Chapter 258: Uncle Gou’s Betrayal?

“What problem could there be? Mr. Qian always buys things without hesitation. If you want me to stay and keep you company, fine. But can I get the goods now?” The fat man, eyeing the items on the table, asked eagerly.

Could it really be that Jing Shu was just overthinking? Could these people actually be planning to kidnap Su Mali? After all, she had heard in the past how Su Mali’s provocative presence always seemed to stir up drama wherever she went, turning her life into a soap opera.

“We’ll give you the goods once we have the oil,” Jing Shu said cautiously. Better safe than sorry. She hadn’t seen Mr. Qian in person, and though she had various reasons for not calling him earlier, she figured it was time to ensure everything was legit.

Su Mali, blinking in surprise, gave Jing Shu a thumbs-up. “You’re very cautious, very careful. My father always said to trust no one too easily.”

The fat man sank back onto the couch, playing with his phone and shaking his foot in annoyance.

Just as Jing Shu pulled out her phone to contact Mr. Qian’s driver, Su Mali’s phone rang. The fat man froze.

“Miss, it’s me. I’ve confirmed the gasoline. I’m bringing it back with me now. Just wait a little longer,” Uncle Gou’s voice came through.

“Okay,” Su Mali replied, hanging up. The tense atmosphere relaxed a bit, and even the two bodyguards behind her seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.

“So, what do you say now? I told you everything’s fine. You can trust me, I’m a professional! Now can we get the deal done?” The fat man called out to the young men at the door, “Come in and move this stuff already! What, are you waiting for the boss to do it himself?”

The young man with the middle-part haircut quickly entered and began moving the goods. Jing Shu, meanwhile, took out her phone to try calling Mr. Qian’s driver. While she didn’t have Mr. Qian’s direct line, she had worked with him several times through intermediaries. It was always better not to bother him directly unless necessary.

“Beep... beep... beep...”

No signal.

Jing Shu frowned. No signal? She checked again—still nothing.

“Do you have any signal?” she asked Su Mali. After all, Su Mali had just been on the phone minutes ago. But now, the fat man was growing increasingly shifty, and Jing Shu suspected foul play. She grabbed Su Mali’s phone and saw that, sure enough, it had also lost signal.

This was no coincidence. The signal had been fine just moments ago, and now it was gone. It had to be deliberate.

A thousand scenarios raced through Jing Shu’s mind. She had died in her past life because someone betrayed her, so she had replayed countless what-if scenarios in her head, preparing for such moments. And now, it was all happening again.

In an instant, Jing Shu sprang into action. She grabbed the fat man, using brute force to keep him from leaving. But the others quickly fled the room, slamming the door shut behind them. Jing Shu kicked at the door, only to find it as solid as iron. Despite the loud thud, the door remained firmly shut.

This wasn’t just any door—it was iron-clad beneath its soft-looking upholstery, and Jing Shu realized the young man had been deliberately handling the door earlier to prevent anyone from noticing.

Su Mali seemed momentarily confused, but the two bodyguards reacted swiftly. One readied his rifle, while the other shielded Su Mali.

“You’re not getting away that easily! What are you hiding? Tell me why you cut the signal!” Jing Shu demanded, pressing a gun to the fat man’s head.

“Let me go, you crazy woman!” the fat man yelped. “The signal’s just bad around here sometimes! Let me go and I’ll open the door for you. You’ve got guns, what are you scared of? I’ll let you out if you’re so nervous!”

Jing Shu wasn’t buying it. “You expect me to believe that? The signal was perfect before. It doesn’t just disappear like that in the apocalypse. The telecoms have merged and coverage is better than ever.”

“Maybe you’re overreacting, Jing Shu,” Su Mali suggested cautiously. “Uncle Gou said the gasoline’s already here. Why would they pull a stunt now?”

“Something doesn’t add up with Uncle Gou either,” Jing Shu muttered, deep in thought. “Maybe he’s been bought off, or worse.”

The fat man panted, struggling to free himself from Jing Shu’s grip. He couldn’t believe how strong she was—her hand felt like a vice around his arm.

“No way,” Su Mali shook her head, denying the possibility. “Uncle Gou’s been with my family for nine years. He’s one of us. He has no reason to betray us. My father even promised him a reward for his service, and that time is almost here. There’s no way he’d risk everything now.”

Jing Shu reluctantly released the fat man, though her mind raced with possibilities. If Uncle Gou wasn’t the traitor, then what was the play here? Maybe they were trying to lure him away, but why? It didn’t make sense. They wouldn’t just kill Su Mali—Uncle Gou would come back and seek revenge.

No, this wasn’t about murder. There had to be a deeper motive.

“You’d better behave,” Jing Shu warned, pressing her gun to the fat man’s head. “Now open the door. If I’ve made a mistake, I’ll even compensate you with two blood mushrooms.”

She signaled the others to stay alert. There was always the chance that the door would open to a group of armed men waiting to ambush them. She considered quietly slipping on her bulletproof vest.

“I’m not stupid! Just let me go, and I’ll open the door,” the fat man grumbled as he shuffled toward the door. Jing Shu stayed close, her gun never leaving his head.

But just as she was thinking the worst might be over, the fat man suddenly vanished with a loud "Biu!"

It happened so fast that no one had time to react.