Chapter 47: Warning Before Entering the Mountains
Fang Xiaocao drove a red Land Rover and took the Three Sled Fools back to school.
While they went to their dorms to pack, she drove to the hotel, gathered her belongings, checked out, and threw her luggage into the trunk.
By the time she returned to the school, the Three Sled Fools had finished packing.
After picking them up, she drove back to the hospital.
As soon as she pulled into the hospital parking lot, she saw Zhi Qi in sportswear, parking her car.
Fang Xiaocao stopped beside her, rolled down the window, and asked, “Why are you here so early?”
“Afraid you guys wouldn’t wake up. Came to be your alarm clock,” Zhi Qi replied with a smile.
“What were you all doing this early?” Zhi Qi asked curiously.
“Picking up luggage! These three only told me this morning that it’s a seven-day trip,” Fang Xiaocao said helplessly.
Hearing this, Zhi Qi revealed a knowing expression.
After all, she was the one who came up with the idea of not telling Fang Xiaocao in advance.
Zhi Qi knew that, given Fang Xiaocao’s personality, if she had known earlier, she would never have agreed. She would have bombarded Zhi Qi with calls, demanding she cancel or change the plans.
But if she found out only at the last minute, she’d have no choice but to go along with it.
“What are you laughing at?”
“Don’t think I don’t know this was your stupid idea,” Fang Xiaocao rolled her eyes at Zhi Qi.
“Hehe~”
Zhi Qi laughed sheepishly.
“Let’s go!”
“You’re treating me to a trip, so I’ll treat you to breakfast,” Fang Xiaocao said reluctantly.
Zhi Qi raised an eyebrow and grinned. “Oh? What are we eating?”
“Nothing fancy, just street food,” Fang Xiaocao smirked.
“Sounds good!”
Zhi Qi cheerfully hopped back into her car.
To her, street food was nothing.
Back in the orphanage, there were times when they couldn’t even get enough to eat. They had boiled discarded cabbage leaves in water and even roasted grasshoppers caught in the bushes.
Street food was definitely a step up from that!
They found a small breakfast stall and each had a bowl of noodle soup. Their seven-day journey had officially begun.
Zhi Qi’s plan was to drive to the neighboring city, stay the night, and head into the mountains early the next morning. They would spend five days and five nights there.
This neighboring city had a mountain, part of a nature reserve’s outer area.
Zhi Qi’s family had a partnership with the city to develop a tourism project in that area.
This trip was essentially a work-related inspection.
In short, Zhi Qi was taking four freeloaders on an all-expenses-paid vacation under the guise of business.
Fang Xiaocao and the others had no objections to her plan.
And once Fang Xiaocao learned that this wasn’t just a leisure trip but an actual business inspection, she had no reason to refuse.
Song Lin was once again in the suburbs, keeping watch on Axi. His investigation had yet to yield results, so he had no choice but to monitor Axi while also ensuring the safety of the elderly couple.
Song Lin knew that if Axi was truly the culprit, he might try to stage a crime scene—killing the couple and abducting the child—to divert suspicion from himself.
Even though Song Lin wasn’t certain if that would happen, he wouldn’t take any chances. He refused to let innocent people die due to his negligence.
At the City Police Bureau, Wang Qiang gave orders to a young female officer.
“Take her back first. Tell the forensic unit to expedite the psychiatric evaluation.”
“Yes, sir!”
The officer quickly responded.
Leaning against the wall, Wang Qiang massaged his temples. His head hurt.
He hadn’t expected Han Xue to be this difficult to deal with.
If the psychiatric evaluation confirmed that she had a history of mental illness, she could escape legal consequences and be placed under mandatory psychiatric care instead.
That was an outcome Wang Qiang didn’t want to see.
Because he was certain this was all part of Han Xue’s plan to evade justice.
And once she was transferred to a psychiatric hospital, there was a high chance she’d plan an escape.
To Wang Qiang, Han Xue was incredibly dangerous—perhaps even more so than some notorious serial killers.
She was like a ticking time bomb.
If she ever returned to society, there was no telling how many people she would harm.
He even had a gut feeling that she was evolving into a serial killer.
If she completed her transformation, she’d become an extremely troublesome and formidable adversary.
“Officer Wang, I don’t think we’ll be seeing each other for much longer,” Han Xue said with a smile as she passed by him.
Hearing this, Wang Qiang narrowed his eyes and said coldly, “I’ll be watching you.”
“Officer Wang is so handsome~”
“I’d love that~”
Han Xue winked flirtatiously before being led away.
“Take her away!” Wang Qiang ordered sternly.
“Hehe~”
Han Xue giggled seductively as she obediently followed the female officer.
Watching her leave, Wang Qiang’s expression darkened.
A sense of foreboding crept into his heart.
In the neighboring city, at the hotel, Fang Xiaocao lay on the large bed, just about to take a nap.
But then—
Ribbit, ribbit, ribbit!
Annoying frog croaks filled the air.
“So annoying~”
She scratched her head and grabbed her phone.
After unlocking it, she saw a new WeChat message.
Opening the chat—
[Hot Noodles]: Baby, do you miss me?
Fang Xiaocao rolled her eyes.
Fang Xiaocao: Miss you? I miss you so much I can eat three bowls of rice in one sitting.
[Hot Noodles]: No wonder I’ve gained weight recently. It’s all your fault!
Fang Xiaocao: Bullshit! I haven’t gained weight!
[Hot Noodles]: I meant I gained weight!
Fang Xiaocao: …
She lost.
She couldn’t out-sass Hot Noodles.
That person had mastered the art of self-deprecation.
Fang Xiaocao: What do you want?
[Hot Noodles]: Be careful when you go into the mountains tomorrow.
Seeing this, Fang Xiaocao immediately became alert.
Fang Xiaocao: What do you mean?
[Hot Noodles]: You’ll encounter some trouble. Someone might get hurt.
Fang Xiaocao: Explain in detail!
She frowned.
[Hot Noodles]: Be wary of one woman, trust one man, and watch out for another woman.
Fang Xiaocao: What kind of nonsense is this?
[Hot Noodles]: I’ve only seen part of it. I don’t have all the details yet. That’s all I know for now.
Fang Xiaocao fell into deep thought.
Based on the message, they would at least encounter three people in the mountains—two women and one man.
The man was trustworthy.
One of the women might try to harm them.
The other woman needed extra caution.
Fang Xiaocao: Any other information?
[Hot Noodles]: Not at the moment.
[Hot Noodles]: Both women need to be watched. I don’t know which one will make a move, just that it’ll be a woman.
She blinked, waiting for a response.
(End of Chapter 47)
