The weapon by the pillow

Chapter 87 The Note

"You're the embodiment of nightmares, and now you're the incarnation of the gambling king... What role will you play next? I can't understand you anymore!" Cheng Jing sighed. "I'm the hottest detective, can you please stop ruining my show!"

"I'm just a poor loser! I live my life glued to a computer and an internet connection every day. Who the hell knew I'd accidentally get involved in this mess!" Cheng Tan cried out, "You were supposed to be solving your big case, and I was just being a net addict. Maybe it was this dream, this key... that brought us together!"

"This secret is the lock on your key... the key to unlocking your dream!" Liu Li said. "If Xiao Hao hadn't come back, if he hadn't been doing these good deeds, I planned to keep it buried in my heart and it wouldn't have become a bargaining chip in those people's hands!"

"The case file says... he's a street thug!" Cheng Jing exclaimed in surprise. "Who's slandering him?"

"Of course they said he had a criminal record, and that's how he got arrested!" Liu Li's voice choked with sobs. "They said he was a murderer, the mastermind behind the live-streaming case. I know they're trying to silence him. They couldn't wait any longer; they probably figured Xiao Hao didn't have what they wanted, so they wanted to get rid of this troublesome guy."

Cheng Jing stood up and walked to the window. Through the dirty glass, she could see the neon sign of "Ah Hao Music Tea House" flashing in the night. Several luxury cars were parked at the back door, and people occasionally went in and out; judging from their clothes, they were all wealthy and powerful people.

"That bet," Cheng Tan suddenly spoke, looking at the gaunt old man, Old Zhang, "you said the owner of the teahouse across the street said he'd do someone a favor if anyone could beat him at cards. Is that true or false?"

"It's true," the old man said confidently. "Sister Fang... she loves playing mahjong, and she's very good at it. She once said that if someone can beat her at the mahjong table, she'll grant that person a request, as long as it's not excessive. Many people in the circle know this."

"Sister Fang!! She often plays cards at the teahouse?" Cheng Tan recalled that the name seemed familiar.

"Every Wednesday and Friday night, she plays cards in the VIP room on the top floor. Usually with a few regular card-playing friends—all prominent figures. Tonight is Friday." The old woman glanced at the old-fashioned clock on the wall. "She should be here in another hour."

Cheng Jing turned around. "So you want us to beat her and then ask her to save Jin Xiaohao?"

"This is the only possible way right now." Liu Li suddenly slid off her wheelchair and knelt down in front of the two men. "I know this request is excessive and dangerous. But he's my only son. I've clung to life for thirteen years just so that one day I can clear his name and let him live a normal life. Please, please help me..."

Cheng Jing quickly helped Liu Li up. She could feel that the woman's arms were so thin that they were almost just bones, but the fingers gripping her arm were unusually strong, like a drowning person grabbing the last piece of driftwood.

Liu Li's tears flowed again: "I know... I can sense that you are different. Please, save Xiao Hao. He doesn't know anything; he's just a pawn being used."

Cheng Jing helped Liu Li into the wheelchair and then looked at Cheng Tan. Cheng Tan's expression was serious; he was thinking.

"Going to the teahouse across the street is very risky," Cheng Tan said. "Yang Hong was there this afternoon, which means she's in contact with Sister Fang. If we're recognized..."

"But this is the only chance we can directly contact Sister Fang," Cheng Jing said. "And if we can beat her and make our demands, we can at least temporarily guarantee Jin Xiaohao's safety. At the same time, we might be able to extract some information from her."

"It won't be easy to beat her," Old Zhang warned. "Her card skills are really good, and... she might cheat. We've observed her many times, and she wins far more often than the odds suggest."

Cheng Tan laughed: "Grandpa, didn't you just say that I rely on algorithms when I play cards? Cheating is also an algorithm, only one that doesn't follow the rules. But as long as it's an algorithm, there will be flaws."

Looking at Cheng Tan's confident expression, Cheng Jing suddenly recalled the amazing observation and reasoning abilities he had displayed in Room 403.

Perhaps he really can do it.

"But how do we get in?" Cheng Jing asked. "I was just kicked out. It's a members-only place, and we don't have a membership card."

The old man pulled a black card from his pocket: "Use mine. I'm a long-time member, though I don't go often, my membership is still valid. You can be my relatives. There's a high turnover rate at the tea house, so I won't know everyone."

Cheng Jing took the card, which had the words "Ah Hao Music Tea House VIP" in gold embossed lettering.

There is no photo, only a membership number.

"After we win," Liu Li said eagerly, "you demand that Xiao Hao's safety be guaranteed. Sister Fang... she's very powerful now, she can do it."

"Why would she agree?" Cheng Tan asked. "Even if we win, she can go back on her word. Such a verbal promise has no legal effect."

"She won't go back on her word," Liu Li suddenly said, her voice soft but certain. "She's a very proud person, valuing her reputation above all else. She'll definitely keep the promise she made in front of so many people, otherwise she wouldn't be able to survive in that circle."

Cheng Jing checked the time: 8:20 PM. There were still forty minutes left.

"We need a plan," Cheng Jing said. "Mainly, we need to change our image."

"There are rooms in the back, and some old clothes," Liu Li said. "I can help you."

Half an hour later, when Cheng Jing and Cheng Tan reappeared in the front hall of the mahjong parlor, their appearance had been completely transformed.

Cheng Jing changed into a dark purple knit sweater and black trousers, her hair was restyled and tied into a neat low ponytail at the back of her head. Cheng Tan wore a gray polo shirt and khaki pants, her hair was styled slightly with hair gel, and she looked much more energetic. Mainly her face... Liu Li was indeed an expert in this regard.

"Remember," the old man instructed, "speak less and observe more once you're inside. The VIP room is on the top floor; you'll need to take a private elevator. A waiter will take you up. The card game usually involves four people. Besides Sister Fang, the other two are regulars—one is General Manager Zhao, who runs a building materials business, and the other is Director Sun, a retired state-owned enterprise leader. They're both quite skilled at cards, but Sister Fang mainly leads the game."

"How big is the stake?" Cheng Tan asked.

"It's not a small amount," the old man said. "It's common to win or lose tens of thousands in a single game. But don't worry about the money." He took out a brown paper bag from under the counter. "There's 50,000 in cash here, which I've saved up over the years. If you win, it's yours; if you lose... just consider it a gamble."

Cheng Jing wanted to decline, but the old man insisted: "If you can really save Xiao Hao, what is this little bit of money? The amount my wife helped me back then was far more than this."

Cheng Tan took the paper bag and weighed it in his hand: "That's enough. We won't lose."

"If we can't get out, send out the information at this website on the note!" He handed Old Zhang a note. "It'll definitely cause...a bloodbath!"