The Tycoon's Mysterious Darling Wife
Chapter 242. Looking for (One More Update)

Chapter 242: 242. Looking for (One More Update)

Outside the tiny black room, a woman with a scar on her face looked angrily at the images on the screen, "This woman is simply a monster; she has been in there for six days and yet shows not the slightest sign of abnormality."

In the eyes of an Eastern man, however, there was a hint of admiration. Speaking of which, Shen Qinglan’s willpower among the women he had met was absolutely top-notch. The woman by his side had been unable to endure after five days when locked in the tiny black room, but Shen Qinglan’s current condition suggested that even if she were to be confined for several more days, her mental state would still be untroubled.

What these people didn’t know was that when Shen Qinglan was thirteen, she had been punished by Allen for a misdeed and locked in the tiny black room, not released until after half a month. And even then, it was Allen who had decided to let her out, not because Shen Qinglan had mentally collapsed.

Shen Qinglan had gone over everything she could think of and gradually her mind had become a blank slate. Once more, she closed her eyes; she was getting sleepy.

"What do we do now, just keep her locked up? This method seems to be completely useless on her," the woman paced back and forth in irritation.

"Heh, truly Fu Hengyi’s woman, not bad, not bad," said KING, who had entered unnoticed, as he admired the screen.

Upon seeing KING, the Eastern man respectfully greeted him, "Boss."

The woman immediately toned down her irritation and stood quietly to the side without speaking.

"Keep her confined; I really want to see how long she can last, to see if she can surprise me," KING said before turning to leave.

"Yes," the Eastern man replied.

Before KING walked out, he glanced over at Anna, who was trying to make herself inconspicuous in the corner, "Anna, come out with me."

Anna’s expression changed slightly, "Yes," and she followed KING.

**

At the Special Forces Base of Z country, Fu Hengyi remained outside the leader’s office, waiting for the decision-making inside.

"Fu Hengyi, come in," the leader called.

Fu Hengyi entered the office, facing the grim look on the leader’s face. The leader stared at him firmly, "Fu Hengyi, if you’re going to attempt a rescue, then this mission will be strictly a personal act. You can’t bring anything that could prove your identity, not even weapons. We won’t provide you with any; everything must be prepared by yourself. If you’re captured, you cannot divulge any state secrets, and you’ll have no backup. With these conditions, do you accept?"

Fu Hengyi saluted, "Thank you, Leader."

The leader patted his shoulder and sighed, "Hengyi, be careful and come back alive."

"Yes."

Fu Hengyi had just left the leader’s office when he saw Mu Liancheng and several others.

"What are you doing here?" Fu Hengyi asked sternly.

Mu Liancheng spoke up, "Captain, we’ve already heard about Sister-in-law’s situation, and we want to join you in the rescue."

"This matter doesn’t require your involvement. This is desertion. Get back to the Beijing Military Region right now."

Mu Liancheng didn’t move, "Captain, Sister-in-law became a target of BK because of us. It’s too dangerous for you to go alone. Let Meng Liang go back; I’ll go with you."

"No, I’m going too," Meng Liang interjected.

Fu Hengyi’s gaze scanned over their youthful faces, softening his eyes, "I appreciate your good intentions, but this operation is my personal action, and you don’t need to get involved."

"Captain, we understand what this operation means, we are soldiers, but we are also your brothers, and we can’t just sit by and watch you take risks alone. Besides, one more person means one more hope," Mu Liancheng said earnestly.

"Yeah, Captain, take us with you. If you don’t bring us now, we will still end up going by ourselves." By then, it wouldn’t just be a simple case of leaving our posts without permission.

Fu Hengyi looked at the brothers before him and, ultimately, nodded his head in the face of their earnest gazes.

Zhang Wei was left at the Beijing Military Region by Mu Liancheng, and accompanying Fu Hengyi were only Mu Liancheng, Meng Liang, and Qian Fei.

Before leaving the base, everyone left all their identity-related items behind in the base. Standing at the base’s main gate, they took a deep look at the base—this departure could mean that they may never return.

**

Han Yi rushed to Xinluo City after receiving Fu Hengyi’s call and found Yu Xiaoxuan in the hospital that Fu Hengyi had mentioned, just having had her stomach pumped and moved into a ward.

Yu Xiaoxuan was now unconscious, watched over by Cissily. Upon seeing Han Yi arrive, Cissily left—she had more important matters to attend to.

Han Yi finally felt his heart settle back into place upon seeing Yu Xiaoxuan. Holding her hand, he buried his face in her palm.

Yu Xiaoxuan, thankfully you’re still alive.

Han Yi didn’t know how he felt when he saw Wu Qian’s body. At that moment, it was as if he saw Yu Xiaoxuan lying in a pool of blood.

He couldn’t believe it. If that really had been Yu Xiaoxuan, he didn’t know what he would have done.

"Xiaoxuan, you have no idea how scared I am of losing you," Han Yi said softly, his eyes unblinkingly fixed on Yu Xiaoxuan.

Yu Xiaoxuan awoke an hour later. As soon as she opened her eyes and saw Han Yi, she immediately grabbed his hand, "Hurry, go save Qinglan, she has been taken away, and so has Ya Xi, they were taken away."

Yu Xiaoxuan retained a sliver of consciousness when Shen Qinglan and Ya Xi were being taken away.

Han Yi’s expression changed slightly, "Taken away by whom?"

"Three men, one with an Eastern face, two with Western faces. They weren’t speaking English, and I don’t know where they’ve taken Qinglan and Ya Xi, but it’s not money they’re after." Having just had her stomach pumped, Yu Xiaoxuan was very weak and spoke with little strength.

"Don’t worry for now, just rest up. I will contact Hengyi right away; he will definitely have a way to save them," Han Yi comforted her, and under Yu Xiaoxuan’s urging gaze, he dialed Fu Hengyi’s number. But the phone showed it was out of service area, so Han Yi had to call Shen Junyu.

Shen Junyu was having lunch with Wen Xiyao. Hearing this, his face changed drastically, "What did you say, Lanlan has been kidnapped?"

Hearing this, Wen Xiyao put down her knife and fork and looked at Shen Junyu. Shen Junyu continued listening to Han Yi on the phone, his face growing increasingly grim. After hanging up,

"Xi Yao, Lanlan is in trouble, I can’t stay to eat with you now. Some other time," he said.

Wen Xiyao stood up, "Wait for me, I’ll go with you."

Shen Junyu nodded. The two hurried out of the restaurant, and Shen Junyu, taking Wen Xiyao with him, rushed straight to the Shen Family. On the way, he called Shen Qian. The matter was already known to Shen Qian, who was discussing rescue strategies with his superiors. This was his daughter, his only daughter; he couldn’t just stand by and do nothing.

At home, Chu Yunrong and Old Sir Shen were yet uninformed, and even Old Sir Fu was kept in the dark. The elderly couldn’t take the shock.

"Jun Yu, you should go home now and keep the two old gentlemen calm," Shen Qian instructed. "Make sure they don’t find out that Hengyi has already set off to rescue them. You have to keep it from the family."

Shen Junyu’s face turned frightfully cold. Worried that he might get into trouble, Wen Xiyao insisted on not letting him drive. When they got home, Old Sir Shen was taking a nap, apparently still unaware of the incident, and Chu Yunrong was watering the flowers. She was delighted to see Wen Xiyao, "Xi Yao, what brings you here?"

Wen Xiyao said with a smile, "Auntie, I was free this afternoon and thought of having tea with you. I happened to run into Jun Yu, so we came over together."

"Having tea sounds great. What tea would you like to drink? I’ll make it for you. Qinglan just brought back two cans of fine tea a couple of days ago. You should try them."

"Sure." Wen Xiyao stepped forward to take Chu Yunrong’s arm, then she gave Shen Junyu a meaningful look.

Shen Junyu spoke up, "Mom, I have some business back at the company, so I have to go. I might not come back for dinner tonight. Let Xi Yao keep you company."

Chu Yunrong gave Shen Junyu a look, "It’s rare for Xi Yao to come over, and you can’t even stay to have dinner with us. Are you really that busy?"

"Auntie, Jun Yu really does have important things to deal with today. Isn’t it nice to have me keep you company?" Wen Xiyao quickly interrupted Chu Yunrong.

"Of course, how could it not be nice? I’m more than happy to have you here. Tonight, I’ll have Sister-in-law Song make your favorite four-happiness meatballs." Chu Yunrong patted Wen Xiyao’s hand, clearly pleased.

Seeing that Chu Yunrong had been led away, Shen Junyu promptly left. He needed to find Fu Hengyi, but still couldn’t get through to him on the phone. Remembering Han Yi’s words that Shen Qinglan had been taken away from Xinluo City, he hurried to the airport and bought a ticket for the next flight to Xinluo City.

After leaving the base, Fu Hengyi met up with Andre and the others. Somehow Andre had secured a helicopter, and they boarded it.

"Captain, who are they?" Mu Liancheng asked, eyeing Andre and Jin Enxi.

"We are Qinglan’s friends, and we are going to help you rescue Qinglan. We are more familiar with the Quansan area than you are. With us, it will be much easier to find people," Jin Enxi explained.

Despite having many questions, Mu Liancheng said nothing. If Fu Hengyi chose to trust them, he had to trust them as well.

Suddenly, Fu Hengyi’s phone buzzed with a message notification. He looked at it, and his expression changed instantly, with a bone-chilling murderous intent emanating from his body. The others in the helicopter turned to look at him.

"Go faster!" Fu Hengyi shouted at the pilot in the cockpit.

Jin Enxi snatched Fu Hengyi’s phone to look and felt her heart sink. The screen displayed a bloody photo of Shen Qinglan.

Jin Enxi clenched her fists tightly, staring at Shen Qinglan on the phone screen, her body trembling slightly, bursting with anger.

Andre patted her shoulder, signaling her to calm down.

Mu Liancheng and the others had also seen the photo, and everyone’s faces turned grim.

The helicopter landed in Xinluo City, where Eden and Cissily appeared before them. Mu Liancheng did not recognize Cissily, but Meng Liang did. Seeing the international supermodel appear here, the shock and surprise in his eyes were unmistakable. Especially when he saw Cissily pulling out an assortment of weapons from the trunk of the car to hand to them—not only Meng Liang but even Mu Liancheng found the sight quite odd.

He knew these people were friends of Shen Qinglan, but what the hell were they to be able to bring out top-notch weapons of the world and handle them with such skill?

Fu Hengyi checked the Desert Eagle that Eden handed him, raising an eyebrow. Cissily glanced at him and whistled, "Handsome, I know I’m beautiful, but you don’t have to stare at me like that. I’m taken."

It was meant to be a joke, but no one in the vicinity was in the mood for laughter. Cissily looked at Jin Enxi with puzzlement.

Jin Enxi showed Cissily the photo, and Cissily’s face immediately darkened, "Those bastards, I’ll wipe them out."

Eden stared intently at the photograph, his eyes a pitch black void.

Although it was said to be just an individual act, when they crossed the border, the authorities still turned a blind eye, pretending not to see the helicopter. Thus, Fu Hengyi and his companions successfully left Z country.

Upon arriving at Quansan, the helicopter touched down on a platform. As Fu Hengyi’s group disembarked, they saw a black man waiting there. While they were puzzled, they saw Eden step forward and embrace the man.

"These are my friends, and this is my friend Ryan. Ryan is the leader of KA."

KA was one of the armed forces in Quansan, powerful enough to rank in the top five amidst the complex relationships there. Its main business was arms smuggling, and it had close ties with the MD military.

In Quansan, there was no clear-cut black and white. Various powers intermingled, and friends and foes could change in the blink of an eye. There were no permanent friends or enemies, only permanent interests. This saying was perfectly exemplified in Quansan.

Eden’s acquaintance with Ryan also stemmed from a coincidence three years ago.

It was the most tumultuous year within KA, when the old leader was killed by an opposing force and his body was left unclaimed in the streets. With no new leader born, everyone had their sights set on that piece of fat meat, and the once-unified KA instantly splintered into several small groups, with Ryan leading one of them.

In a bid to ascend to the leader’s throne, assassinations were ceaseless. As Ryan cautiously guarded against his own people, he ultimately fell victim to the one closest to him. Although he survived, he was severely injured and hunted down.

At the time, Eden happened to be entrusted to rescue someone and came across the dying Ryan, saving him on a whim, which led to an unforeseen bond.

Once his injuries healed, Ryan met alone with MD military officials who had previous dealings with KA. He struck a deal with them, and with their covert support, he unified KA and expanded its power over three years.

Ryan’s face bore an amiable smile as he greeted everyone. Cissily and her companions didn’t feel any discomfort; after all, they were figures from the underworld.

Cissily teasingly looked at Fu Hengyi.

Fu Hengyi ignored Cissily’s expectant gaze, shaking hands with Ryan and exchanging pleasantries. Although he was extremely anxious inside, no signs of it showed on Fu Hengyi’s face. Only Mu Liancheng and a few others who knew him well could discern his occasional frown as a sign of his inner turmoil.

Eden explained the purpose of their visit after following Ryan to his place.

"Eden, I would definitely help you with your matter, but I haven’t received any news about King in Quansan recently. Let me check it out and get back to you."

"Thank you, Ryan, but An is a very important partner of mine, and I must rescue her no matter what!"

Ryan expressed his understanding and immediately gave out orders.

Fu Hengyi and his group temporarily stayed with KA.

"Captain, just who exactly are Eden and his companions?" Back in their room, Meng Liang couldn’t help but ask. He had been holding back the entire day. From the moment they met Andre, this question lingered in his mind.

"Remember, our current identity is not that of soldiers." Fu Hengyi didn’t specify who they were but simply said that.

Everyone there was no fool and understood his meaning, nodding in acknowledgment.

"Let’s rest well tonight." Fu Hengyi said and lay down on the bed. He closed his eyes but couldn’t fall asleep, his mind filled with the image of Shen Qinglan.

**

Nancheng Yan Family.

Yan Anbang rarely had a rest at home today and was having his meal when Zhao Jiaqing rushed in. His face immediately darkened, "What are you doing here? Haven’t I told you not to come here?"

Zhao Jiaqing ignored Yan Anbang’s cold face, "Where’s Ya Xi?"

"Isn’t Ya Xi with you?"

"Ya Xi is missing," Zhao Jiaqing said.

Yan Anbang’s face changed, "How could Ya Xi be missing?"

Knowing that Ya Xi had not returned, Zhao Jiaqing didn’t bother to answer Yan Anbang’s question and was about to leave when Yan Anbang grabbed her, "Zhao Jiaqing, you give me a clear explanation, where did Ya Xi go?"

"Let me go, I have to look for Ya Xi," Zhao Jiaqing struggled. She had just realized something was wrong today. The day before yesterday, Yan Shengyu had said he was going to pick up Ya Xi, but he returned alone. When she asked him, he only mentioned that Ya Xi had gone traveling with friends for a few days to a mountainous area with poor signal, and that it was inconvenient to get in touch — he personally saw Ya Xi off into the car.

Yan Shengyu was always cautious with his affairs, and Zhao Jiaqing trusted him. Since he said so, she had no suspicions, remembering how Ya Xi kept saying she wanted to visit Country D, and had been prepared to take Ya Xi abroad for a few days once she returned.

Yesterday, Zhao Jiaqing noticed Yan Shengyu was always distracted. When she pressed him for answers, he said he was just tired from work. It wasn’t until today, after persistent questioning, that she found out Ya Xi had been missing for three to four days.

Zhao Jiaqing felt the world go dark, almost fainting on the spot.

"Zhao Jiaqing, how exactly do you take care of your daughter? You can’t even keep an eye on a living person," Yan Anbang’s face was full of anger. Zhao Jiaqing, anxious about her daughter, couldn’t bother to argue with him. She had already contacted Ya Xi’s classmates in Beijing, and they all said they hadn’t seen Ya Xi, which is why she came to Nancheng to try her luck.

"Zhao Jiaqing, you better pray nothing has happened to Ya Xi, otherwise I won’t let this slide," Yan Anbang dropped the statement.

"Yan Anbang, Ya Xi is my daughter too. More than you, I am worried about her safety," Zhao Jiaqing said, then turned and left immediately.

Just as Yan Anbang was about to leave, he ran into Qin Yan. Seeing his angry expression, Qin Yan couldn’t help but ask, "Anbang, what’s wrong?"

Seeing that it was her, Yan Anbang softened his expression, "Ya Xi is missing."

Qin Yan’s face changed, "Did she go out to play with her classmates?"

Yan Anbang shook his head; he didn’t know the situation. Zhao Jiaqing hadn’t mentioned how exactly Ya Xi had gone missing.

Qin Yan comforted him, "Don’t panic now, maybe she just went to play with her classmates. It’s normal for kids to play around and forget to contact their parents."

"Alright, I will first find out what’s going on," Yan Anbang was more inclined to believe that Ya Xi had a conflict with Zhao Jiaqing and ran away from home. Wasn’t it like this last time?

"Maybe she’s hiding in a hotel somewhere. Ya Xi is spoiled by her mother and is very willful, running away from home at the slightest provocation. The last time, she even ran off to Beijing on her own," Yan Anbang sighed. He was originally going to leave, but he stayed home because of Qin Yan’s arrival.

"Ya Xi is still young, it’s normal for her to be a bit capricious. Wait until she grows up a little, and she’ll be fine. Don’t worry, try calling Ya Xi first," Qin Yan consoled him.

Yan Anbang’s eyes lit up, having been so worried he had forgotten about it.

He picked up his phone to call Ya Xi, but the call displayed that her phone was turned off. He frowned, "It’s turned off."

Right at that moment, a message came into his phone. When he opened it, to his shock, it was a photo of Ya Xi tied up.

In total, there were two photos: one showed Ya Xi bound, her eyes wide with terror; the other displayed Ya Xi locked in a dimly lit room.

Yan Anbang’s expression was ugly as he glared at his phone screen, "Who is it, who did this?"

Qin Yan frowned, "What’s wrong, Anbang? What happened?"

Yan Anbang handed her the phone. Qin Yan took it and glanced at the screen, her complexion turning ashen instantly, "How could this happen... Ya Xi, she... Who sent this?"

Yan Anbang wanted to know who had sent it as well. He took back the phone and dialed a string of numbers. After hanging up, there was no relief in Yan Anbang’s expression.

"Yanyan, you go home first. I have some matters to deal with here."

Qin Yan nodded, "Alright, if there’s any news about Ya Xi, remember to inform me, or I’ll worry."

"Okay." Yan Anbang nodded and drove off immediately. He had checked earlier; the number that sent the message was a network number, and there was no way to trace the source.

He didn’t know what these people wanted by kidnapping Ya Xi, whether it was a reminder, a warning, or... retaliation.

Due to Shen Qinglan’s incident, Jin Enxi and her group left Beijing in a hurry, completely forgetting about Xu Nuo’s existence. Xu Nuo was left in the villa’s basement, wounded all over, without food or water. She tried to get out, but the door was locked with iris recognition, making it impossible to leave.

After many attempts, Xu Nuo finally had to give up. She lay on the ground, completely abandoning the hope of survival. Looking at the cold basement, her smile was ironic. She once thought she would die on a mission, yet she never expected to die in such a suffocating way.

As time trickled away, she felt her life ebbing with it. She gradually closed her eyes. In her hazy consciousness, she seemed to hear the sound of the door opening, footsteps approaching. She opened her eyes and looked towards the door, straining to see who was coming.

The lights turned on, and she instinctively closed her eyes. When she opened them again, she saw a familiar figure silhouetted against the light. A glint of light flashed in her eyes, and a slight smile formed on her lips, "It’s good, Allen. I didn’t expect to see you just before dying." Although it was only an illusion, it was enough for her.

"Thinking about dying? It’s not that easy," a hoarse and ugly voice reached Xu Nuo’s ears.

The smile on Xu Nuo’s lips deepened, "I didn’t expect even hallucinations to feel so real now."

Allen looked down at the woman on the ground, his face gloomy, "Take her away."

Two men emerged from behind Allen, pulling Xu Nuo up from the ground. Xu Nuo finally realized that everything was not an illusion—Allen had really come to save her.

"Al... Master, it’s really you," Xu Nuo said, her eyes shining.

But Allen looked at her as if she were already dead and walked out first.

Allen took Xu Nuo and left the villa straight away, getting into the car waiting outside. Xu Nuo was thrown into the back of another car, where Peter was sitting.

"Don’t let her die," Allen said coldly. Xu Nuo’s eyes lit up. She had never thought Allen would come to save her. Did that mean Allen actually had some feelings for her?

Peter gave Xu Nuo a sympathetic glance. If he were Xu Nuo, he would rather choose to die right then.

Allen did not stay in Beijing. He headed straight for the airport, where his private plane was waiting. With Xu Nuo, the group left Beijing and returned to his estate abroad.

Peter administered emergency treatment to Xu Nuo’s wounds and injected her with nutrient fluids. Xu Nuo’s life was finally pulled back from the brink of death.

As the plane landed at the destination, a man brought Xu Nuo down from the plane. Allen, watching her, said coldly, "Throw her into the Beast Cage."

The man supporting Xu Nuo’s frozen expression flashed with fear, and any hint of color drained completely from Xu Nuo’s already pale face, "Master, what have I done wrong?"

"I told you that without my order, you may not act on your own. You defied my command—now, are you ready to pay the price?"

Xu Nuo instantly knew that Allen was aware of what she had done. "Master, please give me another chance. I know I was wrong. I’ll accept any punishment; just please don’t send me to the Beast Cage," Xu Nuo pleaded.

The Beast Cage was a place akin to hell. These so-called ’cages’ involved placing a human who had also been drugged with powerful aphrodisiacs into a cage with wild beasts like tigers, lions, and Tibetan Mastiffs.

This was the most cruel and terrifying punishment at the Devil Base. Xu Nuo had once witnessed someone who had made a mistake being thrown by Allen into a Beast Cage. They were ravaged by the wild beasts and then bitten to death; the manner of dying was so horrific that even thinking about it sent chills down her spine.

She would rather be shot dead than choose such a death.

"Lock her up. If one isn’t enough, use two," Allen said coldly, unmoved by Xu Nuo’s pleas.

"Master, I beg you, please don’t," Xu Nuo struggled, but with her body covered in wounds and having been starved for so many days, she was lucky to even be alive, let alone break free.

"Wait." A gentle female voice rang out as the woman stepped out of the car. She had just arrived and saw the scene of Allen ordering Xu Nuo to be taken to the Beast Cage.

"Allen, it’s true that Xu Nuo acted on her own this time, but please, for my sake, let her off just this once. I assure you there won’t be a next time," the woman walked up to Allen and said.

Allen looked coldly at the woman in front of him whose appearance was well-maintained, and who wore a gentle, shallow smile. "Your face? Hah, I wasn’t aware when your face got so big."

The woman’s expression changed, "Allen, don’t forget how your father really died. Even if Xu Nuo acted on her own, she was dealing with the enemy’s daughter—what’s wrong with that?"

Allen’s gaze remained icy as he regarded the woman, "I haven’t forgotten how my father died, but you shouldn’t forget either—Xu Nuo is mine. How I choose to punish her is none of your business."

"She’s still my daughter," the woman emphasized.

"Let me remind you, from the day you handed Xu Nuo over to me, she stopped being your daughter. Whether I let her live or die is up to me, and you have no right to interfere. Don’t think I don’t know you’re the one pulling the strings. This time, for the sake that you were once my father’s woman, I will not hold you accountable. But if there’s a next time, you might just go join my father."

The woman grew enraged, "Allen, if you insist on this, then I’ll call KING right now and have him kill Shen Qinglan immediately."

"You dare!" Allen snatched a Q from the waist of someone beside him, pointing it at the woman.

The woman smiled gently, "Allen, feel free to see if I dare."

Allen didn’t dare to test her. This woman was a lunatic, even crazier than he was. In the past, he could contend with KING and had the standing to negotiate. But now, without any leverage, it was this woman who was intricately connected with KING over the years.

"I can do you a favor, but while the death penalty is off the table, she cannot escape punishment entirely," Allen put down the Q, gave Xu Nuo a chilling glance, and walked into the villa.

The woman watched Allen leave, then turned to look at Xu Nuo with a cold gaze, "Worthless. You can’t even handle this simple task."

Xu Nuo pressed her lips together, her head bowed in silence.

"Consider this the last time I save you," the woman said icily.

Xu Nuo was taken away, and as for the punishment she’d receive, the woman didn’t even inquire. Today she had already angered Allen enough; if she intervened further, she feared that given Allen’s temperament, Xu Nuo wouldn’t escape death.

The woman took out her phone and called KING, "KING, it’s me. Is Shen Qinglan still alive?"

A smile played on KING’s lips, "Mrs. Jin, rest assured. I always keep my promises—Shen Qinglan won’t survive until tomorrow."

"No, I’ve changed my mind. I don’t want Shen Qinglan to die; I want to drive her mad. Whatever methods you use, just push her to the brink of insanity." She had only agreed with Allen not to let Shen Qinglan die, but hadn’t promised not to do anything else.

King chuckled, "Alright."

Before hanging up the phone, the woman cautioned, "Shen Qinglan is no simple woman. Don’t take her lightly, or don’t blame me if you end up at a disadvantage."

King clearly didn’t take the woman’s warning to heart. After hanging up, he looked at the screen which showed Shen Qinglan confined in a dark room.

"This woman is quite interesting," King said, stroking his chin, brimming with enthusiasm.

**

"What’s the situation, any news?" Eden looked at Ryan, anxiously asking.

Ryan looked back at Eden with an apologetic expression, "I’m sorry, my friend, I haven’t located King’s whereabouts, but they are indeed in Quansan right now."

This was as good as saying nothing. Eden couldn’t help but feel disappointed. "But still, thank you, Ryan."

"It’s I who should be apologizing, I guessed the right place, but wasn’t able to help. However, if you locate her, I can join in the rescue mission."

"Alright, thank you." After returning from Ryan, Eden explained the situation.

Fu Hengyi wore a stern expression, "Now, we have only one option left. We must search each and every place. Qinglan should have activated the location device by now. We will start from here and search inch by inch from south to north." Fu Hengyi pointed to a certain place on the map as he spoke.

It was a foolish method, but it was indeed the best one under the circumstances.

As days passed by, Fu Hengyi searched many places, and his wristwatch didn’t show any reaction, indicating that Shen Qinglan was not within their search range. On the fifth day, Ryan suddenly appeared.

"I have news." Ryan’s face was adorned with a smile, obviously bringing good tidings.

"My men have spotted BK operatives in the northern part. They should be in the north now." Ryan pointed to a place on the map. "This area is under the influence of UFT."

UFT was another armed faction in Quansan. Unlike KA, they were an opposition, often clashing with the MD officials, and their territory was a constant battlefield, very chaotic.

"I’ll investigate tonight," said Fu Hengyi.

"No, I should be the one to go," interjected Jin Enxi. "I’m a woman, less conspicuous and easier to approach."

No one objected, deciding to reconnoiter the situation that very night.

**

At the entrance of UFT’s rowdiest bar, a red sports car suddenly pulled up. A petite woman stepped out, wearing high heels, black stockings, a mini skirt, and bright red lips, with her golden blonde hair cascading down her back, the tips slightly curled.

Despite the doll-like face, she was dressed sophisticated and bewitching, creating a striking contrast that instantly attracted everyone’s attention. Men’s gazes lingered on the woman’s chest and face, whistling at her. This woman was none other than Jin Enxi, in charge of gathering intelligence.

Jin Enxi ignored the gazes of many men, approached the bar, and knocked on the counter, "Give me a ’Flaming Lips.’"