Chapter 306

Page One Hundred Sixteen

Counterattack Plan

The thugs who had gone to provoke trouble and were caught by the police at the scene of violence huddled together in fear.

“A bunch of current offenders, they’re just waiting to go to jail!”

The bearded police officer leading them scolded them while Yiji, clumsy and crying, tended to Long Tao’s injuries.

I sat in AJ’s seat and held my chin, muttering, “Is it really so hard for me to show off?!”

But no one cared about my frustration. Only Yuzu, standing on my shoulder, patted my head silently in comfort.

Xiao Hai Tang asked the bearded police officer leading them.

“Officer Gu, do you know who reported the incident?”

“Huh? Miss, you don’t know either? I thought it was someone you knew.”

Officer Gu’s beard made him look like a seasoned detective from movies. He shook his beard thoughtfully as he replied, “They didn’t leave a name. The call came from a public phone outside the city, and we’re trying to retrieve the footage.”

Xiao Lei was surprised, “It was an outsider who called? Then how did they know something was happening here?”

I thought for a moment and said, “It must have been Queen helping us in secret.”

Only she could know all about the situation here and hide her identity so well.

I spread my hands and said, “If it is her, Officer, you shouldn’t waste your time chasing after her. She can’t be caught.”

Officer Gu blew on his beard and said, “Are you underestimating the police’s ability to solve cases?”

“Not at all, but she’s a professional informant, very careful.”

“Informant? They may be cautious, but they’re not invisible. We’ll find them if we investigate.”

Officer Gu glanced at Long Tao and opened the balcony door, letting in a cold wind that swept away the room’s warm air.

He took out a cigarette and lit it, pointing to the abandoned factory grounds, “Look at this place. Who would come if no one called the police? Even if you scream, no one will hear! When we got the call, we were puzzled—when did this place get a new office building? And why are you kids here in broad daylight? Aren’t you in school?”

I pointed to Yiji, who was desperately apologizing for clumsily spilling medical alcohol on Long Tao’s wound, and then to the thugs huddled in a line.

“I… Sister Yiji isn’t feeling well, so we brought her back to rest. We happened to encounter these thugs causing trouble, and then Xiao Hai Tang took care of them.”

“Sister Chen has impressive skills. Ordinary people can’t get close to her… even trained police officers would need teamwork to take her down.”

Officer Gu seemed familiar with Xiao Hai Tang and praised her highly. Growing up together made me see her differently, yet she truly was remarkable.

“Tell me, young lady, what’s going on? Who hates you so much?” Officer Gu asked AJ.

His officers were questioning the thugs, gathering details about the retaliation. They would be taken to the police station, as violent incidents are criminal cases, and they might spend years in prison.

Looking at Yin Tianjie, I wondered where she was and what she was doing now.

AJ explained everything, and Officer Gu chuckled, shaking his beard.

“Ah, so it’s the incident everyone’s talking about online? I understand your courage in resisting violence, but such dangerous matters should be handled by the authorities. Especially against organized crime…”

When he looked at Xiao Hai Tang, he realized his words were inappropriate. Not only is she the daughter of a military district commander, but she also possesses superhuman abilities that ordinary people can’t match.

“Cough, I didn’t expect a senior officer like you to follow news about online influencers.”

I asked this to give Officer Gu a way out, and he took it.

“We police need to gather information from all sources.”

Xiao Lei asked, “Can you catch the mastermind behind this? Although we suspect it’s the Glorious Family, we don’t have concrete evidence.”

“Not quite. We have some clues.”

Xiao Hai Tang denied with a wave of her hand and looked at AJ.

“Sister A, I don’t think there are any reporters around. Moving here was supposed to be a secret. Who do you think betrayed your location? Did you tell anyone the address?”

“No… It’s unlikely.”

Her reminder made AJ realize she had suspicions, but she didn’t want to believe them.

Xiao Hai Tang continued, “Speculating won’t help. It’s better to speak openly. The police are here, and if they get decisive evidence, they can act immediately…”

Afraid of Xiao Hai Tang, Officer Gu whispered, “Miss Chen, we can’t start an investigation right away. I need to think about bringing these people back to the station.”

“Hmph, then we’ll take action first.”

Officer Gu sighed, “Miss Chen, I know you’re upset, but don’t take rash actions.”

AJ hesitated, and Yiji put away the first-aid kit.

“Mǐ Hongqu, a public relations officer from the Glorious Family, accepted AJ’s offer when they met at the hotel. She agreed to recruit more streamers.”

The fool, holding a silly marten, added, “Oh, so she betrayed you?”

AJ struggled to accept this.

“I think Mǐ Hongqu has her reasons…”

Xiao Hai Tang raised an eyebrow and mocked, “Come on, your boyfriend is beaten up like a pig, and you still defend the possible culprit?”

Long Tao looked battered and pitiful. AJ scratched her head, unable to say anything else. She sighed, “I’ll try contacting her to clarify what happened.”

“Don’t… calling her now won’t help. If she’s the culprit, she won’t admit it. If she’s not, she’s already under control by the real criminal.”

After Xiao Hai Tang spoke, Officer Gu nodded.

“The suspect you mentioned, we’ll investigate.”

—

Police investigations wouldn’t yield results quickly. Cherry Sauce took us back to school. Due to the incident, the first class was already halfway through.

I wanted to talk to Long Tao about trial metrics, but they had to follow Officer Gu back for statements. So, we’d have to wait until after school.

— “Xiao Kai, what do you think?” —

I gazed absentmindedly out the window, and Cherry Sauce spun an automatic pencil with incredible speed, almost creating a wind noise.

— “Do you think Mǐ Hongqu is the culprit?” —

Well, it’s hard to say.

— “Oh?” —

Even though AJ trusts her, I don’t want to assume malice. But the leak of AJ’s location is definitely linked to Mǐ Hongqu.

Instead of thinking she’s the mastermind, I believe she might have been controlled by the Glorious Family after returning. Maybe she’s still under house arrest.

Ultimately, our knowledge of the Glorious Family is limited. Even if we want to retaliate, we don’t know where they are. Fortunately, the police are involved, so there’s hope for finding some clues.

Living in the low-rent apartment, we feared involving the underground research institute, so we couldn’t report the incident. Now that we’ve moved to the new office building, it makes sense to seek police help… although living in an office building is illegal, it’s a matter for the business administration, not the police.

Cherry Sauce paused for a moment before speaking.

— “Actually, I know Mǐ Hongqu’s location, but only roughly.” —

Hmm?

That’s surprising. How did you find out?

— “Didn’t I leave some notebook material in her handbag? I sensed it from afar, though not precisely. Getting closer would allow me to pinpoint it accurately.” —

So those materials haven’t been recovered yet?

— “If we can’t wait for the police, we can take action ourselves. The choice is yours.” —

Even if the target is in another province, the Spatial Jewel can bridge the distance with some divine power.

If Mǐ Hongqu is the mastermind behind the retaliation, we can bring her to justice;

If not, rescuing her gives us a chance to turn the true culprit into another Long Tao-style pig-headed thug.

But directly entering their lair seems too risky. Who knows what kind of dangerous thugs they might have inside…

— “How did you become a weak woman?” —

…

— “Think about it. The Glorious Family primarily operates online, so they wouldn’t have offline conflicts. They likely don’t keep thugs around. When they need violence, they hire local hoodlums like Yin Tianjie, meaning they’re vulnerable.” —

While explaining her theory, Cherry Sauce swiftly copied notes, showcasing exceptional multitasking abilities.

— “Moreover, the Glorious Family has disbanded, and their financial backers have pulled out. In this context, they lack the resources to maintain thugs. This retaliation is just a desperate move. Those fools going to jail might not even get their commission payments.” —

Indeed foolish. They were warned, yet they still dared to attack.

— “They’ve already earned their commission through violence. Once they taste the sweet success, they won’t stop unless they face harsh consequences.” —