A San's car was parked at the alley entrance, waiting. When he saw Hua Zi emerge, he rolled down the car window and beckoned him over.
What happened next made Liu Tao's jaw drop.
Hua Zi's expression shifted instantly. With a fawning smile, he scurried to the car window, bowing and acting extremely respectfully.
"Brother A San, these are the women Young Master Zhao wanted. I've brought them back completely unharmed."
A San glanced at the two struggling women behind Hua Zi and nodded with satisfaction. "Alright, put them in the back seat. Young Master Zhao is waiting."
"Don't bump or scrape them, get them all in the car," Hua Ge quickly turned and commanded his subordinates with an air of authority.
Afterward, Hua Zi's expression changed back again as he cautiously asked with a subservient smile, "About my mission reward..."
"Don't worry, Young Master Zhao won't shortchange you."
A San closed the car window and drove away.
"Nice!"
Back to being Hua Ge, he got excited where he stood after A San had driven far away.
In the entire Yanjing, he was the only one who had completed the task assigned by Young Master Zhao. This wasn't just about saving face; the subsequent reward would surely not disappoint him.
When Young Master Zhao personally assigned a mission, how could the reward be stingy?
Liu Tao walked up to Hua Ge and asked in a low voice, "Hua Ge, was that person with Young Master Zhao just now?"
Still caught up in his excitement, Hua Ge didn't scold him for being nosy. Instead, he patiently explained.
"It's good that you know. Keep some things to yourself and don't ask too many questions. Keep your mouth shut, and you'll live longer."
"Got it, Hua Ge," Liu Tao nodded, promising that his mouth would be sealed from now on.
...
Moyu Hotel.
Gu Yunting, Li Yuanjing, and Cao Pengtian, each accompanied by two service staff arranged by Manager Wang, waved goodbye to Zhao Yunhai with hearty laughter.
"Young Master Zhao, we're off to enjoy ourselves."
"This is great! The quality of Young Master Zhao's treat is something else."
"Tonight, I'm going to be a gigolo, woohoo!"
After the three headed to their respective rooms, Manager Wang of Moyu Hotel cautiously looked at Zhao Shao.
"Young Master Zhao, are you sure you don't need anything?" Manager Wang asked again, a little uncertainly.
Zhao Yunhai chuckled at Manager Wang's hairstyle and said without any pretension.
"You look like you just got out of bed, haven't you?"
Manager Wang rubbed his palms and said obsequiously.
"Young Master Zhao is right. Hearing of Young Master Zhao's arrival, I couldn't sleep."
"Hurry back. I don't need your service. I appreciate your kindness."
After all, he was his own employee. Zhao Yunhai was considerate of his employees' hardships, and he truly had no need for the manager's assistance.
"Young Master Zhao, this..." Manager Wang looked at Zhao Shao, hesitating, unsure if Zhao Shao was being sincere.
"Go back quickly. You're not a young lady, what can you offer me?"
"I need quiet rest."
Zhao Yunhai waved his hand, signaling the manager to leave.
Manager Wang knew that if he didn't leave now, he'd be in the way. So, he bid farewell to Zhao Shao and departed.
"A moment of spring night is worth a thousand pieces of gold. I won't disturb you. If Young Master Zhao needs anything, just call me anytime."
Zhao Yunhai grunted casually. He had just received a message from A San: the ice queen Yan Rubing and her best friend Mu Xiaoyu were already on their way.
After Zhao Yunhai showered and emerged in a white bathrobe, he saw Yan Rubing and Mu Xiaoyu already tied up and thrown onto the bedside.
"Oh my, isn't this the ice queen? What a coincidence."
Zhao Yunhai chuckled sinisterly and directly removed the gag from the ice queen's mouth.
"Villain, I never expected a member of the Zhao family to stoop to such dirty deeds. I've truly seen something today."
Yan Rubing stared coldly at Zhao Yunhai, her voice icy to the extreme.
But Zhao Yunhai noticed the flicker of panic hidden deep in her eyes. He smiled coldly and looked at her like prey.
Zhao Yunhai directly pinched her face. The cold, smooth feeling was incredibly delicate.
"I don't like that name. I prefer you call me a flower thief."
Zhao Yunhai's devilish smile made Yan Rubing unable to cope. She inwardly blamed Yang Fan for disappearing when trouble struck.
Mu Xiaoyu, standing beside her, was pale with fright, struggling and whimpering.
"Don't be afraid."
Zhao Yunhai leaned close to Mu Xiaoyu's ear and spoke in a gentle tone, stroking her hair as if petting a mischievous kitten.
"Wuwuwu!!!"
How could Mu Xiaoyu not be scared? His gentle tone made her even more afraid, her heart trembling.
She had just gone out for hot pot with her best friend, how could she have imagined encountering such a situation?
First, she witnessed someone being killed in front of her, and now she had become the prey of this man.
Where was Yang Fan now? Were she and Rubing really helpless against this man's clutches?
"Let her go. If you have the guts, come at me."
Yan Rubing could not stand by and watch him bully her best friend.
"The play of sisterly affection is cliché, but it's quite effective."
Zhao Yunhai gave a deep look at Mu Xiaoyu, who was timid and terrified in front of him. Without mercy, he knocked her unconscious and stuffed her into the wardrobe.
The reason he didn't touch Mu Xiaoyu was that Mu Xiaoyu's parents had a long-term cooperation worth billions with Moyu Group.
Of course, that was only one reason.
The second reason was that after Mu Xiaoyu woke up, she would feel extreme guilt because Yan Rubing had sacrificed herself to protect her.
This guilt would lead Mu Xiaoyu to choose to help Yan Rubing conceal the tragic truth that was about to unfold.
There were also some reasons related to Zhao Yunhai's subsequent schemes against the protagonist Yang Fan.
The ice queen was enough for tonight. Mu Xiaoyu could be dealt with later.
"What are you doing?"
Yan Rubing was like a lamb waiting to be slaughtered and eaten by Zhao Yunhai.
"Rip!"
"What am I doing? Don't you already know?"
"The Yan family won't let you get away with this."
"A mere Yan family is not something the Zhao clan puts in their eyes. Ice queen, I really want to see you shed your icy facade and see how much passion your fiery heart will unleash."
Yan Rubing's strength was no match for Zhao Yunhai's. After all, she was just a wealthy young lady with no strength to even bind a chicken.
Meanwhile, Yang Fan, after successfully retrieving a mysterious package at a reservoir on the outskirts of Yanjing, was unable to contact Yan Rubing and knew something big must have happened.
Anxiously, Yang Fan first returned to Zhang Qiang's place, only to find it empty. Finally, with his protagonist's halo, he found a loyal subordinate of Zhang Qiang who had survived.
The subordinate told Yang Fan that Zhang Qiang had been killed, Liu Tao had betrayed them, and the two women had been taken away by someone named Hua Ge.
If this were a typical novel plot, Yang Fan would find Zhao Yunhai's location and perform a heroic rescue.
However, where Zhao Yunhai was present, it wouldn't be a novel. Zhao Yunhai would tell the protagonist, "Welcome to the real world."
A Er, who had sent Yang Hui back, appeared here, having made the necessary arrangements according to Zhao Shao's orders.
"This is the person Young Master Zhao needs to stall. Our mission is to lure him in the opposite direction, as far as possible."
A Er had brought back two martial artists from the Zhao clan who were at the peak of Huajin, after Anjin.
Yang Fan was at the mid-Anjin stage. To fight against the protagonist, his strength had to be significantly higher, otherwise, he would easily become experience points.