klisemfg Chapter 2253 Strike First
Chapter 2253 Strike First
Manager Qi stared at the bowl of dark, black herbal medicine on the table, his brows furrowed in worry.
A layer of fine foam floated on the surface of the medicinal liquid, emitting a bitter medicinal smell.
Why did Accountant Liu suddenly send over a bowl of medicine out of the blue?
He was neither sick nor in pain; he had simply been captured and imprisoned by the Prince of Zhennan's mansion for a few days. Although he was somewhat frightened and went hungry for a few meals, he was always in good health and did not need to take any medicine.
Could it be… Manager Qi’s heart sank suddenly, and a terrible thought popped into his head.
Could it be that Accountant Liu has sided with Zhou Zhenghang and is planning to assassinate him?
Once this idea pops into your head, it grows like wild grass and you can't stop it.
Who is Zhou Zhenghang?
A ruthless character with blood on his hands, his methods are extremely insidious.
Previously, Miaoqin had been dissatisfied with Zhou Zhenghang and slapped him in front of him.
Given Zhou Zhenghang's personality, he would definitely hold a grudge and might want to find an excuse to take credit, and I, as the nominal manager, would be the perfect scapegoat.
If he were to die, Zhou Zhenghang could easily pin the blame on him. In that case, there would be no way to prove anything. Even if Miaoqin had any doubts, with two of the three dead and only Zhou Zhenghang left, she wouldn't easily take action against him.
Zhou Zhenghang was able to both silence her and please Miaoqin, killing two birds with one stone.
The more Manager Qi thought about it, the more reasonable his guess seemed.
The look in his eyes as he gazed at the bowl of medicine was now filled with deep wariness and disgust.
Especially Liu the accountant, who was clearly his man and brought by him, turned out to be a traitor who sought personal gain by betraying his master. He actually turned around and sided with Zhou Zhenghang, helping outsiders to harm him. He was truly despicable!
Anger burned fiercely in his chest. Manager Qi clenched his fists, then slowly relaxed them.
We can't just sit here and wait to die. Since Accountant Liu was unrighteous first, we shouldn't blame him for being unjust too.
Rather than waiting to be harmed by someone, it's better to strike first and start by settling accounts with Accountant Liu!
Having made up his mind, Manager Qi picked up the medicine bowl and quickly walked to the window.
Outside the window is the backyard courtyard, where a few rose bushes are planted in the corner, their petals still glistening with dew.
He opened the window and, without hesitation, poured all the medicine in the bowl out. The black medicine splashed onto the soil, leaving a dark stain.
He straightened his robes, a gloomy expression settling on his face, and turned to walk towards the shop in front.
The shop wasn't too busy at the moment; several employees were doing their jobs, some wiping the counter, and the air was filled with the mixed smells of dried goods and medicinal herbs.
Accountant Liu sat behind the accounting table by the window, holding an abacus and calculating the accounts with great focus. A thick ledger was spread out in front of him.
Manager Qi walked straight over, stood in front of the accounting table, and said in a deep voice, "Accountant Liu."
Accountant Liu didn't even look up, his hands still on the abacus, and casually replied, "Manager, I'm busy right now, I'll talk to you later."
These words completely ignited Manager Qi's pent-up anger.
He had already suspected Liu the accountant of betrayal, and now the other party's perfunctory attitude made it seem as if he was not taken seriously as the manager. It was clear that the other party felt that with Zhou Zhenghang backing him up, he had become too powerful.
"Now!" Manager Qi's voice suddenly rose, filled with barely suppressed anger. "Are you, a mere accountant, busier than me, the manager? Have you taken charge of this shop already?"
Upon hearing this, the shop assistants all stopped what they were doing and turned to look at them, their faces full of astonishment. They looked at each other, none of them daring to speak.
Manager Qi is usually quite mild-mannered, and he is especially kind to Accountant Liu. The two have never argued before, so what's wrong with him today?
Accountant Liu was also taken aback, and he stopped using the abacus.
He looked up at Manager Qi and saw that his face was gloomy and his eyes were filled with anger, which made him feel a little unhappy.
He thought that Manager Qi had been "poisoned and injured" before, and assumed that his body had not yet fully recovered, which was why he was in such a bad mood, so he didn't want to argue with him.
So, Liu, the accountant, put down his abacus, stood up, and put on a fawning smile: "Manager, please don't be angry. I was just worried about delaying the accounts."
"Just tell me what you need, and I'll do as you say."
Manager Qi cursed him inwardly as a "scumbag," but showed no sign of it on his face. He merely glanced at him coldly before turning and walking towards his room in the backyard.
Accountant Liu was stunned for a moment, wondering what Manager Qi was up to, but he could only follow along.
The workers watched the two figures walking one after the other, exchanging a few glances in private, but no one dared to say anything, and could only lower their heads and continue working.
Back in his room, Manager Qi closed the door behind him, pointed to the empty medicine bowl on the table, and said coldly, "See for yourself."
Accountant Liu followed his finger and saw the empty bowl. A look of understanding appeared on his face, and he asked with a smile, "Manager, have you drunk your medicine? How are you feeling? Are you feeling any better?"
That medicine was specially prepared according to a prescription; it's most beneficial for your health.
Looking at the gentle smile on his face, Manager Qi felt a wave of nausea.
He didn't speak, but stared intently at Accountant Liu, his eyes sharp, as if trying to see right through him.
Liu, the accountant, felt a little uncomfortable under his gaze. The smile on his face gradually faded, and he asked in confusion, "Manager, what's wrong? Is the medicine not to your liking? Or are you feeling unwell?"
Manager Qi suddenly chuckled, his voice full of sarcasm: "You're asking me what's wrong? That's what I should be asking you."
"How much money did that guy surnamed Zhou give you to go to such lengths to harm me?"
"Harm you?" Accountant Liu's expression changed, his face full of surprise and confusion. He quickly waved his hand, "Manager, what makes you say that?"
How could I harm you? Have you misunderstood something?
Manager Qi remained silent, but his eyes grew increasingly cold.
Accountant Liu wanted to explain further, but suddenly felt dizzy and the scene before his eyes began to sway.
He was startled and instinctively turned to look at the incense burner in the corner of the room.
A stick of incense was burning in the incense burner, its smoke curling upwards, emitting a faint sandalwood scent. But he recognized that the incense contained the ingredient of "muscle-softening powder"!
He had followed Manager Qi for many years and naturally knew the origin of this incense. It was specially prepared by Manager Qi in his early years to guard against unforeseen events. He never expected that it would be used on himself today!
"You..." Accountant Liu was both shocked and angry. He wanted to question him, but all his strength seemed to have been drained in an instant. His limbs were weak and he couldn't stand up at all.
He turned to run towards the door, but as soon as he took a step, his legs gave way and he collapsed to the ground with a thud, completely powerless and unable to even lift his hand.
Manager Qi looked at him struggling on the ground without a trace of pity.
He took out the dagger he had prepared beforehand, and as it was drawn from its sheath, a cold glint flashed.