Chapter 314

The mountain path was treacherous. Melody, sweating from exertion, walked purposefully. "Soon, soon," she muttered. "It's just ahead. Not far now."

It wasn't far. Tiffany gave a scornful laugh. A mere thousand feet away, concealed beneath fallen leaves in the bamboo forest, was a recently dug pit—deep and filled with snakes. Melody planned to lure Tiffany to the pit, where venomous snakes would kill her. Such pits were common on the mountain; villagers used them to trap prey. If Tiffany fell, it would be dismissed as an accident, not murder. If they wanted to be more thorough, Sandra and Melody could quickly backfill the pit after Tiffany fell, covering it with dead leaves. No one would ever know a body lay buried there.

"What a plan! Ruthless, and utterly stupid!"

A sinister smile curled Tiffany's lips as she flexed her wrist.

Reaching their destination, Melody searched anxiously, her flashlight beam sweeping back and forth until it found a small flag marked with reflective neon paint—the marker she and Sandra had agreed upon. The pit lay directly beneath it. All Melody had to do was lure Tiffany to the spot; the ground would give way, and Tiffany would fall. The venomous snakes waiting below would finish her off. Tiffany wouldn't stand a chance.

Melody suppressed a smile. Victory was within her grasp, but she couldn't afford a mistake. With a worried expression, she said, "Benny was playing around here. I don't know where he is now. Why don't we look for him separately?"

The moonlight was hazy, the shadows of the trees swaying. Tiffany remained where she was. Her expression was obscured, only her dark eyes shining brightly.

"Sure," she replied, a faint smile playing on her lips.

Under Melody's nervous gaze, she walked forward—one step, two steps, three steps.

Chapter 314 (continued)

Her pace was leisurely as she searched the bamboo forest, unaware she was nearing the neon flag and the pit below. Two more steps Melody's sweaty palm gripped the flashlight nervously.

To Melody's surprise, Tiffany stopped two steps from the pit. She spoke slowly, as if to herself, "It's late, and no one's around. Perfect for committing crimes."

"Wh-what?" Melody's heart leaped. Had Tiffany discovered something?

"Just joking. Why so nervous?" Tiffany turned, resuming her search for Benny.

With Tiffany's back turned and no one else around, it was the perfect opportunity. Melody steeled her resolve. Since Tiffany wouldn't take the final two steps, she would help her. She quietly approached Tiffany.

Melody took the final step forward

Suddenly, the ground gave way, and Melody plunged into the pit. She landed with a thump, too stunned to scream at first. Then, belatedly, she cried, "Argh! Help!"

Her screams were loud, but above, Tiffany seemed not to hear. She muttered, "How did I sleepwalk to the mountain?" Shaking her head, she strolled down the mountain.

Melody heard the receding footsteps. Her immediate worry, however, was the hundreds of venomous snakes slithering towards her. They sank their fangs into her. "Argh!" she cried, trying desperately to climb out of the ten-foot pit, but to no avail. The venom spread, and she collapsed.

Only then did she understand. The flag had been moved. Had Sandra betrayed her? Or had Tiffany seen through her plan all along, luring her into the trap? Tiffany's indifference to her screams confirmed it. "Argh!" Melody shrieked in despair, her vision dimming.

Chapter 314 (continued)

The death trap she'd set for Tiffany had become her tomb.

Rumble

Thunder rumbled, followed by a sudden downpour. The bright moon vanished behind heavy rain.

Tiffany reached the village chief's farmhouse. Instead of entering, she stood quietly under the eaves, watching before extending a hand into the rain.

As she was about to enter, Kenneth Harper rushed up with a black umbrella, followed by dozens of drivers and bodyguards. Anxiously, he asked, "Tiffany, have you seen Melody?"

Tiffany stopped, turning to him with a faint smile. "Why ask me? Your woman disappeared."

"That's not what I—"

"I didn't see her," she cut him off, turning and entering the farmhouse. Her back was straight and resolute.

Kenneth was perplexed. Every conversation with Tiffany ended in confrontation. He felt helpless, but he immediately shouted to his subordinates, "Look for her! Everywhere!"

After the feast, Kenneth returned to his farmhouse and fell asleep, waking later from hunger. He hadn't eaten much at the feast. He was about to get something to eat when he noticed Melody's door was ajar. She wasn't inside. Worried, he woke his subordinates to search for her. They searched the village but found nothing.

A subordinate suggested, "Mr. Harper, we've searched the village. Miss Princeton isn't here. Should we search the mountain?"