With the help of La Li Tou and San Long, Yan Shouyi easily apprehended everyone in the Zhao family's advance party.
Under Yan Shouyi's "warm invitation," Zhao Yiyao and her group of Zhao family members were honorably housed in Ping'an Building.
Without Bai Shixi, Ping'an Building was like an ant nest without its queen. The demons and monsters that had been attracted by Bai Shixi had now scattered, with most of them leaving Ping'an Building to find their own places.
Therefore, the malevolent aura of Ping'an Building was far less potent than before. Fortunately, its fearsome reputation remained, and the citizens of Rongcheng still dared not approach it.
This was convenient for Yan Shouyi, as he had been unsure where to confine Zhao Yiyao and her people. Now, he had a suitable location.
Luo Ning and A Gong renovated a floor on the 44th level of Ping'an Building, preparing a single room for each Zhao family member. Each room was guarded by one of Luo Ning's zombies, and two paper figures stood sentinel outside. The Zhao family was thus under continuous 24-hour surveillance after their arrival.
Although the Zhao family members were all spirit mediums, they rarely had the opportunity to share a room with a zombie. Consequently, many of them cried and pleaded with Yan Shouyi to switch rooms or have the zombies removed after moving into their "luxury single rooms."
In response, Yan Shouyi sent Luo Ning to negotiate with them. Luo Ning simply declared:
"My zombies are so adorable, and you actually dislike them! Believe it or not, I'll have them bite you after you fall asleep!"
Upon hearing this, the Zhao family members dared not utter another word. They could only curl up in corners, silently enduring the presence of the motionless zombies.
In reality, these zombies were under restrictions imposed by Luo Ning. As long as the Zhao family members did not attempt to escape, the zombies would remain still. However, if there was any sign of escape, the zombies would immediately spring into action.
Simultaneously, the paper figures placed by A Gong at the doorways were not mere decorations. They would immediately enter the rooms and directly restrain the Zhao family members.
Thus, all precautions were taken.
Zhao Yiyao's room had been specially attended to by Luo Ning, with three zombies placed inside.
At this moment, her face was extremely grim. She wanted to bang on the door but feared the zombies might awaken.
Yan Shouyi stood outside her door and said to Zhao Yiyao:
"Miss Zhao, this is a measure of last resort. I ask for your understanding and tolerance."
Zhao Yiyao angrily retorted, "Look at this environment. If anyone else saw this, they wouldn't believe you are a descendant of Lu Ban; this is clearly a lair for demons and evil spirits!"
La Li Tou patted the door and cursed, "Enough is enough. We are kidnapping you, not inviting you for a vacation. And you still have demands about the environment?"
Yan Shouyi smiled and said:
"Tomorrow, I will host a banquet, and I will take you with me. If your father and I reach an agreement, I will guarantee to send you all back as you are. But if we fail to reach an agreement..."
Zhao Yiyao gritted her teeth and asked, "I have no complaints about falling into your hands, but I still have to ask, what have you done with my Huang Sipi?"
"Don't worry, they are being collectively housed with the other weasels."
"..."
The term "collectively housed" made Zhao Yiyao almost spit blood.
In their community, the Yellow Immortals were worshipped with incense. Yet, in Yan Shouyi's hands, they were reduced to being collectively housed.
While the harm was not great, the insult was profound.
Yan Shouyi led everyone out of the confinement area. He quietly said to La Li Tou:
"Didn't you say the Zhao family likes to enslave Yellow Immortals? Why do I feel like this Zhao Yiyao respects her own Yellow Immortal quite a bit?"
"She's an exception," La Li Tou chuckled. "Haven't you seen the Yellow Immortals we've collectively housed? They're all overjoyed, as if they've returned home."
Yan Shouyi: "...That's true."
After some thought, he instructed Luo Ning to snatch a mobile phone from the Zhao family members and immediately called the Zhao family patriarch, Zhao Zhenghao.
Meanwhile, Zhao Zhenghao was still in the Northeast, awaiting news from Zhao Yiyao and her group.
The mobile phone suddenly rang. Zhao Zhenghao glanced at it and his face lit up with a smile:
"It seems Yi Yao and the others have succeeded. This Yan Shouyi is still too inexperienced. Tomorrow is a banquet of Hongmen; how could I possibly go?"
He answered the phone with full confidence, expecting to hear the good news that Zhao Yiyao had killed Yan Shouyi.
However, after the call connected, a strange voice came through:
"Patriarch Zhao, hello!"
Zhao Zhenghao's smile instantly froze on his face.
After a few seconds of silence, he asked, "Yan Shouyi?"
"Indeed, it is your junior."
Zhao Zhenghao's breathing became rapid: "What have you done with my people?!"
"Don't worry, I haven't harmed them. Don't believe me? Listen."
Yan Shouyi placed the phone outside the door of a cell. Luo Ning directly released the restrictions on the zombie inside. The zombie had only moved a few fingers when the Zhao family members inside let out a series of heart-wrenching screams.
Zhao Zhenghao was so enraged he almost crushed the phone!
Yan Shouyi gestured to Luo Ning while speaking into the phone, "See, they are all alive."
Zhao Zhenghao gritted his teeth, "Didn't you say you hadn't harmed them?"
"I haven't harmed them, but why they are screaming, I have no idea."
"...I underestimated you, you little vixen!"
Yan Shouyi felt helpless. Zhao Zhenghao had played a trick, and he had merely retaliated, yet he was labeled a little vixen.
"Where is Yi Yao?" Zhao Zhenghao asked again.
"Do you want to hear her scream?" Yan Shouyi asked deliberately.
"No, thank you!" Zhao Zhenghao quickly replied.
At this moment, Zhao Zhenghao deeply regretted that due to his underestimation, he had personally handed his daughter over to Yan Shouyi, turning her into a hostage to control him.
"Patriarch Zhao, by my calculation, you should be packing your bags now, otherwise, you'll miss your flight tomorrow morning," Yan Shouyi said with a smile. "Tomorrow, I will host a banquet at West Lake. Please remember to come. Zhao Yiyao and I will be waiting for you by the lake."
Zhao Zhenghao took a deep breath, trying his best to suppress his anger, and finally managed to squeeze out one word: "Okay!"
Yan Shouyi nodded and directly hung up the phone.
What he wanted was to create a sense of mystery for Zhao Zhenghao. In reality, he hadn't done anything to the Zhao family members, but Zhao Zhenghao certainly wouldn't think so. Zhao Zhenghao would surely assume that Yan Shouyi had used all sorts of methods to torture the Zhao family.
Mystery breeds terror.
Therefore, Yan Shouyi had done nothing, yet Zhao Zhenghao was already thrown into disarray and was eager to reveal his trump card.
Watching Yan Shouyi's series of actions, San Long's eyes showed a hint of admiration.
Yan Chou was already very capable, but when Yan Chou was Yan Shouyi's age, he didn't possess as many skills as Yan Shouyi does now.
Truly, the student surpasses the master!
"Thank you both, uncles, for your help," Yan Shouyi said, cupping his fists towards them. "After tomorrow's banquet, I will arrange foot massages for you both."
San Long and La Li Tou were taken aback, then burst into laughter, praising Yan Shouyi for being sensible.
Luo Ning, standing nearby, looked speechless.