Chapter Twenty-One: The Knock at the Door

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Meng Shan’s heart tightened with a sudden jolt. He hurriedly tidied the things around him, including the empty food containers on the table.

“Is anyone there? Open the door…”

There was no response. Outside stood a member of the property management staff.

“Is anyone home? If someone’s inside, say something. I’m here to collect the electricity bill.”

When Meng Shan heard that it was only someone collecting the electricity bill, he relaxed considerably.

“Damn it. Looks like I was overthinking things. My nerves are stretched far too tight. How could the police possibly have found me here?”

It was hardly surprising that Meng Shan thought this way. Ever since his parents had died, he had never returned to this house. If he had not been driven into a corner this time, he would never have come back.

The knocking continued.

“Open the door, quickly. Someone just saw that there was a person inside. Meng Shan! Meng Shan!”

The property manager continued shouting. Realizing that he could not hide forever, Meng Shan swayed toward the door.

When he opened it, the property employee immediately caught a whiff of an overpowering stench—so pungent that it was difficult to describe.

She could not help wrinkling her brow, her face filled with disgust. In a cold voice, she asked, “You’re Meng Shan?”

“That’s me. What do you want?”

“Your electricity bill is overdue. I’m here to ask when you intend to pay it. If you don’t pay soon, the power will be cut off.”

Meng Shan tilted his head and studied the woman before him. She was about five feet five, and although she could hardly be called beautiful, she had a remarkably good figure.

He no longer seemed frightened. Unlike before, when he had been convinced that the police had arrived and had been scared witless, he now felt much more at ease.

His heart was pounding relentlessly. The woman carried a natural fragrance that was refreshing and intoxicating—especially to a lifelong bachelor like Meng Shan.

“Oh, is that so? You mean there’s no money left on my electricity account?”

The woman did not want to remain there for another minute. She had always trusted her instincts, and the man standing before her gave her a deeply dangerous feeling, as though he might do something to her at any moment.

“That’s right. If you have time today, go and pay the bill. If you’re busy, tomorrow will be fine.”

Having said that, she turned to leave. She did not want to stay there for even one more second. Weren’t women supposed to have a sixth sense?

In this case, it seemed that old saying was reliable.

“Don’t rush off. You’ve come all this way—why not come in and sit for a while? You’ve been so diligent about reminding me to pay the bill. That shows what a responsible employee you are. How about coming in for a drink of water?”

Meng Shan invited her inside without hesitation.

The woman froze for a moment. “No, no, that won’t be necessary. I still have work to do. Just find some time to pay the bill.”

As soon as she finished speaking, she turned and hurried away as though fleeing from a plague demon. There was definitely something wrong with this man.

The way he looked at her was unsettling, filled with an intense possessiveness. She was genuinely afraid now.

Meng Shan did not stop her from leaving. He had very much wanted to keep her there—to satisfy his immediate needs first, and then butcher her afterward.

Do not ask why Meng Shan had such thoughts. He had seen the contempt and disgust in the woman’s eyes.

That was reason enough. It was an excuse enough. Sometimes killing someone was that simple. There did not need to be any real reason or justification—only a thought.

In the end, Meng Shan abandoned the idea. After all, the police were still hunting him throughout the city.

He cast an evil, icy glance at the woman’s departing back.

“You filthy bitch. Just wait. One day, sooner or later… heh heh heh…”

Meng Shan turned and went back inside. In the living room, he picked up the glass on the table and gulped down several mouthfuls of water.

Then he poured the rest over his head. His breathing quickened, and his eyes were flooded with crimson.

His chest heaved like that of a ferocious lion, as though he were about to make some momentous decision.

Just then, another series of knocks sounded.

His heart sank to the bottom of his chest. Sweat poured down his head like a sudden stream, cascading over his face.

He muttered to himself, “Damn it. Could that woman have come back? Or did she bring someone to beat me up? No, that can’t be. She only just left—how could she possibly have returned so quickly? Unless…”

“Unless it’s the police? Damn it, how is that possible? That doesn’t make sense.”

He could not stop his body from trembling like a sieve. He was truly terrified. Even the air seemed to have solidified around him.

Meng Shan found it difficult to breathe. Fear alone had reduced him to this state. For all his savage appearance, he was nothing more than a bully hiding weakness beneath the surface.

The truth was that he had committed some shameful or heinous act. Otherwise, he would never have been frightened so badly.

Meng Shan took several deep breaths, trying to calm himself. Then another knock reached his ears.

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It was only knocking. No one said a word. If it were the police, they would not keep knocking without identifying themselves.

Thinking this, Meng Shan lowered his voice and asked, “Who… who is it?”

“It’s me, Zhang Xiaorui.”

It was a girl’s voice. Judging from the sound of it, she could not have been more than twenty-five.

Meng Shan scratched his head, bewildered. Why would a young woman come here? This was becoming interesting.

And yet, the girl’s soft, sweet voice stirred him from head to toe.

He was a cautious, careful man. The more dangerous the situation, the less he could afford to lose his composure.

He tore at his hair with both hands, apparently wrestling with some decision—or perhaps simply growing agitated.

“Whatever your name is, I don’t care. I don’t know you at all. Some wild girl from nowhere—just leave.”

Zhang Xiaorui paid no attention to his words. What she wanted was the reward worth tens of thousands of dollars.

If that reward had not been sufficiently tempting, would she have gone all the way there out of sheer kindness to capture a wanted criminal?

She was not sick in the head. As the saying went, if a person did not act for their own sake, even Heaven would destroy them. Zhang Xiaorui was precisely the sort who never lifted a finger without something to gain.

The knocking continued to thunder against the door, like a summons from death. Why did the sound seem so piercing and irritating, driving him into a frenzy?

After being tormented by the damned knocking for far too long, Meng Shan went to the entrance.

With a creak, he opened the door.

Standing outside was a girl who looked about eighteen or nineteen. She had large eyes, and her glossy black hair was tied into a ponytail. Smiling at him, she raised her right hand and waved.

Before Zhang Xiaorui could say a word, Meng Qiang spoke first.

“I say, aren’t you annoying? You’ve been banging on the door nonstop. Aren’t you afraid of dying?”

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