Chapter 57: 057

Chapter 57: 057

In the interrogation room, Liang Jie sat across from the table, fearless and even smiling as he met the gaze of the police officer.

"If there's nothing else you need to ask, can I leave now?"

"Sure, go ahead. Thank you for your cooperation." His smile was unsettling, but everyone could understand his mood. The killer of his wife had been killed by the same method used on her. If it were her, she would have laughed heartily too.

"You're welcome; it's what I should do."

Liang Jie left the interrogation room with a smile. The couple outside immediately rushed towards him, but several police officers intervened to hold them back.

"What are you doing? Arrest him! He killed my son; he's a murderer!" the woman screamed.

If not for their professional decorum, the people present would have shouted back that her son was also a murderer. If not for being a minor, he would have been executed!

Nevertheless, their suspicion wasn't entirely unfounded. Logically, Liang Jie was the prime suspect. However, their investigation and evidence showed that Liang Jie couldn't have done it. He was just an ordinary engineer, skilled at his job but not good at socializing. He didn't know any influential figures and certainly didn't have enough money to bribe those hardened criminals to risk their lives for him. This was truly risking their lives; in prison, such an act turned them from serving long sentences into death row inmates.

Liang Jie: "Please watch your words, or I'll sue you for defamation. I suggest you reflect on why you raised such a monster. What else did he do behind your backs? Who did he offend? Then tell me, and I'll be grateful to the point of bankruptcy!"

The couple was so enraged they nearly exploded, while Liang Jie laughed and left.

"How do you do your jobs? We pay taxes to support such useless people! You let a murderer walk free, useless, all of you are useless!" the man raged at the police, as if he might have a stroke at any moment.

The police had to endure this, only complaining among themselves once the couple left. No wonder they raised such a son; their genes were bad, leading to a bad seed.

"Alright, Xiao Fang," the team leader called out.

"Yes, boss?"

"You go and tail Liang Jie. Xiaomi, continue monitoring his phone and computer to see if he contacts anyone..."

"Understood. When I asked him about the transfer, his reaction was odd. He seemed surprised we were asking about it, as if he thought we should already know where the money went. But then his surprise quickly turned to realization."

"This person... keep an eye on him."

They had no evidence linking Liang Jie directly to the case, but he wasn't without suspicion. Last night, he transferred three million, and its destination was unknown. Despite extensive account investigations, the money vanished. Liang Jie insisted it was his private matter, unrelated to the case, and refused to answer further questions.

They couldn't prove his transfer was linked to the case, and forcing him to answer wouldn't help. Even if Liang Jie hired killers, how could the mastermind set everything up within two hours?

This was too strange. His intuition told him Liang Jie must be involved somehow.

...

The police chief opened the file, his face changing upon reading the report. After hesitating, he picked up the phone.

"I have a case... it's not certain if it's human-caused, but it's strange. I'm not sure if it's related to M City..."

...

Inside a luxurious mansion, Qin Lanyue just woke up when a man leaned over, kissed her face, and gazed into her eyes with adoration.

It was Chao Xi, the top celebrity with over seventy million followers on social media. Undoubtedly the most handsome male star in the country, he had maintained a clean record since his debut, never involved in any scandals. He had always been pure and unattainable until his date with Qin Lanyue was photographed, causing a shockwave in the fan community, with several young female fans even committing suicide.

Because of his superior looks, Qin Lanyue doted on him. Regardless of her many affairs, he was the only one who consistently shared her bed.

"Yueyue, I have to go out of town for a shoot. Will you come with me?"

Qin Lanyue, still in high spirits from last night, was willing to indulge him. Moreover, Chao Xi's female fans were strong, continuously sending her jealousy, the strongest negative energy, which lasted long and was abundant. But recently, it had dwindled, and she needed to stimulate it.

"Where are you going?" Qin Lanyue looked at him seductively, her eyes like whirlpools that could draw away one's soul.

"M City. 'Super Conquest' is filming there, and I'm going as a guest star."

M City...

Qin Lanyue's expression changed. "M City... forget it, I don't want to go there. Why don't you skip it too?"

"I can't, Yueyue. The payment has already been made." Chao Xi almost agreed not to go, but something was different this time. He was running out of money and needed to earn more to support her.

Though a ruler, Qin Lanyue indulged in earthly pleasures—men, food, luxury, and the envy of others. Her expenses were enormous, even for someone as famous as Chao Xi, who struggled to support her financially.

"Then go alone; I won't come." Qin Lanyue pushed Chao Xi away, clearly refusing. She would never go to M City; the time wasn't right.

Chao Xi wouldn't force Qin Lanyue, so he got up to pack his things.

Qin Lanyue watched him, thinking it would be a pity if he died. She hadn't grown tired of his face, and there were so many fans... but she wouldn't risk herself for him.

So, she called him over, wrapped her arms around his neck, and blew a breath on him. "Be good, skip the shoot, don't go to M City."

Chao Xi's eyes glazed over, and he nodded. "Okay. I won't go."

That day, Chao Xi's agent and assistant couldn't reach him. The production team waiting for him in M City couldn't wait any longer and had to call another actor to replace him.

...

Liang Jie returned home and immediately took out his phone, opening the app and entering the Fate Card Shop.

When the police asked about the transfer, he suddenly realized the shop's strangeness. An online store selling such expensive items required rigorous verification and procedures, yet his order processed instantly, and the money left his bank account. Just like how he received messages despite not following the shop.

This shop definitely wasn't run by humans.

His breathing quickened as he looked at the shop's sole item.

Card Blind Box, Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced... Initially, he thought the shop was a fraudulent scheme preying on the gullible, and he was the gullible one being ridiculed. Feeling disheartened, he placed an order to see how much further fate would ridicule him. However, instead of ridicule, he received miraculous cards.

Three million wasn't much. If a basic card had such incredible functions, what about intermediate and advanced cards?

His original target was the mastermind, but now, he wanted to punish the other three monsters and even their parents. Was the pain of losing a child enough?

He wanted curse cards, more curse cards! Or any other tool that could help him take revenge! But he had no money left. The three million was the down payment for their house, saved from his years of work, to ensure they would have a real home after the child was born. The remaining money was far from enough to draw another set of cards.

He had to find a way to get more money immediately...

Ding dong!

Liang Jie grabbed his phone, thinking it might be a message from Jiang Xingzhuo. Unfortunately, this time it was just a news push notification from a subscription he had.

Just as he was feeling disappointed, his eyes lit up as he read the news.

...

"Mianmian, are you sure about this number?"

"Yes, I'm sure..."

Conversations echoed from the main hall, while on the second floor in a guest room, Jiang Xingzhuo was using her abilities to observe the world.

Soon, the outside quieted down, and someone approached, knocking on the door.

"Come in."

"Master." "Jiang Mian" entered with fruits, her eyes and expression mirroring Jiang Ying's, filled with complete trust and reliance on her creator.

Indeed, Jiang Xingzhuo had created another puppet. Her current body had complex relationships and business dealings; if she suddenly disappeared, it would attract too much attention. But Jiang Xingzhuo wouldn't waste time pretending to be Jiang Mian, so she made a puppet to handle the original owner's work and relationships. With experience from creating Jiang Ying, this time she used fewer points.

Jiang Xingzhuo could now comfortably return to her own face, finding it strange to live with someone else's face. She preferred her own.

She smiled, waiting for her second client, her slender fingers dancing over the keyboard like playful elves.

Although she wasn't certain what creatures existed in this world, Jiang Xingzhuo could determine what actions were safe by observing the behavior of the "predecessor" who arrived here earlier.

She didn't use the All-Knowing Eye; UR-level cards emitted too much energy, which could be detected by Qin Lanyue or worse, by the mysterious unknown beings. Until she understood what those beings were, she wouldn't risk it.

But without the Overlord System, she could still gather the information she needed.

Infiltrating the government intranet, she investigated Qin Lanyue's family background, tracking her movements through ID records and online discussions. Filtering out useless comments, she extracted valuable information.

The technology in this world was less advanced than in her original world, making these operations effortless for her. In the previous world, she didn't need to be as cautious, so there was no need for such effort.

Qin Lanyue likely came to this world during the talent show year. The body she used was that of a quiet, studious girl until the sudden personality change, indicating Qin Lanyue's possession. This meant Qin Lanyue had only been here for a short time, explaining why she hadn't yet launched a larger plan to extract energy. Her flirtations with male celebrities might just be a warm-up.

Reviewing Qin Lanyue's activities over the past two years, Jiang Xingzhuo noticed she disappeared for a month in May, six months ago.

Jiang Xingzhuo suspected that during her disappearance, a massive creature in this world emerged, causing her to hide out of fear. After a month, she resumed her travels, first to City N, then City J, and City K... circling around City M cautiously, sneakily, and with a hint of testing the waters. Then she reappeared, more discreet but still provocatively flirting with male stars.

It seemed the massive creature was hiding in City M, and Qin Lanyue feared it but didn't leave the world, suggesting there was another purpose beyond just energy extraction.

Regardless, Qin Lanyue's cautious probing suggested that the creature either hadn't noticed her or didn't care, much like an elephant ignoring an ant.

With this understanding, Jiang Xingzhuo relaxed slightly, leaning back in her chair.

...

A taxi stopped in front of a private hospital, and Liang Jie stepped out.

He touched the card in his pocket, took a deep breath, and walked in with determination.

This private hospital was renowned for treating the elite and wealthy. Security was already tight, and even stricter now because a powerful figure had been admitted yesterday.

"Stop right there," a guard intercepted him. "Who are you?"

Such a high-level hospital wasn't accessible to just anyone.

"I'm here to visit Mr. Jiang. I brought a gift, something he desires most. Please inform him," Liang Jie said.

"Get lost. Do you think this is some place where you can just barge in and make announcements?" The guard tried to shoo him away.

"Mr. Jiang! Mr. Jiang, I have what you want most!" Liang Jie shouted loudly, drawing the attention of patients in nearby rooms.

Liang Jie screamed desperately, resisting the guards' attempts to remove him. He wouldn't give up easily, as Mr. Jiang was the perfect candidate to fund his card purchases.

The commotion finally drew the attention of the Jiang family, and a refined man descended.

"You claim to have what the old man wants most?" He sized up Liang Jie.

"Exactly."

"What is it?"

"This item must be seen by Mr. Jiang himself." Liang Jie straightened his clothes, confident. "If you let me see Mr. Jiang, I guarantee he'll be so pleased he'll give me 100 million yuan."

The guard, struggling to carry him away, looked at him as if he were mad, wondering how he could be so strong.

The man sneered. "Kid, you're bold. Do you know the consequences of false pretenses?"

"I'm honest and never deceive."

"Fine." The man nodded, called someone inside, and spoke briefly. "Yes, he claims Mr. Jiang will be so pleased he'll give him 100 million yuan... Alright..."

He hung up and said to Liang Jie, "Come with me."

Mr. Jiang resided in a VIP suite on the top floor. Lying in bed, his aged face gazed at the ceiling.

At 86, he faced his final surgery tomorrow, unsure if he would survive. He sensed his life might end on the operating table.

Clutching his aching heart, he laughed bitterly, saying to those around him, "That kid claims to have what I want most. How could he possibly know what I desire?"

The young man beside him shook his head.

"Maybe he’s found some evidence about the trouble caused by those good-for-nothing family members, or perhaps he’s being used. I’d like to see what he brings." It might be the last bit of entertainment.

Shortly after, Liang Jie was brought in.

Liang Jie: "Mr. Jiang."

Mr. Jiang’s eyes swept over his empty hands and looked at Liang Jie, who instantly felt nervous. Even though this elderly man was clearly on his last legs, his eyes, though no longer as sharp as an eagle’s in his youth, still exuded a strong sense of pressure.

"Mr. Jiang, I want to make a deal with you. I’ve brought something you desire most, and the purchase price is one hundred million."

"Where is it?" Opening with one hundred million, the young man had big ambitions and a big appetite, but not much sense.

"This item isn’t suitable for outsiders to see." Liang Jie’s gaze swept over the two young people present, who looked like twins, very similar.

"Yiqiu and Yidong are my most trusted people; there’s nothing they can’t see."

"Fine." Liang Jie didn’t waste time, "I think, Mr. Jiang, what you crave most now is longevity."

Mr. Jiang was taken aback, then laughed, "Yes, how so? Can you give it to me?"

Liang Jie smiled, "Yes."

He had a longevity card in his pocket that could extend a person’s life by one month. For someone as young as him, this card wasn’t particularly useful. But for Mr. Jiang, it was different. Everyone said he wouldn’t survive the upcoming surgery, and his children were already fighting over his assets. In reality, at his age, it was indeed difficult, and even if he managed to survive the surgery, he likely wouldn’t live much longer.

Therefore, this longevity card was an irresistible temptation for him.