Lu Siyan, his earlier excitement tempered by Su Luqi's pragmatic departure, decided to channel his energy back into work. He settled into a comfortable chair, the holographic displays of his workstation flickering to life. He started reviewing the news feeds, his fingers scrolling through the latest updates. The first news item caught his eye: "High-Ranking Military Officer Exhibits Erratic Behavior" The report detailed how General Petrov, a high-ranking military official, had been acting strangely in recent days. Witnesses described him as being disoriented, forgetful, and prone to sudden outbursts of anger. The news footage showed a brief clip of the General, his face pale and his eyes darting nervously. "This is… odd," Lu Siyan muttered, a frown creasing his forehead. He switched to another news channel: "POA vs. AOU Cricket Match Fixing Scandal" The report exposed a massive match-fixing operation in the recent cricket match between the POA and AOU teams. The details were meticulous, with every run, every wicket, and every ball accounted for. The report claimed that massive amounts of money were exchanged, and several high-profile individuals were implicated. "Whoa," Lu Siyan exclaimed, his eyes widening. "Talk about a payday." He made a mental note to investigate this further. The potential for profit was too significant to ignore. He switched to a third news feed: "Woman Seen Carrying Man in Kuana Hotel" The report showed grainy footage of a woman carrying a man on her shoulder as she entered the Kuana Hotel. The man in the footage was clearly unconscious, and the woman was… familiar. Lu Siyan's jaw dropped. "Wait a minute," he muttered, his eyes widening in disbelief. He zoomed in on the footage, his heart pounding in his chest. "That's… that's Jian!" He watched in stunned silence as the woman, his friend's future female partner, effortlessly carried Jian into the hotel. The news report described the incident as "bizarre" and "unexplained," with hotel staff expressing their confusion. "What in the world…?" Lu Siyan whispered, his mind racing. "Jian? Molested? By a woman?" He couldn't believe what he was seeing. Jian, his intelligent and composed best friend, being carried like a sack of potatoes by a woman he barely knew. It was surreal, unbelievable. "Someone's had a… change of plans," the AI whispered, its voice laced with amusement. "Or perhaps just a… very strange afternoon?" Lu Siyan ignored the AI's commentary, his mind focused on the image of Jian being carried into the hotel. He had to find out what was going on. Lu Siyan, his mind racing with a mix of concern and disbelief, grabbed his phone and frantically dialed Jian's number. The phone rang and rang, and finally, someone picked up. "Hello?" a voice chirped, a voice so high-pitched and childlike that it was almost comical. Lu Siyan frowned. "Jian? Is that you?" "Jian?" the voice repeated, mimicking his tone. "Jian's busy right now. He's… having fun." Before Lu Siyan could ask anything, he heard a strange sound over the phone. A muffled thud, followed by a series of frantic noises. It sounded like a struggle. "What's going on?" Lu Siyan shouted into the phone, his voice laced with panic. "Jian! What's happening?" The phone went silent for a moment, then a voice, unmistakably Jian's, shouted, "Siyan! Help me! She's… she's got me!" The line went dead. Lu Siyan stared at his phone in disbelief. "What the…?" Meanwhile, at Jian's apartment, the scene was one of utter chaos. Jian, having just woken up, found himself confronted by Lu Suying, who was attempting to… well, it was hard to describe exactly what she was attempting to do. Jian, in a moment of panic, grabbed a nearby blanket and tried to capture Lu Suying, like one would capture a wild animal. But Lu Suying, with a strength that belied her petite frame, easily overpowered him. She then grabbed his phone and spoke to Lu Siyan. "Siyan! Help me!" Jian shouted. Lu Suying, a playful smile on her face, grabbed the phone. "Don't worry, Siyan," she said, her voice a sing-song lilt. "Jian's fine. He's just… a little shy. But he'll get used to me. After all," she added, her eyes gleaming with mischief as she looked at Jian, "I'm going to be your future sister-in-law." Jian's eyes widened in horror. Lu Suying, her smile widening, gave Jian a look that was both playful and slightly menacing. "Someone's having a… family reunion," the AI whispered, its voice laced with amusement. "Or perhaps just a… very strange houseguest?" Lu Siyan, still reeling from the bizarre phone call, stared at his phone in disbelief. He had to do something. But what? Lu Siyan, adrenaline surging through his veins, didn't hesitate. He frantically dialed the police, his voice trembling as he reported the situation. "My friend… he's been kidnapped! A crazy woman… she's got him at his apartment!" He gave the address, his words tumbling over each other in his haste. "Please, you have to help him!" He grabbed his coat and rushed out of the hotel, his mind racing. He had to get to Jian. He had to make sure he was safe. As he hurried down the street, he saw a bus approaching. He waved frantically, and the bus screeched to a halt, its doors hissing open. He jumped inside, his heart pounding in his chest. The bus rumbled through the city streets, each passing moment feeling like an eternity. Lu Siyan peered out the window, his eyes scanning for any sign of the police. He saw a police car speeding in the opposite direction, its siren wailing. He hoped they were heading to Jian's apartment. At Jian's apartment, the situation was escalating rapidly. Lu Suying, her initial playfulness giving way to a more assertive demeanor, had begun to manipulate Jian. She grabbed his hands, forcing him to touch her arm. "Feel that?" she purred, her voice a low, seductive whisper. "Soft, isn't it?" She then moved his hands to her shoulders, her hips, her waist. "And this? And this?" Jian, his face flushed with a mixture of fear and defiance, tried to pull away, but Lu Suying's grip was surprisingly strong. "Stop it," he growled, his voice trembling. "Get off me." Lu Suying's eyes narrowed. "Or what?" she hissed, her voice suddenly cold. "You'll call the police? Accuse me of… of something? You think they'll believe you? A man… attacking a defenseless woman?" Jian felt a surge of confidence. He smirked, his eyes darting around the room. "You're being recorded," he said, his voice laced with triumph. "Everywhere. Hidden cameras. You won't get away with this." Lu Suying's amusement grew. She slowly turned her head, her gaze sweeping across the room. She looked directly at a small camera hidden in a bookshelf. She then looked at another camera, concealed behind a picture frame. She looked at a third camera, cleverly disguised as a smoke detector. "Oh, Jian," she said, her voice a playful tease. "You think those little gadgets will protect you? Do you know who White Mask is?" Jian's confidence wavered. His eyes widened slightly. "White Mask?" he whispered, his voice laced with a hint of fear. Lu Suying's smile widened. She stepped closer to Jian, her voice a low purr. "White Mask sees everything, Jian. Everywhere." Jian swallowed hard. His defiance crumbled. He looked down, his shoulders slumping. Lu Suying's expression softened. She reached out and gently touched his cheek. "Good boy," she said, her voice a soothing murmur. "Now, let's not make this any more difficult than it has to be, shall we?" She then began to guide his hands again, this time with his full compliance.