Chapter 253 - 247: Might Already Be Dead
Cao Yue was just about to make a move when a wolf’s howl suddenly sounded behind him. His hand trembled in fright, and the rock instantly fell from his grasp.
She had also noticed Cao Yue’s strange behavior and accused him emotionally, "If you hadn’t killed Ah Da back then, my parents would have been saved!"
Ah Da was a wild wolf my mom and dad raised since she was a pup. When she saw the house on fire, she rushed over to try and save them.
And what happened? He took the chance to kill her! My mom and dad died in that fire.
When I came back, I saw these people skinning Ah Da and eating her flesh!
Ah Da was already pregnant with pups at the time.
Cao Yue couldn’t believe she knew even this.
The sound of labored breathing reached his ears. He froze, too scared to move.
She stood up and looked at the large wolf with the reddish glow in its eyes behind Cao Yue. "The one behind you is Ah Da’s mate, Ah Tai. We went through all this trouble to come here so you could pay with your lives!"
As she finished speaking, Ah Tai let out a long howl, and the pack behind him followed suit.
The group was so scared their faces turned pale. Cui Yun’s lips trembled, and she didn’t dare move or speak.
Gao Bo, utterly exhausted, looked at her. "What does that have to do with me?"
Jiang Li followed Chang Siqi’s gaze, her curiosity piqued as well.
Chang Siqi gripped the whistle in her hand. "You were the one who suggested starting a fire to scare away the wolves, and you were the one who suggested skinning Ah Da and eating her meat.
And not only that, Gao Bo. Have you forgotten how you got famous?
You went online and boasted about how you encountered a wolf pack in the wild and how you cleverly escaped! That’s what made you a star.
You walked all over my parents’ bodies and filled your stomach with Ah Da’s flesh and blood to get where you are today.
You’re the biggest hypocrite of all!"
Gao Bo opened his mouth, but he had no defense. Back then, it had been an unintentional act, and he never expected to get famous from it.
"Ah Tai, avenge my mom, my dad, and Ah Da!"
"No, Chang Siqi! We were wrong, we were really wrong! AHHH!"
Cao Yue pleaded in a panic. The next second, a sharp pain shot through his shoulder as sharp wolf fangs tore into him.
This scene made Cui Yun’s legs go weak. She could only watch in terror as a wolf closed in to attack her.
Gao Bo tried to push himself up and run, but Chang Siqi had kept him moving for a whole day without food or water, and he had no strength left.
"KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK. Xiao Li, are you awake?"
Zhu Yan’s voice sounded from outside. Jiang Li’s eyes snapped open. She got up and went to open the door.
"What’s wrong?"
"Time for breakfast." Zhu Yan smiled at her.
"I’ll skip it. I have to go out for something."
Jiang Li went back into her room to grab her things and then left.
"Xiao Li, will you be back for dinner tonight?"
Jiang Li turned back and smiled. "I’ll be back."
The knot in Zhu Yan’s chest loosened instantly. ’I thought Jiang Li had figured something out.’
"Be careful on your way."
Zhu Yan watched Jiang Li leave, then quickly took out her phone to report the situation. [Jiang Li is out. Everyone keep a close eye on her and see if she’s noticed anything unusual.]
After Jiang Li went downstairs, she could feel faint gazes landing on her from all around.
She ignored them, hailed a cab by the roadside, and went to the police station.
The moment she walked in, she was taken aback by the solemn and heavy atmosphere.
"What’s going on?" Jiang Li took a few steps back and looked at Tang Wen, confused.
Tang Wen quickly pulled out his phone and found the information. "It’s like this. This is about a wilderness survival show from five days ago.
It was about to end, but the production team couldn’t find any sign of Gao Bo, Chang Siqi, Cui Yun, or Cao Yue, so they came to file a report."
Tang Wen said in a low voice, "Gao Bo and Cui Yun are big stars with a lot of influence. Their fans are already going crazy online."
Jiang Li took out her own phone. Just as she was about to search, she saw the top three trending topics. She clicked on them and saw they were all filled with fans clamoring to go into the mountains to find them, offering prayers, or denouncing the production team.
She put her phone away, walked up, and knocked on the door. Zhao Shuo and the others looked toward her.
"I know what happened to them. I dreamt last night that they ran into a wolf pack. By now, they might already be..."
The faces of the officers grew grim. ’If they’re all dead, this is going to cause a massive uproar.’
"Let’s go find them first," Zhou Tiancheng said as he went to make the arrangements.
Lu Xingye finished gathering his things and came out. "Jiang Li, there’s something I’d like to ask you about."
Jiang Li followed Lu Xingye to his desk.
"Sit." Lu Xingye pointed to a chair, then pulled over a stool for himself and sat down.
"This is what our investigation has turned up so far. We suspect Kun Sha came back before the New Year, and this isn’t his first time getting plastic surgery."
Lu Xingye handed her a sketch. "This is a composite sketch our artist created based on photos. Our people are already moving on it. If he comes looking for you...
Jiang Li, don’t confront him head-on."
Jiang Li took the sketch and looked at it. It was a face so ordinary you wouldn’t notice it in a crowd.
"Okay." Jiang Li’s gaze fell on a framed photo nearby. She froze for a moment, looking at one of the people in it.
"Uncle Xingye, I came to get my... Huh? It’s you, pretty lady."
When Li Xiaoru saw Jiang Li, her eyes lit up. She then asked, "Pretty lady, can you come with me to see Aunt Jing?"
Jiang Li pressed her lips together, then patted the girl’s head. "I’ll think about it."
Lu Xingye looked at Jiang Li’s calm expression and sighed.
"Jiang... Jiang Li, I was wrong before. I came to apologize to you.
I heard you like milk tea, so this is one I just bought."
Tan Qing placed the milk tea on the desk in front of her, her heart pounding as she stood to the side.
Jiang Li looked at the milk tea in front of her—the kind she usually drank.
"Sorry, I don’t want it."
Jiang Li said, her eyes fixed on Tan Qing.
Tan Qing’s eyes darted around the room before she stepped forward, picked up the milk tea from the desk, and shoved it into Jiang Li’s arms.
"Jiang Li, I knew you were the best. Please, just accept my apology."
Jiang Li looked at the milk tea that had been pushed into her arms, then back at Tan Qing. She then took it out of the bag.
Tan Qing nervously wrung her hands, her breathing growing ragged.
Lu Xingye frowned, turning to glance at Tan Qing and studying her face.
"Mr.... Mr. Lu, why are you looking at me? Is there something on my face?"
Lu Xingye stood up and took the cup of milk tea from Jiang Li’s grasp.
"Mr. Lu, I bought that for Jiang Li. If you want some, I can go buy you a new one right now."
When Tan Qing saw Lu Xingye take the milk tea, she instantly panicked. Her body moved faster than her brain as she snatched the milk tea right out of his hands.
Lu Xingye snatched it right back and looked at her. "Tan Qing, what’s in this?"
"N-nothing! There’s nothing! It’s just milk tea, what could be in it!" Tan Qing shook her head, denying it vehemently.
Lu Xingye handed the milk tea to Tang Wen. "Tang Wen, take this to the lab and have it tested."
Tan Qing’s face turned deathly pale, and she began to tremble uncontrollably.
Jiang Li watched her, only curious about the two words she had mentioned last night.
Lu Xingye stared at Tan Qing, his gaze like a torch. Soon, Tang Wen returned.