Everyone caught, game over

To catch the gang, take down its leader first. Tang Shiba and Si Wuyu exchanged a glance, deciding to grab the Fake Director first.

The two worked together and lunged at him.

The Fake Director had been badly startled by Tang Shiba's face. Seeing them charge at him, he proved he was no pushover either. Before they reached him, he drew a gun and fired into the air.

Bang! The gunshot terrified everyone, and they crouched down with their hands over their heads.

Tang Xueqing went deathly pale. No matter how stupid she was, she knew she had caused trouble.

What normal director carried a gun? She had gotten it wrong.

Once everyone quieted down, the Fake Director gave a vicious grin. "Run! Go on, keep running! You think you can escape once you're in my hands?"

"Tie them all up!"

Tang Shiba felt helpless. It was over. Everyone had been caught.

"This is all your fault! If you hadn't reported us, how could we have been caught?"

Someone spat toward Tang Shiba and glared at her in disgust.

She was baffled. "When did I report you? Wasn't Tang Xueqing the one who brought people to catch you?"

"You're still making excuses! You two are sisters. If you didn't tell her where we were, how would she have known?"

Tang Shiba turned a cool gaze on the guilty-looking Tang Xueqing. "Really? I haven't seen you since I entered the woods. How did you know I'd brought everyone here to hide?"

"Boohoo, I don't know! I don't know anything, sis!"

When she couldn't argue her way out, she cried. It was Tang Xueqing's usual tactic.

"Sis, you told me they were Scammers and asked me to bring people to catch them. How can you deny it now?"

It was her fault for misleading me, saying the people in the cave were the Scammers and telling me to call the police to steal the credit.

It's all Tang Shiba's fault! She can take the blame!

Tang Shiba was furious. Even now, she was trying to dump the blame on her. Where's your brain? Did a dog eat it?

Fang Cheng was still completely bewildered. Only when he saw everyone tied up did he realize something was wrong.

So I beat up the wrong people?

After everyone had been tied up, the Fake Director was satisfied.

"We're going to make a fortune this time. All these big names, right here."

"Come on, everyone. Walk."

The group trudged along dejectedly. Only Si Wuyu and Tang Shiba were in somewhat better spirits.

[The police should be here soon. If only we could get their gun. That thing's too dangerous.]

Get the gun? Si Wuyu frowned. It was too dangerous. He wouldn't recommend it.

Out at sea.

"How much longer until we can get ashore undetected?"

"Ten minutes at most, boss."

Captain Yang checked his watch and saw that it was five in the afternoon.

"What's the situation on the island?"

"The Scammers have tied everyone up. Oh, except the Zhao Siblings. They're still wandering around in the Woods."

His subordinate had been controlling the Tracking Camera the whole time. After cutting its livestream, he had connected it to their computer.

That meant they had all seen what had just happened.

They all deeply disapproved of Tang Xueqing's behavior.

If not for her, their rescue plan would have been simple. Now it was much more complicated.

"The Scammers have a gun. We haven't confirmed what other weapons they have."

Captain Lin's brows knitted tightly. "Once we're ashore, adapt to the situation. Don't alert them."

Tang Shiba and the others were all thrown into a tent, with more than a dozen people guarding it outside.

The Fake Director checked the livestream and was somewhat surprised to find the fans still watching.

The other Tracking Cameras showed no activity, so he assumed his lackeys had turned them off.

In the only remaining camera feed, the Zhao Siblings were still wandering aimlessly through the Woods.

A lackey asked, "Should we tie those two up too?"

The Fake Director considered it. "Sell the last batch of Dolls first. After we cut the livestream, go tie them up."

"Got it."

Inside the tent, someone had already started crying.

"Why? Why did something like this have to happen? I just wanted to earn a little money for retirement. Why is it so hard?"

"Me too. I haven't paid this month's mortgage yet. What am I going to do?"

Fang Cheng shuffled over dejectedly, lowering his head to apologize to Tang Shiba. "I'm sorry. If I hadn't run out, you two wouldn't have been caught."

The corner of Tang Shiba's mouth twitched. He had admitted his mistake pretty quickly.

"It's not your fault. It's mine. I didn't explain things clearly."

Then she looked at Si Wuyu. Even tied up, he was still the most dazzling person there.

Some of them were getting their first close-up look at Emperor Si and instantly turned into fanboys.

Oh my god, we might be tied up, but our idol is right here beside us! When you think about it, this almost seems worth it.

"So what do we do now?" This was Fang Cheng's first time being kidnapped. He really had no experience.

Si Wuyu spoke calmly. "Untie me. I'll find a chance to escape first."

"No." Tang Shiba refused.

[How can the male lead do something so dangerous? If anyone's going out, it should be cannon fodder like me.]

Despite the deep gaze Si Wuyu fixed on her, Tang Shiba remained firm. "You can't go out. It's too dangerous."

Director Wang came over to persuade him too. "That's right. They have a gun. We can't act rashly. For now, all we can do is leave it to fate."

Tang Shiba held her hands out toward Si Wuyu. "Help me untie this. I have an idea."

Si Wuyu looked at the tightly knotted rope, then lowered his head and bit down on it.

Fang Cheng looked as though he had witnessed something unbelievable.

His brother was actually willing to bite a rope with his teeth. He was something of a germaphobe!

He leaned over. "Let me do it, bro."

"No need."

But after he had bitten at it for ages, the rope still hadn't budged. It was too thick.

Tang Shiba deflated. Her Dagger had been taken too. She could only run out like this.

"Stop biting. You won't get it open."

Si Wuyu stopped, but lowered his head to whisper into her ear. "I'm going with you."

They were so close that if Tang Shiba turned her head, their lips would meet.

Tang Xueqing saw this and gritted her teeth, jealousy almost setting her heart ablaze.

That bitch! Still seducing men even at a time like this.

Tang Shiba's ear tickled a little. This Film Emperor was far too close.

Tang Shiba pressed her foot into the sandy ground, and a plan suddenly came to her.

She looked at Fang Cheng and signaled with her eyes for him to come over.

Fang Cheng understood and leaned in. "What is it?"

"Here's your chance to make up for your mistake. Whether you seize it is up to you." Forget taking the Scammers' gun—they couldn't even get close enough to touch it. They would have to find another way.

Fang Cheng immediately lifted his head and puffed out his chest. "I'm willing! I'll definitely protect my brother and all of you."

Si Wuyu: Oh, thank you so much. You're the reason I'm tied up in the first place.

Tang Shiba smiled brightly. "Let's dig our way out."

In the end, Director Wang gnawed at the rope for half an hour before finally freeing Fang Cheng.

Once free, Fang Cheng untied Si Wuyu and Tang Shiba.

As for the others, Tang Shiba left them tied up, afraid they would scatter if freed and alert the Scammers.

She explained that this was only a trial plan and carried a huge risk. She told them not to panic; she would save them.

But Tang Xueqing couldn't hold back. "Why won't you untie us? If we run, we should all run together. If we get caught, we should all get caught together. Are you trying to escape on your own? You're so selfish!"

That one remark turned everyone against Tang Shiba again.

They thought she only wanted to escape by herself and didn't care about them at all.

Tang Shiba looked at them with a cold smile. "Think whatever you like. If you don't want to die, listen to me. If you won't, we can all die together."

Looking at Tang Xueqing again, she found the woman unbearably noisy. She walked over, took a disposable face towel straight from her bag, and stuffed it into her mouth.

Tang Xueqing struggled fiercely, and Tang Shiba slapped her hard.

Only when she was reduced to glaring hatefully at her through tears without speaking did Tang Shiba finish stuffing her mouth, satisfied.

"Don't glare at me. This is for your own good, and everyone else's." Tang Xueqing was an expert at stirring up trouble. She couldn't let her ruin things again.

That forceful display silenced everyone. Stories of Tang Shiba hitting people had spread throughout the entertainment industry, but many had only heard about it.

Now that they had seen it, they felt a little scared.

Scared of getting hit.