Bound by Shadows .jc

CHAPTER 36

Crossed Paths

The East Dragon warehouse had been cleared, its remnants littered with the bodies of those who had once terrorized the streets. Jun had ordered the guards to leave after the cleanup, the faint smell of blood still lingering in the night air. He had just turned to leave when a figure caught his eye—a man limping, a faint trail of blood marking his path.

Without hesitation, Jun stepped out of the car, his gaze fixed on the man. The night was alive, the hum of the Midnight Club down the street bustling despite the late hour. Music spilled from open doors, the sound of laughter and clinking glasses providing a sharp contrast to the violence Jun had just witnessed. The man, seemingly unaware of Jun's pursuit, turned to glance over his shoulder. His eyes locked onto Jun's, wide with fear.

In a flash, the man bolted, limping desperately, trying to outrun his own terror. Jun's sharp instincts kicked in, and he followed without a second thought, his strides long and controlled. The alleyway ahead grew narrower, the streetlights flickering as the man turned into a quiet corner, hoping to lose Jun in the shadows.

Jun's voice cut through the silence. "Where are you going?" His tone was measured, but there was an edge of suspicion that couldn't be missed.

"Nowhere... please... leave me," the man stuttered, his voice a tremor of panic.

Jun's eyes narrowed. "I don't believe you," he said, the coldness in his voice unmistakable.

In the dim light, the man's gaze flickered across the street. His eyes landed on a small clinic, its sign flickering weakly. Desperation and fear drove him forward as he stumbled toward the entrance.

Jun watched with a furrowed brow as the man disappeared inside. His senses heightened. He followed swiftly, stopping just outside the clinic. The door creaked open, and the muffled sound of a chair scraping against the floor reached his ears. Inside, a man was hunched over a desk, back facing the door.

But then Jun's eyes widened, a whisper of disbelief escaping his lips. "Minghao..." The name came out almost like a prayer. He didn't even realize how fast he had moved until he was standing in the doorway, heart racing.

"Leave him," Jun commanded coldly, the gun in his hand now trained on the man who had a knife to Minghao's neck. The man froze, a tremor running through him as he glanced between the two men, the tension thickening.

"Minghao," Jun murmured, the soft crack in his voice betraying his emotion. Minghao's eyes filled with tears, and he barely whispered his name in return.

"Jun," Minghao's voice was a mix of relief and fear, his gaze flicking to the knife still pressed against his neck. But before Minghao could say anything more, Jun stepped forward, his face masked by a smirk. He looked at the man with cold eyes. "Do whatever you want. I don't care."

Panic gripped the man, his hands shaking as he looked for something to defend himself with. Jun saw his chance, and in one fluid motion, pulled Minghao into his chest, the gun pressing against the man's forehead. With a single shot, the man fell lifeless, the echo of the gunshot ringing in the room.

Minghao's body trembled against Jun's, his hands clutching Jun's shirt as he buried his face in the crook of Jun's neck. Jun held him tighter, a smirk still playing at the edges of his lips as he whispered in Minghao's ear. "Long time no see, doc."

Minghao pulled away slightly, his eyes searching Jun's face, his voice trembling. "You said you didn't care."

Jun ignored the question, reaching for his phone with a calmness that felt almost out of place. "My men will take care of this. Clean it spotless," he said, voice sharp with authority.