Zhong Feng faced Bo Qian and Beatrice with a worried expression, and he questioned them about Hu Lei's whereabouts.

"She said that she was going to the restroom before going to her table," Beatrice responded with solemnity when she saw the concern on Zhong Feng's face.

"Which way did she go?" Zhong Feng asked urgently.

Beatrice pointed at the door through which Hu Lei had left.

Zhong Feng rushed out as he had a sinking feeling in his stomach. Hu Lei did not use public restrooms unless there was no choice. She called them cesspools of disease and death. There was no way she would have just gone to the bathroom.

As he walked, his phone rang. It was the head of security in charge of the event.

"Boss Zhong, there is something strange about the people trying to get into the hotel. They are attacking blindly, and they do not seem keen on killing anyone. I'm not sure they even want to get in." The man spoke as soon as Zhong Feng picked the call.

"What do you mean?"

"The attackers are acting like it is a riot. Some have thrown smoke bombs and tear gas canisters on the ground. Others are shooting at the empty cars from outside the perimeter. They are extremely disorganised." The man sounded incredulous.

Zhong Feng's face tensed even more.

"Apprehend them all and keep the guests inside the event space. This information does not need to get out. Limit all movement until you make sure that they are gone."

Zhong Feng hung up the phone and kept walking fast.

His mind was already analysing the strangeness of Hu Lei's exit from the event.

He already had an idea of what had happened.

If Hu Lei had seen a suspicious person, she would probably try to lure them away from the guests. There weren't many private spots for hiding with all the security. Only the bathrooms were unguarded for privacy reasons.

She would either follow the assailant, push them into a bathroom and deal with them quietly. Or, she would act as bait if she suspected the person was targeting her.

Within a few moments, he reached the bathroom where Hu Lei had been minutes before.

Everything looked peaceful and perfect. There was nothing suspicious about the bathroom. There were no broken doors or windows or other signs of a fight.

Still, Zhong Feng did not leave the space immediately.

He had a feeling that this was the only place that Hu Lei could have led any attacker.

He looked at the restroom with care, examining the surfaces for any signs of what had happened. After a few minutes of inspecting the space, he saw a drop of blood on the floor. The droplet was concealed beneath the sinks, so it was not obvious.

The feeling that hit him at the realisation of what had happened was not unfamiliar.

The images of a past he had thought long gone arose.

Good night, Ah-Feng.

Good night, Ah-Feng.

Good night, Ah-Feng.

The words she had spoken then before she had disappeared seemed to echo in his mind.

They reverberated in his mind again and again.

He felt lightheaded. He could not breathe.

His body lost its power as absolute terror flowed through him the very essence of his being.

Then, his phone rang.

He picked it up without looking.

"Boss Zhong, the attackers have retreated except for a few we managed to catch. It is strange. They just left like it was nothing." The head of security spoke out with a lack of clarity.

Zhong Feng did not respond.

He already understood what had happened.

The attack was merely a distraction to force the security team to direct their efforts outside, leaving a window for someone else to take Hu Lei.

Now that they had her, there was no reason to stay.