The Favored Heiress
Chapter 341: The Association Leader in Parma?

Chapter 341: Chapter 341: The Association Leader in Parma?

Lu Xiheng’s gaze lingered on Li Qiao for quite some time, indeed, it was rare to see a girl who was charming without being vulgar, and stunning without being demonic.

Especially with the hint of allure hidden in the arch of her eyebrows, yet buried under a veil of aloofness—provocative, yet not to be defiled lightly.

Such a beauty was indeed beyond Shang Lu’s fortune to enjoy.

Considering his illness, his brothers had long discussed setting up a fund to provide for his retirement.

There was an obvious amazement in Lu Xiheng’s eyes as he reluctantly shifted his gaze back to Tang Yiting beside him, and inexplicably felt that his equally beautiful cousin... seemed to have become quite bland in comparison.

He nudged Tang Yiting with his elbow, furrowing his brows and asking, "Who exactly kidnapped you? Have you had conflicts with them before?"

Upon hearing this, Tang Yiting stiffened her neck and immediately responded with resentment, "It was a bartender at the bar. No prior conflicts, he must be insane."

She no longer wished to refer to Wen Shi as a bartender, clearly seeing him as a treacherous bastard.

Seeing that she was reluctant to elaborate, Lu Xiheng stopped pressing the matter.

A silent stillness spread throughout the living room.

Since Yun Lih was not acquainted with these people and couldn’t find any idle topics for conversation, he casually crossed his legs and glanced towards Li Qiao sitting opposite him.

Suddenly, their eyes met, and he covertly signaled her with his gaze. Li Qiao subtly lowered her eyes, as if she understood.

Having received her response, Yun Lih quietly stood up and left the living room.

And at the right moment, Li Qiao also bent down to whisper a few words in Shang Yu’s ear.

The man looked out the window in response, pursed his lips, and acknowledged, "Go ahead, but don’t go too far."

Li Qiao gave Huo Mang and the Lu brothers a nod of her head before leaving the living room.

In such a scene, Lu Xiheng looked around and then pulled Tang Yiting by the wrist, suggesting, "Come on, let’s take a stroll around big brother’s estate."

Tang Yiting readily agreed, following Lu Xiheng as he stood up and couldn’t help but feel that this group was shrouded in mystery.

But she didn’t dare to ask.

Because a big shot’s friends are definitely also big shots, full of secrets.

...

In the living room, Shang Yu lit a cigarette and tossed the pack across the coffee table.

Huo Mang picked it up, was about to place a cigarette in his mouth, when he heard Lu Xirui inquire, "Is that also a friend of Miss Li?"

At this moment, Lu Xirui’s gaze was intently fixed on a corner of the garden outside the window.

In his view, Li Qiao and Yun Lih were strolling side by side along the path, their demeanor casual, seemingly very familiar with each other.

Shang Yu took a drag from the cigarette between two fingers and spoke with a slightly husky voice, tinged with the smoke, "Mmm, her friend, Yun Lih."

"Yun Lih?" Huo Mang twisted his mouth to exhale smoke, pondering for a moment, "I seem to have heard that name somewhere before?"

Considering this, Huo Mang turned back to look out the window once again.

Given what had happened before, he would not dare to question Li Qiao’s capabilities again.

The man might have been dressed in a simple shirt and trousers, but some people you only need to glance at once to know they are extraordinary, whether through their presence or mannerisms.

Yun Lih was one such person.

Not only was Huo Mang curious, but even Lu Xirui furrowed his brows, appearing to be deep in thought.

Seeing this, Shang Yu leaned forward to tap off the ash from his cigarette and clarified in a solemn voice, "Mercenary Group, Yun Lih."

Huo Mang’s movements paused, a look of surprise flitted across his eyes, then he shook his head with a wry smile, "No wonder, so he’s the boss of the Mercenary Group."

Lu Xirui gazed deeply at the retreating figure of Yun Lih, retracted his gaze, and once again earnestly praised, "Your Miss Li is indeed extraordinary."

In the time it took to smoke a cigarette, Huo Mang blew away the white mist floating around him and squinted at Shang Yu, "What happened last night? I heard you mobilized three armed helicopters from the Parma Military overnight. Was the abduction really that serious?"

Shang Yu shook his head with an unfathomable expression, his thin lips slightly parted as he said, "His target was me."

"Who did it?" Lu Xirui demanded, a stern look on his face. Although his relationship with the South Sea Tang Family was only average, they were still distant relatives.

The method of abduction was just too despicable.

Shang Yu’s Adam’s apple bobbed, and a fierce look crystallized in the depths of his eyes, "The thirteen expelled collateral branches."

...

Meanwhile, Li Qiao and Yun Lih were taking a walk around the flower garden.

A breeze carrying the scent of flowers brushed across her cheeks, and Li Qiao slowed her pace, "Do you mean to say that the association leader is in Parma?"

Yun Lih adjusted his collar and looked back at her, pursing his lips and nodding, "Yes, within the International Club, only the association leader has SSS-level security clearance."

"How coincidental..." Li Qiao murmured, her clear black-and-white eyes resting on a tulip. After thinking it over, she asked, "Do you think anyone outside of the International Club’s core members has seen the ICC system?"

The reason for her question was that something had suddenly occurred to her.

Without a second thought, Yun Lih answered, "Impossible. The number of core members is limited, and the ICC system itself is an internal core communication tool.

If just anyone could see the system, then the International Club wouldn’t need to exist."

The ICC is a system exclusive to the International Club, off-limits to non-core members, let alone others.

At that moment, hearing Yun Lih’s response, Li Qiao’s eyes lowered halfway, sparkling with sharp intelligence.

In her mind, she recalled such a scene.

That day at the South Sea Mansion, when she showed the data from the ICC system to Shang Yu, he recognized the system at a glance.

Now they had come to Parma, and the association leader’s account had suddenly come online last night.

Could the association leader be... him?

Unaware of Li Qiao’s reaction, Yun Lih strolled forward with his hands behind his back, murmuring, "The association leader has been elusive these years, never appearing in the system.

This sudden online presence in Parma is utterly baffling. That’s why I plan to stay here for a few days to observe, to see if he will log in again."

Li Qiao said nothing, still pondering certain possibilities on her own.

If Shang Yu truly was the association leader, then his appearance at the suburban training base last night seemed... quite reasonable.

The Lincoln car had been fitted with an electromagnetic jammer, and as it moved away from the urban area, the interference signal would grow stronger.

And it was precisely through the system’s last known location that Yun Lih had found her.

So Shang Yu... it wasn’t out of the realm of possibility.

Li Qiao’s heart was beating a little faster, and as her eyes moved, a faint smile reflected in them.

Given the chance, she would want to ask him.

Just then, Yun Lih unexpectedly caught the slight curl of Li Qiao’s lips. His mood lifting, he quirked an eyebrow and nudged her with his shoulder, "Go ahead and laugh if you want to. You must be thrilled that I’m staying here for a few days!"

Li Qiao: "??"

She glanced at Yun Lih with an indescribable expression, reining in her faint smile and sighing, "I heard that last night, the Sixth Bureau found some information. The ’Intelligence Dog’ told me before he left that he had briefed you on it."

Yun Lih straightened his face, his gaze deep as he looked ahead, relaying the message, "The person who abducted your sisters is named Shang Shi, the original heir to the Shang family’s thirteenth collateral branch."

Li Qiao abruptly stopped, her expression turning frosty, "Shang Shi?"

Indeed, a surprising name and origin.

After returning last night, she had been with Tang Yiting the whole time and hadn’t had the opportunity to inquire about the details.