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墨書 Inktalez
Luo Yi carried the soft Zhou Yao to take a bath, then brought her back to bed and covered her with a light blanket.
Zhou Yao rolled onto the bed, hugged the pillow, and drowsily wanted to sleep. She turned around and held onto Luo Yi, finding a comfortable position in his arms.
Luo Yi placed his hand on her waist, unable to fall asleep.
"Zhou Yao?"
"Mm?" Zhou Yao mumbled with her eyes closed.
"How did you suddenly come to Yunnan? Normally, your mother wouldn't take you here."
She furrowed her brow slightly in her haze: "During dinner, Assistant Ruan called my mom, and I heard it."
She rubbed her eyes and continued to sleep.
Luo Yi frowned for a moment and asked again, "Did you hear someone arguing in the hallway while you were sleeping in your room last night?"
"Mm."
"What were they arguing about?"
"Well..." Zhou Yao slightly woke up, opened her eyes, and said, "A man hit his wife, saying she was flirting with someone outside."
Zhou Yao was stunned, slowly blinked, and looked up at Luo Yi, who was also looking at her.
Zhou Yao said, "What Assistant Ruan said is not right."
Earlier this morning at the Crossing Bridge Rice Noodles shop,
Manager Xia said, "This hotel has no rules; someone fights at night and disturbs others' sleep."
Assistant Ruan replied, "Yeah, I heard it too. They have no quality at all."
No quality at all?
A normal person would say, "That woman who was beaten is really pitiful."
Did Assistant Ruan think it was two men fighting?!
Zhou Yao was fully awake now: "He wasn't at the hotel last night. Do you suspect him?"
Luo Yi replied, "I went to Boss Gao's house last night, and he also said something very strange."
At that time, Boss Gao said, "Oh, you misidentified the treasure."
"Boss Gao admitted that he facilitated Oya's purchase of the True Buddha Pagoda. But then he said I misidentified the treasure. Isn't that contradictory?"
Zhou Yao thought for a moment and suddenly realized, "Boss Gao thought that when the Jade Buddha Tower was handed over to you, it had already been replaced with a fake. He underestimated you! But he didn't expect that the Jade Buddha Tower was actually genuine when it reached your hands. It was only after you provided the appraisal that it was swapped for a fake."
"Exactly. This indicates that their initial plan was to replace the Jade Buddha Tower internally within Oya, deceiving or bribing the appraiser hired by Jiang Hong. However, Jiang Hong didn't use his usual team of appraisers but instead asked for my help. Yan Lin knew he couldn't fool me or bribe me, so he postponed the step of replacing the Jade Buddha Tower. But Boss Gao was unaware and thought the Jade Buddha Tower had already been swapped within Oya."
Zhou Yao was taken aback, "Do you think it's Assistant Ruan?"
"Who else has that kind of authority?" Luo Yi sat up, preparing to get out of bed.
Zhou Yao asked, "Where are you going?"
"Isn't Assistant Ruan fond of going out at night? This is such a good opportunity; shouldn't we go take a look?"
Zhou Yao immediately sat up, excitedly saying, "I'll help!"
……
Zhou Yao walked to Assistant Ruan's door and knocked three times.
No one responded from inside.
Zhou Yao sneaked back into the room and gave Luo Yi an 'OK' gesture.
Luo Yi turned off the room light, took a small emergency flashlight from the hotel, and easily leaped onto the windowsill. Zhou Yao grabbed his ankle and whispered, "Boss Luo, take me with you."
Luo Yi squatted down, placing his large hand on her head: "It's more convenient for me to go alone."
Zhou Yao pouted, refusing to let go.
“……”
Luo Yi lifted Zhou Yao onto the windowsill, as if carrying a cat.
Luo Yi landed on a tree, supporting Zhou Yao as they descended.
The two moved carefully and silently among the branches until they reached the window of Assistant Ruan's room. Luo Yi instructed Zhou Yao to wait, then quietly climbed onto the windowsill, slowly moved the screen aside, and peeked through the curtain. No one was inside.
Luo Yi sat on the windowsill, hooking one foot against the inner wall to pull Zhou Yao up.
They both nimbly entered the room, clearly dividing their tasks. Luo Yi bit down on a small flashlight and searched through various documents on the desk, while Zhou Yao rummaged through the suitcase.
Time passed slowly, and neither found any useful clues.
Luo Yi's side was filled with Oya's internal documents, while Zhou Yao only found clothes and luggage with nothing suspicious. Zhou Yao even searched through Assistant Ruan's clothing pockets.
As they continued to search in the darkness, a sudden crisp sound echoed in the silent night—the elevator had arrived.
The two exchanged wary glances. Luo Yi pulled Zhou Yao toward the window. Just as he lifted Zhou Yao onto the windowsill, Zhou Yao turned around and shone the flashlight onto the bedside table.
Zhou Yao's eyes widened as he pointed with his finger and whispered, “That’s not from the hotel!”
On the bedside table lay a matchbox.
Luo Yi quickly returned. Zhou Yao lowered her voice and shouted, "Take a picture! Don't take it away!"
Luo Yi took out his phone, and Zhou Yao was sweating nervously. She felt as if she could hear the sound of leather shoes stepping out of the elevator, and then the footsteps were absorbed by the carpet, making it eerily quiet.
The other party was silently approaching.
Luo Yi quickly took a photo and returned to the window. At that moment, there was a sound outside the room as someone rummaged through their pockets.
Luo Yi immediately jumped onto the windowsill and pulled down the curtains.
"Beep beep beep!" The door opened, and the lights turned on.
Luo Yi and Zhou Yao froze, half-squatting on the windowsill, holding their breath and sweating profusely, completely still.
Inside the room, Assistant Ruan could be heard taking off his shoes, stretching his limbs, and drinking water.
From the sounds, he sat on the bed, took a match, and lit a cigarette. A second later, he tore apart the cigarette box, and matchsticks clattered into the trash can.
Zhou Yao shot Luo Yi a glance, indicating that there was something wrong with the matchbox. Luo Yi understood immediately and glanced down at the narrow windowsill. He focused on holding onto the windowsill with one hand while grabbing Zhou Yao with the other to prevent her from accidentally falling.
The two of them half-squatted on the windowsill without making a sound. However, the person inside kept smoking and did not head to the bathroom for a shower. Zhou Yao gradually became drenched in sweat, her legs feeling weak and unable to hold on much longer.
Luo Yi searched for nearby tree branches, assessing whether they could move to a tree without making noise.
However, there was no hope.
The mattress creaked as Assistant Ruan got up. Zhou Yao was delighted, thinking he was heading to the bathroom, but then she heard footsteps approaching the window!
Zhou Yao was startled; was he going to open the window to let out the smoke?!
She was standing right in the middle of the window!
Luo Yi immediately picked Zhou Yao up and tucked her into the corner of the windowsill. Zhou Yao hung half her body in the air, closing her eyes tightly, afraid to look down.
Luo Yi crouched down, holding her tightly. His muscles were tense and trembling, sweat pouring down his body.
Assistant Ruan lifted the curtain slightly and was about to pull the window open horizontally.
“Beep beep beep!”
“Beep beep beep!”
Someone outside was trying the door card. Again and again, they were probing, but the door wouldn’t open.
Assistant Ruan let go of his grip and turned to walk over. “Who is it?”
Luo Yi quickly steadied Zhou Yao on the windowsill and turned to look for an escape route.
“Who is it?”
The person outside seemed not to hear and continued trying the door card.
"Beep beep beep!"
"Damn it, why can't this door open? Is it demagnetized again?!"
"Crazy." Assistant Ruan muttered under his breath, angrily pulling the door open.
The moment the door swung open, it beeped loudly, and at that moment, Luo Yi gracefully landed on a tree, quickly stabilizing the shaking branches.
"What the hell!" The person outside was startled and shouted, "Who are you?!"
"I should be asking you who you are?!"
Zhou Yao jumped onto the tree and was caught by Luo Yi.
Assistant Ruan impatiently said, "This is my room!"
"Your room? This is clearly mine—wait? No, sorry bro, I mistook the door."
Luo Yi and Zhou Yao safely returned to the room.
As soon as Zhou Yao landed, she patted her chest, breathing heavily. "That was close. Just a little bit. What luck!"
Luo Yi glanced at her for a moment and scoffed, "What luck? Before I left, I told Jiang Peng to send someone to cover for me."
"No wonder!" Zhou Yao admired him secretly but quickly became smug. She raised her chin and claimed credit in front of him, "And then there’s me. You didn’t want to take me earlier; how about that? I was useful, right?"
“Significant Role.”
Luo Yi smiled lightly and opened the photo album on his phone, revealing a picture of the Golden Peacock Entertainment Club.
……
“I’ve noticed this club, but I didn’t inquire in detail,” Jiang Peng said while smoking. “It covers a large area; the upper floor is for entertainment, and the lower floor hosts gambling. It’s membership-based. I’ve been hanging around here recently and managed to get a few memberships through connections. So, are you thinking of checking it out?”
“Yes,” Luo Yi replied. “Assistant Ruan is an important figure. I suspect he is significant enough to be involved in Dan Shan’s various plans, including this trip to Yunnan.”
Lu Xu also found the club suspicious: “He came to Yunnan this time to target Zhou Yao. How can he still have the time to visit an entertainment club in the middle of the night?”
Jiang Peng raised an eyebrow: “Are you suggesting that the entertainment club is a stronghold?”
Luo Yi said, “I heard Assistant Ruan tearing open a matchbox outside the window.”
Jiang Peng nodded in realization.
Luo Yi continued, “Dan Shan wants to acquire land. It’s currently uncertain whether his goal is to sell the land for money or to exploit it for mining. But fundamentally, since Dan Shan is involved in jade smuggling, he likely has a hideout.”
Lu Xu agreed: “According to information from previous undercover agents, Dan Shan’s activities are concentrated along the Xishuangbanna and Myanmar border. We just haven’t been able to pinpoint his hideout.”
After listening, Jiang Peng organized his thoughts: “So, Luo Yi, you believe that there are important figures and clues within this stronghold at the Golden Peacock. Perhaps we can find Dan Shan’s lair?”
“Exactly. We’re close to the final step,” Luo Yi said, glancing at his watch. “It’s eleven o’clock now, just when things start getting lively at night. I’m going to check out that club.”
Jiang Peng: "I'll go with you."
Luo Yi shook his head: "Let your boxer follow me."
Jiang Peng raised an eyebrow again: "Are you rejecting me?"
Luo Yi smiled: "There are more important people I need to entrust to you."
"Oh, little sister, fine!" Jiang Peng replied readily.
Lu Xu had a dark expression: "There are police protecting Zhou Yao."
Luo Yi said: "Oh."
Lu Xu: "…"
Lu Xu was not discouraged and tried to contribute: "They know me, I can't go, but I can find a few colleagues to secretly follow you."
"Don't." Jiang Peng quickly raised his hand to stop him, "Your colleagues here are too familiar with the situation; if they recognize you, it will alert the enemy."
Lu Xu retorted angrily: "Am I just supposed to sit back and do nothing?"
"You really can't just sit back and do nothing." Luo Yi said lightly, "Your people need to stay outside and keep watch; in case anything happens, they can provide support."
Luo Yi paused for a moment and suddenly asked: "There won't be any guns in there, right?"
Now, all three of them fell silent.
"There shouldn't be any," Lu Xu said slowly. "We've seen checkpoints and patrol officers everywhere along the way. The drug checks are strict here, and correspondingly, firearms are also heavily regulated."
"Let's hope so."
...
Luo Yi returned to Zhou Yao's room, where Zhou Yao was watching television, a late-night channel that wasn't very interesting.
Luo Yi sat down next to her and touched the back of her head. "Still awake?"
"I'm waiting for you," Zhou Yao said as she leaned in to hug his waist.
He leaned down and pecked her forehead, saying, "You should sleep first. I need to go take care of something."
"Are you going to that club?"
"Yeah."
"Oh." Zhou Yao said, resting her head against his chest. After a moment, she quietly asked, "Are you going alone?"
"The Brothers from Jiang Peng will be with me," Luo Yi said as he stroked her hair.
Zhou Yao pouted slightly but then looked up at him with determination. "Then you go. Be careful."
"Okay." Luo Yi gently touched her cheek and was about to get up when he added, "Jiang Peng will take care of you tonight, so don't be afraid."
Zhou Yao obediently shook her head, her eyes sparkling: "I'm not afraid."
"I've talked to Lu Xu; he will arrange for you and Mr. Xia to return to Beijing tomorrow."
"And you?" she asked eagerly.
"If everything goes well tonight, I'll go back with you."
"Great!" Zhou Yao smiled widely.
Luo Yi leaned down and pressed a firm kiss on her lips before getting up and leaving.
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