Chapter 42

"husband!"

"Baby! Look at me!"

"Can you believe it? You can see the nation's heartthrob at Grandma Cheng's birthday banquet!"

"Bai Yu!!!"

Excited shouts rose and fell, and the noble ladies in the corridors and flower-lined streets took pictures like crazy, with flashes of light comparable to lightning on a stormy night.

The man, who had just gotten out of the car, stood still, head held high, and gracefully raised his hand to greet his fans. Every smile and gesture was exquisitely charming, which made the girls cheer even louder.

His arrival brought the banquet to a climax, with many people coming out to take photos. Unsurprisingly, most of them were young people and women, indicating that the enthusiasm of the elite circle for celebrities was within a controllable range.

Although everyone was excited, they did not rush directly to Bai Yu. Two bodyguards took him to wish the old lady a happy birthday first.

When Cheng Yang learned that there was a major hidden danger at the banquet, and even witnessed the miniature bombs and insectoids, it was quite a shock to him as a teacher. Even though the students of the Demon Fishing Academy were extremely unruly and had caused serious psychological trauma to their teachers, it was not aimed at killing people.

He saw his mother safe and sound in the old lady's room, and his heart, which had been hanging in suspense, slowly settled down. Knowing that the Yu family was reliable, and that Ye Feng had said the crisis was mostly over and the banquet would proceed as planned, he felt much more at ease.

When the old lady saw her son coming to see her, she temporarily sent away her close friends who were chatting with her.

Old lady: Why did you come alone?

Cheng Yang smiled and held the old lady's hand, "I missed my mom, so I came in to take a break."

The old lady asked many questions about the details of Cheng Yang and Chi Xia's relationship. Cheng Yang described their fake relationship as incredibly convincing, and in the end, the old lady's face was stiff from smiling.

The old lady held her youngest son's hand and said earnestly, "I know times have changed. Being alone doesn't necessarily mean you can't live well. All sorts of technology can fill your life, so you won't feel lonely even if you're alone. But I'm old now, and your father passed away early. I know all too well how difficult it is to live alone. No matter how advanced technology is, it's still a cold thing, without warmth. It gives you convenience but not warmth. To live a vibrant and fulfilling life without regrets, you still need some warmth and connection."

“Look at your two older brothers, they both have good families and careers. Xiao Mo is so cute, with his little mouth that keeps talking. When I’m feeling down, seeing a child who looks like me makes me feel hopeful again. Your second brother and sister-in-law don’t want children, that’s a different way of life, and I’ll go with the flow. As long as their relationship is stable and they support each other, and they’re loving and affectionate for ten years, I’m happy for them.”

The old lady lowered her moist eyes and stroked her youngest son's hand. "Every time you come back, you're alone. You're either staring blankly at your bracelet or working on your computer. No matter what kind of entertainment or work you do, you're spending your own time to support others. You need to have your own little plot of land, tending to the seeds you've carefully cultivated and watching them sprout. That sense of accomplishment is hard to find in entertainment or work."

Cheng Yang nodded and grasped the old lady's hand in return. "Mom, don't worry. I will definitely treat Xia Xia well this time. Although I am not as successful as my older brothers, I can support myself and my family."

The old lady seemed to have thought of something, and the tears in her eyes subsided. "Xia Xia is such a girl, so calm and composed. She's very likable. She's neither arrogant nor servile in front of anyone. She's not like an ordinary girl. You should treat her well and bring her home to see me often."

Cheng Yang smiled and said, "I know, Mom."

“Boom boom boom!”

There was a knock on the door, and Cheng Yang went to open it.

Seeing the male celebrity standing outside the door like a peacock spreading its tail feathers, Cheng Yang smiled broadly, "Oh, Bai, the big star, you came all the way here in person. You ignored me when I asked you out last time."

Bai Yu's bodyguards stood guard at the door. Bai Yu laughed so hard he almost choked. "A bunch of grown men's gathering is nothing compared to an old lady's birthday party. Isn't that right, my beautiful lady? How have you been?"

The old lady smiled and got up. Bai Yu went over and shook her hand. The two sat on the sofa and chatted. The old lady was very talkative and quickly became friends with Bai Yu.

Cheng Yang stood up. "You guys chat, I'll go check out the banquet hall."

The old lady waved her hand.

At this moment, a group of wealthy women surrounded the door. Cheng Yang thought to himself, "So you like old ladies, huh?" He had his bodyguard let the person in, and soon various excited screams came from inside.

Hearing the commotion, Cheng Yang couldn't suppress the smile on his face, and his steps became lighter.

When he arrived at the banquet hall, he immediately saw the table where Chi Xia and the others had been sitting. It was empty. He immediately called Chi Xia, "Xia, where did you all go?"

Chi Xia: "I'm helping to find the insect people. Cheng Mo and the others should have gone to the banquet hall over there."

Where are you? I'm coming to find you.

Chi Xia: "No need, you go find Cheng Mo and the others, they're just kids after all."

"……good."

After hanging up the phone, Cheng Yang suddenly felt that Chi Xia's tone of voice seemed different from how he usually spoke. He should have comforted this female companion he had brought to the banquet to face danger, but her composure exceeded his expectations and even made him feel at ease.

That's strange.

Chi Xia hung up the call and surveyed the banquet hall again. She had carefully observed the five insectoids in that room before. Their faces were slightly bluish, their pupils contracted sharply when exposed to light, and they would exhibit stress reactions when stimulated, such as their hair standing on end and their blood vessels bulging.

The banquet hall was brightly lit. Chi Xia had carefully observed the servants in both banquet halls. Everyone was doing their job dutifully, their facial complexions were normal and their pupils were not abnormal. In fact, many of them had been replaced by Ye Feng's people.

Chi Xia didn't linger. She sent a message to Ye Feng, and the two met in an empty room.

Ye Feng: "My remaining servants have all been carefully checked with infection detection equipment, and there are no abnormalities. The insect people are not among them."

Chi Xia: "What did that person say?"

Ye Feng shook his head. "He doesn't know the identity of the other insectoid, nor has he ever met him. Besides, I think he's hiding something, but I just can't get him to open up."

Chi Xia: "Take me to meet him."

Ye Feng frowned, turning his head to look into Chi Xia's eyes, "I thought you didn't want to be exposed."

Chi Xia's eyes remained unwavering. "I'll change my clothes."

Ye Feng: "Do you have some kind of grudge against that person? How could you recognize him at a glance?"

Chi Xia: "Yes."

Ye Feng didn't delay any longer and ordered someone to take Chi Xia, who had changed into a men's suit, and was wearing a hat and mask, down to the basement via the indoor elevator.

Ye Feng was very familiar with the Cheng family's old residence. Cheng Mo had shown him every corner of the place. The two had agreed that if one of them was in trouble, the other would definitely provide full support. Therefore, when Cheng Mo went to Ye Feng's house, he knew it like the back of his hand.

The person was tied up in a small storage room in the basement. The room was dimly lit, and they couldn't see each other clearly. Chi Xia went in, and the person moved slightly, trying to tear open his swollen eyes to see something. Unfortunately, the light was insufficient, and Chi Xia was wrapped up too tightly.

Chi Xia: "You all go out. I have something to ask him alone."

Subordinate: "Let's stay here; we can guarantee your safety."

Chi Xia coldly looked at the man on the ground, whose torture marks were still visible even in the dim light, and said, "No need."

After Ye Feng's men left, Chi Xia pulled up a chair and sat opposite the man.

Man: "Someone with their head covered, could it be someone we know?"

His voice trembled, and he could barely speak. The man's well-trained vigilance remained, and based on this alone, Chi Xia was certain that this person held a high position in that gang.

Chi Xia cut to the chase, "Who are you working for?"

The man snorted coldly and turned his head away.

Chi Xia stood up. "If you won't listen to reason, you'll have to suffer the consequences."

"ah!!!"

A piercing scream rang out, and several men almost rushed in, but then suddenly stopped. After confirming that it wasn't the boss's friend calling, they stood guard outside the door.

"Ah! Go ahead and kill me, you bitch! Ah! Waaah! I can't take it, I can't take it!! Waaah..."

The screams inside were so horrific that even the burly men outside kept glancing at them. The painful whimpers after being gagged were enough to send chills down their spines.

Inside, Chi Xia took the warehouse rag that had been used to gag the man and wiped the blood off her hands. "Just two millimeters short, and your talent will be gone forever. I'll ask you one more time, who are you working for?"

The man foamed at the mouth, trembling in pain, and gasped for breath. "I... I don't know. He always wore a mask when he appeared, and his voice was disguised by a voice imitation device. We've never seen him... never seen his real face, and there was a screen between us."

It's another voice imitation device. The man who interrogated the sisters in the warehouse last time also used it.

Chi Xia sat back in her chair. "The second question: what was your mission before this one?"

The man lay sprawled on the ground, his forehead pressed against the earth, his breath and blood from the foam spraying onto the ground. He was hunched over, his shattered nerves burning with excruciating pain.

When Chi Xia killed people before, she never used such cruel methods. Yet these people captured her sister alive, tortured her to death, and left her without a single piece of her body. They even arrogantly released the video.

The man, panting on the ground for a few seconds, said, "I don't know what you're talking about?"

Chi Xia sneered and leaned forward slightly. "Is that so? Then let me help you remember. The basement next to number 303 on Liangkou Street, do you remember now?"

Upon hearing the second half of the sentence, the man froze, immediately turning to look at Chi Xia, utterly helpless as if he had been skinned alive. His lips trembled as he asked, "Who...who exactly are you?"

Chi Xia: "Now it's my turn to ask you a question."

The man closed his eyes. When Chi Xia uttered the words "Liangkou Street," he knew he wouldn't be able to leave this warehouse. "I told you, what benefits can you give me?"

Chi Xia: "That depends on your intelligence and what benefits I'm willing to offer."

Tears streamed down the man's face, dripping onto the ground and mingling with the blood. He seemed to have forgotten the pain of his ribs being broken by the woman in front of him, the pain of his blood vessels bursting and his nerves being torn apart by her. He said, "I have a blind sister named Xu Yuan. She is in the first year of junior high school at the Xinshi School for the Blind. After I die, give her all the money in my account."

Chi Xia: "I promise you."

Man: "We captured Twilight, the tenth-ranked professional assassin on the Dawn Assassin List, in that basement on Liangkou Street. The boss said there were traces of two people living there, and the other person is most likely also an assassin. He told us to lie in wait and wait."

It turns out that the sisters' name is Twilight, and they are among the top ten on the organization's list.

Chi Xia paused for two seconds, a brief respite for herself as she mourned the passing of time, but an incredibly long time for the man who felt like he was living a life worse than death.

How was she exposed?

The man said, "Twilight accepted a fake mission; it was a mission released by our boss. We stole Dawn's mission hotline and impersonated Dawn's boss to send messages to the assassins."

Hearing this, Chi Xia's heart sank to the bottom. "How many people accepted fake missions?"

The man coughed up blood. "43 people."

Chi Xia took a deep breath and clenched her fists. "How many did they arrest?"

Man: "42 people, among whom Twilight was the hardest to catch. We spent a lot of effort on her. She even sabotaged the private line we stole, and she even went back to the basement during that time."

Chi Xia's eyes reddened without anyone noticing, and many previously complicated clues were now being pieced together.

Dusk destroyed the dedicated line, spread the news that the boss was dead, disbanded Dawn, and went back to the basement to leave her a note that was her way out. He also transferred his assets to her.

Despite all that Twilight had done, she had clearly guessed her own identity, yet she hadn't asked for help, focusing solely on protecting herself.

Chi Xia: "How many people have you planted at the Demon Fishing Academy?"

The man couldn't hold on any longer and collapsed to the ground, blood gushing from his mouth and nose. "I know of three."

Chi Xia: "Name?"

Man: "I don't know the name, that's all I know. Please, just give me a quick death."

Chi Xia got up, walked over, and decisively snapped the man's neck.

As they were leaving, Ye Feng's men immediately surrounded them. Chi Xia told them, "Burn it."

The subordinates looked at her with a slight unease. They exchanged glances, dared not object, and quickly agreed, "Burn it, burn it right away."