Chapter 905: The Battle of Wits

Seeing two people suddenly appear behind her, the wealthy woman jumped up in shock as if electrocuted. Zhou Xiao gritted his teeth and threw Tao Yueyue off, then rushed forward, smashing the woman’s head against the wall, knocking her out.

Tao Yueyue fell to the ground, clutching the now-empty syringe in her hand. She looked at Zhou Xiao in disbelief. The large dose of alcohol should have had an immediate effect when injected directly into his bloodstream. How was he still unaffected?

“Wondering why it didn’t work?” Zhou Xiao sneered. “I found this syringe while you were sleeping earlier. I swapped the alcohol for distilled water to see who you intended to use it on… and you were planning to use it on me!!!”

Tao Yueyue turned and ran up the stairs, hearing Zhou Xiao’s maniacal laughter behind her, “Run! Run as far as you can! I’ll deal with you soon enough! Hahaha!”

Desperate, Tao Yueyue turned back and saw Zhou Xiao crouched next to the unconscious woman, ready to finish her off. Tao Yueyue grabbed a bottle from the wine rack and, after a deep breath, hurled it at Zhou Xiao’s head.

Zhou Xiao tilted his head to the side, and the bottle shattered against the wall, splashing most of its contents onto the unconscious woman.

Glaring at Tao Yueyue with fury, Zhou Xiao growled, “I was so good to you, and you betrayed me, you betrayed me!”

“I… I am arresting you!” Tao Yueyue stammered, trying to sound authoritative.

“Try me!” Zhou Xiao grinned wickedly.

Tao Yueyue ran up to the second floor again, with Zhou Xiao now in hot pursuit. His anger had reached a boiling point; he was intent on killing the little traitor first.

She remembered seeing something in one of the rooms. She rushed in and locked the door, grabbing a baseball bat from the corner. She swung it experimentally, but as she heard Zhou Xiao’s footsteps approaching, her resolve wavered.

No, I can’t beat him!

All the second-floor doors were open, except for this one. Zhou Xiao quickly deduced where Tao Yueyue was hiding. He kicked the door, making it shake in its frame as dust fell from the ceiling.

Trembling, Tao Yueyue looked around, then dragged an upright vacuum cleaner behind the curtain. Realizing how silly that was—its outline was clearly visible against the curtain—she quickly changed tactics.

The door continued to shudder under Zhou Xiao’s assault. Desperate, Tao Yueyue reversed the airflow on the vacuum cleaner and plugged it in. She then tore open a down jacket she found in the closet, scattering its contents on the floor near the door.

With the vacuum cleaner set to blow air, feathers flew everywhere as the door finally gave way. Zhou Xiao stepped in, only to be engulfed in a cloud of feathers.

Instinctively, he covered his face. Tao Yueyue seized the moment to swing the baseball bat at his head.

“Ahhh!” Zhou Xiao roared, grabbing for Tao Yueyue. He caught her sleeve, ripping it off.

He kicked the vacuum cleaner away, feathers clinging to his bloody forehead, making him look even more terrifying. The room was filled with feathers. He noticed the open window but didn’t fall for the trick again. Turning, he saw Tao Yueyue cowering under a cabinet with the bat.

“I’m going to kill you!” Zhou Xiao growled, advancing.

Tao Yueyue threw a handful of crushed plaster at his face and bolted. As she crossed the threshold, Zhou Xiao grabbed her by the collar, yanking her back hard.

Getting to her feet, Tao Yueyue knew fear wouldn’t save her. Her eyes hardened with resolve, reminiscent of the first time she faced Zhou Xiao. That night, he had pointed a knife at her and her mother, taunting, “Choose who dies.”

Though she didn’t like her mother, she had bravely pointed to herself, “Me!”

Breathing heavily, she gripped the bat, her eyes filled with the same determination. Zhou Xiao grinned, “You’re really not afraid of dying. You could have escaped, but you stayed to fight me. Trying to prove yourself to Song Lang?”

“No! You’re evil! I’m going to bring you to justice!” Tao Yueyue declared, teeth clenched.

“No one has the right to judge me!” Zhou Xiao roared.

A sudden, short scream echoed from downstairs, making Zhou Xiao pause. He dashed out, leaving Tao Yueyue stunned. Why did he suddenly abandon killing her?

Peering outside, she saw a man with a menacing look enter. Wearing a vest, his face was marked by deep lines that made him look like a movie villain. He held a silenced gun in one hand and a blood-stained knife in the other.

He scanned the room and then slipped into the shadows of the corridor.

With the immediate threat gone, Tao Yueyue grabbed her bat and crept downstairs, hoping to find a phone to call the police. Near the stairs, she saw the rich woman lying in a pool of blood. At the entrance stood another man with a silenced gun.

Upstairs, more gunshots rang out, making Tao Yueyue’s heart race. Were these assassins here to kill Zhou Xiao?