My childhood friend is in her mature, sophisticated form again today. - Chapter 9
She gently lifted the covers, walked to the window, and parted a corner of the curtains. There was a car in the yard—a black SUV with dark tinted windows, obscuring the interior. It hadn’t been there last night.
“Cheng Ran,” she said in a low voice.
“Yes.” The reply came almost instantly. “You’re awake.”
“There’s an extra car in the yard. A black SUV, the engine’s still running.”
“I see it. Let me check the license plate… It’s a virtual license plate; I can’t find any real information about it.”
When did you arrive?
“Around four in the morning. My surveillance footage at the time showed that two people got out of the car and went into the main building. They didn’t come out.”
Lin Jiqiu lowered the curtains, her brows furrowing slightly.
Who is it?
“Uncertain. But judging from his gait and build, he’s not an ordinary security guard. He might be… a professional.”
Lin Jiqiu tapped her fingers lightly on the curtain.
“You mean, what did they find?”
“Not necessarily,” Cheng Ran said. “It could be a routine ‘inspection.’ But the timing is too coincidental—Amo checked the iron gate last night, and people came today.”
Lin Jiqiu remained silent for two seconds.
“In any case, the plan is being moved forward.”
“when?”
“In the morning. Before they are fully on guard.”
“…Okay. I’ll be ready to provide backup.”
Lin Jiqiu turned around, walked to Xiaoyu’s bedside, and gently patted her shoulder.
“Xiaoyu, wake up.”
Xiaoyu opened her eyes; her pupils were clearer than yesterday, but still somewhat red. She looked at Lin Jiqiu, as if it took her a few seconds to come out of the dream.
What time is it?
“It’s a little past six. How are you feeling?”
Xiaoyu sat up and rubbed her temples. “I feel a little dizzy, but not so badly.”
“Drink water. Let it metabolize yesterday’s medicine.”
Xiaoyu picked up the water glass from the bedside table and drank more than half of it in one gulp. She put the glass down, looked at Lin Jiqiu, her eyes clearer than yesterday. “Lin Qiu, what you said last night… was it true? Can we really leave?”
“Yes,” Lin Jiqiu said, “but you have to listen to me.”
“I’m listening.”
“Okay. Now wash up and eat breakfast as usual. Don’t let them notice anything unusual.”
Xiaoyu nodded, got up, and went to the bathroom.
Lin Jiqiu stood by the window and pulled back the curtains again. The black SUV was still parked there, the engine still running, with a faint white mist rising from the exhaust pipe. The engine was idling, the sound very low, but she could hear it.
“Chengran, is anyone in that car?”
“Yes. There was one person in the driver’s seat and two people in the back seat. Neither of them got out of the car.”
“Where’s the equipment?”
“I can’t see clearly. But the size of the two people in the back seat… they might be carrying weapons.”
Lin Jiqiu took a deep breath and then slowly exhaled.
“I see.”
The atmosphere in the restaurant at breakfast time was quite different from the previous few days.
There were a few more people.
They weren’t students; they were unfamiliar men. Three of them, dressed casually, sat at a table in the corner, plates in front of them, but barely eating. Their eyes kept scanning the students in the dining room, as if observing something.
Lin Jiqiu, carrying her tray, chose a seat with her back to them. Xiaoyu sat opposite her, and Xiaoyi came over with her tray and sat next to Xiaoyu.
“Who are those people?” Xiao Yi asked in a low voice, gesturing towards the corner with her eyes.
“I don’t know,” Lin Jiqiu said. “Don’t look at them.”
Xiao Yi lowered her head and used her chopsticks to stir the porridge in her bowl.
Xiaoyu didn’t speak, but her hands were trembling. Lin Jiqiu gently nudged her foot under the table, and Xiaoyu looked up at her. Lin Jiqiu shook her head slightly—don’t be nervous.
Xiaoyu took a deep breath, picked up the bowl of porridge, and took a sip.
Teacher Mingyi did not appear. Teacher Chen did not appear either. The teacher in charge of the class was a young woman I didn’t recognize, wearing the same navy blue uniform, but with a completely different demeanor—her eyes were colder, her speech was more direct, and she lacked Teacher Chen’s deliberate gentleness.
“Today’s schedule has been adjusted.” She stood in the lobby, holding a folder. “The morning meditation is canceled and replaced with free time. Everyone must stay in their rooms and are not allowed to visit each other. Lunch will be distributed in the rooms.”
Some of the trainees whispered among themselves, but no one dared to raise their voices in protest.
“Why was it canceled?” someone asked.
“Because there are some last-minute arrangements,” the young woman replied briefly, without any explanation. “Now, everyone go back to your rooms.”
The trainees stood up one after another and walked out.
Lin Jiqiu followed Xiaoyu and Xiaoyi out of the restaurant, glancing at the three men out of the corner of her eye. They also stood up, but instead of following the students, they headed towards the main building.
“Cheng Ran”.
“I heard you.”
Who are they going to see?
“Let me check the surveillance footage… wait a minute…” Cheng Ran’s voice paused for a few seconds, “They went to the third floor. They went into that round room.”
Lin Jiqiu’s fingers tightened slightly.
“Xiaoyu”.
“Um?”
“After you get back to your room, lock the door. Don’t open it for anyone who knocks.”
Xiaoyu’s face paled. “What happened?”
“It’s not certain yet. But just do as instructed.”
Xiaoyu nodded and quickly walked towards the stairs.
Xiao Yi followed behind, took a few steps, then turned back to look at Lin Jiqiu. “And you?”
I’ll be back later.
Xiao Yi hesitated for a moment, then left.
Lin Jiqiu was the only one left in the corridor.
She turned and headed towards the restroom—not really to go there, but because the path led past the stairwell and offered a view of the second floor. No one was there. She continued walking until she reached the window at the end of the corridor.
This place is closer to the main building. Through the window, you can see the side of the main building. The curtains on the third-floor window are drawn, so you can’t see inside. But one of the windows on the second floor is open, and you can hear people talking—their voices are very low, and you can’t make out what they’re saying.
Lin Jiqiu closed his eyes.
It’s not about listening with your ears.
It uses clones.
A bluebird emerged from her consciousness and landed on the windowsill. It was very small and light, its gray feathers almost transparent in the morning light.
“Go to the third floor. Outside the circular room,” she instructed in her mind.
The bluebird flapped its wings and flew up, skimming the wall. Its flight height was just above the top of the window, making it difficult to see from the outside.
The window on the third floor was closed, but there was a gap in the curtains.
A bluebird landed on the windowsill and peered through the crack.
In the circular room, Teacher Mingyi sat in the central chair, facing the three unfamiliar men. Teacher Chen stood to the side, holding a tablet computer.
“There are missing surveillance footage from last night,” one of the men said in a low voice, but Qingque could hear him clearly. “From 9:00 to 9:15, the footage of the entire floor was frozen.”
“Equipment malfunction?” Teacher Mingyi’s voice was very calm.
“It’s not a malfunction. It’s been replaced.” The man’s tone was cold. “Someone has hacked into your system.”
Teacher Mingyi’s expression did not change, but he tapped his fingers lightly twice on the armrest of the chair.
Who is it?
“I don’t know. But the method is very professional, not your average hacker.” The man paused for a moment. “We need to investigate all the trainees. Someone might have infiltrated.”
Lin Jiqiu’s fingers tightened slightly on the windowsill.
When will the investigation begin?
“This morning. All trainees, one by one.” The man stood up. “Don’t let them leave the room until then.”
Teacher Mingyi nodded.
“Teacher Chen, go and make the arrangements.”
Teacher Chen turned and walked out of the circular room.
The bluebird huddled in the shadows of the windowsill, waiting until Teacher Chen had gone far away before silently flying away.
Lin Jiqiu opened her eyes.
Her expression was calm, but her mind was racing.
Investigate. One by one. Professional hackers. Very professional methods.
Cheng Ran.
“You heard everything?” she asked in a low voice.
“I heard you.” Cheng Ran’s voice was very low. “They will find out that your identity is fake during the investigation.”
“I know.”
“You need to leave before they detect you.”
“I know.”
Lin Jiqiu turned around and strode towards the stairs.
The door to room 203 was locked. She knocked twice, three short knocks followed by one long knock—the pre-arranged code with Xiaoyu.
The door opened. Xiaoyu stood in the doorway, her face pale.
“Come in.” She made way for her.
Lin Jiqiu went in, closed the door, and locked it.
Xiao Yi was also in the room, sitting on Xiao Yu’s bed, hugging a pillow.
“Lin Qiu, what happened?” Xiao Yi’s voice trembled slightly. “I heard people in the corridor saying something about ‘screening’ and ‘sneaking in’… Who snuck in?”
Lin Jiqiu looked at the two of them.
Nineteen years old. Seventeen years old. Ordinary college and high school students. They shouldn’t have to go through this.
But now, they need to make a choice.
“It’s me,” Lin Jiqiu said.
Xiao Yi was stunned.
“You…what?”
“I said, I’m the one who infiltrated here.” Lin Jiqiu’s voice was calm. “I’m not called Lin Qiu, nor am I a nineteen-year-old college student. I’m here to investigate this organization.”
The room fell silent.
Xiaoyu stared at her, her lips trembling slightly. Xiaoyi’s mouth was open, like a fish thrown ashore.
“Who…who are you?” Xiao Yi finally managed to squeeze out a sentence.
“An investigator,” Lin Jiqiu said. “I can’t tell you too much. But you need to know one thing—this organization isn’t helping you find yourselves. They’re controlling you, using drugs, hypnosis, and psychological manipulation. Behind that iron gate downstairs, there are at least twenty missing girls.”
Xiaoyu covered her mouth with her hand.
Xiao Yi’s tears fell down.
“I…we…”
“You’ll be alright,” Lin Jiqiu said firmly, “but you need to listen to me. Now.”
She walked to the window and opened it.
“There are people waiting outside. I need to get you out first.”
“How do we get out?” Xiaoyu asked softly.
“From here. The second floor isn’t very high; there’s a lawn below.”
Xiao Yi walked to the window, glanced down, and her face turned even paler. “I…I dare not.”
“You don’t need to jump. Someone will catch you.”
Lin Jiqiu closed his eyes.
It’s not about releasing Qingque, nor is it about releasing Amo.
It is to release Ahua.
A calico female cat, small, clever, and adept at approaching people—and also adept at attracting attention.
Ahua emerged from her consciousness and landed on the windowsill. It flicked its tail, glanced back at Lin Jiqiu, and then jumped down, landing silently on the lawn.
“Ahua will distract the people in the yard,” Lin Jiqiu said. “You all follow my instructions.”
She released Aju again.
The orange tomcat was sturdy and looked憨厚 (honest and simple), but had excellent stamina. Orange jumped down from the windowsill and followed Flower.
The two cats ran towards the yard, one after the other.
“Chengran, the cat clone has been deployed.”
“I see it,” Cheng Ran said. “The support vehicles outside are in position. They’re about two hundred meters from the eastern wall of the camp.”
“good.”
Lin Jiqiu turned around and looked at Xiaoyu and Xiaoyi.
“Wait for my signal. Once the signal comes, jump down and run east. Don’t look back. Someone is waiting for you outside the wall.”
“And you?” Xiaoyu asked.
“I will distract them.”
Xiaoyu’s eyes reddened.
“You…you’ll be alright, won’t you?”
Lin Jiqiu looked at her, and the corners of her mouth curved slightly—not a smile, but a reassuring one.
Yes, it will.
Outside the window, Ahua had already run to the center of the yard. It stopped, squatted down, and began licking its paws.
The two security guards in the courtyard noticed it.
“Where did this cat come from?”
“I don’t know… maybe they’re not from the camp?”
A security guard walked over, trying to shoo it away. Ahua stood up and slowly walked in another direction, as if taking a stroll.
The security guard followed them.
Ahua walked under a car and crawled inside. The security guard squatted down and reached out to grab her.
Out of reach.
He stood up and said a few words into the walkie-talkie. Another security guard also came over.
The two cats attracted the attention of three people.
“Now,” Lin Jiqiu said to Xiaoyu.
Xiaoyu took a deep breath and climbed onto the windowsill. Her legs were trembling, but she didn’t hesitate—she closed her eyes and jumped.
The grass caught her; it wasn’t too soft, but she wasn’t hurt. She lay on the ground, stunned for a second, then got up and ran eastward.
Xiao Yi is the second one.
She was more frightened than Xiaoyu, but Xiaoyu had already gone down, and she didn’t want to be left alone. She bit her lip and jumped down.
She twisted her ankle when she landed, gritted her teeth and got up, limping behind Xiaoyu.
Lin Jiqiu watched them run away, then turned and walked towards the door.
She opened the door and went out.
There was no one in the corridor.
She walked to the top of the stairs and glanced down—in the first-floor corridor, Teacher Chen was knocking on each door.
“Open the door. Routine check.”
A door to one of the rooms opened, and a girl’s voice came from inside: “What’s wrong?”
“It’s nothing, I just have a few questions.”
Lin Jiqiu retreated into the corridor and turned to walk in the other direction.
At the end of the building is a window that leads to a fire escape outside.
She pushed open the window and climbed out.
The metal ladder creaked softly beneath her feet. She descended the ladder quickly, without making much noise.
As she approached the ground, she heard a sound behind her.
“Someone ran away! To the east!”
Were they discovered? No—they saw Xiaoyu and Xiaoyi.
Lin Jiqiu jumped down the fire ladder and landed on the grass.
She didn’t run east—she ran in the opposite direction, towards the main building.
Footsteps came from behind her.
“stop!”
She didn’t turn around.
She had only one thought in her mind—to distract them and get Xiaoyu and Xiaoyi far away.
“Cheng Ran”.
“exist.”
“I’ve led them away. You’ll meet up with Xiaoyu and the others.”
“And you?”
“I’ll figure something out.”
“…Lin Jiqiu.”
She heard something in his voice—not nervousness, but some deeper emotion she couldn’t quite put her finger on.
“Um.”
“Don’t get hurt.”
Lin Jiqiu’s lips curved slightly.
“Only 40%.”
She quickened her pace and disappeared into the shadows of the main building.
Behind them, the footsteps of the pursuers grew closer and closer.
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE
