Please go outside and line up.

Seeing Xiao Ran, everyone around stepped aside.

Xiao Ran kept her hands in her coat pockets, her face showing neither joy nor sorrow. "Then why did you get into Xu Mu's car?"

"I... I was just so angry at the time. He offered me a ride, so I went, but I didn't leak a single piece of information about the Dragon King."

Zhong Qianqian clenched her fists and growled through her tears, "What right does he have to treat me like this?"

"At a critical juncture like this, you got into his car. The Dragon King is bound to suspect you."

Xiao Ran sighed softly.

"I'm not like the rest of you. I'm not Ye Chen's subordinate. Do I need his permission for whoever I interact with?"

Zhong Qianqian completely lost her temper. "Every time he gives me a task, when have I not worked hard to complete it? I've done so much for him, and now, just because of one mistake—which wasn't even my fault—he completely denies my worth?"

"You bitch! You have a death wish! How dare you speak of the Dragon King like that?"

The scar-faced middle-aged man nearby walked over coldly.

"Step back."

Xiao Ran looked at the middle-aged man.

Hearing this, the middle-aged man stepped back a few paces, despite the indignation written all over his face.

"The Dragon King will investigate this thoroughly. Just keep her locked up here, and no one is allowed to touch her."

After saying that, Xiao Ran turned and left.

The few people around all followed behind Xiao Ran, finally locking the iron door shut.

Zhong Qianqian sat down against the wall, hugging her knees as her tears fell one by one.

It clearly wasn't her fault, so why were all these accusations being pinned on her?

Time ticked by slowly.

The hatred for Ye Chen in Zhong Qianqian's heart grew increasingly intense.

An unknown amount of time passed before the iron door was opened once again.

Hearing the noise, Zhong Qianqian immediately stood up to look, only to find the three men who had captured her earlier.

Leading them was the scar-faced middle-aged man from before.

After the three entered, one of them closed the iron door again.

Seeing this, Zhong Qianqian's expression drastically changed. "What are you going to do? Xiao Ran just said you can't touch me!"

"Xiao Ran? She ain't shit! The Dragon King made it very clear from the start: there is only one king in the Dragon King Palace. There are no ranks among the rest of us."

The scar-faced middle-aged man looked full of disdain. "She's not my boss. What she says is just bullshit to me!"

Hearing this, Zhong Qianqian sneered coldly, "If you're so tough, why didn't you say that to her face?"

"Damn you! You're asking for death!"

Flying into a rage out of humiliation, the scar-faced middle-aged man kicked Zhong Qianqian, sending her flying a full three meters away.

Zhong Qianqian's back slammed hard against the wall. The intense pain made her body feel as if she had been electrocuted, and she collapsed to the floor.

"Insult the Dragon King! I'll make you wish you were dead!"

The scar-faced middle-aged man's face darkened.

"Stop talking nonsense, let's hurry up and take the test."

Another thin man laughed from the side, "I noticed it in the car, she's got quite the assets up front."

Hearing this, Zhong Qianqian trembled with fear, her face deathly pale. "What are you going to do? Help! Sister Ran, save me!"

"Why do you think we waited until now to come? That bitch Xiao Ran left ages ago."

The scar-faced middle-aged man grinned.

He suddenly accelerated and grabbed Zhong Qianqian by the neck.

In front of an ancient martial artist, an ordinary person like Zhong Qianqian had absolutely no room to resist.

Her face was ashen, tears falling continuously. She never imagined she would meet such an end.

"Brothers, I won the rock-paper-scissors just now, so I'll take the test first."

The scar-faced middle-aged man looked at the people on his left and right.

"Wait!"

Right at that moment, the iron door in the distance was violently pushed open.

A fat young man appeared at the doorway. "You guys go outside and line up. Let me go first, I have an admission ticket."

After saying that, the fat young man walked toward them.

The scar-faced man frowned. "Who the fuck are you? Why do you look unfamiliar?"

"Of course I look unfamiliar, I'm not with you guys!"

Xu Mu's figure suddenly vanished.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

In the blink of an eye, the three men in front of him all flew backwards, crashing into the iron racks in the distance.

"Who... who are you?"

Zhong Qianqian looked at the fat man in front of her, trembling as she backed away.

"Didn't I tell you? I have an admission ticket, I can legally take the test."

Xu Mu grabbed Zhong Qianqian, hoisted her onto his shoulder, and quickly ran outside.

He didn't go through the main gate, but leaped over the wall on the side of the factory, vanishing into the night in the blink of an eye.

"Let me go!"

Zhong Qianqian struggled with all her might, but she suddenly realized that the figure of the person carrying her seemed to change as he ran.

Suddenly, her eyes widened. "You... you're Xu Mu?"

[Affection +30]

"Who else did you think it was? Who else would have nothing better to do than come save you in the middle of the night?"

Xu Mu reverted to his normal voice.

Zhong Qianqian felt a huge wave of relief, and then she began to sob softly.

On a dirt path below the highway, a Geely Xingyue was parked with its headlights off.

Xu Mu stuffed Zhong Qianqian into the backseat and got in after her. "Wanyue, let's go."

"Okay, Brother Mu."

Sitting in the driver's seat, Meng Wanyue turned on the headlights and drove away from the small path.

Xu Mu grabbed some tissues from the car and handed them to Zhong Qianqian.

Zhong Qianqian took them and wiped her tears.

[Affection +10]

"Xu Mu, thank you. If it weren't for you, I would have..."

"It's all in the past now."

Xu Mu glanced at Zhong Qianqian. "Ye Chen will definitely hunt you down after this. Do you have a safe place to go?"

"Just find me any place. As long as there's internet and I can order takeout, I could stay inside for the rest of my life."

Zhong Qianqian said softly.

"Taking this back road, we'll happen to pass by a county town under Jiang City. You can find a motel to stay at for today,"

Xu Mu said with a smile. "I imagine that since you were rescued, the first person Ye Chen will investigate is definitely me. It's not safe for you to follow me."

"Okay."

Zhong Qianqian nodded in agreement. Then, keeping her head down, she twiddled her fingers rapidly. "Xu Mu, could you lend me some money? My phone and computer are all with Ye Chen. I'm completely penniless right now."

"No problem. Just come to me whenever you need money from now on."

Xu Mu nodded.

[Affection +15]

Zhong Qianqian looked a bit self-conscious. Keeping her head lowered, she said softly, "I won't just take your money for nothing. I know a lot about networking and computers. If you run into any issues in the future, you can ask for my help."

"I won't hesitate to ask."

Xu Mu said with a smile.

...

Meanwhile.

Xiao Ran, who was already lying in bed, received a call from Ye Chen.

After answering it, she immediately got up and walked toward the manor's main gates.

There, Ye Chen was already sitting in the back seat of a Range Rover.

Xiao Ran immediately got into the driver's seat, started the car, and rushed toward their destination.

"Xiao Ran, we just recently changed to this location. Meng Wanyue shouldn't know about it."

Ye Chen rubbed the corners of his eyes forcefully. "Why do you think Xu Mu knew? Who tipped him off?"

Hearing this, Xiao Ran's grip on the steering wheel tightened.