ran's eyes widened in horror.
"Where is Lian Ziho?!"
"Still there. Searching."
Suo Ran released him immediately and rushed toward the door.
"Wait," Cai Lang said.
But Suo Ran was already grabbing his coat.
"Move."
"You need to calm down."
"I need to get to Jun Wei."
Cai Lang stepped in front of him.
"And if you rush in blindly you'll make it worse."
Suo Ran's hands trembled violently.
"He's a child, Cai Lang."
"I know."
"He's alone!"
"And panicking won't help him."
For one second Suo Ran looked like he might punch him.
Instead he shoved past him.
"I'm not standing here talking."
Cai Lang followed.
"I'm coming with you."
Crowds still filled the entrance.
Music played.
Children laughed.
The world looked normal.
Suo Ran hated it.
He jumped out before the taxi fully stopped.
"Call Lian ziho again."
Cai Lang did.
This time the phone connected.
"Lian ziho."
Lian Ziho's voice came through immediately.
"Cai Lang?"
"Where are you?"
"Near the carousel."
"We're here."
A pause.
Then Lian said quietly:
"Bring Suo Ran."
They found them near the carousel.
Teacher Liu stood beside the railing, scanning the crowd.
Lian Ziho stood a few steps away.
He looked exhausted.
When Suo Ran saw them...
He exploded.
"Where is he?"
Lian ziho turned.
"Suo Ran.."
"WHERE IS JUN WEI?!"
People nearby turned to stare.
Teacher Liu stepped forward.
"We're searching."
Suo Ran's voice shook with fury.
"How can you be so careless?!"
Lian ziho froze.
Suo Ran continued, words breaking apart.
"I trusted you!"
The accusation hit harder than any punch.
Teacher Liu tried to intervene.
"Suo Ran, please "
But Suo Ran wasn't listening.
"I left him with you because I thought he was safe!"
Lian Ziho didn't defend himself.
He just lowered his head slightly.
"I know."
That quiet answer made Suo Ran even angrier.
"What do you mean you know?!"
"I lost him."
The words were simple.
But they carried the weight of guilt.
Teacher Liu spoke carefully.
"It happened quickly"
Lian ziho closed his eyes briefly.
"I looked away for one second."
Suo Ran let out a broken laugh.
"One second."
Cai Lang stepped forward.
"Enough."
Suo Ran turned sharply.
"This is my brother!"
"And yelling won't bring him back."
Silence fell.
Heavy.
Then Cai Lang said calmly:
"We search."
Lian ziho nodded immediately.
"Yes."
Teacher Liu exhaled slowly.
"I'll check the west side again."
Cai Lang pointed toward the food court.
"Suo Ran. With me."
Suo Ran hesitated.
Then nodded.
The search began.
The amusement park suddenly felt enormous.
Too many people.
Too many places to hide.
Suo Ran pushed through crowds frantically.
"Jun Wei!"
No answer.
"Jun Wei!"
Children everywhere.
None of them him.
Cai Lang stayed close behind him.
"Slow down."
"I can't."
"You'll miss things."
Suo Ran stopped suddenly.
Across the walkway...
A small boy was being guided toward a white van.
His height....His clothes....His hair.
Suo Ran's heart stopped.
"Jun Wei!"
He ran.
Cai Lang followed instantly.
"WAIT!"
The man guiding the boy looked startled.
Suo Ran grabbed the van door.
"LET HIM GO!"
The man stared at him in confusion.
"What?"
Suo Ran pulled the boy away.
The child screamed.
"Mom!"
A woman rushed forward.
"What are you doing?!"
Suo Ran froze.
The boy wasn't Jun Wei.
Different face.
Different eyes.
The mother hugged the child protectively.
"Are you insane?"
Suo Ran stepped back slowly.
"I'm… sorry."
The woman glared at him.
"Stay away from my son."
Cai Lang quickly pulled Suo Ran away before the situation got worse.
Suo Ran's legs suddenly gave out.
He collapsed onto a bench.
His hands were shaking.
"That wasn't him."
"No."
"What if the next one is?"
Cai Lang didn't answer.
Because he couldn't promise otherwise.
Suo Ran covered his face.
His shoulders started shaking.
"I can't lose him."
Cai Lang sat beside him quietly.
"You won't."
Suo Ran laughed weakly.
"You sound very confident."
"I'm choosing to be."
Across the park, Lian Ziho searched near the roller coaster.
His phone rang.
Cai Lang.
"Anything?"
"No."
Lian ziho swallowed hard.
"I'm still looking."
Teacher Liu approached him slowly.
"You need to breathe."
"I need to find him."
Teacher Liu watched him carefully.
"You care about him a lot."
Lian ziho nodded once.
"He calls me Lian Gege."
Teacher Liu smiled faintly.
"That tends to happen."
Lian ziho shook his head.
"I promised Suo Ran I would protect him."
Teacher Liu's voice softened.
"You didn't fail."
"I did."
Before the teacher could respond...
Cai Lang's voice suddenly came through the phone again.
"Lian ziho"
"Yes?"
"Found him?"
Lian ziho froze.
"Jun Wei."
Lian ziho's heart slammed against his ribs.
"Where?"
"Balloon stand."
Elsewhere...
Holding a red balloon string...
Jun Wei.
Completely unharmed.
The boy turned around.
"Lian Gege!"
Lian ziho ran faster than he had in years.
When he reached him he dropped to his knees and grabbed his shoulders.
"Jun Wei!"
The boy blinked.
"Why are you yelling?"
Lian ziho pulled him into a tight hug.
"You disappeared!"
Jun Wei looked confused.
"I was chasing the balloon."
Lian ziho crossed his arms.
"Obviously."
Jun Wei pointed proudly.
"I caught it."
Lian ziho exhaled shakily.
"You scared us."
Jun Wei tilted his head.
"Why?"
Because you're everything.
But Lian ziho didn't say that.
Instead he said:
"You don't run away like that."
Jun Wei nodded seriously.
"Okay."
Then he looked around.
"Where's Gege?"
Suo Ran arrived seconds later.
He was breathing hard.
When he saw Jun Wei...
He stopped.
The boy waved happily.
"Gege!"
Suo Ran crossed the distance instantly and dropped to his knees.
He pulled Jun Wei into a tight hug.
Too tight.
The boy squeaked.
"I can't breathe!"
Suo Ran loosened his grip but didn't let go.
"You…"
His voice broke.
"You scared me."
Jun Wei blinked.
"I'm sorry."
Suo Ran pressed his forehead against the boy's hair.
"Don't ever do that again."
Jun Wei nodded.
"Okay."
Then he looked up at Lian ziho.
"Lian Gege was worried too."
Suo Ran finally looked at Lian ziho.
Their eyes met.
A silent apology passed between them.
Lian ziho spoke quietly.
"I should have watched him."
Suo Ran shook his head.
"We found him."
Cai Lang stood nearby watching all of them.
Then his phone buzzed.
He checked the screen.
And his expression changed instantly.
Suo Ran noticed.
"What?"
Cai Lang slowly turned the screen toward him.
A photo.
Taken just minutes ago.
Jun Wei holding the balloon.
Lian kneeling beside him.
Suo Ran arriving.
And beneath it..
A message.
"Glad you found him."
Suo Ran felt ice spread through his chest.
Because the next line said:
"We were watching the whole time."
Jun Wei tugged his sleeve again.
"Gege?"
Suo Ran forced a calm voice.
"Yes?"
Jun Wei pointed behind them.
"Why is that man taking another picture?"
Suo Ran turned.
And across the crowd...
The same man from earlier lowered his phone slowly.
And smiled.
Jun Wei's small finger pointed through the crowd.
"Why is that man taking another picture?"
Suo Ran turned slowly.
Across the busy walkway, the man lowered his phone.
He didn't hide it.
He didn't pretend.
He simply slipped the device into his coat pocket and smiled.
Like someone greeting old acquaintances.
Suo Ran felt the cold crawl up his spine.
Lian Ziho followed his gaze.
"Same man," he said quietly.
Teacher Liu's voice lowered.
"You've seen him before?"
"Several times today," Lian ziho answered.
Jun Wei blinked.
"Is he a villain?"
No one answered.
Because right now, that word didn't feel like a joke anymore.
The man across the walkway began walking away.
Calm and Unhurried.
Like he had already finished his work.
Suo Ran moved immediately.
"I'm going after him."
Cai Lang grabbed his arm before he could take two steps.
"No."
Suo Ran glared at him.
"He just admitted he's watching us!"
"And running at him won't help."
"You want to let him leave?"
"Right now our priority is Jun Wei."
Jun Wei tugged Suo Ran's sleeve.
"Gege?"
Suo Ran looked down.
The boy's hand was still clutching the red balloon.
"I didn't do anything bad," Jun Wei said quietly.
Suo Ran's anger melted instantly.
He crouched down and brushed the boy's hair back.
"You didn't."
"Then why is everyone angry?"
"No one is angry."
Jun Wei pointed at Cai Lang.
"He looks angry."
Cai Lang crossed his arms.
"I always look like this."
Jun Wei considered that.
"That makes sense."
Teacher Liu exhaled quietly.
"We should leave."
Lian ziho nodded.
"Agreed."
Suo Ran glanced one last time toward the crowd.
The man was already gone.
Like he had never been there.
That bothered him more than anything.
Moving Again
They walked toward the park exit together.
Suo Ran kept one hand firmly on Jun Wei's shoulder.
Like if he let go the boy might disappear again.
Jun Wei looked up.
"Gege?"
"Yes?"
"I'm still holding the balloon."
"I see that."
"I didn't lose it."
Suo Ran forced a smile.
"I'm proud of you."
Jun Wei grinned.
"Then today wasn't a failed mission."
Lian Ziho sighed quietly beside them.
Teacher Liu murmured to him,
"Children recover faster than adults."
Lian ziho didn't answer.
Because he was still replaying the moment Jun Wei disappeared.
Over and over.
Suo Ran suddenly spoke.
"Lian ziho."
"Yes?"
His voice was quieter now.
"I'm sorry."
Lian y blinked.
"For what?"
"For what I said earlier."
Lian shook his head immediately.
"You had every right."
"No."
Suo Ran looked at Jun Wei walking beside him.
"I was scared."
Lian zynodded slowly.
"I know."
Cai Lang watched the exchange silently.
Then said,
"You can both apologize later."
They looked at him.
"Right now," he continued calmly, "we need to assume the surveillance team is still nearby."
Teacher Liu frowned slightly.
"You think they followed us inside the park?"
"They were already here."
Suo Ran exhaled slowly.
"They let Jun Wei wander."
Lian ziho's eyes sharpened.
"You think that was intentional?"
Cai Lang nodded.
"Yes."
Jun Wei blinked up at them.
"Wait."
They all looked at him.
"You mean villains let me chase the balloon?"
The silence was uncomfortable.
Jun Wei tilted his head.
"...That's weird."
Cai Lang muttered,
"That's one way to describe it."
Outside the Park___
The sky had darkened by the time they reached the exit.
Crowds were still moving through the gates.
Cars lined the street.
Normal life.
Suo Ran hated how normal everything looked.
Jun Wei tugged his sleeve again.
"Gege."
"Yes?"
"I'm hungry."
The tension broke for half a second.
Teacher Liu laughed softly.
"That sounds about right."
Lian ziho rubbed his face.
"We should get food."
Cai Lang shook his head.
"Not here."
"Why?"
Cai Lang pointed subtly across the street.
Parked near the sidewalk...
A black sedan.
The same one they had seen earlier.
Lian ziho narrowed his eyes.
"They followed us."
Suo Ran's voice hardened.
"They never stopped."
Jun Wei whispered dramatically,
"The villains have a car."
Teacher Liu looked down at him.
"Most people do."
Jun Wei nodded.
"That's suspicious."
Cai Lang almost smiled.
Almost.
Suo Ran's phone vibrated suddenly.
Everyone froze.
He looked down.
Unknown number.
Cai Lang said quietly,
"Don't answer."
Suo Ran ignored him and opened the message.
A photo appeared on the screen.
Taken seconds ago.
All of them standing outside the amusement park.
Jun Wei holding the balloon.
Teacher Liu beside him.
Lian ziho scanning the street.
And Suo Ran in the center.
Watching everything.
Under the image were three words.
"Family reunion today."
Jun Wei leaned closer.
"That's a nice photo."
Suo Ran's voice went cold.
"It's not."
Another message appeared immediately.
"Relax. If we wanted the boy, we'd already have him."
Lian ziho's hands slowly curled into fists.
Teacher Liu whispered,
"That's not a threat."
Cai Lang shook his head.
"No."
Suo Ran finished the thought.
"It's a promise."
Jun Wei looked confused.
"Promises are good."
Suo Ran forced a small smile.
"Not this one."
The black sedan across the street started its engine.
The headlights turned on.
Slowly and Quietly.
Jun Wei looked up at the adults again.
"So… are we going home?"
Lian ziho answered carefully.
"No."
Teacher Liu nodded.
"Not tonight."
Jun Wei sighed.
"Another mission?"
Cai Lang looked at Suo Ran.
"Looks like it."
Suo Ran squeezed Jun Wei's shoulder gently.
"Are you tired?"
The boy shook his head proudly.
"I'm brave."
Suo Ran smiled faintly.
"I know."
Across the street, the black sedan began to move.
Slowly driving past them.
The tinted window rolled down halfway.
For a brief moment...
The same man with the camera looked out.
And gave them a small wave.
Then the car disappeared into traffic.
Lian ziho spoke first.
"They're not hiding anymore."
Teacher Liu looked uneasy.
"What do they want?"
Cai Lang answered quietly.
"They want Suo Ran."
Suo Ran didn't deny it.
He simply looked down at Jun Wei.
And realized something terrifying.
The boy wasn't the target.
He was the leash.
Jun Wei suddenly looked up at him.
"Gege?"
"Yes?"
"Why are villains smiling?"
Suo Ran didn't know how to answer.
Because he had just realized something worse than being hunted.
They weren't chasing him anymore.
They were herding him.
And the real question now was...
Where were they being pushed to?