The Favored Heiress
Chapter 754: Creating an Illusion

Chapter 754: Chapter 754: Creating an Illusion

After exiting the elevator, Yin Mo still felt a bit dazed.

She was pulled by He Chen toward the room, her mind echoing with the heart-wrenching scene inside the elevator.

Despite the long-awaited reunion, it was obvious that Xia Lao Wu and the others were on guard against her.

Behind them, the elevator doors slowly closed, Su Moshi appeared thoughtful, "Brother Chen’s shoulder... it’s bleeding."

Xia Siyu looked at Li Qiao with suspicion, "Did you make a move?"

Li Qiao lowered her eyes, a smile hidden in their depths, "It’s just a ruse."

Song Liao might be slow-witted, but he had a very high sensitivity. After a moment of thought, he nodded in understanding, "He’s one of us too?"

Li Qiao confirmed, and as the elevator reached their respective floors, everyone went back to their rooms in turn.

Given Yin Mo’s arrival, Xia Siyu and the others harbored doubts, so no one asked too many questions, opting instead to wait and see.

...

The next day, the Fireworks Festival.

The annual festival of British Imperial could be felt from the bustling atmosphere on the streets from early morning.

Below the Platinum Luster Hotel, just three streets away from the Ducal Residence.

The police station had deployed many officers to maintain order on both sides of the road.

Since it was Charlman City’s first time hosting the Fireworks Festival, countless citizens came to participate.

The Platinum Luster Hotel was housing all the distinguished guests invited by the Ducal Residence, and the security measures around it were even more rigorous than usual.

In the suite’s living room, Li Qiao ate her breakfast in small bites, while Feng Yi sat opposite her, raising an eyebrow, "We’re going to the Ducal Residence at four in the afternoon, I can’t be with you, you’ll have to play it by ear then."

Shang Yu drank his strong coffee elegantly, his eyelids lowered, "What about He Chen?"

Feng Yi chuckled lightly, "He’s probably bonding with Xiao Yeyan as brothers."

The man’s brow furrowed slightly, and he spoke in a deep voice with pursed lips, "Xiao Yeyan is not so easily fooled, who’s following him?"

"Yin Mo." Feng Yi’s gaze turned sharp, "Brother Chen said, Xiao Yeyan’s men saw us together at Wicks Vineyard, your bodyguard didn’t notice anyone following?"

Shang Yu’s eyes turned cold, he crossed his legs and curved his lips in a profound smirk, "It wasn’t a tail."

Feng Yi didn’t speak, and at the right moment, Li Qiao looked up to meet the man’s profound gaze and lightly arched her eyebrows.

That night at Wicks Vineyard, nearly everyone present was one of their own, except... Ye Jing.

Putting down her cutlery, she tapped her fingernail on the table, then poked her phone screen a few times, sending a text message to Bai Yan.

"If it’s Ye Jing, I’ll make her shut up," Li Qiao said indifferently, with no extra expression on her face.

Ye Jing had appeared with Brother Xiao and was from the Flame Alliance, so she hadn’t delved into her background.

She might not necessarily be an enemy, but if she really leaked the encounter at the vineyard, then she must be well-acquainted with Xiao Yeyan.

Seeing this, Feng Yi shook his head with a chuckle, "It’s not that serious, Brother Chen can handle such a hiccup."

Li Qiao picked up her cutlery again and slowly chewed her way through her meal on the plate.

After a while, Bai Yan’s message also came through, along with Ye Jing’s basic information, and one more sentence: Is she still around?

Li Qiao didn’t reply but quickly scanned the information.

There wasn’t anything particularly noteworthy, the most unexpected discovery was probably that she and Ye Yun were cousins.

After breakfast, Li Qiao prepared to go upstairs to find Xia Siyu, but Shang Yu gave Luoyu a look, and without needing to elaborate, she followed out the door on her own initiative.

Li Qiao didn’t take the elevator, instead heading to the fire escape and calling Bo Tingxiao.

Soon, a familiar steady voice came from the phone’s earpiece, "Xiao Qi?"

Leaning against the stair railing, Li Qiao got straight to the point, "Where’s Ye Jing?"

"She went to Charlman City yesterday to meet a friend," Bo Tingxiao said to Li Qiao, always forthcoming with information, "Is there something you need from her?"

Li Qiao said she was just asking and was about to hang up when Bo Tingxiao added, "I’ll send you the number. If you want to reach her, you can track her in real time."

"Alright, thanks."

Bo Tingxiao let out a helpless sigh, "You don’t need to be so formal with me, call me anytime if you need anything."

Li Qiao hung up in response and quickly received the number that Bo Tingxiao had sent.

She glanced at it for a few moments, disinterestedly exited the WeChat page.

The information Bai Yan had given her also contained Ye Jing’s mobile number. She had chosen to ask Brother Xiao simply because she was too lazy to log into the system to find the location herself.

One Ye Jing wasn’t worth the trouble.

Since she was also in Charlman City, it was only a matter of time before they’d run into each other.

...

At one o’clock in the afternoon, a nanny van slowly drove into the entrance hall of the Platinum Luster Hotel.

Shortly after, five figures entered one after another.

Shen Qingye, who was sobering up, looked worn out, hugging a pillow and crouching by the window, silent.

Because Elder Xia Lao Wu had verbally thrashed him.

His WeChat was now filled with over fifty unread messages, all of them blasts from Xia Lao Wu.

He didn’t dare to look anymore.

Luo Yu, the bodyguard, drove to an inconspicuous corner of the hotel before being sent out by Li Qiao to get coffee.

Inside the van, Li Qiao casually threw a few sheets of paper on the small table, "Maps, memorize them."

Xia Siyu picked one up, saw the hand-drawn terrain map, and pointed to a circled area, "Is Brother Lih here?"

"Yes." Li Qiao leaned back in her seat, speaking slowly and outlining her plan, "There are twelve buildings behind the manor’s main house, intersected by six footpaths with uninterrupted patrols by knights and bodyguards. There is a half-hour viewing time before dinner, and I will take this path to find him."

While speaking, Li Qiao pointed to a map, which showed a path leading to a horse field.

Song Liao analyzed the terrain and was the first to say, "To avoid drawing attention, it’s best to have someone on every passageway to cover you. Right now... we are one person short."

"We’re not short."

Li Qiao spoke calmly, her tone not assertive, yet carrying a persuasive decisiveness.

The others didn’t ask any further questions. After some discussion, they divided up the tasks, cooperating with the same tacit understanding as before.

At that moment, Song Lao Liu took out several miniature communication devices from his pocket and threw them on the table, "The headquarters developed these new communication devices, one for each person."

Su Moshi also produced a bottle of pills, casting a meaningful look at Shen Qingye, "High-efficiency sobriety pills, drink a thousand cups without getting drunk."

Xia Lao Wu pulled several inconspicuous brooches from her bag, "They’ve got anesthetic needles hidden inside, just in case."

Shen Qingye spread his hands and murmured wearily, "There’s not enough time to prepare anything else. Two pieces of intel for your reference: Xiao Hongdao won’t attend, he has been claiming to be ill and usually stays on the third floor’s innermost tea room in the main house. Second..."

He paused for a few seconds, his voice dropping, "Boss Xiao will announce his betrothal partner tonight."

The air went still.

With that, the fireworks festival, which had invited countless nobility, seemed to have a legitimate reason.

"Knock knock knock—"

Suddenly, the spy-proof windows were rapped from the outside.

The group looked in the direction of the noise and saw Gu Chenn’s handsome face pressed against the glass, his nose squished out of shape.

Behind him stood Xi Luo, watching the scene with amusement, and Luo Yu with a face full of disdain.