"Something big has happened, something truly big this time," Lu Shiyan exclaimed, his voice filled with panic. He was not usually one to get worked up, but his ashen face and trembling hands made it clear that something terrible had occurred.
"You've been talking for ages, but you haven't gotten to the point," Jia Yanzhen said, exasperated. It was a classic case of someone faltering at the crucial moment.
Lu Shiyan took a deep breath. "You guys need to call Bai Xiao quickly. Hurry... if you're too late, it'll be too late."
"Why don't you call him?" Jia Yanzhen retorted.
"I can't get through. I can't even reach him."
Lu Shiyan's tone was filled with helplessness. As soon as he finished speaking, Zhou Jinbai immediately dialed Bai Xiao's number. The call connected, but no one answered. Zhou Jinbai then called Liu Mengqin, but her phone was even more out of reach – it was switched off.
"Can't get through?" Lu Shiyan asked, his eyes fixed on Zhou Jinbai, his mental state on the verge of collapse.
"No one's picking up," Zhou Jinbai replied coolly. Lu Shiyan, meanwhile, was losing his mind.
"It seems Liu Mengqin has fallen into the hands of villains, and Brother Bai was likely lured away by a diversion," Lu Shiyan declared, his pronouncements becoming increasingly outlandish. Everyone standing beside him wore expressions of bewilderment.
Jia Yanzhen grabbed Lu Shiyan by the collar, his impatience evident. "Get to the point, or I'll hit you."
Seeing that Jia Yanzhen was not joking, Lu Shiyan continued, "Not long ago, I was planning to go find Yun Qingqing. Unexpectedly, I overheard her on the phone with a stranger. I don't remember the exact details, but the gist was that if they wanted to capture Xu Qingdai, they should abduct Liu Mengqin. Once Liu Mengqin was taken, Xu Qingdai would walk right into their trap."
Lu Shiyan elaborated, "You all know about my past with Yun Qingqing. She's not a good person. Not only did she scheme against me and have me completely in her grasp, but she also acquired a ton of resources, none of which I provided. I've been wondering who she's been seducing lately to get them. But with my abilities, I couldn't find out who was behind it all. I was so confused that I went to find Yun Qingqing to get some answers. When I entered, she happened to be on the phone, and I heard her telling the person on the other end that to catch Xu Qingdai, they should kidnap Liu Mengqin. As soon as I heard that, I turned and left."
"After all, Xu Qingdai was involved in dealing with Helian Diejin. Besides Helian Diejin's group, I can't think of anyone else who would want to capture Xu Qingdai. This also explains why, with my abilities, I couldn't find out who Yun Qingqing was involved with – those were people I could never have investigated."
Lu Shiyan finished his account in one breath. Jia Yanzhen tilted his head in thought. "Why would Yun Qingqing suggest capturing Xu Qingdai by first capturing Liu Mengqin? Liu Mengqin and Xu Qingdai don't even know each other. Is there some secret we're not privy to?"
Jia Yanzhen racked his brain but couldn't figure out what he was missing. Apart from Cen Zhiyuan and Zhou Jinbai, no one present understood why things had unfolded this way.
"I didn't expect Yun Qingqing to be so clever, but her methods are not being used for good. Ultimately, such actions will only harm herself and others," Cen Zhiyuan remarked with disdain. Having been born with a silver spoon in her mouth, she couldn't comprehend women like Yun Qingqing, though she felt no need to.
"Clever? How is she clever?" Jia Yanzhen still couldn't grasp it. But seeing Cen Zhiyuan's knowing expression, he became extremely curious. "Sister Zhiyuan, please tell me. What do you know? You look so profound, I'm dying of curiosity."
Before Cen Zhiyuan could say anything, Zhou Jinbai, who had been lying on the bed, could no longer stay still. He leaped up and quickly put on his shoes. "I have to go find her. She's in danger."
"Her? Who is 'her'? Is it Xu Qingdai? Brother, have you already fallen for Xu Qingdai so quickly?" Jia Yanzhen looked at Zhou Jinbai's agitated state, his mind racing. Such worried and anxious expressions used to be exclusively for Lin Xingwan. Even after Lin Xingwan had been missing for so long, Jia Yanzhen hadn't seen any extra emotion on Zhou Jinbai's face. He had seemed like a lifeless automaton.
Jia Yanzhen's words immediately caught the attention of the Old Lady and Meng Chuzheng. Meng Chuzheng frowned, contemplating the credibility of Jia Yanzhen's statement. The Old Lady, however, knew her grandson's devotion well. The only woman who could elicit such an expression from him in decades was Lin Xingwan! Could it be... The Old Lady dared not continue down this line of thought. But if her suspicions were correct, then under no circumstances could she let her granddaughter-in-law put herself in danger.
In a matter of seconds, Zhou Jinbai was already heading for the door. However, before he could reach it, two burly staff members blocked his path. "Mr. Dongfang, you cannot leave this place. Please return."
One of the staff members spoke politely, but his eyes held a look of contempt. Those who were brought here and received special treatment were at the end of their rope, unable to cause any more trouble. Therefore, it was understandable that this staff member looked down on Zhou Jinbai.
"I have matters to attend to and need to go out," Zhou Jinbai said. He hadn't felt particularly bothered by being here until he realized his freedom was restricted, which made him extremely agitated.
"Mr. Dongfang, please return, or... don't blame us for being impolite." The other staff member's expression had turned completely grim. It was a perfect example of a tiger being bullied by dogs when it was in a weakened state.
"How dare you! This is Dongfang Junze, the heir of the Dongfang family. How dare you stop him!" The Old Lady couldn't stand these two preening lackeys. They were nothing more than prison guards, but after years of catering to the whims of inmates, they had become arrogant and lost sight of their own standing.
"Oh, old woman, we don't care if he's Dongfang Junze or Xifang Junze. We only know that everyone who comes to this place is a prisoner, and a prisoner who has committed grave offenses. We are merely doing our jobs," one of the staff members sneered, his demeanor provoking.
Zhou Jinbai looked coldly at the two men, his expression not betraying any further anger. However, the Old Lady was incensed by their disrespectful remarks about her grandson. She lunged at one of the staff members. Had it been anyone else, they would have dodged or endured the blow out of respect for the Old Lady's status. But these two staff members, who didn't even respect Zhou Jinbai, certainly wouldn't respect the Old Lady. One of them roughly shoved her.
The moment he laid a hand on the Old Lady, his wrist was seized tightly by Zhou Jinbai. The man felt as if his wrist had been crushed by the immense force. The intense pain spread from his wrist, making him feel utterly miserable.
"You insolent cur who judges by appearance, you can't touch just anyone. You won't let me leave, will you? Then I'll leave over your dead bodies today." Zhou Jinbai's eyes were filled with a chilling intensity, and his entire aura turned cold and terrifying. Although he had suppressed his power since arriving here and endured their torment, it didn't mean he was powerless. In fact, his mind was more meticulous and sensitive than anyone else's.
Over the years, Zhou Jinbai hadn't dwelled on certain matters, but he wasn't foolish. That's why he had entrusted the management of most of the Dongfang family's assets to Zhou Bingwen, knowing that deep down, Zhou Bingwen couldn't let go of past grievances. He hoped Zhou Bingwen would understand that in the face of family ties, material possessions were ultimately meaningless. However, Zhou Bingwen's choices ultimately disappointed Zhou Jinbai. Not only that, but the man had even laid a hand on his own father. For days, Zhou Jinbai couldn't comprehend how Zhou Bingwen had become such a person!
Now, seeing how these two guards treated his grandmother, Zhou Jinbai finally found release. A man who could harm his own mother and brothers... No matter how much Zhou Jinbai tried to convince himself that Zhou Bingwen wasn't so cold-blooded, the facts were undeniable. He not only had to avenge his father but also those who had died unjustly in the Dongfang family.
"Pain, pain, pain! Let go of me, or I'll kill you!" The man whose wrist was being held felt he had reached his limit. However, Zhou Jinbai not only refused to let go but also kicked him. Zhou Jinbai was skilled, and the kick sent the man flying backward, crashing heavily against the wall of another cell.
*Pfft*
The man spat out a mouthful of blood. The other man beside him reached for his waist, where a gun was holstered. But Zhou Jinbai anticipated his move and kicked him as well. The fact that only two men were assigned to watch him clearly indicated they didn't take him seriously! Coupled with the pent-up rage Zhou Jinbai felt, he snatched the guns from their waists and fired two shots directly into their hearts. He never liked killing, but if the victims were wicked people, it was not murder but serving justice.
Cen Zhiyuan, walking behind, couldn't help but applaud inwardly. Indeed, emotions were a powerful motivator in this world. If Lu Shiyan hadn't spoken, Zhou Jinbai, with his laid-back attitude, might have remained apathetic for much longer. As for Lu Shiyan, he was stunned by Zhou Jinbai's fierce display. He had seen Bai Xiao apprehend people before and thought it was impressive. But witnessing Zhou Jinbai's heroic actions, Lu Shiyan realized Bai Xiao was a mere novice in comparison. It wasn't surprising that rumors once circulated that Bai Xiao owed his current position to Zhou Jinbai.
The gunshots in the corridor quickly attracted the attention of other staff members, who rushed towards Zhou Jinbai's location. However, before they could reach him, a large group of people stormed into the prison from the entrance. This group was led by Xuan Zhu and Xuan Yin, who charged directly into the prison. Their lord was imprisoned here. On the day of the incident, Xuan Zhu and Xuan Yin had wanted to break him out. But Zhou Jinbai had ordered them not to act without his command. They had foolishly waited outside for three days. The news they gathered from the prison each day was enough to send Xuan Zhu and Xuan Yin into a frenzy. Therefore, they had decided to break him out on their own. Unexpectedly, they found Zhou Jinbai holding a gun. Seeing the two men lying dead on the ground, Xuan Zhu and Xuan Yin exchanged glances, believing their impulsive decision was the right one. Otherwise, they wouldn't have known what misfortune their master might have encountered today.
Xuan Zhu and Xuan Yin quickly approached Zhou Jinbai. Before they could admit their mistake, Zhou Jinbai issued a cold command: "Go." Xuan Zhu and Xuan Yin obeyed and, with their elite subordinates, led the way forward. Zhou Jinbai, meanwhile, was calling Duan Muxing. Since Lin Xingwan had become Xu Qingdai and changed all her contact information, Zhou Jinbai couldn't reach Xu Qingdai. No matter how many times Zhou Jinbai called Duan Muxing, even if the call connected, Duan Muxing didn't answer. As time passed, Zhou Jinbai's frown deepened. A bad premonition began to stir within him! He desperately hoped his worst fear wouldn't come true! Otherwise, Zhou Jinbai didn't know how he would cope with such a reality.
Meanwhile, in a black sedan, a scene was unfolding. Lin Xingwan held Duan Muxing's phone, and looking at the caller ID on the screen, her face contorted with pain and struggle. She looked at Duan Muxing, her emotions overwhelming her.