Momo's Gradual Change - VOL. 1

C164. Exposed!

Chapter 164: Exposed!

After what felt like an eternity, Zhou Xin finally arrived with reinforcements, and Song Yimo’s heart instantly eased at the sight.

"Zhou-ge." She greeted him with relief, finding reassurance in his familiar face.

Seeing her unharmed, Zhou Xin relaxed as well. "Miss Song, they’re combing through the second floor and will be here soon. We should move. Rong Ming, call the team to prepare."

Noticing her confusion, Zhou Xin explained, "I’ve arranged a decoy to lead them away. We’ll slip down to the first floor through the employee passage. They’ve already searched the first floor once and found nothing, so it should be the safest route."

Dai Le nodded approvingly; he had planned to head to the first floor himself but had held back, knowing that alone he couldn’t ensure her safety.

"Manager, the decoy is in place," reported one of Zhou Xin’s men.

"Good, let’s go."

As they moved out, Song Yimo noticed people moving purposefully in the same direction, a stark reminder of how many foes were stationed on just this floor alone. Without Dai Le’s help and her brother’s order for Zhou Xin to assist, she doubted she’d have made it out on her own.

"The employee passage is another hundred meters ahead. Let’s pick up the pace."

Song Yimo quickly fell in step, focusing all her energy on moving forward. But at that moment, the baby in her arms began to wail. Thankfully, the noisy mall masked it, as several children cried now and then, but her panic grew as the child’s cries continued unabated.

Song Yimo tried desperately to comfort him, bouncing and soothing him as best as she could, but his crying only intensified.

Dai Le pulled a small toy car from his pocket, shaking it to catch the baby’s attention. He made playful sounds, and the child’s cries slowly dwindled as his eyes fixed on the toy. Waving his tiny hands, he reached for it, and Dai Le cleverly held it just out of reach, letting the baby touch it without ever catching it. The child’s giggles brought a wave of relief over the group.

Seeing that Song Yimo was exhausted, Zhou Xin moved to take the baby from her, but Dai Le intervened. "He’s familiar with her scent now. Switching would make him cry."

"I’m holding up fine," Song Yimo assured them.

Without further delay, Zhou Xin led them to a cordoned-off area under renovation. "Careful here; this is the entrance to the employee passage. It’s been unused until now, so they likely won’t think to look here."

Dai Le’s face brightened. "Our leader will be here in just a few more minutes."

They descended to the first floor via the service staircase, and Zhou Xin, knowing the area well, guided them into a men’s clothing store. A beautiful woman came forward, a welcoming smile lighting her face. "Mr. Zhou? What an honor! And with such a crowd—you’re here to bless my store, I take it?"

"Manager Qin, I’ll explain later. Do you have a discreet spot for us?"

As the manager of a luxury brand in a premier mall, Manager Qin was sharp and tactful. Without missing a beat, she led them deeper into the store. "We have a small storage room back here. It’s not entirely hidden, but during the renovations, we disguised the door quite well. It blends into the decor, so it’s hardly noticeable."

Indeed, the door was seamlessly integrated into the wall design. Without Manager Qin opening it, they’d never have noticed it was there.

Zhou Xin inspected the room. It wasn’t spacious, but it was tidy and free of any unpleasant odors. "Miss Song, you’ll have to wait here for a bit. The boss will be here soon."

Song Yimo nodded and entered, settling into a corner with the baby, who was now happily absorbed with the toy Dai Le handed him.

She found a place to sit and propped the child up against her, gently rocking him to keep him calm. After a while, her arm began to tingle and ache, but she didn’t let go, focusing on keeping him soothed.

The room was sealed, but the central air duct provided ventilation. Even so, in the hot weather, the small, enclosed space was far from comfortable.

Afraid the baby would get uncomfortable, Song Yimo took a piece of cardboard and fanned him, playing with him and his toy to keep him occupied and happy.

Outside, Zhou Xin pointed to a few suits. "Bring these in sizes to fit all of us."

Four of Zhou Xin’s men had followed him in, plus Dai Le and Zhou Xin himself, making six in total. Manager Qin’s eyes gleamed as she signaled to a sales assistant, who quickly sized each of them up and brought out appropriately fitted suits.

Manager Qin herself handed a suit to Zhou Xin, helping him slip on the jacket.

Gazing at his reflection in the mirror, Zhou Xin asked quietly, "If anyone comes looking, I trust you’ll know what to say, Manager Qin?"

Adjusting his collar with a flirtatious smile, she replied, "Mr. Zhou, you’re one of our most loyal clients. But you’re a busy man, so how about I send any new arrivals straight to you next time?"

Zhou Xin gave a satisfied nod, impressed by her quick wits and discretion, which was why he’d chosen to bring Miss Song here.

Just then, someone entered the store. Zhou Xin caught a glimpse in the mirror and signaled to Qin Ru.

She got the hint, stepping forward with a smile to greet the newcomers. "Welcome! Anything catching your eye?"

"We’re just browsing," one replied. They walked around the store, even lingering near the fitting rooms with a quick, subtle glance, before leaving.

The phone in Zhou Xin’s hand buzzed, and his face lit up as he read the caller ID. "Boss, we’re in Area A-21 on the first floor."

At that moment, four more men entered the shop. Dai Le looked up and locked eyes with a familiar face—the old ghost. The man’s shout broke the silence. "They’re here!"

Without hesitation, Dai Le swung a fist, and Zhou Xin’s men, highly trained security guards, sprang into action. Each one took down an opponent with ruthless efficiency, but the commotion had already attracted attention.

More and more hostile forces surged toward the shop.

Zhou Xin’s team held the entrance, keeping anyone from crossing the threshold, though all bore wounds. Dai Le, already injured, moved with less agility than usual, but as a former special forces operative, he fought with relentless ferocity, holding his ground as the team’s fiercest defender.

Zhai Muyang, alerted by the commotion, cursed under his breath and dashed toward Area A.

There was no need for a lengthy search; following the sounds of chaos, he quickly spotted a mass of bodies grappling with one another. With a few swift strides, he hurled his phone at a man attempting to slip into the store, and then propelled himself into the fray like a cannonball.

Not far behind, Zheng Senlin and a few others rushed to follow, ready to protect Lao Zhai’s back.

The store employees were in a state of panic, huddled together at the counter. Manager Qin, though frightened, displayed a measure of courage. Weighing her options, she steeled herself and handed two electric batons to Zhou Xin, bolstering their defenses.

With the batons in hand, the group intensified their efforts at the entrance. Yet, despite Zhai Muyang and his companions’ formidable combat skills, the pile of bodies before them kept growing, more and more people converging on the scene.

Just then, Dai Le’s phone rang. He stepped back to answer, shouting urgently, "Area A-21 on the first floor! Hurry!"

Understanding that reinforcements were on their way, the opposition threw caution to the wind and surged toward the door, intent on snatching the child before their allies could arrive. They all knew that at this point, the rift between the Fang and Ou families had widened beyond repair; capturing the child was their only bargaining chip.