《I Received Messages From Future Self!》 Chapter 1: The Bizarre Friend Request and the Murder Case

Chapter 1: Chapter 1: The Bizarre Friend Request and the Murder Case

In the elevator! [Ding Dong!] [Hot Noodles has requested to add you as a friend.] Looking at the WeChat message on her phone, Fang Xiaocao subconsciously chose to agree. Fang Xiaocao raised an eyebrow and muttered, "Other than me, someone else likes to use such a bizarre screen name." That had been Fang Xiaocao''s QQ name back in middle school, Hot Noodles. Fang Xiaocao stepped out of the elevator, searching for her keys as she walked towards her apartment door. [Ding Dong!] [Your friend sent you a message.] Just as she unlocked the door, her phone rang. Taking out her phone, Fang Xiaocao saw that it was a WeChat message. "Could it be that my sry is paid?" she wondered. Muttering to herself, Fang Xiaocao opened WeChat. [Hot Noodles: Danger, do note home tonight.] Looking at the WeChat message, Fang Xiaocao rolled her eyes and cursed, "Are you crazy?" and casually opened the door. She kicked off her high heels and slipped into her house slippers. Fang Xiaocao threw herself onto the sofa. "I''m exhausted. Who on earth invented high heels? They''re so tiring," sheined. Sitting on the sofa pressing her sore feet, Fang Xiaocao continued to grumble. Fang Xiaocao, a freshman at the School of Arts, usually worked part-time jobs to earn some pocket money. For convenience, she had rented a small one-bedroom apartment near her work. She had just epted a job as a receptionist for a hotel opening and had finished her shift, now that the National Day holiday had started. [Ding Dong!] The phone screen lit up! [Your friend sent you a message.] Fang Xiaocao nced at her phone, another WeChat message. Picking up the phone from the sofa, she opened WeChat. [Hot Noodles: At midnight 12 o''clock, when you hear knocking, if you don''t want to die, don''t turn on the lights and keep quiet!] "Are you deranged?" Seeing another nonsensical prank message from this person, Fang Xiaocao got angry and immediately made a video call back. [Contact does not exist!] The video call went through only to return this system prompt. Fang Xiaocao furrowed her brows, guessing that the other party had set some sort of restriction, so she spoke into the voice input: "Are you a bit loony? Is it microcephaly or justck of love that you''re seeking attention here at my expense with such low-grade pranks?" [Contact does not exist!] "Huh?" Looking at her phone, Fang Xiaocao was stunned. Trying to block the other person, she found that she was unable to use any functions other than the chat box, not even delete the friend. "Could my phone have been hacked?" "I didn''t click any weird links, did I?" Fang Xiaocao fell into self-doubt. After some struggle and a headache, Fang Xiaocao gave up. She was just too tired today and all she wanted was to sleep. After taking a bath, Fang Xiaocao crawled into bed and fell into a deep sleep. ... "Knock, knock, knock~" In the silent midnight, rhythmic knocking sounds woke up the sleeping Fang Xiaocao. The echoing "knock, knock" teased at her fragile nerves. Awoken grumpy, Fang Xiaocao sat up irritably muttering, "Are they insane?" She reached for the switch of the bedsidemp. Suddenly... @@novelbin@@ Fang Xiaocao''s hand shook as the image of that eerie friend from WeChat shed through her mind. Instinctively, she picked up her phone to check the time. Midnight: 00:00:00 A shiver ran through Fang Xiaocao, and a sense of fear emerged within her. With trembling hands, she opened WeChat. Messages in the chat interface came into view... ``` Just like the scene before me, it''s exactly the same! Fang Xiaocao instinctively wrapped herself tighter in the small quilt, daring not to move a muscle, straining her ears to listen for any noises outside the door. The house Fang Xiaocao rented was in an old neighborhood, and the soundproofing wasn''t good. Then, Fang Xiaocao let out a sigh of relief. It was the neighbor''s door that had been knocked on. "Click!" The sound of the door lock turning was followed by the creaking of the door opening. Fang Xiaocao''s heart skipped a beat, and she instinctively clenched her small fists. At this moment, an inexplicable WeChat message surfaced in Fang Xiaocao''s mind. She wanted to warn her neighbor of the danger, but fear kept her eyes wide open like copper bells, terror written all over her face. She instinctively covered her mouth with her hand, stifling the impulse to scream. "Who are you?" "It''s the middle of the night, don''t you know you''re disturbing the peace?" From the hallway came the impatient shouts of her neighbor. "Phew~" Fang Xiaocao subconsciously let out another sigh of relief. "Thank goodness, thank goodness, there was no violent break-in." Fang Xiaocao patted her chest,forting her frightened heart. Just a moment ago, Fang Xiaocao had been so nervous she could hardly breathe. "Ah~" "What are you doing~" Suddenly, the neighbor''s screams pierced into her ears. Fang Xiaocao''s nerves, which had just rxed, instantly tensed up again. Cold sweat poured down, leaving her face ashen. Fang Xiaocao''s emotions changed in an instant. Nervous, terrified, uneasy! Her body began to shake uncontrobly! Fearing she would scream out loud, Fang Xiaocao bit hard into the small quilt. "Ah~" "Mmm..." The neighbor''s screams cut off abruptly. The sounds of a heavy object falling, dragging friction, a man''s panting, and the pungent scent of blood mixed into a terrifying background score, continuously assaulting Fang Xiaocao''s eardrums, teasing her sensitive nerves. Fang Xiaocao subconsciously covered her ears, burrowingpletely under the covers, as extreme fear caused tears to uncontrobly slide down, soaking the quilt. Reason told her she should call the police! But fear made her afraid to make the slightest sound! She didn''t dare gamble that the steadfast wooden door could hold off a furious murderer''s onught until the police arrived. Eventually, fear overcame reason, and the instinct to survive made her choose to be an ostrich. The noises outside ceased, and the "thud, thud, thud" of knocking began again. "This time, it''s my own door!" Fang Xiaocao''s body shivered, she bit the quilt tightly, refusing to let herself scream out loud. "Is there nobody home?" A man''s deep voice came through, unsettling. Footsteps sounded, growing distant as if someone was heading downstairs. Fang Xiaocao wanted to go out and check, but extreme terror sapped her strength. Worn down by fear, unease, and exhaustion, Fang Xiaocao''s awareness began to blur. She didn''t know how much time had passed when she was jolted awake by the noisy sounds outside and the intense knocking at the door. She nced at the time, it was 06:35 in the morning. Day had broken! Fang Xiaocao subconsciously let out a sigh of relief. "Open up, police!" The intense knocking continued. Upon hearing the word "police," Fang Xiaocao''s eyes lit up. She scrambled out of bed, barefoot, and ran to the living room. Fang Xiaocao leaned on the door, peeking through the peephole to make sure they were the police before tremblingly opening the door. "Good morning, ma''am, Criminal Investigation Team, Wang Qiang." "There are a few things we need to ask you about!" Wang Qiang took out his badge to identify himself. "How is the neighbor... how is she?" Fang Xiaocao asked with a trembling voice. Upon hearing this, Wang Qiang frowned, signaling his colleague with a look and inquired, "What happenedst night?" ``` Chapter 2: The Exorbitantly Priced Inkstone

Chapter 2: Chapter 2: The Exorbitantly Priced Inkstone

Fang Xiaocao had told Li Qiang everything that had happenedst night, but subconsciously hid the existence of a strange friend in WeChat who had predicted the murder. "Ms. Fang," he said, "based on your description, we cannot rule out that the killer might target you again, so we suggest you change your residence temporarily." "Also, please do not leave this city for the time being, and notify me immediately if anything happens." Wang Qiang advised patiently. Fang Xiaocao nodded repeatedly, indicating she understood. Upon leaving the police station, Fang Xiaocao didn''t even dare to go back to her rented room but went straight to a hotel closest to the police station and checked in. Last night''s experience had totally shocked Fang Xiaocao. She couldn''t bear to return to that building filled with the smell of blood. Lying on the hotel bed and recalling the events ofst night, Fang Xiaocao''s body still couldn''t stop trembling. The deep voice of that man and the horrified screams of her neighbor seemed to echo in her ears, refusing to fade away. [Ding-dong!] [Your friend has sent a message.] The notification tone of her cell phone went off, indicating a WeChat message. Fang Xiaocao eagerly picked up her phone and opened WeChat, having a premonition it was that eerie person''s message. [Hot Noodles: To celebrate our survival, go to the flea market before 3 p.m., stall number 7, buy the inkstone on the left, third row, seventh item, the owner''s psychological price is 80, the inkstone''s value is 8 million.] "Who exactly are you?" Fang Xiaocao couldn''t wait and asked using voice message. Her voice trembled due to nervousness. Message sent sessfully! Fang Xiaocao held her phone tightly, her eyes glued to the screen. [Hot Noodles: I am you, you are me, Ie from the future.] Upon reading the message, Fang Xiaocao was stunned. Soon after, anger crept over her face. "Are you ying with me?" "Such a clumsy excuse, even a child wouldn''t be fooled!" Fang Xiaocao questioned angrily. [Hot Noodles: Don''t believe it? Remember the love letter you wrote to your Chinese teacher in your second year of high school?] [Hot Noodles: Want me to read it to you?] Fang Xiaocao froze, her eyes wide like copper bells, her angry expression reced by disbelief. "How would she know?" "Could it really be me from the future?" Fang Xiaocao sat on the bed, muttering to herself. In high school, she had a secret crush on her Chinese teacher, a secret she had never shared with anyone. And that love letter was burned by Fang Xiaocao the day after it was written, upon discovering her teacher had a girlfriend. Apart from herself, Fang Xiaocao really couldn''t think of anyone else who would know this secret. Looking at the chat interface, Fang Xiaocao spaced out intermittently. After a full morning of mental struggle, Fang Xiaocao mustered her courage and left the hotel. Her toiletries and personal clothes were still in the rental room, and she had not brought them out. Rather than returning to that fearful ce, Fang Xiaocao preferred to spend money to buy a new set. Aimlessly walking on the street, Fang Xiaocao ended up at the flea market as if led by some mysterious force. Looking at the bustling flea market, Fang Xiaocao bit her lip and decided to verify the authenticity of the message. Walking through the flea market, Fang Xiaocao looked around, searching for stall number 7 mentioned in the message. Fang Xiaocao felt conflicted. When she arrived in front of stall 7 and saw a variety of goods for sale, she anxiously searched through the air for the inkstone mentioned in the message. 1, 2, 3... When Fang Xiaocao followed the directions and reached the third row on the left, counting to 7, she was stunned. An inkstone! On the left, third row, the seventh item... It really was an inkstone! Fang Xiaocao moved closer, squatting in front of the stall. The stall owner was a skinny old man with a sharp face. His eyes were shifty, exuding craftiness. As Fang Xiaocao crouched in front of the stall, her eyes suddenly lit up. She looked at Fang Xiaocao''s clear but foolish eyes, which sparkled with greed. The shrewd stall owner loved doing business with college students who were easy to deceive; a little sweet talk, and the money would obedientlye out. "Boss, how much for this?" Fang Xiaocao casually picked up the inkstone and asked. "One hundred thousand!" The owner stretched out five fingers yet quoted a high price of one hundred thousand. Fang Xiaocao put down the inkstone and got up to leave. @@novelbin@@ "Do I really look like Pei Qi? Thinking I''m a pig to be ughtered, the message already said, my psychological price is 80 yuan." Fang Xiaocao muttered to herself. "Hey, hey, hey, youngdy, don''t go!" Seeing Fang Xiaocao about to leave, the stall owner quickly called out. Fang Xiaocao stopped in her tracks and looked at the stall owner. "Was there something else?" The stall owner smiled sleazily, making a gesture as if he were wringing his hands like a fly, and chuckled, "Ask for the sky, settle for the earth, you think the price is high, you can bargain." Upon hearing this, Fang Xiaocao raised her eyebrows andughed. "Then shall I bargain?" Fang Xiaocao asked with a smiling face. "Ah, that''s more like it." A flower of a smile bloomed on the stall owner''s face. "One yuan!" Fang Xiaocao stretched out five fingers andughed. The stall owner''s expression instantly fell. "Just kidding, will you sell it for one hundred?" Fang Xiaocaoughed. "Deal!" The stall owner agreed without hesitation. "That''s too much..." Fang Xiaocao mumbled, scanned to pay, picked up the inkstone, and left. Right at the exit of the old goods market, there was an antique shop. Fang Xiaocao couldn''t wait to verify the value of the inkstone! After visiting several antique shops, she finally saw a sign on one that advertised "Antique Appraisal and Purchase", and she eagerly walked in. "Hello, wee." Just as she entered the shop, a sunny and cheerful uncle greeted her with a smile. "Ma''am, are you buying or selling?" The uncle asked with a smile. "Please take a look at this inkstone!" Fang Xiaocao took out the inkstone and ced it on the counter. The uncle put on white gloves, turned on the LED light, and began to examine the inkstone thoroughly. The more he looked, the more shocked the uncle''s expression became. After a while, the uncle put the inkstone back on the counter, looked at Fang Xiaocao, and smiled, "Ma''am, are you looking to have it appraised or to sell it?" "The appraisal fee here is three thousand, a certificate is ten thousand, and if you are selling, the appraisal fee is waived." After finishing, the uncle continued watching Fang Xiaocao with a beaming smile, waiting for her response. "To sell, if the price is right," Fang Xiaocao''s goal was to verify the truth of the WeChat message, and since she had no interest in collecting antiques and had no intention of keeping it, she decided to sell it directly. "The offer here is eight million, and if it goes to auction, after subtracting the continuing fee, it could earn an extra three hundred thousand." "Our store has a partnership with thergest auction house in the city, and can help contact them without additional fees." Hearing that Fang Xiaocao wanted to sell, the uncle''s smile grew even brighter as he introduced enthusiastically. Hearing the eight million offer made Fang Xiaocao''s heartbeat slow down from shock. She suppressed the excitement in her heart and calmly said, "I''ll sell it directly!" "Eight million, it''s really eight million!" Fang Xiaocao inwardly eximed. Chapter 3 - 3 A New Message, Encountering Jerks and Mean Girls

Chapter 3: Chapter 3 A New Message, Encountering Jerks and Mean Girls

"Sure, please wait a moment." The uncle greeted Fang Xiaocao enthusiastically. Ten minutester, the text message alert sounded on the phone. Fang Xiaocao picked up her phone and saw it, 8 million had been transferred into her ount. "Wee to visit again!" The uncle warmly saw Fang Xiaocao off as she left the store. "Goodbye, uncle!" Fang Xiaocao waved to the uncle, bidding farewell. Walking on the street, Fang Xiaocao was extremely excited. Could a freshman really earn a huge sum of 8 million? [Ding Dong!] [Your friend has sent you a message.] Fang Xiaocao picked up her phone and nced at it. It was a WeChat message. Without hesitation, Fang Xiaocao opened it. [Hot Noodles: Congrattions on bing a millionaire, don''t forget to pay the tax. ] Looking at the content of the WeChat message, Fang Xiaocao blinked. Decisively, she hailed a cab and headed straight for the tax bureau. Now, Fang Xiaocao had unwavering faith in Hot Noodles, whether or not she was herself from the future, at least the 8 million was real. Since the other party had specifically reminded her to pay taxes, it was very possible that she could get into unnecessary trouble by not doing so. Having paid the tax and leaving the tax bureau, Fang Xiaocao then realized that by obediently following advice, she had avoided a lot of unnecessary trouble. Large amounts of money of unclear origin would be subject to an investigation, unexpected ie, profits from transactions, all required dering the situation and voluntarily paying taxes. Once taxes were paid, it became legal. [Ding Dong!] [Your friend has sent you a message.] Just as Fang Xiaocao got into the taxi, her phone rang again. She picked up her phone and saw it was a WeChat message. Fang Xiaocao opened WeChat, and the chat interface popped up automatically. [Hot Noodles: Congrattions on sessfully avoiding an unnecessary trouble. As a reward, at noon tomorrow, go to the used car market and buy the only mini. Also, there''s a surprise tomorrow morning, stay away from Han Xue and Qi Yu.] After seeing this WeChat message, Fang Xiaocao blinked and replied with a "Received!" [Contact does not exist!] @@novelbin@@ Looking at the prompt on the chat interface, Fang Xiaocao rolled her eyes. Sitting in the taxi, she arrived at the nearest shopping mall. Fang Xiaocao started her frenzied shopping spree. Three hourster, carrying big and small bags, Fang Xiaocao returned to the hotel. After extending her room for ten more days at the front desk, Fang Xiaocao, with her belongings in tow, went back to her room. She had no intention of checking out until the murder case in the rental property was solved. Without the security of being near the police station, Fang Xiaocao didn''t feel safe. The next day! Fang Xiaocao declined the part-time job offer sent by the agent. With several million in her ount, she was not nning on taking any part-time jobs anymore. After washing up and changing into a sporty outfit, she tucked a bottle of pepper spray close to her and went downstairs, ready to check out the used car market mentioned in the message. The sportswear was something Fang Xiaocao had specifically purchased the day before. The thought of Officer Li Qiang saying that she might be the target of the killer sent shivers down Fang Xiaocao''s spine. The killer who had murdered her neighbor hadn''t been caught yet and coulde for her at any time. Fang Xiaocao had chosen attire that would facilitate movement and escape. To avoid an encounter with the killer, being hindered by clothing, and getting caught. "Xiaocao, how could you be here?" Just as Fang Xiaocao arrived at the reception, she ran right into her best friend, Han Xue... And her suitor, Qi Yu! Seeing Han Xue and Qi Yu''s hands tightly sped together, and the rose in Han Xue''s hand, Fang Xiaocao instantly understood. So this was the "surprise" referred to in the message. "Xiaocao, listen to my exnation..." Han Xue let go of Qi Yu''s hand and eagerly tried to grab Fang Xiaocao''s. Fang Xiaocao subtly dodged away, smiling, "There''s nothing to exin, I wish you happiness, ha." Fang Xiaocao finally knew why, when Qi Yu was pursuing her, Han Xue always spoke ill of him¡ªbecause Han Xue had set her sights on Qi Yu. And Qi Yu, that scumbag, had sent her ambiguous messages before the vacation, asking her out and then turned around to hook up with Han Xue. The two of them, really a perfect match. Scumbag and a cheap woman, lock them up good and don''te near me. "Xiaocao, don''t overthink it, I was drunk yesterday, and Qi Yu just brought me to the hotel because he was worried about me being alone, he stayed to take care of me..." After the initial panic, Han Xue quickly regained herposure and gave a flimsy excuse. Had it been before, Fang Xiaocao might have believed her, but with the warning from the message, Fang Xiaocao was only naive, not stupid... "It''s okay, no need to exin anything to me." "Qi Yu and I, we have nothing to do with each other, you know." Fang Xiaocao said cheerfully. After that, she didn''t give Han Xue the opportunity to pester her and quickly walked out of the hotel, hailed a taxi, and headed straight for the used car market. To say she wasn''t upset would be a lie. Qi Yu was fairly handsome, with a warm smile. Fang Xiaocao did have a good impression of him. If it hadn''t been for Han Xue always interfering, Fang Xiaocao was prepared to ept Qi Yu''s pursuit. Even though Han Xue continuously spoke badly about Qi Yu, Fang Xiaocao hadn''t outright rejected him, nning to observe and see if Qi Yu was truly sincere towards her. But she hadn''t expected to encounter something this disgusting. However, Fang Xiaocao felt, she should thank Han Xue. If it weren''t for her stepping into the line of fire, Fang Xiaocao wouldn''t have discovered Qi Yu''s true scumbag nature. A man who had asked her out the day before, only to take her best friend to book a room the next day, who could he truly be serious about? Fang Xiaocao even felt sorry for Han Xue; after all her scheming, not only did she end up with a scumbag, but she also lost a wealthy best friend like herself. [Ding Dong!] [You''ve received a message from a friend.] The mobile phone screen lit up; it was a WeChat message. Fang Xiaocao didn''t hesitate and opened the chat interface immediately. [Hot Noodles: Are you still sad about the scumbag and the cheap woman? I think you should be grateful that you didn''t go through my miserable experience and realized their disgusting true colors early. Han Xue will ask to meet you tomorrow night, don''t go, remember, cherish life, stay away from scumbags and cheap women.] Reading the message content, Fang Xiaocao was startled. The message from her future self contained a lot of information; Fang Xiaocao''s CPU was overheating. Her future self had gone through some bad experiences, brought on by Han Xue and Qi Yu. Han Xue was going to ask to meet her tomorrow night, and if she attended, she would encounter a threat to her life! Fang Xiaocao sharply caught the key point in the message. "Miss, we''ve arrived!" The taxi driver''s voice interrupted Fang Xiaocao''s thoughts. Fang Xiaocao came back to her senses and looked out the window. The sign for the used car market came into view. Fang Xiaocao scanned the code to pay the fare, got out of the car, and quickly walked towards the used car market. Entering the used car market, Fang Xiaocao was immediately blown away by the sight of the huge parking lot, filled with all kinds of second-hand cars. As a girl, and a college student at that, Fang Xiaocao saying she understood cars would be a lie. There are few girls who know cars, and the ones who only recognize some car brands are already considered learned in the realm of automobiles. Chapter 4 - 4 Who Told You It Was a Women鈥檚 Changing Room?

Chapter 4: Chapter 4 Who Told You It Was a Women''s Changing Room?

Fang Xiaocao, as a college student with an innocent and somewhat foolish look in her eyes, couldn''t even fully recognize car logos and waspletely clueless about cars. Luckily, there were few people looking at cars today, and Fang Xiaocao was the only girl. Her arrival immediately caught the attention of the car salesman. While Fang Xiaocao was at a loss for what to do, the car salesman had already quickly walked up to her side and greeted her, "Beauty, here to look at cars?" Relieved that someone called out to her, Fang Xiaocao replied, "Yeah, I want to buy a car for getting around." Fang Xiaocao had a driver''s license; she was old enough to drive, so she had obtained it, but she had never been able to afford a car of her own. Hearing Fang Xiaocao''s reply, the car salesman smiled even more joyfully and asked, "Beauty, have you thought about what brand of car you want to buy?" "Don''t worry, the quality of the cars here is absolutely guaranteed. Each car''s condition is described in writing¡ªwhether it''s been in an ident, whether it''s all original¡ªit''s all clearly stated, and will also be written in the contract." Looking at the cars around her, Fang Xiaocao blinked and smiled, "I heard from a friend that the mini is very suitable for girls to get around. Do you have it here?" Fang Xiaocao went straight to the point, asking about the mini mentioned in the message. Fang Xiaocao didn''t know what brand the mini was, nor what it looked like. If it hadn''t been mentioned in the message, she wouldn''t even know that there was such a car as the mini. "Oh, beauty, you''re so lucky." "We just received a mini. It has justpleted the handover process. If you hade a bit earlier, you wouldn''t have been able to see the car." The car salesman said with a beaming smile. Fang Xiaocao''s eyes lit up, everything matched up¡ªthis was the car she needed to buy. "Can you take me to see it?" Fang Xiaocao asked eagerly. "Of course, right this way." The car salesman smiled and led the way for Fang Xiaocao. "Here, this is the mini." The car salesman pointed at apact car and said with a smile. As soon as she saw the mini, Fang Xiaocao''s eyes sparkled. The car waspact, cute, beautiful, and delicate¡ªit fit the image of the dream car Fang Xiaocao had in mind perfectly. "How much for this car?" Fang Xiaocao turned to the car salesman and asked. "This BMW mini, top of the line, only driven ten thousand kilometers, original paint, no idents, it''s just a pure grocery-getter, shopping car, all for two hundred thousand." The car salesman described it cheerfully. As he spoke, he took out a paper inspection report from the driver''s cabin and handed it to Fang Xiaocao. Fang Xiaocao took the report, and although she didn''t understand it, she pretended to look it over for a while. "It''s quite good, I''m very satisfied, I''ll take it." Fang Xiaocao nodded and said with a smile. "Straightforward, I like that. This way, please, let''s go inside to do the paperwork." The car salesman was taken aback for a moment, then smiled and said. He hadn''t seen someone not bargain when buying a second-hand car in such a long time. At the same time, the car salesman felt a twinge of regret; had he known, he would have quoted a bit more. Once in the office, Fang Xiaocao signed the contract and transferred the money to the car salesman''s ount. The car salesman was quite generous, afraid that Fang Xiaocao, a young woman, wouldn''t know how to handle everything. He arranged for someone to help with all sorts of paperwork and even used his contacts to get her a license te. An hourter, Fang Xiaocao was driving the mini at a snail''s pace on the way back to the hotel. This was Fang Xiaocao''s first time hitting the road solo; her eyes glued to the road ahead, hands gripping the steering wheel tightly, fearing any bumps or scrapes. After the initial nervousness, by the time Fang Xiaocao got back to the hotel, she could control the car quite skillfully. After parking the mini in the hotel''s underground parking lot, Fang Xiaocao began to inspect the car. Fang Xiaocao didn''t believe that her future self would have named this specific car for her to buy without a reason. This BMW mini was definitely hiding a secret. The interior, the crevices, the trunk... Fang Xiaocao inspected every inch of it. One minute... Five minutes... Ten minutes... Fang Xiaocao had even checked under the car. Sitting back in the driver''s seat, she felt increasingly perplexed. "Could it really be just because they like this car?" Fang Xiaocao muttered her doubts. [Ding dong!] [Your friend has sent you a message.] In the empty underground parking lot, the sudden sound of the phone notification startled Fang Xiaocao. She picked up her phone and saw it was a WeChat message. Without hesitation, Xiaocao opened WeChat. She had a feeling it was from her future self. [Hot Noodles: I guess you''ve almost taken the car apart by now? Don''t bother, the thing isn''t in the car.] [Flip open the car''s sun visor, the string of numbers on it is a password.] [Go to the Red Romance Bathhouse, find locker #305, enter the password, and inside you''ll find what you''re looking for.] [Don''t be scared, the car''s previous owner is already dead, and at this moment, no one but me knows about the existence of the item in locker #305.] Reading the message from her future self, Fang Xiaocao suddenly felt a chill. From the tone of the message, it was clear the original owner didn''t die of natural causes. It''s very likely that they were killed because of the item in locker #305. [Hot Noodles: Just do as told, you won''t be in trouble, if you are in trouble, I will be too.] As if knowing what Fang Xiaocao was worried about, another WeChat message came in. Looking at the chat interface, Xiaocao bit her lip and decided to take another gamble. Her future self, from the first appearance to now, had always been guiding her, helping her to avoid misfortune and be wealthy. She probably wouldn''t harm herself. With these thoughts, Fang Xiaocao started the Mini, inputted the Red Romance Bathhouse into the navigation, followed the directions, and drove out of the underground parking lot towards the Red Romance Club. Arriving at the Red Romance Bathhouse, she walked in with a stiff upper lip under the strange gazes of the security guards. By the name of this bathhouse, it was apparent that it wasn''t a regr establishment. Those entering and leaving were all sorts of men and mboyantly dressed, scantily d women. For a young girl like Xiaocao... She was one of a kind! @@novelbin@@ Seizing the moment when the receptionist was stunned, Xiaocao straight away went upstairs, marching directly to the third floor. She found the women''s changing room and walked in. Xiaocao stood in front of locker #305 and entered the password... Password incorrect! Xiaocao was taken aback! She picked up her phone, quickly typed into the chat interface: "The password is wrong!" [Hot Noodles: Who told you it''s in the women''s changing room?] Looking at the message, Xiaocao feltpletely numb. Not the women''s changing room... Does she have to go to the men''s changing room? Xiaocao was utterly stunned. [Hot Noodles: It''s up to you to go or not, if you don''t, that immense wealth will belong to someone else.] "Immense wealth..." Xiaocao repeated these words. Like chanting a tightening spell, Xiaocao kept repeating "immense wealth" to herself, gritted her teeth, turned around out of the women''s changing room, and charged straight towards the men''s changing room! The women''s changing room was on one side of the corridor, the men''s on the other, and as Xiaocao made her way towards the men''s changing room, the surrounding people all cast strange nces at her. Chapter 5: The Three Strings of Numbers Worth Two Small Goals

Chapter 5: Chapter 5: The Three Strings of Numbers Worth Two Small Goals

Standing in front of the men''s dressing room, Fang Xiaocao took several deep breaths before gritting her teeth and plucking up the courage to rush into the men''s dressing room! Amidst the exmations and foul teasing of the men, Fang Xiaocao, her face red and her ears burning, found locker number 305, quickly entered the code, and, without a nce at the contents, grabbed them and clutching them to her chest, she fled from the Red Romance Bathhouse like one escaping for her life. Back in the car, Fang Xiaocao finally breathed a sigh of relief. In her arms was a cross-body bag. Fang Xiaocao unzipped the bag and found several bundles of money and a palm-sized notebook inside. The money wasn''t anything to look at; Xiaocao wasn''tcking in funds at the moment, so she tossed it onto the passenger seat and picked up the notebook to flip through it. In the notebook, there was a website address and three strings of numbers. "What is this thing?" Fang Xiaocao blinked and muttered to herself, puzzled. [Ding Dong!] [Your friend has sent you a message.] As Fang Xiaocao pondered, her phone screen lit up, and the message notification sound reached her ears. Fang Xiaocao opened the message and the chat interface popped up. [Hot Noodles: The first string of numbers is the public key, the second string is the address, and the third string is the private key.] [This is a Bitcoin ount. Enter the website address to ess it; whoever has these three strings of numbers owns the ount.] As she read the message, Fang Xiaocao''s heartbeat started to speed up. If the future self had gone to such great lengths to instruct her to get this ount, it couldn''t be simple. After driving to amercial street and purchasing aptop, back in her car, Fang Xiaocao turned on her phone''s hotspot, connected theptop to thework, and couldn''t wait to check the Bitcoin ount. Following the steps found online, Fang Xiaocao proceeded... Looking at the 1000 Bitcoins lying in the ount, Fang Xiaocao fell silent. If she remembered correctly, she had nced at the Bitcoin trading price just now, 20000+... US dors! 1000 ¡Á 20,000 = ... Fang Xiaocao''s CPU was on fire! "1,2,3,4..." "So many zeros!" Fang Xiaocao was utterly astonished. Converted to RMB, that''s two small goals! Such a huge amount of money had her hands trembling with excitement. "Is this outpouring of wealth really just falling on my head?" Fang Xiaocao eximed in disbelief. Fang Xiaocao''s eyes were as wide as brass bells, her vision filled with little stars. Dizzy! This is what getting knocked out by money feels like! After going a little crazy in the car for a while, Fang Xiaocao forced herself to snap out of the immense joy of being hit by two small goals. "Need to think this through for the long term; these Bitcoins can''t be touched for now," she muttered to herself as she gazed at theputer. Such a big sum of money was bound to cause trouble for life. There must be many people watching; Fang Xiaocao decided toy low and not touch the money unless absolutely necessary. [Ding Dong!] Just then, the WeChat notification tone sounded. @@novelbin@@ Without looking, Fang Xiaocao knew it must be from her future self. She opened WeChat, and the chat interface popped up, just as she had expected. [Hot Noodles: Congrattions on resisting the temptation of money. If you had chosen to sell the Bitcoins just now, our life would have been spent on the run.] "Just as I thought!" Muttering to herself, Fang Xiaocao looked at the message. "When can I use it?" she asked. [Hot Noodles: I''ll tell you when the time is right.] Looking at the message, Fang Xiaocao shrugged her shoulders, smiled helplessly, and replied, "All right, I''ll listen to you!" Fang Xiaocao packed up herptop, started her car, and drove toward the hotel. She parked in the hotel''s underground garage and took the elevator up. [Ding Dong!] [You have received a message from a friend.] Just as Fang Xiaocao stepped out of the elevator, the WeChat notification sounded again. Her steps faltered, and she tapped open the chat interface. [Hot Noodles: There''s an emergency. Do not go back to your room. Leave the tenth floor immediately.] As she read the message, Fang Xiaocao abruptly looked up, her eyes fixed on the nearby door to her room. A flicker of fear passed through her eyes. She was so close! The room card was nearly an inch away from the sensor area. Fang Xiaocao slowly backed away, moving away from the door. She didn''t dare make a sound, afraid that the door would suddenly open and arge hand would reach out from inside, grab her by the hair, and pull her into the room. Step by step, she retreated to the elevator, only breathing a sigh of relief when she reached it. [Ding Dong!] [You have received a message from a friend.] Just as Fang Xiaocao was about to press the elevator button, the WeChat message notification rang out once more. Her steps halted again as she quickly opened WeChat. [Hot Noodles: Don''t use the elevator. Take the stairs down to the eighth floor, then use the cleaningdy''s service elevator to get to the first floor.] Like a shock, Fang Xiaocao withdrew her hand from the elevator button and stared in horror at the slowly ascending floor numbers. "The danger is in the elevator!" "He must havee up in the elevator!" she eximed subconsciously. Seeing that the elevator had reached the eighth floor and was about to arrive at the tenth, Fang Xiaocao entered the stairwell and gently closed the stairwell door behind her. She crept downstairs until she reached the eighth floor, then exited the stairwell. The employee elevator was right there, and a cleaningdy just happened to push her cart into the elevator. The guest elevator, on the other side, wasing down from the tenth floor. Without time to think, Fang Xiaocao rushed into the staff elevator, and with the cleaningdy''s surprised gaze on her, she pressed the button for the first floor. The moment the elevator doors closed, Fang Xiaocao caught a glimpse of a man in a yellow delivery uniform who had just stepped off the guest elevator, looked around the corridor, and stepped back into the elevator, pushing a floor button. The LED disy read: Up to 10th floor. "That delivery guy is suspicious!" "He must be the person warning me from the future." Seeing this scene, such a thought shed through Fang Xiaocao''s mind. When she reached the first floor and looked at the front desk, Fang Xiaocao hesitated. The delivery guy could very well be the killer who murdered her neighbor. Clearly, this hotel was no longer safe. But the hotel was the closest to the police station. Should she check into another room, or should she leave? Fang Xiaocao had considered calling the police, but she had no evidence to prove that the delivery guy was the murderer. [Ding Dong!] The phone notification sounded again. Fang Xiaocao immediately unlocked her screen to check the message. [Hot Noodles: Leave the hotel in your car immediately!] Upon reading the message, Fang Xiaocao didn''t hesitate and entered the elevator, pressing the button for the basement level one. After exiting the elevator, she immediately drove her Mini out of the underground parking lot. [Ding Dong!] [Hot Noodles: Go back to the rental!] Looking at this message, Fang Xiaocao hesitated. At the mention of the rental, the memory of her neighbor''s tragic death haunted her, causing her body to shudder uncontrobly. Fang Xiaocao hesitated for a moment, and instead of following the instructions from her future self, she drove onto another street, where there was a smaller hotel. The distance to the police station was also reasonable. Although she didn''t know how the killer had found her, Fang Xiaocao still felt that a hotel was much safer than a rental. Chapter 6: News That Messes with Your Mind

Chapter 6: Chapter 6: News That Messes with Your Mind

Fang Xiaocao parked the BMW Mini in the parking lot, looked around to make sure that the car, strategically ced, wouldn''t present obstacles should she need to escape, then she entered the hotel. The parking lot and the car served as Fang Xiaocao''s contingency n. She was gambling on the fact that the car was newly purchased and the killer wouldn''t know about it yet, so wouldn''t ambush her there. And... She was also counting on a warning from her future self, assuming she would be safe. "Wee, Madam, how can I help you?" As Fang Xiaocao walked into the hotel, the receptionist greeted her warmly. "Hello, can you check me into a room?" Fang Xiaocao politely replied with a smile. "Certainly, please scan this QR code and select the room type yourself." The receptionist said with a smile while directing Fang Xiaocao to the QR code. Fang Xiaocao nodded and responded, "Okay!" She took out her phone and scanned the QR code. Observing the various room types disyed on her phone, Fang Xiaocao quickly skipped over the budget rooms to check out the more expensive options. "Can delivery personnele up to the rooms here?" she asked casually while she browsed the room types. "Yes, they can. It''s more convenient for guests that way," the receptionist replied with a smile. Fang Xiaocao nodded, but her heart sank. What was intended as a hospitable service by the hotel had be a source of danger for her. After pondering for a moment, Fang Xiaocao stopped looking at the expensive rooms and chose an economical double room instead. Since it was all the same, there was no need to spend more. Once she had booked the room and entered her ID information, Fang Xiaocao, carrying herptop and holding the room card, went upstairs to check in. Since all her luggage was still at thest hotel, Fang Xiaocao wasn''t worried about it getting lost; the hotel would be responsible for it until she checked out and settled any unpaid bills. She swiped her card, opened the door, and inserted the card to power the room. The room was small but clean. Fang Xiaocao took a shower andy down on the bed. After facing quite a bit today, Fang Xiaocao felt exhausted and emotionally stirred, yet found it hard to sleep. "Ding-dong!" Just then, a notification sound from her phone startled Fang Xiaocao. She picked up her phone and saw it was a WeChat message. Fang Xiaocao''s heart raced with excitement as she eagerly opened WeChat. Now, whenever she received a WeChat message, Fang Xiaocao''s initial thought was that her future self had sent another important warning. Upon opening WeChat, Fang Xiaocao was disappointed. The message was from Han Xue! Fang Xiaocao nonchntly opened the chat interface. [Han Xue: Xiaocao, are you free tomorrow night?] Seeing the message from Han Xue, Fang Xiaocao paused, recalling the message from her future self. "They''re really asking me out, huh?" Fang Xiaocao muttered to herself. Suddenly, she became curious about where Han Xue wanted to meet and what danger she might encounter. So, Fang Xiaocao replied, "I''m free, what''s up?" [Han Xue: Let''s get together tomorrow night, how about at your rental ce?] Looking at Han Xue''s message, Fang Xiaocaoughed. "I see, it must be that the killer is involved," she murmured. "Sure, you guys can just go ahead." "I''ll leave the door unlocked for you." "I''m working part-time tomorrow night, and mighte backte, so no need to wait for me," Fang Xiaocao thought over and replied. After sending the message, Fang Xiaocao tossed her phone onto the bed and ignored further messages from Han Xue. This was typical of Han Xue, ostensibly inviting Fang Xiaocao to gather, but in reality wanting to use Fang Xiaocao''s rental for her own conveniences. Whether Fang Xiaocao could attend was not a concern for Han Xue at all. Every time after Han Xue and her rowdy friends gathered at her ce, Fang Xiaocao had to clean up all by herself. "I hope this time, you all will have a st." Fang Xiaocao chuckled to herself. She figured that Han Xue and her group wouldn''t be in any real danger, at most a little scared. Unless the murderer no longer wanted to live, he wouldn''t dare attack a group alone. After thinking for a while, Fang Xiaocao picked up her phone and called thendy. "Hello,ndy sis, it''s Xiaocao." As the call connected, Fang Xiaocao sweetly said. "Xiaocao, calling sote, is there something you need?" Thendy asked in confusion. "It''s like this, I don''t want to renew my lease, could you please refund my deposit? I won''t being back even though there''s half a month left on my lease." Fang Xiaocao exined her decision to terminate the lease. "Okay, I''ll refund it to you once I check the room." Thendy fell silent for a moment, then agreed to refund the deposit. "Hmm, thank you, sis" Fang Xiaocao said with a smile and hung up the phone. "If thendy goes to check the room early, it''s not my fault, oh." Fang Xiaocao yfully stuck her tongue out and muttered. @@novelbin@@ Having seen through Han Xue''s maniptive nature, Fang Xiaocao decided to get a small revenge on her. Anyway, she couldn''t allow Han Xue to have too much fun tomorrow night. Whether scared by the murderer or chased out by thendy, she just couldn''t let her have afortable night. [Ding Dong!] Fang Xiaocao had just hung up, and the phone notification sounded again. Another WeChat message! Fang Xiaocao blinked and opened WeChat. [Hot Noodles: Since you''ve already ended your lease, why not buy a house? A few million should be enough.] This time, it was from her future self. "Any suggestions on buying a house?" Fang Xiaocao, excited by the prospect, replied by asking. "It''s really like when you want to sleep, someone sends you a pillow." Fang Xiaocao murmured. She had ns to buy a house when she decided to terminate the lease, but before she could even look at properties, her future self, as if telepathically aware, sent her a message. Experience told Fang Xiaocao that her future self definitely had some surprising suggestions. [Hot Noodles: Are you afraid of ghosts?] Reading the WeChat message, Fang Xiaocao involuntarily shivered. "Afraid of ghosts?" "Are you yourself not afraid, no superstitions at all?" Fang Xiaocao replied irritably. Fang Xiaocao was timid yet loved to read ghost stories, belonging to those who were both fearful and curious. [Hot Noodles: After all that I''ve been through, I''m naturally not afraid anymore.] [Hot Noodles: Across from South Gate Street of University Town, in Junyue Vi District, there''s a haunted house for sale. You can get it for five million. If you can ovee your fear, I''ll reward you with an unexpected surprise.] Seeing the word "surprise," Fang Xiaocao hesitated. The surprises from her future self were certainly extraordinary. But a haunted house! It sounded terrifying! Fang Xiaocao was too scared to live there! And surely, this haunted house wasn''t just infamous for no reason. Having once cleaned houses in Junyue Vi District as a part-time job, she had heard from clients that the prices of the vis there usually started in the tens of millions. Now her future self was iming she could buy it for just five million, which really told her how haunted it must be. If it weren''t haunted, who would suffer such a great loss in selling it? Fang Xiaocao hesitated for a long time, but ultimately, the temptation of an "unexpected surprise" from her future self was too much; she decided to check out the haunted house the next day. "Okay, I''ll go have a look tomorrow." Fang Xiaocaoposed a message and clicked send. [Contact does not exist!] "Damn~" Seeing the "Contact does not exist!" alert, Fang Xiaocao couldn''t help but curse. This future self of hers was really ying with her emotions. Chapter 7 - 7 Passing by

Chapter 7: Chapter 7 Passing by

9:30 AM! Fang Xiaocao, her eyes like those of a panda, crawled out of the hotel bed. Ever since she received the message from her future self, telling her to buy the haunted house, Xiaocao had been suffering from insomnia. She tossed and turned for a long time before finally drifting off into a fitful sleep. After freshening up and donning sunsses to hide her dark circles, Xiaocao took herptop and went downstairs. @@novelbin@@ She checked out at the front desk and walked out of the hotel, brushing past a deliveryman as she exited the building. [Ding Dong!] The notification sound from her phone went off as she left the hotel. Xiaocao looked at her phone, puzzled. It was a WeChat message. She immediately opened WeChat. [Hot Noodles: Run, the killer ising!] Staring at the WeChat message, Xiaocao was stunned. The image of the person she had just brushed past shed involuntarily in her mind. Instantly, Xiaocao felt a chill engulf her limbs. Without a moment''s hesitation, she bolted for the parking lot. She ran back to her car and, flooring the gas pedal, her BMW mini shot out like an arrow. As she drove past the hotel entrance, she saw a tall man in a yellow delivery uniform rushing out of the hotel doors, his eyes scanning the area as if searching for something. "It''s him!" "It''s definitely him!" Xiaocao screamed inwardly. Not daring to linger, Xiaocao sped away. Watching the man through the rearview mirror, at the exact moment her BMW mini passed by, the killer happened to look up. In that instant... Xiaocao felt an eerie sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu. She seemed to have seen those eyes somewhere before! Or perhaps... They belonged to someone she knew well! But for the life of her, Xiaocao couldn''t remember. There was no time for contemtion, she quickly drove off the street, fearing the relentless killer might follow. After circling around, Xiaocao finally headed towards the university. There was a real estate agency near the university where she once did a part-time job handing out flyers. She parked the car in front of the agency and went inside. "Oh?" "Xiaocao, what brings you here?" As soon as Xiaocao walked through the door, an agent recognized her and greeted her with a smile. "Sister Feifei~" Xiaocao responded with a smile. "Is something the matter, Xiaocao?" Liu Feifei asked with a smile. "Sis, I''vee to contribute to your performance." Xiaocao said cheerily. "Looking to rent an apartment?" "I''ll find you something cheap." "One with no agency fees~" Liu Feifei said with a smile. "Mmm~ Not that~" Xiaocao shook her head, still smiling. "Sis, let''s talk outside." Xiaocao took Liu Feifei''s hand and walked towards the door. "Hey, wait a second, Xiaocao." Liu Feifei called out to her. "You scamp, why such a hurry?" "Let me tell the manager, I''m still working." Liu Feifei said with feigned annoyance. "Okay~" Xiaocao blinked mischievously and agreed. "Manager, I''m taking Xiaocao to see an apartment." After giving the manager a heads up, Liu Feifei left the office with Xiaocao. "So, what''s up?" "Why all the secrecy?" Standing in front of the agency, Liu Feifei asked with curiosity. "Sis, let''s talk in the car!" Xiaocao took out her keys, pressed the unlock button, and the BMW mini "beep beeped" twice. Xiaocao opened the car door and beckoned Liu Feifei. Seeing the BMW mini, Liu Feifei paused. Then she looked at Xiaocao with aplex expression. Sitting in the car, Liu Feifei hesitated for a moment before speaking in a weighted tone, "Xiaocao, you''re a good kid, don''t start doing bad things now." Fang Xiaocao was taken aback upon hearing this. She immediately burst intoughter. "Sister, you''ve got it all wrong," she said. "I''m not that kind of girl." "You see, your sister here just won the lottery." Fang Xiaocao said with a giggle. "Won... the lottery?" Liu Feifei''s eyes widened like brass bells, her CPU felt like it was overheating, and she was having trouble epting this twist of fate. "Yep, won the lottery~" Fang Xiaocao said with a giggle. "Okay, okay..." Liu Feifei blinked and responded. However, her expression was still one of bewilderment. "Sister, I want to buy a house!" Fang Xiaocao cut straight to the chase. "Hmm, okay, where do you want to rent..." Liu Feifei nodded, replying offhand. Clearly, she hadn''t quite recovered from the shock yet. But soon, Liu Feifei collected herself and eximed, "What? Buy a house!" "Yes, buy a house!" Fang Xiaocao nodded earnestly. "Xiaocao, how big a prize did you win?" "Buying cars and houses now?" "You''re still young, still in school, you can''t just waste money." Liu Feifei advised earnestly and with concern. Feeling the full warmth of Liu Feifei''s concerned tone, Fang Xiaocao couldn''t help being touched. "Sister, I understand, don''t worry," she said with a smile. "Alright then, which house do you want to buy?" Liu Feifei, deciding not to press further, inquired. "Is there a listing for a cheap haunted house in the Junyue Vi District here with us?" Fang Xiaocao asked with a smile. Upon hearing Fang Xiaocao''s words, Liu Feifei was startled again and blurted out instinctively, "Junyue Vi District?" "Oh my~" "Sister, don''t be so jumpy~" Fang Xiaocao showed an expression of feigned fear. "Alright, alright, it''s myck ofposure," Liu Feifei said with an awkwardugh. "Xiaocao, about this vi..." Liu Feifei hesitated, then continued, "People have died there, a lot of people. Are you sure you want to buy it?" Hearing that many people had died there, Fang Xiaocao''s hair stood on end, and she got goosebumps. "Buy... let''s buy it..." Fang Xiaocao said weakly. "So, are you buying it or not?" Liu Feifei raised an eyebrow, asking with a smile. Thinking of the "surprise" mentioned in the WeChat message, Fang Xiaocao gritted her teeth and said, "Buy!" "Alright, if you''ve decided, then I''ll take you there to have a look first," "I''ll go get the keys. Wait for me," Liu Feifei said, as she opened the car door and walked into the real estate agency. Ten minutester, Liu Feifei came out of the agency and returned to the car. "Are you sure you want to take a look?" Liu Feifei asked once more. "Yes, let''s go!" Fang Xiaocao nodded firmly. "Then let''s go." Seeing Fang Xiaocao so resolute, Liu Feifei said helplessly. Fang Xiaocao nodded, started the car, and drove toward Junyue Vi District. "Sister, what exactly happened in that vi?" Fang Xiaocao probed tentatively. "That vi was built six years ago," "The original owners were a couple..." Liu Feifei reminisced, narrating everything she knew to Fang Xiaocao. "After the vi was built, it was purchased in full by a couple who came to Tang City to do business." "At first, there was nothing out of the ordinary." "Until one day, five years ago, the neighbors suddenly realized that they hadn''t seen thedy of the house for a long time." Chapter 8 - 8 The Story of the Haunted House

Chapter 8: Chapter 8 The Story of the Haunted House

Speaking of this, Liu Feifei stopped, looked at Fang Xiaocao, and her expression seemed to be holding something back. Having already parked the car at the roadside and holding popcorn, the obedient Xiaocao, eating melon, hurriedly asked when Liu Feifei stopped talking, "Then what, then what?" Liu Feifei hesitated for a moment and asked, "Xiaocao, are you sure you want to hear this?" As a top real estate agent, Liu Feifei assessed from experience that Xiaocao''s desire to purchase would plummet after hearing this story. "Yes, yes, please~" Xiaocao''s little head bobbed like a chick pecking at grains. "Alright then..." Liu Feifei said helplessly. "A neighbor, who was friendly with the couple, curiously asked the husband where his wife had gone." "The husband simply said that his wife had gone back to her hometown." "Hearing the husband''s exnation, and after all, it was the couple''s private affair, the neighbor didn''t pry further." "It wasn''t until a yearter, when the neighbor adopted a retired police dog, that the secret of the wife''s disappearance waspletely revealed." At this point, Liu Feifei paused. Xiaocao, perceptive, passed over a bottle of water. Liu Feifei twisted open the cap, took a sip, and continued, "That noon, the neighbor was walking the police dog home and when passing the vi, the dog suddenly stopped, sniffing the air and barking furiously at the vi before eventually breaking free from the leash and jumping into the vi''s garden, frantically digging at the soil nted with roses." "Until its front paws were bloody and the soil was stained with blood, it still refused to stop." "Seeing this, the neighbor realized something, went home to get a shovel, and helped to dig." "Until..." "The neighbor dug up a leg bone from beneath the garden of roses!" At this, Liu Feifei took a deep breath, took another sip of water, and steadied herself. Xiaocao, with goosebumps, had already imagined many scenes from a wife-killing case. "Is it... a case of killing one''s wife?" Xiaocao asked with a quivering voice. Liu Feifei shook her head, her eyes somewhatplex. "I told you before, it wasn''t just one person who died, how could it be a simple case of killing the wife?" Liu Feifei said solemnly. At those words, Xiaocao''s delicate body shuddered. "Then... then what is it..." Xiaocao stammered. Looking at Xiaocao''s frightened pale face, Liu Feifei smiled mysteriously and said, "You''ll know after you hear the rest." Putting down the Aquarius bottle, Liu Feifei whispered, "After digging up the leg bone, the neighbor was startled and finally understood why the normally docile police dog had suddenly be so agitated." "This police dog, during its service, had been used to search for victims'' bodies, so it was especially sensitive to the scent of corpses." "After the neighbor called the police, the local police station immediately reported to the city bureau, which dispatched a technical team and a criminal investigation team to the scene, and they summoned the husband for questioning." "The city bureau''s technical team, under the garden of roses, dug up a total of fifteen bodies." "The oldest body was determined through autopsy to have died two years ago. Except for the head, the rest of the body had obvious signs of having been cooked, and the leg bones and ribs had bite marks of varying depths." "After facial reconstruction and DNA sampling, the results showed that the DNA belonged to..." At this point, Liu Feifei stopped again and looked at Fang Xiaocao. "Is it... the wife''s?" Xiaocao asked, shivering. Liu Feifei smiled and shook her head. Taking a deep breath, she spoke solemnly, "The DNA tests and facial reconstruction both belonged to the husband!" "Holy moly~" Upon hearing this, Fang Xiaocao screamed in horror. "How could it be the male owner''s?" "Wasn''t the male owner always around?" Fang Xiaocao''s eyes bulged like brass bells as she eximed. Liu Feifei said with a wry smile, "Yes, no one expected that the male owner would have died two years ago..." "When the neighbors heard this news, they fainted on the spot, and they are still in a psychiatric hospital." "Even more bizarre is that after the incident, the person who lived in the vi impersonating the male owner for two years just mysteriously disappeared." "Until now, they haven''t found the person, and the case remains unsolved." Liu Feifei sighed and said, "It is precisely because the case is so bizarre that the luxurious vi has be a haunted house and has never been sold." "There are rumors that the deceased male owner is still living in the vi." At this moment, Xiaocao was so scared that she curled up in the driver''s seat, hunched into a ball. Seeing Xiaocao''s state, Liu Feifei shook her head and sighed, "Xiaocao, why not set your sights on another target?" Xiaocao shook her head firmly and said, "No, I want this vi." "As long as I uncover the secrets of this vi, it won''t be a haunted house anymore." "Without ghost stories, it can''t be considered a haunted house!" Xiaocao said stubbornly. "Alright, then shall we go see the house?" @@novelbin@@ Seeing Xiaocao''s determination, Liu Feifei said helplessly. "No rush, Sister, haven''t you finished your story yet?" "Where did the wife go?" "And what about the identities of the other fourteen bodies dug up from the garden?" Xiaocao shook her head and asked. How could Xiaocao let the story rest unfinished? "The wife''s body has never been found, alive or dead." "Some specte that she was the first victim and had been eaten by the killer." "Others guess that the man who disappeared was the wife in disguise." "After killing the husband, the wife chopped and cooked his body, ate the flesh off the bones, and buried the bones and skull in the garden among the rosebushes. Then she got stic surgery to look like her husband." "She reverted to her original identity after the incident, which led to the illusion of a mysterious disappearance." "However, the police have investigated, and the wife''s identification and all sorts of documents had gone silent two years before the incident and have not been used since." "As for the other fourteen bodies, they were all identified as missing persons from Tang City through DNA testing and database analysis, all disappearing within those two years." Liu Feifei didn''t beat around the bush this time and told Xiaocao everything she knew in one breath. After listening, Xiaocao felt numb. What kind of monstrously evil killer could eat more than ten people within two years... It was even more extreme than the ostrich meat incident reported in the news. [Ding Dong!] Just then, Xiaocao''s phone rang. The sudden alert scared Xiaocao so much that she almost threw the phone away. After calming herself, Xiaocao nced at the phone screen. It was a WeChat message! Seeing it was a message on WeChat, Xiaocao immediately checked it. [Hot Noodles: How is it, is the story thrilling?] [Hot Noodles: Do you want to know what the truth is?] Chapter 9 - 9, Villa No. 5

Chapter 9: Chapter 9, Vi No. 5

Looking at the WeChat message from my future self. Fang Xiaocao was stunned. "The truth?" "My future self actually knows the truth?" Fang Xiaocao felt very shocked. "Do you know the truth?" "Has the case been solved in the future?" Fang Xiaocao hurriedly typed to ask. After hearing this bizarre story, Fang Xiaocao was eager to know the truth. Where had her wife gone? Why had the murderer disappeared? These were the points Xiaocao was curious about. And... Xiaocao was about to be the owner of the vi, and without knowing the truth, how could she dare to live in this eerie mansion? What if one day her wife suddenly appeared in the vi... Xiaocao could be scared to tears. [Hot Noodles: Naturally, I know. Buy the vi, and I''ll tell you.] Looking at the message from my future self. Fang Xiaocao rolled her eyes. Just great at messing with people''s minds, is this thing really my future self? Since when had I learned to be so annoying? [Hot Noodles: By the way, a tip for you, you might want to check out the reward for this case.] Fang Xiaocao blinked, curiously logging into the local forum and searched for the case. Not thinking much of it at first, she was drooling once she saw the reward information. Reward Information: The proceeds from the sale of the vi will be used entirely as the reward for this case. Signed by the male owner''s father. Certified by the Tang City Police Department, the reward is valid! "Isn''t this like picking up a vi for free?" Fang Xiaocao eximed in her mind. My future self knew the truth of the case. As long as she got the truth, the money she paid for the vi woulde back to her hands. Wasn''t it just a matter of passing money from one hand to the other? Wait... Passing money from one hand to the other means paying taxes twice... Losing so much money for nothing... Xiaocao had already started to feel pained. The money for taxes, that was all out of her pocket! [Hot Noodles: Feeling sorry for the money? Buying a vi for several hundred thousand isn''t making a fortune?] "Hmm?" "That sounds pretty reasonable!" Fang Xiaocao blinked and muttered. "Xiaocao, what are you muttering about?" Liu Feifei asked curiously from nearby. "Ah?" "Nothing... nothing at all." Xiaocao was startled and hurriedly changed the subject. "Sister, let''s go see the house." Saying this, Xiaocao started the car and headed towards the Junyue Vi District. Seeing this, Liu Feifei put away her doubts. Fifteen minutester! The BMW Mini entered the Junyue Vi District. Upon entering, Fang Xiaocao specifically observed the security forces of the entire vi district. Xiaocao could only say, deservedly a vi district. The security force was notparable to that of ordinary residential areas. The security guards at the gate were all over 180cm tall, strapping handsome men. There were even patrol teams on the roads, all young, strong, and full of vigor. All iing and outgoing vehicles, if not residents, had to be registered. Taxi drivers, delivery personnel, and other misceneous individuals, without the homeowner''s approval, were all outright refused entry. This made Fang Xiaocao feel an overwhelming sense of security. With this, the murderer who liked to disguise himself as a delivery driver, who had killed the neighbor sister and been pursuing her, wouldn''t be able to sneak in. Under the guidance of Liu Feifei, Fang Xiaocao parked her BMW Mini in front of Vi No. 5. "Vi No. 5 is that haunted house." Liu Feifei opened the car door and said to Xiaocao. "Don''t be fooled by its reputation as a haunted house; the current owner still entrusts us to send housekeeping for cleaning every week." "All the indoor and outdoor equipment, appliances, and electrical circuits are also entrusted to us to oversee maintenance by the property management." "After the protection period passed following the incident, the current owner, who is the father of the male owner, lived here for a while; hence, the furniture, appliances, facilities, and decorations in the vi have all been reced." "Later, when the case remained unsolved for a long time, the current owner lost hope and went back to their hometown. Before leaving, they entrusted ourpany with selling the vi and, with the consent of the police department, offered a reward." As Liu Feifei fetched the vi keys, she briefed Xiaocao about the property''s status. Hearing Liu Feifei''s exnation, Xiaocao''s eyes lit up, feeling like she had struck it big. She had thought she was buying just a shell. That she would have to decorate and purchase appliances herself. Unexpectedly, it was a fully furnished luxury house,plete with appliances. At most, she might have to rece a few old appliances and buy some various supplies before she could move in with just her bags. These hundreds of thousands were well spent! "Can I really move in with just my bags after buying it?" Xiaocao blinked and asked. "Yes, that''s right." Liu Feifei nodded in response. "The bedding inside is all stocked up. They''re unopened hotel-grade supplies, and we also rece them regrly." "The homeowner isn''t short on cash and has said that if the case is solved and the vi hasn''t been sold, the property will be the reward." "The person who acquires this vi will be a major benefactor to their family and must ensure it''s always ready for a ''bag-and-move-in'' situation, so as not to disrespect the benefactor." Liu Feifei said with a smile. @@novelbin@@ As they spoke, Liu Feifei unlocked the door and pushed open therge gates of the vi. "Come in and take a look!" "If you don''t consider the case, and aren''t put off by the bad vibes, this vi is genuinely nice." "It''s just that the wealthy are superstitious and shun this vi as unlucky. Those who don''t find it off-putting can''t afford it, otherwise, it wouldn''t be unsold." Liu Feifei said with augh. Walking into the vi and seeing the spotless luxury decorations, Xiaocao nodded in strong agreement. The vi wasvishly decorated and immacte, with huge floor-to-ceiling windows allowing excellent natural light, making the entire vi warm and bright, without a hint of the sinister feel one would expect from a haunted house. Xiaocao agreed with what Liu Feifei said. After all, as a reward, this vi could only be purchased in full cash, and mortgage installments were not epted. Which average family could suddenlye up with five million in cash to buy a house? Those who can afford to pay five million in cash for a house are the wealthy who aren''t in need of money; who among them would buy a haunted house. As Liu Feifei had exined, the wealthy are superstitious, avoiding houses where deaths have urred because they''re considered unlucky. Xiaocao inspected every part of the vi, inside and out, upstairs and downstairs, before nodding in satisfaction. "Sister, let''s sign the contract!" Xiaocao said cheerfully. "Are you sure you want to buy?" "Won''t you be scared to stay here at night?" Liu Feifei asked with a smile. "Not at all, not at all, it''s perfect!" Xiaocao patted her chest and said. "This doesn''t look like a haunted house at all; it''s clearly a mansion." Xiaocao said with a grin. "Since you''ve decided, I''ll go back and get the contract. Once it''s signed, things like the property transfer will be handled by ourpany, so you won''t need to bother with that." Liu Feifei said cheerfully. Selling this vi would earn her a nicemission. "Great, thanks for the trouble, sister." Xiaocao said with a smile. "Do you need me to drive you back to thepany?" Xiaocao asked. "No need, there''s a sightseeing car in the vi district. I''ll take that to leave the area and catch a taxi back." Liu Feifei said as she walked out of Vi No. 5. After Liu Feifei departed, Xiaocao continued inspecting the vi. [Ding dong!] Just then, Xiaocao''s phone rang again. Picking up the phone, she saw a WeChat message. Xiaocao opened WeChat to check it. [Hot Noodles: In the attic of the vi, under the window sill of the second window, there is a hiddenpartment with something very important inside.] Chapter 10 - 10 A Key

Chapter 10: Chapter 10 A Key

Looking at the WeChat message, Fang Xiaocao blinked. "Attic?" "Secretpartment?" Fang Xiaocao repeated these two words to herself. Checking the time, it would still be a while before Liu Feifei returned with the contract. Biting her lip, Fang Xiaocao directly closed the vi''s main door. Picking up the key Liu Feifei had left behind, she headed straight upstairs. Vi number 5 had four and a half floors. One basement level and three and a half above ground. The half was the attic. Fang Xiaocao climbed the stairs to the third floor. In a small room at the end of the corridor, she found thedder to the attic. She opened the attic entrance and climbed up. The attic was empty, nothing there at all. But it was also spotlessly clean; evidently the cleaners hadn''t cked off, and the attic was regrly cleaned. @@novelbin@@ There were four windows in the attic for natural light, onerge window on each side of the entrance and one small window both in front and behind the entrance. It was quite bright during the day. Fang Xiaocao nced at the WeChat message and couldn''t help rolling her eyes, muttering, "Where should I start counting? Which window counts as the first window?" Fang Xiaocao felt that her future self was clearly ying games with her. The goddamn second window, she still had to check each window one by one. Fang Xiaocao started with the big window on the left, squatting on the ground, tapping the wall beneath each window sill, looking for the secretpartment mentioned in the WeChat message. From the first brick on the window sill to the one tightly against the floor, nothing! Fang Xiaocao moved to the window directly in front to continue tapping. Still no secretpartment! Switching positions, she moved to therge window on the right. "Damn it, ying tricks on me, huh!" Fang Xiaocao cursed quietly, furiously walking towards the small window facing away from the attic entrance. Therge window on the right also had no secretpartment. "Damn it, definitely on purpose!" Fang Xiaocao grumbled angrily. But she forgot that she was scolding herself too. Arriving at the small window, Fang Xiaocao sat on the floor and started tapping. Finally, a hollow sound, "thud," came from the second tost brick in the corner near the floor. "Found it!" Fang Xiaocao eximed excitedly. She tried pressing it, and with a "click," the secretpartment automatically popped open. This secretpartment was the size of a small drawer, as big as a brick. Inside thepartmenty a strangely shaped key. Aside from this key, there was nothing else inside thepartment. Fang Xiaocao blinked, picking up the key. She yed with it for a while but couldn''t see anything special about it. Pocketing the key, Fang Xiaocao picked up her phone, opened WeChat, and sent a message to Hot Noodles, asking about the key''s purpose, "What does this key unlock?" [Contact does not exist!] "Huh?" Looking at the chat interface and the "Contact does not exist" notification, Fang Xiaocao was so angry she almost threw her phone. Being led by the nose like this really felt terrible and made Fang Xiaocao very angry. [Ding Dong!] Just then, the phone''s notification sound rang out. The sudden ringtone startled Fang Xiaocao, and the phone slipped from her hand, falling directly onto the floor. "Damn it, who the hell..." Fang Xiaocao cursed quietly, picking up the phone. Fortunately, since Fang Xiaocao was sitting on the floor, the phone wasn''t damaged. She unlocked the screen, revealing another message on WeChat. Fang Xiaocao rolled her eyes and opened WeChat. She had a premonition it must be Hot Noodles. [Hot Noodles: Before you curse me next time, think about our rtionship, okay?] Just as Fang Xiaocao expected. However, the content of the message made Fang Xiaocao so mad she almost smashed her phone. "Definitely on purpose, it has to be!" Fang Xiaocao muttered, scrunching up her nose. "What is the key for?" Fang Xiaocao sent a message asking. [Hot Noodles: Take thedder to the basement, on the upper half of one wall, there''s a hidden door with a lock on it.] "Here we go again, here ites again..." "She definitely did it on purpose!" Fang Xiaocao roared, looking at the message content. "Which wall is it?" Fang Xiaocao asked angrily. [Contact does not exist!] Fang Xiaocao: ... "Come out,e out!" "I''m going to go down with you!" Fang Xiaocao sent a voice message right away. [Contact does not exist!] Fang Xiaocao was utterly speechless. After closing the secretpartment, she descended from the attic. She closed the attic door and jumped down thedder. Carrying adder taller than herself, she walked towards the living room on the first floor. She ced thedder at the entrance to the basement and then checked the time on her phone. Before she knew it, half an hour had passed. "Feifei should be almost back," she murmured and abandoned the idea of immediately entering the basement to explore. Taking the keys, she opened the basement door, carried thedder inside, and then ran out. The basement was a bit dark and somewhat spooky. Xiaocao didn''t look at anything; she just ran out. At the basement door, she searched the LCD control panel for a while before finding the switch for the basement light. She tried pressing the switch and then opened the basement door. Hey~ The light turned on! "Not bad for a luxury vi, even the light switch is upscale," she muttered. "Ding-dong, ding-dong~" At the same time, the vi''s doorbell rang. Fang Xiaocao closed the basement door and ran to the front door, opening the video doorbell. Outside was Liu Feifei! Fang Xiaocao opened the vi''s door. "Sis, you''re back," she said cheerily. "How is it, Xiaocao?" "Being on your own here, you weren''t scared, were you?" Liu Feifei walked into the vi, asking with a smile. "Not at all, I wasn''t scared even a bit," Xiaocao replied with a grin. She was too busy treasure hunting to feel scared. "That''s good, let''s sign the contract then," Liu Feifei said cheerfully. As she spoke, Liu Feifei sat on the sofa and ced the printed contract on the coffee table. Fang Xiaocao picked up the contract and flipped through it. Seeing no issues, she picked up a pen and signed her name on the contract. Liu Feifei collected the contract, took out a POS machine from her bag, and ced it on the coffee table. "Swipe your card!" "Once you''ve paid, the vi is yours," Liu Feifei said, smiling. "Hmm~" Fang Xiaocao responded and took out her card. Liu Feifei took the POS machine, inserted Xiaocao''s card into the slot, and operated it for a moment. "Just enter your payment password, and you''re all set," Liu Feifei said as she handed the POS machine to Fang Xiaocao. Fang Xiaocao nodded, took the POS machine, and entered her payment password on the keypad. She clicked confirm, and the transaction waspleted! A message tone sounded on Fang Xiaocao''s phone. She nced at it; it was a debit notification. "All set~" Fang Xiaocao handed the POS machine back to Liu Feifei. "There you go, the vi is yours now," Liu Feifei said with a smile. "I''ll go handle the paperwork for you," Liu Feifei said as she packed up the POS machine and stood up. "If you want to stay overnight, I can call the cleaning service to thoroughly clean everything from inside out, so you don''t have to do it yourself." Before leaving, Liu Feifei added with a smile, "It''s free of charge~" Liu Feifei rified. Chapter 11 - 11 Fang Xiaocao: Oh mom...

Chapter 11: Chapter 11 Fang Xiaocao: Oh mom...

"Alright, thanks, sis." Upon hearing this, Fang Xiaocao smiled and thanked her. It''s free, why not take it! Such arge vi, having a thorough cleaning would cost quite a bit of money. Fang Xiaocao certainly wouldn''t refuse. "I''ll call the property management over to register you, and take the opportunity to check the wiring and facilities again." "If there are any issues, we''ll repair them immediately." "This is all I can do within my rights as your sister." Liu Feifei said, smiling. "Sis, thank you~" Fang Xiaocao smiled and expressed her thanks again. Liu Feifei nodded and made a phone call. Half an hourter, both the property and cleaning staff arrived. Liu Feifeimunicated separately with the property and cleaning staff, then waved goodbye to Fang Xiaocao, and left Vi No. 5 in a sightseeing cart. "Ms. Fang, hello." "I am your property manager, Sun Jie." The property manager greeted Fang Xiaocao with a smile. "Hello, what do you need to register?" Fang Xiaocao asked politely, smiling. "We need to register your basic information, any vehicles under your name, and the number of residents, as well as their basic information," said Sun Jie, smiling politely. "No problem, let''s go inside and talk," Fang Xiaocao nodded and said smilingly. "Cleaning auntie, just go ahead with your work, don''t mind me. Whatever you usually do, just do that." Fang Xiaocao told the cleaningdy. "Alright, rest assured," the cleaningdy replied with a smile. "Mmm," Fang Xiaocao acknowledged and entered the living room with the property manager. After filling out the forms, the property manager began to bring in staff to inspect the vi''s facilities. Fang Xiaocao took the opportunity to slip into the basement and locked the basement door behind her to continue her treasure hunt. Setting up thedder, Fang Xiaocao climbed up with effort, beginning to search for hiddenpartments. The entire basement was asrge as a floor. It was empty and very clean. This time, Fang Xiaocao''s luck was still poor. Only on thest wall did she hear a faint "thud." Fang Xiaocao almost cried out. The search had exhausted her. She pressed hard, and apartment popped open. A safe embedded in the wall appeared before Fang Xiaocao''s eyes. The safe was dual-operational, with both a keypad and a key. The keypad could unlock it, and so could the key. Normally, the keypad was more convenient. If the safe''s battery was dead, then the key was needed. Seeing the safe, Fang Xiaocao''s eyes lit up. "Could there be some treasure inside?" Fang Xiaocao muttered, impatiently pulling out the key from her pocket. She tried inserting the key into the keyhole... Hey, it''s the matching one~ Fang Xiaocao felt a surge of joy and began to turn the key. After three turns, the safe made a light "click." The door of the safe automatically sprang open. The moment the safe door popped open, a foul smell akin to rotten eggs hit her face. "Oh~" Fang Xiaocao gagged at the smell, nearly vomiting on the spot. A bad feeling rose from the pit of her stomach. This smell, it was suspicious! With a nervous heart, Fang Xiaocao slowly opened the door of the safe... "Oh my goodness~" Fang Xiaocao screamed in horror, slipped, and fell off thedder,nding on her bottom. Fang Xiaocao sat on the ground, staring in horror at the open safe, her little face deathly pale, retreating continuously with hands and feet. Fang Xiaocao crouched in the corner, her body uncontrobly shivering, her eyes lifelessly gazing at the ground, terrified by the contents of the safe. In the safe... A dposed head, with its hollow eye sockets staring at Fang Xiaocao! The dark-brown corpse fluid flowed down from the open safe, dripping onto the floor, making a "drip, drip" sound. "Thud, thud, thud!" The basement door was knocked on. Fang Xiaocao snapped to her senses, scrambled to the door, and unlocked it. "Ugh~" The basement door opened, and a foul smell wafted in, apanied by a bout of retching from outside. "Ms. Fang, what happened?" The property manager, covering his nose and mouth, looked at the disheveled Fang Xiaocao and asked anxiously. It turned out that the noise of Fang Xiaocao''s fall had rmed Sun Jie, who was coincidentally inspecting near the basement door. "Quick..." "Call the police..." Fang Xiaocao ran out of the basement, shut the door, and stammered. The excitement of treasure hunting by opening the safe met with the gaze of a rotting head, a visual impact too intense to describe. That Fang Xiaocao didn''t go mad on the spot was a testament to her sturdy mental constitution. Themotion from Fang Xiaocao attracted a maintenance worker and a cleaningdy as well. Smelling the stench in the air, another wave of retching urred. The cleaningdy ran to the LCD control, pressed a few times, and the vi''s venttion system kicked in. The foul smell in the corridor dissipated much, freshening the air slightly. "Ms. Fang, what happened?" Looking at Fang Xiaocao''s pale face, Sun Jie did not call the police but asked with concern. "A... a head..." "Call the police..." Fang Xiaocao said tremblingly. "What?" Hearing Fang Xiaocao''s words, the crowd erupted in astonishment. By then, Fang Xiaocao had calmed down somewhat. Seeing Sun Jie''s skeptical look and no intention to call the police, Fang Xiaocao didn''t bother with her and directly pulled out her phone to call Li Qiang. Minutester, the noisy siren broke the tranquility of the vi area. Several police cars stopped in front of Vi No. 5. Wang Qiang, in in clothes, rang the vi''s doorbell. Hearing the doorbell, Fang Xiaocao felt relieved, weing Wang Qiang into the vi, as if greeting a savior. Wang Qiang called over a female officer to take Fang Xiaocao''s statement, while he donned a mask with a technical team and a forensic doctor, and went into the basement. [Ding Dong!] As Fang Xiaocao was having her statement taken, a notification sound came from her phone. Fang Xiaocao took out her phone and nced at it; it was a WeChat message. [Hot Noodles: Surprise or not, unexpected right?] "I, damn it, unexpected my ass!" "Are you, damn it, doing this on purpose?" Seeing the message from Hot Noodles, Fang Xiaocao cursed outright. [Hot Noodles: Calm down, you wouldn''t want the police to suspect you, right?] [Hot Noodles: Beneath the attic mezzanine, there''s a piece of paper that lists the purpose of the key and the location of the safe, which can be handy for answering the police''s questions.] The message from Hot Noodles instantly calmed Fang Xiaocao down. She reflexively looked up at the female officer taking her statement. @@novelbin@@ Noticing the officer''s suspicious gaze, Fang Xiaocao gave a sheepish smile and put away her phone. "Sorry, I got a bit emotional." Fang Xiaocao said to the female officer, pulling a smile more pained than crying. "It''s okay, I understand." "Can we continue with your statement?" The female officer asked indifferently. "Yes, we can." Fang Xiaocao nodded and answered. "Okay, can you tell me how you knew about the safe in the basement?" The female officer gazed at Fang Xiaocao intently and asked. Hearing the officer''s question, Fang Xiaocao''s heart skipped a beat. "Good thing the message came just in time..." Fang Xiaocao thought to herself, feeling relieved. Chapter 12 - 12 Fang Xiaocao: The Wife is Still Alive?

Chapter 12: Chapter 12 Fang Xiaocao: The Wife is Still Alive?

Facing the scrutinizing gaze of the young policewoman, Fang Xiaocao smiled and worked hard to calm her emotions. She recalled the Hot Noodles conversation, the information in the message, and organized her words before speaking, "I study art, and upon learning about the attic in the vi, I wanted to transform it into a studio to facilitate future learning and work." "Lacking the vi''s blueprints, I wasn''t very familiar with the structure, so I took the opportunity to check the building materials used in the attic to see if they were up to standard and could support substantial renovations." "While checking, I inadvertently found a hiddenpartment under a window sill, and when I opened it, I found a drawer that contained the key to a safe and a note indicating the location of the safe." "Driven by curiosity, I took the key and went to the basement, intending to see what was inside the safe." "After all, the legend of this vi is quite legendary, and it''s natural to be curious." Fang Xiaocao spoke evenly, recounting her crafted story with a calm tone, unfazed by the young policewoman''s skeptical look. "Ms. Fang, don''t you know that it''s illegal to open another person''s safe without permission?" The young policewoman chuckled lightly and questioned. "Officer, one can mess with food, but words should not be treated so recklessly." Facing the young policewoman''s questioning, Fang Xiaocao said with a smile. "The purchase contract I signed clearly stiptes that from the day of payment, everything inside Vi 5 is automatically transferred to me, including but not limited to home appliances, furniture, and collectibles." "ording to the contract uses, the safe and its contents all belong to me." "Is it illegal to open my own safe?" With that, Fang Xiaocao took out her copy of the purchase contract and ced it on the coffee table, signaling the young policewoman to examine it. The young policewoman picked up the purchase agreement, briefly flipped through it, nodded, and returned the contract to Fang Xiaocao. "Ms. Fang, thank you for your cooperation." The young policewoman said with a smile. "It''s what I should do." Fang Xiaocao whispered. "In ordance with relevant regtions, we will initiate a scene protection protocol for the vi." "The specific duration of protection will be adjusted as needed based on the progress of the case." "So, during the period of scene protection, you won''t be able to move into the vi temporarily. I hope you can cooperate." The young policewoman stowed her notes and spoke solemnly. "No problem, I will fully cooperate." Fang Xiaocao nodded and said with a grave tone. "Thank you for supporting our work." The young policewoman''s lips curved into a smile as she spoke. "Officer, may I leave now?" Fang Xiaocao blinked and inquired. "Yes, but you can''t leave the city for now and must be avable to cooperate with the investigation at any time." The young policewoman nodded and spoke gravely. "Alright, I understand." Fang Xiaocao replied with a smile. Once she stepped out of the vi and pulled open the door of her BMW Mini, returning to her car, Fang Xiaocao''s body began to shake uncontrobly. By now, Fang Xiaocao had lost theposure and calm she had disyed in front of the young policewoman. After trembling for a while, Fang Xiaocao started the car and drove away from Junyue Vi District. Driving along the road, images of the decayed severed head with its dark, hollow eye sockets kept shing through Fang Xiaocao''s mind. "Who exactly is he?" "What role did he y in the murder case five years ago?" "Why, after being dismembered, was his head hidden in the safe?" "Where did the rest of his body go?" One question after another kept shing through Fang Xiaocao''s mind. Fang Xiaocao pulled the car over to the side of the road, took a deep breath, pulled out her phone, and opened WeChat. "Whose head is it?" Sheposed the message and sent it to Hot Noodles. Message sent! [Hot Noodles: Don''t worry about the head for now; if nothing goes wrong, the appearance of this head means the case is close to being cracked.] Hot Noodles'' reply was frustrating for Fang Xiaocao. "What do you mean, ''Don''t worry about it''?" "Whose head is it, exactly?" Fang Xiaocao sent a huffy voice message. [Hot Noodles: It was the head of the sister of a wife who is still alive, living abroad under her sister''s identity.] "What?" Upon reading the WeChat message, Fang Xiaocao eximed in shock. "So..." "Is the killer the wife?" "Did she kill her own husband?" Fang Xiaocao anxiously pressed on. [Hot Noodles: The killer isn''t the wife, she''s a victim as well.] Looking at the message, Fang Xiaocao became even more curious about the truth of the case. "Can''t you just tell me the whole truth about the case?" Fang Xiaocao huffed as she sent a voice message. She felt that Hot Noodles was doing this on purpose. Knowing full well how curious she was, yet he was like squeezing out toothpaste, unwilling to tell her the whole truth. [Hot Noodles: Don''t worry about the case for now, the reward is yours, it won''t escape.] [Hot Noodles: Go rent a house now, stop staying at a hotel, and go to the rental house tonight, there''s a good show to watch.] "A good show? What kind of good show?" Fang Xiaocao inquired with confusion. [Contact does not exist!] "What the hell..." Looking at the prompt on the WeChat interface, Fang Xiaocao angrily threw her phone onto the passenger seat. "Sigh..." With a sigh, Fang Xiaocao decided to follow Hot Noodles'' advice and find a ce to rent first. Picking up her phone, she dialed Liu Feifei''s number. "Hello, Sister Feifei." The call connected, and Fang Xiaocao spoke in a grave tone. "Xiaocao, are you okay?" "I''ve already heard about the vi incident." Liu Feifei''s voice came through the phone receiver. "I''m fine!" Fang Xiaocao answered softly. "Sis, I need to rent a short-term house." Fang Xiaocao got straight to the point. "No problem,e pick me up at the real estate agency." Liu Feifei responded promptly. "Okay!" Fang Xiaocao replied, then hung up the phone. She drove to the real estate agency, where Liu Feifei was already waiting outside. "Sis, get in¡«" Fang Xiaocao rolled down the window and called out to Liu Feifei. Liu Feifei waved at Fang Xiaocao and walked over quickly, getting into the BMW MINI. "Let''s go to Xintiandi district." Liu Feifei said with a smile. Fang Xiaocao nodded and set the navigation. Xintiandi district was close by. Nestled next to the university town, it was separated from Junyue Vi District by just one street, a newly builtplex. After a drive of about fifteen minutes, they arrived at theplex. The short-term rental Liu Feifei found for her was in Building 108, Unit 2, Apartment 301. Fully furnished, two bedrooms, a living room, a kitchen, and a bathroom. After taking a look inside, Fang Xiaocao was very satisfied. "Sis, let''s sign the contract." Fang Xiaocao said with a smile. @@novelbin@@ "Right, I brought the contract." Liu Feifei nodded. After signing the contract and seeing off Liu Feifei, Fang Xiaocao went downstairs to the supermarket in theplex and bought some personal items before officially moving in. She nced at the time, 4:37 PM. The start time for Han Xue''s party was not far off. Chapter 13: I can go through your future, but I can鈥檛 predict it.

Chapter 13: Chapter 13: I can go through your future, but I can''t predict it.

Fang Xiaocao tidied up a bit, reced the purchased disposable bed sheets andforter covers, and the time reached 5:21 PM. Fang Xiaocao descended the stairs and drove out of the Xintiandi Restaurantplex. Upon leaving theplex, she didn''t hurry to her previous rental but instead drove to a hotel. Based on the message from "Hot Noodles," Fang Xiaocao deduced that the murderer would likely visit the rental that evening. She decided to seize the opportunity to retrieve her belongings left at the hotel. With the room card in hand, she opened the hotel room door. Fang Xiaocao gathered all her belongings and quickly descended the stairs. After checking out at the front desk, she drove out of the hotel parking lot. After returning to the Xintiandiplex, Fang Xiaocao delivered her belongings to apartment 301 before driving out of the Xintiandiplex again. "Gurgle~" Just as she was about to drive to the rental, her stomach suddenly protested. Fang Xiaocao blinked, pulled out her phone to check the time: 6:07 PM. "Haven''t eaten all day, even my stomach is protesting." She muttered to herself and pulled over. "Everythinges second to eating when you''re hungry." Muttering to herself, Fang Xiaocao opened the car door and walked toward a fast-food restaurant. Looking at the variety of dishes, she felt her mouth water. Braised pork, skin-peeled peppers, stewed shredded tofu~ All were Fang Xiaocao''s favorites. Fang Xiaocao ordered some dishes, paid, chose a seat by the window, and began to feast. While eating, Fang Xiaocao saw a familiar figure enter the fast-food restaurant. Seeing this person, Fang Xiaocao was stunned. It was Qi Yu! At that moment, Qi Yu was dressed in a delivery outfit. "What''s going on?" Fang Xiaocao''s eyes widened like copper bells, filled with confusion. "Isn''t Qi Yu a rich second generation?" @@novelbin@@ "Why would he be delivering food?" Fang Xiaocao muttered to herself internally. While Qi Yu was waiting for his meal, he turned his head and scanned the restaurant. Almost instinctively, Fang Xiaocao lowered her head and put on the hoodie of her sweatshirt. While eating the food on her te, she watched Qi Yu''s every move from the corner of her eye. Qi Yu did not notice Fang Xiaocao. He scanned the restaurant with his eyes, then put on a mask and helmet. Only his eyes were visible. Seeing this, Fang Xiaocao was shocked. Those eyes... It was the murderer! It was definitely the murderer. Fang Xiaocao would never forget those eyes, nor the familiar feeling they gave her, seen fleetingly in the rearview mirror of the BMW mini at the hotel entrance. They had be an unforgettable nightmare in her heart. At this moment, Fang Xiaocao suddenly felt relieved. All the doubts that had been hovering in her mind were finally resolved upon knowing Qi Yu was the murderer. No wonder the murderer found her so quickly after she checked into the hotel. It turned out to be because that day in the hotel, she had an unexpected encounter with Qi Yu and Han Xue, revealing her whereabouts. No wonder the killer showed up again at another hotel the next day, looking for her. Qi Yu had been pursuing her for so long and understood her personality well, which was not surprising. At the first hotel, Qi Yu hadn''t managed to corner her, and she didn''t return to her rental that night. It wasn''t surprising at all that Qi Yu could guess she was staying at the nearest hotel to the city bureau. At that moment, Fang Xiaocao finally understood why Hot Noodles, her future self, would send messages to warn her to cherish life and stay away from Qi Yu and Han Xue, and why she should never meet with Han Xue if invited. Han Xue and Qi Yu had been colluding together for a long time. Qi Yu certainly knew Han Xue''s whereabouts and, once he knew she was with Han Xue, he would definitely n ahead to kill her. Even Fang Xiaocao could understand why Qi Yu had been persistently trying to kill her. When Qi Yu had killed their neighbor, he had made a sound, and during gatherings at the rental, Qi Yu had attended many times. He knew the soundproofing of the rental well, and his pursuit to kill her was definitely because he feared she would recognize his voice or remember that detail, which would reveal the truth that he was the killer. But Qi Yu didn''t know that at the time, Fang Xiaocao was too scared to recognize that the killer was him. Instead, it was his repeated, unnecessary pursuits that ended up revealing he was the killer. If he hadn''t pursued after Fang Xiaocao, as long as he avoided capture, even Hot Noodles wouldn''t have known he was the killer. From the moment he nned and executed the chase to kill Fang Xiaocao, the gears of fate had begun to turn, allowing Hot Noodles, situated in the future, to foresee his true nature as the killer beforehand. Now, the only thing Fang Xiaocao was puzzled about was why Qi Yu wanted to kill the neighbor sister. Seeing Qi Yu pick up his meal and leave the fast-food restaurant, Fang Xiaocao immediately put down her chopsticks and chased after him. She knew the family situation of Qi Yu well, a certified rich second generation; even if he was short on cash, he wouldn''t be out delivering food. With the meal box in hand, Qi Yu got into his Maserati and with a press of the elerator, he sped away. Witnessing this scene, Fang Xiaocao''s mouth twitched violently several times. Driving a Maserati to deliver food? If you said he was short of money, who would believe you? If there''s no foul y involved, then that''s the real shock. Fang Xiaocao immediately got into her BMW mini, started the car, and tried to catch up with Qi Yu to assess the situation. [Ding Dong!] Just then, the phone''s notification sound rang out. Fang Xiaocao stopped pressing the gas pedal and picked up her phone to check. [Hot Noodles: Don''t chase, you''ll expose yourself.] Looking at the message content, Fang Xiaocao immediately turned off the engine. "You knew all along, the killer was Qi Yu?" she asked impatiently. [Hot Noodles: Just as you guessed, the prerequisite for my foresight is the turning of the wheel of fate. I only knew when he began to chase you.] [Hot Noodles: Although I am in the future, I can only foresee unchangeable objective events. Your future is unpredictable; every choice you make affects what I, in the future, will experience.] [Hot Noodles: Therefore, about our future, only after you make a choice can I foresee the result of your choice a little while in advance, or even seconds before, and notify you through the memory formed in my mind.] Having read the messages sent by Hot Noodles, Fang Xiaocao fell silent. It was understandable; Fang Xiaocao had figured it out. If that afternoon, she had chosen to follow the instructions of the message from Hot Noodles and not gone home, then she wouldn''t have found herself being chased thesest two days. And the experiences of Hot Noodles would have changed as well. Before receiving future messages, Hot Noodles might have already experienced Qi Yumitting murder, but following her temperament without prior warning from the messages, she would definitely have turned on the light that evening. That would have led to Qi Yu violently breaking down the door to silence her. However, her future self, Hot Noodles, survived for some reasons and no longer posed a threat to Qi Yu, so she was not pursued. By now, Fang Xiaocao had guessed why Hot Noodles was not being chased. She must have been injured, and Han Xue and Qi Yu, having visited her at the hospital, made her unwittingly reveal that she hadn''t noticed the physical characteristics of the killer. Chapter 14: The Person Locked in the Basement by Qi Yu

Chapter 14: Chapter 14: The Person Locked in the Basement by Qi Yu

Fang Xiaocao took a deep breath, picked up her phone, and typed out a message to send to Hot Noodles: "Qi Yu has the takeaway, where is he headed?" This was what Fang Xiaocao urgently needed to know. At this time, Qi Yu was disguised as a deliveryman, certainly harboring some unspeakable secret. Hot Noodles: Meiyu Residential Community, Building 103, Unit 3, Basement 102. "Will it be safe if I head over there now?" After pondering for a moment, Fang Xiaocao sent the message to ask. Hot Noodles: You haven''t made a choice, I cannot predict in advance. Looking at the message from Hot Noodles, Fang Xiaocao smiled, started her BMW Mini, and set the navigation to Meiyu Residential Community. Fang Xiaocao pulled out of the parking space and had driven only two streets in the direction of Meiyu Residential Community when she stopped on the side of the road. "What about now?" Fang Xiaocao picked up her phone and sent another message. Contact does not exist! Facing the prompt "Contact does not exist," Fang Xiaocao didn''t panic but chose to wait patiently. Hot Noodles: You''re going to break me with all this ying! Five minutester, Hot Noodles sent a message. Looking at the WeChat message, Fang Xiaocaoughed. "Bending the rules feels great." Fang Xiaocao muttered to herself. "Do you give me a break normally?" "I''m just collecting some interest." "Let''s talk results!" Fang Xiaocao asked with a smile in her message. Hot Noodles: Humph, just you wait. Hot Noodles: Safe, Qi Yu has someone locked up in the basement. "A person?" On seeing the WeChat message, Fang Xiaocao was taken aback. "Who?" Fang Xiaocao asked eagerly. Hot Noodles: Don''t know, but it''s someone important, likely a key witness. Reading the message from Hot Noodles, Fang Xiaocao didn''t hesitate to start her BMW Mini and head toward Meiyu Residential Community. Fang Xiaocao parked her BMW Mini across the street from Meiyu Residential Community, without hurrying to enter. It wasn''t until she saw Qi Yu driving a Maserati out of Meiyu Residential Community that Fang Xiaocao drove around the block and entered the gates of themunity. Meiyu Residential Community was an oldplex. In the security booth, there was only an elderly doorman; there were many tenants from out of town, so there was no need for registration, which conveniently saved Fang Xiaocao a lot of trouble. Parking her car in a spot near Building 103, Unit 2, Fang Xiaocao got out. She approached the door of 102, listened intently for a moment, and heard nothing but deathly silence from inside. The door of 102 was secured with a password lock. Trying the door, she found it locked. @@novelbin@@ Clearly, Qi Yu was cautious and hadn''t forgotten to lock the door. Ding-dong! Just as Fang Xiaocao was considering how to unlock the door, the notification sound from her phone rang out. Startled, Fang Xiaocao, feeling guilty as if she were a thief, hurriedly took out her phone to check the message. It was from Hot Noodles. Hot Noodles: The password is 3081. Looking at the message, Fang Xiaocao''s eyes brightened. "Why didn''t you say there was a password earlier." Fang Xiaocao muttered to herself and entered the password in session. "Click~" With a soft click, the door lock sprang open. Fang Xiaocao pulled the door open, nced around like a thief to ensure no one was watching, and then quickly slipped into 102. After locking the door behind her, Fang Xiaocao surveyed the room. The decor was simple; there were no signs of habitation. "Where is the basement?" Fang Xiaocao sent a message to ask. Where the entrance to the basement was, Hot Noodles certainly knew, of that Fang Xiaocao was certain. Hot Noodles didn''t tell itself, it must be tough at me. So, Fang Xiaocao learned her lesson, and instead of waiting for Hot Noodles to speak, she asked directly. [Hot Noodles: Kitchen partition, there''s a storage room, which leads down to the basement.] "Ah ha~" Fang Xiaocao raised her eyebrows and said with augh. Upon reaching the kitchen, she immediately spotted the door to the partition. Fang Xiaocao carefully observed it and found that the partition was obviously frequently used, looking out of cepared to the uninhabited house. Fang Xiaocao gently twisted the door lock, and the thin plywood door of the partition opened in response. "Phew~" Relieved, Fang Xiaocao breathed a sigh of relief seeing this. "Good thing, Qi Yu didn''t lock the door." Fang Xiaocao said, feeling fortunate. She walked into the narrow partition. After advancing just a couple of steps, Fang Xiaocao saw the door that led to the basement. The moment she opened the basement door, a mix of musty and foul smells hit her in the face. "Ugh~" Fang Xiaocao, caught off guard, was nearly sick from the smells suffocating her right after she had eaten her braised pork. Unable to check the basement, she rushed out of the partition, taking deep breaths of fresh air. After fishing a mask out of her bag, putting it on, and doing some mental preparation, Fang Xiaocao steeled herself and went back into the partition. Turning on her phone''s shlight, Fang Xiaocao followed the old wooden staircase into the basement, apanied by the creaking and groaning of the steps with each step she took. The basement was incredibly crude, as if dug out privately. The space in the basement wasn''trge and at a nce, she could take in the entire environment. What met her eyes was a scene of filth and disarray. Indistinguishable liquids and waste, together with takeaway food containers, were piled up, covering half of the basement. Seeing this, Fang Xiaocao felt nauseous. "Ugh~" Even with the mask on, she could still smell a nauseating stench, like a backed-up sewer. Next to the pile of garbage was a man with disheveled beard and hair, skinny to the point of being emaciated, curled up in the corner. The man''s neck and hands were both locked with chains as wide as three fingers, and his clothes were stained and stiff like armor. "Who are you?" "Why are you locked up here?" Fang Xiaocao asked. Upon hearing Fang Xiaocao''s voice, the man with the disheveled appearance abruptly lifted his head to look at her. Those were some eyes! With sharp, well-defined brows and a determined, bright gaze! It was incongruous with his disheveled appearance. "Who are you?" The hoarse voice reached Fang Xiaocao''s ears. She felt no fear upon hearing the sudden speech, not after seeing his eyes. If she had been fearful before seeing his eyes, worried that the man might suddenlysh out and harm her, Now, looking into his eyes, she felt an inexplicable sense of reassurance. "Are you one of them?" Seeing Fang Xiaocao not responding, the man with the raspy voice asked. "No, I''m here following him." Fang Xiaocao answered. "Who are you?" "Why are you locked up here?" Fang Xiaocao approached the man and asked softly. "My name is Song Lin, I''m the captain of the Criminal Investigation Team at the city''s police bureau, I was on an undercover investigation mission, and after being discovered by the suspect, I was wounded, lost consciousness, and brought here," exined the man, the man recognized as Captain Song Lin, in a deep voice. "Youngdy, I can tell you''re a good person. Could you help me call the police?" Song Lin asked, the rasp in his voice not concealing its maic quality. "You''re Song Lin?" Fang Xiaocao eximed involuntarily. Chapter 15 - 15 The Reason the Neighbor Sister was Killed

Chapter 15: Chapter 15 The Reason the Neighbor Sister was Killed

Song Lin, the chief of the Criminal Investigation Team at the city bureau. He had disguised himself for investigations multiple times, cracking major and critical cases. Half a year ago, during a mission, he suddenly lost contact and waster confirmed to have been kidnapped by a suspect. To pressure the suspect and protect Song Lin''s safety, the city bureau held a high-profile press conference, calling on the suspect to release Song Lin. @@novelbin@@ That day of the press conference, Fang Xiaocao happened to be working part-time at a newspaper office, so her memory of this outstanding police chief was still fresh. "Do you recognize me?" Song Lin was startled and asked with confusion. "Recognize you? Of course, I do!" "So many people thought you had sacrificed yourself." Fang Xiaocao nodded her little head and said with a smile. As she spoke, Fang Xiaocao took out her phone, dialed Wang Qiang''s number, and informed him about the basement situation and the news that Song Lin was still alive. Upon receiving the message, Wang Qiang immediately expressed that he would personally lead a team to rush over and hurriedly hung up the phone. Hearing this, Song Lin gave a wry smile. He had been attacked, knocked unconscious, and locked in a basement for half a year. It was good enough that his superiors hadn''t held a memorial service for him. "Captain Song, was it Qi Yu who locked you up?" Fang Xiaocao curiously asked. "It was him..." Song Lin nodded. "The sensational case of the serial disappearance of female office workers in Tang City half a year ago, it was his doing," said Song Lin, his face looking grim. "What!" Upon hearing Song Lin''s words, Fang Xiaocao eximed in shock. "Why were you following Qi Yu?" Song Lin asked, puzzled. "Qi Yu has started killing again..." Fang Xiaocao recounted the murder of her neighbor, her own chase, leaving out the part about Hot Noodles, and told everything to Song Lin. "Is your neighbor named Chen Hong?" Song Lin narrowed his eyes and asked in a deep voice. "How do you know?" Fang Xiaocao was taken aback and eximed. "Chen Hong is the only survivor of the serial disappearance of female office workers." A trace of sorrow flickered in Song Lin''s eyes. "A survivor?" "There were no survivors in that case, were there?" "I remember there were reports on the news." Hearing this, Fang Xiaocao was puzzled and asked. "That was false news made up to protect Chen Hong," Song Lin said with a wry smile. "Captain Song, what exactly happened then?" "Why was Chen Hong able to survive?" Fang Xiaocao, embodying her curious nature, asked eagerly. "Ah..." Song Lin sighed deeply as he recalled the events of that time. "That day, I was on duty, taking a shortcut back to the station through a small path in the college town''s back mountain, when I encountered Qi Yu abducting Chen Hong to a remote area tomit his crime." "Seeing me in uniform, Qi Yu panicked. He stabbed Chen Hong in the heart, did not stab again, and fled. I was busy saving the person and did not pursue Qi Yu." "If I had pursued him at that time, perhaps all these following incidents wouldn''t have happened," Song Lin said, his expression filled with dejection. "Captain Song, your choice was not wrong." "Anyone would have stayed to save the victim," Fang Xiaocaoforted. "But..." Fang Xiaocao hesitated for a moment and then asked, "With a stab to the heart, such a serious injury, how did Sister Chen Hong survive?" "Although I''m not a medical student, I know that if the heart is pierced, there shouldn''t be any hope, right?" After speaking, Fang Xiaocao curiously looked at Song Lin. "Yes, the most fatal wound." "But Chen Hong''s heart is unusual." "Her heart is in the middle; Qi Yu''s stab didn''t hit her heart at all." "It was precisely because of this that, to protect Chen Hong, we created a smoke grenade of lies, dering that there were no survivors in this case." Song Lin, his voice hoarse, spoke in a low tone about how Chen Hong had narrowly escaped death half a year ago. "But who could have thought that he would be so suspicious?" "Just because I was investigating him, he guessed that Chen Hong had leaked his physical characteristics." "After half a year of searching, he found and killed Chen Hong..." At this point, Song Lin became emotional, and the chains he was shackled with nked loudly. Hearing this, Fang Xiaocao fell silent. So this was why Qi Yu wanted to kill Sister Chen Hong. Half a year ago, she had barely escaped death, but she never imagined that six monthster, she would still meet her fate at the hands of Qi Yu. Chen Hong truly had a tragic end, unable to escape from Qi Yu, this real-life King Yama. "Ding-a-ling~" Just then, Fang Xiaocao''s phone rang. She picked up the phone and saw it was a call from Wang Qiang. "Captain Song, it must be Officer Wang. I''ll go upstairs to meet them." Fang Xiaocao informed Song Lin, jumped up, and ran upstairs while answering the phone. "Hello, Officer Wang." "Wait a moment, I wille up and open the door right away." Fang Xiaocao hung up the phone and quickly walked out of the basement. Watching Fang Xiaocao''s retreating figure, Song Lin smiled to himself. "Unperturbed by circumstances, she''s a good candidate for the Criminal Investigation Team, it''s just a pity she didn''t study criminal investigation." Song Lin muttered. After speaking, Song Lin was deep in thought. "Master..." A familiar voice interrupted Song Lin''s thoughts. Song Lin looked up and saw Wang Qiang running towards him, ignoring the stench of the basement. Wang Qiang ran to Song Lin''s side and hugged him, not caring about the filth on Song Lin''s body. A man of iron, he wept loudly. "Master..." "You''re safe, that''s really wonderful..." Wang Qiang choked up as he spoke. He cried like a child seeing his parents. "Stinky boy, why are you crying?" "Don''t disgrace me." Song Lin spoke cheerfully. "Master, who was it..." "Tell me, and I''ll go arrest him..." Watching Song Lin''s disheveled appearance, Wang Qiang, heartbroken, held the chain for Song Lin and sobbed as he spoke. "He won''t get away, I''ll catch him personally." Song Lin said sternly. "Right, let''s catch him together, master and disciple." Wang Qiang nodded and looked pityingly at the tortured Song Lin. "How did I teach you?" "A true man sheds blood, not tears!" Seeing Wang Qiang with tears in his eyes, Song Lin sternly spoke. "It''s just not yet the most heartbreaking part..." Wang Qiang quietly added. "Is that so, dammit?" "I keep telling you, don''t just focus on fighting and killing, read more books." Song Lin red at Wang Qiang and scolded him. "Oh~" In front of Song Lin, Wang Qiang acted as obedient as a primary school student. "Now step back and let the firefighterse and unlock these chains, do you want to exhaust me?" Song Lin yelled irritably. Wang Qiang instinctively shrank his neck at the shout. He turned to look at the firefighter carrying tools and gave an embarrassed smile. "Officer Wang, leave it to us." The firefighter said with a smile. "Thank you." Wang Qiang nodded and stepped aside. The firefighter nodded in return and began to inspect the chains and how they were attached to Song Lin. [Ding-dong!] Just at this moment, Fang Xiaocao''s phone rang again. She looked down and saw a WeChat message. Without a second thought, she quickly opened it. [Hot Noodles: Qi Yu is escaping!] Chapter 16 - 16 Hot Noodles: What Are You Playing At!

Chapter 16: Chapter 16 Hot Noodles: What Are You ying At!

"Officer Wang, Captain Song, with all thismotion here, could Qi Yu have run away?" Fang Xiaocao walked up to Wang Qiang and Song Lin, speaking in a low voice. Hearing what Fang Xiaocao said, both Wang Qiang and Song Lin were taken aback. "Who is Qi Yu?" Wang Qiang asked, puzzled. But Song Lin''s face changed. "Qi Yu is the murderer we have locked up here." "Damn kid, go catch him now," Song Lin shouted urgently. "Yes!" Wang Qiang instinctively responded. He turned and ran towards the basement exit, shouting as he did, "Criminal Investigation Team, follow me to catch him." Fang Xiaocao nced at her phone''s time. 19:48! "Officer Wang, we could first check my previous rental ce. Qi Yu''s girlfriend is having a get-together there, Qi Yu might go there," Fang Xiaocao shouted to Wang Qiang. "Alright, I got it," Wang Qiang replied and hurried off with his team. Soon after, the noise of police sirens filled the air outside the building. After Wang Qiang left, Fang Xiaocao, remembering the confused look on Wang Qiang''s face when she brought up Qi Yu, asked with concern, "Captain Song, does Officer Wang know who Qi Yu is?" At these words, Song Lin was startled. "Damn, that kid doesn''t know Qi Yu," Song Lin eximed, pping his thigh. "Captain Song, don''t move around," a firefighter preparing to cut through something reminded him helplessly. "Captain Song, don''t panic, I''ll follow and take a look," Fang Xiaocao hurried to calm Song Lin, urging him not to get agitated. "Okay, please," Song Lin nodded and said. "Mm, don''t worry, Captain Song," Fang Xiaocao nodded in affirmation, then turned and ran towards the basement exit. "We absolutely cannot let Qi Yu escape, there''s still much trouble on him," Song Lin called out, straining his neck. "Alright," Fang Xiaocao responded. After dashing out of room 102, Fang Xiaocao hopped into a car and drove off. "Where is Qi Yu?" Fang Xiaocao drove and sent a voice message simultaneously. [Contact does not exist!] "Damn it," Fang Xiaocao cursed under her breath after seeing the WeChat notification. She put the phone aside and sped in the direction of the rental ce. Unable to count on Hot Noodles, she had to rely on herself. Qi Yu, in his flight, would definitely take the Maserati. As Fang Xiaocao was driving close to the rental ce, still a street away, a pink Maserati zoomed past like the wind. It didn''t even slow down after clipping a pedestrian on the roadside. Fang Xiaocao didn''t think twice, flooring the gas pedal to chase after the Maserati. At that moment, there was only one thought in her mind. @@novelbin@@ "That Maserati is Qi Yu''s!" "We can''t let Qi Yu escape." Her BMW Mini''s speed,bined with Fang Xiaocao''s driving skills, was obviously not a match for the Maserati''s. Fortunately, it was the rush hour. The roads were congested with traffic and pedestrians. At several traffic lights, long queues had formed. Even in his madness, Qi Yu couldn''t drive a tank; he couldn''t just plow through the cars blocking his path. He could only rely on his luxury car to force his way through, betting others wouldn''t dare to hit him. Fang Xiaocao''s BMW Mini,pact in size, was far more adept at maneuvering through the congested streets than the Maserati. For a time, she managed not to lose sight of Qi Yu. Taking advantage of the slow traffic and Qi Yu trapped in the line of cars unable to escape, Fang Xiaocao picked up her phone and dialed Wang Qiang''s number. "Officer Wang, I''ve spotted Qi Yu." "I''m currently in my car, following him." As soon as the call connected, Fang Xiaocao quickly spoke. Fang Xiaocao reported her location and Qi Yu''s car model and license te number before hanging up the phone. Fang Xiaocao nced at the navigation map; this road led to the university and the back mountain. The thought that Song Lin had mentioned Qi Yu once kidnapped the neighbor''s older sister, Chen Hong, tomit a violent act on the university''s back mountain, brought up a notion in her mind: the back mountain of the university was Qi Yu''s secret base. In the case of the missing female office worker, aside from Chen Hong, the victims had not been found. They must have been hidden by Qi Yu, and this hiding ce for the bodies was very likely to be the back mountain. Now that Qi Yu was fleeing in panic, wanting to conceal his tracks before the police could react, this hiding ce was definitely the best choice. Thinking this, Fang Xiaocao gritted her teeth and, taking advantage of herpact car, forcibly changednes and turned into a side road. This road led straight to the university. It was the essential route Fang Xiaocao used to take when she was in school. And it also led to the back mountain! The road was narrow, though, and most cars couldn''t get through. Fang Xiaocao knew that once free from the flow of traffic, she would definitely be unable to catch up with Qi Yu, so she decided to get ahead and wait for him. [Ding-dong!] Just then, Fang Xiaocao''s phone rang. Fang Xiaocao nced at the phone screen. It was a WeChat message! While driving, Fang Xiaocao opened WeChat. [Hot Noodles: What you''re doing is dangerous!] "I can''t worry about that now, I can''t let Qi Yu get away." Fang Xiaocao replied with a voice message. [Hot Noodles: There''s no reward for catching him, why are you risking your life!] "You can still send me messages!" Fang Xiaocao voiced back casually while she drove out of the side road and onto the main road. Fang Xiaocao looked around and, confirming that Qi Yu''s Maserati had not yete out, she stopped by the roadside to wait for him. [Hot Noodles: What the hell are you ying at with your life; I almost died!] "But you didn''t die, did you?" Fang Xiaocao replied offhandedly. "Buzz buzz buzz¡«" The roar of the engine filled her ears. Fang Xiaocao looked up and saw a pink Maserati speeding towards her. It was Qi Yu, the very person Fang Xiaocao had been waiting for! Fang Xiaocao turned off her phone, gritted her teeth, and a look of determination and madness shed in her eyes. The next second, Fang Xiaocao floored the elerator. The small BMW Mini immediately elerated, charging head-on towards the Maserati. The road was narrow, a one-way street. It couldn''t amodate two cars side by side. Fang Xiaocao was going to put her life on the line with Qi Yu! If she couldn''t force Qi Yu to stop, she would crash into him. Hot Noodles could still send her messages. This gave Fang Xiaocao a surge of confidence; she wouldn''t die. If she died, Hot Noodles would be done for. But Hot Noodles was still alive, so nothing would happen to her. This only made Fang Xiaocao''s decision more resolute. As they drew closer, Fang Xiaocao could even see the bloodshot eyes of Qi Yu in the driver''s seat of the Maserati. His eyes were crazy, bloodthirsty, and violent! Her body shook with fear and tension, and she instinctively wanted to hit the brakes. Fang Xiaocao simply gritted her teeth, stomped on the gas pedal to the floor, and closed her eyes. "Let the storme even more violently!" Fang Xiaocao screamed. "BANG!" A loud crash resounded. The airbag deployed! Fang Xiaocao felt everything spinning around. Pain and dizziness followed one after another. Fang Xiaocao felt a tightness in her chest... "Good thing I wore a seatbelt..." As this thought shed through her mind, Fang Xiaocao lost consciousness under the assault of dizziness. In a haze, she heard the chaotic sound of police sirens in her ears, and it seemed like Wang Qiang''s shouting. "Quick, to the hospital¡«" Chapter 17 - 17 Feeding the Patient Spicy Hot Pot

Chapter 17: Chapter 17 Feeding the Patient Spicy Hot Pot

"Hiss~" "It hurts so much~" In the sterile white hospital room, a moan was heard. Fang Xiaocao had woken up! But the waves of dizziness in her brain made her not want to open her eyes. Yet, she was terribly thirsty and wanted to drink water! Fang Xiaocao could only lie on the hospital bed moaning, hoping someone kind would pay attention to her. To give her a sip of water, to save her life! Her head was spinning, she felt nauseous, like vomiting, and her entire body ached! That was the most direct sensation Fang Xiaocao had upon waking up. "You''re awake?" "Quick, go call the doctor!" A familiar voice reached her ears. "Hey, don''t go~" "Give me some water to drink before you leave~" As the sound of footsteps faded away, Fang Xiaocao called out weakly. However, that person, like a stubborn bear, simply did not hear Fang Xiaocao''s mosquito-like voice. "Bang!" The door of the ward closed, and Fang Xiaocao pouted, feeling like crying. "Is this how you take care of a patient?" "Not even asking if someone is thirsty..." Fang Xiaocao grumbled to herself indignantly. "Damn, it hurts so much~" "Had I known it''d be this painful, I wouldn''t have pushed myself..." Fang Xiaocaoy on the hospital bed with teary eyes, muttering, as she looked at the water ss ced to the side, wanting to grab it butcking the strength to do so. "Water, oh water,e to my mouth quickly..." Fang Xiaocao gazed longingly at the water ss, wishing the water inside would understand and fly into her mouth. "Damn it, who''s supposed to be keeping watch anyway..." "Wuuu..." "If you don''te back soon, I''m going to die of thirst..." Fang Xiaocao looked at the call button beside her bed but was too weak to reach for it, only able to grumpily grumble in her heart about the unreliability of her caretaker. "What''s the matter?" "Is the call button too hot to touch?" As Fang Xiaocao looked on in eager anticipation, the door of the ward was pushed open, and a pretty nurse walked in. "Huh?" "You''re awake?" "Where''s your caregiver?" "Why didn''t you press the call button?" The nurse was momentarily stunned to see Fang Xiaocao staring at her and spoke in confusion. "Wuuu~" "I''ve seen an angel~" Upon seeing the nurse, Fang Xiaocao was nearly in tears. "How do you feel?" The nurse walked to the bedside and asked with a smile, and casually pressed the call button. "Water... I''m thirsty..." Fang Xiaocao said with all the energy she could muster, her voice trembling. The nurse was startled by Fang Xiaocao''s words. She instinctively looked at Fang Xiaocao''s dry lips. "I''ve never seen a caregiver this unreliable before, leaving without informing a nurse, and when the patient wakes up, nobody is here to call the doctor." The nurse muttered as she picked up the water ss. Listening to the nurse, Fang Xiaocao silently gave her approval. If it weren''t for her head feeling so dizzy, she would have nodded in agreement. With a cotton swab dipped in water, she moistened Fang Xiaocao''s lips. "You can''t drink water right now, I''ll just moisten your lips first, wait until the doctor has finished the check-up, then you can have some." The nurse said gently. Looking at the tender and gentle angel in white, Fang Xiaocao felt overwhelmed, obediently nodding her head and licking the trace of water on her lips, seemingly not feeling as thirsty anymore. "Good, you''re being very good!" The nurse said with a smile. "Squeak~" At that moment, the door of the ward was pushed open again. A doctor walked in. "How''s the patient doing?" The doctor asked softly. "You seem to be in pretty good shape, just thirsty." The nurse replied. "Hmm, let me check first." "If there''s no problem, you can eat." The doctor nodded and said in a deep voice. After thoroughly inquiring about Fang Xiaocao''s feelings, and she answered each question in turn, and after checking her body, the doctor nodded and said, "Aside from a slight concussion, there''s nothing wrong." "Rest up, stay in the hospital for observation for a couple of days, and then you can go home to recover." "Eat something light these next few days, nothing too greasy, and if you feel unwell, just press the call button." "Mm-hmm..." Fang Xiaocao nodded, responding in a mosquito-like voice. "Get some good rest." After speaking, the doctor turned and left the ward. Seeing the doctor gone, Fang Xiaocao looked at the gentle nurse with longing eyes. The nurse smiled, took a straw, inserted it into a cup of water, and brought it to Fang Xiaocao''s lips. Fang Xiaocao''s eyes lit up with gratitude as she looked at the nurse and grasped the straw in her mouth. With the warm water flowing into her mouth and down her throat, Fang Xiaocao felt her strength returning, and even her head felt less dizzy. "Drink slowly. If you need more, I''ll pour you some." The nurse said with a smile. "Mm-hmm, thank you, sister." Whenever Fang Xiaocao saw a beautiful sister, she would always call her sister. It''s all about being sweet-talking and likable. "Rest well, and if you need anything, just press the call button." The nurse said with a smile. "Mm-hmm!" Fang Xiaocao nodded in response. Seeing Fang Xiaocao so well-behaved, the nurse smiled and after pouring her another cup of water, turned and left the ward. After the nurse left, Fang Xiaocao struggled to sit up and search for her mobile phone. "Huff~" "Thank goodness the phone is okay~" Seeing her undamaged phone by the bed, Fang Xiaocao breathed a sigh of relief. Picking up the phone, she unlocked the screen. A string of messages in WeChat, all from Hot Noodles, scolding her. Fang Xiaocao smiled and replied, "I''m fine, just a slight concussion." [Hot Noodles: I didn''t know you were okay?] [Hot Noodles: Do you realize you almost died?] [Hot Noodles: The future can be used as a reference, but it isn''t a hundred percent urate; what if something unexpected had happened?] Reading the messages from Hot Noodles, Fang Xiaocao felt a wave of fright. "I just got heated and didn''t think too much at the moment." Fang Xiaocao weakly said. [Hot Noodles: Hmph, get some good rest, I''ll take you to make some money in a couple of days.] "Okay~" Fang Xiaocao obediently responded. "Bang~" Just then, the door to the ward was violently pushed open. Fang Xiaocao looked up and immediately rolled her eyes. The person who arrived was her best friend and roommate, known as the Iron Lady, Su Wanqing. Aplete joker, the funny woman! It was her who, in the midst of escorting to call the doctor, got lost on the way¡ªFang Xiaocao wasn''t surprised in the least. "Xiaocao, you''re awake?" "Are you hungry?" "Want some spicy hot pot?" "I just called the doctor, and thinking that you must be hungry, I went down and bought two super deluxe spicy hot pots~" Saying so, Wanqing even held up the takeout containers she brought as if showing off a treasure. "Who brings spicy hot pot to a patient?" Fang Xiaocao replied, rolling her eyes in annoyance. Only this funny woman woulde up with the absurd idea of bringing spicy hot pot to a patient. "Can''t eat it?" Wanqing blinked, asking with a dumbfounded face. "Not a single bite..." Smelling the aroma of the hot pot in the air, Fang Xiaocao''s stomach betrayed her with a growl, making her even more frustrated. "Oh my gosh, I''m so hungry~" @@novelbin@@ Fang Xiaocao moaned weakly. "How about a beer to fill your stomach first?" Wanqing sat on a chair, took out a can of beer, and with a "pop," opened it. Fang Xiaocao: ... Chapter 18 - 18 Fang Xiaocao: There鈥檚 a bonus too?

Chapter 18: Chapter 18 Fang Xiaocao: There''s a bonus too?

Fang Xiaocao wanted to use a pillow to beat Su Wanqing to death. Giving a patient, drinking beer... Was that something a human could do? Now, Fang Xiaocao was suddenly feeling a bit relieved. Luckily she had been thirsty just now, and Su Wanqing wasn''t there. Otherwise, with Su Wanqing''s boldness, she really could have poured a can of beer into her mouth. "Come on, drink up!" "Spicy Hot Noodles with beer, so refreshing." Su Wanqing''s heartyughter made Fang Xiaocao imagine an exquisite scene where Zhang Fei was persuading Li Kui to dance the Little Swan. "Why didn''t you just buy some duck dishes while you were at it?" Fang Xiaocao red at Su Wanqing and said unhappily. "Huh?" Hearing that, Su Wanqing was taken aback. Then, her eyes lit up and she eximed, "Right, why didn''t I think of that?" With that, Su Wanqing leapt up from the stool and dashed out of the sickroom. While running, she also shouted, "Xiaocao, wait for me, I''ll go buy it now." "And spicy crayfish, they''re the perfect match for beer." Watching Su Wanqing''s hurried figure, Fang Xiaocao opened her mouth but still didn''t call her back. "I''m tired, just let everything go to ruin!" Fang Xiaocao muttered, feeling disheartened. "Creak~" @@novelbin@@ The door to the sickroom was pushed open, and Fang Xiaocao looked in the direction of the sound. She saw Song Lin and Wang Qiang entering the sickroom. Trailing behind them was the young female officer who had taken her statementst time. "Heard from the doctor that you''ve woken up, so we came to visit." Song Lin said with a smile, dressed in a patient''s uniform. Imprisoned in a dirty and chaotic basement for a whole year, Song Lin''s iron body had wasted away to nothing, leaving many hidden health issues. Now that he had been rescued, he was staying in the hospital for recuperation. The sickroom was right next to Fang Xiaocao''s, so as Wang Qiang and the young female officer came to take Xiaocao''s statement, they took the opportunity to check on Fang Xiaocao as well. "Captain Song, please have a seat." Fang Xiaocao said with a smile. Song Lin smiled and nodded. He pulled over a stool and was just about to sit down when he saw the Spicy Hot Noodles and beer on the bedside table. His expression suddenly became very colorful. "You''re eating so... before you''ve even been discharged," Song Lin stopped mid-sentence. For the moment, he couldn''t find an appropriate adjective. "Hehe..." Fang Xiaocaoughed awkwardly. But in her heart, she had already started to worry about Su Wanqing. "Su Wanqing, why don''t you just go die~" "Su Wanqing, is your brain okay?" "Su Wanqing, oh how I thank you~" Fang Xiaocao felt that having Su Wanqing as a "good girlfriend" was truly a blessing she must have rued from the virtues of her past eight lifetimes. "Yo?" "Got into the small beers, have you?" Wang Qiang teased with a smile. Fang Xiaocao forced a sheepish smile. How embarrassing! Fang Xiaocao wanted to find a crack in the ground to crawl into and hide. "My girlfriend bought it..." After struggling for a long time, Fang Xiaocao finally stammered out the exnation. "Pfft~" Upon hearing Fang Xiaocao''s feeble excuse, Wang Qiang couldn''t help but burst outughing. Song Lin and the young female officer beside him also couldn''t help but grin. As elite detectives who had seen all sorts of peculiar things, they instantly understood what was going on. After all, they had encountered weirder situations during their investigations. For instance: A foolish brother feeding his gravely injured,atose older brother hard liquor, saying his brother loved to drink and would wake up with alcohol. However... there were cephalosporins in the brother''s medicine. A swig of hard liquor, just out of the emergency room, led to him being rushed back in again. "Xiaoli, go buy a serving of in congee for Xiaocao." Song Lin said to the young female officer with a smile. "Okay, Captain Song." The young female officer nodded and turned to leave the hospital room. "Although the injury isn''t serious, it''s still better to eat something light," Song Lin said with a smile. Fang Xiaocao shot a grateful nce at Song Lin. "Xiaocao, you''re really brave!" Wang Qiang, standing beside, said with a smile. "Well, it was an emergency situation~" Fang Xiaocao said with an embarrassed smile. "By the way, did they catch Qi Yu?" Fang Xiaocao asked, looking at Wang Qiang. Before losing consciousness, Fang Xiaocao remembered faintly hearing Wang Qiang''s voice. "They caught him, he''s in the intensive care unit now," "He didn''t fasten his seatbelt, and wasn''t as lucky as you; his injuries are quite severe," Wang Qiang said with a smile. "Your car, it''s probably totaled." "I''ve applied for a bravery award for you at the precinct, although it''s not a lot of money, it should helppensate for some of the loss," Wang Qiang said with a smile, sitting beside her. "There''s a reward too?" Upon hearing this, Fang Xiaocao''s eyes lit up. "Yeah, I specifically applied for it for you," "There''s also a pennant and a certificate." "Later, I''ll have our colleagues from the publicity department deliver them directly to your school," Wang Qiang said, nodding and smiling. "As for the car, if it needs to be scrapped, I can personally try to pull some strings and handle it for you," Song Lin also offered with a smile. Fang Xiaocao''s courage and decisiveness won the appreciation of the two officers, who both were willing to go out of their way to help her. "Thank you, Captain Song," Fang Xiaocao said with a smile. "Speaking of which, Captain Song," "You mentioned that Qi Yu was involved in other matters?" "What are they?" "Without what you said, I wouldn''t have hit him." Fang Xiaocao asked with curiosity and a hint of gossip. "This Qi Yu, indeed, is involved in other cases," Song Lin nodded and said in a serious tone. "I only learned about this from his own mouth after I was locked up." "The case is still being investigated and is confidential, so I can''t give you the details," At this point, a nostalgic look shed in Song Lin''s eyes. Then he smiled and added, "However, I can tell you a story." "When I was undercover, I identally obtained some intelligence that was very important to him," "For the past six months, he didn''t kill me because he was scheming to find out this information from me." "If I hadn''t kept silent, I probably would have been dead by his hand a long time ago." After finishing, Song Linughed and said, "That''s the end of the story, you shouldn''t be so puzzled now." "Actually, what you really want to know is how I managed not to be killed by Qi Yu, right?" Song Lin directly pointed out Fang Xiaocao''s hidden thoughts. Fang Xiaocao stuck out her tongue shyly andughed, embarrassed that Song Lin had called out her thoughts. "Alright, let''s leave the chit-chat forter," "First, let Wang Qiang take your statement," "Describe in detail how you came to follow Qi Yu and found me," Song Lin said, checking the time with a smile. Fang Xiaocao nodded and looked at Wang Qiang. Wang Qiang opened his notebook and said, "We can start now." Fang Xiaocao nodded, organized her thoughts, concealed the existence of Hot Noodles, embellished the events a bit, and began her ount. "Hahaha, you''re both courageous and clever," After hearing Fang Xiaocao''s ount, Song Linmented with augh. Fang Xiaocao giggled with a "hehe," feeling quite proud of the praise from Song Lin. After all, he was a legendary police chief. Even though she had miscalcted and been outsmarted by Qi Yu, It didn''t detract from Fang Xiaocao''s admiration for Song Lin''s past achievements. Chapter 19 - 19 Hot Noodles: Do You Like Gold?

Chapter 19: Chapter 19 Hot Noodles: Do You Like Gold?

Song Lin and Wang Qiang had left, and Fang Xiaocao was holding a bowl of white porridge, grinning foolishly non-stop. "I won an award~" "Hehe, I actually won an award~" Fang Xiaocaoughed like a silly girl. From childhood to adulthood, Fang Xiaocao had never even received a single award certificate for being an outstanding student. Suddenly receiving an award for righteous bravery issued by the city police department excited her even more than when she scored a windfall of eight million. Fang Xiaocao even secretly calcted in her heart. When buying a car next time, should she choose one that''s resistant to impacts? Always ready to act, randomly crashing into an extremely vicious criminal and sending him to the ICU. After all, getting awards can be addictive. Fang Xiaocao really enjoyed the feeling of winning an award. [Ding Dong!] While Fang Xiaocao was grinning foolishly, her phone rang. Fang Xiaocao wiped the drool from the corner of her mouth and picked up her phone to see, it was a WeChat message. She unlocked the screen and opened WeChat. [Hot Noodles: Silly girl, your idea is very dangerous!] Seeing the message from Hot Noodles. Fang Xiaocao pursed her lips and muttered, "She really is the worm in my stomach, knowing what I''m thinking the moment I think it." [Hot Noodles: You''re the worm!] No sooner had Fang Xiaocao finished speaking, another message came through. "Ah yes yes yes~" "I''m the silly girl, I''m the worm!" "So please tell me, my future self, what are you?" Fang Xiaocao replied with three voice messages in a row. A deadly phrase! On the other end, Hot Noodles fell silent. There was no point in arguing, no matter what was said. It would be hurting the enemy eight hundred but self-inflicting a loss of one thousand six hundred. "Hahaha~" Without a peep from Hot Noodles for a while, Fang Xiaocaoughed triumphantly. "Yay~" "Victory!" Fang Xiaocao cheered and downed the rest of the white porridge in her hand, cing the meal box on the nightstand. [Hot Noodles: Don''t get smug, just you wait.] It took a while before Hot Noodles sent another message. "Alright alright alright, silly girl, I''m waiting." Fang Xiaocao replied cheerily. Inflicting a loss of eight hundred on herself and striking a critical hit of one thousand six hundred on the enemy was a lesson Fang Xiaocao had learned well. Hurting oneself was to hurt Hot Noodles. For every injury she suffered, Hot Noodles was like receiving a critical hit and bearing twice the damage. This time, Hot Noodles waspletely silent. @@novelbin@@ Until Su Wanqing returned, there was no further message. Seeing Su Wanqinging back with spicy crayfish and duck products, Fang Xiaocao felt a bit of a headache. She felt like she was being critically hit by Tiger Girl''s silly and goofy actions! "Xiaocao, we''re not going home until we''re drunk!" Su Wanqing said with a flourish. Fang Xiaocao: ... "Damn it, who''s going to get rid of this monster." Fang Xiaocao wailed in her heart. Three dayster! After being tortured relentlessly by the unwavering Su Wanqing, Fang Xiaocao finally discharged from the hospital safely. The very next day, Fang Xiaocao had Song Lin help find someone to scrap the car. After being discharged, she immediately shook off Tiger Girl Su Wanqing and headed straight for the second-hand car market. Buying another car to get around was something Fang Xiaocao had decided on while still in the hospital. Arriving at the familiar second-hand car market, Fang Xiaocao went directly to the car dealer who had sold her the previous car. It wasn''t that the car dealer''s service was so great, it''s just that Fang Xiaocao only knew this one person. "Eh?" "Beauty, you''re here to look at cars again?" Seeing Fang Xiaocao, the car dealer was clearly surprised. "Yeah, buying another car for getting around." Fang Xiaocao said with a smile. "Do you have a target this time?" The car dealer asked with a smile. "Struck gold, this chick doesn''t even bargain when buying a car." The car dealer was already calcting where to spendvishly that evening. "No..." [Ding Dong!] Fang Xiaocao hadn''t even uttered the word "have" when the message notification rang on her phone. Fang Xiaocao was taken aback and instinctively clenched her lips shut. ustomed to the presence of Hot Noodles, Fang Xiaocao had developed the habit of shutting up in time and doing things deliberately a beat slower. She took out her phone and saw, indeed, it was a WeChat message. Fang Xiaocao shed an apologetic smile at the car dealer, unlocked her screen, and checked the message. [Hot Noodles: Like gold?] Looking at Hot Noodles'' message, Fang Xiaocao blinked and typed back, "No shit, don''t you already know whether I like it or not?" [Hot Noodles: The red convertible Land Rover behind you, buy it, and I''ll give you gold.] Reading the message, Fang Xiaocao turned to look behind her. Indeed, a red convertible Land Rover was parked there. "That one, how much?" Target locked, Fang Xiaocao asked about the red Land Rover without hesitation. The car dealer''s eyes lit up, and he grinned from ear to ear. "Made a killing, made a killing~" The car dealer cheered inwardly. "This Land Rover if you ask, is eighty percent new, original paint, never been in an ident, all for four hundred thousand." The car dealer said, beaming cheerfully. "Four hundred thousand?" Fang Xiaocao blinked and muttered. "No way, no way..." "The girl wouldn''t bargain, would she?" The car dealer roared inside his mind. "I''m only asking for an extra one hundred thousand, that''s not too much, is it?" "Please, please don''t bargain~" The car dealer started to pray in his heart. Fang Xiaocao circled the Land Rover, pretending to examine the car, took out her phone, and sent a message to Hot Noodles, "He''s asking for four hundred thousand. How much is the gold you mentioned? Will I lose out?" Seeing Fang Xiaocao not bargaining but merely looking at the car, the car dealer visibly rxed. [Hot Noodles: It''s worth a million!] Seeing the message from Hot Noodles, Fang Xiaocao immediately felt more confident. To get a free car and make a few hundred thousand on top. This deal, super worth it! "Let''s go with this one then, print the contract." Fang Xiaocao waved her hand grandly, dering confidently. "Alrighty, beautiful, just a moment." The car dealer''s eyes were all but crescents from smiling so wide. A 200-plus-pound Fatty, bouncing with a bunny dance, ran into the office. Two hourster! Fang Xiaocao drove out of the second-hand car market in the fully documented Land Rover. "Where''s the gold you talked about?" Fang Xiaocao sent a message to Hot Noodles, inquiring. Having learned from the previous experience with the Bitcoin password, this time Fang Xiaocao was wise not to foolishly search on her own and directly messaged to ask instead. [Hot Noodles: You''re not looking for it yourself?] Seeing the message from Hot Noodles, Fang Xiaocao rolled her eyes and replied, "Couldn''t find a damn thing." [Hot Noodles: Hahaha, smart girl.] "Hey hey hey, no praising yourself like that." Fang Xiaocao retorted with a voice message. [Hot Noodles: You going to stop me? Sister pleases.] "Just tell me, where''s the gold?" Fang Xiaocao asked, rolling her eyes again. "If you don''t tell me, I''m going to crash into a bridge pier." Fang Xiaocao threatened. [Hot Noodles: ...Do you want to listen to what you''re saying?] [Hot Noodles: Scared of you now. In the dashcam of the car, on the storage card, there''s a video that has what you''re looking for.] "Wow?" "You get sneakier every time." Fang Xiaocao eximed. With the past experience in searching for Bitcoins, Fang Xiaocao had imagined many ces where the clues to the gold could be hidden without the car dealer discovering, but she never thought it would be hidden in the dashcam. Chapter 20 - 20 An Encounter with Song Lin

Chapter 20: Chapter 20 An Encounter with Song Lin

Fang Xiaocao parked her car by the road, and like defusing a time bomb, she carefully removed the storage card from the dash cam. She took out a tissue, wrapped the storage card, carefully ced it in her bag, and then Fang Xiaocao breathed a sigh of relief, "This is worth a million, I need to hide it well." She restarted the car and drove towards the Xintiandi Restaurant. Change clothes at home, then head out stylishly. She drove the red Range Rover into the Xintiandi Restaurant. Parked the car in a random spot below the building and went back to apartment 301 with her bag. Once inside her home, Fang Xiaocao took out a safe, put the dash cam storage card into it, and carefully hid it in a drawer. Since she still had money to spend, Fang Xiaocao didn''t n to go after that batch of gold right now, as suddenly having too much money would be hard to exin. Moreover, she was still living in a rental, and Fang Xiaocao didn''t feel secure hiding arge amount of gold there. Fang Xiaocao nned to wait until she could move back into vi No. 5, then she would bring the batch of gold back. After changing into a smart, casual outfit and applying light makeup, Fang Xiaocao headed out again. Ever since she had been targeted by Qi Yu, Fang Xiaocao had grown averse to wearing skirts. Her current style was more sporty. It was not only convenient for escaping at any time but also looked spirited. Having driven out of the residential area, Fang Xiaocao decided to find a small restaurant and have a big meal. Living on clear soup at the hospital for three days had nearly driven Fang Xiaocao crazy with cravings. She felt ack of meat in her stomach and wanted to treat herself. Arriving at the food street, Fang Xiaocao chose a parking spot, parked the Range Rover steadily, and stylishly got out. "Xiaocao?" Just after getting out, a familiar voice came from behind. Fang Xiaocao was startled and turned around. There stood Song Lin and Wang Qiang at the roadside. "Captain Song, Officer Wang?" Seeing them, Fang Xiaocao was taken aback and spoke in surprise. "Oh, Xiaocao got another car," Wang Qiang joked with a smile. "Hehe, it''s a used car," Fang Xiaocao said with a giggle. "Used is not bad either," Wang Qiang said with a smile. "Xiaocao, here for a meal?" Song Lin also asked with a smile. "Yeah, I nearly went crazy craving at the hospital," Fang Xiaocao nodded and said cheerfully. "Great, join us then," Song Lin said with a smile. "I don''t know if that''s such a good idea..." Hearing this, Fang Xiaocao hesitated. "Nothing wrong with that, just an extra pair of chopsticks," Wang Qiang said cheerfully. "Okay then~" "I won''t hold back then~" Fang Xiaocao nodded andughed. "Let''s go, this restaurant," Song Lin pointed to a barbecue restaurant and said. Fang Xiaocao nodded obediently and followed Song Lin and Wang Qiang into the barbecue restaurant. "Officer Wang is here?" Just as they walked into the barbecue restaurant, the owner greeted Wang Qiang with a smile. "Yeah, Uncle Lin, business is good, eh?" Wang Qiang said cheerfully. "It''s all thanks to you guys maintaining peace," "Otherwise, where would such good businesse from?" Uncle Lin said cheerfully. "Come on, sit over here," Uncle Lin warmly greeted the three of them. "Master, Xiaocao, you two sit," "I''ll go grill some skewers," Saying this, Wang Qiang rolled up his sleeves, grabbed a handful of skewers, and went to the grill, skillfully starting to cook. Fang Xiaocao looked at Wang Qiang in surprise. "Surprised, aren''t you?" Song Lin asked with a smile. Hearing this, Fang Xiaocao nodded. "Before Wang Qiang was transferred to the city bureau, he interned at the police station on this street. Although he was only here for two years, he got along well with the nearby merchants." "Back then, there were always some hoodlums harassing the merchants in this area. It was Wang Qiang who, with his stubborn energy, drove all those hooligans away." "Wang Qiang feels attached to this area, so even after being transferred to the city bureau, he''d still go the extra miles to eat here and support the businesses." "These merchant bosses, in turn, reciprocated the favor and were very grateful for what Wang Qiang had done for them. Wang Qiang, being extroverted and cheerful, never saw himself as an outsider. If the store was busy and he wasn''t in a hurry, he would lend a hand." Song Lin said with a chuckle. "Captain Song, is that why you took Officer Wang as your apprentice?" Fang Xiaocao asked gossipingly with a giggle. "Well, you actually guessed right. Song Lin nodded and said with a smile, "Wang Qiang is a good prospect in criminal investigation, with a bit of training, he can stand on his own." "In the future, Wang Qiang''s achievements will definitely surpass mine." "The city bureau will definitely have a ce for Wang Qiang to flourish." Song Lin, watching Wang Qiang busily moving around,ughed. "You can tell, Officer Wang is a good cop." Fang Xiaocao nodded in agreement and echoed. "Coming here with Wang Qiang, you''ve got to do it yourself. If you want to eat something, you just grab it." Song Lin said with a chuckle. As he spoke, Song Lin got up and grabbed a bunch of skewers. "Come on, let''s go barbecue." Song Lin said with a smile. "Huh?" "Isn''t Officer Wang grilling for us?" Fang Xiaocao asked, puzzled. "Him?" "He doesn''t care about us." Song Lin said with a chuckle. Fang Xiaocao blinked, looking baffled. Following Song Lin''s lead, she picked some skewers she liked and went to the grill, skillfully starting to barbecue. @@novelbin@@ "You''ve learned this?" Seeing Fang Xiaocao skillfully handle the skewers, Song Lin was taken aback and asked, puzzled. "Hehe, I''ve worked part-time at a barbecue restaurant." Fang Xiaocao said with a giggle. Hearing this, Song Lin gave Fang Xiaocao a thumbs up. Fang Xiaocao responded with a smile. Once the skewers were ready, Fang Xiaocao and Song Lin, with their skewers in hand, returned to the dining table. Before they could start eating, Wang Qiang came over, sat down, and without any hesitation, grabbed several skewers from Song Lin''s hand and stuffed them into his mouth. S eeing this, Fang Xiaocao quietly picked up the skewers she cooked and pulled them away from Wang Qiang. "Officer Wang is not ying fair, grilling for so long without taking any for himself and thening back to scrounge for food." Fang Xiaocao grumbled to herself. "You kid, still the same old you." Song Lin pointed at Wang Qiang andughingly scolded. While verballyining about Wang Qiang, he stuffed most of the skewers he grilled into Wang Qiang''s hands. "Eat, eat, just don''t take Xiaocao''s." Song Lin said with a chuckle. Hearing Song Lin''s words, Fang Xiaocao felt a bit embarrassed. "Oops, my little trick got noticed." Fang Xiaocao thought to herself. "Don''t worry, Master, I''ll only snatch from you." "Snatching from you might get me scolded at most." "Snatching from Xiaocao, what if she hits me?" Wang Qiang also joked with augh. Clearly, Fang Xiaocao''s little maneuver... had not escaped Wang Qiang''s keen eyes. "Cool, worthy of being in criminal investigation, that observational skill is superb!" Fang Xiaocao eximed internally. "It''s always you who talks too much, today you''re treating." Song Lin rolled his eyes and teased with augh. Wang Qiang just smiled nonchntly and continued chomping down on the skewers. The meal ended cheerfully amidst the banter between Wang Qiang and Song Lin. Fang Xiaocao wanted to secretly pay the bill, but the owner told her that Song Lin had already taken care of it. Chapter 21 - 21 Hot Noodles: Let鈥檚 go watch the play

Chapter 21: Chapter 21 Hot Noodles: Let''s go watch the y

Fang Xiaocao turned around and saw Song Lin and Wang Qiang sitting at the dining table, smiling at her. Feeling her face warm up, Fang Xiaocao timidly asked, "Captain Song, Officer Wang, what are youughing about?" "Oh, nothing, nothing. Now that we''ve eaten, let''s not stand around here." Song Lin waved his hand and said with a chuckle. "Okay!" Fang Xiaocao responded and followed the two out of the barbecue restaurant. Ding-a-ling-a-ling¡ª The moment they stepped out of the barbecue restaurant, Wang Qiang''s phone rang. "Hello, Wang Qiang speaking." Wang Qiang answered the call and said. "Alright, I''ll be there right away." Wang Qiang said sternly and hung up the phone. "Got a case?" Song Lin asked. "Yeah!" Wang Qiang nodded in response. "Then hurry over." Song Lin said gravely. "I''ll take you guys!" Fang Xiaocao offered. Upon hearing this, Wang Qiang and Song Lin exchanged a look and both smiled simultaneously. "Hahaha, we did want a lift from you!" "Thought the barbecue was on the house, did you?" Wang Qiang joked. "Stop kidding around, let''s go." Song Lin punched Wang Qiang and said sternly. "Xiaocao, sorry for the trouble." "Neither of us drove." Song Lin said with a smile. "No problem, I''m free anyway." Fang Xiaocao said with a smile. Getting into the Land Rover, Fang Xiaocao asked, "Officer Wang, where to?" "Sunshine Restaurant, Building 7, Unit 2." Wang Qiang nced at his phone and said with a serious tone. "Alrighty, let''s head out!" After setting up the navigation, Fang Xiaocao drove straight towards Sunshine Restaurant. Sunshine Restaurant wasn''t far from Fang Xiaocao''s rental in Xintiandi Restaurant, and they arrived shortly. She drove into the restaurant and parked right in front of Building 7, Unit 3. "Officers, we''ve arrived." Fang Xiaocao said with a smile. "Hahaha, thanks." Wang Qiang replied, still in good spirits. As he spoke, he opened the car door and hastily ran up the building. "Huh?" "Captain Song, you''re not going?" Seeing that Song Lin didn''t get out of the car, Fang Xiaocao asked in confusion. "I''m not officially back at work yet." Song Lin said with a smile. "Then where are you headed, Captain Song? I can take you." Fang Xiaocao asked, a bit clueless. "I''ll wait here for Wang Qiang. You go on back." Song Lin said with a smile. As he spoke, Song Lin stepped out of the car. "Okay, goodbye Captain Song." Fang Xiaocao waved goodbye to Song Lin with a smile. "Goodbye!" Song Lin replied cheerfully. After driving out of Sunshine Restaurant, Fang Xiaocao headed straight back to Xintiandi Restaurant. Once home, Fang Xiaocao took a shower. Sitting in the living room, bored out of her mind, she suddenly had free time and didn''t know what to do. In the past, when she had days off, she was either working a part-time job or on her way to one; she had never been this idle before. [Ding-dong!] Just then, the message notification on her phone chimed, pulling the daydreaming Fang Xiaocao back to reality. Picking up her phone, it was unsurprisingly a WeChat message. [Hot Noodles: In the dead of night, all alone at home, do you feel especially empty, lonely, cold?] "Pfft¡ª" Seeing the message from Hot Noodles, Fang Xiaocao couldn''t help but burst intoughter. "You don''t seem like a good person." She replied with augh. [Hot Noodles: Cough cough, just a joke.] "Your joke was quite sessful, it really made meugh." Fang Xiaocao replied with a chuckle. [Hot Noodles: Clean up and get ready, I''m taking you to watch the fun.] Seeing the message, Fang Xiaocao instantly perked up. "Fun?" "What fun?" Fang Xiaocao asked curiously. [Hot Noodles: The Chronicles of a Cheap Girl Eating Humble Pie!] "Han Xue?" Fang Xiaocao''s eyes lit up, and she asked excitedly. [Hot Noodles: Smart!] "Where, where?" Fang Xiaocao jumped up from the sofa, asking as she ran back to her room to change clothes. [Hot Noodles: Bar Street!] Fang Xiaocao was startled for a moment, then she got it. Han Xue liked 857, and she often went to bars. So it''s not surprising that she was at Bar Street. After changing her clothes and grabbing her car keys, Fang Xiaocao went downstairs, got into her red Range Rover, and drove straight out of the Xintiandi Restaurant towards Bar Street. Arriving at Bar Street, Fang Xiaocao hadn''t even gotten out of her car when she spotted Han Xue. Fang Xiaocao parked the car at the roadside, leaning on the window, savoring the drama unfolding before her. @@novelbin@@ "Whimper, ~" "Brother Shen, please let me go." "I really can''t drink anymore." Han Xue, with disheveled clothes, knelt on the ground, tugging at a man''s pant leg, pleading. "Can''t drink?" "Then why the hell did youe out to work?" "And dare to snub my clients?" The man looked at Han Xue with cold eyes and cursed furiously. This man, Fang Xiaocao knew him. He was the boss of Bar Street, named Shen Tao. He had a good rtionship with Qi Yu, and Fang Xiaocao had seen him a few times. "I..." Intimidated by Shen Tao''s shout, Han Xue shuddered. "You what you?" Shen Tao rebuked her coldly. "Without Qi Yu, what do you think you are?" "Still daring to order Lafite?" "Even if I sold you, would you be worth a bottle of Lafite?" Shen Tao grabbed Han Xue by the hair, pulling her up and pinching her face, as he asked coldly. "I''m giving you two choices, pay back the money, or keep the clientspany properly." Shen Tao stared into Han Xue''s eyes as he said coldly. "Brother Shen, spare me, please." "I beg of you... can I slowly pay you back for the drinks?" Han Xue''s eyes brimmed with tears as she begged. "Pay back?" "With what are you going to pay back?" "Would selling you even fetch that much?" "I''m running a business here, waiting for you to slowly repay, until when should I wait to break even?" Shen Tao pushed Han Xue to the ground and pointed at her nose as he berated her. "Fine, don''t say I didn''t give you a chance." "If you want to pay, let me do the math for you." Shen Tao said coldly. "The super luxury private room, service charges, fruit tter, beverage packages, ten thousand yuan, a 1982 Lafite, sixty thousand a bottle, and you opened two bottles, that''s one hundred and twenty thousand!" "That''s a total of one hundred and thirty thousand yuan, pay up now." "Once you''ve paid, I''ll let you go." As he spoke, Shen Tao took out a bill and pped it onto Han Xue''s face. "Go on, pay it off and you can leave." Shen Tao said coldly. Looking at the bill, Han Xue''s face turned deathly pale. One hundred and thirty thousand yuan was an astronomical figure for her. Previously, relying on Qi Yu''s reputation, she never considered how extravagant her splurging at the bar was. Whening here, all she had to do was order. Drink and leave, Shen Tao would naturally seek Qi Yu for payment afterward. But today, since she was the host, she carelessly ordered two bottles of 1982 Lafite to satisfy her vanity. She never expected that Qi Yu would run into trouble. Without money to pay the bill, Shen Tao made her drink off her debt. But she had not anticipated ending up with a filthy old man, being groped right after they started drinking. Despite feeling nauseated, Han Xue endured it and apanied him for a few drinks. She couldn''t stand the old man''s harassment anymore and, snubbing him, she walked out. She thought about hiding somewhere until Qi Yu got out, then she woulde back and reim her dignity. But she didn''t expect that as soon as she stepped out, she would be caught by Shen Tao. Han Xue didn''t know that Qi Yu was in for a long stretch behind bars, the kind that meant he was nevering out. Chapter 22 - 22 Shen Tao鈥檚 Test of Human Nature

Chapter 22: Chapter 22 Shen Tao''s Test of Human Nature

Watching the miserable state Han Xue was in, Fang Xiaocao felt a secret pleasure and pulled out a bag of sunflower seeds, cracking them open with a "click ck" sound. Although 130,000 wasn''t a small amount, it wasn''t much of a concern for Fang Xiaocao now. Houses worth millions, cars worth hundreds of thousands, Bitcoins valued at two hundred million, and gold worth millions. Fang Xiaocao was now a wealthy woman herself. After a fierce internal struggle, her rational mind had triumphed over emotion, and Fang Xiaocao decided to stand by and watch. This person wasn''t worth saving. The 130,000 would be better donated to those in need rather than used to pay Han Xue''s liquor debt. 130,000, not a cent more, not a cent less. It could provide better education for many children in mountainous areas, warmth for many elderly people, help endangered species, and even save lives. It seemed that no matter what, everything was more meaningful than using it to pay Han Xue''s liquor debt. Giving it to those in need could save a life, salvage a family, and earn a word of thanks. Giving it to Han Xue... Would only result in more maniptive calctions. Fang Xiaocao understood Han Xue''s nature too well. She would never be grateful; she would only be jealous that you were better off than her and would look for ways to set you back. "Brother Shen... I don''t have any money..." "Please let me go..." Han Xue''s makeup was smudged from crying, and she knelt on the ground, continually pleading. Looking at Han Xue, Shen Tao suddenlyughed. Heughed intriguingly, as if he had thought of something amusing. "How about this, I have an idea for you," Shen Tao said cheerfully. "What... what?" "Brother Shen, please tell me..." Han Xue''s eyes lit up, excitedly pressing him for an answer. "Your bunch of friends haven''t left yet." "Get them to pitch in to settle the tab, and I''ll let you go," Shen Tao said to Han Xue with a chuckle. Hearing Shen Tao''s words, the light in Han Xue''s eyes grew brighter, as though she had grasped a lifesaving straw. "Among that group of friends, although some aren''t rich second generation, their families are quite well off, and they usually wear branded clothes, so it shouldn''t be hard to raise the money," Han Xue thought to herself, quickly calcting Shen Tao''s suggestion, considering it more and more feasible. "I wasn''t the only one drinking the wine, why should I foot the bill?" Han Xue inwardly roared with resentment. Thinking about the humiliation she had just endured, she felt she had suffered the disgrace and torment for these people, lost face for them, and they all owed her; therefore, she shouldn''t have to pay for the drinks. "Everyone who drank should pay!" Han Xue muttered to herself. Hearing Han Xue''s words, Shen Tao''s smile brightened. "If you can''t raise the money, no one leaves today, especially you!" Shen Tao squatted down, pinched Han Xue''s face, and said with a smile. Although Shen Tao was smiling, his eyes were very cold, sending chills all over Han Xue. "Did you hear me?" Shen Tao asked with a smile. "I... I heard you." Han Xue weakly responded. "Begin your performance." Shen Tao rose to his feet with a smile and nced at the group of friends who had been drinking ''82 Lafite with Han Xue. Upon encountering Shen Tao''s gaze, everyone shuddered, silently lowered their heads, and behaved like ostriches. Following Shen Tao''s gaze, Fang Xiaocao then noticed the group being held back by the security. About six or seven people, both men and women included. @@novelbin@@ The man dressed like a sprightly young fellow, and the woman was dressed mboyantly, an aura of the streets assailing the senses. Among them, there were faces that Fang Xiaocao recognized. Apart from two men, the rest were ssmates. While Fang Xiaocao was lost in thought, Han Xue rose from the ground and stumbled toward the group. "Hurry up and call your families, scrape together some money for drinks, and once we''ve gathered enough, we can leave." Han Xue red, excitedly and imperiously instructed. "Why should we chip in?" "Exactly, weren''t you the one treating us?" "If you don''t have money, why act all high and mighty?" "I''ve never seen such a vain woman." As soon as Han Xue spoke, the group exploded, hurling usations at her. Han Xue''s face went instantly pale. "When you bastards were drinking, you didn''t say that?" "Now you''re asked to cough up some cash, and you all turn stubborn. You drank my liquor; you''d better pay up." Enraged, Han Xue pointed at the crowd and shouted. "You act tough, why should I foot the bill?" "Exactly, if you don''t have money, why pretend to be a rich girl?" "Always unting money, taking us out, enjoying ourselves, hearing praises, you actually thought you were some rich second generation?" "Don''t you have any self-awareness?" Clearly, Han Xue''s so-called friends were not to be trifled with, daring not to mess with Shen Tao but showing their true colors to Han Xue. Wealth to share, sure, but hardship? Come on, who are you? Do we even know each other? We''re barely even acquaintances, seriously. Han Xue pointed at them, shaking with rage. "Boss Shen, she ordered the drinks, it''s not our business, get the money from her, we don''t have any." "Exactly, Boss Shen, she booked the private room, she ced the orders, it has nothing to do with us." "If you need to keep someone, keep her. We were just invited guests, since when do guests pay the bills?" "Exactly, exactly, Boss Shen, stopping us and not letting us go is illegal. If you don''t let us go, we''re going to call the police." The crowd became restless, shouting at Shen Tao across Han Xue, pushing her even further out. Shen Tao watched this scene, his smile tinged with amusement. As expected, Shen Tao was not surprised at all. "Well, I, Shen Tao, open for business, weing guests from all directions, never indulge in illegal activities." "Since you want to call the police, I''ll help you do it." "Then have your parents or your tutore with the money to bail you out. You think you can leave without settling my bill?" Saying this, Shen Tao took out his phone, actually ready to call the police. Everyone panicked then. If this got out to the police station and alerted the school, they would all suffer. "Boss Shen, you''re a magnanimous man, don''t bother with us, the drinks weren''t ordered by us, please let us go." "Han Xue, you bitch, what''s done by one should be ounted for by one, don''t fucking drag us into this." "Exactly, it''s the mess you made, Han Xue, why involve us?" "Han Xue, just pay up. If you don''t have money, go touch up your makeup and hurry back to apany Boss Shen''s guests." "Exactly, I was your ssmate since high school; what kind of person you are, don''t I know? You''ve been with so many, now acting all prim and proper." "To get a new phone, buy bags, how much did you earn per night out working? Now Boss Shen is being generous, letting you off the bill just for apanying some drinks, and you still y innocent?" Seeing Shen Tao getting serious, some began to plead with him, but many more chose to me Han Xue, with some even exposing her past. Hearing these words, Fang Xiaocao grinned. She had indeed heard about this incident. But at that time, she hadn''t seen through Han Xue and always considered it to be a rumor. Being brought up now by Han Xue''s high school ssmates, even the usually rumor-averse Fang Xiaocao couldn''t tell fact from fiction anymore and somewhat believed it. Chapter 23 - 23 Fang Xiaocao: Still A Step Too Late? Chapter 23: Chapter 23 Fang Xiaocao: Still A Step Too Late? ¡°I didn¡¯t, stop talking nonsense.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll tear your mouth apart!¡± Han Xue screamed, and, like a madwoman, pounced towards the high school ssmate who had spilled the beans. ¡°Bitch, you think I¡¯m scared of you?¡± The high school ssmate rolled up her sleeves and cursed. Just as the two were about to engage in a full-blown fight, a bystander stopped her, and a few others together overpowered and restrained Han Xue. Someone even shouted, ¡°Don¡¯t hit the face, this bitch still needs to entertain clients for Boss Shen, don¡¯t ruin her looks.¡± ¡°Boss Shen, we¡¯ll help you take her back.¡± Someone was groveling to Shen Tao with a ttering smile that was too servile for their age. Shen Tao smiled without saying a word. He turned his head to look at a streetlight nearby, not even ncing at that person. A burly security guard pointed at the KTV next door. Picked up the walkie-talkie and made a show of shouting, ¡°Send someone to check if the guests in Room 608 have left.¡± That person showed a look of understanding. Turned around and ordered the group controlling Han Xue, ¡°Get a woman to touch up her makeup, and take her to Room 608.¡± Eager to leave quickly, these people, no longer caring about past camaraderie, quickly touched up Han Xue¡¯s makeup and escorted her into the KTV. ¡°Boss Shen, rest assured.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll make sure she entertains the guests properly.¡± Themanding individual said with a sycophantic smile. Shen Tao nodded imperceptibly without a word. That person, as if granted amnesty, scurried into the KTV. Shen Tao gave a sign to the security guard with the walkie-talkie, who nodded and followed into the KTV. Fang Xiaocao silently put away her phone, sent the video she had recorded to Wang Qiang, and added a text exining the situation. ¡°After all, we were best friends. Although you were unkind, I can¡¯t be unjust.¡± ¡°Han Xue, this is all the help I can offer.¡± Fang Xiaocao pocketed her phone and muttered. The Land Rover started and slowly drove away from the parking spot. [Ding Dong!] The phone notification sounded. Fang Xiaocao casually opened it to check. [Hot Noodles: Is it worth it to do this?] ¡°What¡¯s worth or not worth it?¡± Fang Xiaocao countered. [Hot Noodles: If the news leaks and Shen Tao gets annoyed, there¡¯ll be big trouble.] ¡°So, does Shen Tao know about it?¡± Fang Xiaocao asked with a smile. [Hot Noodles: At least I don¡¯t know yet.] ¡°Even if Shen Tao really finds out, doesn¡¯t he have you, the one who foresees the future?¡± Fang Xiaocao replied with a smiling voice message. ¡°I believe in you!¡± Fang Xiaocao said with a smile. [Hot Noodles: I freaking don¡¯t trust myself, can you please not y with fire?] ¡°Can¡¯t you be a bit more confident, future me?¡± ¡°Foreseeing the future, it¡¯s pretty cool, right?¡± Fang Xiaocao continued smiling as she spoke. [Hot Noodles: Woman, you¡¯re ying with fire!] ¡°Yes, and I¡¯m ying with my heart racing.¡± Putting down the phone, the Land Rover left Bar Street. As she drove out of Bar Street, Fang Xiaocao¡¯s Land Rover barely brushed past a few police cars. ¡°Officer Wang is pretty fast.¡± Watching the police cars speed by in the rearview mirror, Fang Xiaocao chuckled to herself. [Ding Dong!] The phone notification sounded again. Fang Xiaocao muttered, ¡°Why is there another message?¡± She swiftly unlocked the screen to check the message. It was not Hot Noodles who had messaged but Wang Qiang. [Wang Qiang: About today, don¡¯t tell anyone. I¡¯ll keep it a secret for you. Shen Tao has some connections.] Reading the message from Wang Qiang, Fang Xiaocao smiled and replied with an ¡°OK¡± emoji. Back at Xintiandi Residence, Fang Xiaocao parked her Range Rover downstairs and went straight up to her apartment. However, she failed to notice a sneaky figure crouching in the corner, staring at her retreating back. ¡°Two tigers, two tigers, run so fast~¡± Listening to the incessant ringtone of her phone, Fang Xiaocao frowned and reached for her mobile, grumbling irritably, ¡°Who is it, disturbing my sleep early in the morning~¡± She nced at the phone screen. It was a call from Su Wanqing, that Tiger Girl. ¡°Oh brother~¡± Fang Xiaocao rolled her eyes and muttered something irritably before pressing the answer button. ¡°Hello, what¡¯s up?¡± Fang Xiaocao said, sounding listless. ¡°You¡¯re waking me up early in the morning, interrupting my sweet dreams, aren¡¯t you a bit ¡®cat¡¯s biscuit¡¯.¡± Before Su Wanqing could speak, Fang Xiaocao began toin about the major Tiger Girl¡¯s hical behavior of disturbing someone¡¯s sleep. ¡°Stop sleeping, stop sleeping~¡± ¡°I¡¯m telling you, there¡¯s big gossip.¡± Su Wanqing was not at all angry, she shouted excitedly. Hearing that there was big gossip, Fang Xiaocao¡¯s eyes blinked, and she became somewhat more alert. Fang Xiaocao rolled over, sat up in bed, and leaned against the headboard, curiously asking, ¡°What big gossip, spill the details.¡± Everyone has a heart for gossip! @@novelbin@@ Fang Xiaocao was powerless against juicy stories. ¡°I¡¯m telling you, Han Xue got, you know, done over.¡± Su Wanqing spoke mysteriously. Hearing Su Wanqing¡¯s words, Fang Xiaocao was stunned. Then she rolled her eyes, lost interest in the so-called big news, and went back under the covers to continue lying in. ¡°The old man moves that fast, huh?¡± Fang Xiaocao murmured to herself. From the moment Han Xue was taken into the KTV until Wang Qiang arrived with his people, it was only a matter of minutes. Fang Xiaocao couldn¡¯t believe that in such a short time, Han Xue still couldn¡¯t escape her fate. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°How did you know it was an old man?¡± On the other end of the phone, Su Wanqing was taken aback and asked in confusion. Fang Xiaocao¡¯s eyes blinked, thinking to herself, ¡°I almost blew it.¡± She quickly changed the subject and asked in return, ¡°Old man? What old man?¡± ¡°I¡¯m saying that I¡¯m not interested in Han Xue¡¯s situation.¡± ¡°How did you hear ¡®old man¡¯?¡± Saying this, Fang Xiaocao let out a ¡°hehe¡± mischievousugh, teasingly said, ¡°Tiger Girl, be honest with me, have you been single for too long, no longer into ¡®eight-pack¡¯ youngds, and starting to like old men now?¡± ¡°Pshaw, I¡¯ll spit a mouthful of salt soda on you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s Han Xue who likes old men, my standard for choosing a partner has always been ¡®eight-pack¡¯ youngds.¡± Su Wanqing on the phone said this puffing up with indignation. Fang Xiaocao opened WeChat and nced at the ss group. Indeed, Han Xue¡¯s ordeal fromst night was being wildly shared in the group. True or false, the stories were making Fang Xiaocao¡¯s head spin. ¡°Aww, don¡¯t change the subject; I¡¯m telling you about Han Xue¡¯s gossip.¡± On the phone, Su Wanqing hadn¡¯t forgotten to keep enlightening Fang Xiaocao about the explosive news concerning Han Xue. During the hospital visit, Fang Xiaocao and Su Wanqing had talked about Han Xue and Qi Yu¡¯s situation. Therefore, Su Wanqing now also held a grudge against Han Xue. Upon learning that the culprit Fang Xiaocao had hit with her car was Qi Yu, Su Wanqing evenughed and teased, saying Fang Xiaocao was doing: ¡°The first sword afternding, ying her sweetheart.¡± ¡°Alright, alright, quit your yapping.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already had my fill of that gossip in the group.¡± Fang Xiaocao said helplessly. ¡°Ayy, how can you be like this?¡± ¡°I¡¯m here giving you the scoop on the gossip, and you¡¯ve gone off to spoil it for yourself.¡± Su Wanqing said coquettishly, clearly unsatisfied. ¡°So what should we do now?¡± Fang Xiaocao asked with augh. Hearing Su Wanqing acting coquettishly, Fang Xiaocao¡¯s first thought was: This Tiger Girl wants to fleece her! ¡°Invite me to eat Hot Noodlester, and I¡¯ll forgive you!¡± As expected, Su Wanqing¡¯s next words revealed her true intentions. Chapter 24 - 24 Wang Qiang: You definitely have some connection with Conan Chapter 24: Chapter 24 Wang Qiang: You definitely have some connection with Conan ¡°God, you¡¯re totally ckmailing me!¡± Fang Xiaocao eximed in feigned indignation. ¡°So what if I am? Bite me!¡± Su Wanqing said with a giggle. ¡°If you don¡¯t treat me to spicy hotpot, you¡¯ll never hear the end of it.¡± Su Wanqing threatened in a teasing tone. ¡°Alright, alright, you win.¡± Fang Xiaocao conceded helplessly. ¡°Hehe, remember what you promised, huh.¡± ¡°Whoever backs out is a pig!¡± Having achieved her goal, Su Wanqing said with a smile. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll meet you at the school gate at noon.¡± After setting a time with Su Wanqing, Fang Xiaocao hung up the phone. She nced at the time, it was 08:15 in the morning. Still early, Fang Xiaocao wriggled a few times, found afortable position, and was ready to fall back asleep. ¡°Two tigers, two tigers, running fast~¡± Before Fang Xiaocao could close her eyes, the devilish ringtone echoed in the bedroom once again. @@novelbin@@ ¡°So annoying~¡± Fang Xiaocao, frustrated, scratched her head and sat up. She picked up her phone and nced at the caller ID. It was Wang Qiang calling. Fang Xiaocao was startled and pressed the answer button with confusion. ¡°Hello, Officer Wang?¡± ¡°It¡¯s me!¡± Wang Qiang¡¯s voice came through the phone. ¡°Officer Wang, what¡¯s the matter?¡± Fang Xiaocao asked, confused. ¡°Do you live in Xintiandi Restaurant?¡± Wang Qiang didn¡¯t answer but instead asked a question. ¡°Yeah!¡± Fang Xiaocao replied subconsciously. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Officer Wang, how did you know?¡± Fang Xiaocao asked in return. ¡°Come down, I need to talk to you about something.¡± Wang Qiang said cheerfully. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Talk about what?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Fang Xiaocao asked, totally confused. ¡°Let¡¯s talk when you get down here.¡± Wang Qiang said gravely. ¡°Okay, I¡¯lle down right away.¡± Sensing the seriousness in Wang Qiang¡¯s tone, Fang Xiaocao answered and hurried out of bed. After quickly freshening up and throwing on some athletic wear, Fang Xiaocao grabbed her bag and rushed out of her home. She ran into the elevator and went straight to the first floor. As soon as she stepped out of the apartment, she saw Wang Qiang. ¡°Officer Wang, what happened?¡± Fang Xiaocao asked perplexed. ¡°Which floor do you live on?¡± Wang Qiang inquired. ¡°Third floor, 302!¡± Fang Xiaocao responded, still baffled. ¡°Officer Wang, what on earth happened?¡± Fang Xiaocao pressed, curious. ¡°302?¡± ¡°What a coincidence, huh?¡± Hearing this, Wang Qiang also paused in surprise. Fang Xiaocao and Wang Qiang stared at each other, bothpletely bewildered. ¡°Did you hear any strange noisesst night?¡± After a long pause, Wang Qiang asked in a grave tone. ¡°No¡­¡± Fang Xiaocao replied. ¡°It¡¯s not that¡­¡± ¡°Officer Wang, what¡¯s going on?¡± Fang Xiaocao asked, confused. Wang Qiang¡¯s barrage of questions made Fang Xiaocao increasingly curious about what had happened. ¡°A homicide urred in room 402 above your apartment.¡± Wang Qiang said quietly after a moment of silence. ¡°What?¡± Upon hearing this, Fang Xiaocao eximed in shock. ¡°When did this happen?¡± Fang Xiaocao asked nervously. The mention of a murder case brought memories flooding back to Fang Xiaocao: the night her neighbor was killed by Qi Yu. ¡°It happenedst night. An olddy from the residents¡¯mittee discovered it during her morning walk and called the police.¡± Wang Qiang looked up at the apartment building as he answered. ¡°Damn it~¡± Upon hearing Wang Qiang¡¯s story, the thought of sleeping just one floor below a corpse the previous night gave Fang Xiaocao goosebumps and made her hair stand on end. ¡°Did you really not hear anythingst night?¡± Wang Qiang asked again. ¡°No¡­¡± Fang Xiaocao shook her head, looking lost. Suddenly, Fang Xiaocao cocked her head and said, ¡°That¡¯s not right, actually, there was something. Last night, when I came back from Bar Street and was opening my door, I heard a loud noise from upstairs, like a door being mmed.¡± Fang Xiaocao thought carefully and then said, ¡°And it wasn¡¯t just once, it happened twice in a row.¡± ¡°Other than the sound of the door, I didn¡¯t hear anything else.¡± ¡°The soundproofing in this building is really quite good.¡± Wang Qiang nodded, took out his notebook, and jotted down a few notes, then looked up at Fang Xiaocao with a serious expression and asked, ¡°Xiaocao, you must be rted to Conan, right?¡± ¡°Conan?¡± ¡°Not at all!¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that just a fictionalic character?¡± Fang Xiaocao blinked, looking utterly confused, and asked. ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter, howe wherever you move, there¡¯s a murder case just like Conan?¡± Wang Qiang said jokingly,ughing heartily. Fang Xiaocao: ¡­ ¡°So?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a grim reaper elementary student, huh?¡± Fang Xiaocao said hesitantly. ¡°Ha ha ha¡­¡± ¡°Just kidding.¡± Wang Qiang said,ughing. ¡°I see you are not short of money, why don¡¯t you just move into a hotel for the time being? Move back here once we¡¯ve cracked the case.¡± Wang Qiang put away his notebook and spoke in a grave voice. Upon hearing Wang Qiang¡¯s words, Fang Xiaocao immediately became tense. Last time Wang Qiang said this, she ended up being chased by Qi Yu. ¡°No way, no way¡­¡± ¡°Am I going to be hunted down again?¡± Fang Xiaocao eximed in her mind. ¡°I¡­ am I going to be hunted down again?¡± Fang Xiaocao hesitated, then asked weakly. ¡°What are you thinking about? There¡¯s nothing like that.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just ying it safe.¡± Wang Qiang said, stillughing. ¡°The crime scene is a bit strange, giving me an indescribable eerie feeling.¡± ¡°Because the victim was cooking when they were killed, we¡¯re tentatively attributing the crime to an acquaintance.¡± ¡°The suspect is likely among the neighbors in this apartment building or within the social circle of the victim.¡± ¡°Of course, it¡¯s just a preliminary direction for the investigation; other possibilities aren¡¯t excluded.¡± Wang Qiang said solemnly. ¡°So, there might be a ruthless killer hidden in this apartment building. Considering the safety of the murderer, I think it¡¯s necessary to advise you to temporarily move out.¡± As he spoke, Wang Qiang nced at a red Land Rover parked in the nearby parking spot. ¡°This car¡­ looks like it¡¯s been through a lot.¡± ¡°Just bought it a few days ago, not worth the trouble, ha.¡± Wang Qiang saidughing. Listening to Wang Qiang, Fang Xiaocao felt numb all over. ¡°What now?¡± ¡°So¡­ ¡°I¡¯m more dangerous than the killer?¡± Fang Xiaocao said helplessly. ¡°Ha ha ha¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s what you said, I didn¡¯t say anything.¡± Wang Qiang continued tough as he spoke. ¡°That¡¯s what you meant, I get it!¡± Fang Xiaocao showed an expression that she understood him perfectly. ¡°Ignoring you, I¡¯m going to pack up.¡± Fang Xiaocao flipped her ponytail and turned to go upstairs. Upon reaching the entrance to the unit, she turned back, clenched her fist, and said in an oath-like tone: ¡°Dear Uncle Wang, I will move out tonight!¡± When Wang Qiang heard Fang Xiaocao¡¯s words, his face turned green: ¡°Uncle?¡± ¡°Am I that old?¡± Wang Qiang started to feel a bit uncertain of himself. Wang Qiang stared at the fourth floor for a long time before turning to walk toward the police car parked on the side. Sitting in the police car, Wang Qiang said, ¡°Third floor, apartment 302, can be temporarily ruled out as a suspect.¡± ¡°Got it, leader!¡± The fair-skinned young man in the passenger seat responded and drew a circle on the form in his hand. Chapter 25 - 25 Fang Xiaocao: You鈥檙e the Real Loser~ Chapter 25: Chapter 25 Fang Xiaocao: You¡¯re the Real Loser~ Fang Xiaocao returned home, picked up a few clothes in a hurry, grabbed the dashcam storage card, and took the suitcase downstairs. ¡°Team leader, is it really okay for her to do this?¡± The young man in the passenger seat of the police car pointed at Fang Xiaocao, who was moving her suitcase to a red Range Rover, and asked weakly. ¡°No worries, she just moved in.¡± ¡°And has no interactions with the family in apartment 402.¡± ¡°She doesn¡¯t fit the profile we have of the killer.¡± Wang Qiang nced over and whispered. ¡°Besides, she only rented this apartment five days ago.¡± ¡°She spent the first three days in the hospital and only moved inst night.¡± ¡°If she could have interactions with the upstairs neighbors on her first day of moving in, and be familiar enough to let the victim be unguarded and get killed!¡± ¡°Unless she already knew the victim, it would indicate negligence on our part and inuracies in our investigation.¡± Wang Qiang pointed at the existing clues and the distribution map of the victim¡¯s socialworks as he analyzed. Listening to Wang Qiang¡¯s analysis, the boy looked at him admiringly and eximed, ¡°Team leader, you¡¯re so awesome, your analysis makes sense.¡± Seeing the boy, Wang Qiang smiled. ¡°So, what conclusion have youe to?¡± Wang Qiang asked cheerfully. ¡°The possibility of her being the killer is even lower than the possibility of the family in Room 402mitting collective suicide.¡± The boy spoke earnestly. Hearing this, Wang Qiang rolled his eyes and gave the boy a fierce knock on the head. ¡°Keeping your mind straight no matter what the conclusion.¡± ¡°We need to provide examples to verify it, constantly seeking proof during the investigation.¡± Wang Qiang red at the boy and scolded. ¡°Oha€¡±¡± ¡°Understood, team leader.¡± The boy, holding his head, responded. ¡°Now that you understand, I¡¯ll leave it to you.¡± Wang Qiang said sternly with arms crossed. ¡°Leave it to me?¡± ¡°What are you leaving to me?¡± The boy asked, looking bewildered. Those clear yet naive big eyes seemed easy to deceive. ¡°Of course, to investigate whether she had any interactions with the victim and if she had any motive tomit the crime.¡± Wang Qiang spoke, disappointed with the boy¡¯s slow understanding. ¡°Oh, got it.¡± The boy responded meekly. Watching this scene, the driver next to themughed and said, ¡°Qiang, be patient with the newbie. You right now, you look exactly like Captain Song when he was training you.¡± Upon hearing the driver¡¯s words, curiosity sparked in the boy¡¯s eyes. Feeling exposed, Wang Qiang got annoyed and red fiercely at the driver. Fang Xiaocao loaded her suitcase into the car and drove directly away from the Xintiandi Restaurant to the closest hotel near the city bureau, where she booked a king-size room. Afterpleting the check-in at the front desk, Fang Xiaocao dragged her suitcase upstairs. 7th floor, room 7013! Fang Xiaocao used the room card to unlock the door and inserted it to power up the room. She nced at the time, it was 10:21 already. ¡°Ah, this is really too much.¡± ¡°No chance of a recovery nap now.¡± Fang Xiaocao grumbled irritably. @@novelbin@@ She sat on the bed, sulking for a while. She got up, changed into a new outfit, applied light makeup, grabbed her bag and car keys, and left the room looking gorgeous. Although she really wanted to sleep, experience told her that no matter if the sky fell, she couldn¡¯t stand up Su Wanqing, also known as Tiger Girl. This Tiger Girl is capable of anything. She could socially humiliate you in minutes. She remembered at the start of school when her roommate Wen Shi stood Tiger Girl up. Tiger Girl posted missing person posters all over the school, causing Wen Shi to be socially dead on the spot, and it¡¯s still a topic of conversation among ssmates in the dining hall to this day. Fang Xiaocao felt terrified just thinking about it. She didn¡¯t want to follow in Wen Shi¡¯s footsteps and provide another dinner topic for her ssmates. ¡°Do you know about the case in Room 402 upstairs?¡± As Fang Xiaocao rode the elevator downstairs, she sent a message to Hot Noodles. [Hot Noodles: I know, it was quite a scene during the investigation, even made the news.] Fang Xiaocao blinked and asked, ¡°You knew and you didn¡¯t remind me?¡± Fang Xiaocao felt that Hot Noodles was being too casual. Last night when she was going home, a murder was happening upstairs and Hot Noodles didn¡¯t even alert her. Wasn¡¯t she afraid Fang Xiaocao might get curious, go upstairs, and identally stumble upon the murderer in action? [Hot Noodles: The murderer poses no threat to you, and what you think, I already know. If it¡¯s dangerous to go upstairs, I would know in advance.] Looking at the message from Hot Noodles, Fang Xiaocao felt helpless. An invincible exnation! They knew everything about her, even more than she knew about herself. She reached the underground parking lot, hopped into her red Range Rover, and sped off to school. ¡°Two tigers, two tigers, running fast~¡± On her way, Fang Xiaocao¡¯s phone rang. Fang Xiaocao nced at it, it was Su Wanqing. Fang Xiaocao reluctantly pressed the answer button. ¡°Hello, Fang Xiaocao, are you nning to stand me up?¡± As soon as she answered the call, Tiger Girl Su Wanqing yelled at the top of her lungs. ¡°No, no, how could I dare?¡± Fang Xiaocao hurriedly replied. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m on my way.¡± Before Su Wanqing could reply, Fang Xiaocao added. ¡°Just think about the consequences of standing me up, haha!¡± ¡°You wouldn¡¯t want your missing person poster stered in every corner of the school, would you?¡± Su Wanqing threatened. ¡°Hey, hey, let¡¯s talk nicely.¡± ¡°Calm down, don¡¯t do anything rash.¡± ¡°I promise I won¡¯t stand you up, Su the beauty.¡± Fang Xiaocao was really scared of Tiger Girl now and hurriedly tried to pacify Su Wanqing. ¡°Hmph, you better not.¡± Su Wanqing snorted. ¡°My goodness, Tiger Girl is really something.¡± After ending the call, Fang Xiaocao muttered to herself. [Ding dong!] Just then, her phone chimed again with a new message notification. Fang Xiaocao nced at it, it was a WeChat message. [Hot Noodles: I just flipped through the newspaper and found out that the murderer who killed the entire family in 402 is a wanted criminal involved in multiple crimes across several provinces. It¡¯s just that the cases haven¡¯t been linked; altogether, the rewards add up to eight hundred thousand.] Seeing the message from Hot Noodles, Fang Xiaocao¡¯s eyes widened in shock. No way¡­ This fierce guy, Hot Noodles previously imed he was no threat to her? Isn¡¯t this dangerous guy capable of ending her life in a minute? ¡°Are you serious?¡± ¡°Is this what you call ¡®no threat¡¯?¡± Fang Xiaocao voiced a message questioning Hot Noodles. [Hot Noodles: Indeed, no threat. He relies on intellect and surprise for his crimes, he personally has nobat power,bat power less than or equal to battle loser.] [Hot Noodles: So, interested in eight hundred thousand?] ¡°Are you sure?¡± Fang Xiaocao expressed her doubt about Hot Noodles¡¯ description of the murderer¡¯sbat power. [Hot Noodles: Of course, why would I let you, a battle loser, go otherwise?] ¡°I¡¯m¡ª¡± Reading the WeChat message, Fang Xiaocao waspletely stunned. In her heart, she vowed to enroll in abat ss that afternoon, determined to cleanse herself of the battle loserbel. Chapter 26 - 26 The Three Idiots on the Sled Chapter 26: Chapter 26 The Three Idiots on the Sled ¡°` ¡°I¡¯ve got this 800,000 in the bag!¡± Fang Xiaocao said puffily. [Hot Noodles: Such a teachable child!] ¡°Spill it, who¡¯s the murderer?¡± Fang Xiaocao sent a message and asked. [Hot Noodles: What for? You gonna hit them?] Reading the message from Hot Noodles, Fang Xiaocao was utterly speechless. ¡°So you¡¯re saying I can¡¯t get past this meme, right?¡± Fang Xiaocao said with a roll of her eyes. Wang Qiang had just brought up the meme, and now Hot Noodles, too; this ¡®hitting the murderer¡¯ meme was fast bing herbel. [Hot Noodles: Can¡¯t get past it, not at all.] ¡°Forget it, I won¡¯t ask anymore,¡± Fang Xiaocao replied with an air of resignation in a voice message. After putting her phone back on its stand, Fang Xiaocao took a turn and parked the red Range Rover opposite the university. Fang Xiaocao poked her head out and nced at the school, just to spot Tiger Girl Su Wanqing. Not just Su Wanqing, but also her dorm mates, Yun Luoshu and Wen Shi, two sisters. @@novelbin@@ Seeing this scene, Fang Xiaocao rolled her eyes. ¡°Great, they¡¯ve teamed up to treat me like a boss to be farmed.¡± Fang Xiaocao murmured to herself. Although Fang Xiaocao rarely stayed in the dorm, she got along very well with her roommates. They were all sisters, best girlfriends! Fang Xiaocao picked up her phone to call Su Wanqing. ¡°Fang Xiaocao, don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re going to stand me up!¡± Su Wanqing answered immediately with a tone of displeasure. No wonder Su Wanqing was talking about being stood up. After all, Fang Xiaocao had a history of doing so. In the past, she had to take on part-time jobs for living expenses, and many jobs were notified by the agency on short notice. Many times, dorm events that had been nned were ditchedst minute by Fang Xiaocao because they shed with her part-time job. If it weren¡¯t for knowing that Fang Xiaocao did it for work, Su Wanqing probably would have stered missing person notices for her in every corner of the school. ¡°No, no, how dare I?¡± Fang Xiaocao said, chuckling. ¡°Hmph, like you haven¡¯t backed out enough times before?¡± Su Wanqing retorted with peevish pride. ¡°I¡¯m here,e over!¡± Not wanting to dwell on the subject, Fang Xiaocao quickly changed the topic. ¡°You¡¯re here?¡± ¡°Where are you?¡± Su Wanqing was startled and asked in confusion. ¡°Look across the street.¡± Fang Xiaocao said, then lowered the car window and waved towards the other side of the street. ¡°What the heck?¡± ¡°Where did you get that car from?¡± Exmations of surprise came from Su Wanqing through the phone. ¡°Hurry over, I¡¯ll tell you in a bit,¡± Fang Xiaocao said and then hung up the phone. It wasn¡¯t long before Su Wanqing, Yun Luoshu, and Wen Shi came running over the pedestrian crossing. ¡°Xiaocao, have you struck it rich?¡± Peering at the red Range Rover, Wen Shi eximed. ¡°Hehe, kind of.¡± Fang Xiaocaoughed as she said. ¡°Why are we still eating hot and spicy soup?¡± ¡°Sisters, grab her, don¡¯t let her escape.¡± ¡°Tie her up, and we¡¯ll have hot pot instead!¡± Tiger Girl Su Wanqing called out exaggeratedly. Her loud voice caused passersby to turn their heads. Some concerned citizens even reached for their phones, thinking about calling the police. ¡°Oh my gosh, Tiger Girl, don¡¯t embarrass us.¡± ¡°Quick, get in the car!¡± Fang Xiaocao said resignedly. Feeling the odd stares from the passersby, Fang Xiaocao was getting socially anxious. Yun Luoshu and Wen Shi hurriedly took Su Wanqing by the arms and forcefully loaded the conspicuous Tiger Girl into the car to prevent her from uttering any more shocking and perspective-shattering words. The three of them knew all too well what Su Wanqing¡¯s mouth was capable of. Without control, she could socially annihte you in a minute. Fang Xiaocao¡¯s three roommates each had their quirks. ¡°` Su Wanqing, recognized by the whole school as the big Tiger Girl. Wen Shi, recognized by the whole ss as the silly sweetie. Yun Luoshu, soft and gentle, yet ironically towering at 1.8 meters. Rated by ssmates in the department as the three sled idiots. Su Wanqing, Husky! Wen Shi, Samoyed! Yun Luoshu, ska! Such fitting nicknames, Fang Xiaocao thought to herself, even wanting to award the student who posted it. ¡°I say, Husky¡­¡± ¡°Pah, Tiger Girl~¡± ¡°Can we not embarrass ourselves.¡± ¡°Going out with you, we have social anxiety every minute.¡± Thinking of their funny moments, Fang Xiaocao identally spoke without thinking and called out the wrong name. ¡°Swipe, swipe, swipe!¡± Three pairs of unfriendly eyes simultaneously fixed on Fang Xiaocao. ¡°My bad, my bad~¡± ¡°Cut it out, huh, I¡¯m driving.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll treat you to a big meal, order whatever you want!¡± Being stared at by the three sled idiots, Fang Xiaocao quickly surrendered and threw out the temptation of food to distract their attention. Indeed, this trick worked wonders. The three idiots instantly broke down, forgetting the whole sled idiot incident, and began to discuss intensely what to eat in a while. ¡°Phew~¡± Seeing this scene, Fang Xiaocao breathed a sigh of relief. Being stared at by the three sled idiots was indeed a bit oppressive. After a heated discussion with the temporary foodie association, Fang Xiaocao drove to the hot pot restaurant. Parking the car, Fang Xiaocao hadn¡¯t even turned off the engine when the three sled idiots burst out of the car and dashed towards the hot pot restaurant like wild dogs off their leashes. ¡°Hey, aren¡¯t you afraid I¡¯ll run off?¡± Fang Xiaocao shouted at their retreating backs. ¡°Dare to run and you¡¯re dead!¡± Husky¡­ Su Wanqing threatened with some wisdom. Fang Xiaocao rolled her eyes, parked the car properly, shut off the engine, and then leisurely walked into the hot pot restaurant. Upon entering the restaurant, Fang Xiaocao was stunned. The three sled idiots, when they saw food, truly waited for no one. In less than ten minutes, the three sled idiots had finished ordering and were sitting at the table, eagerly awaiting the feast. Looking at the table full of meat rolls, beef tripe, yellow throat, and duck intestines, Fang Xiaocao almost rolled her eyes to heaven. Meat, they really went for it. They didn¡¯t touch anything with green leaves. ¡°I mean, aren¡¯t you going to order some veggies?¡± Fang Xiaocao sat down and asked helplessly. ¡°Vegetables?¡± ¡°Who¡¯d eat veggies when there¡¯s meat.¡± Samoyed¡­ Wen Shi said with a silly smile. ¡°Alright, alright, this is how you y, huh.¡± ¡°Just wait till it¡¯s your turn to treat.¡± Fang Xiaocao dropped a harsh line, picked up her chopsticks, and prepared to join the battle. ¡­ Han Xue walked out of the hospital, looking utterly defeated. At this moment, she looked haggard. Gone was her previously spirited demeanor. In her mind, the doctor¡¯s words kept echoing. Every word was a critical hit. ¡°Shen Tao¡­¡± ¡°Qi Yu¡­¡± ¡°Fang Xiaocao¡­¡± ¡°Damn old coffin!¡± ¡°It¡¯s all of you, you all deserve to die!¡± Han Xue¡¯s gaze gradually became crazed. With each word, her facial expressions twisted a bit more. At this moment, Han Xue med all her miserable experiences on Fang Xiaocao and the others. Back home, Han Xue tossed all the medicine prescribed by the hospital into the trash bin, freshened up, put on beautiful makeup, donned the most revealing, sexiest dress from her closet, and sashayed out the door. Walking in the neighborhood, facing the burning gazes of the male neighbors, regardless of age, Han Xue responded with alluring and seductive nces. Exiting the neighborhood, Han Xue hailed a cab. ¡°Driver, to Bar Street.¡± Chapter 27 - 27 Fang Xiaocao: How is the abortion pill sold? Chapter 27: Chapter 27 Fang Xiaocao: How is the abortion pill sold? Looking at three ¡°pregnant¡± women with their bellies protruding, supporting each other as they walked out of the hot pot restaurant, Fang Xiaocao¡¯s eyes were filled with helplessness. Fang Xiaocao took out her cellphone and snapped a photo of the scene, sharing it on her Moments with a description. Question: Three best friends get pregnant at the same time with the children of sleazebags like beef slices, beef tripe, yellow throat, duck intestines etc. As their best friend, how can you help them preserve the pregnancy! Answer: To get an abortion, you only need a bottle of digestive tablets. To preserve the pregnancy¡­ You need to treat them to hot pot for ten months. After reading thements, Fang Xiaocao turned and walked into a drugstore. ¡°Hello, how do you sell abortion pills?¡± Fang Xiaocao blurted out without thinking. The salesgirl in the drugstore was startled upon hearing this. She looked at Fang Xiaocao¡¯s belly with a strange expression, instinctively. ¡°Hello, if you have an unexpected pregnancy, please go to a certified hospital to register and see a doctor.¡± The salesgirl in the drugstore said softly. ¡°Cough, sorry, I misspoke.¡± ¡°Please give me a bottle of digestive tablets.¡± Fang Xiaocao said with a red face. ¡°So embarrassing, where is the ground going to swallow me up?¡± Fang Xiaocao was so embarrassed that she almost dug out a courtyard with her toes. Under the weird gaze of the salesgirl, Fang Xiaocao scanned a QR code, grabbed the digestive tablets, and fled in disarray. ¡°Xiaocao, did you go out to be a thief?¡± Seeing Fang Xiaocao¡¯s flustered look, the Samoyed Wen Shi blinked and asked in confusion. ¡°I went to buy abortion pills for you guys.¡± Fang Xiaocao rolled her eyes and tossed the digestive tablets to Wen Shi, saying grumpily. After driving the three ¡°pregnant¡± women who were inconvenient to move back to school, Fang Xiaocao prepared to drive back to the hotel. ¡°Two tigers, two tigers, run so fast~¡± Just then, her cellphone¡¯s ringtone sounded. Fang Xiaocao curiously picked up the phone to check. Iing call disy: Song Lin! ¡°Captain Song?¡± Fang Xiaocao blinked and pressed the answer button. ¡°Captain Song, what do you need?¡± As soon as the call connected, Fang Xiaocao asked. ¡°Oh, predicting before it¡¯s known?¡± ¡°You already know I need you for something?¡± Song Lin¡¯s deep voice came from the handset. ¡°Captain Song, are you testing me?¡± Fang Xiaocao said with a smile. ¡°Oh?¡± ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± ¡°Can I not just call you for a casual chat?¡± Song Lin replied with a chuckle. ¡°Is chatting on WeChat not good enough?¡± ¡°Who makes phone calls for a casual chat?¡± Fang Xiaocao answered helplessly. ¡°Hahaha, you¡¯re still clever,¡± Song Linughed. ¡°To talk seriously, the case of Vi No. 5 has been reopened.¡± Song Lin¡¯s tone changed, and he spoke in a heavy voice. Hearing Song Lin¡¯s words, Fang Xiaocao was taken aback. ¡°The case of Vi No. 5 has been reopened?¡± ¡°The identity of the head in the safe has been confirmed?¡± Fang Xiaocao asked, puzzled. ¡°Mhm, the identity was also confirmed.¡± Song Lin replied in a low voice. ¡°It¡¯s precisely because the identity of the deceased was confirmed that we obtained crucial clues and the Vi No. 5 case was reopened.¡± Song Lin said solemnly. ¡°Whose head is it?¡± Fang Xiaocao asked curiously. Fang Xiaocao was indeed curious. Although she already knew the identity of the head. Still, Fang Xiaocao was curious to know how Song Lin was able to confirm the identity of the head so quickly. Of course, Fang Xiaocao also wanted to verify whether the information Hot Noodles provided was true. After all, what Hot Noodles had said was simply too incredible. The sister was killed, but the surviving sister didn¡¯t report to the police; instead, she lived abroad under her sister¡¯s identity for five years. This matter, the more I hear about it, the more enigmatic it feels. Even mystery novels wouldn¡¯t dare write something like this. ¡°The case is still under investigation and needs to be kept confidential.¡± Song Lin said in an even tone. ¡°Alright, alright, I won¡¯t ask anymore.¡± Fang Xiaocao said resignedly. ¡°Then congrattions Captain Song on being reinstated!¡± Fang Xiaocao said with a giggle. ¡°Haha, thank you.¡± Song Lin said chuckling. ¡°So, Captain Song, why did you want to see me?¡± ¡°Surely it¡¯s not just to inform me of this, right?¡± Fang Xiaocao asked curiously. ¡°We need to do another search of Vi No. 5 and require the cooperation of you, the owner.¡± On the other end of the phone, Song Lin said gravely. ¡°Okay, I¡¯m on my way now, see you in a bit.¡± Once Fang Xiaocao hung up the phone, she started her Land Rover and sent a voice message to Hot Noodles: ¡°They¡¯re reopening the case of Vi No. 5. Why is Song Lin asking for my cooperation in the investigation?¡± Fang Xiaocao was very puzzled about being notified by Song Lin to cooperate with the investigation. Vi No. 5 was already under scene preservation, and there were no personal items of hers inside. There was no need to inform her to cooperate with the re-search. [Hot Noodles: Digging up a body!] ¡°What?¡± @@novelbin@@ Fang Xiaocao eximed, mming on the brakes and bringing the recently started Land Rover to a halt in the parking spot again. ¡°Digging up a body?¡± ¡°What the heck, there¡¯s a body at Vi No. 5?¡± The reply from Hot Noodles was simple and to the point. But reading it made Fang Xiaocao shiver all over. She feltpletely nerve-racked. How many souls had been bound to this Vi No. 5 that she bought? [Hot Noodles: Don¡¯t freak out, think about that hefty bounty, are you still scared?] ¡°Scared¡­¡± Fang Xiaocao blinked and said feebly. [Hot Noodles: Can¡¯t you show a little spine?] ¡°I¡¯m a girl, is it weird to be scared of dead people?¡± Fang Xiaocao said annoyedly. [Hot Noodles: You¡¯ll get used to it.] Fang Xiaocao: ¡­ Listen to that, is that what a person should say? You¡¯ll get used to it? Which good girl can get used to living with a corpse? ¡°I¡¯ll get used to your crap!¡± Fang Xiaocao muttered to herself, put away her phone, and drove toward Vi No. 5. The red Land Rover entered Junyue Vi District and stopped in front of Vi No. 5. As Fang Xiaocao got out of the car, she saw Song Lin standing at the vi¡¯s gate waiting for her. ¡°Captain Song!¡± Fang Xiaocao greeted Song Lin. ¡°Thank you foring.¡± Song Lin said with a congenial smile. ¡°It¡¯s no trouble, cooperating with your work is my obligation, isn¡¯t it?¡± Fang Xiaocao said cheerily. ¡°Captain Song, what do you need me to cooperate with?¡± Fang Xiaocao tentatively asked. ¡°We need to excavate the basement floor, which will cause damage to the ground, so I need you to sign a form,¡± Song Lin said seriously. ¡°Okay¡­¡± Fang Xiaocao shivered, then assented. Though Song Lin was being vague, thanks to the spoilers from Hot Noodles, Fang Xiaocao already knew that her sister¡¯s body was buried in the basement. The thought that she had been tricked by Hot Noodles into staying in the basement with the body, just to see what treasures were hidden in the safe, gave Fang Xiaocao the creeps. Seeing Fang Xiaocao¡¯s reaction, Song Lin chuckled. ¡°You catch on quick, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Interested in switching to a major in criminal investigation?¡± ¡°As long as you pass the college entrance exam, I can help you arrange the transfer,¡± Song Lin said with a grin. Brave, meticulous in thought, sharp-minded. All qualities that matched Song Lin¡¯s criteria for bing a qualified detective. Chapter 28 - 28 Han Xue鈥檚 Revenge Chapter 28: Chapter 28 Han Xue¡¯s Revenge Hearing Song Lin¡¯s words, Fang Xiaocao was tempted. With the predictive ¡°Hot Noodles¡± by her side, solving cases was not difficult for Fang Xiaocao. Yet Fang Xiaocao hesitated. She wondered if this great and sacred profession was a good fit for her. ¡°Captain Song, may I have some time to think about it?¡± Fang Xiaocao spoke timidly. ¡°Of course, you can!¡± Song Lin said with a smile. Song Lin could see the hesitation in Fang Xiaocao¡¯s eyes. Even though he had high hopes for her, Song Lin wouldn¡¯t force Fang Xiaocao. ¡°Whenever you have made up your mind, you can find me,¡± Song Lin said cheerfully. ¡°Mhm, I¡¯ll get back to you as soon as possible,¡± Fang Xiaocao nodded and said with a smile. ¡°Where do I sign?¡± Fang Xiaocao asked with a smile. ¡°Here!¡± Song Lin pulled out a printed disimer. Fang Xiaocao took the signing pen and signed her name on the disimer. ¡°All done, thank you for the cooperation,¡± Song Lin said cheerfully. ¡°I should be the one thanking you,¡± Fang Xiaocao said with a sigh. ¡°Just thinking about there being a body in this vi makes my skin crawl, and the whole ce feels chilly,¡± Looking at vi number 5, Fang Xiaocao said with lingering fear. ¡°Hahaha¡­¡± ¡°This is a scientific world; there¡¯s none of that stuff. Don¡¯t take it too much to heart,¡± Hearing Fang Xiaocao¡¯s words, Song Linughed and said. ¡°Yeah, I know¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s just that I still have some doubts!¡± Fang Xiaocao nodded and spoke faintly. ¡°That¡¯s normal, I understand,¡± Song Lin said cheerfully. ¡°Captain Song, is there anything else you need me to do?¡± Fang Xiaocao asked. ¡°No, that¡¯s all.¡± Song Lin said with a smile. ¡°Captain Song, then I¡¯ll be going now,¡± ¡°So I don¡¯t end up seeing too much and have nightmares tonight.¡± Fang Xiaocao said with a wry smile. ¡°Alright, go ahead.¡± Song Lin nodded and said. After waving to Song Lin, Fang Xiaocao got into her car. The red Land Rover left vi number 5. ¡­ Bar Street! With her morous allure, Han Xue swayed her hips and sauntered into Shen Tao¡¯s KTV with a seductive grace. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Seeing Han Xue, Shen Tao frowned and asked. ¡°Shen Ge~¡± ¡°I¡¯vee to apologize~¡± Han Xue said in a sharine voice. ¡°Apologize?¡± Shen Tao nced at Han Xue skeptically. ¡°Hehe¡­ ¡± ¡°I¡¯m really not worthy of that!¡± Shen Tao said with a coldugh. ¡°Shen Ge~¡± ¡°I know I was wrong~¡± Han Xue smiled coquettishly. She leaned suggestively against Shen Tao, looking at him with sultry, inviting eyes. Shen Tao took a nce at Han Xue, taking in the stunning view. ¡°So, what is it?¡± Shen Tao asked in a grave tone. ¡°I want to find a job here with brother Shen,¡± Han Xue said with a flirtatious smile. As she spoke, she leaned closer to Shen Tao. ¡°Have you thought it through?¡± Shen Tao raised an eyebrow and asked back. ¡°Mmm~¡± ¡°I¡¯ve figured it out~¡± As she spoke, Han Xue gave Shen Tao a seductive nce. ¡°Great that you¡¯ve figured it out!¡± @@novelbin@@ ¡°Let¡¯s go to 702 tonight and test the bell.¡± Shen Tao pinched Han Xue¡¯s pretty face and said with a mischievous smile. ¡°Okay~¡± ¡°I¡¯ll listen to whatever Brother Shen says~¡± Han Xue threw herself into Shen Tao¡¯s arms. Shen Tao didn¡¯t dodge or avoid, letting Han Xue do as she wished. Half an hourter, Han Xue walked into the restroom, twisting her waist. Shen Taoy on the sofa, watching Han Xue¡¯s graceful figure with a meaningful smile. ¡­ Fang Xiaocao parked her car in front of the gym. She got a membership and started her first fighting ss. ¡°Fang Xiaocao, you can do it!¡± Fang Xiaocao cheered herself on. Stimted by Hot Noodles, Fang Xiaocao vowed to shed her weakling title. ¡­ ¡°Brother Shen, I¡¯lle over tonight~¡± Han Xue walked out of the KTV and blew Shen Tao a flirtatious kiss. ¡°Hmm, you cane over anytime.¡± Shen Tao said cheerfully. ¡°Bye-bye~¡± Han Xue waved to Shen Tao before getting into a taxi. ¡°To the second hospital!¡± Sitting in the back seat of the taxi, the flirtatiousness vanished from Han Xue¡¯s face, leaving her expression cold as she spoke. The taxi started and drove out of Bar Street. ¡°Qi Yu, it¡¯s your turn next!¡± Madness twinkled in Han Xue¡¯s eyes. The taxi stopped at the entrance to the inpatient department, Han Xue paid the fare, got out of the car, and walked into the inpatient department. After entering a bathroom, she came out dressed in a nurse¡¯s uniform. Han Xue put on a mask and entered the elevator. She pressed the button for the third floor. The elevator reached the third floor, and Han Xue stepped out. She nced around casually and walked over to the nurse¡¯s station. Under the puzzled gaze of the on-duty nurse, Han Xue took a tray with medical instruments and headed toward a patient¡¯s room. ¡°Hey, which department are you from?¡± The duty nurse asked, puzzled after witnessing this. Han Xue paused, turned around, and smilingly said, ¡°Director Li from the Infectious Disease Department asked me to draw some blood.¡± ¡°Director Li?¡± The duty nurse browsed through the duty roster, puzzled. Seeing that Director Li was indeed the on-call physician for the Infectious Disease Department that day, the nurse nodded. Han Xue smiled faintly and continued toward the patient room. The two inclothes officers guarding the door heard the entire exchange between Han Xue and the duty nurse but just nced at Han Xue, decided she posed no threat, and looked away. Han Xue pushed the door and entered the patient room. Lying among sophisticated medical instruments was a man with tubes all over his body, his eyes shut tight, hisplexion deathly pale. It was Qi Yu, who had crashed and ended up in the hospital after racing on the road without wearing a seatbelt and being hit by Fang Xiaocao. At this moment, Qi Yu, with a pale face and his body wrapped in bandages, still looked slightly handsome. ¡°Qi Yu, it¡¯s all because of you that I ended up so miserable.¡± Looking at Qi Yu, Han Xue said bitterly. As she said this, Han Xue picked up a gleterncing device. She pricked her own finger first, squeezing out drop by drop of fresh blood, then smeared it on the needle tip. She used the same needle and pricked Qi Yu¡¯s finger. After hesitating for a moment, Han Xue put away the needle and covered Qi Yu¡¯s fingertip with the wound on her own. The two fingertips pressed together for a full three minutes before Han Xue withdrew her hand. ¡°To let you die like this would be too easy for you. Only by suffering from diseases like me can you receive your due punishment.¡± Han Xue said coldly. ¡°Shen Tao, Qi Yu!¡± ¡°Next¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s your turn, Fang Xiaocao!¡± Han Xue said viciously. The madness in her eyes grew more intense. The perverted old man was afflicted with various infectious diseases, including but not limited to HIV and syphilis. When forced by the old man, Han Xue was infected right away. She had been diagnosed that morning. Ever since learning of her impending doom, Han Xue had been nurturing a n for vengeance in her heart. While waiting for her notification, Han Xue overheard the inclothes officers talking by chance and learned that Qi Yu was a murderer on the run, who had been admitted to the second hospital¡¯s inpatient ward after being hit by Fang Xiaocao. The Director Li Han Xue mentioned was the chief physician responsible for Han Xue¡¯s medical check-up. Chapter 29 - 29 Han Xue鈥檚 Invitation Chapter 29: Chapter 29 Han Xue¡¯s Invitation ¡°` Fang Xiaocao dragged her exhausted body out of the gym, ending her very first martial arts ss. In a word, she was tired! She drove back to the hotel and used her room card to unlock the door. Fang Xiaocao quickly took a shower, skipped dinner, and then threw herself onto the bed to meet the Sandman and review the martial arts lesson. [Ding Dong!] She didn¡¯t know how long she had slept when the notification sound from her phone woke her up in a daze. Due to the presence of ¡°Hot Noodles¡±, Fang Xiaocao had developed a muscle memory; anytime her phone chimed, she would instinctively reach for it to check the message, no matter what she was doing. Even if her brain hadn¡¯t fully booted up yet. @@novelbin@@ But her hand had already picked up the phone and unlocked it with her fingerprint. Fang Xiaocao rubbed her eyes and looked at the phone screen. [Hot Noodles: Be careful with Han Xue! Keep your distance! Avoid physical contact!] Looking at the message from Hot Noodles. Fang Xiaocao was jolted awake, and her brain instantly rebooted. She sat up in bed, and once more looked at the WeChat message from Hot Noodles. ¡°Crap, this is serious!¡± Fang Xiaocao eximed. A message from Hot Noodles, with three exmation points no less, signaling a warning to her, definitely wasn¡¯t a trivial matter. Hot Noodles was heightening her alertness. The level of danger Han Xue represented in Hot Noodles¡¯ eyes had reached a point where her life might be threatened. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with Han Xue?¡± Fang Xiaocao didn¡¯t have time to think more and hurriedly asked. [Contact does not exist!] Looking at the alert, Fang Xiaocao¡¯s brow furrowed deeply. Hot Noodles¡¯ disappearance at this time was not a good sign. It implied that with Han Xue involved, her future had be unpredictable once again. Hot Noodles had disappeared before experiencing everything rted to Han Xue that was about to happen to her. Fang Xiaocao sat on the bed, growing increasingly restless. Her eyes were glued to her phone, silently waiting for a message from Hot Noodles. [Ding Dong!] The notification sound of her phone made her startle. She swiftly swiped the screen to unlock it and check the message. [Han Xue: Xiaocao, are you free?] It was a WeChat message from Han Xue! Staring at the WeChat conversation, Fang Xiaocao fell into silence. ¡°What should I do?¡± ¡°Why is Han Xue looking for me?¡± ¡°Why isn¡¯t Hot Noodles back yet!¡± Fang Xiaocao was bing flustered as she muttered to herself. [Ding Dong!] The phone chimed again with another WeChat message. Fang Xiaocao immediately opened WeChat, and it was Han Xue again! [Han Xue: Xiaocao, let¡¯s get together. Wanqing, Wen Shi, and Luoshu will be there too!] Reading Han Xue¡¯s message, Fang Xiaocao¡¯s pupils dted suddenly. ¡°What is Han Xue up to?¡± Fang Xiaocao wondered to herself. ¡°Husky, how could you go out with Han Xue!¡± She immediately started scolding Su Wanqing, a.k.a. Tiger Girl. Knowing full well that Han Xue was not to be trusted, instead of stopping Wen Shi and Yun Luoshu, she even got herself invited out by Han Xue. ¡°Tiger Girl, oh Tiger Girl¡­¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you be more reliable?¡± Fang Xiaocao was fretting as sheined. Opening Su Wanqing¡¯s WeChat, Fang Xiaocaoposed a message but then hesitated with her finger over the send button. ¡°No, I can¡¯t tell Tiger Girl!¡± Fang Xiaocao murmured. She began to rey the entire scenario in her head. ¡°First off, Han Xue doesn¡¯t know yet that I¡¯m aware of her putting together a setup, so before I show up, Su Wanqing and the others should be safe.¡± ¡°` ¡°Secondly, I can¡¯t send a message to Su Wanqing, warning her to be careful of Han Xue!¡± As her thoughts gradually became clear, a brainstorm began to take shape in Fang Xiaocao¡¯s mind. ¡°The trio, Su Wanqing, is now with Han Xue, and since the situation on the scene is unknown, this message absolutely cannot be sent!¡± ¡°What if, all four of them are huddled together, and the message is identally seen by Han Xue?¡± ¡°What if, Su Wanqing¡¯s acting is not up to par?¡± ¡°Or at this moment, Han Xue has already gained control over the trio?¡± In Fang Xiaocao¡¯s head, hypotheses were continuously forming. ¡°If any one of the three scenarios above urs, the warning message I send not only will expose myself but might also be a death warrant for the trio.¡± In the end, Fang Xiaocao quickly deleted the message she was about to send to Su Wanqing and opened Han Xue¡¯s chat. ¡°I need to stabilize Han Xue first!¡± ¡°And confirm the situation of the trio!¡± Fang Xiaocao muttered to herself. She nced at the time on her phone. 19:21! Fang Xiaocao collected her thoughts and began topose a message. ¡°It¡¯s sote, where are you gathering?¡± ¡°Other than Wanqing and her two friends, who else will be there?¡± After sending the message, Fang Xiaocao started to get dressed. Although Hot Noodles had warned her to be cautious of Han Xue before going missing, even using three exmation marks to draw her own attention, But Su Wanqing and the other two girls were her best friends, and Fang Xiaocao could not just sit by and let them be in danger. These three clueless girls were innocent! Even if she knew that going there would pose a threat to her own life, Fang Xiaocao still did not want any harm toe to Su Wanqing and the others. [Ding Dong!] The notification from her phone sounded! As Fang Xiaocao put on her coat, she opened WeChat. [Han Xue: Bar Street!] [Han Xue: No one else, just us!] Below the message was an attached video. In the video, Han Xue, Su Wanqing, Wen Shi, and Yun Luoshu were in a KTV room, with drinks on the table, and Husky Su Wanqing was carelessly belting out songs. It was Shen Tao¡¯s KTV! Fang Xiaocao recognized this KTV room. Back when Qi Yu was courting her, each time Han Xue suggested going to KTV, Qi Yu would bring them to this room. ¡°Could Shen Tao be aware of something?¡± Fang Xiaocao frowned deeply, murmuring to herself. Justst night, Han Xue had been humiliated by Shen Tao in front of everybody for not being able to pay an exorbitant bar tab. In less than 24 hours, how had Han Xue gotten involved with Shen Tao again? Knowing that Han Xue couldn¡¯t pay, it was impossible for Shen Tao to let her into a super-luxury room! Fang Xiaocao racked her brain, analyzing one possibility after another. ¡°There must be something going on here!¡± Eventually, Fang Xiaocao reached such a conclusion. ¡°Drinking again?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it toote?¡± ¡°Plus, I have to drive!¡± ¡°How about we find somewhere else to hang out?¡± While finding excuses to decline the drinking session, Fang Xiaocao hoped they could change the location of their gathering. Bar Street was Shen Tao¡¯s turf! One Han Xue was risky enough! And with Shen Tao added to the mix¡­ Fang Xiaocao felt that meeting there was far too dangerous. Even with just Han Xue, Fang Xiaocao was hardly confident, not to mention Shen Tao, the big boss. [Han Xue: Xiaocao, are you still mad at me for stealing Qi Yu?] [Han Xue: About the Qi Yu thing, I¡¯m a victim too, you know. He got me drunk, and that¡¯s how things happened.] ¡°Heh¡­¡± ¡°I trust you about as far as I can throw you¡­¡± Fang Xiaocao sneered silently in her heart. Chapter 30 - 30 Hot Noodles: Very Dangerous, Do Not Go Chapter 30: Chapter 30 Hot Noodles: Very Dangerous, Do Not Go Regarding what Han Xue said, Fang Xiaocao didn¡¯t believe a word of it. Didn¡¯t she know Han Xue¡¯s alcohol tolerance? Even two Qi Yus couldn¡¯t outdrink her! If it were the other way around, Fang Xiaocao might have believed it. A brainstorm whirled through Fang Xiaocao¡¯s mind. While putting on her boots, she pondered how to deceive Han Xue and the other three out of Shen Tao¡¯s KTV to minimize potential danger. Han Xue¡¯s words had given Fang Xiaocao a clue. Get them drunk! One thought struck Fang Xiaocao¡ªHan Xue wanted to get them drunk and then take her revenge! Just thinking about it sent chills down Fang Xiaocao¡¯s spine. Inside Shen Tao¡¯s KTV, it was a melting pot of characters. What would happen if four girls got drunk¡­ The possible consequences, just at the thought, made Fang Xiaocao¡¯s heart race. Any oue was unbearable for her, far worse than being killed outright. ¡°How could this happen?¡± ¡°Qi Yu and I had no rtionship whatsoever.¡± ¡°Why should I me you?¡± Fang Xiaocao thought for a moment and sent a message back to Han Xue. Packing her phone into her bag, grabbing her car keys, and taking her room card, Fang Xiaocao left the room. While devising her strategy, she pressed the elevator button. [Ding Dong!] Standing in the elevator, her phone notification sounded. Fang Xiaocao took out her phone and nced at it. WeChat message! She unlocked her phone to check the message. [Hot Noodles: Don¡¯t go, it¡¯s dangerous.] Seeing it was from Hot Noodles, Fang Xiaocao felt relieved. ¡°What does Han Xue want to do?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the danger?¡± ¡°How should I respond?¡± Fang Xiaocao sent three voice messages in quick session. [Hot Noodles: Very dangerous, I still don¡¯t know the worst oue, going through it right now.] [Hot Noodles: The only solution is not going, it¡¯s very dangerous!] Hot Noodles sent two messages, both stressing the danger relentlessly. Reading the messages from Hot Noodles, Fang Xiaocao stood at the hotel entrance, hesitating. On one side were her three best friends; on the other, her own safety, making it a tough choice. If it weren¡¯t for Hot Noodles¡¯ repeated warnings, even knowing the danger, Fang Xiaocao would have gone without hesitation. But now, Fang Xiaocao felt apprehensive, as her future self kept rming her, indicating real danger. The consequences of going could be more terrifying than death. After all¡­ Even now, Hot Noodles hadn¡¯t experienced the worst possible oue, yet she continually emphasized stopping herself from going. Keep in mind that even when pursued by Qi Yu, Hot Noodles had never acted like this. ¡°What are you going through right now?¡± Fang Xiaocao took a deep breath and asked. Based on the messages from Hot Noodles, even if she went, she wouldn¡¯t die immediately if Han Xue seeded, but she would fall into danger. So, right now, Fang Xiaocao urgently needed to know what Hot Noodles was going through, to find a way to break the situation. [Contact does not exist!] The next second, Fang Xiaocao fell silent. ¡°Damn it, ¡®Contact does not exist¡¯!¡± Fang Xiaocao cursed under her breath. Pulling open the door of her Land Rover, she got in and started the vehicle. ¡°Han Xue, shall we change our location?¡± ¡°How about I treat you to hotpot?¡± In the car, Fang Xiaocao sent two messages, trying to lure Han Xue and the others out of the KTV. Outside Shen Tao¡¯s KTV, the danger would decrease significantly. Even if Han Xue drugged or got them drunk at the hotpot restaurant, the chances of encountering danger there were far less than at the KTV. With Han Xue alone, it was impossible for her to take away four people at once; most likely, she would only take Fang Xiaocao herself, ensuring temporary safety for the other three. Fang Xiaocao still decided to rescue the three even if it meant endangering herself. It wasn¡¯t that Fang Xiaocao was overly saintly, but she couldn¡¯t help feeling uneasy about letting Su Wanqing and the others get into danger because of her. Moreover, from the information at Hot Noodles, she had deduced that her life was not in immediate danger. As long as she was prepared and alerted the police in advance, it should have been at most a close call without any harm. After sending the message, Yue Yu drove out of the hotel¡¯s underground parking lot, heading towards Bar Street. [Ding Dong!] On the way, the phone¡¯s notification sound rang. Fang Xiaocao opened WeChat to check it. The message was sent by Han Xue. [Han Xue: Xiaocao, you shoulde over. Wen Shi has drunk too much, and Wanqing doesn¡¯t want to eat hot pot anymore.] There was also a video attached to the message. In the video, Wen Shi¡¯s little face was flushed as shey on the KTV sofa giggling senselessly, while Su Wanqing urged Fang Xiaocao to hurry over. ¡°Damn it!¡± Watching the video, Fang Xiaocao cursed under her breath. ¡°Su Wanqing, your Husky, I¡¯m impressed!¡± Fang Xiaocaomented. Wen Shi¡¯s condition in the video was clearly not right. She could tell even through the phone. Su Wanqing and Yun Luoshu were right beside her, and yet they hadn¡¯t noticed a thing. Although Wen Shi¡¯s alcohol tolerance was poor, she shouldn¡¯t have gotten drunk so fast. Moreover, when Wen Shi drank too much, herplexion was usually pale. Since when did her face turn this red when she got drunk at dorm gatherings? ¡°Okay, I¡¯m on my way over!¡± Fang Xiaocao replied, setting down her phone, and with a step on the gas, the Land Rover headed towards Bar Street. ¡­ KTV! Upon seeing the message from Fang Xiaocao, Han Xue¡¯s lips curled up, revealing a smirk of triumph. ¡°Alright, thank you for your efforts.¡± @@novelbin@@ Han Xue said with a cheerful smile. ¡°When Fang Xiaocao arrives, you know what to do, right?¡± Han Xue asked Su Wanqing with a smile. Although Han Xue was smiling, her tone was cold, filled with a threatening aura. ¡°I know¡­¡± Su Wanqing said in a low voice. ¡°Good to know¡«¡± Han Xue cheerfully said. ¡°Han Xue, I¡¯ve cooperated with you already, can you let them release Luoshu now?¡± Su Wanqing weakly asked. ¡°Hmm?¡± At those words, Han Xueughed. ¡°Of course, I still need your cooperationter,¡± Han Xue said cheerfully. ¡°Let her go,¡± Han Xue waved her hand, smiling. ¡°Yes!¡± The head of the security team responded. ¡°Acting all high and mighty, just yesterday you were like a dog, kneeling on the floor, begging us to let you go.¡± ¡°Today, after climbing into Shen Yan¡¯s bed, you start acting all high and mighty again. Just wait for Shen Yan to tire of you, and see how I deal with you,¡± the head of the security team cursed inwardly as he watched Han Xue give orders. ¡°Let her go!¡± The head of the security team shouted. Upon hearing the captain¡¯s words, the three security guards who were holding down Yun Luoshu finally let her go. Su Wanqing quickly got up and ran over to help Yun Luoshu up from the ground. ¡°I¡¯m alright¡­¡± Yun Luoshu shook her head and said. ¡°Han Xue, can we let Luoshu take Wen Shi back first?¡± ¡°Luoshu is injured, and Wen Shi is too drunk; they won¡¯t be of any help here. Xiaocao might be suspicious if she sees Luoshu¡¯s injuries,¡± Su Wanqing asked, looking at Han Xue. Yun Luoshu had been beaten by the security guards. Su Wanqing and Yun Luoshu had just gone to the bathroom, and upon returning, they discovered Wen Shi had copsed. Seeing Wen Shi¡¯s flushed face, both Su Wanqing and Yun Luoshu immediately realized something was wrong and wanted to take Wen Shi away right away. Chapter 31 - 31 The Vixen Chapter 31: Chapter 31 The Vixen Han Xue¡¯s goal had not been achieved yet, so how could she possibly agree to let Su Wanqing and Yun Luoshu take Wen Shi and leave? Seeing that she could no longer hide her intentions, Han Xue revealed her fangs. She immediately ordered the security captain to lead his men and charge in. Yun Luoshu truly lived up to the nickname her ssmates gave her, being called a ¡°tough girl with the build of an skan.¡± The training of the women¡¯s basketball team was not in vain. Her towering one-meter-eight stature was not grown in vain either. Faced with the menacing security guards, Yun Luoshu grabbed a beer bottle and charged at them. One beer bottle knocked down one security guard. But the security guards raised by Shen Tao were not like those gatekeepers one finds in residential areas. Each one of them was trained and frequently involved in fights. Caught off guard by Yun Luoshu, and after taking down one, the rest immediately recovered. In hand-to-handbat, Yun Luoshu, although part of the women¡¯s basketball team, had never undergone special training. Facing one man was already challenging for her, let alone three? Yun Luoshu only resisted briefly before she was pinned to the ground by three sturdy security guards. After a series of punches and kicks, her body was already covered in bruises and aching beyond her ability to resist. Seeing this, Su Wanqing had no choice but topromise. Su Wanqing, though fierce, was not foolish. She knew that any further resistance would be futile and would likely result in Yun Luoshu being beaten to death. She and Wen Shi would also fall into the tiger¡¯s mouth. Only by choosing to cooperate with Han Xue for the time being could they find an opportunity to escape. ¡°Let them go?¡± Han Xue asked with a lightugh in reply. ¡°Yeah, let them go.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll stay and cooperate with you!¡± Su Wanqing nodded, saying. ¡°Heh~¡± ¡°You are quite loyal, aren¡¯t you!¡± Han Xue saidughingly. ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°Do you think I¡¯m a fool?¡± Han Xue asked coldly. ¡°I didn¡¯t¡­¡± Su Wanqing replied weakly. ¡°Let them go and call the police?¡± ¡°Or let them go and notify Fang Xiaocao?¡± Han Xue asked with a cold look at Su Wanqing. ¡°I¡­ I didn¡¯t think that.¡± Su Wanqing hurriedly exined. ¡°Don¡¯t get any funny ideas, or you¡¯ll suffer the consequences.¡± Han Xue said coldly. ¡°I¡­ I understand.¡± ncing at the security guards, Su Wanqingplied and helped Yun Luoshu sit back on the sofa. ¡°Sister Han, why not let the brothers have some fun with that girl,¡± the security captain said, pointing at Wen Shi with a sly grin. ¡°The young girl looks quite feisty; let the brothers train her, and she¡¯s sure to be our top money-maker.¡± Looking at Wen Shi¡¯s flushed face, the security captain¡¯s eyes burned with desire. Hearing the security captain¡¯s words, Su Wanqing and Yun Luoshu immediately tensed up. Yun Luoshu tried to get up but was hampered by her injuries, stifling a moan before copsing back onto the sofa. ¡°Stay put!¡± The security captain pointed at Yun Luoshu and reprimanded her. Han Xue nced sideways at the security captain. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you won¡¯t be shortchanged.¡± ¡°But, not now.¡± Han Xue said with a coyugh. ¡°Han Xue¡­¡± Hearing this, Su Wanqing gasped and began to speak. Han Xue nced sideways at Su Wanqing. ¡°You¡¯d better keep your mouth shut, or I¡¯ll let you enjoy yourselves right now.¡± Han Xue said coldly. Hearing her words, the security guards cooperatively let out a series of sleazyughs. The security captain even raised an eyebrow at Su Wanqing and licked his lips. @@novelbin@@ Su Wanqing was startled and quickly shut her mouth. Beside her, Yun Luoshu clenched her teeth, ring at Han Xue, wishing she could transform into an ska breed and bite Han Xue, this bad woman, to death. ¡°What are you staring at? Keep staring and I¡¯ll deal with you.¡± The security captain pointed at Yun Luoshu and scolded her. Yun Luoshu didn¡¯t take it lying down and wanted to get up. Su Wanqing was rmed and quickly grabbed Yun Luoshu. ¡°Luoshu, don¡¯t be impulsive¡­¡± Su Wanqing whispered. ¡°Come on,e and hit me.¡± The security captain said with a smug smile. ¡°I¡¯ve never tried someone with your size before.¡± The security captain licked his lips, smiling wickedly. ¡°Luoshu, don¡¯t be impulsive¡­¡± Su Wanqing hugged Yun Luoshu, pressing Yun Luoshu¡¯s head into her bosom, preventing her from locking eyes with the security captain again. ¡°Luoshu, be good, don¡¯t be impulsive¡­¡± Su Wanqingforted Yun Luoshu, fearing that in a rash moment, she might really anger Han Xue and the security captain, and then be taken away by the security captain. Yun Luoshu nodded, obediently remaining still. Her injuries were too painful. She simply couldn¡¯t muster any strength. So, she could only obediently listen to Su Wanqing¡¯s words. ¡°Hey, why aren¡¯t youing at me?¡± ¡°I was all ready for you.¡± As he spoke, the security captain even made a few vulgar gestures. ¡°That¡¯s enough, know when to stop.¡± ¡°I still have a use for them!¡± Han Xue gave the security captain a cold nce, speaking indifferently. The security captain pursed his lips and fell silent. ¡°Pretend all you want, wait until Shen Ye gets tired of you.¡± ¡°See how I¡¯ll deal with you then!¡± The security captain sneered inwardly. Just thinking about Han Xue¡¯s flirtatious act in front of Shen Tao that afternoon, the security captain¡¯s heart burned with desire. ¡°It¡¯s nothing to do with you all, get out.¡± ¡°Let me know when someonees.¡± Seeing the security captain¡¯s lustful gaze, Han Xue¡¯s eyes shed with disgust. She waved her hand, speaking indifferently. The security captain nodded, staring at Su Wanqing and said coldly, ¡°You¡¯d better behave, don¡¯t y any tricks. If you hurt Sister Han and anger Brother Shen, then it won¡¯t be Sister Han calling the shots.¡± Afterwards, the security captain gave Su Wanqing a lecherous smile, then turned and led his men out of the private room. Seeing the security captain leave, Su Wanqing finally breathed a sigh of relief. The security captain¡¯s gaze was like that of a wolf. It sent shivers down her spine when he looked at her. ¡°You¡¯d better listen to him. Right now, I¡¯m Shen¡¯s little treasure. If I get hurt and can¡¯t serve Shen, he will get angry.¡± ¡°If Shen gets angry, I can¡¯t say what will happen to you.¡± Han Xue leaned on the sofa, giggling as she spoke. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we won¡¯t.¡± Su Wanqing said softly. ¡°Xiaocao, out of all our sisters, you¡¯re the most meticulous. You really mustn¡¯t act rashly.¡± Su Wanqing prayed silently in her heart. Hearing Su Wanqing¡¯s words, Han Xue smiled smugly, picked up a ss of wine, and took a delicate sip. Her movements were charming and graceful, who could tell she was a viperous beauty? Fang Xiaocao drove into Bar Street and casually found a parking spot. After the Range Rover was parked, Fang Xiaocao didn¡¯t hurry to get out but took out her phone and sent a message to Hot Noodles: ¡°Are you there?¡± [Contact does not exist!] Looking at the message, Fang Xiaocao bit her lip. She opened Han Xue¡¯s chat box and once again yed the video, watching it intently. In the video just now, Fang Xiaocao didn¡¯t see Yun Luoshu, which puzzled her. Where had Yun Luoshu gone? Could she also have been drugged? Chapter 32: Venturing Alone into the Tiger鈥檚 Den Chapter 32: Chapter 32: Venturing Alone into the Tiger¡¯s Den Fang Xiaocao watched the video over and over again, searching every corner for traces of Yun Luoshu. Suddenly, Fang Xiaocao¡¯s pupils constricted sharply as she found the detail she was looking for. There was broken ss from beer bottles on the ground! Under the flickering lights, a shadow passed over the couch, where one could faintly make out the silhouette of someone with long hair being pinned down by several others with short hair. In the video, Su Wanqing seemed to be blinking oddly. Su Wanqing kept blinking¡ªthough not frequently, it definitely wasn¡¯t at a normal rate. Moreover, Su Wanqing¡¯s eyes kept drifting in one direction. Fang Xiaocao tried topare and found that Su Wanqing was looking in the direction of the shadow cast by the light. Seeing this, Fang Xiaocao smiled. ¡°Tiger Girl, oh Tiger Girl, it¡¯s a good thing I¡¯m smart,¡± she murmured cheerfully. Fang Xiaocao exited the video and opened Hot Noodles¡¯ chat window to type a message. ¡°The future me, have you returned?¡± Fang Xiaocao still wanted to hear what Hot Noodles had gone through. [Contact does not exist!] Faced with the prompt ¡°Contact does not exist,¡± Fang Xiaocao smiled helplessly and closed the chat window. [Ding-dong!] At that moment, her phone¡¯s notification went off. It was a WeChat message from Han Xue. [Han Xue: Xiaocao, haven¡¯t you arrived yet?] Reading Han Xue¡¯s message, Fang Xiaocao knew that Han Xue was getting impatient and worried she might have run off. ¡°I¡¯ll be there soon; send me the private room number,¡± Fang Xiaocao sighed and replied. [Han Xue: Okay okay okay, we¡¯re in 403.] ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll head straight up when I get there,¡± Fang Xiaocao replied expressionlessly. [Han Xue: Okay, we¡¯ll wait for you!] Fang Xiaocao exited the conversation with Han Xue. Sitting in the car, Fang Xiaocao took a few deep breaths, her gaze hardening. ¡°Hurry to Shen Tao¡¯s KTV, private room 403 to rescue me. Han Xue has gone crazy; she¡¯s taken my best friend, and I¡¯m about to go in to save her!¡± After ensuring there were no mistakes in her message, Fang Xiaocao sent it to both Song Lin and Wang Qiang. @@novelbin@@ Now that Wen Shi had fallen into the trap and Yun Luoshu was subdued, Fang Xiaocao knew as soon as she entered private room 403, Han Xue was likely to blow up. Thinking of this, Fang Xiaocao forwarded the message to an old friend she hadn¡¯t contacted for a long time. Zhi Qi! Zhi Qi was Fang Xiaocao¡¯s best friend from the orphanage. They entered the orphanage together and often huddled together for warmth; they grew up together. However, Zhi Qi was luckier than Fang Xiaocao. In high school, Zhi Qi¡¯s parents found her. Zhi Qi¡¯s family was a vast business empire. Returning to her family, Zhi Qi was busy studying daily, not just academic courses but also business management. Gradually, Fang Xiaocao and Zhi Qi contacted each other less, and after high school graduation, as Fang Xiaocao was busy with various part-time jobs to pay tuition and Zhi Qi was busy learning management, they had barely spoken for most of the year. If it weren¡¯t for this incident, where she had to enter the lion¡¯s den, Fang Xiaocao wouldn¡¯t have reached out to Zhi Qi as a precaution. After sending the message, Fang Xiaocao put away her phone. Pushing open the door of the Land Rover, she took a deep breath and walked straight into the KTV. ¡°Hello, wee!¡± The receptionist at the door greeted Fang Xiaocao with a question mark. ¡°Hello, how many?¡± A waiter approached and asked. ¡°My friend is upstairs, I¡¯m here to see her,¡± Fang Xiaocao said with a smile. ¡°Sure, pleasee in,¡± the waiter said with a smile. Shen Tao¡¯s KTV looked pretty decent, but that was only on the surface. Whaty inside, Fang Xiaocao had long heard. Fang Xiaocao took the elevator and went directly to the 4th floor. During this time, Fang Xiaocao¡¯s phone kept ringing. Fang Xiaocao nced at it. [Song Lin: What¡¯s going on?] [Wang Qiang: Don¡¯t be impulsive, wait for me.] [Zhi Qi: I¡¯ll be there soon, wait for me.] Seeing the messages from the three of them, Fang Xiaocao breathed a sigh of relief. All three of them had received messages, which, for Fang Xiaocao, was good news. Especially the message from Zhi Qi made Fang Xiaocao feel inexplicably at ease. The elevator doors opened, and Fang Xiaocao deleted the messages and put her phone in her pocket. After entering room 403, she might be controlled. The fact that she was seeking help could not be discovered. If Han Xue found out that she not only sought help but also notified the police, she might act in desperation, which would put her, Su Wanqing, and Yun Luoshu all in danger. ¡°Sister Han, she¡¯s here.¡± Fang Xiaocao had just appeared on the 4th floor and hadn¡¯t even left the elevator when a security guard reported her arrival with a walkie-talkie. In the private room 403, upon hearing the security guard¡¯s report through the walkie-talkie, Han Xue¡¯s lips curved into a smug smile. Sitting on the sofa, Su Wanqing and Yun Luoshu trembled simultaneously upon hearing the voice from the walkie-talkie. ¡°Thump thump thump¡«¡± Arriving in front of room 403, Fang Xiaocao knocked on the door. The door to private room 403 opened with a ¡°click,¡± and Han Xue, with her garish makeup, stuck her head out. After looking around and seeing only Fang Xiaocao, she immediately revealed a delighted smile. ¡°Come on in, Xiaocao,e in fast.¡± Han Xue reached out as if to pull Fang Xiaocao inside. ¡°Let me see how Wen Shi is doing first.¡± Fang Xiaocao skillfully avoided contact, slipping by the edge to enter the room. Fang Xiaocao clearly remembered Hot Noodles¡¯ warning not to make contact with Han Xue, as it would be dangerous. Although she didn¡¯t know what Hot Noodles meant by that, she just needed to follow the instruction. Watching Fang Xiaocao¡¯s movements, a shadow flickered in Han Xue¡¯s eyes. She gestured to the security guard at the elevator. The security guard at the elevator nodded. Seeing this, Han Xue smiled slightly and, closing the door to private room 403, walked into the room. ¡°Captain, Han Xue has signaled.¡± The security guard at the elevator turned and walked into the adjacent room, informing the security captain. ¡°Go guard the entrance.¡± The security captain extinguished his cigarette, rose from the sofa, and strode toward private room 403. ¡°Be sharpter, do you hear me?¡± ¡°Han Xue said that after she¡¯s done, those four girls will be ours for the taking,¡± said the security captain with a lewd smile. ¡°Captain, is this really okay?¡± ¡°If those four girls call the police afterward, all of us brothers could end up behind bars.¡± ¡°As for Han Xue, not only would she have gotten her revenge, but she could also wash her hands of it cleanly.¡± ¡°Exactly, Captain, isn¡¯t she just using us as pawns?¡± A few security guards voiced their concerns, each adding their ownments. Usually, managing the club and getting into fights were not a big deal to these security guards. After all, those were minor issues, and even if Shen Tao couldn¡¯t bail them out, at most they would sit in jail for a few days. When they were released, they would still receive a handsomepensation. But coercing multiple girls was a serious crime. One could fetch a minimum sentence of three years¡­ For all four together, they could end up serving around ten years. Even though the security guards were tempted, they felt that the brief thrill wasn¡¯t worth a decade of their lives. Most importantly, this wasn¡¯t about helping Shen Tao out; upon release, Shen Tao would notpensate them. Chapter 33 - 33 Tearing Off the Mask Chapter 33: Chapter 33 Tearing Off the Mask ¡°What¡¯s there to fear? These four chicks are all college students with bright futures. If this gets out, their lives are ruined, so I doubt they¡¯d call the cops.¡± The head of security sneered as he spoke. Working in this KTV, he had seen plenty of such incidents. Most of them just partially resist but eventually let it happen. Good for you, good for me. Put on their clothes, and act like nothing happened, at most hand them some money and send them off. So the head of security wasn¡¯t worried at all. Of course, there were troublesome cases. But the chances were slim, and the head of security didn¡¯t even consider it, since in his view, how many virtuous women woulde to a KTV to get drunk? ¡°Don¡¯t think too much, let¡¯s enjoy ourselves first.¡± ¡°Anyone who¡¯s scared, just get the hell out of here.¡± The head of security cursed. A few guards looked at each other, hesitating to move forward. ¡°As for Han Xue, I¡¯ve recorded the audio. If something really happens, she won¡¯t be able to escape either.¡± The head of security sneered as he spoke. ¡°You cowards, if you don¡¯t have the guts, just get lost.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take on four by myself, even better!¡± The head of security cursed and strode towards Room 402. The guards exchanged nces and eventually followed the head of security. ¡­ @@novelbin@@ Fang Xiaocao entered the private room and nced at Su Wanqing and Yun Luoshu. Yun Luoshu had footprints on him and blood on the corner of his mouth, clearly having been beaten up. Su Wanqing, on the other hand, seemed unharmed and even winked at her. Fang Xiaocao nodded subtly and quickly walked over to Wen Shi. Seeing this, Su Wanqing breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°I always told you Xiaocao was a smart kid,¡± she whispered to herself. When Han Xue entered, Su Wanqing immediately shut up, afraid of being overheard. Han Xue red at Su Wanqing, using her gaze to ask if Su Wanqing had been talking out of turn. Su Wanqing quickly shook her head, indicating she hadn¡¯t spoken. Seeing Su Wanqing¡¯s cowering, Han Xue nodded in satisfaction. ¡°Xiaocao, Wen Shi is just drunk,¡± Han Xue said. ¡°Ignore her, let¡¯s drink.¡± Han Xue leaned back on the sofa and smiled as she spoke. Fang Xiaocao made sure Wen Shi was fully clothed and then breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°Good, no serious harm done,¡± Fang Xiaocao thought to herself. Then, she turned to Han Xue with a smile. ¡°I won¡¯t drink, I drove here,¡± Fang Xiaocao smiled and said. Han Xue¡¯s expression darkened, showing a hint of gloom. ¡°How can youe to KTV and not drink?¡± ¡°Right, Wanqing?¡± she said while turning to Su Wanqing and smiling. The coldness in her eyes made Su Wanqing shiver. ¡°Ah yes, yes, Han Xue is right.¡± ¡°Xiaocao, you should drink a little.¡± ¡°Call a designated driver in advance if needed,¡± Su Wanqing said quietly. While speaking, she continued to wink at Fang Xiaocao. ¡°I really can¡¯t drink,¡± Fang Xiaocao said with a smile. While speaking, Fang Xiaocao¡¯s hand quietly reached into her pocket for the pepper spray. She definitely couldn¡¯t drink, as Hot Noodles had warned her to keep her distance from Han Xue and avoid bodily contact. Though she didn¡¯t know exactly why, Hot Noodles certainly wouldn¡¯t harm her. A suspicion arose in Fang Xiaocao¡¯s heart. Maybe Han Xue had some infectious disease. After all¡­ Fang Xiaocao was very aware of Han Xue¡¯s promiscuity, and thest thing she wanted was to catch some filthy disease from her. Also, the drink was very likely spiked. Wen Shi had already been drugged, and Fang Xiaocao wasn¡¯t blind. ¡°Drink a little!¡± Su Wanqing desperately signalled Fang Xiaocao with her eyes. ¡°Granny, just drink it.¡± ¡°If you upset this enchantress, the security outside wille in.¡± ¡°Then, you¡¯ll have to drink whether you want to or not.¡± Su Wanqing silently prayed that Fang Xiaocao could understand her hint. Su Wanqing had a simple n: since Fang Xiaocao had already called the police, they should just go along with Han Xue and stall for time. As long as the police arrived, everyone would be safe. Fang Xiaocao sat next to Wen Shi and looked at Han Xue, smiling as she said, ¡°The drink today isn¡¯t mandatory, is it?¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t drink, it means you¡¯re not giving me face.¡± Han Xue held up her ss, took a sip, and said with a smile. As she spoke, Han Xue picked up the bottle and filled the ss to the brim, handing it to Fang Xiaocao with a smile. Seeing Han Xue¡¯s actions, Fang Xiaocao¡¯s pupils contracted. ¡°Indeed, this woman is up to something!¡± Fang Xiaocao muttered to herself. ¡°Xiaocao, drink it!¡± ¡°Drink it, and we¡¯re still good friends.¡± Han Xue held up her ss, still smiling as she spoke. Su Wanqing saw that Fang Xiaocao was hesitant to take the ss and looked anxious, fearing that Han Xue would be angry. Biting her lip, Su Wanqing spoke up, ¡°Han Xue, how about I drink it for Xiaocao?¡± Hearing Su Wanqing¡¯s offer, both Han Xue and Fang Xiaocao turned to look at her. Watching Su Wanqing, Han Xue chuckled softly. ¡°Fine, everyone has to drink anyway.¡± Han Xue handed the ss to Su Wanqing. Su Wanqing blinked and reached for the ss. Seeing this, Fang Xiaocao couldn¡¯t sit still any longer. Just as Su Wanqing¡¯s hand was about to touch the ss, Fang Xiaocao abruptly stood up and pped Su Wanqing¡¯s hand away. ¡°Han Xue, what exactly are you up to?¡± Fang Xiaocao looked at Han Xue and asked sternly. Knowing that Han Xue was up to no good and could have caught some unsavory disease, Fang Xiaocao could not bear to watch Su Wanqing drink from the same ss that Han Xue had. So, she simply tore off the mask and confronted Han Xue openly. Since ¡°Hot Noodles¡± could still send her messages to warn her, it meant that her life was not in immediate danger. Moreover, Song Lin, Wang Qiang, and Zhi Qi were all on their way; one of them was bound to arrive soon. That was Fang Xiaocao¡¯s trump card; she was fearless. ¡°Heh heh¡­¡± ¡°Looks like you¡¯ve figured it out.¡± Han Xue said with augh. ¡°I¡¯m not blind. How could I not see it?¡± ¡°Wen Shi¡¯s face is so red, and it¡¯s obviously not from drinking too much.¡± ¡°The footprints on Luoshu¡¯s body and the blood at the corner of her mouth, that couldn¡¯t all be from a fall, could it?¡± Fang Xiaocao clenched her pepper spray and shielded both Su Wanqing and Yun Luoshu behind her. ¡°Heh heh heh¡­¡± ¡°Xiaocao, you really are smart.¡± Han Xue said, chuckling. ¡°p p p~¡± As she spoke, Han Xue pped her hands. The crisp sound of pping echoed through the private room. ¡°Click!¡± The door to private room 403 was pushed open, and the chief of security entered with several guards in tow. ¡°Sister Han!¡± The chief of security greeted Han Xue with a smile. Seeing the group of security guards burst into the room, Fang Xiaocao instantly gripped her pepper spray tightly. ¡°Grab them and pour this bottle of wine into their mouths.¡± ¡°Remember, not a single drop can be spilled!¡± ¡°Once they have drunk the wine, they are yours.¡± Saying this, Han Xue grabbed a bottle of wine, spat into it, and coldly smiled at Fang Xiaocao. The chief of security was momentarily stunned by Han Xue¡¯s action. ¡°What kind of weird fetish is this?¡± The chief of security wondered to himself. ¡°Heh heh¡­¡± ¡°Once they drink the wine, my revenge will beplete.¡± Han Xue nced covertly at the chief of security. Chapter 34: A Miracle Weapon Descends from the Sky Chapter 34: Chapter 34: A Miracle Weapon Descends from the Sky Han Xue stealthily nced at the security captain¡¯s icy stare, making Fang Xiaocao¡¯s heart tremble with fear. Fang Xiaocao¡¯s first thought was that Han Xue was plotting to kill someone by using another¡¯s hand ¨C this woman was too malicious. ¡°Han Xue, oh Han Xue, you are so vicious.¡± Fang Xiaocao muttered to herself. By now, Fang Xiaocao was certain that Han Xue definitely had some terrifying contagious disease. Looking at the security captain approaching step by step, bottle in hand, Fang Xiaocao¡¯s heart sank. This alcohol absolutely must not be drunk. But how to escape became a difficult problem. Fang Xiaocao¡¯s mind raced as she looked at Han Xue. Suddenly, Fang Xiaocao burst outughing. ¡°Hahaha¡­¡± Fang Xiaocaoughed so hard she couldn¡¯t catch her breath and ended up sprawling on the sofa. Her sudden action confused everyone, who stared nkly at Fang Xiaocao. Even Han Xue, who thought she had the upper hand, was stunned, unable to understand what Fang Xiaocao was up to. ¡°Oh no, Xiaocao hasn¡¯t been scared silly, has she?¡± Su Wanqing looked worriedly at Fang Xiaocao and muttered to herself. ¡°What are youughing at?¡± Han Xue asked, puzzled. ¡°I¡¯mughing at you,ughing at him!¡± Fang Xiaocao leaned on the sofa, stillughing as she spoke. At this, Han Xue was taken aback. The security captain, looking utterly confused, stared at Fang Xiaocao. ¡°Laughing at me?¡± ¡°What about me?¡± Before Han Xue could ask, the security captain already asked, puzzled. ¡°I¡¯mughing at how someone is using you as a pawn, and you don¡¯t even realize it.¡± ¡°Moreover¡­¡± ¡°Shut up, force that drink down her throat!¡± Fang Xiaocao hadn¡¯t finished speaking when Han Xue¡¯s face drastically changed, and she screamed sharply. ¡°Alrighty, boys, get to work!¡± The security captain cheerfully agreed. With a recorder in his hand, the security captain felt confident, unafraid of any tricks Han Xue might y. It would juste down to a fight to the death if need be. ¡°Dammit, can¡¯t you let me finish talking?¡± Fang Xiaocao muttered to herself and jumped up from the sofa, already ready to defend herself with her anti-wolf spray, which she immediately fired. ¡°Ah¡­¡± The two security guards in the front instantly got sprayed, screaming as they covered their faces and kept retreating. ¡°Wait, I still have something to say.¡± Fang Xiaocao shouted. ¡°Wait my ass, guys, take her down,¡± The security captain cursed in rage. ¡°Han Xue is sick, she has a contagious disease!¡± Fang Xiaocao dodged a security guard¡¯s tackle and pointed at Han Xue as she shouted. Silence! Fang Xiaocao¡¯s words caused the entire room to fall silent. Everyone¡¯s expression was paused at that moment. The security guards looked at each other, turning their gaze toward their captain. The security captain dubiously looked at Han Xue. Su Wanqing and Yun Luoshu looked shocked. Seeing this, Fang Xiaocao breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°Good, it had the desired effect.¡± Fang Xiaocao murmured, feeling relieved. ¡°Don¡¯t listen to her, she¡¯s talking nonsense!¡± Han Xue, her expression fierce, screamed out. Her vulnerability exposed, Han Xue broke down. ¡°You¡¯d better exin yourself!¡± The security captain said sternly. The security captain, ring menacingly at Han Xue, seemed ready to strike at any word. The other security guards also looked pale. ¡°This woman is too ruthless, isn¡¯t she?¡± ¡°If it¡¯s true¡­¡± ¡°None of them would get away¡­¡± The security guards began to feel frightened. ¡°Hehehe~¡± Han Xue suddenly started to giggly sweetly. Her eyes seductive as silk as she looked at the security chief. ¡°Do you believe her?¡± Han Xue retorted. After the initial panic, Han Xue had regained herposure and resumed her charming demeanor. The sudden shift in Han Xue startled the security chief. Han Xue leaned back on the couch, her skirt naturally wrinkling up, leaving the security chief dry-mouthed. Running her fingers along her beautiful curves, Han Xue smiled coquettishly and asked, ¡°How long have you been with Brother Shen?¡± Stunned by Han Xue¡¯s question, the security chief just gazed dumbfoundedly at her, full of confusion. ¡°It¡¯s been eight years.¡± Watching the enchanting Han Xue, the security chief unconsciously swallowed his saliva and responded. ¡°Eight years, huh?¡± Han Xue¡¯s red lips parted slightly as she repeated. ¡°Since you¡¯ve been with Brother Shen for eight years, you must know his habits by now?¡± Han Xue stretchedzily, smiling as she asked. @@novelbin@@ Lost in vision of Han Xue¡¯s heart-stopping curves, the security chief¡¯s brain had ceased to function properly. Distracted by the splendid view, the security chief nodded subconsciously when he heard Han Xue¡¯s question. ¡°Do you think if I were sick, Brother Shen wouldn¡¯t notice?¡± Saying this, Han Xue took off her high heels and tossed them by the security chief¡¯s feet. The security chief picked up the high heels unconsciously. A greedy expression crossed his face, much like a dog relishing a bone given by its owner. ¡°So what are you waiting for?¡± Han Xue nced sideways at the security chief, giggling provocatively. ¡°Guys, move in!¡± The security chief yelled. Seduced into stupidity! If heroes struggle to resist a beauty¡¯s charm, what chances would a bear-like security chief have? With the security chief¡¯smand, the security squad, no longer hesitating and wearing sleazy smiles, pounced towards Fang Xiaocao and herpanions. Fang Xiaocao grabbed a pepper spray and sprayed wildly but in the chaos, she was kicked and curled up on the couch holding her stomach. Yun Luoshu lifted a beer bottle and smashed it hard on a security guard¡¯s head. The security guard screamed in pain, holding his head and squatting on the ground. Before she could strike again, she was tackled to the ground by two guards, and in the mayhem, it was unclear how many times she was groped. Su Wanqing, who had some training in women¡¯s self-defense techniques, was pinned down in one go, and her clothes were ripped open. The entire lounge was filled with the lecherous and disgustingughter of the security guards. Watching this scene, Han Xue¡¯s face bore a cold smirk as she picked up a ss of red wine and gently sipped it. ¡°Don¡¯t forget that bottle of wine!¡± Han Xue¡¯s red lips parted slightly as she spoke. Hearing this, the security chief picked up the wine bottle and walked towards Fang Xiaocao. ¡°Let¡¯s start with you.¡± The security chief said with a sinisterugh. As he spoke, he disregarded Fang Xiaocao¡¯s struggles, grabbed her cheeks, and was about to force-feed her the wine. ¡°Bang!¡± Just then, the lounge door was violently kicked open. Hearing the noise, everyone in the lounge turned their heads toward the door. A girl with short hair to her ears in a white slim-fit suit, looking dashing, stood at the door, her cold eyes scanning the people inside. As her gaze swept over Fang Xiaocao¡¯s pretty face, the corners of her lips slightly lifted, revealing a smile. Seeing the girl, a spark of light appeared in Fang Xiaocao¡¯s eyes. ¡°Zhi Qi¡ª¡± Fang Xiaocao softly called out. Zhi Qi had arrived! She really hade! Just like at the orphanage when she was bullied. Zhi Qi would always suddenly appear, like a superhero stepping on colorful clouds, driving away the bullies tormenting her. Tears sparkled in Fang Xiaocao¡¯s eyes. Behind Zhi Qi, stood a dozen guards in ck suits. The arrogant Shen Tao stood beside her, his face full of ttering smiles. ¡°Fight!¡± Zhi Qi parted her crimson lips and ordered. Her gaze was icy cold, frosty as ice. But when looking at Fang Xiaocao, there was a touch of tenderness. At hermand, the bodyguards moved in unison. They charged into the lounge like ferocious tigers and quickly knocked down the security guards scattered on the floor. Han Xue was dragged by a bodyguard, her long hair grasped as she was pulled down from the couch, kneeling on the floor. Before Shen Tao could speak, he was knocked down by a towering bodyguard with a kick. ¡°Do you think you have the right to speak in front of thedy?¡± The bodyguard said coldly, stepping on Shen Tao¡¯s face. Chapter 35 - 35 Strange Feeling Chapter 35: Chapter 35 Strange Feeling Zhi Qi elegantly walked towards Fang Xiaocao, who stared nkly at her long-unseen old friend. Seeing the dazed look on Fang Xiaocao¡¯s face, Zhi Qi¡¯s lips curved upward, revealing a charming smile. Zhi Qi offered her fair, delicate hand to Fang Xiaocao. Fang Xiaocao nkly ced her own hand into Zhi Qi¡¯s palm. Zhi Qi gently exerted force, pulling Fang Xiaocao up from the floor and into her embrace. ¡°Are you alright?¡± Zhi Qi asked softly, looking down at Fang Xiaocao. Her cool voice was like a clear spring. Fang Xiaocao snapped back to reality and, realizing she was nestled in Zhi Qi¡¯s arms, her pretty face instantly turned red. ¡°I¡¯m fine¡­¡± ¡°Thank goodness you arrived on time¡­¡± Fang Xiaocao whispered. Curled up in Zhi Qi¡¯s arms, Fang Xiaocao felt an inexplicable sense of security. It was just like the old times at the orphanage, when only by squeezing into the same small bed with Zhi Qi could she sleep soundly during thunderstorms. Fang Xiaocao felt her face getting hotter, and even though they were both girls, she still felt a bit shy. Fang Xiaocao struggled out from Zhi Qi¡¯s embrace and, blinking curiously, surveyed her from head to toe. Having not seen her for a while, the guy had gotten even more handsome. That¡¯s right, handsome! Fang Xiaocao hadn¡¯t chosen the wrong adjective. Zhi Qi had always been handsome, from childhood to adulthood. Ever since the day Fang Xiaocao met her, she had always dressed like a little boy. Even now that she was grown up, she hadn¡¯t changed this androgynous dressing style. Fang Xiaocao once curiously asked Zhi Qi why she liked wearing boys¡¯ clothes. Zhi Qi smiled, pinching Fang Xiaocao¡¯s chubby baby-face, and said, ¡°This way I can protect myself, protect Xiaocao.¡± Zhi Qi¡¯s indulgent expression left an indelible impression on the young Fang Xiaocao. Even now, Fang Xiaocao had a strange delusion about Zhi Qi. Although they were good sisters, Fang Xiaocao would subconsciously treat Zhi Qi as a big brother. Zhi Qi¡¯s gaze swept over Fang Xiaocao¡¯s disheveled clothes, and her expression suddenly darkened, ayer of frost covering her beautiful face. Turning her head towards the security guards sprawled on the ground, her gaze grew icy. Her rosy lips parted slightly, and she uttered in her cool voice, ¡°Hit them!¡± ¡°The Zhi Family will cover the medical expenses.¡± Zhi Qi took off the white suit jacket she was wearing and casually draped it over Fang Xiaocao. Upon hearing the order, the bodyguards immediately took action. In no time, the private room filled with¡­ ¡­the muffled sound of fists hitting flesh and the screams of the security guards. ¡°Is that woman Han Xue?¡± Zhi Qi asked indifferently, looking at Han Xue. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s her.¡± Fang Xiaocao meekly nodded in confirmation. Zhi Qi¡¯s expression turned icy as she gave the bodyguard holding Han Xue a look. Understanding instantly, the bodyguard¡¯s palm swung in a full circle and delivered a resounding p to Han Xue. Han Xue staggered, her fair and pretty face swiftly swelling red. The bodyguard looked towards Zhi Qi, waiting for further orders. Zhi Qi coldly watched Han Xue, her eyes filled with boundless indifference and uttered curtly, ¡°Continue!¡± The bodyguard nodded and raised his hand again, giving Han Xue two more resounding ps. A trail of blood ran from the corner of Han Xue¡¯s mouth. ¡°Be careful, she has a contagious disease.¡± Seeing Han Xue bleeding, Fang Xiaocao hurriedly spoke up with a warning. Hearing Fang Xiaocao¡¯s words, Zhi Qi¡¯s gaze sharpened. ¡°You weren¡¯t hurt by her, were you?¡± Zhi Qi asked with concern. ¡°No~¡± Fang Xiaocao shook her head. ¡°That¡¯s good!¡± Relieved, Zhi Qi let out a sigh. ¡°Put on protective gear before continuing.¡± Zhi Qi said coldly. ¡°After you¡¯re done, go to the hospital for a check-up.¡± With that, Zhi Qi took Fang Xiaocao¡¯s hand and started walking towards the exit of the private room. ¡°Hey, hey, hey, my friends~¡± Fang Xiaocao called out. Zhi Qi hesitated for a moment and nced over. ¡°Bring those three with us.¡± She said indifferently to the bodyguards at the door. The bodyguards nodded; one of them carried Wen Shi in a princess carry, while the other two supported Su Wanqing and Yun Luoshu, following behind Zhi Qi and Fang Xiaocao as they left the private room. Zhi Qi led Fang Xiaocao out of the private room, and at that moment, the screams from inside became even more shrill, pitching up more than an octave. Fang Xiaocao shivered, her heart pounding wildly. ¡°Umm¡­¡± ¡°I called the cops, but is that really okay?¡± Fang Xiaocao pointed weakly at the room. ¡°It¡¯s fine, they¡¯ll handle it.¡± With a mischievous grin, Zhi Qi ruffled Fang Xiaocao¡¯s hair and chuckled. In an instant, Fang Xiaocao¡¯s hairstyle transformed into a disorderly nest of strands. ¡°Giggle~¡± Looking at her handiwork, Zhi Qiughed happily. @@novelbin@@ ¡°Hmph, how annoying~¡± Fang Xiaocao glowered at Zhi Qi, feigning annoyance. Zhi Qi seemed unfazed, almost enjoying Fang Xiaocao¡¯s yful indignation. ¡°Let¡¯s get going.¡± After teasing Fang Xiaocao a bit more, Zhi Qi said with augh. Fang Xiaocao nodded and let Zhi Qi lead her by the hand down the stairs. Just as they reached the bottom of the KTV, they ran into Wang Qiang. ¡°Officer Wang!¡± Fang Xiaocao greeted him. ¡°Xiaocao, are you alright?¡± Wang Qiang asked with concern. ¡°I¡¯m fine, it¡¯s a good thing Zhi Qi arrived in time.¡± Fang Xiaocao shook her head and replied. Hearing this, Wang Qiang turned to look at Zhi Qi. Zhi Qi politely nodded his head. ¡°What about Han Xue?¡± Wang Qiang asked in a deep voice. ¡°Han Xue¡­¡± Fang Xiaocao hesitated, then looked at Zhi Qi with difficulty. Fang Xiaocao wanted to answer, but it was difficult to do so. She couldn¡¯t exactly tell Wang Qiang that Han Xue and her group were being beaten up upstairs¡­ ¡°Everyone is in room 403 upstairs. My bodyguards have subdued all those with ill intentions. There was some resistance, so they had to use force. If there¡¯s a need to assist with the investigation, mywyer will follow up,¡± Zhi Qi said with a smile, taking Fang Xiaocao¡¯s hand and speaking to Wang Qiang. ¡°Alright, we¡¯re heading up now.¡± Wang Qiang nodded and, with a wave of his hand, led the three colleagues who had arrived with him upstairs. ¡°Let¡¯s go, I¡¯ll take you home,¡± Zhi Qi said with a smile. ¡°That doesn¡¯t seem right¡­¡± Fang Xiaocao looked upstairs, her voice timid. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, mywyer will take care of it,¡± Zhi Qi said with a reassuring smile. ¡°It¡¯s not that¡­¡± ¡°We four are the victims here!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t we have to make a statement?¡± Fang Xiaocao pointed out helplessly. ¡°Probably not¡­¡± Zhi Qi blinked, suggesting. ¡°Don¡¯t give me that~¡± Fang Xiaocao rolled her eyes and scolded yfully. ¡°If you¡¯re busy, you can go ahead. I have my own car. After the statement, we¡¯ll head home on our own,¡± Fang Xiaocao told Zhi Qi. ¡°This¡­¡± Zhi Qi hesitated. ¡°Miss, you also have a dinner engagement to attend,¡± the bodyguard whispered a reminder. Hearing the bodyguard¡¯s words, Zhi Qi shot an annoyed nce at him. ¡°Okay, okay~¡± ¡°Go ahead~¡± ¡°I¡¯ll treat you to some spicy hotpot when we have time~¡± Fang Xiaocao pushed Zhi Qi towards the door, using her head. ¡°Hey hey hey, okay, okay, stop pushing. I¡¯m going,¡± Zhi Qi said resignedly. ¡°How about this, I¡¯ll leave a few bodyguards with you to sort this out. Once it¡¯s done, they can head home,¡± Zhi Qi proposed, pressing down on Fang Xiaocao¡¯s head and speaking softly. Chapter 36 - 36 All are kept in the hospital for observation! Chapter 36: Chapter 36 All are kept in the hospital for observation! ¡°Fine, fine, fine, the bodyguard can stay, but you need to leave immediately,¡± Fang Xiaocao said with a grin. Zhi Qi rolled her eyes at Fang Xiaocao and waved her hand before getting into the Rolls-Royce Phantom that the bodyguard had driven over. As Zhi Qi drove off into the distance, Fang Xiaocao picked up her phone and tried to send a message to Hot Noodles. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Fang Xiaocao edited the message and hit send. Her own troubles were over, since Zhi Qi had arrived in time and she hadn¡¯t been hurt, she figured Hot Noodles should be fine too. Fang Xiaocao spected in her mind as she waited for a response from Hot Noodles. Message sent! Seeing the ¡°Message sent¡± notification, Fang Xiaocao let out a sigh of relief. Finally, it wasn¡¯t a case of the contact not existing anymore! Ding Dong! Soon, her phone¡¯s notification sound chimed. Yue Yu hurried to check the message. [Hot Noodles: Miss, can you please stop causing trouble?] [Hot Noodles: If you keep this up, I¡¯m going to die!] Hot Noodles had sent two messages in a row. ¡°Hehe, I was just anxious to save someone~¡± Fang Xiaocao replied with a message, including an ¡°I¡¯m wrong¡± sticker. Seeing the messages from Hot Noodles, Fang Xiaocao knew that nothing must have happened to him. If something had, Hot Noodles would definitely have cursed her out. [Hot Noodles: You were ying the hero to save someone, while I ended up in deep trouble.] Hot Noodles continued toin, condemning Fang Xiaocao¡¯s acts of individual heroism. ¡°Alright, alright, I know I was wrong,¡± Fang Xiaocao quickly said, lowering her stance and admitting her mistake. [Hot Noodles: You¡¯re forgiven, but today, after Zhi Qi showed up, I thought of something. You deal with these issues first, then I¡¯ll go check some news magazines.] Fang Xiaocao was startled by Hot Noodles¡¯ message. ¡°Zhi Qi?¡± ¡°What about Zhi Qi?¡± Fang Xiaocao murmured to herself with growing suspicion. ¡°What about Zhi Qi?¡± Fang Xiaocao typed, seeking rification. Yet the message sank into the sea without a response from Hot Noodles. A mor echoed from the lift area. Fang Xiaocao turned towards the noise and saw Wang Qiang and several colleagues escorting Shen Tao, Han Xue, and a group of security guards out of the elevator. As they walked past Fang Xiaocao, both Shen Tao and Han Xue red at her with resentful eyes. Fang Xiaocao instinctively stepped back, fearing Han Xue might make a desperate move and lunge to bite her. Seeing Fang Xiaocao¡¯s reaction, the bodyguard who had been with Zhi Qi and had stomped on Shen Tao¡¯s face immediately stepped forward to shield her, staring coldly at Shen Tao and Han Xue. ¡°Behave!¡± Themotion caught Wang Qiang¡¯s attention, and he sharply rebuked them. ¡°Get them into the car!¡± Wang Qiang instructed the colleagues escorting the duo. @@novelbin@@ ¡°Yes, team leader!¡± The two colleagues acknowledged and forced Shen Tao and Han Xue into the vehicle. ¡°Xiaocao, you¡¯ll need toe with me to the station to make a statement,¡± Wang Qiang told Fang Xiaocao. ¡°Okay,¡± Fang Xiaocao replied softly. ¡°Is this youngdy alright?¡± Wang Qiang asked, looking at Wen Shi being held. ¡°Wen Shi seems to have been drugged,¡± Fang Xiaocao said, concerned. ¡°Is anyone else injured?¡± Wang Qiang asked with a furrowed brow and a grave tone. ¡°Yun Luoshu resisted and got hit by the security guard.¡± ¡°I got kicked.¡± ¡°Su Wanqing was also tackled.¡± Fang Xiaocao answered truthfully. ¡°In that case, I will send a colleague with you to the hospital first for aprehensive examination.¡± ¡°If there are any injuries, we will appraise them.¡± Upon hearing this, Wang Qiang said in a deep voice. ¡°Alright.¡± Fang Xiaocao nodded in agreement. ¡°You all head to the hospital; I¡¯ll take these guys back to the station first.¡± After saying that, Wang Qiang got directly into the police car. After Wang Qiang and his team left, Fang Xiaocao and the rest of the group got into Zhi Qi¡¯s bodyguard¡¯s car and headed straight to the hospital. Once at the hospital, before Fang Xiaocao had the chance to exin the situation, the bodyguard who stepped on Shen Tao¡¯s face had already found the hospital¡¯s duty leader and arranged a full range of examinations for the four of them. In an empty department, with just one phone call, they summoned the department¡¯s best doctor toe back for overtime work; even the hospital director rushed over. Seeing this, Fang Xiaocao couldn¡¯t help but sigh, ¡°The Zhi Family¡¯s influence really does work wonders.¡± Even the hospital director had toe over to apany them for their examinations. Everything was handled as a special case to get the fastest results. What would take an ordinary person a whole day to check, the four of thempleted in just one hour. At the end of the examination, without a word from Fang Xiaocao, the bodyguard and the hospital director arranged everything directly. ¡°Wen Shi, Yun Luoshu, stay in the hospital for observation.¡± ¡°They were given a certificate that was neither too big nor too small.¡± ¡°Enough to hold those security guards responsible.¡± The hospital director came over with the examination results and spoke to the bodyguard. Hearing the director¡¯s arrangement, the bodyguard was clearly not satisfied and said, ¡°What about these two?¡± As the bodyguard spoke, the director was taken aback. Then he quickly understood what the bodyguard meant, picked up the examination results of Fang Xiaocao and Su Wanqing, and began to read them seriously. When he saw on Su Wanqing¡¯s results that there was a minor collision with some swelling on her head, his eyes lit up. ¡°Su Wanqing fell and hit her head, minor concussion; shall I write up a certificate for minor concussion and keep her for observation?¡± The hospital director asked, all smiles. The bodyguard nodded and said, ¡°Okay!¡± ¡°And Miss Fang?¡± The bodyguard nced at Fang Xiaocao and asked. ¡°Miss Fang¡­¡± Looking at Fang Xiaocao¡¯s examination results, the director really couldn¡¯t find any margin to leverage and looked at the bodyguard with a worried frown. ¡°Just write internal bleeding, keep for observation,¡± the bodyguard said in a grave voice. The director nodded and immediately followed suit. Once everything was settled, the four of them were pushed into the same hospital room under the director¡¯s arrangements. The bodyguard took the hospital¡¯s examination reports and left the hospital, joining Wang Qiang¡¯s colleague to head to the city police station. ¡°Xiaocao, that Miss Zhi is so cool.¡± Back in the hospital room, Su Wanqing said with augh. ¡°Seriously, just her bodyguard alone can order around the hospital director, it¡¯s just too cool.¡± Su Wanqing went on and on, as if she was talking not about Zhi Qi but about herself. ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°Is it really okay for us to do this?¡± Yun Luoshu hesitated before speaking. ¡°It¡¯s fine, we have the hospital¡¯s certification,¡± said Fang Xiaocao softly. ¡°That¡¯s good¡­¡± Yun Luoshu spoke with a worried expression. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, since the bodyguard and the director dared to arrange it like this, they must be sure of what they¡¯re doing,¡± Su Wanqing waved her hand carelessly and said. ¡°Yeah, Husky¡¯s right,¡± Fang Xiaocao nodded and chimed in. ¡°Fang Xiaocao!¡± ¡°If you dare to call me Husky again, I¡¯ll bite you to death,¡± Su Wanqing exploded the moment she heard Fang Xiaocao refer to her as Husky, shouting loudly. ¡°Whoa, whoa, calm down.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t forget, you¡¯ve got a concussion right now!¡± Seeing that Su Wanqing was about to pounce, Fang Xiaocao quickly reminded her. Chapter 37: In the Hospital, Don鈥檛 Cover Your Head for No Reason Chapter 37: Chapter 37: In the Hospital, Don¡¯t Cover Your Head for No Reason Hearing Fang Xiaocao¡¯s words, Su Wanqing paused, blinked, andy back down on the hospital bed. ¡°Ouch~¡± ¡°My head feels so dizzy~¡± Su Wanqing called out weakly. ¡°Hey~¡± ¡°The other side withdraws a Vicious Dog Pounce!¡± Fang Xiaocao said with a giggly smile. Upon hearing this, Su Wanqing turned her head and fiercely red at Fang Xiaocao. Fang Xiaocao blinked and pointed at the medical record on the bedside table. Su Wanqing: ¡­ ¡°Fang Xiaocao, you just wait!¡± Su Wanqing threatened fiercely. ¡°Lla~¡± Fang Xiaocao stuck out her tongue mischievously. Fang Xiaocao¡¯s arrogant behavior infuriated Su Wanqing, who rolled her eyes. However, the hospital director had juste by to instruct them. He said the police woulde at any time to take statements and told them to honestly lie in bed and look the part. Seeing Su Wanqing¡¯s furious expression, Fang Xiaocao raised her eyebrows smugly. She reached out to Su Wanqing and curled her finger. ¡°Come over here~¡± Fang Xiaocao mimicked the annoying tone of Uncle Teng from the movies, shouting at Su Wanqing. Su Wanqing red at Fang Xiaocao, her teeth clenching with a ¡°crack.¡± Seeing this, Fang Xiaocao grinned. ¡°Damn it, the Husky is panicking.¡± Fang Xiaocao muttered to herself and decisively raised her hands in a surrender gesture. ¡°No more trouble, I surrender!¡± Fang Xiaocao said with a smile. ¡°Humph~¡± Su Wanqing snorted haughtily. ¡°Click~¡± Just then, the door to the ward was pushed open. Fang Xiaocao and Su Wanqing immediatelyy stiffly down, quickly covering their heads with a nket. ¡°What the heck?¡± ¡°Did I enter the wrong room?¡± A man¡¯s surprised exmation came from the doorway. ¡°Nurse, nurse~¡± The person shouted loudly. ¡°Sir, this is a hospital ward, please do not speak loudly.¡± Soon after, a nurse¡¯s dissatisfied voice could be heard from the doorway. ¡°No¡­¡± ¡°Why are the people inside covered up?¡± The man spoke incoherently. ¡°What?¡± The nurse¡¯s voice rose noticeably louder. Followed immediately by frantic footsteps. Several people rushed into the ward. ¡°Mother?¡± ¡°What¡¯s happening, Xiaoli, check quickly.¡± A woman¡¯s anxious voice came through. The next second, Fang Xiaocao¡¯s nket was pulled off. The nurse¡¯s anxious face and Fang Xiaocao¡¯s ring eyes met. ¡°Mother~¡± @@novelbin@@ The nurse screamed in fright. Fang Xiaocao blinked and thought to herself, ¡°It seems I¡¯ve caused trouble¡­¡± ¡°Whew~¡± ¡°That scared me to death¡­¡± The nurse sighed in relief and patted her chest. ¡°Don¡¯t cover your head with nkets, it¡¯s really frightening.¡± The nurse scolded unhappily. Fang Xiaocao stuck out her tongue and sheepishly smiled at the nurse. ¡°You still know how to have fun¡­¡± A familiar voice came from the side. Fang Xiaocao turned her head, and it was actually Wang Qiang. No wonder that earlier exmation sounded so familiar; it had been made by Wang Qiang. ¡°Hehe, Officer Wang.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t scare you, did I?¡± Fang Xiaocao asked sheepishly. ¡°Actually, it did startle me for a moment.¡± ¡°I thought your conditions had suddenly worsened, and you were gone.¡± Wang Qiang said with a wry smile. ¡°How are you feeling?¡± Wang Qiang sat on the stool, asking with a smile. ¡°I feel okay, just a stomachache.¡± ¡°The doctor suspects internal bleeding and has asked me to stay at the hospital for observation.¡± Fang Xiaocao answered straight from the director¡¯s instruction. ¡°Just take good care of yourself, cooperate with the hospital treatment, and all expenses will be covered by Shen Tao¡¯s KTV, and we¡¯ll make a written record,¡± Wang Qiang took out his notebook and said. ¡°Okay!¡± Fang Xiaocao nodded and agreed with a smile. Fang Xiaocao exined the whole story to Wang Qiang, only omitting the warning from Hot Noodles and iming she had made preparations and called the police after noticing something in a video. As she spoke, she forwarded all the chat logs and videos to Wang Qiang. Wang Qiang nodded and saved the chat records. ¡°You rest now.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take down their statements too.¡± Wang Qiang stood up and sat down in front of Su Wanqing¡¯s hospital bed. ¡°How are you feeling?¡± Wang Qiang asked with a smile. ¡°Ah~¡± ¡°Officer Wang, I¡¯m feeling dizzy~¡± ¡°The doctor said it¡¯s a concussion~¡± Su Wanqing, acting like she was possessed by a drama queen, said weakly. ¡°Can you give a statement?¡± Wang Qiang frowned and asked. ¡°I can~¡± Su Wanqing replied. Next, in the detailed dramatization by Su Wanqing, she recounted how Han Xue lured them out, how they were coaxed into drinking at the KTV, how they found out Wen Shi had been drugged when they returned from the restroom, until Han Xue turned hostile, called the security to beat Yun Luoshu, and threatened Su Wanqing to cooperate with Han Xue and record a video for Fang Xiaocao, spicing up the entire story. Wang Qiang noted everything down, then turned to Yun Luoshu. ¡°Youngdy, how are your injuries?¡± Wang Qiang asked. ¡°Concussion, multiple bruises from the beatings, and a cracked rib,¡± Yun Luoshu answered in a low voice. ¡°Hmm, your injuries are the most severe.¡± Wang Qiang nodded and said. ¡°Can you make a statement?¡± Wang Qiang asked. ¡°Yes!¡± Yun Luoshu nodded and said. Yun Luoshu¡¯s statement was simr to Su Wanqing¡¯s, only with the addition of her own experiences of being beaten up by the security guards twice. ¡°Alright, the statements are all taken down.¡± ¡°You all rest well, I will be on my way.¡± Wang Qiang packed up his notebook, stood up, and said. ¡°Officer Wang, we haven¡¯t taken down Wen Shi¡¯s statement yet.¡± Su Wanqing reminded him. ¡°We¡¯ll have to supplement Wen Shi¡¯ster,¡± ¡°Looking at her condition, it will be a while before she wakes up.¡± ¡°And, she might not even know what happened,¡± Wang Qiang said with augh. ¡°The three statements we have are enough,¡± Wang Qiang said, waved at Fang Xiaocao, and walked out of the hospital room. ¡°Whew~¡± After Wang Qiang left, Fang Xiaocao and the others all heaved a sigh of relief simultaneously. ¡°Hungry, want to order some skewers?¡± Su Wanqing proposed. At this, Fang Xiaocao rolled her eyes. ¡°We¡¯re patients, huh?¡± ¡°How can we eat something so greasy?¡± Fang Xiaocao said helplessly. ¡°Patients, my foot, except for Luoshu who got some external injuries, the three of us are perfectly fine,¡± Su Wanqing pouted and said. Hearing that, Fang Xiaocao was left speechless. ¡°I¡¯ll order some takeout~¡± Su Wanqing sat up briskly from the bed, grabbed her phone, and started ordering. [Ding-dong!] Shortly after, Fang Xiaocao¡¯s phone rang. Fang Xiaocao was startled, picked up her phone, and checked it. ¡°Su Wanqing, you¡¯ve gone too far!¡± ¡°Why am I the one paying for the takeout you ordered?¡± Staring at the words ¡°Friend¡¯s payment,¡± Fang Xiaocao shouted at Su Wanqing. ¡°Can¡¯t help it, who told you to be a rich girl?¡± Su Wanqing sat cross-legged on the hospital bed, shrugged her shoulders, and said with augh. Hearing this, Fang Xiaocao fell silent. Once again, Su Wanqing struck a nerve, leaving Fang Xiaocao speechless. In their dorm, they really did have this rule. When ordering takeout together, the one with the most money pays. When they lived in the dormitory, Fang Xiaocao had never spent a cent on takeout; it was always Su Wanqing and Yun Luoshu taking turns treating her. ¡°Alright¡­¡± Fang Xiaocao agreed reluctantly and proceeded to pay. The next second, Fang Xiaocao was stunned again. Chapter 38: A Single Takeout Order for Six Thousand? Chapter 38: Chapter 38: A Single Takeout Order for Six Thousand? ¡°Husky, were you born in the year of the pig?¡± Fang Xiaocao screamed while holding her phone. The phone screen was stuck on the payment page. Amount payable: 6389 yuan! Seeing this figure, Fang Xiaocao could hardly ept it. Four girls, eating barbecue, spending 6389? ¡°Could it be that we¡¯ve been ripped off?¡± That was Fang Xiaocao¡¯s first reaction. However, once Fang Xiaocao pulled up the bill, she instantly went numb. The restaurant¡¯s charges were reasonable. Even cheaper than eating in the restaurant. The reason for such a high price was entirely because Su Wanqing¡¯s order was a bit over the top. At the top of the bill, the listed drinks made Fang Xiaocao¡¯s blood pressure skyrocket. Drinks: Feitian wine x 2 bottles¡ª5888 yuan! Hearing Fang Xiaocao¡¯s roar, Su Wanqing guiltily stuck out her tongue and, with a ¡°slip¡± sound, burrowed into the bedding. ¡°Husky,e tell me.¡± ¡°What¡¯s up with this wine?¡± Fang Xiaocao asked, fuming. ¡°I¡¯ve never tried it before~¡± ¡°Just wanted to taste~¡± Su Wanqing replied in a muffled voice from under the nkets. ¡°Ridiculous!¡± Fang Xiaocao rolled her eyes and spat out a word. Su Wanqing¡¯s response earned full marks from Fang Xiaocao. Never tasted it¡­ Ordered two bottles of Feitian to try¡­ Hearing Fang Xiaocao¡¯s words, Yun Luoshu nced curiously and, upon seeing the 5888 yuan for drinks, was instantly baffled. Enduring the pain in his body, Yun Luoshu crawled out of his hospital bed and moved closer to Fang Xiaocao, curious to see what else Su Wanqing had ordered. After seeing it, Yun Luoshu fell silent. Silently, he gave Su Wanqing a thumbs up. ¡°Sis, I salute you!¡± Yun Luoshu muttered to himself before crawling back into his own hospital bed. ¡°Fight it out, it¡¯s not worth getting beaten up for nothing.¡± Yun Luoshu murmured. Seeing Su Wanqing curled up on the bed, pretending to be an ostrich, Fang Xiaocao really wanted to sell her as ostrich meat. After refusing to pay the bill, Fang Xiaocao started to order food. ¡°Order ced, it will be delivered soon.¡± Fang Xiaocao put down her phone and said. Before Fang Xiaocao had finished speaking, Su Wanqing ¡°wooshed¡± straight up from the bed, as if resurrected. ¡°Where¡¯s the wine?¡± Su Wanqing asked with wide eyes. Fang Xiaocao red at Su Wanqing, face all tiger-like, and remained silent. Seeing Fang Xiaocao¡¯s expression, Su Wanqing immediately shrank back. ¡°If we¡¯re not drinking, we¡¯re not drinking~¡± Su Wanqing said, sounding aggrieved. ¡°Hmph!¡± Fang Xiaocao huffed. Half an hourter! ¡°Thump thump thump~¡± The door to the hospital room was knocked. ¡°Go get the food!¡± Fang Xiaocao said looking at Su Wanqing. ¡°Sure thing~¡± Su Wanqing put on her slippers and scurried to open the door. ¡°Come on, time to eat~¡± Su Wanqing called out carrying the food. ¡°Keep it down, this is a hospital!¡± Fang Xiaocao reminded her resignedly. Su Wanqing stuck out her tongue and began distributing the takeout. After eating their fill, Su Wanqing went to throw out the trash, while Fang Xiaocao and Yun Luoshuy in their hospital beds, chatting desultorily. This was hardly a hospital stay; it was more like a vacation. [Ding dong!] Suddenly, Fang Xiaocao¡¯s phone rang. Fang Xiaocao was startled for a moment, then picked up her phone to look. It was a message on WeChat! Fang Xiaocao blinked and unlocked her screen. [Hot Noodles: Wanqing has been kidnapped, run!] Upon seeing the cautious message from Hot Noodles, Fang Xiaocao ¡°whooshed¡± up from the hospital bed. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Who kidnapped Wanqing?¡± Fang Xiaocao hurriedly sent a message to ask. [Hot Noodles: No time, take Yun Luoshu and Wen Shi and run!] Hot Noodles didn¡¯t exin but kept urging Fang Xiaocao to run. Fang Xiaocao was stunned, then quickly put on her slippers while shouting, ¡°Luoshu, something¡¯s happened, hurry and take Wen Shi, we need to hide.¡± The continuous prompts from Hot Noodles instilled a sense of urgency in Fang Xiaocao. Knowing Hot Noodles¡¯s personality, he would have chatted a bit and exined the reasons if it wasn¡¯t extremely urgent. Not exining now meant there was a reason. Hearing Fang Xiaocao¡¯s shouts, Yun Luoshu was startled, then looked dumbfounded at Fang Xiaocao. ¡°Stop acting cute, start moving!¡± Seeing Yun Luoshu still acting cute, Fang Xiaocao shouted impatiently. Seeing Fang Xiaocao¡¯s serious expression was not one of jest, Yun Luoshu immediately jumped off the hospital bed, aggravating her wound and grimacing in pain. Supporting the still unconscious Wen Shi, Fang Xiaocao and Yun Luoshu, each supporting one arm, hurried out the door. ¡°Which way?¡± Fang Xiaocao held her phone and sent a message to Hot Noodles. [Hot Noodles: Head upstairs.] [Hot Noodles: Take the stairs, they came up by elevator.] ¡°They?¡± Seeing the content of the message, Fang Xiaocao was struck by a thought. ¡°Hot Noodles used ¡®she¡¯, not ¡®he¡¯.¡± ¡°That means the person who kidnapped Wanqing, is likely a woman.¡± Fang Xiaocao analyzed the limited information in her mind. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s take the stairs upstairs.¡± Fang Xiaocao pocketed her phone and told Yun Luoshu. Yun Luoshu nodded and immediately followed Fang Xiaocao into the stairwell. Although not knowing what had happened, Yun Luoshu trusted Fang Xiaocaopletely, hence she didn¡¯t ask the reason. The two, supporting a woozy Wen Shi, climbed one flight of stairs to the floor above. Suddenly, Yun Luoshu¡¯s steps halted. Herrge frame acted like a stabilizing force, immobilizing Fang Xiaocao. Yun Luoshu stopped, almost causing Fang Xiaocao to fall. ¡°Luoshu, why have you stopped?¡± Fang Xiaocao asked, perplexed. ¡°Wanqing!¡± ¡°We forgot Wanqing!¡± Yun Luoshu said with great agitation. ¡°We didn¡¯t forget, let¡¯s first get Wen Shi to a safe ce, then go back for Tiger Girl,¡± Fang Xiaocao said in a low voice. ¡°Okay.¡± Yun Luoshu nodded in agreement. Fang Xiaocao looked around and felt that just going up one floor wasn¡¯t very safe. Not knowing who the enemy was, Fang Xiaocao felt it was better to be safe. Hearing Fang Xiaocao¡¯s words, Yun Luoshu nodded. The two, still supporting Wen Shi, climbed another floor. Fang Xiaocao looked around and quickly pushed open a nearby hospital room door. It was an empty room! ¡°Let¡¯s leave Wen Shi here,¡± Fang Xiaocao whispered to Yun Luoshu. Yun Luoshu nodded and helped Fang Xiaocao lift Wen Shi onto the hospital bed. ¡°Let¡¯s go back and see.¡± Having settled Wen Shi, Fang Xiaocao said. ¡°Okay.¡± @@novelbin@@ Yun Luoshu nodded in response. Fang Xiaocao and Yun Luoshu took the stairs down. Soon, they were back on their own hospital floor, hiding in the stairwell, and peeking through the ss of the stairwell door into the hallway. At that moment, the floor was crowded with many people. Most notably, the kidnapped Wanqing. And her kidnapper¡­ Han Xue! The kidnapper was Han Xue! Seeing Han Xue, Fang Xiaocao¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. Beside her, Yun Luoshu instinctively clenched her fists, ready to burst out to rescue Wanqing. Chapter 39 - 39 Shen Tao: I鈥檓 going to kill you Chapter 39: Chapter 39 Shen Tao: I¡¯m going to kill you Fang Xiaocao was quick to act, grabbing Yun Luoshu in a sh. She turned her head and red at Yun Luoshu. ¡°Don¡¯t be impulsive. Let¡¯s assess the situation first.¡± Fang Xiaocao whispered. Yun Luoshu nodded, and his tense muscles rxed. They peered through the ss quietly. There were many people in the hallway, and many of them were acquaintances. Han Xue was holding Su Wanqing hostage, blocking the entrance to the hospital room and confronting Wang Qiang. Next to Wang Qiang stood the young policewoman who had taken Fang Xiaocao¡¯s statementst time. Two detectives whom Fang Xiaocao had never seen before were holding Shen Tao at the back. It appeared as though Wang Qiang had brought people to escort Han Xue and Shen Tao to the hospital for a check-up, but Han Xue found an opportunity and took Su Wanqing hostage. Han Xue, with her relentless malice, was holding Su Wanqing hostage in the hospital room to seek revenge. Unfortunately for her, Yun Luoshu and Fang Xiaocao had already fled with Wen Shi, causing Han Xue to miss them. She tried to escape but was blocked by Wang Qiang and his men at the entrance of the room. ¡°Han Xue, don¡¯t be so stubborn!¡± ¡°Continuing to make mistakes will only worsen your crimes.¡± Wang Qiang shouted loudly at Han Xue. ¡°Han Xue you bitch, stop screwing me over!¡± Shen Tao, held by the two detectives, furiously red at Han Xue and cursed. ¡°Officer Wang, I had nothing to do with what this bitch did.¡± ¡°I was just messing with her. There¡¯s no rtionship between us. I didn¡¯t expect it to cause such a mess.¡± After yelling at Han Xue, Shen Tao shouted to Wang Qiang. ¡°Keep it down!¡± Hearing Shen Tao¡¯s coarse words, the two detectives furrowed their brows and scolded. Rebuked by the detectives, Shen Tao immediately shut his mouth. A wise man knows when to bow and when to stand tall; Shen Tao was no fool and understood this well. Moreover, what he did was not severe. He hadn¡¯t participated from the beginning to the end. At most, responsibility could be attributed tox management. Just a little mediation should clear his name. Shen Tao did not want to ruin himself because of Han Xue. Hearing Shen Tao¡¯s words, Han Xue red at him with a ferocious expression and cursed, ¡°Shen Tao, you bastard. It¡¯s all your fault. If I don¡¯t drag you down with me, I won¡¯t die in peace!¡± Han Xue¡¯s gritted teeth seemed like she would leap at him and bite him to death. ¡°Bitch, how did I ruin you?¡± ¡°Paying debts is only natural!¡± ¡°Damn it, offering yourself as payment was your idea. How can you me me?¡± Shen Tao was not a mild person, and upon hearing Han Xue trying to smear him, he immediately fought back and cleared his name. ¡°Shut up!¡± Seeing that Shen Tao was provoking Han Xue, Wang Qiang immediately turned his head and scolded. ¡°Gag him. Don¡¯t let him talk.¡± Wang Qiang told the two detectives holding Shen Tao. The detectives nodded, red at Shen Tao, and said in a stern voice, ¡°Dare to talk again, and we¡¯ll hold you responsible for obstructingw enforcement.¡± Hearing the detectives, Shen Tao immediately closed his mouth. Arguing with Han Xue and inviting trouble wasn¡¯t worth it. If she liked to sling mud, let her do it. With everything being about evidence, the worst-case scenario would be to hire awyer to counter-sue Han Xue for defamation and let thewyer handle it. ¡°Shen Tao, do you think that after sleeping with me, you got away free?¡± Suddenly, Han Xueughed sinisterly. Upon hearing this, Shen Tao red at Han Xue again. ¡°Bitch!¡± Shen Tao muttered under his breath. ¡°Hahaha¡­¡± ¡°Shen Tao, do you know why we came to the hospital?¡± Han Xueughed and asked. Upon hearing this, Wang Qiang nced at Shen Tao. The reason for the hospital check-up had not been disclosed to Shen Tao, as there was a fear that he might get agitated and do something out of line. Wang Qiang gave a look to the two detectives holding Shen Tao. The detectives acknowledged with a nod. They tightened their grip on Shen Tao¡¯s hand, exerting a bit more force secretly. ¡°Why?¡± Upon hearing this, Shen Tao was stunned and asked subconsciously. ¡°Hahaha¡ª¡± ¡°Why¡ª¡± ¡°Because you slept with me¡ª¡± Han Xueughed wildly. A mad expression, looking just like a lunatic. ¡°Shen Tao, do you know?¡± ¡°That old man, covered in diseases.¡± ¡°Your mother was forced by him, and she got infected too.¡± ¡°AIDS, syphilis, HPV, any contagious disease you can think of, not one was missed¡­¡± Han Xue blinked, smiling seductively. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for revenge against you, why do you think your mother would throw herself at you?¡± Han Xue chuckled. Upon hearing Han Xue¡¯s words, Shen Tao was stunned. Suddenly, Shen Tao¡¯s expression violently changed. ¡°Bitch, I¡¯ll kill you!¡± Shen Tao flew into a rage and charged towards Han Xue. The two criminal investigators holding him reacted quickly, and as soon as Shen Tao moved, they pinned him to the ground. ¡°Let me go, I¡¯m going to kill this bitch.¡± Shen Tao struggled violently, roaring angrily. ¡°Hahaha~¡± Watching Shen Tao¡¯s furious appearance, Han Xueughed arrogantly. ¡°Shen Tao, calm down.¡± ¡°These diseases, they¡¯re not incurable.¡± ¡°With your wealth, there¡¯s still hope.¡± Wang Qiang frowned, speaking solemnly. ¡°Officer Wang, let me go!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll kill this bitch for you.¡± Shen Tao screamed frantically. ¡°Shen Tao, calm down!¡± Wang Qiang frowned and scolded. ¡°Han Xue, what you just said has been fully recorded by thew enforcement recorder and will be used as evidence of your deliberate spread of infectious diseases!¡± Wang Qiang pointed at Han Xue, scolding harshly. ¡°Surrender now, release Su Wanqing, and we might consider it a voluntary surrender.¡± Wang Qiang said solemnly. ¡°Hehe~¡± ¡°Officer Wang, I¡¯m not going down alone.¡± Han Xue licked her lips, smiling slyly. As she spoke, she opened her red lips and hovered them around Su Wanqing¡¯s pale neck. It seemed she was searching for where to bite. ¡°Han Xue, don¡¯t be impulsive!¡± ¡°If you have any demands, you can make them!¡± Seeing this scene, Wang Qiang eximed in shock. ¡°Demands?¡± ¡°Bring Fang Xiaocao here, then I can talk to you.¡± @@novelbin@@ Han Xue said, smiling. From the beginning, Han Xue¡¯s target was Fang Xiaocao. Su Wanqing, Wen Shi, Yun Luoshu, they were just essories. ¡°That¡¯s impossible, we don¡¯t have the authority to ask Fang Xiaocao toe here and risk her life.¡± Wang Qiang said gravely. ¡°So there¡¯s no deal then?¡± Han Xue smiled seductively, her red lips inching closer to Su Wanqing¡¯s neck. ¡°Officer Wang, do you think if I bite down, could I break Su Wanqing¡¯s neck and transmit my viruses to her through my saliva?¡± Han Xue nced at Wang Qiang, smiling as she spoke. ¡°You¡­¡± Upon hearing Han Xue¡¯s words, Wang Qiang was speechless. If she managed to break the skin, Su Wanqing would be in great danger and highly likely to get infected. ¡°Han Xue, if you harm the hostage, things will change.¡± ¡°We will take forceful measures!¡± Wang Qiang tried to intimidate Han Xue, making her abandon her terrifying n. ¡°Oh?¡± ¡°Take forceful measures?¡± Upon hearing Wang Qiang¡¯s words, Han Xue chuckled yfully. ¡°Officer Wang, I am so scared~¡± Han Xue chuckled. ¡°What if I just kiss Su Wanqing?¡± ¡°A kiss shouldn¡¯t count as harming the hostage, right?¡± Han Xue chuckled. At these words, Su Wanqing¡¯s expression drastically changed. Chapter 40 - 40 Fang Xiaocao: I鈥檒l trade for her, do you agree? Chapter 40: Chapter 40 Fang Xiaocao: I¡¯ll trade for her, do you agree? ¡°No¡­ please don¡¯t¡­¡± *Sobbing* Su Wanqing, who understood what was going on, was frightened to tears by Han Xue¡¯s words. ¡°Behave yourself, or else I¡¯ll kiss you right now.¡± Han Xue threatened viciously. ¡°Don¡¯t be rash, let¡¯s talk this out.¡± Wang Qiang called out urgently. ¡°Han Xue, don¡¯t be impulsive.¡± ¡°I¡¯m contacting Fang Xiaocao right now.¡± ¡°You mustn¡¯t do anything rash!¡± As Wang Qiang reached for his phone, he tried to soothe Han Xue. Wang Qiang was a good cop who always put the safety of the innocent public first. He could not stand a suspect inflicting any harm on a hostage in his presence. ¡°Officer Wang, you¡¯d better hurry up,¡± Han Xue said with a coldugh. ¡°Su Wanqing, don¡¯t be scared, don¡¯t get agitated, don¡¯t struggle, stay calm.¡± Wang Qiang spoke to Su Wanqing while dialing the number. Wang Qiang feared that Su Wanqing¡¯s struggling might enrage the mentally unstable Han Xue, leading to uncontroble consequences. ¡°Okay¡­¡± Su Wanqing whimpered in response. ¡°Han Xue, can you take me as your hostage instead?¡± The young female officer tentatively asked. ¡°No!¡± ¡°Don¡¯te any closer!¡± Han Xue bellowed fiercely. Dragging Su Wanqing, she started retreating into a ward, closed the door, and had a confrontation with Wang Qiang through it. ¡°Alright, alright, don¡¯t be agitated,¡± Wang Qiang yelled. As he spoke, he turned back and red at the young female officer, signaling her not to provoke the suspect. The young female officer retreated helplessly. Wang Qiang had also thought about trading himself for Su Wanqing. But as soon as the thought arose, he dismissed it. It simply wouldn¡¯t work with Han Xue! Now, the young female officer¡¯s taking initiative had alerted Han Xue, who had hid herself in the ward, thus significantly increasing the difficulty of a forced assault if needed. Although the young female officer meant well, wanting to sacrifice herself to protect Su Wanqing, she was ultimately inexperienced and her well-intentioned act backfired. Originally, Wang Qiang had been trying to make Han Xue lower her guard, to take the opportunity for a strong offensive rescue of Su Wanqing, but now he had to ren. ¡°Click!¡± The door to the staircase opened. Wang Qiang frowned and turned his head to look. He saw Fang Xiaocao and Yun Luoshuing out of the stairwell. ¡°Officer Wang, no need to call anymore,¡± Fang Xiaocao said with a smile, dressed in a hospital gown. ¡°Howe you¡¯re here?¡± Wang Qiang asked, puzzled. He had been wondering where Fang Xiaocao and her group had run off to when Han Xue hadn¡¯t found Fang Xiaocao in the ward just now. Now seeing Fang Xiaocao naturally brought out his inner question. ¡°I went out to throw some trash and coincidentally saw Han Xue taking Su Wanqing hostage. Thinking Han Xue mighte for revenge, I took Wen Shi and shifted our location in advance,¡± Fang Xiaocao spoke the premeditated excuse. Hearing Fang Xiaocao¡¯s exnation, Wang Qiang did not suspect a thing. It madeplete sense, with no points of doubt. So Wang Qiang had no suspicions. ¡°Officer Wang, let me go in and switch with Su Wanqing,¡± ¡°She¡¯s terrified!¡± Fang Xiaocao said in a low voice. ¡°No, it¡¯s too dangerous,¡± Wang Qiang didn¡¯t even think about it and immediately rejected Fang Xiaocao¡¯s proposal. Peeking at the ward, Wang Qiang saw Han Xue hadn¡¯t noticed Fang Xiaocao¡¯s arrival and quickly said, ¡°You guys quickly hide back in the stairwell and don¡¯te out.¡± Su Wanqing needed to be saved, but he couldn¡¯t allow Fang Xiaocao to be put in danger. His duty wouldn¡¯t permit such a thing to happen. @@novelbin@@ Even if there were to be a swap, it had to be them. ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°There are no ¡®buts¡¯!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not possible, nor is it permissible!¡± Fang Xiaocao had barely spoken when Wang Qiang interrupted her. ¡°Now, quickly hide back there, and no matter what happens, don¡¯te out.¡± Wang Qiang said in a deep voice. In the ward, Han Xue looked at Wang Qiang through the ss, suspicion shing in her eyes. The next second, with a ¡°click¡±, the door to the ward was pushed open, and Han Xue¡¯s face peeked out from the room. ¡°Fang Xiaocao, you¡¯ve finallye!¡± Seeing Fang Xiaocao, Han Xue¡¯s eyes lit up, and she screamed excitedly. Hearing the sound of the door, Wang Qiang cursed inwardly. ¡°Damn it!¡± Hearing Han Xue¡¯s voice, Wang Qiang sighed. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m here,¡± Fang Xiaocao said with a smile. As she spoke, disregarding Wang Qiang¡¯s nce, she took two steps forward and faced Han Xue through the door. ¡°That¡¯s good, good¡­¡± ¡°Come on in!¡± Han Xue raised an eyebrow, smiling. ¡°Why should I go in?¡± Fang Xiaocao asked with a smile. ¡°If you don¡¯t go in, I can¡¯t guarantee I won¡¯t do something to Su Wanqing.¡± Han Xue threatened with narrowed eyes. Fang Xiaocao blinked and said, ¡°I can go in, but you must let Su Wanqing go.¡± Fang Xiaocao attempted to use herself in exchange for Su Wanqing¡¯s release. ¡°Can¡¯t be both trapped, right?¡± Fang Xiaocao muttered to herself helplessly. ¡°Are you trying to negotiate with me?¡± ¡°What right do you have to negotiate with me!¡± ¡°Fang Xiaocao, what gives you the right?¡± Han Xue grabbed Su Wanqing, her lips close to Su Wanqing¡¯s neck, ncing sideways at Fang Xiaocao. Within her venomous gaze, there was a mix of threat and madness. ¡°Fang Xiaocao, are you sure you¡¯re noting in?¡± Han Xue breathed on Su Wanqing¡¯s neck, threatening. Su Wanqing trembled with fear, dared not move, and looked at Fang Xiaocao with pleading eyes for help. Fang Xiaocao remainedposed, subtly blinked at Su Wanqing to signal her not to be afraid. ¡°Fang Xiaocao, are youing in or not?¡± ¡°Hm?¡± Han Xue parted her red lips, revealing white teeth poised near Su Wanqing¡¯s pale neck. Under the bright hallway lights, Han Xue¡¯s fiery red lips looked as if they were smeared with blood, her white teeth glinting with a terrifying chill. Fang Xiaocao had an illusion that the Han Xue before her was not a person, but a poisonous snake ready to strike. ¡°Han Xue, I¡¯m doing this for your own good,¡± ¡°Just think about it¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re just one person, while Su Wanqing and I make two.¡± ¡°Even if you have a contagious disease as a weapon, if you were to hurt both Su Wanqing and me, we¡¯d fight for our lives, and you wouldn¡¯t be able to overpower both of us.¡± Fang Xiaocao said in a feigned casual tone. Hearing Fang Xiaocao¡¯s words, Wang Qiang¡¯s expression changed as he thought, ¡°Not good, Fang Xiaocao¡¯s words might enrage Han Xue.¡± ¡°Xiaocao!¡± Wang Qiang called out to stop her. Fang Xiaocao turned to nce at Wang Qiang and blinked. ¡°Are you threatening me?¡± Han Xue asked coldly. As she spoke, her lips moved a few inches closer to Su Wanqing. ¡°Han Xue, you better think it through!¡± Fang Xiaocao shouted. ¡°Actually, your threat isn¡¯t valid.¡± ¡°If you really hurt Su Wanqing, you¡¯ll have no leverage left, and Officer Wang will have no more concerns,¡± Fang Xiaocao spoke rapidly. Hearing Fang Xiaocao¡¯s words, Wang Qiang was struck with a thought. ¡°That¡¯s right, Fang Xiaocao is correct!¡± ¡°If you harm Su Wanqing, she¡¯ll be infected, and I won¡¯t have to hold back any longer, I¡¯ll be able to take forceful measures against you.¡± Wang Qiang was initially worried that Fang Xiaocao might provoke Han Xue, but after hearing herplete statement, he understood Fang Xiaocao¡¯s intention. It seemed like Fang Xiaocao was threatening Han Xue, but in reality, she was actually reminding Han Xue of the importance of the hostage¡¯s safety if she wanted to take revenge, ensuring Su Wanqing¡¯s safety was crucial. The moment Su Wanqing was harmed, her revenge n would be utterly ruined. Hearing Wang Qiang¡¯s words, Han Xue was startled. Her mouth moved unconsciously further away from Su Wanqing. ¡°Han Xue, you heard that,¡± ¡°I¡¯ll exchange ces with Su Wanqing, do you agree?¡± Seeing this, Fang Xiaocao said with a smile. Chapter 41: Achieving Results through Indirect Means Chapter 41: Chapter 41: Achieving Results through Indirect Means [Ribbit Ribbit Ribbit!] At that moment, the message alert from Fang Xiaocao¡¯s phone abruptly sounded. The sound of the frog in the empty hospital corridor was particrly grating. Everyone present looked at Fang Xiaocao with strange nces. With an awkward smile, Fang Xiaocao cursed inwardly, ¡°Why did I foolishly change my ringtone to this stupid sound.¡± ¡°Hehe¡­¡± ¡°Let me check the message¡­¡± Awkwardly, Fang Xiaocao used her thumb in a clumsy fashion to navigate her phone. Saying this, Fang Xiaocao took out her phone, wanting to see which clown had messaged her at this time. The message was from Hot Noodles! Fang Xiaocao: ¡­ ¡°Alright, I am the clown¡­¡± Fang Xiaocao sighed inwardly. She opened the WeChat message. [Hot Noodles: Here we go again, you¡¯re doing this again!] [Hot Noodles: Don¡¯t you dare go, if you go, I¡¯ll fight you!] Looking at the message from Hot Noodles, Fang Xiaocao felt helpless again. Everything she did impacted Hot Noodles. Any slight risk she took always brought about criticism from her future self. Who among family members could understand this feeling? ¡°Stop messing around, we need to save people.¡± Fang Xiaocao quickly replied to Hot Noodles. After sending the reply, Fang Xiaocao put away her phone. ¡°Ahem¡­¡± ¡°Sorry, let¡¯s continue.¡± Fang Xiaocao said with an awkwardugh. Fang Xiaocao¡¯s actions bewildered everyone. Han Xue even felt offended. ¡°Fang Xiaocao, can you show me a little respect?¡± Han Xue roared furiously. ¡°I am the viin, I¡¯ve taken a hostage.¡± ¡°If you dare to look at your phone again, I¡¯ll fight you!¡± Han Xue, her eyes bloodshot, screamed. ¡°Family, who understands!¡± ¡°Even as a viin, she doesn¡¯t respect me!¡± Han Xue roared inwardly. ¡°Hehe¡­¡± ¡°Sorry, it¡¯s all my fault.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t get agitated, huh~¡± Fang Xiaocao said with a grin. ¡°It¡¯s just a message, is it that necessary?¡± Fang Xiaocaoined inwardly. Fang Xiaocao felt mistreated, she swore she absolutely did not mean to disrespect Han Xue. ¡°You are not allowed to look at your phone anymore!¡± Han Xue red at Fang Xiaocao and shouted. ¡°Okay, okay, I won¡¯t look, is that fine?¡± Fang Xiaocao said helplessly. [Ribbit Ribbit Ribbit!] Just then, Fang Xiaocao¡¯s phone rang again. Fang Xiaocao blinked and looked at Han Xue. Han Xue red at Fang Xiaocao and shouted, ¡°Don¡¯t look!¡± ¡°Ahem¡­¡± ¡°Stop it, this is urgent.¡± ¡°Can I just take a quick look, please?¡± Fang Xiaocao coughed twice, trying to negotiate with Han Xue. ¡°No!¡± ¡°You can¡¯t!¡± ¡°If you dare look, I¡¯ll bite her!¡± Han Xue, gripping Wanqing, threatened. Han Xue was nearly exploding with rage! She was the viin, she had taken a hostage! Fang Xiaocao dared to not listen to her! This was an insult to her! ¡°Fang Xiaocao, you dare look and see what happens!¡± Han Xue, gripping Wanqing¡¯s neck, threatened. @@novelbin@@ Wanqing: ¡­ ¡°Not to¡­¡± ¡°Can you two duke it out without dragging me into it?¡± Wanqing was about to cry. She felt she was even more wronged than Dou E. ¡°I promise, I¡¯ll just take a look!¡± ¡°Once I¡¯m done, I¡¯ll go inside, okay?¡± ¡°Good girl, listen to me~¡± Fang Xiaocao blinked her eyes, soothing Han Xue. ¡°No way!¡± ¡°If you dare to look, I dare to bite.¡± Han Xue, with her mouth around Wanqing¡¯s neck, mumbled. ¡°How can you be like this?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you just say, if you bite Wanqing, you¡¯ll have no one to rely on?¡± ¡°Without anyone to rely on, how will you get back at me?¡± Fang Xiaocao kept talking. Wang Qiang looked at Fang Xiaocao with a strange expression. He even suspected that Fang Xiaocao was doing it on purpose. She seemed to be using this method to break through Han Xue¡¯s psychological defenses. If Fang Xiaocao knew what Wang Qiang was thinking, she would definitely cry foul. She swore to the light, she definitely did not do it intentionally. ¡°This girl, she even has the potential to be Tang Seng¡­¡± Wang Qiang murmured to himself. ¡°Fang Xiaocao, I warn you, don¡¯t go too far.¡± Han Xue¡¯s mentality was almost shattered by Fang Xiaocao. It seemed like her defenses were breaking at the next moment! ¡°Oh,e on, let¡¯s negotiate. I just want to take a quick look.¡± Fang Xiaocao waved her hand, negotiating. ¡°No way!¡± Han Xue¡¯s mouth left Wanqing¡¯s neck and she red at Fang Xiaocao, shouting. ¡°Whatever, I¡¯m going to look.¡± Fang Xiaocao rolled her eyes, speaking indifferently. Fang Xiaocao had also realized that Han Xue had no intention of actually biting Wanqing. It must have been the words she had said earlier that had an effect. Before she walked into the trap herself, Han Xue definitely wouldn¡¯t hurt Wanqing. So, Fang Xiaocao simply ignored Han Xue. After all, Fang Xiaocao was eager to see what message Hot Noodles had sent. The messages from Hot Noodles might just help in dealing with Han Xue. Saying this, Fang Xiaocao didn¡¯t wait for Han Xue to speak, she picked up her phone and started checking the messages. Seeing this, Wang Qiang¡¯s mouth twitched fiercely. Looking at Han Xue whose muscles were all tense, ready to forcefully intervene if Han Xue, infuriated, attempted to hurt Wanqing. Right now, Han Xue¡¯s attention waspletely on Fang Xiaocao, totally unaware of him. Because of the argument with Fang Xiaocao, her emotions were heightened, and her alertness had decreased, unwittingly walking out of the hospital room with Wanqing. Now might be a good time to take strong action. Wang Qiang bent down, getting ready. ¡°Fang Xiaocao!¡± Han Xue screamed. Fang Xiaocao gave Han Xue a look and said, ¡°Behave, and stop shouting!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go inside once I¡¯m done looking, okay?¡± Fang Xiaocao added. Saying this, Fang Xiaocao opened WeChat. [Hot Noodles: Keep it up like this!] [Hot Noodles: This method is great.] [Hot Noodles: Continue dealing with Han Xue, draw all her attention to us, reduce Wang Qiang¡¯s presence, cooperate with Wang Qiang, and Wanqing won¡¯t get hurt.] Seeing the messages from Hot Noodles, Fang Xiaocao felt joy in her heart; she hadn¡¯t expected that her stumbling actions would identally seed so well. Fang Xiaocao subconsciously wanted to look at Wang Qiang. But remembering Hot Noodles¡¯ instruction to cooperate with Wang Qiang, to reduce Wang Qiang¡¯s presence while Han Xue¡¯s attention was all on her, she curiously wanted to know what Wang Qiang was preparing, but still resisted the urge to look back. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll try my best!¡± Fang Xiaocao replied with a message. Putting down her phone, Fang Xiaocao looked at Han Xue. ¡°Oh?¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you bite?¡± Fang Xiaocao asked with a mischievous smile. Saying this, she took two steps towards the hospital room. She moved aside from the door of the room, standing to one side. Fang Xiaocao, by moving, diverted Han Xue¡¯s gaze and simultaneously created an opportunity for Wang Qiang, clearing the way into the hospital room. As expected, when Fang Xiaocao moved, Han Xue¡¯s gaze followed along with her. Because Fang Xiaocao stood a bit to the side, Han Xue even moved a bit more towards the door. ¡°Hehe, I really am a little clever devil.¡± Fang Xiaocao felt secretly delighted seeing this scene. Chapter 42 - 42 Perfect Coordination Chapter 42: Chapter 42 Perfect Coordination ¡°Well done!¡± Wang Qiang secretly apuded. Fang Xiaocao¡¯s subtle movements were exactly to Wang Qiang¡¯s liking. He quietly gave the young policewoman a meaningful look. Understanding the signal, the young policewoman stealthily moved two steps to block Wang Qiang¡¯s figure. Wang Qiang slowly crouched down and drew the gun holstered at his waist. When escorting a suspect to the hospital, Wang Qiang¡¯s gun was loaded, only the safety was not off. Wang Qiang quietly turned off the safety and pressed the firing pin. He made the gun ready to fire at any moment. He discreetly poked the young policewoman¡¯s leg with his finger. She understood and moved her hands behind her back while preparing for an assault. Wang Qiang quietly handed the gun to the young policewoman and slowly stood up. Taking advantage of Han Xue¡¯s distraction, he shed out from behind the young policewoman. Han Xue¡¯s wrongdoing wasn¡¯t punishable by death, and Wang Qiang wouldn¡¯t use the gun unless absolutely necessary. Wang Qiang nned to look for an opportunity to strike himself. The young policewoman was responsible for support. If he couldn¡¯t subdue Han Xue himself, then the young policewoman would use the gun to kill Han Xue before she could harm the hostages. Noticing Wang Qiang¡¯s actions, Fang Xiaocao intentionally walked a few steps toward the ward and leaned against the wall. This ce was out of Han Xue¡¯s line of sight. To see her, Han Xue would have to step out of the ward. Focused entirely on Fang Xiaocao, Han Xue subconsciously dragged Wanqing out of the ward, poking her body out. ¡°Fang Xiaocao, what trick are you trying to y?¡± Han Xue shouted sharply. ¡°None at all!¡± ¡°I¡¯m just a bit tired and leaning against the wall,¡± Fang Xiaocao shrugged and said with a smile. ¡°Aren¡¯t you tired?¡± ¡°Want to lean for a while too?¡± Fang Xiaocao said cheerfully. ¡°Stop ying tricks, are youing in or not?¡± Han Xue coldly looked at Fang Xiaocao and asked. ¡°If you don¡¯te in, I¡¯ll bite her!¡± ¡°My patience is limited!¡± ¡°Anyway, taking one down is enough for me!¡± ¡°Wanqing caught the disease because of you, you¡¯d feel guilty, right?¡± ¡°Because of you, she caught the disease, she would hate you for her whole life, right?¡± Han Xue coldly looked at Fang Xiaocao and ominously said. ¡°Say it, let here to exchange ces with you!¡± ¡°Let Fang Xiaocao save you!¡± As she spoke, Han Xue yanked Wanqing and chided her. ¡°Wuu¡­¡± Wanqing shivered and whimpered. Fear! The fear of danger, stemming from instinct. Even the usually careless Wanqing was left with nothing but profound fear at that moment. ¡°Oh, stop scaring Wanqing.¡± ¡°Am I noting to exchange ces with her?¡± Seeing the fear in Wanqing¡¯s eyes, Fang Xiaocao feigned helplessness and said. As she spoke, Fang Xiaocao made a gesture toward the ward. Seeing Fang Xiaocao¡¯s movement, a flicker of excitement passed through Han Xue¡¯s eyes. ¡°Come here,e quickly!¡± Han Xue muttered to herself. However, Fang Xiaocao took two steps, then stopped. ¡°What trick are you trying to pull now?¡± Seeing Fang Xiaocao¡¯s movement, Han Xue screamed. ¡°You can¡¯t be thinking that once I get there, you¡¯lly your hands on Wanqing?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re nning that, I can¡¯t let you harm Wanqing.¡± Fang Xiaocao blinked and asked with a smile. ¡°Enough talk, my patience is limited!¡± Han Xue frantically screamed. Han Xue never expected that Fang Xiaocao would see through her ploy. Han Xue broke down in that moment. Due to her agitation, she couldn¡¯t stop trembling. Seeing this, Wang Qiang¡¯s eyes brightened, and he silently apuded Fang Xiaocao. ¡°The opportunity hase!¡± Wang Qiang tensed his body, his gaze bing resolute. The next second, Wang Qiang sprung up as if he had springs. With a ¡°swoosh,¡± he shot forward. Seeing Wang Qiang¡¯s action, the young policewoman raised her sidearm, the dark muzzle aimed at Han Xue. As long as Han Xue harmed Su Wanqing, she wouldn¡¯t hesitate to pull the trigger. Wang Qiang¡¯s movements caught Han Xue¡¯s attention, making her instinctively turn her head this way. Before Han Xue could react, a fist as big as a sandbag came into view. ¡°Bang!¡± Wang Qiang¡¯s punch smashed into Han Xue¡¯s face, producing a dull thud. Before Han Xue could scream, Wang Qiang seized her hand, twisted it forcefully, grabbed Su Wanqing from Han Xue¡¯s arm, and pushed her behind him. At the same time, Wang Qiang twisted around andpleted an over-the-shoulder throw, mming Han Xue onto the ground. In an instant, Wang Qiang pounced on Han Xue, pinning her arms behind her back. The young policewoman reacted quickly, stepping forward with her sidearm aimed at Han Xue and barked, ¡°Don¡¯t move!¡± Wang Qiang¡¯s series of moves had baffled Han Xue. She didn¡¯te to her senses until Wang Qiang had her pinned down and cuffed with silver handcuffs, and began to struggle violently. ¡°Don¡¯t move!¡± The young policewoman shouted again sharply. ¡°Behave yourself!¡± Wang Qiang gripped Han Xue and scolded. ¡°Fang Xiaocao, I won¡¯t let you go!¡± With no escape from Wang Qiang¡¯s capture, Han Xue could only re at Fang Xiaocao and roar with all her might. ¡°Behave yourself!¡± Wang Qiang scolded again. Taking the sidearm from the young policewoman, he turned on the safety, and handed Han Xue over to her. Wang Qiang pulled a mask from his pocket and put it on Han Xue to prevent her from acting desperately and biting indiscriminately. After all, Han Xue biting someone was far more dangerous than a dog. If bitten by a dog, you can get a rabies vine. But if Han Xue bites you, there are no vines. ¡°Take her for a blood test,pare it with the virus on Qi Yu¡¯s body after the check, and then head back to the precinct,¡± Wang Qiang turned to the young policewoman and two criminal detectives escorting Shen Tao. ¡°Yes, Squad Leader!¡± The three responded in unison and led Han Xue and Shen Tao toward the separately arranged hospital room. ¡°Xiaocao, well done!¡± Wang Qiangvished praise on Fang Xiaocao. ¡°Hehe, Officer Wang is the brave one.¡± Fang Xiaocao said with a giggly smile. In that lightning-fast moment, Wang Qiang¡¯s series of grappling moves that rescued Su Wanqing left Fang Xiaocao dumbfounded. ¡°Truly the precinct¡¯s rising star, just awesome!¡± Fang Xiaocao inwardly eximed. ¡°You guys rest up, I¡¯ll go up and take a look,¡± Wang Qiang said with a smile. ¡°Officer Wang, go ahead with your work,¡± Fang Xiaocao nodded and said with a smile. Wang Qiang nodded and headed upstairs. ¡°Wanqing, are you alright?¡± After Wang Qiang left, Fang Xiaocao approached Su Wanqing, who was huddled in Yun Luoshu¡¯s arms and trembling, and asked with concern. ¡°No¡­ no¡­ I¡¯m fine¡­¡± Su Wanqing answered, still shaken. ¡°Are you hurt anywhere?¡± Fang Xiaocao asked with concern. ¡°No¡­ not at all¡­¡± Su Wanqing answered shakily. ¡°Phew¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s good, if you were injured, you must tell,¡± ¡°Get checked out as soon as possible; it might still be possible to stop something.¡± Fang Xiaocao said gravely. ¡°Yes¡­¡± Su Wanqing nodded and responded. ¡°Luoshu, take Wanqing to the hospital room,¡± ¡°We still need to carry Wen Shi.¡± Fang Xiaocao said to Yun Luoshu. ¡°Okay!¡± Yun Luoshu responded and picked up Su Wanqing in a princess carry, walking into the hospital room. ¡°Sss¡ª¡± @@novelbin@@ ¡°No doubt, a woman with an ska physique.¡± Watching this, Fang Xiaocao remarked. That princess carry. Not every guy can manage it. Chapter 43 - 43 Han Xue: You Can鈥檛 Judge Me Chapter 43: Chapter 43 Han Xue: You Can¡¯t Judge Me Fang Xiaocao and Yun Luoshu arrived upstairs and when they found Wen Shi, he was sleeping like a log, drooling from the corner of his mouth. There was none of the panic they had imagined he might have upon waking up alone in the empty hospital room, bewildered and clueless. ¡°Sigh, it turns out we thought too much.¡± Looking at Wen Shi¡¯s sleeping posture, Fang Xiaocao sighed. Yun Luoshu nodded in agreement. ¡°Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s carry the pig downstairs.¡± Fang Xiaocao said helplessly. Fang Xiaocao and Yun Luoshu hoisted Wen Shi up and headed to the downstairs ward. When they got back to the downstairs ward, Su Wanqing was still crying. Seeing this, Fang Xiaocao sighed helplessly and thought to herself, ¡°This Tiger Girl must be terrified.¡± ¡­ Police Station! Interrogation Room! Han Xue leaned casually against the interrogation chair, her expressionzy as she watched the police officer, Wang Qiang, and the policewoman interrogating her. ¡°Han Xue, sit properly.¡± The policewoman scolded her. Han Xuezily nced at the policewoman and rolled her eyes. ¡°You¡­¡± The policewoman pointed at Han Xue, about to scold her. Wang Qiang waved his hand, signaling the policewoman to calm down. Wang Qiang could tell that Han Xue was deliberately trying to provoke them. ¡°Han Xue, you cannot escape your crime.¡± Wang Qiang said cheerfully. Hearing Wang Qiang¡¯s words, Han Xue nced at him. ¡°Even if you do not cooperate with the interrogation, based on the existing evidence chain, we can still convict you.¡± Wang Qiang said unconcernedly. ¡°Ha ha ha¡­¡± Han Xue looked at Wang Qiang and scoffed coldly. ¡°What are youughing at!¡± Seeing Han Xue¡¯s arrogant demeanor, the policewoman demanded. Han Xue nced at the policewoman again, still scoffing coldly. ¡°Don¡¯t believe it?¡± Wang Qiang gestured to the policewoman with a smile and asked. ¡°Officer Wang, you can¡¯t convict me.¡± Han Xue said with an amused smile. Upon hearing this, Wang Qiang and the policewoman were taken aback. ¡°Why can¡¯t we convict you?¡± The policewoman asked angrily. ¡°Ha ha ha¡ª¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Just because I¡¯m ¡®sick¡¯¡ª¡± Han Xueughed manically, gasping for breath as she spoke. ¡°Han Xue, I think you¡¯re mistaken.¡± ¡°Infectious diseases can¡¯t help you escape punishment.¡± Wang Qiang said with a smile. ¡°In our country¡¯sws, minors, pregnant women, and people over the age of 75 can be exempted from the death penalty unless their crimes are especially cruel leading to death, but they still can¡¯t escape punishment.¡± ¡°Unfortunately, you are none of these, and your crime doesn¡¯t warrant death, only imprisonment, so even if you were one of these three, you would still face the appropriate punishment.¡± Wang Qiang cheerfully exined. ¡°In other words, even if you were pregnant.¡± ¡°You would still have to serve your sentence in prison.¡± Wang Qiang said to Han Xue, stressing each word. ¡°Officer Wang, aren¡¯t you forgetting one category?¡± Han Xue looked at Wang Qiang with a yful smile. At this, Wang Qiang¡¯s smile stiffened, and he looked at Han Xue in surprise. Han Xue blinked and smiled sweetly. ¡°We have professional appraisal institutions, and every year there are many who try this trick to avoid punishment, but no one has ever slipped through.¡± ¡°Even if the appraisal passes, you would be forcibly institutionalized, having to spend the rest of your life in a mental hospital!¡± Wang Qiang stared at Han Xue, his tone cold. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter¡ª¡± ¡°I am ¡®sick¡¯!¡± Han Xue shrugged andughed. ¡°A lifetime versus several years, or a dozen years, think it over.¡± Wang Qiang stared into Han Xue¡¯s eyes and spoke deliberately, pausing between each word. ¡°What do I think?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need to think about anything!¡± ¡°I admit I am sick,¡± Han Xue said with a chuckle. ¡°Xiaoli, arrange for an assessment immediately.¡± Wang Qiang suppressed his anger as he spoke to the female officer. Since Han Xue had brought it up, Wang Qiang couldn¡¯t ignore it. Today¡¯s interrogation was bound not to end amicably. ¡°Take her back!¡± Wang Qiang shouted and quickly walked out of the interrogation room. ¡°Team Leader!¡± The female officer called out and hurriedly followed him. ¡°Ha ha ha~¡± Behind them, Han Xue¡¯s wanton, wildughter echoed from the interrogation room. ¡°Team Leader!¡± The female officer looked at Wang Qiang anxiously. This was the first time she had seen Wang Qiang lose hisposure during an interrogation since she had been transferred to the city bureau. ¡°I¡¯m fine, immediately arrange for manpower to investigate Han Xue¡¯s medical history, conduct some inquiry visits, check all her personal rtionships, and her medicine purchase records. Since she wants to feign mental illness, let¡¯s shatter her intentions with evidence.¡± Wang Qiang put away the angry look on his face and spoke calmly. @@novelbin@@ Wang Qiang¡¯s sudden change startled the female officer, who then smiled and responded, ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Team Leader Wang is really Team Leader Wang, acting like it¡¯s the real deal.¡± The female officer thought to herself, amused. ¡°Go quickly!¡± Wang Qiang said helplessly. ¡°Yes!¡± The female officer responded and hurried out of the office. Wang Qiang sat in his chair and lit a cigarette. He started to rethink everything about Han Xue. Her cunningness seemed beyond her years. The idea of using mental illness as an escape from crime isn¡¯t umon and is thought of by many, typically those criminals with low intelligence and nomon sense. Real high-IQ criminals would never entertain such a childish thought. They knew that, under professional assessments, the chances of sessfully using mental illness as a defense are almost zero. Although Han Xue¡¯s crimes weren¡¯t that of a high-IQ criminal, they were meticulously nned and carefully executed. If not for her strong revenge motives that clouded her emotions and made her rush, she wouldn¡¯t have been exposed so quickly. Wang Qiang believed that if Han Xue hadn¡¯t been so impatient, her revenge n might have seeded. ¡°What exactly are you relying on?¡± ¡°How can you be so confident of your sess?¡± Wang Qiang muttered to himself. After quietly smoking a cigarette, Wang Qiang stepped out of the office. Five minutester, a police car drove out of the city bureau. ¡­ ¡°Are you there?¡± In the hospital room, Fang Xiaocao sent a message to Hot Noodles. [Hot Noodles: Miss, what¡¯s the matter?] Seeing the reply from Hot Noodles, Fang Xiaocaoughed. ¡°Wow, holding such a grudge, huh?¡± Fang Xiaocao sent another messageughing. [Hot Noodles: How dare I?] [Hot Noodles: What if Miss tries to be adventurous with me again?] Fang Xiaocao pouted and murmured, ¡°Worthy of the future me, just as vengeful.¡± ¡°Okay, don¡¯t be mad.¡± ¡°It turned out fine, didn¡¯t it?¡± Fang Xiaocao also added a cating emoticon. [Hot Noodles: Don¡¯t even, don¡¯t you know?] [Hot Noodles: Didn¡¯t I tell you that I experience all the consequences of your choices in advance?] [Hot Noodles: Just from your recent decision, I¡¯ve died twice already!] [Hot Noodles: If it happens a few more times, even if you don¡¯t kill me, I¡¯ll end up driven to insanity sooner orter!] Looking at the message from Hot Noodles, Fang Xiaocao grinned and stuck out her tongue. ¡°I¡¯ll be more careful next time, promise~¡± Fang Xiaocao tried to act coy with herself. Chapter 44 - 44 The Devil Should Roll Back to Hell Chapter 44: Chapter 44 The Devil Should Roll Back to Hell [Quack Quack Quack!] Early in the morning, Fang Xiaocao was awakened by a notification sound from her phone. Groggily, she picked up her phone and nced at it. It was a message from WeChat. Fang Xiaocao unlocked her screen and opened WeChat. [Hot Noodles: The case in Room 402, Xintiandi Residence, it¡¯s time to close the today. You need to return to Xintiandi Residence before 10 a.m. today, and you¡¯ll ¡®identally¡¯ encounter the murderer and Song Lin downstairs.] Upon reading the message clearly, Fang Xiaocao instantly shot up from the hospital bed with a start, ¡°whoosh¡± sitting upright. ¡°Close the?¡± ¡°The bonus!¡± Fang Xiaocao was instantly wide awake. ¡°Who is the murderer?¡± ¡°Could it be that Song Lin has already caught him?¡± ¡°Is Song Lin that fast?¡± Anxiously, Fang Xiaocao sent a message back to ask. She looked at the time, in the morning: 8:48. ¡°There¡¯s still time¡­¡± Muttering to herself, Fang Xiaocao began to get dressed. [Hot Noodles: If he¡¯s been caught, what do you need to do there?] [Hot Noodles: To bump into the murderer, right?] Seeing the messages from Hot Noodles, Fang Xiaocao¡¯s face instantly darkened. ¡°So I can¡¯t get over this gag, huh?¡± Rolling her eyes, Fang Xiaocao sent a reply. [Hot Noodles: That¡¯s right!] Fang Xiaocao: ¡­ ¡°So annoying¡«¡± ¡°I really want to give myself two big ps.¡± Fang Xiaocao felt an urge to bite someone. [Hot Noodles: Good brother, get moving. It¡¯s time to pick up the money.] ¡°I don¡¯t even know who the murderer is!¡± Fang Xiaocao replied irritably. She finished changing her clothes and put on her shoes. Under the bemused gazes of the clueless trio, Fang Xiaocao grabbed her bag and car keys and dashed out of the hospital ward in a hurry. [Hot Noodles: I¡¯ll give you a hint when the timees.] Upon receiving the message from Hot Noodles, Fang Xiaocao felt reassured and quickly ran downstairs to the hospital parking lot. ¡°It¡¯s a good thing I had Zhi Qi¡¯s bodyguard drive my car overst night.¡± Muttering to herself, Fang Xiaocao looked for her car. The red Land Rover was quite conspicuous. It didn¡¯t take long for Fang Xiaocao to locate her vehicle. She opened the car door and sat in the driver¡¯s seat. At this time, it was 9:08 in the morning. Fang Xiaocao started the car and drove away from the hospital. The red Land Rover wove through the traffic, heading straight for Xintiandi Residence. The tail end of the morning rush hour meant the roads were still rtively clear. Forty minutester, the red Land Rover smoothly entered the Xintiandi Residence. At this time, it was 9:48 in the morning! ¡°I¡¯ve arrived at Xintiandi.¡± Fang Xiaocao sent a message to Hot Noodles. [Hot Noodles: Go straight to the base of the apartment building!] Seeing the message, Fang Xiaocao nodded. The red Land Rover headed straight for the apartment building. Three minutester! Fang Xiaocao parked the Land Rover at the base of the building. As soon as the car was parked, Fang Xiaocao saw Song Lin standing at the entrance of the building, talking to an elderly couple. The elderly woman was holding a little boy¡¯s hand. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°That little boy looks kind of familiar¡­¡± Fang Xiaocao muttered to herself puzzledly. The little boy, she felt was somewhat familiar. But for the moment, she couldn¡¯t recall where she had seen him before. [Quack quack quack!] At that moment, a notification sound from her phone rang out. Lost in thought, Fang Xiaocao got a start. Snapping back to reality, Fang Xiaocao picked up her phone. The screen disyed a message from WeChat. Fang Xiaocao unlocked the screen and opened WeChat. The message was from Hot Noodles! [Hot Noodles: Pay attention to that little boy, feel like you¡¯ve seen him before?] ¡°Familiar!¡± Fang Xiaocao subconsciously replied with a voice message. ¡°Just can¡¯t remember where I¡¯ve seen him?¡± Fang Xiaocao added with another voice message. [Hot Noodles: Right, familiar, orphanage, bully, Axi!] Reading Hot Noodle¡¯s message, Fang Xiaocao was suddenly pulled into her memories. That year when she was six, she had just moved into the orphanage. The skinny little her was often bullied by the other children, and one of them, a boy named Axi, left a particrly vivid memory in her mind. Axi was tall and sturdy, his physique far surpassed children his age, making him the undisputed bully of the ce. All kids in the orphanage, boys or girls alike, Axi would either hit or scold, his actions were ruthless, not like a child at all, but more like a thug, eager to fight and fierce. Fang Xiaocao, like the other kids, lived in constant fear of Axi¡¯s tyranny. Only after a year, when Axi, because of his stout appearance, got adopted and left, and no more news came from him, did Fang Xiaocao find her release from that nightmare. ¡°Could it be¡­ he is Axi¡¯s child?¡± Coming to her senses, Fang Xiaocao asked uncertainly. ¡°That¡¯s not right¡­¡± ¡°Are you joking with me?¡± Fang Xiaocao shouted in agitation. ¡°He looks to be seven or eight years old, right?¡± ¡°How could he be Axi¡¯s child?¡± Fang Xiaocao fired off question after question, expressing her shock. [Hot Noodles: He¡­] [Hot Noodles: Is the very Axi himself!] The message from Hot Noodles struck Fang Xiaocao like lightning, and she stared in disbelief at the boy outside the car, who, despite his arrogant expression, was obediently being led by an old woman. The little boy in her eyes¡­ Slowly, the figure of the little boy began to ovep with the nightmares of her childhood¡­ @@novelbin@@ ¡°Is it really him?¡± Fang Xiaocao eximed. [Hot Noodles: Yes, it¡¯s him!] [Hot Noodles: Axi is not a normal child, he¡¯s a dwarfism patient; his real age is already over thirty years old.] [Hot Noodles: His mind severely distorted by dwarfism, he started venting his unfortunate life by killing his adoptive parents over twenty years ago.] [Hot Noodles: Over the past twenty years, Axi has been wandering around, alternating between orphanages and his adoptive parents¡¯ homes,mitting numerous murders.] [Hot Noodles: In my world, five yearster, after killing another pair of foster parents, he will be recognized by Wang Qiang and killed by him in the struggle.] Reading the messages about Axi sent by Hot Noodles, Fang Xiaocao¡¯s blood ran cold, and her body couldn¡¯t stop trembling. This is a demon! A devil crawled out from Hell! [Hot Noodles: The time for past me to take revenge hase, it¡¯s time to bring him to justice.] [Hot Noodles: Within three days, this elderly couple will die by Axi¡¯s hand.] [Hot Noodles: If we miss this chance, Axi will escape to the neighboring province, live there for five years, and thenmit another crime, killing a family of five who adopted him.] [Hot Noodles: By then, elite detectives from various regions will be called to form a special case team, and only when multiple cases are linked together will he be recognized by Wang Qiang.] ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°We can¡¯t let him kill again!¡± Fang Xiaocao nodded and said in a serious tone. [Hot Noodles: Go, confront this demon face to face!] ¡°Demons should be sent back to Hell!¡± Fang Xiaocao sent back a message. ¡°Huuh¡­¡± Fang Xiaocao exhaled a murky breath, put away her phone, and opened the door of the red Range Rover, slowly making her way towards the entrance of the apartment building. Chapter 45 - 45 Start the Investigation Chapter 45: Chapter 45 Start the Investigation ¡°Captain Song!¡± Fang Xiaocao greeted Song Lin. ¡°Xiaocao?¡± ¡°Weren¡¯t you at the hospital?¡± Seeing Fang Xiaocao, Song Lin asked with confusion. ¡°Seeing the caring, I thought I had recognized the wrong person.¡± Song Lin said with a smile. ¡°Came home to grab some stuff.¡± ¡°Still have a few more days in the hospital, didn¡¯t bring anything.¡± Fang Xiaocao replied with a smile. Fang Xiaocao controlled herself, not to look at Axi. Fang Xiaocao didn¡¯t know if Axi still remembered her; although he had grown up and his appearance had changed, his name had not. ¡°Wang Qiang was right, you have a Conan constitution.¡± ¡°Wherever you go, you run into cases.¡± Song Lin said teasingly with augh. ¡°Oh, Captain Song, you¡¯re teasing me too.¡± Fang Xiaocao said helplessly. ¡°Captain Song, what is this about?¡± Fang Xiaocao asked curiously. ¡°These two are the parents of the victim from room 402.¡± ¡°They didn¡¯t live together, that¡¯s why they were spared.¡± ¡°This child is the victim¡¯s child.¡± ¡°Also, the only survivor of this case.¡± Song Lin introduced to Fang Xiaocao. ¡°Uncle and auntie, please ept my condolences.¡± ¡°I am your neighbor from downstairs in 302.¡± ¡°Hearing this tragic news really saddened me.¡± Fang Xiaocao said to the elderly couple. ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°My dear girl, hello.¡± The elderly couple said with sorrowful faces. ¡°Little friend, you¡¯re so cute.¡± Fang Xiaocao squatted down and pinched Axi¡¯s face. Axi smiled unnaturally and pretended to be shy, hugging the old woman¡¯s leg, hiding his face. ¡°The child was frightened, shy.¡± The old woman said as she stroked Axi¡¯s head. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s understandable.¡± Fang Xiaocao said with a smile. Fang Xiaocao wanted to expose Axi on the spot, but knowing that Song Lin needed evidence, she refrained from speaking out hastily. Fang Xiaocao prepared to secretly tell Song Lin. Letting Song Lin find the evidence, to bring Axi to justice. Axi hadmitted crimes repeatedly and had always escaped. It wasn¡¯t that Axi was very cunning, nor that the local criminal investigation was ipetent, but because no one had thought, nor would think, that a culprit with such cruel methods could be a child who looked to be only seven or eight years old. This had allowed Axi to escape punishment time after time. Fang Xiaocao believed, as long as she provided Song Lin with a direction for investigation, with Song Lin¡¯s abilities, it wouldn¡¯t take a day to find the crucial evidence to bring Axi to justice. ¡°Officer Song, if there¡¯s nothing else, we¡¯ll head back now.¡± Seeing her grandson frightened, the old woman spoke up. ¡°Alright, contact me anytime if there¡¯s any situation.¡± Song Lin nodded and said in a serious tone. The old woman nodded, led Axi, and with her husband¡¯s mutual support, they walked away unsteadily. Before leaving, Axi looked back at Fang Xiaocao with an enquiring gaze. @@novelbin@@ Fang Xiaocao pretended as if nothing was amiss and waved her hand, shouting, ¡°Little friend, goodbye~¡± Only when the elderly couple¡¯s figures had disappeared around the corner did Fang Xiaocao rx and looked at Song Lin with a grave expression. ¡°Xiaocao, what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Why do you look so upset?¡± Noticing the change in Fang Xiaocao¡¯s expression, Song Lin asked with concern. ¡°Captain Song¡­¡± ¡°There¡¯s something wrong with that child¡­¡± Fang Xiaocao said tremulously. ¡°What?¡± Upon hearing Fang Xiaocao¡¯s words, Song Lin was stunned. ¡°That child has a problem!¡± ¡°The culprit is him!¡± Fang Xiaocao said solemnly. Song Lin looked at Fang Xiaocao with suspicion and reached out to feel her forehead. ¡°Hey, I don¡¯t have a fever!¡± Fang Xiaocao swatted Song Lin¡¯s hand away, speaking helplessly. ¡°I know that child!¡± ¡°He is a dwarf!¡± Fang Xiaocao stated straightforwardly. Upon hearing this, Song Lin was startled again. Immediately, his expression grew serious. ¡°borate!¡± Song Lin said gravely. Song Lin felt that Fang Xiaocao would not speak without basis. ¡°That child¡¯s name is Axi, and he was of the same age as me at the orphanage when I was young. He was adopted early, and he already looked that way back then.¡± Fang Xiaocao solemnly recounted to Song Lin Axi¡¯s story at the orphanage. ¡°How can you be sure that this child is him?¡± Song Lin asked sternly, frowning. ¡°During our visits, we found no evidence that the victim had adopted a child.¡± Song Lin said gravely. ¡°Why not just check it out?¡± ¡°But you have to act quickly.¡± ¡°You just called out my name.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t guarantee he didn¡¯t recognize me.¡± Fang Xiaocao said solemnly. ¡°If he has recognized me,¡± ¡°He might flee or evenmit murder to cover his tracks!¡± ¡°If he flees, those old couple may be in danger.¡± Fang Xiaocao warned. Upon hearing this, Song Lin¡¯s expression changed. ¡°I¡¯ll investigate immediately. If what you¡¯re saying is true, then he might not be a first-time offender.¡± Song Lin said with a grave expression. ¡°Then I won¡¯t bother you anymore, Captain Song,¡± Fang Xiaocao said with a smile. She then walked through the hallway door. Half an hourter, Fang Xiaocao, carrying a bag, walked out of the building block and got into a car. To carry out the actpletely, Fang Xiaocao couldn¡¯t afford to arouse Song Lin¡¯s suspicions. Though by this time, Song Lin had already left. Fang Xiaocao drove away from Xintiandi Restaurant, heading straight back to the hospital. ¡­ After Fang Xiaocao had driven off, Song Lin, holding his phone, came out from a corner, watching the taillights of the red Range Rover fading into the distance, lost in thought. Soon after, the call connected. ¡°This is Song Lin. Check out the orphanage where Fang Xiaocao used to live and look into Fang Xiaocao¡¯s background. Also, check the adoption records for a boy named Axi; if there are pictures, even better.¡± After speaking, Song Lin hung up the phone. ¡°Fang Xiaocao¡­¡± ¡°Are you really just a student?¡± ¡°Why do I feel something is off about you¡­¡± ¡°Today, it¡¯s as if you appeared just to be seen, is it really such a coincidence?¡± Song Lin stood still, muttering to himself. Song Lin picked up his phone and dialed another number. Once the call connected, Song Lin started, ¡°Old Lin, it¡¯s me. Help me check on the internalwork for any cold cases in our province or neighboring provinces where a couple was murdered and the culprit never caught over the past few decades.¡± ¡°Especially those cases where there are records of a boy being adopted. If possible, look up the whereabouts of the child, and having pictures would be ideal.¡± After speaking, Song Lin said ¡°thanks¡± and then hung up the phone. Song Lin put away his phone, turned a corner, got into his own car, and drove out of Xintiandi Restaurant. An hourter! Song Lin parked his car in a vige in the suburbs. Through the car window, he watched a residential house. Living in the house were two elderly and a young person, exactly the elderly couple and Axi from Xintiandi Restaurant. ¡­ At the police station! ¡°Team leader, the forensic service is ready; we can evaluate Han Xue at any time.¡± The young female officer whispered to Wang Qiang. Wang Qiang nodded and asked, ¡°How did the investigation on Han Xue turn out?¡± ¡°Han Xue has a long history of purchasing Chlorpromazine.¡± The young female officer said somberly. Upon hearing this, Wang Qiang looked surprisingly at the young female officer. Chapter 46 - 46 Fang Xiaocao: 6 Chapter 46: Chapter 46 Fang Xiaocao: 6 Hospital ward! Zhi Qi sat in front of the bed, locked eyes with Fang Xiaocao, while Su Wanqing, Yun Luoshu, and Wen Shi each sat on their respective beds, curiously watching the two. The atmosphere in the ward was somewhat off! The three stooges had sensed it too. Fang Xiaocao red at Zhi Qi, looking all puffed up with anger, while Zhi Qi sat thereposedly, confronting Fang Xiaocao¡¯s angry gaze with indifference. Su Wanqing blinked at Fang Xiaocao, signaling her to stay calm. Fang Xiaocao shot Su Wanqing a look but remained like an angry pufferfish. ¡°Zhi Qi!¡± Fang Xiaocao raised her voice and yelled. ¡°Shush!¡± ¡°This is a hospital, keep it quiet.¡± Zhi Qi made a shushing gesture, smiling. Fang Xiaocao: ¡­ ¡°Don¡¯t you go too far!¡± Fang Xiaocao puffed up and shouted. ¡°Shush!¡± ¡°Keep it quiet!¡± Zhi Qi repeated the same gesture. Fang Xiaocao: ¡­ Completely speechless, this woman just wouldn¡¯t argue with her. ¡°You win¡­¡± Fang Xiaocao said helplessly. ¡°When are we leaving.¡± Fang Xiaocao asked weakly. ¡°Yay¨C¡± The three stooges cheered. Fang Xiaocao had agreed, and the happiest weren¡¯t Zhi Qi but the three stooges munching on melons at the back. Hearing the cheers of the three stooges, Fang Xiaocao red at them fiercely. Frightened by her re, the three stooges instantly fell silent. ¡°Tomorrow!¡± Zhi Qi said, smiling. ¡°At what time?¡± Fang Xiaocao asked as she rolled her eyes. ¡°Nine in the morning, I¡¯lle to pick you four up.¡± Zhi Qi raised her eyebrows and answered with a smile. ¡°Get lost!¡± Fang Xiaocao pointed toward the door of the ward and said. ¡°Disappear from my sight right now, immediately, before I change my mind.¡± Fang Xiaocao said each word deliberately. ¡°Alright, alright, can¡¯t I just leave?¡± Zhi Qi surrendered with her hands up,ughing as she headed towards the exit of the ward. ¡°Hurry up!¡± Fang Xiaocaomanded, puffing up her little face. ¡°OK, OK¨C¡± ¡°Right now, immediately!¡± Zhi Qi went onughing as she walked out of the ward, and thoughtfully closed the door for Fang Xiaocao and the others. ¡°You guys are stillughing?¡± Fang Xiaocao red at the three stooges. ¡°Hehe¨C¡± The three stooges responded with goofy smiles. ¡°I¡¯ll give you something tough about!¡± Fang Xiaocao grabbed a pillow and lunged at the adjacent bed¡¯s Su Wanqing. ¡°I¡¯ll give you something tough about!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll give you something to bet on!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll give you something to agree for me!¡± Fang Xiaocao vented all her anger on Su Wanqing alone. Yun Luoshu and Wen Shi, the two fools, were cracking melon seeds intently while watching Fang Xiaocao¡¯s big battle with Husky. ¡°My bad¨C¡± ¡°Ouch, I was wrong¨C¡± Being ¡°violently beaten¡± by Fang Xiaocao, Su Wanqing kept begging for mercy. ¡°Hmph!¡± Fang Xiaocao huffed indignantly. ¡°You two, stillughing?¡± Fang Xiaocao red at the two fools and yelled. Yun Luoshu and Wen Shi immediately covered their mouths. ¡°We¡¯re notughing anymore, we stopped.¡± Yun Luoshu and Wen Shi said, shaking their heads. ¡°You three just sold me out like that?¡± Fang Xiaocao ced her hands on her hips and angrily interrogated. @@novelbin@@ ¡°Ohe on, it¡¯s not that we aren¡¯t friends.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just that Zhi Qi offered too much!¡± Wen Shi blinked,ughing as he spoke. ¡°Exactly¨C¡± ¡°Besides, it¡¯s not like it¡¯s a real betrayal, right.¡± Su Wanqing said cheerfully. ¡°Exactly, exactly!¡± Yun Luoshu nodded in agreement. Fang Xiaocao was driven crazy by anger. The three stooges had actually agreed to Zhi Qi¡¯s invitation to go out behind her back. Of course, it was just a travel n, so Fang Xiaocao wasn¡¯t freaking out. What made Fang Xiaocao freak out was that the three stooges were bought off by Zhi Qi over this travel n, and told Zhi Qi all about the embarrassing things she had done since starting university, all in painstaking detail. Even the embarrassing incident of crying because a stic bag outside the window scared her during a midnight bathroom run was narrated with vivid detail. This directly resulted in Fang Xiaocao, upon her return, socially ¡®dying¡¯ on the spot under Zhi Qi¡¯s amused gaze. Fang Xiaocao eximed, ¡°Badpany corrupts good character!¡± Sold out by her three treacherous friends. Thinking back to the WeChat chatst night, where she had just established a persona of a high-IQ, talented youngdy with Zhi Qi, and how it had copsed spectacrly within 24 hours because of her friends¡¯ betrayal, Fang Xiaocao felt like she had socially ¡®died¡¯. Especially when facing Zhi Qi¡¯s mocking smirk, Fang Xiaocao awkwardly ¡®dug a Forty-Nine City¡¯ with her toe. She had never been more embarrassed¡­ That¡¯s why Fang Xiaocao was so furious! The next day! Fang Xiaocao, sound asleep, was awakened by the noisy chatter of the three stooges. Fang Xiaocao sat up groggily and checked the time on her phone. Early morning: 06:25! She rubbed her eyes and looked again. Fang Xiaocao flopped back onto the hospital bed, feeling lifeless. ¡°You three have had enough!¡± ¡°Not sleeping, what are you fussing about?¡± Fang Xiaocao called out weakly. ¡°What sleep? Wake up, get up!¡± Su Wanqing shouted boisterously. ¡°Get up, my foot!¡± ¡°Big sister, we agreed on nine o¡¯clock!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not even six-thirty yet.¡± Fang Xiaocao rolled her eyes andined. ¡°We know it¡¯s supposed to be at nine!¡± ¡°But you have to drive us to school to get our luggage.¡± Su Wanqing said cheerily. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it just for one day?¡± ¡°What clothes to take?¡± Hearing this, Fang Xiaocao paused, confused. At this moment, Fang Xiaocao had a bad feeling. ¡°Who told you it¡¯s for one day?¡± ¡°It¡¯s for seven days!¡± ¡°Do you think our friendship is only worth one day?¡± Su Wanqing said matter-of-factly. ¡°Wang Defa?¡± ¡°Seven days!¡± Fang Xiaocao eximed. ¡°Yeah, seven days!¡± Wen Shi nodded and said. ¡°You¡¯re not going to school anymore?¡± Fang Xiaocao sat up from the hospital bed in one swift movement. ¡°Medical leave has been arranged in advance, what is there to worry about?¡± Su Wanqing countered. ¡°Not that¡­¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid of failing?¡± Fang Xiaocao blinked, shocked. ¡°Afraid of what?¡± ¡°Anyway, we¡¯re art students.¡± ¡°At worst, we¡¯ll catch up when we get back.¡± Su Wanqing said nonchntly. ¡°Cultural subjects can be made up for, but camping trips aren¡¯tmon.¡± Wen Shi added helpfully. Fang Xiaocao stared at the three in disbelief, utterly shocked. ¡°Hurry up and get up, go and grab a couple of clothes too.¡± Su Wanqing urged. ¡°Not that¡­¡± ¡°Are you serious?¡± Fang Xiaocao asked again, dumbfounded. ¡°Of course we¡¯re serious!¡± Su Wanqing nodded affirmatively. Fang Xiaocao: ¡°6!¡± As for studying, Fang Xiaocao wasn¡¯t worried. She had always been top of the ss, so failing was out of the question. But as for the three stooges, that¡¯s a different story. When they didn¡¯t skip sses, stuck to the lectures, and yed their cards right, they could barely keep up with the cultural subjects. If they were to take medical leave like this¡­ Falling behind by ten days or so would certainly result in failing, no question about it. ¡°Surely we haven¡¯te to that?¡± ¡°I could take you out during the holidays too!¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need to joke about our studies!¡± Fang Xiaocao said weakly. ¡°Stop fussing, get out of bed!¡± Su Wanqing said, hands on her hips, staring at Fang Xiaocao. ¡°Just missing a few sses, we can catch up in a few days when we get back, don¡¯t spoil the fun~¡± Wen Shi also chimed in from the side. Fang Xiaocao: ¡°6!¡± Chapter 47 - 47 Pre-warning Before Entering the Mountain Chapter 47: Chapter 47 Pre-warning Before Entering the Mountain Fang Xiaocao drove the red Range Rover to take the Sled Trio back to school. @@novelbin@@ While the Sled Trio went back to their dorm to pack, Fang Xiaocao drove to the hotel to organize her things, check out, and tossed her luggage into the trunk. By the time Fang Xiaocao drove back to the school, the Sled Trio had also finished packing. Picking up the three, Fang Xiaocao drove back to the hospital. As the car entered the hospital parking lot, she saw Zhi Qi in sportswear, just having parked. Fang Xiaocao pulled up next to Zhi Qi, rolled down the window, and asked, ¡°Howe you¡¯re here so early?¡± ¡°I was afraid you guys wouldn¡¯t wake up, so I came to be your rm clock,¡± Zhi Qi said with a smile. ¡°What did you guys do so early?¡± Zhi Qi asked with a puzzled look. ¡°We went to get our luggage!¡± ¡°These three only told me this morning it was for seven days,¡± Fang Xiaocao said helplessly. Hearing Fang Xiaocao¡¯s words, Zhi Qi revealed an ¡®aha¡¯ expression. Not telling Fang Xiaocao was her own idea. Zhi Qi knew that with Fang Xiaocao¡¯s personality, if she had been told in advance, Fang Xiaocao would never have agreed. Then, endless phone calls to bombard her would follow, forcing her to cancel or change ns in advance. But if things were set in stone at thest minute, Fang Xiaocao wouldpromise. ¡°What are youughing at?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know it was your bad idea.¡± Looking at the smiling Zhi Qi, Fang Xiaocao rolled her eyes and said in annoyance. ¡°Hehe¡«¡± Zhi Qiughed and grinned along. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± ¡°You treat me to a trip, I¡¯ll treat you to breakfast,¡± Fang Xiaocao said, resigned to the situation. Upon hearing this, Zhi Qi raised her eyebrows andughed, ¡°Sure, what shall we eat?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t afford the good ces, street food stall!¡± Fang Xiaocao said with augh. ¡°Let¡¯s do it!¡± Zhi Qi said cheerfully and got back into the car. Street food stall or not, Zhi Qi didn¡¯t care much. Back in the orphanage, when they were hardly getting enough to eat, they had boiled others¡¯ discarded cabbage ends and grilled the grasshoppers they caught in the bushes. Street food had to be better than those, right? They randomly picked a breakfast stall, each had a bowl of t noodles, and their seven-day trip officially began. Zhi Qi¡¯s n was to drive to the neighboring city, stay there for one night, and then head into the mountains the next morning to spend five days and nights there. The neighboring city had a mountain, at the periphery of a nature reserve. The Zhi Family had a partnership with the neighboring city to develop a tourism project on the outskirts of the reserve. This time, Zhi Qi was there for the inspection. In essence, Zhi Qi was taking four tag-alongs on a fully justified trip funded by public money. As for Zhi Qi¡¯s n, Fang Xiaocao and the others had no objections. Once they learned that Zhi Qi was not there purely for fun but to inspect the coborative tourism project, Fang Xiaocao had no opposing views. ¡­ Song Lin drove to the outskirts again to continue tailing Axi. With no results from the investigation, Song Lin could only utilize this method to keep an eye on Axi and protect the elderly couple at the same time. Song Lin knew that if Axi really was the murderer, he would surely stage a scene during his escape, making it look as though the murderer had been there, killing the elderly couple and abducting the child, to clear himself of suspicion. Although Song Lin was not certain it would happen, he would not allow innocent people to die due to his negligence. ¡­ At the city police station! ¡°Take her back first and have the assessment institution expedite the mental health evaluation results,¡± Wang Qiang instructed the young female officer. ¡°Yes, sir!¡± The young female officer responded. Wang Qiang leaned against the wall, pinching the bridge of his nose. What a headache! Wang Qiang hadn¡¯t expected Han Xue to be so troublesome. If the assessmentes back confirming that Han Xue really has a history of mental illness, then she might be able to escape legal punishment and be mandated to receive medical treatment instead. This was something Wang Qiang didn¡¯t want to see. Because he was certain that this was a premeditated n by Han Xue to dodge the charges. Once Han Xue was handed over to the mental health hospital for forced medical treatment, she likely still harbored ns to escape the hospital. In Wang Qiang¡¯s heart, Han Xue was very dangerous. Even more dangerous than the culprits of some heinous serial killings. She was like a ticking time bomb, which could explode at any moment should she return to society. By then, it was uncertain how many people would be harmed because of her. Even Wang Qiang felt that Han Xue showed signs of evolving into a serial killer. Once Han Xuepleted her transformation, she would definitely be an adversary who was both thorny and headache-inducing. ¡°Officer Wang, I think it won¡¯t be long before we say goodbye,¡± Han Xue said with a smile as she passed by Wang Qiang. Upon hearing this, Wang Qiang stared intently at Han Xue and said coldly, ¡°I will always be watching you.¡± ¡°Officer Wang is so handsome¡«¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t ask for more¡«¡± Han Xue threw Wang Qiang a coquettish nce and giggled. ¡°Take her away!¡± Wang Qiang said coldly. ¡°Hehe¡«¡± Han Xueughed charmingly, obediently following the young female officer. Watching Han Xue¡¯s retreating figure, Wang Qiang¡¯s expression was very solemn, as a bad premonition began to spread incessantly in his heart. ¡­ [Croak croak croak!] Neighboring city! Hotel! Fang Xiaocaoy on the big bed, just thinking about catching up on some sleep. The annoying frog croaks prated her ears. ¡°So annoying¡«¡± Fang Xiaocao scratched her head and picked up her phone. Unlocking the screen, she saw a message on WeChat. She opened WeChat¡­ [Hot Noodles: Baby, do you miss me?] Fang Xiaocao rolled her eyes and replied, ¡°Miss you, miss you so much that I could eat three bowls of rice in one meal.¡± [Hot Noodles: No wonder I¡¯ve gotten fatter recently, it¡¯s all your doing!] ¡°You¡¯re farting, I haven¡¯t gained weight!¡± Fang Xiaocao retorted angrily. [Hot Noodles: I¡¯m saying I got fat!] Fang Xiaocao: ¡­ Defeated! She couldn¡¯t outdo Hot Noodles anymore. Hot Noodles had mastered the secret of self-harm to inflict greater damage on the opponent. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Fang Xiaocao changed the subject and asked. [Hot Noodles: Be careful when you go into the mountains tomorrow.] Seeing the content of the message, Fang Xiaocao instantly became alert. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Fang Xiaocao asked eagerly. [Hot Noodles: You will encounter some issues, someone might get hurt.] ¡°Exin!¡± Fang Xiaocao asked, frowning. [Hot Noodles: Be wary of one woman, trust one man, and pay attention to another woman.] ¡°What¡¯s all this about?¡± Fang Xiaocao asked, her brow furrowed. [Hot Noodles: I¡¯ve only experienced part of it, I don¡¯t know all of it yet, this is all I know for now.] Looking at Hot Noodles¡¯ reply, Fang Xiaocao fell into deep thought. From Hot Noodles¡¯ messages, she deduced that after they go into the mountains tomorrow, they would encounter at least three people, two women and one man. The man could be trusted! Among the two women, one might do something to harm them, while the other needed special attention. ¡°Is there any other information?¡± Fang Xiaocao sent a message to inquire. [Hot Noodles: Nothing else for now.] [Hot Noodles: Both women need to be watched; I don¡¯t know which one will act out, just that it¡¯ll be a woman.] ¡°Names?¡± Fang Xiaocao blinked and pressed on. Chapter 48 - 48 Axi! Chapter 48: Chapter 48 Axi! Fang Xiaocao was now eager to know the names of the three people she needed to be cautious of. In a very short amount of time, she had thought a lot. She hade with Zhi Qi for a project inspection. Since it was an inspection, it was normal to encounter other people. Since Zhi Qi was conducting an inspection, there would definitely be a reception. There could also be people from otherpanies or organizations who would join the mountain inspection and evaluation. So, Fang Xiaocao analyzed that after entering the mountain, two possibilities could ur. One was that she would only encounter these three people. In that case, Fang Xiaocao just needed to be mindful of them alone. The other possibility was encountering a lot of people. If that was the case¡­ Without knowing their names, Fang Xiaocao had to prepare for a CPU overload. [Contact does not exist!] ¡°Wang Defa?¡± Looking at the ¡°Contact does not exist¡± notification, Fang Xiaocao¡¯s eyes widened like bells. ¡°Always fails at the critical moment,¡± Fang Xiaocao grumbled irritably. Fang Xiaocao decided to just give up where she was. She threw her phone onto the bed and flopped down beside it. ¡­ Tang City! Suburbs! Axi hid behind the curtains, peering through the gap with a sullen expression at the outside. ¡°I¡¯m being watched¡­¡± Axi muttered to himself. ¡°It must be that cop named Song Lin,¡± Axi sneaked back into the room, sneering softly. Axi walked to the bed, bent over, stuck out his butt, and stretched his tiny arms, struggling to search for something under the bed. Being a child, his arms were too short. The item was hidden too deep, making his actions look somewhatical. ¡°Found it!¡± Suddenly, Axi¡¯s eyes lit up. A dusty, old shoebox was hauled out from under the bed by Axi. Axi held the shoebox as if cradling a treasure. He carefully ced it on the bed. He didn¡¯t care that the bedsheet got dirty from the dust. Opening the shoebox, he revealed the hidden contents. A handgun, a grenade, a bundle of explosive cord. If Song Lin knew that Axi had these three items, he would surely break out in a cold sweat. Looking at the weapons inside the shoebox, Axi¡¯s lips curled into a sinister smile. ¡°This time, you shouldn¡¯t be able to escape, right?¡± ¡°Since you can¡¯t escape, let¡¯s take down a few more with us!¡± Axi murmured. Axi picked up the gun, expertly chambered a round, and adopted an aiming stance. These weapons had been umted by Axi over twenty years, traveling from ce to ce, through a series of coincidences. After carefully checking that the gun would fire smoothly, Axi picked up the grenade and pocketed it. He hesitated for a moment while gazing at the bundle of explosive cord, then closed the shoebox. ¡°Let¡¯s deal with that cop first!¡± Axi pocketed the gun and walked out of the room. Entering the living room, an old woman was cooking in the kitchen. An old man was watching the news and drinking tea. Axi coldly eyed the elderly couple as if they were two corpses, his eyes gleaming with a wolf-like bloodthirst. The next second, Axi¡¯s expression switched to reveal the innocent side of a child. After over twenty years of acting, Axi had perfected his expression management. The seamless switch between bloodthirsty and innocent was truly of an Academy Award level! Axi walked to the door and opened it. ¡°My dear grandson,e and eat?¡± Hearing the sound of the door, the old woman called out from the kitchen. ¡°I want a drink. Go to the store to buy it.¡± Axi replied casually. ¡°Drinking that stuff all the time isn¡¯t good for your health.¡± The old woman shouted. @@novelbin@@ ¡°If the child wants to drink, let him.¡± The old man said cheerfully. ¡°Dear grandson, do you have enough money?¡± ¡°Here, grandpa will give you some.¡± The old man said, smiling at Axi. ¡°I have enough!¡± Axi said before running out of the house. ¡°You always spoil him!¡± The old woman¡¯sining voice came from inside the house. Axi snickered and walked out of the yard. In the car! Song Lin immediately noticed Axi¡¯s appearance. Song Lin nced through the car window at the house windows, saw that the elderly couple was alright, and breathed a sigh of relief. Just now, Song Lin had received a message. There was indeed a record of a little boy named Axi being adopted from the orphanage. Byparing an old photo kept by the orphanage with Axi in front of him, except for the age difference, they were extremely simr in other aspects. Only, the boy in the photo was thinner and darker, like an ugly duckling, whereas the current Axi was plump and pale, like a lucky doll. ¡°Did he be plump in middle age?¡± A thought shed through Song Lin¡¯s mind. Watching Axi turn into a small path, Song Lin¡¯s mind stirred, and he subconsciously pushed open the car door and followed. Once doubt had taken root in his heart about someone, all their actions, seen through tinted sses, seemed highly suspicious and worthy of doubt. Song Lin followed Axi, wandering around the vige. Axi continued further off the beaten path, gradually walking out of the vige. Song Lin frowned tightly. The moment Axi left the vige, he stopped walking and ceased his pursuit. ¡°Better to lose than awaken him!¡± Song Lin muttered as he watched Axi¡¯s departing figure. Taking out his phone, he began drafting a message. ¡°Compare the photo provided by the orphanage with that of the victim¡¯s son to see how likely they are to be the same person.¡± ¡°elerate the investigation, prioritize the medical records of the two victims to check for any infertility history, and determine as soon as possible whether the victims have any birth or adoption records.¡± ¡°Have the forensic doctor perform another autopsy on the female victim to look for signs of childbirth.¡± After finishing the message, Song Lin clicked send. Song Lin put away his phone and turned back the way he hade. After Song Lin left, Axi came out from behind the locust tree at the back of the vige. ¡°Quite vignt¡­¡± Axi muttered to himself. Putting the gun back in his pocket, Axi circled around outside the vige and re-entered the vige through the vige entrance. It was just a close call! If Song Lin had followed him out of the vige, Axi would have pulled the trigger and ended Song Lin with a single shot. Unfortunately¡­ Song Lin¡¯s vignce had foiled Axi¡¯s n. Axi passed by the store, casually bought a bottle of drink, and mimicking a child¡¯s demeanor, he bounced happily toward his home. Seeing this, Song Lin was taken aback. ¡°Was it just to buy a drink?¡± Watching Axi hopping back home, a hint of confusion flickered in Song Lin¡¯s eyes. Opening his phone¡¯s navigation, he located his position, looking at the vige¡¯s streetyout and the location of the store, Song Lin was surprised to find that circling from behind the vige to the entrance to go to the store was actually a shorter route than going directly. ¡°Was I really overthinking it?¡± Song Lin muttered, puzzled. Back home, Axi ced the drink on the coffee table and returned to his room. He came to the window and, peeking through the gap in the curtains, secretly observed Song Lin. ¡°If you don¡¯t leave tonight, today will be your end!¡± Axi sneered as he muttered. ¡°Dear grandson, it¡¯s time to eat~¡± The old woman¡¯s voice came from the living room. Axi withdrew his gaze, moved back to the bedside, and replied, ¡°Coming~¡± Chapter 49 - 49 20:40 Candlelight Chapter 49: Chapter 49 20:40 Candlelight Criminal Investigation Headquarters! ¡°Team leader, Han Xue¡¯s mental health assessment is out,¡± Xiaoli, holding a paper report, rushed into the office and said to Wang Qiang. Upon hearing this, Wang Qiang looked at Xiaoli and said gravely, ¡°Just give me the result!¡± ¡°She meets the criteria for mandatory treatment¡­¡± Xiaoli hesitated for a moment before speaking. The expression on Wang Qiang¡¯s face instantly darkened. ¡°Damn it, she got away with it again!¡± Wang Qiang cursed furiously. ¡°Team leader, what should we do?¡± Xiaoli asked weakly. ¡°Follow the procedure, transfer her to the psychiatric hospital!¡± Wang Qiang said through clenched teeth. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll handle it now,¡± Xiaoli nodded and replied. Xiaoli felt uneasy as well. Knowing that Han Xue was guilty, yet bound by regtions, they could only watch as she evaded prison and was sent for mandatory treatment. Although the oue was nearly the same, its nature waspletely different. After Xiaoli left, Wang Qiang lit a cigarette and took a deep drag, watching the flickering cigarette. His gaze began to grow more intense. ¡°I hope you don¡¯t y any tricks,¡± Wang Qiang murmured to himself. ¡­ Suburbs! The sun was setting, the twilight deepening. Song Lin looked at his watch, 6:38 PM. ¡°Time flies so fast¡­¡± Song Lin sighed. He looked through the car window towards the house. An elderly woman was already busy in the kitchen. ¡°Lucky you, you still get to eat something warm.¡± ¡°I only have bread and mineral water to eat,¡± Through the car window, looking at Axi who was already seated at the table, Song Lin sighed. As the investigation deepened, Axi¡¯s suspicion had grown, and Song Lin had be convinced that this child before him was the cruel perpetrator. The only thing missing now was evidence. Staking out was the best way to gather evidence against a suspect. Every fox shows its tail sooner orter. Song Lin couldn¡¯t believe that Axi would keep hiding. If he had killed his foster parents, it was either out in the open, or about to be. For Axi, this ce was no longer safe. He surely would n to flee soon. Song Lin was waiting for that moment when Axi would run. If he ran, he would definitely try to deal with the elderly couple first. Song Lin was waiting to catch him in the act. Arresting him on the spot would allow them to proceed with the interrogation. That way, gathering evidence could be done more leisurely. There would be no need to worry constantly about him escaping. While eating, Axi¡¯s gaze asionally darted towards the window. Not far away, a car was parked. Song Lin¡¯s car! ¡­ Criminal Investigation Headquarters! ¡°Xiaoli, where did the master go?¡± As the workday neared its end, Wang Qiang stretched and asked. ¡°Xintiandi Restaurant, room 402. There¡¯s a new development in the family annihtion case. Squad leader Song suspects that the perpetrator might strike again to kill the victim¡¯s parents, so he went to stake out,¡± Xiaoli, packing up her things, replied. Upon hearing this, Wang Qiang was startled. He nced around the office and saw that his team members were all present. The people from the neighboring teams also didn¡¯t seem fewer than usual. Wang Qiang asked in confusion, ¡°Who apanied him?¡± ¡°Squad leader Song went alone!¡± Xiaoli answered. ¡°Isn¡¯t that reckless?¡± Upon hearing this, Wang Qiang shouted. ¡°How can we let him go alone with such a dangerous criminal?¡± ¡°He hasn¡¯t even fully recovered from his injuries yet!¡± ¡°Also, this is not inpliance with the investigation procedure!¡± Wang Qiang said anxiously. Upon hearing Wang Qiang¡¯s shout, the entire Criminal Investigation and logistics team, who hadn¡¯t left the office yet, were all startled. The bureau had two Criminal Investigation Teams, and Song Lin was the captain of one of them. Under the Criminal Investigation Team, there were several investigative groups, and Wang Qiang was the leader of one of those groups. During the six months Song Lin had an ident, the captain of the Criminal Investigation Team had never been reced. Instead, the deputy director had taken on the role, and Wang Qiang was mainly responsible for the team¡¯s affairs. Having been led by the hot-tempered Wang Qiang for half a year, even though Song Lin had returned to the team, Wang Qiang¡¯s authority still lingered. Upon suddenly hearing Wang Qiang¡¯s shout, one couldn¡¯t help but recall the days under Wang Qiang¡¯s dominance. ¡°Well¡­¡± ¡°Because there¡¯s no substantial evidence¡­¡± ¡°Song said that the team¡¯s police force must be ready to deal with emergency situations at any time. We shouldn¡¯t waste manpower because of his spection,¡± the young female officer stammered. ¡°Where?¡± Wang Qiang took a deep breath and asked in a deep voice. ¡°Suburbs¡­¡± Hearing the young female officer¡¯s answer, Wang Qiang grabbed the car keys and left. Upon reaching the office door, Wang Qiang paused, turned around to nce at the office and said, ¡°Shi Guang, work overtime ande with me.¡± ¡°Yes, team leader!¡± The detective named Shi Guang stood up and responded. ¡­ Suburbs! As time passed, night fell. A fewzy stars twinkled in the sky. ¡°Ah~¡± In the car, Song Lin yawned. He looked at his watch, 20:35. ¡°Is it thiste already?¡± Song Lin murmured to himself and looked through the car window at a nearby house. In the house, besides the lights of two bedrooms that were still on, all other ces were pitch ck. Elderly people go to bed early; the elderly couple evidently had already retired to their bedroom. Song Lin adjusted to afortable position and took out a can of coffee, opening it and taking a sip. ¡°Coffee wakes up the mind and keeps one alert~¡± Song Lin murmured to himself. ¡°ng, ng¡­¡± Outside the car, strange noises were heard. Song Lin was startled and immediately became alert. He looked outside, not knowing when, but all the lights had gone off. Song Lin furrowed his brow, instinctively sensing something was wrong. He nced at his watch again, 20:40. ¡°It¡¯s only been five minutes and they¡¯re all asleep?¡± Song Lin squinted his eyes and murmured with confusion. After a moment of silence, Song Lin opened the car door and got out. He pulled out his service pistol, chambered a round, and then tucked it back in his waistband. Song Lin took a deep breath and stealthily approached the elderly couple¡¯s house. @@novelbin@@ Upon reaching the front gate, he noticed it was left open. Seeing this, Song Lin was taken aback. The ¡°ng¡± noise from earlier had been the wind blowing the gate. Song Lin frowned deeply, peered through the open door crack and looked inside the yard. It was pitch ck, like the mouth of a beast. ¡°Falling into one¡¯s own trap!¡± An idea shed through Song Lin¡¯s mind. He looked up at the house. The light in the second-floor bedroom, which had been off, was somehow now on again. A small figure was standing by the window, looking down at the yard from the second floor¡­ Perhaps, there was also him! The house inhabited by the elderly couple was self-built. A small two-story building! The first floor had a living room, a kitchen! The second floor had three bedrooms! Song Lin looked up and locked eyes with the small figure at the window. Apparently, the small figure was smiling at him. Under Song Lin¡¯s gaze, the small figure raised a kitchen knife, waving it at the window. The next second, the small figure disappeared from the window. A candlelight lit up¡­ The candlelight drifted out from Axi¡¯s bedroom, heading towards the elderly couple¡¯s bedroom. ¡°Not good!¡± Seeing this, Song Lin eximed. Without a second thought, he pushed open the half-closed gate and rushed into the yard. The door of the small building was locked from the inside. Song Lin looked up just in time to see the candlelight drifting into the elderly couple¡¯s bedroom. In the flickering candlelight, a small figure¡¯s reflection slowly rose up on the curtain fabric, brandishing a kitchen knife. Chapter 50 - 50 The Devil鈥檚 Game Chapter 50: Chapter 50 The Devil¡¯s Game Seeing this scene, Song Lin was horrified. Without time to think any further, Song Lin ran towards the first-floor window. Stepping on the windowsill, gripping the cracks in the bricks, he began to climb toward the second floor. The small building had a second floor; the door on the first floor was a security iron door, utterly impossible to kick open. The windows on the first floor were also fitted with security bars, simply unclimbable. Only the second-floor bedroom, because it had a small balcony, hadn¡¯t been fitted with any security equipment. Song Lin carefully gripped the cracks in the bricks, inching upwards. His fingers turned white from the strain. After climbing two or three meters he had already scraped them, his fingertips marked with blood, and a piercing pain swept over him. Fortunately, the small balcony on the second floor was about seven meters above the ground. Song Lin gritted his teeth and persisted, soon reaching the edge of the balcony. He threw a punch, smashing it hard against the ss. The window ss shattered with a sound, and the shattered ss scattered all over the floor, making a ¡°tter,¡± and Song Lin¡¯s fist was a blur of blood and flesh. With a powerful push from his arm, Song Lin leaped onto the balcony. @@novelbin@@ The balcony was small, barely enough for one person. On the inner side, closer to the bedroom, there was anotheryer of ss door. Song Lin tried to push it, and the ss door wasn¡¯t locked. Song Lin walked into the bedroom in the dark, took out his phone, and turned on the shlight. ¡°Officer Song, isn¡¯t this breaking and entering?¡± Just then, a sinister voice suddenly rang out in the bedroom. Song Lin stiffened, mechanically turning his head toward the direction of the voice. ¡°Click!¡± A light sound, and the bedroom light turned on. The dazzling light made Song Lin¡¯s eyes swim. He instinctively covered his eyes with his hand. ¡°Officer Song, you broke into my house and killed my grandparents. Are you going to kill me too?¡± The childish voice, filled with innocence, chilled Song Lin¡¯s blood. Moving his hand away, he looked toward the bedroom door. A small figure was leaning against the door, smiling gleefully at him. It was Axi! What Axi held in his hands made Song Lin¡¯s eyes bulge with terror, sending chills throughout his body. In his left hand, the dark muzzle of a gun pointed right at him. In his right hand, an old human head with bulging eyes stared at Song Lin, eyes wide open in death. The owner of the head was the elderly woman! Song Lin looked at Axi in shock, his expression angry yet helpless. At such a close distance, even if Axi fired at the ground, the ricocheting bullets stood a great chance of hitting him. Thinking of dodging? He could only gamble that Axi¡¯s gun was out of bullets. Song Lin wasn¡¯t naively delusional to think that Axi would use a fake gun to scare him at this moment. The dark muzzle of the gun glistened under the light with a chilling gleam that made Song Lin¡¯s heart quiver. ¡°Officer Song, this head is so heavy. Could you help me hold it for a bit?¡± Axi asked, raising the head toward Song Lin. The childish voice paired with the bloody head created an indescribably eerie scene. Song Lin stared at Axi without showing any reaction. Axi smiled and waved the gun in his hand. Song Lin keenly caught that this gun was loaded and the safety was off. Indeed, it was a real gun! ¡°Officer Song, would you mind?¡± Axi tilted his head, looking at Song Lin. He shed a wide, bright smile, exposing his big white teeth. A seven or eight-year-old child making this gesture should have seemed adorable, but the way Axi did it sent shivers down Song Lin¡¯s spine. Especially because in Axi¡¯s hand¡­ ¡­he was holding a head that was still dripping blood! Facing the dark muzzle of the gun, Song Lin¡¯s brain raced. What way out could he find from the deadly situation Axi had prepared for him? ¡°Officer Song, do you think I¡¯ll give you a chance?¡± Axi asked cheerfully. With that, he tossed the bloody head onto the floor with a flick of his wrist. The head rolled to Song Lin¡¯s feet, its face turned towards him, its eyes wide open in death, staring intently at Song Lin¡¯s face. ¡°Officer Song, the floor is cold. Pick up my grandmother¡¯s head quickly,¡± Axi said, tilting the gun upward, speaking coldly. ¡°My grandmother always hated the cold¡­¡± Axi murmured to himself. Song Lin slowly bent over to pick up the old woman¡¯s head. His hand slowly reached toward his waist. ¡°Bang!¡± The gun went off! On the floor, the old woman¡¯s head burst in an instant, sttering blood and brain matter in a mix of red and white. Blood sprayed all over Song Lin, interrupting his actions. ¡°Officer Song, guns are too dangerous. You really shouldn¡¯t take them out. I get scared,¡± he said. ¡°When I¡¯m scared, my hands tend to shake.¡± ¡°And when my hands shake, it¡¯s easy for the gun I¡¯m holding to go off.¡± Axi¡¯s frigid voice filled the air. Song Lin took a deep breath, straightened up, and looked at Axi. ¡°Is your name Axi?¡± Song Lin asked in a deep voice. ¡°Oh?¡± ¡°So, Fang Xiaocao did recognize me.¡± Axi raised an eyebrow, speaking with a smile. ¡°What a nuisance. Looks like I¡¯ll have to kill another one.¡± Axi muttered to himself. ¡°Give it up. If I die, you won¡¯t escape.¡± Song Lin said solemnly. ¡°No, no, no, I¡¯m not nning to run away.¡± ¡°I¡¯m tired after more than twenty years.¡± Axi said cheerfully. ¡°But before I die, it¡¯d be interesting to find some fun, wouldn¡¯t it?¡± Axi continued with a smile. ¡°What do you want to do?¡± Song Lin asked in a deep voice. ¡°Do you think, if a good police officer were to break into a civilian¡¯s home at night, kill an elderly couple, and then get killed by a child seizing his gun, that the unscrupulous media and so-called self-media people would make a big deal out of it?¡± Axi tilted his head, speaking cheerfully. ¡°They would, but the department will clear my name,¡± Song Lin said coldly. ¡°There have been plenty of official denials.¡± ¡°But those after clicks and attention, with some encouragement from interested parties, will still twist the facts with conspiracy theories.¡± ¡°Mindless trolls don¡¯t care about the truth; they just prefer to believe the ¡®truth¡¯ they desire,¡± Axi said with a chuckle. ¡°So?¡± Song Lin countered. ¡°The inte isn¡¯t outside thew. Cross the line, and you can¡¯t escape the sanctions of thew,¡± Song Lin replied with a coldugh. ¡°I don¡¯t care about that!¡± ¡°I just want to see you being cursed!¡± ¡°To be med by those online trolls.¡± ¡°Watching your colleagues angry, helpless, yet unable to clear your name,¡± Axi continued jovially. ¡°You lunatic!¡± Song Lin¡¯s face darkened as he cursed angrily. ¡°Officer Song, do you think someone might do something irrational out of anger when they, or their family, are harassed online?¡± ¡°Tsk, tsk. Just thinking about it is fun,¡± Axi said with a smirk. Hearing this, Song Lin trembled uncontrobly with anger. ¡°Devil!¡± ¡°Madman!¡± Song Lin shouted furiously. ¡°Ha ha ha¡­¡± ¡°Thank you for thepliment!¡± Axiughed unrestrainedly. ¡°Officer Song, I¡¯m going to need your cooperation!¡± ¡°Come, pick up this head¡­¡± ¡°And then go to their bedroom!¡± Axi spoke cheerfully. His eyes full of amusement. Watching Song Lin¡¯s angry expression, Axi seemed very pleased, apparently enjoying Song Lin¡¯s anger and helplessness. Song Lin bent down, picked up the head, and cradled it in his arms. Axi¡¯sughter grew even more joyful. Stepping aside from the door, he walked to a corner and lifted the gun slightly, gesturing Song Lin to go to the old couple¡¯s bedroom. Chapter 51 - 51 Fierce Confrontation Chapter 51: Chapter 51 Fierce Confrontation Song Lin cradled the human head, slowly walking to the side of the door. ¡°Officer Song, if you don¡¯t want to die, be a good boy,¡± Axi threatened with a smile. Song Lin stopped in his tracks and looked toward Axi. ¡°Can you tell me about yourself?¡± Song Lin asked with a smile as he looked at Axi. ¡°Tell you what?¡± Axi blinked in confusion and asked. ¡°Your story!¡± Song Lin asked with a smile. ¡°There¡¯s nothing to tell, move it!¡± Axi¡¯s expression darkened, and he scolded. ¡°Go on, I¡¯m quite curious.¡± Song Lin raised an eyebrow, still smiling as he spoke. ¡°Officer Song, don¡¯t push your luck!¡± Axi raised the gun, pointing it at Song Lin with a cold voice. ¡°Hahaha~¡± ¡°Shoot then!¡± ¡°You¡¯re not going to let me leave alive anyway.¡± Song Lin shrugged his shoulders, speaking indifferently. ¡°You think I don¡¯t dare?¡± Axi red and questioned coldly. ¡°I don¡¯t care, just shoot,¡± Song Lin kept his cheerful demeanor as he spoke. Upon hearing this, Axi raised his eyebrows andughed. ¡°You¡¯re trying to break the game with this tactic, and disrupt my y?¡± Axi grinned showing his big white teeth and asked. ¡°No, I just want to take you back!¡± Before he finished speaking, Song Lin grabbed the head he was holding and threw it violently at Axi, took off in a sprint from the room, and ran towards the stairwell. ¡°Bang! Bang! Bang!¡± Gunshots echoed from the bedroom¡­ The stair railing next to Song Lin splintered simultaneously. Axi, gun in hand, walked out of the bedroom to find that Song Lin had already disappeared. ncing down at the floor, Axi smiled. @@novelbin@@ On the floor, a trail of blood extended towards the staircase. After looking at the shattered railing, Axi walked to the stairwell where there was even more blood. ¡°Officer Song, I have rigged a grenade to the security door, so don¡¯t you try to run.¡± Axi, tracing the stair railing with his gun, descended the steps towards the first floor, the gun¡¯s muzzle scraping over the wooden railing emitting a deathly tune. Song Lin crouched behind the kitchen door, clenching his teeth, pressing his hand against a bleeding arm, hisplexion pale and drenched with sweat that slid down his cheek and dripped onto the floor. He pulled out his gun, released the safety, and set it on the ground while listening for the sound of Axiing downstairs, and with one hand, he tore open his shirt and used his teeth to help tighten it around his wounded arm. ¡°Damn¡­¡± ¡°His marksmanship is damn good¡­¡± Song Lin cursed under his breath. After bandaging his arm, he tore another strip of shirt and tied it around his thigh to minimize blood loss. After Axi fired three shots, Song Lin had been hit by two bullets, instantly losing half his fighting capacity. Song Lin leaned against the wall, breathing heavily, pain continuously stimting his nerves, and the loss of blood making his vision darken in waves. ncing at the blood on the floor, Song Lin let out a wry smile, picked up the sidearm from the ground, and aimed it at the kitchen door. The blood trail had betrayed his location; Axi didn¡¯t even need to search, he already knew where Song Lin was. ¡°Officer Song, I¡¯ming.¡± Axi¡¯s voice came from the living room. Song Lin¡¯s nerves immediately tensed, and his eyes fixated on the kitchen door. As the footsteps grew closer, Song Lin slowly shifted his gun barrel slightly downward. ¡°Heh¡­¡± ¡°Almost forgot, he¡¯s a shorty.¡± Song Lin muttered to himself. A shadow shed across the ss of the kitchen door. Song Lin moved the gun barrel, aiming it at the window connecting the kitchen to the living room. ¡°Bang! Bang! Bang!¡± The next second, a series of gunshots rang out. Thirty secondster, all was quiet. At the vige entrance! Upon hearing the gunshots, Wang Qiang¡¯s expression drastically changed. He drew his sidearm, loaded it, and disengaged the safety. ¡°Team leader, those were gunshots!¡± Shi Guang spoke with a serious expression as he drove. ¡°I know, speed up!¡± Wang Qiang spoke in a heavy voice. Shi Guang nodded and mmed on the gas pedal hard. Three minutester, the car stopped behind Song Lin¡¯s. Wang Qiang pushed open the door, and with a forward roll, he rolled to the inside of Song Lin¡¯s car, crouching on the ground and nced into the car. ¡°He¡¯s not in the car!¡± Wang Qiang gritted his teeth looking across the road at the two-story building. ¡°Shi Guang, cover me!¡± Wang Qiang roared and dashed towards the small building, bending low. Shi Guang immediately pushed open the car door, using the door as cover, and raised his gun aiming at the lit room on the second floor. All the windows of the vi had curtains drawn. Only that second-floor bedroom and the ground-floor living room had lights on; the only ce that could threaten Wang Qiang¡¯s position was the second floor. Wang Qiang pressed against the courtyard wall, scanning the gate. The gate was wide open! Wang Qiang looked up at the room with lights on the second floor. Rapid analysis ran through Wang Qiang¡¯s mind. If the shooter was hiding in this room, entering through the courtyard gate would mean getting shot in the head instantly! Wang Qiang gestured to Shi Guang and with a leap, he swiftly vaulted over the low courtyard wall, rolling quickly to hide in the dead angle of the second floor¡¯s view. ¡°Bang bang bang!¡± At this moment, gunfire sounded again. A shock went through Wang Qiang¡¯s heart. Outside the courtyard, Shi Guang quickly tried to locate the source of the gunfire. Seeing a sh of muzzle fire from a small room on the ground floor, Shi Guang¡¯s expression tightened as he sprinted toward the courtyard wall, vaulting over with a swift movement and rolling to Wang Qiang¡¯s side. ¡°Team leader, it¡¯s on the first floor!¡± Shi Guang whispered. Upon hearing this, Wang Qiang swiftly scanned the ground floor. Burr-proof iron doors, protective window bars. ¡°We¡¯re going in from the second floor!¡± Wang Qiang made a snap judgement and issued themand. ¡°Team leader, cover me!¡± Before Wang Qiang could finish, Shi Guang darted out. ¡°Damn it!¡± Watching this scene, Wang Qiang cursed quietly. He quickly aimed his gun at the ground floor windows. No matter when, an assaulter is always in more danger than the cover team, risking injury or even death at any time. Wang Qiang had wanted to be the assaulter himself, but didn¡¯t expect Shi Guang to beat him to it.Upd@te by n0vgo .c0 Shi Guang tucked his sidearm back into his waistband and began to scale the wall, using the crevices as handholds. Seeing this, Wang Qiang aimed his gun at the second floor. Attacks from the first floor could no longer threaten Shi Guang; the second floor was the lethal threat. Wang Qiang¡¯s eyes were fixed on the second floor. Fearing the gunman would suddenly appear at the window. Shi Guang was agile; he climbed the few meters quickly and flipped over into the balcony. ¡°Huff¡­¡± Seeing this, Wang Qiang let out a sigh of relief. But he didn¡¯t notice¡­ A curtain on one of the ground floor¡¯s windows slowly parted, revealing a dark barrel aiming at him! ¡°Bang bang!¡± Two gunshots sounded! Wang Qiang fell backward, lying on the ground. A spurt of fresh blood sttered on the ss window. Five minutester! The burr-proof door on the first floor opened. Shi Guang, covered in blood, was helping Song Lin out, step by step. Blood was dripping continuously, leaving a trail of bloody footprints behind Song Lin. ¡°You rascal, stop pretending¡­¡± Looking at Wang Qiang lying on the ground, Song Lin¡¯s weak voice sounded. Hearing Song Lin¡¯s voice, Wang Qiang sprang to his feet, his heart still pounding as he looked over the blood-stained window sill and the bullet holes beside his feet. ¡°Scared me to death.¡± Wang Qiang grinned at Song Lin. ¡°Master, are you alright?¡± Seeing Song Lin covered in blood, Wang Qiang¡¯s expression changed as he rushed over, asking with concern. ¡°Hehe¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to die¡­¡± Song Lin grinned weakly and said. ¡°But if you don¡¯t call an ambnce soon, who knows¡­¡± Seeing Wang Qiang still looking at his wounds, Song Lin said helplessly. Chapter 52 - 52 Hot Noodles: We Have Changed the Future Chapter 52: Chapter 52 Hot Noodles: We Have Changed the Future ¡°Who is the suspect?¡± ¡°Damn it, how is there still a gun?¡± Wang Qiang asked as he took out his cellphone. ¡°Someone you wouldn¡¯t expect!¡± ¡°It was Xiaocao who provided me with the clue.¡± ¡°Otherwise, I¡¯m afraid he would¡¯ve gotten away.¡± Song Lin said with a sigh. ¡°Xiaocao?¡± Upon hearing this, Wang Qiang was taken aback. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s Xiaocao¡­¡± Song Lin nodded and said. ¡°It¡¯s a pity I didn¡¯t listen to her. If I had taken the person in earlier, otherwise¡­¡± As he spoke, Song Lin pped himself on the face with a frustrated expression. ¡°It¡¯s all my fault¡­¡± ¡°I should have arrested him sooner¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s all because I was too by-the-book¡­¡± Song Lin said with self-reproach. Looking at the self-reproaching Song Lin, Wang Qiang turned to Shi Guang, asking with his eyes what had happened inside. ¡°The parents of the couple in apartment 402 were also killed¡­¡± Shi Guang said with a sigh. Upon hearing this, Wang Qiang was startled. Immediately after, his expression also darkened. Although it wasn¡¯t Song Lin¡¯s fault, thest thing a criminal investigator wants to see is the body of a victim, especially when the perpetrator was already identified but because ofck of evidence, someone was harmed. That kind of guilt stemming from the conscience is the most agonizing. ¡°Shi Guang, call the technical investigation department, forensic doctor over.¡± Wang Qiang propped up Song Lin and instructed Shi Guang. ¡°Yes!¡± Shi Guang responded and took out his cellphone to call his colleagues back at the station. ¡°Uh¡­¡± ¡°Also, call 120¡­¡± Wang Qiang nced at Song Lin, hesitated for a moment, and then added softly. Song Lin¡¯s eyes instantly widened as he red at Wang Qiang. ¡°Hehe¡­¡± ¡°I got so agitated earlier that I forgot¡­¡± Facing Song Lin¡¯s angry stare, Wang Qiang said with an embarrassed smile. ¡°Having you as my apprentice is my good fortune¡­¡± Song Lin said with rolling eyes. ¡°Also¡­¡± ¡°Shi Guang, call the bomb squad¡­¡± ¡°Uhm¡­ there¡¯s still a grenade inside.¡± Song Lin said to Shi Guang who had just put down the cellphone. This time, it was Wang Qiang who was wide-eyed. ¡°I forgot¡­¡± Song Lin replied. ¡°What do you mean, there¡¯s a grenade and we¡¯re still here?¡± Wang Qiang eximed, wide-eyed. ¡°I can¡¯t walk anymore, you¡¯ll have to help me if you want to leave.¡± Song Lin said weakly, leaning against the wall. ¡°Shi Guang,e help out.¡± Wang Qiang was about to support Song Lin and called out to Shi Guang. ¡°I¡¯m young, I don¡¯t want to die in the line of duty so early.¡± Wang Qiang muttered. Hearing Wang Qiang¡¯s words, Song Lin gave a wry smile. Wang Qiang and Shi Guang, one on each side, propped up Song Lin and stepped slowly toward the yard¡¯s exit. ¡°Tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock¡­¡± As the three of them reached the courtyard door, the sound of the second hand ticking was clearly heard. The three of them were startled and instinctively looked at each other¡­ In each other¡¯s eyes, they saw a look of horror. ¡°Damn, a time bomb?¡± Wang Qiang eximed. Shi Guang turned his head towards the sound and looked down at the flowerpot beside his feet. The constantly jumping red numbers instantly filled him with sheer terror. ¡°Only ten seconds left, run!¡± Without a second to spare, Shi Guang shouted and dragged Song Lin to run. ¡°Boom!¡± An explosion roared and mes burst into the sky. The windows of the cars across the street shattered instantly. In the vige, the lights were on because of the gunfight. They flickered with the roar, and countless vigers ran out of their homes in a panic. ¡­ Police cars, ambnces, and fire trucks converged on the scene. Surrounded by the vigers, three soot-covered people were carried onto the ambnce. ¡°Damn, nearly died on the job¡­¡± From the ambnce, Wang Qiang¡¯s voice could be heard. The young female police officer ran towards the ambnce, her face filled with worry. ¡°Captain Song, Team Leader, Shi Guang, are you all okay?¡± The young female police officer asked anxiously. ¡°We¡¯re fine, just feeling a bit dizzy.¡± Wang Qiang shouted hoarsely. The intense explosion left their heads buzzing. Their ears also went into a brief state of deafness. ¡°Master got shot a few times, but he won¡¯t die just yet.¡± ¡°Shi Guang got knocked out by the st wave.¡± Wang Qiang shouted, describing everyone¡¯s injuries. Before the ambnce arrived, Wang Qiang had woken up. He had already checked everyone¡¯s injuries. ¡°Comrade, it looks like my master is not going to make it.¡± Pointing at the pale-faced, unconscious Song Lin, Wang Qiang yelled at the top of his lungs. ¡°You should go with us to the hospital.¡± The doctor put an oxygen mask on Song Lin and said to the young female police officer. ¡°Okay!¡± The young female police officer replied and got into the ambnce. Amidst the morous sirens, the ambnce, led by the police car, sped towards the Central Hospital of Tang City. ¡­ The hotel! Having just taken a shower, Fang Xiaocao sat in front of the dressing mirror, drying her hair. [Croak croak croak!] The sound of a frog croaking suddenly rang out. Fang Xiaocao turned to look at the phone on the nightstand. ¡°Who could it be sote at night?¡± Fang Xiaocao put down the hairdryer and muttered as she got up to grab the phone. Picking up the phone, she saw a WeChat message. Fang Xiaocao unlocked the screen and checked the message. [Hot Noodles: Something happened in Tang City!] Upon reading the message, Fang Xiaocao was stunned. ¡°What happened?¡± Fang Xiaocao hurriedly replied, asking for details. [Hot Noodles: Axi has been exposed. While killing an elderly couple, he was caught by the ambushing Song Lin. A gunfight ensued during his resistance, with Song Lin being shot three times and Axi killed on the spot.] Reading the message, Fang Xiaocao was astonished. ¡°How is Captain Song?¡± Fang Xiaocao asked urgently. [Hot Noodles: In your time period, Song Lin is currently being treated. ording to future newspapers, he will be fine and will even receive an award.] ¡°Phew~¡± Upon seeing this message, Fang Xiaocao breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°What about the elderly couple?¡± Remembering the lonely backs of the elderly couple supporting each other, Fang Xiaocao felt a pang in her heart and asked. [Hot Noodles: Dead¡­] [Hot Noodles: Axi nted a homemade time bomb in the yard. Sparks from the explosion ignited the house, which set off the gas canisters and grenades inside. Axi and the elderly couple were reduced to ashes¡­] ¡°Bomb¡­a bomb?¡± Staring at the message, Fang Xiaocao eximed. ¡°Axi¡­ is that ruthless?¡± Fang Xiaocao¡¯s voice trembled as she continued to ask. [Hot Noodles: Yes!] @@novelbin@@ Fang Xiaocao¡¯s mood grew heavy. Three lives were gone just like that. Not even their bodies were left behind¡­ ¡°Wait a minute¡­¡± ¡°Are we sure Axi is dead?¡± Fang Xiaocao¡¯s voice shook as she sent a voice message asking. Somehow. When she saw the words ¡°reduced to ashes¡± in Hot Noodles¡¯ message, Fang Xiaocao suddenly felt a shiver go through her and the image of Axi¡¯s sneering face shed across her mind. At that moment, she had a premonition¡­ Could it be that Axi didn¡¯t die and fled amidst the chaos? Hot Noodles fell silent. Fang Xiaocao received no reply for a long time. ¡°No?¡± ¡°Could he really be alive?¡± Fang Xiaocao asked tensely. [Hot Noodles: I can¡¯t answer that question. In my current timeline, history has already been altered, and so far, there have been no reports of a criminal like Axi, or someone resembling Axi.] [Hot Noodles: The newspaper states that Axi was killed on the spot by Song Lin.] [Hot Noodles: As for whether he is dead, all I can say is that in my timeline, Axi has vanished.] [Hot Noodles: However, due to my arrival and your current actions, a lot of the future has changed. For example, Song Lin, Han Xue, Qi Yu; their futures have all been altered because of us. So, whether Axi is truly dead or not is something you will have to find out for yourself.] Chapter 53: 850,000 credited Chapter 53: Chapter 53: 850,000 credited Looking at the message from Hot Noodles, Fang Xiaocao fell silent. Unconsciously, she had already affected the fate of so many people. [Hot Noodles: No need to me yourself. We are changing the bad futures. Many people have survived because we changed their destinies.] ¡°Hmm, I know~¡± ¡°Just feeling a bit sentimental, that¡¯s all.¡± @@novelbin@@ Fang Xiaocao replied. [Hot Noodles: Overall, our presence isn¡¯t a bad thing. If it weren¡¯t for us, Song Lin¡¯s body would have been found six monthster in that basement in your timeline, dead from starvation, his stomach stuffed with trash he had eaten out of hunger.] [Hot Noodles: The reason I didn¡¯t know the body in the basement was Song Lin before was that the reports at the time only mentioned the discovery of a body and didn¡¯t identify it as Song Lin until now.] [Hot Noodles: If Axi hadn¡¯t been exposed by you this time, the old couple would have died anyway, and Axi would havemitted more crimes until being shot dead by Wang Qiang.] [Hot Noodles: So, changing the future isn¡¯t necessarily a bad thing!] ¡°Okay, I got it.¡± Fang Xiaocao replied with a voice message. ¡°Is there anything else you need to tell me about going into the mountains tomorrow?¡± Remembering the danger she would encounter in the mountains tomorrow, Fang Xiaocao quickly took the opportunity to ask for details. ¡°What are the names of the three people I should be wary of?¡± Seeing that Hot Noodles hadn¡¯t replied, Fang Xiaocao directly got to the point and asked what she cared about most. [Hot Noodles: Hn Xiaoyue, Yu Tianqi, Wan Xiaozhou.] After a long time, Hot Noodles sent three names. ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you tell me everything all at once?¡± Looking at the three names, Fang Xiaocao blinked and asked. Fang Xiaocao didn¡¯t believe that Hot Noodles, having just experienced another incident, wouldn¡¯t have more information. [Hot Noodles: The killer is between Hn Xiaoyue and Wan Xiaozhou, these two women. I don¡¯t know who it is, but I know these three names, and Yu Tianqi ispletely trustworthy.] [Hot Noodles: The incident I just went through wasn¡¯t very pleasant, and I didn¡¯t see who the killer was.] Looking at the message from Hot Noodles, Fang Xiaocao fell silent, her brain beginning to race. ¡°I have three questions for you to answer.¡± ¡°First: Who got hurt?¡± ¡°Second: Why was the killer determined to be a woman? And why can Yu Tianqi bepletely trusted?¡± ¡°Third: What¡¯s your basis for these ims?¡± Fang Xiaocao asked all the questions that were on her mind in one go. [Hot Noodles: Yu Tianqi, Su Wanqing, and Yun Luoshu will be injured. None of them fatally injured, with Su Wanqing unconscious, and Yu Tianqi and Yun Luoshu wounded.] [Hot Noodles: Your second and third questions are also answered by this information.] [Hot Noodles: ording to the descriptions by Yu Tianqi and Yun Luoshu, the killer is a tall woman. Only Hn Xiaoyue and Wan Xiaozhou physically fit the descriptions by those two.] [Hot Noodles: For now, that¡¯s all the help I can give you.] ¡°Alright, I understand.¡± Fang Xiaocao nodded and replied. [Contact does not exist!] Seeing this notification, Fang Xiaocao rolled her eyes. Now, Fang Xiaocao could only hope that after Hot Noodles went through another event, she would bring back some useful information. Throwing her phone on the bed, Fang Xiaocaoy on her back, letting her mind go nk, trying not to think about these matters. Tomorrow would be a mentally taxing day for Fang Xiaocao; she needed to rest now. How much her CPU would take would be seen tomorrow. ¡­ Fang Xiaocao had many strange dreams throughout the night. In her dreams, she seemed to have seen Hot Noodles¡­ That is, her future self! Bizarre and inexplicable. [Quack quack quack!] In the morning, Fang Xiaocao was woken up by a frog¡¯s croaking. Sleepily opening her eyes, she had a bit of a headache. It was the aftereffect of insufficient sleep. After being woken up countless times by the bizarre dreams, Fang Xiaocao¡¯s sleep had been severelycking. She shook her head to clear her thoughts and wake herself up some more. Fang Xiaocao grabbed her phone to check her messages. The message was from Zhi Qi. [Zhi Qi: Get ready, we should be leaving now.] ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll be right down.¡± Fang Xiaocao replied and got up from the bed, walking into the bathroom. After quickly washing up, Fang Xiaocao changed into a windbreaker, shouldered her backpack, and pulled her suitcase out of the room. Gathering in the hotel lobby, Fang Xiaocao handed over the keys to an assistant who hade to meet Zhi Qi. The assistant took everyone¡¯s room cards to check out, while Fang Xiaocao and the others got into the car and headed for their out-of-town destination. All the way there, Fang Xiaocao was fraught with worry. Fang Xiaocao leaned against the seat, resting with her eyes closed. Entering the mountains! It signified the start of the brain-burning game. She needed to stay alert at all times. ¡­ [Quack quack quack!] The message notification tone from her phone rang out. Fang Xiaocao opened her eyes and took out her phone to check the message. A transaction alert: 850,000 has been deposited into your ount! Fang Xiaocao was stunned, rubbing her eyes. ¡°Who transferred money to me?¡± Fang Xiaocao mumbled to herself in confusion. [Quack quack quack!] As Fang Xiaocao puzzled over it, a WeChat message popped up. Fang Xiaocao opened WeChat to find the message was from Wang Qiang. [Wang Qiang: Xiaocao, I¡¯ve transferred Axi¡¯s bounty and yourst reward together. We¡¯ll present you with the banner when you get back and take it to your school.] Seeing the message from Wang Qiang, Fang Xiaocao¡¯s face revealed an epiphany. ¡°I was wondering who would transfer money to me.¡± Fang Xiaocao murmured. ¡°Okay, thank you Officer Wang.¡± Fang Xiaocao replied with a smile. She had wanted to inquire about how Wang Qiang and Song Lin¡¯s injuries were healing, but then she remembered that the matter was still confidential and not public, so Fang Xiaocao decided against it. The existence of Hot Noodles must not and could not be exposed, Fang Xiaocao had to minimize any unnecessary trouble. [Wang Qiang: No need to be polite. Treat me to a meal when you get back. I have things to take care of now, so I won¡¯t chat.] ¡°Okay, you stay busy Officer Wang.¡± Fang Xiaocao replied politely. Pocketing her phone, Fang Xiaocao continued to rest with her eyes closed. There was still some distance before reaching their destination, and Fang Xiaocao wanted to use the time to rest and clear her mind. ¡­ Tang City! The city police department! ¡°Can we do a DNAparison with the body parts recovered from the site?¡± Wang Qiang leaned back in his chair, asking. ¡°Not anymore.¡± The young female officer shook her head, speaking hopelessly. ¡°Can the forensic doctor piece them together?¡± Wang Qiang blinked, asking in a grave voice. ¡°They can¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°The body parts collected from the scene aren¡¯t even enough for a child¡­¡± The young female officer shook her head, speaking in dismay. ¡°Damn it, I have an uneasy feeling about this.¡± Upon hearing this, Wang Qiang mmed his fist on the desk, speaking angrily. The violent explosion had destroyed the scene. The bodies of the elderly couple and Axi could not be found. This made Wang Qiang feel very uneasy, as if Axi was not dead. Even though Song Lin was quite certain he had hit Axi in the heart. Chapter 54 - 54 Is She Wan Xiaozhou? Chapter 54: Chapter 54 Is She Wan Xiaozhou? Fang Xiaocao carried her hiking backpack, stepping deeply, then shallowly along the wet and slippery shaded path in the forest. ¡°Aiyaa~¡± ¡°How much longer until we reach the camping site?¡± The sound of Su Wanqing¡¯sints came from behind her. Just an hour into the mountain, Husky had already stumbled three times. Now, relying solely on Yun Luoshu¡¯s support, was Su Wanqing barely keeping up with the group. ¡°The happier you were when you arrived, the sadder you are now.¡± Fang Xiaocao turned around and said faintly. Hearing this, Su Wanqing¡¯s face darkened. Fang Xiaocao and several others trekked another two hours on the mountain road, finally finding a small gentle slope. ¡°Let¡¯s rest here for a while.¡± Zhi Qi stopped and said to Fang Xiaocao. Fang Xiaocao nced at Su Wanqing and nodded helplessly. ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s rest for a bit then,¡± Fang Xiaocao said helplessly. Fang Xiaocao had originally nned to walk a bit further, to speed up to reach the camping assembly point as quickly as possible. It wasn¡¯t just Zhi Qi¡¯s family that hade this time to inspect the tourism project, Fang Xiaocao had anticipated this. The project nning department, in order to add fun, had specifically arranged hiking into the mountains, searching for the camping gathering spot, outdoor survival, and other activities, which would also be the main reception activities of the future open tourist area. To this, Fang Xiaocao remarked that it was simply sick¡­ The perverse pleasures of the wealthy were beyond her imagination. Who else but the sried ss, finally getting a long vacation, would spend a good deal of money toe to a deep mountain and old forest to suffer. If she weren¡¯t apanying Zhi Qi on the inspection tour, Fang Xiaocao wouldn¡¯t havee if you killed her. Fang Xiaocao: Isn¡¯t sleeping in at home so much nicer? After setting down their backpacks, Zhi Qi and the others found a rtively clean rock to lean on and rest. Fang Xiaocao took out her phone to try contacting Hot Noodles. ¡°Are you back?¡± Sheposed the message and hit send. [Contact does not exist!] Looking at the ¡°Contact does not exist¡± alert, Fang Xiaocao reluctantly put away her phone. She still couldn¡¯t get in touch with Hot Noodles. The foreign environment, the unknown dangers. This made Fang Xiaocao somewhat anxious. ¡°Let¡¯s keep moving,¡± she said. @@novelbin@@ ¡°Aim to reach the camping site earlier.¡± ¡°It will be very dangerous in these deep mountains and old forests once it gets dark.¡± After resting for roughly half an hour, Zhi Qi stood up, shouldered her backpack, and called out. Hearing this, Fang Xiaocao also stood up, shouldered her backpack, ready to depart. Wen Shi and Yun Luoshu, with their backpacks on, propped up the wailing Su Wanqing. Zhi Qi¡¯s young assistant also stood up and even took the liberty of picking up Su Wanqing¡¯s backpack. Seeing this scene, Fang Xiaocao was taken aback. Only now did Fang Xiaocao realize that it had always been the assistant carrying Su Wanqing¡¯s bag. ¡°This assistant is quite something!¡± Fang Xiaocao thought to herself. Fang Xiaocao, carrying her own backpack, was barely managing, while Yun Luoshu, as a sports student, tall and strong, helped Wen Shi support Su Wanqing on the trek. But even though she was a girl, her face showed signs of fatigue. And yet this assistant seemed unfazed. Surely, this was not the strength a typical girl should possess. A girl carrying the weight of two people, walking such a long mountain road without uttering a single word or showing any signs of fatigue¡ªunimaginable. Keep in mind, everyone¡¯s backpack was not light. They weighed at least a dozen or twenty pounds. For an ordinary girl like Fang Xiaocao, just bearing the weight of one and climbing was already at her limit. Yet this assistant was toting thirty or forty pounds with such ease. How could this not draw the attention of Fang Xiaocao. Curiosity piqued, she couldn¡¯t help but steal nces at the assistant now and then. The assistant had a tall figure and a well-proportioned body. Carrying the load of two people, she still moved steadily. On the rugged mountain path, she walked swift and sure, striking a chord in Fang Xiaocao¡¯s mind. ¡°Zhi Qi?¡± Fang Xiaocao took a few brisk steps to catch up with the lead, Zhi Qi, and softly called out. ¡°What is it?¡± Zhi Qi raised an eyebrow and looked at Fang Xiaocao with curiosity. ¡°What¡¯s the name of that assistant of yours?¡± Fang Xiaocao asked quietly. Such a remarkable girl, Fang Xiaocao had a hunch that she might be one of the two girls she needed to watch out for, one that might be the perpetrator. ¡°Her?¡± ¡°Call Wan Xiaozhou!¡± Upon hearing this, Zhi Qi nced at the assistant and replied. When Xiaocao heard the three words ¡°Wan Xiaozhou,¡± she was struck as if by lightning and stood frozen on the spot. ¡°Wan Xiaozhou?¡± ¡°She is Wan Xiaozhou?¡± Xiaocao eximed in her heart. Her expression also became somewhat strange. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Seeing Xiaocao¡¯s expression, Zhi Qi asked, puzzled. ¡°Ah?¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing.¡± ¡°Just remembered something.¡± Upon hearing Zhi Qi¡¯s words, Xiaocao came back to her senses, shook her head and said with a smile. As she spoke, Xiaocao turned her head to nce at Wan Xiaozhou, and seeing that the other party wasn¡¯t paying attention to her, Xiaocao continued to hurry on. Seeing this, Zhi Qi looked at Wan Xiaozhou with confusion, then back at Xiaocao, scratching his head in bewilderment before catching up with Xiaocao. ¡°Amidst the search through the crowd, the one I seek stands where the lights are waning?¡± This line of poetry surfaced in Xiaocao¡¯s mind. ¡°The very person I¡¯ve been on guard against has been by my side all along, and I waspletely unaware. I really am quite oblivious,¡± Xiaocao chided herself inwardly. ¡°Back at the hotel, I should have asked for names.¡± ¡°If I had, I could have had Zhi Qi send Wan Xiaozhou away and get a different assistant to follow me into the mountains. That way, I would have eliminated one suspect.¡± Regrets filled Xiaocao¡¯s mind. ¡°Fang Xiaocao, you deserve your CPU to burn out!¡± Xiaocao cursed herself silently. ¡°Xiaocao, why do I feel like you¡¯ve been acting weird?¡± ¡°Especially after learning Wan Xiaozhou¡¯s name.¡± ¡°Did Wan Xiaozhou offend you somehow?¡± Walking beside Xiaocao, Zhi Qi asked with curiosity. ¡°No, just didn¡¯t sleep wellst night, have a bit of a headache, don¡¯t mind me.¡± Upon hearing this, Xiaocao shed a grin and casually made up an excuse to brush off Zhi Qi. ¡°Really?¡± Zhi Qi raised an eyebrow, asking skeptically. ¡°Really, would I lie to you?¡± Xiaocao red at Zhi Qi and said. Zhi Qi blinked dubiously, clearly not quite believing it. ¡°Let¡¯s not talk, save your energy.¡± ¡°We still have a long way to go.¡± Seeing that Zhi Qi wanted to keep discussing the issue, Xiaocao said helplessly. ¡°I¡¯m not tired at all!¡± Zhi Qi blinked andughed. ¡°I am!¡± Xiaocao red at Zhi Qi and quickened her pace, creating a gap between them. Looking at Xiaocao¡¯s retreating figure, Zhi Qi raised an eyebrow. He caught up with Xiaocao in just a few quick steps. Ever seen a dogskin ster? Zhi Qi was cosying as a dogskin ster, sticking close to Xiaocao. Seeing the ¡°dogskin ster¡± catching up, Xiaocao rolled her eyes helplessly. ¡°Humph~¡± ¡°So annoying~¡± Xiaocaoined in her mind. An hourter, Xiaocao, feigning exhaustion, stopped on the path. ¡°Is this too much for you?¡± Zhi Qi asked with a chuckle. ¡°Is it any of your business?¡± Xiaocao retorted grumpily. Seeing Xiaocao puff up like a blowfish, Zhi Qi couldn¡¯t help but smile happily. ¡°Hurry up and lead the way!¡± Xiaocao said helplessly. With Zhi Qi by her side, she couldn¡¯t properly observe Wan Xiaozhou. Chapter 55: Testing and Eyes Chapter 55: Chapter 55: Testing and Eyes Zhi Qi shrugged her shoulders as she noticed the people behind her had caught up, and inevitably, she continued to move forward. After all, the map was in her mind. If she didn¡¯t lead the way, these people would have to stop. By now, it was already 3:38 PM. If they didn¡¯t hurry, they wouldn¡¯t reach the camping site before dark. The mountains and forests at night could be very dangerous. Traveling through the mountains and forests at night was even more perilous. Although Zhi Qi enjoyed sticking close to Fang Xiaocao and teasing her, she wouldn¡¯t joke about everyone¡¯s safety. Fang Xiaocao stood by the side of the road, pretending to rest. ¡°Do you need me to carry your pack for you?¡± As he passed by Fang Xiaocao, Yun Luoshu asked. ¡°No need, I just need to rest a bit.¡± Fang Xiaocao shook her head and said with a smile. At this moment, due to Su Wanqing¡¯s dy, Yun Luoshu and Wen Shi, who were much stronger than Fang Xiaocao, seemed even more tired than her. Their backs were drenched with sweat, and their hair was soaked. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me, you guys go on.¡± Fang Xiaocao said with a smile. Yun Luoshu nodded and continued forward with Wen Shi, supporting the extremely weary Su Wanqing. ¡°Miss Fang, do you need my help?¡± Wan Xiaozhou walked up to Fang Xiaocao and asked with a smile. ¡°No need, let¡¯s go.¡± Fang Xiaocao said with a smile. As she spoke, she began to walk shoulder to shoulder with Wan Xiaozhou. ¡°Your name is Wan Xiaozhou?¡± Fang Xiaocao asked as if curious. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°How did you know, Miss Fang?¡± Wan Xiaozhou nodded and asked curiously in return. ¡°Of course, your boss told me.¡± Fang Xiaocao said cheerily. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s not surprising then.¡± Wan Xiaozhou nodded andughed. ¡°Xiaozhou, you have such good stamina!¡± Fang Xiaocao pretended to be shocked upon noticing the two hiking packs on Wan Xiaozhou and eximed. ¡°It¡¯s alright~¡± Wan Xiaozhou said with augh. ¡°Xiaozhou, you must work out a lot with such good physical health, right?¡± Fang Xiaocao examined Wan Xiaozhou up and down with curious eyes and asked with a smile. ¡°Yes, I work out frequently!¡± Wan Xiaozhou nodded and answered. ¡°No wonder your physique and stamina are so good.¡± Fang Xiaocao eximed. ¡°I just can¡¯t seem to stick to working out.¡± Fang Xiaocao said with augh. ¡°It¡¯s really painful at first, but once you get used to it, you¡¯ll feel ufortable if you don¡¯t exercise every day.¡± Wan Xiaozhou said with a heartyugh. ¡°You have a good figure, Miss Fang, but it¡¯s slightly frail. I believe you would look even more beautiful if you kept up with fitness.¡± Wan Xiaozhou seemed very interested in fitness, and as the topic turned to fitness and physique, he became more talkative. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Then I really should get a membership when I get back.¡± Fang Xiaocao said pretending to be surprised. ¡°Xiaozhou, do you have any fitness ns you¡¯d rmend?¡± Fang Xiaocao inquired further. ¡°Start with the basics.¡± Wan Xiaozhou looked at Fang Xiaocao and suggested. ¡°Also, try some yoga to stretch your muscles and increase flexibility so you won¡¯t distort your figure.¡± Wan Xiaozhou thought for a moment and added. ¡°Okay, got it.¡± Fang Xiaocao nodded and replied. ¡°I heard thatbining fitness with somebat sports, like boxing or kickboxing, can help with better sculpting. Is that true?¡± Fang Xiaocao asked curiously. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s true!¡± ¡°But those are best if started at a young age.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t have a foundation, practicing yoga will have the same effect.¡± Wan Xiaozhou nodded and said with a smile. ¡°So with such a good physique, do you also train in fighting techniques while working out?¡± Fang Xiaocao sized up Wan Xiaozhou curiously and asked. Hearing this, Wan Xiaozhou paused in his steps. His expression turned unnatural for a moment. He quickly recovered and said with a smile, ¡°Yes, I do train in fighting techniques while working out.¡± Wan Xiaozhou paused again, then added, ¡°I took sses as a child that my family enrolled me in.¡± ¡°You look quite skilled.¡± Fang Xiaocao eximed. ¡°Xiaozhou, you must be really good at fighting, right?¡± Fang Xiaocao asked mysteriously and gossiped eagerly. ¡°Not really~¡± Hearing this, Wan Xiaozhou hesitated and replied evasively. ¡°Miss Fang, we need to pick up the pace,¡± ¡°It¡¯s easy to get lost if we fall too far behind.¡± Wan Xiaozhou changed the subject abruptly. As he spoke, Wan Xiaozhou quickened his steps. Fang Xiaocao stood still, watching Wan Xiaozhou¡¯s retreating figure, her expression fluctuating uncertainly. All the slight changes in Wen Xiaozhou¡¯s expression were fully captured by Fang Xiaocao. The conversation was meticulously nned by her. All to test Wan Xiaozhou. ¡°Looks like Wan Xiaozhou really is troublesome,¡± Fang Xiaocao murmured to herself. Through her probing, Fang Xiaocao had now listed Wan Xiaozhou among those with mysterious personas. He possessedbat power, and it was likely quite formidable. If he were tounch a surprise attack and injure an average adult man, Fang Xiaocao thought it wouldn¡¯t be surprising at all. ¡°Xiaocao, what are you doing?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t space out, hurry up and catch up!¡± While Fang Xiaocao was deep in thought, Zhi Qi shouted loudly. Hearing Zhi Qi¡¯s shout, Fang Xiaocao snapped back to reality and responded, ¡°Coming!¡± Fang Xiaocao quickened her steps and hurriedly caught up. ¡°Rustle rustle~¡± The bushes trembled, and a pair of eyes peeked out from between the branches, watching Fang Xiaocao¡¯s retreating figure. Walking ahead, Wan Xiaozhou paused again and turned to look back. His gaze focused on the bushes. ¡°Swoosh!¡± The eyes vanished instantly. ¡°Rustle rustle~¡± The sound of the bushes trembling followed. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with Xiaozhou?¡± Seeing Wan Xiaozhou stop and look back towards her, Fang Xiaocao, who had caught up, asked curiously while also turning to follow Wan Xiaozhou¡¯s gaze toward the back. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± @@novelbin@@ Fang Xiaocao turned around just in time to see the trembling bushes and blurted out instinctively. ¡°It¡¯s nothing; it¡¯s probably a small wild animal.¡± ¡°This forest is well preserved, home to many wild creatures,¡± Wan Xiaozhou said with a smile. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Hearing Fang Xiaocao¡¯s startled cry, Zhi Qi ran over from ahead, asking with concern. ¡°No¡­ nothing.¡± Fang Xiaocao said as she looked at the bushes. ¡°Those bushes were just moving.¡± ¡°Xiaozhou said it¡¯s a small wild animal.¡± Fang Xiaocao exined. Hearing this, Zhi Qi looked towards the bushes. Seeing the bushes low and showing no signs ofrge wild animals, Zhi Qi finally withdrew her gaze. ¡°It must be a small wild creature.¡± Zhi Qi reassured Fang Xiaocao with a smile. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, let¡¯s hurry along.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Fang Xiaocao nodded and nced at the bushes onest time before catching up with Zhi Qi¡¯s steps. Thinking back to how she had just been standing in front of those bushes, Fang Xiaocao still felt somewhat uneasy. At the same time, her wariness towards Wan Xiaozhou escted significantly. ¡°Can ordinary people really possess such sharp perception?¡± Fang Xiaocao wondered to herself. Chapter 56 - 56 Zhi Qi: This is a conspiracy Chapter 56: Chapter 56 Zhi Qi: This is a conspiracy In the dimly lit mountain forest, a fog gradually began to form. An exhausted traveler trudged through it. The wind brushed through the treetops, producing a ¡°shushing¡± odd noise. The wavering setting sun scattered its afterglow. Fang Xiaocao bit her lip as she struggled to move forward, her little face deathly pale, the several hours of mountain roads had taken her to her physical limit. In the group, apart from Wan Xiaozhou, who still lookedposed, only Zhi Qi, the guide, seemed to have energy to spare. Su Wanqing gasped like a fish out of water, her mouth wide open as she struggled to draw oxygen from the air. ¡°Huff, huff, huff¡­¡± ¡°I can¡¯t go on any further¡­¡± ¡°I can¡¯t breathe¡­¡± From her throat, Su Wanqing managed to squeeze out these words intermittently. Fang Xiaocao nced at Su Wanqing and waved her hand, signaling Yun Luoshu and Wen Shi to stop and let Su Wanqing catch her breath. Leaning against a big tree, she asked Zhi Qi: ¡°Zhi Qi, how far is it to the gathering ce?¡± It wasn¡¯t just Su Wanqing who was at her limit. If they continued, Fang Xiaocao wouldn¡¯t be able to hold up either. ¡°There seems to be something wrong with the map¡­¡± Zhi Qi said with a grave expression. At her words, everyone turned to look at Zhi Qi. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Fang Xiaocao asked nervously. ¡°There¡¯s a problem with the map!¡± Zhi Qi frowned and repeated. ¡°Indeed, we¡¯ve been walking in circles.¡± Wan Xiaozhou said in a deep voice. ¡°We¡¯ve passed this tree three times!¡± Wan Xiaozhou pointed at the tree that Fang Xiaocao was leaning on. Hearing this, Fang Xiaocao was startled, instinctively looking at therge tree she was leaning on. On the trunk, there was a slight scratch. ¡°What is this?¡± Fang Xiaocao blinked, asking hesitantly. ¡°I made this mark!¡± ¡°There should be another one on the other side of the tree.¡± Wan Xiaozhou said sternly. Fang Xiaocao immediately leaned over to look and, indeed, there was an identical scratch on the other side of the tree. ¡°It¡¯s really there!¡± Fang Xiaocao eximed. ¡°When we passed this tree the previous two times, we walked on either side of it, so I didn¡¯t notice until this time when I thought to make a mark and discovered¡­¡± As she spoke, Wan Xiaozhou stopped. But everyone instantly understood what she meant. ¡°We really are walking in circles!¡± At this, Zhi Qi nodded and said. ¡°If we followed the map, we should have reached there an hour ago.¡± ¡°But after walking an extra hour, we haven¡¯t found the camping gathering spot marked on the map.¡± ¡°Look here, this moss, it¡¯s where Su Wanqing slippedst time.¡± Zhi Qi said with a serious expression. ¡°So¡­¡± ¡°Could we have fallen into someone¡¯s trap?¡± Fang Xiaocao hesitated for a moment before speaking softly. ¡°It¡¯s very likely!¡± Zhi Qi nodded and said. ¡°This could be a conspiracy targeting the Zhi Family, or Tang City, and other major family businesses in the surrounding cities.¡± ¡°As far as I know, there are quite a few family businesses invited to participate in this project investigation. Apart from our Zhi Family, those I¡¯m familiar with include the Hn family, the Yu Family, and some other families.¡± As she said this, Zhi Qi¡¯s gaze deepened and a trace of anger appeared on her face. Listening to Zhi Qi¡¯s words, Fang Xiaocao¡¯s mind stirred, especially at the mention of ¡°Hn family¡± and ¡°Yu Family,¡± which immediately brought to her mind Hot Noodles, and the other two names mentioned earlier. Hn Xiaoyue and Yu Tianqi! ¡°Clearly, Hn Xiaoyue is from the Hn family, and Yu Tianqi is from the Yu Family.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s really as Zhi Qi said, a conspiracy against these family businesses, then Hn Xiaoyue and Yu Tianqi are also yers in this scheme.¡± ¡°That makes Wan Xiaozhou¡¯s suspicion even greater.¡± As Fang Xiaocao¡¯s mind whirled with brainstorming, quickly piecing together the information she had, she stealthily nced at Wan Xiaozhou. Wan Xiaozhou remainedposed, showing neither concern nor fear, as if all of this had nothing to do with her. ¡°Just as I thought¡­¡± Seeing Wan Xiaozhou¡¯s expression, Fang Xiaocao inwardly eximed, ¡°As expected,¡± further confirming her own suspicion. @@novelbin@@ This Wan Xiaozhou definitely had a problem. The murderer at Hot Noodles must be Wan Xiaozhou! But other doubts began to swirl in Fang Xiaocao¡¯s heart. That was¡­ Why did Wan Xiaozhou only injure and not kill? What was her or their purpose? For wealth? To take a life? Thoughts raced through Fang Xiaocao¡¯s mind. Various ideas swarmed in. Based on the information obtained from Hot Noodles, the likelihood of seeking wealth was greater. If it were intending to take a life! Then there wouldn¡¯t have been just injuries without killings! Throughout the journey, Fang Xiaocao had observed Wan Xiaozhou and could assert that this woman possessed keen intuition, agile movements, and a physique not weaker than a man¡¯s. If she could injure that man called Yu Tianqi, she certainly had the ability to kill him. ¡°Wealthy gains, huh?¡± Fang Xiaocao murmured to herself. ¡°So¡­¡± ¡°Are we in great danger right now?¡± Su Wanqing called out btedly realizing it. Hearing this, Zhi Qi nodded and said, ¡°Indeed, very dangerous.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s dangerous, what are we waiting for?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s run for it!¡± Su Wanqing eximed in rm. ¡°Luoshu, Wen Shi, help me up quickly.¡± ¡°I can still run!¡± Su Wanqing cried out. Fang Xiaocao: ¡°Pfft~¡± ¡°Thisedian¡­¡± Fang Xiaocao inwardly cursed. At a time like this, to still use suchical words to make everyoneugh, Fang Xiaocao couldn¡¯t help but exim, ¡°Really worthy of being a Husky!¡± Not just Fang Xiaocao, everyone present looked at Su Wanqing with peculiar eyes. ¡°You¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t stare at me like that~¡± ¡°I¡¯ll get shy~¡± Su Wanqing said in a feigned coquettish manner. Fang Xiaocao looked around, wanting to pick up a sock to stuff into Su Wanqing¡¯s mouth. In the deep mountains and old forests, finding a sock was quite difficult, so¡­ Fang Xiaocao said to Yun Luoshu, ¡°Luoshu, take off your sock and stuff it into her mouth!¡± Yun Luoshu: ¡°???¡± Su Wanqing: ¡°!!!¡± Others: ¡°¡­¡± Fang Xiaocao delivered a killer line! ¡°Cough cough¡­¡± ¡°Now doesn¡¯t seem like the time for jokes¡­¡± Zhi Qi watched Fang Xiaocao and Su Wanqing with an expression of speechlessness. ¡°Cough cough¡­¡± ¡°Sorry¡­¡± ¡°I just couldn¡¯t hold it back, she¡¯s too hrious.¡± Fang Xiaocao smiled awkwardly. Hearing this, Zhi Qi nodded in agreement. ¡°Since this is a conspiracy, they won¡¯t give us a chance to escape. We don¡¯t know what¡¯s waiting for us on the way back.¡± ¡°Moreover, with your current physical condition, escaping isn¡¯t an option.¡± Zhi Qi said helplessly. Hearing this, Su Wanqing fell silent. ¡°Sorry¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s my fault for dragging everyone down¡­¡± Su Wanqing said with a face full of shame. And bowed to everyone. Seeing this, Fang Xiaocao gently embraced Su Wanqing, softlyforting her, ¡°It¡¯s all right, no one mes you.¡± Chapter 57: Fighting with Wolves Chapter 57: Chapter 57: Fighting with Wolves ¡°Choosing to flee was clearly not going to work,¡± Zhi Qi said in a deep voice. Upon hearing this, Fang Xiaocao lowered her head in contemtion. Analyzing information from the future. In the message from Hot Noodles, it was clear there was no escape, or at least no sessful escape. In the end, they still reunited with the others. Therefore, the oue of fleeing was unknown. But reuniting with the others was temporarily safe. Thinking of this, Fang Xiaocao nodded in agreement, ¡°That¡¯s right! Zhi Qi is correct!¡± ¡°Instead of choosing to flee, it¡¯s better to think of a way to meet up with others, gather everyone¡¯s strength, and work together to break through,¡± she added. Fang Xiaocao voiced her thoughts. Hearing Fang Xiaocao¡¯s words, Wan Xiaozhou deeply looked at her, showing a thoughtful expression. Fang Xiaocao keenly caught the look from Wan Xiaozhou and discreetly heightened her guard. Although Hot Noodles hadn¡¯t mentioned her getting hurt, Fang Xiaocao didn¡¯t know if what she was doing was the same as her counterpart in another timeline. Whether her own actions would catch the attention of this timeline¡¯s Wan Xiaozhou, or even make him see her as a threat. ¡°In that case, let¡¯s continue on our way,¡± Zhi Qi took on a decisive air and dered. ¡°This time, we don¡¯t need to rush,¡± ¡°Walk for another hour, and if we still can¡¯t find the others, we¡¯ll find a ce to recuperate.¡± ¡°If there¡¯s indeed a scheme, night time is their best opportunity to act,¡± ¡°We need to have the strength to respond!¡± Zhi Qi stated gravely. ¡°Agreed!¡± Fang Xiaocao and the others nodded and echoed. ¡°Wanqing, we¡¯re not in a hurry this time, try to walk on your own, let Luoshu and Wen Shi conserve some energy. If there¡¯s real danger tonight, Luoshu is our mainbat power,¡± Fang Xiaocao told Su Wanqing. ¡°Yes, I can do that!¡± Su Wanqing nodded, saying in a deep voice. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Zhi Qi called out. The others immediately shouldered their backpacks and followed Zhi Qi as they moved forward. ¡­ ¡°Quite clever!¡± After Fang Xiaocao and her group left, a person emerged from the bushes, smiling yfully. He walked a few steps forward, picked up a note from the ground, opened it to take a look, smiled slightly, and returned to the bushes. ¡­ On the other side of the mountain! A trio was in a heated argument. ¡°Yu Tianqi, what do you mean?¡± ¡°Damn it, I¡¯m going back!¡± A girl with dyed yellow hair shrieked. ¡°Yu Ling, calm down!¡± ¡°Our situation is very dangerous right now!¡± ¡°You can¡¯t be impulsive anymore!¡± A tall man shouted. ¡°Yu Tianqi, why do you get to order me around?¡± ¡°I was born just a minute after you!¡± ¡°Stop using the older brother card to pressure me!¡± The girl with yellow hair screamed, hopping on her toes. ¡°Yu Ling!¡± Yu Tianqi roared. Lifting his hand, he was about to hit Yu Ling. ¡°Come on, hit me!¡± ¡°Kill me!¡± ¡°Yu Tianqi, do you dare?¡± Yu Ling stiffened her neck, bringing her face close to Yu Tianqi¡¯s palm, and said coldly. Yu Tianqi lowered his hand and sighed. ¡°If you want to die, then go ahead!¡± ¡°I won¡¯t bother with you, nor do I have the heart to.¡± @@novelbin@@ Yu Tianqi said with emphasis. ¡°Xiaochen, let¡¯s continue on the road and try to find the others as soon as possible,¡± Yu Tianqi shouldered his backpack and said to the girl beside him, who seemed to be a follower. After speaking, Yu Tianqi nced at Yu Ling and walked away. ¡°Okay¡­¡± Xiaochen nced at Yu Ling, hesitated for a moment, but responded and followed Tianqi¡¯s pace. Xiaochen was smart. She knew that in these deep, remote forests, following Tianqi was the wise choice. Following Yu Ling, not to mention dealing with possible hidden enemies, if a wild beast appeared, the two of them wouldn¡¯t stand a chance. Following Tianqi, at least there was a man to protect her. ¡°You¡­¡± Watching the backs of Tianqi and Xiaochen, Yu Ling stomped her feet in frustration. Looking at the increasingly dark sky. Listening to the strange cries of unknown animals from deep within the woods. Yu Ling couldn¡¯t help but shiver and instinctively tightened her jacket. Biting her lip, she stamped her foot, slung her backpack on, and chased after Tianqi and Xiaochen. ¡°Tianqi, wait for me.¡± Yu Ling called out with a crying tone. Hearing Yu Ling¡¯s calling from behind, the corners of Tianqi¡¯s mouth lifted into a smile, and he stopped. Seeing Tianqi stop, Xiaochen also halted, turning her head to look at Yu Ling. ¡°Yu Ling!¡± In that nce, Xiaochen¡¯s face drained of color, and she let out a scream. Hearing Xiaochen¡¯s scream, Tianqi, who was originally confident and waiting for Yu Ling to catch up and give in, was startled and immediately turned back. What met his eyes was a ssh of crimson on the path. And the bushes beside it trembling continuously. ¡°Yu Ling!¡± Tianqi shouted, dropped his backpack, pulled a dagger from his calf, and dashed toward the bushes like the wind. ¡°Tianqi, don¡¯t!¡± Xiaochen eximed in rm. ¡°Don¡¯t go there, it¡¯s dangerous!¡± Seeing that Tianqi did not stop his steps, Xiaochen screamed. ¡°That¡¯s my sister!¡± Tianqi shouted back without turning his head. Before the sound of his voice faded, Tianqi plunged into the bushes. In the bushes, there was no sign of Yu Ling. Only a small hiking shoe. And a smear of crimson blood. Tianqi recognized it ¡ª it belonged to Yu Ling! ¡°Damn it!¡± Tianqi cursed softly and followed the dragging marks through the bushes. ¡°Help me~¡± The cries for help from Yu Ling came from ahead. Tianqi gritted his teeth and sprinted furiously. Turning past arge tree, Tianqi saw Yu Ling and a wolf dragging her! Seeing the wolf, Tianqi¡¯s heart tightened. His tiger-like eyes scanned everywhere. Not seeing any other wolves, Tianqi finally breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°So it¡¯s a lone wolf that¡¯s been separated from its pack!¡± Tianqi murmured to himself. Lone wolves are usually old, weak, sick, or disabled. Tianqi, who had been practicing martial arts since he was young, was confident that he could rescue Yu Ling from the jaws of the wolf with minimal cost. ¡°Woow~~¡± The cornered lone wolf made a threatening whimper at Tianqi. ¡°Brother, save me¡­¡± Yu Ling cried out with tears streaming down her face. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, brother is here!¡± Tianqi said in a deep voice. ¡°Bastard, let go of my sister!¡± Tianqi shouted as he clenched the dagger and charged at the lone wolf with a leap. The starving lone wolf, with its fierce gaze fixed on Tianqi. Hesitated for a moment, but chose not to flee. Instead, it charged at Tianqi. It was starving! Giving up this hard-earned prey might lead it to starve to death. Rather than choose to escape, it preferred to fight. By killing the human in front of it, it could have a full meal, maybe even for several meals. ¡°Die!¡± When less than five meters away from the lone wolf, Tianqi burst out with a roar. Chapter 58 - 58 Article 1 Human Life Chapter 58: Chapter 58 Article 1 Human Life Fighting a beast relies heavily on momentum, much like the roar of a tiger, which can intimidate hundreds of animals. It has the remarkable effect of defeating the enemy without a fight. Yu Tianqi had this exact strategy in mind. Suddenly, with a roar, the lone wolf¡¯s movements paused. Yu Tianqi took the opportunity to stab the lone wolf¡¯s neck with his dagger. ¡°Ow~¡± In pain, the lone wolf¡¯s ferocity was triggered, and it let out a howl, turning its head to bite at Yu Tianqi¡¯s throat. Yu Tianqi was prepared and shoved a climbing boot he held in his left hand into the mouth of the lone wolf. He withdrew his dagger and stabbed again, and the spurting blood was still so striking against the night sky. Yu Tianqi ducked and slid under the lone wolf. Holding the dagger overhead, he stabbed into the wolf¡¯s abdomen. In pain, the wolf kicked against Yu Tianqi¡¯s back with its hind legs and leaped away. ¡°Rip~¡± The thick jacket on Yu Tianqi was torn by the wolf¡¯s ws, leaving several bloodstains on his back. The dagger in the lone wolf¡¯s abdomen, driven by the impact, ripped open its belly. A handful of warm liquid fell from above. And drenched Yu Tianqi¡¯s face and head! ¡°Not good!¡± Yu Tianqi eximed and quickly rolled away. Dark red organs, ¡°pitter-patter,¡± fell all around, and a continually moving intestine hung on Yu Tianqi¡¯s foot. ¡°Ugh~¡± The foul-smelling intestine made Yu Tianqi vomit immediately. Yu Tianqi felt the urge to chop off his contaminated foot. Yu Tianqi: ¡°Ugh, my foot¡¯s not clean.¡± He kicked the lone wolf to ensure it was truly dead. Only then did Yu Tianqi walk towards Yu Ling. ¡°Yu Ling, are you okay?¡± Yu Tianqi asked with concern. ¡°It hurts¡­¡± Yu Ling whined. Hearing this, Yu Tianqi hurriedly checked Yu Ling¡¯s injuries. Yu Ling¡¯s arm was a bloody mess. Her custom-made jacket was tough but could not withstand the lone wolf¡¯s sharp fangs. Seeing this, Yu Tianqi¡¯s heart tightened. He used the dagger to cut open the sleeve of the jacket and ripped the clothes on Yu Ling¡¯s arm to check the wound carefully. ¡°Phew¡­¡± After inspecting the wound, Yu Tianqi breathed a sigh of relief. He softly told Yu Ling, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, it¡¯s just a superficial wound. Let¡¯s go back for the backpack, and a bandage will fix it.¡± ¡°Okay¡­¡± Tearful, Yu Ling responded. @@novelbin@@ At this moment, Yu Ling bore no resemnce to the haughty princess she had been. Yu Tianqi put the dagger back into its sheath, lifted Yu Ling forcefully, and walked back following the trail they made earlier. Yu Ling curled up in Yu Tianqi¡¯s arms, meekly like a kitten, clutching tightly at his clothes. Yu Tianqi carried Yu Ling, emerging from the bushes. But the scene that met his eyes shocked him. Xiaochen¡­ had actually died! ¡°Ah~¡± Seeing Xiaochen¡¯s corpse, Yu Ling let out a high-pitched scream. The sharp, piercing scream startled a flock of birds resting in the woods. The entire woond was filled with the ¡°whoosh¡± of frightened birds pping their wings. Yu Tianqi quickly covered Yu Ling¡¯s mouth, whispering, ¡°Don¡¯t scream, it¡¯s dangerous!¡± Yu Ling looked at Yu Tianqi with fright, her eyes as wide as brass bells. ¡°Don¡¯t scream, do you hear me?¡± Yu Tianqi whispered again. Yu Ling nodded, but the fear in her eyes did not subside. Yu Tianqi removed his hand from Yu Ling¡¯s mouth and gently set her on the ground. Yu Ling panicked immediately, grasping Yu Tianqi¡¯s sleeve tightly, tears streaking down her cheeks, she shook her head repeatedly and looked at Yu Tianqi with pleading eyes. ¡°Be good, don¡¯t be afraid.¡± ¡°Big brother will protect you.¡± Yu Tianqi spoke softly. ¡°I¡¯ll go get the backpack, just behave.¡± ¡°Once we have the backpack, we can leave this ce.¡± Yu Tianqiforted her gently. Yu Ling stared nkly at Yu Tianqi, childhood memories surfacing in her mind. The figure of Yu Tianqi in front of her began to ovep with the image of the brother protecting her in her mind. Trust and reliance sprang up spontaneously. Looking at Yu Tianqi¡¯s shiny eyes, she felt an inexplicable sense of security. Yu Ling nodded and let go of her hand. A pair of watery big eyes stared unblinkingly at Yu Tianqi. ¡°Good girl, don¡¯t be afraid, brother will protect you,¡± he said softly, his lips curving into a gentle smile as he stroked Yu Ling¡¯s little head. ¡°Mm~¡± Yu Ling obediently nodded. Yu Tianqi handed the dagger to Yu Ling. Yu Ling looked at Yu Tianqi timidly. Yu Tianqi encouraged her with his eyes. ¡°Hold it, protect yourself,¡± he said softly. ¡°Mm~¡± Yu Ling nodded and took the dagger. Yu Tianqi smiled and pinched Yu Ling¡¯s somewhat chubby face, then stood up and walked towards Xiaochen¡¯s body. The three backpacksy at Xiaochen¡¯s feet, untouched and undisturbed. Clearly, they were not robbers after wealth. Yu Tianqi looked at Xiaochen¡¯s body¡­ Xiaochen¡¯s clothes were in disarray, with signs of being violently ripped. His durable, waterproof hiking pants were messily piled at his feet. ¡°Bastard!¡± Seeing this, Yu Tianqi cursed under his breath. ¡°Sigh¡­¡± Yu Tianqi sighed and tidied Xiaochen¡¯s clothes. Xiaochen¡¯s eyes were wide open, staring in death. The dted pupils frozen in horror and despair, and the fierce wound on his throat stung Yu Tianqi¡¯s eyes. Yu Tianqi closed Xiaochen¡¯s eyes and took a towel hanging from the backpack, covering Xiaochen¡¯s face with it. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I don¡¯t have the means to bury you.¡± ¡°If I survive and make it back¡­¡± ¡°I wille back and take you home!¡± Yu Tianqi muttered to himself. Having said this, Yu Tianqi stood up, picked up the three backpacks, and walked towards Yu Ling. Yu Ling, her arm wrapped in white gauze, wearing her own backpack, carefully followed Yu Tianqi, connected by a climbing rope over a meter long at their waists. Yu Tianqi took the lead, carrying two backpacks and clearing the path with his Mountain Splitter Dagger. The siblings made their way along the forest trail under the cover of night, heading towards an unknown destination ahead. ¡­ ¡°Let¡¯s rest here,¡± Zhi Qi stopped and said in a deep voice. Hearing Zhi Qi¡¯s words, everyone heaved a sigh of relief, and Su Wanqing even sat down ungracefully on the ground. ¡°Whew~¡± ¡°I¡¯m exhausted~¡± Su Wanqing wailed. ¡°Zhi Qi, you take charge of setting up the camp while Luoshu and I gather some firewood,¡± Fang Xiaocao directed Zhi Qi. ¡°Alright, be careful,¡± Zhi Qi nodded and admonished. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Luoshu will protect me,¡± Fang Xiaocao said with a smile. ¡°Go, and shout if anything happens,¡± Zhi Qi nodded and admonished again. ¡°Okk!¡± Fang Xiaocao replied yfully with a smile. ¡°Luoshu, let¡¯s go pick some firewood.¡± ¡°Wen Shi, you help Zhi Qi with the camp,¡± Fang Xiaocao told Yun Luoshu and Wen Shi. ¡°Okay!¡± Yun Luoshu and Wen Shi responded in unison. ¡°What about me, what about me?¡± Su Wanqing sat on the ground, asking eagerly. ¡°You?¡± Upon hearing this, Fang Xiaocao nced at Su Wanqing. She shook her head with a helpless smile, ¡°Just stay alive!¡± Su Wanqing: ¡­ ¡°Ha ha ha¡­¡± Hearing Fang Xiaocao¡¯s words, everyoneughed. Chapter 59: Terrifying Incident in the Woods Chapter 59: Chapter 59: Terrifying Incident in the Woods ¡°Gurgle gurgle gurgle~¡± In the dimly lit forest, listening to the echoing unidentified bird chirping, Fang Xiaocao couldn¡¯t help but shiver. ¡°Luoshu, are you scared?¡± Fang Xiaocao asked in a low voice. ¡°Just a bunch of birds, what¡¯s there to be afraid of?¡± Yun Luoshu blinked and asked with confusion. At those words, Fang Xiaocao was taken aback. She had indeed forgotten that Yun Luoshu was famously fearless at school. ¡°Alright, just don¡¯t stray too far from meter¡­¡± Fang Xiaocao said weakly. ¡°Hmm~¡± Yun Luoshu nodded his head. The humidity was high in the deep mountains and old forest, making dry firewood hard to find. Fang Xiaocao and Yun Luoshu gathered a lot, but it was all the sort of half-wet, not dry branches. ¡°I don¡¯t even know if this firewood will burn.¡± Fang Xiaocao muttered. ¡°Swish swish swish¡­¡± From the depths of the forest, there came a rustling of footsteps. Fang Xiaocao startled, instinctively looking towards the sound. In the dimly lit forest, a figure flickered. ¡°There¡¯s someone!¡± Fang Xiaocao eximed. ¡°Where?¡± Yun Luoshu also looked over. But he saw nothing. Fang Xiaocao vigntly stared at the forest ahead. Her expression began to turn solemn. The information provided by Hot Noodles was wrong! This was a very frightening message! There was only one possibility in such a case. It was that she had unwittingly changed the future. The events that were supposed to happen in the future were now unfolding in an unpredictable direction. The events Fang Xiaocao was now experiencing were no longer the future foretold by Hot Noodles. This made Fang Xiaocao very anxious! Ever since she had obtained the Golden Finger ¡°Hot Noodles,¡± she had never encountered such a situation. At this moment, Fang Xiaocao realized. The Golden Finger was indeed useful, but it was ultimately an external force. The events of the future changed in the blink of an eye. The Golden Finger would eventually lose control. The strength gained through reliance on the Golden Finger was not truly her own; it was all an illusion. It was unbeatable for making money. But when faced with these emergencies, it would always falter. Only when one is truly strong, are they genuinely powerful. In Fang Xiaocao¡¯s heart, a seed was taking root and sprouting. She wanted to be stronger! ¡°Luoshu, let¡¯s go!¡± Fang Xiaocao said quietly. Yun Luoshu nodded and followed Fang Xiaocao as they retreated. Fang Xiaocao and Yun Luoshu moved very cautiously. Both pairs of eyes constantly scanned their surroundings. ¡°Luoshu, you lead the way and watch the front. I¡¯ll keep an eye on our back.¡± Fang Xiaocao quietly told Yun Luoshu. ¡°Okay!¡± Yun Luoshu nodded his head, turned towards the direction of the campsite, one hand carrying the firewood, and the other holding onto a corner of Fang Xiaocao¡¯s clothes. @@novelbin@@ Fang Xiaocao walked backwards, following Yun Luoshu¡¯s lead, step by step, always keeping her eyes fixed on the forest behind them. ¡°Swish swish swish¡­¡± The sound of footsteps sounded again. Fang Xiaocao tensed up instantly, her heart almost leaping to her throat. In the hazy surroundings, Fang Xiaocao dimly saw a strange figure moving through the trees. ¡°Who is he?¡± ¡°What does he want?¡± Fang Xiaocao¡¯s mind was filled with doubts. This person must have some purpose. But Fang Xiaocao couldn¡¯t guess the intentions of the other party. She could only be extra vignt, constantly cautious. They walked smoothly all the way, the person in the forest just kept trailing from afar, never approaching. Even so, Fang Xiaocao felt increasingly uneasy. The calm before the storm¡­ Often, the calmer it is, the more ferocious the uing storm will be. Fang Xiaocao reached out her hand and pulled a small spring knife from her tactical pants. Her thumb slowly pushed the release spring, sliding the hidden de out of the handle. The spring knife was customized by Fang Xiaocao. A premium item, it had cost her thousands of dors. Besides being light,pact, and sharp! There were no other advantages. But it was the self-defense weapon Fang Xiaocao needed after too many close calls. Clutching the spring knife, Fang Xiaocao felt somewhat reassured. Her mind raced with various contingency ns for emergencies! Firewood in her arms, knife in her hands. ¡°If the guy in the forest dares toe out,¡± ¡°I¡¯ll throw the firewood at him, then stab him!¡± Fang Xiaocao nned her moves in her mind. ¡°Hmm!¡± ¡°Together with Luoshu, we might not lose!¡± Fang Xiaocao buoyed herself with these thoughts. ¡°Luoshu, if someonees out, if it¡¯s just one person, we¡¯ll take them together and subdue him; if there are more than one, we run,¡± After much thought, Fang Xiaocao said to Yun Luoshu. If it was just one person, she and Yun Luoshu could probably subdue him together. But if there were two, they would very likely lose. After all, her nickname as a weak fighter hadn¡¯t been shed yet; one must know oneself and act ordingly. ¡°Alright, I got it.¡± Yun Luoshu nodded and responded in a low voice. ¡°Rustle, rustle, rustle¡­¡± The footsteps sounded again. This time, the person seemed even closer. Fang Xiaocao could already vaguely make out the person¡¯s face. What a face it was! Covered in burn scars and blemishes, dark red flesh everted, from within the dim shadows, intermittently visible as if an evil spirit had crawled out from Hell, frightening and ghastly. Seeing this face, Fang Xiaocao shuddered. Her spirit tensed up instantly. A scream reached her throat only to be forcefully swallowed back down. This was not the time to show any fear. That would make the opponent throw caution to the wind! Fang Xiaocao controlled herself, staring fixedly at the man¡¯s face, refusing to let her eyes drift away as if to say to him: ¡°Come on, I¡¯m not afraid of you!¡± The man grinned, revealing a set of dark yellow teeth, and with a blur of his figure, like a specter, he vanished again into the forest. As if he had never been there. ¡°Gulp~¡± Fang Xiaocao swallowed hard. Her eyes unblinking, she stared fixedly in the direction the man had disappeared. Fearing that if her gaze strayed for even a moment, the man would burst out from that direction and pounce on her. ¡°Luoshu, let¡¯s walk a bit faster,¡± Fang Xiaocao said with a trembling voice. Sensing the tremble in Fang Xiaocao¡¯s voice, Yun Luoshu unconsciously quickened his steps. At the same time, he asked softly, ¡°Xiaocao, what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°No¡­ nothing,¡± ¡°Just move faster,¡± Fang Xiaocao said with a quivering voice. ¡°Okay!¡± Yun Luoshu nodded and agreed. Following Xiaocao¡¯s pace, Yun Luoshu moved faster, while Fang Xiaocao, walking backwards, struggled to keep up and even stumbled. But Fang Xiaocao dared not look back at the path; her eyes would not stray from the direction of the forest, terrified that the grotesque face would charge out of the woods. ¡°Rustle, rustle, rustle¡­¡± The footsteps sounded again. This time, the noise was even closer. It seemed to be right beside her. Fang Xiaocao¡¯s eyes vigntly scanned back and forth. Fearing that the creepy figure would suddenly spring out from a corner,unching a surprise attack on them. ¡°Hee, hee, hee¡­¡± A sinister, chillingugh pierced the air. It seemed¡­ Right next to her ear! Fang Xiaocao turned around in horror, the grotesque face full of burns and scars filled her sight! Chapter 60 - 60 Deviant Memory, Hard to Distinguish True from False Chapter 60: Chapter 60 Deviant Memory, Hard to Distinguish True from False ¡°Xiaocao, Xiaocao, how are you?¡± Many familiar voices surrounded me. Fang Xiaocao struggled to open her eyes, and the faces of Zhi Qi and the others came into view. ¡°Damn it¨C¡± With a cry of rm, Fang Xiaocao suddenly sat up. The abrupt movement scared Zhi Qi and the rest, leaving everyone dumbfounded and staring at Fang Xiaocao nkly. ¡°Where¡¯s that guy with scars all over his face?¡± Fang Xiaocao looked around frantically, clutching Zhi Qi¡¯s hand, and asked in panic. ¡°Monster?¡± ¡°What monster?¡± Upon hearing Fang Xiaocao¡¯s words, Zhi Qi asked with a puzzled face. At that, Fang Xiaocao paused. When she looked at Zhi Qi, she saw nothing but puzzlement on his face. Looking at the others, they too had peculiar expressions as they watched her. ¡°Hmm?¡± Fang Xiaocao hummed in confusion. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Fang Xiaocao was full of suspicions. ¡°Everyone¡¯s reaction is so weird.¡± ¡°It¡¯s like they don¡¯t know about the Scar-faced Monster.¡± ¡°Could it be that Luoshu didn¡¯t tell them?¡± Fang Xiaocao murmured doubtfully to herself. ¡°Right!¡± ¡°Luoshu!¡± ¡°She must be the one who saved me!¡± The thought of Yun Luoshu brought a glint to Fang Xiaocao¡¯s eyes. The others hadn¡¯t seen the Scar-faced Monster, but Yun Luoshu must have, considering how close she was. ¡°Where¡¯s Luoshu?¡± ¡°Where is Luoshu?¡± Fang Xiaocao struggled to get up and began to search for Yun Luoshu¡¯s tall figure. But oddly, Yun Luoshu was nowhere to be found! @@novelbin@@ A sense of foreboding quietly rose in her heart. ¡°Where¡¯s Luoshu?¡± Fang Xiaocao looked at Zhi Qi and asked in a grave voice. ¡°Could something have happened to Luoshu?¡± ¡°If nothing¡¯s wrong, where else could she have gone?¡± In an instant, Fang Xiaocao¡¯s imagination concocted an array of strange and unpredictable scenarios. ¡°Luoshu¡­¡± When it came to Yun Luoshu, Zhi Qi stuttered a bit. ¡°What happened to Luoshu?¡± ¡°Hurry up and tell me!¡± Seeing this, Fang Xiaocao grabbed Zhi Qi¡¯s sleeve and asked anxiously. ¡°Xiaocao, don¡¯t get worked up.¡± ¡°Luoshu is fine.¡± ¡°Just listen to me, let me exin slowly.¡± Zhi Qi took Fang Xiaocao¡¯s hand, trying to soothe her. ¡°Oh,e on¨C¡± ¡°Just tell me, what happened to Luoshu?¡± ¡°I¡¯m about to die of worry here!¡± Fang Xiaocao shouted anxiously. ¡°Okay, okay, I¡¯ll tell you, is that okay?¡± ¡°But could you calm down a little, please?¡± Zhi Qi said helplessly. ¡°Yeah, okay.¡± Fang Xiaocao nodded in agreement. She was desperate to know what had happened to Yun Luoshu. Why had she returned to the camp? And what was the deal with the Scar-faced Monster? Seeing that Fang Xiaocao had calmed down, Zhi Qi and the others let out a sigh of relief. ¡°Yun Luoshu is injured!¡± Zhi Qi finally said. Hearing Zhi Qi¡¯s words, Fang Xiaocao felt like she had been struck by lightning. Her first thought was that it was the doing of the Scar-faced Monster. ¡°Was Luoshu hurt by the Scar-faced Monster?¡± she blurted out without thinking. Upon hearing Fang Xiaocao¡¯s words, Zhi Qi and the others all looked at her with odd expressions. Seeing their looks, Fang Xiaocao was taken aback once more. ¡°Why are you all looking at me like that?¡± she asked, puzzled. Ever since she woke up, Fang Xiaocao felt that there was something off about Zhi Qi and the others. ¡°Xiaocao, there is no Scar-faced Monster,¡± Zhi Qi said with resignation. ¡°We¡¯ve asked Luoshu, and she didn¡¯t see anyone,¡± added Su Wanqing from the side. ¡°How is that possible?¡± Fang Xiaocao shouted. ¡°If there was no Scar-faced Monster, how did Luoshu get hurt?¡± Fang Xiaocao stared at Zhi Qi and the others, questioning them. ¡°Luoshu¡­¡± ¡°Luoshu was stabbed by you with a knife!¡± Zhi Qi hesitated for a moment before speaking up. ¡°What did you say?¡± Zhi Qi eximed in shock. ¡°It¡¯s true!¡± Su Wanqing grabbed Fang Xiaocao¡¯s hand, speaking softly. ¡°I don¡¯t believe it¡­¡± ¡°I want to see Luoshu, I want to hear it from her own mouth.¡± Fang Xiaocao shook off Su Wanqing¡¯s hand, not retreating, and pulled away from Zhi Qi and the others, watching them warily. ¡°Xiaocao, calm down a bit!¡± Zhi Qi shouted with furrowed brows. ¡°We can let you see Luoshu!¡± ¡°But you must calm down!¡± ¡°Otherwise, we¡¯re afraid you might hurt Luoshu again.¡± Zhi Qi spoke with a grave expression. Upon hearing this, Fang Xiaocao was taken aback. She stared nkly at Zhi Qi. At that moment, in Fang Xiaocao¡¯s eyes, Zhi Qi and the others somehow seemed strangers. ¡°You¡­¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Fang Xiaocao asked in a heavy voice. ¡°Literally what it means, your mental state is unstable.¡± Wan Xiaozhou yed with a stick, speaking solemnly. Fang Xiaocao looked towards Wan Xiaozhou. Suddenly, her gaze sharpened. The bundle of firewood at Wan Xiaozhou¡¯s feet was collected by her. The scarf tied around the bundle of firewood was hers! ¡°No, this isn¡¯t right!¡± ¡°There¡¯s a problem!¡± ¡°There must be a problem!¡± Fang Xiaocao internally cried out. Since the firewood she had collected was there, the Scar-faced Monster she had seen must exist. But why would Zhi Qi and the others deny it? And im that Yun Luoshu was stabbed by her? She clearly remembered that the Scar-faced Monster had approached her, and then she lost consciousness. Fang Xiaocao was now desperate to know what exactly had happened after she fainted. ¡°Huff¡­¡± Fang Xiaocao exhaled, trying to manage her expression to appear more normal. After being silent for a while, Fang Xiaocao spoke: ¡°Alright, I¡¯m fine now.¡± ¡°Can you take me to see Luoshu now?¡± Zhi Qi and the others exchanged a look and nodded to each other. Zhi Qi nodded, looked at Fang Xiaocao, and said, ¡°We can!¡± When Fang Xiaocao heard Zhi Qi agree, she felt a surge of relief. ¡°Follow me, Luoshu is in the tent!¡± Zhi Qi said softly. Fang Xiaocao nodded and followed Zhi Qi towards the tent. The small tent was filled with the scent of blood. Fang Xiaocao subconsciously frowned. Looking up at Yun Luoshu, she saw that Yun Luoshu¡¯s left arm was bandaged with gauze, and shey on the sleeping bag, pale-faced. Next to Yun Luoshu, Fang Xiaocao¡¯s spring knifey quietly on the ground, its sharp de stained with a dark red blood mark. Seeing this scene, Fang Xiaocao was stunned. ¡°Could it really be me who stabbed Luoshu?¡± Fang Xiaocao muttered doubtfully in her mind. ¡°Luoshu?¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Fang Xiaocao stepped forward and called out softly. ¡°Xiaocao, are you awake?¡± Yun Luoshu smiled weakly and said. ¡°Luoshu, what exactly happened?¡± Fang Xiaocao moved closer to Yun Luoshu and asked softly. Yun Luoshu nced at the spring knife on the ground and said with a smile, ¡°While we were collecting firewood, there came a strange noise from deep in the woods¡­¡± Listening to Yun Luoshu¡¯s story, Fang Xiaocao was dumbfounded. In Yun Luoshu¡¯s ount, everything up to a certain point matched her own memory. But when the moment of the Scar-faced Monster¡¯s appearance came, Yun Luoshu¡¯s story deviated from Fang Xiaocao¡¯s memory. There was no mention of the Scar-faced Monster in Yun Luoshu¡¯s ount! Instead¡­ At that moment, Fang Xiaocao suddenly screamed, turned around, and with the spring knife in her hand, fiercely stabbed at Yun Luoshu. Luckily, Yun Luoshu reacted quickly and avoided a critical hit. The spring knife only prated Yun Luoshu¡¯s left arm. Chapter 61 - 61 Fang Xiaocao: No, I did it on purpose. Chapter 61: Chapter 61 Fang Xiaocao: No, I did it on purpose. After hearing Yun Luoshu¡¯s ount, Fang Xiaocao went numb, her eyebrows twisted into a tangled mess. ¡°How could this happen?¡± ¡°How could it turn out like this?¡± Fang Xiaocao kept muttering these two sentences over and over. ¡°Xiaocao, don¡¯t be too hard on yourself.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t me you.¡± ¡°You must have been scared¡­¡± Yun Luoshu extended his right arm, grabbed Fang Xiaocao¡¯s hand, and softly said. Fang Xiaocao was startled, then nodded. Yun Luoshu smiled, then let go of her hand. Fang Xiaocao withdrew her hand and casually picked up the switchde from the ground. ¡°Luoshu, you take care and rest.¡± Fang Xiaocao slipped the switchde into her pocket. She turned and started walking out of the tent. ¡°Xiaocao, that knife¡­¡± Seeing Fang Xiaocao¡¯s action, Zhi Qi began to speak. ¡°I feel very insecure right now!¡± ¡°I need it!¡± Fang Xiaocao stared at Zhi Qi and said firmly. ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°I need it!¡± Zhi Qi still wanted to say something but was interrupted by Fang Xiaocao. ¡°Alright then¡­¡± Seeing Fang Xiaocao so determined, Zhi Qi could onlypromise and nod in agreement. ¡°Thank you¡­¡± Fang Xiaocao walked out of the tent, sat down near the campfire with her legs hugged, and buried her head between her knees. Watching Fang Xiaocao¡¯s back, Zhi Qi¡¯s gaze deepened. Time passed indeterminately, and the hazy moon had already hung high in the sky. Everyone was asleep, but Fang Xiaocao still maintained this position, sitting in front of the now extinguished campfire. ¡°Xiaocao, are you alright?¡± Su Wanqing walked over to Fang Xiaocao, sat down beside her, and asked softly. Fang Xiaocao looked up at Su Wanqing. She replied, ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°I believe you didn¡¯t do it on purpose.¡± ¡°You must have been too nervous, that¡¯s why¡­¡± Su Wanqing said softly. ¡°No, I did it on purpose!¡± Fang Xiaocao stared at Su Wanqing andughed. ¡°What?¡± At these words, Su Wanqing was taken aback. The next second, Fang Xiaocao pulled out the switchde and viciously stabbed it into Su Wanqing¡¯s throat¡­ Before Su Wanqing¡¯s horrified eyes, Fang Xiaocao pulled out the switchde, and a column of blood gushed out from the wound like a fountain. Feeling powerless, Su Wanqing¡¯s pupils gradually dted¡­ It was her first time killing someone, and Fang Xiaocao¡¯s entire body was trembling. Fear, nausea, panic, confusion¡­ All sorts of feelings were jumbled together. Fang Xiaocao walked over to Su Wanqing¡¯s body and fumbled on her face for a while. The next second, with a ¡°rip,¡± Fang Xiaocao tore a skin-thin mask from Su Wanqing¡¯s face. ¡°Huff¡­¡± Looking at the skin in her hand, Fang Xiaocao breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°Thank goodness, I didn¡¯t kill the wrong person!¡± Fang Xiaocao muttered to herself. Turning to look at ¡°Su Wanqing¡¯s¡± body, she saw an entirely unfamiliar face. Fang Xiaocao tossed the skin to the ground. She wiped the blood off the switchde on ¡°Su Wanqing¡¯s¡± corpse. Pocketing the switchde, Fang Xiaocao began to search the body. Soon, Fang Xiaocao found a homemade handgun, a dagger, and a mobile phone on the body. The mobile phone was Fang Xiaocao¡¯s! Looking at the handgun, Fang Xiaocao¡¯s heart trembled. She silently congratted herself for acting decisively. Otherwise¡­ She would have been the one to die! Fang Xiaocao unlocked the screen and checked it. ¡°Huff¡­¡± ¡°Thank goodness¡­¡± Fang Xiaocao exhaled in relief, sighing. Hot Noodles had not sent any messages. The phone showed no signs of being unlocked. Her secret had not been exposed! That was a fortune amongst the misfortune! ¡°Are you there?¡± Fang Xiaocao opened up the dialogue box for Hot Noodles and sent a message. [Contact does not exist!] Seeing the prompt, Fang Xiaocao put away her phone. This time, she was really in trouble. The situation had deviated from the predicted future. She couldn¡¯t get in touch with Hot Noodles again¡­ She could only rely on herself for everything now. Picking up the homemade pistol and Dagger from the ground, Fang Xiaocao headed towards Yun Luoshu¡¯s tent. Fang Xiaocao walked very carefully, daring not to make a single sound, for fear of waking the sleeping enemy. Quietly crawling into the tent, Yun Luoshu was looking at her. ¡°Xiaocao, why haven¡¯t you run away yet?¡± Yun Luoshu asked, frowning. ¡°Silly big guy, how could I leave you behind?¡± Fang Xiaocao said with a smile. ¡°My leg was shot with an anesthetic; I can¡¯t run at all.¡± ¡°Taking me with you will only slow you down.¡± Yun Luoshu said helplessly. ¡°No problem, we¡¯ll kill them all!¡± Fang Xiaocao said sternly. Hearing Fang Xiaocao¡¯s words, Yun Luoshu¡¯s eyes widened in shock as he stared at Fang Xiaocao. ¡°I know you have big eyes, stop staring.¡± Fang Xiaocao said,ughing. ¡°Here, whoever dares toe in, shoot them!¡± As she spoke, Fang Xiaocao stuffed the homemade pistol into Yun Luoshu¡¯s hand. ¡°Where did thise from?¡± Looking at the gun in his hands, Yun Luoshu asked, dazed. ¡°I found it on a body.¡± Fang Xiaocao said casually. @@novelbin@@ Hearing this, Yun Luoshu instinctively threw the gun away. Seeing Yun Luoshu¡¯s action, Fang Xiaocao got startled. ¡°Big dummy, what are you doing?¡± ¡°What if it goes off by ident?¡± Fang Xiaocao scolded as she picked up the gun. ¡°Sorry¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡± Yun Luoshu stammered. ¡°Hold on to it!¡± Fang Xiaocao stuffed the gun back into Yun Luoshu¡¯s hand. ¡°Remember, they are all desperados.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t shoot, they will kill us!¡± Fang Xiaocao said sternly. ¡°Alright, I got it!¡± Yun Luoshu said, gritting his teeth and nodding. Time rewound to the moment when Yun Luoshu took Fang Xiaocao¡¯s hand. Yun Luoshu quietly slipped a piece of cloth written in blood into Fang Xiaocao¡¯s hand and also wrote the character ¡°escape¡± in the palm of her hand! Already suspicious, Fang Xiaocao instantly understood Yun Luoshu¡¯s message. So, Fang Xiaocao picked up a switchde, pretending to be in a daze, and walked over to the campfire. Actually¡­ Fang Xiaocao did this to make the enemies lower their guard. At the same time, she took the opportunity to check the cloth strip given by Yun Luoshu. On the cloth, a few words were written in blood: ¡°Escape, trust yourself, clothes, phone.¡± Fang Xiaocao knew that Yun Luoshu was telling her to escape and to trust her own memory. But the words ¡°clothes¡± and ¡°phone¡± left Fang Xiaocao puzzled. It was only when she subconsciously reached for her phone to contact Hot Noodles that she realized¡­ Her phone was gone! Combining various doubts and Yun Luoshu¡¯s hints, Fang Xiaocao immediately understood that it had been taken by these people. The purpose was to cut off her contact with the outside world. So, what about ¡°clothes¡±? A question arose in Fang Xiaocao¡¯s mind. Fang Xiaocao first made sure of one thing; her jacket¡­ It wasn¡¯t her windbreaker at all! Recalling once more, Yun Luoshu¡¯s clothes¡­ The windbreaker she was wearing was no longer the set they had bought together. Therefore, Fang Xiaocao peered through the crook of her arm to secretly observe the clothes of ¡°Zhi Qi¡± and the others¡­ Only at this moment did Fang Xiaocao understand where that strange feeling she had when she first woke up came from. The windbreakers these people were wearing, despite being the same color, were definitely not the uniform style that Zhi Qi had purchased for all of them. At this moment, Fang Xiaocao understood. These people¡­ They were not Zhi Qi and her group at all! Chapter 62: Defeat One by One Chapter 62: Chapter 62: Defeat One by One Fang Xiaocao had never imagined that the Human Skin Mask, a miraculous disguise prop only seen in martial arts dramas, would actually appear right before her eyes. The appearance of the Human Skin Mask cleared up the second doubt Fang Xiaocao had after waking up. Since awakening, Fang Xiaocao felt that the expressions of Zhi Qi and the others were all strange and unnatural. Upon learning that Yun Luoshu had been stabbed by her, Fang Xiaocao initially thought their odd expressions were because they believed she was mentally ill. Now¡­ Fang Xiaocao understood! A face with an extrayer of skin would hardly look natural. If even those of inferior cosmetic surgeries could not maintain natural expressions, let alone wearing ayer of mask on the face. Of course, Human Skin Mask was just a term. The material of these masks was silicone. Only, they were made very thin, just like a realyer of skin. The third doubt Fang Xiaocao had after waking up centered around the tents! Fang Xiaocao was certain that in the backpacks of herself, Su Wanqing, Wen Shi, and Yun Luoshu, there were only sleeping bags, no simple tents. Even if Zhi Qi and Wan Xiaozhou had brought tents, they couldn¡¯t have brought so many. Simple tents are light and easy to pack. But since each backpack had limited space, Zhi Qi and Wan Xiaozhou could at most bring only one tent each. However, now in the campsite, there was a tent for each person. This obvious w had initially gone unnoticed by Fang Xiaocao due to her agitation. ¡°Xiaocao, what should we do?¡± Yun Luoshu, holding a gun, asked anxiously. ¡°I¡¯ll help you out of the tent, and you keep watch for me.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go break them one by one!¡± Fang Xiaocao said after pondering for a moment. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll listen to you,¡± Yun Luoshu nodded and responded. Because Yun Luoshu¡¯s leg had been anesthetized and had no sensation, Fang Xiaocao could only half drag and half carry Yun Luoshu out of the tent. After helping Yun Luoshu to sit against the tent, Fang Xiaocao took a deep breath and walked towards a tent. The distribution of one tent per criminal. Provided Fang Xiaocao with great convenience for her n to break them one by one. Sneaking quietly into a tent, the person sleeping inside was ¡°Wen Shi¡±! Fang Xiaocao took out a climbing rope, looped it around ¡°Wen Shi¡¯s¡± neck, one hand mped over ¡°Wen Shi¡¯s¡± mouth, the other hand, raised high with a picked-up rock, fiercely smashed it down on ¡°Wen Shi¡¯s¡± head. At the same time, the hand above ¡°Wen Shi¡¯s¡± mouth quickly came down, covering it. With that blow, Fang Xiaocao used all her strength. ¡°Wen Shi¡¯s¡± head immediately broke open, blood flowed out, her body convulsed violently a few times, then stopped moving. Fang Xiaocao checked the breath, and let out a sigh of relief: ¡°Phew¡­¡± ¡°d she¡¯s not dead¡­¡± Using the climbing rope, Fang Xiaocao tied up ¡°Wen Shi.¡± Then she took off ¡°Wen Shi¡¯s¡± socks, stuffed them into her mouth, and used tape to wrap around ¡°Wen Shi¡¯s¡± head, securing it tightly. ¡°Su Wanqing¡± was monitoring her, killing her was ast resort, crucial for emergency avoidance. Without killing her, Fang Xiaocao could not escape, nor could she rescue Yun Luoshu and learn the truth of the matter. Given the current situation, she would mostly be treated as acting in emergency avoidance upon returning. But to kill again, especially someone without the power to resist, that would be hard to exin. Fang Xiaocao searched on ¡°Wen Shi.¡± Sure enough, she also found a homemade gun and a Dagger in ¡°Wen Shi¡¯s¡± embrace. These people had nomunication devices on them. This, indeed, gave Fang Xiaocao a sigh of relief. There was no need to worry that the disappearance of these people here would alert those behind the scenes. She took out her phone, turned on the video function. Aimed at ¡°Wen Shi¡¯s¡± face, she clicked to record. Fang Xiaocao stretched out her hand, groped on ¡°Wen Shi¡¯s¡± cheek for a while, then rubbed hard with her fingers, and the skin began to roll up at the edge. Seeing this, Fang Xiaocao¡¯s eyes brightened. She pinched the edge, and pulled hard. ¡°Wen Shi¡¯s¡± entire face was peeled off, revealing the face of a stranger. Fang Xiaocao shook the human skin mask in front of the camera, zoomed in on ¡°Wen Shi¡¯s¡± face, and then casually stuffed the mask into her pocket. She ended the recording and clicked send. Selecting Wang Qiang¡¯s WeChat¡­ [Send Failed!] [Please check yourwork connection!] Fang Xiaocao: !!! She carefully checked her phone. Fang Xiaocao dejectedly put her phone back into her pocket. @@novelbin@@ Now Fang Xiaocao finally understood why these people didn¡¯t carrymunication devices. There was simply no signal in thisrge mountain. Without a signal, there was nowork. Unable to call for help, Fang Xiaocao could only give up. She tugged at the climbing rope, ensuring it was securely tied, before taking out a bandage from her climbing bag and haphazardly bandaging ¡°Wen Shi.¡± Stashing the homemade pistol in her pocket, Fang Xiaocao weighed the blood-stained rock in her hand and smirked as she crawled into the adjacent makeshift tent. Wan Xiaozhou lived in this tent. Fang Xiaocao replicated the actions, smothering and smashing forcefully. Wan Xiaozhou didn¡¯t even grunt before rolling his eyes back and fainting. ¡°Hoo¡­¡± Seeing Wan Xiaozhou close his eyes, Fang Xiaocao sighed in relief. When she smashed down with the rock, Wan Xiaozhou suddenly widened his eyes, staring straight at her, which frightened Fang Xiaocao so much that her heart nearly leaped out of her throat. She checked his breathing to make sure he was not dead. Fang Xiaocao nodded in satisfaction, pulled out climbing ropes from Wan Xiaozhou¡¯s backpack, and firmly bound him tightly. She stuffed a sock in his mouth, wrapped it with tape, and all was set! She searched him and picked up his equipment. Identical homemade pistols and daggers. The equipment of these people was uniformly provided. Clearly, the organization behind this was not simple at all. Stashing the gun in her pocket, Fang Xiaocao looked towards the remaining three tents. One of these tents belonged to her. One belonged to Su Wanqing, and another to Zhi Qi. Zhi Qi was Fang Xiaocao¡¯sst target. And was most likely to be the Scar-faced Monster. Not finding the Scar-faced Monster always left Fang Xiaocao feeling uneasy. That person gave her a very eerie feeling. Fang Xiaocao had never figured out how she had lost consciousness. She quietly approached one of the tents, listening at the side, but inside it was eerily silent without any sound. She opened a slit, and it was empty inside. ¡°Not here.¡± Fang Xiaocao moved to another tent. It was empty inside too! ¡°Is my luck that bad?¡± Fang Xiaocao muttered to herself, looking towards thest tent. Fang Xiaocao hesitated for a moment, dropped the rock from her hand, and took out the homemade pistol from her pocket. If this ¡°Zhi Qi¡± was the Scar-faced Monster, it would definitely be dangerous, Fang Xiaocao prepared to use the gun to smash, ready to shoot immediately if unable to subdue with one hit. In college military training, Fang Xiaocao had experienced shooting, and the instructor had briefly exined the structure of firearms. So, Fang Xiaocao knew how to use a gun. But only just knew how to use! Standing in front of the tent, Fang Xiaocao took a deep breath. She opened the tent, wanting to crawl inside. But the tent waspletely empty, with no one inside! ¡°Not good!¡± Fang Xiaocao eximed in her mind. Chapter 63 - 63 The Game of the Scar-faced Monster Chapter 63: Chapter 63 The Game of the Scar-faced Monster An ominous premonition quietly rose. Behind¡­ It seemed like there was someone! Without time to think, Fang Xiaocao wielded her dagger and fiercely shed behind her. At this time, a knife was more useful than a gun! The dagger cut through the air, but behind her was emptiness. Fang Xiaocao was stunned! She had clearly felt someone behind her just a moment ago! Suddenly, Fang Xiaocao¡¯s gaze sharpened. Yun Luoshu was gone! ¡°No good!¡± Fang Xiaocao eximed and ran toward Yun Luoshu¡¯s tent. It must be ¡°Zhi Qi¡±! Or rather, the Scar-faced Monster! It was he who had silently abducted Yun Luoshu while she was inspecting the tent. Fang Xiaocao didn¡¯t even know when Yun Luoshu had been taken. Rushing to the tent, a very obvious dragging trace extended from the side of the tent into the woods. It was like a deliberately left signpost. Clearly, ¡°Zhi Qi¡± wanted her to enter the woods. This was an overt plot! To save someone, one must follow the trail. ¡°Damn it!¡± Fang Xiaocao cursed under her breath. ¡°When exactly was Luoshu abducted?¡± Fang Xiaocao started reying the action in her mind. At this moment, Fang Xiaocao made a terrifying discovery. It seemed that after she had dealt with ¡°Wen Shi,¡± the person sitting in front of the tent was no longer Yun Luoshu! The person dressed in a windbreaker, holding a gun, smiling at her¡­ Was ¡°Zhi Qi¡±! All her actions were under his watch¡­ ¡°The game of cat and mouse!¡± A thought surfaced in Fang Xiaocao¡¯s mind. @@novelbin@@ She was that¡­ Little mouse being toyed with in the palm of a cat! ¡°Shasha shasha¡­¡± Footsteps came from the woods. That sound was so familiar! That¡¯s right! It was the footsteps of the Scar-faced Monster! The same as the ones she heard in the woods. The deliberate footsteps, like death¡¯s knell. They chilled Fang Xiaocao to the bone. The footsteps were closing in¡­ Fang Xiaocao slowly backed away¡­ While raising her gun, aiming into the woods. At the same time, the footsteps abruptly stopped! ¡°He¡¯s afraid of the gun?¡± Fang Xiaocao murmured doubtfully. ¡°Impossible!¡± Soon, Fang Xiaocao shook her head, dismissing her ridiculous thought. If the Scar-faced Monster truly feared the gun in her hands, he wouldn¡¯t y the game of cat and mouse. He clearly had a thousand chances to shoot her dead, so why bother waiting for her to get a weapon and pose a threat to him? Fang Xiaocao suddenly halted her steps! Behind¡­ Heavy breathing could be heard. ¡°He¡¯s behind me!¡± Fang Xiaocao instantly felt her flesh creep. She turned to look behind her with her gun in hand, but there was no one there. The heavy breathing also stopped abruptly. ¡°Shasha shasha¡­¡± The footsteps came again. Fang Xiaocao turned in horror, in the dimly lit woods, a face full of burn scars and blemishes was eerily smiling at her¡­ ¡°Bang!¡± Fang Xiaocao instinctively pulled the trigger. A loud gunshot shattered the night¡¯s silence in the woods. Arge tree to Fang Xiaocao¡¯s front left exploded upon the shot. This shot¡­ Had missed! It was way off! In the dimness, that ghastly and horrifying face silently mocked Fang Xiaocao. Fang Xiaocao was frantic, aiming the gun. However¡­ Before she could pull the trigger again! That face flickered and vanished behind the tree. The Scar-faced Monster was not holding a gun! Seeing this, Fang Xiaocao felt a surge of relief. She raised her gun, ready to chase into the woods. But after two steps, Fang Xiaocao stopped in her tracks. ¡°This is a trap!¡± Fang Xiaocao reminded herself. ¡°Stay calm, keep calm!¡± Fang Xiaocao muttered repeatedly, reminding herself not to act impulsively. ¡°Rustle, rustle, rustle¡­¡± The sound of footsteps rose again! To the left! Fang Xiaocao lifted her gun, turned, and executed the movement in one smooth motion. In that empty tent to the left, at some point¡­ A figure had appeared! That person was peering out of the tent, staring at her! Fang Xiaocao¡¯s scalp tingled in an instant! ¡°Bang, bang, bang!¡± She fired three shots at the tent! A burst of blood blossomed, staining the tent red. The figure inside the tent fell to the ground at the sound. Seeing this, Fang Xiaocao felt a surge of tion. She ran quickly toward the tent to check the result. Pulling back the tent, insidey the corpse that belonged to ¡°Su Wanqing.¡± Seeing this, Fang Xiaocao was stunned. She turned her head in horror, looking towards the remnants of the campfire. Just now, there clearly was someone lying there! At this nce, Fang Xiaocao¡¯s pupils dted instantly. Next to the remains of the campfire, indeed, another person was lying¡­ ¡°Who could that be?¡± ¡°Could it be the Scar-faced Monster!¡± Fang Xiaocao¡¯s body trembled uncontrobly. She didn¡¯t know if it was from nerves or fear. She nced at the tent again, confirming it was ¡°Su Wanqing.¡± The knife wound on the neck, the bloody hole in the chest. They signaled that she was dead beyond any doubt. No longer a threat to her! Fang Xiaocao took a deep breath, raised her gun, and slowly walked toward the remains of the campfire. It wasn¡¯t that Fang Xiaocao didn¡¯t want to pull the trigger. But from this distance, she simply couldn¡¯t hit the target. Moreover, Fang Xiaocao was afraid of friendly fire. Approaching slowly, with every step Fang Xiaocao¡¯s heart raced a little faster. That restless heart seemed like it might leap out of her mouth at any moment. ¡°Gulp~¡± Her mouth was so dry from nerves that Fang Xiaocao swallowed instinctively. Close now! At a distance of five meters, Fang Xiaocao was confident she could hit the target. Fang Xiaocao stopped, not daring to get closer. She frowned and stared intently at the person. Her gaze slowly shifted to his face. It was ¡°Wen Shi¡± next to the remains of the campfire! The ropes that had bound her were loose, and for some reason, had been untied, but she stilly with eyes closed, unconscious, showing no signs of waking up. Fang Xiaocao was shocked, her heartbeat skipping half a beat. Was this Scar-faced Monster human or ghost? Why were his actions so bizarre? When had he moved ¡°Wen Shi¡± next to the remains of the campfire, and when had he ced ¡°Su Wanqing¡¯s¡± body in that vacant tent? Why hadn¡¯t she heard a thing? All these actions werepleted after she had checked that tent. No more than three minutes in total! And she had beenpletely unaware! Since ¡°Wen Shi¡± showed no sign of waking up, Fang Xiaocao didn¡¯t dare go over to bind her again. The Scar-faced Monster was just too unpredictable. Too fast! Fang Xiaocao feared that while she was tying up ¡°Wen Shi,¡± she would look up to find the Scar-faced Monster standing in front of her, smiling¡­ ¡°Rustle, rustle, rustle¡­¡± The footsteps of doom sounded again. They were deliberate and clear. The sound, sometimes far and sometimes near, was as if someone was teleporting through the woods. Fang Xiaocao took a deep breath and looked in the direction the footstep sounds wereing from. Indeed¡­ That hideous and terrifying face was smiling at her again. No matter how many times Fang Xiaocao saw that eerie smile, she still found it absolutely chilling. ¡°What on earth do you want?¡± Fang Xiaocao yelled out desperately. ¡°Hehe¡­¡± The Scar-faced Monster pulled back its lips, and that eerieugh floated over. The next second¡­ The Scar-faced Monster bent down and dragged someone up from the ground! It was Yun Luoshu! Chapter 64: Was it Just a Dream? Chapter 64: Chapter 64: Was it Just a Dream? Fang Xiaocao felt she was on the brink of a mental copse. Watching Yun Luoshu, held by the Scar-faced Monster, Fang Xiaocao¡¯s eyes brimmed with tears. Raising her gun, she aimed at the Scar-faced Monster. Fang Xiaocao screamed with all her might, ¡°Let her go!¡± ¡°I said let her go!¡± Facing the breached Fang Xiaocao, the Scar-faced Monster grinned, revealing his signature sinister smile. ¡°Bang!¡± Fang Xiaocao fired a shot into the air. She aimed again at the Scar-faced Monster. ¡°I really will shoot!¡± Fang Xiaocao screamed with all her might. The Scar-faced Monster, wearing a sinister smile, slowly let go, and Yun Luoshu copsed limply to the ground. Seeing this, Fang Xiaocao was furious to the point of rupture. Without hesitation, she pulled the trigger. ¡°Bang! Bang! Bang!¡± Fang Xiaocao mechanically pulled the trigger. ¡°Click~¡± Until the magazine was empty. She put down the gun, but the Scar-faced Monster had already disappeared. Dropping the gun in her hand, she ran hurriedly towards the woods. Now, all Fang Xiaocao wanted was to save Yun Luoshu! Rushing into the woods, Yun Luoshu was lying there. Fang Xiaocao walked towards Yun Luoshu, trembling incessantly. Kneeling by Yun Luoshu¡¯s side, she checked for breathing. There was breath! ¡°Hu~¡± Fang Xiaocao breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°Thank goodness¡­¡± Fang Xiaocao muttered to herself. ¡°Rustle rustle rustle¡­¡± Suddenly, footsteps sounded abruptly. Right behind her! Fang Xiaocao swiftly drew another gun and shot behind her without hesitation. ¡°Bang! Bang! Bang!¡± Three consecutive shots! The homemade pistol belched mes, lighting up the dim forest. Following the light of the gunfire, Fang Xiaocao vaguely saw a bright crimson flower blooming on the Scar-faced Monster¡¯s body. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± A muffled groan, so clear. ¡°He¡¯s been shot!¡± Seeing this, Fang Xiaocao felt a surge of joy. Holding her gun, intending to pursue, Fang Xiaocao hesitated. She couldn¡¯t leave Yun Luoshu behind! If she left Yun Luoshu behind, who knows if the Scar-faced Monster might circle back from within the woods. The result could spiral beyond her control again. Fang Xiaocao returned to Yun Luoshu¡¯s side, fumbling on her body. The gun on Yun Luoshu had been taken! The Scar-faced Monster was armed. ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t he shoot?¡± Fang Xiaocao muttered to herself. With one hand on the gun, she remained alert. Stooping down, she pulled Yun Luoshu up, cing her arm on her shoulder as she staggered towards the camp. ¡°Bang! Bang! Bang!¡± Suddenly, three gunshots rang out. Fang Xiaocao only felt Yun Luoshu¡¯s body tremble, and a warm liquid sttered onto her face. Fang Xiaocao dumbly touched her face, sticky and drenched in deep red. Fang Xiaocao¡¯s eyes widened in horror as she looked at Yun Luoshu¡­ Yun Luoshu¡¯s head had exploded before her eyes. ¡°Ah~¡± ¡°Luoshu~¡± Fang Xiaocao let out a sharp scream. ¡°Luoshu¡­¡± Fang Xiaocao wailed in despair, her vision blurred by tears. @@novelbin@@ In her eyes, Yun Luoshu seemed to be smiling at her. ¡°Bang! Bang! Bang!¡± Three more gunshots tore through the night. Fang Xiaocao shuddered and slowly looked down. Herbat jacket was covered in deep red liquid. ¡°Have I been shot?¡± In Fang Xiaocao¡¯s mind, her vision ryed to her brain the signal of being shot. Pain! As her brain received the signal, intense pain and weakness interwove, devouring Fang Xiaocao¡¯s consciousness. Fang Xiaocao¡¯s eyes widened as she looked ahead. The Scar-faced Monster smirked, the homemade handgun in his hand emitting wisps of hot air. Fang Xiaocao instinctively raised her gun and pulled the trigger at the Scar-faced Monster. ¡°Bang bang bang!¡± The Scar-faced Monster was startled and also pulled the trigger. ¡°Bang bang bang!¡± The sound of gunfire, like firecrackers, erupted one after another. In the dimly lit woods, mes spurted. ¡°Thud¡­¡± A muffled sound of something heavy hitting the ground echoed as Fang Xiaocao and the Scar-faced Monster both fell. Fang Xiaocao¡¯s body convulsed, blood spurting continuously from the corner of her mouth, staining the grass beneath her red. ¡°Rustle rustle rustle¡­¡± Footsteps sounded. Someone slowly approached Fang Xiaocao. Fang Xiaocao, eyes wide, looked at the neer¡­ It was¡­ Yun Luoshu!? The next second, darkness enveloped Fang Xiaocao¡¯s vision as her consciousness plunged into a silent abyss. ¡°Xiaocao, Xiaocao¡­¡± In the abyss, a familiar voice called into her ears. Fang Xiaocao tried to open her eyes to see the caller, but a splitting headache struck, causing her to lose consciousness again and fall into an endless abyss. It was unclear how much time had passed before Fang Xiaocao slowly awoke. Before her was a hazy starry sky. ¡°Wasn¡¯t I shot?¡± Fang Xiaocao blinked in confusion. Upon closer examination, she felt a headache but not the intense pain one would expect from being shot. ¡°I didn¡¯t die?¡± Fang Xiaocao murmured to herself. Before she could fully appreciate the joy of having survived a cmity, the chirping of insects nearby reminded her of what a splitting headache felt like. ¡°Hiss¨C¡± A sensation like needles piercing her brain made her gasp for air. As shey on the ground, eyes closed, resting for a long time, the dizziness and stabbing pain in her head gradually subsided. Feeling a bit of her strength returning, Fang Xiaocao tried to get up, but a wave of weakness swept over her body instantly, causing her to copse back onto the hard ground with a ¡°plop.¡± ¡°Xiaocao is awake!¡± A surprised voice called out nearby. Pattering footsteps reached her ears. Fang Xiaocao was startled and turned her head to look. Before she could react, Zhi Qi, Su Wanqing, Wen Shi, and Yun Luoshu surrounded her. ¡°Xiaocao, are you alright?¡± ¡°Xiaocao, how are you feeling now?¡± ¡°Xiaocao, where are you ufortable?¡± Everyone looked concerned, offering warm words offort. Seeing them, Fang Xiaocao was confused. ¡°Isn¡¯t it¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t Luoshu also shot?¡± ¡°And¡­¡± ¡°What happened after I was shot?¡± ¡°Why isn¡¯t it painful?¡± Fang Xiaocao¡¯s head was full of question marks. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with me?¡± Fang Xiaocao asked with a hoarse voice. Yet, her eyes unintentionally stared fixedly at each person¡¯s face, searching for traces of wearing a Human Skin Mask. ¡°You suddenly fainted just now,¡± ¡°It really scared us!¡± Su Wanqing eximed exaggeratedly. Upon hearing this, Fang Xiaocao was startled again. Looking at Zhi Qi, Zhi Qi nodded and said: ¡°We were just about to rest, and you said you wanted to go collect firewood with Luoshu. You hadn¡¯t walked far when you suddenly fainted.¡± Upon hearing this, Fang Xiaocao instinctively looked at Yun Luoshu. Seeing Fang Xiaocao looking at him, Yun Luoshu nodded and spoke, ¡°Yes, you just suddenly passed out and fell straight to the ground. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that you were still struggling, thrashing about as if having a nightmare, I would have thought you were dead.¡± Upon hearing this, Fang Xiaocao furrowed her brow. Speaking without thinking, it was definitely Yun Luoshu. Everyone present had a natural expression on their faces and showed no signs of wearing a Human Skin Mask. ¡°Could it be¡­¡± ¡°Did I really just have a nightmare?¡± Doubts multiplied in Fang Xiaocao¡¯s heart. Chapter 65 - 65 Hypnosis? Chapter 65: Chapter 65 Hypnosis? Fang Xiaocao felt as if she was caught between a dream and an illusion; everything before her eyes seemed so unreal. Which one was a dream, and which one was a hallucination? ¡°Xiaocao, what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Are you feeling unwell somewhere?¡± Zhi Qi asked with concern. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°I just have a bit of a headache.¡± Fang Xiaocao said hoarsely. ¡°Then you rest for a while; we¡¯ll set up the camp.¡± Upon hearing this, Zhi Qi said softly. Fang Xiaocao nodded tiredly. ¡°If you feel ufortable, call me.¡± Zhi Qi instructed her before walking away. Watching Zhi Qi¡¯s retreating figure, the image of the Scar-faced Monster involuntarily surfaced in Fang Xiaocao¡¯s mind. It was too real! It was surely a personal experience, nothing like a dream. [Ribbit Ribbit Ribbit!] Just then, the sound of a frog croaking reached her ears. Fang Xiaocao was startled and hurried to check her phone. Taking out her phone, it was a WeChat message. Fang Xiaocao quickly unlocked her screen to check the message. [Hot Noodles: Did you wake up?] Seeing the message from Hot Noodles, Fang Xiaocao felt as if she was worlds away. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Is it a dream, or is it a real experience?¡± Fang Xiaocao hastily sent a message asking. She knew that Hot Noodles must know something. [Hot Noodles: You could say it¡¯s a dream, but you could also say it¡¯s a real experience.] Hot Noodles¡¯ reply was ambiguous. Fang Xiaocao furrowed her brows subconsciously. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Fang Xiaocao sent another message, pressing for an answer. [Hot Noodles: It is a fact that is about to happen in the future!] Seeing the response from Hot Noodles, Fang Xiaocao was struck as if by lightning. ¡°A fact that is about to happen in the future?¡± Fang Xiaocao murmured to herself. ¡°Did I foresee the future?¡± Fang Xiaocao inquired. [Hot Noodles: You could say that.] [Hot Noodles: Because the timelines have ovepped, there¡¯s been chaos in time and space, and you have been pulled into the future I am currently experiencing. You took a leading role and experienced with me the future that is about to happen on your timeline.] Reading Hot Noodles¡¯ message, Fang Xiaocao was stunned. ¡°So you¡¯re saying¡­¡± ¡°The things I experienced are about to happen?¡± A horrified expression appeared on Fang Xiaocao¡¯s face. [Hot Noodles: Exactly, if it weren¡¯t for your consciousness suddenly being pulled into the future timeline, it would already be happening now.] Reading the message, Fang Xiaocao fell silent. It wasn¡¯t a dream¡­ It was the future that was about to happen! She was truly going to die! She would face that strange and terrifying Scar-faced Monster. [Hot Noodles: There is no need to be afraid, there¡¯s still time to change the future.] [Hot Noodles: You¡¯ve already experienced it once; you know everything about them now, what¡¯s there to fear?] Seeing the message from Hot Noodles, a glimmer of hope shone in Fang Xiaocao¡¯s eyes. Yeah! @@novelbin@@ She had experienced it all once already, what was there to fear? All she needed to do was to be careful. No, that¡¯s not right¡­ The Scar-faced Monster was too bizarre; she couldn¡¯t defend against him. ¡°How did that Scar-faced Monster make me pass out so mysteriously, and how did he move like a ghost?¡± Thinking of the ghostly Scar-faced Monster, Fang Xiaocao quickly sent a message to inquire. [Hot Noodles: It¡¯s hypnotism!] [Hot Noodles: He hypnotized us, controlling our subconscious with various sounds, inflicting psychological suggestions on our subconscious.] ¡°Hypnosis!¡± Fang Xiaocao was startled. Being able to hypnotize from such a distance! That¡¯s just too bizarre! ¡°How can we guard against it?¡± Fang Xiaocao asked. ¡°With him around, even if I could predict the future, wouldn¡¯t I still be unable to avoid being controlled by hypnotism?¡± Fang Xiaocao added. [Hot Noodles: Learn hypnotism!] ¡°How is that possible?¡± Looking at the answer Hot Noodles provided, Fang Xiaocao thought she was joking. [Hot Noodles: Nothing is impossible.] [Hot Noodles: If predicting the future is possible, why can¡¯t the Life-Ending Technique be learned?] ¡°But I don¡¯t understand hypnosis at all!¡± Fang Xiaocao said helplessly. [Hot Noodles: But I do!] [Hot Noodles: It¡¯s a blessing in disguise. Being suddenly pulled into a future timeline, although it gave your spirit a great shock, it also honed your spiritual power. All youck now is technique.] [Hot Noodles: In my timeline, after experiencing these events, knowledge about hypnotism emerged in my memory.] [Hot Noodles: My memory tells me that in your timeline, because of this experience, our spiritual power far exceeded that of the average person, and I learned the advanced hypnotism in just half an hour.] [Hot Noodles: I¡¯m already a hypnotherapist now, and you¡¯re about to be one too.] Reading the messages from Hot Noodles, Fang Xiaocao was stupefied. Learning hypnotism in half an hour? And bing a master hypnotist just like that? Isn¡¯t that a bit of a tall tale? [Hot Noodles: Don¡¯t doubt it, now remember every word I say and study earnestly.] Then, Hot Noodles sent a lot of messages and a video. In the video, Fang Xiaocao saw her future self for the first time, Hot Noodles! Her eyes in the video were filled with vicissitudes. But one could still vaguely see the shadow of her current self. Fang Xiaocao guessed that the Hot Noodles in the video was between 30 and 40 years old, which was her 10 or 20 yearster. After all¡­ As a girl herself, Fang Xiaocao knew that a woman¡¯s true age is the hardest to guess. She could only rely on her familiarity with herself to roughly estimate Hot Noodles¡¯ age. [Hot Noodles: Alright, my past self, congrattions on learning it.] ¡°What do you mean I¡¯ve learned it?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t even know¡­¡± The messages from Hot Noodles confused Fang Xiaocao. [Hot Noodles: Don¡¯t forget, I am you in the future. Whether you¡¯ve learned it or not is in my memory.] Fang Xiaocao: ¡­ ¡°6!¡± She actually couldn¡¯t refute the words of Hot Noodles! All she could do was press ¡°6¡±! [Hot Noodles: You¡¯re still unfamiliar with hypnosis now. Just get more ustomed to it.] ¡°Alright, I got it.¡± Fang Xiaocao nodded and replied. [Hot Noodles: Oh no, the future is changing again. I have to go through it all over once more.] [Hot Noodles: My past self, try not to mess things up. Follow what I say; otherwise, I¡¯m going to end up with a split personality because of you.] [Hot Noodles: Also, don¡¯t misuse hypnotism. Hypnosis can have significant side effects, both for the hypnotist and the subject. And the stronger the subject¡¯s spiritual power, the greater the burden it ces on the hypnotist¡¯s body and spirit.] ¡°I¡¯ll try my best!¡± Fang Xiaocao replied. [Contact does not exist!] Upon seeing the ¡°Contact does not exist¡± notification, Fang Xiaocao could not help rolling her eyes. Putting away her phone, Fang Xiaocao¡¯s gaze became firm and confident. ¡°Bring it on!¡± ¡°This time, I¡¯m not afraid of you.¡± Fang Xiaocao murmured to herself. Remembering the Scar-faced Monster, there was no longer that soul-deep fear in Fang Xiaocao¡¯s heart, but rather an eagerness to confront and settle the score. Chapter 66 - 66 The Wheel of Fate Chapter 66: Chapter 66 The Wheel of Fate ¡°Zhi Qi, should we start a fire?¡± Wen Shi¡¯s voice reached Fang Xiaocao¡¯s ears. Upon hearing this, Fang Xiaocao was startled. Looking up, she saw that the campsite was already set up. On a not-sorge clearing, two simple tents were ced side by side, and around the campsite, a string of small bells for alerts hung. @@novelbin@@ The two simple tents could barely amodate six girls, and although it was a bit crowded, they at least provided shelter against the wind and rain, better than sleeping in the open air. Now, the only thing the campsite was missing was a campfire for cooking. They did have food supplies in their backpacks. Wen Shi¡¯s suggestion was quite timely. But Fang Xiaocao¡¯s heart suddenly tightened. It¡¯sing! The moment of encountering the Scar-faced Monster had arrived. In the original timeline, it was supposed to be her who made this suggestion, but now, after suddenly fainting and deliberately avoiding the issue, she wanted to see if it would diverge from the encounter with the Scar-faced Monster. After all, besides ingredients, their backpacks contained items like bread,pressed biscuits, and ham, which meant they could still eat without making a fire. However¡­ Clearly, the inertia of fate was powerful. You can try to change your own future, but you can¡¯t influence the turn of fate¡¯s wheel. The things that are about to happen will still ur, even if you don¡¯t do them; fate will naturally arrange for someone else to do them. It was like the elderly couple in the Axi incident; even though Fang Xiaocao had exposed Axi, she still couldn¡¯t stop the turn of fate¡¯s wheel and change the couple¡¯s tragic death. Although Axi died prematurely. It seems that in the next five years, those victims who would have been killed by Axi might not have to die. But who could guarantee¡­ That they would indeed survive? Thinking of this, Fang Xiaocao sighed. Fang Xiaocao stood up and walked toward that area. ¡°It would be dangerous to split up rashly.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s not go collect firewood then,¡± said Fang Xiaocao. She wasn¡¯t sure she could defeat the Scar-faced Monster. If it was possible to avoid the encounter, then it was best to do so. ¡°We still need to collect the firewood!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not safe without a campfire at night,¡± Zhi Qi said sternly. Fang Xiaocao knew Zhi Qi was right. Would avoiding collecting firewood really prevent the encounter with the Scar-faced Monster? In that timeline, the people from that organization had perfectly replicated their entire team, except for her and Yun Luoshu¡¯s doubles. Moreover, her and Yun Luoshu¡¯s clothes had been changed; it was clear that someone had worn their clothes and left the team. Could those two who left have been their doubles? Clearly, they had premeditated ns to look for an opportunity to rece one or more people from their group, or even the entire team, at random. So, even if they didn¡¯t go collect firewood, those from that organization might stille for a night raid, taking control of their entire group, or killing them. And without a campfire, wild animals prowling the forest at night might pose a greater danger than the Scar-faced Monster. ¡°Okay then, Luoshu and I will go,¡± Fang Xiaocao said with a smile, having thought it through. ¡°No, you¡¯re too weak,¡± Zhi Qi replied gravely, hearing Fang Xiaocao¡¯s words. ¡°Yeah, Xiaocao,¡± ¡°You need to rest properly,¡± ¡°Luoshu and I will go collect it instead,¡± Wen Shi said, looking at Fang Xiaocao with concern. Hearing Wen Shi¡¯s words, Fang Xiaocao felt helpless. There was no way to refute, absolutely no way. Fang Xiaocao blinked her eyes, then a thought suddenly struck her. ¡°How could I forget about her!¡± Fang Xiaocao mused as she looked at Wan Xiaozhou. The organization had also replicated Wan Xiaozhou. This meant Wan Xiaozhou wasn¡¯t with them. The enemy of my enemy is my friend. The mysterious and unpredictable Wan Xiaozhou could perhaps be a central force against the mysterious organization. ¡°Why not let Xiaozhou and Luoshu go?¡± Fang Xiaocao suggested with a smile. Upon hearing this, Wan Xiaozhou nced at Fang Xiaocao. Fang Xiaocao responded with a smile. ¡°Xiaozhou shouldn¡¯t refuse, right?¡± Fang Xiaocao asked with a smile. ¡°Sure!¡± Wan Xiaozhou raised an eyebrow and nodded. ¡°Then I¡¯ll leave it to Xiaozhou.¡± Fang Xiaocao said, smiling. Wan Xiaozhou nodded and walked toward the forest. ¡°I could have¡­¡± Watching the retreating figures of Wan Xiaozhou and Yun Luoshu, Wen Shi pouted and grumbled discontentedly. ¡°You couldn¡¯t!¡± Fang Xiaocao tapped Wen Shi¡¯s forehead andughed. ¡°Hmph!¡± Wen Shi huffed indignantly. Seeing this, Fang Xiaocao smiled. Fang Xiaocao knew that Wen Shi just wanted to do something within his power. Looking into the depths of the forest, Fang Xiaocao reached into the pocket of her jacket and gripped the switchde tight. Fang Xiaocao wanted to see the strength of Wan Xiaozhou. Even if Wan Xiaozhou and Yun Luoshu were captured by Scar-faced Monster, they wouldn¡¯t be in danger right away. So Fang Xiaocao wasn¡¯t nning to go into the woods to help. Fang Xiaocao entered a simple tent,y down in the sleeping bag, and began to recover her energy while waiting for Wan Xiaozhou and Yun Luoshu to return. ¡­ Elsewhere! Yu Tianqi, pulling Yu Ling along, was running frantically through the mountain forest. The expressions of the siblings were full of fear. They asionally looked back, afraid something might suddenly catch up with them. ¡°Brother, I can¡¯t run anymore¡­¡± Yu Ling said, gasping for breath. ¡°Big brother will carry you!¡± Yu Tianqi said sternly. He was also exhausted, but he dared not stop. Just moments ago, they had seen Xiaochen¡­ The Xiaochen who was already dead. Xiaochen had actuallye looking for them! In the night-shrouded forest, witnessing the return of the departed was nothing short of terrifying! Xiaochen appeared lifelike, but his expression was very strange. He kept recounting what had happened to him after separating from the siblings. This scared the wits out of Yu Ling. Yu Tianqi¡¯s heart was also trembling. Although Yu Tianqi didn¡¯t believe in ghosts, he couldn¡¯t give himself a rational exnation to soothe his rapidly beating heart. He couldn¡¯t exin Xiaochen¡¯s return, either. While Xiaochen wasn¡¯t too close, Yu Tianqi grabbed Yu Ling and ran. Xiaochen chased after them like a specter. With Yu Tianqi¡¯s martial arts-trained hearing, he couldn¡¯t even detect Xiaochen¡¯s footsteps. This made Yu Tianqi even more terrified. ¡°Tianqi brother, Lingling sister, what are you running for?¡± A gloomy voice sounded from behind them. As the siblings turned their heads, they saw Xiaochen had somehow appeared behind them, smiling at them ominously. To the siblings, that smile seemed incredibly eerie and terrifying! Without a moment¡¯s thought, Yu Tianqi picked up Yu Ling and ran as fast as he could. ¡°Tianqi brother, wait for me~¡± Xiaochen¡¯s shadowy figure said,ughing softly. ¡°Chen Xi, are you human or a ghost!¡± Yu Ling screamed, lying on Yu Tianqi¡¯s back. ¡°Me?¡± ¡°Of course, I¡¯m human~¡± Xiaochen replied, all smiles. Hearing the sound close to her ear, Yu Ling turned her head and saw Xiaochen¡¯s pale face right before her eyes. He was shockingly close! ¡°Ah~¡± Yu Ling let out a piercing scream. Chapter 67 - 67 Prey Chapter 67: Chapter 67 Prey Yu Ling¡¯s scream made Yu Tianqi¡¯s footsteps falter. He turned his head to look and saw Xiaochen right beside him with a sly smile on his lips, staring face-to-face with Yu Ling. Seeing this scene, Yu Tianqi felt a shock of rm. At this distance, if Xiaochen made a move. Neither he nor Yu Ling could dodge. Yu Tianqi gritted his teeth, turned around fiercely, and kicked at Xiaochen while simultaneously throwing Yu Ling behind him with both hands. ¡°Yu Ling, run!¡± ¡°Brother, hold her back!¡± Yu Tianqi shouted and drew his dagger. The chilling dagger thrust at Xiaochen. It struck home! But there was no blood! Xiaochen¡¯s figure just vanished into thin air before his eyes. Yu Tianqi was startled and scanned the surroundings with wide eyes. A glimpse of fabric flitted through the corner of his eye. Yu Tianqi was shocked and thrust with his knife! Hit! But¡­ It truly hit. Xiaochen disappeared once again before Yu Tianqi¡¯s eyes. The next second, Yu Ling¡¯s scream tore through the stillness of the night. Yu Tianqi was horrified and looked toward Yu Ling. Xiaochen was squatting right in front of her. ¡°Bastard, don¡¯t touch my sister!¡± Yu Tianqi yelled, charging at Xiaochen with his knife raised. By then, Yu Ling had already fainted from fright. Xiaochen¡¯s head twisted 180o to look at Yu Tianqi, his mouth lifting in a sinister smile. ¡°Damn it!¡± Seeing this, Yu Tianqi¡¯s heartbeat skipped a half beat. ¡°Brother Tianqi,e y with me¡«¡± Xiaochen said with a teasing smile. ¡°I¡¯ll y with your freaking uncle!¡± Yu Tianqi roared and drove the knife into Xiaochen¡¯s abdomen. Xiaochen¡¯s body shattered like ss. Once again vanishing from Yu Tianqi¡¯s eyes. Yu Tianqi¡¯s scalp tingled, and his hand holding the dagger trembled. The next second¡­ A severe pain struck the back of Yu Tianqi¡¯s head. Yu Tianqi¡¯s eyes rolled back, and he fainted. Before losing consciousness, Yu Tianqi saw another himself approaching step by step. ¡°Damn it¡­¡± ¡°This is really seeing a ghost¡­¡± Yu Tianqi murmured. Then, everything went dark before his eyes¡­ And he lost consciousness. ¡°This is no fun!¡± Aint was heard. Xiaochen walked out from behind a tree. ¡°Don¡¯t overdo it,¡± the other ¡°Yu Tianqi¡± said coldly. ¡°Alright alright, I know I was wrong,¡± Xiaochen stuck out her tongue andughed. ¡°Take them back,¡± ¡°Yu Tianqi¡± said indifferently. Xiaochen nodded and whistled. Figures moved in the woods, and three masked men emerged. ¡°Take the prey back!¡± Xiaochen ordered, pointing at the fallen Yu Family siblings. ¡°Yes!¡± The three masked men acknowledged and approached the Yu Family siblings. ¡°Let¡¯s go, to the gathering,¡± ¡°Yu Tianqi¡± dered in a deep voice. ¡°Sure thing, Brother Tianqi¡«¡± Xiaochen said coyly, clinging to ¡°Yu Tianqi¡¯s¡± hand. The two of them shouldered the Yu Family siblings¡¯ backpacks and slipped into the woods, quickly disappearing into the night. The three masked men hoisted the Yu Family siblings on their shoulders and turned to walk back the way they hade. ¡°Whoosh!¡± A figure shed by! The three masked men were startled and stopped in their tracks. ¡°Is there another team here?¡± One of the masked men asked in confusion. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t be¡­¡± ¡°This is supposed to be our hunting ground!¡± Another masked man spoke in a deep voice. ¡°Be careful, it might be another squad¡¯s prey that has strayed onto our turf,¡± the first masked man said in a somber tone. ¡°Congrattions, you got it right,¡± ¡°Sadly¡­¡± ¡°there are no rewards~¡± A voice suddenly interrupted. The two masked men were startled and turned their heads at the same time. ¡°Snap!¡± An arc of electricity shed past as the electric stick jabbed a masked man¡¯s neck. The masked man¡¯s body trembled as he convulsed and fell to the ground. The masked man who had been following the two pulled back his electric stick and turned to the other masked man. ¡°What the hell are you doing!¡± the other masked man rebuked. ¡°Me?¡± ¡°Of course, I¡¯m saving someone~¡± the man with the electric stick replied with augh. ¡°Bastard!¡± The masked man shouted, drawing his gun and pointing it at the man with the electric stick. ¡°You dare betray the organization, then go to hell!¡± the masked man said with a sneer. ¡°Sorry, you¡¯re the one who¡¯s going to die!¡± Just then, a chilly voice came from behind the masked man. The masked man was taken aback and turned to look behind him. The next second, a sh of cold light appeared. A red line emerged on the neck of the masked man. ¡°Uh uh¡­¡± The masked man opened his mouth but couldn¡¯t utter a word. The man with the electric stick kicked the masked man from behind, and as he fell to the ground with a thud, his body twitched a few times before he lost his breath. ¡°Sister Hn, you¡¯re so cool!¡± the man with the electric stick said cheerily. ¡°Take the Yu Family siblings, and let¡¯s look for the others.¡± Hn Xiaoyue said coldly. ¡°Roger that~¡± the electric stick man chirped in response. He stashed away the electric stick, picked up Yu Tianqi and Yu Ling with one hand each, and slung them over his shoulders. Hn Xiaoyue nced at the man with the electric stick, wiped the blood off her dagger, and turned to leave. Carrying Yu Tianqi and Yu Ling, the man with the electric stick walked briskly, unimpeded by the weight, maintaining his speed with ease. Hn Xiaoyue moved through the forest with feathery steps, swift as a wildcat, unfazed by the muddy path beneath her feet. Although the footsteps of the man carrying the siblings were heavy, he kept up with Hn Xiaoyue¡¯s pace without difficulty, even with the extra burden. Suddenly, Hn Xiaoyue paused her stride. The electric stick man halted instantly. ¡°Sister Hn, what¡¯s wrong?¡± he asked in confusion. ¡°Shh~¡± ¡°There¡¯s someone!¡± Hn Xiaoyue whispered. ¡°An enemy?¡± the electric stick man asked, his eyes twinkling with excitement. ¡°Not sure!¡± Hn Xiaoyue replied indifferently. Hn Xiaoyue slowly crouched down, her almond eyes intently fixed ahead. Seeing this, the man with the electric stick ced Yu Tianqi and Yu Ling on the ground and drew his electric stick, a thrilled smile spreading across his face. ¡°Enemy!¡± After a long while, Hn Xiaoyue withdrew her gaze and said tly. ¡°Heh~¡± ¡°Leave it to me!¡± Upon hearing this, the electric stick man grinned mischievously and charged out like a wild beast, his figure swiftly pouncing towards the dimness ahead. Shortly after, flickers of electric light and cries of pain echoed in the dimness. ¡°Ah da~¡± The excited shouts of the electric stick man could faintly be heard. Hn Xiaoyue shook her head helplessly. ¡°Why did I bring him along on a whim?¡± she sighed. ¡°Rustle rustle rustle~¡± Footsteps sounded. Hn Xiaoyue drew her dagger in a sh, vigntly staring in the direction of the footsteps. This was a strange set of footsteps. Not those of the electric stick man! Hn Xiaoyue darted a nce at the unconscious Yu Tianqi and Yu Ling, then in the blink of an eye, she sprang up into a nearby tree. @@novelbin@@ Perched on a branch, Hn Xiaoyue held a dagger in each hand, her eyes sharply focusing on the direction of the approaching sounds. Closer! Hn Xiaoyue could barely discern the silhouette of the approaching person. Chapter 68: Encounter in the Woods Chapter 68: Chapter 68: Encounter in the Woods Watching the figure that kept getting closer, Hn Xiaoyue¡¯s lips curled up into an enchanting smile. ¡°Zzzap¨C¡± A burst of electric arc shed, and the figure fell to the ground as it sounded. ¡°Sister Hn, up a tree again?¡± The hissing sound of the electric baton man rang out. Hearing this, Hn Xiaoyue rolled her eyes and jumped down from the tree branch. ¡°All taken care of?¡± Hn Xiaoyue asked softly. ¡°Taken care of, just some small fries,¡± the electric baton man shrugged andughed. ¡°Load them up, let¡¯s go.¡± Hn Xiaoyue nodded and spoke softly. The electric baton man nodded, grabbed Yu Tianqi and Yu Ling, one in each hand, and picked them up from the ground. ¡­ Fang Xiaocaoy in the sleeping bag, gripping a spring knife in her hand, seemingly resting with closed eyes, but in fact, she was constantly recalling knowledge about hypnosis in her mind. Sharpening the axe will not hinder the chopping; procrastination is no help! Fang Xiaocao thought that cramming at thest minute was better than lying down defeated. Outside the tent! Zhi Qi was on guard, alert to the surroundings of the camp. In the deep mountains and old forests, wild animals were plentiful. Without someone on guard, any member of the team might get carried away by a beast that suddenly burst in. Listening to Zhi Qi¡¯s footsteps, Fang Xiaocao felt somewhat reassured; at least Zhi Qi was reliable. If the Scar-faced Monster came, she wouldn¡¯t have to fight alone! ¡­ Wan Xiaozhou and Yun Luoshu were walking through the forest. Wan Xiaozhou asionally bent down to pick up a few sticks of dry wood and ced them in Yun Luoshu¡¯s arms. The two had a clear division ofbor: Wan Xiaozhou was in charge of picking, Yun Luoshu of holding the firewood. Suddenly, Wan Xiaozhou¡¯s movements stiffened, staying bent over, motionless. Seeing Wan Xiaozhou¡¯s posture, Yun Luoshu blinked in confusion, eyes full of bewilderment. ¡°Xiaozhou, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Yun Luoshu asked curiously. ¡°Don¡¯t talk, crouch down,¡± Wan Xiaozhou said in a low voice. ¡°Ouch, I think I¡¯ve twisted my back.¡± said Wan Xiaozhou, then exaggeratedly eximed. Hearing this, Yun Luoshu was taken aback but still obediently crouched down slowly as Wan Xiaozhou had instructed. ¡°Xiaozhou, what is it?¡± Yun Luoshu asked in a low voice while crouched on the ground. ¡°There¡¯s someone!¡± Wan Xiaozhou whispered. ¡°When I say run, we¡¯ll head to the camp.¡± Wan Xiaozhou instructed in a low voice. ¡°Okay.¡± Though very puzzled, Yun Luoshu agreed. Before leaving, Fang Xiaocao had instructed her to follow Wan Xiaozhou¡¯s leadpletely; if she didn¡¯t understand something, just to do as told and not to talk too much. Others¡¯ words Yun Luoshu might disregard, but she would still listen to Fang Xiaocao¡¯s. Seeing Yun Luoshu so obedient, Wan Xiaozhou was somewhat surprised. She had been thinking about how to exin to this simpleton. ¡°I¡¯ll count to three, then turn and run.¡± ¡°No matter what you encounter or hear, don¡¯t mind it, just run straight to the camp.¡± Seeing Yun Luoshu so docile, Wan Xiaozhou gave a few more instructions. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll listen to you.¡± Yun Luoshu nodded in response. ¡°Three!¡± Wan Xiaozhou called out softly and turned to run. Yun Luoshu hesitated for a moment but instinctively followed Wan Xiaozhou. But at that moment, Yun Luoshu¡¯s mind was still wondering, ¡°Where did One and Two go?¡± Wan Xiaozhou, being a year-round fitness enthusiast with a Kung Fu background, was incredibly fast when she ran. In the forest, she was like a nimble rabbit. Even though Yun Luoshu was an athlete,pared to Wan Xiaozhou, he seemed like a clumsy bear. @@novelbin@@ Although he could barely keep up, catching up to Wan Xiaozhou would require much more practice. ¡°Shasha shasha¡­¡± Footsteps sounded from behind. Yun Luoshu was startled, and just as he thought about turning around, he remembered Wan Xiaozhou¡¯s admonition. ¡°Don¡¯t turn back¡­¡± ¡°No matter what you encounter, what you hear¡­¡± ¡°You must not turn back¡­¡± Yun Luoshu panted and muttered to himself. Wan Xiaozhou, with her acute sense of hearing, could still hear Yun Luoshu¡¯s muttering even though she was running more than ten meters ahead of him. Wan Xiaozhou slowed her pace, waiting for Yun Luoshu. In Wan Xiaozhou¡¯s eyes, Yun Luoshu was a goofy and amusing big guy. If possible, she was still very willing to look after Yun Luoshu. Of course, the premise was that helping Yun Luoshu wouldn¡¯t threaten her own life. ¡°Shasha shasha¡­¡± Once again, footsteps resounded from behind. Wan Xiaozhou¡¯s expression became somewhat heavy. She could tell that this was an expert. Looking at Yun Luoshu, Wan Xiaozhou gritted her teeth and further slowed her pace. She began to run alongside Yun Luoshu. Meanwhile, Yun Luoshu¡¯s hand quietly slipped to his waist and drew out a dagger, tightly clutching it in his palm. ¡°Luoshu, no matter what you hear, just keep running, understand?¡± Wan Xiaozhou nced at the dagger and whispered. Even while running quickly, Wan Xiaozhou¡¯s breathing was still very steady, her voice unwavering and steady, being transmitted into Yun Luoshu¡¯s ears. ¡°Okay¡­¡± Hearing Wan Xiaozhou¡¯s words, Yun Luoshu replied breathlessly. ¡°Remember, no matter what you hear, don¡¯t be afraid.¡± ¡°After getting back to the camp, don¡¯t worry about me, immediately tell everyone to run fast, I will meet up with you all.¡± Wan Xiaozhou gave a few more instructions, and without waiting for Yun Luoshu¡¯s response, she again slowed down, going from running side by side with Yun Luoshu to trailing behind him. ¡°Don¡¯t me me¡­¡± ¡°If I can¡¯t kill him, you¡¯ll have to die.¡± Looking at Yun Luoshu¡¯s back, Wan Xiaozhou murmured to herself. Having spoken, Wan Xiaozhou, without turning her head, flung the dagger in her hand; with a ¡°whoosh,¡± the dagger shot out toward the person behind them. Simultaneously, Wan Xiaozhou quickly picked up her speed and, with a ¡°swoosh,¡± darted into the bushes beside her. Without looking back, Wan Xiaozhou knew she had not hit the person behind her. This signified that the opponent was an expert. More formidable than she had anticipated. Although not impossible to deal with, it might require a great sacrifice. Therefore, Wan Xiaozhou¡­ decided to abandon Yun Luoshu! Wan Xiaozhou believed that her just-thrown dagger had served its intimidating purpose. Anyone with sense wouldn¡¯t chase after her but would go after Yun Luoshu. Without her protection, Yun Luoshu was like a b of fat on a chopping board. Being caught was just a matter of time. Run back to camp? Heh¡­ That was just Wan Xiaozhou deceiving Yun Luoshu. Wan Xiaozhou darted into the woods immediately concealing her form, and in a few moments, she had climbed a big tree with dense branches. Wan Xiaozhou hid among the treetops, her eyes intently fixed on the path they had run along. She wanted to see who the pursuer was. ¡°Shasha shasha¡­¡± Footsteps sounded, and a man appeared on the path. The man was of average build, wearing a set of cheap storm gear, but his face startled Wan Xiaozhou. What a face it was! An evil spirit from Hell couldn¡¯t be much worse, could it? As the man passed the big tree where Wan Xiaozhou was hiding, he paused briefly, turned his head toward the treetop, and revealed a terrifying smile. Seeing the man¡¯s smile, Wan Xiaozhou¡¯s heart skipped a beat; she knew she had been discovered. Chapter 69 - 69 from the Blacklist Chapter 69: Chapter 69 from the cklist If Fang Xiaocao had been here, she would have recognized him in an instant¡ªthis man was the Scar-faced Monster. The Scar-faced Monster only nced once at therge tree where Wan Xiaozhou was hiding before he chased after Yun Luoshu. ¡°Phew¡­¡± Seeing this, Wan Xiaozhou breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°Luckily, the warning worked.¡± Wan Xiaozhou muttered to herself. The moment she saw the Scar-faced Monster, Wan Xiaozhou felt a deadly threat. This man was even more dangerous than she had imagined. Listening carefully to make sure the footsteps were fading away, Wan Xiaozhou finally leaped down from the treetop. Looking around, Wan Xiaozhou took a shortcut, inching towards the campsite through the woods. In the campsite, her target still remained. She wouldn¡¯t leave easily unless absolutely necessary. As for Yun Luoshu¡­ In these deep mountains and dense forests, any excuse she made would be enough to gloss things over. If the people at the camp believed her, that was for the best. If they didn¡¯t believe her¡­ Then she would just kill them all and take the target away. ¡°Ah~¡± Wan Xiaozhou had only walked a few dozen meters when she faintly heard a screaming from the direction of the path¡ªit was Yun Luoshu¡¯s scream. @@novelbin@@ ¡°Tsk¡­¡± ¡°So useless!¡± ¡°Such a waste of a big dummy!¡± Wan Xiaozhou scornfully cursed under her breath. After cursing, Wan Xiaozhou immediately changed her direction. She couldn¡¯t continue forward; she had to find another route. Who knew if the Scar-faced Monster, after possibly killing Yun Luoshu, would turn around to find trouble with her. Wan Xiaozhou ditched her nned route and decided to choose a direction to circumvent back to the campsite. ¡­ Wan Xiaozhou continuously weaved through the forest, seeking a way back to the campsite. The more she walked, the more puzzled she became. ¡°Strange¡­¡± Wan Xiaozhou murmured in confusion. She had been meandering through the forest for an hour. By her calctions, she should have circled back to the road leading to the campsite by now. Yet, the path became more and more unfamiliar without any signs of their previous passage. ¡°What are you looking for?¡± Just then, a hoarse male voice abruptly reached Wan Xiaozhou¡¯s ears. Wan Xiaozhou was startled, immediately feeling rmed. Someone was behind her! Wan Xiaozhou quickly turned around while flicking her sleeve, releasing a dagger that gleamed with a cold light, catching it in her hand. ¡°Yun Luoshu?¡± Seeing the person behind her, Wan Xiaozhou was taken aback. The person who suddenly appeared behind her was supposed to be dead¡ªYun Luoshu. Yun Luoshu stood behind her, leaning against a tree, giving Wan Xiaozhou a creepy smile. ¡°Didn¡¯t expect to find me here?¡± Yun Luoshu said with a chuckle. However¡­ the voice was that of a man. ¡°Who are you!¡± Wan Xiaozhou asked with a serious expression. This person had Yun Luoshu¡¯s face but by the build, it was clearly a man. It wasn¡¯t the silly girl Yun Luoshu at all. ¡°Who am I?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Yun Luoshu, the one you discarded,¡± Yun Luoshu said with a chuckle. ¡°Heh heh¡­¡± ¡°I can still tell the difference between a man and a woman.¡± Wan Xiaozhou said coldly. Wan Xiaozhou held the dagger tightly, keeping a wary eye on ¡°Yun Luoshu¡± while quickly scanning her surroundings. After looking around, Wan Xiaozhou rxed slightly. Thankfully, this enemy was the only one. Even though the opponent was queer, his aura wasn¡¯t dangerous, andpared to the previous Scar-faced Monster, he was barely worth mentioning. Wan Xiaozhou was confident that she could kill him with minimal cost. ¡°Oh, quite the expert.¡± Upon hearing this, ¡°Yun Luoshu¡±ughed. Then, ¡°Yun Luoshu¡± pulled out two buns from his pocket and bit into one fiercely. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to be an expert.¡± ¡°To actually analyze skeletal structures and discern disguises.¡± ¡°Just say whether these two buns I put here look the part.¡± Yun Luoshu, munching on a bun, asked with augh. ¡°When ites to disguising, you¡¯re an expert,¡± Wan Xiaozhou praised. ¡°An ordinary person without special training would find it hard to tell you¡¯re dressed as the opposite gender,¡± Wan Xiaozhou nced at the bun in Yun Luoshu¡¯s hand and added. ¡°Want one?¡± Yun Luoshu offered the untouched bun towards Wan Xiaozhou with a smile. ¡°Hehe¡­¡± ¡°Sorry, I can¡¯t enjoy that luxury,¡± Wan Xiaozhou chuckled. ¡°Who are you guys?¡± ¡°Did you set this up?¡± Seeing Yun Luoshu appeared to be a chatterbox, Wan Xiaozhou inquired tentatively. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s our arranged hunting ground,¡± Yun Luoshu said with augh, munching on the bun. ¡°Hunting ground?¡± Wan Xiaozhou murmured, startled. Wan Xiaozhou furrowed his brows, feeling something familiar. While Wan Xiaozhou was pondering, Yun Luoshu quickly devoured the other bun. ¡°Burp~¡± After swallowing thest bite of bun, Yun Luoshu burped contentedly. Hearing the sound, Wan Xiaozhou snapped back to reality. He looked up at Yun Luoshu. ¡°Now that I¡¯m full, it¡¯s time to send you on your way,¡± Yun Luoshu said, pping his hands with augh. Hearing Yun Luoshu¡¯s words, Wan Xiaozhou tensed up, knowing the other was about to make a move. Wan Xiaozhou became secretly vignt, gripping his dagger tighter, ready to strike at any moment. Wan Xiaozhou slowly bent forward, assuming a defensive stance with the dagger held horizontally in front of him. ¡°Oh? Dagger Assassination Technique?¡± ¡°Truly a trained fighter,¡± Seeing Wan Xiaozhou¡¯s stance, Yun Luoshu revealed a sinister smile andmented with interest. While speaking, Yun Luoshu pulled a kukri from within his clothes and swung it forcefully. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s y!¡± Yun Luoshu assumed a stance and smirked. Watching Yun Luoshu¡¯s pose, Wan Xiaozhou slightly narrowed his eyes. This is a master! Although not as imposing as Scar-faced Monster, he¡¯s definitely a specially trained expert. ¡°If you won¡¯t make a move, then here Ie,¡± Yun Luoshu smirked as he spoke. The next second, Yun Luoshu moved. The towering Yun Luoshu was surprisingly agile. Like a hunting tiger, he pounced directly at Wan Xiaozhou. Wan Xiaozhou narrowed his eyes, and also sprang into action. However, just a few steps into his charge, Wan Xiaozhou abruptly stopped, helplessly dropping the dagger in his hand. ¡°Hahaha~¡± ¡°All is fair in war!¡± Yun Luoshu said cheerily. Following Wan Xiaozhou¡¯s gaze, in Yun Luoshu¡¯s hand was a crudely made handgun. At more than seven paces, the gun is fast! Within seven paces, the gun is both fast and urate. The distance between Wan Xiaozhou and Yun Luoshu was about five paces¡­ Wan Xiaozhou was already locked in the gun¡¯s sights. If he were an ordinary person, Wan Xiaozhou might have struggled a bit, but facing the specially trained Yun Luoshu, Wan Xiaozhou didn¡¯t even feel like struggling. ¡°Beautifuldy, hands on your head and squat down,¡± Yun Luoshu said with a sinister grin. Upon hearing this, Wan Xiaozhou obedientlyplied. ¡°Who exactly are you?¡± Wan Xiaozhou asked sternly. ¡°cklist!¡± Yun Luoshu sinisterly spat out three words. Chapter 70 - 70 The Impostor Arrives Chapter 70: Chapter 70 The Impostor Arrives ¡°What?¡± ¡°cklist!¡± Wan Xiaozhou eximed. ¡°Oh?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t expect you to be part of Jianghu too.¡± ¡°Yun Luoshu¡± chuckled sinisterly. ¡°Could you let me go just this once?¡± Wan Xiaozhou tentatively asked. @@novelbin@@ ¡°Not a chance~¡± ¡°Yun Luoshu¡± shrugged and smiled. ¡°Shh shh shh~¡± The sound of footsteps abruptly arose. Wan Xiaozhou felt someone approaching from behind. Startled, Wan Xiaozhou turned around, only to see the Scar-faced Monster, grinning at her. The next second, everything went ck for Wan Xiaozhou, and she copsed to the ground. ¡°I truly envy your hypnosis skills.¡± ¡°Yun Luoshu¡± said with a smile. ¡°Stop bbering, let¡¯s get to work.¡± The Scar-faced Monster rasped. Having said that, the two lifted up Wan Xiaozhou and Yun Luoshu, and headed deep into the woods. ¡­ ¡°They¡¯re back, they¡¯re back¡­¡± ¡°Luoshu and Xiaozhou are back¡­¡± The shouting of Wen Shi outside the tent woke Fang Xiaocao, who had been engrossed in her studies. Fang Xiaocao opened her eyes, crawled out of her sleeping bag, and checked the time on her phone. 22:18! ¡°Gone for that long?¡± Fang Xiaocao frowned and muttered. ¡°If I remember correctly¡­¡± ¡°They left before 21:00¡­¡± Fang Xiaocao murmured to herself. ¡°Luoshu, why were you gone for so long?¡± Su Wanqing¡¯sining voice reached her ears. ¡°Got lost.¡± The voice of Yun Luoshu came through. Fang Xiaocao put on her shoes, took the spring knife from the pocket of her jacket, and held it in her palm. She slowly opened the tent, peered outside. Wen Shi and Zhi Qi were busy making a fire. Su Wanqing was helping Yun Luoshu with the firewood. At that moment, Wan Xiaozhou was standing in front of the tent. Fang Xiaocao looked up at Wan Xiaozhou¡¯s face, instantly rmed, but she nonchntly withdrew her gaze and crawled out of the tent. ¡°Xiaozhou, you must be tired.¡± Fang Xiaocao casually greeted Wan Xiaozhou. ¡°Not at all, it¡¯s my duty to share the camp¡¯s concerns.¡± Wan Xiaozhou pulled a strange smile. ¡°Take a break, I¡¯ll go help with the cooking.¡± Fang Xiaocao said with a smile. ¡°Okay.¡± Wan Xiaozhou nodded and smiled. Turning around, Fang Xiaocao¡¯s expression changed. ¡°Just as I expected, something happened to them¡­¡± Fang Xiaocao muttered inwardly. Just one look, and Fang Xiaocao recognized. This Wan Xiaozhou was wearing a Human Skin Mask. Fang Xiaocao looked towards Yun Luoshu. Another sigh in her heart. This Yun Luoshu was also fake. Her face was also adorned with a Human Skin Mask. ¡°Need to find a way to take care of them first.¡± Fang Xiaocao silently made a decision. At that moment, Fang Xiaocao¡¯s mind began to n how to rescue Yun Luoshu and Wan Xiaozhou. Now, Fang Xiaocao could be sure that Wan Xiaozhou was not colluding with those people. She could temporarily be considered an ally. After a moment¡¯s thought, a n formed in Fang Xiaocao¡¯s mind: first deal with the current ¡°Yun Luoshu¡± and ¡°Wan Xiaozhou¡±, take their guns, and then ording to her memory, find that camp. Find a way to rescue the real Yun Luoshu and Wan Xiaozhou, then team up with Wan Xiaozhou to take care of those people. ¡°Xiaocao, what are you daydreaming about?¡± Wen Shi asked, puzzled. ¡°Nothing, just drifted off a bit.¡± Fang Xiaocao said with a smile. ¡°Come help with the cooking.¡± Wen Shi greeted with a smile. ¡°Okay!¡± Fang Xiaocao responded with a smile. Dinner was simple, boiled instant noodles apanied by the vegetables and sausages they had brought. There wasn¡¯t even a hint of culinary skill involved. Since girls usually eat less, they each had a bowl. If that wasn¡¯t enough, they would nibble on apressed biscuit to fill up. They quickly cleaned up afterwards. The time was: 23:21. ¡°I¡¯ll keep watch tonight,¡± After dinner, Wan Xiaozhou proposed. ¡°Okay!¡± Upon hearing this, Zhi Qi nodded in agreement. ¡°That doesn¡¯t seem very fair,¡± ¡°Xiaozhou needs to rest too,¡± Fang Xiaocao said gravely. Assigning the night watch to this fake Wan Xiaozhou, Fang Xiaocao was not at ease. Fang Xiaocao did not want to suddenly open her eyes in the middle of the night and find the Scar-faced Monster squatting in front of her. ¡°Let¡¯s do this, two hours per person.¡± ¡°Xiaozhou goes first, then I¡¯ll take over,¡± ¡°The third shift will be Luoshu, and thest one will be Wen Shi and Su Wanqing,¡± ¡°Since Xiaocao just fainted, she won¡¯t take a shift tonight,¡± Zhi Qi suggested after some thought. ¡°I have no objections!¡± ¡°Wan Xiaozhou¡± was the first to respond. ¡°Neither do I!¡± ¡°Yun Luoshu¡± was the second to speak. Zhi Qi¡¯s division of shifts aligned with their wishes. ¡°We can manage that too,¡± Wen Shi and Su Wanqing exchanged a nce and said in unison. ¡°No, I have an objection,¡± Fang Xiaocao said with a smile. ¡°Zhi Qi, you can¡¯t favor me like this,¡± ¡°I can stand guard. While you all were busy, I sneakily took a nap,¡± Seeing everyone looking at her, Fang Xiaocao said cheerfully. ¡°Here¡¯s another proposal: Luoshu takes the first shift, Wen Shi and Wanqing take the second, I¡¯ll take the third, and Zhi Qi the fourth,¡± Fang Xiaocao proposed with a smile. Upon hearing this, ¡°Wan Xiaozhou¡± and ¡°Yun Luoshu¡± both looked at Fang Xiaocao with a tinge of scrutiny in their eyes. Fang Xiaocao¡¯s proposal disrupted their n. Among them, only Yun Luoshu had been assigned a shift, and that too the first one. This meant that when they prepared the night attack, there would be no one to cover them, and they were very likely to be discovered. Even if these people were poor fighters, even a lion must use full strength to hunt a rabbit, let alone a group of living humans. If anything unexpected urred, even the tough guys who roamed the Jianghu couldn¡¯t endure the cklist¡¯s punitive measures. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s do it that way,¡± Zhi Qi agreed. Seeing Zhi Qi agree, ¡°Yun Luoshu¡± and ¡°Wan Xiaozhou¡± simultaneously grew a shade darker in their eyes. ¡°Luoshu, first shift, I¡¯m counting on you,¡± ¡°Everyone else, make the most of the time to rest,¡± ¡°Wen Shi and Su Wanqing, set your rms for two hours, and take over on time,¡± Zhi Qi said with a smile. ¡°Okay~¡± Wen Shi and Su Wanqing responded in unison. ¡°I¡¯ll share a tent with Wen Shi and Wanqing, since I¡¯m taking over from them,¡± Fang Xiaocao said with a smile. She was afraid of getting sneakily messed with in the middle of the night if she shared a tent with two imposters. ¡°Okay,¡± Zhi Qi thought for a moment and agreed. This arrangement was quite reasonable. It wouldn¡¯t disturb thest shift, the first shift, and Xiaozhou who wouldn¡¯t be on guard duty. Seeing Zhi Qi agree, Fang Xiaocao stood up and headed towards the tent. Wen Shi and Su Wanqing quickly followed. ¡°Luoshu, be smart and watch out for wild animals,¡± ¡°If you hear anything, call out immediately,¡± Zhi Qi advised before heading towards the tent. ¡°Yeah, I got it,¡± ¡°Yun Luoshu¡± responded. ¡°Wan Xiaozhou¡± and ¡°Yun Luoshu¡± exchanged a nce, nodded, and followed Zhi Qi towards the tent. Back in the tent, Fang Xiaocao chose a spot close to the entrance and crawled into her sleeping bag. When closing the tent, she deliberately left a small gap to monitor the outside. Chapter 71 - 71 First Hypnosis Chapter 71: Chapter 71 First Hypnosis Half an hourter! Faint snoring sounds entered her ears. Wan Xiaocao turned her head to look. She saw that Wen Shi and Su Wanqing had already fallen asleep. Seeing this, Wan Xiaocao smiled. She tiptoed out of the sleeping bag. Wan Xiaocao was ready to make her move! Seizing the moment when ¡°Yun Luoshu¡± was alone, Wan Xiaocao decided to deal with ¡°Yun Luoshu¡± first. She touched the spring knife in her pocket, feeling the coolness from the handle of the knife, Wan Xiaocao felt somewhat reassured. Taking a deep breath, Wan Xiaocao opened the tent door and stepped out. Seeing Wan Xiaocao, ¡°Yun Luoshu¡± was startled. ¡°Why did youe out?¡± ¡°Yun Luoshu¡± asked curiously. ¡°I slept too much earlier, can¡¯t sleep now.¡± Wan Xiaocao casually replied, then sat down face-to-face with ¡°Yun Luoshu¡± by the campfire. ¡°Why don¡¯t you take the first watch?¡± At this, ¡°Yun Luoshu¡± suggested. ¡°No need, it¡¯s all been assigned already, changing it will make others unhappy,¡± Wan Xiaocao said with a smile as she picked up a piece of firewood and ced it into the fire. ¡°Yun Luoshu¡± narrowed his eyes slightly, looking at Wan Xiaocao. Wan Xiaocao also looked up and met his gaze. ¡°Luoshu, are my eyes beautiful?¡± Wan Xiaocao smiled warmly, asking softly. ¡°Beau¡­ Beautiful¡­¡± ¡°Yun Luoshu¡± answered absentmindedly. ¡°If they¡¯re beautiful, take a good look,¡± Wan Xiaocao said in an extremely enchanting voice. ¡°Okay¡­¡± ¡°Yun Luoshu¡± responded with a somewhat struggling expression. ¡°Luoshu, do you like my eyes?¡± Wan Xiaocao stared into ¡°Yun Luoshu¡¯s¡± eyes, continuing to ask. ¡°Li¡­ Like.¡± ¡°Yun Luoshu¡¯s¡± face struggle gradually calmed. ¡°Snap!¡± Wan Xiaocao snapped her fingers and said, ¡°You are now in the abyss, and my eyes will be the guiding light.¡± Okay¡­ ¡°Yun Luoshu¡± replied meekly. ¡°Now, hand over your gun,¡± Wan Xiaocao said in a low voice. ¡°Okay~¡± ¡°Yun Luoshu¡± responded expressionlessly. Saying this, he took out a homemade pistol from his bosom and handed it to Wan Xiaocao. Wan Xiaocao took the gun and examined it. The bullets were loaded, just not safety locked. Wan Xiaocao secured the homemade pistol close to her body and asked with a smile, ¡°Tell me, where did the gune from?¡± ¡°The gun is issued by the organization~¡± ¡°Yun Luoshu¡± obediently answered. ¡°What is the organization?¡± Wan Xiaocao was intrigued and pressed on. ¡°Just as expected, they are backed by an organization,¡± @@novelbin@@ Wan Xiaocao murmured to herself. ¡°Organization¡­¡± ¡°Yun Luoshu¡± showed a struggling expression. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, I will protect you.¡± Seeing this, Wan Xiaocao said sternly. ¡°Okay~¡± ¡°Yun Luoshu¡± rxed and responded. ¡°What is the organization called?¡± Wan Xiaocao continued to ask. ¡°The organization¡­ is called cklist¡­¡± ¡°Yun Luoshu¡± struggled for a moment, then answered. ¡°Where did the mask on your facee from?¡± Wan Xiaocao asked sternly. ¡°Made by the craftsman.¡± ¡°Yun Luoshu¡± answered. ¡°Is ¡®craftsman¡¯ a nickname?¡± Wan Xiaocao furrowed her brows and asked. ¡°Yes, the organization trains a craftsman they call ¡®Craftsman¡¯, and every generation¡­ has only one craftsman.¡± ¡°Yun Luoshu¡± obediently replied. ¡°Is the gun also made by a craftsman?¡± Fang Xiaocao asked in a deep voice. ¡°Yes¡­¡± ¡°Yun Luoshu¡± nodded. ¡°You are very well-behaved.¡± Fang Xiaocao said with a smile. ¡°Princess Your Highness, it¡¯s an honor to receive your praise.¡± A happy smile spread across ¡°Yun Luoshu¡¯s¡± face. ¡°Then, my clever knight, are you willing to help your Princess, by calling out yourpanion from your tent?¡± Fang Xiaocao asked cheerily. ¡°It would be an honor!¡± ¡°Yun Luoshu¡± replied. Upon saying this, ¡°Yun Luoshu¡± stood up and walked towards the tent where ¡°Wan Xiaozhou¡± was sleeping. Seeing this scene, Fang Xiaocaoughed. She took out a homemade pistol, turned off the safety, stood up, and followed ¡°Yun Luoshu¡± towards the tent. When they were not far from the tent, she slowly disappeared into the darkness, quietly waiting for the fish to surface. ¡°Yun Luoshu¡± arrived at the tent and mechanically pulled it open, poking ¡°Wan Xiaozhou.¡± ¡°Wan Xiaozhou¡± woke up instantly and looked towards the tent entrance. Seeing it was ¡°Yun Luoshu,¡± ¡°Wan Xiaozhou¡± sighed in relief. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Wan Xiaozhou¡± asked with a frown. ¡°Come out for a moment.¡± ¡°Yun Luoshu¡± said softly. Upon hearing this, ¡°Wan Xiaozhou¡± paused, looking suspiciously at ¡°Yun Luoshu.¡± ¡°Hurry up!¡± ¡°Yun Luoshu¡± urged. ¡°Wan Xiaozhou¡± nced at Zhi Qi, noticed Zhi Qi was breathing evenly, clearly still asleep, and then with relief, tiptoed out of the sleeping bag. ¡°Yun Luoshu¡± turned around and walked away. Upon seeing this, ¡°Wan Xiaozhou¡± could only follow with full of doubts. ¡°What¡¯s the matter after all?¡± ¡°Wan Xiaozhou¡± caught up with ¡°Yun Luoshu¡± and asked. ¡°Princess Your Highness is looking for you!¡± ¡°Yun Luoshu¡± turned around, looked at ¡°Wan Xiaozhou,¡± and said sternly. ¡°Princess Your Highness?¡± Upon hearing this, ¡°Wan Xiaozhou¡± paused. ¡°Cancer, have you lost your mind?¡± ¡°How could you say Athena is looking for me?¡± ¡°Wan Xiaozhou¡± said, frowning. ¡°Oh, so your organization has an Athena too?¡± Just then, a voice suddenly arose behind ¡°Wan Xiaozhou.¡± ¡°Wan Xiaozhou¡± paused, then in great rm, immediately drew out a dagger and turned to look at the person behind him. Upon turning, ¡°Wan Xiaozhou¡± felt his scalp tingle instantly. A dark gun muzzle was almost pushed against his face. ¡°Put down the knife, or I can¡¯t guarantee this gun won¡¯t discharge.¡± Fang Xiaocao said cheerily. ¡°Gulp¡­¡± ¡°Wan Xiaozhou¡± swallowed subconsciously. ¡°Knight, could you help your Princess by disarming this gentleman¡¯s weapon?¡± Fang Xiaocao cheerily asked Cancer. After the dialogue between ¡°Fang Xiaocao¡± and Cancer, Fang Xiaocao had realized that this fake ¡°Wan Xiaozhou¡± was also a man disguised as a woman. ¡°It would be my pleasure!¡± Cancer said in a firm tone. Saying this, he approached ¡°Wan Xiaozhou¡± quickly. While ¡°Wan Xiaozhou¡± was distracted, Cancer punched him in the stomach and swiftly took the dagger from his hand and the homemade pistol from his waist. ¡°Cancer, you¡­¡± ¡°Wan Xiaozhou¡± bent like a shrimp and said with a trembling voice. ¡°Don¡¯t move, stand up straight and talk to the Princess.¡± Cancer raised the homemade pistol, aiming at ¡°Wan Xiaozhou,¡± andmanded. ¡°Wan Xiaozhou¡± shuddered inside, enduring the severe pain in his abdomen, and stood upright. If it were Fang Xiaocao holding the gun, ¡°Wan Xiaozhou¡± might still dare to try, but facing Cancer with a gun, ¡°Wan Xiaozhou¡± dared not make any rash moves. Cancer was a member of the famous special forces from the Seals, known for his exceptional marksmanship, which could hit exactly where he aimed. ¡°Wan Xiaozhou¡± had witnessed this before. ¡°Hey, look at me!¡± Fang Xiaocao said with a smile. Upon hearing this, ¡°Wan Xiaozhou¡± instinctively looked towards Fang Xiaocao. In an instant, he froze. Where Fang Xiaocao had been standing was a pitch-ck void, with only a pair of bright eyes intently staring at him from the emptiness. Chapter 72 - 72 Understanding the Blacklist Chapter 72: Chapter 72 Understanding the cklist In those eyes that contained vast constetions, ¡°Wan Xiaozhou¡± began to gradually sumb, the expression beneath the mask growing obsessed. At this moment, Fang Xiaocao felt somewhat dizzy. She knew this was a side effect of hypnosis. With her current abilities, hypnotizing ordinary people was still easy, but dealing with Cancer and other desperadoes was somewhat strenuous. Every desperado was covered in blood debts. Their spiritual power was naturally extraordinary. Fang Xiaocao bit her lips, trying to keep herself lucid; it wasn¡¯t time to faint yet. ¡°Who am I?¡± Fang Xiaocao asked with a weak smile. ¡°Princess Your Highness!¡± ¡°Wan Xiaozhou¡± blinked and answered. Upon hearing ¡°Wan Xiaozhou¡±¡®s reply, Fang Xiaocao nodded in satisfaction and burst intoughter. Her head didn¡¯t feel as dizzy anymore. The real strain was during the hypnosis process. Once the hypnosis seeded, it became much easier. Meanwhile, a new n formed in Fang Xiaocao¡¯s mind. This n was called: Drive the Tiger and Devour the Wolf! It could also be called: Borrowing a Knife to Kill! Using the hypnotized Cancer and ¡°Wan Xiaozhou,¡± cooperating with herself, to head to that camp to rescue Yun Luoshu and Wan Xiaozhou. Let Cancer and ¡°Wan Xiaozhou,¡± along with the Scar-faced Monster, bite each other, fighting amongst themselves, while Fang Xiaocao reaped the benefits of the fishermen. ¡°What is your codename?¡± Fang Xiaocao sat back by the fire and asked. ¡°Pisces!¡± ¡°Wan Xiaozhou¡± obediently answered. At these words, Fang Xiaocao was taken aback. She then smiled and asked, ¡°Do all members of the cklist use constetions as codenames?¡± ¡°Just our group does.¡± Pisces answered gravely. Hearing this, Fang Xiaocao furrowed her brows. ¡°How many people are on the cklist?¡± ¡°How many groups like yours are there?¡± Fang Xiaocao shot out two questions in a row. At this point, Fang Xiaocao realized the severity of the situation. Previously, Fang Xiaocao thought that the cklist was just the Scar-faced Monster and his people. However, she hadn¡¯t expected the organization to be so vast. The man she had always thought of as the big boss was just an inconspicuous group under them. ¡°There are many of us, I cannot give an exact count,¡± ¡°There are also many groups with codenames; there are two groups just on this mountain,¡± Pisces answered gravely. Fang Xiaocao bit her lips and asked again: ¡°Where is the other group?¡± ¡°They are on the other side of the mountain,¡± Pisces answered gravely. ¡°What is their codename, and how many people are there?¡± Fang Xiaocao continued to ask. ¡°The codename is Zodiac, twelve people,¡± Pisces truthfully replied. ¡°So, a total of twenty-four people?¡± ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s very troublesome,¡± Fang Xiaocao muttered to herself. Suddenly, a thought struck Fang Xiaocao and she tentatively asked, ¡°Besides the groups with codenames, are there other cklist members on the mountain?¡± ¡°Yes, there are fifty peripheral members, responsible for sealing off the mountain, doing odd jobs for us,¡± Pisces replied truthfully. Fang Xiaocao: ¡°6¡­¡± ¡°Good thing I asked¡­¡± Fang Xiaocao muttered helplessly. She came so close, and yet she did not ask. She missed such important news. Fang Xiaocao pondered for a moment, decidng to first rescue Yun Luoshu and Wan Xiaozhou and take care of the Scar-faced Monster¡¯s group named after the Constetion. Fang Xiaocao estimated that with the element of surprise, she should be able to annihte the Scar-faced Monster and his group. ¡°Take me to your camp.¡± Fang Xiaocao ordered Cancer and Pisces. The two nodded, saying in unison, ¡°As youmand, Princess Your Highness.¡± Fang Xiaocao stood up and handed her gun to Pisces. Clearly, both Pisces and Cancer had undergone special training, so their marksmanship must be good. In her hands, the gun could only be considered a dangerous weapon. But in the hands of Pisces, it was a killing weapon! Under the guidance of Pisces and Cancer, Fang Xiaocao arrived at the outskirts of that familiar camp. This was the camp where she would be tragically killed in a future timeline. Fang Xiaocao crouched in the bushes, watching the camp not far away, where a campfire was still burning. In front of the fire sat a slender figure. Fang Xiaocao concentrated her gaze, it was indeed Su Wanqing from the future timeline, the first person she would kill. Looking at the other tents, their lights were all out, indicating everyone was probably asleep. However, Fang Xiaocao did not dare to act recklessly. The Scar-faced Monster¡¯s alertness was very high. In the future timeline, she had learned that the hard way. ¡°You two, approach the camp from two different directions. Once I have control over the night watchman in front of the campfire, you two sneak into the camp¡­¡± As she spoke, Fang Xiaocao extended her hand, making a throat-slitting gesture. ¡°Understood!¡± Pisces and Cancer nodded at the same time. ¡°Remember, do not harm the two girls you bring back.¡± After a moment¡¯s thought, Fang Xiaocao added. Pisces and Cancer nodded again, in unison. ¡°Move out!¡± Fang Xiaocao said in a deep voice. Before the sound of her voice had faded, the two were already on the move. Pisces moved to the left and Cancer to the right. The two of them, like swift hounds, silently darted through the woods and quickly reached a position less than five meters from the camp, secretly hiding in the bushes. Seeing this, Fang Xiaocao also began to move. Fang Xiaocao moved closer to the camp, leaning against a big tree. She lightly kicked a small tree by her foot, and the leaves rustled loudly. After kicking twice, Fang Xiaocao stopped her action. She peeked toward the camp, and as expected, Su Wanqing, sitting by the campfire, was drawn by the noise. Su Wanqing pulled out the homemade handgun from her waist and cautiously walked toward Fang Xiaocao. Seeing this, Fang Xiaocao narrowed her eyes. ¡°A little closer, just a little closer!¡± Fang Xiaocao murmured to herself. Hypnosis needed a certain distance to be effective. Only within a certain distance could it work. When Su Wanqing was less than five meters away from Fang Xiaocao, Fang Xiaocao made her move. Fang Xiaocao darted out from behind the tree. In Su Wanqing¡¯s moment of astonishment, Fang Xiaocao initiated the hypnosis. The moment she triggered the hypnosis, Fang Xiaocao felt a sharp pain in her brain. This was a side effect of forcibly using hypnosis. Fang Xiaocao clenched her teeth, persevered through the mental strain, and continued performing hypnosis on Su Wanqing. Under the influence of Fang Xiaocao¡¯s hypnosis, the gun Su Wanqing was holding slowly lowered, and her fierce gaze began to blur. ¡°Am I your Princess Your Highness?¡± Fang Xiaocao asked Su Wanqing in an enchanting voice. ¡°Yes¡­¡± Su Wanqing struggled for a moment before responding. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to pay your respects to your Princess Your Highness?¡± Fang Xiaocao red and said sternly. @@novelbin@@ At these words, Su Wanqing struggled with her expression for a moment, then slowly knelt down before Fang Xiaocao. As Su Wanqing knelt, Fang Xiaocao felt a lot clearer in her mind. Fang Xiaocao felt a surge of joy in her heart, knowing she had seeded. Chapter 73: Cancer Died Chapter 73: Chapter 73: Cancer Died ¡°Greetings, Princess Your Highness!¡± ¡°Su Wanqing¡± knelt on one knee, respectfully said. ¡°Rise!¡± Fang Xiaocao said with a smile. Upon hearing this, ¡°Su Wanqing¡± obediently stood up, respectfully standing with hands hanging in front of Fang Xiaocao. ¡°Your codename!¡± Fang Xiaocao asked in a deep voice. ¡°Replying to Princess Your Highness, my name is Aquarius!¡± ¡°Su Wanqing¡± answered solemnly. ¡°Aquarius?¡± Fang Xiaocao muttered to herself. Aquarius was a girl, this was something Fang Xiaocao had already confirmed in the future timeline. ¡°Aquarius, your duty is to protect me.¡± Fang Xiaocao said to Aquarius. ¡°Of course, my Princess Your Highness!¡± Aquarius nodded and said. Seeing how docile Aquarius was under the influence of hypnotism, Fang Xiaocao nodded in satisfaction. Fang Xiaocao looked toward the campsite, Pisces and Cancer had already started to move. Cancer and Pisces stealthily infiltrated the campsite, one to the left and one to the right, each slipping into a tent. In just a moment, Fang Xiaocao saw a bunch of liquid being scattered on the tents. Seeing this scene, Fang Xiaocao smiled. Her strategy to set a tiger to fight a wolf had seeded! ¡°Aquarius, take me to see the two girls you¡¯ve captured.¡± Fang Xiaocao said to the Aquarius by her side. ¡°Princess Your Highness, please follow me.¡± Upon hearing Fang Xiaocao¡¯smand, Aquarius nodded and respectfully said to Fang Xiaocao. ¡°Lead the way!¡± Fang Xiaocao said with a slight smile. Aquarius walked toward the campsite, with Fang Xiaocao following behind her. In the direction of the campsite, Pisces and Cancer had alreadye out of the tents. At this point, the two of them were covered in blood. In the future timeline, Fang Xiaocao had already killed people. Now seeing bloodstains, although she felt some difort, she was not frightened. Some things, once experienced, create a resistance. In the campsite! Pisces and Cancer exchanged nces. They split up again, each heading for a different tent. There were six tents in the campsite. One per person. Earlier, Pisces and Cancer had already dealt with two people, leaving the remaining four tents, one of which belonged to Aquarius by Fang Xiaocao¡¯s side, one to Scar-faced Monster, and the remaining two held the captives Yun Luoshu and Wan Xiaozhou. This time, as soon as Pisces entered the tent, she turned right back out. Clearly, the tent Pisces entered belonged to Aquarius. Clutching a dagger, Pisces turned and headed for another tent. At that moment, Cancer also exited the tent. Slung on Cancer¡¯s shoulder was a person. Seeing this, Fang Xiaocao focused her eyes to look. The person on Cancer¡¯s shoulder was Wan Xiaozhou! ¡°Aquarius, let¡¯s go.¡± Fang Xiaocao called out to Aquarius. After speaking, she quickened her pace towards the campsite. Cancer, carrying Wan Xiaozhou, ced him by the bonfire and once again clutching the dagger, headed for another tent. ¡°Bang bang bang!¡± Just at that moment, three gunshots rang out. Hearing the gunshots, Fang Xiaocao was startled and hurriedlyy t on the ground. The Aquarius by her side quickly drew her gun, readying herself in a defensive posture. ¡°Aquarius, go help!¡± Fang Xiaocaomanded Aquarius. ¡°Yes, Princess Your Highness!¡± Aquarius answered and quickly ran toward the campsite. Fang Xiaocaoy on the ground, looking towards the campsite. At that point, Cancer had been shot. Lying in a pool of blood, his body was still trembling, but due to the gunshot wound, he could no longer stand up. ¡°Was it Scar-faced Monster?¡± Seeing this, Fang Xiaocao murmured to herself. Fang Xiaocao¡¯s eyes quickly swept across the campsite, searching for the figure of Scar-faced Monster. ¡°Bang bang bang!¡± Just then, another three gunshots sounded. Fang Xiaocao immediately looked in the direction of the noise. The one who fired was actually Pisces! And Pisces¡¯s gun was aimed at Aquarius! ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± Seeing this scene, Fang Xiaocao was stunned. Pisces had clearly been hypnotized by her, so how could she suddenly turn traitor? ¡°Wait!¡± ¡°It¡¯s the Scar-faced Monster!¡± Suddenly, Fang Xiaocao¡¯s mind shed with the sinister and terrifying face of the Scar-faced Monster. ¡°The tent that Pisces just entered must belong to the Scar-faced Monster.¡± ¡°The Scar-faced Monster also knows hypnotism, and he¡¯s a master at it.¡± ¡°Pisces suddenly barged into the tent, startled the Scar-faced Monster, and was instantly hypnotized by him, that¡¯s why Pisces suddenly turned traitor!¡± Thinking of this, Fang Xiaocao¡¯s heart lifted again, and her eyes swept towards the tent behind Pisces. As expected! The side of the tent had been shed open by a de. A familiar figure squeezed through the gap and ran toward the forest. ¡°It¡¯s the Scar-faced Monster!¡± Fang Xiaocao eximed. Fang Xiaocao had just thought of getting up to chase after the Scar-faced Monster. Just as she was pushing herself off the ground, two more gunshots, ¡°bang bang,¡± came from the direction of the camp. Fang Xiaocao immediatelyy down and looked towards the camp. The one shooting was still Pisces. And the gun was still aimed at Aquarius. At this moment, the magazine in Pisces¡¯s homemade pistol was empty. Pisces dropped the gun in her hand and lunged towards Cancer, who was lying in a pool of blood. No! To be precise, she was lunging for Cancer¡¯s gun. Fang Xiaocao shifted her gaze to Aquarius. Fortunately, Aquarius was far from the camp, and all five shots fired by Pisces at the start had missed her. Taking advantage of Pisces¡¯s pause, Aquarius swiftly dashed towards the camp. Seeing this unfold, Fang Xiaocao let out a sigh of relief. Aquarius was unharmed; she was still safe. Looking in the direction where the Scar-faced Monster had escaped, there was no trace of him. ¡°He got away¡­¡± Fang Xiaocao murmured, frowning. Pisces picked up Cancer¡¯s gun, and with a cold gaze, nced at Cancer, who was bleeding from his nose and mouth. She raised the homemade pistol in her hand, aiming it at Cancer¡¯s forehead, and slowly unlocked the safety. ¡°Bang!¡± A gunshot rang out. Instantly, blood sttered everywhere. Cancer¡¯s body twitched, and his eyes lost their life in an instant. Meanwhile, Fang Xiaocao¡¯s thoughts cleared up a bit more. ¡°Cancer is dead¡­¡± Fang Xiaocao eximed. At that moment, the link that Fang Xiaocao had established with Cancer through hypnotism had been severed. Only two possibilities could ount for this. First is: the subject has died. Second is: the subject¡¯s hypnosis has been undone. The reason Fang Xiaocao was so sure that Cancer was dead was that if the hypnosis was undone, the hypnotist would suffer a bacsh. ¡°Bang bang bang!¡± ¡°Bang bang bang!¡± As Fang Xiaocao was shocked that Cancer had died just like that, a fierce gunfight erupted at the camp. The sounds of gunfire were incessant, like the popping of beans. @@novelbin@@ ¡°Bang bang bang!¡± ¡°Bang bang!¡± Another five gunshots rang out in the camp. Then, the gunshots ceased abruptly. At that moment, Fang Xiaocao¡¯s heart gripped with tension. Worriedly, she looked in the direction of the camp. The recent gunfight amounted to eleven shots in total. Both sides still had bullets in their guns! However, now the shooting had stopped. So¡­ It¡¯s likely that one side has been shot. Fortunately, Fang Xiaocao did not feel the connection established by the hypnotism with Pisces and Aquarius being interrupted. Obviously, neither was dead. Chapter 74: Come to Mommy Chapter 74: Chapter 74: Come to Mommy Fang Xiaocao thought about turning around and walking away. Whether it be Aquarius or Pisces, they were merely tools she had found. Even though they had served her, they fundamentally remained her enemies. Moreover, both Aquarius and Pisces were ruthless fugitives, burdened with countless blood debts, hardly deserving any sympathy. Saying they were deserving of their fates was no exaggeration. Therefore, Fang Xiaocao was not particrly concerned with whether they lived or died. But Yun Luoshu and Wan Xiaozhou were still inside the camp, Fang Xiaocao couldn¡¯t leave. She still needed Aquarius¡¯s help for the rescue. Fang Xiaocao gritted her teeth and decided to go help Aquarius. She got up from the bushes and stealthily made her way towards the camp. Along the way, Fang Xiaocao was extra cautious, fearing a sudden attack. ¡°Shhh shhh shhh~¡± Familiar footsteps suddenly entered her ears. Fang Xiaocao paused her step and instantly dropped down. As her body turned, she rolled into the nearby bushes. This footsteps sound was all too familiar to her. They belonged to the Scar-faced Monster! It was also one of the Scar-faced Monster¡¯s hypnosis techniques. Through magically appearing footsteps and a terrifying visage, it gradually wears down the mental defenses of its subjects. People who are emotionally broken are easier to hypnotize. This minimizes the practitioner¡¯s burden. Fang Xiaocao knew simr techniques as well. For instance, her charming voice and bright eyes worked much like the Scar-faced Monster¡¯s footsteps and face, by using her striking features inbination with her voice as a medium, they were able to shake others¡¯ beliefs and achieve a hypnotic effect. And what appears to be a simple operation could only be managed by a hypnotherapist. Ordinary hypnotists, on the other hand, needed to establish a trust rtionship with their subjects in advance, hint psychologically through their words and deeds, andplement it with props to achieve the same effect. This is the difference between a master and a beginner! ¡°The Scar-faced Monster is nearby!¡± ¡°The Scar-faced Monster has also crept back!¡± Fang Xiaocao¡¯s heart instantly rmed. Lying low in the bushes, motionless, she resembled a beast preparing for a hunt, waiting for the prey to enter its attacking radius. Fang Xiaocao was unsure if the Scar-faced Monster knew of her presence. Fang Xiaocao felt that the Scar-faced Monster probably did know, as, after all, being a hypnotherapist, he could instantly tell if an ordinary person was under hypnosis or not. The Scar-faced Monster was merely uncertain whether she was around the camp, which is why he had left the camp to circle around the woods before sneaking back again. ¡°Shhh shhh shhh~¡± The footsteps grew ever closer. Fang Xiaocao could even smell the dangerous scent emanating from the Scar-faced Monster. ¡°Come on, I¡¯m not afraid of you!¡± Fang Xiaocao murmured to herself internally. The footsteps suddenly stopped. A slightly panting breath reached her ears. Fang Xiaocao held her breath, lying tightly in the bushes, quietly waiting for the Scar-faced Monster to appear. The Scar-faced Monster was nearby! He might even be¡­ right behind Fang Xiaocao! Fang Xiaocao focused her mind, beginning to hypnotize herself. In her subconscious, she built up a shield. ¡°Bang bang!¡± ¡°Bang!¡± Just then, more gunshots rang out from the direction of the camp. Three gunshots in total! Pisces and Aquarius fired two shots and one shot respectively! After the gunshots, the camp fell silent again. ¡°Shhh shhh shhh~¡± ¡°Huff huff huff~¡± Both footsteps and breathing sounds arose at the same time. ¡°The sounds areing from the left!¡± Fang Xiaocao instantly made a judgment. With a nce from the corner of her eye to the left, she saw a figure sneaking towards the direction of the camp. It was the Scar-faced Monster! Just from the silhouette, Fang Xiaocao knew it was him! Watching the Scar-faced Monster close at hand, Fang Xiaocao began to get nervous, her heartbeat uncontrobly quickening. Fang Xiaocao drew her spring knife and slowly pushed out the de. As fellow hypnotists, the Scar-faced Monster was her formidable adversary, the priority target she chose to eliminate. The hypnotherapist was quite a problematic existence. Whether it was a head-on duel or a covert ambush, he was god-like. He was practically invincible, given that¡­ He didn¡¯t encounter another hypnotherapist. ¡°The Scar-faced Monster¡¯s target must be Aquarius,¡± she muttered silently while staring at the Scar-faced Monster¡¯s back. The Scar-faced Monster advanced cautiously, pausing from time to time to scout, evidently searching for potential hidden enemies. Seeing this, Fang Xiaocao thought with a smile, ¡°Search all you want; I¡¯m right behind you.¡± The nearby camp was eerily quiet, devoid of life, just like a camp of the dead. But Fang Xiaocao knew that both Pisces and Aquarius were not dead; they were quietly waiting in the shadows, waiting for the prey to show itself. She silently counted the gunshots¡ª14 in total. The lingering inaction of Pisces and Aquarius in the camp led Fang Xiaocao to specte that between their guns, one still held a bullet. Fang Xiaocao dared not move. She wasn¡¯t a match for the Scar-faced Monster in closebat, especially since he was armed with a gun. She wasn¡¯t confident about besting the Scar-faced Monster in a hypnosis duel, either. All she could do was watch as the Scar-faced Monster inched closer to the camp, slowly making his way toward Aquarius. The duel between Sleep Therapists was very genteel. Often, a face-to-face gaze was both the beginning and the end of the duel. The scene of the duel seemed devoid of violent elements. Yet, behind the scenes, it was perilously extraordinary. Often, the oue decided both victory and death. The one who failed in the hypnosis duel¡­ A mental hospital was perhaps their best resting ce. @@novelbin@@ Direct brain death! Bing a vegetable! That was the best treatment for the losing MVP. Fang Xiaocao was waiting for an opportunity. An opportunity for a decisive victory! The moment the Scar-faced Monster was distracted was the best time to defeat him. ¡°Crack~¡± A sound of a breaking branch came. It was the Scar-faced Monster, who had identally stepped on it. Joy surged in Fang Xiaocao¡¯s heart as she instantly focused, ready to strike at any moment. This noise was enough to alert Aquarius. If Aquarius¡¯s gun still had bullets, she would shoot at the Scar-faced Monster before he found her. The moment the Scar-faced Monster dodged the bullet would be the best time for Fang Xiaocao to act. The next second, a gunshot rang out! ¡°Bang!¡± Fang Xiaocao sprang from the bushes and charged at the Scar-faced Monster. As the gunshot echoed, the Scar-faced Monster¡¯s form faltered. He immediately turned and lunged towards his back. ¡°Ugly freak, look into my eyes!¡± Fang Xiaocao yelled. The newlynded Scar-faced Monster was taken aback. Subconsciously, he looked up at Fang Xiaocao. Her eyes twinkled with specks of starlight. ¡°Baobao, do you remember me?¡± Fang Xiaocao said in a gentle tone. Each note of her words carried a magical resonance, assaulting the Scar-faced Monster¡¯s solid mental defenses. Upon hearing this, the Scar-faced Monster became momentarily lost. His eyes went nk. ¡°Come,e to mommy,¡± Fang Xiaocao said, opening her arms with a smile. The focus that had just gathered in the Scar-faced Monster¡¯s eyes dispersed again, and he mechanically rose, taking steps toward Fang Xiaocao. Chapter 75 - 75 Black Smile Chapter 75: Chapter 75 ck Smile The Scar-faced Monster¡¯s eyes were blurred as he took one step after another towards Fang Xiaocao, murmuring, ¡°Mommy¡­¡± Upon hearing this, the corners of Fang Xiaocao¡¯s mouth lifted, revealing a smug smile. ¡°Just as I thought, someone unloved¡­¡± Fang Xiaocao thought proudly to herself. To better hypnotize a person, one must understand the subject¡¯s psychological weaknesses. Fang Xiaocao had an epiphany just now, and took a gamble. She bet that the Scar-faced Monster was a child who hadcked love in his childhood. Fang Xiaocao had stealthily observed that the scars on the Scar-faced Monster¡¯s face had signs of healing and growth, suggesting they were old wounds from a very long time ago. They must have been there for over a decade! By observing the undamaged skin, Fang Xiaocao estimated that the Scar-faced Monster couldn¡¯t be over 30 years old. The Scar-faced Monster a decade ago must have been a child or a teenager. Suddenly having his face scarred like that, he must have received a lot of cold stares and suffered severe psychological and physical traumas. People who stray onto the wrong path often have tragic childhood experiences and psychological traumas left by ipetent parents. The Scar-faced Monster was likely no exception. So Fang Xiaocao took that bet! ¡°Child, don¡¯t be afraid,e to Mommy.¡± Seeing some struggle in the Scar-faced Monster¡¯s eyes, Fang Xiaocao spoke softly. Hearing Fang Xiaocao¡¯s seductive voice, the Scar-faced Monster¡¯s eyes became blurred once more, and he even began to slowly shed two streams of murky tears. Fang Xiaocao gripped her spring knife tightly, cautiously approaching the Scar-faced Monster. As she walked, she continued to speak, maintaining the hypnotic effect on the Scar-faced Monster. The psychological defenses and willpower of the Scar-faced Monster were surprisingly strong; Fang Xiaocao estimated they were two to three times stronger than debt-ridden fugitives like Cancer. Hypnotizing a Scar-faced Monster required a mental effort and withstood bacsh equivalent to hypnotizing three Cancers. At this moment, Fang Xiaocao¡¯s brain began to buckle under the strain; sharp, needle-like pains struck her consciousness, and her vision darkened in waves. Fang Xiaocao bit her lip, the acute pain from her body, mixed with the taste of fresh blood, revitalized her, clearing her mind significantly. ¡°The Scar-faced Monster is still alive, I can¡¯t faint¡­¡± Fang Xiaocao kept reminding herself. ¡°Mommy¡­¡± The Scar-faced Monster murmured. ¡°Good, Mommy is here.¡± Fang Xiaocao responded gently. ¡°Mommy¡­¡± ¡°Why did you abandon me and Daddy¡­¡± The Scar-faced Monster asked unconsciously. ¡°Why¡­¡± ¡°Ugh¡­¡± ¡°Longlong has always been good¡­¡± As he spoke, the Scar-faced Monster burst into tears. Tears broke through, tracing down his pockmarked cheeks, soaking his clothes. Meanwhile, Fang Xiaocao felt the intense struggle emanating from the Scar-faced Monster¡¯s spirit: sorrow and rage swirled like a tornado, sweeping through his consciousness. Fang Xiaocao¡¯splexion turned pale, her brain reeled with dizziness, and her consciousness wavered. ¡°I can¡¯t¡­¡± Fang Xiaocao bit down hard on her lip, using the severe pain and strong metallic taste to fight against the dizzying sensation. ¡°Good Longlong, Mommy is back¡­¡± Fang Xiaocao, enduring the severe bacsh, spoke with a trembling voice. Hearing Fang Xiaocao¡¯s words, the Scar-faced Monster calmed down slightly. Yet he no longer wanted to approach Fang Xiaocao and stood there, clutching his head and weeping. ¡°Mommy doesn¡¯t want Longlong anymore¡­¡± ¡°Ugh¡­¡± @@novelbin@@ ¡°Daddy is gone too¡­¡± ¡°Ugh¡­¡± The Scar-faced Monster sorrowfully cried out. ¡°That¡¯s not true, Mommy loves Longlong.¡± Fang Xiaocao struggled to control the Scar-faced Monster, weaving for him a dreamlike reunion with his family. ¡°Just let you die in your dream¡­¡± Fang Xiaocao murmured to herself. Fang Xiaocao¡¯s kindness, and the experience of being abandoned since childhood, made her feel sympathy for the Scar-faced Monster, whose unfortunate childhood experiences even resonated with her faintly. But Fang Xiaocao knew, she had to kill him. If the Scar-faced Monster didn¡¯t die this time, trying to hypnotize him again would be as difficult as ascending to the heavens. As long as the Scar-faced Monster lived, he was a nightmarish existence for her, for Zhi Qi, and even for everyone else. Fang Xiaocao continuously overextended her spiritual power, weaving an irresistible dream for the Scar-faced Monster. Under Fang Xiaocao¡¯s efforts, the Scar-faced Monster was deeply trapped in the dream, no longer struggling, with a hint of a dark smile tinged with terror on his face. ¡°Huff¡­¡± Feeling the resistance from the Scar-faced Monster quickly fading, Fang Xiaocao breathed a sigh of relief. She had seeded! Although she couldn¡¯t control him to do her bidding as she did with Cancer and the others, if things went as nned, Fang Xiaocao could keep the Scar-faced Monster lost in the dream world indefinitely. But to do so, Fang Xiaocao had to continue draining her spiritual power to sustain that beautiful dream. For Fang Xiaocao, both physically and psychologically, this was an extremely heavy burden. She knew she couldn¡¯t hold on for long. It might be one day, or perhaps one month. Or even¡­ a few minutes! Her copse would be the day the nightmare returned. The Scar-faced Monster, waking from the beautiful dream with all his obsessions gone, would no longer have a psychological weakness and would be a real demon, fueled by the hatred for his miserable childhood, ready to p the world hard. To take revenge on every child who had a happy childhood. So, Fang Xiaocao still decided¡­ To kill the Scar-faced Monster! She couldn¡¯t bear to see herself create a demon about to take revenge on the world. Slowly, she raised the spring knife, aiming it at the Scar-faced Monster¡¯s carotid artery. In the dream: ¡°Mom, Dad, I have to go¡­¡± A small boy named Rumble, cherubic and finely crafted, looked up at the vaguely remembered faces of his parents, blinked his teary big eyes, and smiled. The cherubic little boy began to grow rapidly, bing a handsome young man. ¡°Dad, Mom, goodbye¡­¡± The young man muttered to himself. The next second¡­ A hole appeared in the young man¡¯s chest. The body slowly fell to the ground. In reality! Aquarius, covered in blood, discarded the gun with an empty magazine in his hand and weakly said, ¡°Gemini is in danger¡­¡± The eyes of the Scar-faced Monster regained rity, and he looked at Fang Xiaocao with a smile, slowly uttering three words: ¡°Thank you.¡± Thud~ The Scar-faced Monster, with his dark smile, slowly fell to the ground, his eyes filled with anticipation, as he opened his arms to the sky. ¡°When did you wake up?¡± Fang Xiaocao asked, looking at the Scar-faced Monster. ¡°Cough, cough¡­¡± The Scar-faced Monster opened his mouth and coughed up a mouthful of blood. ¡°Before¡­ entering the dream¡­¡± The Scar-faced Monster said with a smile. Upon hearing this, Fang Xiaocao was stunned. The Scar-faced Monster¡­ had willingly entered the dream she wove! No wonder¡­ the hypnosis afterwards was so easy! ¡°In¡­ in my pocket¡­¡± there is¡­ a notebook¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m¡­ giving it to you¡­¡± With thest word, the Scar-faced Monster closed his eyes with his dark smile. Chapter 76 - 76 Fang Xiaocao: Made a Fortune, Made a Fortune Chapter 76: Chapter 76 Fang Xiaocao: Made a Fortune, Made a Fortune When one is about to die, their words are kind, perhaps this refers to people like the Scar-faced Monster? He could have counterattacked and continued his descent, but he chose to jump into the dream world, seeking liberation. Great demons and great Buddhas are just a thought apart. The thoughts of a madman are beyond the ken of ordinary people. Fang Xiaocao spected that maybe at some moment, the Scar-faced Monster experienced what Buddhism calls a sudden enlightenment. That¡¯s why he chose to escape from the sea of suffering once and for all. Fang Xiaocao looked at Aquarius, saw him bathed in blood, and asked in a deep voice, ¡°Are you hurt?¡± ¡°Yes, I got shot in the shoulder.¡± Aquarius nodded and responded. Fang Xiaocao looked at Aquarius¡¯s shoulder, where there indeed was a bloody hole, still oozing bright red blood. She briefly sensed that, the spiritual bond belonging to Pisces had disappeared without her knowing when. Fang Xiaocao thought it must have been while she was hypnotizing the Scar-faced Monster. Only at that time was she highly concentrated in spirit, without a moment to sense any superfluous mental fluctuations. Clearly, Pisces had been killed by Aquarius. ¡°Bandage it yourself.¡± Fang Xiaocao said to Aquarius. As for Aquarius¡¯s injury, Fang Xiaocao did not care too much. Aquarius, like the Scar-faced Monster, was a felon with blood on his hands¡ªthere was no fundamental difference, not worthy of her sympathy or pity. Fang Xiaocao felt that all Aquarius was doing now was just taking advantage of her hypnosis, giving him a chance for redemption. Fang Xiaocao herself hadn¡¯t realized that, at some unknown point, her way of thinking had quietly started to change. The somewhat saintly earlier Fang Xiaocao had quietly faded away. ¡°Okay, Princess Your Highness.¡± Aquarius nodded and agreed, tore open his own shirt, and began bandaging himself. Fang Xiaocao squatted in front of the Scar-faced Monster¡¯s body, began to lick and pick up equipment. A homemade pistol! Fang Xiaocao pocketed the gun. A dagger! Fang Xiaocao pocketed it once again. A notebook! It must be the one the Scar-faced Monster said he would give to her before he died. She opened the notebook! On the title page it read: @@novelbin@@ ¡°cklist, Constetion Leader, Gemini!¡± Beneath it, there was a website address and two sets of numbers. Seeing this familiar format, Fang Xiaocao¡¯s pupils shook, and she instantly understood what it was. She flipped the title page. ¡°I am from the cklist, Constetion Leader of Gemini, my name is Jia Long¡­¡± The first half of the notebook detailed the Scar-faced Monster¡¯s somewhat sad life. As well as the purpose of the website and numbers on the title page. Just as Fang Xiaocao had guessed¡­ It was Bitcoin! That was the Scar-faced Monster¡¯s life savings. Eight million dors worth of Bitcoin! Bitcoin ounts are anonymous. As long as you have the password, anyone can use it. This money now belonged to Fang Xiaocao! Thetter half of the notebook contained the Scar-faced Monster¡¯s insights on hypnotism. Every word was precious, proving infinitely useful to Fang Xiaocao. ¡°He truly was a master hypnotherapist!¡± Fang Xiaocao eximed, closed the notebook, and put it away securely. Having gained eight million and insights akin to a Martial Arts Secret Manual on hypnotism, Fang Xiaocao was in high spirits. Even Aquarius seemed much more agreeable to her now. ¡°Can you still move?¡± Fang Xiaocao stood up and asked Aquarius. ¡°Princess Your Highness, no problem!¡± Aquarius adamantly assured. ¡°Is it a through-and-through wound?¡± Fang Xiaocao asked doubtfully. ¡°Yes, the bullet didn¡¯t remain in the body.¡± Aquarius nodded and spoke. ¡°Take off your mask, we¡¯re going to save someone.¡± Fang Xiaocao nodded and instructed. Upon hearing Fang Xiaocao¡¯s order, Aquarius obediently removed the Human Skin Mask from his face, revealing an ordinary face. Fang Xiaocao carefully observed the true face of Aquarius, and couldn¡¯t help but feel a shock in her heart. A face so standard, the kind that blends into a crowd unnoticed; it was the born face of an assassin. ¡°Let¡¯s go, into the camp,¡± Fang Xiaocao said, walking into the campsite ahead of others. Aquarius silently followed behind Fang Xiaocao. A pair of eyes vigntly scanned the surroundings. ¡°Luoshu, wake up,¡± Fang Xiaocao chose to wake Yun Luoshu first. The reason she didn¡¯t wake Wan Xiaozhou, who possessedbat capabilities first, was entirely due to distrust. Within the calls of Fang Xiaocao, Yun Luoshu slowly awoke, staring at Fang Xiaocao with a bewildered face. ¡°Xiaocao?¡± After a long time, Yun Luoshu hesitantly called out Fang Xiaocao¡¯s name. ¡°It¡¯s me!¡± Fang Xiaocao nodded and said. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, the bad guys are all taken care of,¡± Fang Xiaocao added. Hearing this, Yun Luoshu was stunned. He immediately showed a surprised expression. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Xiaocao, how did you manage it?¡± Yun Luoshu asked with surprise. ¡°Aquarius found his way back from being lost and has turned over a new leaf,¡± Fang Xiaocao smiled and said lightly. Not wanting to dwell on this topic, Fang Xiaocao changed the subject before Yun Luoshu could continue asking, ¡°Can you get up?¡± ¡°I can!¡± Yun Luoshu tried and then nodded. ¡°Quick, get up, let¡¯s head back to the camp,¡± Fang Xiaocao said, smiling as she helped Yun Luoshu up. ¡°How were you guys captured?¡± Fang Xiaocao asked. Yun Luoshu scratched his head, pondered for a moment, and recounted everything that happened after he and Wan Xiaozhou left the campsite to Fang Xiaocao. After listening to Yun Luoshu¡¯s ount, Fang Xiaocao nced at Wan Xiaozhou, who was still unconscious. ¡°This guy isn¡¯t that well-meaning,¡± Fang Xiaocao muttered to herself. ¡°Xiaocao, what did you say?¡± Yun Luoshu asked puzzledly. ¡°Nothing,¡± Fang Xiaocao brushed it off with augh. ¡°Let¡¯s carry Wan Xiaozhou and go,¡± Fang Xiaocao told Yun Luoshu. ¡°Okay!¡± Yun Luoshu responded and picked up Wan Xiaozhou. With Aquarius leading the way, Fang Xiaocao and Yun Luoshu quickly returned to the campsite. By then, everyone had awakened. The group gathered around the campfire, discussing something. ¡°Hi~¡± ¡°Babies, did you miss me?¡± Fang Xiaocao raised her eyebrows and said jokingly. Hearing Fang Xiaocao¡¯s voice, everyone was stunned and surprised as they looked at her. When they saw Fang Xiaocao, Yun Luoshu, and Wan Xiaozhou all present, along with a strange woman covered in blood and with bandages wrapped around her shoulder, everyone was shocked again. Their expressions visibly tensed. Wan Xiaozhou had woken up on the way. Seeing that it was Fang Xiaocao who had saved her, she kept quiet, not asking much. However, the look she gave Fang Xiaocao was filled with wariness. ¡°Xiaocao, who is she?¡± Staring at Aquarius, Zhi Qi anxiously asked. ¡°She¡¯s called Aquarius. She was originally our enemy, but now she has been won over by me¡­¡± Fang Xiaocao narrated the events to Zhi Qi and the others. However, she omitted details about the cklist, referring to them merely as a regr gang. Everyone, including Su Wanqing, Wen Shi, and even Yun Luoshu, who had personally experienced the kidnapping, believed Fang Xiaocao¡¯s story without doubt. Only Zhi Qi¡¯s eyes held a trace of skepticism. Chapter 77 - 77 Who is it? Chapter 77: Chapter 77 Who is it? Seeing Zhi Qi¡¯s suspicion, Fang Xiaocao blinked her eyes and quickly changed the subject, smiling and saying, ¡°It¡¯s gettingte, let¡¯s hurry up and rest.¡± ¡°Anything else, we can talk about tomorrow.¡± Saying so, Fang Xiaocao patted Zhi Qi on the shoulder. ¡°Everyone go rest now.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take the night watch!¡± Zhi Qi nodded and spoke. ¡°Better I take the night watch with Aquarius.¡± Fang Xiaocao said with a smile. Zhi Qi looked at Fang Xiaocao, who smiled and winked at Zhi Qi. Zhi Qi was stunned for a moment and then nodded her head. This was a secret code between the two at the orphanage. It meant to listen to the other person. The kind of trust without conditions! Once one of them made this gesture. The other had toply and could not break the agreement. Therefore, after a moment of hesitation, Zhi Qi still chose to listen to Fang Xiaocao. Seeing that everyone had returned to their tents, Fang Xiaocao stretched and sat down next to the campfire. ¡°Aquarius, sit.¡± Fang Xiaocao said to Aquarius. Aquarius nodded and obediently sat next to the campfire. ¡°There should be twelve people in your group, right?¡± Fang Xiaocao asked casually. ¡°Yes, Princess Your Highness.¡± Aquarius nodded and answered. ¡°And the other six?¡± Fang Xiaocao asked in a grave tone. She had been wanting to ask this question for a while. But she had waited until Yun Luoshu was out of the picture. @@novelbin@@ ¡°The other six are up ahead.¡± Aquarius opened his mouth to reply. ¡°The Scar-faced Monster is Gemini, who were the other two who died?¡± Fang Xiaocao continued to ask. ¡°Sagittarius and Libra.¡± Aquarius answered truthfully. Hearing this, Fang Xiaocao nodded her head. ¡°So, the codes for the other six are the remaining six of the Twelve Zodiac Signs, right?¡± Fang Xiaocao added a bunch of wood to the fire. ¡°Yes!¡± Aquarius nodded in response. ¡°Who among them is in charge of operations?¡± Fang Xiaocao continued. ¡°Capricorn!¡± Aquarius looked at the campfire and replied. ¡°Tell me about Capricorn!¡± Fang Xiaocao stated. Knowing the enemy and knowing yourself, you will not be defeated in a hundred battles. With the Gemini Scar-faced Monster dead, their biggest enemy was now Capricorn. Fang Xiaocao needed to understand this person in advance. ¡°Capricorn is an extremely dangerous woman.¡± ¡°Her level of danger is second only to Gemini, the Star Lord.¡± ¡°Even within the entire cklist, her level of danger is noteworthy.¡± Saying this, Aquarius shivered as if reminded of something terrifying. Fang Xiaocao was taken aback; just now she had felt Aquarius¡¯s spiritual power violently fluctuating. It was so close to breaking free of her control. Fang Xiaocao¡¯s eyebrows furrowed, pondering Capricorn herself. ording to the introduction of the Twelve Zodiac Signs, Capricorn is described as: obstinate, self-isted, and indifferent. Perhaps, this could be used as a reference. In her heart, Fang Xiaocao began to profile Capricorn mentally. A woman who is extremely stubborn, self-isting, and deeply repressed by her loneliness. ¡°Hiss~¡± ¡°This one is tough to deal with!¡± Fang Xiaocao murmured to herself. If her psychological profile wasn¡¯t wrong, then this Capricorn woman would be a tough nut to crack when it came to hypnosis. Fang Xiaocao felt that hypnotizing Capricorn was no less difficult than hypnotizing Gemini. Sensing the fear emanating from Aquarius, Fang Xiaocao smiled and said, ¡°My knight, do not fear, the princess shall be with you.¡± Now, controlling only one hypnotist like Aquarius, Fang Xiaocao felt unprecedented ease and proceeded to hypnotize Aquarius a second time to reinforce her hypnotic imprint. A person can indeed be hypnotized multiple times. However, the moreyers of hypnosis there are, the greater the impact on the subject¡¯s mental and psychological state. Even the mental imprint from the oveid hypnosis might turn the subject into an idiot if it¡¯s too much. Yet, when dealing with a viin like Aquarius, Fang Xiaocao had no pressure in performing the action. Even if he turned into an idiot, she wouldn¡¯t feel too guilty. ¡°At yourmand, Princess Your Highness!¡± The fear within Aquarius was swept away as he respectfully knelt on one knee to Fang Xiaocao. ¡°Rise, my knight.¡± Fang Xiaocao said with a smile. ¡°Thank you, Princess Your Highness!¡± Aquarius thanked Fang Xiaocao and stood up. To avoid Aquarius¡¯s emotions being affected by the seed of fear left by Capricorn again, Fang Xiaocao gave up on further inquiry. She sat cross-legged in front of the campfire, closed her eyes to recuperate, and used meditation to recover the spiritual power spent on hypnosis. Seeing this, Aquarius also closed his eyes and pretended to rest. The intense battle and injuries had drained a lot of Aquarius¡¯s physical strength. For someone like him, who always skirted in the darkness, living a life interwoven with iron and blood, it was almost instinct to seize the moment to rest and recover as soon as he had the chance. Time ticked by, and the camp fell into an eerie silence, with only the asional crackling ¡°pop¡± from the burning logs in the campfire. Suddenly, Aquarius¡¯s eyes snapped open, and he cocked his head to listen. The next second, he sprang from the ground, rapidly drew his crude pistol from his waist, rubbed it against the sole of his shoe to cock it with one hand. ¡°Who¡¯s there!¡± Pointing the muzzle into the woods, Aquarius shouted. At Aquarius¡¯s yell, Fang Xiaocao, who had entered light sleep during her meditation, instantly woke up, grabbed a burning log, and threw it in the direction Aquarius was pointing his gun, while she pulled out her own pistol from her pocket. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± She cocked the crude pistol, disengaged the safety, and asked. ¡°There¡¯s someone!¡± Aquarius, with a determined gaze, answered gravely. ¡°Where is the person?¡± ¡°How many people are there?¡± Fang Xiaocao raised her gun in that direction and asked in a firm voice. ¡°They¡¯re hiding right there in the woods ahead!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know how many there are.¡± As he responded, Aquarius slowly moved his feet, stepped out of the campfire¡¯s light, and blended into the darkness. Seeing Aquarius¡¯s action, Fang Xiaocao followed suit, heading towards the shadow by the tent. ¡°Come out or I¡¯ll shoot!¡± Aquarius shouted loudly. Fang Xiaocao, hiding in the tent¡¯s shadow, watched the woods ahead but couldn¡¯t see any figures. After pondering for a moment, Fang Xiaocao gestured to Aquarius, indicating for him to circle around. Aquarius nodded, slowly backed away, and moved toward the woods behind him. ¡°Xiaocao, what¡¯s happening?¡± Aquarius¡¯s shout woke up Zhi Qi and the others who were sleeping in the tent. ¡°Don¡¯te out, someone is sneaking up here.¡± Seeing someone about toe out of the tent, Fang Xiaocao said in a low voice to stop them. Hearing Fang Xiaocao¡¯s words, the individuals inside the tent halted their movements. ¡°Wan Xiaozhou,e out and help, everyone else hide.¡± Fang Xiaocao said softly. ¡°Rustle!¡± The tent p was lifted, and a nimble figure darted out of the tent, rolled tactically, and hid in the shadows. Fang Xiaocao looked over to see it was Wan Xiaozhou. ¡°Where¡¯s the person?¡± Wan Xiaozhou asked in a low voice. Fang Xiaocao pointed in the direction Aquarius had signaled as a warning. Wan Xiaozhou¡¯s gaze sharpened, nced in that direction, drew the dagger he carried, and with a tactical roll, disappeared into the woods beside him. Then, Fang Xiaocao heard hurried footsteps. They grew distant quickly and soon faded away. Chapter 78 - 78 Fang Xiaocao: Fight for Me Chapter 78: Chapter 78 Fang Xiaocao: Fight for Me After Wan Xiaozhou left, Fang Xiaocao stared intently at the dim woods ahead. She did not know whether people were still over there. But that was the only direction, and she could only hope that Wan Xiaozhou and Aquarius could defeat their opponents. The downside of hypnotism was tantly exposed at this moment. Once unable to confront the enemy directly, Fang Xiaocao was still weak inbat. ¡°Bang Bang Bang!¡± Soon, fire snakes spewed in the woods and gunfire was deafening. Hearing the gunfire, Fang Xiaocao knew that Aquarius was exchanging fire with those people. After the gunfire¡­ Came shouting and fighting sounds. Fang Xiaocao was stirred, she cautiously moved closer towards the direction of the sounds. With the guidance of sound, she was no longer blind. If she could get close enough to see the enemy, Fang Xiaocao would have a chance to use hypnotism. ¡°Don¡¯t move, wait for me toe back.¡± Fang Xiaocao instructed the people in the tent, Zhi Qi and the others, then dashed into the woods without looking back. The fight continued, but the gunfire stopped. Aquarius¡¯s gun still had five bullets left. But Aquarius did not continue to shoot. It must have been that Wan Xiaozhou was engaging the enemy in closebat, and Aquarius feared identally hitting Wan Xiaozhou, so he refrained from shooting. As Fang Xiaocao moved forward, she quickly assessed the current situation in her mind. The sounds of fighting drew nearer, and Fang Xiaocao slowed down, carefully concealing her figure. Quietly parting the bushes, she saw the figures of Wan Xiaozhou, Aquarius, and the enemy. The opponents were two men and one woman, where one man and the woman were struggling with Wan Xiaozhou and Aquarius. The other man, however, stood by with his arms crossed, coldly watching thebat involving the four of them. Seeing this scene, Fang Xiaocao blinked. Clearly, this man was likely the enemy¡¯s leader. Fang Xiaocao scoffed and muttered, ¡°I¡¯ll start with you!¡± Fang Xiaocao raised her makeshift pistol, aimed at the man, and slowly emerged from the shadows. ¡°Hey, look at me!¡± Fang Xiaocao whistled at the man. Upon hearing Fang Xiaocao¡¯s voice, the man was startled. He turned his head towards Fang Xiaocao. Seeing the dark muzzle, the man was momentarily stunned, then he swayed, trying to dodge. Seeing the man¡¯s movement, Fang Xiaocao raised an eyebrow and pulled the trigger without hesitation. ¡°Bang!¡± A gunshot sounded like thunder. The man instantly froze in ce. Wan Xiaozhou and the other three who were still fighting were also taken aback, stopping their movements to look towards Fang Xiaocao. Looking at the bullet hole at his feet, the man swallowed nervously. Daring not to make any sudden movements, for fear that Fang Xiaocao might shoot again. ¡°Don¡¯t move!¡± ¡°Otherwise, the next shot will be in your head.¡± Seeing the man¡¯s reaction, Fang Xiaocao coldly said. @@novelbin@@ ¡°Alright, alright, I won¡¯t move.¡± The man raised his hands, saying helplessly. ¡°Hands on your head, get down!¡± Fang Xiaocao coldlymanded. The man nodded and obediently crouched down. ¡°You two, don¡¯t move either, or I¡¯ll kill him,¡± Fang Xiaocao shouted to the other man and woman. ¡°Did you hear that? Don¡¯t mess around,¡± the man crouching on the ground added. Hearing the man¡¯s words, the other man and woman exchanged nces and obediently raised their hands. ¡°Aquarius, tie them up,¡± Fang Xiaocaomanded Aquarius. ¡°Yes!¡± Aquarius nodded in response. Aquarius kicked the man to the ground, pressed his foot against the man¡¯s chest, and looked down condescendingly at him. The man red resentfully at Aquarius, but he did not dare to resist, considering the safety of their leader. Aquarius scoffed, took out several zip ties from his pocket, and tied the man¡¯s hands together under his foot. Then, simrly, he used zip ties to bind the man¡¯s legs together. Only after securing the man¡¯s hands and feet did Aquarius remove his foot from the man¡¯s chest. He tossed two more zip ties to Wan Xiaozhou. Aquarius pointed toward the man who was being held at gunpoint by Fang Xiaocao. Wan Xiaozhou understood and walked over with a cable tie. Aquarius followed suit, securing both the woman¡¯s hands and feet tightly with another cable tie. ¡°Is it really necessary to tie her up?¡± ¡°This thing really hurts¡­¡± The man blinked and said with a cheeky grin. ¡°Behave!¡± Wan Xiaozhou scolded. ¡°Sister, I¡¯m very obedient~¡± ¡°Can we, maybe not tie me up?¡± The man continued with a chuckle. Looking at the man¡¯s cheeky grin, Wan Xiaozhou¡¯s eyes shed coldly, and she kicked him in the face. ¡°Ouch~¡± The man screamed in pain and fell to the ground. His face now bore the imprint of a size-38 shoe. Wan Xiaozhou clicked the cable ties twice and locked the man¡¯s hands and feet. It wasn¡¯t until both men and the woman were tied up that Fang Xiaocao rxed and put away her gun. The whole process, although seemingly effortless, was extremely perilous. With Aquarius¡¯s marksmanship, could a person who made her miss three consecutive shots be an ordinary person? ¡°Tell me, who are you people?¡± Fang Xiaocao stared at the man and asked sternly. ¡°We¡¯re just passersby~¡± The man answered with a chuckle. Hearing the man¡¯s response, Fang Xiaocaoughed. Seeing Fang Xiaocaoughing, the man also started tough. ¡°Hit!¡± Looking at the man¡¯s cheeky grin, Fang Xiaocao coldly spit out a word. At hermand, the man¡¯s smile froze. The next second, the sole of a size-38 shoe loomed immensely close to his face. ¡°No, please¡­¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± The man cried out in shock, but before he could finish, the shoe again stamped on his face. Wan Xiaozhou¡¯s lips curled up into a wicked smile. Her foot peppered the man¡¯s face with relentless kicks. ¡°Pfft~¡± Watching this scene, Fang Xiaocao burst outughing. Wan Xiaozhou was indeed amusing. They say to never hit the face, yet she chose to do just that. ¡°Stop it, you bastards!¡± ¡°If you must hit someone, hit me but don¡¯t hurt our young master!¡± Seeing this, the other man and woman shouted excitedly. Bound by cable ties, they struggled constantly and even tried to crawl over to protect the man Wan Xiaozhou was fiercely kicking. However¡­ After crawling only two meters, Aquarius scoffed and pulled them back by their feet to where they started. ¡°Bastard, stop your hands!¡± ¡°Stop hitting him!¡± The two red at Fang Xiaocao and shouted angrily. Fang Xiaocao rolled her eyes, pointed at the man and woman, and coldly said three words: ¡°Hit them!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Upon hearing this, Aquarius smiled and responded. The next second, Aquarius kicked the man viciously in the stomach. ¡°Hmph¡­¡± The man groaned, his body bending painfully like a shrimp. Aquarius had received special training. The force of her kick could break ribs. This forceful kick, like a heavy iron hammer, smashed ferociously onto the man¡¯s body. ¡°Cough cough¡­¡± The man¡¯s face turned red and he coughed up blood. ¡°Wait!¡± Just as Aquarius was about to hit the woman, Fang Xiaocao called out to stop her. Aquarius immediately halted and looked at Fang Xiaocao. Fang Xiaocao turned to their so-called young master, smiling cheekily and asked, ¡°Will you talk or not?¡± Chapter 79 - 79 Beat into a Pig鈥檚 Head Chapter 79: Chapter 79 Beat into a Pig¡¯s Head ¡°Xiaozhou, stop for a moment.¡± Seeing the young master¡¯s face, which had been trampled into a pig¡¯s head by Wan Xiaozhou, Fang Xiaocao waved her hand and said. Upon hearing Fang Xiaocao¡¯s words, Wan Xiaozhou immediately stopped in his tracks and obediently stood to the side, though his little foot still seemed eager to move, as if he wasn¡¯t quite satisfied yet. Seeing the eager smile on Wan Xiaozhou¡¯s face, the young master shivered and struggled to open his swollen eyes to a slit, looking at Fang Xiaocao with a trembling voice, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, please don¡¯t¡­¡± Hearing the young master¡¯s slurred response, Fang Xiaocao subconsciously furrowed her brows. ¡°Don¡¯t talk!¡± Fang Xiaocao blinked and said. ¡°Please no, I¡¯m begging¡­¡± The young master cried when he heard Fang Xiaocao¡¯s words. ¡°What are you saying? I don¡¯t understand.¡± Fang Xiaocao shrugged helplessly and said. ¡°I¡¯m begging, please¡­¡± The young master said unintelligibly. ¡°I don¡¯t understand, not one bit~¡± Fang Xiaocao said cheerfully. ¡°Wuu wuu wuu¡­¡± The young master cried. ¡°Uh¡­¡± Seeing the crying young master, Fang Xiaocao¡¯s face was full of ck lines. ¡°You¡¯re crying?¡± ¡°Are you even a man?¡± Fang Xiaocao rolled her eyes and criticized. ¡°Wuu wuu wuu¡­¡± Hearing Fang Xiaocao¡¯s words, the young master cried even harder. ¡°Stop crying!¡± Fang Xiaocao frowned and scolded. ¡°Keep crying, and I¡¯ll hit you again!¡± Fang Xiaocao said in a stern voice. ¡°Gaa~¡± The young master¡¯s crying came to an abrupt halt, stopping instantly. ¡°Wow¡­¡± Fang Xiaocao was shocked by this sudden cessation of crying. ¡°Behave yourself, let her speak!¡± Fang Xiaocao pointed at the woman and said. ¡°Okay, okay~¡± The young master nodded his head like a pecking chicken. ¡°You tell me, who are you all!¡± ¡°If you don¡¯te clean, I¡¯ll hit him again!¡± Fang Xiaocao pointed at the young master and said sternly. ¡°Say something, please¡­¡± Upon hearing Fang Xiaocao¡¯s words, the young master shuddered and called out to the woman. The woman nced at the young master, who had his face swollen into a pig¡¯s head, and nodded. ¡°Phew¡­¡± The young master sighed with relief. ¡°What do you want to know?¡± The woman asked in a deep voice. ¡°Who he is, who you are, and who he is,¡± Fang Xiaocao pointed to the young master and then to the big shrimp, asking. ¡°He is our young master, his name is Ye Lingchen.¡± ¡°My name is Lin Meng, and he is called Qian Xia.¡± Lin Meng honestly replied. ¡°Ye?¡± ¡°That¡¯s quite a rare surname.¡± Fang Xiaocao said as if she had just realized something. ¡°He is the young master?¡± ¡°Then where do you alle from?¡± Fang Xiaocao asked. ¡°Correct, he is the young master of the Ye Family.¡± Lin Meng nodded and answered. ¡°Wee from the Ye Family, which is the behind-the-scenes manager of the Ye Corporation.¡± Lin Meng added. ¡°Who is the head of the Ye Family?¡± Fang Xiaocao blinked and asked. Fang Xiaocao had heard Zhi Qi mention the Ye Family and Ye Corporation as powerful families from Beijing, evenrger than the Zhi Family. ¡°Now, the person in charge of the Ye Family is Lingchen¡¯s father, Ye Weiliang.¡± Lin Meng replied truthfully. ¡°Your Ye Family, not being from Beijing, why did youe here?¡± Fang Xiaocao asked in a serious tone. ¡°The young master received an invitation from the young master of the Yu Family, Yu Tianqi, toe here.¡± ¡°We just didn¡¯t expect this ce to be a trap; we were attacked as soon as we arrived.¡± ¡°Originally, there were four people protecting Young Master Lingchen. One was killed on the spot during the attack, and another was Captain Jiang Chen. He held off the attackers by himself, allowing me and Qian Xia to escape the encirclement with the young master.¡± Lin Meng answered with a sad expression. Upon hearing Lin Meng¡¯s words, Fang Xiaocao felt a stirring in her heart. ¡°Do you know who attacked you?¡± Fang Xiaocao pressed for an answer. ¡°cklist, Rat Zodiac, Ox Zodiac, Dog Zodiac, Horse Zodiac!¡± Lin Meng¡¯s little face shed with anger as she spat out several names. ¡°Just as I suspected!¡± Upon hearing this, Fang Xiaocao showed a look of confirmation. ¡°At least you¡¯re honest.¡± Fang Xiaocao said with a chuckle. @@novelbin@@ ¡°Aquarius, who¡¯s the boss over on the Zodiac side?¡± Fang Xiaocao asked Aquarius. ¡°It¡¯s Cen Long!¡± Aquarius answered solemnly. ¡°Aquarius?¡± ¡°You¡¯re also with the cklist?¡± Lin Meng eximed in shock. At the sound of Lin Meng¡¯s cry, Ye Lingchen and Qian Xia both trembled and appeared concerned. ¡°She is!¡± Fang Xiaocao pointed at Aquarius and smiled. ¡°Not the two of us!¡± He then pointed at himself and Wan Xiaozhou and added. ¡°Then who are you?¡± ¡°Why would Aquarius listen to you?¡± Lin Meng eyed Fang Xiaocao suspiciously and demanded. ¡°Me?¡± ¡°Just like you, I¡¯m a victim who was invited here.¡± Fang Xiaocao shrugged and smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Aquarius has switched sides already.¡± ¡°Now, Aquarius is one of my people, and will no longer work for the cklist.¡± Fang Xiaocao added. Lin Meng clearly didn¡¯t believe what Fang Xiaocao said. She still regarded Fang Xiaocao with a suspicious look. ¡°Believe it or not.¡± Fang Xiaocao rolled her eyes and said. ¡°Aquarius, let them go.¡± Fang Xiaocao instructed Aquarius. ¡°Yes!¡± Aquarius responded respectfully, pulled out a Dagger, and approached Lin Meng. ¡°What are you going to do?¡± Lin Meng looked at Aquarius nervously. ¡°To untie you, of course.¡± Aquarius said impatiently. As she spoke, she grabbed Lin Meng and sliced through the zip ties on Lin Meng¡¯s hands and feet using the Dagger. Now free, Lin Meng immediately jumped up, eyeing Aquarius warily. ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that.¡± ¡°It makes me want to kill.¡± Aquarius said coldly. As she spoke, the gun in her right hand subtly pointed at Ye Lingchen. Lin Meng immediately became tense, not daring to re at Aquarius any longer. ¡°Heh heh~¡± Seeing this, Aquarius grinned coldly and approached Qian Xia. With quick movements of the Dagger, ¡°swish swish,¡± she cut open the zip ties on Qian Xia¡¯s hands and feet. Wan Xiaozhou, standing by, also took out a Dagger and freed Ye Lingchen from his restraints. ¡°Young master!¡± Lin Meng hurriedly ran to Ye Lingchen. Seeing this, Fang Xiaocao did not interfere. ¡°Are you really letting us go?¡± Lin Meng helped Ye Lingchen up, still doubtful, she asked. ¡°Of course!¡± Fang Xiaocao said as if it were a given. ¡°As I said, I¡¯m like you, a victim, with no connection to the cklist.¡± Fang Xiaocao said with a sigh of resignation. ¡°Ouxin Tower¡­¡± Ye Lingchen mumbled unclearly. ¡°Young master?¡± At this, Lin Meng looked at Ye Lingchen. Ye Lingchen gestured with his hand for Lin Meng not to say more. Ye Lingchen took out his phone and typed a message. ¡°Talking is too exhausting, my mouth hurts.¡± ¡°I believe what she said, if she were with the cklist, you¡¯d be dead by now, and I would¡¯ve been taken away. It¡¯s impossible that she¡¯d let us go.¡± ¡°Miss, can we join you in your actions?¡± The first two sentences were for Lin Meng and Qian Xia to read, thest one was for Fang Xiaocao. ¡°If you want to join us, it¡¯s not impossible, but those two,¡± Fang Xiaocao pondered for a moment and said. Then she pointed at Lin Meng and Qian Xia. ¡°Okay!¡± Ye Lingchen quickly typed two characters and showed them to Fang Xiaocao. Chapter 80: I Hope You Can Cooperate a Bit Chapter 80: Chapter 80: I Hope You Can Cooperate a Bit ¡°For safety¡¯s sake, hand over all the weapons on you, and I¡¯ll check them. I¡¯ll return the ones I consider non-threatening to our camp,¡± Fang Xiaocao said to Ye Lingchen, with her arms crossed. ¡°Ah, still inexperienced,¡± Xiaocao muttered to herself. ¡°I should have searched them when I first tied them up, but I got too caught up in asking questions. Now, this is awkward.¡± Xiaocao was mentally summarizing her experience. Hearing Fang Xiaocao¡¯s words, the three from the Ye Family exchanged nces, feeling that something was off about the sequence. But since Fang Xiaocao had suggested it, they didn¡¯t feel it was their ce to say much, so they cooperated obediently. If they didn¡¯t cooperate¡­ The Aquarius Gun was already drawn¡­ You couldn¡¯t bet on there being no bullets in the Aquarius Gun, could you? Seven steps away, the gun is fast! Within seven steps, the gun is not only fast but also precise! From a distance, Lin Meng and Qian Xia might be able to dodge. At such a close range¡­ Even gods would have to take their licks. Ye Lingchen took out a handgun from his waist. Lin Meng and Qian Xia each took out two daggers. Along with the Mountain Splitter Dagger on the ground, those were all of their weapons. ¡°You actually have a gun?¡± Fang Xiaocao asked, surprised at the silver handgun. ¡°Issued by the family,¡± Ye Lingchen typed on his phone. ¡°Why don¡¯t they have any?¡± Fang Xiaocao raised an eyebrow, asking. ¡°They¡¯re not good at shooting.¡± Ye Lingchen typed out the words for Fang Xiaocao to see. ¡°I don¡¯t believe it!¡± Fang Xiaocao said with a chuckle. ¡°Xiaozhou, search them!¡± She ordered Wan Xiaozhou. ¡°Okay!¡± Wan Xiaozhou nodded in response. ¡°Turn around!¡± Wan Xiaozhou told Ye Lingchen. Ye Lingchen, resigned to his fate, obediently turned around with his hands over his head. Now, Ye Lingchen was really afraid of Wan Xiaozhou. This littledy, she specializes in hitting the face! Wan Xiaozhou searched Ye Lingchen and turned to Fang Xiaocao with her hands spread to indicate there were no hidden weapons. Fang Xiaocao nodded and pointed at Lin Meng. Wan Xiaozhou nodded and walked toward Lin Meng. ¡°Are there any weapons hidden on you?¡± ¡°If there are, hand them over quietly!¡± ¡°If I find something while searching, that won¡¯t be good for you.¡± Wan Xiaozhou asked Lin Meng in a stern voice. Lin Meng nced at Ye Lingchen, bit her lip, and took another dagger out of her pocket. ¡°I just hid one dagger,¡± Lin Meng said in a low voice. Wan Xiaozhou took the dagger and turned to look at Fang Xiaocao. ¡°Search!¡± Fang Xiaocao said emotionlessly. She hadn¡¯t expected anything on a whim but actually found something. They really did hide weapons. Since they were being sneaky and didn¡¯t trust her, Fang Xiaocao had no reason to trust them either. After all, taking them in was already a risky move. If it wasn¡¯t for the fact that she knew that Capricorn and six others were lying in ambush further along the road to the encampment, And since Fang Xiaocao urgently needed more manpower and had her eye on the abilities of Lin Meng and Qian Xia, hoping to use the two of them to confront Capricorn together, She would have never taken in the three from the Ye Family under normal circumstances. Because¡­ Under such circumstances, taking in people with unknown origins is a very risky behavior. Wan Xiaozhou nodded and began to search Lin Meng¡¯s pockets. ¡°You¡­¡± Lin Meng felt annoyed, but as soon as he began to speak, he was red at by Aquarius. Lin Meng resentfully nced at Aquarius and shut his mouth. Under someone else¡¯s roof, one must lower their head. As a bodyguard trained by the Ye Family, Lin Meng had enough insight to recognize this. Wan Xiaozhou searched Lin Meng thoroughly and even pulled out a card-thin folding w knife hidden inside the boot lining of Lin Meng¡¯s training boots. Wan Xiaozhou red at Lin Meng and coldly said, ¡°You¡¯re not very honest, are you?¡± With that, he kicked Lin Meng in the stomach. ¡°You¡­¡± Seeing this scene, Qian Xia became furious and was about to make a move. But just as he opened his mouth, Aquarius pointed a gun at his face. Staring into the dark muzzle, Qian Xia swallowed and froze on the spot. ¡°Behave yourself!¡± Aquarius said coldly. ¡°No understand!¡± Ye Lingchen was in a panic, his speech unclear as he yelled out. ¡°I didn¡¯t nt the knife; it¡¯s too dull to stay.¡± Ye Lingchen hurriedly exined to Fang Xiaocao. Listening to Ye Lingchen¡¯s words, Fang Xiaocao frowned. She said, ¡°Type it out, I can¡¯t understand.¡± Upon hearing this, Ye Lingchen nodded and quickly typed out a message. ¡°Don¡¯t be impulsive, I really don¡¯t know what weapons they all brought, I told them to cooperate.¡± Once finished, Ye Lingchen showed the message to Fang Xiaocao. Fang Xiaocao nodded and said, ¡°I¡¯ll give you one more chance, better not y any tricks.¡± Ye Lingchen nodded hastily, typed out a message on his phone, and showed it to Lin Meng and Qian Xia. ¡°Don¡¯t be impulsive, cooperate, no funny business.¡± Reading Ye Lingchen¡¯s words, Lin Meng and Qian Xia both nodded. ¡°We will cooperate, we won¡¯t cause any trouble,¡± Lin Meng said, getting up from the ground while holding his stomach. ¡°That would be best,¡± Fang Xiaocao said with a grave voice. ¡°Aquarius!¡± Fang Xiaocao called out to Aquarius. Aquarius, getting the hint, moved the gun away. ¡°Take it out!¡± Aquarius said to Qian Xia, his voice stern. Qian Xia looked at Ye Lingchen for guidance. Seeing this, Aquarius frowned and slowly raised his gun. In Aquarius¡¯s belief, every team on the cklist could not have any unstable elements. If any such elements were found within a team, they had to be eliminated immediately. Otherwise, at a critical moment, it could very well cost the entire team and lead to many deaths. Clearly, Qian Xia and Lin Meng, who had persistently refused to cooperate and harbored ulterior motives, were such unstable elements. If it wasn¡¯t for Fang Xiaocao¡¯s restraint, Aquarius would have shot them and eliminated them long ago. Receiving Qian Xia¡¯s nce, Ye Lingchen quickly nodded to him, signaling him to cooperate willingly. Qian Xia nodded and said, ¡°I¡¯ll cooperate. I¡¯ve got seven Flying Daggers tucked into my belt and a folded w knife hidden in my training boot.¡± As he spoke, Qian Xia raised his hands to show Aquarius he could search him. Aquarius let out a coldugh and tilted his chin towards Wan Xiaozhou, saying, ¡°You search him.¡± Although Aquarius was hypnotized by Fang Xiaocao, her hypnosis merely nted a seed of loyalty and absolute obedience to Fang Xiaocao within Aquarius¡¯s mind, without controlling his ability to think. Thus, Aquarius was very cautious and had not lost the mindset of a top assassin from the cklist. He didn¡¯t personally search Qian Xia because he suspected Qian Xia might seize the opportunity to grab the gun. Wan Xiaozhou nodded, searched as Qian Xia instructed, and indeed found seven Daggers on his belt and a folding w knife matching Lin Meng¡¯s, hidden in the boot¡¯s lining. Of course, Wan Xiaozhou didn¡¯t fully trust Qian Xia. After finding these items, he searched Qian Xia from head to toe, carefully ensuring there were no other weapons before nodding to Fang Xiaocao. ¡°Very good, I appreciate your cooperation,¡± Fang Xiaocao said with a smile. ¡°Now, you¡¯ve earned my preliminary trust, and so I¡¯ve decided to assign these weapons,¡± she said cheerfully. At these words, everyone was taken aback, looking at Fang Xiaocao with surprise. ¡°So what was the point of searching us?¡± Ye Lingchen thought to himself. But he dared not say it aloud. Afraid of getting hit!@@novelbin@@ The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!