79: Chapter 79 The King Returns! Returning to the Team to Oversee the Acceptance Battle, Hidden Clues Intertwine as He Embarks on a Perilous Journey (4)

The man picked up the encrypted satellite phone on the table. His fingertips pressed down firmly on a string of codes he knew by heart. After the screen flickered briefly, the call to the leader of the criminal syndicate in the Nanyang region went through.

He rested his fingertips lightly on the mahogany armrest of the desk, his knuckles tensing slightly. His tone was icy, devoid of any warmth, and carried an unquestionable authority as he spoke in fluent English with a cold, hard edge: "Leader, the target will be going to the City-State next month to attend the International Nuclear Energy Conference. I need you to execute the kidnapping plan as soon as he arrives in the City-State. Remember, do not take his life; I want him alive. I need him to personally hand over all the core technical parameters of the nuclear fusion power station project, not a single detail can be left out. If he refuses to hand them over, you have plenty of ways to make him talk."

A faint crackle of electricity came from the other end of the line. Immediately after, a voice as raspy as sandpaper rubbing together sounded, tinged with the faint scent of cigar smoke and an undisguised greed and ruthlessness: "Rest assured, sir. We have made full preparations and guarantee the completion of the mission. However, this Mu Li is not simple. Previously in the detention center, even professional killers couldn't eliminate him, and he has state-arranged security personnel by his side. The security measures in the City-State are also very strict. This operation carries a high risk, and we need more funds and more equipment to ensure the success rate of the execution."

"Funds are not an issue," the man said without hesitation. He swiped his finger across the tablet on the desk, opening an encrypted transfer interface. His gaze swept over the numbers on the screen as he continued in an icy tone, "After I hang up, I will immediately transfer ten million dollars to you via an offshore encrypted account as a deposit. Upon completion, I will give you another twenty million dollars, which should be enough for you to recruit manpower, prepare equipment, and even bribe local informants. Additionally, I have compiled Mu Li's detailed information, precise itinerary, and his physical condition—the stitched wounds on his back, the injury on his neck—as well as information on the number of accompanying security personnel, their combat characteristics, and their shift patterns into an encrypted file. I have sent it to you through an encrypted dark web channel. You must immediately organize your core members to study it carefully, analyze it word by word, and formulate an operation plan so thorough that there isn't a single loophole. There must be absolutely no mistakes, and you must bring him back alive."

"Very well, sir." The raspy voice instantly turned obsequious, with greed almost spilling out of the phone, "We have already arranged for technicians to wait at the dark web terminal, ready to receive the encrypted file you sent at any time. Once received, we will decrypt it immediately, organize everyone to study it repeatedly, and will absolutely not betray your trust. We will definitely make Mu Li pay for his actions, we will definitely force him to hand over the core technical parameters, and we guarantee the successful completion of the mission. We will not let you down."

The man let out a cold snort, not saying another word. His fingertip pressed heavily on the hang-up button, and he tossed the satellite phone back onto the table, creating a soft sound. He stood up slowly and walked to the floor-to-ceiling window, looking out at the rows of skyscrapers and the brilliant neon lights outside. His eyes flashed with a greedy light like a hungry wolf, and deep in his eyes lurked a trace of imperceptible malice. He knew that as long as he captured Mu Li and forced him to hand over the core technical parameters, he would be able to occupy an absolute dominant position in the global energy field, obtain an endless stream of wealth and supreme power, and completely suppress China's nuclear energy industry, realizing the ambition he had been dormant for years to achieve. The malicious smile at the corner of his mouth grew more intense, and his fingertips unconsciously rubbed the dark patterns on his cuffs as he calculated inwardly: "Mu Li, this time, let's see who can save you. You are destined to become the stepping stone for me to realize my ambition!"

Inside a hidden manor in a country in the Nanyang region, the leader of the criminal syndicate hung up the old-fashioned encrypted phone in his hand and tossed it onto the table covered in black velvet. As the phone rolled, it hit a metal ashtray next to it, making a crisp sound. He immediately raised his hand and ordered his bodyguard standing behind him in a deep voice: "Go, call all the core members to the conference hall. In ten minutes, we will hold an emergency meeting. If anyone is one second late, they will bear the consequences!" The bodyguard bowed in acknowledgment and quickly stepped out, his footsteps light yet filled with an urgency that brooked no delay.

The manor was heavily guarded. The high walls were covered with barbed wire, and the surveillance cameras in the corners were like ghostly eyes, rotating 360 degrees with no blind spots. Inside and outside the manor, there were cold-faced bodyguards holding fully automatic weapons everywhere. They stood tall and straight, their eyes as sharp as eagles, vigilantly scanning every corner. The air was filled with a tense and oppressive atmosphere, as if a storm were approaching, making it hard for one to breathe.

Inside the conference hall, the lighting was dim, with only a chandelier above the main seat emitting a faint light, making the leader's gloomy face on the main seat appear even more hideous. His fingers held an unlit cigar, and with a forceful squeeze, he slightly deformed it. He then tossed an encrypted USB drive in his hand to his subordinates. The USB drive rolled across the table, making a faint sound, and finally stopped in front of the man in the front row. The leader's tone was cold and stern, carrying an unquestionable command: "Everyone, we have a big mission, a big mission that can make us fill our pockets and reach the pinnacle in one step. The target is a Chinese man named Mu Li. He is the person in charge of the nuclear fusion power station project in China and holds the most advanced nuclear energy core technical parameters in China. He will be going to the City-State next month to attend the International Nuclear Energy Conference. Our mission is to kidnap him and bring him here without anyone knowing after he arrives in the City-State, and use every possible method to force him to hand over the core technical parameters."

A tall, fierce-looking man bent down to pick up the USB drive. His fingertips were rough, and there was still a faint smell of gunpowder between his fingers. He plugged the USB drive into the laptop in front of him, quickly opened the encrypted file, and his fingers tapped rapidly on the keyboard as he carefully browsed through the relevant information about Mu Li. He was the operation captain of the criminal syndicate, nicknamed "Brother Tiger." He was agile, ruthless, and had blood on his hands. He had been responsible for many high-difficulty kidnapping and assassination missions, was extremely experienced, and was the leader's most trusted subordinate.

After Brother Tiger finished browsing the information, his brows knitted tightly, and the fierce look on his face became even more pronounced. He looked up and said in a grave tone: "Leader, this Mu Li is not simple. The data shows that he was framed by an insider and imprisoned some time ago. In the detention center, he encountered an assassination attempt by professional killers from our industry, but he managed to escape by his own strength. He also received stitches in the hospital; there are over a dozen stitches on his back, and unhealed scratches on his neck, which will somewhat affect his mobility. Furthermore, he has professional security personnel arranged by the state by his side; they are all strictly trained elites with extraordinary combat skills, and their guard is extremely tight. In addition, the security measures in the City-State are not just normally strict; traffic surveillance is as dense as a web, street patrols are plentiful, and there is a dedicated security team for the international conference. This operation carries a high risk. If we are not careful, we could be wiped out, without even a path of retreat."

"The difficulty is great, but the reward is also great," the leader sneered, throwing the cigar in his hand to the ground and crushing it heavily with his leather shoe. His tone was full of greed, and the light of money flashed in the depths of his eyes. "The employer has already agreed to give us thirty million dollars upon completion. This is a huge sum of money, enough for all of us to live without worry for the rest of our lives, and enough for us to expand our forces and purchase better equipment. Moreover, this Mu Li holds the core technical parameters of the nuclear fusion power station project. As long as we capture him and force him to hand them over, we can not only get the employer's bounty but also sell the core technical parameters to other countries that covet this technology to obtain even greater benefits. By then, we will be able to become the most powerful criminal syndicate in the Nanyang region, with no one daring to provoke us or stand in our way!"

Another member, thin and with cunning eyes, rubbed his hands together with an obsequious smile on his face and hurriedly said: "Leader, I have an idea. Can we make a move while Mu Li is on the way from the hotel to the conference venue? This stretch of road is the weakest link in his security, and the road is crowded with people and heavy traffic, making it easy to create chaos. We can take the opportunity to act and abduct him in the confusion; the success rate would be higher. Moreover, he has injuries on his back and neck, is physically inconvenienced, and his ability to resist will be greatly reduced, making it easier for us to succeed."

Brother Tiger shook his head, his eyes firm and malicious, his tone carrying an irrefutable certainty: "No. The traffic surveillance in the City-State is extremely dense; every main road and every intersection has high-definition cameras. Furthermore, there are many pedestrians on the road, frequent police patrols, and plainclothes police officers on secret watch. It would be very difficult to escape after making a move. Once targeted by the police, none of us will be able to escape, and we will only be walking right into a trap. I think the best time is when he returns to the hotel at night. Although there is security around the hotel, we can ambush in the hidden alleys near the hotel in advance. We can first create chaos, such as detonating small bombs or creating a serious traffic accident, to attract the attention of the security personnel and disrupt their guard rhythm. Then, we can rush up in the confusion and kidnap him. This way, the success rate is higher, and it is easier to escape. Besides, he is injured, and after a day of reporting at the conference, he will inevitably be exhausted, and his ability to resist will be limited. It will be easier for us to control him after we succeed."

The leader nodded, a satisfied smile appearing on his face, and said approvingly to Brother Tiger: "Brother Tiger makes sense, and his considerations are thorough. Let's formulate the action plan according to this line of thinking. Brother Tiger, you will be in full charge of this operation. You must select the most elite and reliable subordinates, formulate the most meticulous and rigorous plan, and prepare the best weapons, equipment, and communication devices to ensure nothing goes wrong. In addition, you must arrange for five members who are agile and familiar with the City-State's environment to go to the City-State three days in advance to familiarize themselves with the local road conditions and environment. They must conduct a detailed survey of the terrain of the hotel and the conference venue, figure out the patrol routes, shift times, and security loopholes of the security personnel, arrange for support personnel and vehicles, and rent hidden houses around the hotel as temporary strongholds. Make all preparations to ensure that after the kidnapping is successful, we can smoothly bring him back here without leaving any traces and without being discovered by anyone."

"Understood!" Brother Tiger stood up immediately, bowed in response, a flash of malice in his eyes, and said firmly, "Rest assured, Leader, I will definitely select the most elite subordinates, formulate the most meticulous action plan, rehearse it repeatedly, eliminate any loopholes, and absolutely will not make any mistakes. I will definitely bring Mu Li back safely and use every possible method to force him to hand over the core technical parameters so that the Leader is satisfied. Besides, he is injured. As long as we exert a little pressure, such as touching his wounds, he will most likely succumb, and we won't need to waste too much time."

"There is one more thing." The leader's face darkened, his tone became increasingly icy, and a flash of cruelty passed through his eyes. "The employer specifically instructed not to take Mu Li's life; he wants him alive. He wants to personally interrogate Mu Li, personally force him to hand over the core technical parameters, and personally torture him to vent his anger. Moreover, this Mu Li has a lot of backbone. Having experienced the assassination in the detention center and the pain of the hospital, he still holds onto his beliefs and refuses to yield. He may not easily hand over the core technical parameters. We must be prepared to torture him. I have already had people prepare special torture instruments, including those whips with barbs, high-voltage electric shockers, and various torture props, all of which have been placed in the basement prison of the manor. I don't believe that under our torture, he can still be stubborn and not hand over the core technical parameters! Especially since he has unhealed wounds on his back, a little torture, such as whipping his wounds with the barbed whips, will make him wish he were dead, unable to live or die."

Mentioning the barbed whips, a flash of fear crossed the eyes of the members present, and they subconsciously shrank their necks one after another. They all knew that those barbed whips had bodies covered with sharp, fine thorns. Whipping them on a person would not only tear the skin and leave them bloody, but those thorns would also dig into the flesh, forcefully tearing off chunks of flesh, causing unbearable pain that ordinary people simply could not withstand. Moreover, Mu Li had unhealed stitched wounds on his back. Once whipped by such a whip, the wounds would surely tear, bleeding profusely. That kind of pain, even for the toughest and most strong-willed person, would be very difficult to endure. Very few people could remain steadfast and not utter a single word under such torture.

"Rest assured, Leader, we have plenty of ways to make him talk." Brother Tiger said maliciously, a flash of cruelty in his eyes, and a hideous smile curling at the corners of his mouth. "No matter how resilient he is, no matter how much backbone he has, under our torture, especially by attacking his unhealed wounds and torturing him day after day, he will sooner or later succumb, sooner or later collapse, and sooner or later hand over the core technical parameters. We will definitely make him taste all the pain and make him pay a painful price for his stubbornness and for ruining our good deeds."