The process of apprehending Miss Ruiyi was indeed somewhat convoluted, excluding certain gang skirmishes and undisclosed events. It took a full day from the onset of conflict to the execution of the plan.
This period was actually quite perilous for Jonas's capture scheme. After all, any missteps would nullify previous efforts. If discovered by the Earth Gang, the plan would have to start anew, with their vigilance heightened considerably.
Fortunately, the plan succeeded without interruption from the Earth Gang. Miss Eitra herself was unaware of who abducted Yudora Ruiyi.
As Jonas observed the unconscious girl before him, he couldn't help but heave a sigh.
A significant portion of the "snow in the snow" plan's inability to proceed was due to the Earth Gang...
Efforts to exert external pressure were futile, rendering the "snow in the snow" plan mere rhetoric... After all, Miss Yudora Ruiyi's current situation was not too dire. She had the protection of the Earth Gang, which, in some sense, was more advantageous than her previous employment within the conglomerate.
"Therefore, don't blame me, Miss Ruiyi, this is also a last resort for me," Jonas murmured softly, as if speaking to himself. It seemed as though he heard the other's words, as Yudora Ruiyi's eyelashes trembled and she furrowed her brow, seemingly about to awaken.
The girl's body writhed restlessly, as if attempting to free herself from the constraints, but alas, she failed. She reluctantly opened her eyes, her gaze somewhat vacant. However, upon seeing Jonas seated across from her, the vacancy in her eyes instantly faded, replaced by vigilance and unease.
Upon realizing she was bound to a chair and surrounded by unfamiliar surroundings, Yudora Ruiyi seemed to grasp her situation. Panic flickered in her eyes, and her gaze towards Jonas bore a hint of hostility.
Though unsure why she found herself here, everything was undoubtedly linked to the man before her. And judging from her bound state, it seemed the other party did not come with goodwill.
—A dire situation indeed.
Yudora Ruiyi made her assessment, took a deep breath, and inquired, "Who are you, where is this, and what do you intend to do?"
A very clear inquiry, as succinct as ever. Even in such circumstances, and facing such a situation for the first time, Miss Yudora Ruiyi maintained her usual composure.
"No need to fret, I harbor no malice," Jonas said, words he himself scarcely believed. Naturally, Miss Ruiyi harbored no trust either. She scrutinized the man before her cautiously, as if trying to discern something from his attire and demeanor.
However, despite Jonas's exploits being widely circulated on District 25's network, Miss Ruiyi, who paid little attention to such matters, did not recognize Jonas.
He paused, then began to slowly respond to each of Yudora Ruiyi's inquiries.
"This is Lilfos Street in the Fidel District. I presume Miss Ruiyi is acquainted with my identity."
Lilfos Street, also one of the few streets entirely under the control of the Titanium Crystal Gang.
As expected, upon hearing this location, Ruiyi's delicate features couldn't help but furrow her brow. She then asked, "Are you affiliated with the Titanium Crystal Gang?"
Jonas smiled but remained silent.
Seeing Jonas's expression, a sense of irritation welled up within Ruiyi, though she didn't show it. Instead, she continued, "So why have you come for me?"
"Miss Ruiyi recently forged an alliance with the Earth Gang, did she not?" After a smile, Jonas continued, "It's impossible."
Ruiyi paused for a moment, then thought of the incident involving medical assistance that the other party mentioned... A surge of indignation welled up within the girl, but she quickly suppressed it.
Eitra assured her that no one would come looking for trouble, and given her relationship with Eitra, it was impossible for him to betray her.
The most likely scenario was that there was a mole around Eitra, and she had suffered unjustly as a result.
"Is it the Titanium Crystal Gang... who's at odds with the Earth Gang?" The girl's voice was tinged with bitterness.
"Yes, and no."
Upon hearing this, Ruiyi raised her head, looked at the man before her, and a glimmer of realization flashed in her eyes. She furrowed her brow and asked, "You, you're not from the Titanium Crystal Gang?"
In theory, the one tormenting her here shouldn't be an unknown figure. She had met both the leader and deputy leader of the Titanium Crystal Gang, and neither matched the young man before her.
Hearing this, Jonas's eyes filled with an inexplicable smile. He spoke softly, "Allow me to introduce myself, I am Jonas Veiteng."
Ruiyi's pupils suddenly constricted. Even though she hadn't seen the other's appearance, she had heard this name.
The heir of the Veiteng Consortium, and the protagonist of the recent Chamber incident.
The event that shook the entire District 25, the girl naturally heard about it.
But she couldn't fathom why he would come to the Fidel District and involve himself in the conflict between gangs.
"Why...?" Ruiyi's words trailed off, as if she had realized something.
Although the Fidel District barely qualified as a secondary area, there were simply too many gangs here. Thus, not many consortia were willing to exert significant efforts to control it.
After all, controlling the area required subduing all the gangs and being willing to spend a significant amount of credits to remodel the area.
But even if one truly gained control, the benefits weren't substantial. It might not even match a tenth of the cost expended.
However, these considerations were insignificant to Jonas...
After all, he didn't have to invest much capital, so there was no loss to speak of.
He only needed to incite conflict among the major gangs and then reap the benefits.
Realizing this, Ruiyi couldn't help but feel a chill run down her spine. Her gaze towards the man before her became even more cautious.
"As for what I want Miss Ruiyi to do..."
Jonas paused, then smiled as he spoke, "I want Miss Ruiyi to provide medical assistance to the Titanium Crystal Gang next, and reject any requests for aid from the Earth Gang."
"Impossible," Ruiyi said, without even considering.
This condition undoubtedly required her to betray Eitra, who was not only her best friend but also helped her when she was at her lowest. Though she pretended to be very disdainful on the surface, Ruiyi still valued this friend very much.
So she naturally couldn't do something that would betray her friend.
Upon hearing Ruiyi's words, Jonas wasn't disappointed. On the contrary, there was a hint of amusement in his eyes.
It was as if he had been waiting for her to say these words from the beginning.
And indeed... If she had accepted his conditions, there would be no way to manipulate her later on.
After setting the stage for so long, he was waiting for the girl to say these words.