People like Xu Zhaohang were not uncommon in the crowd. Considering the suspicion already hanging over him, which was now practically tantamount to being caught red-handed, Xu Zhaohang's current demeanor actually made him appear more genuine.
If Xu Zhaohang could maintain the same facade in private as he did in public, without revealing the slightest flaw, then he would truly be a more terrifying individual.
However, if it weren't for this very reason, if Xu Zhaohang had been so flawless, he wouldn't have been discovered by the official investigation team and listed as a suspect.
Around 7:50 PM, Wan Yulin also arrived at the restaurant's private room.
Guided by a server, she found the location of the private room. In an instant, Xu Zhaohang's expression changed. He completely retracted the problematic expressions he had revealed while alone and resumed his usual gentle and harmless appearance.
Wan Yulin was slightly taken aback when she saw Xu Zhaohang already waiting in the private room. She then smiled apologetically and said to Xu Zhaohang, "I'm sorry, it seems I'm a little late."
Xu Zhaohang smiled, unconcerned, and replied to Wan Yulin, "Miss Wan is very punctual. I was a bit early. After all, I booked the restaurant for Miss Wan's dinner, so naturally, I should arrive earlier to await Miss Wan."
Wan Yulin had only said that out of politeness. Seeing the situation, she naturally understood the reason and merely coughed.
Xu Zhaohang was still following the script, his every word and action within the realm of common sense. His response was not outside of Wan Yulin's expectations.
Therefore, after Xu Zhaohang finished speaking, Wan Yulin said no more and found a seat.
The seat she chose was not too close to Xu Zhaohang, but not too far either, as that would appear impolite.
As Wan Yulin entered the private room, she subtly scanned the entire room. She knew that Ye Tiancheng and the others would have arrived earlier to set up hidden surveillance.
Since Ye Tiancheng had demonstrated their abilities, Wan Yulin wasn't too worried even though she couldn't see anything. After all, she knew that Ye Tiancheng and the others were already in the private room.
Ye Tiancheng had notified Wan Yulin long before, even before Xu Zhaohang entered the private room.
However, Ye Tiancheng hadn't given Wan Yulin the ability to see them because doing so would require Ye Tiancheng and his team to worry about Wan Yulin's acting skills not being up to par, potentially allowing Xu Zhaohang to detect something.
But for actions like Wan Yulin's subconscious scan of the room upon entering, there was no issue. It was not strange for a woman to be cautious when meeting a man she had recently met in a private room.
This was a normal behavior. As long as Wan Yulin could control herself in time, it wouldn't matter even if Xu Zhaohang noticed her actions.
After Wan Yulin arrived, Xu Zhaohang took the menu, asked for Wan Yulin's opinion, and then ordered several dishes and drinks.
The entire process was very normal, and Xu Zhaohang showed no signs of anything being amiss.
By the time Wan Yulin and Xu Zhaohang were nearing the end of their meal, Xu Zhaohang still showed no intention of making a move on Wan Yulin.
Ye Tiancheng and the others exchanged glances. Had they targeted the wrong person? Or was Xu Zhaohang still planning to lure them in, not intending to act today, or perhaps not planning to act at this restaurant?
Nie Chongyang instinctively looked at Ye Tiancheng and said, "Mr. Ye, he doesn't seem like he's planning to do anything... What should we do now?"
Ye Tiancheng's expression remained unchanged. "Why the rush? It's not time to be anxious yet."
"Besides, it doesn't matter even if he doesn't act now. Even if he doesn't act all day, it's not a big problem. The root of the problem has always been that no one could keep up with him and catch him. But it's different now."
"When has anyone ever been able to follow him so closely?"
Nie Chongyang immediately shook his head. As a captain who had investigated cases for so long, Nie Chongyang knew all too well how troublesome Xu Zhaohang was. If Xu Zhaohang were easier to deal with, Nie Chongyang wouldn't have been so troubled and willing to cooperate with Ye Tiancheng and his team.
Little Fox said, "Captain Nie, there's no need to worry. Regardless of whether Xu Zhaohang acts today, our plan for today is very thorough, with several contingencies."
"If Xu Zhaohang doesn't intend to act, then it will be up to my elder brother and me. As long as he can't escape, everything else is a minor issue. Obtaining evidence of his crimes isn't solely dependent on catching him in the act."
"If Xu Zhaohang does nothing in the end, we will proceed according to plan."
Nie Chongyang was stunned for a moment, wondering where this "plan" came from. What was this code name? Although they had formulated several plans, none of them were referred to by this name. Assuming it was simply the third plan, the specific arrangements of the third plan also didn't match what Little Fox had said.
However, it was only a momentary pause, as Nie Chongyang quickly remembered what methods Ye Tiancheng and his team had devised before these plans emerged.
Thinking this way, Nie Chongyang seemed to understand what Ye Tiancheng and Little Fox intended to do.
He hesitated for a moment, struggling internally, but ultimately, the desire for things to return to normal, the wish for no one else to be harmed, and the thought of bringing the criminal to justice prevailed.
Therefore, even though he guessed some things, Nie Chongyang pursed his lips but ultimately said nothing, choosing to turn a blind eye.
Ye Tiancheng and Little Fox exchanged a look at his reaction.
This indicated they understood Nie Chongyang's attitude and the extent to which they could operate. As long as Nie Chongyang was willing to turn a blind eye, Ye Tiancheng and Little Fox would have a much wider scope of maneuverability.
As for Wan Yulin, perhaps it was due to women's stronger intuition, but although everything seemed normal on the surface, Wan Yulin's heart was screaming at her, warning her of danger and urging her to run.
If it weren't for her trust in Ye Tiancheng and the official investigation team, no matter how brave Wan Yulin was, she wouldn't have been able to sit there calmly for so long.
Regarding the dishes and drinks Xu Zhaohang had ordered for her, Wan Yulin initially didn't want to eat them, wondering if Xu Zhaohang had tampered with them.
But now that she was here, not eating seemed impossible. Moreover, these dishes were prepared by the restaurant's kitchen and served directly to the table, they hadn't passed through Xu Zhaohang's hands, so the possibility of them being problematic was small.
And the drinks were also opened by the server, unopened, leaving no room for tampering.
Wan Yulin felt that Xu Zhaohang might not be so audacious. He likely wouldn't want anyone to know that he was the murderer responsible for the recent string of murders in Lancheng. If something happened to her in the restaurant, it would undoubtedly be very disadvantageous for Xu Zhaohang.
With this thought, Wan Yulin relaxed a little. Furthermore, after she had eaten and drunk, and nothing had gone wrong, her vigilance, no matter how tense, was inevitably lowered.
This wasn't to say she was no longer wary of Xu Zhaohang, but in certain aspects, she had inevitably become a little lax.
Trembling with fear, Wan Yulin endured the entire dinner, never expecting it to be so peaceful. She was still contemplating what to do when Xu Zhaohang handed her a napkin to wipe her hands and mouth. Wan Yulin didn't refuse, or perhaps she didn't have the defenses for it, and directly took the napkin and used it.
After wiping her hands and mouth, Wan Yulin said to Xu Zhaohang, "Thank you very much for the invitation today. If there's a chance in the future, I'll treat you to a meal too."
Xu Zhaohang smiled deeply. "If there's a chance... I will certainly grace you with my presence."
Wan Yulin felt an inexplicable sense of unease. As Xu Zhaohang escorted her out of the restaurant, under normal circumstances, Wan Yulin would have wanted to go home immediately. However, the current situation was special, and Wan Yulin was more restrained.
She wanted to go home, but there was a more important objective, which made her unsure whether she should leave directly.
Xu Zhaohang was wearing a white shirt and black trousers that day, with his usual gentle expression, exuding a warm and attractive aura.
Wan Yulin walked out of the restaurant, and Xu Zhaohang followed. Wan Yulin didn't know what to do, but since things had progressed to this point, she could only act normally. Thus, Wan Yulin could only say to Xu Zhaohang, "You don't need to escort me any further. I'm going home."
Xu Zhaohang stood behind her, one hand in the pocket of his black trousers. Hearing this, he looked up.
"Lancheng has not been peaceful lately. It's not very safe for women to walk alone at night."
Wan Yulin turned to look at him, and then heard Xu Zhaohang continue, "Miss Wan, I invited you out. If you don't mind, I'll escort you back."
After he said this, Wan Yulin hesitated for a moment.
Her rational mind told her that she couldn't accept this offer, but Wan Yulin then remembered what her purpose was for coming today and that she had promised Ye Tiancheng.
So, after hesitating, Wan Yulin finally nodded. "Alright, you can."
Xu Zhaohang looked surprised for a moment, seemingly not expecting Wan Yulin to agree. Perhaps in his original estimation, it would have taken more effort to get Wan Yulin to agree.
However, just as Wan Yulin was about to break down and wonder if she had done something wrong, Xu Zhaohang likely thought it through himself and convinced himself. He then said to Wan Yulin, "It's my honor. Where does Miss Wan live?"
Wan Yulin thought to herself that he was asking the obvious, but she still replied to Xu Zhaohang, "I'm staying at the hotel where we first met. I'm here for a trip and staying there for now."
Xu Zhaohang nodded without asking further questions, but he said to Wan Yulin, "Alright, but I was looking for a suitable restaurant in this area, so my car isn't parked right outside the restaurant. It's a bit further away. Shall we walk over together?"
"Would Miss Wan mind?"
Wan Yulin certainly didn't want to get into a car with Xu Zhaohang like this. She wished she could walk a few more steps. If she could walk all the way back to the hotel, Wan Yulin would have even fewer objections.
However, she couldn't show such a reaction on the surface. Wan Yulin simply nodded slightly at Xu Zhaohang. "I don't mind."
Thus, the two of them walked side by side, Wan Yulin slightly half a step behind, as Xu Zhaohang led the way. Ye Tiancheng and the others quietly followed behind.
As they neared the place where Xu Zhaohang had parked his car, Wan Yulin suddenly felt something was wrong. She felt a wave of dizziness that she couldn't resist, followed by the world spinning. She lost consciousness.