Shen Jingqi ignored his sarcasm and stared at him intently: "Wang Mian, what did you do to Xinyi? Hand her over immediately!"
"Hmph, want to save her? Then first get past me." Wang Mian said, lunging at Shen Jingqi.
Shen Jingqi sidestepped, dodging his attack. Then, taking the opportunity, he punched Wang Mian in the face. Wang Mian staggered back a few steps, anger flashing across his face.
"You dare hit me! I'll make you pay!" Wang Mian roared, once again charging at Shen Jingqi. ᴛʜɪs ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɪs ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ʙʏ ɴovᴇl(F)ɪre.ɴet
The two began battling fiercely within the abandoned factory. Although Shen Jingqi was skilled, Wang Mian was no pushover either. Their fight was intense, with neither gaining the upper hand.
Just then, a figure suddenly rushed into the factory. She held a sharp dagger and stabbed directly at Wang Mian's back.
Wang Mian, caught off guard, was struck by the dagger. He let out a scream and collapsed to the ground.
Shen Jingqi focused his eyes and realized the figure was Zhao Xinyi!
"Xinyi! What are you doing here?" Shen Jingqi asked in surprise.
Zhao Xinyi didn't answer him but instead walked to Wang Mian's side, pulling the dagger out of his body. Then, she looked at Wang Mian's corpse, her eyes filled with coldness and determination.
"We need to leave quickly. Also, don't let Yang Haotian know what happened today," Zhao Xinyi said.
Shen Jingqi looked at her, filled with doubt.
Shen Jingqi stood frozen, his gaze switching between Zhao Xinyi and Wang Mian's body, shock surging through him like tidal waves. Zhao Xinyi urged again, "Let's go, if we don't leave now, it'll be too late."
Shen Jingqi snapped back to reality, hurriedly following Zhao Xinyi's lead, swiftly exiting the abandoned factory. Along the way, Shen Jingqi tried several times to speak, but Zhao Xinyi remained silent, her face expressionless.
Back in the car, Li Baiyu was already seated in the driver's seat, waiting for them. Shen Jingqi sat in the front passenger seat, while Zhao Xinyi took the backseat. Li Baiyu glanced at Zhao Xinyi through the rear-view mirror, a complicated glint flashing in his eyes, and then started the car.
The atmosphere inside the car was heavy, and Shen Jingqi finally couldn't help but ask, "Xinyi, why did you kill Wang Mian?"
Zhao Xinyi's voice was cold and resolute: "He deserved it."
Shen Jingqi frowned, "But, after all, he was once your friend..."
"Friend?" Zhao Xinyi let out a cold laugh, "He betrayed us and tried to kill us. Does such a person deserve to be called a friend?"
Shen Jingqi was stunned; he didn't expect Zhao Xinyi to say that. Li Baiyu also looked at Zhao Xinyi through the rear-view mirror, his eyes even more complex.
"Betrayal? What's going on?" Shen Jingqi asked urgently.
Zhao Xinyi took a deep breath and began to recount the events. It turned out that Wang Mian had been secretly collaborating with hostile forces, intending to betray the organization. This battle was a trap set up by Wang Mian, aiming to eliminate Shen Jingqi and Zhao Xinyi.
"The reason I knew all this was because I had been secretly observing Wang Mian," Zhao Xinyi's voice was calm and composed, "After discovering his plot, I had been waiting for the right opportunity to act. Today, I finally got my chance."
After listening, Shen Jingqi felt a mix of emotions. He looked at Zhao Xinyi, his eyes filled with shock and confusion, "Then why did you keep it from me?"
Zhao Xinyi turned her head, her gaze direct at Shen Jingqi, "Because I didn't want you to get involved in danger. I know Wang Mian's methods, and if I had told you the truth, you would definitely have acted impulsively. I didn't want to lose you as a friend."
Shen Jingqi looked at the information bar above her head:
[Psychology Junior, Observer].
His heart trembled; there really was such a thing as an observer in reality.
"You're studying psychology?"
Zhao Xinyi was silent for a while, then slowly spoke: "I'm a psychology student by major, skilled in observing and analyzing human nature. I used this identity to infiltrate Wang Mian's inner circle and gain his trust."
Shen Jingqi suddenly realized, no wonder Zhao Xinyi always seemed so calm and rational; she had been secretly observing everything. He couldn't help but look at Zhao Xinyi with newfound respect, while also feeling more puzzled: Just how many secrets did Zhao Xinyi have?
The car sped through the night, but Shen Jingqi's heart was hard to calm. He looked out the window at the city lights flickering in the night, yet they seemed to hide innumerable secrets and plots.
After dropping Zhao Xinyi off at her place, Shen Jingqi's mind kept echoing with Zhao Xinyi's words.
Li Baiyu's low voice sounded in his ears, "I have to remind you, things are far from as simple as you think."
"Some people may not be as simple as they appear."
Just then, a call came from an unknown number. Shen Jingqi answered and found it was Zhao Xinyi.
"Do you... have something to say?" Shen Jingqi asked.
"You can't figure out some things, right? I think it's necessary to explain a bit more?"
Shen Jingqi took a deep breath, "I can't understand why you hid it from me? And who exactly are you?"
Zhao Xinyi was silent for a while, then slowly spoke: "It's not that I don't want to tell you some things, but even if I did, it wouldn't make a difference. All I can say is that everything I've done is to protect us. As for my identity... you don't need to know too much. Just know that I'm on Yang Haotian's side, and that should be enough."
Shen Jingqi felt that Zhao Xinyi carried too many secrets. These secrets seemed to be closely tied to the world they lived in.
"Oh, by the way, the news of Wang Mian's death has already reached the organization, and it seems to have caused a huge uproar within."
"Wang Mian's death not only signifies the loss of a traitor but also may trigger a series of chain reactions."
Shen Jingqi began to realize that he might have been swept into a gigantic vortex.
Zhao Xinyi's voice seemed resolute, "I can tell you some things. But you have to promise me to remain calm."
Shen Jingqi nodded, "I promise you."
Zhao Xinyi took a deep breath and began to reveal the secrets behind the organization. It turned out that the organization was far from simple on the surface; it harbored tremendous conspiracy and ambition. And Wang Mian's betrayal was merely the tip of the iceberg in this plot.
"The world we live in is far more complex than you think." Zhao Xinyi's voice was low and mysterious, "The organization has been secretly controlling everything, including health, economy, and even people's minds. Their objective is to achieve an unspeakable plan."
Shen Jingqi was dumbfounded; he never thought he would be drawn into such a colossal conspiracy. He looked at Li Baiyu, his eyes filled with doubt.