Chapter 258: It Has Begun
The bearded man didn’t care, “Five in the afternoon, I heard that little woman is returning to Nan Province. They should be here soon.”
“Damn it, hurry them up. That slut’s little girl must be captured.”
Lin Xianzi immediately clenched her fists, for Liancheng, and also exposed her speech habit to the opposite side.
She inferred that Mo Shicheng had taken action, not expecting him to be so audacious and arrogant.
It’s the same old trick from twenty-three years ago; the kidnappers haven’t even changed.
Back then, eleven people were sentenced in the mainland, three leaders to death, one to a suspended death sentence, and the rest for twenty to eighteen years, with one fugitive overseas.
The bearded man had a suspended death sentence, and the person on the phone was the fugitive.
The suspended death sentence in the mainland was commuted to twenty-five years imprisonment due to significant meritorious service. The bearded man doesn’t know how he got out. But as for the fugitive, she never gave up searching; for over twenty years, there was no trace. For Mo Shicheng to be able to instruct him again.
The bearded man gripped the knife, “I’ve hurried them.”
“Tell them, Liang Zhengping’s plane lands at nine, and Liang Chaosu will pick him up. This is a good opportunity, but there’s not much time. Lian Yingying has called the police in Hong Kong, and the mainland police will act soon. This is the last chance.”
The bearded man’s triangular eyes flashed with ferocity, “They haven’t even severed the head, what are they calling the police for?”
“It’s still that old dog Jin Tonghai. He’s your enemy, his nose is like a sieve. He smelled it, so he had no choice but to call the police.”
Strong wind rushed into the car’s rear, the tarp flapped loudly, and the voice on the phone was intermittent. Lin Xianzi’s heart raced.
From ancient times to the present, eliminating traitors from within, trust is the most unreliable basis for judgment. If even multiple sieves can’t filter out the pests, it only indicates one problem: the pests have infiltrated the core, the core of the core.
The people close to her heart and her innermost being correspond to two individuals, respectively.
Jin Tonghai, to whom she owes her life.
Lin Ziqiu, who is from the Lin family and has a blood relation to her.
Based on this, her fishing plan was not shared with these two individuals.
The bearded man’s peripheral vision swept over her. The person on the other end was still on the phone. He abruptly hung up, grabbed the iron chain at his feet, and yanked. Lin Xianzi tilted sideways, her face landing on the bearded man’s feet.
The smell of raw meat and stinky feet assailed her nostrils, making Lin Xianzi gag.
The bearded man grabbed her hair, yanked her up fiercely, and pressed an icy dagger against Lin Xianzi’s right cheek, “Did you hear?”
Lin Xianzi kept a straight face and said nothing.
The bearded man’s knife had just scraped flesh, and a paste-like residue clung to the blade, then smeared onto Lin Xianzi’s side cheek, sticking to her eyelashes and hair strands. The moonlight in the mountains was clear, and her disheveled appearance brought the bearded man a moment of pleasure.
“Are you excited?” The bearded man pressed the blade down towards her carotid artery. “The dog you raised, who traveled thousands of miles to save you when young, is now an old dog, half in the grave, still loyally protecting its master.”
Lin Xianzi’s gaze was ice-cold. She was much calmer than the panicked and trembling young woman of twenty-three years ago; she was mature and composed.
The bearded man couldn’t tell if she believed him or not. Unbidden, an image of a frail, effeminate young master flashed through his mind, his eyes unblinking behind his glasses as he severed the man’s finger at the root with a single stroke.
“You almost got me shot, caused my wife to run off with someone else, and my mother starved to death at home. This time, forget that old dog Jin Tonghai; you and your little bitch, the young mistress, will both die.”
Lin Xianzi’s expression remained unchanged, not revealing a single word.
The bearded man couldn’t gauge her depth, his expression gradually turning sinister. The slaps on Lin Xianzi’s side face grew heavier, making her cheek redden.
“You can really hold your composure.” He spat out a phlegm, dialed his phone, and this time, he brazenly put it on speakerphone.
“Has the little woman been caught?”
“Almost.” The voice on the other end had a Qi Province accent. “The old woman you caught is very cunning. If we hadn’t pursued her, she would have sent that woman abroad. Luckily, that son of a bitch Liang Chaosu didn’t give her a passport. Wait, you’ll have her back by late tonight.”
Lin Xianzi’s eyebrow twitched.
The bearded man, with his sharp eyes, grinned wickedly, “Then you make sure to aim well. If you get any news, pass it on. At nine, Liang Chaosu goes to the airport to pick up his father. If you make your move then, you won’t have to wait until late tonight; she’ll be back by early morning.”
“Understood.” The other side suddenly grew anxious. “I can’t talk anymore, we’ve seen that woman. Damn it, she’s heading onto the highway, going south. She’s not worried about her mother at all, just focused on running.”
Emotion flashed in Lin Xianzi’s eyes.
It wasn’t surprising to her that Liancheng was returning to Nan Province. Her decision to go abroad immediately was a hasty one made after receiving a text message in the conference room.
Passport, visa – she hadn’t had time to verify these details.
But she had severely underestimated Liang Chaosu’s treachery. He might not have been unaware that Liancheng was in danger. Given the current situation, sending her far away to Europe, away from the storms, would have been the most advantageous.
Yet, he forced her to go to Hong Kong.
The Lin family could certainly protect Liancheng’s safety, but it would inevitably lead to a confrontation with Lian Yingying.
Lin Xianzi took the risk of using herself as bait, specifically so that Lin Lanfeng could take advantage of the situation. Lian Yingying, as the weakest link in Mo Shicheng’s camp, her greed for wealth and status grew stronger each day.
As long as Liancheng didn’t formally appear, her greed would be Lin Lanfeng’s best fishing float.
For instance, in this instance, Mo Shicheng’s meticulous plan led to his traces being exposed through her first.
He had started the game with Liancheng’s gamble.
………………………………
The grand reception for Liang Zhengping’s return to the country exceeded everyone’s expectations.
The previously suppressed branch families of the Liang family, the loyal directors and executives of the Liang Corporation, and the Gu family, from the major shareholders with the surname Gu down to the inconspicuous junior managers.
The chaos in the hierarchy was such that people lost their manners, yet those present watched with increasing apprehension.
Over a dozen gazes were subtly focused on the front of the procession.
Liang Chaosu, dressed in a dark gray suit, with broad shoulders and a strong build, stood tall. He exuded an imposing aura on the tarmac. As deep and dark as the night sky in the distance, he was mysterious and unfathomable.
Although he didn’t turn his head, the onlookers dared not linger their gazes for even a second.
“You—” Gu Xingyuan counted, leaned closer, and whispered, “When did you clear the mines? My check on the Gu family reported three, but there are four here. What’s the deal with that Southeast Regional General Manager?”
Liang Chaosu’s expression remained calm, his voice in the wind as unfathomable as ever, “He is not one of your uncle’s men.”
Gu Xingyuan pondered for a few seconds and then admitted, “Your father? How ruthless. Guarding against my third uncle?”
Liang Chaosu turned his head. His eye sockets were deep. The light on the tarmac shone into his pupils, as if they were being swallowed by dark, profound ink.
Gu Xingyuan felt a shudder as if he were being ensnared by an abyss, and he averted his gaze. “You’re making such a grand display, exposing all your key players. Your father will jump the wall in desperation when he sees this.”
The flashing lights of a ground support vehicle appeared at the corner of the runway. Behind it, a Gulfstream G50, white with red accents, broke through the night sky.
A smile curved Liang Chaosu’s lips, like a mask, crudely placed on his face. “You understand clearly; deal with it slowly.”
“Deal with what?” Gu Xingyuan asked, curious. “This is your main battlefield; I’m just your subordinate.”
“The Liang Corporation finalized its preliminary plan for international expansion last year.” Liang Chaosu’s smile became slightly more sincere.
“Progress has been slow to date. Hong Kong is China’s international financial center. Although it’s gradually declining, the gateway is still there. Tomorrow marks the opening of the 17th Asian Financial Forum, and I’ve been specially invited to attend.”
Gu Xingyuan felt a surge of blood in his throat. “You’re doing it again.”
Monkeys chasing wives, with no end in sight. The boss chasing wives, all holidays.
The ape was furious.
