The morning sun over the capital shimmered across the glass skyline, but no light gleamed brighter than the image that dominated Stargram, the city's most popular social media platform.
A trending post titled #VeeArrival was climbing past half a million likes, but oddly enough, more than half of the comments weren't about the idol at all.
The real storm centered on a girl in the background — a girl who wasn't supposed to be there.
The picture was accidental, snapped by a journalist capturing Vee's arrival at the capital airport. But behind him, walking calmly past the VIP lane in a soft, radiant glow, was Su Ning, hair like a silken stream of midnight, skin smooth as cream, her eyes cool, carrying an effortless nobility that no filter could enhance.
The angle of the photo caught her perfectly graceful posture, poised expression, sunlight catching the faint shimmer of her purple jade earrings.
Within minutes, Stargram exploded.
@LuvVeeFan97: Who's that girl behind Vee?? OMG she's prettier than half the idols out here 😭💔
@GossipGurl_Sky: Y'all talking about her like she's not probably an actress. Maybe she's debuting soon??
@PixelPanda: Nope. I ran her image through search and facial recognition — NOTHING. Like, she doesn't exist online. Creepy but also hot 😳🔥
@ChanelDreamz: Look at her posture and aura. That's not a random person. She walks like money.
@VeeAngel88: Stop disrespecting my idol! She's just photobombing the moment 😤
@CrownWatcher: I'm telling you, that's old-money energy. Look at that handbag. Custom edition, limited release in Milan. Girl's no joke.
@MeltedChoco: No profile, no name, no tag. Who IS she??
In just two hours, the hashtag #MysteryGoddess reached trending number one on the platform. Someone zoomed in and color-corrected the image, emphasizing Su Ning's features. The photo spread to online forums, gossip sites, and even idol news channels.
The comments raged on.
@LurkerLens: This gives main character energy.
@LemonPopVee: She's fake. Probably a model wannabe.
@StargramDaily: Rumor says she arrived on the same flight as Vee. Fans at the terminal said she was taken to the VIP lounge.
@MafiaLuv: Whoever she is, she's got connections. You don't get that aura without power.
In a dark, high-rise penthouse on the outskirts of the capital, Qi Xiyue leaned back in his chair, the glow from a dozen surveillance screens casting sharp shadows across his face.
One of his closest subordinates, Rui, approached with a cautious look. "Boss, there's something you should see."
He handed over a sleek tablet.
Qi Xiyue raised an eyebrow. On the screen was the viral Stargram post.
And there she was.
Su Ning.
For a brief second, the air in the room shifted. The cold, indifferent mask Qi Xiyue wore cracked — just slightly — revealing a flicker of something unreadable in his eyes.
He zoomed in on the photo. Her expression was calm, detached, unaware of the storm her beauty had created online.
"She's in the capital," Rui said carefully, watching his boss's reaction. "Our intel confirms the timestamp matches this morning's flight from the coastal city."
Qi Xiyue's gaze darkened, his voice low but heavy with meaning. "So fate decides to play this game again."
He closed the tablet, eyes glinting like obsidian. "Keep her under quiet watch. No interference."
"Yes, Boss."
Rui left quickly, relieved. Qi Xiyue's silence always meant danger, but this time, it carried something else, curiosity.
The same girl who had saved his life was now in his territory.
Meanwhile, Su Ning's taxi pulled to a stop before The Imperial Zenith Hotel, a five star towering architectural marvel that seemed to touch the clouds. The building gleamed under soft gold lighting, its towering pillars designed with intricate carvings that told stories of power and prestige. Inside, the floor shimmered with textured crystal stone that reflected every elegant movement like art.
She entered the lobby quietly, her soft heels tapping against the floor as countless heads turned.
The receptionist at the front desk nearly dropped her pen when Su Ning approached.
"Good afternoon," Su Ning said in her smooth, melodious voice. "I'd like to book a presidential suite."
The receptionist blinked in disbelief. The girl in front of her looked young —maybe seventeen, yet every word, every gesture, exuded poise and quiet command.
"Y-Yes, of course, Miss. How many nights please"
"A night."
"Alright, your bill is 2.4 million yuan."
"Make it 2.5 million instead, keep the change."
Su Ning said as she slid her gold card across the counter.
"W-what! Are you serious?" The receptionist gasped in disbelief. "T-Thank you, Miss!"
Su Ning smiled faintly and walked away, her long hair flowing behind her like a silken wave.
The receptionist was thrilled as she quickly transferred the tip to her bank account. A generous tip of 100 thousand yuan was way more than her monthly salary. She had never received such a generous tip in her entire life.
She suddenly looked again at Su Ning's departing back, puzzled, wondering why she looked familiar.
She thought hard but still couldn't remember.
As Su Ning stepped into the elevator, three tall, rough-looking men entered at the same time, eyes sharp, movements twitchy, a faint metallic smell clinging to their clothes.
Su Ning's intuition flared instantly. She said nothing, but her gaze flickered briefly toward their pockets — heavy, uneven bulges. Guns, perhaps.
They were carrying metal suitcases.
She stood elegantly by the corner, her expression neutral, even as one of them sneered.
"Pretty little thing," one murmured in a low tone. "Wonder what room she's in."
Su Ning didn't respond. Her suppressing aura flickered briefly — unseen but deeply felt. The men immediately stiffened, a sudden chill creeping up their spines. One rubbed his neck unconsciously, feeling as though a ghost was breathing down his skin.
When the elevator chimed on the thirty-second floor, Su Ning stepped out gracefully. The men exchanged a glance, watching her disappear into her suite.
Meanwhile, in the Adjacent Presidential Suite
Inside another grand suite, Qi Xiyue, who had arrived a little earlier, stood before a large table filled with holographic maps and screens showing CCTV feeds of the hotel.
"Target location: Suite 3203," Rui reported. "Our sources confirm the trade will take place in ten minutes. We also detected the same group that tried to hijack your shipment in London."
Qi Xiyue's expression hardened. "So the rats finally come crawling out of their holes."
"Boss," another subordinate said carefully, "there's a guest in the next suite. The girl. We caught her on the surveillance feed."
Qi Xiyue's gaze flicked to the screen — and froze.
There she was again. Su Ning.
His eyes softened imperceptibly. "She's here too…" he muttered, voice barely audible.
He stared for a long moment before exhaling. "Ensure to carry out the killings silently. No harm must come to her — no noise, no stray bullets. Understood?"
"Yes, Boss!"
Qi Xiyue's men prepared in silence. Guns checked, silencers attached, positions assigned.
The underworld's most efficient predator was ready to strike.
In Suite 3203, the three men from the elevator were now meeting with their partners — another gang with cold eyes and cruel laughter. Stacks of drug packets and briefcases full of cash filled the coffee table.
"You sure Qi Xiyue's people won't interfere?" one man sneered, chewing on a cigarette.
The leader laughed, flashing a scar across his neck. "Qi Xiyue? That bastard isn't in the Capital. His empire will soon fall— our informant from within his ranks are making sure of that."
"Good," another said. "Once this shipment is done, the Black Monarch's reign will start to break."
Just then, the suite lights flickered. The air shifted.
Before any of them could react —the door was broken through, silenced shots sliced through the air.
One man dropped instantly, bullet clean between his brows.
Panic erupted. Guns were drawn, shouts filled the air. But the room's heavy curtains rustled and out stepped Qi Xiyue, black suit immaculate, expression glacial.
His voice was soft, almost too calm. "Did you think betrayal comes without a price?"
The leader trembled, raising his weapon but Qi Xiyue moved first. In one swift motion, his gun fired, shattering the man's wrist.
"You…" the man gasped, falling backward, blood soaking his sleeve. "You—should've been—"
"Dead?" Qi Xiyue finished for him, voice laced with quiet amusement. "You should know better. The Black Monarch never dies by a rat's hand."
He stepped closer, crouching beside the bleeding man. "Tell me who fed you lies about my downfall?"
"I—I don't know what—"
"Wrong answer."
Another silenced shot. The man slumped to the ground.
The rest of the gang was subdued, tied, and dragged out by Qi Xiyue's men. The room smelled faintly of gunpowder and fear.
Qi Xiyue stood amidst the chaos, calm and untouchable. His gaze flicked to the adjoining wall where Su Ning was.
He stared at the wall for a long time, a strange emotion flickering in his eyes.
"Fate really does enjoy playing with fire," he murmured.
"Boss?" Rui asked.
Qi Xiyue turned away, his tone cold again. "Clean everything. Burn the evidence. I want the place spotless before dawn."
"Yes, sir."
"And snuff out every rat in the crew, I want their heads on a platter soon."
As he left the suite, he passed the corridor quietly, leaving through the elevator.
Back on Stargram, the picture of Su Ning only grew more viral. The city's tabloids began calling her "Mystery Goddess".
@LuxMagOfficial: Seriously, there's absolutely nothing about her on the internet. What is she?
@StarWatcherHQ: Netizens are calling her the "Stargram Goddess" — her calm poise next to idol Vee has the whole internet in awe.
@VeeLoverz: I'm sorry but she's stealing my man's spotlight 😭
@SilverFoxBlog: Rumor says she was picked up by a Rolls-Royce. Whoever she is, she's loaded.