Chapter 99: The Apple Watch and a Father’s Fury

Later that afternoon, Turkey entered again, taking photos of Shen Jing’an from various angles. He tossed a fresh bottle of mineral water onto the floor, but still no food was offered.

As a true foodie, Shen Jing’an was already famished, her stomach practically clinging to her spine. She couldn’t help but ask timidly,

“Can you please get me something to eat? We’re going to starve to death soon.”

“Don’t worry, a person can survive seven days on water alone,” he scoffed. “Besides, if you eat, you’ll need to relieve yourselves, and then this place will reek. I certainly wouldn’t like that.”

It seemed Turkey possessed a peculiar sense of cleanliness.

Just as Turkey was about to turn and leave, Lin Duo suddenly spoke up.

“Excuse me, Uncle, could you please return my watch? Even if I’m going to die, I’d like to know the exact time of my passing so I can report it accurately in the Underworld.”

Turkey paused, slightly taken aback.

“You little cross-dresser, why are you so superstitious at such a young age? The King of Hell and the underworld are all fake, they don’t exist, understand?”

“I know, Uncle, but my family has worshipped Buddha for generations, and we’re very particular about these things. My mother told me that if I don’t know my exact time of death, I won’t be able to enter the cycle of reincarnation. Then I might just become a female ghost, doomed to haunt you every single day.”

‘A female ghost, huh? That sounds a bit terrifying…’

Turkey, who had never been superstitious, secretly shivered. After a moment of hesitation, he pulled a small, delicate watch from his pocket and tossed it over.

“Still using an electronic watch in this day and age? How tacky. Uncle here uses a mechanical watch, a world-famous Rolex! It cost me over 500 yuan back in the day!”

****

Only after confirming Turkey’s departure did Lin Duo pick up the watch. Using his fingerprint, he unlocked it, revealing the familiar program menu on its screen.

Truly, a lack of culture could be deadly. That Turkey didn’t even recognize an Apple Watch.

Shen Jing’an, her face alight with surprise, leaned closer.

“Xiao Duo, you’re so clever! Quickly, send a message to my dad. His number is…”

Lin Duo entered the number and sent the message, but immediately encountered a problem.

“It’s no good. The signal here is terrible; the message won’t go through.”

Shen Jing’an scanned their surroundings, muttering softly, “Logically, Nan’an City should have full signal coverage by now. Could it be that we’ve been transported out of the area? How about this: I heard metal can boost a signal. Try placing the watch against the iron bars and see if it works.”

Lin Duo followed her suggestion, trying several times. Finally, one message successfully sent.

“What should we do next? Should we call the police?” Lin Duo asked, a trace of confusion in his voice.

“No, no. You have your phone’s location services on, right?”

“Yes, it’s always on by default.”

“Then we just need to wait patiently. Your watch should automatically send out the location information, and that way my dad will know where we are.”

Lin Duo said no more. He put the watch on his wrist, switched it to standby, and silently stared at the ceiling.

As the angle of the sunlight steadily diminished, dusk arrived. The pale yellow light, filtering through the dilapidated ceiling and high windows, uniformly scattered across the concrete floor. From a distance, it resembled a layer of golden cream, causing Shen Jing’an’s stomach to rumble uncontrollably once more.

“I’m so hungry! I really want to eat something! If I survive this, I’m definitely going to have a massive feast!”

Just then, the previously sealed window was quietly pushed open. An incredibly agile figure silently climbed down a rope, cautiously observing the surroundings before approaching Shen Jing’an.

“Young Miss, are you alright?”

“Is Dad here?” Shen Jing’an exclaimed, her face lighting up with joy. “Quickly, quickly, unlock these cursed handcuffs.”

“Uncle Long is waiting outside. I’ll get you out first.” As he spoke, the man pulled out a lock-picking tool and, with practiced ease, unlocked the handcuffs in just over ten seconds.

Shen Jing’an didn’t forget her roommate.

“This is my good friend. They were caught with me. Could you help them too?”

The man, however, shook his head. “My priority this time is ensuring the Young Miss’s safety. Please come out with me first; I’ll come back for your friend afterward!”

“No! If we’re going, we’re taking them with us!” Shen Jing’an declared, displaying a flash of her spoiled young miss temperament.

The man seemed a little helpless, but the beautiful and delicate Lin Duo did indeed easily evoke male sympathy. Thus, the man unlocked Lin Duo’s handcuffs as well, then instructed the three of them to grasp the rope one after another, to be pulled out by the person waiting outside.

Finally, they left the factory building. Lin Duo eagerly looked around, discovering the surroundings were exceptionally desolate—nothing but barren land as far as the eye could see. No wonder no one had responded to their shouts.

Outside the factory, a man was waiting. He led Lin Duo and Shen Jing’an along, finally arriving at a dilapidated, unfinished house where Shen Jing’an’s father waited alone, smoking a cigarette. Wearing a short-sleeved shirt, the long, ugly, centipede-like scar on his arm was clearly visible.

Shen Jing’an, overcome with emotion, embraced her father, tears streaming down her face. Her father held his daughter tightly, offering comforting words. Finally, Shen Jing’an cried her fill, her eyes still watery as she looked at her father.

“Dad, how many people did you bring this time? We have to teach those two scoundrels a harsh lesson!”

Her father calmly held up three fingers.

“Three in total. You’ve probably already met two of them, and Little Wang is responsible for the rendezvous.”

“Only three?” Shen Jing’an looked somewhat disappointed. “What if those two villains get away?”

“Don’t worry, my daughter. These three are the most skilled and reliable in our group. Street hooligans, you could gather thousands of them, but they’d only get in the way.”

With that, Shen Jing’an’s father turned his gaze to Lin Duo, who looked weary from a sleepless night.

“You’re Lin Duo, right? Xiao Jing often talks about you, saying you’re her best friend from high school.”

“Yes… Uncle Long… Hello, Uncle Long…” Lin Duo, now aware of the man’s true identity, couldn’t help but feel a touch of fear.

Shen Jing’an’s father, however, smiled kindly.

“You don’t need to be afraid. You were just unlucky this time. And thanks to the watch on your wrist, we were able to quickly pinpoint your location here.”

After exchanging pleasantries, Shen Jing’an’s father’s expression suddenly turned solemn.

“Tell me honestly, did Old Kong and his subordinates do anything to either of you?”

Shen Jing’an secretly glanced at Lin Duo, then shook her head.

“No. He said there are rules in their business, and he didn’t want to break them.”

“Hmph, that scoundrel still has some bottom line,” Shen Jing’an’s father growled, taking a deep drag from his cigarette. “If he had dared to touch you, I would have dismembered him.”

His voice was not loud, yet it carried immense weight. Lin Duo involuntarily shivered at the pronouncement.

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