Just as the tip of the dagger touched Lu Ming's neck, an extremely strong hand instantly grasped Xiao Min's wrist, rendering her immobile!
"Ah?" Xiao Min was stunned, clearly not understanding what was happening.
Upon closer inspection, she realized it was Lu Ming's hand.
Lu Ming opened his eyes. As their eyes met at such close proximity, Xiao Min felt as if she had seen a ghost, her blood running cold.
This shouldn't be.
The broth contained drugs. Logically, Lu Ming should have been drugged like Jiang Lan by now. How could he still be awake?
Impossible, something must have gone wrong.
Lu Ming said calmly, "The knockout drug you used was of poor quality with a strong smell. It wouldn't work in water, tea, or coffee, only in broth could its scent be barely masked. This is why you deliberately made us drink the broth."
His words instantly exposed Xiao Min's scheme!
Lu Ming was a divine physician of Huaxia, with an exceptionally keen sense of smell. He had detected the scent of the drug the moment the bowl of broth was brought in. While ordinary people might not notice, to Lu Ming, the smell was quite potent.
People are different.
However, Lu Ming did not expose her immediately. Instead, he pretended to be drugged and then lured out the culprit. To his surprise, the culprit turned out to be Xiao Min.
Disappointing.
Lu Ming said, "Xiao Lan told me about you. She said that although your family is poor and you live a hard life, you have a warm heart and are always full of vitality. It's precisely because of this that Xiao Lan promoted you to work by her side and gave you a high salary."
As he spoke, he stared into Xiao Min's eyes.
A chilling glint shot from his gaze, making Xiao Min unable to meet his eyes, and she chose to look away.
Lu Ming continued, "So why are you working for the White Lotus Sect? Is it for money? Ungrateful and repaying kindness with betrayal, are people like you even human?"
Tears instantly streaked across Xiao Min's face.
She said painfully, "General Manager Jiang treated me very well. I should repay her with my life, but those people... they threatened me with my daughter's life, I had no choice!"
As expected.
Lu Ming gave a wry smile. "These villains, they're always resorting to such despicable tactics. Can't they come up with something new?"
Saying this, Lu Ming stood up and released Xiao Min's hand.
He asked, "Who threatened you?"
"He Honghui, the deputy of the White Lotus Sect's Star Envoy."
"Do you have his contact information?"
"Yes."
"Good." Lu Ming said, "Tell him you've completed the mission and arrange to meet him in the underground parking lot in ten minutes."
"Ah?" Xiao Min didn't understand. "But... I haven't completed the mission?"
Lu Ming smiled, "You don't need to worry about the rest. Just do as I say. Lure He Honghui out, and I'll handle the rest. You just wait for your daughter's safe return. Also, take good care of Xiao Lan."
Hearing these words, Xiao Min's heart warmed, and a strong sense of remorse washed over her.
She cried again.
"Mr. Lu, I betrayed General Manager Jiang and you. Why aren't you scolding me? You're helping me so much, how can I face you?"
Lu Ming said indifferently, "Will scolding you help? Besides, your daughter's life is in someone else's hands, and you have no choice but to do as they say. You're just a pawn. What I need to do is deal with the person making the moves, not you. Hurry up and make the call, don't dawdle."
"Uh... okay."
Xiao Min trembled as she dialed the phone and, following Lu Ming's instructions, arranged a meeting time with the other party.
When Xiao Min looked up, Lu Ming had already disappeared.
"Mr. Lu."
Xiao Min stood there blankly, looking at the opened office door, her heart in turmoil.
Ten minutes later, the underground parking lot.
Lu Ming arrived next to a black sedan. Before the person inside could react, he opened the door and saw a man and a woman inside, along with the driver.
The man was the deputy, He Honghui, and the woman was the Star Envoy, Peng Ying!
The moment they saw Lu Ming, they knew what had happened.
"Damn, we've been tricked!" He Honghui immediately realized that Xiao Min had betrayed them. She hadn't completed the mission, yet she had deliberately called to say she had, luring them here.
This time, their scheme had backfired, and the old hunter had been bitten by the wolf. They had truly stumbled.
As He Honghui was about to draw his gun, Lu Ming sat down next to Peng Ying and pressed the dagger to her throat. "Nobody move."
Instantly, silence fell.
He Honghui swallowed. "Lu Ming, don't do anything rash. This is the White Lotus Sect's Star Envoy. If you dare to harm her even a little, you'll have nowhere to be buried!"
Heh.
Lu Ming chuckled. "Star Envoy? I've already slapped the Moon Envoy three times and eliminated her. What of it?"
This...
He Honghui was momentarily speechless.
Peng Ying, on the other hand, was much calmer. She said, "Alright, stop putting on an act. If you wanted to kill me, you wouldn't be wasting time with words. This operation failed because I was careless and underestimated the enemy. I lost. Tell me, what do you want me to do?"
Lu Ming said indifferently, "Hand over Xiao Min's daughter."
"Ah?"
Peng Ying was stunned.
Then, she burst into laughter. "No, you risked your life to come find me, just to help Xiao Min rescue her daughter? She was the assassin who tried to kill you!"
Lu Ming said calmly, "She wasn't an assassin, she was just a pawn."
These words instantly made Peng Ying see Lu Ming in a new light.
She turned her head and carefully observed Lu Ming. The more she looked, the more interesting he seemed. She said, "You are a person with a calm mind and a strong sense of loyalty and righteousness. Tsk, a rare talent indeed."
Lu Ming said, "Stop the nonsense. We're all smart people here, let's get straight to business. Trading my life for the child's is a very worthwhile deal."
"Indeed, it is worthwhile." Peng Ying said to He Honghui, "Have your men release the child."
"Okay."
He Honghui immediately made a phone call, instructing them to release the child.
Five minutes later.
He Honghui said, "The child has been released and sent home safely. Lu Ming, you should release the Star Envoy now."
Lu Ming then retracted his dagger and exited the car.
At this moment.
Peng Ying touched her neck and looked at Lu Ming with great interest, curiously asking, "You're just letting me go? Aren't you afraid of retaliation later? I can release the child now, and I can capture her again."
Lu Ming let out a cold smile. "I can let you go now, and I can capture you again."
Tit for tat!
Peng Ying was taken aback. No one had ever dared to speak to her like this before.
It was extremely amusing.
She smiled and said, "Tsk tsk tsk, I really love your personality. Lu Ming, follow me. If you join my ranks, I guarantee you won't be hunted by the White Lotus Sect anymore."
A normal person would have agreed to such a 'gift' without hesitation.
However.
Lu Ming chuckled and retorted, "Do you think a lion fears being chased by a pack of mice?"