Chapter 92: Who is the Mastermind Behind the Scheme?
Fang Xiaocao had a lingering feeling of being watched.
It was as if a pair of eyes hidden in the shadows had been observing her every move.
She took a deep breath, trying to calm her thoughts.
“Who do you think it could be?”
Fang Xiaocao sent a message to Hot Noodles.
【Hot Noodles: I have no clue. This person seems to have appeared out of nowhere.】
Frowning at the response, Fang Xiaocao felt deeply uneasy.
It was a powerless feeling.
“Stop looking at news from the newspapers for now.”
“I don’t want to get tricked to death!”
After a moment’s thought, Fang Xiaocao sent another message.
【Hot Noodles: Understood.】
【Hot Noodles: Be careful!】
【Hot Noodles: This person must be nearby. I’ll try to investigate.】
“Got it.”
Fang Xiaocao replied.
“Do you think it could be Aquarius?”
She cast a discreet glance at Aquarius and asked.
【Hot Noodles: From what I remember, Aquarius is dead, so it shouldn’t be her.】
“What?”
Fang Xiaocao was stunned.
“Aquarius will die?”
She quickly asked.
This was something she had never expected.
【Hot Noodles: Yes, Aquarius won’t leave this mountain alive.】
“How does she die?”
Fang Xiaocao frowned.
【Hot Noodles: Assassination by sniper.】
“Why would they kill Aquarius?”
Fang Xiaocao was even more shocked.
【Hot Noodles: It’s likely part of the Blacklist’s internal purge.】
“Phew…”
Fang Xiaocao exhaled slowly, feeling a little exhausted.
They had gone through so much just to take down one of the Blacklist’s Zodiac groups.
But compared to the entire Blacklist, that was barely a scratch.
“Will anyone else die?”
Fang Xiaocao asked, her brows furrowed.
【Hot Noodles: Only Aquarius.】
【Hot Noodles: The Blacklist’s goal isn’t mass slaughter—it’s to manipulate the heirs of powerful families. Now that the mission failed, they will look for another chance rather than kill them off.】
【Hot Noodles: As for the others, the Blacklist won’t waste bullets on them.】
“Alright, I understand.”
Fang Xiaocao replied.
“I’m heading back to camp. Stay in touch if anything happens.”
【Hot Noodles: Be careful.】
“I will!”
Fang Xiaocao ended the chat and pocketed her phone.
“Aquarius, let’s head back.”
She called out to the ever-alert Aquarius.
“Yes, Your Highness!”
Aquarius nodded firmly.
“You take the lead.”
Fang Xiaocao ordered.
“Gladly!”
Aquarius responded, gripping her gun tightly as she led the way back to camp.
Fang Xiaocao followed closely, deep in thought.
Who was the one spying on her?
The newspaper was from Tang City.
While this didn’t necessarily mean Zhi Qi and the others were responsible…
She couldn’t rule them out either.
One of her closest friends wanted her dead.
This realization made Fang Xiaocao feel betrayed.
“Your Highness, we’ve arrived.”
Aquarius whispered.
“Mm, let’s go.”
Fang Xiaocao nodded.
“Xiaocao, what took you so long?”
As soon as she returned to camp, Su Wanqing called out.
“Uh…”
“Constipation.”
Fang Xiaocao blinked innocently.
“Pfft!”
Su Wanqing scoffed in disbelief.
Fang Xiaocao sat down against a tree, scanning the faces of everyone around her.
No clues.
Everyone’s expressions were perfectly normal.
Their gazes toward her were friendly.
There was not a hint of hostility.
It felt like no one had a problem with her…
But at the same time, it felt like everyone did.
Fang Xiaocao felt like she was losing her mind.
She even considered hypnotizing everyone one by one to interrogate them.
After a moment of contemplation, she glanced at the group once more before walking over to Yun Luoshu.
If she had to pick one person she could trust without a doubt…
It would be this big, silly girl—Yun Luoshu.
He was straightforward and honest, like an Alaskan Malamute—loyal and dependable.
Seeing Fang Xiaocao approach, Yun Luoshu shifted over slightly, making space for her to sit.
Fang Xiaocao took the seat beside her.
“Luoshu, did anyone leave while I was gone?”
She asked in a hushed voice.
“Yeah!”
Yun Luoshu answered without hesitation.
Fang Xiaocao froze.
“Seriously?”
She had only asked casually, not expecting to get a lead so soon.
“Who left?”
She pressed further.
“Wan Xiaozhou went out.”
“Wanqing went to the restroom.”
“Zhi Qi went to gather firewood.”
Yun Luoshu thought for a moment before replying.
Fang Xiaocao’s eyes flickered as she processed the names.
She instinctively glanced at the three of them.
Who was the most suspicious?
In her mind, Wan Xiaozhou was the biggest suspect.
She barely knew her, and she was hiding secrets from her.
“How long were they gone?”
“When did they return?”
She asked thoughtfully.
“Wan Xiaozhou was gone for about five minutes—said she needed the restroom.”
Yun Luoshu replied.
Then, after a brief pause, she added:
“Wanqing and Zhi Qi were gone for a long time.”
“They only just came back before you did.”
Fang Xiaocao was struck by a bolt of realization.
Su Wanqing and Zhi Qi had been gone for so long!
That meant…
They could have been following her!
In an instant, her suspicion of Su Wanqing and Zhi Qi skyrocketed.
If one of them had somehow learned her secret and then followed her to discover the hidden temple…
Even without future knowledge, they could have used the temple to set up today’s trap.
Betting that she and Aquarius would enter and wake the sleeping tiger!
It might seem meaningless at first glance…
But…
Even if she survived this time…
What if, in another timeline, she woke the tiger and got devoured?
As long as one version of her died, the mastermind would win—successfully changing their own fate.
If Fang Xiaocao died, her phone, which could contact the future, would have a chance to fall into the hands of the mastermind.
Realizing this, Fang Xiaocao felt a shiver run down her spine.
It was a perfect plan.
A gamble on the probability of her death, all to rewrite fate.
“Wait…”
“Rewrite fate?”
That phrase triggered something deep inside her mind.
A face flashed through her thoughts.
A familiar, smiling face.
—Merry Christmas!
(End of Chapter 92)
