HBWMA -Chapter 166 Praying Mantis Stalking the Cicada

The Main Plot… Deviating?!

Jiang Huashan froze for a moment.

She had only casually helped Shen Qingyu today, yet unexpectedly, a new prompt had appeared by sheer coincidence?

Previously, whenever the plot was altered, only chapter corrections had shown up. This time, however, it was the main plot.

What exactly was the main plot of this world?

The glorious rise of the two male leads?

If the main plot had deviated—then what had it deviated from?

Jiang Huashan rubbed her head in frustration. Ahhh! She couldn’t figure it out!

There was too little information! Who could possibly guess this?!

“Thank you all for accepting the invitation to today’s banquet. On behalf of the Shen family, I express our gratitude. Please allow me to offer a toast as a token of appreciation.”

In the side hall, Shen Che stood surrounded by guests, the center of attention, speaking and laughing with ease.

Today, the Shen family was hosting a banquet for thousands. The main banquet was overseen by Shen Zhuang and Shen Qian, while the secondary banquet was coordinated by Shen Che, with Shen Rang assisting. Another group of reporters had been arranged in the central courtyard; they would only be invited to the main banquet after the event ended, and both interview timing and content had been predetermined in advance.

The Shen Estate was Shen Zhuang’s residence. To ensure absolute security, each courtyard was independently sealed and access to the rear courtyards was forbidden. Even the security guards were equipped with live ammunition.

After a period of observation and reflection, Jiang Huashan had begun to form a bold hypothesis.

The person who killed her grandfather might not have been just one individual. They were very likely a group connected by the same chain.

Otherwise, it was difficult to explain how the killer could have acted under such tight security in the Shen Estate and then completely vanished without a trace—so thoroughly that even Shen Lanxi could not find a single clue.

No.

Jiang Huashan clenched her fist.

It wasn’t that she had no leads at all. At the very least, someone had boldly suspected her.

“Shh shh shh~”

While Jiang Huashan was crouching in the bushes, she suddenly felt an itch near her ear. She turned her head—and saw a giant face pressed right up against hers.

“……”

Fu Sui’er dragged aside two leaves and peeked inside excitedly. “I knew it—you definitely wouldn’t go back to rest. Hehe~”

Jiang Huashan: “……”

Fu Sui’er carefully parted the leaves to observe the situation inside. “Wow, there are so many people.”

Jiang Huashan raised an eyebrow and stared at her without a word.

Fu Sui’er smiled and said, “If you want to call and investigate people, wouldn’t it be easier with two people?”

Jiang Huashan glanced sideways at her.

She was indeed thinking of doing exactly that. The reason was simple: everyone on the list was either wealthy or powerful, and these people would definitely try every means to attend the Shen family’s night banquet. Now was the perfect time to “net the fish.”

Fu Sui’er pointed toward the ear room in the front courtyard. “All phones are temporarily being stored in that room. I’ll find a way to sneak in later, and you stay outside to make the calls. We’ll work together—how about it?”

Jiang Huashan looked at the four burly bodyguards at the entrance. “And how exactly are you planning to sneak in?”

Fu Sui’er gave her a knowing look. “Watch me.”

She stood up brazenly and walked straight across the side courtyard, then crouched and slipped behind a hanging flower gate.

The guards outside the ear room sensed someone approaching and were about to step forward, but upon recognizing Fu Sui’er’s face, they immediately backed off. As professional bodyguards, recognizing all members of the family they served was basic duty.

Sensing they wouldn’t stop her, Fu Sui’er grew even more arrogant. She lifted her chin and prepared to walk straight in.

But the guards at the door, expressionless, stopped her.

Fu Sui’er frowned. Ignoring them, she tried to push her way in several times, but couldn’t even get past their arms.

Finally, in frustration, she jumped up and jabbed one of the guards hard on the shoulder. Then, fuming, she turned around and retreated.

“……” Hidden in the bushes, Jiang Huashan wore an indescribable expression. She had actually thought Fu Sui’er had some kind of plan.

But things weren’t over yet. Fu Sui’er rushed back into the banquet, shamelessly dragging Shen Rang along to the side room again, then launched into a full verbal barrage at the guards at the door.

It was too far, and the banquet was too noisy, so Jiang Huashan couldn’t hear a single word. But! After a round of wild gesturing, Shen Rang pressed a hand to his temple in headache and ultimately told the guards to open the door and let her in.

She really was…

“……” Jiang Huashan nearly cried herself to death.

After waiting a while, the door finally closed. Shen Rang gave a few instructions to the guards and returned to the banquet.

Jiang Huashan picked the right moment and quietly slipped back to the Chrysanthemum Garden.

Zhang Ru heard the movement and immediately came out of the room. Just as she stepped into the courtyard, she saw Jiang Huashan enter the embroidery building, followed by the sound of a door locking from inside.

Zhang Ru looked puzzled. Had she suffered some kind of grievance at the banquet?

After locking the door, Jiang Huashan immediately opened a drawer and took out a spare phone with a newly replaced SIM card, along with a pre-printed list, and began dialing one by one.

Excluding the diamond members she had already contacted, there were still about fifty silver and gold members left. If each call took ten seconds, the entire process would take nine to ten minutes. To avoid suspicion, they had to be fast.

Some calls couldn’t get through, some were answered but no one spoke, and some connected—but just like before, the other party was extremely cautious. Before speaking, three “bang bang bang” sounds would always be heard.

Whenever this happened, Jiang Huashan immediately hung up without hesitation and quickly switched to a new SIM card before calling again.

Her first attempt wasn’t very smooth. What was originally planned to take ten minutes ended up delayed by five. Adding the time she took to run back from the front courtyard, Fu Sui’er had already been inside the side room for nearly half an hour.

Jiang Huashan quickly packed everything up and rushed out of the room.

Zhang Ru was cleaning up in the kitchen when she suddenly heard hurried thumping footsteps coming from upstairs. She paused what she was doing, and just as she stepped into the courtyard, she saw Jiang Huashan lifting her skirt and sprinting out.

What was going on? So frantic.

Jiang Huashan ran all the way to the outer courtyard and immediately crouched in a corner by the wall, peering through the lattice window to observe the situation at the side room.

Strange… she had clearly already sent Fu Sui’er a message. Why hadn’t she come out yet?

As she watched, she suddenly felt a shadow fall over her head. Jiang Huashan looked up—and a second group of bodyguards had appeared behind her without her noticing.

“Heh heh.” She forced an awkward but polite smile, reassuring herself inwardly: that’s right. If she could lurk around for so long without anyone noticing, then there would be something wrong with the Shen family’s security.

Jiang Huashan immediately turned to leave, but just as she passed through the moon gate, she saw a group of people chatting and laughing as they walked toward her.

She didn’t want any unnecessary trouble and turned to leave again.

But Xiao Lanlan spotted her at once and shouted loudly, “You little beggar, stop right there!”

Jiang Huashan had been about to leave, but at those words she paused. Her gaze turned colder.

In moments, Xiao Lanlan and three girls she had been close with at the banquet surrounded her.

“So it really is you. Sneaking around like this—what are you doing? Trying to steal something?”

Xiao Lanlan glanced around, then smiled as she wrapped an arm around Jiang Huashan’s shoulder. “Where are you going? I just happen to be looking for you.”

As she spoke, the hand on her shoulder gradually tightened.

Jiang Huashan frowned and shoved her hand away. “Stop trying to act familiar. I don’t know you.”

Xiao Lanlan didn’t expect her to resist at this moment, and a hint of malice flashed in her eyes. “Quite the tough mouth, aren’t you?”

She then glanced at her companions. The girls understood immediately and pretended to be friendly as they grabbed Jiang Huashan’s arms.

“There are too many people here. Let’s go inside the inner courtyard—it’ll be more convenient.”

Under the moonlight, their dragging shadows stretched longer and longer.

The rustling of tree shadows filled the air. From a hidden corner, someone slowly stepped out of the darkness.

In the dark, that person’s fingers slowly curled tight.

Save her? Or not save her?