Chapter 26 Eavesdropping—This is a crucial clue! She completed the system's mission…
"What if someone sees us?" Sang Li asked languidly, raising her hand to stroke Chloe's hair with a half-smile.
“It’s so secluded here, no one will see us.” Chloe showed no sign of backing down, instead hugging her even tighter, her voice filled with suppressed emotion. “Anyway, we’re in cahoots with Cullen, who dares to say anything? Besides, Cullen is quite interested in that skinny guy, he won’t find out.”
Shen Mi looked around and saw that there were piles of waste stones nearly four or five meters high nearby, which was indeed very secluded.
The moment the name Kulun appeared, Shen Mi's vigilance deepened.
Instead of turning away, she tried to slow her breathing and continued to observe.
"Skinny bamboo pole?" Sang Li seemed pleased, her tone becoming coquettish. "I think 6013 has a very distinctive look, unlike me..."
When Sang Li mentioned his number, Shen Mi realized that the skinny guy was actually talking about her.
Skinny as a bamboo pole? Shen Mi raised her hand and pinched her arm. It was indeed much thinner than before, but not to that extent.
Behind the wall, Chloe grabbed Sunny's hand, pecked the back of her hand a few times, and said ingratiatingly, "I still prefer you the way you are."
"How annoying." Sang Li's voice became even softer.
Shen Mi, standing not far away, heard everything clearly. "You two are flirting; don't use innocent people as pawns in your game."
She wasn't sure what Chloe and Sunley's private relationship was like, but judging from their conversation, their relationship with Cullen was far more than just lovers or subordinates—they were dependent on Cullen while simultaneously complaining about him.
On the surface, they obey Kulen's every command, but privately they freely use him as gossip. You're not as united as rumored!
"Oh, right."
Sang Li suddenly chuckled softly, hooking Chloe's chin with her fingertips, her tone languid and nonchalant: "Don't dwell on this, we have more important things to discuss."
Chloe's gaze remained fixed on her face, her eyes filled with a stubborn reluctance. However, upon hearing those words, her brows furrowed slightly, as if she had finally pulled herself out of her previous emotions.
"Are you talking about Kulun's matter, or... about 6013?"
Shen Mi held her breath, her fingertips quietly clenching the hem of her clothes.
She glanced at the two people embracing intimately not far away. Although they maintained an ambiguous posture, the atmosphere had subtly changed.
“Of course it’s Cullen.” Sang Li chuckled dismissively, her tone laced with a hint of lazy impatience. “6013, 6013, why do you bring her up every time Cullen is mentioned?”
Her tone carried a hint of jealousy, as if it were a casual complaint, or perhaps a subtle probing.
"Oh my god, my heart is as clear as day. Otherwise, how could I have dared to risk my life to be with you behind Kulun's back?"
"Hmph," Sang Li complained, "If I find out you have no intention of supporting me, you're dead."
Shen Mi took a deep breath, trying his best to suppress the urge to roll his eyes.
She held her breath and hid in the shadows, patiently continuing to listen, but the two of them continued flirting and joking as if no one else was around, not uttering a single serious word.
—What kind of scheme are they plotting, or is it just a clandestine affair?
She had hoped to hear some crucial information about Cullen, but the two ended up talking about nothing but romantic entanglements. Sang Li, in particular, kept uttering threatening words like "two-hearted," yet her tone was coquettish, and she even pinched Chloe's cheek, as if she were toying with her prey.
Chloe offered no resistance, even smiling as she rubbed the spot where she had been pinched, her tone indulgent: "How could that be? If you find out I have designs on someone else, don't even mention killing me, I'll go bang my head against a wall first, okay?"
Chen Mi: "..."
—Can you two finally get to the point?
"What you said last time, that you knew where the ledger was, was that true or not?" Sang Li nudged Chloe, seemingly not quite believing what he said.
"Of course it's true. I stumbled upon it by chance. It was a very inconspicuous gray book."
Shen Mi's mind suddenly tightened.
—The ledger? Is it the illegal records the system mentioned? It should be something she and Danheng discussed.
She held her breath, trying to hide herself in the darkness as much as possible, and listened intently.
“Of course it’s true.” Chloe lowered her voice, with a hint of self-satisfaction. “You know he always keeps me behind after meetings to give me instructions. Last time, I accidentally stumbled upon a special ledger.”
"Special?" Sang Li scoffed, her eyes narrowing slightly. "How so?"
Chloe hesitated for a moment, as if weighing whether to continue.
Shen Mi stared intently at his profile, her heart pounding almost imperceptibly—if this ledger was related to Kulun's transactions and illegal activities, its value was unimaginable.
Chloe said mysteriously, "These aren't just ordinary transactions; they're very useful..."
He'd cleaned up Cullen's messes so many times, he was long resentful of Cullen's monopoly on power, where Cullen lived the high life while his brothers couldn't even get a sip of broth. Chloe stared lecherously at Sang Li, her hand brushing against her full breasts, giving them a firm bounce, while she plotted something in her mind.
"What are you doing! I'm talking to you about something important." Sang Li scolded playfully, but her body pressed against hers instinctively.
Shen Mi turned his back, choosing not to look at this eyesore.
She continued to listen intently, not daring to miss a single word.
Chloe lowered her voice: "Anyway, that ledger is kept in Cullen's private office, at the very back of the safe, separate from the other accounts."
"A safe?" Sang Li frowned. "Are you sure?"
“Of course I’m sure.” Chloe sneered. “You know perfectly well that he always hides his dirty secrets much better than anything else.”
Sang Li remained silent, seemingly deep in thought. Shen Mi's heart skipped a beat, and her gaze remained fixed on Sang Li, as if afraid of missing any detail.
A few seconds later, Sang Li suddenly smiled, gently pushed Chloe away, stretched, and said meaningfully, "Then do you know the password?"
"Of course I know."
Chloe looked up at her and said softly, "Go and stall Cullen, it would be best... to use your feminine wiles."
Sang Li raised an eyebrow, not immediately agreeing, but instead looking at him with a half-smile, her tone somewhat incredulous: "You want me to go and raid Kulun?"
"Don't put it that way," Chloe quickly reassured her. "You two were together before, it's just a rekindling of old flames. As long as you can keep him occupied, I can sneak in and get my hands on the ledgers."
"Then what?"
“Then we’ll use the ledger as leverage to force him to add us to the amnesty list.” Chloe’s tone was firm, as if she had already rehearsed it countless times in her mind. “As long as we can get the ledger, we can threaten him to let us leave the labor camp and go somewhere else to live a good life for the two of us.”
Sang Li didn't respond immediately. After a moment of silence, she snorted softly, "You really dare to dream."
Chloe smiled and took her hand, her voice gentle: "If we don't succeed this time, we'll never get rid of him. You don't want to stay in this godforsaken place forever, do you?"
Sang Li didn't speak, seemingly lost in thought, while Shen Mi held his breath.
"Are you sure?" Sang Li crossed her arms, tilted her head to look at him, and asked hesitantly, "Would Cullen really let us go just because of an account book?"
"Didn't you know you two used to sleep together every day?"
"Hey!" came Sang Li's displeased voice.
“Alright, alright, I won’t mention it anymore.” Chloe lowered her voice, a hint of calculation in her eyes. “Do you know what’s recorded in those ledgers? Not just transaction records, but also… something more important. If this falls into the wrong hands, Cullen is finished.”
Shen Mi narrowed his eyes slightly.
The ledger contains more than just financial transactions; it appears to involve deeper shady dealings.
Sang Li remained silent for a moment, seemingly lost in thought, then curled the corners of her lips into a smile: "That does sound interesting."
"So, you're willing to cooperate?" Chloe looked down at her, her eyes full of expectation. "You know Cullen's weaknesses better than anyone else; only you can make him lower his guard."
Sang Li chuckled, lightly tapping Chloe's chest with her finger, and said slowly, "Cullen is a scumbag, disgusting as he may be, but don't expect me to actually go with him."
Shen Mi looked at him with disdain. No wonder Sang Li had been trying so hard to persuade her how much Kulun valued her; it turned out she was looking for a replacement for Kulun.
“Don’t worry, I won’t make you do anything real,” Chloe said quickly. “You just need to pretend to lure him away and stall for time, so he doesn’t notice anything amiss. I’ll take care of the rest.”
Sang Li raised an eyebrow, seemingly still somewhat reluctant, but finally agreed lazily: "Fine, but if you mess this up, don't blame me for selling you out too."
Chloe smiled and leaned closer to whisper a few words to her.
Shen Mi strained her ears, trying to catch every word, but Chloe's voice was too low, and she could only hear fragmented phrases.
"...Next week night...he goes to...the safe as usual..."
Although it's incomplete, it's enough.
Shen Mi clenched his fists inwardly, quickly weighing his next move.
She realized almost instantly that this conversation was no longer just a "chance encounter with an ambiguous scene" for her.
This is a crucial clue! She'll be able to complete the system task soon!
Shen Mi's mind raced like a high-speed machine as she rapidly analyzed the information before her. This seemingly casual, "accidental" conversation was undoubtedly a crucial step towards her success. Next week's evening, when Cullen would routinely go to the safe, would be the perfect opportunity for her to act.
"Next week night..." she murmured to herself, trying to memorize this crucial information.
She needed to be prepared not only to snatch the ledger from Chloe first, but also to ensure she remained undetected. Now, all she could do was wait calmly, plan meticulously, and ensure her identity and purpose were not exposed, especially to Sunny and Chloe.
She gripped the handle of the stun gun tightly, a chill running down her spine. She couldn't let these people get there first, no matter what. Her mission wasn't just about her own safety; it was about the future of everyone else.
As Sang Li and Chloe's conversation gradually subsided, Shen Mi knew there was no need for her to linger any longer. She turned quietly and silently left the shadows, trying her best not to make any noise that might attract their attention.
A cold wind blew through the corridor, carrying a chilly air. Chen Mi's steps were steady, but her mind was already racing with plans for the future. She realized that this operation would determine whether she could break through her current predicament, complete the mission, and upgrade the system.
A note from the author:
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In eight more chapters, the Danheng arc will be over. Let's briefly review the plot (the author can't write any really exciting plot points [pigeon][pigeon][pigeon]).
I'll continue updating tomorrow.
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