C16 Zhou Yingxue Was Tied Up.

"Son, son, I'm your dad..."

The phone by the pillow vibrated.

A hand emerged from the cocoon of blankets, fumbling for the device.

Finally, securing the phone, a thumb swipe silenced the ringtone.

The figure in the bed rolled over, soon followed by the sound of snoring!

Meanwhile, Zhou Yingxue and Zhao Wan'er walked hand in hand, drawing the eyes of every man they passed.

Feeling the stares, Zhou Yingxue tightened her grip on Zhao Wan'er's hand.

"Wan'er, let's pick up the pace. It's getting late."

"Plus, I've heard our neighborhood hasn't been too safe lately."

Zhou Yingxue pressed Zhao Wan'er to move faster.

"I know, I know, my dear sister."

"You've told me three times already."

"We're just grabbing a parcel from the courier—it'll be quick."

Saying this, Zhao Wan'er led Zhou Yingxue onward.

They reached the entrance of the Speedy Courier Service.

"Come on, let's get this and head back quickly."

"I've got a bad feeling about this," Zhou Yingxue admitted, clutching her chest with a worried glance around.

Zhao Wan'er gave Zhou Yingxue a look of exasperation.

"Yingxue, you're just spooked from the movie we watched tonight."

"Don't stress, everything's fine. And if there is any trouble, I've got your back," Zhao Wan'er reassured her, patting her 36D chest confidently.

Together, they entered the store.

Inside, Zhao Wan'er approached the counter.

"Excuse me, I'm here to pick up a package. The tracking number ends in 4783, and it's under the name Wan'er."

The shopkeeper, brightening at the sight of the two women, nodded.

"Sure thing, just a moment."

He disappeared into the back to locate the package.

Shortly, the shopkeeper returned with two boxes, setting them on the counter.

"Here you go. Please sign for your package."

Zhao Wan'er swiftly signed her name and picked up the parcels, turning to Zhou Yingxue.

"See? All good, my dear sister!"

She handed one of the packages to Zhou Yingxue with a smile.

She stepped out of the Lightspeed Express Delivery.

The boss watched them go, a look of reluctance in his eyes.

He thought to himself, "These two are absolutely stunning."

But he marveled at their courage—so beautiful and yet they dared to wander outside so late at night.

"You know, Lightspeed Express really does live up to its name," one girl remarked.

"I placed my order yesterday and it's already here," the other replied.

This was Zhao Wan'er speaking to Zhou Yingxue.

Zhou Yingxue, feeling the weight of the package in her hands, turned to her friend.

"Wan'er, what on earth did you buy? It's so heavy!"

Her face was the picture of curiosity as she gazed at Zhao Wan'er.

A blush crept onto Zhao Wan'er's cheeks.

"Oh, it's nothing, just a larger-than-usual collectible figurine."

Zhou Yingxue accepted this explanation without question, nodding in understanding.

"That explains the weight," she said.

The two best friends continued on their way, chatting and laughing as they headed toward their apartment, oblivious to the four men in black closing in behind them.

The express store owner, who had been keeping an eye on them, was just about to call out a warning when one of the men turned and made a throat-slitting gesture at him.

Chills ran down the owner's spine, and he quickly retreated into the safety of his shop.

"Damn, that's terrifying," he muttered to himself.

Hiding behind the counter, he replayed the image of the man in black in his mind—a jagged scar ran from his forehead to his chin, looking like a centipede resting on his face, and his eyes gleamed with a predatory hunger.

The thought of calling the police crossed his mind, but he was frozen in fear.

Then came the sound of something dropping—like a delivery box hitting the ground—followed by a series of rustling noises, and finally, the startup of a car engine.

The owner ducked even lower, the sounds confirming his fears.

He ruefully thought to himself, "It's all because of good looks. If they weren't so pretty, who else would be targeted?"

Two or three minutes passed in tense silence.

The express delivery shop owner mustered his courage and peeked outside.

"Hmm? Where did they go?"

He quickly pulled out his phone and called the Department of Peacekeeping.

"Hello, is this the Department of Peace and Order?"

"There's been a crime here; two girls have been abducted."

"I'm at Unit 1, Building 6, Guangming District on White Cloud Avenue."

"Yes, that's right, I witnessed it myself."

...

Zhou Yingxue and Zhao Wan'er were strolling along, chatting and laughing.

Out of nowhere, a hand reached out and clutched their throats.

Before they could scream, two white handkerchiefs covered their mouths, emitting a strange scent that overwhelmed their senses.

They ceased their struggles.

Two men in black quickly produced large sacks and covered the girls.

One man hoisted each girl over his shoulder and headed towards a white van.

The other two men gathered the scattered express packages before joining their accomplices in the van, which then sped off.

...

At the Department of Public Security.

Upon receiving the emergency call, Zhou Shuyi immediately led a team to respond.

In no time, a squad of peacekeepers arrived at the Light Speed Express shop.

Zhou Shuyi approached the shop owner.

"Are you the one who reported the incident?"

"Ah, yes, officer, it was me," he stammered, his gaze lingering on Zhou Shuyi.

It was hard to fault him; Zhou Shuyi was strikingly beautiful.

Her eyes sparkled with vitality, her eyebrows curved like resting silkworms, her nose as delicate as jade, and her lips as if holding a secret.

Her long legs accentuated by the unique high boots of the Public Security Division, her shapely figure, and the uniform that seemed to barely contain her form all highlighted her allure.

Zhou Shuyi's presence in her law enforcement uniform added a distinctive flair to her beauty.

The express delivery store owner couldn't help but think that this female law enforcer was on par with the girl in the white dress who had just been there.

Two top-notch items had just been stolen, and now here was another stunner.

Who could handle such a day?

Zhou Shuyi gave the owner a look of disdain. Despite having encountered such situations before, she found them no easier to stomach.

She then fixed her gaze on the owner and demanded in a stern voice,

"I need a detailed account of what happened, now."

"Tell me everything you saw and heard, without missing a word."

"And keep your eyes to yourself, or I won't hesitate to make sure you never see again."

The store owner quickly bowed his head and began to explain,

"Just now, two very pretty girls came in to pick up a package."

"Then..."

"When I looked outside again, they were gone. The package, too, had vanished."

Upon hearing the store owner's account, Zhou Shuyi's eyes blazed with fury.

Her chest heaved with such intensity it seemed ready to burst forth.

She clenched her fists tightly and spat out with venom,

"To think that such a thing could happen in my territory."

"If I catch the culprit, they'll regret it!"

She then turned to her team and commanded,

"Everyone, scour the scene immediately and report any suspicious findings."

"Assign two officers to the Traffic Division to review the surveillance footage."

"And Tiger, head back and look up the individual the store owner mentioned in our system."

"Check for any filed reports!"

With her orders clear, the law enforcers sprang into action.

​