"...I think there must be so misunderstanding.
"Erin and I have a purely platonic relationship. It's not what you think."
"Huh? But I read online that you two are really close."
Shane, confused, pulled out his phone. He opened a social dia app, found the relevant topic, and showed the contents to Zhou Chen:
"I'm crying. Risking everything to defy fate and change her destiny... what a beautiful love story! I'm shipping this couple for life."
"AHHHH! I'm dying from how cute these two are! I love them, I love them! You two have to be happy!"
"Waaaah, listening to this song while reading the fan content the creators are putting out... I don't know how many tis I've cried. It's so sweet but also so angsty. I'm literally in tears. *[Muffled sobbing intensifies].jpg*."
"This fanfic is so sweet, I'm dying! We need more from the creators, ASAP!"
Zhou Chen sucked in a sharp breath.
The expression on his face was incredibly complicated. "These posts are all fictional stories and skits they made up. Have you been brainwashed by all this romantic fanfiction and spam?"
"Uh..." Shane couldn't help but scratch his head. "Is that so? But the date must be real, right? There are even pictures here."
He found a post with over ten thousand comnts and likes. The content was primarily text overflowing with a romantic atmosphere, accompanied by nurous photos. It depicted a sweet love story starring none other than Zhou Chen and Erin. Judging by the angles, the pictures must have been taken from mall and amusent park security caras.
Seeing the crazed comnts in the replies, Zhou Chen's vision went dark. No wonder so many of his colleagues were giving him strange looks when he ca to work this morning, and the female ones were always whispering in small groups.
"That wasn't a date. Duke Elizabeth asked to take Erin out for a bit... You're her cousin, don't you know about her situation?"
"I know all about the Curse and everything, but I don't know anything about her love life. I've been locked up at White House Headquarters for the past few months undergoing brutal training. I only got out and saw the news a few days ago... So you're really not my brother-in-law?" When Zhou Chen nodded, Shane quickly added in earnest, "How about you consider it?"
Zhou Chen didn't answer. He gestured for them to sit, changing the subject. He picked up a french fry, dipped it in ketchup, and popped it into his mouth. Chewing, he lowered his voice and said, "The local Star Association already knows you're in Jinzhu. To be honest, my boss told to keep an eye on you. If it's convenient, could you take to et your captain in a bit?"
"Don't worry, I won't interfere with your mission. I'm also hoping you'll wrap things up quickly so I have less work to do."
"Mhm." Shane nodded obediently, not refusing. "I'll take you over in a little while."
"Thanks. By the way, what are you guys doing here? Getting food? My treat."
Shane thought for a mont and decided there was no need to hide it. "No, the fugitive ca to this fried chicken place before. She deliberately revealed her identity to provoke us, so we ca to see if we could find any clues."
'Liu Hanyan ca here and deliberately provoked them?' Zhou Chen was a little surprised. 'Looks like this fugitive is pretty bold...'
"You eat first. We're going to investigate around here," Shane said, motioning for the silent Colin to stand up.
Zhou Chen pulled out his phone. "Let's add each other. What's your number?"
·
"Captain, the other party says they can make the trade now. They'll pay a ten percent deposit first and want us to put the Healing Potion in a briefcase for a trade in the park in the south of the city."
In the hotel room, Xu Li thought for a long mont before nodding. "Confirm the trade with them. Notify Xiao Gu, Qingyue, and Ryoko. Tell them to get ready to make the exchange."
Soon, Gu Shian, Lin Qingyue, and Morishima Ryoko had the Healing Potion ready. They placed it in a briefcase and took a taxi to the park in the south of the city.
Gu Shian disguised himself, transforming from a handso young man into a greasy-looking guy in his thirties. Following the buyer's instructions, he placed the briefcase in a patch of weeds under a large tree in the woods. After a quick look around to make sure no one saw him, he left directly.
Lin Qingyue and Morishima Ryoko were hiding in a high spot nearby, observing with binoculars. Less than thirty seconds later, they saw a little boy, only about seven or eight years old, run over. He furtively picked up the briefcase and quickly ran toward the park's public restroom.
"What's going on?"
"Did so greedy kid just grab it?"
The two were stunned. They quickly reported the unexpected developnt to Gu Shian, telling him to follow the boy while they continued to monitor his movents.
After the boy entered the restroom, he ca out less than half a minute later. The briefcase was gone, but his pockets were stuffed full, seemingly with money.
Imdiately after, a man dressed as a white-collar worker erged from the restroom, holding the briefcase under his arm. After leaving the park, he got into a taxi and sped off.
"It's probably a helper Liu Hanyan hired to be cautious. Should we pursue?" Lin Qingyue asked over the communication channel.
"Go!"
Xu Li then turned to Fujiwara Shunsuke. "Have you finished hacking the security caras for the nearby hospital's blood bank?"
"Just three more minutes."
·
At the highway entrance, the taxi about to leave Jinzhu City was stopped by Gu Shian and the others. Without a word, they dragged the white-collar man from the back seat and pinned him to the ground.
"Talk! Who put you up to this?" Gu Shian demanded harshly.
The man, his arms twisted behind his back, cried out in pain. Seeing Gu Shian apply more force, he hurriedly said, "It-it was a woman! She gave a hundred thousand yuan and told to take the briefcase and leave Jinzhu in a taxi! I don't know anything else, I was just doing a job for the money... I was just doing a job for the money..."
'A woman... It's highly likely this is Liu Hanyan's ploy to lure the tiger from the mountain. Is she trying to split us up?' Gu Shian quickly reported the situation to the others.
「At the sa ti, at Jinzhu City Third Hospital.」
A young nurse wearing a mask arrived at the blood bank. Seeing no one around, she used brute force to pry open the refrigerated cabinet. Gazing at the countless scarlet blood bags inside, as if looking at a sumptuous feast, she couldn't help but swallow her saliva.
POP, POP, POP...
The blood bags suddenly burst open. Torrents of blood flowed like streams into her palm, disappearing as if into a bottomless pit. The replenishing Power filled her body, making her let out an involuntary sigh of pleasure.
On the back of her other hand, a circular scar appeared, looking like it had been branded with a red-hot iron. This was the tracking mark the Arbiter had left on her, difficult to erase and only suppressible for short periods.
However, after absorbing so much blood, Liu Hanyan's injuries were mostly healed. She could now suppress the tracking mark for much longer—long enough to escape Jinzhu.
Once she shook off her pursuers, she would have ti to slowly wear away the tracking mark.
After absorbing all the blood stored in the blood bank, Liu Hanyan acted as if nothing had happened and quickly left.
In the hallway, she ca face-to-face with a middle-aged man holding a bouquet of flowers.
"Well now, this one looks quite a bit like your daughter. Aren't you lucky?"
A teasing, coquettish female voice suddenly echoed in Dr. Qin's ear. His vision blurred for a mont. Then, before his eyes, the carefully disguised young nurse transford back into Liu Hanyan's true appearance.
Dr. Qin's heart pounded. 'Those lips, those ears, that face shape... she's a seventy percent match for Duoduo!'
'As long as I capture her, I'll have t the requirents for the ritual!'
He had co to the hospital this ti to visit his newly acquired "goddaughter," but he never expected such an unexpected prize!
On the surface, Dr. Qin showed no great shock, rely glancing at her casually as he would a stranger. He knew from the Desire Demon that this woman was a Tier Three Ascender and not to be trifled with.
'To catch her, I must think long-term and formulate a ticulous plan.'
anwhile, the mbers of the White House, having seen Liu Hanyan absorbing the blood through the hacked security caras, imdiately mobilized everyone to the Third Hospital to intercept her.
Shane and Colin were the closest. After receiving the news, they hastily dragged Zhou Chen along with them.
However, by the ti they arrived and searched the entire hospital, there was no sign of Liu Hanyan. Even the security caras all over the hospital and streets hadn't captured her whereabouts. It was as if she had vanished into thin air.
"Damn it, don't tell she got away again? A professional killer's counter-tracking skills really are sothing else..." Shane sighed, frustrated.
Zhou Chen stroked his chin. He had an idea. He imdiately made a wish in his heart—
"—I wish to find Liu Hanyan."
A single star floated out of the Wish Bottle and rged into his Soul. He focused, trying to sense it, but felt no particular change.
Just then, the hall in the distance suddenly grew noisy. The three of them headed toward the sound and found two middle-aged won, both on IV drips, in a heated argunt. The cause seed to be one woman accidentally bumping into the other. They were now trading insults, their shouting irritating everyone around them.
Zhou Chen was suddenly taken aback. In his eyes, one of the won was glowing with a golden light. She stood out like a crane among chickens, a chosen one, or perhaps an NPC who could trigger a side quest. She was incredibly conspicuous.
'I marked an enemy? This works too?'
"Hey, little bro. And Colin. See that woman over there in the red down jacket?" Zhou Chen lowered his voice and discreetly made a throat-slitting gesture.
The two quickly understood. Zhou Chen was implying that the woman was Liu Hanyan.
'But how could he know?'
After a mont of contemplation, Shane nodded slightly. "The captain and the others will be here soon. I'll go test the waters."
Having learned what Zhou Chen had done for his cousin, Shane admired him from the bottom of his heart. Seeing him look so certain, he was fifty percent convinced. Besides, there was no harm in trying.
Shane walked over, playing the part of a peacemaker. "Ma'am, this is a hospital full of patients. If you could please keep your voices down, it would be best not to disturb their rest."
"Mind your own business, you little brat!" The woman arguing with the one in red waved her hand impatiently, acting like a shrew ready to snap at anyone who ca near.
Shane's eye twitched. Colin, who had been standing silently by, suddenly spoke up. "Why don't you tell us what happened? We can help diate. Continuing to shout like this isn't a solution."
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