Chapter 291: The Chinese Stock God!

At the same time.

“Tesla’s stock price drops 47% in four days.”

“Tesla’s market value plummets by hundreds of billions.”

“The power of the female Tesla owner who sought justice.”

“500 million dollars, 60x leverage, shorting Tesla.”

“The Chinese Stock God makes over ten billion in four days!”

These Tesla-related topics quickly hit the trending searches, capturing the curiosity of countless netizens.

Perhaps the sheer scale of the billions involved was so shocking that while people expressed curiosity, their focus on Tesla as a whole also grew.

The so-called “Chinese Stock God” story was almost magical. Turning 500 million into billions in profit added an air of mystery to this figure.

“Is Tesla really in such bad shape? Just a few days, and it lost hundreds of billions!”

“Damn! Even if one Tesla car costs a million, hundreds of billions lost… What kind of concept is that? Unreal!”

“Haha! I’ve always said Tesla isn’t reliable! Those who didn’t believe me still flocked to their car shows like crazy!”

“Man, I just want to ask—those who bought Tesla stock, are they crying their eyes out now? This loss has got to bankrupt them!”

“That woman in Beijing who sought justice is incredible! She single-handedly caused Tesla to lose hundreds of billions! I’m calling her the ‘Billion-Dollar Warrior’!”

“Foreign companies with arrogant attitudes—get out of China! We don’t need these cars here!”

“This is a huge win! Let them keep their arrogance. We have plenty of better options at home!”

“The Stock God didn’t short enough! Should’ve used 100% leverage and taken Tesla down completely!”

“The Stock God is amazing! He predicted Tesla’s stock crash, used 500 million at 60x leverage to short it—crazy! A 47% drop means nearly 3,000% profit! Damn! That’s 15 billion! If converted to RMB, that’s over a hundred billion! Incredible!”

“Wait, so according to what you’re saying, could the Stock God be behind this? It’s hard to predict this perfectly without insider knowledge. Was that justice-seeking car owner just an actor hired by him?”

“Seriously? Listen to yourself! If you said the Tesla brake failures in China were the Stock God’s doing, I might believe it. But what about the same failures abroad? Was he behind those too?”

“…”

The heated debates online all revolved around Tesla.

Even celebrity gossip couldn’t compete, as the Tesla drama dominated the headlines.

However, netizens weren’t as focused on Tesla’s malfunction issues as they were on the Stock God’s legendary shorting maneuver.

Seeing the trending headlines, Han Xinyan was stunned.

No matter what she thought, she could never guess that the mysterious “Stock God” everyone was discussing was actually her husband—Shen Fei!

—

At Yunhe Mansion.

Despite staying up late the previous night, Shen Fei’s body clock woke him early as usual.

When he saw the trending headlines, Shen Fei’s mood soured slightly.

After all, he had always wanted to keep a low profile. As for the “Chinese Stock God” and this entire operation, everything had been conducted in secrecy.

He had no desire for others to know that he was the mastermind behind it all. If discovered, it would bring him endless trouble.

After finishing the breakfast lovingly prepared by Han Xinyan, Shen Fei called Hu Yuantai.

“Brother Fei!”

Hu Yuantai’s voice was full of excitement.

“Yuantai, seems like you’re in a good mood!” Shen Fei chuckled.

“Of course, Brother Fei! In less than a week, I’ve followed you and earned over ten billion! This is more thrilling than running my own company!” Hu Yuantai said joyfully.

After a brief pause, he continued, “Brother Fei, your 1.2 billion made over 30 billion. I’ll handle the withdrawal later—the account hasn’t changed, right?”

In fact, withdrawals came with transaction fees. But out of loyalty, Hu Yuantai and the others covered these costs willingly.

“Yeah, same account as before.”

After a moment of hesitation, Shen Fei shifted the topic and said softly,

“Yuantai, did you see the trending headlines? That whole ‘Chinese Stock God’ thing… You don’t think anyone will trace it back to us, do you?”

“Huh? Yeah, I saw it! But don’t worry, Brother Fei! This kind of thing won’t lead back to us. When I set up the 60x leverage, I made some preparations. Exposure would bring trouble not just for you, but for us as well. But even if we’re exposed, I’d never give you up!” Hu Yuantai promised earnestly.

“Even if they investigate, they’d never guess it was me,” Shen Fei said helplessly.

Hearing this, Hu Yuantai paused, slightly stunned.

Shen Fei was right.

Even so, Hu Yuantai reassured him, “Brother Fei, it’s just 500 million. The authorities have better things to do. Even if they investigate, they won’t find us. Don’t worry about it!”

“Alright. Still, even though what we did was legal, there might be jealous people who try to sabotage us. Better to stay cautious,” Shen Fei replied solemnly.

“Understood!” Hu Yuantai agreed reluctantly.

“Alright, that’s enough for now.”

After hanging up, Shen Fei sat at the dining table, his heart calm, with none of the excitement one might expect after earning over 30 billion.

He closed his eyes to rest, thinking about his next move.

This Tesla short-selling was a one-time deal.

He wouldn’t touch the stock market again. First, because future opportunities wouldn’t be as lucrative. Second, another major move might attract unnecessary trouble.

Thirty billion was more than enough.

With this, he now had the capital for the Lakefall Mountain auction.

The barbecue chain project “A Life Skewer” and Longguang Media’s gaming business were also progressing smoothly, with funds arriving soon—no need for his involvement.

As for the scar-healing ointment, the formula was secured, production was ready, and all that remained was to collect profits.

Everything was falling into place.

Thinking of this, Shen Fei smiled faintly.

“Next up, it’ll be time for high-tech ventures.”

With plans for the future racing through his mind, Shen Fei began considering potential talents and opportunities.

—

At the same time.

Across from the Windmill Kindergarten.

In a pavilion shaded by trees, a table was cluttered with takeout boxes and cigarette butts.

Smoke hung thickly in the air, suffocating anyone who inhaled it.

From behind the bushes, one could see the scenes unfolding inside the kindergarten.

“Ugh—”

A bald man exhaled a cloud of smoke.

“Can you stop smoking already? It’s choking me!”

A scar-faced man smacked the bald man’s head, visibly annoyed.

“I can’t help it! I can’t focus without smoking!”

The bald man rubbed his sore head, looking utterly aggrieved.

—————- END —————-

Chapter 292: It’s Our Turn to Act!

Hearing what the bald man said, the scarred man hesitated to speak. After a moment, he finally said with frustration:

“Look at you, all muscles and no use! A decorative vase at best!”

“Come on, boss, how can you say I’m weak? Besides, after we pull this job off, I’m going back to showering gifts on that streamer, Little Pineapple. I don’t believe it! If I throw enough money at her, she’ll come out to meet me!” the bald man said fiercely.

“Damn it! All you think about is the women in live streams! Do you think they’ll settle down and live with you? Idiot!” The scarred man shot him a glare.

“Boss, why are you always scolding me? You never know—if I have enough money, Little Pineapple might just come around. She’s really hot! Money makes anything possible!” the bald man insisted stubbornly.

“Second Brother, you waste your energy on the wrong things! You should focus where it matters, but instead, you’re all over the place!” The scarred man said, exasperated.

“Boss, come on, stop lecturing him. Second Brother is a lost cause—he’ll just end up taking over someone else’s mess,” the sixth man chimed in helplessly.

“Useless fool!” The scarred man roared, his already menacing face turning even more terrifying.

“Second Brother, have you forgotten how you screwed up the last robbery because you were too busy chasing women? I’m telling you—no more women for you! Don’t you understand how beauty ruins everything?”

Hearing this, the bald man sighed with resignation.

“Fine, fine, I get it! After this job is done, I’ll live a clean life and stay away from women!” he muttered impatiently, waving his hand.

When the bald man accidentally burned the scarred man with his cigarette, and seeing the latter about to lose his temper again, he quickly changed the topic.

“Boss, Sixth Brother, we’ve been sitting here for three days. When are we going to act? And why is it always the kid’s dad picking her up? If this doesn’t work, why don’t we just kidnap her dad? Wouldn’t that be easier?”

“Second Brother, do you even think before you speak? Kidnap the girl’s dad? Do you think he’s easier to control than the kid?” The scarred man was clearly annoyed.

“But we can’t just keep waiting! It’s always the dad—how long are we supposed to sit here?” The bald man grumbled before breaking into a sly grin. “Boss, maybe we should change our target. Why don’t we kidnap the kid’s mom instead? Rich people’s wives are usually gorgeous!”

This comment earned him another smack on the head.

“Are you an idiot? Kidnap the mom? You’d probably be doing the dad a favor! Sure, rich men’s wives are beautiful, but maybe he’s just waiting for an excuse to get rid of her!” The scarred man scolded him mercilessly.

“Damn it! How did I end up recruiting a fool like you back then? You’re nothing but dead weight!”

The bald man didn’t take the insult lightly. “Boss, that’s not fair! I’m always the first to step up when there’s a job to do! Besides, when you recruited me, you begged me to join! I’m as loyal as they come! Have you forgotten how I took those stabs for you?”

He lifted his shirt to show the scars on his back.

Seeing this, the scarred man fell silent, his anger fading.

“And don’t forget, Boss, when that guy chased you for harassing his wife, I was the one who saved your ass!” the bald man added with a sniffle, clearly aggrieved.

The scarred man grew even quieter.

“Alright, Second Brother, Boss was just trying to keep you in line. Don’t take it so personally! Think about it—if Boss didn’t care about you, why would he bring you in on this job? With fewer people, there’d be more money to go around, right?” Sixth Brother tried to mediate.

Hearing this, the bald man deflated.

“Alright, Boss, Second Brother, let’s stop bickering. According to Brother Li, while it’s usually the dad picking up the kid, the mom is bound to show up eventually. The weather looks good today—maybe we’ll get lucky!” Sixth Brother said, steering the conversation back on track.

“Sixth Brother, do you know the routes well?” the scarred man asked seriously.

“Don’t worry, Boss! Brother Li and I scouted the area thoroughly. The kid’s route home passes through a secluded area with no city surveillance. Once we grab her, we’ll hide out at that abandoned construction site nearby. Second Brother can drive around to throw off suspicion before meeting us there. Even if the police show up, they won’t have a clue!” Sixth Brother explained confidently.

After detailing the plan, he pulled out a bag from behind him and dumped several colorful masks onto the table.

“Boss, Second Brother, just in case, we’ll wear these when we grab the kid!” Sixth Brother said.

“I want the yellow one—it looks nice!” The bald man grabbed a yellow mask.

This earned him a hard kick from the scarred man.

“Pick a different color! Yellow is too flashy!”

The bald man, frustrated but resigned, tossed the yellow mask back and grabbed a pink one instead.

“Damn you—” The scarred man started but stopped mid-sentence, deciding it wasn’t worth the energy.

Suddenly, a phone rang, breaking the tension.

“It’s Brother Li,” Sixth Brother said in a low voice.

“You guys ready?” came a gruff voice from the phone.

“Not yet—we’re just getting ready!” Sixth Brother replied.

“I told you to be prepared already! Do you want to get rich or not? The kid’s mom showed up today in a Porsche—license plate SKH897. Remember it! School’s almost out!” Brother Li barked.

“Got it! We’re on it!”

Hanging up, Sixth Brother’s eyes lit up.

“Boss, Second Brother—it’s showtime!”

“Perfect!”

Hearing this, both the scarred man and the bald man sprang into action, their movements clumsy yet hurried.

This job was going to change their lives.

After quickly gathering their things, they sat in silence, waiting for the Porsche to appear.

—————- END —————-

Chapter 293: Snatching the Child!

At the Windmill Kindergarten.

Han Xinyan had no idea that her daughter, Shen Jiayue, had long been targeted by criminals.

Completely off guard, she happily carried the little girl into the car after picking her up.

Fifteen minutes later.

The Porsche drove into a remote and desolate area, with a construction site on the right.

Just then, a van suddenly appeared from behind.

It overtook the Porsche and abruptly stopped in front, forcing the car to halt.

Seeing this, Han Xinyan quickly reacted.

Fortunately, the car was not going too fast, so there wasn’t a serious collision.

Even so, by the time Han Xinyan regained her composure, she was still badly shaken.

From the back seat, Shen Jiayue, recalling a previous rear-end accident, began to wail uncontrollably.

“Yueyue, did I scare you? It’s okay, sweetie!”

A mother becomes strong for her child.

Without calming herself first, Han Xinyan turned toward the back seat to comfort her daughter.

“Mom… Yueyue is okay! Why did the car crash again…”

Shen Jiayue sobbed.

“Don’t be scared, Yueyue! It’s okay! Mommy will go deal with this. Sit here and wait for me.”

Seeing her daughter’s fearful look, Han Xinyan felt immense worry.

After wiping the tears from the little girl’s face, Han Xinyan looked toward the van in front with a heavy heart.

Taking several deep breaths to gather her courage, she pushed open the car door.

However, when she got out, no one from the van emerged.

Han Xinyan froze for a moment, then angrily marched forward.

Sudden Attack!

The van had swerved to block her path!

If not for her slow speed, the damage could have been far worse.

But even as she approached, no one stepped out.

Was this the attitude of someone causing an accident?

Just as Han Xinyan reached the van—

With a loud bang, the van’s door was violently pulled open.

Caught off guard, Han Xinyan was knocked down by the force.

At that moment, two men wearing dark hoods jumped out of the van.

Like rockets, they sprinted toward the Porsche.

“What are you doing?!”

Seeing this, Han Xinyan quickly stood up and tried to grab the two men.

Before she could reach them, another burly man in a pink hood emerged from the van and grabbed her.

“Damn, she smells good!”

A lewd voice came from beneath the hood.

“What do you want? Let me go! If you don’t let me go, I’ll scream for help!”

“Somebody help me! Please!”

“Yueyue! Yueyue is still in the car!”

Unable to move, Han Xinyan screamed in utter despair.

Nearby bystanders wanted to intervene.

But the man in the pink hood flexed his muscles and pulled out a baseball bat.

“Who’s tougher than this bat? Come try me! Go on!”

Faced with the man’s muscular build and the bat, the crowd, though wanting to help, dared not act.

Han Xinyan continued to cry for help.

Inside the Porsche.

Seeing her mother restrained, Shen Jiayue, who had just stopped crying, burst into tears again.

The car door was opened, and a man scooped her into his arms.

“Mommy! I want Mommy!”

“Let go of me! Mommy! Yueyue wants Mommy!”

As Shen Jiayue struggled, trying to reach her mother, the man holding her quickly covered her mouth and climbed back into the van.

“Boss, I want this woman! She’s so fragrant!”

The bald man in the pink hood inhaled deeply and spoke.

“Damn! Is this the time to think about women?! Shut up! Let her go and get ready to drive!”

If looks could kill, the bald man would have been dead a thousand times over!

The scar-faced man considered kicking him but restrained himself.

Before getting into the van, he coldly warned:

“Don’t call the police! Or we’ll kill the hostage! Follow our instructions. Once we get what we want, your child will be safely returned to you!”

With that, the scar-faced man slammed the van door shut.

The van sped off.

Seeing the van disappear into the distance, Han Xinyan wept bitterly.

“Yueyue! My Yueyue!”

With her daughter taken, Han Xinyan was in total panic.

Like a madwoman, she rushed back to the Porsche.

Just as she was about to start the car, she realized the keys were gone.

Even her phone had been taken.

“Damn it!!!”

The usually gentle Han Xinyan cursed in frustration.

Looking up toward the direction where the van disappeared, it was long gone.

She quickly got out of the car and stopped a passerby.

“Please, let me borrow your phone! Please!”

“Uh…”

The bystander, having witnessed the scene, quickly handed over the phone.

Han Xinyan took it and immediately called Shen Fei.

Her whole body was trembling, and she felt completely weak.

Her vision darkened as she clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms.

—

At Yunhe Villa.

Shen Fei answered the call with a puzzled expression.

“Shen Fei, Yueyue has been kidnapped! Yueyue has been kidnapped…”

Hearing Shen Fei’s voice, Han Xinyan’s emotions, which had been barely contained, erupted.

Hearing this, Shen Fei’s legs gave out, and he collapsed onto the marble floor.

The usually calm and composed Shen Fei spoke in a trembling voice.

“What did you say? Say it again!”

“Shen Fei, Yueyue was taken… It happened on Xiuzheng Road. It’s a bit remote. They blocked my car and took my keys and phone… They said not to call the police, or they’d kill her! What should I do? If something happens to Yueyue, I don’t want to live anymore!”

After explaining the situation to Shen Fei, Han Xinyan slumped onto the roadside, unable to hold herself up any longer.

“Don’t move from where you are. I’m coming right now! Yueyue will be fine! They kidnapped her because they want something. Is it money? Fine! No matter what it takes, I’ll bring Yueyue back safely! Don’t worry, Ayan!”

After hanging up, Shen Fei sat there, dazed.

Coming back to his senses, he quickly grabbed his car keys and rushed out the door.

Sitting in the car, Shen Fei took several deep breaths before slapping himself hard across the face.

This wasn’t anyone’s fault, not even Han Xinyan’s.

Having been given a second chance at life, his sole purpose was to protect his family.

But despite all precautions, he had still been careless.

What angered him even more was that Su Ruyan’s earlier plot against Tang Xingwen should have served as a warning.

Yet he had been too arrogant and had ignored it…

Damn it!!!

—————- END —————-

Chapter 294: Do Not Alert Them!

A black Mercedes sped out of the Yunhe Villa underground garage, ignoring red lights and roadside surveillance cameras. The car flew down the road, cutting through traffic as if nothing could stop it.

At the same time, Shen Fei made a call to Zhong Qi, the captain on duty at the Shenzhen police station.

“President Shen, it’s been a while! What brings you to me today?” Zhong Qi’s polite tone came through the phone.

Shen Fei didn’t waste any time with pleasantries. He cut straight to the point, “Captain Zhong, my daughter has been kidnapped!”

“What?!”

Zhong Qi, who had been casually relaxing in his office, fell off his chair in shock.

“President Shen, explain this clearly!”

“It happened just now, on Xiuzheng Road. My wife was picking up my daughter from school when those people forced her to stop and kidnapped my daughter. They threatened that if we call the police, they’ll harm her!” Shen Fei’s voice was cold and steady, despite the situation.

“Damn it!”

Zhong Qi climbed back to his feet, swearing under his breath. “Snatching a child in broad daylight? Are they out of their minds? President Shen, stay put! I’ll gather a team and get on this immediately. I’ve handled cases like this before, and I swear we’ll bring your daughter back safely!”

“Thank you, Captain Zhong,” Shen Fei replied sincerely.

After hanging up, Shen Fei called Jiang Tiancheng.

“Brother Fei, what’s wrong?” Jiang Tiancheng asked.

“Yueyue has been taken!” Shen Fei’s voice trembled slightly.

“What? Brother Fei, did you just say Yueyue has been kidnapped?” Jiang Tiancheng was stunned.

“Yes! It happened on Xiuzheng Road just now. Get all the resources we have and start searching! Yueyue’s safety is the top priority. She’s so young—if anything happens, I’ll never forgive myself. I don’t care what it costs—whether it’s money, or even the recipe for our scar cream—I’ll give whatever it takes to get her back safely!”

Shen Fei’s voice cracked with emotion, and tears welled in his eyes.

“Brother Fei, don’t worry. I’ll handle it right now!” Jiang Tiancheng said resolutely.

“Be careful! Don’t alert them. If they feel cornered, Yueyue will be in even more danger!” Shen Fei warned.

Realizing the gravity of the situation, Jiang Tiancheng’s tone turned serious. “Got it, Brother Fei. I understand!”

—

A Few Minutes Later.

On Xiuzheng Road, Han Xinyan sat collapsed on the ground, terrified and helpless. The kidnappers’ warning haunted her, preventing her from calling the police.

However, nearby witnesses who had seen the incident had already reported it.

“Miss, we’re officers from the Xiuzheng Road Precinct. We received a call about a child abduction. Is the child yours?” asked an older police officer who approached Han Xinyan.

“No! You can’t! They said they’ll kill her if we call the police!” Han Xinyan shook her head frantically, her face pale with fear.

The two officers exchanged a glance, unsure what to do.

Just then, a black G-Class Mercedes screeched to a halt.

“Shen Fei!”

Seeing him step out, Han Xinyan tried to stand, but her legs gave way. Thankfully, the two officers quickly supported her.

Shen Fei’s heart sank at the sight of her distress. He rushed over, picked her up, and held her tightly.

“Xinyan, don’t worry! I’ll handle this. Yueyue will be fine—I swear!”

“They said we can’t call the police, or Yueyue will be in danger! What do we do now?” Han Xinyan sobbed, her voice filled with guilt and desperation. “It’s my fault! I got out of the car to argue with them. If I hadn’t, they wouldn’t have had the chance to grab her! This could’ve been avoided. It’s all my fault!”

Her sobs grew louder, and tears streamed down her face.

“This isn’t your fault, Xinyan. You did everything you could. Those people were targeting us—they would’ve found another way eventually. Don’t blame yourself,” Shen Fei said softly, trying to comfort her.

“Mr. Shen, we’re officers from the local precinct—” one of the officers began, only to be cut off.

“Thank you both for responding so quickly,” Shen Fei said firmly. “But this situation is beyond your jurisdiction. I’ll handle it myself.”

The officers exchanged another glance. They understood the weight of Shen Fei’s words. Given his status and wealth, this matter would surely escalate to higher authorities.

“Understood, Mr. Shen,” one officer replied. “We’ll still keep an eye on things. If we find anything, you’ll be the first to know.”

“Thank you,” Shen Fei said with a faint smile. He added, “If you or your families ever need products from the Xinyue Group, you’ll always get the best discounts.”

The officers were taken aback by his generosity. Before they could respond, Shen Fei carried Han Xinyan to his car, started the engine, and sped off.

—

Meanwhile, at an Abandoned Construction Site.

At the end of Xiuzheng Road, in a desolate, overgrown area, the kidnappers had chosen this spot as their meeting place.

Scarface and Old Liu dragged little Shen Jiayue inside one of the dilapidated buildings. The bald man, meanwhile, was sent to ditch the van elsewhere to mislead any pursuers.

“Mommy! I want my mommy! Uncle, please let me go!” the little girl cried, tears streaming down her cheeks.

“Don’t worry. As long as your daddy behaves, we’ll let you go. But if he doesn’t, don’t blame us for being cruel,” Scarface said coldly.

Frightened by the man’s harsh tone and threatening glare, Shen Jiayue began wailing even louder.

Annoyed by the noise, Scarface growled, “Old Liu, didn’t you bring tape? Just tape her mouth shut!”

Old Liu quickly intervened, “Boss, don’t! She’s just a kid.”

Scarface hesitated, then nodded. He grabbed some tape and carefully bound Shen Jiayue’s mouth to silence her cries.

“Old Liu, when do you think we should call her father?” Scarface asked, lighting a cigarette and exhaling a cloud of smoke.

He glanced at Old Liu through the haze, a sinister smile on his face.

—————- END —————-

Chapter 295: Make Her Father Collect the Corpse!

The scar-faced man puffed on his cigarette while Old Six stepped back a few paces, unable to stand the smoke. After some thought, he smiled and said:

“Boss, I think two hours from now is the best time. Look, we just kidnapped the kid half an hour ago. Give it another half hour for Brother Li to return, and then wait a bit more. Once the family gets desperate, that’s when we call!”

Pausing for a moment, Old Six expressed his worry:

“My only concern now is Brother Li. You know his brain doesn’t work well. What if he screws something up again?”

Hearing this, the scar-faced man nodded in agreement but asked:

“Old Six, there’s one more thing. We don’t even have the kid’s father’s phone number. How do we call? We already threw away that woman’s phone…”

At this, Old Six looked speechless.

“Come on, boss, don’t forget what we’re after—the scar-healing ointment formula! Even if we don’t have the number, it’s on their official website. We’ll just call headquarters.”

“Ha! Old Six, you’re the clever one!” the scar-faced man praised, then switched topics, asking again:

“You think the kid’s parents will call the cops?”

“Boss, what do you think? We snatched someone in broad daylight! Even if they don’t call, those bystanders already did. By now, the whole city probably knows. But so what? We’re not scared. Once the deal’s done and we destroy the evidence, who could trace this back to us?” Old Six said confidently.

“Hahaha! You’re right, Old Six! Oh, and during the snatch, we didn’t leave any evidence, did we?” the scar-faced man asked.

Old Six closed his eyes slightly, smiling smugly:

“Shouldn’t have. You see, we were at the pavilion—out of the way, no cameras, no crowds. We even tidied up the spot before acting. Brother Li was on lookout too—there’s no way we left any trace.”

“That’s good to hear. If only you could pass a third of your brains to Brother Li, I wouldn’t have to work so hard!” The scar-faced man sighed, clearly frustrated about their bald companion.

“The only thing left now is to wait. But no matter what happens, we need to get that ointment formula quickly. This has to be swift and decisive,” the scar-faced man added.

“And if they refuse to cooperate?” Old Six asked.

“The kid’s in our hands—how could they refuse?” The scar-faced man’s gaze grew darker as he looked at the little girl, his tone turning vicious:

“If they refuse, we’ll just make her father collect her corpse!”

The words were as cold as ice.

Hearing this, little Shen Jiayue, who had finally been comforted, burst into tears again.

“But I think they’ll comply. If they hand over the formula before 5 a.m., we can negotiate. But if they don’t… then we’ll show them how serious we are. We won’t do anything that puts us at a disadvantage,” the scar-faced man continued.

“Understood, boss. You’re right!” Old Six immediately agreed.

The scar-faced man squinted at Shen Jiayue and said with malice:

“Kid, you better hope your dad cares enough about you. Otherwise, if something happens, blame him—not us.”

Old Six sighed helplessly, watching the scar-faced man’s cruelty.

—

At Yunhe Villa

Han Xinyan, utterly broken, was led home by Shen Fei. She sat on the sofa like a soulless puppet until she finally snapped back to her senses.

“Shen Fei, I’m sorry—it’s all my fault!” Her tears streamed down uncontrollably, like broken pearls.

Seeing this, Shen Fei’s heart ached.

He quickly tried to comfort her while her guilt was still manageable.

“Ayan, this isn’t your fault! If anyone’s to blame, it’s me. Right now, we need to focus on every possible clue. I’ve already contacted Captain Zhong and Tiancheng—he’s mobilizing all his contacts to help us. Yueyue will be fine!”

Shen Fei’s comforting words managed to calm Han Xinyan slightly, and she nodded absentmindedly.

Moments later, urgent knocking came at the door.

Shen Fei rushed to open it, revealing Zhong Qi, his face stern, accompanied by five police officers—both men and women.

“Mr. Shen, as per standard procedure, the kidnappers will likely contact you soon. These devices can help us trace their approximate location, but it’ll depend on how long the call lasts. Either way, we’ll do everything we can to help,” Zhong Qi said seriously.

“Understood!” Shen Fei replied, holding onto a shred of hope despite his doubts.

At Zhong Qi’s command, his team immediately began setting up their equipment.

Meanwhile, Jiang Tiancheng sprang into action as soon as he hung up the phone. He started contacting his connections and mobilizing every resource available.

The kidnappers’ van and the masked men—a brute and a skinny man—were now engraved into the minds of every influential figure in the city. Quietly, a massive manhunt began.

—

Back at the Abandoned Site

The gloomy unfinished building was dimly lit by a few flashlights. The scar-faced man and Old Six soon noticed a familiar figure approaching.

As the man drew closer, they realized it was the bald man—Brother Li.

“Boss, Old Six!” he called out.

The scar-faced man immediately looked up, irritated.

“Why are you back so late?”

Before Brother Li could answer, the scar-faced man noticed the plastic food bags in his hand.

“What the hell is that?”

“Boss, don’t get mad! I was worried you’d be hungry, so I took the liberty of buying some food on my way back. I even got your favorite duck neck!” Brother Li said, trying to please him.

Hearing this, the scar-faced man felt a vein in his forehead throb.

“Are you an idiot?! We’re fugitives! And you’re out buying snacks? Didn’t I tell you to ditch the car and come straight back? If someone spotted you, forget enjoying freedom—you’ll end up in a cell! Do you want to go to jail?”

His anger boiling over, the scar-faced man kicked Brother Li hard.

“I was just worried about you guys…” Brother Li muttered, clearly hurt and confused.

Seeing the situation escalate, Old Six quickly intervened.

“Second Brother, tell us what happened when you bought the food.”

Brother Li explained, “After ditching the car, I walked a bit, then took a bus. On the way, I passed a food street and bought the duck neck. Don’t worry—I wasn’t wearing the mask!”

The scar-faced man grew even angrier.

“You idiot! You’re a walking liability!”

Before another fight could break out, Old Six smoothed things over.

“Alright, enough, boss! Let’s just wait until it’s time to call the company.”