Chapter 154: Host, Have You Lost Your Mind?

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Shuanzi, beaming with a broad smile, received the big group and leapt out of the courtyard, almost three feet off the ground. Xu Lin’s curiosity was piqued, so she hurried after Shuanzi, following him all the way into an inconspicuous residential house.

What shocked Xu Lin the most was that Shuanzi, who had previously worn a calculating expression, now stood obediently in front of Tu Hai.

Xu Lin was dumbfounded. Had she followed the wrong target? Was this Tu Hai’s planted informant?

“Captain Tu, Wang San asked me to find a way to gather a group of people as quickly as possible, at least ten. I don’t know exactly what they’re for,” Shuanzi reported.

“Is this task for you alone, or for many people?” Tu Hai asked.

“It’s not just me. I suspect Wang San isn’t the only one assigned to this mission,” Shuanzi replied, wiping his face. “After receiving Wang San’s order, I thought it over carefully. I realized that last year, both my brigade and nearby ones had people go missing—some officially reported dead, some unreported, and some vanished under the pretext of marriage or visiting relatives. One common thread is that when reported, it’s always as death.”

Shuanzi took a deep breath. “Just within my brigade and the nearby ones, thirteen people disappeared last year. Six of them were reported as accidental deaths with no remains found; the rest were unreported. When questioned, families either say the person died or ran away with someone else. The reasons are always strange.”

“So you suspect these missing people were sold off by their families?” Tu Hai was shocked. Such a large case of missing persons had not drawn any attention. This was a serious dereliction of duty.

“Yes, I suspect that. Before, I couldn’t understand why families would keep silent, but after receiving Wang San’s assignment, it became clear. The pay was too high,” Shuanzi said, holding up five fingers. “Five hundred yuan per person. Five hundred yuan! How many heartless people could resist that? Especially with children—those without conscience surely think kids can be replaced and don’t care about their fate.”

Not only Tu Hai but even Xu Lin was stunned to hear that Shuanzi’s mission involved purchasing people—and at such a high price.

“Why has this never leaked before? Even if some families lost their conscience, surely not everyone did,” Tu Hai muttered, still incredulous at such madness.

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“Captain Tu, you don’t understand how hard life is in the mountain villages. Even if one family member has a conscience, they’d be watched by others relentlessly. I’m living in that environment, so I know the truth—outsiders can’t easily grasp it. If the brigade leaders cooperate, no one will notice. Many disappearances are reported as deaths. In the mountains, a few deaths are normal; just blame it on wild animals,” Shuanzi’s expression grew grave. “But people disappear every year. This task demands at least ten people, and I don’t know how many more are involved or what they need so many for. Do you think it could be linked to foreign forces?”

Tu Hai didn’t answer immediately. He needed time to think. Such a big case suddenly surfacing made him wonder what they needed so many people for. Could it be related to narcotics? Were experiments being conducted deep in the mountains?

No, that was unlikely. If experiments were really happening in the mountains, they wouldn’t dare abduct people so openly nearby. The saying "rabbits don’t eat grass near their burrow" made sense.

A large number of missing persons would cause upheaval if noticed; the law enforcement bureau wouldn’t ignore it. If it traced back to them, the consequences would be disastrous. Those involved wouldn’t risk it.

So it probably wasn’t about narcotics. Then what was the reason?

Tu Hai fell into deep thought, and Xu Lin did as well. Having experienced much, she knew how many terrible things could be done with abducted people. Because there were so many possibilities, they had to take this seriously—capture those responsible and punish them severely.

“I’ll report this and recommend forming a special task force. You handle things carefully and stay safe. Inform me immediately if you hear anything,” Tu Hai stood to leave, preparing to report at top speed.

But he hadn’t taken two steps when Shuanzi stopped him. “Captain Tu, Wang San said this has been going on for years. People have managed to do it without being discovered because there’s protection. You must be careful, and don’t let any information leak.”

Shuanzi scratched his head awkwardly. “This is my first time handling such a mission. If news leaks, Wang San will surely suspect me.”

“Don’t worry. You won’t be exposed. I’ll find a suitable entry point to intervene,” Tu Hai assured him, patting his shoulder before striding away.

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Xu Lin hid in the shadows, watching Tu Hai leave, then glanced toward Shuanzi’s direction. Enough—no need to follow this guy anymore.

She looked up at the sky; it was past noon. She wondered if the state-run restaurant still had any food left.

After some thought, Xu Lin decided to hurry to the state-run restaurant to try her luck. If there was nothing left to eat, she’d figure something out.

Rushing there just before closing time, she found only a few dishes remaining. Amid the waitstaff’s disdainful glances, Xu Lin managed to get a bowl of beef noodles.

After paying, she found a seat. Before she had even sat a minute, a figure brushed past her, followed by a familiar voice.

“Waiter, order! I want braised pork.”

Before the rest of the order could be spoken, an impatient voice interrupted: “No braised pork, no spicy diced chicken, no stir-fried dishes—only noodles left.”

Upon hearing only noodles were left, Qin Fang’s face fell. She wanted to snap at the waiter but held back her anger.

“Then just a bowl of noodles,” she said reluctantly.

Seeing Qin Fang’s unwilling expression, the waiter rolled their eyes and didn’t bother asking if she wanted beef added.

Hmph. The beef was nearly gone anyway—the waiter probably wanted to keep some for themselves.

After paying, Qin Fang turned and locked eyes with Xu Lin’s knowingly expressive gaze.

“What are you doing here?” Qin Fang asked in surprise, quickly sitting in front of Xu Lin, her eyes provocatively sizing her up.

“Don’t you recognize me?” Xu Lin’s gaze fell on Qin Fang’s face, but before she could look closely, Qin Fang covered her face with her hand.

At the same time, Qin Fang’s system panicked: “Host, are you crazy? You’re sitting openly in front of her. Don’t you fear she’ll read something off your face and ruin your plans?”

Qin Fang’s head buzzed with the system’s warnings. She finally recalled Xu Lin’s formidable nature. Ignoring Xu Lin’s provocation, she stood up and fled.

For safety, Qin Fang sat down behind Xu Lin, but no sooner had she settled than Xu Lin slowly turned around, a smile playing at the corners of her mouth.