Song Yingfei broke down, her sobs unleashing the pain, shame, and fury of her violation.
As Liu Weiwei opened her mouth to speak, Yingfei cut her off. "Don't say sorry, Weiwei. This isn't your fault. It's my fate. This happened a year ago, just delayed until now. It's finally come full circle. Like everyone out there says, I'm a tarnished woman."
"Yingfei, I had no idea it would turn out like this. Zhengyang, he—"
"Don't say his name in front of me!" Yingfei shoved Weiwei away, her voice sharp. "You're my best friend. Please, don't make me lose you too, okay?"
Seeing Yingfei's anguish, Weiwei nodded, her heart aching. Yingfei needed her now, needed her comfort. Weiwei seethed at Lei Zhengyang. How could he do this? Even if he sought another woman, to do it in her presence? How was she supposed to face the world now?
Humiliated, she also carried guilt toward her dearest friend.
Deep down, Weiwei sensed something was off. During those frenzied moments, the man thrusting into her seemed possessed, ignoring her desperate pleas. Just as she felt on the brink of collapse, Yingfei had walked in, triggering the tragedy.
Weiwei wanted to explain, but Yingfei refused to hear Lei's name, so she held her tongue for now.
Yingfei wasn't as composed as Weiwei thought. Her mind was a storm of chaos. Lying on her side, staring blankly at the wall, she couldn't sleep. A bitter, inexplicable smile crept into her heart. This was her destiny, inescapable, wasn't it?
A year ago, the incident had thrown the Song family into chaos, and she'd faced relentless blame. This time, she vowed to keep it secret. She'd already endured this pain once; her tolerance for it had grown. To her surprise, the shadow that haunted her heart vanished in this moment. She was no longer afraid.
Everything had happened, and things couldn't get worse. So, she let go. From now on, she was free.
Lei Zhengyang, meanwhile, was in a daze. He woke to find both women unconscious, the bed a chaotic testament to what had transpired. Weiwei was one thing—no issue there. But Song Yingfei, even in sleep, had tears staining her face.
He hadn't expected a repeat of last year's scandal. Back then, it was a misunderstanding; this time, it was undeniable. He'd claimed her body, but instead of triumph, he felt only confusion and dread. This was a disaster.
Yet, a subtle surge in his body shocked him. His Golden Dragon power had leaped from the third level to the fourth—an impossible breakthrough. He'd trained tirelessly without progress, yet this chaotic night with two women had propelled him forward.
He didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
Before, he could've stormed into the Song family and faced Old Man Song head-on. Now, he had no such confidence. He wasn't a hero, but he owned his actions.
His phone rang—Weiwei. Her voice erupted in fury: "Zhengyang, you bastard! How could you do this? You've ruined me, and you've ruined Yingfei! Tell me, what the hell happened?"
Lei struggled to explain. "Weiwei, I'm sorry. I don't know how it came to this. I didn't mean for it to happen, but in that moment, I lost control. Maybe my training went haywire. I'm trying to figure it out."
"Does the reason matter?" Weiwei snapped. "Zhengyang, what are you going to do?"
The truth was stark: in mere hours, on one bed, he'd taken the virginity of two women. Two responsibilities now weighed on him.
"Honestly, Weiwei, I don't know," he admitted. "You, I'll cherish with all my heart. But Song Yingfei—I'm sorry, it was an accident. I know even after this, she won't give me a second glance. I won't humiliate myself chasing her. I admit I screwed up. Whatever she wants to do, let her."
Weiwei's voice trembled with frustration. "You can't just shrug it off, Zhengyang. Fine, let me tell you—Yingfei's family is a major power in the capital, a match for yours. Why not have your family propose to the Songs? No one wanted this, but it's done. A woman gave her body to you—you need to take responsibility, whether you love her or not. This is your fault."
"And the three of us have bared everything to each other," she continued. "I don't think it'll be an issue moving forward. I never dreamed of marrying you, only of loving you quietly by your side. Yingfei isn't the jealous type—she'll allow me this small sliver of happiness."
Her heartfelt words touched him deeply. "Weiwei, you're the kindest woman in the world," he said.
She laughed softly over the phone. "Of course you'd say that after getting what you wanted. Zhengyang, think this through carefully. Don't come looking for me for a while. Yingfei's moving in with me—she's heartbroken, and I need to care for her. Until she forgives you, I won't see you. Honestly, I'm scared to face you alone. Last night, you were like a raging bull—you nearly killed me."
She paused, then added, "But despite the fear, I still felt happy."
The call ended, her gentle voice fading. Lei lingered on the phone, reluctant to let go. He'd just tasted love, and now this mess kept him from her—a torment in itself.
Fine. With everything in chaos, it was best to let things settle before deciding how to resolve it.
In the days that followed, Lei threw himself into training his hapless Third Uncle's special forces team. Lei Qiuping had drilled them hard, but to Lei Zhengyang, they were all flash and no substance—polished on the outside, hollow within. A special forces unit wasn't a ceremonial guard, picking tall, handsome recruits. It demanded real combat prowess.
When Lei Qiuping announced Lei Zhengyang as their new instructor, Lei took the stage, addressing the team. For the next two and a half months, he'd drive them like beasts to unlock their potential.
"There are no born geniuses," he declared. "Some become legends, others become failures, because they don't work hard enough. You have two and a half months to change your fate. Bluntly put, in your current state, you'll be slaughtered at the year-end military competition."
"From today until the competition, I'm your instructor. I won't threaten you, but disobey my orders, and I'll break your arm as punishment. If you think you're tougher, step up and challenge me anytime."
Hands shot up instantly. "Instructor, I'd like to spar with you!"
The Fifth Military Academy's special forces brigade had 300 members, and these challengers were clearly the unit's troublemakers. Naturally, troublemakers had skills—without them, they'd have been kicked out long ago. In this world, you didn't bluff without the chops to back it up.
Lei, already fuming from the fiasco with the two women, didn't hold back. He beckoned them forward. "Step up, boys. Lesson one: how to take down an opponent in the shortest time. Strike with precision, balance your force, and be fast and accurate."
Lei Qiuping opened his mouth to intervene, but Wu Xiaomin stopped him, shaking his head. If they'd entrusted the final two and a half months to Lei Zhengyang, they had to trust his strength.
The brigade formed a circle, the troublemakers facing Lei head-on. The tallest, most imposing member stepped forward, his presence commanding. "Instructor, we've trained a full year for the competition. We need to verify your words. I'm Luo Tiezhu, captain of the Third Squad, and I'd like to challenge you!"
True to his name—"Iron Pillar"—Luo stood like an unyielding column. Shaking him was a feat, let alone knocking him down.
Lei nodded. "You'll see soon enough that I'm right. Just you? How about all of you together? Time's tight, and I don't want to waste it. What do you say?"
His words sparked a stir among the team. These troublemakers were the brigade's best, their skills breeding arrogance. Lei's challenge not only provoked them but felt like an insult.
"Instructor, are you serious?" one asked. "The seven of us together? Most people couldn't handle that."
Lei grinned. "All of you. I'm not most people."
Seven in total, none weak. Lei scanned them, assessing their strengths and weaknesses in a glance. Though they challenged him as their instructor, he wasn't angry—rather, he was pleased. With fighters like these, the brigade had hope. At least these seven already showed the makings of elite special forces.