“Fine then.”

Manager Mao Li Zhishu didn’t stall any longer.

If he kept dragging things out, he was afraid the man opposite him would directly conclude that his friend’s disappearance was linked to him, and then it would be a matter of survival of the fittest in a direct confrontation.

So, he pulled a large jingling ring of keys from his drawer and strapped it to himself.

Following Li Shumu, he took the elevator to the third floor.

On the way up, he repeatedly tried to use his phone to tip off the Demoness sisters.

But every time he was about to pull out his phone, he could see Li Shumu’s eyes fixed on him, watching his every move.

“This bastard...”

Manager Mao Li Zhishu had now truly developed a murderous intent toward Li Shumu.

The two men finally arrived at the third floor, standing in front of Room 303.

Li Shumu told Manager Mao Li Zhishu to use the keys to open the door directly.

But Manager Mao Li Zhishu still wanted to warn those inside, so he said, “There are residents inside. Opening the door without permission isn’t legal, nor is it polite.”

“Knocking first, asking the people inside, explaining why we’re here—that’s the proper way.”

With that, Mao Li Zhishu pressed the doorbell.

Inside Room 303.

The sudden ringing of the doorbell drew the attention of everyone in the living room.

Everyone except Xia Qiangqiang, who was strapped to the silver metal execution platform.

Because he was undergoing the excruciating Lingchi torture, all his focus was consumed by the pain.

He could only let out mournful, hoarse screams.

At that moment, Qin Yi, Qin Kelian, and Sherlock exchanged glances.

Qin Yi rose from the sofa and walked over to open the door. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

Meanwhile, Qin Kelian stuffed a torn rag into Xia Qiangqiang’s screaming mouth to silence him.

“Who is it?”

Qin Yi spoke into the intercom on the inside of the door.

Outside the door.

Manager Mao Li Zhishu continued his open strategy of tipping them off: “I’m Manager Mao Li Zhishu. The resident Li Shumu has a friend who’s gone missing in the apartment building. He suspects his friend is in Room 303, so could you open the door and let us take a look?”

Upon hearing this, Qin Yi’s delicate brows furrowed slightly.

Then she replied, “A friend? Oh, the person in that photo Li Shumu posted in the group chat?”

“Don’t know him. How could he possibly be in my home?”

Manager Mao Li Zhishu turned his head: “See, the person inside says he’s not here. She doesn’t even know your friend.”

Li Shumu was growing impatient: “Have her open the door and we’ll see. If he’s not here, I’ll leave immediately.”

Manager Mao Li Zhishu had no choice but to say into the door: “Please open the door and let us check. If he’s not here, we’ll leave on our own.”

Inside the room, Qin Yi’s red tongue lightly traced her sensuous lips: “Fine, but my sister is taking a shower and changing clothes in the living room. Wait a moment!!!!”

Outside the door.

Manager Mao Li Zhishu said, “Let’s wait a bit.”

Unexpectedly, Li Shumu snatched the keys from his hand: “Wait my ass! Open it now!”

Manager Mao Li Zhishu’s eyes widened: “Hey! If you open the door like that and the people inside haven’t finished getting dressed, you’ll get sued!!!”

Li Shumu let out a cold laugh: “Sue me? Fine!!!”

Among the large bunch of metal keys, he found the one for Room 303.

Once he found it, he immediately inserted it into the lock of the security door.

Then he twisted it.

After that, he pulled the door open with force.

The moment he pulled it open.

He didn’t see the interior of the room right away, but a thick, suffocating stench of blood hit him square in the face.

The smell of blood made Li Shumu’s movements even faster.

He yanked the door open with a sharp motion and saw the living room of Room 303.

A man and two women were pushing a rectangular silver metal execution platform toward the bedroom.

And the door—this sudden opening—

It stunned everyone both inside and outside.

“Holy shit, holy shit!”

Cursing profusely, Li Shumu dashed into the room. He sprinted straight to the side of the silver metal execution platform. And there, he saw Xia Qiangqiang—the person he had been searching for all this time.

At this moment, Xia Qiangqiang’s mouth was stuffed with a torn blue rag. On top of that, the sight of his body made Li Shumu’s scalp crawl. This horrifying scene even caused his arms to tremble uncontrollably.

Xia Qiangqiang was now a blood-soaked man. Wounds covered his body—gashes here, cuts there—not a single patch of skin remained intact. In some places, white bone was even visible.

He looked as if he had been gnawed all over by countless ants.

“Mmm mmm!!!”

Even though all his attention was consumed by the pain wracking his body, now that Li Shumu had appeared right beside him, Xia Qiangqiang wasn’t blind. He saw him. And the moment he did, he desperately lifted his head, letting out even more frantic mmm-mmm sounds, begging Li Shumu for help.

“You bastards?! What the fuck?!”

At this moment, Li Shumu glared furiously at Sherlock and the Demoness sisters.

Maybe it was the shock of being caught red-handed, but these three—whose hands had likely been stained with who knows how many lives—now instinctively avoided meeting Li Shumu’s gaze.

But did looking away solve anything?

They had reduced his junior brother to such a horrific state. Enraged, Li Shumu’s right fist lashed out, slamming into the right side of Sherlock’s otherwise handsome face.

One punch sent the mixed-race man crashing to the ground.

After that, he turned and swung his fists, ready to beat the two women as well.

Even though the Demoness sisters were stunningly beautiful—the kind that made most men want to protect them, hesitant to raise a hand—Li Shumu right now was like a demon slaying gods and buddhas alike. He didn’t care how pretty they were; he was going to hit them without hesitation!!!

But he still underestimated the sisters’ wariness. The moment they saw Sherlock get knocked down, they immediately scrambled back into the bedroom, slammed the door shut with a bang, and locked it.

With no other choice, Li Shumu could only pour all his fury onto Sherlock. He stood over him, kicking and stomping wildly.

Sherlock initially tried to stand up and fight back, but the sheer density of the kicks forced him to cover his head and curl his body into a ball.

And right in the middle of Li Shumu’s brutal beating of Sherlock—

A sudden, powerful kick slammed into the small of his back.

The force of the kick sent Li Shumu stumbling forward, nearly falling flat on his face.

“Who?!”

Steadying himself, he whipped around furiously—and found Manager Mao Li Zhishu retracting his foot, along with three other men standing beside him.

“You... you’re all in this together?!”

Li Shumu twisted his aching lower back, glaring at Sherlock on the ground and Manager Mao Li Zhishu standing before him, his teeth grinding with fury.

Sherlock had absolutely no clue about this.

Manager Mao Li Zhishu let out a cold smirk: “More or less. But not exactly.”

“Anyway, you’re dying here today.”

The moment Li Shumu had burst into the living room of Room 303, Manager Mao Li Zhishu outside had immediately made a phone call. He had summoned his accomplices—the same men who had tortured and raped Eileen together with him.

Because he had already made up his mind. He would take Li Shumu out right here. Otherwise, this bastard would just keep stirring up trouble down the line.

“Fine. You’re all quite something.”

“Perfect. I’ll just catch all of you and haul you off to the police station.”

“All of you together are more than enough for me to make a name for myself in the field of criminal psychology!”

Li Shumu let out a cold, mocking laugh.

As soon as the words left his mouth, he charged at the men in front of him.