The call with Qi Xiyue ended in a soft click, leaving behind a strange, lingering quiet in the room. For a moment, Su Ning simply stared at the darkened screen of her phone as if the echo of his voice still hovered there.
Then she let out a small breath she hadn't realized she was holding, dropped the phone onto the couch beside her, and stretched lazily. The movement was fluid and unhurried, like a cat waking from a comfortable nap.
She picked the phone up again, this time with purpose, and unlocked it. The glow of the screen lit her face as Stargram, Startok, and Starbook opened one after another. Her name was everywhere.
The trending page looked like a battlefield. Her photo, her name, fragments of headlines, all colliding in a chaotic storm of speculation and malice.
Su Ning's lips curved into a faint, cool smile. "Tsk...so noisy," she murmured under her breath.
She scrolled.
Every platform told the same story in different fonts and tones. Some posts pretended to be analytical, others were outright vicious.
Some were obviously chasing clout. Others were driven by envy so raw it almost felt tangible through the screen.
Notifications kept pouring in—mentions, tags, reposts, stitches, duets.
She wasn't angry. Not yet. If anything, she felt detached, as though she were watching a drama play out on a screen far away.
But then something caught her eye.
Buried among the waves of mockery and insults was a stubborn little cluster of comments that refused to disappear.
A familiar username kept popping up.
@GoddessSuBaby.
Su Ning paused her scrolling.
She remembered it instantly.
The receptionist she met at the Capital who had nervously asked for a photo. The way she'd beamed when Su Ning had agreed. The shy excitement in her voice, the reverence in her gaze.
She tapped into the account.
It was pure chaos.
Every post Lin Yue made in Su Ning's defense was being swarmed.
Hundreds. Thousands. Tens of thousands of replies, many of them cruel, ugly, merciless.
Yet she kept replying. Kept explaining. Kept defending.
Her follower count was bleeding away just like Su Ning's had.
Su Ning stared at the screen for a long moment.
They had met once. Barely spoken.
And yet…she had defended her so fiercely.
"That girl," Su Ning whispered, her eyes softening just a little. "She has a good heart."
She took note of her, committing it to memory.
Then she closed the app.
The warmth in her chest faded, replaced by something sharper. Colder.
It was time to end the ruckus.
She leaned back into the couch, one leg crossing over the other, and called out calmly, "System."
A faint, mechanical chime answered her.
'System online.'
"Trace the origin of this scandal. I want the information on the person who started such trash. Give me a name, background, and current location."
There was a brief pause, as if invisible threads were being pulled across vast networks.
'Target located,' the system said.
A translucent blue panel unfolded in the air before her eyes.
Name: Cheng Bin
Alias: Zen
Age: 35
Affiliation: Tiger Gang
Status: Active
Current Address: Warehouse district, West Harbor, City F
Su Ning's brow lifted slightly.
"A gangster?" she mused. "Interesting."
She tapped the arm of the couch lightly with her fingers, thoughtful. "So someone paid a knife to do the cutting."
As if responding to her interest, the system chimed again.
'Side mission issued.'
Another panel appeared.
'Objective: Identify the true mastermind behind the scandal.
Reward: 150 million yuan, Gold-tier System Lottery (1 spin)
Penalty for Failure: Loss of all acquired skills.
Time Limit: 3 hours'
Su Ning stared at the penalty for half a second, then let out a soft laugh.
"Perfect."
She looked up. "What's a gold-tier system lottery?"
The system answered in its usual flat tone.
'The system lottery contains items of varying rarity. Tiers are classified as Special, Gold, Legendary, and Supreme. One item is drawn per spin. Results depend on host's luck.'
Su Ning's eyes glinted in anticipation.
"Alright," she said. "Let's see who's really pulling the strings."
"System, give me a profile on the Tiger Gang. Their operations, their structure, their leader. I want the overview."
The air shimmered again.
'Tiger Gang is a mid-to-large underground organization operating primarily in City F. Their activities include loan-sharking, protection rackets, smuggling, drug trade and online rumor manipulation for hire. The gang is known for using intimidation and digital disinformation rather than direct large-scale violence.'
A web of information unfolded in front of her.
'Their current leader goes by the alias 'Brother Hu.' Real name: Hu Zhen. Former street enforcer turned gang head. He runs operations from rotating safe locations to avoid law enforcement attention. Tiger Gang has internal rivalries and relies heavily on money flows from wealthy clients.'
"So they're mercenaries of rumor and fear," Su Ning said quietly. "Not kings. Just tools."
"Correct."
"This Brother Hu, where is he now?"
"Brother Hu is currently staying at a private club in North Bay, City F."
Su Ning nodded slowly.
"That's enough."
She rose from the couch, her decision already made.
It was time to move.
She went downstairs to her room, the villa quiet around her. The sunlight slanted through the tall windows, casting pale gold across the floor as she went into her walk-in closet.
She chose a simple white shirt-dress, tailored cleanly and falling to her mid-thigh. It wasn't flashy, but it was elegant in its restraint, crisp and composed, just like her. The fabric caught the light softly as she moved.
She gathered her glossy dark hair into a high ponytail, securing it neatly so it fell down her back in a smooth line. From her jewelry box, she picked out a pair of green jade earrings and a matching necklace, the stones cool and tranquil against her skin.
She slipped into white knee-length heels that added a quiet confidence to her stride, then selected a small white mini purse, sleek and understated.
Phone. Keys.
She checked her reflection once, satisfied, she turned to leave.
"Let's go," she murmured.
With that, Su Ning stepped out of the villa, the door closing softly behind her.