Chapter 25: Search

The spot where the figure had just stood was now empty. Seeing the assassination attempt fail, the opponent must have decided that retreat was the best option.

Shi Yue stepped forward to give chase, but then it hit her: the enemy might not be willing to let things go so easily. They could be lying in ambush, or perhaps even circling back toward her right now.

So, Shi Yue hurriedly ducked back into the room with the girls, leaving the door slightly ajar. She cut their ropes, told the two children to watch the window and alert her if they saw the archer, while she kept her eyes glued to the door.

“…”

“…”

They remained in this standoff for over ten minutes, yet no one came.

“Is he waiting right outside the door for me?”

“Big sister, is it not safe yet?” one of the little girls asked, fearful after the long wait.

Shi Yue glanced at them, and a wicked thought popped into her head: What if I let them open the door while I hide behind? That way, even if he’s camping outside, I can handle it more calmly.

“…No, no, no.”

Shi Yue shook her head to dispel the notion. “You two hide behind me. I’ll open the door.”

Shi Yue raised her blade and pushed the door open with her left hand. Creak. It opened. She peered out cautiously—no one to the left or right. She checked below; the enemy wasn’t hiding under the catwalk either. The factory was empty, bereft of any cover.

The enemy hadn’t pursued.

Shi Yue let out a long breath and slumped to the ground, exhausted. She touched her forehead; at some point, it had become covered in fine beads of sweat. The rescued girls huddled over to ask if she was okay. She waved her hand and stood up. A quick search of the bowl-cut gang’s remaining belongings yielded only some cash and food. Shi Yue pocketed the money and called the two children.

“Where do you live? I’ll walk you both home.”

Chatting with the girls on the way, she learned they were students at a nearby elementary school, lured and kidnapped by the bowl-cut gang on their way home together. The frequent kidnappings in recent months had indeed frightened many parents, but that awareness was limited to families in better districts. In a run-down area like Xuan District, parents often had to work continuously for over ten hours a day; some even worked two or three jobs just to afford their children’s tuition. Even if they knew traffickers were running rampant, they objectively couldn’t spare the time or energy to protect or educate their children. So, despite the high number of cases, many parents still failed to instill a sense of caution in their kids.

The two girls lived close to each other, so one trip was enough. On the way, the little girls pestered Shi Yue about who she was and why she wore a mask… Shi Yue’s heart skipped a beat. With a touch of dramatic flair, she declared, “Because I am… I—I am… I am the unsung hero of Phoenix City!!!”

“A hero?! Big sister, are you a hero?”

“Shhh—” Shi Yue glanced around. Fortunately, no passersby noticed them.

“Ahem, my identity is top secret. You have to be careful not to expose me!”

“Wow~” The girls’ eyes instantly filled with adoration.

Although the line was… maybe just a tiny bit cringey. But saying it to elementary schoolers didn’t feel embarrassing at all.

It felt super satisfying!

Shi Yue couldn’t help but put her hands on her hips and say proudly, “Hmph, don’t trust strangers so easily in the future. I can’t be everywhere to protect you all the time. But if you encounter danger, don’t be afraid—I will definitely come to save you!”

After hearing countless “You’re so cool!” and “Big sister, give me a kiss!” from them, Shi Yue finally bid the children farewell and returned home.

She pushed open the front door to the sound of her father’s thunderous snoring. The breakfast on the table was untouched. Shi Yue closed her bedroom door; the first thing she did was search online for information regarding the “Little Angel Children’s Welfare Institute.” Soon, the location, photos, and the famous Director Huang’s name, appearance, and contact info were all displayed before her.

This Director Huang seemed to have a decent reputation online. To be precise, some official media outlets had used his deeds as material for articles praising the government’s care for the people’s livelihood. And this guy, having tasted the sweetness of being a positive example in official materials, began attending various public events, collecting honorary awards until his hands were full.

Although there were occasional voices questioning his personal lifestyle, such voices were always suppressed ever since the government designated him as an “Outstanding Model.”

After all, he was someone the government publicly regarded as a positive example. In the eyes of the officials, a person could only be all good or all bad. If someone promoted by the Court had a stain, or if someone criticized by the Court actually did good deeds, it would be a slap in the face to the administration.

“So this guy works right in our district. Should I go find him tonight? Hmm… no, it’s the weekend, he might be off. And killing someone at an orphanage in front of so many kids… no, can’t do that.”

There were plenty of rumors online revealing that Director Huang was actually scum. Recalling what the bowl-cut man had said, Shi Yue didn’t think he would lie about something like this.

Moreover, Director Huang might know about the mysterious man from Yan… regarding her abilities, and why children from Chu were being trafficked to Yan—he might know the truth.

“I choose you.” Shi Yue silently memorized Director Huang’s headshot: a slightly chubby, baby-faced man with a big nose and eyes narrowed as if always smiling. He radiated a clumsy, naive charm, like a bear trying to act cute.

“Speaking of which…”

Shi Yue suddenly remembered something and hurriedly dug out the invitation from the wealthy lady. As luck would have it, it was an invitation to the Green Vine Club Charity Gala this Wednesday.

She searched for the location of the Green Vine Club. Judging by the distance, if she took a taxi straight there after school on Wednesday, killed him, and left immediately, there should be enough time.

Then Shi Yue looked up “Cao Cao Car Rental.” The owner of this company was obviously much more low-profile. While she could find plenty of information on the company’s operations, market value, and transactions, personal information about the owner was scarce. She could only find that his name was Yu Ming and that he had registered the company four years ago.

Unknowingly, the sky had grown dark. Looking at the dim light, Shi Yue sighed. Another week over. But unlike before, this weekend had been exceptionally thrilling.

Her father didn’t wake up until evening. He ate something, chatted with Shi Yue about daily trivialities, and then Shi Yue prepared for bed. Before sleeping, she scrolled idly through her phone until she suddenly stumbled upon a news item.

This Friday, a serial murder occurred at a nightclub on Anning Street in the Lake Mochang District. The perpetrator killed four people in the second-floor men’s restroom and injured one… It is reported that the injured party is the son of Qian Xuwen, Chairman of Koi Group… The injured party is out of critical condition… currently in a coma.

Injured?

Out of critical condition… in a coma?

Shi Yue’s drowsiness vanished instantly. She sat up abruptly and began to seriously read the comments below. Many comments lamented why the killer had taken so many lives but failed to kill this scourge of a second-generation rich kid. Some people from his school mentioned his bad deeds, though naturally, there were also those calling for people not to hate the rich.

However, Shi Yue noticed that many comments mentioned the playboy’s real name: Qian Yuhui, the only son of Qian Xuwen, Chairman of the Koi Group.

Qian Yuhui…

When she had strangled him, she stopped because she felt his breathing cease. She had been nervous at the time, thinking only of escaping quickly. She never imagined that a moment of negligence would let him survive.

This is bad.