"Please, take me out of this place, Beryl." Qi Xenjin pleaded, her lips swollen and in pain.
"Don't waste your breath on me. I don't plan on helping someone without use to me anymore."
"B-but at least help Lao Bing, please. I'm begging you, please!" Qi Xenjin bawled but all she heard was a mocking laugh before the other line hung up, "Beryl!!!"
"Be quiet! Stop ruining our sleep or I'll beat you to pulp!" one of the detainees shouted at Qi Xenjin.
Qi Xenjin's arrogance during her first day vanished when these women started to beat her. These were the women she mocked when his men arranged everything. Now, she was nothing more than a rat which was not allowed to do anything.
"Why didn't you just accept the beautiful woman's offer to you earlier?" another detainee in the far end of the room spoke which startled Qi Xenjin.
"What do you care, huh?"
"Well, if I were you I will do anything just to get out of here," the woman got back to sleep while Qi Xenjin scowled at her.
She couldn't take swallowing her pride just to beg for Xu Jia Li's mercy. She would do everything to convince Beryl to help Lao Bing so she could be out in jail.
She dialed Lao Bing's right hand man's number. Once it connected, she spoke with authority, "Do something to help Bing and me to escape the prison!"
"Stop calling me, Xenjin!"
"W-what? How dare you call me without respect?!"
"You're no longer our boss' woman. You're nothing but a criminal in jail! Don't disturb us since Boss Lao is already bailed out!"
"What did you say?!"
But even before she spoke again, the call ended with a beep. She screamed and cried in frustration. How could this happen? Even Lao Bing had forsaken her.
"Aahhhhhhh!!" she felt so much grief that she let it all out, forgetting the threats from the other detainees.
"You never learn your lesson, huh!"
Qi Xenjin's cry became a muffled sob while the detainees kicked, punched and beat her. She didn't dare make a sound since these women would never stop the more they heard her cry.
****
"I already lied to her that Boss Lao had been bailed out. She's always that bossy that she didn't even realize that it's impossible for Boss Lao to get out of jail since Si Weimin did all means to keep him inside," The man flashed his crooked smile as he puffed his cigarette,
"Now, ofcourse, let's talk about the real deal. You have to keep your promise that I'll be the leader of our gang from now on."
"Of course! I always keep my promise," Beryl's lips curled into a meaningful smile at the man in front of him. She sat leisurely while she discreetly pulled out her dagger.
"I can't wait to make the gang solidify its power on our turf."
"Really? Such a nice plan!" Beryl threw the dagger with a fast precision, "Enjoy being in hell! Hahaha!"
"Ack! Wh-hat –" the man looked with disbelief. The cigarette fell on his lap as he held the dagger on his neck. The blood oozed out as he took his last breath.
****
The next day, Zhen Nian visited Xu Jia Li at the resort, "Li-jie, I didn't get the chance to ask you about last night. Will it be okay to talk about it?"
Xu Jia Li nodded as she told everything to Zhen Nian. Even her relationship with Si Weimin, she did not leave anything to hide from her friend.
"I didn't believe that you've been through that, Li-jie!" Zhen Nian hugged Xu Jia Li as she tried to process what she learned.
"You have to keep it a secret until I managed to solve all these mysteries."
"Li-jie, does it have anything to do with your revenge? Do you think these people are stopping you?"
"I don't know. What I'm sure of is that… these people are not to be taken lightly…"
****
The night was bright with the beauty of the stars graced the dark sky. It was the opposite of what Xu Jia Li was feeling as she felt a heavy burden in her heart.
She sat with Si Weimin on the couch inside her room in the resort. Her head rested on Si Weimin's shoulder, a lot was going on in her mind. She needed to figure out her next move.
She had been slacking and her ultimate goal to avenge her mother seemed so far away. She looked at the painting on the wall as she pondered on her next plan.
Her mind drifted away, not even appreciating its beauty.
To be honest, it was her first time to notice it. She sighed while she focused her attention on the painting hanging on the wall. She used to enjoy painting, putting all her dreams and worries away in the canvass.
She observed the way it was painted. It was a water color painting of an island. There was a tall lighthouse on the edge of the cliff. It was mesmerizing. She looked and admired the painting when she noticed something shining on the lighthouse.
She stood immediately and approached it. Her hand slowly traced the shiny object underneath the glass frame.
"Jia, what's wrong?"
Xu Jia Li was startled when she heard Si Weimin spoke beside her. Without lifting her gaze away from the painting, she answered, "Look at this lighthouse. There's something shining."
"Let me see."
"I think it's a hidden camera."
Si Weimin took the painting and removed it from the frame. To their shock, Xu Jia Li was right. It was really a hidden camera installed inside the painting. It was carefully put to look as if it was only the light from the top of the lighthouse.
"Someone put it here because they know I wouldn't notice." Xu Jia Li couldn't help but sneered while holding the small hidden camera.
"Don't worry. I have my men looking into these people now."
"It's always been a mystery on how they're able to do this without me knowing. It's all my fault. I always put my guard down. I can't let these people succeed."
****
In the unknown hide-out, Beryl faced Snow who sat beside the master. She couldn't help but keep the brewing jealousy and anger she had inside.
"Stop your foolishness, Beryl! If you want to remain in the organization, then stop going against our plan. Have you forgotten why we're here in the first place?"
"N-no, master. I'm only trying to help."
"Your foolishness will only get us to failure. From now on, you're not allowed to do anything."
"B-but master –"
Beryl didn't finish her words when Snow's hand fiercely landed on her face. The stinging pain engulfed her as she stared blankly at Snow.
"You go against our plan and killed Lao Bing's right hand man. You're becoming a pain in the neck. You won't stop unless you see this organization in shambles! You even exposed us!"
"B-but –"
"But what? Si Weimin already infiltrated our system! Red lost the main server to one of Si Weimin's men. It wouldn't take long before they get to crack the code. Will you take responsibility for that?"
"H-how? I d-didn't k-know!"
"Stay low key and don't do something unless it's an order. We have to change our hide out and no unnecessary movement must take place until then."