Lin Mo was still a bit worried that the two burly men might refuse.
To her surprise, they agreed without hesitation, completely unfazed by the risk of getting caught.
"Sure, we’re short on cash anyway. We’ll follow your lead!"
The so-called "Buddha of the Capital Circle" was puzzled, but there was no time to dwell on it.
The four of them climbed over the wall and infiltrated the Huo Residence.
The Buddha of the Capital Circle wasn’t exactly skilled at scaling walls, so the two strongmen hauled him in.
Inside, there were indeed a few bodyguards stationed.
But the two burly men swiftly took them down, one after another.
Their movements were lightning-fast!
Lin Mo was stunned.
They seemed like professional, top-tier assassins!
According to the map Zhao Zixin had drawn, Zhao Ziling was staying on the second floor of the main building.
The main entrance was tightly shut.
The two strongmen examined it briefly.
The older one remarked, "This is an explosion-proof door. Nearly impossible to break from the outside!"
The younger one sighed regretfully, "Forgot to bring the explosives!"
Lin Mo: "..."
What exactly was their line of work?
But now wasn’t the time to dwell on that.
Knocking wasn’t an option—if Huo Tingshen refused to let them in, it would only alert him.
She looked up at the window of Zhao Ziling’s room.
The light was on.
The older strongman asked, "Miss Lin, you want to go up there?"
Lin Mo nodded. "The window doesn’t seem as secure, but it’s too high. We’d need a ladder."
The older strongman grinned. "No need. Just step on my shoulders."
Lin Mo eyed the man, who stood at least 6'3".
"That still won’t be enough. The window’s at least 16 to 20 feet up!"
The older strongman said, "It’ll work. I’ll stand on my brother’s shoulders."
The younger brother: "..."
Lin Mo estimated the height and, satisfied, said gratefully, "I’ll pay you extra!"
Both men grinned, flashing rows of white teeth.
The human ladder was steady and reliable. Lin Mo’s upper body just reached the window ledge.
She didn’t call out immediately but listened for sounds inside first.
If the two were in the middle of... something,
it would be beyond awkward.
But instead of amorous noises, she heard Zhao Ziling arguing with a man.
Then came Zhao Ziling’s voice, thick with despair: "Huo Tingshen, are you bullying me just because my family isn’t here to stand up for me? Because all my friends are afraid of you?"
Lin Mo’s heart clenched in pain.
Then the man’s voice: "You dared to cheat on me, Zhao Ziling. I’d be justified in killing you!"
Lin Mo’s fists clenched.
Zhao Ziling might talk a big game, but she’d never actually betray someone.
And even if she had, no one had the right to say something like that!
Then Zhao Ziling’s voice, broken and desperate: "Then kill me! Please, just kill me!"
Lin Mo couldn’t take it anymore.
She reached out to push the window open—
But it was locked.
Not just any lock, but one that required a key even from the inside.
"The window’s locked. What now?" she muttered under her breath.
Suddenly, a small tool was handed up to her. "Use this. I’ll show you how."
Lin Mo didn’t have time to question why the strongman had a lockpick on him.
Under his guidance, she fiddled with the lock.
It clicked open in no time.
Even the older strongman was impressed.
Miss Lin had a real knack for this.
His idiot brother had taken a whole week to learn!
Inside, Huo Tingshen was ranting about how Zhao Ziling wouldn’t leave the room as long as he was displeased.
Lin Mo pushed the window open and stuck her head in. "Zhao Ziling!"
At the sound of that familiar, sweet voice, Zhao Ziling froze, then whipped around.
A dripping-wet head was grinning at her from the window.
Zhao Ziling burst into tears instantly.
"Mo Mo! You came to save me!!"
Then she frowned.
"Why are you all wet? Aren’t you freezing?"
Huo Tingshen stared at the head in the window, stunned.
Who was this?
How had she gotten into the Huo Residence?
How had she gotten up here?
And how had she opened the window?
Most importantly—how dare she?
Before he could react, Lin Mo had already climbed into the room.
She looked Zhao Ziling over and noticed blood on her fingers.
Rage exploded inside her.
She spun around and slapped Huo Tingshen—twice.
SMACK! SMACK!
"You locked her up AND abused her?!"
Huo Tingshen: "..."
Never in his life had he been struck by anyone. It took him a few seconds to process.
Then his fury erupted, his glare burning into Lin Mo. "You dare hit me?!"
Zhao Ziling’s mind buzzed. She immediately shielded Lin Mo. "Count it as me hitting you! Take it out on me!"
She swallowed the explanation that the blood was from trying to pry the window open with an eyebrow razor.
Lin Mo yanked Zhao Ziling back behind her. "Yeah, I hit you, you lawless tyrant! Go ahead, call the police!"
Huo Tingshen: "............"
Lin Mo had thrown his own words back at him.
Veins bulged at his temples. "Who the hell are you? You break into the Huo Residence—do you have a death wish?!"
THUD! THUD!
Two 6'3" giants climbed in through the window one after another.
Huo Tingshen’s composure cracked.
Had the Huo Residence turned into a damn marketplace?
The two men loomed over him, radiating menace.
"Who’s got a death wish?" they growled.
Huo Tingshen instinctively took a step back, startled.
The foot-soaking bucket in his hand clattered to the floor.
Zhao Ziling had never seen the almighty Huo Tingshen look so rattled. It was exhilarating—
Better than seven rounds in one night!
A few minutes later, downstairs, Huo Tingshen spotted Shen Yihan, the so-called Buddha of the Capital Circle.
Or rather, a drenched Buddha of the Capital Circle.
For the first time in his life, his mind was too scrambled to think straight.
What the hell was going on?
Zhao Ziling retrieved her phone and prepared to leave with Lin Mo.
Huo Tingshen’s face darkened. "If you walk out that door, don’t ever come back."
Zhao Ziling had had enough of his domineering act. Without a backward glance, she strode away, her heels clicking decisively.
Huo Tingshen’s face turned purple with rage.
Once outside the Huo Residence, Lin Mo sneezed several times.
Zhao Ziling had wanted her to shower and change first, but Lin Mo had only swapped into dry clothes.
She was afraid Huo Tingshen would summon all his bodyguards and trap Zhao Ziling inside.
"Stay with me tonight," Lin Mo offered.
Zhao Ziling shook her head and hugged her tightly. "I need some time alone. Don’t worry—after tonight, Huo Tingshen’s pride is too bruised to come after me anytime soon. Thank you, Mo Mo. I’ll never forget what you did for me tonight."
She would always remember how her best friend had braved danger, even swimming across a lake, to rescue her.
Maybe it was time to rethink her relationship with Huo Tingshen.
After bidding farewell to the two kind-hearted strongmen and ensuring Zhao Ziling was settled, Lin Mo returned to her villa.
It was already past 3 a.m.
Exhaustion hit her the moment she stepped into her bedroom. She collapsed onto the bed, too tired to lift a finger.
Yet, after just two hours of sleep, she woke up at 5 a.m., drenched in sweat.
She touched her forehead—burning up.
Since when had her body become so weak? A little swim and now she had a fever!
There should be fever medicine in the villa’s first-aid kit.
Her face flushed, the feverish girl dragged herself downstairs and rummaged around.
Nothing.
She woke two maids, but they didn’t know where it was either.
Dizzy and defeated, Lin Mo stumbled back to bed.
With eyes still closed, she fumbled for her phone and sent a message to Xie Guanyan.
[Where’s the first aid kit in the Huo Residence?]
