Rebirth of the Scumbag and the Retribution of the White Lotus

Zhao Shufang and Lu Lingyuan sat in the private room set up by Fan Zhen, and the atmosphere grew increasingly somber. Outside, the bar was bustling, but in this enclosed space, their hearts were more silent than ever. Fan Zhen's request had put them in a dilemma.

The name "Yang Qiming" kept echoing in Zhao Shufang's mind. She knew that Yang Qiming had once held an important position in Mr. Shen's organization, but she had never had much contact with him. His betrayal had further complicated the situation, and Fan Zhen was clearly a dangerous figure. Being able to manipulate so many things behind the scenes meant he was no ordinary person.

"What do you think?" Zhao Shufang asked softly, looking at Lu Lingyuan steadily.

Lu Lingyuan's eyes were calm, his lips devoid of a smile. He stared at the table in front of him, seemingly contemplating something complex. "I think what Fan Zhen said might be partially true," he paused. "If Yang Qiming truly betrayed him, then Mr. Shen would undoubtedly be implicated. And if Mr. Shen truly has more powerful forces behind him, then our previous investigation might not be comprehensive."

Zhao Shufang clutched her phone tightly, a flicker of unease running through her heart. "I know what you're thinking, Lu Lingyuan. Fan Zhen's request is a bit unreasonable. Are we just going to trust him so easily and help him find Yang Qiming? We don't have a deep foundation of trust with Fan Zhen. Furthermore, the complexity of this matter far exceeds our control."

"But we don't have much choice." Lu Lingyuan sighed. "If Mr. Shen is really one of the masterminds behind this, helping Fan Zhen find Yang Qiming may be the key to unraveling all this mystery. At the very least, we can get more information from it."

Zhao Shufang was silent for a moment, then finally nodded. "Well, since we've already promised him, we can only proceed. However, we must be careful this time and not take it lightly."

Just then, there was a slight knock on the door, and then Fan Zhen appeared at the door. "Have you decided?" he asked coldly, a glimmer of anticipation in his eyes.

Zhao Shufang and Lu Lingyuan exchanged a glance and reached a tacit agreement. Zhao Shufang nodded and said, "We agree to help you find Yang Qiming, but you must provide more clues, especially where he is now."

Fan Zhen didn't respond immediately. Instead, he walked over to the sofa and sat down, his brow furrowed slightly. He stared at Zhao Shufang, as if assessing the weight of her words. "Your requirements aren't high. I can provide the clues you need, but you must also understand that the dangers involved far exceed your expectations. Yang Qiming has hidden himself very deeply, and he's not just trying to betray me; he has someone else behind him."

Lu Lingyuan raised his eyebrows, keenly aware of the implication behind Fan Zhen's words. "Is there someone else behind this? Are you saying he has connections with other forces?"

"Not only that." Fan Zhen's eyes grew darker. "Yang Qiming has already joined forces with the forces behind Mr. Shen. The scale of this force is much larger than you imagine. If you rashly go to him, you might get into trouble."

Zhao Shufang's heart suddenly trembled, and her originally calm face changed slightly. The power behind Mr. Shen was so huge, which meant that the enemy they faced was no longer just a few people, but an intricate network that could trap them at any time.

"What exactly do you want us to do?" Zhao Shufang's voice was heavy, and she no longer concealed her inner worry. "With what you said, can we fight this huge force alone?"

Fan Zhen smiled, seemingly unconcerned with her concerns. "Of course, you can't do this alone. I mean, I'll help you, but you have to understand that my assistance is limited. Whether you can complete this mission depends on your own judgment."

"That's easy for you to say." Lu Lingyuan said coldly, "You can't even deal with Yang Qiming yourself, so why should you ask us to do it?"

Fan Zhen wasn't angry; instead, a smile flashed in his eyes. "You can choose to give up, but in the end, you'll gain nothing. The forces behind Mr. Shen are the true masterminds. If you want to uncover the truth, you must keep going."

Zhao Shufang took a deep breath and forced herself to calm down. "What specific clues can you provide us? Without substantial help, we can't continue our cooperation."

Fan Zhen's eyes flickered for a moment, and he finally pulled a business card from his pocket. "This is Yang Qiming's last contact. He's been in touch with Yang Qiming recently. You can start from here and find his whereabouts."

Zhao Shufang took the card, which bore an unfamiliar name and a phone number. She took a closer look, then raised her head and asked, "Does this card have any special meaning?"

Fan Zhen smiled slightly. "This business card is the only clue Yang Qiming left behind to conceal his whereabouts. His contact is very loyal to him and knows many of his secrets. If you want to find him, you must start with this person."

Lu Lingyuan paused, frowned, and said, "If this person really has such a deep relationship with Yang Qiming, then finding him will not be easy. Can we be sure that he is still there?"

"That depends on your own abilities," Fan Zhen replied calmly. "I've already given you the clues I can. The rest depends on your methods."

Zhao Shufang and Lu Lingyuan were silent for a moment, each already making up their mind. Now, they had no way out; they had to continue their investigation. Even though the dangers ahead were numerous, their desire to uncover the truth was irreversible.

"Okay." Zhao Shufang finally spoke, "We accept your terms. We will find Yang Qiming and bring him back to the place you specify."

Fan Zhen nodded slightly, revealing a satisfied smile. "I'm very happy that you've made this decision. I hope you can complete the task on schedule."

"We will try our best." Lu Lingyuan said coldly with a firm look in his eyes.

With Fan Zhen's departure, the room fell silent again. Zhao Shufang's gaze was fixed on the business card, her mind racing. They were about to face an unpredictable adventure. Their only recourse was the business card in their hands and their own wits.

"We have to act quickly," Zhao Shufang whispered. "Every moment of delay will make the situation more dangerous."

"I know." Lu Lingyuan nodded, his eyes flashing with determination, "We don't have time to hesitate any longer."