I was lying in the hospital, observing Da Huang's handiwork. Da Huang was right, online promotion was a science.
Day one, balance~
The rumors about Zhang Ying Ai and I being together were met with online opposition. The number of people speaking up for me began to grow, and soon a stalemate was reached between both sides, thus creating a hot topic.
Discussion group 563743675
However, on the second day, this balance was broken. Da Huang, operating from the shadows, helped those who supported Zhang Ying Ai, and their posts were deleted for violating forum rules.
In just three days, the fans who had previously stood by Zhang Ying Ai began to show signs of defection. Zhang Ying Ai's image transformed from a person with a pure body but a dirty soul to a woman with a heart as venomous as a scorpion. She had used every trick in the book, manipulated her fans, and disrupted a happy family. It was at this point that information for doxxing quietly surfaced.
The woman in the photo was not Chun Feng De Yi Yi Ye Huan. Someone, posing as a bank employee, had vehemently confirmed that Chun Feng De Yi Yi Ye Huan's descriptions of her scandalous affairs with those men were indeed true, and that Chun Feng De Yi Yi Ye Huan was indeed the mistress of the bank manager. But the photo released not long ago was just of a new female colleague who had recently joined the bank.
The two were not the same person...
This explosive rumor spread quickly in all directions. Without any evidence, people had already started believing Zhang Ying Ai was the murderer of Chun Feng De Yi Yi Ye Huan.
Alas, the internet is truly a place where reason is not required. Those keyboard warriors, with their fingers flying, had already convicted someone. And their thoughts were all manipulated by Da Huang with little money.
...
"Zhang Ying Ai, as long as you tell me who 'Zheng Qi' is, I'll consider sending you abroad to a place where no one knows you."
Seeing that my plan had yielded substantial results, I called Zhang Ying Ai directly. She let out a cold laugh, "Tang Nan, you truly have your methods."
"Don't blame me. Blame yourself for underestimating this little corner of the internet. Back then, you became a SWAT officer, a psychologist, you worked harder than anyone for it. But when it came to gaining a social media influencer status, you were careless. You thought finding a gimmick would make those people go wild for you. You thought shamelessly using your body would get men cheering for you. But the internet is ever-changing. One second you're a blazing inferno, the next you could be cast into hell, never to return."
"What do you want?"
"Tell me who 'He Dan Tou' is, and I'll protect you."
"Do you think 'He Dan Tou' will let me go if I tell you?"
I sneered, "Do you think 'He Dan Tou' will let you go now? You conspired with Cui Fang to deal with me. Because of your overconfidence, you betrayed Cui Fang and exposed Lao Tie as a mole. Do you think they won't care? You're now branded a murderer by the entire internet. Even if the police don't have evidence to arrest you, do you think the judgment of 'Zheng Qi' won't befall you?"
There was silence from Zhang Ying Ai on the other end of the line. After a pause, she finally said, "Let me think about it."
...
My injuries were not severe. After seven or eight days, I could move around without much difficulty. As I was being discharged from the hospital, I received a call from a stranger.
"Who is this?"
"Cui Fang!"
"What do you want with me?"
"I heard you're going to protect Zhang Ying Ai."
"You captured her?"
"I captured two people. One is your sister, Yu Xiao Luo, and the other is Zhang Ying Ai. Yu Xiao Luo committed an offense while knowing the law regarding the national treasure theft, and she should be judged. Zhang Ying Ai, on the other hand, is a murderer who escaped legal punishment and deserves to die even more. Now, you can only save one. Who will you choose?"
"Yu Xiao Luo!"
"Good. Now, I'll tell you the address."
...
Upon receiving the address, I drove towards Yu Xiao Luo's location. I was no longer the Tang Nan of the past, someone who would be tormented by a single choice.
Seeing through the essence of things, all developments follow basic logical rules. This is a skill I possess now. I understood clearly that this was an unfair choice for Zhang Ying Ai. I believed they truly had control over Yu Xiao Luo and Zhang Ying Ai. Yes, I had promised Zhang Ying Ai I would protect her, but if it meant choosing between her and Yu Xiao Luo, I would save Yu Xiao Luo without hesitation.
Looking at this setup, Cui Fang didn't intend for me to be in a dilemma from the start. If she wanted to trouble me, she should have created a situation like the one Li Jiu put me in back then. Cui Fang should have captured Yu Xiao Luo and Lin Han. Both of them are extremely important to me. Having to choose between them, I would have found another way to cope.
But Cui Fang didn't make me choose like that. By putting Zhang Ying Ai and Yu Xiao Luo together, this was a scheme of using a knife to kill.
...
I arrived at the designated location. As soon as I entered the house, someone lunged at me from the side. Fortunately, I was prepared. I raised my hands to protect my head. After taking a few blows, I fell against the wall and could see the situation inside the room.
The one who ambushed me was Zhang Ying Ai. Yu Xiao Luo was sitting on the side, her hands cuffed behind her back to a chair.
Leaning my back against the wall, I slowly stood up and shuffled into the room, asking Yu Xiao Luo, "Sister, are you okay?"
Yu Xiao Luo didn't speak, looking coldly at Zhang Ying Ai. Zhang Ying Ai answered for Yu Xiao Luo, "Senior Sister is very capable. Her combat skills are top-notch. Even most male SWAT officers can't beat her. But because she's a woman, she has a distinct weakness. She's pregnant and dares not fight or run, otherwise how could I have captured her?"
Hearing Zhang Ying Ai say this, I frowned, "You captured Yu Xiao Luo?"
"Yes!"
"Did you follow Cui Fang's suggestion?"
"That's right! I'm glad I listened to my sister's advice. Otherwise, I would have believed you, a man, and exposed 'Zheng Qi'. You said you would protect me, humph, Tang Nan, you never really intended to, did you? I've done so much for you! You still see me as a tool to be used for free. Men are indeed cheap. In this world, the one who loves me the most is always Sister Cui Fang."
"You and Cui Fang...?"
Before I could finish my sentence, Zhang Ying Ai charged at me. I threw a straight punch with all my might, but Zhang Ying Ai saw it coming and easily dodged it, landing a punch on my jaw.
I shook my head. Zhang Ying Ai seized the opportunity and punched again. Dazed, I stumbled backward. Yu Xiao Luo shouted, "Put your hands up."
Seeing Zhang Ying Ai charging at me, I raised my hands and shielded my head. Zhang Ying Ai continued to strike me, hitting my ribs and kicking my knees. I protected my head, waiting for an opening, then grabbed Zhang Ying Ai's leg and threw her to the ground.
We fell together. As I struggled to get up, Zhang Ying Ai, in a half-crouching position, moved. She rammed her knee into my head. Stars exploded in my vision, and everything spun. However, I caught a glimpse of a figure out of the corner of my eye and a plan formed. I roared, "I've been training for seven or eight years and can't even beat a woman!" With that, I scrambled to my feet, only to be kicked down again by Zhang Ying Ai.
She let out a cold laugh, but before she could gloat, Yu Xiao Luo swung a chair and knocked her to the ground.
One hit, two hits... Zhang Ying Ai quickly lost her ability to fight back, twitching on the ground.
I saw Yu Xiao Luo's hands. She dislocated her own thumb to escape the handcuffs. Picking up the stool, she unhesitatingly struck Zhang Ying Ai on the back of the head. Her movements were swift and brutal, giving Zhang Ying Ai no chance to retaliate.
...
Seeing that Zhang Ying Ai was incapacitated, I quickly went to check her breathing. She was still alive. It was at this moment that Yu Xiao Luo, her face pale, crouched down.
"Sister, are you okay?"
"I don't know." Yu Xiao Luo clutched her stomach, her lips pale with tension.
"Let's go, let's go to the hospital, to the hospital..."
...
Luo Bo, sweating profusely, rushed into the hospital. Upon seeing me, he immediately came over, "Where's Xiao Luo? Is Xiao Luo okay?"
Seeing his worried expression, I smiled and said, "She's fine."
"And the baby?"
"The baby is fine too."
Luo Bo let out a long sigh of relief, his complexion improving.
"There's something I shouldn't tell your sister for now."
"What is it?"
"Zhang Ying Ai is dead."
"How is that possible?"
Before taking Yu Xiao Luo to the hospital, I had specifically examined Zhang Ying Ai's injuries. Yu Xiao Luo's blows were indeed fierce, but they shouldn't have been fatal.
"According to the latest information we've obtained, Zhang Ying Ai was ill."
"What kind of illness?"
"She had leukemia before, so her body already had underlying issues."
"How is that possible? How did she pass the special police exam?"
Luo Bo shook his head, "I really don't know. According to the latest information we've obtained, Zhang Ying Ai did have leukemia when she was 20. Her adoptive parents even sold their house to save her."
It was then that I learned Zhang Ying Ai was not their biological daughter. Her adoptive parents raised her, and she had an older sister named Cui Fang.