After hanging up, Fan Jia said: “Tsk tsk, that wave of caring persuasion almost had me convinced. No wonder those girls send them compromising videos. These empty promises feel like a lifeline, giving the girls a way to deceive themselves, making it easy to fall for the trap. After that, they’re at their mercy.”

Xu Mengshan offered his concise analysis from the side: “That’s why they say a woman’s heart is most poisonous.”

This earned him Fan Jia’s routine eye roll.

The police maintained their position.

Sure enough, two days later, when Fan Jia’s interest and late fees were overdue, her phone began receiving a flood of harassing messages early in the morning:

“Your 30,000 yuan loan from our company has OVERDUE interest and late fees! OVERDUE! Please reply promptly to avoid unnecessary disputes!” This was the polite version.

“Fan Linlin, pay up! Pay up! Pay up! How can you be so shameless? Those who don’t repay debts will be struck by lightning!” This was the abusive version.

“Fan Linlin, we have your ID number and graduation certificate. Pay on time, or you’ll regret it!”

“You worthless woman, don’t you understand we want our money? You live in Building X, Room 503, XXX Complex, phone number XXXXXXX. Don’t pay? Wait for your place to get vandalized!”

These were the threatening ones.

Fan Jia immediately called Chen Zhaoci in “panic,” but this time, no one answered. Text messages went unreplied. The harassing messages just kept pouring in.

This left Fan Jia feeling somewhat embarrassed, thinking: So I have zero charm, and he’s already started his merciless harvest? Too much!

However, You Mingxu, Han Feng, and others felt the momentum was perfect. They needed Apple Bro to drive “Fan Linlin” to desperation, into the same predicament as the previous two victims, to see what would happen next.

Whether “Fan Linlin” would become the third, no one knew. Whether Fenjinbao Company had any connection to the serial murders remained unclear.

But on Han Feng’s side, new rounds of thorough investigations into suspicious vehicles across the city and that fingerprint had yielded nothing. The investigators’ worst fear was gradually approaching – cases that started with no leads from the crime scene. You can sense it, like accidentally touching a land mine that silently explodes in your hands. For years afterward, it haunts you, like a cold, heavy stone pressing on your heart, without even the hope of glimpsing the killer’s shadow.

So the Fenjinbao Company became the special investigation team’s only lead, though still without any direct evidence. Should they move in? Better hurry, detective – once the bow is drawn, there’s no turning back.

Another day passed, and their tactics escalated rapidly, much to the investigators’ satisfaction.

The emergency contacts Fan Jia had listed in her agreement – mother (You Mingxu), father (Han Feng), classmate (Xu Mengshan and others)… all received hostile calls:

“Hey, you’re Xu Mengshan, right? Fan Linlin borrowed 30,000 from our company and hasn’t paid the interest. Tell her to pay up! Stop being so shameless!”

“Your daughter borrowed 30,000 from our company, and now the interest has rolled up to 6,000, when is she paying? Otherwise, your whole family will suffer!”

Apple Bro still wouldn’t answer Fan Jia’s calls, as if he’d vanished into thin air.

…

The team held a meeting at the police station.

You Mingxu asked: “Where’s Chen Zhaoci now?”

An officer answered: “Our people are watching him 24/7. Ten minutes ago, they reported he’s back at the place where he met Fan Jia before, probably for more ‘business.'”

You Mingxu smiled faintly at Fan Jia: “Your charm must be lacking. Just two weeks, and he shows no mercy, ready to push you to the edge.”

Fan Jia made an indignant face, and Xu Mengshan said: “With her looks, only a blind man would soften.”

As the two were about to start fighting, Yin Feng’s voice cut in: “It’s precisely because her charm is strong that they’re rushing, trying to close the net in half a month. Otherwise, dragging it out for another month or two would mean more interest owed and more profit for them. Someone might have taken an interest in Fan Jia.”

Fan Jia beamed with pride, looking smug.

Xu Mengshan snorted lightly, though with a hint of a smile.

The team perked up, and You Mingxu glanced at Yin Feng, feeling that he had a particular talent for grasping criminals’ psychology.

“What’s next?” Han Feng asked. “How do we bait ‘that person’?”

You Mingxu thought for a moment and said: “Fan Jia should confront Chen Zhaoci one more time – cry, make a scene, threaten suicide, even try seduction if needed, just don’t actually get hurt. Now we’ll see who’s more desperate. Fan Jia, just keep pestering Chen Zhaoci, let’s see their next move.”

—

Dusk fell.

With the economic downturn, the large street was nearly empty. Chen Zhaoci stood at the corner smoking a cigarette, waiting for another lamb to the slaughter.

Soon, the naive-looking junior college student arrived, showing the typical dull appearance but with greedy eyes when discussing money. Chen Zhaoci had seen far too many like him.

As the student approached, Chen Zhaoci put on his harmless senior facade, smiling even more shyly than the other party, casually explaining the loan terms as if just doing a small favor for an acquaintance. He knew well that these kids got more naive and blind with each passing year, easily taking the bait.

Before long, he took the student to “Brother Li” to sign the contract and collect the money. Watching the student leave happily with the cash, he pocketed his share. Brother Li’s face completely changed, bowing and scraping as he saw him out. Chen Zhaoci patted his shoulder and headed downstairs.

But as soon as he got down, he saw an unexpected person.

Chen Zhaoci hadn’t expected Fan Linlin to have the courage to come here. He tossed his cigarette butt into the trash and, in the street light, observed the frailer and more delicate young woman.

Still beautiful and cute, with youthful black hair, fair skin, and dimples at the corners of her lips forcing a pitiful smile. And that slender yet healthy, vibrant body. Enough to make any man’s throat tighten.

Chen Zhaoci had handled too many female clients, and could almost picture them all undressed in his mind, pale flesh exposed… holding their ID cards, reading stiff loan terms to the camera…

These girls, were all too greedy, too fallen.

Chen Zhaoci walked toward her, his expression turning grave and complex: “Linlin, why are you here?”

Fan Jia grabbed his sleeve: “Brother Zhaoci, help me, I have nowhere else to turn!”

Chen Zhaoci’s gaze traced from her delicate fingers up to her tear-stained face: “Don’t panic, tell me slowly, and I’ll help you.”

Fan Jia sobbed out her recent experiences. Chen Zhaoci led her to sit by a flower bed, staying silent, just offering tissues. Fan Jia looked up to see his face full of deep remorse: “I shouldn’t have helped you from the start. When you borrowed the money, you said you’d pay it back once the online store was running, but now you can’t even pay the interest…”

Fan Jia cried: “I have no choice left, Brother Zhaoci, what should I do? If they find my home, what about my parents? My father’s still in the hospital…”

Chen Zhaoci said: “The urgent matter is paying the interest and late fees. I checked the account – you already owe 6,000. Just record a video and everything will be solved. At this point, you should make a decisive choice. Your fate and future are in your own hands, not in others’ mouths. Hesitation is useless!”