The Master's Mask Unveiled Again-Chapter 1007 - 1006: Accidentally Became the Boss

Xiao Qimo thought he had already been through enough storms in life.

After all, he could even handle revelations like Ya Qiao’s hidden identity. No matter how shocking, nothing could really shake him anymore.

And just like that, without any warning and no real choice, Xiao Qimo accepted the fact that Lu Mian was the internationally renowned leader of the Mercenary Alliance.

What did that mean? It meant his wife now controlled the world’s largest assassin organization and had close dealings with powerful figures across various industries.

It also meant that her assets once again surpassed his by a huge margin.

Xiao Qimo’s head throbbed painfully as he suddenly realized that the task he assigned to the Second Squad Commander had ended so effortlessly.

He wasn’t upset that his wife had yet another hidden identity. He was just frustrated that she hadn’t even shown up, and yet, someone else had solved such a big problem for him. The Second Squad Commander lucked out way too easily.

While Lu Mian and Xiao Qimo were talking, Ya Ling and Sui Yuan had just picked up Sikong Jian and Yuren.

The five of them reunited again. They exchanged smiles of understanding, skipping the formalities and diving straight into the matters at hand.

Sikong Jian shot a sidelong glance at Xiao Qimo, his tone full of wicked mischief. "Jing Heng sent a distress signal to the Presidential Residence, but I intercepted it. The president asked me to handle this personally."

Yuren chimed in, "Don’t worry about the issues online. There’s no way Jing Heng will get back online this time."

The two moved swiftly, having already taken care of the aftermath quietly.

Sui Yuan looked at them with immense gratitude. "Thank you, Sikong. Thank you, Old Yu."

"We’re family. No need to be so formal."

Sikong Jian reached out and playfully ruffled Sui Yuan’s hair, a gesture reminiscent of Lu Mian. Sui Yuan’s cheeks instantly flushed red.

Though she also blushed when Lu Mian ruffled her hair.

But the feelings these two evoked in her were completely different.

Ya Ling, satisfied now, exchanged fist bumps with Sikong Jian and Yuren. "With you two around, the three of us can finally stop looking over our shoulders."

Yuren smiled modestly.

Sikong Jian, however, raised his eyebrows with a cocky grin. "Why overthink? If anyone bullies you, just fight back! Beat them until they’re either dead or crippled—I’ll take care of the aftermath!"

"Alright, enough," Ya Ling lightly punched him on the arm. "You do realize you work for the Presidential Residence, right? Watch what you say."

Sikong Jian remained utterly unbothered.

Perhaps it was because Xiao Qimo was present, but the dynamic among the five felt slightly different. Yet Xiao Qimo had no intention of leaving.

Feeling the tension, Ya Ling, ever the mood-setter, decided to pivot the conversation. "Mian-ge, what’s the deal with those mercenaries outside?"

Lu Mian briefly explained the situation. She had expected her four companions to be shocked or incredulous, but surprisingly, their expressions were indifferent.

Ya Ling then asked the three men to leave the room, leaving her and Sui Yuan behind to keep Lu Mian company.

Inside the room, Lu Mian raised an eyebrow and asked confidently, "You all knew?"

"Sort of," Ya Ling carefully chose her words. "We knew you joined the Mercenary Alliance, but we had no idea you reached such a high position."

Lu Mian: ...

Lu Mian furrowed her brows, signaling Ya Ling to continue.

"It’s like this," Ya Ling began, choosing her words cautiously. "One time, when you were drunk, we dropped you off at home. But in the middle of the night, you snuck out. By the time we found you, it had already been half a month."

Recalling an incident from almost two years ago, Ya Ling’s tone was still filled with lingering alarm and unease.

Lu Mian frowned further. "So, you don’t know the specifics either."

Ya Ling nodded.

Sui Yuan added, "I think I know why they’ve been targeting the Chixia Sect."

She counted on her fingers, calculating the timeline. "Mianmian, the day you returned from the Mercenary Alliance coincides with the day I secretly left the Chixia Sect. You were waiting for me at the base of the mountain at that time."

This might explain why the Mercenary Alliance had their sights set on the Chixia Sect. Sui Yuan couldn’t think of any other reason.

Ya Ling let out a heavy sigh. "You have no idea how worried we were during the half month you vanished."

But after Lu Mian returned, she never discussed what happened there. Naturally, they didn’t press her about it.

For this stubborn girl, that drunken night was tied to a wound buried deep within her heart. The five of them had an unspoken agreement not to delve into that memory or bring it up casually.

This was also why Sui Yuan reminded Xiao Qimo and the others not to bring up Lu Mian’s drunken episode—to avoid reopening painful scars.

Outside in the corridor.

The three men stood in a loose triangular formation, each occupying a corner.

All of them were men, and they knew exactly what the others were thinking. For Lu Mian’s sake, no one would say it outright or escalate the situation.

Xiao Qimo’s gaze flitted between the two rivals, and he pushed his gold-framed glasses up the bridge of his nose. "Speak. What happened to her?"

Yuren cleared his throat. "After Mianmian rescued us from the lab, she went back to the Lu Family once."

Xiao Qimo listened intently.

"Mianmian didn’t initially know why her parents hadn’t saved her. That time, she returned home full of hope, only to overhear her parents arguing. They explicitly said why—they didn’t want to go into debt. They never intended to save her at all. At that time, Mianmian had gone through hell to bring us back alive. She desperately craved the warmth of family. But her parents’ betrayal crushed her. That night, she left without alerting anyone in the Lu Family, got herself thoroughly drunk, and ended up vomiting blood."

Xiao Qimo felt a suffocating pain merely listening to Yuren’s account.

What kind of heartbreak could drive someone as composed as Lu Mian to drink until she vomited blood?

Sikong Jian picked up where Yuren left off. "Later, Mianmian passed out, and we all breathed a sigh of relief. But none of us expected her to sneak off in secret."

Sikong Jian let out a bitter chuckle. If Lu Mian wanted to leave, no one could stop her.

"After Mianmian disappeared, Yuren and I split up. He searched domestically while I searched abroad. Eventually, I found her while I was on a business trip overseas. She was in the middle of a mission—part of the Mercenary Alliance. It had already been fifteen days. She still seemed hungover from that drunken episode, smoking, drinking, fighting, and leading a group of desperate rogues like she owned the place."

Sikong Jian paused as if hiding something.

This particular piece of information would remain his secret memory.

At that time, a half-drunk and half-sober Lu Mian had flirted with him, jokingly saying she would take him back to headquarters as her husband. And he believed her. He waited to become her husband.

But when the scoundrel sobered up, she remembered nothing.

When they asked her what had happened, Lu Mian replied in a calm, matter-of-fact tone: "I went to the Lu Family and discovered that my parents didn’t want to save me because they didn’t want to spend money. So, I went out to clear my head."

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