801: Chapter 796 Are You Threatening Me?

The sky outside the window was somewhat gloomy, much like a precursor to an impending rainstorm.

Suddenly, a noisy commotion came from downstairs.

It wasn't the sound of laughter, but rather the suppressed sobbing of a child.

Shen Yan closed the file, his brow furrowing slightly.

He stood up and went downstairs.

In the living room, Liu Hui was holding a tissue with a look of helplessness, trying to wipe the tears from a young boy's face.

It was Doudou.

The little fellow, who had been shielded in his mother's arms just last night, was now like a frightened quail, shivering as he huddled in the corner of the sofa.

Youyou stood beside him, her large eyes also filled with tears, her small hands tightly clutching Doudou's sleeve.

Seeing Shen Yan come down, Youyou looked as if she had seen her savior.

She ran over on her short legs and grabbed Shen Yan's thigh.

“Daddy! Daddy, save Doudou's mommy!”

Shen Yan bent down to pick up his daughter and reached out to wipe the teardrops from the corners of her eyes.

“Tell me slowly, what happened?”

Youyou sobbed, pointing at Doudou.

“Doudou said... some very, very bad people took his mommy away... right at the entrance of the kindergarten...”

Shen Yan's gaze moved past his daughter's shoulder and landed on the cowering young boy.

Doudou looked up, and those clear eyes that looked so much like Su Qing's were filled with fear and helplessness.

“Uncle Shen...”

Doudou's voice was terribly hoarse.

“Mommy stuffed this... into my hand and told me to run, told me to find you...”

With trembling hands, he pulled something out of his inner pocket.

It was a seemingly ordinary black USB drive, still carrying the warmth of his body.

Shen Yan walked over and took the USB drive in his hand.

It felt slightly cool to the touch.

He didn't even need to plug it into a computer to guess what it was.

The core encryption key for the 'Moon Reflection Project' that the Ye family in the capital was fighting tooth and nail for.

It was also that woman Su Qing's final life-saving charm.

She had given the charm to her son and acted as the bait herself.

“Where is Uncle Ning?”

Shen Yan toyed with the USB drive in his hand, his tone betraying no emotion.

“That uncle... was hit by several cars... he bled so much...”

Doudou finally couldn't hold it back anymore and burst into a loud wail.

Shen Yan's gaze instantly darkened.

What audacity.

To dare to ram Ning Ke's car on the territory of Jinghai City.

Did these 'Cleaners' from the Ye family's branch truly not respect the local power here, or did they think this was a lawless land?

“Shen Yan...”

Liu Hui looked at her husband with some concern.

Although she didn't know exactly what had happened, a woman's intuition told her that this matter was not simple.

“It's fine.”

Shen Yan handed Youyou to Liu Hui and gently patted the back of his wife's hand.

“Take the children upstairs to play. Don't come down no matter what sounds you hear.”

Liu Hui was a smart woman; she nodded and led the two children upstairs.

Youyou looked back with every step.

“Daddy, you'll bring the auntie back, right?”

Shen Yan looked into his daughter's eyes, which were as pure as crystal.

He never made promises lightly.

But this time, he nodded at his daughter.

“Right.”

Once the door upstairs closed, the trace of warmth on Shen Yan's face vanished instantly.

He took out his phone and dialed Chen Guangke's number.

“Guang Ke, take a few people and check if Ning Ke is dead or alive. Also, track the location of that Buick.”

“Five minutes. I want results.”

After hanging up, Shen Yan sat back on the sofa.

The system interface in his mind popped up at the right moment.

【Ding!】

【Triggered Emergency Chain Mission: Save Black Begonia (Final Chapter).】

【Su Qing has been kidnapped by the Ye family branch; she is expected to be secretly executed in three hours.】

【Detected that the Host possesses the 'Moon Reflection Project' key. Conditions for direct dialogue with the Ye family's main lineage have been met.】

【Do you wish to consume yesterday's reward 'advanced wealth intelligence' to exchange for the private line of the Ye family head, Ye Zhentian?】

Shen Yan did not hesitate at all.

“Exchange.”

So-called wealth intelligence wasn't just about which stock would rise or which piece of land would appreciate.

In this society built on relationships, a network that reached the heavens was the greatest wealth.

A string of encrypted numbers appeared on his retina.

Shen Yan pressed the dial button.

The phone rang three times before it was picked up.

The person on the other end didn't speak; there was only steady breathing, exuding the unique pressure of someone in a high position.

“I am Shen Yan.”

Shen Yan got straight to the point, his tone as steady as if he were chatting with an old friend.

“The boss of Rock Technology in Jinghai City.”

There was silence on the other end for two seconds before an aged but vigorous voice spoke.

“Young man, no more than ten people know this number. How did you get it?”

“That's not important.”

Shen Yan leaned back against the sofa.

“What's important is that your granddaughter, Ye Qingmei, is currently at an abandoned shipyard in the western suburbs of Jinghai, and she'll likely be thrown into the river in about two hours.”

“Furthermore, the 'Moon Reflection Project' key you've been searching for for five years is now in my hands.”

The other end of the phone fell into a deathly silence instantly.

Even through the radio waves, Shen Yan could feel the sudden explosion of killing intent.

“Are you threatening me?”

“No, I'm talking cooperation with you.”

Shen Yan looked at the black USB drive between his fingers.

“I want Ye Qingmei alive, and I want her to be someone no one dares to touch in Jinghai.”

“In exchange, I will hand over this USB drive with both hands, along with evidence of the crimes committed by those disobedient branch nephews of yours.”

“Elder Ye, you won't lose out on this deal.”

Another long silence followed from the other side.

This silence was for weighing pros and cons, evaluating the weight of the young man before him.

“Half an hour.”

Ye Zhentian's voice carried a hint of unquestionable decisiveness.

“The Ye family's secret guards are in Jinghai; they will arrive at the shipyard in half an hour.”

“Young man, I hope your chips are worthy of your tone.”

Beep.

The call disconnected.

Shen Yan tossed his phone onto the coffee table, a faint arc curling at the corner of his mouth.

Half an hour?

Those mad dogs might not necessarily wait half an hour.

At that moment, Chen Guangke's call came in.

“Brother Yan, I found it! It's that abandoned old pier in the western suburbs. That kid Ning Ke is lucky; his car flipped but he's fine and is rushing there now, but he doesn't have enough manpower.”

“Prepare the car.”

Shen Yan stood up and straightened his slightly wrinkled collar.

“Call Wu Ya and bring the elites from our security department.”

“The boss is going personally?”

Chen Guangke was stunned for a moment.

“Youyou is still waiting for me to come home for dinner.”

Shen Yan walked to the entryway and changed into a pair of casual shoes.

“If I'm late, it'll be hard to explain to the child.”

Western suburbs of Jinghai, abandoned shipyard.

The rusted iron sheets made a piercing grinding sound in the sea breeze.

Su Qing's hands were tied behind her back as she knelt on the oil-stained concrete floor.

The corner of her mouth was cut, oozing a trace of blood, and her originally neat trench coat was torn and disheveled.

Under the dim warehouse lights, the incomplete begonia tattoo on her wrist looked exceptionally striking.

“Ye Qingmei, you certainly know how to run.”