CHAPTER 69 — The First Shot Fired
Chaos had a sound.
A vicious, beating rhythm made of notifications, whispers, speculation, and fear.
And Yunxi was standing in the center of it.
Her phone buzzed nonstop as she entered the Phoenix building the next morning. Staff avoided her eyes. Some whispered as she passed. Others stared in quiet sympathy.
But Yunxi didn't react.
Her shoulders were steady.
Her eyes, sharp.
Her steps, unwavering.
The videos were getting worse—that much was obvious.
But so was her resolve.
Phoenix PR War Room
Ling Jian burst into the room the moment she entered.
"Miss Shi—there's trouble."
"Again?" she asked calmly.
He sighed in frustration and handed her a tablet.
On-screen was the latest attack:
A fake screenshot of a bank transfer "proving" Yunxi accepted money from a director.
Followed by an edited video of her entering a hotel.
A deepfake voice whispering things she would never say.
And then—
A journalist's post claiming they had "confirmed sources."
Yunxi felt the familiar ache in her chest.
Not fear.
But betrayal.
She had walked away from the entertainment world years ago. She had no intention of returning. Yet the poison of that industry had followed her.
"How far has this spread?" she asked.
"Everywhere," Ling Jian replied. "Three hashtags are trending. The board is panicking. Investors want answers. And…" he hesitated, "…Roulan posted."
Yunxi stared at him.
"She said she doesn't blame you. That she 'hopes you get help.'"
Yunxi's lips curled—not a smile, but a warning.
A woman's worst enemy was the one who pretended to be innocent.
She took a breath, steadying her voice.
"It's time to fight back."
Ling Jian blinked. "You already exposed her. What more can you do?"
Yunxi lifted her chin.
"She started a war. And I will finish it."
In the Car — Moments Later
Her phone rang.
The name flashing on the screen made her heartbeat slow.
Mu Lingchen.
She answered. "Lingchen—"
Only to be cut off.
"Where are you?"
She swallowed. "Leaving Phoenix. I'm going home."
"No," he said sharply. "Stay where you are. I'm coming to you."
Her breath trembled despite herself.
"What happened?"
"Everything," he replied. "Wait for me."
The line went dead.
Yunxi lowered her phone slowly.
Her heart tightened.
Whatever he discovered…
It wasn't small.
Mu Group Convoy — On the Road
Three black cars cut through the city like blades.
Inside the lead car, Lingchen's expression was storm-dark. Jiang Qi sat beside him, rattling off updates.
"The attack has evolved. The latest deepfake is more advanced. They edited her voice signature and synced her facial movements. Even experts say it looks real."
Lingchen didn't blink. "Where did it originate?"
"We traced the first upload to a private encrypted cloud. The second came from a burner phone. The third—"
"Roulan?" Lingchen asked.
Jiang Qi hesitated. "Not directly. But all pathways point toward someone with access to Roulan's PR team."
Lingchen's jaw tightened.
"So Yuhan."
"We can't prove it yet."
Lingchen leaned back, voice dangerously soft.
"We will."
Then he whispered something Jiang Qi had never heard from him before:
"No one destroys Yunxi. Not even with lies. Not even the world."
Yunxi's Apartment — Balcony
The doorbell hadn't finished ringing before Yunxi opened it.
Lingchen stood there—tall, cold, intense. His presence filled the room the moment he stepped inside.
He didn't speak at first.
He just looked at her.
Really looked.
As if checking to make sure she was whole. Unbroken. Untouched by the poison outside.
When she didn't hide her trembling, he pulled her into his arms.
Just held her.
Longer than usual.
Tighter than he meant to.
"Lingchen…" she whispered.
He exhaled shakily into her hair. "I'm here."
Minutes passed before he finally pulled back.
"Listen to me," he said, voice low. "Roulan is only the surface. Someone else is driving this."
"Yuhan?" Yunxi asked immediately.
Lingchen froze.
The fact she knew sealed his suspicion.
She explained quickly—how Yuhan had approached her, how he had been present during the initial conflict, how Roulan suddenly acted bolder after speaking to him.
By the time she finished, Lingchen's expression had darkened to pure frost.
"Then he wants a war?" Lingchen said quietly. "He will have one."
He pulled out his phone.
"Jiang Qi, initiate Protocol Black."
Yunxi blinked. "Protocol… what?"
Lingchen placed his hands on her shoulders.
"It means none of them walk away untouched."
An Hour Later — Phoenix Entertainment
A sudden breaking news alert exploded across the entire city:
[Phoenix Entertainment announces internal investigation into fabricated media attacks.]
[Digital forensic experts report deepfake manipulation.]
[2 executives suspended pending inquiry.]
The internet paused.
Confused.
Shaken.
But it didn't stop there.
A second update dropped immediately:
[Multiple deepfake sources traced to a private PR firm connected to Roulan's manager, Qin Yuhan.]
And then another:
[Investigators uncover evidence of bribery, manipulation, and targeted harassment.]
The narrative flipped.
People gasped.
Blogs reeled.
Comment sections sparked like fire.
But the true explosion came moments later—
A video surfaced.
The screen showed a recording of Roulan in her apartment, speaking with Yuhan.
Her voice clear.
Her intentions undeniable.
"Leak more videos. This time, make them impossible to deny."
The entire city froze.
And Yunxi—
Watched quietly from her couch.
Her lips parted slightly in shock.
"Where did you get this?" she whispered.
Lingchen's gaze remained on her.
"Nothing stays hidden if I don't want it to."
Roulan's Apartment — That Same Moment
Roulan screamed.
She threw her phone across the room, watching it shatter against the wall.
"No—NO! How did they get that video?! It was encrypted!"
Her assistant trembled. "Miss Roulan, the public—"
"SHUT UP!"
Her breathing grew frantic.
This wasn't just a setback.
This was annihilation.
The world wasn't questioning her anymore.
It was condemning her.
And for the first time—
Roulan felt the sharp, icy touch of fear.
Back in Yunxi's Apartment
Yunxi turned to Lingchen slowly.
"This war… isn't over."
"No," he said softly, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "But this time, you won't face it alone."
His eyes held hers.
And something in her chest finally loosened.
Relief.
Safety.
A place to breathe.
"Thank you," she whispered.
Lingchen shook his head.
"Don't thank me," he murmured. "I'm only protecting what's mine."
Her breath caught.
His gaze didn't move.
Neither did hers.
The world outside was burning.
But here—
Everything felt steady.
Everything felt right.