Chapter 336: Fragrance
The woman called "Sixth Sister" had just said, "No matter how big the matter is, you can set it aside for now. See Fifth Brother first." From the looks of it, as long as Song Qi and the others met Qian Wu first, they would most likely survive.
The situation was exactly as Qi Xia had guessed. Just two or three minutes later, Song Qi walked out, his right hand already fully healed.
"Sorry, everyone. Follow me inside to rest for a bit. Fifth Brother is busy right now." He nodded at the three of them. "He should be able to see you in about half an hour."
Qi Xia looked down at Song Qi’s right hand, feeling a bit incredulous. This person named Qian Wu could even reattach a severed hand. Did he possess a "Resonance" that could heal the wounded and rescue the dying?
Was he the strong scent that Hero had smelled?
The three followed Song Qi into the prison and waited about half an hour in a place that looked like a guard’s break room. Finally, they heard footsteps in the corridor.
The three slowly stood up and looked toward the door.
What would this person named Qian Wu, the leader of the "Cat," look like?
Seconds later, a tall, slender woman appeared at the door. She wore a black leather jacket, had short, crisp hair, and an exceptionally sharp face.
A hideous scar ran across her left cheek, as if it had been caused by some beast’s bite.
The woman took a few steps forward, her pupils flickering slightly. Then she extended her hand to Qi Xia and said, "Hello, I'm Qian Wu."
The atmosphere turned a bit strange.
"You're Qian Wu...?"
"As real as it gets," the woman said.
"Hello." Qi Xia didn’t shake Qian Wu’s hand. He merely nodded faintly and said, "Qi Xia."
"Qi... Xia..." Qian Wu’s face showed a mix of a faint smile and a wistful, absent expression.
"Do you know me?" Qi Xia asked.
"No." Qian Wu withdrew her hand. "This is our first meeting."
Qi Xia frowned slightly. This woman was probably lying.
But who said the leader of the "Cat" had to tell him the truth?
Qian Wu smiled at Qi Xia. "What’s that expression? Looks like you doubt my identity."
"I do doubt it," Qi Xia said, still frowning. "The two behind you call you ‘Fifth Brother,’ but you’re a woman?"
"Me? A woman?" Qian Wu looked down at her body and said, "Doesn't seem to be a problem."
Qiao Jiajing and Officer Li exchanged a glance, also finding it strange. Did someone need to look down at their own body to confirm their gender?
"Aiyah, you're not some pervert, are you?" Qiao Jiajing blurted out.
"Ha, how could I be..." Qian Wu looked up at Qiao Jiajing again, also showing a hesitant expression. She paused, then said, "Are you all so interested in my gender...?"
"I'm not interested." Qi Xia cut her off bluntly. "Qian Wu, let's talk."
"Oh...?" Qian Wu turned her head to look at Qi Xia. "I know you must have a lot of questions, but now isn't the time."
"Not the time?"
Qian Wu didn’t answer. She dragged a chair over and sat down, then waved for the others to sit as well.
"Smoke?" She pulled a pack of cigarettes from her leather jacket pocket and offered it to them.
Qi Xia and Qiao Jiajing didn't take any, but Officer Li accepted without hesitation.
Qian Wu stood up, bent over to light Officer Li’s cigarette, then took one for herself and lit it.
Qi Xia felt something was off and asked, "What are we waiting for?"
Qian Wu took a drag and said slowly, "For someone."
"For someone...?"
No one said anything more; they just waited silently. Qi Xia sat by the table, lost in thought, calculating the situation. Qiao Jiajing looked around the room at the furniture layout, thinking about which piece he could grab if a fight broke out.
Officer Li and Qian Wu smoked quietly, staring at each other without a word.
The most restless person in the room was undoubtedly Zheng Yingxiong. He paced around, lifting his nose and sniffing constantly, as if searching for something.
One cigarette later, Qian Wu crushed the butt in her hand and gave a subtle nod to the lip-ring woman.
"Yes." The woman nodded, then her lips moved slightly, as if she was speaking to someone.
A few minutes later, footsteps echoed in the corridor, and a man with a scholarly face pushed the door open.
"Sixth Sister... you called me?" the man said in a low voice.
"Nineteen, Fifth Brother wants to speak," the woman said. "Come in and stand."
"Understood." Nineteen nodded. "Leave it to me."
Song Qi and the lip-ring woman exchanged a glance and were about to leave the room, but Qian Wu called them back.
"It's fine. No one needs to leave." Qian Wu waved her hand. "Song Qi, Saturday, you two sit down too."
After everyone had taken their seats, Nineteen stood silently beside them and closed his eyes.
Zheng Yingxiong slowly moved behind Qi Xia and muttered softly:
"I... smell the fragrance of 'Silence.'"
"What...?"
Qi Xia turned around, staring blankly at Zheng Yingxiong. Before he could say anything, he felt a strange force envelop the room. All sounds from outside the room quietly faded into complete silence.
It seemed something had happened.
"Everyone, no need to be nervous," Qian Wu said seriously. "Nineteen's ability completely isolates this area from external sounds. It's just so we can talk properly."
"Talk...?" Qiao Jiajing and Li Shangwu’s faces showed a hint of wariness.
But at that moment, Qi Xia turned to look at Zheng Yingxiong, many questions rising in his mind.
At the same time, Qian Wu spoke: "Qi Xia, 'Heaven' is looking for you."
"Oh?" Qi Xia turned back, expressionless, looking at Qian Wu. After all, he had already guessed as much. "So you were afraid of eavesdroppers? Then 'Heaven' hired you. What's their ultimate goal?"
"I don't know." Qian Wu waved her hand, and Saturday took out a bottle of foreign liquor that looked like it had been stored for a long time from a nearby cabinet. "Qi Xia, today I want to see your attitude, and then decide whether to hand you over to 'Heaven.'"
Qian Wu naturally handed the bottle to Qiao Jiajing. Half a second later, feeling something was off, she pulled her hand back and asked, "What should I call you?"
"Ah Jing from Bolan Street."
"Bolan Street... Ah Jing..." Qian Wu hesitated, a hint of melancholy flickering in her eyes. Then she placed the bottle in front of Qiao Jiajing.
"This..." Qiao Jiajing looked at the half-full bottle in front of him and swallowed slightly. He felt like he had ascended to heaven. "This... is all for me to drink?"
"No." Qian Wu smiled slightly. "Ah Jing, good liquor in the 'Land of Finality' is one bottle fewer each time. So you can't hog it. I'll drink with you."