Chapter 174: Taotie: Where is the Target?
“Aha~”
“Another energetic day!”
After a full night’s sleep, Fang Xiaocao stretched lazily, opened the floor-to-ceiling windows of the hotel, and stood on the balcony, breathing in the fresh morning air.
This hotel, though not as luxurious as the previous one, had its advantages—good surroundings, a balcony, and a sense of coziness. It was a renovated standalone villa with a classical yet warm decor, giving it a homely feel.
Standing on the balcony, Fang Xiaocao did a few stretches before returning to the room. She picked up her phone from the bedside table.
There were no messages on the screen.
Her heart sank.
“Could something have happened to Tom?”
A trace of worry crept into her mind. Tom had gone after Han Xue yesterday, yet there had been no updates since then. That was highly unusual.
Tom was a professional assassin—should it really take this long to eliminate Han Xue? The only explanation was that something had gone wrong. Otherwise, this silence wouldn’t make sense.
Sitting on the bed with her phone in hand, Fang Xiaocao hesitated. She opened Tom’s chat window but couldn’t bring herself to type anything. She wanted to message him but feared disturbing him. What if he was in the middle of an operation? What if he was in danger?
What if…
Tom: Can’t you think positively for once?
After a moment of hesitation, she gave up on sending the message.
Instead, she exited Tom’s chat and tapped on another contact—Hot Noodles.
Fang Xiaocao: “Are you there?”
Hot Noodles: “What’s up?”
Ten minutes later, Hot Noodles replied.
Fang Xiaocao: “Tom went after Han Xue yesterday but hasn’t returned. You know what that means, right?”
Upon receiving a response, she immediately sent the pre-typed message.
Hot Noodles: “I don’t know what Tom is up to, but I can tell you that Han Xue is still alive. My timeline still shows traces of her existence.”
Fang Xiaocao’s heart sank. If Han Xue was fine, then what about Tom? Did he fail?
Losing Tom would be a significant blow—he was a reliable subordinate, and finding another like him would be difficult.
Hot Noodles: “In my timeline, Tom is also unharmed.”
Hot Noodles: “Right now, both Tom and Han Xue are in some critical moment. Until the outcome is decided, their futures remain unchanged. Only when they move past this point will the timeline shift.”
Fang Xiaocao frowned at the message, struggling to comprehend it.
“So… it’s like a match where the winner hasn’t been determined yet?”
Hot Noodles: “That’s one way to put it.”
“Alright then. Am I safe for now?”
Hot Noodles: “I don’t know. I can only perceive your future shortly before it happens.”
“Got it. You’re dismissed.”
Fang Xiaocao closed the chat, put down her phone, and walked into the bathroom to freshen up. Since she knew she was being targeted by Blacklist, she had to stay prepared for an imminent escape.
After washing up, she changed into flexible clothing, secured her throwing knives, and ensured all her essential gear was within reach. Finally, she relaxed a little.
She ordered breakfast via a delivery app and then leaned back, closing her eyes for a short rest.
Knock, knock, knock!
“Come in.”
“Boss, we found the target!”
The female secretary entered the room, interrupting Taotie’s squatting exercise.
As she glanced at Taotie’s muscular physique and his well-defined eight-pack abs, she subconsciously swallowed. Her boss was intimidating, but his body was undeniably attractive.
“Oh?”
Taotie stopped and looked at her.
“Where is the target?”
Seeing her hesitate, he had to ask directly.
“Ah?”
His voice snapped her out of her daze. She quickly glanced at him and, realizing he wasn’t angry, let out a breath of relief.
“Boss, the target is in this hotel.”
She pulled out her phone, opened the map, and pinpointed Fang Xiaocao’s location.
Taotie glanced at the map. Seeing that the location wasn’t far, he said, “Get ready. We’ll head over soon.”
“Yes!”
She responded.
“Boss, what do you want for breakfast?”
As she turned to leave, she suddenly stopped and asked.
“Two pounds of prime beef, two pounds of chicken breast, a bowl of vegetable salad, a pound of boiled shrimp, and a glass of milk.”
Taotie replied as he wiped his sweat.
“Got it!”
She nodded and left the room.
“Boss really eats a lot!” she muttered after closing the door.
9:30 AM
Taotie, now in a different outfit, entered Fang Xiaocao’s hotel with his secretary in his arms.
Five minutes later, they checked in and took the elevator to their room.
Inside, Taotie released her and asked, “Which room is the target in?”
“Right downstairs.”
“Do we act now?” she asked.
“Wait. Let’s confirm she’s in the room first.”
Taotie pondered for a moment before responding.
“Understood.”
“Send someone in as hotel housekeeping to verify.”
“Yes!”
She nodded and began making arrangements.
Meanwhile, Fang Xiaocao was blissfully unaware that Blacklist’s assassins had arrived. She was still busy wrestling with the chicken leg in her hands.
Tang City Suburbs
Tom lay hidden in the dew-covered grass, his clothes damp from the moisture.
Peering through the foliage, he spotted Han Xue less than ten meters away, accompanied by two men—one elderly, one young.
“Han Xue, what’s going on?”
The old man frowned and questioned her.
(End of Chapter 174)
