“Captain Zhang, I’ve found it.” A young female officer spoke to the middle-aged man beside her with a serious expression on her face. “That female teacher named Xiao Ran indeed has significant suspicion of committing a crime. The criminal suspect Qu Zhiqiang had close social ties with her before entering prison.”

“Immediately dispatch someone to the kindergarten to keep watch on Xiao Ran.” Captain Zhang nodded. “Team One, pull up the surveillance footage near Xiao Ran’s home. Team Two, check Xiao Ran’s recent call records to see if Qu Zhiqiang contacted her after his release from prison.”

“Yes!”

Before long, both teams had news.

“Captain Zhang, the surveillance shows that Qu Zhiqiang did appear near Xiao Ran’s home after his release from prison. He stayed there for one night and only left early the next morning.”

“Captain Zhang, Xiao Ran has made multiple calls to the same unfamiliar number recently. We suspect the owner of that number is Qu Zhiqiang.”

Captain Zhang nodded. Just as he was about to give orders, his phone rang.

Pressing the answer button, a woman’s voice came from the other end: “Hello… Are you Captain Zhang?”

“I am. Who is this?”

“My name is Chen Ting. I’m Shanshan’s teacher…”

“Oh, Teacher Chen, I remember you. What’s the matter?”

“Well…” Chen Ting stammered, “Today Xiao Ran insists on sending the children home again. I’m a bit worried…”

Chen Ting told Captain Zhang about her concerns in detail.

“Teacher Chen, I understand the situation. Please rest assured.”

After hanging up the phone, Captain Zhang turned around with an extremely serious expression and said to everyone: “Teams One and Two, grab your gear and come with me. Team Three, get the vehicles. Team Four, tail them. The human traffickers may make a move again today. We’ll deploy earlier. Damn them for daring to abduct children—it’s time to catch them all in one fell swoop.”

…

Qu Zhiqiang drove slowly down the street in his car. To avoid drawing attention, he didn’t drive the van this time, but instead switched to a black sedan.

He needed to wait for the teachers and students at the kindergarten to leave before he could swagger in and take that child away.

As he gradually approached the kindergarten, Qu Zhiqiang noticed that the kindergarten seemed to have dismissed early today. There were hardly any people around.

The few remaining street vendors were no longer hawking their wares, and instead, each one was eerily silent.

“Brother Qu…” The scarred man who was driving asked, “What do we do next? Just grab the kid and put him in the car?”

Qu Zhiqiang gazed at Xiao Ran and the little boy standing at the kindergarten entrance in the distance.

“Old Scar, how’s your driving?” Qu Zhiqiang asked.

The scarred man thought for a moment and replied: “Even though I don’t have a license, I’ve been driving for many years. My driving skills are very good.”

“Good.” Qu Zhiqiang pointed at Xiao Ran. “Run her over and kill her.”

“Kill her?” The scarred man looked troubled.

“What? You don’t dare?”

“It’s not that I don’t dare.” The scarred man sighed helplessly. “Running her over is easy, but you need to give me an extra five thousand yuan. After all, I’ll need to repair the car.”

“Hahahaha!” Qu Zhiqiang laughed loudly. “No problem! I’ll give you ten thousand. Run her over hard and kill her!”

A newspaper vendor watched the slowly approaching black car, lowered his head, and said quietly: “Suspicious vehicle spotted at six o’clock. Team A, please confirm identity. Over.”

“Team A received. Over.”

After a moment, the other side replied.

“Team A confirms personnel in vehicle as criminal suspect Qu Zhiqiang. Over.”

The newspaper vendor nodded and switched the walkie-talkie channel.

“All teams attention, criminal suspect Qu Zhiqiang appeared at six o’clock in black sedan. Begin closing the net.”

With that command, a large number of police officers nearby began looking toward that black sedan. But in the next second, the black sedan accelerated and charged toward the kindergarten entrance.

…

Why haven’t they come yet?

I stood in place somewhat anxiously. I have an appointment with a psychologist tonight, and this person surnamed Qu is really wasting my time.

Just as I was growing impatient, I suddenly saw a black sedan approaching from the distance.

The sedan was driving very slowly, looking rather abnormal. Could it be Brother Qu’s car?

Is my money coming?

I grabbed Chen Moran and was about to step forward when the sedan suddenly accelerated toward me.

Before I could react to what was happening, in just an instant, many people rushed over from all directions.

Those people were making noise, shouting, constantly saying something to me and that black sedan.

But I couldn’t hear anything anymore.

Because I saw that the Three Pagodas of Chongsheng Temple in the distance had actually cracked.

Immediately after, tremendous sounds followed one after another, and the entire earth began to shake.

Just as that black sedan was about to hit me, I hurriedly held Chen Moran and dodged to the side.

He’s my sixty thousand yuan!

The whole world can go die, but my sixty thousand yuan cannot die!

I didn’t expect that during an earthquake, it would be different from what I imagined. The earth wasn’t jumping up and down, but swaying left and right instead.

I failed to stand firm and fell flat on my face in a humiliating manner.

Fortunately, I was fine, and so was my sixty thousand yuan.

Once the earthquake passes in a bit, I’ll be able to exchange him for money.

But just as I was dazed for a moment, I saw that black sedan backing up and bearing down on me.

It seemed determined to put me to death.

I was hit, and I couldn’t remember anything anymore.

…

I’ve been in this so-called “Land of Terminus” for a full three days now.

This place stinks so badly.

Even worse than those old men I know.

What should I do in the days ahead?

That person called Qi Xia seems very capable, but he doesn’t fall for my tricks. Saying something about being married, so he doesn’t like other women.

How disgusting.

I’ve hooked up with so many married men, and they were all very happy about it. So what are you pretending for?

Just because he’s good-looking, he puts on airs with me. Men like this are the hardest to deal with.

And that damn Zhao Haibo. Damn it, I thought since he’s a doctor, if I let him take some advantage, he’d give me money to spend once we got out.

But when I was beaten by Yun Yao, he actually chickened out!

I must kill Yun Yao…

But what should I do?

She’s always surrounded by Qi Xia and that thug. I have no way to strike.

What method could make Yun Yao willingly go to her death?

While lost in thought, I suddenly saw the rabbit mask I brought back yesterday.

My god…

Isn’t this the best method?

If I disguise myself as the rabbit… won’t she come to her death?

Thinking of this, I took the mask and climbed out of the school that very night, then groped my way toward the rabbit’s venue under the cover of darkness.

I didn’t expect this godforsaken place to have so many insects. Once night fell, the insects’ calls were deafening.

Those insects rustled about, as if they were right by my ear.

But it doesn’t matter. As long as I reach the rabbit’s venue and dispose of her body properly, that escape game will become mine.

Then I’ll pretend to be the rabbit and wait for others to come to their deaths.

It would be best if Yun Yao comes, so I can get my revenge.

I’m so clever, always able to find shortcuts to accomplish things.

So… Yun Yao, can you see through that the rabbit is me in disguise?

Ah!

She’s here, she’s here!

She’s even brought along a fat old man. Could that be her lover?

How ugly you are, Yun Yao. You look presentable on the outside, but you’re actually moving around with an old man?

Don’t worry, I’ll let you die right now.

My name is Xiao Ran.

I’m about to start lying.