At this moment, Xiao Zhan was like a trapped beast, pacing anxiously back and forth in the room.
Ever since Hu Sha and Tie Bi went to execute the "Beheading Operation" against the Azure Dragon Gang, they had completely lost contact, as if a stone had sunk into the sea!
He had repeatedly dialed their contact numbers countless times, but all he heard on the receiver was the cold and despairing "Unable to connect" prompt!
Each failed attempt was like an invisible heavy hammer, striking hard at his heart, making his heart sink little by little.
A very ominous premonition tormented his fragile nerves.
Could it be... that Hu Sha and Tie Bi were also in trouble?
Impossible!
Both of them were experts at the Dark Energy level!
Working together, even if they encountered experts of the same level, if they couldn't win, it would be no difficult feat to retreat safely!
How could a mere Azure Dragon Gang hold them?
Unless... unless it was Lu Cheng!
He was behind this again!
Under extreme anxiety and unease, Xiao Zhan even subconsciously tried to contact Ye Shuying.
Although... he had already developed deep suspicions about this woman.
But he now desperately needed someone who could help him analyze the situation and provide information!
However, the result was still the same.
Ye Shuying's communication was also like a stone sinking into the sea, with no response whatsoever.
This further exacerbated his suspicion and a trace of inexplicable panic.
Phantom... could she also... Just as Xiao Zhan was about to lose control of the violence in his heart and prepare to go out to investigate the situation himself—
The door of the room was suddenly pushed open from the outside.
Two familiar figures stumbled in from outside the door, looking disheveled and in a sorry state!
It was the missing Hu Sha and Tie Bi!
Seeing the two return safely, Xiao Zhan first breathed a sigh of relief.
But then, when he saw their miserable appearance at this moment, the anger in his heart surged uncontrollably again!
Hu Sha and Tie Bi were both in tattered clothes, their bodies covered with various wounds and bloodstains, some places even still oozing blood!
Hu Sha's already fierce face was now bruised and swollen, with un-dried bloodstains at the corners of his mouth, looking as if he had just gone through an extremely brutal battle!
And Tie Bi, who was always calm and composed, was now pale, his eyes filled with exhaustion and... a hint of undisguised lingering fear and humiliation!
"Hu Sha! Tie Bi! How did you two end up like this?!"
Seeing this, Xiao Zhan's previous worries instantly turned into rage, and he demanded in a stern voice.
"What about the operation? What was the result? Was the Azure Dragon Gang taken down?"
Before Hu Sha and Tie Bi could open their mouths to recount their near-death experience.
A painful memory once again flooded their minds—
After their mental defenses were completely shattered by Lu Cheng's three soul-piercing questions and Black Wolf's realistic remarks.
Lu Cheng, that man as terrifying as a devil, pulled out two seemingly ordinary black pills from his pocket, which even emitted a faint medicinal fragrance.
"To show my sincerity, and also for... our more pleasant cooperation in the future, I have specially prepared a small gift for the two of you."
"This is my newly developed Spirit-Calming Pill. After taking it, not only can it help the two of you concentrate better and complete the tasks I assign, but it can also... to a certain extent, strengthen your loyalty."
He paused, and the smile on his lips became even more sinister and cruel.
"However... all medicine has side effects, and this Spirit-Calming Pill also has a small one."
"That is, within twenty-four hours after taking it, if the antidote is not taken in time... Heh heh."
He didn't finish his sentence, but the terrifying implication contained in his unspoken words made both Hu Sha and Tie Bi shiver!
They weren't three-year-old children!
How could they not realize that this was not some damn "Spirit-Calming Pill" at all?!
This was clearly a deadly poison to control them!
They used their last strength to resist and curse, but it was all in vain.
Finally, under Lu Cheng's undisguised death threat.
They were still forced, humiliatingly, to swallow those two pills that determined their future fate.
Lu Cheng watched them take the poison with satisfaction, the smile on his face becoming even more gentle and kind.
Then, he slowly gave his latest instructions:
"Very good. It seems both of you are smart people and know how to choose."
"Now, your mission is very simple."
"Go back to your Dragon King Xiao Zhan and truthfully report your mission failure."
"As for the reason, it's Phantom. She betrayed you! She had already secretly colluded with me and set up a huge trap for you!"
"That should be enough to break his heart, right?"
"Then say that you fought to the death and narrowly escaped from the heavy encirclement!"
The corner of Lu Cheng's mouth curved into a playful smirk.
"I heard that Xiao Zhan has been exhausted recently, and his mental state doesn't seem very good. He often suspects things."
"Coincidentally, I have a special calming powder here that my junior brother didn't use up. It's colorless and odorless, dissolves instantly in water, and guarantees that after he takes it, he'll have a good night's sleep and a good dream."
He took out a small and exquisite porcelain bottle from his bosom and handed it to Tie Bi.
"You just need to find a way to make him drink this calming powder."
"Someone will naturally come to meet you for the subsequent matters."
"If you handle this well, not only will past grievances be wiped clean, but you will also get the antidote."
...Thinking of this, Hu Sha and Tie Bi forcibly suppressed the fear and humiliation deep within their hearts.
They began to vividly report their near-death encounter to the furious Dragon King Xiao Zhan, according to the script Lu Cheng had prepared beforehand.
"Dragon King! We... we fell into a trap!"
"It's Phantom! It's that heartless bitch Phantom! She actually betrayed us!"
"She had already colluded with Lu Cheng! She set up a vicious trap for us, like a net cast from heaven!"
Tie Bi also supplemented some key "details" at the appropriate time, with his unique, hoarse and low voice, and an expressionless face.
After all, in their hearts, Phantom had truly betrayed them. If it weren't for her, how could Lu Cheng have known their movements so thoroughly?
So, the two further exaggerated Ye Shuying's cold-heartedness, even saying that she stood by, watching them being besieged by enemies, doing nothing!
At the end of the story, relying on their strong will and fighting desperately, they narrowly carved a bloody path out of that hellish encirclement and escaped with their lives.
Of course, they tacitly and deliberately concealed these "irrelevant" details after encountering Lu Cheng, only emphasizing Ye Shuying's betrayal and viciousness.
After Xiao Zhan heard their tearful report.
Combined with Ye Shuying's previous loss of contact and Lu Cheng's arrogant face on the street last time, as if he had already seen through everything... The string called "reason" that had been taut in his head completely snapped!
"Bang!"
He slammed his fist onto the poor office desk in front of him!
The hard desktop cracked in response!
His eyes were bloodshot, veins bulging on his forehead, and he let out a roar filled with endless anger and monstrous killing intent!
"Good! Very good! Ye Shuying! You bitch!"
"Ah—!!! I, Xiao Zhan, swear! Unless I tear you, that bitch, into ten thousand pieces and grind your bones to dust, my hatred will not be appeased!!"