Chapter 526 He Couldn't Believe He Had Also Defected
Although Zi Yisheng knew his child wasn't the one suffering now, the innocent suffering of other children was still a thorn in his heart.
"Name your terms. Stop hurting them."
"Hahahaha, that's more like it. That's the reaction a father should have. I thought Leader Zi had lost his humanity after being in leadership for so long."
Old Pang was so angry he wanted to smash the phone. What kind of nonsense was this? He ended up knocking over the teacup in front of him.
"Listen carefully. I want you to release ten dangerous criminals from Chenghai City. Count from the top and see if the people we chose are the same.
Leader Zi, you better choose carefully. If even one is different, it won't just be your daughter who dies this time. Ten foreign nationals will die."
The call ended, and Ah Hong immediately had people retrieve the files of the Chenghai City criminals.
"Damn it, damn it, I'll curse their ancestors for eight generations."
Old Pang's angry roar made everyone in the bedroom stop talking. Fu Cunxue even ran out.
"What's wrong? What happened again?"
"Nothing, nothing. I just got angry hearing about what Xiao Sheng said earlier."
Fu Cunxue glared at Old Pang, not considering that there was someone inside who couldn't be startled.
"Keep it down. You're so erratic and unstable."
Ye Shengge sighed. Grandma said that one shouldn't sigh too often, as it would blow away good luck. But since arriving in Chenghai City, there hadn't been a single good day.
Never mind, she couldn't help anyway, so she shouldn't ask too many questions, lest they have to comfort her.
"Xiao Sheng, what are you going to do? Releasing dangerous criminals will truly cause chaos."
Zi Yisheng didn't speak. He was waiting for an opportunity.
When Ah Hong entered with the files, he subtly nodded at Zi Yisheng.
"Young Master Zi, here are the files. I've already had people investigate. The biggest cases within the last six months involve these two people."
Zi Yisheng quickly scanned the list, and when he saw one person's name, he nodded slightly.
"I remember the wife of the Baili family patriarch was surnamed Liao, wasn't she?"
"Yes, Liao Minzhi. Her family is very ordinary and low-key. The outside world rumored that the Liao family never interacted much with the Baili family, as if they had a bad relationship."
"Heh, sometimes rumors aren't the truth. It's just what they want people to think."
Zi Yisheng inwardly resented the incompetence of those in power during the years he was away. Back then, he was only assisting in matters concerning the Baili family; the higher-ups were the ones who took action.
But now? With such a big incident, how could it be carried out by someone without roots? The higher-ups were either dead or old, and now all the blame was being directed at him.
"Investigate this person first. If there's a connection to Liao Minzhi, bring them here. I want to meet them personally."
"Yes, it was said that when Liao Minzhi died, there wasn't even anyone to claim her body, and the Liao family disappeared afterward."
"How could they disappear without reason? This was also a lingering problem from back then. Go investigate."
Old Pang listened from the side, completely bewildered. In the short time he was there, he had heard so many surnames. These days, were crimes committed by families?
"Xiao Sheng, I think I'll go out for a walk. They've already targeted me once, so they might try again. I'll go out and bring back a few more for you. Staying here makes me anxious."
Zi Yisheng looked up at Old Pang and then nodded.
"Go. Take someone with you for safety."
"No need. It's easier for me to draw them out alone."
Old Pang only said goodbye to his wife and left, a baton tucked into his waist, looking ready to fight.
Soon, the living room was empty. Ye Shengge had also fallen asleep from exhaustion.
As night fell, the rats in the dark began to stir.
Ye Mu'en was sleeping with Little Mi'er. The little girl, perhaps scared by the day's events, insisted on sleeping with the person she felt most secure with.
A soft knock on the door made Ye Mu'en's eyes snap open. She looked at the little one in her arms, wrapped her in a blanket, and got out of bed with her.
When she opened the door, she saw Bai Chufan holding Xiao Youyou, and even the two children from the Ouyang family were there.
"Let's go."
No one knew that the Bai family's children had all disappeared overnight, leaving them with no further worries.
Meanwhile, a dozen little rats had arrived at the Chenghai City guesthouse. The guards watching downstairs were knocked unconscious immediately.
"This is the police force they've deployed?"
"Be careful. The boss said to only take out a few foreigners. Make sure they're all intact."
"Understood. The boss is too cautious. I say we should have just blown up their merchant ship then and there."
"Shut up and get to work."
The little rats successfully infiltrated the second floor. A door was opened in just two seconds. In the darkness, they saw the quilt was bulging high, so they swung their knives wildly. In this manner, they successfully opened ten doors before stopping.
"Quick, let's go."
After they reached the outside, the leader began to feel that something was wrong, but with time pressing, he couldn't think too much about it.
Zi Yisheng had already gone to bed but quickly got up when he heard the knock.
"Young Master Zi."
Zi Yisheng raised his hand to stop Ouyang from speaking and handed him paper and a pen.
"Everything can wait until tomorrow. Get some good sleep."
Ouyang smiled at Zi Yisheng and quickly wrote what he wanted to say.
"I'm really tired, but there are still so many criminal files to review. I was anxious and disturbed your rest."
"It's fine. Have the ten people been chosen?"
Zi Yisheng quickly read the content and nodded at Ouyang.
"They have been. I've prepared two different lists. When you receive the call tomorrow, you can try them out."
"Alright, I understand. Let the brothers get some rest. No one can endure this for long."
The door closed, and Ouyang stretched as he walked back. But no one noticed his gaze linger on the doorway of one of the rooms for two seconds, a sarcastic smile playing on his lips.
Ye Shengge slept restlessly. She woke up when the person beside her got up.
"Sorry for disturbing you."
"It's fine. It's hard to sleep when you have something on your mind."
Ye Shengge saw Zi Yisheng sitting by the bed writing something. She leaned over, glanced at it, and her eyes widened.
Zi Yisheng smiled, patted his wife's head, and nodded at her.
"Who do you think is behind all this? Is anyone from the Baili family truly alive? I feel it's unlikely."
"It's hard to say. You know how chaotic it was in those years. It's very possible they were overlooked."
"Has there been any news about Baili Hui and Baili Ming? I wonder what Baili Hui looks like after more than ten years."
Zi Yisheng struck a match and burned the papers in his hand, the ashes extinguished in the teacup by the bedside.
"You ruined her face back then. Without an antidote, how could she possibly recover?"
"Then if she sees me as young and beautiful, won't she be so angry she dies?"
Ye Shengge tiptoed off the bed, knelt on the floor, and felt around the edge of the bed. Then she waved for Zi Yisheng to come over.
Zi Yisheng nodded and also felt around the room.
"She'll definitely be so angry she dies. Think about it, she has to do endless hard labor every day, exposed to the sun and wind. She must look like an old woman now."
"Hahahaha, then I really have to see her."
"Seeing her would be an insult to your eyes. Alright, let's go to sleep. Who knows what tomorrow will bring."
"Okay, goodnight."
Ye Shengge rustled the covers and tossed a couple of times on the bed. The two sat facing each other, waiting, their breathing gradually deepening.
Ye Shengge took out a pair of earphones and a wired black device from her space. She shook her head at Zi Yisheng and gently got out of bed.
She walked around the entire room, finding a spot and immediately putting it into her space.
"Phew... finally I can relax."
Zi Yisheng fiddled with the things thrown on the bed. He never asked about the origin of the new gadgets his wife brought out.
"Are you sure?"
"Guaranteed, not a single one left."
The most advanced detector from her past life. The listening devices of this era were like grandchildren in front of it.
"By the way, are you sure?"
"Now I'm truly sure, because only she entered the bedroom today."
Ye Shengge sighed. She had thought she had made another friend.
"Old Pang too?"
"Yes."
Zi Yisheng looked somewhat dejected. Ye Shengge stepped forward and hugged him.
"Perhaps something happened in his life that forced him to do this. When did you start suspecting him?"
"The day after we arrived in Chenghai City, he got the news. Who would believe that there's no one in power? But at the time, I just thought he wanted to find me.
However, today is when I became completely certain he was involved. When I was negotiating with the criminals, he made a commotion. In my opinion, he did it on purpose."
"Then what does he want? Doesn't he have no family left? And now he's with the woman he loves, with more money than he can spend in a lifetime. What does he want? Power?"
"The Pang family never involved themselves in power. Time can truly change a person, even their acting is top-notch."
Zi Yisheng smiled sarcastically. During this thorough investigation, there was also a traitor among his close associates, though merely a peripheral figure.
"Don't be sad anymore. What are you going to do?"
"Wait. He's the one who can access the real mastermind. I'll wait for the opportunity he gives me."
"What about me? Do I still have to play nice with Fu Cunxue?"
Zi Yisheng kissed his wife's forehead apologetically. What could he do when his wife was already entangled in this?
"Never mind. Anyway, there are many people around. The medicine I haven't used in a long time can finally be put to use. Oh, and wasn't my poisoning and the matter of the listening device exposed?"
"Yes, so they re-released them, didn't they? Let's see what the other party says on the phone tomorrow."
The two discussed their basic plans for what came next, otherwise, it would be difficult to have a proper conversation later.
Ye Shengge took out several of the most advanced listening devices prepared by her elder brother from her space. If they could use them, so could she.
"This can be attached to them, and you can monitor them anytime."
Ye Shengge demonstrated it once. Zi Yisheng was delighted and even wore the invisible earphones to experience it.
"Great! How many do you have?"
"Less than ten. They can't be too far, within five kilometers is fine."
"How many earphones can be paired?"
"Let me see. There are six in total. All for you. Return them to me without losing any after use."
Zi Yisheng understood immediately. His wife had too many secrets, and he had to bear them for her.
They slept soundly. Ye Shengge woke up to see her mother sitting by her side, looking at files.
"Mom, if you're busy, go ahead. I have my masters to accompany me, so I'll be fine."
Ye Shengge quickly took out her tablet and typed a few lines for her mother to see. Her mother's surprised expression was no less than her own from last night.
"How can I be in the mood to be busy? Look at how frail your body has become. If something happens to you, who will I spend all this money for? I'm done working. I'll stay by your side from now on."
Ye Shengge amusingly put away her tablet and lay back down. She felt her old habit of sleeping in was about to return. She wondered if her children would be disappointed if she couldn't wake up in time to send them to school when they returned to Mingcheng.
"Mom, Zi Yisheng is here for everything. If he can't even handle these matters, he should resign in disgrace."
"What nonsense are you talking? Look how tired Xiao Sheng is. He looks older."
Elder Fan and the others also came in, but Ye Shengge hadn't informed them beforehand. Acting naturally was best.
"Shengge, may I come in?"
Ye Shengge winked at her mother secretly. Mother Ye's acting was superb.
"Oh, it's Cunxue. Come in quickly."
Fu Cunxue clearly looked unwell, with a worried expression.
"Cunxue, what's wrong? You have such dark circles under your eyes."
Mother Ye was overacting a bit. Ye Shengge wanted to cover her face.
"It's nothing. It's just that Old Pang didn't come back all night, and I'm a bit worried."
"Didn't come back all night? Wasn't he just out for a stroll? Have you sent people to look for him?"
Mother Ye asked exactly what Ye Shengge wanted to ask.
Fu Cunxue sat by the bed and shook her head. Just as Mother Ye was about to say something else, Ye Shengge cut her off, earning a disdainful look from her daughter.
"Ah Sheng probably sent people to look for him, right? Don't worry. Chenghai City is under lockdown now, so everyone will be found."
Fu Cunxue wiped away her tears and smiled, nodding at Ye Shengge.
"Shengge, thank goodness for you. I want to go to Mingcheng with you now. We'll live close by then so we can see each other often."
"That would be wonderful. When we go back this time, I might be able to live outside. My house has been renovated for a long time."
The two elders enjoyed listening to the young people chat. Even if they didn't participate, they could still find entertainment.
"Madam, where are we having breakfast?"
"Outside."
Ye Shengge quickly got out of bed. Her beautiful, flowing nightgown and her languid demeanor stunned Fu Cunxue.
"Hahaha, Cunxue is dumbfounded. Do you know how beautiful you are? And you still envy her. Let's go eat!"
She hadn't known before, but now, deliberately observing Fu Cunxue, she noticed many problems.
Ye Shengge, while brushing her teeth in the bathroom, thought about Fu Cunxue's expression just now. There was envy, and she even touched her own face. There was also hate. Truly hate. Why would she hate her?
During breakfast, Ye Shengge deliberately struck up conversations with Fu Cunxue to observe her expressions and actions. It was during this meal that Ye Shengge discovered the most critical issue.
"Why don't I see Ah Sheng?"
"Madam, Young Master Zi has gone to the conference room for a meeting. He said he won't be in the hotel during the day, and I'll take any calls for him."
Ah Sen glanced at Fu Cunxue. Ye Shengge understood and nodded.
"I feel much better today. Master, may I walk in the corridor?"
Elder Fan and Dang Lai exchanged glances. Hadn't she "died" already? How could she appear freely?
"It's fine for Madam to walk around. I'll have people guard the corridor strictly to ensure no news of you leaks out."
Listen to that, even Ah Sen was using "Madam" today.
"Then let's take a walk. Cunxue, keep my mom company. It's difficult for her to stay by my side."
"You little brat, you dare to tease your own mother."
As Ye Shengge slowly walked out, she stood at the end of the corridor and looked out the window. In reality, she was rapidly writing down a string of words. The problem she had discovered needed to be immediately confirmed and conveyed to everyone.