Chapter 190: Tom’s Flair for the Dramatic
“Oh~ Officer, you arrived just in time!”
“I was just attacked by more than ten people attempting a home invasion. They all had knives—it scared me to death!”
Tom exclaimed dramatically, his voice exaggerated with panic.
The police officers were momentarily stunned by his words.
Then, they quickly became alert. “Sir, where are the robbers?”
“They’re inside my room,” Tom answered truthfully.
At this, the officers exchanged bewildered glances, looking at Tom strangely.
More than ten robbers?
A home invasion?
Still inside the room?
Then how did you come out to open the door?
“You’re saying the robbers are still inside?” one officer asked suspiciously.
“Yes, Officer,” Tom nodded.
“I’ve trained in martial arts—just like Bruce Lee! I took down all of them!”
As he spoke, Tom mimicked Bruce Lee’s signature pose.
The police officers looked at Tom, utterly dumbfounded.
One man took down over ten people?
What do you think this is, a martial arts movie?
Even a well-trained SWAT officer would struggle against that many armed assailants in close quarters, let alone emerge unscathed.
“Officers, please come in and take them away! I need to file a complaint with the hotel—this place is far too unsafe.”
Tom gestured animatedly while speaking, making way for the officers to enter.
As they stepped inside, they finally saw the scene in the room.
Seventeen men were sprawled across the floor, moaning in pain.
Only now did the officers start to believe Tom’s words.
Immediately, they sprang into action—calling for reinforcements, summoning ambulances, taking Tom’s statement, and checking the assailants’ injuries.
Their professionalism was evident as everything proceeded in an orderly manner.
“Mr. Tom, can you explain these… steel nails embedded in the suspects?” one officer asked while inspecting the injuries.
“Oh~ Officer, that’s martial arts!”
“It’s like throwing knives—whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!”
Tom enthusiastically waved his hands, vividly reenacting the scene.
The officer’s face darkened. He inwardly sighed. Why does this foreigner have such a flair for the dramatic?
“Mr. Tom… are you serious?”
“I must remind you that in this country, cooperating with law enforcement is a legal obligation. Everything you say will be held accountable by law. If you deliberately mislead an investigation, it could be considered obstruction of justice.”
The officer’s tone turned serious.
“Oh~ Officer, I swear on my honor that I’m telling the truth!”
“If you don’t believe me, I can demonstrate.”
Tom continued his animated storytelling, gesturing excitedly.
The officer sighed helplessly before picking up one of the steel nails and handing it to Tom. “Alright then, please demonstrate.”
“But you only get one chance. If you fail, I may have to take you in for further questioning.”
Tom blinked before flashing a confident smile. “Don’t worry, Officer. I won’t disappoint you.”
“Watch closely—this will be fast!”
With a mischievous grin, Tom twirled the nail between his fingers.
The officer nodded and gestured for him to proceed.
Tom raised his hand and, with a flick of his wrist, sent the nail flying.
Whoosh!
The nail cut through the air, making a sharp sound.
Thunk!
It embedded itself firmly into the doorframe.
“How was that, Officer?”
Tom shrugged and grinned.
The officers were momentarily stunned.
The one who had questioned Tom gave him a thumbs-up, genuinely impressed.
Meanwhile, Fang Xiaocao had run all the way back to the villa district.
Using her resident credentials, she successfully entered and arrived at Villa No. 5.
She unlocked the door with the passcode and stepped inside without turning on any lights—not even her phone’s flashlight.
She didn’t want to draw attention to herself.
Looking around the living room, she noticed traces of bloodstains on the floor.
It was unclear whether they belonged to the police or Han Xue’s team.
She carefully made her way upstairs, where she inspected the attic under the dim moonlight.
Bullet holes riddled the walls.
Bloodstains were everywhere.
Clearly, members of Han Xue’s group had been wounded—or worse, killed.
After scanning the area, she descended from the attic and chose an empty room.
Lying on the bed, she pulled out her phone and opened WeChat.
She messaged “Hot Noodles”:
“Any updates?”
She was desperate to know the connection between the Zhi Corporation and the Blacklist.
【Hot Noodles: It’s not that fast!】
【Hot Noodles: It’s nighttime here too. How do you expect me to investigate in the middle of the night?】
Fang Xiaocao blinked.
That… made a lot of sense.
“Oops, my bad. I wasn’t thinking.”
She stuck out her tongue and replied sheepishly.
【Hot Noodles: Why did you go back to Villa No. 5?】
Hot Noodles asked curiously.
“Where else would I go?”
Fang Xiaocao replied helplessly.
【Hot Noodles: Alright then, get some rest. I need my beauty sleep too.】
【Hot Noodles: I’m getting older—sleep deprivation is terrible for my skin.】
Fang Xiaocao set her phone down and stared out at the starry sky, lost in thought.
She wasn’t sleepy—probably because she had napped too much in the afternoon.
In the basement of Villa No. 5.
A figure slowly stood up, stretching their stiff limbs.
Limping slightly, they made their way toward the basement door.
“Damn it… They said they’d come back for me, but they never did.”
“These bastards… are they trying to trap me in here?”
The man muttered curses under his breath.
Click!
He unlocked the basement door.
Creak!
The metal door groaned as it swung open.
In the silent villa, the noise was deafening.
Upstairs, Fang Xiaocao instantly shot up from her bed.
“Someone’s here!”
Her eyes widened in shock, barely holding back a gasp.
She had never expected anyone else to be in Villa No. 5!
“It’s coming from the basement…”
She murmured to herself.
That was the distinct sound of a metal door opening.
And in the entire villa, only the basement door was made of metal.
She swiftly got out of bed and unzipped her backpack, pulling out her gun and black short knife.
One hand gripping the gun, the other clutching the knife, she quietly opened her bedroom door.
Moving stealthily under the moonlight, she made her way toward the stairs.
(End of Chapter 190)
