Every family has corners hidden from the view of others, and many people envy Mike's family and his house. After all, being able to move into a Middle-Class community at such a young age is not an easy feat.
But who would have thought that the house might not be as perfect as Lynch imagined.
Some old appliances haven't been replaced until now, some wallpaper subtly reveals a decaying yellow, some decorative plasterboards have started to crack, and some floors, due to long-term disrepair and insect damage, are no longer as stable as they used to be.
Every family has similar problems, some relate to decoration and furnishings, and others to family relationships.
Fortunately, Michael's job nature and unit ensure that his family doesn't have major relationship problems. The management of key departments guarantees his family a worry-free life with some extra money.
As long as financial freedom is achieved, most of the time the relationships between family members are not unpleasant. Whether emotions or enthusiasm, they are essentially based on material foundation, which some might see as unnecessary turmoil.
When the tiptoe accidentally stepped on a wooden floorboard that Mrs. Mike had mentioned twice but hadn't replaced, the sound of twisting and rubbing wood echoed through the empty house.
If in the middle of the night, sounds come from the living room, it is enough to make many people in the dark tense up with alert nerves.
Mrs. Mike turned on the light. She walked to the door, pressed her ear tightly against the door, listening to the sounds outside.
She was the only one home today; their maid was not a live-in full-time maid. Their house wasn't a villa or an estate, just a regular standalone house in a Middle-Class community.
They didn't have extra bedrooms or bathrooms for the maid, and since their child was at a full-time private school and hadn't returned, she was the only one in the room.
This woman in her thirties listened carefully for a while. There seemed to be no more sounds coming from downstairs in the living room, and the noise she heard suddenly seemed like a less than real illusion.
Faced with this door, she was conflicted, should she go out and have a look?
Usually, Michael would be home; she had never realized how a big house could give her a terrifying feeling of fear like now. Just a door's distance, yet it becomes the boundary between light and darkness.
Opening the door and facing the darkness, not everyone has such courage.
Meanwhile, the tiptoe, clutching a gun, gently stepped on the stairs, slowly heading towards the second floor, his gaze fierce and slightly mad as he stared at the light under the gap of a door in the second-floor hallway.
The light seemed eager to escape from the narrow gap to illuminate the entire room and dispel the darkness, but it was too weak, only enough to light up the floor less than an inch outside the gap.
He walked barefoot, maintaining a slow pace, slowly reaching outside the master bedroom door. He knew the creaky floorboards might have alerted the person in the room; he was waiting for her to open the door voluntarily.
Seconds later, Mrs. Mike hesitantly opened the door, an ugly face filling her whole view, and the instinctive scream triggered by fear was quickly punched away half a second later!
Outside the house, Lynch saw two shadows quickly flash by the window through the imperfect blackout curtains; the sudden scream was abruptly stopped, not even alerting the surrounding neighbors.
Lynch tidied up the tools in his hand and silently climbed down the electrical pole. After glancing at the lit-up window, he turned and ran towards the front door.
If the tiptoe doesn't come looking for him, willing to suffer in silence, then the whole incident wouldn't include him in the story at all.
But he refused to suffer in silence and came knocking, which means the tiptoe is an unstable factor; he might become a huge trouble, especially with his greed potentially becoming a dagger stabbing Lynch in the dark.
Once Michael establishes trust with him, and he believes Lynch is holding back his money, they could very likely team up, which is not the scenario Lynch prefers.
When enemies can unite, it means Lynch will face more unforeseen troubles, so he guided the tiptoe.
He needs to give Michael a lesson painful enough to reach his heart, but also take the opportunity to deal with the tiptoe, otherwise, the tiptoe might slander him at the Police Station, potentially shifting the blame onto Lynch.
This was Lynch's greatest concern. He wasn't yet a renowned figure in Bail Federal, hardly anyone in Sabin City had heard of his name.
It's not impossible for a shameless Federation Region Tax Bureau investigative team leader to frame someone. During this process, adding the tiptoe as a character cooperating with Michael through self-defamation, Lynch could indeed be caught by them.
After absorbing a wealth of knowledge from that small place, he drew a conclusion, try not to allow potential enemies to form alliances. The more people, the stronger the courage, soon they would turn "possibilities" into "realities."
Success or failure for them was just a trial, but for Lynch, it could be a devastating blow. The best solution is to "resolve" them before they cement an alliance, preventing them from becoming a whole.
Lynch ran towards the guardhouse location and quickly found the Security Guard on duty. After explaining his discovery, he promptly captured the Security Guard's attention.
Earlier, when Michael discovered Lynch here, he specially entrusted the community's service company to look after his house, also expressing concern that after he went on business travel, his wife would be left alone at home.
The service company promised to fulfil Michael's request to the best of their ability, owing to his status as the local Tax Bureau investigative team leader, wielding some power.
The service company entrusted this matter to the Security Guard. At this moment, how could the Security Guard dare neglect? He not only used the walkie-talkie to summon more people, but those stationed at the guardhouse also immediately rushed towards Michael's house.
Before the other group of patrolling Security Guards arrived, he clenched his teeth and charged towards the house door, not forgetting to shout loudly to inquire about the situation inside the room.
Sometimes, issuing warnings isn't necessarily to alert criminals that those who want to catch them are here, but to stop the criminal act as much as possible through this means. Whether Police Station or investigative bureau, they're not that foolish!
Suddenly, the curtain on the second floor was lifted, and the tiptoe looked terrified at the Security Guard who climbed into the yard. Glancing back at Mrs. Mike, who had lost the courage to resist after being struck, he clenched the gun in his hand and decided to flee immediately.
He wasn't there to die, just seeking revenge. Though he didn't complete his initial plan, he somewhat avenged himself, no reason to get stuck there.
He fastened the loosened belt again, directly dashed out of the room and flipped down from the second floor. Before he could run out, the house door was slammed open.
Four eyes met, and the confrontation, along with the whistle in the distance, made the tiptoe instantly regain awareness. Instinctively, he drew the gun from his pocket, shouting as he ran towards the door, "Don't force me, get away from the door!"
Faced with the threat of a handgun, most people wouldn't think their flesh and blood could block the damage from bullets. The Security Guard's scalp tingled, raising both hands high...
Seeing this scene, the tiptoe's face twisted into a smile, once again realizing the power of the cute little thing in his hand.
Witnessing the tiptoe's departure, the Security Guard rushed upstairs to find Michael's wife while informing the other Security Guards of the situation here via walkie-talkie.
Within thirty seconds, police car sirens wailed outside the community—a trait of Middle-Class gathering places that always have many police patrol cars. In some affluent community areas, two to three police cars could be heard all year round.
As for poorer Lower City or slum areas, which officially won't admit its existence, in those places, not to mention police cars, even patrol officers are absent.
This society is straightforward; your value determines the treatment society accords to you!