Chapter Thirty: "The Show Begins"

"Alright, understood. I'll head over now." Cheng Yunting nodded, hung up the phone, and then called Qin Cheng. "Brother, I've caught someone here who seems to hold a grudge against Xiaozheng. I'm going to check it out."

"Alright, then I'll go keep an eye on Xiaozheng." Qin Cheng paused for a moment before replying.

"Okay." Cheng Yunting nodded, put on his coat, and left. "I'll have Chu Yuxiu watch over her for now."

"Alright." Qin Cheng put on his jacket, picked up his car keys, and headed out.

After Cheng Yunting left, Leng Zheng sat up and glanced at Chu Yuxiu, smiling.

"The show is about to begin," Leng Zheng said to Chu Yuxiu, smiling.

"Yes, it's starting soon. So, Xiaozheng, what do you want to bet?" Chu Yuxiu smiled back.

"I bet that person will definitely fall into my trap." Leng Zheng and Chu Yuxiu exchanged a knowing smile, as if sharing a secret signal.

Gradually, footsteps approached. Leng Zheng immediately lay down, while Chu Yuxiu sat at her bedside, her eyes slightly red, looking at her with concern.

"Yuxiu, let me give Sister Leng Zheng her nutrient infusion," a particularly young-looking boy poked his head in, asking cautiously.

Chu Yuxiu nodded, then shook her head. "You can give Xiaozheng the infusion. I'll just stay here and watch over her."

"It's alright, Sister Yuxiu. You should go rest," the boy patted his chest in assurance. "I'll take good care of Sister Leng Zheng."

"Alright, then I'll go rest." Chu Yuxiu nodded, looked at Leng Zheng reluctantly, and walked out.

Outside, her demeanor changed instantly. "Tsk, little brother, that acting won't do. Clearly, he's never heard that a skilled hunter often approaches as prey."

Chu Yuxiu mourned for the organization for five seconds, then spent the next fifty-five seconds laughing.

She returned to the office and shared the news with the Qin brothers. Just as she was about to tell Cheng Yunting, she paused and abandoned the idea.

If she told Cheng Yunting, with his temperament, he'd probably storm in and kill them all.

...

Inside the hospital room.

"Well, I didn't expect that the formidable Xizheng could have such foolish people by her side. Let’s see, Xizheng, what skills do you really have?" The man tore off his human-skin mask and chuckled.

"Tsk, with a face like this, it's almost a pity to harm you. Come on, little beauty." He injected Leng Zheng with a drug that numbed the nerves. Once she was completely unconscious, he carried her out.

He had arranged for the hospital's surveillance to be hacked in advance, and swaggered out without a care.

He failed to notice Chu Yuxiu following behind...

...

Chu Yuxiu watched as the man carried Leng Zheng away, smiling quietly. "The show truly has begun; now to wait for the final outcome~"

"Ah, this child is really brave. Since she's so courageous, let her face Xiaozheng's wrath." Suddenly, a man stepped out and exchanged a smile with Chu Yuxiu.

This man was the youngest in the Qin family, the Sixth Young Master—Qin Yuan.

"Let's just wait for the show~"

...

"Tsk tsk tsk, the dignified Xizheng, tied up here—how tragic." The man watched Leng Zheng wake and laughed. "I wonder what Xizheng likes. Well, I'll have everyone serve you, just in case."

Leng Zheng looked at the man, unperturbed. She asked, "What if I say I don't care for any of it?"

"Then I'll have to target your man. He seems to be called Cheng Yunting, right? Tsk tsk tsk, will you choose yourself or him?" The man approached, unfastened the chains on her wrists and ankles, and threw a vial of medicine at her feet.

"You!" Leng Zheng stared at him in shock, unwillingly picked up the vial, injected herself, and collapsed to the ground.

"That's right, just endure it. If you obey, I won't touch him. If you don't, prepare to collect his corpse." The man stood beside Leng Zheng, smiling.

Leng Zheng lay helplessly on the floor, staring at the ceiling, her body curling uncontrollably.

She fixed her gaze on the man as if she might kill him.

"Enjoy it—enjoy the pain," he laughed aloud, picked up another vial, and injected it into her. Afterward, he left.

Leng Zheng lay there, drained, enduring more than she ever expected.

She leaned against the wall, staring at the ceiling, silently resisting the agony.

Suddenly, someone else entered, tied her to a pillar, and brought out a whip soaked in salt water, lashing her fiercely. Blood welts quickly appeared.

Leng Zheng closed her eyes, enduring everything—the drugs and the lashes were excruciating.

She smiled a little, enduring it all without uttering a sound.

The man's subordinate whipped her ten times, then poured salt water over her wounds...

This torture repeated dozens of times before it finally stopped.

Leng Zheng was released. The subordinate injected her with another drug, fed her a pill, and dumped a bucket of cold water over her.

"Our master asked me to wake you like this and say: Hurts, doesn't it? It must hurt. I like to see you in such pain, in a state worse than death. How does it feel? Retribution, isn’t it?"

Leng Zheng lowered her head and smiled. "Tsk, tell your master, these tricks? I mastered them in childhood. Let him beware of greater retribution."

The subordinate nodded and left.

Watching their retreating backs, Leng Zheng nodded and smiled. "The show begins."

Chu Yuxiu heard this and smiled. "The show really is about to begin. I wonder if some people are ready?"

"Come, let's start." Qin Yuan smiled affectionately at Chu Yuxiu.

"Alright, let's go."

"How's it going?" Cheng Yunting looked up at Chu Yuxiu.

"Yes, it's ready. Let's go." Chu Yuxiu nodded, gathered the people, and headed to the eastern suburbs.

On Leng Zheng's side.

"Boss... Boss!" Someone rushed to the man, falling to his knees.

Seeing him, the man told the informant to stand and asked, "What's wrong? Why so panicked?"

"Xi... Xizheng's people are here..." The informant stammered, clearly terrified.

"Why panic? What's the problem with Xizheng's people? Are they coming for us?" The man looked at the informant, thinking he was overreacting.

The informant nodded, trembling. "Boss... they're really here..."

The man instantly panicked, recalling the terror Xizheng's people once brought him. But... with Xizheng in their hands, things might be different.

Thinking of Xizheng as leverage, he felt confident.

"Hurry up and bring Xizheng here," he said, calming himself and instructing the informant.

"Yes, Boss. I'll go get Li Xin'er right away." The informant ran to where Xin'er was kept and brought Leng Zheng out.

The man grabbed his gun, gathered everyone, and reassured them, "Brothers! Xizheng's people are at our gates, about to attack us! But we mustn't panic! Remember, Xizheng is still in our hands! Now, a few will stay inside to guard, the rest will follow me outside. You, wake Xizheng and bring her to the gate."

Everyone responded in unison and rushed to their posts.

Leng Zheng was awakened with a splash of water. Dazed, she saw Cheng Yunting before her, with the man threatening Cheng Yunting through her.

She did nothing, still feigning weakness, standing there.

"Cheng Yunting, your woman is in my hands. So, what should I do with her?"

"What do you want?" Cheng Yunting asked, looking at him.

"My demands aren't much. First: let us go. Second: I want a finger from you." The man looked at Cheng Yunting.

"Alright, I agree." Cheng Yunting glanced at Leng Zheng and nodded.

"You cut it off right here. Once it's done, I’ll release her. If you don't, she'll die! Someone, feed her a poison pill." The man threatened Leng Zheng, forced her to swallow a pill, and had a sniper ready in the distance—any sudden move from Cheng and Leng Zheng would be killed.

Leng Zheng quietly calculated their speed and reaction times, noticing they paid little attention to her, believing she was incapable.

She smiled inwardly, but outwardly remained weak.

The man gradually relaxed, waiting for Cheng Yunting to cut off his finger.

Cheng Yunting picked up the knife, preparing to cut, when Leng Zheng made her move.

She signaled to Chu Yuxiu, secretly immobilized the people around her with silver needles, and as Cheng Yunting was about to cut, she and Chu Yuxiu acted together.

Chu Yuxiu tossed Leng Zheng her fan, then killed the sniper, and stood by to watch the drama unfold.

Leng Zheng smiled, used the fan to dispatch the man's subordinates, and looked at the man.

"Didn't expect you to be so formidable, Xizheng," the man said, smiling. "I admit defeat."

Leng Zheng signaled Chu Yuxiu, then walked over to Cheng Yunting.

Cheng Yunting embraced Leng Zheng, looking at her with heartache.

Chu Yuxiu had the man taken to the League and returned to the hospital.

Chu Yuxiu neutralized the drugs in Leng Zheng, then let her sleep.

Cheng Yunting held Leng Zheng uneasily, afraid she would disappear again.

He listened as Leng Zheng read stories, holding her like a child terrified of losing his beloved.

She is the light that brightens my life:

I am in love with someone; she is the only ray of light in my dark world.

I remember, the summer before I entered sixth grade, my parents divorced. All through my memory, they had been fighting, even after my brother was born. Finally, they divorced.

Both asked me who I wanted to live with. I didn't know, so I followed the court's ruling—my brother and I went with our mother.

In daily life, my mother, grandmother, brother, and I lived together. My mother and grandmother always told me to bring honor to my mother, not let my father and his mistress look down on me.

Because of this, I lived in a constant state of inferiority, believing everything I did was wrong, and so nothing ever went well.

The summer after I graduated middle school, I became obsessed with novels, and couldn't stop. That summer, I gained many like-minded friends, wrote stories with them, and my first book was published on Crazy Reads.

With excitement and anxiety, I wanted to tell my mother. I thought she would agree, but reality hit me hard...

My mother refused, telling me to study well and not neglect my education; and again, to bring her honor, not let my father and his mistress look down on me.

I was rebellious, and when my mother disagreed, I had a big argument with her, grabbed my things, and left the oppressive home I'd lived in for over ten years.

It was a rainy day. I hung my head, walking through the alleyways. Though flowers bloomed everywhere, my heart was cold.

I squatted by a wall, looking at so many houses, yet none was a place for me.

At that moment, she passed by, handed me an umbrella, and invited me to her house. Since we were classmates, I went.

She asked me, and I told her the whole story. She took me to her home, explained the situation to her parents, and asked if I could stay.

Her parents, seeing my plight, agreed. So, I stayed at her home.

Every day, we went to school together, played together... Her smile was like a ray of light that gradually illuminated my whole world.

Maybe such things only happen in novels, but I tell you—it was real.

I fell in love with that girl with the radiant smile, though I knew I wasn't good enough for her. I thought about giving up, but when I was about to, I discovered I couldn't let her go.

She is the light that brightens my life.

...

PS: Tsk, this chapter—needle sharp, really needle sharp. This chapter made me realize just how wild my imagination can be, though it's not all that big.

Ah, needle sharp indeed. I dug a pit for myself, now I must fill it~

Come on, everyone, guess—what is the real conspiracy? Is this man the mastermind or just a scapegoat?

This chapter is pure inspiration, thought up on the way to get vaccinated. The vaccines are so popular lately; I went to several places and found none.

Ah, I wasted so much time. The doctor said people started queuing at five in the morning. Truly, that's dedication. Tomorrow, I'll get up at five and queue at six—tragic.

Alright, see you all tomorrow~ Good night~