He glanced at the time on his phone screen.
It was past three in the afternoon.
The Chat Group was quiet; the protagonists were probably busy with their own affairs.
Fang Ming didn't mind, casually stuffing the ten thousand yuan into the glove compartment, then carefully placing the two black cards into a hidden inner pocket before starting the car and leaving the Qin Corporation building.
He had no relatives or friends in this world, so he had nowhere to go. After telling Soldier King his plan, he returned to his own residential area.
South of the city, Xingfuli Residential Area.
This was a slightly older, mid-range residential area with decent greenery, but the soundproofing was a bit lacking.
"Click."
Fang Ming parked his car in a parking space in the residential area, opened the anti-theft door of his rental apartment, kicked off his gleaming business leather shoes, and put on flip-flops.
The room wasn't messy, but it wasn't exactly tidy either.
A single bed, a computer desk piled with electronics, and takeout boxes scattered across the floor.
This was Fang Ming's doghouse.
"Whoosh..."
Fang Ming ripped off the tie that had been constricting his neck all day, tossing it onto the sofa, then collapsed into the beanbag chair like a puddle of mud.
Tired, so damn tired.
Being a dog for a villain not only required physical exertion but also demanded constantly selling one's soul, and he had to be careful not to be bitten back by his master if he wasn't vigilant.
"Beep!"
The air conditioner turned on, set to 26 degrees Celsius, with a strong fan.
Fang Ming pulled a can of soda from the fridge, ripped it open with a "sizzle," and took a big gulp.
The icy carbonated liquid exploded down his throat, finally soothing his stomach, which had been tense all day from anxiety.
He touched his inner pocket.
The two hard Swiss Bank black cards were still there, one million US dollars each. Fang Ming took out the cards and, using the glow from his computer screen, examined them repeatedly.
If this were cash, it would probably cover his small bed.
But he didn't move it. After all, Qin Xiao was incredibly suspicious. If he suddenly used a huge sum to pay off debts or bought a fancy car, he'd probably be investigated thoroughly by tomorrow.
"I still have to pretend to be poor."
Fang Ming gave a bitter smile, carefully placed the two black cards into the inner layer of his wardrobe, and his gaze fell on the stack of crimson banknotes on the coffee table.
"This money, however, I can spend, and I must spend."
Ten minutes later.
The computer screen lit up, and Steam launched.
Fang Ming drank his iced cola while playing one-on-one with Tiger Vanguard.
Life was simple and monotonous.
As time passed, night gradually fell, and the neon lights of Rong City dyed the sky a deep red.
Fang Ming ordered some spicy crayfish, switched to a competitive game, and was passionately trash-talking with his teammates when a 'ding dong' suddenly sounded in his mind.
[Myriad Heavens Mutual Aid Group]
[Soldier King Lone Wolf]: "@Nameless Guide, Senior, are you asleep? That... how is my sister doing?"
[Soldier King Lone Wolf]: "I know it's not good to bother you this late, but I just can't feel at ease. I just checked the time, it should be almost midnight in our country, right?"
Fang Ming glanced at the time in the bottom right corner of the screen.
23:45.
This Soldier King, he really is a sis-con. He's been counting down the minutes, waiting for news.
Fang Ming didn't reply immediately. As a master, instant replies would diminish his value.
He unhurriedly peeled a spicy crayfish, licked his fingers, then opened the Chat Group with his mind.
At this time, the other two in the group were also lurking.
[Peking University]: "It's so late, Soldier King Brother isn't asleep yet?"
[Marvelous Doctor of Chinese Medicine]: "I'm not asleep either. My alchemy furnace exploded, and Master is chasing me all over the mountain with a broom. I'm hiding in a tree fork for refuge."
Looking at these lively characters, Fang Ming couldn't help but smile. He cleared his throat and typed.
[Nameless Guide]: "What's the rush?"
[Nameless Guide]: "Young man, you must be patient. Remain calm when Mount Tai collapses before you. If you don't even have this much composure, how can you survive on the battlefield?"
[Soldier King Lone Wolf]: "Senior's lesson is right, I'm just... too worried about Yaoyao."
[Nameless Guide]: "Don't worry, everything is under control. Just wait!"
After sending the last two words, Fang Ming exited the chat interface.
He pulled out a tissue to wipe his mouth, picked up his phone, and found the number he had saved this afternoon... Meanwhile.
Rongcheng University, Girls' Dormitory Building, Room 302.
The entire building was quiet. There weren't many students staying on campus for the summer vacation, and in the dead of night, it was even more silent.
Only the cicadas outside the window chirped tirelessly, making one feel agitated.
The dorm lights were off. By the faint light seeping in from the hallway, a slender figure could be seen curled up on a narrow single bed.
Chu Yao hugged her knees, her chin resting on her kneecaps, her eyes red and swollen, staring blankly at the tree shadows outside the window.
She hadn't slept, or rather, she didn't dare to sleep.
Everything that happened today felt like an inescapable nightmare.
In the morning, a school-wide broadcast announced that her student aid had been canceled, and she had to return the money from the previous year.
The classmates who were usually distant but still polite suddenly looked at her differently, as if she were something dirty.
In the afternoon, she went to her part-time job at the convenience store as usual.
But as soon as she entered, the store manager stopped her.
The middle-aged Fat (fat man) who usually smiled and even secretly glanced at her thighs, had a completely different expression today.
"Chu Yao, our store is cutting staff recently, you don't need to come anymore."
"Then my previous wages..."
"Wages? Let's talk about it next month. The accounts are a bit messy lately, we're doing inventory. We'll notify you when it's done."
The store manager's half-smile and the hint of schadenfreude in his eyes made Chu Yao instantly understand everything.
This was also targeting her; someone was forcing her, forcing her into a corner.
She could even guess that if she went to other stores to look for work, the result would be the same.
In Rong City, someone wanted to blacklist her.
"Grumble..."
Her stomach grumbled uncooperatively. Chu Yao clutched her stomach as a spasm-like pain twisted through her.
The lunch she had in the cafeteria was spilled before she could finish it, and to save money, she only drank cold water that evening.
Hunger, that burning hunger.
But more terrifying than hunger was loneliness.
Her roommates had all gone home for summer vacation, enjoying air conditioning, watermelon, and their parents' affection.
Only she remained, guarding this empty dormitory, facing an unknown tomorrow.
"Brother..."
Chu Yao pulled out the Broken Qilin Jade Pendant she wore close to her body, clutching it tightly in her hand. The jade had become scorching hot from her body temperature.
"Are you really still alive? I can't hold on much longer..."
Tears were about to fall again, when suddenly, the scene from the cafeteria at noon flashed in her mind.
That man in an expensive shirt, wearing gold-rimmed glasses, who looked refined but also exuded a hint of wickedness.
"I am your brother's entrusted agent. Tonight at midnight, I will contact you."
Chu Yao glanced at the old phone on her pillow, its screen cracked in one corner.
23:58.
Two more minutes. Will he call?
Or was it just a meticulously crafted scam to mock her?
Reason told her not to believe it.
In this city, there was no such thing as a free lunch. If that man was sent by the powerful figure targeting her, he would be arsenic coated in sugar.
But... he was the only ray of light piercing her abyss of despair.
Even if it was fake, she couldn't help but want to grasp it.
Time passed, second by second.
23:59:50.
Chu Yao's heart began to pound violently, as if it would burst through her chest.
Ten, nine, eight... The moment the time on her phone jumped to 00:00.
Buzz!
The phone vibrated, and its screen suddenly lit up, dazzling like daylight in the dark dormitory.