As time passed day by day, there was no progress on their end, and they were in danger of being discovered by the organization at any moment, which could lead to disaster.
Qiu Shanshan was extremely anxious. Having no other choice, she turned to a very capable senior member of their organization.
She left the tenement and returned to the organization's base in Beijing. Only after confirming that she was not being followed or discovered did she enter the basement.
The basement was as dark and gloomy as ever. As soon as she went down, she saw a shirtless man sitting in a chair with his back to her.
The man had just returned from a mission outside, and his body was covered in wounds, making him look extremely ferocious and terrifying.
Hearing footsteps, he turned around expressionlessly while bandaging himself with bandages.
A plain, unremarkable face was revealed, but its sinister and fierce eyes, like those of a wild beast, sent chills down one's spine.
Qiu Shanshan only glanced at him once before she couldn't help but shiver, but she still forced a smile.
"Brother Pei, you're back."
Pei Ji didn't say anything, but instead beckoned to her with his finger as if he were teasing a kitten or puppy.
Her sharp nails dug into her palms as Qiu Shanshan struggled to suppress the trembling fear in her eyes and walked step by step toward the man.
But before she could stand in front of Pei Ji, her wrist was grabbed and she was pulled onto his lap.
The offensive aura sprayed all over her face, and Pei Ji smiled in an ambiguous way, pinching her waist.
"Come here and clean my wounds."
Qiu Shanshan's pupils suddenly contracted, and she subconsciously struggled. In just a second, Pei Ji's sinister gaze turned to her and landed on her face.
His gaze was so sharp it seemed tangible; Qiu Shanshan was afraid that if he was displeased, he might slash her face with a knife.
She knew Pei Ji was very skilled at assassination, and she was no match for him. She didn't even dare to think of resisting. She just swallowed hard and picked up the iodine solution that was placed next to her with trembling fingers.
That unpleasant hand slowly moved, caressing her body wantonly.
Qiu Shanshan felt so disgusted she was about to vomit, but she didn't dare to move, letting the man take advantage of her.
Pei Ji was fairly satisfied with Qiu Shanshan's obedient behavior. He put his arm around her and turned to look at the few people standing beside him, who looked trembling with fear. He chuckled softly.
"What exactly do you want?"
"If I remember correctly, the organization's objective for you was to capture Song Mingqian alive. You failed, and that's one thing, but what are you doing now?"
He had a smile on his face, but his cold voice filled the room with a sense of oppression, making it almost impossible for anyone to breathe.
“The mission has failed. Not only did you fail to report it, but you also attempted to eliminate the mission target without authorization. If Song Mingqian really dies, it will delay the organization's important affairs. Can you afford to pay for it with your lives?”
As soon as the words were spoken, everyone in the basement turned deathly pale.
"No, we didn't mean to kill Song Mingqian..."
Qiu Shanshan was eager to explain, but before she could finish speaking, the arms around her waist suddenly tightened.
The immense force pressed her so hard she almost vomited; her entire body ached as if it were about to fall apart.
"Good boy, I'm not interested in listening to you right now. If you don't want to die, shut your mouth."
Pei Ji touched her face with feigned affection, but there was no mercy in his actions.
Seeing his brutality, the others were terrified and trembled with fear.
But they also knew that Pei Ji was not an easy person to talk to, and if they couldn't satisfy him, they were afraid that none of them would survive the night.
Qiu Shanshan's fake parents, Qiu Zhiye and Jiang Mengzhu, exchanged a glance, just about to bite the bullet and come up to speak.
Before they could even open their mouths, Pei Ji raised his leg and kicked each of them in the stomach, sending them sprawling to the ground, their backs arched in pain, unable to recover for a long time.
"A bunch of useless trash. I told you to shut up. I don't want to hear you talk anymore. You're all so restless. You're as stupid as pigs and dogs."
Pei Ji cursed loudly, shoved Qiu Shanshan out of his arms, and stood up with a gloomy face.
"It's just a matter of asking you to kidnap a defenseless researcher, and you can't even handle such a small task, making me the one who has to clean up your mess."
"You don't need to worry about Song Mingqian's matter; I will handle it personally."
He turned around and walked step by step toward the wall covered with task lists, looking up at the two photos posted at the very top.
"I will capture Song Mingqian alive as required by the organization, but... what's wrong with his wife? Isn't she already dead? Why is her photo still posted here?"
Everyone in the basement kept their heads down, too scared to even breathe.
Qiu Shanshan could only forcefully suppress her inner fear and awkwardly speak.
"Lin Banxia didn't die. The only one taken away and killed back then was their daughter, Song Huan. We tried to assassinate her again, but we couldn't find a suitable opportunity, which is why she lived for a few more years."
Pei Ji's hand veins bulged, and his eyes were utterly speechless.
"Useless, all of you are useless. You can't even handle a woman and a child. What good are you?"
After calming himself down, he frowned and began to recall what had happened back then.
“If I’m not mistaken, when Song Huan was taken away, Lin Banxia chased after her and got a good look at what our people looked like.”
"So many years have passed, and although that person is dead, it cannot be ruled out that Lin Banxia could find someone to draw his portrait based on her memory."
“The organization’s affairs are of utmost importance. In order to avoid any possible risks, I will kill her as well when I’m dealing with her husband.”
Pei Ji turned around and kicked Qiu Zhiye and Jiang Mengzhu twice more.
"I'll let the previous ones go, and I'll help with this mission. If we still fail, don't report it to the organization, I'll personally break your necks."
"Yes, yes, we will do our best to handle it well."
Qiu Zhiye and Jiang Mengzhu knelt on the ground, their heads bowed low, not daring to utter a single word.
Pei Ji scoffed at their cowardly appearance, then turned and beckoned to Qiu Shanshan with his finger, saying coldly:
"So, what's your next plan?"
Although cooperating with him is very risky, it is their only chance to survive.
Qiu Shanshan didn't dare to delay and quickly explained her thoughts in detail.
"During the time Song Mingqian was injured and hospitalized, a young girl was in charge of his medical treatment."
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