Ye Ling's heart felt heavy as if it was being pressed down by a huge rock.

She glanced at the stalls in front of her that were filled with all kinds of food ingredients. The market that was bustling in the past now looked like a huge maze, and every passage was full of unknown obstacles.

The air was filled with the aroma of various ingredients, but at this moment, it became particularly pungent at Ye Ling's nose, as if mocking her current predicament.

"Mysterious man? What's going on?" Ye Ling cursed in a low voice. She felt as if she had become the "Village Chief of Novice Village" in the game, and her main quest was stuck by a hidden BOSS.

She quickly moved through the crowded crowd, eagerly asking every stall owner, trying to find any clues about the "mysterious man".

"Have you seen a sneaky person? He's been buying a lot of spices recently!" There was a hint of anxiety in Ye Ling's voice.

The stall owners all shook their heads, with confusion or arrogance on their faces as if it had nothing to do with them.

"No, no, miss. We are doing business, who cares about those trivial matters?"

Ye Ling's brows furrowed more and more. She felt as if she was trapped in a fog and could not see the road ahead clearly.

She clenched her fists so tightly that her nails almost dug into her palms. She had to find a way to solve this problem and not let all her efforts go to waste.

Just when Ye Ling was in a state of panic, the situation on Duan Yu's side also became a mess.

"Duan Yu! You are becoming more and more outrageous. For a woman, you actually want to disobey the family!" Fiona's sharp voice echoed in the hall of the Duan family, as sharp as a knife.

"She's not an ordinary woman!" Duan Yu said firmly, his eyes burning with anger, like an enraged lion, "You don't understand at all!"

"Hmph, who is she? A mecha master who is considered a waste! How can she help you? She will only drag you down!" Fiona sneered, her face full of disdain and contempt.

"You're actually willing to go against the entire family for her?"

"Enough!" A majestic voice came, and Duan Yu's father, the patriarch of the family, slowly walked to the center of the hall.

"Take the young master away and put him in the cell!"

"What?" Duan Yu widened his eyes. He didn't expect that his family would treat him like this for Ye Ling.

"You are under house arrest!!"

"When you figure it out, we'll talk again." The patriarch said this indifferently, then walked away, leaving Duan Yu alone facing the cold cell.

"Damn it!" Duan Yu punched the wall hard. His fist was covered in blood, but he didn't feel any pain at all.

When he thought of Ye Ling's current situation, his heart was filled with worry and regret.

He wanted to help her, but was trapped here tightly. This feeling of powerlessness made him feel deeply angry and helpless.

Ye Ling also learned the news soon. She felt her heart suddenly tighten and a huge sense of unease came over her.

She clenched her teeth, her eyes flashing with a determination she had never seen before.

She must find the mastermind behind this as soon as possible, not let Duan Yu's efforts go to waste, and not let those who want to laugh at her succeed.

"I must get to the bottom of this matter." Ye Ling clenched her palms. The pain of her nails digging into her palms actually made her feel a little sober.

She turned and left, her steps firm and without a trace of hesitation.

Her target is very clear - that mysterious man.

"Do you know who bought these spices?"

She stopped in front of a fashionable woman wearing sunglasses. This woman was Jinx, the woman with a hint of sarcasm and malice in her eyes.

Jinx took off his sunglasses, a strange arc appeared at the corner of his mouth, and a hint of pride flashed in his eyes.

"Hey, isn't this our 'useless' mentor Ye Ling? What's wrong? Are we running out of ingredients?" Jinx's voice was filled with a hint of contempt, as if he was teasing a poor kitten.

She looked Ye Ling up and down, her eyes full of mockery, "Could it be that you're not even qualified to participate? This is such a pity!"

Ye Ling raised her eyebrows. She was not a soft persimmon that could be bullied by others.

She sneered, her eyes sharp as a knife. "Stop being sarcastic, Jinx. Let's be frank. Are you behind this recent spice incident?"

Jinx widened her eyes in feigned surprise and covered her mouth exaggeratedly, as if she had heard some utterly ridiculous joke.

"Oh, Professor Ye, you're kidding me! How could I do such a thing? I'm a decent citizen. If you don't believe me, go ask the vendors here. Everyone knows that Jinx is the most harmless person!"

The contestants around stopped what they were doing, pricked up their ears, and their eyes sparkled with anticipation for the show.

The air was filled with a strong smell of gunpowder, as if it was about to explode.

"Harmless to humans and animals? Do you believe that?" Ye Ling sneered and took a step closer. His aura burst out instantly, causing Jinx's face to change.

She continued, "Do you think you can hide those little tricks you're doing from everyone? Don't think of yourself as some 'behind-the-scenes boss'; you're far from that level."

Jinx was almost breathless due to Ye Ling's aura, but she was not a pushover after all. She quickly regained her composure, with a hint of viciousness flashing in her eyes.

"Ye Ling, stop spitting bloody words at me. I'm telling you, don't talk nonsense without evidence, or I'll sue you for defamation!"

Just as the two were on the verge of a fight, Bron ran over breathlessly, holding a tablet in his hand. He excitedly shouted to Ye Ling, "Ye Ling, I found out! Every time that mysterious man buys spices, he stays at a fixed coffee shop for five minutes! The IP address of the payment account he uses also comes from that coffee shop!"

This chapter is not finished yet, please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content!