Chapter 18: Desperate Situations

Chapter 18: Desperate Situations

Polished leather shoes, a creased black suit trouser leg, a disheveled white shirt from the effects of alcohol – as the gaze rose further, that debonair face finally emerged under the light, filled with malicious intent.

It was Jiang Boyun!

Lu Yan's heart skipped a beat, unsure whether this outcome was good or bad. On one hand, he didn't hold any deep grudges against Jiang Boyun. On the other hand, he had just beaten him up the last time they met, turning a non-existent feud into a real one!

"Chairman Jiang?"

Lu Yan's voice betrayed a hint of nervousness, well concealed by a forced smile, "Is there something you can't discuss over a meeting? Why resort to such methods to bring me here?"

"Meeting up? Are you sure I could still get you to come?"

Jiang Boyun mocked with a cold tone. He casually loosened his tie and bent down to grip Lu Yan's chin, applying enough force that his fingertips nearly pierced the skin, "I've been busy with contracts lately and couldn't find time to deal with you. You don't really think that what happened last time could just be swept under the rug, do you?"

Lu Yan sighed in relief. It was indeed about the fight, "Chairman Jiang, I was too impulsive last time. If it's not too much... would you like to hit me back?"

As long as he could survive, getting beaten up was a small price to pay.

Lu Yan thought rather straightforwardly.

However, Jiang Boyun clearly wanted more than that. He gritted his teeth and said, "Take revenge? If I wanted to do that, I could just have my people deal with it. Why go through all the trouble of abducting you back?"

Lu Yan: "..."

What was he trying to say?

It was obvious that Jiang Boyun was drunk. Lu Yan could clearly smell the alcohol on him. Any negative emotions, once fermented by alcohol, would become intense enough to shock one's heart.

Jiang Boyun's hands changed their grip to Lu Yan's neck, gradually applying pressure. The sensation of suffocation flooded in like a tide, making his head throb.

"Lu Yan, where did I mistreat you?"

Lu Yan, against his conscience, struggled to speak, "You've been good to me."

But Jiang Boyun grew even angrier. "Good? If you really thought so, then why would you still be entangled with that dog Xue Jin?!"

Tears welled up in Lu Yan's eyes as he instinctively activated his lying skill. "Actually, I was forced into it. All along, I've only had feelings for you."

Jiang Boyun, uncommonly, cursed, "You damn liar!"

Lu Yan was barely able to breathe under his grip, his words coming out in gasps, "It's... true..."

"There are rumors going around that you're going to... be engaged to the Dingyou Group's heiress, Lin An-ni. I have no wealth or power to offer any assistance, so I pretended to... use Xue Jin to... upset you... hoping you'd break up with me..."

After finishing this long explanation, Lu Yan felt as if he were truly on the verge of suffocating. With one final burst of determination, he added a bold claim, "If you don't believe me, just strangle me. Anyway, throughout these years, you've only treated me as a disposable mistress. Even at the brink of death, you never trusted me!"

A thin veil of anger flashed across Jiang Boyun's eyes, "You!"

Lu Yan turned the tables skillfully, "If I didn't like you, why would I risk my life to help frame Yu Zechuan back then?! If I didn't like you, why would I silently follow you all these years?! Now that you're getting married, can't you even grant me my freedom?!"

Lu Yan's barrage of questions left Jiang Boyun speechless. He instinctively retracted his hand and stepped back, his eyes flickering with guilt and uncertainty, "Lu Yan, your tongue has become sharper!"

Lu Yan met his gaze unflinchingly, knowing he mustn't show any weakness at this moment, "I'm already here. Kill me if you want. Do as you please. Just pretend I was blind and mistook you for someone else!"

His righteousness made Jiang Boyun seem like the guilty party. Coupled with the alcohol clouding his judgment, Jiang Boyun appeared genuinely taken aback.

Frustrated, Jiang Boyun wiped his face, about to respond when the door to the basement suddenly rumbled with knocks. A muffled male voice echoed from outside, "Chairman Jiang, there's an urgent matter."

Jiang Boyun grew impatient. "Let's talk about it tomorrow!"

The voice outside sounded anxious. "Chairman Jiang, there's a problem with the project we're collaborating on with Dingyou."

"What did you say?!"

At this, Jiang Boyun instantly sobered up by half. He ignored Lu Yan and immediately left the basement. The metallic door slammed shut with a resounding thud, accentuating the emptiness of the surroundings.

Seeing Jiang Boyun leave, Lu Yan heaved a sigh of relief. He slumped onto the chair, struggling to untie the ropes around his wrist while inching the chair towards the door. He listened carefully to any sounds from outside.

Jiang Boyun hadn't gone far. Muffled voices drifted down the corridor, barely audible, but the last few words, laced with fury, were clear even to Lu Yan who was locked inside.

"What did you say?! The project has been suspended?! What were the inspection team doing?! You tell me there's an issue with the terrain now when the project is halfway done?!"

"Where's that old thing, Lin Hongjing?! Call him! Now, right now!"

The assistant, intimidated by Jiang Boyun's furious expression, stammered, "C-Chairman Jiang... This matter was leaked to the media, and it's already spreading wildly online. We probably won't be able to suppress it by tomorrow. As soon as the incident happened, we tried to contact Dingyou, but they're not answering our calls..."

Before he could finish, Jiang Boyun shoved him aside, leaving the assistant dizzy and disoriented. By the time he regained his senses, Jiang Boyun was nowhere to be seen.

Jiang Boyun rushed into the living room, frantically searching for his phone to call Lin Hongjing, his fingers trembling in panic. He sensed that he had fallen into a massive trap, but couldn't pinpoint any weaknesses.

Indeed, many companies were vying for the island project. If not for Lin An-ni's affection for him, Lin Hongjing wouldn't have offered him a slice of the pie. Wouldn't Jiang Boyun have considered the impact on Lin An-ni if he intended to sabotage him?

Obsessed with the thought of his investment going down the drain, sweat drenched Jiang Boyun's body as his fingers swiftly scrolled through his contacts, vacillating between calling Lin An-ni and Lin Hongjing. In the end, he hurled his phone in anger:

"Bang!"

The phone slammed onto the marble floor, its screen shattering instantly into a web-like pattern from the force, mirroring the fragmentation of his life.

In the basement, time seemed to stand still.

After an unknown duration, Lu Yan finally managed to free himself from the ropes.

With his slender fingers and unwavering patience, he felt his way through the darkness, hooking the outer loop of the knot. With great effort, he pulled until his wrists ached, finally loosening it.

"Slither."

The rope hit the damp ground with a soft sound, coiling like a serpent. Lu Yan bent down to untie the ropes around his ankles. Having been bound for so long, he nearly stumbled when he tried to stand up.

I can't stay here any longer; I need to find a way out! If I remain, either Jiang Boyun will kill me or my innocence will be lost – both outcomes are equally terrifying for Lu Yan.

Lu Yan stretched his limbs and looked up, noticing an air vent. He stepped back to gauge its size, only to realize it was far too small for an adult male to squeeze through. He sighed in resignation.

"System,"

he called upon the merciless entity,

"How much time is left until the game ends?"

The System materialized in the dimness, and its voice, for once, carried a hint of amusement rather than its usual monotonous tone, "There are... two days and three hours remaining."

If there were only three hours left, Lu Yan could probably endure till the end. But with two days and three hours, the challenge had multiplied exponentially.

Lu Yan leaned against the door, his heartbeat quickened by the proximity of death, "You seem rather pleased?"

The System denied it, "No, I'm merely answering your question, Host 603."

Lu Yan mocked himself, "If I die, you'll promptly welcome Host 604, won't you?"

The system didn't comment, casually vanishing from sight.

Lu Yan had no other weapons at hand. He dragged the chair close and leaned nervously against the door, waiting for every passing second.

It would be better if Jiang Boyun didn't come in.

If he did, Lu Yan would use the chair to deliver a fierce blow to his head, perhaps creating an opportunity to escape amidst the chaos. At any rate, he must protect his innocence.

Time seemed to have passed longingly. Weariness crept into his brain, making it difficult for him to keep his eyes open. The darkness outside deepened, and the moon appeared eerily still.

Just as Lu Yan's vigilance waned, a faint rustling of footsteps echoed from the other side. He jolted awake like a needle had pricked him, veins bulging in the hand gripping the chair.

The footsteps drew closer and closer, eventually stopping right at the entrance—

Lu Yan took two steps back and raised the chair slowly.

With a creak, the door opened, revealing Jiang Boyun's figure. Without hesitation, Lu Yan swung the chair, striking his target with a dull thud. Jiang Boyun crumpled to the ground, unconscious.

Standing behind the door, Lu Yan exhaled deeply. He tossed the chair aside and hurriedly searched through Jiang Boyun's pockets, retrieving the man's phone to call the police.

The system only said Yu Zechuan couldn't call the police when killing him. It didn't say Jiang Boyun couldn't, right?

Lu Yan felt that his actions were justified. Squatting on the ground, he dialed the number, only to discover there was no signal in the basement. Panic-induced sweat broke out on his forehead as he failed to notice a pair of black men's lace-up boots appearing by the entrance.

"..."

The shoes were covered in mud and some sticky substance, appearing rather unsanitary.

Jiang Boyun lay on the ground, unconscious from a heavy blow to the back of his head. Blood slowly seeped from beneath him, spreading and intensifying the metallic scent in the air.

Lu Yan, still holding his phone, eventually sensed something amiss. Lowering his gaze, he noticed a pool of blood had formed at his feet. His expression changed, and he finally lifted his head to look at the entrance—

A figure had appeared there without his knowledge.

Dressed in a black hoodie, the person nearly blocked most of the light at the door, revealing only a chiseled jawline. With their right hand hanging by their side, a pale, slender finger held a sharp folding knife, its blade still dripping blood:

"Tick...tock..."

"Tick...tock..."

Lu Yan's heart sank accordingly.