A faint, barely perceptible bitter smile curled at the corner of my lips.
Money, truly, is one of the most helpless forces in this world—it can dissolve all your defenses, coax you into listening to the words of anyone, even when, only moments ago, you had just uncovered their deceit.
"Could you tell me your name?" I asked, striving to keep my tone calm, my voice soft as I inquired into the phone.
"Huh?... My name is Xu Ze," came the answer, followed by a slight pause, as if taken aback by my question.
"Xu Ze, are you currently in China or in Myanmar?" I continued.
"I'm in Xiao Mengla, doing what we do, bound by circumstances..." His voice carried a hint of resignation.
Upon hearing this, a flicker of relief surged within me—thankfully, he was in this very city.
In an instant, a plan began to form in my mind, one that could bring her to her absolute ruin.
"Xu Ze, does your phone have a recording function?" I slowed my words deliberately, "Could you please activate it?"
"What?" He paused again, clearly caught off guard by my request.
"Turn on the recording," I repeated, my tone firm.
There was a brief silence on the other end, likely as he followed my instructions. Soon, he responded, "Done."
"My name is Lin Shihan," I began steadily. "By the time you hear these words, I will most likely already be dead, buried in a coffin."
I then recited my ID number, before continuing, "I was conned by my ex-husband and best friend, lured to Myanmar under the guise of a vacation, only to be buried alive and coerced into surrendering all my money."
"My daughter was also brutally murdered by them." My voice quivered slightly at this, "The evidence lies in my body. I am buried near a heavily guarded military base, less than a hundred kilometers from our homeland. I remember, from Xiao Mengla, heading south for about half an hour, the entire road winding through mountains. My body lies there. Find my body, and it will confirm that everything I say is the truth."
I paused briefly, then continued, this time speaking directly to Xu Ze.
"Xu Ze, you are the only person willing to help me," I said earnestly. "I am deeply grateful for your willingness to lend a hand. I hereby declare, with full consent, that I bequeath all my legal estate, free of charge, to this man."
"At this moment, my mind is clear, and I have not been coerced in any way. To prove this, I will repeat these words three times."
I repeated the declaration three times, fully aware that such verbal gifts hold little legal weight. Yet, this was all I could offer in my current, dire circumstances.
Xu Ze on the other end was thoroughly bewildered, stammering, "What... what do you mean by this... I haven't really helped you at all..."
"Next," I said, unwavering, "this is where you can help me. I need you to forward the information about my ex-husband and best friend to the media in China, as widely as possible. Let the media spread this message."
I knew full well that once the media picked up on it, my ex-husband, hiding back in China, would have no escape from the law's reach.
But that was still not enough. The woman who had incited me to earn blood money—I would not let her go.
"The second thing I need you to do..." I took a deep breath, "Help me eliminate my best friend."