Chapter 93 A Plan Turns the Tables, A Pretense Becomes Real
Hong Kong businessman.
Miss Bai.
They possess all the truth behind Lu Jingyue's disappearance.
Is there any more coincidence or more seamless frame-up in this world?
Lu Jingyan hung up the phone, slowly turned his head, and looked through the spacious living room, landing on the woman who was about to leave.
She was dressed in a smart suit, her posture upright, and she was adjusting her cuffs with her head turned to the side. The lines of her profile were both cold and beautiful in the morning light.
Is it her?
No!
He doesn't believe it!
It's not that I don't believe the intelligence, but that I don't believe she could be an enemy.
The exact same red mole from last night was not a hallucination.
He took a deep breath, suppressing all his turbulent emotions, and strode over.
Bai Shu noticed the movement behind him, turned around, and met his complicated eyes.
"Today's schedule is canceled." Lu Jingyan's voice was completely calm.
"There's an urgent matter in Beijing that I need to go back to handle immediately."
Bai Shu paused, her clear, peach-blossom eyes narrowing slightly.
She was incredibly perceptive; Lu Jingyan's sudden change in attitude couldn't have escaped her notice. There was definitely something wrong with that phone call just now.
"Oh?" Bai Shu raised an eyebrow slightly, her beautiful peach blossom eyes showing no emotion whatsoever.
She nodded, her decision almost too decisively.
"Alright. Goodbye, Bodyguard Lu."
She paused, then added in a soft, cold voice.
"My safety will be taken care of by Manager Du, so please don't worry about it."
The implication is that it makes no difference whether you're there or not.
Lu Jingyan gave her a deep look, then turned and left without any hesitation.
The door was closed, separating the two people, each with their own thoughts, into two different worlds.
As soon as Lu Jingyan left, the cold, businesslike mask on Bai Shu's face vanished instantly. She walked to the window and watched the black Volga sedan below speed away and disappear into the traffic.
She didn't believe it was just a coincidence.
Lu Jingyan's sudden departure made her sense a strong smell of conspiracy.
What is the enemy trying to do? Are they trying to lure us away from our base?
"Uncle Du." She picked up the phone and dialed the internal line on the top floor.
"Check for me to see if there have been any unusual military movements today, especially among the troops stationed in Shanghai. I need concrete information."
"Yes, Miss." Du Kangnian did not ask any reason.
After hanging up the phone, Su Wantang tapped her fingers rhythmically on the table. Lu Jingyan was her bodyguard, but also her "collaborator." His sudden "loss of control" meant that danger was approaching.
But she couldn't afford to panic; it was precisely at times like these that she needed to follow her own rhythm.
She changed her clothes, looked in the mirror, and transformed back into the powerful Hong Kong businesswoman, Bai Shu.
Half an hour later, in a corner of a high-end coffee shop in Shanghai.
Liu Sisi sat awkwardly opposite Bai Zhu, nervously twisting her handkerchief in her hands.
Ever since the Ye family fell from power, her former "best friend" has become a nervous wreck, fearing retribution.
Upon receiving Bai Shu's call, she was terrified and rushed from Beijing to Shanghai overnight, her heart pounding with fear the entire way.
"Mr. Bai... Mr. Bai, you wanted to see me..."
Liu Sisi's voice was trembling. She didn't dare to look Bai Shu in the eye and could only stare intently at the cup of coffee in front of her that was about to go cold.
“Miss Liu, don’t be nervous.” Bai Shu slowly stirred the coffee in her cup with a silver spoon.
“I’m a man of clear rewards and punishments. Ye Manrou is stupid, but you’re smarter than her.”
Liu Sisi shuddered and lowered her head even further.
Bai Zhu put down his coffee cup, leaned forward slightly, and an invisible sense of oppression enveloped him.
"I enjoy dealing with intelligent people."
She took a document out of her bag and pushed it in front of Liu Sisi.
"This is an agency agreement for a clothing company in Hong Kong. Once you sign it, you will be their sole agent in mainland China. How much you earn in a year depends on your own abilities."
Liu Sisi's eyes widened instantly. She stared at the contract in disbelief, then glanced at Bai Shu. Was this... a slap followed by a sweet treat?
Her hands trembled as she opened the contract, her breath catching in her throat when she saw the projected profits. If this deal went through, the Liu family's status in Beijing would likely rise to a whole new level!
"Miss Bai... what... what do you mean by this?"
Liu Sisi isn't stupid; there's no such thing as a free lunch.
"I want you to go back to Beijing, back to your old circle."
"The Ye family has fallen. Some people want to see me make a fool of myself, some want to take the opportunity to rise to power, and some want to climb up the social ladder by attaching themselves to the Lu family. I want you to be my eyes and ears."
She paused, stared into Liu Sisi's eyes, and said, word by word, "I need to know who my friends are and who my enemies are. Who is wavering and who is the most opportunistic."
Liu Sisi's heart started pounding.
She understood; they wanted her to become a thorn in their side, to re-enter the circles of Beijing!
This is a dangerous mission, but it is also a tremendous opportunity!
Weighing the pros and cons in an instant, Liu Sisi gritted her teeth and nodded vigorously: "Miss Bai, don't worry! I will definitely handle things perfectly! Anyone who goes against you, I'll be the first to make them suffer!"
...
In an inconspicuous residential building in Shanghai.
This is the secret safe house set up by Li Hu.
Lu Jingyan did not return to Beijing.
He sat at the table, his face ashen, slowly and meticulously wiping a disassembled Type 54 pistol with a white cloth.
"Boss, Beijing has responded." Gao Jianjun's voice came through a military radio, crackling with static.
"The letter paper is genuine; it's a special type of letter paper that one of Lu Wenbo's trusted confidants usually uses. The handwriting on it, after comparison by experts, is 90% similar to Zhao Qiang's handwriting. It looks... flawless."
Lu Jingyan continued wiping.
The fact that it is flawless is itself the biggest flaw.
“Two points of doubt.” His voice was as cold as ice. “First, Zhao Qiang is dead. How could a dead man write a letter? There’s no way to verify the truth. This is precisely what’s meant to make us believe it.”
"Secondly, the timing of this clue is too coincidental. We just raided Lu Wenbo's hideout in Shanghai, and here comes this so-called 'insider,' who happens to be a 'Hong Kong businessman' and happens to have the surname 'Bai.' This isn't a clue; it's bait that's been fed to our mouths."
Gao Jianjun on the other end of the radio gasped: "Boss, you mean...this is a trap?"
“They have two objectives.” Lu Jingyan wiped the last part clean and began assembling it, his movements as fast as lightning, producing a crisp clicking sound.
"First, a diversionary tactic. To lure me away from her. Second, to sow discord. To make me doubt her, even... she might take action against me."
What a brilliant move – killing someone by destroying their spirit!
Gao Jianjun was so angry on the other end of the line that he kept cursing: "These sons of bitches! They're so damn vicious! Boss, what do we do now? Should I take some men..."
"No need." Lu Jingyan tucked the assembled pistol back into his waistband and stood up.
"They want to watch a play, so we'll act with them."
He walked to the window, watching the people coming and going outside, a chilling glint in his eyes.
"Immediately spread the word that I have secretly returned to Beijing by private jet to personally investigate this lead. Make a big fuss, make sure that Huo San Niang's informants in Shanghai 'accidentally' learn of this news."
"clear!"
“I’d like to see,” Lu Jingyan said, a bloodthirsty smile curving his lips.
"The tiger has left the mountain, what tricks are these rats up to?"
He was not the prey.
He is the hunter.
...
Evening, penthouse suite at the Peace Hotel.
Bai Zhu stood in front of the huge floor-to-ceiling window, overlooking Shanghai as the city lights began to twinkle.
Du Kangnian and Zheng Kai stood respectfully behind her.
"Miss, we've found out." Du Kangnian reported first.
"There are no records of any high-ranking personnel changes in the military today. Commander Lu... left 'alone,' without any official mission."
Bai Shu's gaze darkened.
It was indeed an unauthorized action.
Immediately afterward, Zheng Kai spoke up, his voice tinged with nervousness.
"Boss Bai, my men have sent word that starting this afternoon, Huo San Niang's gang has been frequently seen around the restaurant. There are quite a few unfamiliar faces, and they're acting suspiciously, like they're scouting the place."
Two reports, two seemingly unrelated clues, were instantly connected in Bai Shu's mind.
A trap set for her.
Lu Jingyan's "departure" was a signal that the enemy was preparing to take action.
She understood.
That bastard didn't leave at all! He's using himself as bait to lure the snake out of its hole!
A cold smile slowly crept onto Bai Shu's lips.
very good.
If you want to act, then I'll help you set up a stage.
Let's see who ends up luring the enemy into the trap!
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