Chapter 43: A Circuit Around the Hall of the King of Hell

Stepping out of the elevator, Bai Lu’s head grew increasingly dizzy, her legs barely able to hold her up. She pressed herself against the wall for support, eyes unable to focus. After several attempts, she finally managed to call Xian Nan.

But his phone line was busy!

Bai Lu shook her head fiercely, one hand clutching her phone, the other lifting her gauzy dress as she staggered along the wall toward her room.

“Miss Bai!”

She’d barely taken two steps when someone called out to her from behind.

Leaning against the wall, her head spinning and body burning with heat, she mumbled, “Who are you?”

The attendant steadied her. “Miss Bai, your friend just called the front desk and said you were drunk. He asked us to send a female staff member to escort you back to your room.”

“It’s Ah Sui! Ah Sui!” Bai Lu leaned on the attendant’s shoulder, giggling foolishly. “Ah Sui is always so thoughtful, isn’t he?”

The attendant said nothing.

Bai Lu handed her phone to the attendant. “I need to call Ah Sui. The phone password is my father’s birthday.”

The attendant asked, “Miss Bai, what day is your father’s birthday?”

Bai Lu leaned in close and whispered it.

The attendant paused, realizing if she remembered correctly, that was the birthday of Film Emperor Lu.

Before the screen locked, the phone rang.

Bai Lu answered in a flash. “Ah Sui? Is that you?”

“Yes. Has the attendant arrived?”

“She’s here! Ah Sui, you’re so considerate, thank you!” Bai Lu slurred her words, but insisted on thanking him.

Huo Yan Fang placed the phone on his desk. “Don’t hang up.”

“Okay! Sister, am I heavy?” Bai Lu asked.

The attendant replied silently to herself: She wasn’t heavy, exactly. But a drunk person’s body was limp and dead weight—it felt heavy.

A short distance took them nearly eight minutes to traverse.

“Miss Bai, do you have your room card?” asked the attendant.

Bai Lu was nearly unconscious. “Hand, phone…”

The attendant understood—she’d put the room card in her phone case.

Beep, beep, beep—

The door opened.

The attendant struggled to get Bai Lu inside. As she searched for the light switch on the wall, suddenly a man burst from behind the door, grabbing both women in a single motion!

“Ah—!” The attendant shrieked, “Who are you? Why are you in Miss Bai’s room!”

The man froze. “Why are there two?”

The attendant screamed, “Help! Somebody, help—!”

The man clapped a hand over her mouth.

“Mmm! Mmm!”

Bai Lu collapsed to the floor, completely unconscious.

“Tang Xing, prepare the car.”

Tang Xing didn’t need Huo Yan Fang’s command. Hearing the commotion through the phone, he had already grabbed his own and was rushing out, running as he dialed.

He notified the hotel front desk that a stranger had entered Bai Lu’s room and requested security be sent up immediately.

Not only that, Tang Xing’s reaction was exceptionally swift. He knew there were many media present; even if Bai Lu were unharmed, exposure would damage her reputation.

He immediately called the hotel’s general manager, saying, “Get your duty manager to the 28th floor now. Under no circumstances can any media report Bai Lu’s situation.”

The general manager, receiving Tang Xing’s call, didn’t dare delay. He not only contacted the duty lobby manager, but hung up and quickly dressed, preparing to go in person.

This was Tang Xing—the right-hand man of the richest man in town! No one dared neglect him.

When Huo Yan Fang got in the car, the sound of pounding on the door was already coming through the phone.

All this happened in less than two minutes.

With the crowd outside, the door was soon forced open.

“Miss Bai! She’s safe—just passed out!”

“No problem, both are unconscious.”

“Someone jumped out the window!”

“Twenty-eighth floor—let’s see if they can make it!”

“Should we call the police?”

Tang Xing took the phone from Huo Yan Fang. “Can you hear me?”

The scene was chaotic, voices clamoring—no one could hear anything from Bai Lu’s phone.

Tang Xing hung up and called the general manager again. He wanted to call the duty manager directly, but didn’t have his number—he wasn’t important enough.

“I’ve sent a private doctor to the hotel. You know what to do.”

The general manager, speeding through the city, replied, “Rest assured, Assistant Tang. I understand. Absolutely no leak of tonight’s events.”

“If there is, you know what will happen to you.”

Tang Xing ended the call with a threat, then phoned the Huo family’s private hospital, gave them the hotel address, and told them to send the nearest doctor.

After arranging everything, Tang Xing’s heart pounded. “Mr. Huo, I swear, I’ve never been so nervous in my life. First time ever.”

Huo Yan Fang lifted his eyelids with practiced elegance, saying only, “Tang Xing, I permit you to let loose tonight.”

Tang Xing took off his gold-rimmed glasses—his facade of gentility—and smiled with bloodthirsty delight. “Thank you, Mr. Huo.”

Even with no traffic at night, it took over an hour to reach the downtown hotel from Huo Yan Fang’s villa.

The private doctor arrived within ten minutes of the call, checking both Bai Lu and the attendant who had been suffocated unconscious.

As soon as he got out of the car, the general manager hurried to meet Tang Xing, not sparing Huo Yan Fang a glance.

“Assistant Tang, the doctor examined them—Miss Bai seems to have been drugged with alcohol and a sleeping agent. I’ve arranged a new room for her. Besides the doctor, my wife is staying with Miss Bai. We didn’t alert anyone else. I’ve already warned all staff present. Please rest assured.”

Tang Xing asked, “Room number?”

After the manager answered, Tang Xing turned to Huo Yan Fang. “Go stay with Miss Bai.”

Huo Yan Fang nodded with grace.

The three entered the elevator.

Tang Xing took off his suit jacket, then his vest, even his tie. The general manager eagerly took them, draping them over his arm.

Tang Xing calmly rolled up the sleeves of his white shirt, then asked, “Where’s the person?”

The general manager lowered his gaze. “Still standing outside the window.”

“Do you know them?” Tang Xing’s smile deepened.

The manager trembled. “…From the Hou family.”

Tang Xing smiled, “Which Hou family?”

The manager shook all over.

Just then, the elevator doors opened.

Tang Xing said, “That’s enough—you’re not needed now. You did well, responded quickly, especially having your wife accompany Miss Bai. Wait for your promotion notice.”

The general manager thanked him profusely as they left.

As soon as the elevator doors closed, he collapsed onto the floor in terror.

Promotion? He hadn’t dared hope for that! He’d been afraid that even a slight misstep would cost him his life.

He’d witnessed Assistant Tang’s methods firsthand.

Luckily, he’d reacted quickly—he heard Bai Lu’s name, immediately recognized who she was, realized what was happening, and called his wife, telling her to get out of bed and drive to the hotel.

If he’d messed up even a little tonight…

He felt his trousers grow damp and squeezed his eyes shut.

How had such misfortune found him?

It was as though he’d taken a detour through the halls of the King of Hell!