The factory's basement level is the darkest underground prison.
Those detained there are artists who have just been abducted and have not yet been tamed.
In the dark and damp space, the partitions welded with steel pipes are like large cages.
Because it had been without sunlight for a long time, water leaked from the floor into the dilapidated basement, and a pungent musty smell permeated the air.
Shen Jinmo, who was being held in cell number three, sat quietly in his wheelchair. His black sweater was spotless, and his messy hair was still neatly styled.
His air of nobility seemed completely out of place with everything else here.
All around him were cries of agony, wailing, and pleading for help.
He alone remained as calm as a stagnant pool.
The sound of light footsteps came from not far away, moving along the corridor toward cell number three where Shen Jinmo was being held.
Shen Jinmo has not completely lost his hearing; he can still barely hear some sounds, especially in a confined environment.
The footsteps drew closer.
The door was unlocked by two bodyguards.
A blinding light emanated from the newcomer, making it impossible for Shen Jinmo to open his eyes.
"Mr. Shen, hello, nice to meet you for the first time. I didn't expect it to be in this kind of setting."
The man who came was a man in his early fifties with a deep, resonant voice.
He wore military boots and a black leather jacket. His blond hair was slightly long, and he had a full beard and a thin scar on his face, which made his rugged features look repulsive.
Shen Jinmo raised her eyes to examine the man's features, quickly filtering information from her mind.
I confirmed that I had never seen this person before.
"You know me?" Shen Jinmo asked coldly.
"Of course, otherwise why would I have my people invite you here even though I knew that Lu Zhiwei was the one who should be arrested and you were the one who came to deliver the design drawings in her place?"
The man had a kind smile on his face and seemed very easy to get along with.
Shen Jinmo lowered his head and smiled faintly: "May I ask who you are?"
"Steven," the man confidently announced his address.
Upon hearing the name, Shen Jinmo's pupils constricted slightly.
This name carries considerable influence in the border region.
Moreover, he had heard the name Steven mentioned by Shen Jiarui, so he should be Luo Wuyan's new marriage partner.
It's as if everything suddenly became clear.
The Luo family wants to establish an unprecedented and in-depth cooperation with Steven. The Luo family not only wants to occupy a leading position in the economy of the United States, but their ambitions may go far beyond that.
Only by cooperating with Steven can we achieve a win-win situation.
By targeting artists this time, they can stir up turmoil in the art world, reshuffle the global art scene, and ultimately bring the Luo family under their control.
The Luo family could also easily destroy Lu Zhiwei's control over the art association and bring her down...
What a grand scheme!
This game uses the entire world as the chessboard, with all artists as pieces, manipulated at will.
"I've heard that President Shen is deeply in love with that Miss Lu and is willing to risk his life for her. Today I've witnessed it firsthand, just as the rumors say."
However, Mr. Shen believes that women are merely appendages to men, and career is the most important thing for men.
With the world's greatest power and the most money, what kind of woman wouldn't he have?
Steven moved closer to Shen Jinmo, one hand dangling on his shoulder.
"I invited you here because I want to cooperate with you. If you hand over the Shen Group to me, I will find a way to cure your illness, and you will enjoy the pleasures that money and power bring with me."
Shen Jinmo's thin lips were slightly pursed, a half-smile playing on his lips, his deep eyes unfathomable.
He pulled Steven's hand off his shoulder: "Didn't you already reach a cooperation agreement with the Luo family? Why would you even look at the Shen family?"
"Who would complain about having too much money? The Luo family's ambitions may be even greater than mine. I have power, but not enough money. The Luo family covets my power. Once the cooperation is reached..."
"They're all behaving like this over me, how can I expect to have a good life?"
A cold glint flashed across Steven's face, which was growing increasingly warm with a smile.
Carnivores in the jungle must possess ambition, intelligence, and absolute strength.
No one can completely trust anyone else.
In the end, they might even be double-crossed.
Shen Jinmo's thin lips curled into a casual smile: "That sounds good, but what if I'm not willing?"
"Heh, if you're not willing, then I'll tear you to pieces, chop off one of your hands and one of your feet every day, and send you to your beloved Miss Lu."
Let her have nightmares tonight, hahaha.
Steven laughed wildly, the sound echoing through the dungeon.
The other artists imprisoned in the other rooms fell silent upon hearing these words, no longer daring to breathe loudly.
"Aren't you curious why I could have stopped Lu Zhiwei from getting involved, but instead I waded into this mess all by myself?"
Shen Jinmo rubbed his frozen fingers and spoke slowly.
"You wouldn't be using yourself as bait to lure the police to arrest me, would you? Hahaha, don't waste your time. I have plenty of people protecting me. Besides, even if the police do come, they can't beat me."
I possess the most advanced firearms in the world; even in the toughest battles, we will never be defeated.
Steven raised his lips arrogantly and pulled out a gun from his waist.
Judging from its style and construction, it is indeed world-class.
Judging from the gun alone, and the number of security personnel he had, Shen Jinmo felt that he wasn't exaggerating.
“You’re wrong. You may not know this, but my mother died in a fire a while ago,” Shen Jinmo said slowly.
Steven listened attentively: "Oh?"
"The police can't find out who the murderer is, but I know that the murderer is Lu Zhiwei. My mother plotted against her. She is a person who always holds grudges. My mother escaped criminal law by claiming mental illness."
She was willing to break into a mental hospital to burn her alive…
When Shen Jinmo spoke of this matter, he was enveloped in a terrifying chill, and the anger on his face did not seem to be an act.
"So?" Steven became curious about what he would say next.
"So I came here alone to cooperate with you. Now Lu Zhiwei is richer than a country, and the Shen family's economic strength can no longer compare with hers. I have been arrested."
She will definitely find a way to save me; you can get the money you want from her.
His deep, dark eyes were like cold stars, flashing with a sharp edge.
The ambition emanating from his eyes left Steven speechless.
"I was just saying you were a hopeless romantic, but I didn't expect you to be even scarier than me." Steven laughed excitedly, his goodwill towards Shen Jingmo instantly increasing.
And gradually she came to trust him.
"If you don't believe me, you can test her. Make her pay ten million, and then exchange it for any artist here. Only after she has paid for all the artists will she be eligible to redeem me."
And I am the most expensive one, the kind that could almost bankrupt her.
Then you'll make a fortune! Won't you?
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