Steward Gong drove, with Lin Zhengrong in the passenger seat. Xiao Yang sat in the back with the man, keeping a close eye on him to ensure he didn't try anything devious.
According to the man, the hideout was an abandoned factory on the outskirts of town, backed by a large mountain. It had three different exits, allowing them to choose a route to escape or split up should they be discovered.
A clever rabbit indeed has three burrows.
Before long, they arrived at the factory. There were sentries stationed outside the main gate to ensure they wouldn't be caught off guard by the Protectors.
The man’s phone rang suddenly, and Xiao Yang’s gaze immediately locked onto him.
Enduring the agonizing pain of his fractured shoulder blade, the man answered. "It's me," he said. "I've brought the money back."
"So soon?" The person on the other end was clearly stunned; they had agreed on delivery for tomorrow, so finishing it today was a surprise.
"Don't talk nonsense! Tomorrow was the deadline. They didn't want to wait—did you expect me to tell them to come back tomorrow?" The man snapped and hung up the phone.
The SUV pulled to a stop at the factory gate. Three men instantly rushed out, machetes in hand, aiming them at the car doors. Lin Zhengrong, his expression heavy, opened the door and stepped out. Before long, he had a blade pressed against his throat.
"Xiao Liu, put the knife down!" the man shouted as he climbed out of the vehicle.
"Oh," Xiao Liu replied. He shoved Lin Zhengrong away, keeping him a few paces back to prevent any sudden move to disarm him.
"Boss, who are these people?" Old Wu asked.
"They're here to swap for the hostages," the man said, glancing at Xiao Yang.
His original plan had been to make Xiao Yang and the others get out of the car as they neared the factory, allowing him to drive off with the one hundred million in cash. He hadn't counted on Xiao Yang forcing him to come along, adding a condition on the fly. Things had reached this point, and the man had no choice; with the ransom within his grasp, he didn't want to give up halfway.
"I see." Old Wu circled Lin Zhengrong twice. "Boss, this is Mr. Lin Zhengrong, right?"
"I've brought the money," Lin Zhengrong said. "Release my wife and daughter."
"Nice to meet you, Mr. Lin. Hearing your name is one thing, but seeing you in person is another." Ignoring the request, Old Wu grinned and extended a hand to shake Lin Zhengrong’s.
Facing the kidnapper, Lin Zhengrong had no desire to interact, but fearing that angering them might put his wife and daughter in danger, he begrudgingly shook the man's hand with a grim face.
Old Wu continued, "Rich people really are something. Not only do you look well-preserved, Mr. Lin, but your wife and daughter are so beautiful. Honestly, I don't really want to let them go."
Lin Zhengrong’s face grew steadily darker. He stared at Old Wu, saying nothing.
Old Wu added, "Mr. Lin, would you mind if your wife and daughter stayed behind to keep my brothers company for a couple of days? Don't worry, I’ll be sure to let them go eventually."
The man shuddered, silently cursing Old Wu for having a death wish, though he managed to speak up: "Old Wu, stop the idle chatter. With this much money, what kind of woman can't you find? Go and bring them out!"
Old Wu clicked his tongue, shaking his head. "No fun." He turned around and waved a hand. "Everyone, come in."
*Squelch!*
Before the words were even out, Old Ba, standing behind the man, suddenly plunged his machete into the man’s chest, piercing straight through. The man stiffened, never expecting his most trusted brother to strike from behind. Blood spilled from his mouth as he struggled to turn his head, eyes filled with disbelief. "W-why..."
Old Ba sneered, "With one less person, there’s one less share of the money. Can't you understand a simple truth like that?"
*Squelch!*
He yanked the blade out of the man’s chest. The man collapsed to the ground, twitched once, and drew his final breath.
From start to finish, Xiao Yang watched the events unfold with utter indifference. He could have stopped Old Ba from killing the man, but there was no need. Even if Old Ba hadn't acted, Xiao Yang would have finished him off in the end anyway.
Let the man leave with the one hundred million? That was what Xiao Yang had promised hours ago, not the Xiao Yang of now.
"Old Ba, grab the money. Since Mr. Lin is here, let him see his wife and daughter one last time." Old Wu gave a cold, chilling laugh. "Even if we are kidnappers, we should be kidnappers with a human touch."
"Hahaha!" Old Liu and Old Ba roared with laughter.
Old Ba opened the trunk of the SUV and lifted out five cases of cash. It was his first time seeing so much money, and his eyes glowed. "So much money, Fifth Brother! I've never seen so much in my life!"
"Hmph, this is nothing. Keep following your Fifth Brother, and you'll get even more!" Old Wu was excited too, but he didn't show it, affecting a calm demeanor.
Old Liu picked up a bundle of banknotes, took an intoxicated sniff, and exclaimed, "Is this two hundred million? It’s so much!"
Two hundred million? That was impossible. Two hundred million in cash would weigh at least a ton; the SUV couldn't possibly carry that much. Each case held five million, and with five cases, there was only twenty-five million.
"Quit stalling. If you want to carry the money up, you'll have all the time you need to count it," Old Wu said impatiently, waving his hand.
Xiao Yang and the others were held at knifepoint and followed Old Wu inside.
On the third floor of the factory, four other kidnappers were smoking and playing mahjong, cursing loudly as they did. About ten meters away, two beautiful women were tied to chairs, their mouths covered with tape to prevent them from shouting.
The one who appeared more mature was Lin Zhengrong’s wife, Qing Xiuxin. Even in her early forties, her skin was as well-preserved as a woman in her twenties, showing no signs of age. As the saying goes, the older the wine, the better the taste—it was the same for a well-cared-for woman.
The other woman was Lin Yufei, the wife Daoist Jiu had found for Xiao Yang. Lin Yufei was a famous beauty in Jing City, a fairy in the eyes of countless young men. To put it bluntly, if she had simply announced she was looking for a husband, the line of suitors outside the Lin family estate would stretch all the way to the Pacific Ocean.
*Crash!*
Suddenly, Old Er overturned the mahjong tiles. Frustrated by losing all day, he lit a cigarette, his eyes fixated on the two women like a starving wolf. "Damn it! Losing every round and unable to touch the meat sitting right in front of me—this is infuriating!"
Old San, who had been winning the most, chuckled. "Don't be so anxious. Once the money is in our hands, these two will be ours to play with however we like."
"Hmph, the thought of having to wait another night is driving me crazy!" Old Er took a harsh drag of his cigarette.
Old Four added, "We're in business, aren't we? If we touch them now, Lin Zhengrong won't pay us a cent, and he'll fight us to the death. Second Brother, just hold it in for now."
"Hmph!" Old Er grunted again.
Old San began to clear the table, then suddenly looked left and right, puzzled. "By the way, where are Old Wu and the others?"
"Who knows where they died? Forget about them." Old Er had a deep resentment toward Old Wu. "That kid was born with a treacherous face; I’ve never liked him. Once we get the money, see if I don't deal with him myself!"
"You won't have to bother, Second Brother," a voice replied.
As the four men turned toward the stairwell, there was a sudden *bang*.
A bloody hole appeared in the center of Old Er’s forehead. He collapsed to the ground, his eyes wide and unfocused, still reflecting his confusion, shock, and doubt.