Chapter 35: Citywide Manhunt

Jiang Yuan transferred the money back to Si Heng.

She then counted the balance in her bank card.

Looking around the cramped apartment, a thought took root deep in her heart.

Buy a house!

"I'm going out for a bit." Wearing a black down jacket paired with a red scarf and a small detective hat, Jiang Yuan prepared to leave.

Blueberry eagerly brought a pair of shoes to her. "Beautiful Yuan Yuan, where are you going?"

"You want to come with me?" Jiang Yuan raised an eyebrow.

Blueberry nodded its feline head. "I want to go."

Although the two human cubs were very cute, it was getting tiring from playing with them for so long.

"Then let's go." Jiang Yuan agreed.

One person and one cat headed out.

Jiang Yuan took Blueberry to look at nearby real estate developments, only to be demoralized.

She had less than four million in her hand, but those houses were easily priced in the tens of millions; four million wouldn't even buy a bare-shell unit.

Jiang Yuan bought a cup of hot coffee at a convenience store and squatted by the roadside without any concern for her image, sighing, "I really want to get rich!"

Could the system issue some new tasks with cash rewards?

[System 009: Sorry, Miss Jiang, tasks and rewards are randomized. If you want to make money, you will need to find your own way or complete hidden tasks.]

Jiang Yuan: "..."

She had studied fashion design in university, but back then, her only focus was playing and flirting with wealthy people; she hadn't studied at all.

Without a specialized skill, how could she earn money?

Blueberry lay by her feet. Sensing that its owner seemed distressed, it suggested, "Yuan Yuan, you have such a knack with animals. Why don't you open a pet shop?"

Opening a pet shop wasn't that simple, and she didn't have a veterinary license.

However, Jiang Yuan didn't discourage Blueberry. "That's a good idea. You're very smart."

Blueberry was delighted by the praise. "Of course!"

As Jiang Yuan stood up to head home, a small chestnut-colored swallow suddenly spoke to her.

"Yuan Yuan, are you very short on money?"

Jiang Yuan paused and looked up at the little swallow, asking with a smile, "What's wrong, Little Vermilion Swallow?"

Had news of her lack of money already spread to the birds?

Little Vermilion Swallow: "Do you want those things that look like long, golden strips?"

"What are those?" Jiang Yuan asked, puzzled.

The little swallow thought hard, and its eyes suddenly lit up. "I remember now! Humans call those things gold bars!"

"Gold bars?" Jiang Yuan's eyes widened abruptly. "Do you have any?"

"Swallow doesn't have any." The little swallow shook its head and explained, "But Swallow knows where they are~"

Jiang Yuan didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "I know where they are too, but I'd have to pay money to get them."

Little Vermilion Swallow chuckled. "Yuan Yuan, these don't cost any money!"

Jiang Yuan raised an eyebrow. "No money?"

"That's right!" the little swallow said. "The gold bars are kept by the lakeside."

Jiang Yuan furrowed her slender brows, somewhat confused. "How could there be gold bars by a lake?"

Another little swallow couldn't stand listening anymore and flew over. "So stupid, we can't explain it clearly enough for you."

Little Vermilion Swallow gave a "hmph." "Stupid Swallow, if you're so great, you say it!"

"Swallow will definitely say it better than you!" Little Ink Swallow landed on Jiang Yuan's shoulder. "Yuan Yuan, Swallow will tell you—those gold bars were actually stolen by someone."

"Stolen?"

"Yes, that wealthy woman's boyfriend teamed up with others to steal a hundred gold bars and hide them under the rocks by the lake."

"There's also a ruby necklace in there. It would definitely look beautiful on you, Yuan Yuan."

Jiang Yuan: "..."

One hundred gold bars?

This was a major crime.

She took out her phone to search, and sure enough, there was news.

A week ago, Ms. Zhou from the Liuli District returned home to find that the one hundred gold bars and a ruby necklace worth ten million in her safe had vanished.

After checking the surveillance, it was discovered that two masked thieves had broken in to rob her.

The perpetrators seemed well-prepared; they took a suitcase from her walk-in closet into the study and left with the suitcase not long after.

Each gold bar weighed 50 grams; one hundred bars were worth six million, and with the ruby necklace, the total theft amount reached sixteen million.

The Yunjing police acted swiftly, announcing a city-wide manhunt and issuing a reward.

When Jiang Yuan saw the reward amount, her eyes seemed to shimmer with light. The corners of her mouth curled up, and a look of intense anticipation appeared on her fair face.

"Little Treasures, which lakeside are the gold bars at?"

Little Vermilion Swallow also became excited. "Yuan Yuan, Swallow will lead the way~"

After a half-hour journey, Jiang Yuan brought Blueberry to Ping'an Lake.

A thin layer of ice coated the surface of the lake, and the trees were hung with crystalline frost. As the cold wind passed, the thin ice trembled slightly, making a faint, crisp sound.

Little Vermilion Swallow: "Yuan Yuan, it's right here!"

Jiang Yuan looked around and saw groups of people busy taking photos to capture the picturesque scenery.

She withdrew her gaze and looked at Little Vermilion Swallow. "Little Treasure, do you know the exact location?"

Jiang Yuan planned to confirm the location of the gold bars first before calling the police.

Being called "Little Treasure," Little Vermilion Swallow felt both shy and surprised. "Yuan Yuan, Swallow knows, but Swallow forgot!"

Jiang Yuan: "..."

Little Ink Swallow said disdainfully, "I told you that you're a stupid swallow, you can't even remember this!"

Little Vermilion Swallow puffed out its chest. "If you're not stupid, then you lead Yuan Yuan there!"

Little Ink Swallow: "Fine, I'll lead!"

Watching the two little swallows bicker, Jiang Yuan actually didn't find it boring.

Little Ink Swallow: "Yuan Yuan, follow Swallow."

It flew a short distance and landed on a rock. After careful identification, it said to Jiang Yuan, "Yuan Yuan, it's right under here."

Jiang Yuan strode forward.

She inspected it; the rock looked perfectly fitted with the surrounding stone slabs. "I'll need tools to pry this slab up."

Jiang Yuan thought for a moment, then stood up and said, "There was a hardware store on the way here. I'll go buy some now. Wait for me here."

Blueberry sat obediently. "Go ahead, we'll keep watch for you."

Jiang Yuan returned after buying tools from the hardware store. Just as she was prying up the stone slab, a little sparrow suddenly flew over.

"This is bad, this is bad! The humans who stole the gold bars are coming!"

"Where are they?" Jiang Yuan used all her strength to pry up the slab, seeing a black backpack lying inside.

She unzipped it; inside was a bag full of gold bars and that ruby necklace.

The little sparrow said urgently, "Sparrow seems to have seen the figures of those two humans! They said they're moving locations."

Jiang Yuan hesitated for a moment, pushed the stone slab back, and pretended nothing had happened.

Little Vermilion Swallow asked in surprise, "Yuan Yuan, aren't you short on money? Don't you want these gold bars?"

"These are stolen goods; I can't take them." Jiang Yuan stood up, pretending to be a passerby taking photos.

While taking photos, she moved her position and dialed the police.

After hanging up, Jiang Yuan kept a watchful eye on the movements of the two thieves from the corner of her eye.

One was fat and the other was thin, both wearing baseball caps and masks. They walked very cautiously, constantly watching the people around them.

Jiang Yuan didn't dare to be too obvious, so she could only have Blueberry and the birds monitor them for her.

Blueberry: "They're prying at that rock!"

Little Ink Swallow: "They've taken the backpack out."

Blueberry: "They've pushed the rock back!"

Little Vermilion Swallow: "They're leaving!"