Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Xiang Wan got herself a bottle of mineral water and sat in front of the laptop.
It was evening in Nanmu, and the surroundings were all quiet.
On the street outside the window, there were very few vehicles, which was a huge contrast to the big cities.
Quietness was a beneficial factor for creative work.
Xiang Wan took a deep breath, put on her earpiece, and listened to music with her eyes closed. She let her thoughts blend into the story…
…
“Fang Yelan, why do you think we are able to get out of danger safely every time?”
“… Hmm, plot armor!”
“Heh, what makes you so sure that you’re the main protagonist?”
“Hur, then what is it that keeps us safe till now?”
“It’s because we are good people with a conscience.”
As Rong Xiaonuan said this statement, she was not so sure as well. As if to affirm her point, she continued to talk about it.
“I believe that conscience is the same as law; it is an underlying principle that maintains the order amidst the jungle of steel-reinforced buildings, and often more direct than the law itself.”
Fang Yelan remained silent for a while. “Does that person has a conscience?”
“Which person?”
“The Temptation of the Rich & Famous.”
“He doesn’t.”
“But he is still alive and well.”
“I disagree. He’s not doing well at all,” said Rong Xiaonuan in a definite tone with a confident smile, “How could a walking corpse living in hell live well? Precisely because he lived so miserably, that he’s jealous of others… even to the extent that he hated them and wanted to pull them into hell and suffer just like him!”
“?”
“There’s a greedy side in everyone, but it will not be revealed when there is no temptation. Most people believed that they are good. Due to this thought, they would restrain their words and deeds. With this, they would want to live at ease… As for this person, he is akin to the devil, as this is what he wanted to destroy. Using the game he came up with—’The Temptation of the Rich & Famous’—he tries to tempt people to make a clean break with their compassion as well as their happiness. From then on, they would plunge into the depths of hell, regardless of life and death, and suffer just like him.
“In this way, he could mock cruelly with all his might, since he has proven that he’s not the only one. He proved that people are just like him: lowly, mean and inhuman! Therefore, he could once again, be the judge of morality as well as the juror. Consequently, he would kill them with peace of mind as he convinces himself that such acts are justified to maintain the balance of his values…”
“Balance of his values?” Fang Yelan furrowed his brows in contemplation.
“It’s the balance that a paranoiac like him must maintain. It’s the balance that could keep him going.”
“What if the balance within him gets broken? What will happen?”
“He might go crazy! Perhaps, he will die.”
“…” A thoughtful squint appeared on Fang Yelan’s face.
Rong Xiaonuan smiled. “What I want to do is to break this balance in his heart!”
“Mm?”
“I will write this in my novel to make him suffer, to make him face the evil in him, and to make him see his lowly acts, his helplessness… and pain!”
“…”
It was now late in the night.
Xiang Wan was checking her chapter.
After that, she uploaded and published it.
Her update was quite early for it was not even midnight!
She stretched herself, pulled back the curtains, and looked at the night view of this city that had no tall buildings.
The tiny neon lights far away twinkled like stars at night.
The sky was clear and high.
The next day would be a sunny day.
However, that person… once he looked at the chapter she just uploaded…
How would he feel?
What kind of things would he do?
Would he act according to what she expected and that he couldn’t wait to leave a sarcastic comment?
…
Her update that day had more words than usual.
She was able to write well, immersing herself in the story as she wrote and was also excited about it.
It was already this late. She knew she should rest for the day.
However, she still couldn’t get to sleep!
She seemed to have gotten used to having Bai Muchuan beside her. Now that he was not around, she could not feel at ease.
Xiang Wan did not like the feeling of being overly dependent on others.
Even if it was Bai Muchuan…
She rubbed her temples and was preparing to go back to bed.
When there was a knock at the door.
Three long knocks and a short one.
Three short knocks and a long one!
Reflexively, Xiang Wan was startled.
Calming herself down, she walked to the door. “Who’s that?”
The voice outside sounded muffled but familiar. “It’s me!”
Quan Laowu!
When they came back to the hotel, Quan Shaoteng had not returned to the hotel.
It was already this late, why was he here?
Xiang Wan replied, “Bai Muchuan’s not here.”
She had automatically thought that he was looking for Bai Muchuan.
However, she was wrong.
“I’m here to pick you up!”
Eh? Xiang Wan replied, “To where?”
Quan Shaoteng responded right away, “Sister, can’t you open the door to talk? Don’t you feel weird talking with a door in between? You don’t feel awkward? This is so childish!”
“…”
Xiang Wan got dissed!
Who was actually the childish one?
It was midnight, and there was only him and her here.
Was it suitable for her to open the door?
Well, guess it was alright as she knew they were handling the 121 case.
Xiang Wan opened the door and saw the tall and handsome Quan Shaoteng wearing a look of impatience.
When Xiang Wan opened the door, Quan Shaoteng flicked his hair carefully. “Don’t you think that in my presence, with your looks, you are totally safe? Why are you so slow in opening the door?”
“…”
Xiang Wan was speechless.
“No wonder Captain Quan is still single. Indeed, you are single because of your capability, so what’s up?”
Quan Shaoteng felt that the first part of her sentence sounded strange.
Nonetheless, Xiang Wan was smart to add the next sentence.
Usually, a person would give priority to answering the question rather than focusing on the previous affirmative sentence one had said.
“Come with me for a trip to the office now,” he said with a frown.
“Huh?” Xiang Wan was a little puzzled.
“Yu Bo wants to see you.”
It was nearing 12 midnight, and Yu Bo wanted to see her?
Xiang Wan folded her arms indolently. “My lord has said before that without his permission, I’m not supposed to leave the hotel, let alone follow someone elsewhere.”
Quan Shaoteng looked at her with a raised eyebrow. “…”
Was he just someone?
When he saw the sly look in Xiang Wan’s eyes…
Quan Shaoteng finally understood.
This woman! She sure has a vengeful side. He thought.
It must be because he was a little rude earlier.
Hence, he changed his words. “Be rest assured, although your appearance makes you unsafe, with me around, Bai Muchuan will definitely not worry…”
“Hurhur, what rest assured? Do you remember how I got abducted although there were so many armed police officers around me back then?”
“…”
Under Xiang Wan’s persistence, Quan Shaoteng was left with no choice.
“Little Bai has gone ahead to Vulture’s Mouth,” he revealed, “I’m unable to contact him now…”
What the…?
Why did he go to Vulture’s Mouth again?
Xiang Wan stared at him a little. “You’re not lying to me, right?”
Quan Shaoteng shrugged his shoulders. “Gorgeous looking people like me do not lie.”
Xiang Wan ignored his remark. “Is he alone?”
Quan Shaoteng responded with a stern expression. “Nope! He’s with Captain Zhang, Tu Liang, Cheng Zheng, and Cheng Zheng’s female assistant. What’s her name again? She just arrived here and went along with them!”
“Is it Mei Xin?”
“Oh, yeah! Mei Xin!”
“…”
Mei Xin did not seem to have much of a presence, huh?
Maybe this fellow simply have a poor memory?
Xiang Wan gave it a thought. “Let’s go then.”
…
Bai Muchuan had told her before that he would re-investigate the 121 case.
If it was him, she knew he would not let a single detail go off unchecked.
It was not strange of him to bring a team along to Vulture’s Mouth again.
However, since it was that jinxed Vulture’s Mouth, Xiang Wan felt like she was on tenterhooks.
