1 The kissing scene between Shen and his ex-wife was described as "like two hungry wolves wanting to devour each other bite by bite." That image is so raw and ugly. Contrast with the polite, distant way he treated Xiao Yao—such a gut punch.
The suspense when she's looking for her son is well-handled. I was anxious along with her, wondering if she'd find him safe.
Guilford is such a piece of work at first. That line about "Is it my child?" made me want to slap him. It's no wonder Emeria wanted to get away from him. But his reaction when she actually leaves—the panic and desperate search—makes me think there's more to him than the cold Emperor act.
I'm loving the world-building around the different teams in the Secret Service. The Action Team, Intelligence Team, Telecom Team—they all have their own reputations and weaknesses. It feels like an actual organization with internal politics, not just a bunch of faceless bad guys. Zhao Jiu and Qi Tai's conversation felt real, like two old hands sizing up a new guy.