I was a rookie reporter in the 00s

Chapter 320 Escape in the Dark

The streets were deserted, broken only by the occasional passing car. Zhang Beichen, along with Zhang Wanqing, Fu Siyuan, and Li Wei, quickly crossed the alley behind the office building, heading towards their car parked nearby. A tense atmosphere permeated the four of them, each aware that they had just escaped a dangerous situation.

"Hurry up and get in!" Zhang Beichen urged, opening the door. The four of them quickly got in, with Fu Siyuan in the passenger seat and Zhang Wanqing and Li Wei in the back. Zhang Beichen started the car, the tires sizzling as they quickly drove away from the office building.

The car was completely silent, with only the sound of wheels scraping against the ground. Zhang Wanqing peered out the window, watching the office building recede in the rearview mirror, her heart filled with confusion and unease.

"Dad, how much do you know?" Zhang Wanqing finally broke the silence, with a hint of urgency in her voice.

Zhang Beichen gripped the steering wheel tightly, his eyes focused on the road ahead. After a moment of silence, he sighed, "More than you think."

"What do you mean?" Fu Siyuan also turned his head, his eyes full of vigilance.

"This matter is far more complicated than what you investigated." Zhang Beichen's voice was low and serious. "This fraud gang is just the tip of the iceberg. There is a huge interest group hidden behind it. They are involved in more serious crimes than just tourism fraud."

"Then what should we do?" Li Wei asked with a hint of anxiety in his voice.

"The police are already taking action, but you must leave Sanya temporarily," Zhang Beichen said. "At least until the police have complete control of the situation, you cannot stay here."

"Leaving Sanya?" Zhang Wanqing frowned. "But our investigation..."

"Wanqing, listen to me." Zhang Beichen interrupted her. "Your whereabouts have been exposed. The other party may attack you at any time. Your safety is the most important thing."

The car sped through the night, and Zhang Beichen brought the three of them to a remote B&B. He had contacted the owner of the B&B in advance and arranged a few rooms.

"You guys stay here first," Zhang Beichen said. "I'll keep in touch with the police and keep you informed of any new developments."

"Dad, what about you?" Zhang Wanqing looked at her father, her eyes full of worry.

"I still have some things to take care of." Zhang Beichen patted her shoulder, "Don't worry, I'll be fine."

"But..." Zhang Wanqing wanted to say something else, but was stopped by Fu Siyuan.

"Wanqing, listen to your father." Fu Siyuan whispered, "Now we can only trust him."

Zhang Wanqing was silent. She knew Fu Siyuan was right. All they could do now was hide for the time being and wait for further action from the police.

After Zhang Beichen left, the three of them sat in the living room of the B&B, the atmosphere heavy. Fu Siyuan opened his laptop and tried to contact the police, but the signal seemed to be jammed and the network connection was unavailable.

"It seems they have noticed us." Fu Siyuan said in a low voice, with a hint of worry in his eyes.

"Then what should we do now?" Li Wei asked, with a hint of confusion in his voice.

"We can only wait." Zhang Wanqing sighed, "The police should have news soon."

Time passed by minute by minute, and the three of them sat on the sofa, each thinking about their own things. Zhang Wanqing's mind kept replaying Lin Hai's cold smile and that mysterious text message - "The game has just begun..."

"Who are they?" Zhang Wanqing whispered to herself, "Why are they so obsessed with us?"

"Perhaps it's because we've already touched upon their core interests," Fu Siyuan said. "They're afraid that if we continue the investigation, we'll expose their true colors."

"Then we can't just give up like this." Zhang Wanqing raised her head, her eyes determined. "We must find their weaknesses and destroy them completely."

"But we don't even have the freedom to move now." Li Wei said helplessly.

"Perhaps we can start from the inside." Zhang Wanqing suddenly said, "If someone can infiltrate their organization, perhaps we can find more clues."

"What do you want to do?" Fu Siyuan looked at her with a hint of surprise in his eyes.

"I can approach them," Zhang Wanqing said. "As a reporter, I can investigate their backgrounds and look for opportunities."

"This is too dangerous." Fu Siyuan immediately objected, "They already know your identity. If you approach them again, you will be walking into a trap."

"I have a plan," Zhang Wanqing said. "I can disguise myself as someone else, like a tourist or an ordinary citizen. As long as I'm careful, I shouldn't be discovered."

"Wanqing, you can't take any risks." Li Wei also advised, "We are already in danger enough, we can't let you take any more risks."

"I have to go," Zhang Wanqing said firmly. "This is our only chance. If we can find their weakness, we can destroy them in one fell swoop."

The three of them discussed for a long time, and finally Fu Siyuan and Li Wei agreed to Zhang Wanqing's plan. They knew that Zhang Wanqing's character determined that she would not give up easily, and this investigation was of great significance to them.

"I'll be careful." Zhang Wanqing looked at the two of them, a hint of determination in her eyes. "Wait here for me. I'll keep in touch with you at any time."

"You must be careful." Fu Siyuan warned, "If the situation is not right, retreat immediately."

"I know." Zhang Wanqing nodded and turned to walk towards the door.

"Wanqing." Li Wei suddenly called her, "You really don't want us to go with you?"

"No need." Zhang Wanqing smiled. "You waiting here for me is the greatest support for me."

After saying that, she opened the door and disappeared into the night.

Zhang Wanqing walked alone on the streets of Sanya. The city seemed particularly quiet at night. She changed into simple casual clothes, put on a hat and a mask, and tried to make herself less conspicuous.

According to her previous plan, she came to a travel agency in the city center. This travel agency was a subsidiary of the Haitian International Tourism Group and was one of the focuses of their investigation.

"Hello, I would like to learn about the travel package." Zhang Wanqing walked into the travel agency and said to the front desk staff.

"Welcome," the receptionist greeted us warmly. "We have a variety of travel packages to choose from. You can choose according to your needs."

"I want to know the most popular set meal." Zhang Wanqing said, with a hint of vigilance in her eyes.

"Our most popular offer is the 'Five-Day Sanya Tour,'" the receptionist handed over a brochure. "It includes luxury hotel accommodations, a private tour guide, and tickets to several popular attractions."

Zhang Wanqing took the brochure, looked at it carefully, and sneered inwardly. This was exactly one of the scam packages they were investigating.

"Can I see the contract?" Zhang Wanqing asked.

"Of course." The receptionist handed over a contract. "Don't worry, our contracts are all formal. You can sign them with confidence."