"Boss, before you skin me alive, I wanted to apologize for what I said earlier." Gong Hei clasped his hands and shook them in a begging gesture. "Furthermore, I did not do anything indecent towards the Lady Boss in my days in trying to court her."

"Other than holding my hands, he didn't do anything else." Lillie nodded, not realizing her words didn't actually vouched for his innocence. ​​

"We'll get to that at another time." Ethan wasn't satisfied in beating his former comrade earlier in the match, but Lillie told him to discuss the objective first before going subjective.

He reluctantly agreed; thus, Gong Hei gets a few hours of mercy.

"Hei, what's the last thing you've heard after leaving the Underworld?" Ethan questioned, straight to the point, as the three of them gathered and sat down inside Gong Hei's private study room.

It's ironic that they would hold a confidential meeting inside enemy's territory, but it's still considered the safest as Gong Hei was Grandmaster Yang's first disciple.

He trusts him with probably most of his secrets and wouldn't suspect him to actually be one of the former Commanders of the real Vermillion Dragon.

And that the husband of his rival's second direct disciple was his former boss. He may be his master, but Gong Hei will unhesitatingly side with Ethan.

The room's walls were soundproof. Gong Hei requested this from his master so that he could have privacy with his "studies", when in fact he was slacking off.

Much like Death. But you would have to burn his soul off before he admits it.

He still holds grudge on Death for the stunt he did in the past.

"Nothing big other than some stupid group decided it'll be fun to poke their noses around the Reaper's headquarters. Hah, I hold no pity for them. That was incredibly stupid." Gong Hei crossed his arms and sighed.

"That's all?" Ethan had heard of that news, too, and it was just before he completely cut off his connection to the Underworld. So, Gong Hei had also left the same time as he did?

"You know what, boss, the others and I had been suspicious of why you suddenly kicked us out of the organization." Gong Hei rubbed his chin, deep in his thoughts. "We understood that you wanted to leave the Underworld, but you didn't said anything about including us."

"That's because I didn't kicked you guys out."

"Then, it's really an impostor the whole time?"

"Haven't you guys read the document I gave you? There it stated my withdrawal, and permitting you, my Commanders, full reign of the organization. Because the organization was mine as much as it is yours. We formed it together."

Ethan predicted what Gong Hei's response to this, but continued to ask anyway.

"About that..." Gong Hei nervously chuckled.

Ethan raised his hand, "No, no, don't explain anymore. That 'important' document that you idiots 'lost' was fortunately retrieved by White Bird."

"Fortunately?" Gong Hei dumbly echoed before exclaiming exasperatedly, "Boss! Have you lost your marbles?! How's that fortunate! It's White Bird!"

Gong Hei flailed his arms to dramatize his point and clutched his head. "We're doomed—wait." He stopped mid sentence and cautiously looked at his, now former, crush.

"Having Sheng—I mean, the Lady Boss here, I assume she knows your dark past?"

"Obviously. I wouldn't hide anything from my wife." Though, the exact answer was she already knew everything before he had the guts to tell her.

"Oh, alright. Now where was I? Ah...we're doomed!" Gong Hei resumed to his previous pose. "Where and when was the document found? How did the White Bird got their hands on it?"

"The question is, how did that important document went into someone else's grasps. Then said someone had managed to take over the organization?"

"I'm sorry boss, but I have no idea. Little Freak had them the first time, then last I heard Gentle Ripper had them." Gong Hei was the first to leave and went to live like a hermit here in the Academy.

He didn't had the chance to read its content with the others. Heck, they didn't even opened it.

"But before that, what's up with White Bird having that document being fortunate?"

"White Bird found out my real identity. She told me everything and proposed we take the organization back. Currently, we're working together."

"You and White Bird? Working together?" Eyes widened in disbelief. Is this some sort of prank? His boss would never collaborate with White Bird unless it was his utmost final resort.

Gong Hei remembered crystal clear of his boss declaring that asking his nemesis for an alliance is equivalent to kowtowing.

"You two couldn't tolerate being in the same room for five minutes without going for each other's throat. But now you're telling me you two are in good terms?"

"Our relationship wasn't good in the beginning due to some misunderstandings, but we managed to sort it out." Ethan smiled lovingly at Lillie, his eyes softening. Until now, his hand hadn't let go of hers. "After that, we're closer than ever."

"Boss, haven't you thought that White Bird have ulterior motives? It's really odd that she would help you take back the organization out of the goodness of her heart—to which I'm sure she doesn't have."

Lillie calmly sipped her tea. Hmm, chamomile.

Gong Hei added, "I assume she would've kept the document and steal the organization for herself."

"Why would my wife do that?"

"Yeah, why would your wife do that?" Gong Hei nodded in agreement. "She's your wife, so it's only right she also had a part of the organization's ownership."