"This shouldn't be. There's no reason why he could have escaped... "
Han Fei, biting down on a cigarette, already had his brows furrowed into knots.
For half the night, the officers had been searching this whole area without rest.
They had turned the place over again and again, but somehow hadn't even caught a glimpse of Xu Mo's shadow.
Other than Han Fei, the remaining three members of the pursuit team also had their brows tightly knitted, all of them pondering over where this Xu Mo had run off to and where he could possibly run off to.
After putting out his cigarette, Han Fei looked to Shen Manni, who was similarly frowning beside him: "From a criminal psychology perspective, where do you think this Xu Mo would be?"
Shen Manni first slowly shook her head, then looked back to Han Fei.
"If he was an average criminal, he would definitely choose to flee now, and get as far away as possible. But Xu Mo won't do that. He's not like other 'fugitives' - this man is very clever. He knows the most dangerous places are actually the safest..."
She paused for a moment. Han Fei and Shen Manni exchanged a look.
In unison, they said: "Hiding in plain sight!"
"Xu Mo must still be hiding nearby. Everyone, keep searching! Anywhere around here cannot be overlooked! Search slowly and carefully!" Han Fei said, looking towards the officers.
And so, the officers once again scrupulously searched every inch of the surrounding area - this time, even the roadside trash cans weren't spared.
One could say that anywhere a person could hide, they searched.
But even so, they were still unable to find Xu Mo.
After searching it all again and still coming up empty-handed, the officers returned looking discouraged.
"Still nothing found?" Han Fei asked, although he already knew the answer.
"No, we've searched everywhere. No sign of Xu Mo."
"We didn't find him. Anywhere a person could hide, we already looked."
"It's like this guy just vanished into thin air."
...
With a 'snap', Han Fei lit up another cigarette.
"No, there must be some place we've missed... Xu Mo must still be hiding nearby. He definitely didn't leave."
After a brief pondering, Han Fei's sharp eyes swept over every officer present.
"Are you sure you've searched every conceivable hiding spot?"
"We're sure. Searched everything, really no one there."
"If Xu Mo was really hiding around here, he would've been found long ago."
"Misjudged? Not hiding in plain sight?", Han Fei muttered to himself, "Can't be... We got here first, Xu Mo didn't even have a chance to escape."
Suddenly, his eyes lit up as he thought of something.
Before this, he was certain that Xu Mo definitely did not leave this area.
Moreover, this wasn't only his opinion - even Shen Manni, well-versed in criminal psychology, thought the same.
If it had only been his own deduction, then there might still be room for error. But with Shen Manni also sensing that Xu Mo should be nearby, there was absolutely no mistake!
The unanimous intuition of two veterans - how could that be wrong?
Obviously it couldn't.
Just now, he thought of the most likely overlooked spot.
An extremely conspicuous place that the officers would definitely not have searched!
After figuring it out, Han Fei smiled.
"I've got it. I know where this Xu Mo is hiding. Hiding in plain sight... Not bad, kid. You really strung us along."
"Where is he hiding?", Shen Manni immediately asked.
"Our previous thinking wasn't wrong, we just searched in the wrong direction. He wouldn't hide in trash cans or snake into deserted alleyways because those places aren't conspicuous enough. They don't truly count as 'hiding in plain sight'. Only the most dangerous, most noticeable places are the truly safest places."
"The more noticeable it is, the safer it is to hide right under our noses - that's true hiding in plain sight."
"If I'm not guessing wrong, Xu Mo's actual hiding spot is over there." Han Fei pointed towards a rather conspicuous building not far away.
Li Chen knitted his brows as he followed the direction Han Fei was pointing. "A public restroom?"
"To be precise, the female restroom. All the officers participating in the search this time are male. Even if we searched the restrooms, there would still be oversights."
At this, the officers all nodded. They really didn't dare search the female restroom.
Seeing this, Shen Manni, the only female amongst them, volunteered:
"I'll go take a look."
After saying so, she headed towards the nearby restroom.
But soon, she came back out, shaking her head at Han Fei and the others.
"Not inside."
"Not inside?"
The trail went cold again.
This time, even seasoned veteran Han Fei couldn't think of anywhere left that could hide a person.
They had turned this place upside down yet still failed to find Xu Mo.
Could it be that this guy didn't hide here but ran away instead?
Han Fei felt strongly that he was overlooking something - the intuition of an experienced detective.
But even if you asked him outright, he wouldn't be able to give a sensible explanation.
He looked all around and finally fixed his gaze upon the roadside hotel...
...
In the presidential suite:
"Pass or play? If not I'm leaving!"
Xu Mo had won yet another round.
A game like Landlord was far too simple for someone of Xu Mo's intelligence.
From start till now, he hadn't lost a single round!
Xu Mo raised an eyebrow.
"No fun just playing for nothing. How about we raise the stakes, play some games - what do you think?"
Hearing this, air stewardess Wan Hanyu suddenly grew excited, a blush rising to her cheeks.
Finally... it begins?
I knew a rich guy wouldn't be so bored!
A man and two women booking a room - how could nothing happen inside?
How could things not develop?
Just now when they were playing Landlord she nearly spiraled into depression.
Holding two kings but not getting them out.
She even started doubting her own appeal for a moment.
Looks like she was worrying over nothing!
Head lowered, Wan Hanyu shyly said, "A-Anything's... fine."
Yang Jingxuan also narrowed her eyes at Xu Mo.
Oh Xu Mo, you scoundrel!
Seeing how absorbed Xu Mo was in Landlord just now, she thought he was only joking earlier about asking them to hook up.
Who knew he'd bare his fangs this quickly?
Talking about playing some games?
Hmph!
He's just lusting after this air stewardess's body, how base!
Men really... tsk.
They're only obedient when hanging on the wall!
In a flash, Yang Jingxuan felt somewhat indignant.
In temperament, looks, figure - what was she lacking compared to this air stewardess?
Xu Mo would rather lust after the air stewardess's body than hers?
No, unacceptable.
She had to think of something to also make Xu Mo lust after her.
It'd be too embarrassing if word got out otherwise!
young master of the Shen family—a figure of immense power and wealth beyond measure—and awakened the "Destined Ultimate Villain System"! His starting scenario? Running into his icy fiancée who shows up with a mountain-descending divine doctor to break off their engagement. The divine doctor arrogantly taunts: "What does your Shen family have besides a bit of stinking money? You're not even worthy of tying Qingxue's shoelaces!" Shen Fei just smiled. He completely defied the usual script: "Fine, I agree to break off the engagement. Also, notify the finance department to withdraw all investments from the Su family." Minutes later, with its capital chain severed, the Su Group teetered on the brink of bankruptcy! The once aloof and proud ice queen CEO was thrown into utter panic. That very night, she went to Shen Fei's villa, casting aside all dignity to beg and plead desperately... From then on, in this world teeming with Sons of Destiny, Shen Fei embarked on a path of extreme dimensional suppression! A mountain-descending divine doctor? Peerless medical skills? Shen Fei: "Reporting you for practicing medicine without a license! I'll gladly take your ancient medicinal cauldron and twin sister assassins." The Crooked-Smiling Dragon King? Commanding a hundred thousand soldiers with a single order? Shen Fei: "Illegal assembly and suspected treason! Let a fleet of attack helicopters sanitize the area and teach you what the state apparatus really means!" A reborn tycoon? Knows all the golden opportunities of the next decade? Shen Fei: "A trillion in capital to reverse and pump the stock market, making you blow your margin and jump on the very first day of your rebirth!" What Chosen Ones? What bearers of Heavenly Fortune? In Shen Fei's eyes, they're all just chives (i.e., suckers/marks) waiting to be harvested! Shen Fei: "Sorry, but as the Destined Ultimate Villain, I don't play by the rules of honor. I only play the game of dimensional suppression."
] [Lone Wolf, No Male Gaze] [Protagonist is pursued early on; extreme protagonist-stans, stay away!] The "Carnival Paradise" descends and slowly devours the real world in the form of a game. By chance, Zhu Yan awakens the talent [Roleplay], becoming one of the first beta players. He thought he could develop safely, but after clearing the first instance, he is branded by humanity as the chief culprit behind the game's spread—a traitorous villain. A villain? Who would ever... become one! He'll be the villain! From then on, Zhu Yan is not only a player but also a lackey for the Carnival Paradise. Between the straight path and the crooked path, he chooses the con. With his left hand, he dons the villain's mantle, staging scenes within instances, infuriating players who decry him as a despicable traitor, all while the game happily promotes him. With his right hand, he joins the non-human organization "Fangcun Mountain," which opposes the Carnival Paradise, transforming into a mysterious player who slaughters game bosses, earning cheers of "Long live the expert!" from fellow players. Gradually, Zhu Yan rises to become an S-rank human player in Fangcun Mountain's archives, while also being the Carnival Paradise's certified top game Boss. But when the final war erupts and both major factions place their hopes in him— Players tag his various aliases: "Experts, this offensive depends on you." The Carnival Paradise's supreme Boss throws an arm around his neck: "Bro, you're the iron, I'm the steel; you can't let me down again!"
rowess are unmatched, commanding a million-strong army! Yet, the Emperor wants to depose him for the sake of a false prince? Hold on, are you throwing me into some female-oriented romance plot? How can I tolerate this? With a grand wave of his hand—the Nine Clan Extraction Technique! Slander the Emperor? Very well, all of you shall die! ... The False Prince: "Although I am not the biological son, Father and Mother love me more. The throne should be mine!" The Female Lead: "Qin Xiao, you are the Emperor, and I am a commoner. If you wish to marry me, you must abdicate. Otherwise, you will never have me!" The Empress: "After we divorce, you must give me half the empire!" The Transmigrator Consort: "You worthless Emperor, why should I kneel to you? All men are equal—I advise you to be kind!" The Great General: "The enemy general is my childhood sweetheart. For her sake, I willingly abandon the frontier defenses!" The Retired Emperor: "Although Yu'er was adopted, I prefer him. Qin Xiao, you should abdicate and let him become Emperor!" ... Very well! So this is how you want to play? Facing this twisted world of female-oriented tropes, Qin Xiao grins and raises his hand to unleash—the Nine Clan Extraction Technique! I am the Emperor. Why would I bother reasoning with you? Seal the gates! Leave none alive!
e school belle recognized by the whole school, a genius girl from the kendo club. She also has a hidden identity, the youngest legendary demon hunter. Chen Shuo just transmigrated and found himself turned into a weak, helpless little vampire. He was caught by Su Xiyen and taken home at the very beginning. Since then, Chen Shuo's life creed only had two items. "First, classmate Su Xiyen is always right." "Second, if classmate Su Xiyen is wrong, please refer back to item one." Many years later, Chen Shuo, who had turned back into a human, led a pair of twins to appear in front of all the vampires to share the secret of how he turned back into a human. "It's simple, I tricked a female demon hunter into becoming my wife!"
