Nie Jiuluo descended to the stairwell and beckoned Xing Shen, signaling him to come upstairs.
Xing Shen stood up and walked over. As he passed Da Yan, worried the man might start shouting if given the chance, he stuffed the cloth gag back into his mouth.
Fearing the second floor wasn’t soundproof enough, the two went up to the third floor to talk.
Nie Jiuluo handed the drawing to Xing Shen first.
Xing Shen’s eyes struggled to make out text and images on screens or paper. He held the drawing up to the light and studied it for a long while. “What does this mean?”
Nie Jiuluo hesitated. “I just suspect… how many people were taken from this building during this trip?”
Xing Shen thought carefully. “Including Jiang Shu, eight.”
“Eight. So adding Crippled Father and the three-person team, that makes twelve in total?”
For now, yes. Xing Shen nodded. Currently, they had lost contact with Lao Dao and Yu Rong’s group. The confirmed number of people trapped was twelve.
Nie Jiuluo: “The other side told us to take our people home as soon as possible and said they’d already told us where to pick them up—so it must be Nanba Houtou, right?”
Xing Shen had no objections. “So far, that’s the only location they’ve mentioned.”
Nie Jiuluo took the paper back from Xing Shen. “They had Gangzi and Da Yan relay the message but couldn’t say it outright, so they used this ambiguous method—only those who understand would get it. There are four fruits on this tree, but they’re not naturally grown; they’re hung there. My interpretation is that this represents Crippled Father and the three-person team—four people—being hung from a tree at Nanba Houtou.”
Xing Shen’s scalp prickled. “Hanged to death?”
Nie Jiuluo shook her head. “They emphasized ‘the cold weather’ and ‘the fruits freezing and falling.’ I don’t think they were hanged to death. They’re just… hanging there.”
Xing Shen: “You mean Crippled Father and the other three are currently tied up and hanging from a tree at Nanba Houtou? Right now?”
Nie Jiuluo didn’t answer. Instead, she turned to look out the window. The snow had grown heavier, now falling in thick flakes. In weather like this, the mountains would only be colder. Freezing someone to death could easily happen overnight.
She shuddered involuntarily before continuing, “They told us to pick up Crippled Father on the 8th, but we didn’t go. He’s likely been hanging there since the 8th… The other three were hung up later.”
“‘If the fruits freeze and fall, bury them under the tree and grow a new batch until none are left’—this probably implies that if someone freezes to death, they’ll bury them on the spot and hang new people up. After all, they have plenty of our people in their hands now.”
Until none are left.
Xing Shen was silent for a long time before speaking. “This is a trap. They know they haven’t caught everyone and are trying to lure the rest of us in.”
Nie Jiuluo glanced at him. “It’s obviously a trap, no question about it.”
But this trap was incredibly pressuring.
It conveyed a cruel message: Your comrades’ lives are in your hands, not ours. We’ll keep putting people there—whether you come for them is up to you. The later you arrive, the more ‘fruits’ will freeze and fall.
And then… until none are left.
Xing Shen said, “Don’t let this scare you. It’s just a bluff. With so many lives at stake, I refuse to believe they’d dare to act so lawlessly.”
Nie Jiuluo: “But what if it’s true? What’s your plan?”
With Jiang Baichuan absent, Xing Shen was the one in charge.Xing Shen answered off-topic: "I've sorted out seven phone numbers, and one of them must be Yu Rong's. Jiuluo, is your phone usable right now? Notifying the remaining people is the most important thing now."
Nie Jiuluo hesitated for a moment before removing her phone case. Between the case and the phone, there were several spare SIM cards. She picked one to replace the original: she almost never called Jiang Baichuan; it was always him who contacted her. But it was better to be prepared, so she kept the necessary backups.
After replacing the SIM card, she dialed the numbers one by one for Xing Shen. Sure enough, on the fifth call, an impatient female voice answered: "Hello?"
Xing Shen was overjoyed: "Yu Rong?"
Once they connected with Yu Rong, things became easier. After all, there were more people on her side, and more people meant more resources to mobilize. For example, someone else took care of making an anonymous call to the police to get Gangzi and Da Yan arrested. Another example was arranging a car to pick up Xing Shen and meet with Yu Rong—the car would wait at the entrance of the Central Mall, the landmark building.
Nie Jiuluo quickly tidied up the small building and drove Xing Shen and Mazha to the Central Mall.
The snow that night alternated between heavy and light, but it was likely just a "light snow" in the end, as there wasn’t much accumulation on the roads. After a few more cars drove over, even the traces of snow disappeared, leaving only a wet, glistening road.
But the radio said the snowfall would be heavier in the mountainous areas.
Heavier...
Nie Jiuluo’s eyes were fixed on the wet, bright road ahead, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that deep down the path, eerie shadows of trees swayed, with frozen bodies hanging from the branches, swinging slowly in the wind and snow.
Xing Shen said something beside her.
Nie Jiuluo snapped out of it but didn’t catch his words: "What did you say?"
"Yu Rong’s side is secure. According to her, she’s even tamed something. I’ll discuss it in detail with her when we meet. Jiuluo, are you coming too? With the three of us and Mazha, I think as long as we plan carefully, the outlook isn’t too bad."
Outlook? With twelve people missing and their fates unknown, what outlook was there to talk about?
Nie Jiuluo replied casually, "I still have work to do. When I get back, I have a competition to attend."
That’s right, a competition. Lao Cai had told her to win a few more awards...
He’d also mentioned introducing her to some promising young talent...
At this moment, Nie Jiuluo felt like her life was a bit fragmented.
Xing Shen fell silent for a while before speaking again: "Jiuluo, I think you can put your own matters aside for now. Jiang Shu has been arrested. If he can’t hold out and gives you up, do you really think you’ll still be able to focus on work or attend competitions?"
Nie Jiuluo pressed her lips together.
"And if he doesn’t give you up, Jiuluo, that means he’s doing everything to protect you. Can you really just leave him to his fate? Jiang Shu has always treated you well. Without him, you wouldn’t be where you are today."
Nie Jiuluo replied coldly, "I didn’t say I’d abandon him. I’ll help when it’s necessary. Also, I asked you earlier, but you didn’t answer—if what those two said is true, what do you plan to do? After you meet up with Yu Rong, will you immediately take people to Nanba Houtou?"
Xing Shen remained silent.
Nie Jiuluo found it amusing: "Just say yes or no. I just want to know what you’re more inclined to do."
Xing Shen weighed his words carefully: "I really want to save them, but this is clearly a trap. Going there would be a suicide mission. I’m inclined to preserve our strength first and look for opportunities later."Nie Jiuluo gave a soft hum. "What about those twelve people? Are we just going to abandon them as a last resort?"
Xing Shen didn’t dare answer that. "I’d have to go back and ask everyone’s opinion. I can’t make such a dangerous decision for others."
Nie Jiuluo smiled faintly. "Understood."
Nie Jiuluo didn’t drive the car all the way to the mall entrance.
She stopped at the street corner, watching as Xing Shen carried the luggage bag containing Mazha all the way over. Only after seeing him get into a car did she turn the vehicle around to return it to the lumberyard.
Xing Shen’s response was, in fact, quite objective.
Whoever had set this trap must have prepared something extra. Who would dare make the call to head straight into the lion’s den? Besides, Jiang Baichuan’s group had nearly been wiped out—those left behind were likely already frightened out of their wits.
Everyone’s opinion? It didn’t take a genius to guess it would be something like "proceed with caution," "don’t act rashly," or "take it slow."
And then what? Just let the fruits drop, one by one?
Nie Jiuluo steered the car off the road and slumped exhaustively over the steering wheel for a moment.
Dawn hadn’t broken yet. The pickup truck’s heater was loud but barely effective. Nie Jiuluo felt waves of cold creeping up her chest, back, legs, and feet.
She could only hope, as Xing Shen had said, that the other side was merely "bluffing."
She pulled out her phone to book a ride for herself. When the screen lit up, she noticed an unread message in the "burn after reading" app.
Could it be a reply from Jiang Baichuan’s side?
Nie Jiuluo sat up instantly and tapped it open.
It was from Yan Tuo.
—Did something happen to your people?
She checked the timestamp—it had been sent over an hour ago, when she’d been too busy to notice.
Nie Jiuluo typed: Yes. What do you know?
She silently prayed Yan Tuo wasn’t asleep and would reply immediately.
Clearly, this had been a sleepless night for Yan Tuo as well. The message was read instantly, followed by a reply: Not much. Just heard it was a clean sweep. Someone surnamed Jiang was injured—half his foot was blown off.
Nie Jiuluo stared at her phone for a long time. Even after the message self-destructed, she remained frozen, gazing blankly at the empty screen.
What did "half his foot was blown off" mean? Why resort to such brutality right off the bat?
She steadied herself and typed again: Any idea where they were taken?
Yan Tuo replied: No clue.
Nie Jiuluo felt a pang of disappointment. As the phone screen dimmed, she thought to herself: What does this have to do with me?
But the next second, Xing Shen’s words seemed to echo in her ears: Jiang Shu has always treated you well. Without him, you wouldn’t be where you are now.
...
Yan Tuo might be a small fry, but right now, he was her only source of information.
Nie Jiuluo reactivated the screen and sent Yan Tuo another message: Can we meet in person?
With surveillance in both the room and the hallway, sneaking out at this ungodly hour would be hard to explain. After some deliberation, Yan Tuo arranged to meet Nie Jiuluo for breakfast.
There was still time, so he crawled back under the covers, forcing himself to sleep for another hour. But his mind was restless, and he drifted in and out of sleep, preoccupied with one thought: Nie Jiuluo had always been reluctant to get involved—why the sudden change? Could there be someone among the captured she particularly cared about?
...
A little past seven, Yan Tuo got up. Xiong Hei had left in the middle of the night, leaving only him, Lü Xian, and the injured man from last night in the room.Yan Tuo first went to bang loudly on Lü Xian's door. Lü Xian, barely able to open his eyes from sleepiness, roared from his bed, "What the hell do you want?"
Yan Tuo had already prepared his excuse: "I want to eat. The fridge only has frozen stuff—barely edible. And we can't order takeout. I need something hot."
Lü Xian snapped irritably, "Then go out and eat."
"Walking's tiring. Lend me your car."
Grumbling, Lü Xian opened the door and tossed out the car keys.
Yan Tuo grabbed the keys and left, heading straight to the underground garage. Once inside Lü Xian's car, he first turned off the dashcam's power before driving out.
At the agreed-upon street corner, he spotted Nie Jiuluo waiting there, leaning against a lamppost and looking like she was about to fall asleep.
Yan Tuo pulled up beside her and honked the horn.
Nie Jiuluo opened her eyes, then got into the car. The moment she entered, a wave of cold air followed her in. Yan Tuo noticed the faint shadows under her eyes. "Didn't sleep well?"
Nie Jiuluo gave a noncommittal hum. "Didn't sleep well" was an understatement—after returning the car to the panel factory, she had rushed here by taxi without a moment's rest.
Yan Tuo cranked the heater to the highest setting and drove toward the nearest food street. To keep up appearances—since he was supposedly out to "buy breakfast"—he’d have to bring back a few meals later to cover everyone. That would make things easier for whatever came next.
The car warmed up quickly. Lü Xian's car was a good one, with especially comfortable seats. The moment Nie Jiuluo buckled her seatbelt and leaned back, she nearly dozed off from sheer comfort. Pinching her thigh to stay awake, she asked Yan Tuo, "After you guys rounded everyone up, where would they be taken?"
Yan Tuo shook his head. "No idea. Lin Xirou has several hideouts in Shihe. I don’t even know where she lives. Why? Are you planning to rescue someone?"
Nie Jiuluo phrased it carefully: "Is it impossible for you to know, or could you find out if you asked around?"
Yan Tuo thought for a moment. "If I ask around, maybe. If I get any info, I’ll let you know."
Nie Jiuluo dropped a bombshell: "Can you help me rescue someone?"
Yan Tuo froze, instinctively hitting the brakes. The car lurched to a stop on the empty road.
Luckily, it was still early, and they were in the suburbs with no other cars around. A thin mist had risen, casting a grayish-yellow haze over the surroundings.
After a pause, Yan Tuo started the car again. "Miss Nie, I really appreciate your help before, but I can’t assist you with anything too dangerous. My life’s valuable—it’s not just mine to throw away. I have to be careful with it."
Nie Jiuluo let out an "Oh," then remarked, "You didn’t seem too careful the last two times."
Yan Tuo knew she was referring to when he’d been caught by Banya and later injured by Mazha.
He nodded. "Yeah, so I reflected on it each time. I think being colder, more guarded, and harder-hearted might suit me better."
Then, unable to resist, he asked, "Who do you want to rescue? I can’t help with that, but if I get a chance to see them, passing along a message or looking out for them shouldn’t be too hard."
Nie Jiuluo hesitated, figuring some help was better than none. "The one with the injured foot."
Yan Tuo was surprised. "That Jiang guy? The one with the slicked-back hair... older guy?"
He’d once overheard Nie Jiuluo talking to this Jiang fellow, and her tone had been strictly business—all transactions and debts.
Nie Jiuluo nodded. "I owe him a favor."As they spoke, they had already arrived at the entrance of the snack street.
Yan Tuo pulled over to the side: "Wait here for a moment. I need to grab some food to bring back—helps with keeping up the lie."
It was rare for him to pick up food for others, so he couldn’t be too careless. Yan Tuo visited two shops and ordered a few relatively lavish meals. While waiting for the food, it suddenly occurred to him that Nie Jiuluo probably hadn’t eaten yet either, so he turned back to ask what she’d like.
Just as he approached the car, his hand raised to knock on the window, he abruptly stopped.
After a pause, Yan Tuo leaned closer to the window.
Nie Jiuluo was asleep.
Truly asleep—head resting against the neck pillow, breathing quietly, her eyelashes casting faint shadows beneath her eyes. But upon closer inspection, she wasn’t entirely relaxed. Yan Tuo noticed the index finger of the hand resting at her side was slightly raised, as if it were the only part of her body still on guard—the moment he pulled the car door or tapped the window, she would wake instantly.
Yan Tuo withdrew his hand and took a few steps back, turning to observe the gradually bustling street.
This area must have been near a school, as many elementary students in uniforms could be seen. After breakfast stalls, stationery shops, toy stores, and tutoring supply shops had also opened for business.
Closest to him was a toy store, where the owner was busy restocking the display board outside. By accident, a rubber duck rolled to Yan Tuo’s feet.
He picked it up to examine—a small yellow duck, entirely bright yellow with pitch-black eyes and an orange-red beak.
The shopkeeper asked, "Want to take one home for a kid? It’s a bath duck—floats in the tub and quacks when squeezed."
As he spoke, he reached over to demonstrate.
Yan Tuo replied, "No need. There are no kids at home."
He placed the rubber duck back on the display board.
The duck sat there quietly, much like the one that had once sat inside a glass counter long, long ago.
And tiny Yan Xin, his little sister who could barely speak coherently back then, had clung to that glass counter, refusing to leave as she babbled, "Duckie, buy duckie."
Beside her, Aunt Lin bent down and said gently, "Alright, we’ll listen to Xinxin. We’ll buy the duckie."
OpenNovel