The Bad Guys Are Going In

ElizaLeng's lips were about to touch FyrenZhang's when FyrenZhang tensed up and abruptly turned his face away.

"Ugh," she muttered under her breath, "dragging your feet. Killjoy."

To her surprise, a sharp pang of disappointment surged within her.

What am I doing?

I was actually about to kiss FyrenZhang?

And now I'm disappointed he dodged?

This blockhead—am I really that repulsive?

Back in the past three years, the slightest kindness from me would've had you bouncing three meters high.

Now you've got airs! All you know is how to push me around!

Turning, she saw FyrenZhang's back facing her, hands trembling slightly.

ElizaLeng scoffed.

This idiot, so nervous? Pfft. Acting all tough but crumbling inside—no wonder you're still single.

"Uh..." FyrenZhang waved a hand erratically. "That's—that's enough for now. I've got things to do. Leaving."

He feigned composure but practically bolted for the door. Zaring approached. "Young Master Fyren, how'd it go?"

"Shut up and move!"

ElizaLeng stepped out after him, calling out with a bored expression:

"Young Master Fyren!"

FyrenZhang froze.

"If you ever feel like kissing in the future, come find me."

FyrenZhang turned to see ElizaLeng's calm face, a trace of smugness playing on her lips. His fists clenched.

You're all just a bunch of hype-driven lunatics, aren't you?

"Noted." He spun around and strode off, barely restraining himself from breaking into a run.

Just from his retreating figure, ElizaLeng could guess his state of mind—if he had wind and fire wheels strapped to his feet, he'd have been long gone by now.

She burst into delighted laughter.

The secretary-general and the others nearby stood utterly dumbfounded.

Is our boss... out of her mind?

FyrenZhang didn't wait for the elevator. Yet as the doors slid open, a female officer and several policemen stepped out, flashing her badge at him.

"FyrenZhang, correct?"

FyrenZhang's mood hit rock bottom.

Damn it all! This day just won't let up!

Another heroine?

That's—Grandma Drops OttoLong, you've got to be kidding me! Fine, I won't lock you in a dark room anymore!

You've stopped, but now your women are taking turns tormenting me!

This was the heroine Zoey.

Back in their school days, she'd sued him. If there was one person in the world who wanted FyrenZhang to die a gruesome death in the streets, it was her.

Unlike ElizaLeng and XenaXu, Zoey despised him.

She loathed his wealth, his whims, his privilege to bully others unchecked—and believed he didn't deserve to exist in this world.

According to the normal plot, she would have investigated the bad things FyrenZhang had done, infiltrated his company to gather evidence—only to get caught by him.

He had planned to take advantage of the situation—what was inside was... well, inside.

He drugged her and even prepared her coffin.

But of course, OttoLong, the angel of justice and the "Son of Chi," descended from the heavens!

He killed FyrenZhang and saved Zoey just as FyrenZhang was about to lay hands on her.

And then Zoey was poisoned by the spring toxin. So, what to do?

What a coincidence—OttoLong just happened to have the antidote on him!

So, in a situation with no choice, no solution, no way out, no alternative whatsoever...

OttoLong could only curse his own bad luck, sacrifice himself for her sake, endure overwhelming guilt, and—though unwilling, reluctant, teeth-gnashing, grudging—administer the antidote to her in an... indescribable way.

Applause!

There should be applause here!

The kicker? Zoey got addicted to the detox process!

From then on, she became obsessed with "detoxification," convinced that OttoLong's... method was the strongest, the best, the most effective—something she couldn't live without.

Disgusting!

The plot was so trashy it was unwatchable!

And yet—it was a massive fan favorite!

FyrenZhang knew.

According to the story, this woman was the one who could truly send him straight to the Yellow Springs—the most dangerous of all the heroines!

She was not to be taken lightly.

"Aigoo, old classmate!" FyrenZhang forced a laugh. "What a coincidence!"

"Someone called the police, claiming that the Zhang family's youngest is openly committing assault here—beating people up and setting up a 'timetable.' They didn't wrongly accuse you, did they?"

FyrenZhang thought to himself:

[This is bad. Zoey hates me more obsessively than any of the others.]

I'm in a hurry to save someone—I can't let her drag me away.

If she arrests me now, won't Chloe's mom die?

Zoey frowned. "What did you say?"

"Huh? Oh, I mean—we're old classmates! Can't you cut me some slack? Let me tell you, that Jason is a real scumbag. He drinks, whores around, gambles, does every kind of evil, bullies the weak, acts high and mighty just because he's got money, toys with women's feelings, and—hell, he probably doesn't even close the door when he uses the bathroom—"

"We don't care if he closes the bathroom door. You assaulted someone. Come with me to the station."

FyrenZhang's forehead beaded with sweat.

"Zoey—"

"It's Officer Zoey."

"Right, Officer Zoey. Look, I'm really in a hurry to save someone. Can't you let me off just this once? Give me two hours—just two! I'll go save them and then turn myself in, I swear."

"FyrenZhang, do you know the law? The law's net may be wide but its meshes are small. Does law enforcement need to check your schedule before arresting you? Cut the crap - you can resist arrest, but that'll just add to your charges!"

FyrenZhang clicked the handcuffs nervously. "Zoey - no, Officer Zoey. I know you hate people like me, and honestly I kinda hate myself too sometimes. But today I'm really trying to save lives - people's lives are at stake! Every time you arrest me, I'm out on bail in a few hours anyway. This time, please, let's be reasonable, let's be flexible. If we save someone's life, the merit will be shared between us - three and a half times each for the seven levels of floating merits."

Zoey wasn't some by-the-book police officer. She flipped FyrenZhang off and turned to leave.

In the police car, FyrenZhang kept explaining the whole way, but it was useless. Zoey genuinely couldn't stand FyrenZhang.

And unlike Eliza Leng, who at least maintained some pretense of politeness between their families and tried to keep things civil, Zoey wouldn't give FyrenZhang even that basic courtesy. When escorting him to the police car, she even managed to sneak in a couple of extra rough shoves.

Zoey had been practicing martial arts since childhood and had beaten up FyrenZhang plenty of times before. This time she manhandled him so roughly he was left gasping for air.

Locked in the police station holding cell, FyrenZhang grabbed the bars and shouted: "Officer Zoey! I need to make a phone call! Please, just one phone call!"

Zoey walked over with a register book and smacked FyrenZhang's hands off the bars: "Quiet down! This is a police station, not your family villa!"

FyrenZhang shook his stinging fingers. "Officer Zoey, I know you can't stand me, but this isn't personal - it's life or death! Just believe me this once, I'm begging you. One phone call. If I'm lying, the worst that happens is I waste a phone call. If I'm telling the truth, you could be saving a life!"

Zoey had never seen FyrenZhang like this before - that desperate expression, that pleading tone. Normally when she arrested him, he'd come in with that bored look, get special treatment in a private cell, eat premium boxed meals, and saunter out on bail within hours - usually with some smug parting shot on his way out.

Of course, FyrenZhang's offenses were always minor - just enough that bail was always an option, not some dangerous criminal who needed to be locked up indefinitely. Plus the people he bullied usually accepted settlements, which just encouraged his behavior.

But today was different. FyrenZhang had broken his usual pattern. For once, he seemed genuinely desperate.

Zoey frowned and looked at FyrenZhang, who met her gaze unflinchingly, his eyes sincere.

"Just one call, please."

"I'll make the call. Give me the number."

FyrenZhang recited XenaXu's number.

Zoey dialed it cautiously, and when it connected, it was indeed XenaXu's voice.

She held the phone to the railing.

FyrenZhang couldn't get his head through, so he strained to press his mouth against the bars. "Xena? You there?"

"Yeah, I'm here. What's up, handsome?"

"Hahaha, I actually need to ask you a favor."

"Go ahead."

FyrenZhang continued, "You remember my secretary, Chloe? The one who... knelt for me in the lounge today?"

Zoey rolled her eyes. The way FyrenZhang treated his subordinates was despicable—making a girl kneel? Trash!

"Yeah, I remember. What about her?"

"Listen, her mom's sick—really serious. You need to help her. That bastard OttoLong disappeared who-knows-where, and this should've been his job, but he's not showing up today. Chloe's mom is critical—go check on her, okay?"

"Check how?"

"You'll recognize her mom's condition at a glance. It's rare, but you can cure it."

"Oh? Since when does Young Master Fyren care about his employees?"

"Big sis, stop teasing me—this is life or death!"

"No."

"No?"

"I don't know her. I don't treat just anyone, you know."

"Do it for me, okay? If you save her mom, I'll double your fee."

"Do I need your money?"

"Please, please... I'll owe you one. I'll return the favor someday, alright?"

"Oh? You're begging now?"

"Yes!" FyrenZhang was practically dying of frustration.

"I'm begging you! You're my grandma! Grandma, grandma, grandma—just do it! I'm kowtowing to you right now!"

"Hahaha, I don't want to be your grandma. But if you're begging, you'd better mean it."

"Let's talk more after I get out, okay? Save her first!"

"I'll save her if you agree to one condition."

"Name it!"

"Transfer all your shares in the drug factory to me. Every last one."

FyrenZhang closed his eyes.

The factory was worth over thirty billion, and his shares amounted to about seventeen billion.

"Fine. I agree."

"You promise?"

"Absolutely."

"Come sign the contract."

FyrenZhang growled, "I'm locked up in a police station! How am I supposed to come sign a contract with you? Save her first! Help her first! I'll give you all the drug factory shares - I don't want them anyway!"

XenaXu on the other end struggled to contain her laughter.

At this moment, she was already sitting in Chloe's mother's hospital room, having stabilized the older woman's condition. She'd even scheduled a personal operation for next week.

Only FyrenZhang remained frantic, pacing like an ant on a hot griddle.

Chloe stood frozen in shock.

Seventeen billion dollars! Even if she sold herself piece by piece, she wouldn't be worth ten billion! This was an unimaginable fortune - more than an ordinary person could earn in one lifetime, no, in a hundred lifetimes!

To save her mother... was FyrenZhang really willing to sacrifice so much?

As if determined to torment FyrenZhang further, XenaXu deliberately drawled: "Still not very convincing. You're the type who speaks without thinking. Just a secretary... is she really worth it?"

FyrenZhang nearly exploded with frustration. Gritting his teeth, he spat out: "Because I like her, okay? I love her! I've got my eye on her! I want... to take her home as my wife! Is that reason enough for you?"

XenaXu raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Really?"

She lifted her gaze to Chloe, who stood utterly dumbfounded.