Chapter 32: Venturing into the Tiger’s Den
Fang Xiaocao watched the video over and over again, scrutinizing every corner in search of Yun Luoshu’s whereabouts.
Suddenly, her pupils shrank violently—she had found the detail she was looking for.
There were fragments of a beer bottle on the floor!
Under the flickering lights, a shadow briefly flashed across the sofa. If one looked closely, they could make out the silhouette of a long-haired figure pinned down by several short-haired figures.
Something about Su Wanqing’s gaze in the video also seemed off.
She kept blinking—not frequently, but certainly not at a normal rate.
Her eyes were consistently drifting toward one direction.
Fang Xiaocao tried to compare it and found that Su Wanqing’s line of sight was directed at the shadow cast by the lights.
Upon seeing this, Fang Xiaocao chuckled.
“Tiger Girl, oh Tiger Girl, good thing I’m smart.”
She muttered to herself with a grin.
Exiting the video, she opened her chat with Hot Noodles and typed a message.
“Future me, have you returned?”
She wanted to see what Hot Noodles had gone through.
[Contact does not exist!]
Seeing the notification, Fang Xiaocao let out a helpless laugh and closed the chat window.
Ding-dong!
Just then, her phone chimed.
It was a WeChat message from Han Xue.
[Han Xue: Xiaocao, you’re not here yet?]
Fang Xiaocao knew Han Xue was getting impatient and feared she might run away.
“Almost there. Send me the private room number.”
She sighed and replied.
[Han Xue: Okay, okay, we’re in 403.]
“Got it. I’ll head straight up.”
She responded with an expressionless face.
[Han Xue: Alright, we’re waiting for you!]
Closing the chat, Fang Xiaocao took a few deep breaths. Her gaze became resolute.
She composed another message:
“Come quickly to Shen Tao’s KTV, private room 403. Han Xue has lost it and taken my friends hostage. I’m going in to rescue them now!”
After ensuring the message was correct, she sent it to Song Lin and Wang Qiang.
Wen Shi had already fallen victim, and Yun Luoshu had been subdued. Fang Xiaocao knew that the moment she stepped into Room 403, Han Xue would likely explode.
With that in mind, she forwarded the message to an old friend she hadn’t contacted in a long time.
Zhi Qi!
Zhi Qi had been her best friend from their days at the orphanage.
The two had entered the orphanage together, sticking close to each other for warmth, and later grew up side by side.
However, Zhi Qi was luckier than Fang Xiaocao.
In high school, Zhi Qi’s parents found her.
It turned out that Zhi Qi’s family was part of a massive business empire.
After reuniting with her family, Zhi Qi became busy with her studies—not just academics but also corporate management.
Gradually, their contact dwindled.
After high school, Fang Xiaocao was busy juggling part-time jobs to pay for her tuition, while Zhi Qi was engrossed in learning how to manage the family business. They hadn’t spoken for over six months.
If not for this dire situation, Fang Xiaocao wouldn’t have disturbed Zhi Qi.
After sending the message, she put away her phone.
She opened the door of her Land Rover, took a deep breath, and strode into the KTV.
“Welcome!”
The hostess at the entrance greeted her with a smile.
“How many in your party?”
A waiter approached her.
“My friends are already upstairs. I’m just here to join them.”
Fang Xiaocao replied with a smile.
“Alright, please go ahead.”
The waiter nodded politely.
Shen Tao’s KTV looked legitimate on the surface, but Fang Xiaocao had long heard of its shady dealings behind the scenes.
She took the elevator straight to the fourth floor.
Throughout the ride, her phone kept buzzing.
She glanced at it.
[Song Lin: What’s going on?]
[Wang Qiang: Don’t be reckless! Wait for me.]
[Zhi Qi: I’m on my way. Wait for me.]
Seeing their messages, Fang Xiaocao let out a breath of relief.
All three had received her message. That was a good sign.
Zhi Qi’s response, in particular, gave her an unexpected sense of reassurance.
When the elevator doors opened, Fang Xiaocao deleted the messages and slipped her phone into her pocket.
The moment she entered Room 403, she would likely be restrained.
Her request for help had to remain undetected.
If Han Xue realized that she had not only sought reinforcements but also alerted the authorities, she might go berserk. In that case, all three of them—Su Wanqing, Yun Luoshu, and herself—would be in grave danger.
“Ms Han, she’s here.”
Fang Xiaocao had barely stepped onto the fourth floor when a security guard reported her arrival over the walkie-talkie.
Inside Room 403, Han Xue’s lips curled into a triumphant smile upon hearing the report.
On the sofa, Su Wanqing and Yun Luoshu trembled slightly at the sound.
Knock, knock, knock—
Standing at the door of Room 403, Fang Xiaocao rapped her knuckles against the surface.
With a click, the door unlocked.
A heavily made-up Han Xue peeked out from inside.
She scanned the surroundings, confirming that Fang Xiaocao had come alone. A delighted smile spread across her face.
“Come in, Xiaocao!”
Han Xue reached out to pull her in.
“I want to see how Wen Shi is doing first.”
Fang Xiaocao deftly avoided her grasp, brushing past the doorway as she entered the room.
She had firmly kept Hot Noodles’ warning in mind—do not touch Han Xue; it’s dangerous.
She didn’t know why Hot Noodles had said that, but she intended to follow the advice to the letter.
A shadow of malice flickered in Han Xue’s eyes as she noticed the subtle evasion.
She gestured toward the security guard at the elevator.
The guard nodded in understanding.
Seeing this, Han Xue smiled slightly, shut the door, and sauntered back into the room.
“Captain, Han Xue has signaled.”
The security guard at the elevator turned and informed the security captain in the adjacent room.
“Move out. Guard the door.”
The security captain stubbed out his cigarette, got up, and strode toward Room 403.
“Stay sharp, boys. You hear me?”
“Han Xue said that once she’s done with them, the four girls will be ours.”
He grinned lecherously as he spoke.
“Captain, are you sure about this?”
“If they report us afterward, we’ll all be doing time.”
“Yeah, Captain. Isn’t Han Xue just using us as pawns?”
A few of the security guards voiced their concerns.
Fights and roughhousing were one thing, but this?
This was a serious crime.
One offense alone carried a minimum of three years.
Four victims? They’d be looking at a decade behind bars.
And this wasn’t even for Shen Tao.
If they got caught, there would be no compensation waiting for them.
The thought sobered them up considerably.
(End of Chapter 32)
