Chapter 254 - Shadow

Lei Zhao walked back and forth in the room. Lei Zhao and Yan Mei were already out of the city. They did so immediately so they could escape from the hellhole that has happened. 

It was a good thing that Lei Xiao Tong suggested to go on a honeymoon out of the city. It was for both of them--especially Yan Mei to keep her mind out of the issue that had happened. 

Yan Mei was sleeping in their room, Lei Zhao, out in the living room to wait for news that he was expecting from his secretary, Ye Xing. 

Even though both of them were already out of the city, Lei Zhao could not help but feel uneasy. With what was already happening in their lives, it was as if the incident was a water ripple. 

It had affected everyone involved, bothering the others who have witnessed it as well. 

Lei Zhao was still pacing in the lobby. He could no longer take it as he got his phone from his pocket, already dialing his secretary, Ye Xing, for the update. 

Lei Zhao put his phone against his ears. He was looking out the window, the night quiet, and the stars in the sky still. The phone was still ringing as it attempted to connect, Ye Xing finally accepting the call at the third ring. 

"Mr. Lei," he said from the other end of the call, "Do you need something that you need me to bring?"

Even though Ye Xing wasn't with him, Lei Zhao shook his head, heaving a small sigh as he continued looking out the window. 

"The issue I told you to investigate on. How is it going?"

"This..."

There was hesitation in Ye Xing's voice. Even Lei Zhao, who trusted him in his work, felt the doubt in his tone. 

He always knew that Ye Xing is a confident man with what he is doing with his work. He always promised quality and fast results, but with him hesitating this way now, it seemed that even The Amazing Ye Xing could get stuck in his work. 

"Mr. Lei, I'm sorry," Ye Xing apologized, "But I would have to ask for more time."

Lei Zhao internally sighed. He did not want to pressure his employee, so he just nodded, ending the call with his last sentence. 

"Alright then, Ye Xing. Just continue to investigate and continue what you can do at the moment."

With that, Lei Zhao ended the call feeling slightly frustrated. He slightly threw his phone on the couch across him, his hand running through his hair as he felt desperate to look for answers. 

'Who is this man?' he thought, 'How could he do such a thing to Yan Mei? What are his intentions, and what does he benefit from it?'

Lei Zhao's body stiffened. Suddenly, at that same moment, he felt so weary of his surroundings. Lei Zhao felt that someone was watching him, making him study his surroundings. 

Feeling his protective senses kicking in, he remembered Yan Mei, who was alone in the room. He slowly walked towards the door, his sights not leaving the curtains where he felt the presence of someone he doesn't know. 

"Who's there?" 

Lei Zhao called out, his eyes still on the curtains. At the same time, a mysterious man appeared. He was wearing a black suit, and he had an enigmatic aura that paired perfectly with his pulchritude. 

He stared straight at Lei Zhao's eyes, Lei Zhao feeling uneasy as he looked at him, uncomfortable with his presence. 

'He seems familiar,' Lei Zhao thought, 'Who is this man, and why is he here? How did he come here?'

Snapping himself from his thoughts, his hand started reaching out to the phone near the bedroom door. 

"Leave now if you don't want me to call the--"

"Lei Zhao," the mysterious man called out, interrupting him. "My name is Shadow, and I have something important to give you."

Shadow, the mysterious man who just appeared in the room, extended his hand towards him. Lei Zhao raised a brow at him, watching Shadow's every move. 

Shadow still had his arm extended. On his hand was a black pen drive, Lei Zhao's eyebrow twitching as it completely piqued his interest. 

"This is?"

Shadow walked over to the coffee table where Lei Zhao's laptop was. He put the pen drive down, his gaze not leaving Lei Zhao as he spoke. 

"It may contain the answers that you were looking for," he said, Lei Zhao immediately looking at the pen drive that was on the coffee table. 

Lei Zhao briskly walked towards the coffee table, sitting on the couch where he threw his phone moments ago. He quickly opened the laptop, Shadow standing behind him as he watched Lei Zhao's every move. 

"Do you know what is happening?" Lei Zhao asked, Shadow still keeping his silence. "With you here and giving me this... could this have something to do with Yan Mei?"

Shadow still had not said a single word. Lei Zhao busied himself--entering his password. Once the screen loaded, he inserted the pen drive, his foot tapping as he impatiently waited for the content to pop up. 

Lei Zhao felt nervous for a reason. He held the Bluetooth mouse of his laptop, his cursor slowly pointing to the content of the pen drive. 

It was the only content of the pen drive. Somehow, this very thought made Lei Zhao nervous--wondering what he could see once he opens it. 

The file name was "unknown.mp4", and because of that file name, Lei Zhao could sense that the content could be related to Yan Mei's case. 

Lei Zhao's heart started beating fast. He then clicked on the video twice, the content playing in VLC. The moment the video started playing, Lei Zhao could not avert his eyes from the screen, his eyebrows furrowing as he observed who the people are in the video. 

The video showed a woman who seemed to be in her 40s. She was sitting at a café as if she was waiting for someone. Lei Zhao's eyebrows furrowed when he saw a young woman sit in front of her, the two starting the conversation. 

"Have you finally thought about my offer?" the woman asked, the young woman looking straight at her. 

Lei Zhao's ears twitched, 'Offer? What offers are they talking about?'

The young woman did not say a word. The quality of the video was so clear--that even their words could be heard even though it was a shot taken from a CCTV camera. 

"I know you are scared," the older woman said, holding the hand of the younger girl in front of her. "But remember that we are doing this because we want what's best for her."

Lei Zhao c.o.c.ked his head to the side, his consternation evident on his face. 

"What's best for her? Are they talking about Yan Mei?"

Lei Zhao continued watching the video. The younger woman now then slowly nodded, the other woman successfully convincing her to do whatever she wanted her to do. 

"Trust me," the older woman said, giving the younger one a small smile. "She would thank you later if she finds out that what you did was only for her."

The video then went black, indicating that it was already the end of it. Lei Zhao's eyes widened in surprise, his heart in his chest, beating erratically fast. 

He had a strong gut-feeling that this video might have something to do with Yan Mei--no... the video really has something to do with Yan Mei, giving them possible leads as to who are the other people involved in their attempt to pull Yan Mei into shambles. 

Lei Zhao felt determination spark from within him. He started watching the video again, making sure that he could see more clues that he could use. 

There was none--however, he could still use this video to good use. 

Lei Zhao then removed the pen drive from his laptop. He then proceeded to call his secretary Ye Xing again, getting his phone at the side. 

"Mr. Lei?" Ye Xing called out from the other side of the phone one more.

"I want you to come here right this moment," Lei Zhao ordered him, "I want you to take a look at the video in this pen drive I have now. It could help us find leads to what we are investigating now," he added, surprise evident in Ye Xing's voice as he replied. 

"R-right away, Mr. Lei!"

With that, Lei Zhao made sure that he created another copy of the video in his laptop just in case. Remembering that the pen drive was given to him, he stood up to talk to him. 

"Shadow, this video... where did you--huh?"

But the moment Lei Zhao stood up and turned his back, the mysterious man named Shadow was no longer around. Lei Zhao blinked his eyes a few times, looking at his surroundings again to see if he was around. 

"Where did he go?" Lei Zhao mumbled to himself in disbelief, "Was I too focused that I did not even notice that he left?"

Shadow's appearance in his room was a mystery. The man giving him the pen drive was a mystery. And now, even his disappearance was a mystery...