Never Judge

When the helicopter landed on the roof of R Tower, Guan Ming couldn't help but get off as quickly as he could.

He was honestly exhausted by what he just had to go through. He was by no means the most active person, he did run at least once a week, but nothing more than that. So the whole running around the airport and staying low exhausted him.

"How many did we lose?" Guan Ming asked his assistant who had flown with him.

The assistant frowned and shook his head.

"Three, sir." The man informed Guan Ming.

"Shit." Guan Ming cursed.

It might have seemed like a small number, but to Guan Ming each life mattered. Each life symbolized a family, a hope, a dream. On top of that Guan Ming didn't bring that many people from China.

He only wanted those he could trust, so the further down they were the ladder, the less likely they had been to some along on the trip.

"Who were they?" Guan Ming asked his assistant as he walked towards Cedric who was waiting for him near the elevator.

"The driver and bodyguard that was meant to fetch us." His assistant said. "They both didn't have a family, their parents are long gone, no siblings, no wives. That's why they were so willing to come on this trip." He added as he knew what mattered to Guan Ming.

"It's still two lives." Guan Ming said with a frown.

"They were killed before we even landed. Their bodies were found near the tarmac, our suspicion is that they were waiting for us to arrive there." The assistant explained as Guan Ming stopped in his tracks and held a hand out, signaling to Cedric that he needed some time with his assistant.

"Is that how we knew about the attack before it even happened?" Guan Ming asked as he recalled his bodyguards pulling him aside before the bullets started firing.

"Yes, sir." The assistant said with a nod "When our men couldn't contact them, we assumed the worst."

Guan Ming wordlessly nodded as he was drowning in his own thoughts, wondering how those lives could have been saved.

"The third is one of your guards who was with us on Kashmere, Tian." The assistant explained. "He was shot trying to shield you as we got to safety. He has a wife, but they weren't exactly on good terms, I doubt she will be sad to see him go."

"I pity Tian." Guan Ming said as he recalled the bodyguard's sad story of being forced to marry a girl that claimed they had slept together.

He knew that his bodyguard was from a military family and that his wife had planned to score big by trapping him in a sad marriage, unfortunately for her Tian decided to work as a bodyguard.

"Compensate the family, have them decide if they want to give the wife, but make sure to tell them Tian's side." Guan Ming ordered.

The assistant simply nodded before typing down Guan Ming's instructions on his phone.

"Anyone injured?" Guan Ming asked as he looked back at his men who were getting out of the chopper.

"Not severely, just some scratches. No injuries that need to be brought to the hospital." The assistant said.

"Good." Guan Ming responded with a nod. "And our people at the hotel?"

"Luckily we booked at Constellations Hotel, Mr. Reyes and his friends secured the place way before we even arrived in the country." The assistant told Guan Ming.

Guan Ming was glad that he had chosen against his father's wishes as well as Lucius Ting's insistence to stay at the Maharlika Hotel.

"I probably won't be staying there till Lucius Ting has been taken into custody. I don't want the Reyeses to spread their security team so thinly." Guan Ming explained to his assistant as he glanced at Cedric. "Have someone prepare my things and have them sent over."

"Yes, sir." The assistant said with a nod.

Satisfied that he had asked and said everything that he needed, Guan Ming told his assistant and his men to rest. They had all been through a lot that day and he was sure that Cedric already had a place for them to stay.

Guan Ming then turned and walked towards Cedric.

The other man pulled him into a hug, catching Guan Ming by surprise, he knew that Cedric was not the hugging type and he kept people at arm's length.

"I'm glad you are safe." Cedric said as he released his friend from the hug.

"Not all of us made it out." Guan Ming said with a frown as he recalled watching some of Cedric's own men fall. "How many did you lose?" Guan Ming asked.

"More than I would want." Cedric replied with a frown. He had decided against telling Guan Ming about how many people had fallen in the attempt to save him. He knew that Guan Ming would only feel bad if he heard the number of men that had died.

"You won't tell me, will you?" Guan Ming asked as he gave Cedric a frown.

"Their lives are on me, not on you." Cedric said as he shook his head.

Cedric then glanced at Guan Ming's surviving men and gave them a sad smile.

"I know you have all been through a lot." Cedric said in a loud voice. "I have some doctors and nurses here who will take a look at you. Once they have patched you up, my men will take you back to Constellations hotel through that chopper." He announced as he pointed at the helicopter behind them.

"Thank you." Guan Ming told Cedric. "Thank you for doing this for them."

Cedric gave Guan Ming a nod and smiled.

"This is both on us." Cedric told Guan Ming as he placed a hand on his shoulder and gave it a squeeze. "Come on, let's talk in my office."

Cedric and Guan Ming then made their way into the elevator with two of Cedric's bodyguards.

Guan Ming couldn't help but find it odd that Cedric was walking around his own building with bodyguards. He knew that R Tower was one of the most secure places in the capital at the moment, so why did Cedric need men hovering around him at every moment?