Chapter 006: The Chilling Top Comment

After retrieving the surveillance footage, the three quickly found the mysterious guest mentioned by Master Lu. This guest was thin and short, wearing a beret. From the moment he entered to the moment he left, he never showed his face to the camera, clearly trying to conceal his appearance.

Qin Qisan pointed at the image of the beret on the screen and said, "Enlarge this person. See if we can get a clearer look at his face."

Master Lu tried to adjust the equipment but couldn't find the right button. Lin Yu spent some time fiddling with the main console, but also failed to locate any relevant controls.

"No luck. It seems this equipment doesn't have a zoom function. But we can copy the footage and let Xiaoyu handle it when we get back—he'll surely find a way to enlarge it," Lin Yu said.

"Alright, let's hurry and copy the video. This is an important clue," Wu Miaoran quickly agreed.

With Master Lu's consent, the three copied the footage onto a USB drive and drove back to the company.

The journey was once again full of abrupt stops; Lin Yu and Wu Miaoran nearly lost all the delicious food they'd just eaten. They joked that their boss should find a way to get Qin Qisan a tank to drive.

They took the elevator up to the fourteenth floor. Shian Pest Control Company occupied the northwest corner—the most secluded spot on that level. Though there were security guards at the CBD gate, the company had hired an elderly watchman and given him a private room. At this moment, he was enjoying his own drink, listening intently to health supplement ads on the radio.

The office was very quiet. Apart from Ling Chi, who still held his post, the others had already slipped away. When Ling Chi saw the three return, he immediately asked, unable to contain himself, "So? Did you find any clues?"

The silence startled Lin Yu, who took a moment to catch his breath and replied, "Ah... we found a bit of a lead."

"Is this related to the pest incident? Do you need me?" Ling Chi pressed on.

"It's still uncertain, and this case is trickier than usual. If we lack manpower, we might really need your help."

"Great! It's been so long since I've had a mission. My hands have been itching for action," Ling Chi said, rubbing his fists together.

"Well, prepare yourself—eat more, sleep more, exercise less, so you don't get injured before the crucial moment. Huh? Where is everyone?" Lin Yu glanced around in surprise.

"The boss and Xiaoyu went to the detention center. With no one supervising, the others have all skipped out. Lin, look at me—I'm the only one diligently holding my post. Shouldn't I get Employee of the Year?"

"Absolutely. As a reward, the admin will grant you privileges in the company chat group—so you can mention anyone you like."

"Awesome, Lin! You're the best," Ling Chi exclaimed, overjoyed.

Wu Miaoran and Qin Qisan watched Ling Chi as if he were a fool, shaking their heads as they entered the office.

Since Xiaoyu hadn't returned, the three could only extract the segment of the video where the beret appeared and attempt to enlarge it directly, hoping to discern the guest's features.

Unfortunately, the enlarged footage was even blurrier, yielding no new information.

However, Lin Yu noticed that in a few screenshots, the guest's lips were relatively clear. Enlarging those, he saw that the jaw and mouth were smooth, and there was no Adam's apple visible—a sign that the guest might be a woman.

Since Master Lu's attention had been entirely focused on the shouting streamer at the time, he hadn't paid much attention to the guest and had only a vague impression of her appearance. He hadn't even realized whether the person was male or female.

Now, with the gender confirmed, their scope narrowed a bit.

After trying other methods with no success, the three decided not to obsess over this clue. Their sideline of restaurant reviews was in full swing, and they couldn't afford to miss an update.

So, Qin Qisan opened his computer and began editing the video.

Lin Yu assisted, and they aimed to finish the edit quickly and upload today's footage, hoping to present an authentic view of Jinju Snacks.

Although this episode might offend some peers, Qin Qisan believed the controversy would spark discussion, possibly leading to another viral surge and a new wave of followers.

After two hours of patient editing, the video was uploaded to the national streaming platform.

By then, it was past six. The general manager and Xiaoyu hadn't returned, and the others had tacitly clocked out. Only four remained. They reheated their takeout in the pantry microwave, cooked another pot of rice, and gathered in the conference room to eat and watch dramas on the projector.

Qin Qisan was distracted during dinner, repeatedly checking his phone for backend stats, disappointment evident on his face.

Wu Miaoran laughed and said, "Don't keep checking the stats. The more you care, the less traction you get. If you ignore it, it might blow up unexpectedly."

"Exactly—Murphy's Law!" Ling Chi chimed in.

"Murphy's Law, my foot. You attribute everything to Murphy," Qin Qisan retorted.

His expression made it clear: this video hadn't met their expectations, with views and likes falling short of previous releases.

To make the episode more compelling, Qin Qisan had deliberately included a segment of Boss Lu criticizing the review streamer.

But things took an unexpected turn. Someone commented: "This boss loves stirring up drama. Always something going on. If you renovated, just say so—no need to blame reviewers for exaggerating. I’ve been to that place. It’s rundown, old, and filthy."

That comment was the top-rated one.

Seeing Qin Qisan's disappointment, Wu Miaoran smiled and comforted him, "It's alright. It's just one video. Next time, we can film somewhere more interesting."

"But it's not just about this video anymore. I'm worried some competitors will see it and start a smear campaign. This platform doesn't allow comment moderation, and I can already see it happening," Qin Qisan said anxiously.

"Who cares? If you have nothing to hide, the truth will stand. Let's eat," Wu Miaoran replied, unconcerned.

"Exactly. Our beautiful Bug Queen shines so brightly, even shadows dare not appear," Lin Yu added.

Qin Qisan said nothing, only sighing and putting away his phone.

After dinner, another hour passed. Ling Chi was already asleep at his desk, and the other three had just finished watching their drama. Suddenly, Wu Miaoran's phone rang. She glanced at it—it was a voice call.

The caller was a loyal fan, a reliable sponsor. Wu Miaoran hesitated but answered.

To her surprise, the caller immediately asked, nervously, "Bug Queen, was today's video staged or real? Are you alright?"

Wu Miaoran was taken aback. She didn't understand the abrupt question, but answered seriously, "Uh, Brother Li, I never script my videos. Everything we filmed today was real. Sure, it might offend some peers, but don’t mind the comments—they’re just stirring the pot."

The caller sounded confused. "Huh? Bug Queen, what are you talking about? Haven’t you read the comments? I’m not talking about that. I mean the dog. That dog was terrifying. Haven’t you noticed?"

Dog? What dog?

Wu Miaoran was baffled. She stammered, "Uh... I haven’t checked the comments. Let me look now..."

Lin Hai and Qin Qisan, hearing the caller’s voice, quickly opened their phones to check the freshly uploaded video.

What they saw nearly made their jaws drop. In just one hour, the video’s views had shot up by five million, with likes and comments both exceeding one hundred thousand. The platform had already restricted the video’s reach and deleted the original upload.

Wu Miaoran had no choice but to check her streamer backend, where she finally saw the few comments with the highest replies.

When she read them, she was instantly chilled to the bone.