The weapon by the pillow

Chapter 104 Real and Fake Keys

"The key?" Cheng Tan's heart skipped a beat.

He suddenly exchanged a glance with Cheng Jing.

Finally... we've touched the deepest thread! Just as he and Cheng Jing had predicted, the one stirring up this murky water was a key!

"The key. And the same 'object' as the murder weapon at the scene." Chen Hao opened his eyes, his gaze empty and blank. "That's when I realized this was no longer a 'judgment.' This was... a 'sacrifice.' Someone was using my stage to stage another deadly drama."

"That key?" Cheng Tan suddenly laughed. He remembered the minor surgery he had just had, which aggravated the still-healing wound on his buttock, causing him to wince in pain. But his voice was icy. "So many people are searching for a key, but... have they really found it?"

"The key! Wasn't that key handed over to Yang Hong?" Cheng Jing asked, feigning seriousness. She was referring to the key left behind by the woman in black during the murder on set, which had been handed over to Yang Hong as evidence.

Cheng Tan, that guy, really got to the point by making a fuss over a key!

Thinking of this, she turned her gaze to Fang Jie, deliberately bringing things to the forefront, "Did she find anything? What did she glimpse? Earlier tonight, what did she and you... whisper about?"

"She gave me the key. Half an hour ago, I sent someone to deliver it to the rightful owner, and now... it must be in the rightful owner's hands!" Fang Jie replied meaningfully, only to suddenly realize that Cheng Tan's words were clearly hiding a trap.

As expected, Cheng Tan kept making a fuss about the current situation, and she neither wanted to nor could hide it any longer.

The subtle implications in this dialogue are so profound that no one who hears it can remain unmoved.

"That's right... Whether they saw it or not, now that they've seen the key, can't they see something's amiss? Do they still want to..." Cheng Tan's words were cut short—

Outside the window, the final countdown pounded down like a death knell: "Three, two, one! Move out!"

"Bang--!"

Without a word, the windowpane shattered with a sharp crack. Several canister-like objects rolled in with a hiss, and a sudden gush of pungent, milky-white smoke instantly engulfed the view.

"They've broken in... This looks like they're ready to fight to the death. Cheng Tan, you've... lost your gamble!" Fang Jie looked at Cheng Tan through the billowing smoke, her face a mixture of disappointment and fear. "Normally, there should be a messenger who calls for help first... But she skipped even that step. Truly the style of someone under a 'kill order'... Leave no one alive!"

"A kill order! Is that it?" Cheng Tan burst into laughter, his voice piercing through the smoke. "Once he realizes that the key isn't what he thinks... will that copper key from the logistics park really unlock the secret he seeks? If you don't believe me... let's gamble again!"

"What are we betting on?" Through the smoke, several gazes shot towards Cheng Tan like cold arrows.

Cheng Tan's gaze pierced through the churning white mist and locked onto Chen Hao:

"We're betting on their patience before they find the real key! We're betting on our sliver of hope!" Cheng Tan's voice wasn't loud, but every word was clear. "As for you all, we're not betting gold or silver, we're not betting our lives. We're only betting on... an answer."

"What's the answer to bet on?" Chen Hao's voice was hoarse.

"I'll bet what I don't know, and what you secretly know," Cheng Tan said. "If I win, tell me, last night in room 403 of Anping Lane, besides me and those seven people, who else was there? Who was the person who stole your script...?"

Chen Hao fell silent, but those few seconds felt like an eternity. "And if you lose?"

"I'll tell you what was written on the last page of Li Wan's diary that was torn out," Cheng Tan said quietly. "That page was torn out, but then... it was put back in."

Chen Hao's eyes suddenly bulged out, his hand holding the gun trembled violently, and the wooden box in his palm made a soft "click" sound, which was particularly alarming in the dead silence.

"You...you actually have that page?!"

"Ridiculous! They're about to die, and they're still playing these tricks!" Yang Hong heard this dialogue clearly through her earpiece, her unease growing stronger, yet she couldn't grasp the thread of it. She was the one wielding the "kill order," and there was no room for any change!

The same exclamation of "absurd!" rang out from another location.

Jingxin Lake Manor, a prestigious villa district in Jiangzhou, houses a detached lakeside mansion. An elderly man with white hair held a brass key that had just been presented to him; after just one glance, his expression changed drastically.

"Quickly! Withdraw the kill order! These people... not a single one can die!"

Before he could finish speaking, he slammed the key to the ground, the brass clanging loudly against the marble. "This isn't the one I wanted! Either she switched it, or… he still has it! You little bastard! How dare you play tricks on this old man!"

This reversed command pierced Yang Hong's eardrum almost simultaneously.

Just as she raised her arm, about to make the final gesture of breaking down the door, the phone rang sharply!

A special ringtone is more important than anything else!

Her hand froze in mid-air, her throat bobbing, and finally, only two cold words escaped through clenched teeth:

"etc."

Her arm fell heavily to the ground.

"Damn it!" A rough curse, mixed with the fury of being fooled and the exhaustion of relief, crashed into the deathly silence inside the car.

"Director Yang, should we arrange for negotiation experts to handle the talks? After all, there are our own people involved, Captain Cheng and Officer Chen Ming!" The squad leader's suggestion came to my ears.

Unexpectedly, upon hearing these two names, Yang Hong's mind went blank, and she suddenly remembered something that had just made her feel uneasy!

"That key was handed over by Cheng Jing; it was evidence in the film set robbery and murder case! I gave it to someone else!" Yang Hong realized she had made a huge mistake! Because she remembered that the handover of the evidence was captured on camera by media reporters!

Therefore, they must die!

The kill order must be carried out, even if it has been terminated, even if I am the only one who needs this order! Even if it means this teahouse becomes a death trap again tonight!

"No more waiting! All departments and groups, prepare! According to the plan, launch a strong attack from three directions. Teams one and two, attack from the windows; team three, prepare to breach the door! Prepare to throw the second smoke grenade!" Yang Hong picked up the walkie-talkie and issued the order to prepare for the attack again.

But this time, before she could finish speaking, another voice came through the intercom system:

"It's me!"

"Director Li!" the police officers exclaimed in surprise. This time, the director, who never went to the front line, personally took to the field.

"I will be in direct command of the scene! All personnel must stand by and not act without authorization. I hereby order: Cheng Jing and Comrade Chen Ming will form a negotiation team on-site to handle this hostage situation, responsible for negotiating with the other side and transmitting all information back promptly!"

"What!" Yang Hong was stunned.

Just then, the car door opened, and two intelligence team members stood in front of Yang Hong:

"Director Yang, regarding the unauthorized use of evidence collected during the investigation, please come with us!"