The bad value system is measuring values.

Chapter 196 Red Dot

Elsewhere, a person wearing a black mask is huddled in a dark corner.

"Aster, are you tired?"

Qiao Xiao's voice sounded particularly gentle in the quiet environment. She held Asdor tightly in her arms and asked with a worried expression.

They hid in a narrow alley, where it was dimly lit and contained only a slightly larger cardboard box that Qiao Xiao could barely squeeze into.

The cardboard box was filled with a damp and musty smell, which made it feel somewhat suffocating.

Asdor groaned softly, his body appearing unusually weak. His eyes were injured, allowing him to see only a blurry outline, making movement extremely difficult.

He hadn't had a proper meal in a long time, and the hunger was constantly eroding his body, gradually draining his strength.

Although the injured eyeball was not fatal, it essentially destroyed most of his vision.

Qiao Xiao's eyes looked particularly dark in the darkness, and her originally round face had become thin due to long-term travel.

For the past few years, she had been on the run, and her mental state was already exhausted. Prolonged exposure to high tension and pressure had nearly broken her mind.

Even when she was exhausted, she couldn't rest peacefully, constantly worrying about Zhong Huanli's safety.

"That red demon, I saw him today!"

Qiao Xiao's voice was sharp and high-pitched, as if it would pierce people's eardrums. Compared with her previous voice, she was completely different.

Her expression became somewhat deranged, which instilled fear in people.

"But I'm too weak! I'm too weak! I'll never be able to take revenge!"

Qiao Xiao muttered to herself while pulling at her hair, seemingly in a state of extreme pain.

"Where's my brother? Asdor, where is my brother? We have to find him..."

She suddenly seemed to remember something important, her eyes darting around as she kept repeating Zhong Huanli's name.

"I'm so tired, I'm so sleepy, I really can't hold on much longer..."

Qiao Xiao swayed precariously, clinging tightly to Asdor, as if only in this way could she keep from collapsing. She felt Asdor's faint breathing, her heart filled with helplessness and sorrow.

Just then, Qiao Xiao suddenly felt a beam of bright light shining on her. The light was extremely dazzling, and she couldn't help but squint.

Once her eyes adjusted to the light, she realized it was coming from the alleyway entrance.

At the end of that beam of light, there seemed to be a tall and thin person standing.

Qiao Xiao stared blankly as the figure gradually approached her, her mind a complete blank.

Finally, the man walked up to Qiao Xiao, slowly squatted down, and said softly, "Xiao Xiao, I brought you bread today."

Qiao Xiao's gaze fell on the bread in the person's hand. The bread looked steaming hot, so it must have just come out of the oven.

Qiao Xiao glanced at it indifferently, then shook her head and said, "I'm not eating, I'm not hungry."

"Are you throwing a tantrum again?" The man smiled helplessly. "Your brother's matter needs to be handled slowly. I've already sent people to inquire, and perhaps they'll find some clues."

Qiao Xiao stared at him expressionlessly, but a hint of undisguised disgust was revealed deep in her eyes.

Her voice was slightly low, revealing obvious frustration: "I'm sorry, it's all because of me that you've been dragged into this. No matter what, I absolutely will not eat it."

Zhang Lingwan noticed Qiao Xiao's show of weakness, and his originally tough attitude softened instantly, his voice becoming much gentler: "Don't say that. You've only been here for a month, and you disappeared for so long in between. It's normal for you to feel this way because you're under so much psychological pressure. But don't worry, I'm here for you, I'll definitely help you. Even if your brother caused me to be expelled from school, he's still your brother, and no matter what, I can't hold a grudge."

Qiao Xiao gazed at Zhang Lingwan with gratitude and said softly, "Zhang Lingwan, thank you so much. Meeting you is the luckiest thing that has ever happened to me."

Before she finished speaking, she slowly closed her eyes, and a crystal tear quietly slid down the corner of her eye.

Behind this touching scene, Qiao Xiao secretly groaned, "It's so annoying, I have to coax him like this every day!"

After listening to Qiao Xiao's words, Zhang Lingwan slowly squatted down. He stared intently at Qiao Xiao, his face showing concern, and said softly, "Look at you, you're so hungry. Come home with me, I'll cook you something delicious."

Disgusting! Who wants to go back with you!

Qiao Xiao pursed her lips and looked at him pitifully, saying, "Zhang Lingwan, please have mercy and save my dog? I really can't live without it."

Zhang Lingwan turned her gaze to the dog in Qiao Xiao's arms, looking at Asdor with an extremely sympathetic expression.

He said softly, "It's so pitiful, just like the stray cat next to our shop. Don't worry about leaving it with me, I'll take good care of it."

As Zhang Lingwan spoke, she slowly reached out her hand, about to touch Asdor, when Qiao Xiao unusually shook off Zhang Lingwan's hand.

"Don't touch it!" she said warily, like a mother animal protecting her cubs, her deep eyes like those of a wild beast.

Immediately, Asdor, nestled in Qiao Xiao's arms, sensed Qiao Xiao's nervousness and let out a few low hums.

Both the man and the dog were very wary of him, as if he were a stranger with ill intentions.

Seeing this, Zhang Lingwan looked somewhat taken aback. "You don't need to be so afraid of me."

Qiao Xiao appeared unusually anxious, her voice trembling: "You'd better leave quickly, I feel like I'm about to have another attack." Her face was contorted, and her body was shaking uncontrollably.

Seeing Qiao Xiao's seemingly on the verge of losing control, Zhang Lingwan's expression instantly hardened. "Don't worry, I'm really not afraid. Xiao, let me see your condition with my own eyes, let me understand everything about you, okay?"

Qiao Xiao could hardly hide her disgust, and even her facial expressions became uncontrollable. She cursed Zhang Lingwan's madness and perversion in her heart.

She suddenly stood up, shoved Zhang Lingwan away, and her footsteps created ripples in the puddles on the ground, splashing water everywhere.

Zhang Lingwan stood still, his eyes filled with an almost obsessive persistence. He tried his best to restrain himself and maintain a normal demeanor while by her side.

However, she seems to be deliberately avoiding him these past few days.

Zhang Lingwan murmured softly, "You've put me in this situation, Xiao Xiao. I'm all alone now. My parents died in a car accident, and now I only have you left. Please have mercy on me and stay with me forever."

In the alley, he was dressed in black, like a drop of ink spreading in the night.

Pushing open the door to her rented room, Zhang Lingwan returned to her apartment. The room was filled with dark-colored furniture, devoid of any color, making it feel particularly gloomy.

The rented room was very damp and poorly ventilated; as soon as you entered, an unpleasant odor assaulted your nostrils.

The room was small, with a bed and a table taking up almost all the space.

The computer monitor was placed in the center of the table. Zhang Lingwan opened a software, and a flashing red dot quickly appeared on the screen.

His gaze grew increasingly fervent as he followed the movement of the red dot, as if driven by some mysterious force. The red dot constantly stimulated his nerves, and the corners of his eyes gradually turned crimson.

Zhang Lingwan's eyes were sunken, and she said in a daze, "See, you can't escape after all."

He casually pried off a piece of wood from the corner of the table, holding the damp piece tightly in his hand. The sharp splinter cut across his palm, leaving a distinct mark.

"I haven't had any real fun today." He suddenly exerted his strength, using the wooden block to cut a deep gash in his palm, from which blood gushed out. Then, he threw the wooden block aside.