The Threat

Xiao Ning sat at his desk late one evening, the soft glow of his computer screen illuminating the room. It had been a long week, filled with moments of normalcy with Bing Rong and his secret work for the Army Ministry Intelligence. Everything seemed to be falling into place in his life, yet there was an underlying tension that gnawed at him—Dong Fenro.

He hadn’t forgotten the villain’s earlier attempt to capture him. And though he had escaped, Xiao Ning knew that Dong Fenro wouldn’t give up so easily. He could sense that something was brewing beneath the surface, but for now, he had no leads, no way of knowing when the next strike would come.

His phone buzzed on the desk, drawing his attention away from his thoughts. A message flashed on the screen, and the moment Xiao Ning read the sender’s name, his blood ran cold.

Dong Fenro.

A sense of dread filled him as he opened the message, his eyes scanning the words with increasing alarm.

"Xiao Ning, or should I say… Night Owl. If you want the antidote to the poison running through your veins, you’ll hand over your company, Ni Magic, to me—completely and without question. You will sign over all ownership to me, and in return, I’ll give you what you’ve wanted for so long: freedom from the poison that weakens you. If you refuse… well, I have no problem revealing your true identity as Night Owl to the police. I’m sure they’d be very interested in knowing the top assassin lurking under their noses."

Xiao Ning’s jaw clenched as he read the threat, his heart racing. Dong Fenro knew about his identity as Night Owl, but it was clear he didn’t know the full truth. He had no idea that Xiao Ning worked for the Army Ministry Intelligence, or that his actions were sanctioned by the highest levels of authority.

Still, the message was dangerous. If Dong Fenro revealed even part of Xiao Ning’s identity to the wrong people, it could jeopardize not only his mission but also his engagement to Bing Rong. She still didn’t know the full truth about his life, and the last thing he wanted was for her to find out this way.

Xiao Ning stared at the message for a long moment, his mind racing through his options. Handing over his company, Ni Magic, wasn’t an option. He had worked hard to build it from the ground up, and it was more than just a business to him—it was a legacy, something he had created with his own hands. But if he didn’t comply, Dong Fenro would continue to press, and Xiao Ning couldn’t risk the villain getting any closer to the truth.

His thoughts were interrupted by another message from Dong Fenro, this time shorter and more direct.

"I’ll give you three days to make your decision. Hand over the company, or your secret becomes public knowledge. The choice is yours."

Xiao Ning’s grip tightened on his phone, the weight of the threat bearing down on him. He couldn’t let Dong Fenro win. The villain had poisoned him as a child, robbed him of his strength during the day, and now he was trying to take away everything Xiao Ning had worked for.

But Xiao Ning wasn’t one to give in so easily. He would find a way to outsmart Dong Fenro, to protect his company, his secret, and the people he cared about. And most importantly, he would find a way to obtain the antidote on his terms—not through blackmail.

He leaned back in his chair, closing his eyes for a moment as he formulated a plan. The first step would be to gather more information. Dong Fenro had made the first move, but Xiao Ning was going to make sure the next one was his.

The Next Morning: Planning His Next Move

Xiao Ning barely slept that night. The weight of Dong Fenro’s threat hung over him like a dark cloud, but by morning, his mind was sharp, focused on the task ahead.

At work, he went through the motions, appearing like his usual self in front of his colleagues at the software company. But beneath the surface, he was already strategizing, reaching out to his contacts within the Army Ministry Intelligence to start gathering information about Dong Fenro’s next move.

After hours, when he was free from his day job, Xiao Ning met with his best friend, Hei Fen, who was not only his confidant but also the Army doctor who knew about his condition. Hei Fen listened quietly as Xiao Ning explained the latest development.

"So, Dong Fenro’s threatening to expose you unless you give him Ni Magic?" Hei Fen said, his brow furrowed with concern. "He doesn’t know the full truth about who you work for, but he’s still dangerous. If word about you being Night Owl reaches the wrong ears, it could be a disaster."

"I know," Xiao Ning replied, his voice tight with frustration. "I can’t let him win. I won’t hand over my company, and I definitely can’t let him reveal my identity. I need to find out where he’s hiding, and I need to get the antidote on my terms."

Hei Fen nodded thoughtfully. "I’ll look into it. There must be some way to track his movements. In the meantime, you should be careful. He could be watching your every move."

Xiao Ning gave a small nod, already planning his next step. "I’ll keep my guard up. But I need to act fast. If I don’t find a way to deal with him in three days, this could get out of control."

Hei Fen placed a reassuring hand on Xiao Ning’s shoulder. "We’ll figure it out. You’re not alone in this."

That Evening: A Heavy Decision

Back at his apartment that evening, Xiao Ning sat alone, his mind racing as he tried to weigh his options. He could feel the poison inside him, a constant reminder of the battle he had been fighting since childhood. Dong Fenro’s message was a cruel reminder of how much control the villain still had over him.

Xiao Ning knew he needed to keep this from Bing Rong, at least for now. She had no idea about his secret identity as Night Owl, and though they had grown closer, he wasn’t ready to burden her with the full truth—not yet.

But he also knew he couldn’t handle this alone. He needed more than just Hei Fen’s help. He needed to get ahead of Dong Fenro, to strike before the villain could expose him or destroy everything he had built.

As he sat there, deep in thought, his phone buzzed again. This time, it was a message from Bing Rong.

"Hey, thinking about you. Hope you’re okay. Can we meet up tomorrow?"

Xiao Ning stared at the message for a moment, a wave of conflicting emotions washing over him. He wanted to see her, to spend time with her without the weight of his secrets. But with Dong Fenro’s threat looming over him, he couldn’t afford to let his guard down.

He typed a quick reply, keeping his tone light. "I’d love to see you. Tomorrow sounds perfect."

As he sent the message, Xiao Ning made a silent vow. No matter what Dong Fenro threw at him, he would find a way to protect everything and everyone he cared about. He wouldn’t give in. He wouldn’t let the villain win.

But time was running out, and the clock was ticking.

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