After Chen Gongrang finished arguing his case, the burly man fell silent too.
Especially when the Lie Detector confirmed that he had spoken the truth, leaving them with nothing to say.
At that point, the young woman spoke again. "Mr. Chen, we killed him because he was never part of our plan. Keeping him alive could very well have caused us trouble. You're different. You're our partner, and the representative we want to support. I hope you won't hold it against us."
Chen Gongrang did not answer. He glanced at the young woman, then at the small, box-shaped Lie Detector in the burly man's arms. "Why did you turn off the Lie Detector when she said that?"
After Chen Gongrang asked that question, the young woman and her companions all fell silent.
They had not expected the sheltered rich boy Hua Yongsheng had described to be so quick-witted that he spotted the problem immediately.
Chen Gongrang continued, "So you never intended to cooperate with me at all, did you?"
The group remained silent.
But their silence was an answer in itself.
Chen Gongrang added, "Since I know I'll end up just like Hua Yongsheng-dead-why should I bother cooperating with you?"
The thin woman said, "Child, if you refuse to cooperate, you might suffer something worse than death."
Chen Gongrang laughed. "But I'll still end up dead, won't I?"
"You don't understand. Not all deaths are the same. Some flowers die suddenly at the height of their bloom, without any pain, their petals still smiling. Others must wither, fall, and finally be devoured by insects before they die struggling."
Chen Gongrang seemed to have made up his mind. "Then let's give it a try. Once I can't take it anymore, I'll consider whether to cooperate with you."
"Child, why won't you