Chapter 33: Chapter 33: Wang Xiuwen is Dumbfounded: Is the Captive That Cat?

Upon hearing Zheng Yingjun’s bold declaration,

and seeing the eager, scheming look on Han Sumei’s face,

the Dragon Country audience erupted in fury!

Release the specter locked in the basement?

How could she do something so malicious that didn’t even benefit her?

Yun Zhenyue was the manager of the Blood Moon Restaurant!

Many people had already come to see the specters of the Blood Moon Restaurant as their own countrymen.

[Damn it, how can people from the Great Cold Country be so evil?]

[No wonder the Blood Moon Restaurant treats humans so poorly! It’s all Zheng Yingjun’s fault!]

[Fuck you, Zheng Yingjun! To think I actually thought you were some kind of hero!]

[She’s trying to make a complete enemy of Dragon Country!]

[Thief! Scum! Worse than an animal!]

[If that thing is really let out, wouldn’t Yun Zhenyue and the others all die?]

...

The audience from the Great Cold Country, however, was completely different.

They were all rallying behind Han Sumei and Zheng Yingjun!

A few dissenting voices that went against the mainstream, expressing their unease,

were drowned out by the surging tide of vengeful sentiment!

[Hmph~ You can’t blame anyone for this. Zheng Yingjun is right—it’s survival of the fittest!]

[The Blood Moon Restaurant was awful to Miss Sumi. They deserve to be destroyed!]

[Hehe~ So what if she’s the manager? In a little while, her whole restaurant will disappear!]

[Zheng Yingjun is our Great Cold Country’s hero.]

[Let it out! You have to let it out!]

...

Meanwhile,

at the Research HQ,

the faces of many staff members were ashen.

They had just finally seen Dragon Country take a commanding lead,

but now this animal, Han Sumei, was actually planning to release a specter?

If Yun Zhenyue were really killed by her, how would that be any different from severing Dragon Country’s very lifeline?

"Director, we can’t let her release it!"

"Yun Zhenyue absolutely cannot die!"

"She’s our best hope for ’conquering’ the specters!"

"What if we report this to the higher-ups and pressure the Great Cold Country? Or try to use Yun Zhenyue’s phone to contact her?"

a staff member said anxiously to the pensive Wang Xiuwen.

But Wang Xiuwen’s expression remained calm.

He shook his head. "No need."

"Things aren’t as serious as you imagine."

’If I’m not mistaken...’

Wang Xiuwen’s eyes were fixed on the small house on the screen.

’The one imprisoned in this house...’

’Could it be...’

The idea was incredibly audacious!

Even Wang Xiuwen was startled by his own wild theory!

His mind was reeling with shock and disbelief.

’A top-tier Crimson-robed Ghost’s... cat?’

...

In the end,

Han Sumei could not contain the hatred in her heart.

She agreed to Zheng Yingjun’s plan for revenge.

As long as they could release the terrifying presence from the basement,

the Blood Moon Restaurant would be completely destroyed!

Zheng Yingjun would escape in the chaos!

And the specter foreman and specter cook who looked down on her, who said again and again that she wasn’t even worthy of eating leftovers—not to mention that wicked specter manager—they would all be killed!

Of course,

what tempted Han Sumei the most was that,

given Yun Zhenyue’s relationship with the director, she would never run away and would surely perish along with the restaurant.

Then, her work assignment would be forcibly terminated, and she could go straight home.

The plan was like killing three birds with one stone!

As for the only downside,

it was that she, too, would be in danger.

"Remember, every day at five in the afternoon, during the restaurant’s busiest time, the specter manager goes out."

"I see him at the back door every day. You’ll only have ten minutes."

"During that ten-minute window, his manager’s office is empty, and the keys will be in the bottom drawer on the right side of the desk."

"Once you get the keys, the plan is more than halfway to success."

"When the time comes, you’ll first unlock my chains, then use the key to undo the seal, and the plan will be a success..."

Zheng Yingjun’s words echoed constantly in her mind.

Han Sumei secretly returned to the storeroom.

Her heart pounded with excitement.

Her spirits were soaring!

She didn’t even feel the hunger in her shrunken stomach.

’No wonder the specter cook didn’t want them wandering around.’

’He was afraid of that terrifying presence.’

Han Sumei felt as if she had discovered a new world. She could already picture the cruel scene of those detestable specters and Yun Zhenyue dying at the hands of that horrifying creature.

She returned to her corner, her bloodshot eyes fixed on the ceiling.

She didn’t sleep all night.

...

「The next day.」

It was another busy day.

"Hum hum hum~"

As if she’d been shot full of adrenaline, Han Sumei worked with extraordinary vigor.

Her figure could be seen in every corner of the restaurant.

Humming a song while holding her mop,

she scrubbed the restaurant until it was spotless.

She worked tirelessly, whether anyone was urging her on or not.

The other girls watched in astonishment, thinking she must have taken the wrong medicine.

They were just working to get by,

but could it be that Han Sumei was aiming for a promotion?

Only Yamada Aiko felt a chill creep into her heart.

She had a bad feeling.

Whenever Han Sumei acted this abnormally,

it usually meant something was going on behind the scenes.

’But mopping... There can’t be a conspiracy in mopping, can there?’

...

In the blink of an eye,

it was almost five in the afternoon.

Han Sumei took a breath and wiped the sweat from her brow.

When no one was looking, she quietly headed up the stairs.

Her target was the manager’s office on the second floor.

But just as Han Sumei was mopping with her head down,

an icy voice spoke up,

instantly scaring her so badly her body went stiff.

"Little mouse, where are you going?"

It was the specter accountant, who happened to be coming down from the second floor.

He looked at Han Sumei and asked coolly.

"Uh..."

The question stunned Han Sumei. Lacking a strong composure, she almost blurted out her entire plan.

But then she pictured Yun Zhenyue enjoying a feast and drinking spectral wine.

Jealousy and hatred instantly flooded her heart!

She feigned nonchalance. "Sir, Miss... Miss Yun asked me to go upstairs and help her mop."

"Miss Yun?"

"Then hurry along. Don’t keep her waiting."

Hearing this, the specter accountant didn’t suspect a thing.

He nodded, not giving Han Sumei another glance.

In his eyes,

these little mice were lowly, powerless creatures, incapable of causing any trouble.

Han Sumei had dodged a bullet.

The path ahead was clear.

She carefully approached the manager’s office and could see from the corner of her eye that it was empty.

She tiptoed inside, sat in the chair, and began to rummage through the drawers!

Just as she’d hoped!

She found a ring of keys in the very bottom drawer!

Han Sumei was overjoyed!

She quickly hid the keys in her clothes.

After a final check to make sure she hadn’t left any traces, she backed out of the manager’s office.

She put on an act, as if she had just finished mopping for Yun Zhenyue,

and returned to the first-floor lobby.

The whole thing took no more than five minutes.

"The final step..."

Han Sumei’s heart was POUNDING. Carrying a bucket on the pretense of fetching water, she pushed open the back door.

She saw Zheng Yingjun leaning against a trash can, pretending to be asleep.

"Mr. Zheng, I brought the keys..."

Han Sumei said in a low voice.

"Quick, hurry up and unlock my chains!"

Zheng Yingjun stood up and urged her anxiously.

Han Sumei took the ring of keys and began trying them.

But no matter which key she tried, none of them would open Zheng Yingjun’s shackles.

Han Sumei was sweating profusely with anxiety.

She was panting heavily.

’I’ve bet everything on this.’

’If the specter manager comes back and finds the keys missing, he’ll definitely kill me!’

She tried several more times, but with time running out,

Han Sumei felt she had no choice and steeled her heart!

"I’m sorry, Mr. Zheng!"

"I have to go release the specter from the basement first!"

Hearing Han Sumei’s merciless voice,

Zheng Yingjun’s heart sank.

He wanted revenge on the Blood Moon Restaurant,

but he didn’t want to get himself killed in the process!

His pupils contracted as he said in disbelief, "What did you say?"

"If that specter gets out, I’ll be the first to die! Don’t go! You—"

Before he could finish,

Han Sumei abandoned Zheng Yingjun

and ran into the small room by herself.

"It’s over!"

All hope was lost. Zheng Yingjun instantly broke down!

The specter locked in that basement was terrifyingly violent; everyone who had ever seen it was dead!

He had only learned of it through some hearsay he’d stumbled upon.

If it was really released, he would probably be the first to die here!

That goddamn Han Sumei!

Could it be that all people from their Great Cold Country were this despicable?