Chapter Thirty-Four: The Information Labyrinth

"Sisi!" On the other end of the line, Chen Xiaoxiao's voice was sharp, permeated with intense terror. "They've laid down the ultimatum! This afternoon! If you don't come, they will—they will kill me! I beg you, Sisi, please come and save me!"

Chen Si's throat tightened. Subconsciously, she tilted her head toward Mu Chen and said with difficulty, "We... we are already on our way."

"Really?" A tremor of surprised relief laced Chen Xiaoxiao's voice, followed immediately by irrepressible sobs. "Thank you, Sisi. Thank you for being willing to forgive me and for coming to save me..."

The call was cut off, leaving behind an unsettling silence in the room.

"The time is set: this afternoon," Mu Chen broke the silence. "There is no time to lose. Let's move."

"Wait," Chen Jiahe spoke up suddenly. Her intuition had always been sharp. "I can't shake the feeling that something about this is strange."

Chen Si also felt uneasy. "What do you mean?"

"Think about it carefully," Chen Jiahe analyzed. "If Chen Xiaoxiao were truly being held under their complete control, how could she call you so many times? And these two calls were so close together; it feels like they are forcing your hand, urging you to rush over and throw yourself into the fire."

Mu Chen pondered for a moment and nodded in agreement. "Jiahe’s analysis is correct. This is nine times out of ten a trap."

Chen Si’s heart sank. "Then... should we still go?"

"We go!" Mu Chen said with ironclad resolve. "Even knowing there are tigers on the mountain, one must still advance! If—and I mean if—this isn't a trap, Chen Xiaoxiao’s life is truly at stake."

A warmth spread through Chen Si’s heart, and she looked at him with gratitude.

"However," Mu Chen shifted his tone, his lips curling into a cold, sharp line, "we won't just blindly walk into it."

He walked to the window and glanced down at the street below, his expression turning icy. Sure enough, a stealthy figure was lurking in a dark corner downstairs—it was one of Xiao Mu’s subordinates, whom they had seen not long ago.

"So, someone is indeed keeping watch," Mu Chen sneered.

"It seems this trap was tailor-made for us."

Chen Jiahe looked grave. "What do we do now? Force our way in?"

Mu Chen thought for a moment. "Since they’ve gone to such lengths to set this stage, we might as well play along with their act."

He turned back to Chen Si and Chen Jiahe. "Stay here and don't move. I will go and scout it out alone."

"No!" Chen Si and Chen Jiahe protested in unison.

"Listen to me," Mu Chen said, raising a hand to stop them. "You know my shadow-teleportation ability. Going alone will actually make it easier for me to maneuver. Besides..."

He looked at Chen Si, his tone brooking no argument. "If this truly is a den of wolves and tigers, I have a chance to escape on my own. Bringing you along would only distract me and make it easier for things to go wrong."

Chen Si bit her lower lip hard. She wanted to argue, but her rational mind told her that Mu Chen’s suggestion was the safest course of action.

"Then... you must be careful," she finally relented, her voice trembling almost imperceptibly.

"Rest assured," Mu Chen reached out and patted her shoulder gently as a form of comfort. "Wait for my word. I will bring Chen Xiaoxiao back in one piece."

Before the words had faded, his figure seemed like ink dropped into water, silently dissolving into the shadows on the floor. In the blink of an eye, he vanished without a trace.

Chen Si and Chen Jiahe exchanged a glance, each seeing the heavy worry reflected in the other's eyes.

Meanwhile, downstairs at Building 6, Xiao Mu was methodically directing his men. A dozen or so people were scattered in hidden corners around the building, forming a perimeter.

"Listen up, all of you!" Xiao Mu lowered his voice, but his tone was ruthless. "Once you spot that kid Mu Chen, surround him immediately! Don’t give him a single chance to breathe!"

A lackey leaned in, looking hesitant. "Boss Mu, what if the kid chickens out and doesn't dare to come?"

"He’ll come," Xiao Mu curled his lips into a conceited, cold sneer. "Men—which one of them doesn't care about the face of being a hero saving a beauty? Especially in front of a woman, they'll suffer just to keep up appearances!"

Amidst their supposedly foolproof setup, a shadow that had melded perfectly with the darkness flickered past them like a ghost. Without alerting a single soul, Mu Chen had already infiltrated Building 6.

Relying on the convenience of his shadow-teleportation, Mu Chen darted through the shadows of the stairwell and reached the 12th floor in no time. He emerged slowly from a corner untouched by light, his sharp gaze sweeping across the hallway.

Outside Room 1203, two burly men stood guard with vigilant expressions. The door to Room 1204 was tightly shut, revealing nothing of what was happening inside.

"Chen Xiaoxiao must be in one of these two rooms," Mu Chen judged quickly in his mind.

Just as he prepared to investigate further, the phone in his pocket vibrated. He pulled it out to see a text message from an unknown number.

"Mu Chen, this is Chen Xiaoxiao. I'm in Room 1204. The door is unlocked, please come and save me! Be extremely careful of Room 1203; that bastard Pan Guang is inside!"

Mu Chen stared at the abrupt message, his brow furrowing into a frown. This information was far too "timely"—it was practically a guided invitation served on a silver platter.

A cold smirk played on Mu Chen’s lips. "Interesting."

He tucked his phone back into his pocket and sank into the shadows once more. Since the other party had so thoughtfully provided a "guide," he would play along with their script.

The door to Room 1204 was indeed unlocked, merely left ajar. Mu Chen slid into the room silently through the shadow of the door gap. The living room was empty; only faint sounds came from the bedroom.

"Sisi? Is that you?" Chen Xiaoxiao’s hushed voice came from the bedroom, laced with tears.

Mu Chen did not answer, instead moving against the wall until he reached the bedroom doorway. Through a crack in the door, he saw Chen Xiaoxiao sitting on the edge of the bed. Her wrists were indeed bound with rope, but the knot was absurdly loose.

"Chen Si sent me to save you," Mu Chen said, pushing the door open and entering.

Chen Xiaoxiao jerked her head up, a complex flicker of emotions crossing her eyes. "Mu Chen? You... how did you come?"

"She was worried about you," Mu Chen walked up to her and reached out to untie the rope. "Even though you betrayed her."

Chen Xiaoxiao’s body trembled slightly. "I... I had no choice at the time. That beast Pan Guang threatened me..."

"So, what is the situation now?" Mu Chen’s hand paused on the knot. "Are they really going to kill you?"

"No!" Chen Xiaoxiao suddenly grabbed his wrist. "Mu Chen, leave quickly! This is a trap! They want to capture you!"

Mu Chen raised an eyebrow. "Only now do you decide to tell me?"

"I didn't dare say anything earlier. Xiao Mu was watching me make the call the whole time," Chen Xiaoxiao’s tears fell in large droplets. "They said as long as they lured you here, they would let me and Sisi go. I... I really had no choice..."

"What about Pan Guang?"

"He's injured and recovering next door. Xiao Mu is in command now," Chen Xiaoxiao said urgently. "Mu Chen, leave while there's still time!"