Shu Lanzhou suddenly looked up and flashed a smile at the mustached man outside the door, while slowly reaching up to unzip her down jacket.
She was slender and petite, with a tiny face but disproportionately large eyes. When she smiled, there was a soft charm about her—so delicate and sweet that it made people want to bully her.
The man at the door cursed under his breath and reached out to push the door open.
Shu Lanzhou stepped back, giving him space.
"Take off your clothes."
Her voice trembled slightly.
But to the mustached man, it sounded like the ultimate seduction.
"Can't wait, little cutie?" He had never met a girl like this before—thin, sure, but so damn adorable.
Adorable enough to make him impatient.
Shu Lanzhou forced down the nausea rising in her throat. "There are too many people out front. It's not safe. You… you'd better hurry and undress."
The man could hardly contain himself. He had the lowest status among his group, and when it came time to "have fun" with this girl, he'd likely have to wait until the others were done.
But she was small and frail—she'd never survive the brutes that came before him. By the time it was his turn, she'd probably be dead. What fun would that be?
Since she was being so proactive, there was no way he was letting this opportunity slip by.
In two quick moves, he shrugged off his down jacket.
"Not enough. Take off more. That sweater's too thick—I want to see… your skin." Shu Lanzhou took a deep breath and forced herself to speak those disgusting words.
In two lifetimes, she had never said anything that made her want to throw up so badly.
"Heh… you're even hornier than I am. Fine, I'll strip," the man chuckled.
Men with their brains between their legs really must have no IQ, Shu Lanzhou thought coldly.
As soon as the man stripped off his top, she said, "Turn around. I'll help you with your pants."
"..."
The man eagerly turned his back to her. But the moment he did, Shu Lanzhou summoned every ounce of strength she had and drove two silver needles straight into his pressure points.
"You—" he let out a sharp grunt of pain, turned around, and raised his hand to strike, but his body crumpled before he could land a blow.
Shu Lanzhou lunged forward, straddling him, and jabbed several more needles into his vital spots. In a matter of seconds, the man was completely unconscious.
She slumped down beside him, her legs weak.
Her acupuncture classes were paying off—this first "live test" had gone perfectly.
She didn't dare waste time. Quickly, she untied the ropes on her wrists and ankles and bound the man tightly in return.
Then she fished out his phone and called the police.
She couldn't risk waiting here, so she pocketed the phone, locked the unconscious man in the bathroom, and headed toward the warehouse's back exit.
The warehouse was large, and she wandered for a while without finding a door. Instead, she heard footsteps ahead.
At first, it was just one person. Then it became a mess of hurried steps.
Voices. Yelling. Swearing.
Shu Lanzhou didn't dare run aimlessly. She ducked into a cabinet and squeezed herself inside.
Maybe it was because she had lived two lives now—she had a deeper appreciation for life and more calm than she'd expected. She checked the phone. It was 11 p.m.
Someone outside shouted, "Old Third's phone is gone! That chick must've taken it! Call it—she couldn't have gotten far!"
Shu Lanzhou immediately silenced the phone and breathed a silent prayer—thank God she hadn't run far.
But her relief was short-lived. The footsteps were getting closer.
Her hiding spot wasn't safe.
A moment later, the cabinet door was yanked open.
"Found her, boss!"
She was violently dragged out.
"You bitch!" The mustached man stormed over and slapped her hard across the face.
Her head snapped to the side, and everything went fuzzy—ringing filled her ears, and she couldn't hear a thing.
She was dimly aware they had dragged her back to the front of the warehouse, throwing her onto a filthy mattress.
The men started arguing.
Shu Lanzhou screamed, loud and shrill. They paused.
Seizing the moment, she scrambled to her feet, pulled out a silver needle, and held it to her own neck.
"Don't come any closer! One more step, and I swear I'll kill myself!"
"I know you're only doing this for money—you don't want a murder on your hands. But if I die, you're all finished!"
"How much did they pay you? Name a price. I'll pay double."
Someone said something, but she couldn't hear them.
All she could do was watch their every movement.
"Boss, she's too much trouble. Maybe we should call it off. I don't want to get caught for murder."
"She said double… what if she's serious? Maybe we test it?"
The group started arguing again, this time more fiercely—even throwing punches.
Shu Lanzhou still couldn't hear clearly. Her head throbbed harder with every second. She wouldn't last much longer.
The mustached man lunged, snatched the needle from her hand, and started tearing at her clothes.
"I'm not letting you off the hook. You think you can stab me with a needle and get away with it?!"
Her head slammed against the wall.
Everything went black.
In the distance—sirens.
When Shu Lanzhou opened her eyes again, she was lying in a hospital bed.
The first faces she saw were Mu Yanning and Mu Side.
"Teacher… senior…" she tried to sit up but was gently pushed back down by Mu Yanning.
"Lie still. The doctor said you have a mild concussion. No moving for now."
Shu Lanzhou nodded. She could hear again!
Though her face and head still throbbed painfully.
"Did they catch those guys?" she asked. The question wiped the smiles off both Mu Yanning and Mu Side's faces.
Mu Side clenched his jaw. "We got them. Every single one."
"They weren't random criminals," Shu Lanzhou said firmly. "Someone sent them."
She had already suspected it the moment she saw the mustached man—it had to be Lin Muyao who sent them.
That was why she had dared to threaten them with her own life. She knew they didn't dare to kill her. If she lived, the one pulling the strings could still protect them. But if she died, there would be no escape for them.
In her past life, it was only after Dong Anlan jumped off a building and died that the media exploded, the group was caught, and their photos plastered everywhere.
In the end, all five were sentenced to death.
But this time, Shu Lanzhou had offended Lin Muyao first. She had become the target.
And because of that… Dong Anlan wouldn't have to go through that nightmare again.
Shu Lanzhou couldn't help but smile.
"…Has she lost her mind?" Mu Yanning muttered, stroking her head with concern. "After all she's been through, how can she still smile?"
"I'm fine, Teacher," Shu Lanzhou said. "I'm smiling because they didn't hurt me. And I used the needle technique you taught me today—it worked perfectly! Dropped him in one shot!"
"You silly girl…" Mu Yanning, usually composed and reserved, had tears in her eyes.
"Is this really the time to be thinking about stuff like that? Can't your brain take a break?"
She tucked the blanket around her gently. "Listen to your teacher. Get some rest. Let Mu Side handle the rest. He already looked into their backgrounds—he knows what to tell the police. Be good and sleep, alright?"
But how had Mu Side investigated them so quickly?
And who had called them to the hospital?
Shu Lanzhou had so many questions, but under Mu Yanning's tender gaze, she quietly closed her eyes.