62: Chapter 62: Found the Kidnappers' Lair!

The night deepened, and the cargo ship's engine emitted a low roar as it slowly steered away from the pier. The humid sea breeze, laden with the smell of diesel, rushed towards the face, and the deck was piled with messy fishing nets and rusted oil drums.

Su Han curled up in the shadows outside the ship's rail, his soaked combat suit clinging to his body. He held his breath, and the rough laughter of Dao Ge and his men drifted from the cabin.

"Damn, this job is finally done!" A raspy voice took a swig of beer, slamming the bottle heavily on the wooden table. "Dao Ge, how much can we get this time?"

"What's the rush!" Dao Ge's voice carried impatience. "The money hasn't been verified, the Boss hasn't spoken, who the hell dares to touch it?"

"If you ask me, just finish that girl!" Another voice chimed in sinisterly. "Keeping her is a liability sooner or later..."

"Cut the crap!" Dao Ge slammed the table, and a metal lighter clicked. "What is Chen Zhiyuan's status in the business world? Touch his daughter, and we'll all be fed to the sharks!"

There was a brief silence in the cabin, with only the crunching sound of peanuts being chewed.

Su Han's fingertips moved slightly, pressing his body even tighter against the ship. Waves slapped against the hull, and the splashing water blurred the porthole. Through the dirty glass, he saw Dao Ge whittling an apple with a dagger, the cold light of the blade dancing on the scar on his left cheek.

"Dao Ge... what exactly is the Boss's background? Daring to touch even the Chen family's money?"

Dao Ge sneered, and the apple core landed precisely in the trash can. "Don't ask what you shouldn't. Get some sleep, and be sharp when we arrive tomorrow morning!"

The bunk beds creaked, and several kidnappers lay down one after another. Snoring soon followed, mixed with the intermittent sound of old Cantonese songs from the radio.

The cargo ship cut through the pitch-black sea, heading into an unknown darkness.

The night was like ink, and the waves slapped against the deserted beach, emitting a low roar.

After sailing for several hours, the cargo ship stopped a hundred meters from the shore, and the engine sound gradually died down.

Dao Ge and his men moved several heavy suitcases onto a speedboat, the sound of the motor cutting through the silent sea.

Su Han slipped into the water without a sound, the cold seawater instantly soaking his entire body.

He took a deep breath, dove underwater, and followed the speedboat like a fish.

The underwater visibility was blurry, and he could only rely on the current stirred by the speedboat's propeller to judge the direction.

Su Han paddled with his arms and kicked powerfully with his legs, maintaining a safe distance from the speedboat.

The speedboat reached the shore, and Dao Ge and the others dragged the suitcases onto the beach.

Su Han dove to the shallow area and slowly raised his head, revealing only his eyes to observe—

Two black SUVs were parked at the edge of the beach, their headlights off, like beasts lurking in the dark.

"Hurry up!" Dao Ge urged in a low voice. "The Boss is waiting!"

The suitcases were stuffed into the trunk, and the car doors slammed shut.

The engines roared, and the SUVs drove away along the rugged beach road.

Su Han quickly went ashore, water droplets rolling off his combat suit. He shook his hair, his gaze locked on the receding taillights.

He couldn't lose them!

He took a deep breath, his leg muscles tensed, and he rushed into the mountain forest beside the beach like an arrow released from a bow.

In the mountain forest, Su Han's figure moved like a ghost.

He leaped over fallen logs and climbed rock walls, keeping the SUVs within his line of sight.

The damp branches whipped against his face, leaving small scratches, but he didn't care.

Turn left... uphill...

The SUVs drove slowly along the winding dirt road, their headlights flickering in the dense forest.

Su Han grabbed a vine, swung across a mountain stream, and landed steadily on a rock ahead.

Suddenly, the first car braked to a stop.

Su Han immediately lowered his body, holding his breath.

Dao Ge got out of the car, said a few words into his phone, and then waved to signal them to continue.

Half an hour later, the SUVs drove into a remote fishing village.

Dilapidated wooden houses were scattered sparsely, most of the windows pitch black.

Only a three-story building in the center of the village had lights on, with high courtyard walls and two armed guards standing at the entrance.

Su Han lurked behind the rocks at the village entrance and pressed his communicator. "Officer Liu, the target has entered the fishing village, coordinates sent. Armed guards discovered, suspect it is the kidnappers' den."

Officer Liu's voice came through with static. "Support is on the way, stay hidden!"

The SUVs drove straight into the courtyard.

Su Han observed the surroundings and found an old banyan tree in the northeast corner of the wall, its branches extending into the courtyard.

He would sneak in from there...

He moved along the shadows, avoiding the villagers who passed by occasionally.

Reaching the tree, he leaped up, grabbed the lowest branch, and climbed up without a sound.

The canopy was dense, perfectly obscuring his figure. Through the gaps in the leaves, Su Han saw—

Dao Ge was talking to a Man in Tang Suit, who had his back turned to him, toying with a string of prayer beads.

"Boss, the money is all here." Dao Ge handed over a suitcase respectfully.

The Man in Tang Suit did not turn around, just waved his hand.

A tall, thin man wearing glasses stepped forward to verify the money.

A few minutes later.

"Boss, the money is fine! It's all real cash, no marks!" The man in glasses shouted excitedly, his fingers quickly flipping through the bundles of cash.

Under the dim light, a dozen kidnappers surrounded the open suitcases, their eyes fixed on the mountain of cash.

The air was filled with a sense of greed, and even their breathing became heavy.

Dao Ge licked his dry lips, the scar on his face looking even more ferocious in the light. "Boss, we really hit the jackpot this time!"

The Man in Tang Suit finally turned around, revealing a refined face that was completely out of place with this dirty transaction.

His fingers, which were turning the prayer beads, were slender and fair, as if they had never been stained with blood.

"Thieves have a code." His voice was as gentle as a teacher's. "The money has been taken, so don't take lives. However..."

He scanned the room meaningfully. "Brothers have worked hard these past few days, you can go and 'relax' with Miss Chen."

The atmosphere in the room instantly boiled over.

Dao Ge was the first to jump up, his eyes flashing with a beast-like light. "Boss is wise! I'll go first!"

"Why should you go first?" A burly man with a face full of flesh shouted, unconvinced.

"Shut up!" The Man in Tang Suit said softly, the prayer beads making a crisp clinking sound in his palm. "Line up by seniority, Scar first, Old Black second..."

The kidnappers quickly lined up, their eyes flashing with lewd desire.

Dao Ge rushed towards the stairs impatiently, while the others were restless like beasts waiting to be fed.

Su Han lay on the roof, taking it all in through the skylight.

Officer Liu's anxious voice came through the earpiece. "Support won't arrive for another twenty minutes! Su Han, do not act rashly!"

Twenty minutes? That was too late!

Su Han's gaze locked onto the stairwell where Dao Ge had disappeared, his fingers tightening involuntarily.

He took a deep breath and made a decision. "Officer Liu, I can't wait, I'm moving in now."

"No! It's too dangerous!" Officer Liu's voice almost broke. "There are at least fifteen armed personnel!"

"Miss Chen can't wait that long." Su Han's voice was terrifyingly calm. "Don't worry, I will definitely save Miss Chen."