Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
The burly man crossed his arms and said expressionlessly, "This is not a place for you to mess around. There’s a hotel just down the street."
Zhang Qiu thought to himself, we just came from the hotel; you would never guess what we are here for. Out loud, he replied, "Okay, I understand."
Zhang Qiu and Lan Ningshan hadn’t planned to do anything here anyway. When the burly man asked them to leave, they naturally exited the private room. They sat down on a nearby sofa, watching as a woman danced on stage. At first glance, it seemed enjoyable, but after experiencing the private service and then looking back, it felt rather dull.
People continuously came and went in the room, with alluring women swaying their hips as they moved between the sofas. Guests, both male and female, would get up with smiles and head towards the private rooms separated by curtains. Zhang Qiu and Lan Ningshan scanned their surroundings, eventually focusing on the room that the woman wouldn’t let them approach.
On the surface, that room looked no different from the others; the only distinction was its door. The two black Black Oak Doors gave off a heavy feeling that discouraged anyone from wanting to push them open. Beside the Black Oak Doors stood two muscular men in black vests, their bulging chests showcasing their strength.
Lan Ningshan said, "We need to come up with a way to get in."
"I'm thinking about it. Do you have any ideas?"
"Divert their attention, but I don’t have a plan for that. Do you think we could get Captain Wang to bring people in? We could slip in during the chaos."
"No way!" Zhang Qiu immediately dismissed this idea. "If Captain Wang brings people in, they will be even more vigilant; we might not even be able to stay here."
"What should we do then?" Lan Ningshan lightly bit her lip and fell into deep thought.
After a long pause, Zhang Qiu said, "I have a bold idea."
"How bold?"
"I remember when I was in middle school, I saw a movie on TV—though I forgot its name—about two men and a woman who stole a painting. There was one detail I remember clearly: they used a trick to distract the security guard."
"I think I have some impression of that movie too. But do you think that method would work in reality?"
"Maybe, let's give it a try."
"Okay." Lan Ningshan couldn't think of a better solution, so she could only take a chance. However, no matter how hard she tried to recall the detail from the movie, she couldn't figure out what Zhang Qiu was referring to.
As soon as Zhang Qiu had an idea, he sprang into action. He looked around and found an opportunity at a table with some younger people. Zhang Qiu casually walked over and sat down, smiling, "Hey guys, I'm out of cigarettes. Can I have one?"
A young man with hair covering his eyes brushed it aside and glanced at Zhang Qiu before tapping a cigarette out of the pack and handing it over. Zhang Qiu took it with a smile, "Thanks, brother. Do you have a lighter?"
The young man gestured for Zhang Qiu to take one from the table. Zhang Qiu picked one up and said, "I'll bring it back to you in a bit."
Zhang Qiu lit the cigarette and walked back. This time he remembered not to inhale deeply. The last time he had smoked after coming out of the police station, he had choked badly. If it weren't for the special circumstances, he wouldn't have lit this cigarette at all.
After sitting back down, Lan Ningshan frowned slightly and asked, "Do you smoke?"
Zhang Qiu was about to say he didn't, but holding the cigarette made it seem ridiculous to deny it. After thinking for a moment, he replied, "I smoke very rarely."
Lan Ningshan continued, "It's not good for men to smoke; you should quit."
"Sure, that's easy. I haven't developed a smoking habit yet."
"Is it that men feel particularly inspired when they are puffing away?"
Zhang Qiu suddenly recalled countless nights spent writing during self-study sessions; his inspiration didn't come from cigarettes but from can after can of chilled apple soda. He extinguished the cigarette in front of him and smiled, "I already have inspiration, and this cigarette is just my tool."
"Is that all you need?"
Lan Ningshan really couldn't figure out how a cigarette could distract the guard.
"Of course, but there is still one problem that hasn't been solved."
Zhang Qiu surveyed the room; they couldn't operate in a place that was too obvious. The easiest and most effective option was those separated private rooms. There were curtains outside, and only serious situations would attract attention. By then, chaos was inevitable.
Lan Ningshan asked, "What problem?"
Zhang Qiu replied, "We need a place where others can't see us."
"Are you talking about those private rooms?"
"Smart, that's exactly what I mean."
Lan Ningshan frowned and questioned, "Zhang Qiu, I really have to doubt your motives."
"Come on, Sister Lan, why don't you trust me? At such a critical moment, would I delay the mission for my own sake?"
Lan Ningshan thought about it but still felt uncomfortable. Why did they have to keep seeking out that kind of person?
"Sister Lan, if you’re unwilling this time, can I go in by myself?"
"No way!" Lan Ningshan firmly refused, grabbing Zhang Qiu's arm and said, "We're going together."
The rapid change in Lan Ningshan's attitude caught Zhang Qiu off guard before being pulled along.
"Are you looking for that person again?" Lan Ningshan asked.
"Let's switch to someone else," Zhang Qiu replied.
"Want to change the flavor?"
Zhang Qiu was speechless; sometimes, a woman's thoughts were just impossible to decipher. He shook his head helplessly and explained to Lan Ningshan.
"Azure Blue Rose will definitely investigate afterward. If we go for the same girl, it will only deepen their impression of us. If we switch to a new girl, the impression will fade. Who has the time to remember customers, right?"
"That makes sense. Let's do it your way."
"Good, good."
Zhang Qiu nodded repeatedly; he was most afraid of not understanding Lan Ningshan. At the same time, he thought it would be better to act on his own in the future; this was too restrictive.
Zhang Qiu casually stopped a long-haired woman. She smiled and asked, "Sir, would you like some service?"
"Fang Ran."
The woman took Zhang Qiu's left hand and placed it on her waist, leading him and Lan Ningshan into a private room. Before she could ask, Zhang Qiu spoke first, "Just the usual, pay by card."
"No need, cash is fine."
Lan Ningshan took out several Hundred Yuan Bills from her bag and handed them to the woman, saying to Zhang Qiu, "This saves time so we can enjoy the dance sooner."
The woman stuffed money into the edge of her short skirt, climbed up the pole, and began to dance. Occasionally, she extended her beautiful legs clad in black stockings to brush against Lan Ningshan's feet, sending chills down her spine. Lan Ningshan thought to herself that she wanted it to end quickly and never come to such a place with Zhang Qiu again.
The dance was nothing new; it was just a series of seductive moves, and halfway through, it became quite bare. Having seen it once, Zhang Qiu felt a bit aesthetically fatigued. After the performance ended, the woman dressed quickly and walked out.
Zhang Qiu hurriedly pulled a crumpled half cigarette from his pocket, lit it, and took a few puffs to ensure it wouldn't go out. A burly man was guarding the entrance, so Zhang Qiu had to act quickly; otherwise, if he was caught by the man coming in, all would be for naught.
Zhang Qiu placed the lighter in a corner of the sofa and rested the lit cigarette on it. After doing this, he pulled Lan Ningshan up and said, "Let's go."
"Is that all?"
"Probably. Unless the movie is lying."
As Zhang Qiu led Lan Ningshan out, she asked once they were back on the sofa, "What if the movie is lying?"
Zhang Qiu shrugged. "Do we have any better options?"
Both Zhang Qiu and Lan Ningshan kept their eyes fixed on the private room. Zhang Qiu's biggest worry was that the woman would bring someone inside. Fortunately, they had narrowly avoided trouble several times as the women took people to other rooms. Suddenly, a loud bang echoed, drowning out the music in the room.
Customers panicked and got up; the burly men responsible for security exchanged glances and instinctively searched for the source of the sound. However, there was only that one bang, and the music resumed loudly, making their search more difficult.
Zhang Qiu's heart raced; he hoped everything in the movie was true. The burly men finally remembered to check the unoccupied rooms. Zhang Qiu thought this might not have worked after all. But just as one of them lifted the curtain at the door, Zhang Qiu heard a scream: "Fire!"
Following the sound, Zhang Qiu saw flames engulfing the sofa in the private room. He felt a surge of joy; surely, the movie had not deceived him. Upon seeing the fire, everyone rushed toward the exit; some women even ran out without having time to put on their clothes. The waiter at the door tried to calm everyone down while one of the Brothers rushed over with a fire extinguisher.
However, chaos erupted throughout the large room. Zhang Qiu grabbed Lan Ningshan's hand and said, "The opportunity has come; let's go."
Zhang Qiu and Lan Ningshan blended into the crowd. At an empty table, Zhang Qiu picked up several lighters and secretly ignited the tablecloth, causing multiple spots to catch fire. This time, the attendant at the entrance no longer tried to calm everyone down but began to evacuate them instead. If someone were to get hurt due to the fire, it would be a significant blow to the venue.
Taking advantage of the chaos, Zhang Qiu and Lan Ningshan made their way to the Black Oak Door. Zhang Qiu gently pushed the wooden door, which opened slightly; it was not as heavy as he had imagined.
Peering through the crack in the door, Zhang Qiu saw nothing but darkness inside. He and Lan Ningshan entered and closed the door behind them. Lan Ningshan took out a small flashlight from her bag, and with its faint blue light, Zhang Qiu could see the room's layout. It appeared to be set up for performances, featuring a steel pole and three sofas. The only difference was that it was more lavishly decorated than other private rooms, as evidenced by the golden chandelier hanging from the ceiling.
Lan Ningshan scanned the room and asked, "Could this be the place?"
"It should be. So far, this is the largest restricted area in Azure Blue Rose."
"But this looks more like a VIP room within a VIP room. Perhaps the reason it's off-limits is that it's reserved for Chen Hu?"
"That might be true. However, Sister Lan, don't you think this is an excellent cover?"
Lan Ningshan's eyes lit up. "You mean, he's really here?"
Zhang Qiu nodded. He wasn't entirely sure, but he felt they were very close to uncovering the truth.
Comment 0 Comment Count