The violent knocking on the door was like a death knell, sending chills down one’s spine.
A glint of shrewdness flashed in Ye Sangsang’s eyes as she gently placed the bag in her hand on the protruding stone slab on the second floor. She quickly descended and shouted impatiently, “What’s going on? What’s going on?”
She had loosened half of her belt and was tying it back up as she went to open the door.
The simple wooden door creaked as it swung open.
As soon as she opened it, four or five burly men barged in.
Ye Sangsang hurriedly fastened her belt and looked at them in panic. “What’s happening? Who are you? I’m telling you, I don’t have any money!”
The leader of the group turned to look at Ye Sangsang, his gaze lingering on her expression and hands.
“Search the place,” he ordered. The four men immediately ransacked the room, turning it upside down.
Ye Sangsang looked at the leader, her anger barely contained. “Boss Wang, what’s this about? If you’re not willing, I won’t force you.”
Wang Zhi gave her a disdainful glance, then turned his attention to the woman lying on the bed. “What’s wrong with her?”
“She had some drinks. I like it when people get drunk, so I bought a couple of beers, thinking she’d pass out…” Ye Sangsang said casually.
Wang Zhi frowned slightly and roughly shook the woman.
The woman let out a soft moan.
Wang Zhi’s wariness toward Ye Sangsang lessened a little.
By then, the men had finished searching the room. Aside from some clothes and everyday items, they found nothing of interest.
Wang Zhi shoved his hands into his pockets, gave a slight smirk, and turned to leave.
Ye Sangsang watched the group leave, her face a mix of anger and helplessness.
Once they were gone, she quickly closed the door.
【That was close.】
【After Wang Zhi was caught, he realized someone was out to kill him, so he became suspicious of Sister Sang and came to search her place.】
【Thankfully, everything went smoothly. But with so many people around him, it’s going to be tough to deal with him.】
Ye Sangsang also realized how cautious Wang Zhi had become. She muttered softly, “Looks like I’ll need to find a way to lure him out of this village.”
She wasn’t in a rush, but the audience was.
【Ahhhh, I’m so nervous! Based on the previous information, Wei Qingzheng has already gone to Lin City! If he finds out the truth and comes back, Sister Sang will have a motive for murder!】
【I’m the King of Impatience! Please, let the mission go smoothly!】
【I’m like a monkey swinging from tree to tree, howling in frustration all over the mountain!】
The comments were going wild. It felt like an ad popping up at the most critical moment.
Even the admin joined in, leaving a comment in the chat.
A flood of gifts wishing Ye Sangsang success appeared, nearly blocking the entire screen and making it hard to see the live stream.
High-value gifts were announced in a loop on Star Ring Live, drawing countless new viewers to the channel.
Among them were people who had drawn the “Criminal Files” mission, the same one Ye Sangsang was currently in. They were utterly confused because this version of the mission was nothing like what they had seen before!
Why was this mission so long? And why did it have so much plot?
Previously, they had seen other streamers fail at Wang Shun’s stage, or get caught after completing the killing mission.
The furthest anyone had gotten was completing the killing mission without getting caught, but they couldn’t trigger the next part of the mission.
Now, after tuning into this live stream, they realized that this mission was far more extensive. Wang Shun’s case was just the beginning!
【Wuwuwu, the previous streamers lied to me! I thought the mission had a bug, but it turns out it didn’t!】
【Can someone explain what’s going on? What’s happening now?】
【If it weren’t for Sun Bin’s face, I wouldn’t believe this was the “Rainy Night Taxi” mission!】
The regular viewers, though anxious, were patient. They took turns explaining the general plot to the newcomers.
The chat was soon filled with question marks and exclamation marks.
Thanks to this, the live stream quickly climbed into the top 50 on the trending chart, with the number of viewers reaching 180,000.
Everyone was curious about how the mission would end.
Ye Sangsang had no idea she was carrying the curiosity of 180,000 people. She tucked the woman on the bed under the blanket and removed her clothes.
She didn’t do anything else, quietly pondering her next move.
Ye Sangsang initially considered reporting Wang Zhi.
But before that, she needed to have someone keep an eye on him. If he slipped away, she’d have to spend money to track him down.
The original informant couldn’t be used anymore. Wang Zhi must have known that person, which was why he was aware of her presence nearby.
Or maybe she didn’t need to go through all that trouble.
An idea crossed her mind, and her expression grew more thoughtful.
The only downside was that this plan would take some time and a bit of luck.
But after some consideration, she decided it was feasible.
Ye Sangsang waited until dawn, sent the woman on her way, and left the rented house.
She needed to make a call to check on the situation in Lin City. The twists and turns here had made her uncertain about the progress of things.
Back at home, Lin Shu made a call to their hometown.
The call went to the village convenience store, and the person who answered would call Sun Bin’s parents to pick up.
After a while, a hoarse voice came through. “What’s the matter? Why are you calling?”
“How’s the girl?” Lin Shu asked.
There was a moment of silence on the other end before a forced calm voice replied, “She’s… she’s fine. She’s just being naughty and ran off somewhere. We can’t find her.”
Lin Shu paused briefly. “Is everything okay at home? How’s Mom?”
“Everything’s fine! Don’t worry about us, just focus on making money out there!” the hoarse voice said, convincingly portraying an old man hiding the possible death of his granddaughter while still searching for her.
Lin Shu chatted for a bit longer, then handed the phone to Ye Sangsang. After they finished talking, they reluctantly hung up.
Once the call ended, both of their expressions turned grave.
Wei Qingzheng was moving too fast. He had already started investigating Sun Bin’s hometown.
Asking about the girl was a way to check if anything unusual had happened.
Asking about the mother and if everything was okay at home was their code.
If they said everything was fine, it meant something was wrong. If they said something was wrong, it meant everything was fine.
It seemed they had to speed things up…
Lin Shu closed her eyes. “If we can’t lure him out alone, I’ll join you in the action.”
As for how they would take on a group of people, her mind was a jumbled mess.
The fact that Wang Zhi was still alive filled her with anxiety, making her restless and uneasy.
Ye Sangsang noticed her tension and said softly, “Don’t stress. Try to relax. Take a deep breath.”
Lin Shu was clearly on edge and needed to calm down first.
Once Lin Shu had relaxed, Ye Sangsang retrieved the medicine she had hidden in the floor tile gap and left.
She waited until the afternoon. Instead of going to her informant, she wandered around the area and found the night market stall the owner had mentioned as the most popular. She offered to work as a free apprentice.
Who wouldn’t love free labor? The owner agreed immediately after seeing her earnest expression.
She started with skewering meat.
Ye Sangsang was skilled at makeup. She glued on a fake beard, put on a longer wig, darkened her complexion slightly, and added some eyeliner. Unless someone looked closely, they wouldn’t recognize her as Sun Bin.
In the two days she had rented the house, Ye Sangsang hadn’t been idle. Not only had she modified the tools she needed, but she had also gathered some intel.
For example, she had learned that this night market barbecue stall was very popular, and the locals loved eating there.
Wang Zhi and his men, having come from humble beginnings, had a particular fondness for barbecue and beer.
From the boss lady, she further learned that Wang Zhi liked to have food delivered to his place.
Initially, Ye Sangsang had thought this plan was too convoluted and might not work, so she hadn’t pursued it. Now, with no other choice, she decided to give it a try.
Perhaps luck was on Ye Sangsang’s side.
On the first day, there were no orders, but on the second day, one of Wang Zhi’s lackeys came and placed a large order for delivery.
Ye Sangsang volunteered to deliver it, saying she lived nearby.
The stall was swamped, and since she had been diligent the past two days, they quickly agreed.
Ye Sangsang breathed a subtle sigh of relief. Her efforts to befriend the others and take on the most exhausting tasks had paid off.
An hour later, she carried a grilled fish, a pile of skewers, and canned beer toward Wang Zhi’s place.
The straight-line distance was over three hundred meters. She walked to a deserted corner, put down her things, and took out a syringe. She didn't choose to drug the barbecue but instead injected the substance directly into the beer.
She injected a small amount into each can from the edge of the seal. Although the dose was minimal, drinking one can would induce a "drunken state."
Based on her observations, the people inside had a fondness for alcohol.
After completing her task, she carried the items to the designated spot.
Ye Sangsang acted naturally and confidently, without any signs of nervousness or restraint. She enthusiastically arranged the items and then asked the young man for payment.
Wang Zhi spoke to her, and she responded smoothly.
Why disguises are easily seen through is because of the tension and nervousness that others can detect, which inevitably raises suspicions.
Sure enough, Wang Zhi didn't see through Ye Sangsang. In fact, he even complimented the boss for hiring such a capable staff member.
Ye Sangsang finished arranging the items, smiled in response, collected the money, and turned to leave.
The small room was packed with twelve or thirteen people.
After completing her task, Ye Sangsang told them she was heading back and walked toward the door.
"Wait!"
Wang Zhi's voice called out.
Ye Sangsang turned around, "What is it, boss?"
Wang Zhi took out a stack of cash from his bag and counted out a few bills.
Ye Sangsang's eyes flickered with a hint of greed at the right moment.
Seeing her expression, Wang Zhi handed her three twenty-dollar bills, "Go buy two more cases of beer for me. Keep the rest for yourself."
Ye Sangsang couldn't help but swallow hard and quickly stepped forward, fawning.
"Sure! Boss Wang is so generous! May your business prosper and flourish!" She took the money and scurried off, her smile genuine.
Wang Zhi burst into laughter, "You're so sweet-talking. When are you going to start working with me?"
[Sometimes I think Sister Sang is a real talent. She doesn't get nervous at all!]
[If it were me, I'd be so jittery that I'd get dragged away for questioning! Sister Sang's mental strength is incredible.]
[When he shouted, my legs went weak, thinking we'd been caught.]
As Ye Sangsang left the room, the live chat finally breathed a collective sigh of relief.
Then they watched as Ye Sangsang went to the shop owner's store, bought two cases of canned beer, calmly walked to an empty alley, and injected the remaining drug into the cans.
Her nerves of steel were unmatched.
After finishing, she carried the beer straight to Wang Zhi's place.
Once inside, she put on a flattering smile, tore open the injected beer cans, and placed them on the table for everyone.
Wang Zhi looked at Ye Sangsang and waved his hand, "Take one for yourself and have a drink with me!"
"Thank you, thank you! Thank you, boss!" Ye Sangsang calmly picked up a can that hadn't been injected, opened it with gratitude, and carefully raised it to toast Wang Zhi.
After the toast, she tilted her head back and drank.
Then she excused herself, saying the shop was too busy and that the boss would get angry if she was late.
Wang Zhi said a few words before finally letting her go.
Ye Sangsang quickly returned to the barbecue shop, claiming she had a stomachache and asked for half a day off.
The boss was displeased and told her not to come back the next day.
Ye Sangsang took off her gloves and left without a second thought.
She drove her car nearby, removed her disguise, and then drove through winding streets to Wang Zhi's location.
After reinforcing the anesthetic effect with a cloth soaked in the drug, she grabbed Wang Zhi's feet and dragged him out from among the sprawled bodies in the room.
She didn't have much strength, so this was the only way she could manage it.
Dragging him to the car also helped cover her footprints—killing two birds with one stone.
Once he was in the car, Ye Sangsang drove away.
Not long after, two figures carried a person to the second floor of her rented apartment.
After a while, Lin Shu quietly left.
The most dangerous place is often the safest.
Ye Sangsang looked at Wang Zhi, who was now tied up with a cloth stuffed in his mouth, and smiled with satisfaction.
It was done. She had succeeded.
As she looked at him, she picked up the modified cutting machine.
The time spent tying him up was enough for her to accomplish a lot.
