Exiting the Underground City, Li Zhenmian spotted the black sedan Li Weizhong had mentioned. She opened the door, slid into the seat, and pulled off her mask. The interior of the car was pitch black.
An urgent voice came through her earpiece. “Captain, wrong car. Ours is behind.”
A low voice sounded from beside her. “Get out.”
Li Zhenmian froze. She’d gotten into the wrong car? That voice sounded oddly familiar.
Su Pei switched on the car’s interior light. A dim yellow glow filled the cabin, illuminating everything at once. He took in the woman in the back seat.
“Miss Li?”
Li Zhenmian offered an awkward but polite smile. “Sorry, I got into the wrong car.”
How was it that she kept running into Qi Siyan even here in Bay California? What a small world—and not in a good way.
“Fancy running into you here, Miss Li,” Su Pei said with a smile.
Li Zhenmian’s expression was blank, her tone strange. “Yes. What a coincidence.”
Sensing the disdain in her voice, Su Pei rubbed the back of his head awkwardly.
Qi Siyan was as sparing with his words as ever. From the moment she’d gotten in until now, he’d said exactly two words: “Get out.”
“People are waiting for me. I’m off.”
Li Zhenmian had no desire to spend another second with Qi Siyan. She pushed open the door and stepped out.
Her black tank top was a bit short, and as she bent down, a sliver of her slender waist was exposed. On her porcelain-white skin sat a red mole.
Qi Siyan’s gaze swept indifferently over her retreating figure, then suddenly froze.
That mole…
His breath caught. His fingertips trembled slightly. His eyes turned red in an instant.
His Zhizhi had a mole in the exact same spot on her lower back.
The same mole. A similar face. Was this a coincidence?
Was his Zhizhi back? Qi Siyan suddenly felt afraid—afraid that this was some cruel joke from heaven. He didn’t even dare to confirm it.
After getting out of the car, Li Zhenmian spotted the black vehicle parked not far away. It was tucked in a somewhat secluded spot. This time, it should be the right one.
Inside the car, Li Weizhong sat in the passenger seat and Wen Yang in the back. The moment Li Zhenmian got in, the driver started the engine.
Finally seeing Li Zhenmian’s face without the mask, Wen Yang couldn’t help but exclaim, “Jiang Zhi?”
Hearing that name, Li Zhenmian furrowed her brow. Jiang Zhi… Zhizhi…
If she remembered correctly, Jiang Zhi was the former captain of the Fifth Squad.
Several questions suddenly clicked into place.
No wonder Mo Yu and the others had been so shocked when they first saw her.
“Do I look that much like Jiang Zhi?”
Wen Yang studied the woman before her carefully. She did look a lot like Jiang Zhi, but upon closer inspection, there were subtle differences.
Wen Yang apologized. “Sorry, I mistook you for someone else.”
Li Zhenmian shrugged nonchalantly and said with a hint of teasing, “No worries. You’re probably not the first.”
And she likely wouldn’t be the last.
As she said this, she glanced at Li Weizhong.
Up front, Li Weizhong felt her gaze land on him, making him feel like needles were pricking his back.
Li Zhenmian looked away and turned her attention back to Wen Yang.
“My name is Li Zhenmian.”
“Miss Li, thank you for saving me.” Wen Yang’s face was filled with genuine gratitude.
“No need. I was just doing my job.”
Wen Yang wasn’t just the eldest daughter of the Wen family—she was also the President’s niece. That was why the base had sent people to rescue her.
“Miss Wen, you haven’t answered my question. How much do I look like Jiang Zhi?”
Wen Yang stared at her face, still a little amazed. She paused thoughtfully. “Honestly, if you didn’t look closely, you and Jiang Zhi would be practically identical.”
Wen Yang had interacted with Jiang Zhi before. Jiang Zhi had been a free-spirited, sunny little firecracker. But Li Zhenmian’s brows carried a cool aloofness, a completely different temperament.
Li Zhenmian raised an eyebrow. She was growing curious about Jiang Zhi. That similar, huh?
…
Inside the slowly moving black Maybach, the air pressure had dropped ever since Li Zhenmian left. Su Pei turned around and saw Qi Siyan with his head lowered, the corners of his eyes flushed red.
What was wrong with the boss? His mood seemed off.
“Look into Li Zhenmian’s schedule for the next few days.” Qi Siyan spoke, his voice low and hoarse, as if suppressing something.
Su Pei swallowed his surprise. “Yes, sir.”
What was going on? Why was the boss suddenly interested in Miss Li?
Could it be that, because he missed Miss Jiang Zhi so much, he was planning to make Miss Li her stand-in?
A body double storyline??
Li Zhenmian had Li Weizhong escort Wen Yang back to Country A, while she herself stayed in Bay California.
Because the day before, Yun Shiche had told her that Yun Zhi was in Bay California.
That reckless little girl was probably having the time of her life—daring to come to a place this dangerous and chaotic.
One wrong move here and you’d get sold off. Wen Yang was a perfect example.
In a noisy bar, Yun Zhi was drinking with gusto when Li Zhenmian’s icy voice suddenly sounded from behind her.
“Yun Zhi, you’ve gotten bold, haven’t you?”
Yun Zhi jumped in fright. She turned around to see Li Zhenmian staring at her coldly.
“Sis? Sis! What are you doing here?” Yun Zhi stammered.
“I came to see when you’ll finally get yourself killed, and to collect your body while I’m at it.”
Yun Zhi felt a pang of guilt, because both Yun Shiche and Li Zhenmian had warned her before—she was absolutely not allowed to come to Bay California on her own.
Bay California is home to the world’s largest Underground City and casinos, where various factions hold sway and the international community has no power to intervene.
Every kind of filthy business happens here. Ordinary people who come to Bay California basically never make it back, because anything can be traded here—especially pretty young girls. Coming here is like walking straight into a wolf’s den.
But Yun Zhi never listens to advice. The more people told her not to come, the more rebellious she became, insisting on seeing it for herself.
“Sis, I’m sorry. I promise I won’t do it again.” Yun Zhi admitted her mistake obediently.
Li Zhenmian didn’t believe her promise for a second.
Seeing that Li Zhenmian’s expression wasn’t as cold anymore, Yun Zhi gave a fawning smile. “Sis, want a drink?”
“No.”
“Uh, well then… should we go?” Yun Zhi tested the waters cautiously.
…
Sitting in the car, Yun Zhi looked utterly lifeless. She’d only asked casually, and Li Zhenmian had grabbed her and left without a second word.
“Where’s your hotel?”
Yun Zhi answered in a small voice:
“The East District.”
Li Zhenmian started the car.
“Sis, did you come all the way to Bay California just to drag me back?”
“I had a mission. Catching you was a bonus.”
“Oh.”
Yun Zhi’s tone fell flat, then she asked again.
“How did you know I was here? Did my brother tell you?”
“Yeah.”
It really was Yun Shiche! Yun Zhi clenched her fists in fury.
Li Zhenmian caught sight of her indignant little expression from the corner of her eye and said calmly:
“Bay California is very dangerous. If you want to have fun, I can stay with you for a few days.”
Yun Zhi’s eyes lit up instantly.
“That’s great, Sis! I knew you were the best to me.”
“Don’t get too excited yet. Your brother wants you to report to the company next month.” Li Zhenmian turned the steering wheel, pulling the car into the hotel parking lot.
The flame that had just ignited was extinguished in an instant. Yun Zhi slumped into her seat.
Life really was a rollercoaster of ups and downs. All she could do was savor these last precious moments with tears in her eyes.