Chapter 202 Kidnapping

When Pei Yu turned around and looked at her questioningly, she didn't know what to say, so she just pursed her lips and whispered.

"I'm sorry about what happened in the live stream today. No matter what, it's because of me that you got involved..."

Upon hearing this, Pei Yu's lips curved into an almost imperceptible smile, and his eyes appeared somewhat profound under the light.

“There’s nothing to apologize for. It was wrong of me to lie to you. Let him target me if he wants to.” He paused, his voice softening. “Don’t think too much about it. Get some rest.”

This time, he didn't linger and turned to walk towards the door opposite.

Ji Wanqing held the warm thermos in her hand, looked at the closed door, and stood there for a while before going home.

After drinking the tea Pei Yu brought, Ji Wanqing fell asleep soon after her head hit the pillow.

After waking up, Ji Wanqing went to the hospital to visit her mother as usual. She ran into Pei Yu again and chatted about her mother's condition for a while before walking home alone.

As Ji Wanqing left the hospital, thinking about her mother's gradually improving condition, her steps became lighter.

Passing by a convenience store she frequented near her neighborhood, Ji Wanqing thought about how her snacks were running low at home, so she pushed open the door and went inside.

A blast of cool air swept over us, dispelling some of the heat outside.

She walked familiarly to the snack shelf, carefully selecting items, occasionally picking up a bag to check the ingredient list and production date.

The moment she looked up, she suddenly noticed a man staring at her from a distance.

When the man saw her look up, he immediately looked away and pretended to be looking at the merchandise.

Ji Wanqing frowned, instinctively rejecting that scrutinizing gaze.

She quietly put the snacks she had chosen into her shopping basket, paid the bill, and quickly left the convenience store.

Stepping outside, the afternoon sun was a bit too bright. She subconsciously glanced back and found the man still standing at the convenience store entrance, staring at her through the glass window with an overly focused gaze.

A subtle sense of unease quietly crept into my heart.

Ji Wanqing quickened her pace and headed towards the residential area.

The road isn't long, but it involves passing through a relatively quiet alley lined with tall trees on both sides, making it a shortcut home.

It was quiet around her; you could only hear her own footsteps. Not many people were out at this time of day in the summer, as it was the time for work and school. Even if they didn't have anything to do, they would choose to stay home and enjoy the air conditioning.

"Maybe I'm overthinking it..." she reassured herself, gripping the shopping bag tightly and almost running.

Just as she was about to reach the other end of the alley and could see the gate of the residential area, two dark figures suddenly darted out from behind a large tree next to her!

With lightning speed, one person covered her mouth and nose tightly from behind with a handkerchief that smelled pungent, while another person deftly restrained her struggling hands.

"Ugh—!" Ji Wanqing's eyes widened in horror as the strong smell of chemicals instantly filled her nostrils, stripping her of her consciousness and strength.

She kicked and struggled desperately, dropping her shopping bag and scattering snacks all over the floor.

However, the disparity in strength was too great, and her vision quickly blurred, while all her strength was rapidly drained away.

In the last second before she completely lost consciousness, she saw the man she had just seen in the convenience store.

...

After an unknown amount of time, Ji Wanqing regained some consciousness amidst a series of jolts and a cold touch.

She had a splitting headache, weak and sore limbs, and everything went black before her eyes. She was blindfolded.

Its mouth was taped shut, and it could only make muffled "woo-woo" sounds.

She felt as if she had been thrown into a small, hard, and constantly shaking space, like a car trunk.

A huge sense of panic rose in her heart. Had she been kidnapped?

Who would dare to do such a thing in broad daylight?

In an instant, all sorts of chaotic thoughts rushed into my mind.

The finish line guy?

A brainwashed fan?

Wei Lingling?

She thought of all the possible people, and the more she thought about it, the more frightened she became, and she felt a chill run down her spine.

The news stories I'd read before about female anchors being victimized actually happened to her!

"Oh, you're awake?" The driver seemed to have noticed her movement and glanced back.

Ji Wanqing couldn't see them, but she could hear them talking, their voices filled with vulgarity and excitement.

"Damn, this time the goods are really good, even more exciting than in the photos!"

"Of course! She's a top streamer on the platform, and countless otaku dream about her! The boss said, 'If you don't listen to reason, you'll have to suffer the consequences.' This live stream is sure to make a fortune!"

"Hehe, those perverts on the deep web love this kind of girl—pure yet seductive, and with a bit of fame…it's the most exciting thing to play with!"

"Hurry up and get it to the location so it's ready to go live tomorrow night at 8 PM sharp! That way, the big spenders can get their money ready! Haha!"

"Hunting live stream", "Deep Web", "Let's play"...

These words severely aggravated Ji Wanqing's eardrums, making her feel as if she had fallen into an ice cave, her whole body was cold, and she trembled uncontrollably.

She had heard terrifying rumors about the deep web, about wealthy perverts who would pay to watch live streams of violence or sex. Live streams of sexual assault…

She never imagined that one day she would become the protagonist of such a live broadcast.

Ji Wanqing forced herself to calm down. Although her body was still trembling uncontrollably, she began to struggle cautiously, trying to break free of the ropes binding her hands.

Unfortunately, they tied the ropes too tightly, and Ji Wanqing felt her wrists were chafed raw but she couldn't break free at all.

The bumpy ride lasted for quite a while, with the car speed fluctuating and occasional honking, indicating that they were probably still in the city or suburbs.

She tried hard to think of a way to save herself, but her mind was still a complete mess.

Her phone was definitely not with her; it was either thrown away or hidden away. Being crammed into the carriage, she couldn't leave any clues.

Time ticked by, and every second was excruciating.

The sky outside seemed to darken, and the temperature inside the carriage dropped even lower. After what seemed like an eternity, the carriage finally came to a stop.

The engine shut off, and the world became eerily quiet.

The trunk door was pulled open with a "whoosh," and a cold wind rushed in.

"We're here. Get her out!" a rough, hoarse voice commanded.

Ji Wanqing's heart pounded in her throat. She stopped all her small movements, pretending to still be weak and powerless, but her brain was working frantically, searching for any possible glimmer of hope.

She was roughly dragged out of the car, her feet landing on the cold, rough ground, which seemed to be concrete.

The air was thick with the smell of mildew and dust, making the place resemble an abandoned warehouse or factory.

She was pushed forward, her footsteps echoing in the empty space.

Ji Wanqing was led into a room where the musty and dusty smells were even stronger.

She was roughly forced to sit on a dusty chair, her hands re-tied behind the chair, even tighter than before. The rough ropes dug deep into her already bleeding wrists, causing her to break out in a cold sweat from the pain.

The blindfold remained on, and the tape over her mouth was still firmly in place. She was like a commodity waiting to be sold, placed in this unknown corner.

"Stay put!" one of the kidnappers warned menacingly, his footsteps fading into the distance, seemingly as he reached the other end of the room.