Scene 2: A Trap Set, a Team Gathered, and the Glutton's List
Morning light streamed through the gauzy curtains as Han Yue fastened her bracelet and picked up her shoulder bag. She was preparing to head out and meet Long Yi's assigned staff at the café downtown when her brows slightly furrowed.
Someone was whispering.
She paused in her steps, closed her eyes, and quietly extended her perception with a thread of spiritual power.
—And then she heard her name.
"…Yeah, she's leaving soon. I'll sneak into her room once she's gone and grab her access card. Don't worry, I've seen where she puts it."
It was Han Jiaojiao.
Han Yue's face remained unreadable as she stood still, listening to the rest of the call.
"…You guys go in and take a few things—just don't be greedy. Pick some expensive stuff but nothing too obvious. Once you're done, give the card back and I'll slip it back into her room before anyone notices it's gone. That way when the boutiques report it, the internal investigation will point at her. The card has her name and ID on it."
A small, cold smile tugged at Han Yue's lips.
"So that's your little scheme?" she murmured. "Framing me with my own card… hmph. You really lack imagination."
Without a trace of panic, she returned to her room. On her old-fashioned wooden desk, she deliberately placed the black-and-gold Han Family Access Card, angled perfectly to catch attention. Then, from the bottom of her drawer, she retrieved the mini surveillance camera she had used during the welcome banquet.
She installed it discreetly on a high bookshelf facing the door. From this vantage point, the camera had a crystal-clear view of both the door and the access card sitting temptingly on the desk.
"Come steal it if you dare," she whispered, brushing invisible dust off the desk. "I'll be watching."
Satisfied, Han Yue left her room and headed downstairs. In the dining room, she ate a quick, simple breakfast and then turned to the maids.
"I'm going to the library," she said, her voice sweet and studious. "School's starting soon, and I'm worried I'll fall behind the lectures."
The maids nodded, offering no resistance.
The Han family's driver dropped her off at the city's main library. But as soon as he drove off, Han Yue ducked into the side alley, hailed a cab, and headed to the café Long Yi had arranged.
Inside the Café – Allies of the Hidden Family
The café was upscale but quiet, tucked away in a corner near a tech plaza. Han Yue arrived early, but the three people Long Yi promised were already waiting.
A tall man in his thirties stood up and gave a respectful nod.
"Miss Han Yue, my name is Zhao Wen, personal secretary to Young Master Long. I've been fully briefed on the situation and will serve you in all logistical, administrative, and security tasks moving forward."
He handed her a sleek black metal card with no bank name and no visible number.
"This is an untraceable, high-limit card tied to the Young Master's private account. Use it however you like—no one can question your purchases, and it won't connect back to the Han family."
Han Yue blinked, surprised. Then she grinned. "Wow, now this is what I call support."
Zhao Wen smiled faintly. "It is my job. I am also trained in defensive combat and will accompany you during high-risk activities if required."
He then gestured to the two women beside him.
The first, a sharp-eyed woman in her late twenties, stepped forward. "Miss Han, I'm Chen Yan, logistics and procurement. I specialize in high-volume supply chain orders, warehouse setup, and emergency inventory rerouting."
The second, a slightly younger woman with a tablet in hand, nodded warmly. "I'm Liu Qing, field operations and property acquisition. I can handle site rentals, staff hiring, driver coordination, and food preservation solutions."
They bowed slightly.
"Both of us can drive, manage delivery routes, and cover shifts if necessary," said Chen Yan.
Han Yue gave them a satisfied nod. "Perfect. Let's get to work."
The Apocalypse List
She slid a large envelope across the café table.
Zhao Wen opened it and took a moment to scan the first page—then looked at her, surprised.
The list was exhaustive.
Grain, oil, salt, seeds
Hardware tools, solar panels, batteries, fuel
Medical kits, antiseptics, gloves, emergency blankets
Gasoline, coal, diesel reserves
Takeout food, milk tea, pastries, cakes, donuts, instant noodles,
Buffet platters, night market delicacies, restaurant-grade vacuum-packed meals
Even pre-orders for frozen whole roast ducks and high-calorie survival rations.
At the bottom of the final page, a small note was scrawled in Han Yue's neat handwriting:
"Also consider protein powder for muscle retention. I'm too lazy to exercise. 😴"
Han Yue clasped her hands, lips twitching with a guilty smile.
"I may have gone overboard… but wow. I didn't realize I was this gluttonous."
Chen Yan coughed politely. Liu Qing laughed.
Secretary Zhao took it without flinching. "Understood. I'll begin organizing staff and sourcing suppliers immediately."
Immediately After
Zhao Wen checked his watch and tapped a message into his encrypted device. Then he looked at Han Yue. "The sale of your company shares has been processed. Everything is ready. The opposing party is waiting for your signature. Once signed, funds will be transferred on the spot. Would you like to proceed?"
Han Yue stood and dusted off her skirt. "Lead the way."
They drove in a low-profile black vehicle to a quiet legal office on the outskirts of the financial district. There, she met with two solemn-faced negotiators who had been fighting for her shares for weeks—unaware that Han Yue no longer cared about the power those shares held.
With a calm hand, she signed the documents. The moment her pen left the paper, the contract was notarized and the transfer executed. Her 10% stake in Han Jade Company vanished in that instant.
Secretary Zhao confirmed the transaction. "Full payment has been received. We've already rerouted it to the next phase."
"Where's the drop-off?" Han Yue asked.
"An abandoned shed by the riverside, outside the city. Unmarked. No surveillance. We took all precautions."
The car ride was silent, professional. They pulled up beside the broken-down shed surrounded by tall grass and crickets. Secretary Zhao and Assistant Liu Qing exited first, checking the surroundings. Inside the shed, a plain metal chest sat innocently in the dark.
"We'll step outside and leave the rest to you," Zhao Wen said with a respectful nod.
Han Yue entered alone.
Stacks upon stacks of cold, crisp bills were neatly arranged inside the chest. She smiled.
With a wave of her hand, the entire load vanished, sucked into the space within her Space Jade Amulet. Nothing was left behind—no trace, no scent, no residual heat.
She stepped out into the cool afternoon breeze. "Let's go."
No one asked where the money went. No one asked how it would be handled.
They were professionals. And more importantly, they worked for a family not known to the public eye—a family whose name was never spoken aloud, even by its own.
Later That Afternoon
By the time Han Yue returned to the Han estate, the sun was low in the sky. She walked into her room, yawned lazily, and glanced at the desk.
As expected—the access card was gone.
Unhurried, she removed the hidden camera, connected it to her laptop, and watched the footage.
There was Han Jiaojiao, creeping in like a rat. She rifled through drawers, muttering curses. After a few minutes, she spotted the card, eyes gleaming with triumph.
"Little bitch," Jiaojiao spat on camera, "let's see if you can still smile when the police come to arrest you."
The video ended. Han Yue leaned back on her bed and laughed.
"Okay, Jiaojiao. Let's see who really gets arrested."
She sent the video to Secretary Zhao with a brief message:
"Follow the thieves tonight. Don't stop them. Just identify who they are and their connection to Jiaojiao."
She added another instruction:
"Also, disable all CCTV and alerts at Han Jade Company tonight. I'll be paying them a… visit."
Secretary Zhao responded quickly.
"Understood. The surveillance system and alarms will be down from 12 AM to 2 AM. I will personally escort you."
He attached a detailed floor plan of the Han Jade Company premises. Warehouses, raw material storage, boutique wings, and vaults were all clearly labeled with red outlines. Precise. Clean. Flawless.
Han Yue sent him a smiling emoji.
"I'm very satisfied, Secretary Zhao"
"Just doing my job, Miss Han."
As she waited for nightfall, Han Yue played with her baby bunny on the rug. The little creature chirped adorably, snuggling her feet, nibbling on carrots, hopping in lazy loops.
She suddenly remembered: all her luxury gifts were still inside her space.
"Oh right… I forgot I planned to sell all that junk," she muttered, tapping her forehead lightly. "Now that I have the Black Card, I've become spoiled?"
She sent a message to Liu Qing.
"Please sell all my luxury gifts, jewelry, branded bags, shoes, and clothes."
Liu Qing replied instantly.
"When shall I collect the items?"
"Tonight. Come with Secretary Zhao. I've already packed them in boxes."
"Understood. I'll arrange movers and have the mansion's internal security disabled during pickup."
Han Yue praised her for being sharp and thoughtful.
At exactly 10:24 PM, a faint creak came from the door.
Eyes closed, breathing steady, Han Yue remained in bed, perfectly still. She sensed it—someone creeping inside.
Through her spiritual perception, she watched silently as Han Jiaojiao tiptoed across the room. Her shoes made no sound on the carpet, but her presence was like oil on clean water—disruptive, sour.
Jiaojiao's fingers trembled slightly as she placed something carefully on the desk.
The access card.
She muttered, just loud enough for Han Yue to hear, "Sleep well tonight, thief. Let's see how you explain it when everything points to you."
The door clicked shut again.
Only after Jiaojiao had fully left did Han Yue open her eyes.
She sat up, stretched lazily, and said with a soft sneer, "Finally. You're done playing rat."
With that, she walked to the center of her room. Then, with a single wave of her hand, the air shimmered—and dozens upon dozens of luxury items began appearing out of thin air in glittering flashes.
High-end handbags, limited-edition jewelry, designer shoes, untouched banquet dresses, unopened branded makeup sets, commemorative gold pieces… the entire room soon looked like the storeroom of a luxury boutique.
All the extravagant gifts given to her at the welcome banquet—meant to flatter her and disguise hostility—had been carefully stored in her space until now.
But tonight, they were leaving.
She sent a message to Assistant Liu Qing:
Han Yue:
"You may come up now. All items are ready for collection."
Within minutes, Secretary Zhao and Liu Qing quietly entered through the back hallway, dressed in civilian clothes, moving swiftly and professionally. Several large suitcases and labeled crates were loaded with efficiency. Not a sound was made that could wake the household.
Liu Qing looked around, eyes wide but respectful. "Miss Han, this is… quite a haul."
Han Yue smiled faintly. "It's just a little trash from people I don't like. Let's see how much it sells for."
"No one will question where they went," Zhao Wen added smoothly. "Everyone assumes you used them or gave them away. As it should be."
Once the items were loaded into the transport vehicle, Han Yue patted her hands clean.
"Now that we're done with the appetizers… it's time for the main course."
Zhao Wen nodded. "Han Jade Company is standing by. CCTV and alarms will be fully offline from 12:00 to 2:00 AM."
"Perfect," Han Yue said, her eyes gleaming. "Tonight, I'll empty that building down to the screws."
She looked back one last time at her now-empty room and chuckled.
"I love it when rats dig their own graves."