After leaving the internet cafe, the sky had already darkened.

Jiang Hao spent three hours there, indirectly gaining a rough understanding of the current state of the Dark World through the Black Butterfly Network.

Compared to a year ago, the Dark World seemed much calmer now. The various forces that had been vying for power seemed to have become more orderly since his "death."

But he knew this was just the calm before the storm. As long as there were many forces and interests at play, the Dark World could never truly be at peace.

Feeling a bit hungry, he went to a street food stall to have some late-night snacks and a bit of alcohol. After paying, he realized he had less than three hundred yuan left on him.

Old Master Feng had decreed that the Feng Family was not to sponsor him a single cent for three months. Now, living incognito in the city, he aimed to stay away from the Dark World, so he couldn't risk exposure by withdrawing money from Ruijin Bank.

Jiang Hao chuckled bitterly. Who would have thought that the former leader of the Wolf Organization, once worth billions, would now be so strapped for cash? Fortunately, the Feng Family provided food and shelter, or he'd really have to find a job.

He didn't take a taxi but walked back instead.

The food stall was at the foot of Red Mountain, and it would only take an hour to walk back.

Now a Half-Step Transcendent Realm practitioner, his Dantian had already begun to generate a faint True Qi.

If he used his lightness skills to sprint, he could return in just a few minutes.

But with so many pedestrians and surveillance cameras around, using such skills would easily cause a sensation.

...

He had just left the food stall when suddenly, a rundown van screeched to a halt right next to him, stopping less than ten centimeters away.

Jiang Hao frowned, glancing at the car window to see which reckless driver was behind the wheel. But the windows were tinted and the curtains drawn, so he couldn't see inside.

Bang!

The car door suddenly opened, and two young men with buzz cuts, wearing vests and sporting tattoos on their arms, appeared before Jiang Hao.

As the leader of the assassin organization "Wolf," Jiang Hao had been through countless life-and-death situations and had blood on his hands. He was extremely sensitive to the scent of blood and malice.

With one look, he could tell these two young men likely had blood on their hands.

They were up to no good!

Jiang Hao's eyes turned cold, but he remained calm, quietly observing the two young men to see what they intended.

In the past, he would have dealt with them immediately.

But now, having temporarily withdrawn from the underworld, he didn't want to break the law by killing in a busy city area and attract the attention of law enforcement.

"Buddy, give us a hand!"

A man in a yellow vest inside the car seemed to be asking Jiang Hao for help, but as he spoke, he and another man reached out to grab Jiang Hao's arms, trying to force him into the car.

Despite their efforts, Jiang Hao didn't budge an inch.

Seeing Jiang Hao resist, another young man in a black vest pulled a knife from his waist and threatened, "Kid, if you resist, I'll stab you. Don't be afraid, as long as you behave, not only will I spare your life, but I'll also give you a lot of money."

Jiang Hao realized that if he continued to resist getting into the car, these two fools would surely use the knife on him, attracting the attention of passersby.

After thinking it over, Jiang Hao complied and got into the car.

Seeing Jiang Hao obediently get in, the two young men grinned triumphantly.

They didn't notice the cold glint that flashed in Jiang Hao's eyes as he turned his back to them.

Once inside, Jiang Hao discovered that besides the two men in front of him and the driver, there were two more men in the back holding a woman hostage.

The woman looked terrified, her mouth sealed with tape. She appeared to be in her early twenties, with fair skin and delicate features, surpassing even those of popular actresses known for their looks.

So, they were kidnappers! A cold smile appeared at the corner of Jiang Hao's mouth.

Although he didn't know why these kidnappers had targeted this woman, kidnapping usually boiled down to two motives: money or revenge.

Judging by the woman's beautiful appearance and luxurious attire, the first motive seemed more likely.

He just didn't understand why the kidnappers had forcibly brought him into the car.

Dressed plainly, he was clearly not a wealthy person, so what could he possibly have that these kidnappers coveted?

"Why did you bring me into the car? I have no money!"

After scanning the kidnappers in the car, Jiang Hao fixed his gaze on the bald kidnapper in the back row.

With his sharp eyes, he immediately recognized that the bald kidnapper in the back seat was the leader.

The bald kidnapper ignored Jiang Hao's question, leisurely lighting a cigarette and taking a deep drag before exhaling. The swirling smoke danced like ghostly faces inside the car.

The atmosphere in the car was tense and oppressive.

"Kid, we didn't grab you for money!"

The man in the black vest beside Jiang Hao looked at him with a mocking smile.

"If not for money, then why?" Jiang Hao asked in surprise.

"You'll find out when we get there!" The man in the black vest glanced at Jiang Hao. "There's a reason we brought you along. Once it's done, we'll give you a large sum of money." After speaking, the man in the black vest smirked.

Who was Jiang Hao? As the leader of the Wolf Organization and the King of Assassins, he could easily detect the deceit in the man's words.

...

Jin Family Mansion!

Old Master Jin sat coldly in the grand chair, his face stern as he looked at the gathered descendants below.

The descendants below also wore anxious expressions, not daring to meet the old master's gaze.

Just an hour ago, the third-generation member of the Jin Family, Jin Hanyao, had been kidnapped by a group of kidnappers in a parking lot not far from the Jin Family Villa.

The kidnappers had called midway, demanding five billion yuan in ransom within three days. If the family alerted the police or tried anything, they threatened to kill her.

The kidnapping of a Jin Family member sent shockwaves through the family, especially infuriating Old Master Jin.

The Jin Family was one of the top families in Wuling City, holding significant influence. The abduction of a family member was a blatant slap in the face.

But anger aside, with the family member in the kidnappers' hands, Old Master Jin dared not act rashly, fearing the consequences of alerting the police or taking any action.

Jin Hanyao was Old Master Jin's most cherished granddaughter. With her stunning beauty and lively spirit, she was his favorite.

A young man, about twenty-seven or twenty-eight, with a robust build and rugged features, hurried into the hall.

This young man was Jin Feng, the son of Old Master Jin's eldest son, currently serving as the general manager of a subsidiary under the family group, making him a standout among the third generation of the Jin Family.

"Feng'er, have you found out who kidnapped Hanyao?" Old Master Jin asked anxiously, looking at his grandson who had just arrived.

Among the third-generation male descendants, Jin Feng was the most capable and well-connected, earning Old Master Jin's favor and securing the position of general manager at a young age.

A middle-aged man with a square face and glasses also stood up anxiously.

He was Jin Hanyao's father, Jin Zhenghong, Old Master Jin's third son and the group's vice president.

With his daughter kidnapped, no one was more anxious than her parents, especially since Jin Hanyao was Jin Zhenghong and his wife's only child.

Upon learning of the kidnapping, her mother had fainted and was now being treated in the hospital.

Seeing the anxious looks from his grandfather and third uncle, Jin Feng shook his head with a somber expression. "I've asked all my contacts in both the underworld and the legitimate world, but no one knows who kidnapped Hanyao. Grandpa, Third Uncle, don't worry. Even if I have to turn Wuling upside down, I'll find the kidnappers!"

"We must prepare for both possibilities. We need to find the kidnappers and also prepare the money immediately!" Old Master Jin said sternly, then turned to a middle-aged man in sportswear not far away. "Lingdong, hurry and gather the money!"

The middle-aged man, who was overweight, was Old Master Jin's eldest son and the president of the Jinhai Group, Jin Feng's father.

"Dad, the company currently has several major projects nearing completion, and most of the funds are tied up in those projects. We don't have that much cash on hand. To gather five billion, we'd have to sell stocks or take out a mortgage loan from the bank."

"But you know, selling stocks and taking out loans would have a huge impact on our group. Besides, even if we sell stocks and take out loans, we might not be able to complete it in three days." Jin Lingdong frowned at his father.

In Jin Lingdong's heart, the company came first, and family members second. He was reluctant to sacrifice the company's interests for a family member.

Of course, if the kidnapped person were his son Jin Feng, his attitude would be different.

Old Master Jin knew what his son was thinking. He looked coldly at his eldest son and asked, "So you think we should just sit and wait?"

"Our Jin Family holds a prominent position in Wuling City and even in Hannan Province. Both the underworld and the legitimate world respect us. Even if the kidnappers had ten times the guts, they wouldn't dare harm a member of our family! Three days is probably just a bluff."

"Then what do you suggest we do?" Old Master Jin stared directly at his eldest son.

Jin Lingdong replied without hesitation, "First, report to the police. The Jin Family should mobilize all resources to assist the police in searching for the kidnappers."

"Second, negotiate with the kidnappers to lower the five billion ransom. Ideally, we should bring it down to below one billion, which would be enough to cover the ransom with the cash we have on hand."

Before Old Master Jin could speak, Jin Zhenghong angrily interrupted, "Big Brother, isn't that too irresponsible? Hanyao isn't your child, so of course, you don't care. If the kidnappers had taken Jin Feng instead of Hanyao, would you still say the same?"

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"Third Brother, you're wrong. We're all worried about Hanyao's kidnapping, but we can't lose our composure. We need to find the best solution," Jin Lingdong replied, glancing at his son and adding insincerely, "Even if it were Feng'er who was kidnapped, I'd still... do the same."

Jin Zhenghong was about to retort angrily, but Old Master Jin waved his hand to stop him. "Enough, both of you, stop talking."

Seeing their father displeased, the two fell silent and looked at him.

After a long silence, Old Master Jin slowly said, "For now, don't alert the police. First, mobilize all the Jin Family's resources to find Hanyao's whereabouts."

"Have someone negotiate with the kidnappers to see if we can reduce the ransom!"

"What if the kidnappers refuse to lower the ransom?" Jin Feng asked.

"Then find a way to gather the five billion ransom!" Old Master Jin said firmly. "Money is just an external thing. If it's gone, we can earn it back. But if a person is gone, they're gone!"

Jin Feng wanted to argue further, but seeing his father's warning glance, he swallowed his words.

...

The car sped along, quickly leaving the bustling streets of the new city and entering the old district, driving down a bumpy, neglected road before stopping at the entrance of an abandoned auto repair shop.

As the shop's gates opened, the car drove inside.

Once the gates closed, Jiang Hao and Jin Hanyao were taken out of the car by the kidnappers.

Inside, the lights were bright as day, with discarded car parts and some scrapped cars piled everywhere, mixed with a fair amount of trash.

The kidnappers removed the tape from Jin Hanyao's mouth but didn't untie her hands.

As soon as the tape was off, Jin Hanyao, her face filled with fear, shouted for help, "Help, help, I've been kidnapped!"

"Little lady, if you keep screaming, I'll strip you naked right now and have my way with you before killing you!" the man in the black vest threatened as he slowly approached Jin Hanyao.

Terrified, Jin Hanyao backed away, stammering, "Don't come any closer. If you dare to touch me, I'll bite my tongue and kill myself, ruining your ransom plan."

"Bite your tongue, then!" the man in the black vest laughed wickedly. "Let me tell you, we prefer it when they're not moving. When they're not moving, we can do whatever we want with them!"

Hearing the kidnapper's threat, Jin Hanyao was instantly deflated.

She had only threatened to bite her tongue to scare them, not expecting them to be unfazed and even threaten to violate her if she did.

The thought of being violated by these beasts after her death sent chills down her spine.