Chapter 90: Meticulous Planning
After dinner, Chen Xue Wen, Lai Hou, and the others did not return home but went to a hotel to rest. None of them drank much, ensuring they remained clear-headed. The hotel they chose was the same one where Li Er Yong had arranged rooms for his cousin.
Before heading upstairs, Lai Hou suddenly shouted about needing to relieve himself and walked toward a distant alley. Once inside, he cautiously scanned his surroundings. After confirming no one was around, he quietly moved to the corner, flipped over a few stacked stones, and began digging. Moments later, he unearthed two keys from the dirt, pocketed them, and restored the scene to its original state. Then, pretending to fasten his pants, he returned to join the others.
Li Er Yong’s cousin had booked rooms 303 and 309, while Chen Xue Wen had preemptively secured rooms 305 and 307. The hotel’s hallway ran through the middle, with even-numbered rooms on one side and odd-numbered ones on the other. This meant that 305 and 307 were strategically sandwiched between 303 and 309.
Chen Xue Wen shared a room with Wang Zhen Dong, while Lai Hou stayed with Li Tie Zhu. Once inside, Lai Hou discreetly handed over the key to room 303 to Chen Xue Wen before heading to his own room.
Chen Xue Wen sat down at the table and casually messed up the bedding to make it seem as though someone had lain there. However, he did not go to sleep. He remained alert until past ten o’clock, ensuring that no more disturbances arose outside. Then, exchanging a glance with Wang Zhen Dong, he made his move.
Approaching the window, he peered outside. Their row of rooms faced the street. The only illumination came from the streetlights, and the winter night had left the roads completely deserted. Chen Xue Wen turned off the lights in his room, enveloping it in darkness. Then, he pulled a thin rope from his pocket, tied it into a slipknot around the window frame—one that could be quickly pulled loose.
Once everything was set, he opened the window, stepped onto the ledge, and grasped the drainage pipe to stealthily climb into room 303. This was a hotel he had previously scouted, knowing it was possible to enter other rooms through the windows. Wang Zhen Dong followed closely behind, successfully slipping into room 303 as well.
Finally breathing easier, Chen Xue Wen nodded at Wang Zhen Dong and said, “Get some rest.”
The same maneuver occurred in the other room—Lai Hou and Li Tie Zhu also climbed into room 309. This was all part of Chen Xue Wen’s calculated plan.
He knew that stealing Snake’s customers meant cutting into his profits, which was tantamount to a declaration of war. Snake would likely send people to attack him. From this moment forward, Chen Xue Wen had to stay vigilant.
Sending Wu Li Hong to the Provincial City was a deliberate move to keep her out of harm’s way. He had arranged for Li Er Yong’s cousin, a fresh face, to book rooms 303 and 309 to avoid raising suspicion. This way, even if Snake’s men came looking for him, they would only target rooms 305 and 307, never suspecting that Chen Xue Wen and his group were actually sleeping in 303 and 309.
If Snake’s men launched a surprise attack, they would strike empty rooms. Meanwhile, being right next door, Chen Xue Wen and his team could hear everything and react immediately. It was the perfect hiding strategy.
As the saying goes, “A cunning rabbit has three burrows.” While Chen Xue Wen couldn’t afford three hiding spots, two were sufficient to outmaneuver Snake.
Moreover, he had only booked the hotel for three days. Once the time was up, he would relocate to another pre-selected hotel. Li Er Yong had already arranged for his cousin to check in at the new location in advance. This, too, was part of a carefully devised strategy.
Chen Xue Wen had no way of knowing exactly when Snake would make his move. If nothing happened within three to five days, staying in the same place would be unwise. His cautious nature dictated that he should not remain in a single location for too long. If he stayed beyond three days, Snake might grow suspicious. Thus, he had already secured his next hideout in advance.
To further obfuscate his true position, he had only booked his two rooms for three days, whereas Li Er Yong’s cousin had booked the other two for five days. This arrangement would make it nearly impossible for anyone to discern that all four rooms were actually part of Chen Xue Wen’s elaborate deception.
This time, in his battle against Snake, Chen Xue Wen was playing a game of wits—meticulous and calculated at every turn. He knew that in a direct confrontation, he was no match for Snake. His only chance at victory lay in catching his enemy off guard. A single mistake would mean total annihilation.
Late Night at Fifth Master Hou’s Tea House
Fifth Master Hou was still awake, an unusual occurrence. He remained in the tea house, listening to his subordinates’ reports. Upon hearing that Chen Xue Wen had lost another seventy thousand today, he chuckled.
“This kid really is lucky. Even Heaven is helping him.”
Fang Ru sighed. “Snake played dirty today and tarnished his reputation. It’s the perfect opportunity for Chen Xue Wen to build his own name.”
“And to top it off, someone just happened to win a big sum today—what better way to promote himself?”
“That slot machine player is a regular. After winning seventy thousand from Chen Xue Wen, he’ll be spreading the word everywhere.”
“It looks like a good number of Snake’s customers will soon be lured away by Chen Xue Wen.”
“He really does have some absurd luck!”
Sitting across from them, Lawyer He smiled and remarked, “This young man is indeed remarkable.”
“Just a little over a month ago, he was calling me for help to get out of trouble with the Law Enforcement Team.”
“Yet now, he’s already going head-to-head with Snake.”
Fifth Master Hou narrowed his eyes, lost in thought. After a brief moment, he tapped the table and asked, “Bin, have you finished what I asked you to investigate?”
Bin promptly nodded. “Yes. That kid didn’t follow Li Er Yong’s orders to leave Peaceful Province. Instead, he’s hiding out in a suburban county near Peaceful City.”
“Looks like he’s gambling, hoping to see how things play out.”
Fifth Master Hou laughed. “Now that’s an unpredictable variable.”
“Bin, send his location to Snake’s people.”
“Yes, sir!” Bin replied without hesitation.
Fang Ru was stunned. “Master Hou, what are you…?”
Fifth Master Hou smirked. “Chen Xue Wen’s performance so far hasn’t been impressive enough. It’s not yet at the level I want.”
“I want to test him further—to see just how capable he really is.”
“If I don’t throw some obstacles in his path, how will I know what he’s truly made of?”
Fang Ru slowly nodded, a sly smile spreading across her lips. “Now I’m curious. If Master Hou personally sets the stage, can Chen Xue Wen break through?”
Fifth Master Hou gazed out the window, speaking only after Bin had left the room. “If he can overcome this, then he’s the one I’m looking for.”
“The project next year will have someone to take charge.”
Fang Ru’s expression flickered with surprise. “That project… I thought you were assigning it to Bin?”
Fifth Master Hou shook his head. “Bin is still too green.”
“Those two old foxes are watching closely. With his skills, I doubt he can outmaneuver them.”
“But if Chen Xue Wen meets my expectations, then those two won’t be a problem.”
Fang Ru and Lawyer He exchanged glances, their faces filled with shock.
Fifth Master Hou’s assessment of Chen Xue Wen was astonishingly high!
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