[Urban] Nongyu (Complete) - 30

The fourth section, "Survival

in a Deadly Situation," describes a cramped and sweltering ventilation duct. The passage, less than 50 centimeters wide, was filled with dust and cobwebs. I curled up, crawling forward on my elbows, but my legs couldn't fully extend; my thighs were bent at a 135-degree angle to my body before my knees touched the side wall. I inch forward, inching along, the stifling space a physically demanding struggle. I

don't know how long I crawled or how far I went, but I finally found my destination: a straight downward passage that would take me to the next floor. Climbing down wasn't easy. The walls were made of asbestos tiles, offering good friction, but maintaining my balance required considerable effort.

I spread my legs, using my legs below the knees for support, and squeezed my elbows and forearms tightly together, slowly inching my way down. My legs were alright, at least my pants were there to protect them, but I was wearing a short-sleeved shirt today, so my forearms were completely exposed to the friction between my skin and the asbestos roof, causing me excruciating pain. I knew that if I wasn't careful and fell, I would definitely die from that height of over ten meters; my thigh bone might even pierce my pelvis, and I wouldn't even have a proper corpse. So, despite being covered in sweat, I continued to struggle.

More than half an hour passed, and I had only descended two floors, but I had already reached my limit. I weakly inserted my legs into the horizontal ventilation shaft on the third floor, then lay down there, panting heavily.

"That little rat, I really don't know where it's gone!"

A man's voice came from not far below, startling me so much that I immediately stopped my heavy breathing.

"Yeah, that kid seems to have vanished into thin air. We've searched the whole building, but we haven't found him. It's really damn weird!"

another person added.

I recognized the voice immediately; it was Da Min, who had been with Tian Yu. Hearing his voice, I was instantly startled. I propped myself up on one elbow, using my legs to push myself sideways, and silently crept towards the source of the voice.

Just then, a shrill-voiced man chimed in, cursing, "Damn it! If you ask me, that kid might have already slipped out. We should notify the people outside to spread the search net, instead of just wandering around the building like headless flies!"

I recognized this voice too; it was Li Desheng, the one who had carried that girl into the sauna I was in earlier.

"No, no..."

a gentle yet confident voice rang out, "We've sealed off all the exits. He must still be inside, that's for sure!"

I would never forget that voice; it was the always-smiling Tian Yu who had nearly killed me in Shen Dongcai's office.

Hearing his voice, I felt a chill run down my spine, involuntarily softening my movements, but also becoming even more eager to hear him clearly. Not far from where I had just been, there was a ventilation grate on a vent extending downwards about half a meter deep. I knew this was the room below, and those people were inside. I quietly moved over and, using the light from inside the room and my advantageous position, looked down.

Below was a spacious and bright office. The floor was covered with a camel-colored, long-haired, plain wool carpet. Several Western oil paintings hung on the orange-yellow marble walls, and a few pieces of human figure art that I couldn't appreciate were scattered on the faux oak decorative cabinets. At the head of the table was a large mahogany executive desk with a laptop with a large flat-screen monitor and several file racks. Behind the desk, in a large executive chair, a man nearing forty years old was holding the armrest with one hand and gently stroking his chin with the other. He pushed his brown-tinted, gold-rimmed sunglasses up to his forehead, squinted his eyes, and thoughtfully spun the chair back and forth.

This man was Tian Yu, a capable henchman of Shen Dongcai, whom I greatly feared for his composure, experience, and cunning. Sitting on the guest sofa in front of him was a man of medium build, around thirty-five or thirty-six years old, dressed in sportswear; this was Da Min, his driver and subordinate. Next to Da Min, in the center of the hall, stood five or six men of varying appearances. Apart from the short, stocky Li Desheng and the blond-haired Zhou Xiang, the others were presumably gang leaders of equal rank.

"Brother Yu..."

Damin rubbed the back of his neck, turned his head and said, "Desheng has a point. Searching aimlessly like this really isn't a solution!"

"He does have a point, but..."

At this point, Tian Yu's smiling face suddenly turned serious. He picked up a pen and threw it at Li Desheng, saying coldly, "His motives are impure!"

He opened his eyes wide and stared at Li Desheng, demanding sternly, "Tell me, are your motives impure? What were you doing when I called you? Were you slacking off again? I'm telling you, play around, but don't let it interfere with business, or I won't even need to lift a finger, you can tell me what to do!"

I knew that with Tian Yu's intelligence, the little tricks Li Desheng had played on him wouldn't have escaped his notice. It seemed that being the boss really required a bit of intimidation.

Li Desheng wasn't really hurt by the pen, but he couldn't handle his older brother's anger. He immediately picked up the pen, put it away, and said with a forced smile, "Brother Yu, Brother Yu, it won't happen again. I'll handle it myself next time. I know the rules, I know, I know!"

Tian Yu leaned his head back in his chair, staring aimlessly at the ceiling, swishing his executive chair back and forth. He gave a soft hum and ignored him for a long time before finally saying, "Where do you think Yang Ziyang might be hiding?"

I had immediately pulled my head back from the vent when Tian Yu looked up, but when he mentioned my name, I couldn't help but peek out again. I figured no one would notice me from my current position, especially since the vent was dark while the area below was bright, making me quite concealed.

"Hey, it's just a puppy that hasn't even grown its first feathers yet, is it really worth making such a fuss? Bro, give me two hours, and I'll bring my brothers and we'll find him for you!"

Li Desheng, who had been questioned earlier, probably wanted to redeem himself and immediately stepped forward to volunteer.

"Two hours? Do you know how many hours he's been hiding? Three hours! So many people have gone up and down the mountain and still haven't found him. You think you can catch him in two hours? If that's the case, tell me how you plan to catch him?"

Tian Yu smiled contemptuously and asked in a completely incredulous tone.

"This..."

Li Desheng hesitated for a long time before vaguely saying, "It's just a search, as long as there are a lot of people, that's fine. We'll thoroughly search KTVs, dance halls, saunas, and nightclubs. I think he'll be hiding in a crowded place!"

"Hmph..."

Tian Yu chuckled dismissively and simply ignored him.

"Brother Yu..."

Zhou Xiang, who was standing to the side, said, "I think we're being too cowardly. We shouldn't show any mercy to these kinds of people. Just crush them when we see them, that's much more satisfying! Otherwise, people will think we're easy to bully!" "

We're talking about how to catch them now. We haven't even seen them yet, who are you going to kill?"

Li Desheng seemed to still hold a grudge against this brother who had secretly betrayed him and ruined his plans. Hearing

this, he immediately turned around and retorted. "Ring ring," the phone on the table rang. Tian Yu reached out to stop Zhou Xiang from talking back, looked at the caller ID, and immediately sat up straight, holding the receiver steadily in his hand to answer: "Hello, President Shen..."

Hiding above them, I secretly rejoiced. I hadn't expected to overhear Tian Yu and Shen Dongcai's conversation by chance. This might be crucial to my next move, so I immediately pricked up my ears to listen.

Knowing it was the big boss calling, everyone in the room fell silent, no one daring to utter a sound. Tian Yu spoke in this quiet atmosphere: "...Um, not yet...Yeah, how's Yongzhong? Hehe...Don't worry too much, he can't escape...Um...Okay, I'll handle it..."

It seemed he had already learned from the boss that Hou Yongzhong hadn't caught me either, and Shen Dongcai seemed inclined to entrust the entire matter to him. I frowned as I listened from the shadows. I was confident I could handle a roughneck like Hou Yongzhong with ease, but dealing with Tian Yu was a different story.

But things really did develop as I expected. I heard Tian Yu say, "President Shen, since you trust me so much, I have a few suggestions... Hmm... There are too many organizations in this building. I suggest we start evacuating now, kicking out everyone except our own people. That will make the search easier... The reason is simple: it's a police inspection. This way, we won't offend the customers and we can clear the place as quickly as possible... Oh... Oh... I see. Then I'll wait for your decision..."

Damn it, Tian Yu, you're really ruthless. You're going to clear out the entire building just to arrest me? How am I supposed to face anyone after that?

I cursed inwardly, then heard Tian Yu continue, "...I have another suggestion. If what Yang Ziyang has isn't too important to you, I suggest we don't leave him alive. I think this guy is no simpleton; it's best to eliminate him before he becomes too powerful, lest he escape and cause us...and you unnecessary trouble in the future!"

Hearing this, I was shocked. In my eyes, although Tian Yu was cunning, he had always been kind to me. On the surface, although I could clearly see that he was very calculating, I couldn't see any hostility towards me. I never expected him to suggest to Shen Dongcai that I be killed. It seems I was too naive and underestimated Tian Yu!

Fortunately, his next words put my mind at ease: "Oh, is that so? Then forget it... Don't worry, I had already planned this. I believe he won't escape my grasp, um... um, good!"

He had just hung up the phone when someone I didn't recognize asked, "Brother Yu, is this Yang Ziyang really that strange? Why is Master Shen so concerned? He's called three times in such a short time. And you seem to care about him a lot too, so eager to kill him?"

"Old Ma, you don't know..." Damin,

who was standing next to me, turned his head and said, "This kid may be young, but he's got a lot of tricks up his sleeve. Hou Yongli is still unconscious in the hospital. And I was there when Master Shen saw him just now. He wasn't afraid even with a gun pointed at his head. That composure and alertness of his is not something someone his age should have. There's a reason why President Shen and Brother Yu are so concerned."

"You're all looking at things too superficially..."

Tian Yu chuckled and shook his head slightly, adding, "Yang Ziyang, unmoved by wealth or lust, unyielding to life or death—have you ever seen such spirit? He can find a way out of a desperate situation, a chance to survive in a death trap—do you have that kind of ability?"

He then rested his head on the back of his chair, using his toes to spin the chair back and forth, slowly saying, "Spirit and ability—that's talent! But such talent can't be used by me. I saw it with President Shen earlier; this kid will never be on our side. Since that's the case, he's either a friend or an enemy, so we must eliminate him before he gains power, otherwise he'll become a major threat!"

He glanced at everyone, took a long breath, and continued, "You need to show the same intensity you had when you chased down Uncle Tan sixteen years ago, searching for him like he was your father's killer!"

"Master Tan?"

While the younger ones like Zhou Xiang and Li Desheng looked at each other in bewilderment, the old man in his forties, Ma, exclaimed, "This kid has such a big mouth, as important as Master Tan?" "

Hmph, maybe not now, but in the future... who knows! I won't be at peace until this person is eliminated!"

After saying this, Tian Yu suddenly sat up straight, his eyes widening and gleaming. He beckoned everyone in the room to come closer, and then continued, "Now I'll make some arrangements. You all need to be smart. I don't want anyone else to end up like Hou Yongli!"

Led by Da Min, the group gathered around his desk. Tian Yu took out some things from his desk and began assigning tasks.

He first handed a thick stack of white A4 paper to one of the men, saying, "Old Ma, take Yang Ziyang's photo and distribute it to all our brothers. Make sure they remember what he looks like. I don't want any of my men not recognizing him in half an hour! Also, after you distribute the photo, go to the main control room and take a few brothers with good eyesight. Make sure every surveillance camera is properly secured, to prevent him from sneaking in and out as staff!"

The man in his forties took the photo with a cold smile and walked out.

Damn it, they want to use sheer numbers? Do you think I'm afraid of them? I'll just sneak down to the basement through the ventilation duct, find a garbage dump, and crawl out. Pshaw!

While I was still basking in my smugness, Tian Yu pulled out a large sheet of paper. It looked like it had a drawing of a building on it. He called over someone and said, "Zhihong, this is an aerial view of the building. Take this and have your men block off all exits, including the front door, back door, parking lot, cargo entrances and exits, garbage chutes, ventilation shafts, and any place where a person could squeeze out! Don't let your guard down with maintenance workers and cleaners, especially those wearing glasses or masks. They must be checked. Also, don't miss any containers or vehicles where people can fit inside, understand?"

The man agreed, took the map, and left.

Damn it, they blocked all my planned escape routes! Trying to wait for me to come to them? No way! I'm hiding here and not coming out. I don't believe you can wait forever!

Before I could even decide on a protracted battle, Tian Yu pulled out another roll of paper and said, "Da Min, you used to work in equipment installation and plumbing, so you should be able to understand the blueprints for the building's electrical equipment and supporting facilities. Call the security manager, get all the keys, and thoroughly check every possible hiding place: elevator shafts, pipe shafts, equipment rooms, fire escape routes, ventilation and smoke exhaust ducts, ceilings, cable trays, cable trenches, and the greywater system..."

Damn it, my head suddenly felt like it was spinning. I hadn't expected Tian Yu to be so familiar with the building's structure, actually guessing that I'd be hiding in these places. But it's okay, searching so many places can't be done in a short time; I still have time.

But Tian Yu's next words almost made me fall off my chair. He said, "...I know your workload is a bit heavy, but you can use your brain. For example, with the greywater system, you can shut off the main water valve and then put the reservoir's stored water in. I believe that way, no one can stay in the underground pipes. As for the ventilation and smoke exhaust ducts, you don't need to send someone to crawl in and check. Just block up all the branch pipes, then set a fire in the basement and let the smoke in. I think Yang Ziyang would be smoked out if he were in there. Sewers and smoke ducts, what kind of sewers and smoke ducts are they without water and smoke? Heh heh heh heh!"

He gave a sly smile and handed the roll of blueprints to Damin, who was also smiling knowingly.

Damn it, does he really want to kill me?! I felt a chill run down my spine, and an indescribable anxiety surged into my heart. I immediately took a deep breath, silently reassuring myself, "It's okay, even if they want to do this, it will

take time. I can go up; going up is much easier than going down. Once I'm on the roof and hiding, I won't be afraid!" But Tian Yu below seemed to read my mind, actually saying, "Zhou Xiang, take a few men to the roof. I think if Yang Ziyang realizes he can't hide anymore, he might go up. He's Jesus, Jesus is God, he's supposed to be in heaven. If you want to get close to him, you have to stand at the highest point, haha!"

Tian Yu sneered and continued, "Remember to bring stun guns, don't let him get desperate and jump off the building. President Shen wants him alive!"

The blond-haired guy agreed and left.

I almost bit my lip until it bled. I hadn't expected Tian Yu's plan to be so flawless; I was truly trapped with nowhere to run. I thought to myself, given the situation, I was going to die anyway, so I might as well go straight to the top floor. If I was lucky enough, I might be able to sneak into Shen Dongcai's lair. Shen was quite old; I refused to believe that a young man like me couldn't defeat him. If I could subdue this old guy, I thought there was still room for maneuver—that's the principle of capturing the leader!

"Li Desheng, your chance to make a name for yourself has arrived!"

Before I could finish my calculations, Tian Yu started giving orders again: "Take your men to the top floor!"

"The top floor? Isn't that Master Shen's office area? What are we going there for?"

Li Desheng, who had happily taken a step forward, stopped when he heard Tian Yu's words and asked in confusion.

Tian Yu, his eyes tightly shut, grinned and replied, "I've blocked all his escape routes. What would you do? Would you think of coercing a hostage to survive? President Shen is the most important person in this building. If Yang Ziyang wants to get out safely, given the current situation, he probably has no choice but to target President Shen!" "

He...he has the guts?"

Li Desheng asked, still incredulous.

"His guts? Hmph, he dared to slap Hou Yongzhong in front of President Shen, dared to curse at President Shen's gun, dared to make President Shen's woman lick his toes. Do you think he has the guts?"

Tian Yu took off his glasses and placed them on the table, looking at Li Desheng with a cold smile.

"Damn, is this even human?"

Li Desheng didn't dare to say another word, stuck out his tongue, and turned away.

At this moment, all the hairs on my body stood on end, but I had no strength left in my body.

If I hadn't overheard Tian Yu's arrangements while passing by, I might have used my supposedly superior architectural knowledge to escape. But now that I've overheard it, I don't know why, I'm completely powerless. I really don't know if this unexpected gain is lucky or unlucky.

Tian Yu dismissed everyone one by one, turned around, took a bottle of red wine from the glass shelf behind him, poured a little into a stemmed glass, sat back in his boss's swivel chair, crossed his legs, and gently swirled the glass, watching the bright red wine slowly rotate along the side of the glass. He muttered to himself, "Yang Ziyang... Jesus, where will you be? I let you outmaneuver me twice, you have to give me a chance to turn the tables!"

He took a sip of the wine, tilted his head back, closed his eyes slightly, and leisurely began to rest.

It took me a long time to recover from the despair that brought me to the brink of collapse. A voice, growing stronger with each passing moment, echoed deep within me: "Yang Ziyang, you can't give up. This is suicide. Do you want to die?"

"No, I don't want to die, absolutely not!"

I gritted my teeth and shouted in my heart, finally managing to get up.

I couldn't stay in the ventilation duct any longer; it was tantamount to waiting to die. I had to get out. Thinking this, I glanced at Tian Yu below, who was still deep in thought with his eyes closed, gritted my teeth, and curled up, retreating back the way I came.

I mustered my remaining strength and climbed down another floor, then looked for a way out horizontally. Soon, a faint beam of light attracted me, and I slowly moved towards it.

There was no downward ventilation duct here; the louver was on the horizontal air duct, so the light shone in, providing more visibility. I peeked down through the gaps in the louver and saw a long corridor below. The walls here weren't ornately decorated; they were simply painted white with cheap paint, and a white tiled wainscoting about a meter above the floor. Unlike the other corridors, one side of this corridor had several wooden cabinets taller than a person.

Two men were standing in front of the cabinets talking, but their hands were busy.

One of them was completely naked. As he opened a cabinet door, he took out underwear and put it on, saying, "Hey, why are you so late? Did Supervisor Zheng ask you to check something again? Hey kid, you always come this late. Is that Zheng girl after you, keeping you hanging out with her?"

As he spoke, he put on his underwear and then pulled out a white shirt, clearly a restaurant waiter's uniform.

The other man was also wearing a waiter's uniform, but he was taking his clothes off. He had already taken off his white shirt and thrown it into another cabinet, and was pulling down his pants.

Hearing this, he laughed and cursed, "Don't talk nonsense! How much does she earn a month? How much do I earn a month? Would she even want me?" Saying this, he threw his black uniform pants into the cabinet, and while taking off his underwear, he joked, "But you know what, although Ms. Zheng is a bit older, she's quite a beauty. If it's just for fun and not about feelings, I wouldn't mind sleeping with her a few times!"

Saying this, he threw his underwear in and took out a plastic bag from the cabinet.

I saw that the plastic bag was bulging, and it seemed to contain toiletries. Considering their current state, I had already guessed that this was probably the staff shower area.

The man who had spoken earlier put on his clothes, smoothed his wet hair, and said, "You want to have a few more rounds? Do you think you can handle that? Look at you..."

He suddenly gestured towards the other man's bare crotch and said, "...I knew you didn't have much to pee on. Can you handle someone in their prime? Still relying on your hands? How can you possibly enjoy that? Forum reputation guaranteed! High-grade silicone video, Fan Bingbing's real-life vulva, molded to a highly realistic shape, soft and delicate skin! Built-in large-particle protrusions, close to the female physiological structure, for a more realistic experience... well-proportioned, irresistible! Click to enter."

"Go to hell, get lost!"

Another man dodged backward and cursed, "Go home and hatch your eggs, and you're talking to me? You think you're a person just because you put on pants?"

After saying that, he walked inside, and then around the corner, the sound of rushing water came from a place.

"You little punk!"

The remaining man picked up his things and left as well.

"You become like the company you keep," I thought to myself. "None of the staff in this hotel are proper." I sighed inwardly. Seeing no movement for a while, I mustered my courage

and jumped out of the ventilation duct. Using the cabinet as a stepping stone, I easily closed the drain and silently landed on the floor. It was indeed the bathroom; besides the sound of water, steam was billowing from within. I initially planned to slip away, but seeing that the person who had gone in earlier had probably been busy chatting with a colleague and hadn't closed the cabinet door, an idea struck me. If I went out like this , I might be discovered quickly. Now that my clothes were right in front of me, why not change my appearance?

I quickly took off my outer garment and was about to take out the staff uniform to change when someone walked out of the bathroom. My heart skipped a beat, but seeing him standing there drying himself without even glancing at me, I finally relaxed.

Actually, this guy was just clueless. Seeing my dusty, dirty face, if I were undressed, it would be understandable, but since I was dressed, it was rather suspicious.

I knew he hadn't noticed this, and there was no time to lose. If the host came out after washing up, I'd be in trouble. Without hesitation, I changed into the clothes, oblivious to everyone around me. Luckily, my build was similar to the guy's, and although the clothes smelled a bit sweaty, they fit me fairly well. I took my old belongings, threw my new clothes back in the locker, and quickly left.

Outside, I found myself in the back room of a very upscale restaurant. It was probably after closing time, so there weren't many people. A few people in uniform jackets and seven or eight men dressed similarly to me were busy at their own pace. I was planning to walk out with my head down when I unexpectedly bumped into a woman wearing a round-necked uniform vest and a black long skirt at the door.

"Hey, come here for a second!"

She gently tugged at my sleeve, said those words, and then turned and walked away.

I didn't dare look up at her, but judging from her voice, she seemed to be a woman in her late twenties, and she appeared tall and well-proportioned. I didn't know who she was, but if I struck up a conversation with her at the door, even the slightest slip would attract the attention of everyone inside. So I could only keep my head down and follow her.

She led me forward, the light in the corridor growing dimmer, but she walked faster and faster.

I started to wonder, could she also be one of Shen Dongcai's people? Or had she seen my picture and recognized me, wanting to use me to curry favor? Thinking this, I became fully alert, my eyes fixed on the woman in front of me while glancing to either side, looking for something to use for self-defense. But the corridor was clean and empty; there was nothing I could use as a weapon.

In a moment, she led me to a door, took out a key, opened it, and went inside. I cautiously followed her in, but dared not close the door.

The woman turned on the light, and I instantly shielded my eyes with my hand to prevent anyone from attacking me during that moment of blindness.

But that didn't happen. Instead, the woman turned around and looked at me strangely, finally saying, "What are you standing there for? Move these things away!"

Only then did I notice that this seemed to be a warehouse. The ceiling was covered with cable trays and pipes, the walls were whitewashed and damp, and there were many boxes of various sizes against the wall. The woman was pointing at a large cardboard box to my side.

"Oh, oh..."

I replied casually, picking up the box. It wasn't heavy, maybe twenty-odd pounds, but I didn't know where to take it. I stood there, neither daring to ask nor daring to move forward.

"What's wrong? Hurry up!"

The woman, seeing my hesitation, urged in a low voice, "Take it to the first floor and exchange them in order, understand?"

"Okay!"

I didn't dare say anything more and carried the box out.

But I'd only taken a couple of steps when she called out to me again, "Hey, you're new here? Don't you even know the way? Didn't your supervisor teach you? Use the staff entrance!"

"Yes, yes!"

I saw she was pointing in the opposite direction I was facing, so I immediately turned around and hurried away, not daring to look at her again.

"Honestly, she has no sense at all!"

the woman muttered to herself. Just as she was about to leave, she heard a commotion coming from the direction she'd come from. A man wearing jeans, shirtless, and carrying a beige shirt was running towards her.

He saw the woman and immediately called out, "Supervisor Zheng, have you seen a man wearing our uniform?"

"What's wrong? Why are you in such a hurry?"

the woman asked, puzzled.

"Someone... someone stole my clothes in the bathroom, and people say that person came this way with you!"

the man said breathlessly.

"Oh, really? That person isn't from here?"

The woman exclaimed in surprise, then turned and hurried away, saying as she went, "Come on, he went this way!"

The two ran down the stairs but couldn't find the thief again.

I grabbed the suitcase and ran forward, finally finding the staff entrance the woman had mentioned.

I had planned to go downstairs peacefully and blend in with my disguise, but unexpectedly, there were quite a few people standing in twos and threes in the staff entrance stairwell. Most of them were dressed strangely, some had odd hairstyles, some wore gold chains and various eye-catching accessories, and some were even carrying short knives and sticks—clearly not kind people.

Forcing myself to remain calm, I pretended not to see them, covered my face with the suitcase, and silently walked downstairs. These people probably saw my waiter's attire and didn't stop or question me, allowing me to walk down half a floor without any trouble.

"Hey, stop right there! I'm talking to you!"

A tall man suddenly called out to me from behind on the rest platform between the first and second floors.

I didn't dare turn around, stopped while holding the suitcase, and tried to keep my tone calm as I asked, "Brother, what's wrong? I'm delivering something downstairs!"

"Delivering something?"

The man walked down a few steps, circled around from behind me to the side, and stared at me suspiciously, asking, "Are you a waiter? What's in your suitcase?"

What's in it? How would I know? I had anticipated that the kid whose clothes were stolen would find out soon, so I had run in a great hurry and hadn't had time to open the suitcase. Now, I was speechless at his question.

"This... is just some miscellaneous stuff, look!"

I kept my face hidden, reached up and slowly opened the self-sealing of the suitcase, handing it to the man.

"Let me see... Ouch!"

As soon as the man poked his head out, I immediately turned the suitcase upside down over his head, pushed him in front of his chest, and then ran downstairs as fast as I could.

"Ugh... Holy crap!"

The man quickly threw the cardboard box off his head and shouted, "Guys, don't let him get away! Chase him!"

But he tripped over something that had fallen from the box and stumbled, only to find that it was rolls of toilet paper.

The stairwell was full of people, and upon hearing the shout, seven or eight people immediately ran downstairs to his side. After helping him up, the man yelled, "Don't fucking worry about me, hurry up and chase him! It's definitely that kid, quick!"

These people rushed downstairs.

I originally wanted to take this opportunity to quickly run downstairs to find a place to escape or hide, but I didn't expect that as soon as I reached the first floor, I saw five or six people darting upstairs like arrows. The leader was still shouting, "You little brat, don't run! You can't escape! Stop!"

Looking up at the building, I saw that the guy whose head I had covered with the box had been helped up by several people, and they were also rushing downstairs. In this extremely urgent situation, I didn't have time to think. I immediately dodged through the emergency exit on the first floor and squeezed inside. Then, I gripped the doorknobs tightly with both hands to prevent the two groups of people from opening the door and chasing after me. " Thump, thump,

thump!" A dozen or so people gathered together, frantically pounding on the door. One of them yelled, "You son of a bitch, open the door! You have nowhere to run. Come with us now, or we'll make things worse!" Seeing that I was gritting my teeth and refusing to let go, the man shouted, "Brothers, break the door open, quick!" I knew that this wasn't a solution. Even if they couldn't get in immediately, the noise would attract more thugs, and then I'd be caught in a pincer attack and wouldn't be able to escape. Thinking of this, I had a sudden inspiration. I took out the cross-shaped chain and wrapped it around the doorknobs. This metal chain was a gift from Chen Jing; it had always been on me. I had used it to hang the ventilation vent in the sauna on the fifth floor, so it had always been untied. Seeing the object reminded me of Chen Jing's feelings for me. Although I could throw away the chain, I quickly took off the cross. "Hey, don't run away, fucking open the door!" The people outside saw that I had tampered with the handle and then ran away, and they shouted in unison, while banging on the security door even more violently.

I ignored the shouts and curses, my only thought was to run, to run as far as possible. I took off running, rounded a bend, and came to a lavishly decorated corridor. Just as I was about to sprint forward, I suddenly noticed that the corridor ended at the lobby on the first floor. The lobby was brightly lit and bustling with people; there were probably dozens of them huddled together in various groups.

With pursuers behind me and no way forward, I turned around to assess the situation. I saw a sign for a man smoking a pipe a short distance to my right, and knew it was the restroom. Without thinking, I rushed inside.

"Ugh... ugh..."

I heard a noise as soon as I reached the door. I quickly stopped and leaned against the wall to peek inside.

It was clearly an open-plan washroom, with a row of sinks in the middle and aisles on either side, presumably for the men's and women's restrooms. At that moment, a middle-aged man in a suit was vomiting repeatedly in front of the sink. Beside him stood a woman in her thirties, dressed in a black evening gown, who gently patted his back while complaining, "I told you not to drink so much, but you wouldn't listen. Now you're throwing up, aren't you feeling terrible?" "

What nonsense are you talking about? How can I not drink in this situation… ugh… cough cough… ugh…"

The man didn't finish his sentence before he hunched over again, retching.

The woman looked up, seemingly searching for something, but finding nothing, said, "Wait a minute, I'll get some tissues!"

She then turned and walked into the aisle to her right.

*Thump thump… clang* The sound came from where I had come from, making me realize that the thugs I had locked in the employee passage had breached the security gate and were heading this way.

Damn it, this is going to kill me! I didn't have time to think. I instinctively pulled out a one-yuan coin and threw it forcefully in the direction the woman had gone.

A loud "crash" rang out, and the man straightened up, leaning against the mirror in front of him and peering into the corridor. He shouted, "Hey, are you alright? What's wrong?"

Without hesitation, I tiptoed and slipped behind him into another corridor. The woman was going to get toilet paper, so I had to go to the women's restroom. In that emergency, I didn't think about whether anyone else was in the men's room. Luckily, there was no one else there.

"It's nothing, what's wrong with getting some paper?"

The woman emerged from the restroom, holding a roll of tissues.

"Hey, did you see someone running over here?"

She had just reached the sink when a group of menacing-looking men appeared at the door, most carrying various weapons. Their anxious expressions showed they were chasing something. One of the tall men shouted, startling the woman.

"No...no..."

The woman said, looking at the middle-aged man with her with a questioning gaze, "Honey, did you see that?"

"People? What people? Aren't you people?"

The man leaned against the sink and slowly turned around, his face flushed and drool dripping from his mouth. He swayed and squinted at the group of thugs by the door.

"Damn it, you motherfucker, you're asking for it..."

One of the thugs, hearing the barbed tone in his words, immediately rushed over to attack.

The woman, terrified, grabbed her husband's arm and pulled back, repeatedly saying, "No, no... don't do that! We really didn't see anyone else!"

"Alright, alright, why are you arguing with a drunkard?"

The leader of the thugs blocked his companion who was about to step forward, then said, "I think we should go in and check!"

He then told the two behind him, "You two go check the men's room."

Then, turning to the woman who had cowered to the side, he said, "Miss, could you please lead us into the women's room?"

Without waiting for her consent, he and his two companions stood in front of her with a wink.

"Okay... alright!"

The woman reluctantly settled her husband aside and turned to walk inside.

"Sigh, they said there's no one in there. I guess we don't need to go in?"

one of the men, who had been directed to the men's room, complained.

The leader, who was about to follow the woman inside, turned around upon hearing this, gave him an unpleasant once-over, and said coldly, "Would it kill you to go and see? This is just to be safe!" He then ignored him and led the two men forward.

"Damn it!"

the leader cursed angrily, and he and another thug slipped into the men's restroom.

A series of clanging sounds followed as the two thugs kicked open all the partitions in the latrine area, their actions extremely brutal, clearly driven by rage. "

Damn it all, there's not even a ghost in sight! What a waste of time!"

the first thug, who had been arguing with his comrade outside, spat and cursed.

Another man scoffed, "Hmph, that bastard's always making a mountain out of a molehill. He thinks he's so great, acting all high and mighty like a fool, trying to play dumb with us guys. Damn it!"

"Let's go, let's go, it's so smelly, let's not hold it in here any longer!"

The two grumbled and left.

A long time after they left, a slight rustling sound came from behind a 1.5-meter-tall white plastic bucket leaning against the wall in the corner of the last toilet stall, from among a dozen mops. I carefully moved the mop that was covering me and cautiously emerged from the dark corner.

It had been incredibly dangerous. If it weren't for a couple who happened to be there to shield me, those thugs would never have let this toilet go. It was because of the woman's words that they had let their guard down, allowing me to escape unscathed. I listened intently at the door and realized the commotion had subsided, knowing they had all left. I breathed a sigh of relief.

The situation was still dire. I was currently in a restroom on the first floor, with only two options outside: the staff exit I'd just come through, which was teeming with thugs, and the lobby, which, needless to say, was now a den of thugs. Forget about trying to escape through the main entrance; even if I showed my face in the lobby, I was sure dozens of people would surround me.

After much deliberation, I decided to endure it here for now, hoping for a better escape route and a chance to rest. Having climbed three floors through the ventilation duct and then fought off the thugs in the staff exit, I was exhausted. With that thought, I squeezed into the last partitioned unit, locked the door, and sat on the closed toilet seat to rest.

Turning around, I saw the window behind me. Looking carefully outside, although it was pitch black, I could make out white dividing lines and neatly parked cars of various colors—the parking lot I'd passed through on my way here.

This was a decent escape route. Jumping from this window would only be four meters high, which I figured I could manage. I secretly thought of peeking out to get a better look, but to my disappointment, there were tiny white lights flashing everywhere in the parking lot. They were clearly people patrolling with flashlights, like countless fireflies flitting about in the dark, empty parking lot.

"Damn it, they've left me no way out!" I was extremely frustrated. The exit was right in front of me, yet I couldn't get out. It seemed they had blocked all my escape routes. Just then, a white beam of light shone from the parking lot, startling me so much that I immediately pulled my head back. I had no choice but to calm down and wait, hoping to find a better solution.

I don't know how much time had passed, half an hour or an hour, when suddenly footsteps sounded outside the door, startling my recently relaxed nerves and making me tense up again.

The door to the men's restroom creaked open, and a man walked in, saying, "Damn it, I can't sleep in the middle of the night! What's wrong with this? It's all that bastard Jesus's fault!"

Immediately, another man chimed in, "Alright, stop complaining. You're not the only one. There are over eight hundred people up and down the building, and it's the same for everyone."

The two men walked in.

Holy crap, eight hundred people! There are eight hundred thugs in this building trying to catch me! Even eight of me couldn't handle eight hundred people, let alone being trapped in this godforsaken place with no way out. Shen Dongcai seems determined to get me this time. What should I do?

As I nervously pondered this, two intermittent "click-click" sounds came from outside, like the clicks of a disposable lighter. Then the first man said, "This is weird. So many people have been busy for so long and they can't catch a Jesus. Is he really God, omnipresent yet forever unseen?"

Damn, I'm not God, but saying I'm omnipresent isn't an exaggeration, at least I'm right here with you guys right now! I held my breath, my mind a jumble of thoughts.

"Alright, look at that guy in the photo, he's only in his early twenties, right? I think this kid's just a little clever and a bit dim-witted, that's why he dares to mess with our Master Shen..."

The other man seemed to take a drag of his cigarette before continuing, "Hiss... Whew... I heard Brother Yu and the others persuaded Master Shen, and they're clearing the place out now. Once all the guests, waiters, and waitresses—all this irrelevant stuff—are gone, I don't believe a nobody like him can get away with it!"

Damn it, Shen Dongcai really did follow Tian Yu's advice and plans to kick everyone out of the building. That means it'll be impossible for me to sneak out. And with them searching floor by floor like this, I'll have nowhere to hide!

While the two men were chatting animatedly outside, the toilet door was suddenly pushed open forcefully, and a man shouted, "What are you two doing here?"

"Oh...oh, Brother Hong, Brother Hong..."

the two greeted him repeatedly.

"I asked you what you're doing here, didn't you hear me?"

The man who came in seemed to be the leader, and he spoke very rudely. He asked coldly, "Everyone else is busy working, and you two are hiding here smoking. Don't you want to work or what?"

"No...no..."

One of the two men was the quick-witted one, and stammered, "We...we just came to the toilet to check, to see what's going on!"

"Oh..."

Brother Hong's tone softened slightly when he heard them say that, and then he asked, "Have you found anything?"

"No...no, everything is normal. We checked every row, and there's nothing!"

the other man quickly replied, and then said, "Brother Hong, we're leaving. We'll go check somewhere else!"

With that, the sound of their footsteps could be heard, and it seemed that they dared not stay here any longer. Ma Liu'er went out.

After they left, the restroom was completely silent for a long time. I wondered why Hong Ge hadn't made a sound. A chill ran down my spine; I knew things had changed. I immediately lifted my feet and grabbed the wastebasket behind me.

"Really no one here!"

A muttered voice came from below the door in front of me, rising in pitch as someone stood up. "Hmph, I don't believe Jesus would dare hide in the first-floor restroom. Two guys smoking, fine, but why make up such a stupid excuse, damn it!"

Footsteps echoed less than a meter in front of me, then faded into the distance.

Only when the footsteps disappeared into the hallway did I breathe a sigh of relief, put down the wastebasket, and dare not put my feet down again.

That guy, Hong, was clearly suspicious of my closed unit. He crouched down and peered inside, only leaving after seeing no one's feet through the gap between the partition wall, wooden door, and tiled steps. Luckily,

I noticed his intention first. I raised my feet to hide from him, and grabbed the wastebasket, planning to dump it on his head if he dared to jump and look inside, then run for my life. Fortunately, he only crouched down to check, allowing me to remain safely here. Now, two groups of people have come to this restroom, both unfortunately leaving empty-handed. I figured no one else would come for a while, and I could finally breathe a sigh of relief. I sat cross-legged on the

toilet seat, head in my hands, racking my brains for a solution. But no matter how I thought, one image kept flashing in my mind, disrupting my immediate thoughts. It was a man's confident yet sinister smile, as if he could see right through me, making any trick I tried seem utterly exposed. That man was Tian Yu.

No, I never want to stay in this hellhole again! Suddenly, my mind went blank. I tried to pull the latch on the partition wall and rush out. But the hurried footsteps and shouts from the corridor next to the lobby outside the bathroom made me stop in my tracks.

Damn it, I'll jump out the window! I can't worry about anything else, I'll leave it to fate! I turned back towards the window, but the moment I peeked out, the countless flashlight beams outside extinguished my impulse.

I...I...I...I suddenly felt like I was in a dead end, a kind of despair I had never experienced before. Even when facing Shen Dongcai's gun, although I was afraid, I had never felt despair. But now, I suddenly tasted what it meant to be cornered.

Although my shirt was soaked with sweat and sweat dripped down my face, I was shivering all over, and even my teeth started chattering involuntarily.

I tried to calm my fear with deep breaths, to find my own composure. But the person who used to be calm in the face of danger was now completely unable to concentrate, not even having the courage to focus.

It's over, I'm going to die! The word "death" suddenly flashed through my mind, and a chill seemed to surge up from the depths of my being, quickly engulfing my entire body, throwing me to the very bottom of the crevice between two ice peaks. For a moment, I didn't even have the courage to breathe!

I can't go on like this, I have to live, to survive! I screamed in my heart, and as if completely out of control, I pulled out my phone, turned it on, and wanted to call the police.

Call the police, at least I could live, even if I spent the rest of my life in prison, even if I was scorned by everyone, even if I never saw a ray of sunlight again, at least I could live.

I dialed '110' and placed my finger on the green call button. My hand was shaking, shaking violently, my eyes were blurry, I couldn't see the keypad clearly, and I couldn't dial at all.

I don't know how much time passed before I finally steadied my uncontrollable fingers. But seeing the neatly arranged "110" on the tiny screen, I just couldn't bring myself to press it. One press and I'd be finished. My life would be ruined. I'd never see those adorable smiling faces that haunted my dreams again, and I'd never be able to live the life I wanted with the girls I loved. Was it worth it, just to survive?

No, that would be worse than death!

Suddenly, the beautiful, captivating smiles of my beloved girls—Chen Jing, Jiang Shan, Zhu Pingping, and Lu Lu—pulled me back to my senses. To see them again, even just once, I had to live. At that moment, I felt the shadow of Tian Yu slowly fading from my mind, replaced by the warm, romantic faces of young girls. I couldn't see who that girl was; perhaps it was a combination of all my beloved girls, but I was certain that that smiling face was my motivation to live.

Suddenly, to my surprise, I could think straight again!

In this situation, escaping alone was impossible, even for Jesus. I had to find someone who could help me! Right

, I could contact Gu Zhenhai. He's also in the underworld and might understand my situation better. If he caused trouble outside the building, I might find a way out in the chaos.

I didn't care about Gu Zhenhai's influence or whether he dared to confront Shen Dongcai. I immediately switched to my usual SIM card and dialed his number.

'Beep...beep...' The call connected, but no one answered.

"Hurry up and answer, Gu Zhenhai! Please answer the phone, please answer it!"

My palms were sweaty, and I clenched my teeth, my whole body trembling with anticipation.

"Hello, Yang Zi?"

Gu Zhenhai's voice finally came from the other end, along with a commotion, as if he was in a very noisy environment. His tone didn't show impatience at being disturbed in the middle of the night, but rather surprise.

"Dahai, help! I'm dying!"

I cried out urgently, covering the receiver with both hands.

"Huh? You... wait a minute..."

The noise from the other end of the line suddenly stopped, and it seemed he had also covered his receiver. After a few seconds, he continued, "What's wrong, Yangzi? Where are you?"

But his voice was clear, as if he had moved to a quiet place.

Strange, why didn't he ask me why I was calling him in the middle of the night, but instead immediately asked where I was?

'Squeak' Just then, the door to the men's restroom outside was suddenly pushed open, followed by footsteps. I immediately covered the receiver to prevent the people outside from hearing anything.

"Yangzi, talk to me! Where are you?"

Gu Zhenhai's voice came through. But to my astonishment, his voice not only came from the phone's receiver, but also from outside the partition.

What... what's going on? I hung up the phone immediately in shock.

"Hey, why did you hang up so quickly?"

Even after the call ended, the man with whom I had an unusual friendship spoke in his thick, rough Tianjin accent again. This time, I was certain it came from the men's restroom outside the partition.

Gu Zhenhai… he was also at the Emperor Building. Why? What was he doing here, and in the middle of the night? Could it be…?

At that moment, a slow, deliberate male voice rang out: "Dahai, what did he say?" Hearing this voice, I was startled again. This… this cold tone… could it be He Junlong, who appeared at Dahai's birthday party that day? He… he was here too!

"He hung up without saying anything. Let's wait here; he might call back later!"

Gu Zhenhai's tone carried a hint of disappointment.

What on earth was going on? The sudden turn of events completely stunned me. I didn't even dare to tremble, afraid that the two people outside would hear the slightest sound.

Suddenly, fragments of the past flashed through my mind, and I awoke with a start. So that's how it was!

I remember half a year ago, Gu Zhenhai invited me to his birthday party, but he couldn't come because of something urgent. At that time, Zhang Chunlin, Xu Liang, and Xiao Hongtao mentioned that Gu Zhenhai had joined a gangster boss surnamed Shen. Could this boss surnamed Shen be Shen Dongcai?

Oh dear, I'm so stupid, how could I overlook such an important clue! I remember Zhang Chunlin mentioned that this guy surnamed Shen was called something like "Shen Dong," but Xu Liang changed the subject. I thought his name was Shen Dong. What Shen Dong? Zhang Chunlin must have left it unfinished. His name should be Shen Dongcai!

Moreover, they also mentioned that the dispute between Gu Zhenhai and Miaoyin Fo was resolved by Boss Shen. Obviously, Miaoyin Fo must have a close relationship with him. And Shen Dongcai happens to be connected with Miaoyin Fo, otherwise Hou Yongli wouldn't have asked Lao He to pick the lock when he arrested me!

Damn it, Yang Ziyang, you're such an idiot! I kept cursing myself in my heart. But thinking about it again, something didn't seem right. If Gu Zhenhai and Shen Dongcai were in cahoots, why would he help me scheme against Shen Dan?

After careful consideration, I finally understood. Shen Dongcai was a big boss in the underworld, a fact he kept hidden even from his daughter, Shen Dan. Therefore, it was obvious that Shen's subordinates wouldn't know their boss's daughter well. Moreover, Gu Zhenhai had clearly just joined at that time, so he wouldn't be familiar with Shen Dan either. Even if he found out later, he would never mention helping an outsider plot against his boss's own daughter. This was probably why Xu Liang and the others concealed Boss Shen's real name from me!

Actually, with my sharp mind, I should have realized long ago that the Boss Shen Zhang Chunlin mentioned was very likely Shen Dongcai. How many powerful underworld bosses with the surname Shen could there be in Tianjin? But because he inadvertently helped me trick Shen Dan, this incident subtly separated the names Gu Zhenhai and Shen Dongcai in my mind, leading me to believe from the outset that Gu Zhenhai and Shen Dongcai were unrelated.

Now everything is clear, but it's too late. If it were just Dahai outside, given my friendship with him and my understanding of his character, he might have shown leniency. But He Junlong was with him. I'd only met him once, but he left a deep impression; he was definitely the type of dog that bites without showing its teeth.

*Tap tap tap tap* A crisp sound of fingernails tapping came from nearby, followed by He Junlong's leisurely voice: "Dahai, believe it or not, I feel like Yang Ziyang is right next to us. I have this feeling!"

"Right next to us? You mean this toilet?"

Gu Zhenhai asked doubtfully.

The sound was very close; I guessed he was knocking on the partition wall outside. Immediately, I had a bad feeling and quickly and silently sprang to the doorway.

With a creak, the partition door to my unit was gently pushed open. He Junlong tilted his head and peered inside. His initially confident gaze slowly turned to disappointment, and he said listlessly, "Hmm... looks like I guessed wrong. But when we first came in, I did hear some noise in there!"

Gu Zhenhai also came over to take a look and chuckled, "You must have misheard. I don't believe Yang Zi would dare hide in such an obvious place with such a big order. He'd be asking for trouble!"

"Hmm..."

He Junlong shook his head dismissively and said, "You've known Yang Ziyang for so many years, you should know him a little, right? This kid dared to come to our Emperor's Mansion alone, he's no ordinary person. Old Tian checked all the places he could possibly be hiding and still couldn't find him, what does that mean? It means he must be right under our noses, you understand the principle of 'the darkest place is under the lamp,' right? With his personality and intelligence, I believe he's capable of doing something like this!"

I was indeed right under his nose. If it weren't for that open wooden door, the straight-line distance between us wouldn't be more than half a meter. At this critical moment, my life was hanging by a thread, and almost every nerve in my body was taut. I tried to curl up as much as possible into the corner to avoid being noticed by the people outside if the door was obstructed. I held my breath and clenched my fists, not daring to make even the slightest sound.

"Damn it, this is Emperor's Mansion, and you still don't treat me like one of your own, you son of a bitch!"

Gu Zhenhai sensed the barb in the other person's words and immediately became dissatisfied. He then said, seemingly impatiently, "I don't know anything about 'under the lamp' or 'not under the lamp.' Yang Zi and I are just classmates, we're not that close. We only bumped into each other by chance before his birthday last time, otherwise I wouldn't have invited him!" He then waved his hand and shouted, "Alright, alright, you've seen it, there's no one else here, right? So let's get out of here!"

Last time, he was the one who invited me, how did it become a coincidence? Hearing these words, I felt a chill. I never thought that my friendship with Gu Zhenhai, which had lasted for so many years, would be so vulnerable in the face of practical interests. My last hope turned out to be nothing more than a two-faced, blustering guy.

Thinking of this, I couldn't help but feel a strange sadness and unease, and I secretly resolved that even in this precarious situation, I must escape. " When I get the chance to see Gu Zhenhai again, I'll give him a piece of my mind and see how this guy, who always acts so loyal and righteous in front of me, will face me then!

" "Dahai, that's not what I meant!"

He Junlong wasn't angered by the other's words. Instead, he spoke softly and chuckled, "You don't know, after I met Yang Ziyang last time, although we didn't exchange many words, and he deliberately kept it a secret, I always felt that this kid had a different kind of aura about him. How should I put it? It seems like he and I have some things in common. I always seem to be able to sense his presence!"

Saying this, he released his hand from the door, and the door slowly closed.

"Notice anything? Did you even notice anything? All you do is sprawl and talk nonsense!"

Gu Zhenhai laughed and cursed, then his footsteps echoed as he headed towards the door. "Hey, are you coming or not? If you're not coming, I'm leaving. Yang Zi might call later, I need to find a secluded place to wait, so he doesn't notice anything amiss!"

"Come on, why not? What's so great about this place? There's nobody here!"

He Junlong chuckled as he caught up with Gu Zhenhai, suddenly asking, "Hey Dahai, is this a new phone? Can I take a look?"

"Sure, you can take it, no problem. Here you go!"

The door opened as they spoke.

Hiding behind the partition door, my heart, which should have felt relieved, was inexplicably churning even more violently than before. Why did He Junlong's last few words sound so sarcastic? Was he implying something? Asking Gu Zhenhai to show his phone?

Oh no—no good! Suddenly, I realized He Junlong's sinister intentions...

As He Junlong walked out, he took the phone handed to him by Gu Zhenhai, fiddled with it in his hand, and left the men's restroom. He gently closed the door but didn't go any further.

Seeing that he had flipped open his phone and was looking down at something, Dahai leaned over and asked, "Hey, why aren't you leaving? Still thinking about Yangzi? He's not downstairs, so don't even think about it!" "

That's not necessarily true..."

He Junlong pressed a button to bring up the call log. Seeing the first entry displaying "Yangzi," a strange smile appeared on his lips. "Dahai, shall I show you a magic trick?"

Seeing his strange expression, Gu Zhenhai also leaned over and asked, puzzled, "Magic trick? Magic tricks aren't done in the toilet. The 'disappearing person' trick is on stage. This is where people poop!"

"No no no no, let me see..."

He Junlong looked at Gu Zhenhai mysteriously, uttered a sentence in English, and then pressed the green send button on his phone.

"Damn it, can you stop speaking gibberish? You know I..."

Before Gu Zhenhai could finish speaking, the other party suddenly looked serious and held out his hand to stop him.

"Shh...listen!"

He Junlong put a finger to his lips, pressed his ear against the door of the men's restroom he had just come from, and gently pushed it open a crack to listen intently.

"What does this mean?"

Gu Zhenhai understood somewhat at this point, so he also stuck his head out above him and listened carefully.

'Buzz...' A buzzing sound suddenly came from inside the restroom. If it weren't for the unusually quiet surroundings, this subtle movement would have gone unnoticed.

"Hmph!"

Hearing this sound, He Junlong's face lit up with joy, and he snorted smugly before forcefully pushing open the door and striding inside.

Once inside the restroom, the noise became even more pronounced. He Junlong could clearly hear that the sound was coming from behind the partition door he had just opened. He immediately rushed over to push the door open, but found that it seemed to be locked from the inside.

At this moment, Gu Zhenhai also followed him in. Seeing that he had returned to the same unit, he was about to approach when He Junlong stopped him with a hand.

"Get out of the way, watch this!"

He Junlong shouted, suddenly raising his right foot and kicking hard at the door latch.

With a thud, the thin extruded polystyrene board was kicked open, revealing a wide-open window and a toilet with its lid closed. A Nokia phone sat neatly on the toilet seat, vibrating and spinning, emitting a buzzing sound.

"Huh?"

He Junlong was stunned. In this space of less than two square meters, there was only a phone, and no one else in sight.

While he was still in a daze, as the door was kicked open, something extremely small suddenly flew towards his face from nowhere. He Junlong's attention was completely drawn to the phone on the toilet seat, and he didn't notice it at all. By the time he reacted, it was too late. He felt a chill on his face, and then his previously clear vision in his right eye suddenly changed, as if the world before his eyes had been abruptly cleaved in two, the scene instantly split in two.

"Ah! Ah—"

He Junlong felt a sharp pain in his right eye and instinctively covered half of his face with his hand, letting out a horrifying scream: "Ah—my eye, ah! Ah…my eye…"

Then his body collapsed weakly backward.

"Xiaolong! Xiaolong! What's wrong with you, Xiaolong?"

Gu Zhenhai quickly hugged him from behind, repeatedly asking, "Xiaolong, what happened? What happened?"

"My eye, ah! It hurts so much…ah—"

He Junlong continued to scream in agony.

Seeing the blood seeping from his hand covering his right face, and then looking at the thin, paper-like wallpaper blade hanging on the doorknob of the partition wall, with a trace of blood still clinging to it and dripping to the ground, Gu Zhenhai finally understood that this mechanism was specifically designed for the person opening the door. Unfortunately, He Junlong was too impatient and overconfident, and hadn't considered that he would be ambushed. To make matters worse, by sheer bad luck, the thing sliced right across his eye.

"Help...help! Someone help!"

Gu Zhenhai, no longer concerned with finding the culprit, yelled at the top of his lungs, finally alerting some of the thugs in the hall.

Dozens of people rushed into the men's restroom, only to find their idol, Brother Long, curled up in Gu Zhenhai's arms, his face bloodless, blood trickling from his hand covering half his face. Gone was his usual dashing demeanor. Everyone was stunned, standing there dumbfounded.

"Brother Long...what happened? Brother Long, where are you hurt?"

After a moment of silence, the crowd finally began asking all at once, some even trying to help him up.

Gu Zhenhai yelled, "What the hell are you all talking about? Hurry up and help Xiaolong up! Get him to the hospital, quick!"

"Don't touch me!"

He Junlong suddenly grabbed his arm, trembling as he gritted his teeth and said, "The window...the window is open! Yang...Yang Ziyang jumped out the window and ran outside...outside! Go after him, quick!"

He struggled to say those words, then gasped for breath.

Seeing him trembling violently, one hand gripping his arm tightly, Gu Zhenhai knew he was enduring excruciating pain and quickly advised, "Xiaolong, don't talk anymore. Let someone carry you to the hospital first. Look at all the blood you're bleeding..."

"No!...Let me speak!"

He Junlong's voice was weak, but his tone was extremely firm, leaving no room for objection.

He kicked his feet hard on the ground, straightening his upper body, which had been almost lying flat, against Gu Zhenhai's chest. He mustered all his strength and continued, "Tell...tell Uncle Shen...tell him to contact...make contact with people, bus lines, taxi companies, train stations, subways, airports, all...all on alert! Notify Miaoyin Buddha and Madman Ma, tell them to send out all...all their manpower! Search hotels, internet cafes, billiard halls, nightclubs, saunas, KTVs, house to house! I...I want Yang Ziyang to have nowhere to escape, I want him dead!" He

was hoarse by the end, clenching his fists and pounding them on the floor.

"Did you hear that? Hurry up and go!"

Gu Zhenhai, unable to dissuade He Junlong, had no choice but to urge the men to split up and act according to his orders.

As most of the crowd had left, he bent down to examine He Junlong's condition again, only to find that his previously clenched left fist slowly relaxed, his tense body now slumped weakly into his arms, and his right hand, which had been covering his eyes, slowly fell down, revealing half of his blood-stained, ferocious face.

"Xiao Long, Xiao Long!"

Gu Zhenhai shouted, shaking his body, but there was no response. He immediately called to the few people remaining in the restroom, "Quick, quick, come and help! Xiao Long has passed out! Help me carry him out, call 120, call an ambulance, hurry!"

Urged on by him, everyone busied themselves, some calling for an ambulance, some helping to carry him, and some cleaning up the scene. After a long time, they all left the men's restroom, which returned to its original quiet and tense atmosphere.

"Wow... huff huff..."

After a long while, I finally emerged from a dirty white plastic bucket of wastewater in the corner.

Just now, when He Junlong asked Gu Zhenhai for his phone, I instantly realized he might be using Dahai's phone to call me back and find out my location. Actually, if it were just that, I could simply turn off my cell phone immediately. But the key issue is He Junlong's personality.

This guy is cunning and cruel. He once opened the door to my workplace but didn't go in to check carefully. Why? He likes that feeling of looking down on others, likes manipulating people. Like a cat that has caught a mouse, not in a hurry to eat it but tormenting it before slowly enjoying it.

Now I'm certain he noticed my presence here but didn't expose me immediately. He wanted me to relax, then suddenly appear. He likes to see my surprise and fear when I fall into his trap unknowingly.

Therefore, even if I turn off my phone, he will still rush in to search, which is completely useless. Thinking of this, a strategy of turning the tables on him was born in my mind!

I knew he was about to call me using Gu Zhenhai's phone, so I deliberately placed the phone on the toilet seat and opened the back window. Then, I quickly untied the strong rubber band that had been wrapped around me, tied one end to the small utility knife blade I'd hidden between my fingers, and the other end to the doorknob. I then looped the rubber band around the door frame's crossbeam, wedging the blade end into the latch. This way, I could use the rubber band's elasticity to open the door and slip out, while simultaneously creating the illusion that the door was locked from the inside.

If someone wanted to open the door, it would require considerable force. However, if the force exceeded the rubber band's elasticity, the door would open, but the blade would come loose from the latch. With the rubber band pulling and the crossbeam holding it in place, the blade would shoot out like a dart at the person trying to open the door. And the harder the person tried to open the door, the faster the utility knife would spring out.

Actually, my real purpose in creating this simple contraption wasn't to hurt anyone. After thinking it over, the only place I could hide was that 1.5-meter-tall white plastic bucket in the corner outside. It was half-filled with dirty water, probably left over from the cleaning staff washing mops. This way, I could hide in the water without my size causing it to spill out. The cross Chen Jing gave me was open at both ends, so it could even be used as a flute, which would also serve as a breathing tube. As for how much water was actually in that dirty, broken bucket, I figured no one would notice.

The key issue was timing. He Junlong hadn't made a sound after leaving, so he must be outside and would call soon. Even if I hid in the bucket, the angle would be discreet enough to avoid being seen by the person at the door, but the ripples on the water wouldn't disappear immediately. To prevent him from noticing the bucket's unusual appearance, I needed to divert his attention elsewhere, which is why I thought of using a strong rubber band and a blade to create the contraption. In my opinion, leaving a mark on him like this was inevitable, but I never expected it to be so serious as to cost him an eye.

Looking at the still-wet blood on the ground, and recalling the conversation I overheard while hiding in the bucket, a chill ran down my

spine. I thought to myself, He Junlong and I have no grudges against each other, but this has created a deep-seated grudge; I don't know how this will end. But thinking about that is useless now; I must focus on the present! I comforted myself, kissed the crucifix, and thought to myself, "This thing has saved me three times today. The first time was in the sauna when it helped me hang the ventilation duct grate, preventing anyone from seeing my escape route. The second time was when I used its chain to lock the safety door of the staff passage on the first floor, giving me time to escape here. This time, it even became my breathing tool; without it, how could I have stayed in the water for more than ten minutes? Chen Jing, Chen Jing, I, Yang Ziyang, truly have to thank you for surviving until now!" Ignoring the filthy, smelly water all over me, I figured it was a toilet anyway, and a little odor wouldn't bother anyone. Thinking this, I slipped back into the toilet stall I'd been in and locked the door.

My phone, rubber band, and razor blade were gone; now I had nothing but two one-yuan coins. Luckily, I'd been the target of everyone's attention earlier, and for a long time to come, no one would guess I was still hiding here. So, this place had become a safe haven, at least for now.

Hours passed. My throat and lips cracked, and I was desperately thirsty but dared not go out for a drink. My stomach was growling; I hadn't eaten for two days, and I'd been doing a lot of physical and mental exertion. My vision started to blur, my ears were ringing, and my hands and feet were trembling uncontrollably. I knew I was about to collapse.

Suddenly, I glanced out the window and was surprised to find that the flashlight beams in the still-dark parking lot were completely gone. Thinking back to He Junlong's dying words, I understood. They must have seen me open the window and, not finding me in the restroom, assumed I had jumped out and escaped. This was an unexpected bonus. Time was of the essence; delay

could lead to trouble. Without hesitation, I gently opened the window, quickly surveyed the outside, and seeing nothing amiss, immediately leaped out.

Despite my preparation, the four-meter drop still sent a tumble through my weakened body. Although I managed to land with a soft thud, my weight shifted, and I lost my balance the moment my feet touched the ground, falling backward with a thud onto my bottom. A dull thud followed, and I endured the pain without crying out.

But when I came to my senses and tried to get up, I was shocked to find someone standing in front of me. He was facing away from the front wheel of a dark-colored sedan, unzipping his pants with one hand and pulling out his manhood with the other, seemingly about to relieve himself. I saw him, and he saw me too. We stared at each other, so close we were both stunned, and neither of us spoke.

This person's appearance was truly bizarre. He had triangular eyes with drooping corners, and his eyebrows were vertically shaped like the number 8, making him look exactly like an 8:20. His nose was slightly hooked, but the nostrils seemed to turn upwards. His face was covered in pimples, yet he had a bright red mouth—a large, adult-sized mouth with thick lips that was slightly parted, reminiscent of those urinals shaped like human heads in those peculiar bars. His exaggeratedly parted hair had a tuft of hair hanging down, covering half of his bald forehead.

Being ugly wasn't enough; he also liked to tilt his head when looking at people, and his eyes were filled with surprise and astonishment, adding to his unspeakable ugliness. Although it was already the morning of the second day, seeing such a face suddenly appear in this dark underground parking lot would likely make most people think they'd seen a ghost and scream.

I didn't scream, not only because of my current situation, but also because I knew this person.

Even if he were reduced to ashes, I would recognize him at a glance; he is Zhang Chunlin, the most outstanding "handsome man" under Gu Zhenhai.

At this moment, he had already pulled out his manhood, and perhaps caught off guard by my sudden appearance, he inadvertently urinated. The urine sprayed onto the front tire of the sleek sedan, inevitably splashing a few drops onto me, but I dared not move.

"What's wrong, Chunlin? What's that noise?"

Suddenly, a man spoke from afar, his voice clearly hushed, as if he didn't want to disturb anything.

In the darkness, I couldn't see his location, but judging from the sound, he seemed to be about ten meters away from us.

He seemed to be moving forward as he spoke; although I couldn't hear his footsteps, I could vaguely sense a figure approaching us.

"Hey... say something, I'm asking you a question!"

the man asked again, his voice clearly a few meters closer than before.

Zhang Chunlin suddenly forced back the last bit of urine he was about to urinate, quickly pulled up his pants, turned around, and stood in front of me. He shouted, "It's nothing, it's nothing! I just saw this car was pretty new, so I kicked the tires a couple of times. It's nothing!"

As he spoke, he walked forward while waving his hand

erratically behind his back. I thought the parking lot was empty, which was why I dared to jump out, but I never expected to be face-to-face with someone, and even more unexpectedly, it was Zhang Chunlin. At that moment, I had no weapon, and my crouching position put me at a disadvantage. If he recognized me and attacked suddenly, I would have no chance of escape.

But to my surprise, Zhang Chunlin didn't seem to intend to attack me. His current position clearly indicated he was using his body to shield me, and his hand behind his back kept waving to the right, seemingly signaling me to quickly hide behind the car. Without thinking, I immediately and silently got up, crouched down, and slipped behind the car.

"What are you yelling about? Can't you keep your voice down? What if someone hears us?"

Zhang Chunlin's shouts startled another person further away, who hissed anxiously.

"You two, don't be so nervous. There's no one else here, just the three of us!"

Zhang Chunlin strolled forward, saying dismissively, "Brother Yu is really something. Brother Long already said Yang Ziyang ran away, but he's still worried. He insists on having us secretly stake out here. Isn't that just pointless?"

"Alright, alright, you dare to disagree with Brother Yu's arrangements? Aren't you afraid it'll reach his ears?"

The first person to speak had already walked quite close to Zhang Chunlin and, hearing his complaints, advised him.

"I didn't dare question Brother Yu's decision. For example, he even guarded the parking lot exit. I really admire that. He's so patient and prepared. I just don't know how long he'll keep us here. We've been crouching here for ages, I'm so frustrated!"

Zhang Chunlin said, one hand in his pocket and the other on the other's shoulder.

My eyes lit up as I hid to the side. Zhang Chunlin was clearly giving me information!

From their conversation, I learned that there were two other people besides Zhang Chunlin. One was standing with him now, and the other was hiding very well, so I couldn't detect him. But judging from their voices, they were probably quite a distance away.

Thinking of this, I couldn't help but shudder. If I stayed here any longer, even if Zhang Chunlin wanted to help me, he probably wouldn't be able to anymore. It was better to escape while they were still far away.

With that in mind, I quickly crouched down, using parked cars as cover as I sneaked out.

"Hey, stop chatting and get hidden! Yang Ziyang might actually show up!" the man in the distance whispered. Suddenly, he saw a figure moving about twenty meters away and exclaimed, "Look, isn't that a person?" He

then darted forward.

Oh no, I've been spotted! I realized his voice was coming from my direction and that I was still wearing the stolen waiter uniform. The white shirt was easily spotted in the current environment.

Damn it, I'm so stupid! Why didn't I take it off first? I blamed myself and stopped hiding, running forward. But unexpectedly, I tripped over something and fell heavily to the ground. When I came to my senses, I realized it was the metal wheel chock embedded in the empty parking space.

"It really is..."

The man standing with Zhang Chunlin turned around and saw me lying on the ground. He immediately tried to rush over.

"Fuck your mother, don't run!"

Zhang Chunlin suddenly turned around, but for some reason, as soon as he took a step, his foot seemed to get tangled in something, and he fell

face-first into the dirt. At this moment, the person in the distance had already rushed up to them and was about to rush towards me when Zhang Chunlin on the ground seemed to be in great pain. He rolled on the ground and intentionally or unintentionally tripped the person, causing him to fall as well.

"Ouch, my god, I almost fell to my death!"

Zhang Chunlin pretended to cry out in pain. Seeing that the person who had been standing with him was about to chase after me again, he immediately cursed, "Are you fucking dead? Stop looking and help us up, fuck!"

I knew he was buying me time, so ignoring the pain in my knee, I pushed myself up and ran away like a madman, the shouts and curses of the three people still ringing in my ears.

The Geely parking lot was very spacious. I turned a corner and saw some sunlight shining in about a hundred meters ahead. By the light, I could vaguely make out an uphill slope with a security booth at the top. There were barriers on both sides of the entrance and exit lanes, indicating the exits and toll booths.

I remembered Zhang Chunlin mentioning that Tian Yu had arranged for people to guard the exits, so I couldn't proceed rashly. Thinking this, I hurriedly found a dark gray Volvo sedan parked nearby and hid behind it.

*Beep beep* Just as I was hidden, the car's horn rang, and its taillights flashed incessantly. This startled me. After calming down, I realized the car's electronic locks had been unlocked.

Was someone in the car? I cautiously leaned forward to peek, but aside from the flashing lights on the side mirrors, the tinted windows made it impossible to see inside. Just then, I heard the sound of a man's shoes approaching.

Oh, I see, there's no one in the car; the owner is back!

Suddenly, an idea struck me. If I could sneak into the car without being noticed, he might just lead me out through the tollbooth without me even realizing it. Once I got out of this underground parking lot, escaping by force or sneaking away from the owner wouldn't be a problem. With that thought, I crouched down and secretly observed the man's movements through the gap under the car.

*Thump!* As the man reached the driver's seat and opened the door to get in, I suddenly slammed my hand on the trunk, and the car's alarm immediately went off.

"Hmm?"

The man exclaimed, turning around to look behind the car. Finding nothing amiss, he returned to the driver's seat, removed the key, and opened the trunk to check. Seeing everything was normal, he reluctantly locked the trunk again and turned back.

While he was checking the trunk, I secretly circled around to his side, silently opened the rear door, slipped inside, and slowly closed the door. This car was very high-end, with automatic door closers that were silent. I completed the opening and closing of the doors effortlessly, without making a sound. Just then, I heard the sound of several people shouting and running quickly from where I came from. I guessed it was Zhang Chunlin and his group chasing after me.

That was close! I breathed a sigh of relief, crouching down and hiding myself in the gap between the back and front seats, hoping to conceal myself and have the driver drive me away without me noticing.

The driver had returned. He glanced at the several disheveled, dusty men running towards them in the distance, but paid them no heed. He unlocked the steering wheel lock, sat in the driver's seat, and inserted the key to start the car.

I, crouching in the back, heard a series of sounds and judged the car was about to start, but after several seconds, I heard no engine start. A chill ran down my spine.

I subtly turned my head and observed through the rearview mirror. I saw the man release the key with his right hand and silently and slowly pick up the steering wheel lock.

Those things are usually made of solid steel and can be used as a handy weapon in an emergency. Seeing this subtle movement, I was startled.

Damn it, he'd spotted me!

I had no chance to explain, and I couldn't let Zhang Chunlin and the others catch up. Although he was clearly helping me secretly, I knew he wouldn't dare openly side with me given my current situation. Even so, neither of us could break through this encirclement.

There was no other way; I had to strike first, hit the car owner, and then steal the car and escape. With that thought, I steeled myself and suddenly lunged to strangle him. At the same time, the man swiftly turned and swung his weapon at me.

"Yang Ziyang?"

"Wu Wei?"

My hands and the steering wheel lock in his hand suddenly stopped in mid-air. We stared at each other, completely stunned. It turned out that the car owner was my college classmate, Wu Wei, my roommate.

Wu Wei was my classmate in the Civil Engineering Department of the School of Architecture and Civil Engineering at Tianjin University. We lived in the same dorm for two years and had a very good personal relationship. Among all the classmates I looked down on, and who looked down on me, Wu Wei was the only one who didn't reject me and even took the initiative to talk to me.

His family was very wealthy; his father was one of the major shareholders of a large corporation, so Wu Wei was destined to inherit hundreds of millions, even billions, of dollars from birth. Even so, he had no airs of a rich kid and never acted like one. He always mingled with his classmates. If he didn't say so, no one would guess he was a pampered prince born with a silver spoon in his mouth.

Besides being handsome and charming, Wu Wei was also very straightforward and genuine in his interactions with others. He was the object of many girls' affections at school, but he never showed any interest in those girls who fawned over him, always politely keeping them at arm's length without embarrassing them.

Moreover, he was incredibly sincere; he even tolerated my aloof personality. When I was at school, he often went out with me and never distanced himself from me like he did from others, even though I was an orphan and my grades were average.

If it were just that, it wouldn't be so bad. But besides his very approachable temperament, Wu Wei was also extremely intelligent. He was the only one among us who could keep up with my thinking. Whenever we encountered a problem, our ideas would coincide as if we were telepathically in sync. As time went on, we developed a mutual respect for each other.

"Ziyang, it's you? What are you doing hiding in my car?"

Wu Wei saw that it was me behind the car and put down his weapon, asking in surprise.

I also withdrew my outstretched hands and gave an embarrassed smile, saying, "I ran into some trouble and was just trying to sneak out in any car, but I didn't expect this car to be yours!"

"Haha, why didn't you look at the license plate? Jin AS6688, you've ridden in this Volvo before, haven't you?"

Wu Wei couldn't help but laugh whenever I made a fool of myself, and this time was no exception.

Only after he reminded me did I remember that I had been invited to his house twice before, and I had ridden in this very car. His house was the most magnificent and luxurious private residence I had ever seen before visiting Shen Dongcai's villa, and his father, with the demeanor of an elder, had no airs of a successful businessman whatsoever, which left a deep impression on me.

"Hehe, I don't care about any of that..."

I said, scratching my head and grinning foolishly.

He turned around and leaned very close to me, suddenly covering his nose and frowning, "Ugh—what's that smell on you? It stinks! Did you fall into a latrine?"

I knew it was the smell I had from being in the dirty water from cleaning toilets, but having been around fish for so long, I couldn't stand the stench anymore, so I spat out, "What nonsense are you talking about? Do you think I'm dirtying your precious horse? Ignorant fool!"

Whenever we encountered a problem, we would rack our brains, and if Wu Wei came up with a solution first, he would say, "If I win, you can read your name backwards from now on!"

Actually, my name is pronounced the same forwards and backwards. But if he failed, I would retort, "Ignorant fool—Wu Wei!"

Over time, "ignorant fool" became my nickname for him.

Just then, I glanced to the side and saw Zhang Chunlin and his group catching up in the distance, less than thirty meters away. I quickly urged him, "Drive! Those people are chasing me!"

"Okay, hold on tight!"

Wu Wei was really helpful; he didn't even ask why I was being chased, and immediately started the engine and drove towards the exit.

The car stopped on a speed bump near the tollbooth. Wu Wei rolled down the window and handed me a green receipt and five yuan. Then the barrier in front of the car slowly rose.

Damn, it was a close call! I never thought I'd actually survive this dead end! Feeling the bright sunlight streaming through the windshield, I breathed a huge sigh of relief. I had finally escaped the bottomless abyss of the Emperor Building.

However, just as I breathed a sigh of relief, a black Guangzhou Honda suddenly pulled up in the wrong direction not far ahead and stopped in front of us. Several men got out and stood in front of Wu Wei's Volvo. One of them was wearing a black long-sleeved shirt with gold patterns and gray-blue suit trousers with perfectly straight creases. He placed his hand, adorned with a large gold watch, on the hood of the Volvo, his other hand on his hip, leaning to the side, revealing a gleaming gold chain around his neck through the few buttons of his shirt.

This man gently patted the hood of the car, a lazy and peaceful smile on his face, and slowly removed his gold-rimmed brown sunglasses, saying amiably, "Excuse me, we need to inspect the vehicles leaving the area. Please cooperate!"

This was none other than my nemesis, Tian Yu!

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