The other people still in the mansion had no idea that their loved ones were step by step walking towards death.
Upon learning that Yun Ran was also attending the sea party that night, Xie Xuzhiâs brows furrowed tightly.
As the deputy director of the Special Administration Bureau Headquarters, he naturally saw the report from Shen Zhe.
Handling the case investigation was directly handed over to the local police forceâweâve already sent people to blend in, and agents from the South China Branch are assisting in secret.
Yun Ran was among the intelligence informants, not listed in this operation. Now that she had gone there, he always felt things would develop in the worst possible direction.
He didnât know when it started, but Xie Xuzhi felt there was something metaphysical about Yun Ran; wherever she showed up, the case was never small.
Just like the anime character Conan, wherever he was, thereâd definitely be a homicide.
Xie Xuzhi picked up his phone and sent a message to Yun Ran: [Take it easy at sea!]
Hearing the phone ring, Yun Ran was a bit puzzledâwho would send her a message so late at night?
She checked her phone only to feel her eyelids twitch even more.
She had already reached Huanan, yet that guy could still remotely control her, even tracking her whereaboutsâthis was too scary.
The thought had just arisen when she suddenly remembered seeing Xie Xuzhi at the Zhao Family Mansion earlier. She had thought she saw wrong.
Now it seemed she hadnâtâ that guy was definitely there at the Zhao Family Mansion.
She immediately started gossiping with Ginsengfruit: "This Xie Xuzhi is really a model of diligence. Although Iâm sure the face I saw earlier was correct, there is no actual evidence.
The guy is the deputy director of Headquarters, flying all the way to Huanan to preside over the situation; if he is not in the next model worker selection, thereâs definitely a cover-up!"
Ginsengfruit: ...
[Host, people are after your life right now, and you still have the mood to discuss othersâ affairs. Isnât your sense of relaxation a bit too relaxed?
At least respect the hard scheming of the bad guys. Youâre ruining the atmosphere appropriate for a dark and windy nightâthe perfect time for murder!]
"Youâre more relaxed than me, still in the mood to joke with me. Isnât it just because you know your host is tough and wonât die~"
[Hehe, the host is wise~~~]
If those scheming people heard this one-on-one conversation, they might just die of anger.
Xia Jing saw Yun Ran sitting alone in a corner, looking solitary, and her heart softened suddenly.
Walking over with an approachable big sister demeanor: "Later, Iâll introduce you to some girls your own age to hang out with, relax, donât be nervous, you are after all a guest invited by the Zhao Family~"
Before Yun Ran could respond, Xia Jing continued: "My big cousin is not just fond of anyone; she likes you, your good days are still ahead."
Anyone who knew Zhao Mingzhu treated Yun Ran differently would envy her, thinking she had hit a stroke of luck.
But only the people directly involved knew that this stroke of luck would cost them their lives.
Recalling how she had actually thought Zhao Mingzhu was candid, Yun Ran now felt like slapping herself.
Was that candidness? That was clearly treating her as already dead from the start, so there was no need to hide anything.
The huge sums of money given were Zhao Mingzhuâs payment for her life; from the moment Zhao Mingzhu had set her sights on her, there was no intention of letting her go.
Watching Xia Jing, who was oblivious and unaware that she was walking towards death, yet moved by her supposed good fortune, Yun Ran forced a polite smile.
The yacht quickly received the cruise shipâs position and transported everyone aboard.
The cruise had seven floors, not only with various amenities for entertainment, but also a casino and auction house. It would travel a set route all the way to international waters.
The attending staff were already waiting to welcome the distinguished guests with gifts and their respective room cards.
Yun Ran got a sixth-floor room, which was also a symbol of statusâthe rooms on the seventh floor were naturally for those with even more precious identities, with higher personal values.
After receiving her room card, Yun Ran parted ways with Xia Jing.
The sixth floor was all standard suites. As soon as she entered, Yun Ran threw out a few shielding talismans.
Apart from the people she allowed, no one else could enter, and it was impossible for anyone to spy on everything inside the room.
Looking at the roomâs decorations, Yun Ran just thought, no wonder so many people want to climb upâit really feels too good to be rich.
After inspecting the room and finding no problems, Yun Ran finally sat down. Then she pulled out her phone and flipped through the information about Tang Mingshanâs three children.
She didnât know whether these three would still come on board if they knew they were facing deadly fate.
To make such a cruise ship encounter trouble, there must be many schemers; with so many people, it was hard to discern everyoneâs fate by their faces.
Luckily, she had a way of cheatingâshe immediately released more than a dozen Little Papermen.
"Go, watch over the most crucial parts of the cruise ship. If you encounter those people, donât let them cause damage!"
As she spoke, she scattered a dozen grains of Merit as tiny as rice onto the Little Papermen, and immediately they joyfully went about their tasks.
With the Little Papermen on watch, Yun Ran washed up simply and began to rest. Sheâd need to be well-rested for the tough battle ahead.
Yun Ran slept soundly, unaware that someone on the cruise had seen her and was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan.
"Sir, itâs not goodâthe young lady is on the death cruise!"
In the pitch-dark room, devoid of any light, a man wearing a mask spoke in a hoarse voice: "What did you say!"
"Our people saw the young lady on the death cruise, and Iâve already had someone checkâMiss was sent aboard by the Zhao Family!"
The manâs hands, already deformed from severe burns, crushed the armrest of the chair beside him.
After a long silence, he finally said: "At all costs, bring her back!"
"Yes, sir!"
The room returned to silence. The man took off the mask on his face.
In the pitch-dark room, with no one able to see, his face was horribly disfigured from burns, the whole person looking exceptionally distorted.
The manâs trembling fingers touched the photo frame on the tableâthe smiling young girl in the photo was Yun Ran.
Shen Jun, whose face was so burned he could no longer smile or even shed tears, now had a gaze brimming with endless hatred.
"Baby, daddy wonât let anything happen to you!"
He then abruptly stood up, limping as he opened a secret chamber within the room, and descended via an elevator into it.
Looking at the woman chained by massive iron chains, he pressed a red button next to him, symbolizing punishment.