Chapter 40
Fireworks exploded, sparkling like stars.
A prison caught fire hundreds of kilometers away in the suburbs.
The fire spread rapidly, burning down almost half of the prison. The prisoners living in the deepest part of the cells had nowhere to escape, and nearly a third of them were burned alive.
Including Shen Qianli.
Cai Siyue nearly collapsed upon hearing the news, as she had just visited him in prison the day before.
As for the cause, after a thorough investigation, the forensic department and the investigation department announced that the fire was caused by aging electrical wiring in the old prison cell.
It was somewhat unexpected.
When the news reached Zhuang Yazhi, the family of three was having dinner.
After all, they were former lovers. Zhuang Haiming was unusually silent after hearing the news. He gazed into the distance in the afterglow of the setting sun, gradually lost in thought, and lowered his head with tears in his eyes.
Zhuang Yazhi didn't say much, simply summarizing it as cause and effect.
The Shen family held a funeral for Shen Qianli, and it was quite a grand affair.
The saddest person at the funeral was none other than Old Master Shen, who doted on Shen Qianli the most and raised her as his own daughter since she was a child.
Xu Ran stayed by his side, gently comforting him, "Grandpa, take care of yourself."
In contrast, Shen Yiheng sat indifferently to the side, and after entering, he deliberately sat two seats away from Xu Ran.
Outside the mourning hall, Zhuang Yazhi, dressed in black and wearing sunglasses, furtively observed the movements inside.
But no matter how well she disguised herself, she couldn't escape Shen Yiheng's sharp eyes and was eventually recognized.
The two strolled around the small garden on the side for a while. Zhuang Yazhi didn't say anything, her mind preoccupied with other things.
I glanced up casually and saw a familiar figure quickly pass by around the corner.
Zhuang Yazhi quickly came to her senses and tried to chase after him, but the figure had already vanished without a trace.
"What's wrong?" Shen Yiheng chased after him.
Zhuang Yazhi was unsure: "I think I saw Shen Qianli."
Shen Yiheng hesitated for a few seconds before slowly replying, "Today is her seventh day after death."
The voice was deep and cold, accompanied by gusts of wind. Zhuang Yazhi couldn't help but shiver. When she met his raised eyebrows, which seemed to be smiling but was actually hiding a mischievous intent, she realized that she had been tricked.
But Zhuang Yazhi was certain that she had not misread it.
In the mourning hall, Shen Qianli's body had been burned, and now a 3D-printed replica of her remains was placed on top.
Zhuang Yazhi scrutinized the object for a long time, his mind filled with countless speculations.
Old Master Shen cried so bitterly that he specially ordered a golden coffin to be made for Shen Qianli.
"Qianli, you can go in peace now."
He glanced at John, who was wearing a black mask and sunglasses, his gaze swaying. Zhuang Yazhi clearly observed that his gaze was fixed on Cai Siyue, who was not far away.
He seemed to understand something and muttered, "Don't worry, I will take good care of your child."
After coming out, Zhuang Yazhi was absent-minded. She recalled the figure that had flashed by, and then recalled the unfathomable yet firm look in Old Master Shen's eyes. It was clear that Old Master Shen already knew about Shen Qianli's dirty deeds.
Looking around again, one person in the corner stands out.
Cheng Huai'an also arrived, looking serious and affectionate, with a bunch of bright yellow chrysanthemums on his chest.
After the ceremony ended, he lowered his head dejectedly and stayed alone in a corner where no one paid attention, lost in sorrow and despair. It was clear that Shen Qianli's departure had dealt him a heavy blow.
Compared to him, Zhuang Haiming, who only knows how to hide at home and cowardly burn incense and paper money, is far inferior.
The funeral had barely ended when rumors began to circulate within the company.
According to a colleague who was working overtime, he saw Shen Qianli in the office. She flashed by in the dark, and there was a flame on her body. The colleague was so frightened that he fainted on the spot. After he woke up, he ran all over the company, saying that there was a ghost.
Then, for two consecutive days, strange noises rang out one after another, and more and more people said they had seen ghosts, which has now caused panic throughout the entire company.
"Hey, have you heard? I heard that the deceased CEO Shen had a grudge against CEO Zhuang before she died. Now that she's dead, she feels resentful, so she came back to the company to cause trouble."
"I've heard about it too. The two of them had been fighting for a while. In a fit of anger, President Shen set fire to President Zhuang's house, but she was killed in retaliation. Now she's in jail and has been burned to death in a fire. It's very strange. It's probably retribution."
"Speaking of which, this is even more outrageous. I heard others speculate that the fire in the prison was set by Boss Zhuang, saying that he was giving them a taste of their own medicine."
The rumors became increasingly outlandish as they spread. What started as mere rumors gradually transformed into a verbal transmission of fact.
People are already calling Zhuang Yazhi a murderer online.
Zhuang Haiming walked to the door with some doubt. He glanced at Zhuang Yazhi and then took a half step back with lingering fear, his eyes darting around.
He believed it.
After all, he still vividly remembered the details of Zhuang Yazhi persuading him to cooperate. Since Zhuang Yazhi returned to China, everything she had done had been refreshing his understanding of this daughter. The more he learned about her, the more unfamiliar she seemed to him, and the more terrifying it was to think about.
The office door opened, and Zhuang Yazhi's aloof face gradually appeared through the crack. She slowly raised her head, giving Zhuang Haiming a disdainful glance with a cold glint like a fine silver needle being drawn, startling Zhuang Haiming so much that he retreated repeatedly, his heart pounding wildly.
"What's up?"
Zhuang Haiming stammered in fright, "No...you...uh..."
His speech was unclear, and he made a rapid-fire monologue in his mouth in just a few seconds.
Li Si: "He said he was an islander."
Zhuang Yazhi glanced at him casually and watched him leave on his own.
Such a grown man, and still so timid. Tsk.
She had heard the rumors circulating in the company and people were criticizing her online, but Zhuang Yazhi didn't care at all.
On the contrary, it was Cai Siyue who ran into Zhuang Ya when she went downstairs. The two remained silent in the enclosed space.
The glass mirror above their heads reflected their images, and Zhuang Yazhi noticed that Cai Siyue's body was slightly tilted to the left, intentionally creating distance.
Under the reflective glass, Zeiss Yue's expression was icy, her small face deathly pale.
She asked, "Is it you?"
Zhuang Yazhi did not answer.
Before someone asks her yes or no, she already has the answer in her heart, even if it's just a doubt.
She had reviewed all the company's surveillance footage and couldn't find the terrifying ghost at all.
Perhaps someone is playing tricks, or perhaps it's just fooling around, but in any case, this is Zhuang Yazhi's territory, and she won't tolerate these little devils causing trouble.
Everyone says Shen Qianli is dead, but her ghost still haunts them.
Since that's the case: "We must dig three feet into the ground to extract her ashes and ensure that Miss Shen's soul returns to the ancestral home."
Everyone said Zhuang Yazhi was crazy after this move, but Shen Yiheng immediately contacted his team to carry it out.
He said, "President Zhuang has her reasons for doing this."
A third of the prison was burned down, and you could smell the burnt smell from a distance, mixed with the smell of rust, which was extremely pungent.
Before they arrived, the regulatory authorities had already carried out a cleaning and disinfection operation. Most of the dust, disinfectant, and various firewood and garbage were washed away by water guns into the turbulent currents behind them.
There wasn't even a trace left.
Shen Yiheng instructed Zhou Ying: "Refine the river water."
Even the usually calm and composed Zhuang Yazhi couldn't help but tremble. Damn it.
Zhuang Yazhi walked around the vicinity. Outside the prison was an endless river. The tide had been rising sharply these past few days, and the current was particularly turbulent. Even people who were good swimmers would find it difficult to escape from this area.
What needed to be burned had been burned, and the traces of cleaning had been washed away by water. The three of them could not find a single useful piece of information. In addition, it was already dark and the location was remote, so Zhuang Yazhi had no choice but to return to the city first.
The car drove on a quiet suburban highway. There were hardly any other cars in the area, and even the few trees that did exist on either side of the road were bare.
Just as he was about to close his eyes and rest for a while, the car suddenly lost its balance with a creak. Fortunately, Zhou Ying reacted quickly and adjusted the steering wheel to avoid hitting the large rocks that had fallen from the right side due to the landslide.
But the danger is not over yet.
"The brakes have failed."
Shen Yiheng held Zhuang Yazhi tightly in his arms.
After dodging the large rocks, there were several more sharp turns, and the car, in a state of imbalance, drove faster and faster.
In such a remote and impoverished place, even if someone dies and their body rots, they might not be discovered. Zhuang Yazhi and Shen Yiheng exchanged a glance, and they immediately realized that something was wrong.
The car has been tampered with; someone wants to harm them.
A steep incline of nearly 20 degrees is an invisible killer on a road with continuous curves. The terrain on the next section is even more rugged, with endless cliffs on both sides of the road. If you are not careful, you and your vehicle will fall off and be smashed to pieces.
Zhou Ying's back was soaked with cold sweat, and she was terrified every time she turned the steering wheel.
The navigation showed that there was another sharp turn in less than 300 meters.
"Boss..."
"It's okay, sit down first." Shen Yiheng checked Zhuang Yazhi's seatbelt again to make sure it was fastened securely, then flipped over and jumped into the passenger seat.
The brakes have now failed, and there's another turn less than 300 meters ahead.
To the right is an endless black cliff, and ahead are endless sharp turns. At the current speed, the car would be thrown off the road when turning.
Shen Yiheng, observing the road conditions, asked, "Do you see that angle at the corner ahead?"
Although the night was blurry, the angle was still clearly visible under the car headlights.
Zhou Ying nodded.
The angle intersects with the road, and the arc is approximately 45 to 60 degrees. There is just enough space for one car to pass through.
Shen Yiheng was making plans in his mind, his cold and stern face revealing unease.
In this situation, there is no other way.
Turning a corner means death, going forward also means death, so we can only try to see which path has a lower chance of death.
"Zhou Ying, from now on, floor the gas pedal."
Zhou Ying glanced uneasily at Shen Yiheng, but in the end did as she was told.
I accelerated, getting closer and closer to the corner.
150 meters remaining.
Shen Yiheng put the car in neutral.
The car was jerking violently.
Quickly tap the brakes twice.
"The steering wheel is veering to the right."
"If you brake suddenly, press the pedal firmly and don't let go."
If you ram the car into that angle, as long as you have enough power, the car will be stuck.
In the last three seconds, the headlights illuminated the angled area so brightly that the reflected light stung the eyes.
The three people tightened their seat belts in preparation for impact.
"Clang..." The car suddenly lurched towards the corner, its front end shoving straight into the corner.
The immense centrifugal force forced the three people to lean forward, and the airbags deployed simultaneously. The dizzying sensation caused them to lose consciousness instantly.
But before the car even stopped, sparks flew from its four wheels, and thick white smoke billowed out, which was extremely pungent under the hazy drizzle.
In the passenger seat, Shen Yiheng was in so much pain that his face was contorted, and bright red blood was streaming down his forehead.
His rapid, labored breathing exacerbated the tinnitus. He forced himself to turn around, his voice hoarse and hoarse: "Ya Zhi?"
Zhuang Yazhi heard it, but she didn't have the strength to respond.
My chest ached terribly, and I couldn't breathe.
She collapsed inside the car, using all her strength to move her bloodied little finger.
Gradually, the echoes in my ears grew fainter and fainter, while the ringing in my head felt like a honeycomb exploding.
The next second, she didn't know what was happening, only that she felt her body being suddenly pulled and falling into a wet embrace.
I slightly opened my eyes, my vision blurred, patchy and gray.
There was a deafening roar, followed by a dazzling burst of light, which accompanied me into my dream.
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