Chapter Thirty-Three: Daggers Drawn

Mu Chen emerged from the kitchen carrying two more bowls of porridge, immediately sensing the unusual tension in the living room.

"What’s going on? Did you two have a fight?"

Chen Jiahe cast a cold glance at Chen Si before finally speaking, "Ask her yourself."

Mu Chen turned his gaze toward Chen Si. She kept her head slightly bowed, seemingly afraid to meet his eyes.

"Chen Xiaoxiao... Chen Xiaoxiao just called me," Chen Si’s voice was barely a whisper. "She said... she’s being held captive in Building 6 and asked me... asked me to save her."

At the mention of "Building 6," Mu Chen’s expression darkened instantly, clouds of gloom gathering on his face.

"Building 6? That’s Pan Guang’s territory now."

"I know," Chen Si nodded gently, a trace of imperceptible trembling in her voice.

"So, you want to go?" Mu Chen’s voice was calm, revealing none of his true emotions.

Chen Si bit her lip until it turned pale. After a long moment, she gave a difficult nod.

"Reason," Mu Chen asked, his tone concise. "She betrayed you and almost got you killed."

"Because..." Chen Si’s voice drifted, "I don't want to become someone like her. She wronged me, but I can't just watch her die."

Mu Chen looked at her for a long time before speaking again: "You know perfectly well that this is highly likely to be a trap."

"I know."

"And you know that if you go, it’s highly probable you won’t come back."

"I know."

"And you still want to go?"

Chen Si jerked her head up, tears welling in her eyes, yet her expression remained stubbornly fixed. "I still have to go."

Mu Chen withdrew his gaze and paced slowly to the window, turning his back to her.

"What if I say I won't allow it?" his voice came from the window, sounding muffled.

Chen Si’s body trembled slightly. "Then... I will listen to you."

"But you would resent me for the rest of your life," Mu Chen said, his tone certain without turning around.

"No," Chen Si shook her head vigorously. "How could I hate you? You are protecting me."

The room fell into a suffocating silence, broken only by the faint, overlapping sounds of their breathing. Finally, Mu Chen turned around to face Chen Si again. "If you are determined to go, I will go with you."

"No!" Chen Si countered almost immediately, shaking her head like a rattle. "It’s too dangerous there. I can’t drag you into this!"

"Then don't go," Mu Chen’s tone remained flat. "Either I go with you, or you aren't going anywhere. Choose one."

Chen Si looked at him. This man understood everything, yet he was still willing to jump into this fire pit with her. Her heart was a jumble of complex emotions.

"Alright," she finally nodded, her voice soft but firm. "We’ll go together."

Watching the exchange from the side, Chen Jiahe felt an indescribable surge of frustration and jealousy. Why? Why was Mu Chen willing to go to such lengths for Chen Si? Had he ever shown her such devotion?

"I’m going too," she interjected suddenly.

Both Mu Chen and Chen Si looked at her.

"The two of you are too small a target; it’s easy for things to go wrong. With me there, we can watch each other's backs," Chen Jiahe said, her voice steady and her attitude brooking no argument.

"Jiahe..." Mu Chen frowned, trying to dissuade her.

"Stop," Chen Jiahe cut him off. "If we’re going to die, we’ll do it together. At least we’ll have company on the road to the afterlife!"

Meanwhile, in Room 1203 of Building 6, Pan Guang was lounging on his bed to nurse his injuries, while Xiao Mu stood respectfully to the side.

"Boss Pan, word has come in from Chen Xiaoxiao," Xiao Mu lowered his voice intentionally. "She says Chen Si is on the 27th floor of Building 11, staying with a man who goes by the handle 'Fishing on the River'."

A mocking smirk tugged at the corners of Pan Guang’s mouth. "Fishing on the River? Hah, sounds like some low-life hack. But..." his tone shifted, "anyone who has the leisure to surf the internet at a time like this probably has a few tricks up their sleeve."

"Boss, should I take some men over to test them?" Xiao Mu requested.

"No rush," Pan Guang waved a hand. "That brat Mu Chen is no pushover. If we go head-to-head, we might not come out on top."

Xiao Mu understood. "Then what do you suggest?"

"Fishing," Pan Guang spat out the word slowly, a calculating look on his face. "Have Chen Xiaoxiao call Chen Si again. Tell her the situation is dire and she must come to save her immediately."

"Understood," Xiao Mu replied, turning to leave.

"Wait," Pan Guang called him back. "Remember, you have full command of this operation. Take every man we can spare. I want all those fish hauled in."

Xiao Mu’s heart leaped; this was the first time Pan Guang had entrusted him with independent command. "Don't worry, Boss. I guarantee I’ll get the job done. I won’t let you down!"

Pan Guang watched Xiao Mu’s hurried retreat, a thoughtful expression on his face. This kid had ambition; this would be the perfect chance to test his limits.

In the neighboring room, 1204, Chen Xiaoxiao was loosely tied to a chair. Her tears had long since dried, leaving her face numb and desperate. The door pushed open and Xiao Mu walked in.

"Well? Did Chen Si agree to save your miserable life?" Xiao Mu’s tone was laced with mockery.

Chen Xiaoxiao nodded blankly. "She... she said she would find a way..."

"Excellent," Xiao Mu pulled a satisfied smile. "Now, call her again. Tell her things are getting worse and she must be at the base of Building 6 by this afternoon, or she can come to collect your corpse."

"What if... what if she doesn't come?" Chen Xiaoxiao’s voice was thin as a thread.

"She’ll come," Xiao Mu said with certainty. "Women like you are soft-hearted, especially fools like her who pride themselves on being righteous."

Chen Xiaoxiao picked up the phone from the table, her fingers hesitating on the screen, unable to press the dial button.

"Call her!" Xiao Mu urged impatiently.

Chen Xiaoxiao closed her eyes and finally dialed the number she had once known so well, but now dreaded facing more than anything.

At almost the same moment, in Room 3001 of Building 3, Mu Chen was methodically organizing his gear as Chen Si and Chen Jiahe watched in silence.

"Military knife, sharpened. Samurai sword, light and sharp. And these..." Mu Chen picked up a few oval-shaped metal objects, weighing them in his hand. "Hand grenades. Even if we’re going to save someone, we have to be prepared for a firefight."

Chen Si stared at the glinting weapons, her heart pounding. "Do we... do we really need to use these?"

"Hopefully not," Mu Chen tucked the knife behind his waist. "But it’s always better to be prepared."

No sooner had he finished speaking than Chen Si’s phone rang at an inopportune moment. She glanced at the caller ID and frowned. "It’s her again."

Mu Chen’s tone was flat. "Answer it."

Chen Si pressed the button with her fingertip. "Hello?"