"..."
Qi Pan, who was following behind, watched with great interest for a while. Although he didn't know why Shi Bianji wanted to disgust this woman, they had the same goal, so Qi Pan didn't stop him.
"Alright." Seeing that Mu Yiran was at risk of sudden death if she continued to be tormented, Qi Pan interrupted the farce, "Our young master will be arriving soon, we should prepare a gift to welcome him properly."
Shi Bianji felt a little regretful, but when he thought that he would see Shi Youxi soon, he decided not to waste any more time. He didn't have the strength to pull Mu Yiran, so he could only drag her along.
Bily and the others stood beside Qi Pan, watching the woman being dragged and crawling. They couldn't help but raise their hands, but in the end, they could only purse their lips and lower their eyes.
Mu Yiran staggered and crawled for a while until her hands were tied and she was hoisted up. Only then did she slowly regain consciousness. The sight of her feet dangling in the air made Mu Yiran instinctively scream "Ah!"
She had just realized that she was hanging deep inside a spacious warehouse.
Just then, someone called her from the side.
"Sister."
Mu Yiran turned her head to look. Even though she had never seen Mu Zhentong in person, she had seen the video and was always impressed by the waiter's uniform Mu Zhentong wore, so much so that she recognized the boy at first glance.
“…Mu Zhentong?” Her voice was so hoarse it was almost inaudible.
The boy didn't speak. He was also hanging there, but he wasn't afraid at all. His face was ashen, and his lifeless eyes stared at her, completely different from how he looked when he was being tortured and begging for mercy in the video.
Why is Mu Zhentong here?
After Tesa was in dire straits, Shi Youxi told her that Mu Zhentong had escaped, but why, why was he here?
Was she captured by Qi Pan? But isn't that pointless? She's not really Mu Yiran...
"Are you curious why he's here?" Shi Bianji kindly answered her question once again, his eyes full of sarcasm: "Can't you tell? This is the Shi Clan. Don't you recognize it at all?"
"..."
What's the meaning.
Shimen, does that look familiar?
Mu Yiran stared blankly at the filthy waiter's uniform on Mu Zhentong. She turned her head, and being suspended, she could see further and more clearly.
No wonder... no wonder she felt it looked familiar. The same dark room, the abandoned sofa and bar counter piled in the corner, and Mu Zhentong dressed as a waiter...
Everything is exactly the same as the places where Mu Zhentong was abused in the video.
This is the Time Gate, the place Shi Youxi knows best, so he always knew where Mu Zhentong was...
So he knew all along?!
"—He said I deliberately kept Mu Zhentong's information from you. Do you believe him, sister?"
"Whether I believe it or not is another matter, but would you lie to me?"
"No, I wouldn't lie to you, I couldn't find him."
The image of the man making sweet promises to her while she was in the hospital bed flashed through her mind.
He said no, and Mu Yiran believed him.
But Shi Youxi lied; he deceived her.
What is the reason?
Was it to control others... or to control her?!
To control her, they even implicated an innocent child?
Mu Yiran closed her eyes. The continuous impact made her chest ache, and she gasped for breath in discomfort.
"Sister," Mu Zhentong called out to her again.
"...Hmm?" It took Mu Yiran a while to realize that in Mu Zhentong's eyes, she was now his older sister. But looking at the boy's gaunt face, Mu Yiran suddenly felt guilty and dared not look him in the eye, forcing an awkward smile:
"Don't be afraid... someone will come to rescue us soon."
"..." The boy looked at her for a few seconds, opened his mouth to speak, and then a ray of light shone in from the corner of his eye.
Mu Yiran looked up and instantly felt a lump in her throat.
Shi Youxi arrived.
"Oh ho, it's finally here."
Qi Pan clapped his hands, sat down in a chair with a big smile on his face: "Long time no see, Young Master Shi."
"Xiao Xi, you've finally arrived." Shi Bianji couldn't help but take a step towards him. He wanted to see Shi Youxi's shocked expression, but the other man's mind was only on the woman hanging behind him.
Shi Youxi scrutinized Mu Yiran from head to toe, and he also noticed Mu Zhentong beside her. He said nothing, only muttering two sentences in a low voice:
"sorry."
"If you're scared, just close your eyes, and it will be over soon."
"..."
Mu Yiran felt a lump in her throat. The fear and anxiety she had suppressed for so long, along with the physical discomfort, surged back in exponentially the moment she saw him.
She didn't know when it started, but she began to feel a different kind of dependence and security towards Shi Youxi.
"How about it? This is a gift I specially prepared for you."
Qi Pan pointed at Mu Zhentong: "Oh dear, when I came here, I heard Brother Ji say that you, Young Master Shi, have a sister you particularly like...? Isn't that a coincidence? I'm just a kid, and he also has a sister. He lost his sister, and you have a sister. I was wondering if these sisters could be the same person, and now I see that it really is!"
He snapped his fingers with a smile, and Bily pressed a button. Instantly, the shackles holding Mu Yiran's hands loosened, and she plummeted downwards. Beneath her feet was a high-speed crusher; if she fell in, her flesh would be crushed into the cement.
"Sister!"
"elder sister!"
Mu Zhentong and Shi Youxi both changed their expressions at the same time. Mu Yiran gritted her teeth and suppressed her scream. She smiled reassuringly at Mu Zhentong.
Shi Youxi's temple veins bulged as he interrupted Qi Pan's nonsense, "Just say what you want, but if anything happens to her, nobody will leave here alive today!"
Qi Pan rested his hands on his knees and sized him up, glancing sideways at Shi Youxi. "Hmph, how rude. Brother Ji, it seems Young Master Shi isn't satisfied with your gift."
Shi Bianji's gaze was fixed on Shi Youxi's face. When he saw Shi Youxi looking at him, his Adam's apple bobbed. "Xiaoxi, don't misunderstand. We didn't mean to do anything. We just invited your dear sister here so that she could see her old friend."
Shi Youxi was startled. He immediately realized something and looked at Mu Yiran.
In the instant their eyes met, Mu Yiran clearly saw the panic that flashed across his face, but she still didn't say anything.
It's no longer necessary.
In the face of a life-threatening crisis, all other arguments seem meaningless.
Mu Yiran knew that Qi Pan was after Shi Youxi, but instead of taking her away immediately, she chose to use her to threaten Shi Youxi and negotiate at Shimen, which proved that Qi Pan's goal was not to take Shi Youxi's life.
...but that's not necessarily true for her.
First it was Cheng Yuan and Chen Yiting, then Mu Zhentong. Shi Bianji simply wanted to disgust her and then use her to provoke Shi Youxi.
She was merely a means for Shi Bianji to torment Shi Youxi.
She was unarmed and couldn't even protect herself, but at least... at least she shouldn't become a threat that would restrain him.
Mu Yiran met Shi Youxi's gaze calmly.
All she wants now is for them to leave this place alive.
Get out of here alive!
Whether it's Mu Zhentong or Shi Youxi!
“Xiao Xi, you came alone.” Shi Bianji stood among the bodyguards, spreading his hands to remind Shi Youxi.
He knew Shi Youxi too well. Even if there was only a one in ten thousand chance that Cheng Ran would be in danger, Shi Youxi would not dare to act rashly. Therefore, he really came alone.
"Instead of worrying about others, you should worry about your own future. Don't be so fierce. Pan and I just want to have a chat with you."
Shi Youxi withdrew his gaze. He had always understood Mu Yiran's thoughts. The inexplicable determination hidden beneath the woman's calm gaze caused him great pain. His eyes turned cold, and his whole body exuded a sinister aura. "You have the nerve to threaten me? It seems your father-in-law and ex-wife don't know you're still alive. I spared your life so that I could inform them?"
“I told you, just say what you want. I came alone, but killing you all is more than enough for me.”
Shi Youxi's gaze swept over the several people confronting each other. These were all Qi Pan's people, people who had betrayed the Shi Clan.
He didn't know if there were any more people like that, or how many there were, which was one of the reasons he came alone.
In the Shimen, traitors are the most taboo, but also the easiest to control.
The most dangerous people are those who are steadfast and unwavering, while those whose hearts are wavering and disloyal are the most vulnerable.
Shi Bianji had initially felt a sense of triumph in his strategic planning, but now, seeing Shi Youxi's composed demeanor, he felt a bit apprehensive. He had originally wanted to see Cheng Ran argue with Shi Youxi and then be abandoned, but this woman had just been so frightened that she was vomiting and had diarrhea. Even now, with the chains on her hands almost breaking her slender wrists, she was still clenching her teeth and remaining silent.
She probably knew they were going to use her to provoke Shi Youxi, which is why she remained so calm.
This woman is really a tough nut to crack; he'd like to see how Cheng Ran can hold out any longer.
But time was running out for him and Qi Pan, and besides, their ultimate goal wasn't this.
Qi Pan snorted coldly, "What I want is very simple: give me the transaction records of Shimen's goods. In addition, I also want control of Shimen's market channels in northern Myanmar."
Apart from its core strongholds in Li and Z countries, Shimen has completely come under Shiyouxi's control over the rest of the country.
Shi Yan delegated power very clearly, and to the outside world, almost everyone thought that Shi Youxi was already in charge of the Shi Sect.
Qi Pan has always been a local bigwig in Britain for the Shi Men. In recent years, Shi Yan's focus has been entirely on China, which has given him the idea of becoming an independent king. But just then, Shi Youxi arrived and blocked all the channels through which he had accumulated wealth over a long period of time.
Shimen does everything, except fandu.
Over the years, he has been using the underground black market of Timegate to smuggle billions of pounds worth of drugs, and all transaction records have been hidden in Timegate's smuggling transactions.
In order to escape, he took some of the goods with him. While keeping the buyers at bay, he dispersed the goods as he went. The goods could be dispersed, but the records could not be kept.
That was the lifeblood of his wealth accumulation, and also the evidence of his crimes.
If Shi Youxi hands him over, he won't even need Interpol to arrest him; the buyers could kill him without leaving a trace of his body!
Tesa originally intended to use Mu Yiran to steal transaction records from Shi Youxi's private electronic user account. She had everything planned out, but unexpectedly, Helian Xin appeared out of nowhere, and Mu Yiran also joined in.
“Shi Youxi, you’re just as short-sighted as your father. You’re not only letting go of all that money, but you’re also blocking other people’s business. That’s not right.”
Shi Youxi's eyes revealed disdain, "Wait a minute? You brought your whole family to Shimen back then, just for a dinner. You broke the rules and still dare to bite back."
"Family?" Touched on a sore spot, Qi Pan's facial muscles twitched. He suddenly moved closer to Shi Youxi. "My family died in the chaos of the Shi Clan long ago! This was caused by your Shi family. I risked my life for the Shi Clan and this is the result. Is there a problem with wanting to take back what belongs to me?"
He pointed at the group of Bily around him, "These," then stomped his foot, "this place is rightfully mine. I only wanted that little bit of channel rights, and you, Shi Youxi, got it for free!"
Shi Youxi didn't even look at his arrogant face. "Don't be so shameless. Your family died because you provoked the local gang. Your arrogance cost them their lives, and even the other brothers of Shimen. If my father hadn't sent people to rescue them, you and your dear family would have been singing Hallelujah to Jesus long ago. You and the rest of you only survived because of Shimen. Is it easier to put the blame on me to make you feel more shameless?"
The bodyguards didn't dare look Shi Youxi in the eye.
Although they were not familiar with this young master who had just arrived, the Shi family had never mistreated them. The Shi family gave them money and a place to live.
They all knew that selling their lives to the Shi Men was not a loss at all.
But they still betrayed the Time Gate.
Shi Youxi's face was filled with undisguised mockery and contempt. "Yours? Nothing here belongs to you, not even your life."
"That's what I deserve!" Qi Pan's face twisted in rage. "Without me, could the Shi family have expanded to what it is today in England?! Everything I've painstakingly built, just because of you, because of you Shi Youxi, because you're the only son of the Shi family, can I just sit back and reap the rewards?!"
Qi Pan remembered how his family begged in front of Shi's door ten years ago. They just wanted to find an open space to stay overnight, but they were driven away. He, a grown man, knelt down and begged Shi Youxi, who was standing on the steps.
At that time, Youxi was only 8 years old.
A little brat.
This mere brat, enjoying his plea, with such condescension and contempt, all Qi Pan saw in his cold eyes was indifference and disdain.
Why does Shi Youxi enjoy all of this? Why is he so high and mighty? Just because he was born into a better family than him?
For someone like him, saving a life is an easy thing, as simple as spilling water. How can that be considered a favor?
What kind of kindness is it that he sold his own and his family's lives to the Shi family in exchange for a meager living?
Yes, he deserves all of this!
Qi Pan forced himself to calm down. "Alright, I've stated my conditions. Shi Youxi, are you going to give them to me or not?!"
The most urgent task is to get what he wants.
This hostage negotiation was entirely out of necessity. He didn't have much time left. If he continued to delay, not only would he be killed by Shi Youxi, but he was also afraid that some of the buyers in London would discover his whereabouts, and he would definitely die here as well!
"I can give you what you want." Shi Youxi scoffed at what he wanted; he could give him anything, however much, but—
"I'll give you the things, but my men must leave first."
Shi Bianji chuckled. "Xiao Xi, it's a transaction. What if I give you the person and then you lie to me?"
"You sent me alone just to settle the matter between the person and the goods, do you think I'd trust you?"
Shi Youxi took a cell phone out of his pocket. "Everything you need is in the phone's chip."
Qi Pan was about to step forward when he saw Shi Youxi pull a gun out of his sleeve and point it at the phone.
"What are you doing?! Give me the thing!"
Shi Youxi blocked the doorway, "Let them out."
Qi Pan and Shi Bianji exchanged a glance, hesitated for a few seconds, and then Shi Bianji took the initiative to say, "Okay."
Shi Bianji immediately looked at Mu Yiran.
Shi Bianji glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. The fleeting relaxation on the woman's face and the unintentional dependence on Shi Youxi made Shi Bianji narrow his eyes. He raised his hand to stop Bily, who was about to pull Cheng Ran away, and slowly said the next sentence with a gentle smile on his face.
"However, only one can be placed."
"....."
Mu Yiran was pulling Mu Zhentong, trying to get him to go down first, when she heard this and froze, then looked up instantly.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com