"Dad, how can this brat not look like that bastard Zhang Liunian at all? Could he have been cuckolded?"
"This… he does seem a bit different." Tang Shikang looked at Hua Bao lying on the ground, feeling a sense of familiarity for some reason, as if he had seen him somewhere before, but he couldn't recall where.
"Hahahaha… a live turtle, truly a live turtle." Brother Tang clapped his hands in delight upon realizing he had seen through Zhang Liunian's deception.
Meanwhile, outside, Zhang Liunian had used the sound of a small stone hitting the ground to distract the two men at the door and successfully made his way to the back window to eavesdrop.
"Whether Zhang Liunian is a live turtle or not, it's enough that this girl is his daughter."
"Yes, he'll definitely be looking for the child these next few days. Tomorrow, I'll go find him and cause trouble to keep you guys distracted, Dad." Brother Tang had certainly learned a thing or two after confronting Zhang Liunian directly.
Of course, the main reason he proposed this was to see Zhang Liunian anxious and to witness the ensuing spectacle.
"Just making a scene is enough, no need to fight to the death." Tang Shikang, knowing his son's nature, did not object.
Zhang Liunian, overhearing this outside, coldly curled his lips. They had indeed captured Hua Bao, but why hadn't he heard them mention Qingqing?
Puzzled, Zhang Liunian moved closer to the window crack to peer inside. Just then, the two men returned, forcing Zhang Liunian to retreat and hide, waiting for another opportunity.
The old Tang family residence was quite large. This house must have belonged to a wealthy landlord in the past, and it was unclear how it fell into their hands to become their dwelling.
The residence had rock gardens, flower beds, and trees, making it relatively easy to hide someone.
Zhang Liunian's hiding spot was in a flower bed not far from the house. He stared intently at the building, waiting for them to disperse. After nearly an hour, he finally saw someone carrying Hua Bao out.
What Zhang Liunian found strange was that they only carried Hua Bao out, but Qingqing was nowhere to be seen.
From their earlier conversation, they had only mentioned using Hua Bao against him and hadn't uttered a word about Qingqing. What was going on?
"Could it be that after capturing two hostages, they're separating them? That's impossible. They captured Qingqing and Hua Bao to deal with me; why would they go to such lengths?" Zhang Liunian found the situation increasingly baffling.
Never mind. For now, he had to follow them and rescue Hua Bao.
As for Qingqing, it wouldn't be too late to return after he confirmed Hua Bao's location.
With his mind made up, Zhang Liunian immediately followed. He saw Hua Bao being held in a small room, which was locked from the outside.
Zhang Liunian waited outside for a long time, confirming that they wouldn't harm Hua Bao for the moment. He then began searching for Jiang Qingqing.
During his search, he narrowly avoided being discovered several times, but thanks to his speed, he managed to evade them.
"Could it be that Qingqing really isn't here?" Zhang Liunian searched the entire Tang family residence but couldn't find Jiang Qingqing, which made him even more worried.
If the Tang family hadn't taken Qingqing, then who could have? Friend or foe?
It couldn't be a friend; otherwise, there would be no need to act this way and bring people along. Thus, it could only be an enemy.
Alas, it was his mistake. He had only instructed for daytime protection and not 24-hour surveillance.
Next time, he would arrange for 24-hour protection.
For now, he had to rescue Hua Bao first. After dawn, he would go to the South City Tea House and pay a hefty sum for information.
With his decision made, Zhang Liunian returned to the room where Hua Bao was held. However, a burly man was now seated in front of the room, clearly acting as a guard.
Taking Hua Bao would undoubtedly alert him.
Zhang Liunian pondered intensely, realizing he needed a swift, decisive blow. Otherwise, he would alert the others in the residence.
Although he wasn't sure how many people the Tang family had hidden here, he estimated it to be no less than fifty.
Fifty people were not an insurmountable number, but the crucial factor was that they likely had heated iron rods. Even with his fighting prowess, he had to be cautious against such opponents.
With this in mind, Zhang Liunian suppressed his impulse and began to devise a plan. While he was thinking, the big man started to doze off.
Zhang Liunian was overjoyed at the sight. An opportunity had arisen. He quietly crept behind the big man, then struck his neck. He removed the man's clothes, tied him up, and then broke into the room.
"Someone, quickly catch him!" Just as Zhang Liunian broke down the door and carried Hua Bao out, the security team nearby was alerted.
Upon seeing this, Zhang Liunian sprinted towards the rock garden within the compound. He had scouted it earlier; from the top of the rock garden to the wall, the distance was only three to four meters. While others couldn't make such a leap, he could.
Moreover, that was the easiest place to escape from.
"Bang!" Just as Zhang Liunian was about to step onto the summit of the rock garden, someone shot at him. However, due to his agile movements, he managed to dodge it.
"Don't try to escape." The security personnel, seeing Zhang Liunian's legs already moving towards the outer wall, shouted and fired a few more shots.
Even though Zhang Liunian was grazed by a bullet, he successfully landed outside the compound wall.
"Chase!" Seeing Zhang Liunian escape, the security personnel turned and ran towards the main gate. But by the time they emerged, Zhang Liunian had vanished.
"What good are you people? Someone brazenly broke into our territory, and you couldn't even keep him. What are you if not useless?
Since you're all so incompetent, all of you go manage the research lab." Tang Shikang, who had just fallen asleep, was awakened by the incident and immediately erupted in furious curses.
They were truly incompetent fools. Zhang Liunian had single-handedly infiltrated the Tang family, and they still couldn't capture him, allowing him to successfully rescue his daughter and ruin his plan. He was furious.
The sixty or so men below, huddled like quails, dared not utter a sound. They had indeed underestimated the enemy this time, allowing Zhang Liunian to rescue the person right under their noses.
But who could blame them when Zhang Liunian was so formidable? Not only was he fast, but he had also scouted an escape route beforehand. They were caught off guard, which allowed Zhang Liunian to escape.
The security captain standing at the forefront, upon hearing that they were to be sent to the research institute, glanced sideways at his confused brothers and couldn't bear to remain silent. "Boss, can you give them another chance? This Zhang Liunian is truly extraordinary; his skills are superb."
His subordinates below didn't understand what going to the research institute meant, but he, as the longest-serving security captain in the Tang family, knew very well that it was hell.
If the madmen inside lacked experimental subjects one day, all these brothers would be finished.
"Hmph, him alone versus a group of you, and you still have the nerve to say he's formidable? Are you admitting your own uselessness?" Tang Shikang's words carried a hint of annoyance, but he was also somewhat reluctant to part with these carefully selected individuals.
However, after careful consideration, the security captain's words seemed to slap him in the face. His meticulously chosen men were inferior to an unknown newcomer; it would be embarrassing if word got out.
"Boss, please give my brothers another chance. We promise we will never let anyone who enters here leave again. I beg you." The security captain knelt directly before Tang Shikang, pleading desperately.