Chapter 117 19

Chapter 117: 19

In the afternoon, Ningcheng.

Fang Jue ran breathlessly back to the coffee shop on the street, slapping his thigh in regret. "We were just a little too late..."

They had been only dozens of meters away from the restaurant where the group was dining. Just moments earlier, He Lin, sensing something amiss from the wiretap, had given Fang Jue a meaningful look, and Fang Jue had immediately sprinted out.

Unfortunately, the alley was somewhat roundabout, and by the time he arrived, he saw Jiang Mei being dragged away by Xie Nian.

The woman was trembling, pulled along by Xie Nian like a helpless lamb caught in the jaws of a starving wolf, utterly powerless to break free.

Fearing he might tip them off, Fang Jue could only pretend to be a passerby, brushing past them.

After they had moved away, Fang Jue looped around and ran back to rejoin He Lin.

"We didn’t anticipate this situation either. Just treat it as a suicide drill practice," He Lin comforted him. "Having an extra witness when we eventually rescue her might not be such a bad thing."

On the open laptop, the group’s conversation was being recorded, and the tracking device was functioning normally.

Hearing that the group was moving to their next location, He Lin hurriedly packed up the items on the table.

Fang Jue instinctively went to drive, while He Lin took the passenger seat.

The white police car followed the ride-hailing car carrying the four from a distance, merging into the traffic flow of Ningcheng.

Their next stop was a KTV. Seeing the group enter, He Lin waited a few minutes before going in with Fang Jue. The dim lighting inside made it unlikely they would be recognized, so he booked a karaoke room next to theirs.

As soon as they entered, He Lin turned off the audio system, intending to focus on the sounds from next door. Fang Jue also picked up a headset and plugged it into his ear.

The faint sound of music from the adjacent room mixed with the audio from the headset, creating an echo effect.

The two listened for a while in silence. After some time, He Lin was forced to lower the volume. He was worried about missing crucial information, but real-time surveillance didn’t allow for pausing.

"Are we really going to listen to this all afternoon? Not one of them can sing well. Captain He, if my ears get infected, it should count as a work-related injury," Fang Jue grumbled as he listened.

He Lin sighed, rubbing his forehead. "I have to say, Cheng Xiaoyi’s singing... Cheng Xiaoyi... Cheng Xiaoyi is more of a talker."

.

Next door, the lighting was dim, and Xie Nian had ordered plenty of alcohol.

Everyone took turns choosing songs, mostly old classics. At first, they were somewhat reserved, but after a few drinks, they began to loosen up.

When people are about to die, they stop caring about how they sound—it becomes purely a form of release.

Cheng Xiaoyi sang several songs in a row.

Gu Chuxi suggested playing dice. Whether she was cheating or not, the ones who kept losing were always Cheng Xiaoyi and Jiang Mei. Cheng Xiaoyi would mix a little mixer into her alcohol, but Jiang Mei was chugging hers straight, one gulp after another. The alcohol affected her quickly, turning her face bright red.

As if afraid she might try to run again, Gu Chuxi kept a closer watch on her, preventing her from interacting with the staff and even standing guard outside the restroom stall when she went to the toilet.

When everyone was slightly tipsy but not fully drunk, Gu Chuxi switched the music to background music.

Then she took out paper and a pen, raised her glass, and said to the group, "We’re about to die. Today, we need to arrange our final affairs. We’re all choosing to take our own lives voluntarily, so we shouldn’t cause trouble for others. We must write final letters and say everything we want to say."

"Also, remember to leave behind your phone passwords and bank card PINs so your families can access them. Consider it our final legacy to the world."

After saying this, Gu Chuxi downed her drink.

Cheng Xiaoyi knew immediately that this was their way of swindling money from others. The final letters were meant to make their deaths appear voluntary.

Xie Nian was the first to start writing. After a moment’s thought, he began writing furiously and soon filled an entire page.

By this point, Jiang Mei was even more distraught. Her mind was a complete mess, and she said in a trembling voice, "I don’t know how to write one."

At this, Gu Chuxi once again displayed her gentleness. She pulled a final letter from her pocket and said, "This is the one I prepared earlier. You can use it as a reference."

Jiang Mei took it with shaking hands, seemingly genuinely intending to use it as a guide. After reading it, she seemed moved and began to cry again.

Seeing this, Cheng Xiaoyi also went over to read the "final letter."

"Dear Mom and Dad, by the time you read this letter, I will have already left this world..."

Cheng Xiaoyi knew that Chen Xiao’s parents had long passed away, but Gu Chuxi’s were still alive. Some of the grievances expressed in the note carried a ring of genuine emotion.

"Just write whatever you want to say," Gu Chuxi said with a somber expression, her eyelashes lowered and tears glistening in her eyes.

What great acting, Cheng Xiaoyi thought. If she hadn’t already known the truth behind it all and seen the signature—"Chen Xiao"—she might have fallen for it.

But to keep up the act, Cheng Xiaoyi also began writing, using the note as reference. She thought of her parents, Captain He, Li Shang, Lao Wu, and Fang Jue. Immersing herself in the role, she made herself cry as she wrote. For the passwords and numbers at the end, she naturally used fake ones and signed as Yu Sining.

Finally, Jiang Mei also completed her final letter, signing her name without any suspicion.

Cheng Xiaoyi looked at Jiang Mei with pity. From this moment on, her life and death were no longer in her own hands.

Jiang Mei, however, remained completely unaware of the deception. She carefully folded the note and placed it in her pocket. Completing this task seemed to have drained all her energy. Her face was still flushed, and she sat with her head bowed, lost in thought and silent.

By the time they finished this step, it was already past 4 p.m. They left the KTV and went to withdraw some cash.

Gu Chuxi explained that this money was called "corpse retrieval money" or "funeral money."

If someone discovered their bodies, they hoped the finder would, for the money's sake, notify their families and contact the police, ensuring they wouldn’t be left out in the open.

Gu Chuxi added, "Since we’re going to die anyway, money is just a worldly possession—useless to us now. Consider it our final offering to this world."

Cheng Xiaoyi curled her lip at this explanation. "A thief never leaves empty-handed," she thought. These two were probably worried about issues with bank card or mobile transfers and wanted to get their hands on some cash, however little.

Despite her inner criticisms, she obediently followed their instructions.

Cheng Xiaoyi entered the ATM vestibule alone, gritting her teeth as she withdrew ten thousand yuan from her savings. She thought to herself that if this money couldn’t be recovered, she’d have to get Captain He to reimburse her.

Jiang Mei also withdrew money. After everything she’d been through, it was as if her heart had died first. She had become like a zombie, doing whatever Gu Chuxi told her without question.

With this step completed, they were to spend the night at an inn near the mountains.

Naturally, the two didn’t dare book a proper hotel and instead reserved rooms at a guesthouse. The guesthouse had limited rooms and was quite popular.

When they arrived at the guesthouse entrance, Xie Nian glanced at the booking information and pretended to be surprised. "Oh no, it seems I accidentally booked two rooms with double beds. It’s too late to find another place now. How are we going to sleep tonight?"

Gu Chuxi laughed lightly. "What’s the big deal? You two figure it out. Once you’ve figured it out, we’ll check in."

Cheng Xiaoyi, looking at the two acting like strangers, suggested, "How about you two share a room, and we two share the other?"

Gu Chuxi immediately rejected the idea. "I’m not sharing a room with a strange man."

Cheng Xiaoyi thought, "Why don’t you just say outright that a woman needs to share a room with him tonight?"

Xie Nian smiled at Cheng Xiaoyi. "Have you ever been with a man before?"

Cheng Xiaoyi shook her head coldly. "No."

Xie Nian said, "So you'll die a virgin, never having experienced the joys of sex. Don't you regret that?"

Cheng Xiaoyi replied, "No." She glanced at Xie Nian and added, "What if I said I’ve had a boyfriend before?"

"Then it’s the perfect time to relive that passion," Xie Nian said with a smirk.

Now Cheng Xiaoyi understood why Wu Yuening’s body had this man’s DNA—he was a devil who destroys people without a trace.

She coldly refused, "Sorry, I don’t sleep with strangers."

Xie Nian didn’t push her and turned to Jiang Mei instead. "What about you?"

Jiang Mei trembled, finally realizing the man was propositioning her. Shaking, she lowered her head and said, "I have a husband."

Xie Nian sneered, "That's pathetic. You’re still staying loyal at a time like this? Should I award you a chastity arch? You’re going to die having only been with your husband—tsk, tsk."

Jiang Mei’s face turned pale at his words.

Seeing this, Cheng Xiaoyi quickly pulled Jiang Mei away. "Enough, enough. Don’t listen to his nonsense. The three of us women can share a room. We can ask the front desk for an extra bed, or I can sleep on the sofa. If necessary, we can even squeeze in on the bed."

Gu Chuxi stood by with her arms crossed, watching the scene unfold.

But after a moment of silence, Jiang Mei suddenly looked up, grabbed Xie Nian’s arm, and said, "You... you’re right. I’m going to die soon—what’s the point of holding onto my integrity? I’ve lived by the rules my whole life, while he’s been carefree and happy. Why should I...?"

As if seeking revenge on her husband, Jiang Mei held Xie Nian’s hand and walked inside with him.

Xie Nian smiled triumphantly and glanced back at Cheng Xiaoyi.

Cheng Xiaoyi stared at Jiang Mei, feeling both anger at her lack of resolve and sorrow for her misfortune.

The rooms were finally settled: Gu Chuxi and Cheng Xiaoyi in one room, Xie Nian and Jiang Mei in the other.

With the accommodation issue resolved, no one was in the mood for dinner. They just grabbed a quick bite downstairs at the guesthouse.

After entering the room, Gu Chuxi said to Cheng Xiaoyi, "I’m going to take a shower."

Cheng Xiaoyi nodded.

Gu Chuxi touched her long hair and said, "You're next when I'm out." She smiled. "You’d want to leave this world clean too, right?"

.

Outside the guesthouse, in a white police car, He Lin sat in the driver’s seat, wearing a surveillance earpiece while eating a chicken wrap.

Fang Jue was already lying in the passenger seat. To prepare for working late, he decided to rest early and was now sprawled out, snoring softly.

He Lin had made the arrangements: he would monitor the situation until 9 p.m., then hand over to the detectives from Zhou Chenlin’s team. After that, he would head to the base around 10 p.m. to pick up Li Shang and return to the apartment together.

Li Shang would be done at the Tianning Base after today. If there were enough personnel, he could take a day off tomorrow. He Lin didn’t want him involved in the arrest.

With just these two suspects and Cheng Xiaoyi working from the inside, leading the team would be enough.

If Li Shang joined, it would be overkill.

Once these two were captured, the entire team could return to Yuncheng.

A perfect wrap-up.

After returning, He Lin could find a way to have Li Shang stay with him, so he wouldn’t suffer alone anymore.

With this plan in mind, He Lin sent a message to Li Shang: "How are things on your end? Our surveillance today was mostly smooth, but there’s another hostage, so we need to be extra careful. Don't forget to eat on time."

.

Meanwhile, in the command room at the Tianning Base, multiple large screens displayed the drill from various angles.

Although it was just a drill, no step could be taken lightly, and the atmosphere in the command room was tense.

As the last hostage was rescued, the drill finally concluded, and applause broke out in the hall.

Rong Qing sat in front of the computer, jotting down key points from the drill. The participating teams had performed well, but there were still many details that could be improved.

His phone lit up, and he picked it up, unlocking it to check the message.

A slight smile touched Rong Qing’s lips as he replied with a simple "Okay."

A junior team member who had joined the base two years ago, responsible for logistics, approached him respectfully and said, "Captain Rong, the meals for you and the other leaders have arrived."

Rong Qing replied, "Thank you, I’ll be right there."

He coordinated with Detachment Commander Shi, allowing the leaders to leave first for their meal.

A moment later, Rong Qing’s expression turned serious again. He lightly adjusted his earpiece and said coolly, "Group Two, take a short break. Clear Area Three. Hostage Taker Group C, prepare. The sixth drill will begin in 30 minutes."

.

The night seemed calm on the surface.

Gu Chuxi emerged from the shower, her long hair half-dry. She changed into clean clothes from her backpack and gently combed her hair. She said to Cheng Xiaoyi, "Your turn. Go ahead."

Cheng Xiaoyi hesitated but eventually entered the bathroom.

She remembered from her criminal psychology studies that some suicides would bathe and change into clean clothes beforehand. But Cheng Xiaoyi felt uneasy, worried that undressing to shower would leave her vulnerable.

So she decided to run the water, wet her hair, and change her outerwear.

With that in mind, she turned on the faucet.

Hearing the sound of running water from the bathroom, Gu Chuxi hummed softly, seemingly in a good mood.

Just then, her phone rang, displaying an unfamiliar number.

Gu Chuxi frowned. This number was taken from another suicide victim, and she kept it active for communication purposes only—never for deliveries or packages.

Was it a spam call, or…?

Suspicious, she answered anyway. "Hello."

"Gu Chuxi, hello."

The voice on the other end was a man’s. Those five words made Gu Chuxi’s pupils narrow. Even Xie Nian didn't know this name—how did this man know?

After a moment of hesitation, she regained her composure. Leaning slightly to the side, she frowned and lowered her voice. "Who are you?"

"I know what you’ve done and what you’re doing now. You’ve fallen into a police trap. The woman with you is an undercover officer, and other police are watching from downstairs. They’ll close the net before you enter the mountains tomorrow."

Police?

Gu Chuxi’s expression turned serious, filled with disbelief.

Was he referring to Yu Sining?

She glanced toward the bathroom, where water was still running, and scanned the room. How could anyone know such details? Was this man watching her? Were there cameras in the room?

She then hooked the curtain with her finger and peered outside. Not far from the side of the guesthouse, several cars were parked, one of which seemed to have someone inside.

Also, that app has been unable to log in recently, which is also quite strange.

Although Gu Chuxi didn't want to believe it, she quickly figured the man was probably telling the truth, and his willingness to share this information with her indicated he wasn’t with the police.

But he must have his own motives.

Gu Chuxi asked cautiously, "How did you find out my name, and why are you telling me this?"

While packing her bag, she continued listening on the phone.

Chen Xiao's identity had been exposed, but she had other ways—she wasn’t one to sit around waiting to be caught. Even if it meant a struggle, she would go down fighting.

Her mind raced, considering what to do, where to flee, which identity to use, and how to hide herself.

The person on the other end spoke again, like a demon whispering: "By yourself, you won’t be able to escape."

Gu Chuxi clenched her teeth and said, "We'll see about that."

The man replied, "The police have been investigating you for a long time. You recently killed a woman, didn’t you? You might consider accepting my offer and help. I have enough money and connections to give you a completely new identity and a fresh start."

Gu Chuxi said, "I’ll figure it out myself, and I haven’t agreed to anything yet. What exactly do you want?"

A light laugh came from the other end of the phone: "I’m just trying to help. With my help, you can do whatever you want. In this world, only I truly understand you. And right now, only I can help you."

Gu Chuxi frowned: "Understand my ass. I don’t know how you found out about these things, but cut the crap."

"You’ve always longed for a warm home. You wanted your parents’ love, and that’s what drives you to do all this," the man said.

"Idiot, who would crave something like that?" Gu Chuxi, touched on a raw nerve, began cursing violently.

"Just kidding." The man didn't seem bothered and continued, this time his casual tone disappeared and he turned serious. "You want to watch others die—it’s like dying yourself. You keep doing the same thing over and over, not just for money but to 'kill' yourself repeatedly. You want to get back at your parents. You despise yourself, you hate yourself, you wish you were dead, you hope your parents would grieve even for a moment. You’re repeatedly torturing your own soul. You’re using others’ deaths to forge your own rebirth."

Hearing this, Gu Chuxi took a deep breath and stopped what she was doing.

He had struck a chord—this guy was onto something.

She asked, "What should I call you?"

The man replied, "The current you doesn't deserve to know my name yet."

Gu Chuxi frowned and asked, "Then what do you want me to do?"

She didn’t know the other person, but she knew herself. If he was calling her, he was probably no saint either.

Where in the world is there a free lunch? This extended olive branch might very well be poisoned.

Sure enough, the man said, "Today’s situation is a test for you. I can help you escape, but you’ll have to put in some effort yourself. Frankly, I have some grievances with the police investigating this case. I want you to help my people take them out. Later, you can take the female officer and the other woman and leave immediately."

"You mean, move up the plan originally set for tomorrow?" Hearing this, Gu Chuxi’s lips trembled. So all that talk about helping her was just a lie—this was probably his real intention.

She instinctively refused: "You want me to help you kill people? And police? Killing cops is a big deal."

The man said, "You’ve killed before, haven’t you? Anyway, if you’re caught, you’re dead."

Gu Chuxi shuddered. She didn’t know how much evidence the police had or what kind of trial she would face if caught.

The man added, "Also, how do you plan to deal with the female officer and the other woman? Let them go?"

Gu Chuxi remained silent, so the man voiced the answer in her heart.

"If you let them go, they’ll provide the police with more detailed information. They’ve seen your faces. Only by killing them will you be safe. So, taking them all out is the best way to handle it."

Gu Chuxi was torn, her eyes downcast, biting her lip without speaking.

The man asked again, "Where were you originally planning to take them?"

Gu Chuxi’s lips moved: "Wuque Mountain."

The man said, "Crossing the mountain leads directly to the border—a good way to escape. It’s also a good place to take action. In fifteen minutes, someone will come by car to pick you up. The car will be parked at the back of the inn. It’ll take you to Wuque Mountain."

Gu Chuxi asked, "What else do I need to do?"

"Nothing." The man’s voice came through. "The bait has been set. All you need to do is escape. They’ll naturally follow. Once you’re on the mountain, those two women will be at your mercy."

He paused before adding, "I await your test results."

.

Cheng Xiaoyi had just gotten her hair damp and hadn’t fully dried it yet. Sitting on the toilet, she could barely hear the sound of a phone conversation in the room.

Shortly after, the door clicked—it seemed Gu Chuxi had gone out.

After waiting a while, Gu Chuxi hadn’t returned.

She was about to go out and check when the door opened again.

Cheng Xiaoyi had a vague sense of foreboding.

Someone knocked on the bathroom door: "Yu Sining, are you done? Come out for a moment." It was Gu Chuxi’s voice.

Cheng Xiaoyi called out, "Just a moment!" Then she quickly shut off the faucet.

Suddenly, she had an idea. She picked up her hair tie and felt the small tracking device. Cheng Xiaoyi ripped it off and put it in her mouth.

Zhou Chenlin had told her this morning that the tracker was waterproof.

Cheng Xiaoyi went to put on her outer clothes, reaching for the alarm on her clothing, but before she could find it, the door was kicked open with a bang.

Gu Chuxi, Xie Nian, and Jiang Mei were all standing at the doorway. Xie Nian was holding a shiny knife.

Aside from Jiang Mei, whose face was streaked with tears, the other two were looking at her coldly.

Gu Chuxi closed the door, took two steps forward, and entered the bathroom: "You’d better not try any tricks, or we’ll kill this woman right now."

Cheng Xiaoyi’s heart skipped a beat. For a moment, she didn’t know whether to continue pretending to be Yu Sining or to fight back.

Had she done something wrong? Had something happened?

Was she exposed now?

She couldn’t reach her phone or bag. She forced herself to calm down, pressing the small tracking device under her tongue.

Cheng Xiaoyi pretended not to understand and asked, "What do you mean by this?"

Gu Chuxi didn’t answer her but said directly, "Take off your clothes."

She didn’t fully trust the phone call earlier.

And she didn’t care about setting traps or killing police.

She needed to ensure her escape was as safe as possible, so she first had to remove the listening and tracking devices from this policewoman.

Cheng Xiaoyi stood still. Gu Chuxi pulled a butterfly knife from her pocket, flicked her wrist, and expertly opened the blade.

Gu Chuxi directly grabbed Jiang Mei’s arm and, with a calm expression, slashed her arm.

"Ah!" Jiang Mei let out a pained cry, her eyes filled with terror. A several-centimeter-long cut appeared on her snow-white forearm, and bright red blood instantly flowed out like a crimson ribbon, dripping profusely onto the ground.

Xie Nian clamped his hand over her mouth and pressed the knife against Jiang Mei’s carotid artery.

He hissed menacingly in her ear, "Shh, don’t scream. Otherwise, every time you make a sound, I’ll cut you." He smiled and pointed at Cheng Xiaoyi in front of them, adding, "Your life is in the hands of this officer right there. Make her cooperate, and we won’t hurt you."

Tears welled in her eyes, and Jiang Mei nodded hurriedly.

Only then did Xie Nian release his grip.

Jiang Mei pressed against her wound with her other hand, trembling as she looked at Cheng Xiaoyi and pleaded, "Please... save me... I don’t want to die..."

Cheng Xiaoyi’s眉头轻皱，她看了看被挟持着抖成一团的姜梅。她不能眼睁睁地看着女人被杀，只能随机应变。

After a moment’s hesitation, she began taking off her clothes one item at a time.

But Gu Chuxi seemed to see right through her. She strode forward, almost yanking the clothes off Cheng Xiaoyi’s body, removing all buttons and anything suspicious. After checking Cheng Xiaoyi’s body, she handed back her undergarments and tossed her an outer coat. "Put this on!"

It was an outdoor jacket. Under Gu Chuxi’s watchful gaze, Cheng Xiaoyi changed into it.

"Remember, even if you manage to run, Jiang Mei won’t be able to escape." Gu Chuxi twirled the butterfly knife deftly and pressed the tip against Cheng Xiaoyi’s lower back. "Now, both of you are our hostages. Play nice and head downstairs quietly. Don’t contact your colleagues."

Cheng Xiaoyi’s frown deepened. They not only knew she was a police officer but were also aware she was under surveillance.

Judging from the morning and afternoon situations, they shouldn’t have suspected anything.

Where did things go wrong? How did the information leak?

Passing through the dim hallway, she coughed lightly a few times and secretly spat the tracker out of her mouth, holding it in her hand.

They reached the ground floor of the guesthouse without using the main entrance or alerting anyone else. The owners, a couple, were already resting.

Gu Chuxi checked her phone and led them out through the kitchen window. A black seven-seat SUV was parked in the alley behind.

The door opened, revealing two strangers inside.

The driver was a tall man, and a shorter man sat in the back. The shorter guy gave a wave as they got in, smiling and greeting them, "Hey there~"

Gu Chuxi took the passenger seat.

The shorter man gestured for them to sit in the three-person seat at the very back. Then he checked his phone and whispered a few words to the driver.

Jiang Mei was pushed in first, followed by Xie Nian, who sat in the middle of the three-person seat and pulled Cheng Xiaoyi in roughly after him.

Cheng Xiaoyi lurched into him from the pull, but she used the opportunity to slip the tracker into his pocket.

They could search her again at any moment. Keeping the tracker on them was safer.

The car started, moving through the streets and heading straight toward Magpie Mountain through the night.