Chapter 262: The Trap Laid by Lin Yi

Under the glaring lights, the scene was nothing short of terrifying. Lin Yi stood there while Fatty, holding a gun, rushed over. Seizing the opportunity when Su Mali was still in shock, he snatched the gun from her. Then he ran over to Jing Shu and kicked her hard, "She’s passed out. Probably due to the earlier oxygen deprivation. This damn woman hurt me bad."

Jing Shu: "Wait until I wake up and see how I deal with you."

It all made sense now. Jing Shu understood why Lin Yi's body shape had changed so drastically. It was because he had been wearing real human skin all along. Each part of the skin seemed to fit tightly against his own, making it appear seamless.

As Lin Yi peeled off chunks of flesh, he carelessly threw them onto the floor—actual human skin. If Uncle Gou hadn’t betrayed them, everything would be clear now. Lin Yi had planned this for a long time, trapping Su Mali here at the auction, but what exactly was his end goal?

So, the question remained—was Jing Shu just collateral damage? She had always warned herself not to get involved with Su Mali, and now here she was, caught in a web of treachery.

“You're not my Uncle Gou! Who are you? What have you done to him?” Su Mali screamed, her voice breaking with anguish.

"This skin...isn't it your Uncle Gou's?" Lin Yi said with a sunny smile, the same smile he had given when casually offering advice for Granny Jing's fainting episode. It was as if the gruesome reality he was describing was just a minor detail.

"Do you know, Miss Su, how much effort I put into becoming your Uncle Gou? To keep his skin fresh and unspoiled, I had to use so many special medicines. Especially while painstakingly cutting it piece by piece while he was still alive. You wouldn’t believe how hard it is to make it look natural. I had to make sure the skin didn't decay, and that it fit perfectly.”

“To create a living mask, you need a live person. Your Uncle Gou couldn’t hold out for long, despite his military-grade endurance. But I got everything I needed from him. All his secrets. It’s a good thing I accelerated the plan by half a year. Otherwise, finding the right subject would have been too difficult."

“Oh, and I should really thank those who forced me into this. Last year, they made me create disguises that helped them infiltrate the U.S. successfully. Quite the haul they got there. Too bad nobody realized I was the one who crafted those masks for them. I’ll repay that debt someday.”

“So yes, making living masks is very exhausting. Every day, I had to take off Uncle Gou's skin and then wear it again..."

Su Mali's hands trembled as she covered her mouth, vomiting uncontrollably. She had known Uncle Gou for nine years, and now his body was being desecrated in front of her. The man she trusted was now revealed as a hollowed-out disguise worn by this monster.

Meanwhile, Jing Shu lay on the ground, feeling an icy chill creep through her body. She finally understood why Lin Yi had been carrying medicinal herbs every day for months. At the time, she had wondered why he was always carrying a package of herbs. Now it made sense.

Yes, it was him. The same man who had caused chaos across nations, a mastermind so elusive that even years later, news of his death had been unconfirmed. Authorities captured him multiple times, but he always escaped, even under the most secure conditions. How did he manage to slip through their grasp? Lin Yi must have had deep secrets hidden within himself.

Jing Shu couldn't help but be curious, though she was also deeply afraid.

“Uncle Gou was trained to endure all forms of torture. He could never have broken under interrogation. He knew how to end his own life if he was compromised. How did you get him to reveal everything?” Su Mali asked, her voice quivering.

Lin Yi scoffed. “You aren’t wondering why I bothered impersonating him at all?”

“Isn’t it obvious? You want to kidnap me! People have tried before, but they’ve all failed. They can never succeed. Not unless I allow it,” Su Mali said, her voice rising with a fierce confidence, the kind that had been instilled in her from childhood.

That was Su Mali's defining trait—an unshakable belief that she controlled her destiny. If she didn’t want something to happen, then it simply wouldn’t.

"Tsk tsk, you're so full of yourself," Lin Yi sneered. "I could have kidnapped you on the first day if I wanted to, but where’s the challenge in that?"

“Then...what is it you want? Are you after my father?!” Su Mali’s eyes widened in terror.

“Why bother asking? You should’ve stayed in that suite and slept like I planned. You were never the real target here, just a means to an end…” Lin Yi said, his tone growing colder as he took slow, deliberate steps toward her.

Su Mali scrambled backward, her fear finally catching up to her.

Meanwhile, Jing Shu narrowed her eyes, trying to piece together Lin Yi’s true goal. What was he really after? Could she somehow distance herself from this mess? Lin Yi’s games were always deadly, and she had no desire to be caught up in his web any longer.

“You should go to sleep now. When you wake up, you’ll get to watch quite the show.” Lin Yi pulled a cloth over Su Mali’s face, and within seconds, she was unconscious.

Then, Lin Yi turned his gaze toward Jing Shu, stepping closer with every heartbeat.

Jing Shu’s pulse quickened as he approached.

Lin Yi had returned to his natural, lean figure, and Jing Shu noticed that his body was taut with muscle. This was a man who was ruthlessly disciplined, and that level of self-control made him all the more dangerous.

What did he want from her?

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Author’s Note:

Just realized that one of our readers, 沉迷書蟲號沒, gave a generous donation of 15,000 coins. However, the system didn't reflect it! But don't worry, I'm counting it, so that means...another bonus chapter!