“Let’s wait until the others arrive.”
Yu Zhaozhao deliberately spoke in a cold tone, then sat down in an empty seat nearby.
“Alright.” The young, puppy-like train attendant actually looked quite happy.
Within a few minutes, another attendant returned with a man.
The man stood tall, with sharp, handsome features.
Every movement he made was precise and disciplined—clearly someone who had undergone formal training.
“Hello. Were you the one who reported unusual activity in the sleeper carriage?” he asked Yu Zhaozhao, his expression serious.
“Mm, that was me.”
“Other than hearing a man threatening someone and a woman crying, did you notice anything else?”
Yu Zhaozhao shook her head.
“No. I didn’t stay outside too long—I was afraid of being discovered.”
“You did the right thing.” The man nodded in approval.
“Hello, comrade. Let me introduce myself—I’m Jiang Jizhou, the temporary captain of this special operations team. Based on the information you provided, the people in that compartment are very likely our target.
Now, I’d like to formally ask for your help. Don’t worry—it won’t be for nothing. Whatever you need, we’ll try our best to provide.”
Yu Zhaozhao wasn’t interested in the arrest itself—but she was interested in the reward.
The journey would last 48 hours, and less than 6 had passed so far. If possible, she wanted the rest of the trip to be more comfortable.
“That’s fine. For the reward… can I get a sleeper berth?”
Jiang Jizhou chuckled lightly.
“Of course.”
Once they made the arrest, they’d be getting off at the nearest stop anyway. Even if there were no extra berths, he could give her his own.
“Alright. What do you need me to do?”
Jiang Jizhou had already thought of a plan.
“It’s almost mealtime. You’ll disguise yourself as a train attendant and sell boxed meals—and offer water. They boarded temporarily, so they probably didn’t bring food.
If they don’t buy anything, you can use offering water as an excuse to ask again. It’s hot—maybe they can skip food, but they won’t skip water.
After the door opens, observe the situation inside. How many people are there? Men or women? What’s their condition?
Remember—don’t act rashly. Your safety comes first. We’ll decide the next step based on what you report.”
“Got it.”
Yu Zhaozhao nodded. This task was easy for her.
Once everything was arranged, the young attendant brought over a uniform and handed it to her, gesturing for her to change in the lounge.
Yu Zhaozhao took it and went.
While she changed, the meal cart was prepared. Ten minutes later, she appeared at the entrance of the sleeper carriage, pushing the cart.
She patiently knocked on each compartment, even managing to sell six boxed meals along the way.
Soon, she reached the suspicious compartment.
“Hello, would you like a boxed meal?”
She knocked and called out.
No response came from inside.
“Hello, boxed meals available—free boiled water as well.”
At the mention of water, there was some shuffling inside. Then the door opened slightly, revealing a man’s face.
“How much for a meal?”
“Three yuan each. No coupons required.”
Three yuan wasn’t cheap—but not needing coupons made it tempting.
“Give me four.”
“Alright. We also provide free boiled water. Would you like some?”
Seeing her calm demeanor, the man gradually relaxed.
“Fine. Give me the thermos—I’ll pour it myself.”
“Alright, comrade.”
Yu Zhaozhao handed over four boxed meals.
“Twelve yuan in total.”
The man opened the door a little wider to take them, placing the food on the small table. Taking advantage of the moment, Yu Zhaozhao quickly assessed the situation inside.
Aside from the man at the door, there was one more man and two women.
The younger woman sat on a lower berth with the other man. He sat closer to the inside, but his right hand was clearly pressed against her waist.
On the opposite berth sat an older woman. Though she tried to remain composed, Yu Zhaozhao could easily see her tension.
The man at the door turned back and handed over the twelve yuan.
Yu Zhaozhao took the money and passed him the thermos.
He poured four mugs of water before returning it.
Yu Zhaozhao accepted it and left without showing the slightest hint of suspicion.
Only after she disappeared did the two men inside finally relax.
They were certain the attendant hadn’t noticed anything—otherwise, she wouldn’t have acted so calmly.
What they didn’t know was that Yu Zhaozhao had undergone professional training. A situation like this wouldn’t make her slip up.
Back in the dining carriage, Jiang Jizhou approached her with five or six young men—likely his teammates.
“Well? Did you see clearly what’s inside?”
Yu Zhaozhao nodded.
“There are four people—two men and two women. The two men are likely your targets. The women are hostages.
And the two women are probably related—mother and daughter, or sisters.”
“How can you tell?”
“When I knocked, one man opened the door. The other man was sitting with the younger woman, while the older one sat alone across from them.
During our conversation, the older woman kept watching the younger one closely, clearly worried. It looked like the daughter was being held hostage, forcing the mother to cooperate.”
Jiang Jizhou nodded, his expression still tense.
“With this kind of one-on-one hostage situation, it’s hard to act. One mistake could endanger them. If necessary, we may have to wait until the next stop.”
“Oh, there’s no need to make it that complicated,” Yu Zhaozhao said casually. “I already added something to the food and water. In half an hour, you can just go in and arrest them.”
She was honestly baffled by how rigid these officials were—so concerned with procedure, even when dealing with criminals.
For her, it was simple—a single dose of medicine solved everything.
“…Where did you get that?” Jiang Jizhou was stunned. It was the first time he’d heard of handling a mission this way.
“I made it myself. Think about it—I’m a young girl traveling alone. Of course I’d prepare something for self-defense.”
“You can compound medicine?”
“Is that supposed to be difficult?”
Jiang Jizhou fell silent.
Medicine formulas were usually treated like family heirlooms—without proper inheritance, it was difficult.
For a young girl to have such knowledge… it was suspicious.
Seeing his expression, Yu Zhaozhao immediately understood—he was starting to doubt her.
A trace of irritation rose in her heart.
She helped them, and now she was the one being suspected?