Chapter 222: The Plan Is Half Successful

Chapter 222: Half the Battle Won

"Alright, I won't move. I promise I'll only write."

No sooner had Quan Ruifeng spoken than the blindfold was removed.

It was broad daylight, and the sudden glare stung his eyes, making him instinctively squeeze them shut.

Only his right hand was freed; his left remained bound behind his back. As he adjusted to the light, a pen was thrust into his right hand.

"Write quickly! We'll dictate, and you write exactly as we say—not a single extra word! Otherwise, you're dead!"

These men were seasoned criminals, familiar with the police and their capabilities. They had to be absolutely meticulous, leaving Quan Ruifeng no chance to send any hidden messages.

Their vigilance was indeed thorough, thwarting Quan Ruifeng's earlier hopes of slipping in covert information. He had no choice but to comply.

"Fine, I'll write."

He shook his head slightly, feigning discomfort, while swiftly scanning the room. The layout resembled a rural home. When they'd taken him to the toilet earlier, he'd noticed a large courtyard—it was clearly in the Beijing countryside, likely an old family property belonging to one of the kidnappers. With no one else around, the owner was probably an orphan.

Quan Ruifeng quickly deduced this, but kept his expression neutral as he gripped the pen, ready to write.

"Write this: 'Dad, I've been kidnapped. I need 20,000 yuan to ensure my safety. If the money isn't paid, they'll cut off my hands and feet! You must prepare 20,000 yuan and place it—'"

"Wait, you're speaking too fast. I missed a word. Let me cross that out. Sorry, continue."

Quan Ruifeng apologized as he crossed out a character before resuming his writing.

"Can't even write properly, and you call yourself a university student! Ha!"

The kidnappers paid little mind. They stood behind Quan Ruifeng, their faces still obscured, unwilling to give him even a glimpse. They didn't even notice the crossed-out word, merely mocking him briefly before ordering him to continue.

Meanwhile, the story had hit the papers, been broadcast on TV, and the message displayed on bedsheets. Now, all they could do was await the kidnappers' next move.

With such a commotion, even if the kidnappers had left Beijing, word would surely have reached them.

So, for now, Xia Xian and her team could only wait—for news from the kidnappers and to continue tracking their whereabouts.

No money trail to Wang Changjie had been found yet; it was likely paid in cash.

But to pay so many kidnappers, the mastermind would have needed to withdraw a large sum. Most people didn't keep that much cash at home.

Xia Xian had an idea and turned to Quan's father.

"Dad, can we check who has recently withdrawn large amounts of cash? If that's too much data, perhaps we can narrow it down to just the suspects and their families?"

Checking everyone who withdrew money would be cumbersome, but focusing on persons of interest and their relatives would be simpler.

This was a promising lead. Quan's father wasn't afraid of trouble; he was afraid of dead ends. After just two seconds of thought, he immediately agreed.

"I'll have men on it right away."

"We'll start with the suspects I have in mind. If nothing turns up, we'll expand the search to everyone who made large cash withdrawals!"

To save his son, Quan's father would spare no effort. He didn't care how much manpower or financial resources it took; anything within his power would be done!

He wasn't afraid of offending anyone; Quan Ruifeng's safety was paramount!

Unbeknownst to them, the mastermind had already achieved a third of his goal. He didn't need Quan Ruifeng for ransom, nor did he need him to threaten Quan's father. Quan Ruifeng's mere disappearance was enough to destabilize Quan's father.

His true aim was to drive Quan's father to distraction, making him neglect his work and even alienate many people. This was the true objective of the person behind it all!

Even if Quan's father sensed a hint of conspiracy, he would unhesitatingly step into it, because family was everything. Without his family, even reaching a higher position would be meaningless.

Fortunately, before the mastermind's plan could fully unfold, Xia Xian and her team's strategy began to bear fruit.

That evening, a letter arrived via a postal worker.

"Comrade Quan Hanzhe, you have mail."

The postal worker had no idea he was delivering a letter from kidnappers. He simply delivered the mail as usual and was about to leave when Xia Xian and the others stopped him.

"Wait, comrade, please don't go yet."

The moment they heard about the letter, their first thought was that it was from the kidnappers. They immediately opened it, unwilling to let the postal worker leave.

Xia Xian and the others detained him, leaving the postal worker looking puzzled.

"What's going on? Do you have more letters? But I've almost finished my deliveries for today—just these last two left. Please don't make me late for clocking out."

Quan's father opened the letter. Sure enough, it was a ransom note—handwritten by Quan Ruifeng—demanding 20,000 yuan.

Half the plan had succeeded!

Holding the letter, Quan's father actually felt a sense of relief.

"Comrade, did you see who sent this? Where was it mailed from?"

"Didn't see them. It was just in the mailbox. I only deliver the mail—I'm from the Taixing Road branch post office..."

Though confused by their questions, the postal worker sensed something was amiss. He answered truthfully, but offered little useful information. To learn more, they'd have to investigate the post office itself—but it was already late, and the staff would have left for the day.

"I'll call Xing Shi and have him send someone to investigate. If they've clocked out, we'll go to their homes and ask. If we wait until tomorrow morning, they'll remember even less."

"Alright."

With no further leads from the postal worker, they let him go. The rest would be up to the police. Xia Xian also relayed the letter's contents to Zhou Xingshi. The note explicitly warned against involving the police; if they spotted officers during the exchange, they would immediately harm Quan Ruifeng.

The letter also specifically instructed Xia Xian to deliver the money alone, targeting her as a vulnerable woman who posed no threat. As Quan Ruifeng's wife, she would naturally prioritize his safety and comply without resistance.

Though unaware of her pregnancy, they had unwittingly chosen the perfect candidate.

Pregnancy meant she couldn't act recklessly. Even if she encountered the kidnappers again, she couldn't risk confrontation—doing so could endanger both her and the baby. Being pregnant made her far more vulnerable than being alone.

Xia Xian felt a surge of anxiety, but then reminded herself that her unborn child was a little lucky star! He was eager to enter this world, so everything would surely be fine. Despite all the recent turmoil, she was still alright!

Reassured, Xia Xian calmed her nerves.

"Let's prepare the money first. I'll deliver it tomorrow morning."