Jiang Fan pulled out his phone with grave seriousness, dialed Chen Jing immediately, and spoke the moment the call connected:

"Jing-jie, we have a problem. I think you’ve likely been exposed. When I saw her on the monitor just now, she deliberately locked eyes with the camera and even waved at me. I don’t believe that was mere coincidence."

Beyond this, Jiang Fan harbored another suspicion.

He’d actually thought of it last night.

With Anna’s capabilities, could she really make a mistake as careless as having her wallet stolen by a pickpocket...?

Back then, it was just a hunch. Recalling how she’d shown little interest in him throughout their encounter—and hadn’t even tried to force him into compliance—he’d begun doubting himself.

But today’s "chance" meeting, followed by that eerie scene just now? If Jiang Fan clung to wishful thinking any longer, he’d be a fool.

"I think I should lie low for now. I have this feeling... she might be targeting *me*."

He still didn’t know why Anna hadn’t acted yet. But replaying her words from last night—wasn’t *he* also a match for the person she sought?

Originally, he’d reasoned that Jingjiang City was vast; mothers who abandoned their children couldn’t be rare. But now, the more he thought about it, the more everything felt *too* coincidental.

A brief silence came from the other end of the line. Then Chen Jing replied:

"Stay put where you are. I don’t fully believe it, but *if* she truly has designs on you, the monitoring room is probably the safest place for you right now."

"I’ll send people to guard you. I don’t know where this feeling of yours comes from, but even as a precaution—if she somehow finds you there—you can escape early through the secret passage. I’ll follow right after. You have my word."

After this arrangement, Jiang Fan had to admit Chen Jing made sense. He nodded into the phone:

"Understood. I’ll keep monitoring her movements. If she heads this way, I’ll leave immediately. Right now, she’s moving toward... the bar? Your place doesn’t open during the day, does it? Why’s she going there?"

Jiang Fan checked the surveillance feed again. Seeing Anna’s bizarre route, confusion washed over him anew.

On the monitor, Anna stood motionless before Chen Jing’s unopened bar, simply observing it—doing nothing else.

Chen Jing couldn’t decipher her intentions either. The bar and Jiang Fan’s current location in the internet café were in opposite directions. Judging by Anna’s path, Jiang Fan’s worries seemed unfounded.

"Keep watching. I’m closing in too—she’s entered my sightline."

With that, Chen Jing hung up. Now that she’d spotted the target, she couldn’t afford distractions.

Jiang Fan understood. Though unease gnawed at him, all he could do was keep his eyes on the monitors. His mind, however, raced wildly—dwelling on Anna, and himself.

*Could he really have gained a sister out of the blue?*

Under normal circumstances, a young, beautiful, wealthy older sister would be a dream come true. But reality was harsh: his own mother had apparently been the homewrecker who broke up Anna’s parents.

Darker thoughts crept in: what if Anna’s mother’s death was also tied to his mother? He couldn’t expect mercy from a woman ruthless enough to abandon her husband and child.

Anna had come to Jingjiang to find her enemy’s son—to use him against that enemy. If he truly *was* her "brother," would he even return in one piece if she caught him? *Unlikely. Very unlikely.*

The more Jiang Fan thought, the less secure he felt. His personal details weren’t hard to uncover. His mother wasn’t some powerful figure with deep connections—even if she’d hidden in Russia under a new name, tracing her past wouldn’t be difficult for someone determined.

*Why hadn’t Anna acted last night?* Probably because Mu Yuli’s men had been tailing him. Unsure if she could take him cleanly, she’d waited to rendezvous with Guxuetong...

*Guxuetong!*

Jiang Fan’s pupils snapped wide. He leapt from his chair, frantically searching for the secret passage Chen Jing had mentioned.

*Damn it—he’d forgotten about her!*

She was a top-tier hacker in China! Finding him would be child’s play!

His location was definitely compromised. Anna’s strange behavior was proof enough.

Just then, his phone rang. Jiang Fan answered without checking. Chen Jing’s urgent voice blasted through:

"She’s heading your way! The secret passage is on the left wall, three meters from the door. At chest height, there’s a hidden brick. Press it and enter the code 1-2-2-4. The exit leads to the bar’s changing room. Hide there—I’ll have someone meet you!"

"*Damn*, she’s fast. No more playing nice!"

The call cut off again.

Jiang Fan frowned, locating the brick Chen Jing described—but hesitated to press it.

*The exit connected to the bar...*

Logically, it made sense. Both venues were under Chen Jing’s management; a hidden passage between them wasn’t unusual.

But in this critical moment, Jiang Fan couldn’t shake the memory of Anna lingering outside the bar earlier.

*This reeked of a trap. He couldn’t take that passage.*

This time, he trusted his gut—and Chen Jing’s competence. Mu Yuli wouldn’t have entrusted her with containing Anna if she couldn’t handle it.

Chen Jing never cut corners on the job.

Time crawled. Trapped in the monitoring room, Jiang Fan felt every second stretch like years—the first time since school he’d truly grasped that phrase. The silence was absolute; even his own breathing sounded unnaturally loud. No wonder solitary confinement was torture.

He kept checking his phone. Barely five minutes had passed, yet it felt long enough for several rounds of his favorite arena brawler game. The lack of updates from Chen Jing only deepened his anxiety.

Suddenly, the lights and monitors died simultaneously.

Jiang Fan’s heart lurched. *Guxuetong.*

*Trying to flush me out? Not happening.*

He typed a message to Chen Jing—calling might distract her mid-operation.

The instant he hit send, the wall behind him shuddered.

Instinct screamed danger. He materialized his electroshock pistol via the system, ready to strike first.

But before the wall fully opened, a round object rolled through the gap.

Before he could identify it, thick smoke billowed out.

*Damn it—sleeping gas too...?*

*Misplayed.*

"Target secured. Wrapping up."

Guxuetong adjusted her gas mask and calmly reported into her comms unit.