Inside the cold-chain container of the LD-071 truck, Mia was naturally extremely panicked.

  She was trapped and dared not call for help.

  At this moment, her thoughts naturally turned to her current boyfriend, Micheal, wishing as if making a wish that Micheal could descend from the heavens to rescue her.

  But perhaps she didn't need to make a wish, because Micheal was right there in the truck's cabin at the front.

  It was just, how could Mia possibly know that?

  Being practical, she thought of her ex-boyfriend from the finance department, Ge Li.

  Mia's mind was working fine.

  That Ge Li was originally a mechanic, who transferred to the finance department after losing his left index and ring fingers in a repair accident.

  Ge Li liked to show off his knowledge.

  Mia probably hadn't listened very seriously before.

  But, cold-chain trucks—Ge Li had definitely talked about them.

  They looked like a single unit, but the container and the chassis were actually separate structures.

  The cold-chain trucks used by Vine Corporation were not integrated units.

  Non-integrated cold-chain containers were much better than welded ones.

  They were easier to breach violently from the inside.

  With the right tools, even a woman could break it open independently.

  Snap-together cold-chain containers:

  the side panels and roof panels weren't welded shut, but connected to the frame with plastic snaps and sealing strips.

  From the inside, find the snaps at the edge seams, pry the load-bearing end with a hard object, the snap comes off, and a single panel can be pushed outward—no need for sustained force.

  Find the right leverage point, and even someone with less strength could do it easily.

  Mia moved aside some items, crouched down, observed carefully, and quickly found the snaps Ge Li had talked about.

  Moreover, there were iron rods right inside the cold-chain container.

  It seemed escaping wouldn't be difficult.

  The hard part was escaping silently.

  Mia considered hard: the desert city where Vine Corporation was located wasn't big.

  The truck probably left the city in about ten minutes.

  Escaping this refrigerated box outside the city would be safer, less likely to be seen.

  As long as she escaped after the truck left the city but before it reached 9th Avenue, that would be fine.

  It would avoid Vine's eyes and ears within the city, and also avoid potential gang robberies.

  There was roughly a 3-minute window.

  Mia looked at her watch, nodding repeatedly to encourage herself, telling herself she could do it.

  Then she tried prying open a snap with an iron rod. It went smoothly.

  She succeeded.

  ...

  At the same time, inside the truck cabin.

  The roar of the diesel engine was wrapped in a heavy atmosphere.

  The driver focused on the dim road ahead. Gunnar, leaning against the passenger seat, glanced sideways at Micheal next to him.

  Micheal hung his head, his fingers unconsciously rubbing the edge of his holster, his eyes as hollow as if scooped out.

  Gunnar cleared his throat, speaking first:

  "Kid, lately when you're practicing boxing, your soul's not in your body. Today guarding the shipment, it's the same. What, something on your mind?"

  Micheal's Adam's apple bobbed. He didn't respond immediately.

  He'd practiced boxing with Gunnar a few times now.

  Their relationship had been okay before, and now Gunnar was his martial arts teacher.

  The driver, his relationship with the sales department was distant.

  Being overheard by the driver didn't matter at all. Mainly,

  Micheal really wanted to vent right now:

  "...I got together with Mia."

  Micheal's voice was very low, as if squeezed from his throat.

  Gunnar's eyes lit up. He slapped his thigh:

  "Good for you! I've seen that girl a few times. Hardworking, sweet talker, does things steadily. Pretty popular in both the sales and finance departments. You lucky brat, you've found a treasure."

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  Micheal's lips twitched in a smile uglier than crying:

  "But everyone in the company is spreading rumors... saying she's a slut, sleeping around casually."

  The smile froze on Gunnar's face, his brow furrowing into a knot.

  Then he suddenly slapped his thigh again, cursing:

  "Bullshit! I know who's spreading this damn rumor—it's that Kurt from our Eastern District!"

  Micheal's head jerked up, a flicker of shock in his eyes, immediately replaced by a wave of absurd shame.

  "It's him!"

  Gunnar's tone carried anger:

  "That rumor didn't exist before. It just popped up yesterday. Yesterday, I was handing over documents in the Eastern District, and I happened to hear Kurt gossiping in the break room, saying Mia was fooling around with this one and that one, spinning tales with details. I wanted to kick him right then. If the supervisor hadn't been there, I would've done it."

  Micheal's hand, which had been clutching his pant leg, slowly relaxed.

  His mind felt like it had been hit with a stick, sobering up instantly.

  How could he have been so stupid as to believe the company gossip?

  And it turned out to be that bastard Kurt spreading it!

  Micheal was transferred from the Eastern District to the Western District, promoted from Level 2 to Level 4.

  Kurt was naturally jealous.

  Besides, last time at the meal with the old Eastern District colleagues, Kurt publicly insulted Micheal as a loser who'd never get a girlfriend in his life.

  Mia appeared, slapping Kurt in the face on the spot.

  That guy's jealousy and hatred were plain to see.

  Spreading this kind of filthy rumor was just trying to ruin his happiness, make him live in suspicion.

  He was really damn stupid!

  Micheal rubbed the bridge of his nose, feeling his earlier suspicion was absurd and ridiculous.

  He had actually doubted the girl whose heart and eyes were full of him, all because of a villain's malicious slander.

  "You, you just get too caught up in your own thoughts."

  Seeing his expression soften, Gunnar's tone gentled.

  He stuffed the unlit cigarette back into his pocket.

  "That girl Mia, I figured it out a while ago. The past few days, when you were halfway through your boxing practice, who was bringing you hot soup noodles every day? With a girl like that as your wife, you should be secretly overjoyed."

  He paused, patted Micheal's shoulder, a rare gentle smile appearing on his face:

  "You two are both in Vine Corporation, you know each other's roots. This kind of feeling is rare. I say, don't dawdle. Get the marriage certificate early, start a family. When the time comes, as your teacher, I'll definitely give you a big red envelope. The wedding gift money definitely won't be small!"

  Gunnar's words were like a warm current, instantly flooding Micheal's whole body.

  Thinking of this, the guilt in Micheal's heart was instantly replaced by sweetness.

  Along with it, the previous irritation and gloom vanished without a trace.

  He leaned back in his seat, looking at the scenery speeding past outside the window.

  Only one thought remained in his mind—deliver this shipment to its destination quickly, finish this escort mission fast.

  He wanted to return to the rented room immediately, to hold Mia tightly, apologize to her, tell her how stupid he was to be blinded by rumors.

  Then, he wanted to be intimate with her properly, melt all the longing and guilt of these days into their mutual tenderness.

  "Fuck! What's going on?!"

  The driver suddenly roared, shattering Micheal's pleasant thoughts.

  Micheal and Gunnar both looked forward simultaneously.

  Three dilapidated, modified vehicles were blocking the road ahead.

  Three vehicles, their sizes, colors, and shapes were all very strange, like garbage trucks pieced together.

  Only Gunnar remained relatively calm. He immediately tapped the driver, pulling his attention back.

  "Xiao Zhang, what road is this?"

  Driver Xiao Zhang looked back nervously at Gunnar. "9th Avenue."