"What?!" Liu Yue and Situ Rui exclaimed in unison, eyes wide with disbelief.
Situ Rui suddenly looked uneasy, suspecting that the food he had just eaten might've been poisoned.
If someone else had said this, Liu Yue might've doubted it. But since it came from Ye Chen, she took it seriously. "Ye Chen, is the poison dangerous? Will it harm my grandmother?" she asked anxiously.
"This poison is extremely dangerous," Ye Chen replied, his tone grave. "It's nearly undetectable, even with medical equipment. It gradually disables the victim, eventually leading to death. Fortunately, the Zillao Bracelet your grandmother wears should've neutralized most of it, at least for now. She's safe—for the moment. But we need to find out who's behind this."
Ye Chen turned to Situ Rui. "Do you know who delivered the food to your grandmother?"
"It was brought in by a nurse. Around the same time, Bai Sheng and a friend of his also came by—about 30 minutes ago," Situ Rui answered.
"Bai Sheng?" Ye Chen asked, unfamiliar with the name.
"He's Bai San's father," Liu Yue explained. "A very ambitious man. Ruthless too."
Ye Chen nodded thoughtfully. "Then we have three suspects. This kind of poison isn't something just anyone can make. The ingredients are rare and difficult to handle. I suspect Bai Sheng's guest is the one who poisoned the food."
"But without proof, we can't accuse anyone," he added. "Can you describe Bai Sheng's companion?"
Situ Rui furrowed his brow, recalling the man. "He had pale, dark-tinted skin and wore outdated clothes. He kept smiling, but something about him felt...off."
Ye Chen's expression darkened. "That skin tone… He's been working with poison for a long time. Exposure often causes that kind of discoloration. It has to be him."
"Liu Yue, where does Bai Sheng live? I need to go there myself."
"He lives at XX Block, XXX. But what are you planning?" she asked, concerned.
"I just need to confirm something." Without waiting, Ye Chen turned and left.
Liu Yue ran after him, but when she stepped into the hallway, he was already gone. Ye Chen had vanished into thin air.
Ye Chen, moving at top speed through the air, arrived above Bai Sheng's residence within seconds. He hovered silently, using his spiritual sense to scan the area.
There were four people inside, all gathered in the central room. One of them had a cultivation level at the first stage of the Spirit Profound Realm. Ye Chen silently descended, dressed in a dark robe, and entered the building unseen to eavesdrop.
Inside were Bai San, Bai Sheng, a middle-aged woman who appeared to be Bai Sheng's wife, and a man Ye Chen hadn't seen before—clearly the poison expert.
Ye Chen activated his phone's recorder, capturing every word.
"Mr. Du Yao," Bai Sheng began, "will that poison really kill Situ Rui?"
"Don't worry," Du Yao replied confidently. "Within a week, she'll be dead. The poison is untraceable—there's no way anyone will suspect you."
The woman beside Bai Sheng smiled coldly. "Once that old woman is gone, we'll take over the Liu family's company."
Bai Sheng nodded. "Most of the shares will pass to Liu Yue. We just need her to hand them over."
"But father," Bai San chimed in, "how do we make her give up her shares? That won't be easy."
Du Yao chuckled. "I'll give you something that can make her completely obedient. Just slip it into her drink, and she'll do whatever you want."
Bai Sheng's eyes gleamed. "Excellent. I'm glad we're working together, Mr. Du Yao."
Du Yao's smile vanished. "Don't forget our deal. I want 15% of the shares. Break your word, and I won't go easy on you."
"You have my word," Bai Sheng said. "As long as this plan succeeds, you'll get your cut. Most of the other shareholders are already with me—this is as good as done."
Bai San could barely contain his excitement. Once Liu Yue was under his control, he'd finally make her his.
Hidden in the shadows, Ye Chen clenched his fists. Hearing these despicable plans made his blood boil.
He had everything recorded. But he wasn't done yet. He began searching the house for more evidence. In a study filled with documents, he uncovered files showing Bai Sheng's embezzlement from the Liu Corporation.
Jackpot.
Just as Ye Chen turned to leave, he sensed someone approaching. Without hesitation, he slipped out the window seconds before Bai Sheng entered the room.
"Who left the window open?" Bai Sheng muttered, looking around. He saw nothing out of place and left.
Outside, Ye Chen let out a breath. "That was close."
Now that he had both audio evidence and financial records, it was time to meet with Liu Yue and Situ Rui—and come up with a plan to take Bai Sheng down.
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