Chapter 20 A Tragic Situation

Xie Muhuan’s disappearance was finally reported to the police by Su Xingye.

However, the police couldn’t find any leads; it was as if Xie Muhuan had vanished into thin air.

Qu Qingzhi, determined to find him, kept pestering her father, Qu Linze, to investigate through other means, but to no avail.

A month slipped by in the blink of an eye.

Only a few days remained until the college entrance exam.

Qu Qingzhi felt tortured—she was the only one who knew what was happening, yet she was powerless to do anything!

【This is the strength of the storyline’s power.】The system nagged at her relentlessly, 【Don’t forget, you are the villainous supporting character. If you meddle recklessly, you will suffer unimaginable punishments!】

At that moment, Qu Qingzhi sat in the classroom, glancing back at Xie Jincheng, who had transferred to their school, wishing she could capture him and torture him until he confessed.

【Do not act rashly, or you may suffer a heart attack!】The system, unable to remain silent any longer, revealed, 【This part of the storyline cannot be changed; Xie Muhuan being captured on the Kaiser cruise ship is a critical turning point in his transformation.】

“The Kaiser cruise ship?” Qu Qingzhi’s eyes lit up as she seized the crucial word. “Where is that ship now?”

【……】The system fell silent.

Qu Qingzhi pulled out her phone and immediately began searching for “Kaiser cruise ship.”

It was a luxurious private yacht, and simply looking up its docking locations wouldn’t suffice; she needed more detailed information.

She messaged the private investigator she had recently hired: “Help me find information about the Kaiser cruise ship. The more detailed, the better.”

The private investigator, who she had paid handsomely, was quite capable. An hour later, she received a detailed email.

Without hesitation, Qu Qingzhi requested leave from school.

【……Don’t act impulsively!】The system, no longer pretending to be indifferent, desperately urged, 【Remember your identity, your character arc! Your ultimate goal is to finish the storyline and return to your world; have you forgotten?】

“Xie Muhuan has already been imprisoned for a month; the so-called unchangeable plot has already occurred.” Qu Qingzhi’s pace was quick but her tone remained calm. “Even if I intervene now, it wouldn’t change the main plotline, and the consequences shouldn’t lead to my death, right?”

At most, she’d just face electric shock punishment.

If this little pain could help Xie Muhuan escape the “dungeon” sooner, she felt it would be worth it.

【You don’t need to be so self-righteous… Xie Muhuan will escape in a few days; he won’t die.】The system continued to press on.

“He won’t die, but he will suffer daily physical and psychological humiliation.” Qu Qingzhi’s voice was steady yet filled with conviction. “I’m not being self-righteous; I just still have a shred of human conscience.”

…

Based on the information from the private investigator, Qu Qingzhi traveled to Ning Port.

The Kaiser cruise ship was making a brief stop here, allowing some crew members to disembark and restock supplies.

Qu Qingzhi spent a fortune to “exchange identities” with a service worker on the cruise, acquiring her VIP card—only such a card with a chip could grant her access to the Kaiser cruise ship.

【Be careful…】The system’s voice sounded weary, giving up on trying to dissuade her. 【Xie Muhuan is locked in a room at the back of the ship, secured with an iron lock that you cannot open.】

“I didn’t mention that my lock-picking skills are top-notch, did I?” Qu Qingzhi pulled a thin steel wire from a bracelet on her wrist.

She had to leave herself an escape route in this unfamiliar book world.

Though she was not doing anything bad, her background from a wealthy family couldn’t be erased.

【You did not mention that…】The system replied, exasperated. All its efforts at persuasion had been in vain. 【The surveillance blind spot is to your left.】

“Got it!” Qu Qingzhi replied cheerfully in her mind.

The system finally seemed to be on her side.

Perhaps it feared for her life at the hands of others.

Qu Qingzhi moved silently to the room at the back, deftly using the thin steel wire to pick the iron lock.

Beyond the iron lock was a keypad lock.

Qu Qingzhi had prepared for this; she pulled out a packet of flour she bought at the port and sprinkled it over the keypad—

The oils from human fingers would leave the most residue on the buttons pressed most often, which would adhere to the flour.

Beep beep beep, the keypad lock was successfully unlocked.

【So what exactly did you do before?】The system couldn’t help but be curious.

Qu Qingzhi didn’t have time to respond.

She quietly entered the room, and darkness enveloped her.

This room was obviously specially designed, completely dark and eerily cold.

Qu Qingzhi didn’t dare to rush in; she hid in a corner and carefully turned on her phone’s flashlight.

As the beam swept around the room, it suddenly froze on a particular spot!

“Xie…” she gasped in shock, pain welling up in her eyes.

In that beam of light was a massive iron cage.

Inside the cage, several chains dangled, binding the boy’s limbs.

A black leather collar encircled the boy’s neck, and a ball gag was stuffed into his mouth.

He was bare-chested, wearing only a pair of black silk pants.

A heavy, metallic smell of blood wafted from the pants, accompanied by the disturbing sound of dripping.

Qu Qingzhi felt a chill run down her spine.

She had anticipated he would be in a terrible situation, but she never imagined it would be this horrific.