Chapter 265: I Suspect This Passage Leads Directly to Qian Duo Duo’s House

It was as if the killer insects and snakes had come to save her.

Could such luck really exist in this world?

But then again, why not? If Su Mali was blessed by the heavens, then Lin Yi considered himself the forsaken one, plagued by nightmares. Su Mali had luck on her side, while he had a secret—one that had kept him alive, a trump card for survival. It was one of his most tightly guarded secrets.

That’s why he wasn’t overly concerned about Su Mali's improbable luck. In this plan, he had never intended to harm her anyway. She was merely a tool, a pawn to be used.

"Still, it’s a bit of a headache," Lin Yi sighed. He was hoping to see what secrets this woman, Jing Shu, who had killed Shangguan Jun, might reveal. But in the end, it seemed Su Mali's miraculous luck had taken care of the situation.

This time, there was no sign of Jing Shu’s unique abilities, as if she were just a bystander in this whole affair.

Shangguan Jun had been as meticulous as Lin Yi. He was a master of ambushes, someone who never took unnecessary risks. Yet, somehow, he had died in his own trap. Either someone had discovered him beforehand—unlikely—or his sneak attack had failed.

This only deepened Lin Yi's curiosity about Jing Shu. There had to be something hidden about her, some hidden ability for survival.

Lin Yi had already inspected the spot where Shangguan Jun died. There were traces of explosions, indicating that Shangguan had used bombs or grenades. He had even indirectly questioned Jing Shu's grandmother. Although the old woman was reluctant to talk, there was nothing Lin Yi couldn’t uncover.

That day, there had indeed been an explosion. She had heard it clearly, even flipping the vehicle she was in. The repairs had been costly, and much food had been wasted.

This made Lin Yi even more intrigued. Did this woman possess some sort of mysterious power? No! There were no such things as mystical forces in this world. Everything had an explanation, just like his own abilities.

What could it be?

“Such a pity,” Lin Yi shook his head, checking the time. A slow smile spread across his face. “Oh well, it’s almost time for the next act. Time for the pawns to start moving.”

“But before that, a good performance needs to be convincing. Let’s give them a proper scare before they leave, to make sure it looks authentic.”

Lin Yi tapped his long fingers on the keyboard. He was more of a mastermind than Shangguan Jun ever was. He reveled in his title: the hidden boss.

As he pressed the enter key, he sipped his tea and glanced at the surveillance footage. His smile slowly faded.

"Something’s off. Jing Shu’s too calm. It’s as if she has everything under control. Interesting... Let’s see if you can surprise me. If it’s this easy to catch you, then this game is no fun.”

...

Su Mali successfully retrieved the key and unlocked the chains binding them to the column. They were finally free!

“So, what now? What exactly is Lin Yi up to? He deliberately installed those cameras, as if he wanted to watch us escape. But why? What’s his goal?” Jing Shu couldn’t help but feel suspicious. Was Lin Yi playing a game of cat and mouse, letting them escape only to catch them again?

No... it couldn’t be that simple.

“Jing Shu, hurry! We can escape now! Let’s run before something else happens. Damn it, all my communication devices have been taken. We’ll have to figure things out once we’re outside,” Su Mali said, tugging on Jing Shu's arm, ignoring her own bruises and battered appearance. For the first time, this privileged young lady had truly experienced adversity.

Still so naive, Su Mali. Foolish girl, they’re letting you go on purpose.

“Alright, let’s go.”

Jing Shu straightened her clothes and wiped the dried blood from her face, though she still bore several scrapes and bruises that had already begun to scab over. This was the most disheveled she had been since her rebirth.

Before leaving, Jing Shu kicked the dead Fatty a couple of times. This guy had taken advantage of her Magic Cube Space upgrade, not only kicking her but also trying to grope her... Of course, she wasn’t the vengeful type. She just took the opportunity to collect a few of the bugs from the ground and store them in her space.

Yes, she planned to breed some of these fierce bugs—perhaps as food for her snakes and leeches, or to use for future attacks or disposing of corpses.

She was curious to see how ferocious these bugs would become after drinking spiritual spring water. Would they turn into a ruthless insect army? An army that didn’t need food and could feed on corpses? She even wondered if they could be sold as food...

Su Mali grabbed Jing Shu’s hand, trembling as she watched the bugs continue to feast on the bodies and the scattered corpses of the men, their deaths brutal. “Let’s go! Wait—Fatty was wearing the watch I gave Wang Chuang. I have to take it as a keepsake. After all, Wang Chuang died saving us, and Da Mao took a bullet for us. I’ll take care of his brothers, Er Mao and San Mao.”

Steeling herself, Su Mali retrieved the watch, pulling Jing Shu toward the exit.

They reached a junction where they could either take the stairs up to the surface or go deeper into the underground passage.

Without hesitation, Su Mali chose the surface.

Jing Shu, however, pointed to the underground tunnel. “Let’s go down.”

Now that her Magic Cube Space had upgraded, Jing Shu felt immensely powerful. Her space had undergone a complete transformation, and this time, it was a qualitative leap.

Had it not been for her space upgrading and clouding her mind earlier, Wang Chuang wouldn’t have died. At the very least, she had numerous ways to deal with the high-speed elevator. Unlike Lin Yi, who seemed to be herding them toward the surface, Jing Shu felt the underground route would be safer.

Moreover, in the confined space of the underground passage, she could rely on her powers to protect herself. The surface, however, presented too many unpredictable factors. If they were ambushed by snipers, she’d be defenseless.

“But... Wang Chuang died down there. It’s dangerous!” Su Mali protested.

“I suspect this passage leads directly to Qian Duo Duo’s house,” Jing Shu replied, narrowing her eyes.