9: Dark Rose - Black Rose

"Does the host wish to consume 2,000 points to obtain two pieces of evidence?"

"I do!" Li Quan had only just thought of it, not expecting the System to anticipate his needs so directly.

Anticipate?

Li Quan had yet to realize that from beginning to end, Ye Tian had been painstakingly guiding him toward this.

Understanding the entire novel, Ye Tian knew exactly how to exploit and magnify the loopholes of this fictional world.

"Ding! Points deducted. The host has 6,000 points remaining."

Glancing at the necklace around his neck and feeling the scar slowly appearing on his back, the corners of Li Quan's mouth curled up.

Now, the authenticity of him being Hei Mei's savior from ten years ago far surpassed Lin Fan's.

He wondered what kind of regretful expression Hei Mei would have when she realized she had personally brought her childhood savior's company to such a state.

Of course, this was just the foundation.

Li Quan hadn't forgotten the System's mission: make Hei Mei fall in love with him within five days.

Even with the identity of a savior, it still required careful manipulation... Inside a high-end apartment building.

A woman's long, fair, and slender legs were crossed on the sofa, her nimble hands flying across the keyboard, while her long black hair draped casually behind her.

She checked the time.

Biting a lollipop, the woman picked up the phone on the coffee table and dialed.

"Hello? Brother Lin, aren't you supposed to be coming to rescue me? Why do your coordinates show you're at the Police Station right now?"

With mischief hidden in her eyes and pink headphones around her neck, the woman twirled a few strands of hair near her ear.

On the other end of the line.

Lin Fan looked at the police officer in front of him and the group of lawyers behind him, taking a deep breath. "There's something I need to handle here. I'll be a few minutes late."

"Then hurry up. A weak woman like me can't handle those guys."

"I know, I'll be there soon." Lin Fan's voice was doting, a flash of possessiveness crossing his eyes.

After hanging up, Lin Fan looked at the officer across from him. "If there's anything else you want to ask, ask it quickly."

Five minutes later.

The officer closed his notebook and nodded to Lin Fan. "Thank you for your cooperation, Mr. Lin. You may leave."

"I've remembered your face. You're so dedicated; I'll be sure to mention it to your chief."

Lin Fan wore a faint smile, seemingly praising the officer.

He stood up.

Just as he reached the entrance of the Police Station, several officers blocked his path.

"Mr. Lin, I'm afraid we'll have to take up a bit more of your time!"

"What is it?" Lin Fan's gaze was unfriendly. He wouldn't be lenient if they didn't have a good reason for delaying him repeatedly!

"We just interrogated a group of people laundering money under the name of a certain company. In many of their statements, both Mr. Lin and Tianyu Company were mentioned."

"Now, we have reason and necessity to ask Mr. Lin to come with us to the station to clarify things."

"Money laundering? They implicated me?" Lin Fan laughed out of anger, a cold glint appearing in his eyes. "Take me there. I want to see which rivals these are!"

He followed the police to the interrogation area.

A large group of people were gathered there, all arrested in the same sweep.

Looking at these people.

Lin Fan, who had been intrigued, gradually saw his face stiffen.

These people...

Weren't they all the commercial spies he had planted in the Lis Group?

"Chairman Lin, Chairman Lin! You're finally here! Please, take us away!"

Several middle-aged men threw themselves at Lin Fan, weeping and snotting, only for him to push them away in disgust.

"Is there any evidence? You're just detaining people like this?"

Although he despised them, they were his people whom he had arranged to be there, so he would still protect them.

"Mr. Lin, you should take a look at the evidence we've obtained."

An officer turned a computer screen toward Lin Fan.

Inside, crime after crime, detailed down to the specific day and hour, shook Lin Fan to his core.

How is this possible?

This data was absolute ironclad proof of their crimes!

If he were to protect these criminals in public, the nature of the situation would change completely.

"Who provided this information?!" Lin Fan asked, taking a deep breath.

"Chairman Lin, it was Li Quan! He got this evidence from somewhere and reported us all!"

"Chairman Lin, save us! If Li Quan's lawyers have their way, we'll be in prison for the rest of our lives!"

"Li Quan!" Hearing that name, Lin Fan was filled with disbelief.

How could it be? Even his father couldn't have collected this data! How did he get it?

Had Li Quan been faking it all along? Was his scheming really this deep?

"Mr. Lin, you are now suspected of multiple crimes, including instigating others to launder money, tax evasion, and embezzling large sums of public funds from a certain company. We need to detain you temporarily."

"Let me make a call." Realizing the situation was truly troublesome, Lin Fan had to pull some strings... At the apartment building.

The woman stretched and looked at Lin Fan's location on her computer.

"Still at the Police Station?"

Her exquisite face wrinkled in distress, and Hei Mei picked up her phone.

Seven or eight red dots were clearly heading in her direction.

"I'll have to rely on myself after all."

She packed her computer into her bag, put on her bracelet, picked up her phone... and walked out the door.

Bang!

A blunt blow hit her head... When Hei Mei woke up, she was in a swaying vehicle.

Her mouth was wrapped in a roll of bandages, and her hands and feet were tied.

Several burly white men in the vehicle glanced at Hei Mei without saying a word.

Judging by the swaying, the car was still moving, and she had no idea where they were taking her.

Her phone and computer were gone, and even the bracelet that could connect to the network had been taken from her wrist.

At that moment, Hei Mei's heart sank to the bottom.

She had trusted the internet too much; if she had just looked through the peephole before leaving, she wouldn't be in this situation!

Now...

She could only place her hopes on Lin Fan.

Besides Lin Fan, no one else would know about her situation.

Screech!!

Suddenly, Hei Mei clearly felt the entire vehicle pitch forward.

The car stopped.

Had they arrived?

Hei Mei felt a surge of anxiety.

Bang bang bang!!

A burst of gunfire rang out without warning, and the driver died instantly!

In the instant of the sudden change, the four burly men in the vehicle exchanged glances, immediately grabbed their guns, and ran out.

The gunfire outside grew intense.

Inside the vehicle, Hei Mei curled into a ball.

Was it Lin Fan coming to rescue her? Or had these people encountered another, more ruthless group?

As Hei Mei's thoughts raced, the gunfire outside gradually ceased.

It became quiet.

Yet not a single Ghost Tooth assassin returned to the vehicle.

"Come on down, the danger is over."

A comforting voice came from the side, and Hei Mei looked up.

It was a man wearing a slim-fit suit, his eyes revealing a refined and easygoing nature. His gentle face and breezy temperament...

...instantly gave Hei Mei a very high first impression of him.

However, this man... looked a bit familiar, though she couldn't quite place him at the moment.