Chapter 158: Beautiful Trap

"Hello! I've been attacked."

Lu Feng picked up the phone, answered the call, and heard Xia Yubing's panting voice.

"What's going on?"

Running through a dark alleyway, Xia Yubing said hurriedly, "I'm not entirely sure yet, but I suspect the Yuan family hired assassins to deal with me. My cover was blown when I got caught up playing around with you guys last time."

"Didn't you say your concealment skills were top-notch? How did you get exposed?"

Xia Yubing paused for a moment before replying, "Uncle Zhong came back today, and I went to pick him up. That's when I got spotted."

"Do you need help?"

"No."

"Then why did you call?" Lu Feng asked.

"To warn you to be careful. If even I can be tracked down, you need to be even more vigilant. Also, I don't have time to deal with you right now. Make a call and tell Guo Yanzhi to go hide in a safe house for a while." With that, Xia Yubing hung up and sprinted deeper into the alley, the sound of pursuing footsteps echoing behind her.

...

Lu Feng immediately called Guo Yanzhi and told him to lay low in a safe house for a while.

After hanging up, Lu Feng pondered for a moment, picked up his phone again, and dialed Yao Chuchu's number.

Beep, beep, beep...

After ringing a few times, the call was abruptly disconnected. Lu Feng tried dialing again, but this time her phone was switched off.

Feeling that something was amiss, Lu Feng immediately drove to Yao Chuchu's residence, only to find her place empty. He called Zhabo Qiang, who had no idea where she was either, though a nightclub hostess mentioned seeing Yao Chuchu go to the bank to withdraw money.

Yao Chuchu rarely spent money lavishly, and the only reason she would make a cash withdrawal was to give it to someone specific—after all, she only had one family member left.

Lu Feng drove straight to Yao Chuchu's home. The front door was tightly shut, and nobody answered his knocks.

Zhabo Qiang was sharp-witted. Upon receiving Lu Feng's call, he guessed that something might have happened to Yao Chuchu and immediately sent his men to find her father.

Yao's father was a chronic gambler and had recently started dabbling in drugs. The members of the Green Dragon Society tracked him down in no time.

There was no need for interrogation; after just a slight intimidation from Zhabo Qiang, Yao Chuchu's father spilled everything he knew.

Upon receiving the information, Zhabo Qiang immediately called Lu Feng. "Yao Chuchu was taken away by Yuan Jianhui. They left about half an hour ago."

"Do you know where they took her?"

"Not yet, but the Yuan family owns three properties in Yangcheng—two villas and a three-bedroom apartment in the city center. Given the situation, I doubt Yuan Jianhui would take her to a hotel if she put up a fight," Zhabo Qiang said.

"Send me the addresses, thanks."

"Don't mention it, Young Master Feng."

...

Armed with the addresses of the three Yuan family properties, Lu Feng analyzed the options. The first villa was where the Yuan family usually lived, and the second was located in the suburbs. As for the three-bedroom apartment in the city center, it was on too high a floor and unsuitable for holding a captive.

Therefore, the suburban villa was the most likely place where Yuan Jianhui would take Yao Chuchu.

Lu Feng drove toward the suburbs immediately, dialing Xia Yubing along the way. "Are you done with your mess?"

Xia Yubing was no longer panting, indicating she had stopped running. "Temporarily shook them off."

"Do me a favor. Yao Chuchu has been taken by Yuan Jianhui," Lu Feng said.

"Do you know where they took her?" Xia Yubing asked immediately.

"I've narrowed it down to two possibilities—one in the suburbs and one in the city center. I'm already heading to the suburbs, and I'd like you to check out the city center apartment."

"Send me the address."

...

As Lu Feng was driving toward the suburbs, his phone suddenly received a video file. Opening it, he saw Yao Chuchu tied up and locked inside a room.

The video didn't show anyone else, but a voice was heard speaking, "Want to come and see how I ride your girl? Jiuting Mountain Villa, Number 7."

Jiuting Mountain Villa No. 7 was the address of the Yuan family's suburban property, and the person who recorded the video was most likely Yuan Jianhui.

Lu Feng dialed Xia Yubing's number again. "Have you checked the place in the city center?"

"I'm heading up the stairs right now."

"I suspect she's not there. Yuan Jianhui sent me a video and gave me an address—it's the Jiuting Mountain Villa."

"Wait! Don't go there yet, it might be a trap," Xia Yubing warned instantly.

"I know, but even if it's a trap, I have to go," Lu Feng replied.

"Let me check this place first, then I'll rendezvous with you. Don't act rashly," Xia Yubing urged.

"Has Uncle Zhong arrived in Yangcheng?"

"Yes, he just got off the train. I don't have time to pick him up."

"Tell him to come to the Jiuting Mountain Villa. The train station is close to Jiuting Mountain," Lu Feng said.

"Alright, I was thinking the same thing. I'm hanging up now, I need to call Uncle Zhong."

Xia Yubing hung up on Lu Feng and immediately called Zhong Jianguo.

Zhong Jianguo had been away on a trip and had just returned today. The moment his feet touched the ground, he was summoned to handle matters at Jiuting Mountain. Without even putting down his travel bag, he hailed a taxi and rushed toward Jiuting Mountain.

...

Jiuting Mountain Villa No. 7 was dead silent. Lu Feng parked his car at a distance, walked over, and observed the premises for a while. No figures were visible, but the curtains on several windows showed signs of fluttering.

At that moment, his phone rang again. Accepting the call, he saw it was a video call. It showed Yao Chuchu again, but this time, the person holding the phone was reaching out and tearing at Yao Chuchu's clothes while taunting, "If you don't show up soon, you won't get to see anything left."

Lu Feng took a deep breath, retrieved a Type 92 pistol from his car, inserted the magazine, cocked it, and slid it into the holster at the small of his back, concealing it beneath his jacket.

This pistol belonged to Zhong Jianguo. During an encounter with Zhong Jianguo previously, some conflicts had arisen, and Lu Feng had disarmed him and kept the weapon.

With the pistol secured, Lu Feng walked through the front gate of the villa. The way inside was completely unobstructed, leading him all the way to the room where Yao Chuchu was being held.

Yao Chuchu's hands and feet were bound with ropes inside the room.

As soon as Lu Feng entered, Yao Chuchu threw herself into his arms, a mix of shock, joy, and terror, and said with a crying voice, "It's a trap, you shouldn't have come."

"Shh... don't speak." Lu Feng didn't attempt to escape with Yao Chuchu immediately. Having guessed that this was a trap all along, the enemy would undoubtedly have laid an inescapable net; escaping with a hostage at this point was impossible.

Right at that moment, hurried footsteps echoed from the hallway.

Lu Feng turned back, closed the bedroom door, and dragged a heavy cabinet to barricade it.

Bang, bang, bang!

The sound of heavy blows struck the door from the outside.

"You piece of trash, you're dead today! How dare you hit me—I'll make you regret the day you were born! Stop hiding, come out and I'll give you a quick death!" The voice belonged to Yuan Jianhui, though the person smashing the door was clearly someone else.

"Lu Feng, what do we do..." Yao Chuchu pressed against Lu Feng's back, trembling all over.

Lu Feng pulled her into a corner, made her squat behind the bedside table, and touched her face, saying, "Hide here and don't move around."

Bang, bang, bang!

The pounding on the door grew heavier. Lu Feng pushed the bed over to further reinforce the barricade.

"This trap is simple yet effective. Can you tell me who orchestrated it?" Lu Feng shouted toward the door.

"Hahaha..." A middle-aged man's voice filtered through. "I've never forgotten the grudge of having my hand severed. In the underworld, debts must always be paid—today is the day you pay yours."

Lu Feng recognized the voice instantly. It was Kun Jiu.

Mobilizing this many men certainly required the backing of a gang; it appeared the Yuan family's ties with the New East Syndicate were indeed extremely close.