Doomsday Wonderland Vol. 13: Sleepwalking in Dreamland

1633: Editing

Xie Feng thought she would get a message from Dong Luorong, but her phone remained silent; there was nothing.

In fact, she wasn't even sure if Dong Luorong had her number—because she certainly didn't have Dong Luorong's.

She shoved the silent phone back into her bag. Once her anger burned out, all that remained was exhaustion. Even though things were only now reaching the most critical moment, she couldn't summon the energy she needed—maybe because she was still recovering from her recent illness.

After unexpectedly capturing their hostage without a hitch, the next step was a chase and an escape.

Their advantage was that it was still early in the morning. The streets of Tear City, where people were used to sleeping in, were still empty, and traffic was smooth. But Qiu Chantian held a high rank, and his kidnapping was nothing short of a political earthquake. Soon, the entire city's security forces—police, soldiers, patrols, and surveillance—would be mobilized to find him.

"Call your deputy," Ah Cheng's voice came through the phone, still connected on the open line. "Tell them you suddenly felt like going for a walk alone. Make sure they don't overreact or send anyone after you."

Smart, Xie Feng thought appreciatingly in her heart. Even if the deputy didn't fully believe it, it would create some confusion and a layer of doubt. And confusion was valuable—one hint or vague suggestion from a superior could ripple downward, spreading uncertainty among the lower-level staff and producing unexpected effects.

"What if they ask where I went?" Qiu Chantian asked.

"Say you went to Tai Lion Mountain."

Tai Lion Mountain was a well-known leisure spot in Tear City, offering panoramic views of the city. It was popular among the wealthy and influential, so Qiu Chantian going there seemed perfectly plausible.

Following Ah Cheng's instructions, Qiu Chantian repeated the story over the phone, keeping the call on speaker the entire time. No sooner had Qiu Chantian ended the call than another phone began to ring inside the car—a sound that jolted Xie Feng. She immediately realized the other party had placed a call to the driver's phone.

"You know what to say, right?" Shortie asked as he frantically pulled the phone from the driver's pocket. He shot the driver a warning. "Focus. Say that Chief Qiu told you to drive off. Got it? Or we'll toss you into the ocean."

The driver swallowed nervously and nodded.

"Hello?" Shortie answered, lowering his voice to a gruff tone. "Yeah... right... that's correct..."

At that moment, an idea flashed in Xie Feng's mind. She quickly typed out a message on her phone, turned, and showed it to the driver. She whispered, "Say this."

Shortie froze and leaned in for a look.

The message on the phone was brief: "Sister Dong knows too. The chief said she'll come by later."

The driver's eyes widened in surprise at the mention of "Sister Dong," and he instinctively glanced at Xie Feng with his mouth slightly open.

Using Dong Luorong's name made Xie Feng feel uneasy—it felt like a cheap trick. But if invoking the words "Sister Dong" made the story more convincing, it was worth it. Besides, she had already thought of a way to distance Dong Luorong from the situation if things went wrong.

Just as the driver opened his mouth to speak, Shortie nudged him sharply. "Don't say it yet," he muttered, glancing at Xie Feng with a look that told her to wait.

The driver hesitated for a moment, and the chance to speak slipped away.

Xie Feng kept her phone raised mid-air for a few seconds before lowering it, suddenly overwhelmed by a strange sense of shame, as if she wanted to disappear into the ground.