Empress Of The Lost Kingdom

Inside an abandoned factory warehouse in the outskirts of Xi city, Li Juan sat patiently with the alpha team. 

Since the location of the warehouse was hidden among the woods, Bai Corporation used it as a hide out while they handled their unruly business partners. 

However, today the warehouse was handed over to alpha team as they organised a meeting with Ahn Lu Shan who requested to meet Li Juan.

"It's been a while, miss Li,"

Ahn Lu Shan greeted the woman who sat with an aloof expression on her impeccably gorgeous face.

He glanced across the room and counted six men including Zhang Zhi Jun who attained a highly cautious position as they guarded Li Juan. The dead pan look on their faces perfectly hid the surging emotions inside their heart.

"The last time when we met, you were a pitiful research scholar who lost her dream and will to live. But now, look at you," The corners of his mouth curled into a mirthful smile as he pointed out,

"People change, Secretary Ahn," Li Juan's cold voice resonated in the room.

"Yes, they do. But your change is almost unbelievable, from Li Juan to the young miss of Bai corporation," Ahn Lu Shan remarked as if he met an old acquaintance, "It's an honor to meet you, miss Li..or should I address you as miss Bai?"

Li Juan observed the man, weighing the truth beyond his words before replying.

From what she have heard, it was impossible for someone who is astute like Ahn Lu Shan to fail in noticing her real identity. 

Did he purposefully hid the fact that Li Juan belonged to Bai family from everyone?

"I thought you might have seen me, when you came to save Ning Jing on that night," A knowing sneer flashed in Li Juan's lips as she spoke, 

"No, I didn't," Ahn Lu Shan refuted without any delay and stated in a gleeful tone, "That night I came to save somebody else,"

"Whatever it may be. You were present at the redevelopment area and helped Ning Jing to escape on that night. So let me cut the chase," She folded her arms over the chest before negotiating, 

"Why don't you hand over Ning Jing to us?"

Ahn Lu Shan pushed back his glasses that slipped to the tip of his nose and retorted, "What if I say no?" 

The men in the room exchanged glances when they listened to the conversation between Li Juan and Ahn Lu Shan. It was too easy to predict the direction of the negotiation is heading. 

"This is not going to end well," Zhang Zhi Jun let out a sigh and signalled others to remain ready to attack. 

However, on the other hand, hearing Ahn Lu Shan's reply, a cheeky grin flashed on Li Juan's lips. She graciously unfolded her arms as she began to spoke in a calm and collected tone. 

"Knowingly or unknowingly, I have always been accused for ruining lives and murdering innocent people. Even if I try to be level headed about it, sometimes it's just occurs to me that I'm indeed a cursed person...a monster who devours on others. To be honest, I don't want to stain my hands with your blood, secretary Ahn,"

Even though Li Juan said with an ultimate poker face, her words were enough menacing to give chills to the people who listened their conversation.

"Is that a threat, miss?" Ahn Lu Shan asked jokingly, 

"I'm just clarifying my side of the story. If you feel threatened, then I'm sorry, that's how I am," Li Juan shrugged and waited for his reply.

Though Ahn Lu Shan appeared harmless from the beginning, she kept her guard against him since she felt something enigmatic about him. 

"The Li Juan I know is nothing but a magnanimous person who even forgave those who hurt her," Ahn Lu Shan casually stated,

"Magnanimity? Me, I don't think so," Li Juan wobbled her head in denial, "Huh I might've lost it along with my child," Her eyes gleamed in murderous intent for an abrupt second.

Ahn Lu Shan lowered his gaze to avoid Li Juan who poked at the wounds hid deep inside his heart. 

She was nothing but a mirror image of himself from the past. 

Someone who failed to protect his loved ones. 

Someone who plummeted into the raging sea of guilt. 

Some one who gathered his life from broken pieces and reshaped himself to avenge the loss of his family. 

It was normal for Li Juan to ask for the justice that has been taken away from her. 

"I will handover Ning Jing and admit the crimes that have committed by Tang Corporation at the court, but I want something in return," Ahn Lu Shan demanded with an emotionless face. 

"Name your price," Li Juan did not hesitate to answer. Though, Tang family lost their power and authority overnight, she was sure that the loyal employees like Ahn Lu Shan had the least chance to betray his master and join the enemy line.

She was indeed willing to remunerate him fairly. However she never expected that his demand was something unreasonable. 

"Safety of Tang Wei Sheng," Ahn Lu Shan took a moment to examine the shocked faces of the people in the room before continuing with his words,

"No matter what happens to Tang corporation or Ning Jing, Wei Sheng should be safe from any harm,"

"What if I say no?" Li Juan retorted with his own words.

Ahn Lu Shan remained silent for a moment before opening his mouth to hammer down some sense into adamant self. 

"More than his own family, you understood him. Despite knowing that he is ill, you loved him and gave a chance to correct himself...but unfortunately he lost it.He was forced to become a puppet in the hands of his family and their ruthless beliefs. I am not justifying that he is innocent and naive. He has done terrible things, but those attempts to murder, it got no connections with Ah Sheng,"

Ahn Lu Shan tried his best to persuade Li Juan. However, there weren't any positive response from herbas she kept herself nonchalant, 

"Being highly loyal to your master will not bring anything good, Secretary Ahn," She retaliated coldly. Though Li Juan sympathized with Tang Wei Sheng, she was inclined to turn a blind eye towards his demand . 

Ahn Lu Shan lowered his eyes, then said painfully and conflicted,

"The one whom I've always remained loyal and served is the person who is left alone, Lili," He choose the words rather carefully as he intended to hide the reality from Li Juan, yet pointing towards his life so far.

From the very moment, Ahn Lu Shan came to knew that Li Juan was Bai Ze's daughter, he tried his best to protect her from Tang family's monstrous clasps.

"There was a time, when you used to be important for me...even more than Ah Sheng and Lanlan,"

"Me?" Li Juan asked Ahn Lu Shan who sat with an honest and doting smile on the face.

"I admire you for growing up into a fine human being, despite the struggles you had to face in your life," He sounded proud as he reminded. 

It wasn't the first time, Li Juan hearing those words, but she could detect some admiration, some sort of unknown connection with him.

Under the dim lights, she clearly saw the fatherly affection gleaming in Ahn Lu Shan's hawk eyes. In a glimpse of moment, the cold and brutal facade of Tang corporation's head secretary was replaced with an amicable image.

"Do you perhaps....happened to know my parents?" Li Juan inquired after a few moment's silence.

"Huh, I'm sorry to say that Lili, you took more time for someone who is known for solving puzzles and cracking codes," Ahn Lu Shan admitted, leaving everyone in bewilderment.

It was an incredulous news for Alpha team,

the fact that Ahn Lu Shan knew Li Juan well enough to address with her pet name, but chose to pretend that he doesn't know about her. 

Li Juan gazed waveringly upon Ahn Lu Shan's face, her mind analyzing incessantly for the possibility of his presence in her life. Though she wished to ask him, the words refused to leave her mouth as an overwhelming feeling spread over her mind.

"We have moved Ning Jing to the riverside mansion owned by Tang corporations in this city," Ahn Lu Shan said and stood up seeming he does not have any intentions to say more.

"If you are willing to agree with my condition, then you are welcome to take away Ning Jing otherwise-" He stopped for a moment and glanced at the men in the room.

They were the ones who fought against Ahn Lu Shan on that night when Li Juan was abducted and Alpha team clearly understood the capabilities of the man who turned the entire place into a battle field to save Ning Jing.

He was an one man army who got nothing to lose. 

"You are asking for something impossible," Zhang Zhi Jun bawled when he figured out that Li Juan was a bit agitated by Ahn Lu Shan's words.

"Saving Tang Wei Sheng after all those things he has done? No way!!!! He needs to be punished in the most brutal way," He jeered and heckled at Ahn Lu Shan who was trying to manipulate Li Juan.

He clearly knew that her late parents were Li Juan's weakness and he was shocked by Ahn Lu Shan's cunning method to take advantage of the situation. 

"Do you think he is not punished yet?" Ahn Lu Shan snapped back in the same tone and turned towards Li Juan,

"Among the three of you, he is the one who got hurt the most. Betrayed by his own family, he lost everything once he held precious in his life....that includes you as well," He snarled at her in a booming voice, 

"To atone everything that Tang family has done to you, he will not hesitate to plead guilty and go to prison. Is that you want, Lili? Break him beyond repair?" Ahn Lu Shan throw a difficult question at her. 

Li Juan's brows furrowed tightly together, as she realised that the situation which Ahn Lu Shan mentioned was indeed true and extremely painful,

"You might be well aware of the fact that Lee Corporation, along with your family has pushed Tang corporation to the brink of bankruptcy and I'm sure that your people won't stop until destroying entire Tang family. But Tang Wei Sheng...leave him alone," Ahn Lu Shan demanded in a steely voice, before turning away to leave,

"I hope you will you take a wise decision,"

The moment Ahn Lu Shan left their sight, Zhang Zhi Jun rushed towards Li Juan who appeared as if she is the end of her tethers.

"Majesty, don't fall for his words. This is our turf and even if we have to burn the entire city, we will bring Ning Jing. There is no need to compromise with these people," Zhang Zhi Jun requested her. 

He feared that Ahn Lu Shan's words might have influenced Li Juan to change her mind and he tried to reassure her that there is nothing to compromise.

"Brother Huang, does CEO Lee still in Jing city?" Li Juan inquired after contemplating for a while.

"No miss. Today afternoon he flew to H city to meet Guan family," Huang Zi Tao reported back.

"Good, then let's meet Ning Jing tonight itself,"

Her words had left the alpha team shocked to the extreme.

Is she going to compromise? 

Li Juan stood up from her seat and slowly turned to walk away, however Zhang Zhi Jun caught her wrist to stop her from leaving.

"So you are going to agree with Ahn Lu Shan's demand to save Tang Wei Sheng?" He rumbled angrily at her, forgetting her title for a moment, 

"Li Juan, I don't care if I'm overstepping my boundaries, but this is utter foolishness. Tang Wei Sheng might be innocent, but what makes you think that he will remain idle after destroying his family?

Tang family has to be eradicated all at once," 

Zhang Zhi Jun tried to discourage her from making a wrong decision. 

"Think about our family, Tae Yang and his family...do you have any idea who much everyone has to suffer while you were abducted? Think about your child....think about you entire freaking life...Do you think is it fair to save someone who is the root cause of your pain and loss?" Zhang Zhi Jun lashed out his pent up emotions all at once. Rather than dealing with Ning Jing he disliked Li Juan getting associated with Tang Wei Sheng.

"This is extremely wrong, Li Juan. I don't understand you at all....How are you going to face Tae Yang after saving your ex's neck? Don't you have a little bit of consideration towards your fiance or family?"

"Zhi Jun, that's enough," Huang Zi Tao interrupted Zhang Zhi Jun who went on blaming Li Juan. 

"For god sake, Huang try to understand me. This woman, she is so easily manipulated with words. Ahn Lu Shan knows that and he played his cards to persuade her. If we don't stop her, she will put herself in trouble again and get herself killed," Zhang Zhi Jun argued with Huang Zi Tao who was trying to take Li Juan's side.

"First brother, do you know how I'm living nowadays?" Li Juan asked all of sudden, melancholy shrouded over her big black eyes as she stared at her brother.

For a moment, Zhang Zhi Jun was at loss of words.

Li Juan always put a brave facade in front of everyone. He witnessed how excruciating it was for Lee Tae Yang, but not even for once, he saw Li Juan crying over her lost child.

He was forced to believe that she was not only cold but stone-hearted woman who doesn't know the value of relationships. 

"Happiness and peace had only momentarily existence in my life.Guilt and regret were the emotions that remained constantly," Li Juan spoke in a crystal clear voice, perfectly hiding her inner struggle,

"Sometimes I wonder, what would have happened if I've chosen the other option or took a de route? Even though I can't go back and stop myself from choosing the wrong path, I do imagine the opposite of my actions. Would I've been able to live a happier life if I was a little bit careful?" 

Zhang Zhi Jun gawked at Li Juan who went on with her monologue. There was already an answer in his mind but he hesitated to say that to her face.

"Tang Wei Sheng is one of the reasons of the guilt and regret that has been eating me alive. First brother, this is my last chance to end everything between him and I don't want to lose it," Li Juan stated unwaveringly.

"But saving him, that is-" Zhang Zhi Jun stumbled upon his thoughts before speaking out, "Please don't tell me that you are going to ask Tae Yang's help,"

"No, i don't plan to ask Tae Yang's help nor I'm going to save Tang Wei Sheng," Li Juan's narrowed her eyes as she recalled the person who is capable of saving Tang Wei Sheng, 

"No one can save Tang Wei Sheng other than he himself,"