785: Chapter 78 Song Zhixing

The air was filled with the charred aroma of grilled squid, the pungent odor of stinky tofu, and the cloying sweetness of cheap perfume.

Colorful neon signs flickered overhead, bathing the entire street in a bizarre, garish light.

"Come look, come see! Authentic lamb skewers, three for ten yuan!"

"Ring toss! Whatever you hook, you keep! The boss is selling at a huge loss!"

The noisy clamor of voices surged like a tide, yet it didn't sound grating; instead, it carried a sense of comforting reality.

Shen Yan bought a candied hawthorn skewer and handed it to Youyou. The little girl ate with her cheeks puffed out, resembling a greedy squirrel.

He watched his wife picking through inexpensive trinkets at a roadside stall, her face beaming with a happiness greater than if she had received diamonds.

This long-lost tranquility allowed Shen Yan's tightly wound nerves to completely relax.

Just as they walked up to a stall selling balloons, a sudden change occurred.

The dense crowd ahead suddenly seemed to be forcibly torn open by something.

A sound of hurried and panicked footsteps became exceptionally abrupt.

"Grab him! Don't let him get away!"

A rough roar accompanied the gasps of the crowd.

Shen Yan instinctively stepped aside, shielding Liu Hui and Youyou behind him.

Almost simultaneously, a small, slender figure darted out from a gap in the crowd, recklessly bumping right into Shen Yan's thigh.

It was a little boy, looking about six or seven years old.

He was so filthy as if he had rolled around in a mud pit. His originally delicate little suit was tattered, covered in dark grease stains.

His hair was a messy bird's nest, his face covered in dust and tear tracks, but his eyes were startlingly bright.

They were filled with terror, like a small beast targeted by a hunting rifle.

The impact was quite strong; the little boy himself was bounced backward by the recoil.

Shen Yan, with quick eyes and fast hands, grabbed the boy's slender arm and lifted him steadily.

Upon contact, he felt a scorching body temperature and muscles trembling violently beneath the skin.

"Let me go! I'm not going back! Help!"

The little boy struggled desperately, opening his mouth to bite Shen Yan's wrist.

This was an instinctive reaction born of extreme despair.

Shen Yan did not let go. He used his other hand to press down gently on the back of the boy's neck, applying just enough pressure to convey a calming strength.

"Calm down, no one is catching you."

Shen Yan's voice was deep and steady, like a firewall isolating the external panic.

The little boy froze for a moment, then looked up, meeting Shen Yan's bottomless gaze.

At that moment, on Shen Yan's retina, the familiar light-blue stream of data began to flicker wildly again.

It was the unique notification frequency of the tycoon system.

"Ding! Detected contact with a special individual."

"Random emergency mission triggered: The Lost Lion Cub."

"Mission Description: Help the child before you escape his current predicament and assist him in contacting his direct relatives."

"Loading target character data..."

As the system notification sounded, a semi-transparent information box, visible only to Shen Yan, floated above the little boy's head.

"Name: Song Zhixing."

"Age: 7."

"Identity: The only grandson of Song Guoliang, the current head of Jinghai City's powerful Song Group, and the future first-in-line heir."

"Current Status: Kidnapped (currently escaping), extremely terrified, slightly dehydrated, mild soft tissue contusion on the left ankle."

"Background Intel: Three days ago, Song Zhixing was abducted by kidnappers disguised as drivers outside the prestigious noble school in Jinghai City. The kidnappers traveled across three cities, intending to transport him overseas. Today, while changing vehicles at this Jinghai's night market, the target escaped in the chaos. The Song family has issued a bounty: ten million yuan for valid clues, and one hundred million yuan plus a promise from the Song Group for safe return."

"Mission Reward: Unlock Level One access to 'Future Business Intelligence' and a random drop of one Black Technology blueprint."

Shen Yan's pupils contracted slightly.

The Song family of Jinghai City.

That was a behemoth family controlling the entire shipping lifeline of the eastern coast. In terms of foundation, they were even more solid than the current Shen Yan.

He never expected that taking his wife and child for a stroll in a night market would lead him to pick up such a stranded golden dragon.

This wasn't a dirty little beggar; this was clearly an entry ticket to the top tier of powerful families.

"Where did this little brat come from? Ran pretty fast!"

Three burly men squeezed out from the crowd.

The leader wore a tight black tank top, his face thick with flesh, and a hideous scar stretched from the corner of his eye to his mouth.

He rushed over, panting, his gaze fiercely fixed on Song Zhixing, whom Shen Yan was protecting.

Seeing these three menacing figures, the surrounding passersby were frightened and retreated several paces, clearing a large open area.

"Sorry, brother, this is my kid."

Scarface's expression changed faster than turning a page. His fierce look instantly morphed into that of a helpless parent, though his smile looked incredibly stiff.

"This kid is too naughty. He stole money from home to go online, and when I stopped him, he screamed for help."

Scarface spoke while reaching out to grab Song Zhixing.

"Come home with me! See if I don't break your legs!"

This excuse was too common. The previously suspicious crowd immediately adopted an expression of, "So that's how it is."

After all, the drama of a naughty kid running away from home played out daily.

Upon hearing that man's voice, Song Zhixing trembled violently, gripping Shen Yan's pant leg so tightly that his knuckles turned white from the force.

He wanted to shout, but excessive fear rendered him speechless. He could only shake his head desperately, his tears carving grooves through the grime on his face.

Shen Yan could feel the despair transmitted by the small life clinging to his leg.

He didn't move, merely shifted slightly to block the rough hand Scarface extended.

"Since he's your own child, why don't you even call his name?"

Shen Yan's voice wasn't loud, but it carried clearly into everyone's ears amidst the noisy night market.

Scarface's hand froze mid-air, a flicker of panic flashing in his eyes, which was quickly replaced by deeper ferocity.

"None of your business! Do I need to report to you how I discipline my son? Let go!"

His two accomplices also closed in, the silhouettes of clubs faintly visible beneath the black plastic bags they held.

The air instantly solidified.

Liu Hui, standing on the side, though scared, still held Youyou tightly and did not retreat a single step.

She trusted her husband.

Shen Yan looked down at Song Zhixing, who was still shivering, and reached out to pat the boy's dusty head.

The gesture was gentle, just like how he had comforted Shen An at home earlier.

But when he raised his head again to look at the three big men, the aura around him instantly changed.

The gentle father was gone.

In his place stood the capital crocodile who swallowed dozens of enterprises with a smile and a nod across the negotiation table.

"Song Zhixing, from the Song family of Jinghai City."