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“What? He ran away... Is he not eating with you? What’s going on?”
“It’s complicated, hurry up and chase after him.”
“Okay, I’ll go right now.”
Upon receiving the call, Zhang Quan suddenly jumped up, the news seemingly making him anxious as he rushed to the hall. He showed a photo of Xiao Mu to the waiter. Fortunately, the oddly expressive handsome guy was recognized. The waiter pointed Zhang Quan in a direction, and he strode forward. After running a kilometer, he was dumbfounded at the intersection; cars and people were everywhere. In this vast sea of humanity, how could he find that slippery little eel?
Sigh... These fools. He angrily swung his arm, feeling frustrated.
He had always sensed something was off but couldn’t pinpoint what it was. It seemed this person shouldn’t be so eager to escape; it looked like they were just waiting for an opportunity to run. Zhang Quan had found many loopholes himself, and if it were him, there would be a chance. But putting it on the defenseless Xiao Mu made it nearly impossible; those two lackeys followed him even to the restroom.
Once he left, it would be difficult to see him again.
However, Zhang Quan ’s expression at that moment was not nostalgic but anxious—extremely anxious. It was as if he had made a tough decision. He picked up the phone and dialed a special number. The voice on the other end responded, “Welcome to Jia Meile Online Shopping Center, sir…”
“3326 Salesperson, request direct communication with General Manager,” Zhang Quan said.
The other party paused briefly before quickly transferring the call. A middle-aged man’s voice came through: “3326, what’s the emergency?”
“Little Fish slipped away; he just left ten minutes ago,” Zhang Quan replied.
“Ah, how could he slip away with such strict surveillance? Did he discover your identity?” the middle-aged man asked in surprise.
“I’m not sure; he shouldn’t have noticed. The people at the door saw him… Hurry and find him. He has met all the regional managers; if he stays a few more days, Old A will probably catch on,” Zhang Quan said.
“Okay, stay put and wait for backup…” the other party instructed.
Zhang Quan hung up the phone, feeling that this sudden turn of events had disrupted all plans—it was like being in a mental hospital, everything in chaos.
At that moment, his thoughts seemed to fly free, swirling around with images of Xiao Mu—the panic at the mental hospital, the narrow-mindedness, the oddities; the helplessness and losses on the escape route. Most clearly, he remembered how Xiao Mu had been starving and still shared a chicken leg with him. He had always wanted to pull this kid out of this quagmire but never anticipated what would happen later. It truly baffled him; what could be going on in that quirky kid's mind that made decades-old Pyramid Scheme members regard him as their precious jewel?
He kept clicking his tongue, just one step away from success, but at that moment, everything fell apart. He had even planned to tell him the truth after it was all over and safely send him back home, but now everything had reached a crossroads.
Lost in thought, a taxi sped by, the sharp screech of brakes stopping right beside him. He jumped into the car and exchanged a few words with the people inside. The vehicle quickly chose a direction and vanished into the flow of traffic...
...
...
"Have you found him?"
"Not yet. We're reviewing the surveillance footage. He left three minutes and forty seconds before you did."
"Then hurry up! He doesn't have a dime on him; where could he run off to? He definitely won't go to the airport, and he won't head to the bus or train stations for now. He must be trying to figure out a way to get some money to leave."
"Just a moment; we're searching through the monitoring..."
"Damn it, how long do you expect us to wait? We've been looking for almost two hours..."
"Hey, how are you talking? Who are you cursing?"
"……………"
The call fell silent as several taxis and civilian cars waited at various intersections within ten kilometers of Weiyang Grand Hotel. They could hear the ongoing conversation over the radio, wondering what kind of special person could pull multiple surveillance teams back. It was clear that the voice on the radio belonged to someone referred to as "General Manager," and those hiding in their cars, lurking in dark corners, were snickering.
"We found him..."
"At the back gate of University City, six kilometers in."
"3326 Salesperson, approach with caution. Other Salespeople, encircle from the periphery but don’t make too much noise."
Taxis, SUVs, and off-road vehicles surged out from different positions. On the traffic monitoring map, several red dots appeared, blocking various routes and forming a standard circle around the target location.
What was happening? An arrest? Even now, they didn't know who they were trying to capture.
All inquiries about the action plan from the Salesperson were swiftly dismissed by the General Manager with a single remark.
In fact, they hadn't run far. It was a clever move; had they gone to the bus or train station, they might have encountered He Fatty's people. Zhang Quan was taken aback when he spotted Xiao Mu.
Behind the university town, there was a pedestrian street bustling with small shops, bars, and restaurants. In a spot filled with music, Zhang Quan quickly noticed Xiao Mu playing an electric guitar and singing an English song. His skill seemed quite impressive, as a large crowd had gathered around him, mostly composed of girls.
"What a talent! He's even resorted to busking," remarked another man who had just gotten out of the car. Relieved, he reported through his collar mic that they had found him and instructed 3326 to approach.
"Go ahead, 3326. The crowd is surrounding him. The General Manager said to avoid making too much noise," he said.
Zhang Quan chuckled lightly; it was good that they hadn't arrived too late. If this guy earned enough for transportation, it might be harder to find him. He slowly approached, lowering his hat as he neared the street performer.
"Wow, this guy is so handsome..."
"Beyoncé's 'I Am Here'—he sings it so well."
"Yeah, he could fit right in with our school's music department..."
"Could he be from our school?"
Amidst the melodious singing, whispers circulated. When the song reached its climax, about twenty or thirty people swayed their heads along with the tune. In the center, Xiao Mu displayed expressions of both despair and deep emotion, captivating this small audience. As the music faded, applause erupted, and Xiao Mu's instrument case filled with numerous bills.
Xiao Mu chatted with some passing girls, and a few even pulled him aside for selfies. However, Zhang Quan observed more closely; he saw the street performer shake hands with Xiao Mu warmly before parting ways. Then Xiao Mu began happily counting the coins that had accumulated in his hands.
"Five and ten-dollar bills... Looks like going to karaoke has its perks; it can really save you in tough times."
Xiao Mu counted nearly a hundred dollars—this was a spontaneous decision made while passing by on the street. He thought about holding up a sign for help at the university entrance tomorrow; just showing his face would likely earn him enough for transportation. The easiest targets would be those little girls at school—how could they bear to see a handsome guy in trouble?
This thought made him feel quite pleased as he tucked away his money and entered a shop. Before long, he emerged with a bottle of drink but nearly choked when he looked up to see a menacing figure wearing a hat not far away—it was none other than Baldy. Terrified, he turned and ran away.
"Hey, not running away?"
It seemed unnecessary to flee. He stopped and turned back, cautiously glancing at Baldy, who was leisurely approaching him. Xiao Mu ceased his escape, smiling as he sipped his drink.
"Hey, aren't you afraid I'll drag you back?" Baldy asked with a grin.
"Haha, with so many people around, if you dare to grab me, I'll shout robbery," Xiao Mu replied. The crowd made him feel surprisingly secure.
"What if I insist on catching you?" Baldy said cheerfully, getting closer but still maintaining a safe distance. Xiao Mu shook his head and said, "Bald Brother, you're not like Big Mouth or Big Head. I've always thought there was something different about you being with them; you don't seem like a bad person."
"Oh really? Thanks for the compliment... How did you figure that out?" Baldy chuckled, awkwardly removing his hat and rubbing his bald head. His fierce face, even when smiling, had an intimidating presence.
"Your eyes... they don't lie. Even though you always look fierce, your eyes and expressions don’t match. You can't be a bad person if those lowlifes in the Pyramid Scheme make you uncomfortable. I've provoked you so many times; if you were really a brute, you would have snapped by now," Xiao Mu explained proudly. He found it easy and practical to probe into someone's details.
Baldy, Zhang Quan, had revealed that he wasn't as fierce as he appeared.
It seemed to be true; Baldy smiled, and his expression softened. Xiao Mu pointed at him and said, "See? This is your true self... Zhang Quan, I'm not calling you Baldy anymore. Come with me; I'll find you a job. Don't worry; you'll earn much more than in the Pyramid Scheme. This business may seem glamorous for a while, but it will collapse soon. It's not a wealth-building model; it's a trap."
"I... I'm going with you?" Zhang Quan said incredulously, pointing at himself.
"Ah, is there a better option?" Xiao Mu asked, suddenly recalling the knot in his heart. He curiously inquired, "By the way, Zhang Quan, what did you do before? I feel something's off."
"That's why I pursued you; as friends, I have a secret to tell you," Zhang Quan replied with a smile.
Xiao Mu also smiled but dismissed it lightly: "The purpose of psychology is to satisfy people's curiosity and make them eagerly uncover secrets about others... You seem a bit inconsistent—bad but not entirely so. Haha, you're not an undercover cop infiltrating the Pyramid Scheme, are you?"
Both laughed heartily until Xiao Mu's expression suddenly stiffened as a huge question mark appeared in his mind. The direction he ran away from was random; how could Baldy find him so quickly?
Zhang Quan suddenly smiled and asked, "When did you figure it out?"
Xiao Mu's mouth dropped open. Zhang Quan's calm and smiling demeanor combined with his previous behavior made Xiao Mu instantly realize the truth. He screamed in terror, "Ah! You've set me up!" Then he turned and ran.
"I thought your mental fortitude was strong; turns out you're easily scared," Zhang Quan chuckled while stroking his bald head, showing no intention of chasing after him.
No need to chase; the clever Xiao Mu had a moment of confusion, but how could a fish caught in the net escape? He hadn’t run far when two unremarkable individuals seized him, pouncing from the side without warning. Before he could react, they each grabbed an arm, and just as he shouted, a bag was pulled over his head. He was dragged into a vehicle, and amidst the chaos of the crowd, he heard shouts of "Police are on the case," before being shoved inside.
The car roared along, clearly an old clunker with terrible shock absorption, bouncing even on flat roads. After a few minutes, Xiao Mu, quiet under the hood, puzzled his captors. The driver reminded them, "Let him go; General Manager said to be civilized and polite."
"Let go; this kid's pretty handsome," one on the left remarked.
The one on the right casually added, "3326 said he’s not ordinary. Look at him; he’s calm under pressure."
As they removed the hood, Xiao Mu glanced around. The one on the left was a bit sleazy and skinny with a thin mustache, while the one on the right was plump and dark-skinned, not particularly good-looking—definitely not better than Baldy. This Black Fatty, seemingly afraid that Xiao Mu might be scared, pulled out his badge and said, "Don’t be afraid; we’re really police."
Xiao Mu looked at him in shock. The man’s name was Ma Fenghuo. Doubtingly, he reached for the badge to inspect it and then turned to the one on his left. "What about yours?"
The man fished out his badge and handed it over while saying casually, "Take a good look; my name is Lian Qiang. We are indeed real police... Kid, we've met before; you forgot? In Hanzhong..."
Xiao Mu stared at him and mimicked throwing a punch. Suddenly it clicked for him. He exclaimed in surprise, "Wow, it was you two who staged that robbery with Baldy! I thought it was such a poor act to rob right at the entrance of the community."
"Haha, we know you were pretty clumsy too—trying to rob tolls and getting slapped twice?" Black Fatty teased Xiao Mu.
A scam—a scam happening right under his nose. Xiao Mu understood why he had always been suspicious of Baldy. It turned out this guy had a special mission; he had just escaped one pit of fire only to fall into another. It was hard to avoid getting involved.
Seeing that Xiao Mu was still in shock, Lian Qiang comforted him: "Originally, our mission was to assist Lu Hongbo in escaping from the mental hospital and then follow him to find hideouts. We didn’t expect you to interfere and mess up our plans... But you did it beautifully! If it weren’t for 3326, he probably wouldn’t have had the chance to see so many hideouts or so many General Managers."
At this point, Ma Fenghuo also expressed admiration: "We initially thought you were just a burden and planned to let you leave quietly in Hanzhong. Who knew that Lu Hongbo would take a liking to you... But he really has an eye for talent; you fumbled through a robbery but managed to fool so many people effortlessly. If someone didn’t know better, they might think you were Lu Hongbo’s disciple... Should we call you Lin Instructor or Mulin Shen?"
Encountering bad people might lead to losing money at worst, but meeting police was far worse; every background would be scrutinized. It would be hard even to tell a lie. Xiao Mu awkwardly looked at the two men who seemed amused by him, feeling a surge of anger rising.
"What’s wrong? You’re not afraid of being in a Pyramid Scheme, but you’re scared of us?" Ma Fenghuo asked in surprise, as if Xiao Mu wasn’t as calm as 3326 described but rather fierce inside.
"Yeah, what’s there to fear about bad people? It’s police that are scary," Xiao Mu replied.
"That’s because you’ve done bad things too; your conscience is pricking," Lian Qiang laughed.
"Of course! Half of all bad deeds are done by bad people; isn’t half done by police too?" Xiao Mu shot back provocatively.
"I'm telling you, this guy just comes out of nowhere and drops a bomb," Lian Qiang fumed. Xiao Mu was equally furious, retorting, "No evidence, no accusations, and you lot are still trying to pin this on me? You're worse than those running a Pyramid Scheme! At least they’ve got some civility in their wrongdoing, while you lot are just barbaric."
Black Fatty and Ma Fenghuo exchanged awkward smiles. "Well... this is already quite civilized," Ma Fenghuo stammered.
Compared to the usual methods of tackling suspects—like pinning them down and slapping on handcuffs before tossing them into a small dark room—this was indeed a remarkably civilized approach.
"He's the uncivilized one! Cursing and throwing insults without even engaging his brain first!" Xiao Mu pointed at Lian Qiang, disgusted. Lian Qiang, having had enough of such nonsense, raised his hand and slapped him hard, growling, "Who are you cursing? Watch it or I’ll take you down!"
With a loud smack, Xiao Mu retaliated. Angered, Lian Qiang shot back, "Who do you think you're talking to? If you want to cooperate, be polite... Lian Qiang, right? Do you believe I won’t have you kicked out when I see the General Manager?"
"Hey... I..." Lian Qiang's raised hand froze in mid-air as Ma Fenghuo shot him a warning glance to keep quiet.
He understood the weight of being a key informant and dared not threaten anymore. Frustrated, he slapped himself across the face twice, muttering, "I was wrong; I messed up."
As expected, Xiao Mu had figured it out—being courteous often meant there was something to gain. What he sought was likely tied to the very place he had just emerged from. That realization terrified him because while both good and bad people could be categorized as human, being entangled with both made one an outsider in every sense.
"Xiao Mu, don’t be nervous. We all have our faults; after all, we’re police officers serving the people. Even bad guys often have their reasons for doing bad things. You know right from wrong; you have your own scale," Ma Fenghuo said earnestly, wary of upsetting this important informant.
"What am I nervous about? Right now, I'm the only one not nervous; everyone else is," Xiao Mu chuckled.
"Haha... We’re still nervous; catching them is a piece of cake," Lian Qiang scoffed.
"Haha, that’s quite the boast. Right now that Baldy from 3326 is exposed; I’m in the dark here. Do you really think I’d willingly play your lackey?" Xiao Mu challenged Lian Qiang, who looked taken aback, his face twitching with tension.
"Don’t pretend to be calm. Since you know who I am, you shouldn’t resort to threats. Threats won’t work; they’ll backfire. And bribery won’t cut it either—my monthly allowance is worth more than your two years' salary! What could you possibly offer me? Not only is your approach flawed, but time is also against you; if it drags on too long, I might not even make it back... Officer Ma, what do you think?" Xiao Mu turned to Old Horse.
Old Horse mumbled under his breath in silence; no wonder the General Manager said those involved in Pyramid Schemes were more dangerous than guns—sharp minds could see through every little scheme.
"Don’t get cocky! You’re stealing from psychiatric hospitals and working for Pyramid Scheme gangs—there are plenty of ways to deal with you," the driver snapped angrily. Xiao Mu shot back defiantly, "Cut it out! You cops can’t pin anything on them and are helping Lu the Madman escape from the hospital—creating opportunities for him isn’t just breaking the law; it’s fishing for evidence! It’s a scandal waiting to happen."
The driver was furious now; he slammed the steering wheel and cursed loudly, "Damn it! How did we end up with such a troublesome character? If it weren’t for my mission, I’d definitely take it out on you!"
"With that foul mouth of yours, even a Pyramid Scheme gang wouldn’t want you! How did the police end up with someone like you?" Xiao Mu taunted. The driver turned around angrily as Old Horse quickly intervened, "Just say less."
The driver angrily said, "Ma Ge, stop protecting him. We might as well take them all down today."
"That's nonsense. If we could have caught them earlier, we would have. The ones we took down were all victims, and we had to send them back. The ones with the money slipped away," Lian Qiang replied.
"That's still better than putting up with this guy's nonsense." The driver was furious, slamming on the gas.
Xiao Mu, equally agitated, suddenly shouted, "Stop the car!"
The driver refused to comply and kept driving. Xiao Mu, not cooperating, started yelling that he wanted a drink. How could he talk without wetting his throat first? After a lot of fussing around, the three police officers were so exasperated that they had to pull over to buy him a drink. After taking a couple of sips and finding it unsatisfactory, he insisted on changing it... three times. Then he wanted to smoke. What kind of cigarettes did he want? Could he really smoke a pack that cost ten bucks? "Go buy me a few packs of Da Zhong Jiu, the kind that costs a hundred bucks a pack."
What should have been a short trip ended up taking an hour due to all the fuss. When they finally returned to the task force and brought him into the meeting room, the team leader Ye Tianshu rushed in upon hearing the news. Seeing the three officers who had brought him in looking grim and dejected startled him. After asking what happened, he learned that this informant was quite difficult to handle; not only had he berated them like they were his subordinates, but he had also cleaned out their pockets—demanding cigarettes and drinks and insisting on getting a haircut and facial treatment before agreeing to come.
Hearing this made Ye Tianshu burst into laughter as he patted the shoulders of the two officers in consolation. "As long as nothing went wrong, you’ve done well. If it were an easy person to deal with, they wouldn’t have caught the attention of the Cult Leader... I’ll go meet this interesting character now."
He pushed open the door, and outside, Ma Fenghuo closed it from the outside. The two stood guard at the door, feeling quite frustrated yet filled with anticipation and nervousness. In the current case situation, this outsider had unexpectedly become a key piece on the chessboard...
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