The three men who kidnapped Chu Xiaoxiao were infamous outlaws in the South Bay, known by the moniker "Desperado Trio." This time, they were hired by a mysterious employer who offered a substantial reward for the abduction of Chu Xiaoxiao, the eldest daughter of the Chu Group. If they succeeded, the three brothers could live in luxury overseas for the rest of their lives.
The leader was the absolute core of the trio, ruthless and cunning. The second brother was cowardly and lecherous, but skilled in handling vehicles and theft, with a shrewd mind. The third brother, though taciturn, was the most formidable fighter among them, having once been an underground boxer and the most trusted by the eldest.
The second brother harbored sinister thoughts, but worked swiftly. Soon, a simple military tent was set up. The eldest pushed Chu Xiaoxiao into the tent and sat guard outside, never leaving his post.
"Big brother, who do you think our employer is? Why would they want to kidnap the Chu family's eldest daughter?" The second brother, feigning curiosity, asked while stealing glances into the tent.
"Don't ask questions you shouldn't. The more you know, the more trouble you'll have. Or have you forgotten how your previous comrades met their end?" The eldest shot him a cold glance. Though the second brother was highly capable, he was hard to control because of his many schemes.
The second brother laughed nervously, "Right, right! I was being nosy! No need to get angry, big brother! But this little girl is really unlucky, huh? Instead of staying in the big city, she ends up in this godforsaken place. Otherwise, we wouldn't have had the chance to nab her!"
"Yes, it was pure luck. The Chu Group is one of the largest conglomerates in Fujian Province. Though it hasn't been around long, both mother and daughter are tough to deal with. The Chu Group is expanding rapidly and is rumored to be moving into Southeast Asia—a rising giant! I suspect the one behind this kidnapping is one of the old powers whose turf the Chu family is encroaching on," the eldest said, his eyes gleaming with a sharp intelligence that belied his rough appearance.
"Oh, so this Chu family girl must be worth a lot! A million for the job seems low. After splitting it three ways, it's only about three hundred thousand each—less than the cost of a rich kid's sports car!" the second brother complained.
The eldest squinted and cast a frosty gaze at the second brother, his eyes flashing with a hint of menace.
"I've told you many times—only take on what you can handle! If you had their power, you could leverage this girl for more. But we're just a tool in their hands, a knife they use to draw blood. When they're done with us, they can toss us into the Huangpu River without a second thought!"
The second brother, sensing the threat in the eldest's warning, felt a dry tightness in his throat. "Don't be mad, big brother. I was just joking, just joking! Geez, this third brother is taking forever to gather firewood—I'll go help him."
With that, the second brother hurried into the woods on the small island.
"Hmph!" The eldest watched him go, his eyes momentarily flashing with murderous intent. "You were wrong—there are only two shares. Five hundred thousand each isn't bad…" The whispered words were carried away by the howling wind.
…
On the other side of the beach, the third brother stood before the "abandoned shipwreck," holding a flashlight as he inspected the vessel with some puzzlement.
"Why are there so many holes? It doesn't look like it hit a reef—more like it was shelled," he muttered, scratching his head in confusion.
In the darkness, Nie Yun and the mechanical insects watched silently.
"Maybe we overdid it a little…" Nie Yun thought to himself.
"No matter. Tearing wood off the ship is faster than gathering sticks in the woods. This was a great idea! My IQ must be improving—I should learn more from big brother; it'll make me even smarter!" The third brother smugly congratulated himself.
He entered the "shipwreck," his flashlight sweeping around as he headed for the cabin in search of broken furniture.
As he stepped into the cabin, the bright light illuminated an unexpectedly clean and tidy interior, complete with various living amenities. After a moment of stunned disbelief, the third brother's guard went up—someone was here!
Just then, something slid across the floor beneath him, and suddenly his ankle tightened. Alarmed, he shined the flashlight downward, only to see a silver rope coiled around his ankle.
"What the—?" He traced the silver rope with his flashlight, following it up to the crossbeam above, where it was attached to… an anchor?!
The third brother's heart pounded as he reached for his knife, intending to cut the rope, but at that moment, the anchor inexplicably leaped from the beam!
No, the third brother could swear there was no one around, no mechanism—it was as if the anchor had decided to end it all by jumping down of its own accord!
Was this a suicidal anchor?
Before he could process the absurd thought, the rope tightened, and with a short scream, the third brother found himself hanging upside down.
The anchor, swinging back and forth beside him, matched his pendulum-like motion. The eerie situation left the third brother trembling in fear.
"Thud! Thud! Thud!" Footsteps echoed from the entrance of the cabin, growing closer until they stopped just behind him. Though he couldn't see who or what was there, he could feel the malevolent intent emanating from his unseen captor.
"Who's there?!" The third brother's hair stood on end. Was it a person? A ghost? He suddenly recalled the legends of ghost ships. Damn it, was he about to be outsmarted by his own cleverness?
A dull thud sounded, and everything went black as the third brother lost consciousness.
Nie Yun casually tossed the frying pan aside, which melted back into the silver fluid and merged with the Sea Wolf.
He dusted his hands off, smiling with satisfaction. "Not bad for our first team effort! Now, let's see what this guy has on him."
Nie Yun searched the third brother's belongings, finding a satellite phone, a Swiss army knife, a handgun, two magazines, and some miscellaneous items like a compass.
He stared at the black handgun in his hand, a 7.62mm Type 54, with a 50m effective range—the most common pistol in Rabbit Country.
Although Nie Yun had encountered gangsters before, this was his first time seeing a real gun.
"Holy crap, if it weren't for my little friends, I'd have almost bitten the dust!" Nie Yun shuddered at the thought. Rabbit Country's gun control is legendary—he never expected the kidnappers to be armed!
These guys were no ordinary thugs!
Nie Yun pocketed the items, tucking the gun into his waistband, then glanced at the still-hanging third brother. "No need to waste him—he's got some food on him. Just make sure to tie him up after you're done."
With that, the anchor dissolved into a puddle of silver, and the third brother fell to the floor with a thud. The silver liquid swiftly engulfed him, stripping him of all metal, down to the buckle on his belt.
Nie Yun nodded in approval at the sight of the third brother securely bound in silver ropes, then turned his attention outside the cabin. In the darkness, the lone source of light was glaringly conspicuous…