Chapter 611: The Bitter Trick

Hearing Melody Summers’s words, hope began to rekindle in Maeve Summers’s eyes. ’That’s right, how could I forget? I’m not Cindy Hughes at all. I’m Maeve Summers...’

’As long as I go back to being Maeve Summers, as long as I can hide at home, maybe Hayden Jennings will never find me...’

Realizing this, Maeve Summers grabbed Melody Summers’s hand and said excitedly, "...Okay! Home! Let’s go home now! ...Melody, let’s go together!"

Melody Summers, however, pulled her hand from Maeve Summers’s grasp. She knew her aunt was worried about her, and if she didn’t go, Maeve probably wouldn’t agree to leave by herself.

But Hayden Jennings could be back at any moment, and this was no time to argue.

To get Maeve Summers to leave as quickly as possible, she had no choice but to say, "Auntie, I can’t go... Actually, I’m an undercover agent sent by the police!"

As Maeve Summers stared in astonishment, Melody Summers continued her fabrication. "The police have suspected for a while that Hayden Jennings is conducting illegal experiments. They sent me to investigate. I have to stay and help them complete the mission!"

"Auntie, don’t worry. There are a lot of officers protecting me from the shadows. I’m safe here, but if you stay, you’ll only hold me back!"

"So, you have to leave right now and go home with your sister-in-law. Just do as I say, get some rest when you’re home, and I promise both of us will be fine!"

Seeing Melody Summers’s serious and earnest expression, Maeve Summers believed her completely. Afraid she would only get in Melody’s way by staying, she reminded Melody again and again to be careful before doing as she was told and climbing out of the villa through the window.

Watching Maeve Summers run off in the direction she had pointed, Melody Summers still felt uneasy. She spoke to Albus in her mind, ’White, I’m going to have to ask you to follow them for me. Make sure my aunt and her sister-in-law get home safely...’

Albus immediately replied in her mind.

[Of course, Host! You can count on me!]

The next second, a faint, almost invisible wisp of white smoke drifted from Melody Summers’s body. It floated out the open window and into the air, following the direction Maeve Summers had gone until it vanished from sight.

With Maeve Summers’s situation handled, Melody Summers put her phone away in her pocket dimension. Then, she picked up the Anesthetic Gun and aimed it at the side of her own neck.

She took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and pulled the trigger!

An anesthetic dart shot from the muzzle, burying itself deep in her neck.

One second, two seconds, three seconds...

A few seconds later, Melody Summers found it hard to breathe. Her heart was pounding, and her mind was a chaotic haze.

The Anesthetic Gun fell from her hand, and she crumpled to the floor, losing consciousness completely.

******

The next time Melody Summers woke up, it was to the sound of the system’s voice in her mind.

[Host! You’ve been asleep for two hours! Wake up! Someone’s coming!]

The system’s voice was like an alarm clock, jolting Melody Summers from a deep sleep.

She groggily opened her eyes and found herself sitting in a chair.

Her whole body was numb. She tried to stand and stretch but discovered her hands and feet were bound to the chair, completely immobilized.

Melody Summers was speechless.

Just then, a voice came from beside her. "Don’t struggle. The more you fight against those knots, the tighter they’ll get. You’ll only make it more uncomfortable for yourself."

Melody Summers looked up toward the voice and saw a very familiar face.

It was Yuri Walsh.

Seeing Melody Summers look at him, Yuri Walsh smiled. "Don’t be afraid," he said in a soothing tone. "I’m not going to hurt you."

Melody Summers remained silent.

Melody wasn’t afraid. She ignored Yuri Walsh, her first priority being to check in with Albus in her mind. ’White, what’s the situation? Did my aunt and her sister-in-law get home safely?’

Albus replied in her mind.

[Don’t worry, Host, they made it back! Your family was so emotional. They all hugged and cried for a good while...]

[Oh, and I also took care of the surveillance cameras along their route, so you don’t have to worry about her being traced!]

Hearing Albus’s reply, Melody Summers could finally breathe a sigh of relief.

She looked around and realized she must be in a basement. The room was spacious and empty, with no furniture besides the chair beneath her.

Seeing that Melody Summers wasn’t speaking, Yuri Walsh asked, "Are you hungry? Would you like something to eat?"

Melody Summers frowned. "Yuri Walsh, are you kidnapping me? Do you realize that’s a crime?"

Yuri Walsh chuckled at her words. He adjusted the glasses on his nose and said gently, "Melody, don’t be afraid. As long as you cooperate, I guarantee you won’t be harmed."

There was an unsettlingly affectionate tone in Yuri Walsh’s voice that made Melody Summers shiver.

Suppressing her discomfort, she asked, "Cooperate? Cooperate with what? ...Oh, right, untie these ropes first! My arms are going numb!"

Yuri Walsh didn’t answer. He just stared intently at Melody Summers’s face, his gaze making her skin crawl.

After a moment, Yuri Walsh slowly shook his head. "Sorry, I can’t untie you. After all, I’m also a little scared of that incredible knockout powder you carry..."

The moment he finished speaking, Melody Summers’s heart sank. ’I’d almost forgotten! Yuri knows I have the knockout powder!’

Just then, the basement door flew open, and Hayden Jennings strode in.

Seeing that Melody Summers was awake, Hayden Jennings wasted no time and asked bluntly, "Where is Cindy Hughes?! Where did she go?!"

Seeing the unconcealable urgency and anxiety on Hayden Jennings’s face, Melody Summers laughed to herself. She feigned a look of confusion and retorted, "What do you mean, Cindy Hughes? I should be asking you that!"

"Weren’t you the one who told me to come over and comfort Cindy Hughes? So what is all this?! I never even saw her before you people knocked me out and tied me up!"

"Why did you tie me up? I’m telling you, this is unlawful imprisonment! It’s a crime! Have you even thought about the consequences?!"

Listening to Melody Summers’s barrage of questions, Hayden Jennings’s expression turned utterly foul. He couldn’t believe that bitch Cindy Hughes had actually dared to use this opportunity to escape.

’How dare she?!’

’She didn’t even take her ID, and she has no money. Does she really think she can survive out there without me?!’

The rage in Hayden Jennings’s heart had reached its boiling point. It felt like being bitten by a pet he had perfectly trained! The feeling was humiliating, infuriating! All he wanted now was to catch that dog, throw it in a pot, boil it, and eat it!

Seeing Hayden Jennings’s utterly foul expression, Melody Summers sneered inwardly but continued to shout, "Let me go! Let me out of here! Do you hear me?!"

At this, Hayden Jennings’s fury twisted into a smile. "Untie you? Fine," he said, his smile distorted with rage. "Hand over your knockout powder and the formula for it!"