Atlas Studios

  Atlas Studios

  The reason that he did not stop or dissuade his son from doing so might be due to him secretly hoping, too, for a miracle to happen.

  Rationality, however, told him that he should not be so persistent with something already set in stone.

  “It’s been years since she passed away. It’s about time you give up.”


  “What if she’s still alive?” Gong Jie whispered this question with the intention to sound his father out.

  “According to the hospital, your sister passed away in that car accident back then.”


  “But what if a miracle happened?” He kept his eyes trained on his father.

  Gong Shaoying looked up and met his son’s persistent yet obstinate gaze straight on with quivering lips, then his facial muscles started twitching. Even to this day, his eyes would involuntarily turn red and moist at the mention of his daughter. “If she’s still alive…… if a miracle really did happen…… I-I’d be willing to give up everything in exchange for her life.”

  Those were not empty words.

  Mu Qingcheng was his most beloved woman, and he loved her madly so.

  His failure to see her for the last time became his biggest regret in life. Hence, after her demise, be it out of comfort or warmth, he would keep the women who looked the slightest bit like her at his side.

  Ever since he lost her, he had fallen in love with women who held resemblance to her.

  His son frowned upon hearing that.

  Gong Jie really wanted to ask his father that question, but it would come across as too abrupt to the latter. Instead, he sighed and said, “I’ll take my leave if there’s nothing else you want to say.”


  He then proceeded to leave the study. While doing so, he saw his father slowly walking toward the window, where he placed a hand on the edge and looked out to gaze at a moonflower garden; the middle-aged man looked ever so lonely from the back……

  Constant whipping sounds and moans of pain could be heard coming from the basement.

  Kneeling on the floor of a detention cell in a straight line were several men, who appeared to be in very sorry states with their clothes in tatters while bearing visible bloody marks, which were left behind by whip lashes.

  The young chief commander, meanwhile, was sitting in a chair with one leg elegantly crossed over the other.

  These men kneeling before him now were the few bodyguards who had been tailing him prior.

  “Stop.”


  His subordinate immediately put away the whip at his order.

  Gong Jie swept them with his gaze before parting his lips to ask, “How much have you told my father?”


  Amid the silence, dust danced about in the air as a beam of ray shone in from the ceiling window and illuminated the men’s faces; they appeared to be all disheveled and could be seen bearing with the pain.

  His voice took a harsher tone. “Looks like my words hold no weight to you guys.”


  “P-Please…… simmer down, s-second young master……”


  Looking all expressionless, he tossed his burnt-out cigarette on the ground while keeping his eyes fixed on them as he enunciated, “What did I say back then? Not a word about that woman is to reach my father’s ears, but what have you done?”


  The group of men kept their silence, and that got him sneering. “Very well.”


  He rose to his feet and approached them while speaking frigidly, “I recall warning you guys that I’ll shoot you to death if you reveal anything to my father.”


  Among the bodyguards, one lifted his head. He showed no fear of death as he calmly said, “You can punish us however you want; we won’t betray our master or hide anything from him when he asks! However……”