We contacted the hotel manager to check the surveillance footage, and we gawked in shock when we saw the video recording.

A man wearing a cap sneaked into the hotel and went to our room. He then used a small item to pick the door lock.

This hotel used a card key system to secure the rooms. The man seemed to have used some electronic device to bypass the sensor, then he used a normal card to unlock the door.

Once the door was slightly ajar, he discreetly blew some white powder into the room. He waited for a while then went inside. A moment later, he came out with Li Meng on his back.

He then went to Yin Xinyue’s room and tried to pick their lock.

However, two security guys suddenly showed up. The man was scared and hurried to leave. However, the two stupid security guys didn’t even find him suspicious.

I was enraged as the stealthy man turned out to be Qin Yu.

“We can’t bear any more of this! Let’s call the police. We have to report this.”

Li Mazi implored, “No, don’t call the police. Qin Yu has been possessed. He would not do this willingly!”

“Are you nuts?” My veins popped out as my anger rose. “He kidnapped your son. How can you still defend him?”

Li Mazi took a deep breath and said with a serious face, “You have to know that someone stole my tuition when I was still studying at the university. I came from a poor family, and I couldn’t bring myself to tell my parents that my money had been stolen.

“I wanted to do some part-time work to earn the school fee, but the thief actually returned my money before I could find a job. However, I knew that a thief wouldn’t do that. It was Qin Yu who had secretly placed the money under my pillow. I knew it because the original stack only had fifty-renminbi notes, while the one Qin Yu gave me had one-hundred-renminbi notes.

“Since he had used his own money, he didn’t have enough for his expenses. We had to survive on instant noodles for fifteen days. Later on, I felt like puking every time I saw instant noodles. Qin Yu even got a stomach ache because of it.

“After that, I vowed to help Qin Yu if he was in trouble one day!”

As he retold the touching story, his eyes started to tear up.

I helplessly shook my head as I knew I couldn’t talk him out of this. I finally nodded and said, “All right, I will do as you say.”

When we returned to our room, Li Mazi called Qin Yu. However, the man didn’t pick up the call.

Li Mazi started to get anxious.

I suddenly remembered that we had an appointment with San Bao at 3 PM. Why hadn’t he called us yet? Was he also attacked?

I immediately reminded Li Mazi about it, who patted his forehead and said, “How could I forget him?” Then, he called San Bao.

However, San Bao’s phone was off.

While we were struggling to contact him, the telephone in our room started ringing.

I picked up the handset. It was from the hotel’s front desk. “Is Mister Li Mazi there? Someone wants to see you.”

“I’m here,” Li Mazi snatched the phone and continued, “Let him to my room.”

Soon after, we were shocked to see San Bao’s strange appearance. His face was bruised and swollen like a pig’s head.

“Damn.” Li Mazi jumped up and said, “San Bao, did you gain weight?”

“Weight my ass!” Although the bespectacled San Bao looked very educated, he showed the blunt manners of a rough man as soon as he opened his mouth. “I got beaten up. My face is all swollen.”

Li Mazi was amused. “Did you tease someone’s wife or sister? You sure are bold, why do you always want to play around with young girls? Would you be happy if your wife was groped?”

San Bao shot a glance at Li Mazi. “How do you keep that mouth of yours running all the time? Someone is going to seal it one day!”

Yin Xinyue hurried to give San Bao an ice cube to ease the swelling on his face.

“What happened to you?” asked Li Mazi.

“What else could have happened? Of course, it was that despicable Qin Yu! That bastard is really heartless!” San Bao said, deeply hurt.

“Qin Yu stopped me before I could enter the hotel. He asked me if I had come here to join hands with you and plot against him. He punched me right after that. If I wasn’t mindful about his mental disease, he would have been the one with the bruised and swollen face!”

“Why didn't you call me?”

“My phone broke. That bastard also took my money. Sigh, why did I befriend a man like him? I was bullied by him even though I’ve always treated him as a dear friend,” said San Bao.

Li Mazi hurried to comfort San Bao. When the latter calmed down, he said with a stern tone, “I should tell you the truth. Actually, Qin Yu is possessed by some evil spirit. That’s why he’s changed so much. Haven’t you also noticed how strange his behavior is?”

After listening to Li Mazi’s words, San Bao was surprised. “I knew it! I’m sure it’s that jade belt... I told him to throw it away, but he didn’t listen. Now, we’re tangled in this mess, sigh. What do we do? Li Mazi, do you know any expert who’s specialized in dealing with this sort of thing? No matter the price, we have to get rid of whatever is messing with Qin Yu.”

Li Mazi smiled. “We don’t need to find one. There’s one right here.” He pointed at me.

San Bao’s perplexed eyes scanned me from head to toe. “This guy? But he looks so young…”

“Don’t look down on him,” Li Mazi smiled and said, “Little Brother Zhang, there’s no need to be humble about it. Tell us what to do.”

I said, “All right, enough with the flattery. This matter is a bit difficult to solve, but I will try my best. I want to see that jade belt first. I may be able to help Qin Yu if I can find the secret behind it.”

San Bao patted his thigh. “That jade belt has been missing for a while now. How can we find it? Qin Yu is really giving me a headache.”

While we were discussing, Li Mazi’s phone rang. He took it out of his pocket and asked, “Hey San Bao, do you know this number?”

San Bao checked the number and recognized it right away. “Yes, I do. That’s the man who sold the jade belt to Qin Yu. He only trusts that fellow ever since he bought the belt. But why is that guy calling you?”

I was really sensitive to these matters due to my profession. I asked Li Mazi to record the call, as I felt it could be important.

Li Mazi nodded. He pressed the record button before answering the call.

“Hello? Who’s this?” asked Li Mazi.

“Is San Bao there?” The other man sounded cold as he spoke. “Give him the phone.”

Li Mazi shot a doubtful glance at San Bao and passed over the phone.

San Bao’s rude manners disappeared as he took the phone. He answered with a serious tone, just like a successful manager would. “Haha, Boss Ma, it’s been a while! It’s quite a surprise that you were able to contact me since my phone’s broken.”

“Enough with your nonsense,” the cold voice said. “I’m calling you to make a deal. Are you interested in a business proposal?”

San Bao replied with a mocking tone, “Boss Ma, I have to warn you first. I’m not interested if it’s not a fair deal.”

“Don’t worry, it’s a pretty fair deal,” Boss Ma said. “I want all the Dahe Group shares you’re holding.”

“Oh, the Dahe Group shares? I’ve been wanting to get rid of those shares anyway. Name a price. If it’s good, I will give you all my shares.” San Bao tried his best to sound casual.

“A price? Tell me, are two lives enough?”

I took a deep breath.

Two lives? What does he mean?

San Bao couldn’t keep his calm anymore. “Boss Ma, what are you talking about?”

“Oh, nothing.” The man sneered. “You know how much Qin Yu trusts me, right? He’s given me all of his shares. Now you tell me, would he kill that Li Meng boy and then himself if I asked him to? Honestly, I would really like to test it out.”

“You son of a bitch!” San Bao was infuriated. “Old Ma, if you dare to lay a finger on them, I will kill you! Do you understand?”

“Oh, sure I do.” Boss Ma laughed and replied, “But being buried together with these two would not be such a loss. Haha, think about it, boy! Call me when you make up your mind.” Then, he hung up the call.

Li Mazi and San Bao were shaking with anger.

Li Mazi roared, “Is Qin Yu stupid or what? That goddamn Ma is clearly deceiving him. Why does he trusts him so much? Yet, he treats those who care for him as his enemies! I’m so mad right now. Even if I turn into a ghost, I won’t let him off!”

San Bao also stomped his feet in rage.

I was the man with the soundest mind at the moment. “All right, stop talking nonsense. We should first focus on finding Qin Yu and the jade belt. San Bao, call Boss Ma and tell him that you agree to his conditions. We shouldn’t be provoking him right now. He may order Qin Yu to do crazier things.”

Although San Bao wasn’t really willing, he had no choice but to make the call.

Boss Ma told him that they would sign the contract to transfer the shares tonight. He would call later to tell us where and when.

I said, “Everybody, get ready. It’ll be a tough battle tonight. If we want to deal with the jade belt, we need to gain Qin Yu’s trust.”

Li Mazi felt helpless. “The problem is that Qin Yu doesn’t trust us at all.”

I smiled and replied, “I have a plan.”

Time ticked by, and the three of us carefully discussed the rescue plan in the hotel room.

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