Chapter 23

Chapter 23

Shen Liuyun frowned, checking his watch. "Understood. Tell me everything else you need. I don't have time to waste; my brother's safety is my top priority."

The kidnapper on the other end chuckled. "Other conditions? Well, they're not really demands. Don't call the police. If you do, you know the consequences. Move quickly. I can't guarantee he'll still be alive if you take too long."

Shen Liuyun paused, gripping the phone until his knuckles turned white. "Understood. Send me the time and location immediately. Let me repeat: you must ensure my brother's safety. Otherwise, you won't get a single cent."

"It'll be sent to you right away. Wait for it. The fewer people who know about this, the better. Think of it as the Shen family paying to avert disaster—buying a life with cash."

The call ended with a dial tone.

Shen Liuyun glanced apologetically at Lu Huainan beside him, taking a moment to compose himself. "Huainan, it seems tonight's victory dinner is off. I need to go see Mu Yun immediately. I—"

Lu Huainan felt an inexplicable sense of dread and blurted out, "It's fine. I'll go with you. But as for the ransom the kidnappers are demanding—can Shen Corporation come up with the funds? Do you need help from the Lu family's funds? If we wait until the banks open, it'll take too long. The top priority is Mu Yun's safety. As for the helicopter they want, I'll apply for the flight route. We need to move fast."

"Huainan, as you know, Shen Corporation's cash flow is tight lately, mainly due to supporting the development of the North City project and wrapping up a few smaller projects..."

Lu Huainan smiled. "It's fine. Given our friendship, I'll help as much as I can."

Shen Liuyun was taken aback but quickly collected himself. "I really appreciate it."

"No time to waste. Their location just came through. Let's hurry."

On the other side, Shen Muyun lay quietly in the back seat of the car, trying to figure out how to determine their exact location. All he could feel was the constant bumping—probably from driving on a dirt road. With his eyes blindfolded, leaving a marker wasn’t practical. Besides, the car had likely been driving for a long time, putting them some distance from the city. Even if he left something behind, Shen Liuyun probably wouldn't find it. It would just be a wasted effort.

"Stop the car! My stomach hurts! I can't take it anymore!"

The kidnapper in the passenger seat immediately brandished a knife at Shen Muyun. "Shut up. You can take care of it when we get there."

"No! I can't hold it anymore. You don't want to be stuck in a stinky car later, do you?"

"Shut your mouth. Keep yelling and I'll deal with you right here, right now."

"Deal with me? Then what about your 50 million? Or did your employer order you to kill me from the start, and you're just taking the opportunity to extort the Shen family?"

The driver slammed on the brakes. With a thud, Shen Muyun's head collided hard with the back seat.

"Second Brother, get out and watch him. Make sure he doesn't try anything."

"Boss, that's against the rules. What if—"

"No what-ifs. Just do as you're told. What, are you having second thoughts? Hurry up."

"Boss, of course not. Why would I have second thoughts?"

Shen Muyun rubbed his throbbing forehead as he heard someone open the car door—*click*.

Shen Muyun understood that the one who came over was probably a subordinate. "Um, I don't have any strength left. Can you help me?"

The kidnapper glanced at Shen Muyun, grabbed his arm, and pulled. "Get out. What a hassle."

Shen Muyun let himself be led forward, his feet aching from the rough ground. His guess was right—it was a dirt road. But he couldn't figure out where they were. He followed the other person a few more steps.

The kidnapper stopped, still holding him. "Right here. There's a tree in front of you. Do what you need to. I'm watching you. Don't try anything funny. You can't escape."

Shen Muyun unzipped his pants. The black cloth over his eyes blocked his vision completely. Since it was already dark out, he couldn't see anything anyway. The air was thick with a damp, sticky smell that made him uncomfortable.

"Hey, could you untie this for me?"

"Less talk. Letting you out already shows the boss's generosity. What, you want to see where we are so you can tip someone off?"

"How could I? No way, man. It's dark and windy. I can't even see your faces. How would I know where this is?"

Shen Muyun calmed himself and thought it over. Trying to tip someone off might just implicate more people. He had originally considered looking for a chance to escape, but now it seemed better to comply quietly to avoid any uncontrollable situations mid-process. After finishing, he followed the kidnapper back to the car.

"Alright, hurry up. The contacts on the other end are urging us. We still have to get to the next location. Quit dragging your feet."

The kidnapper kicked Shen Muyun in the calf. He winced in pain, his leg buckling as he stumbled forward a few steps before regaining his balance. Then he was roughly pushed back into the car.

"Hey, man, we have no grudges between us. You just want money, right? Why are you handing me over to someone else? Ouch... my leg."

Shen Muyun felt a throbbing pain.

The kidnapper in the driver's seat laughed. "Ask what you should ask, keep quiet about what you shouldn't. This isn't something for you to pry into."

Shen Muyun sighed inwardly. He had really run into a tough situation. No matter how he tried, he couldn't get any information out of them. He had no choice but to resign himself to his fate and lie quietly in the back seat. The journey was bumpy, and he was exhausted. Then a sudden brake nearly sent him crashing into the front seat.

"You, take him to the contact. Keep a close eye on him."

The kidnapper from the passenger seat got out and grabbed Shen Muyun's arm roughly. "Be smart. Come quietly. The people here aren't like us brothers. Be aware."

Shen Muyun was tugged uncomfortably, but he nodded. He refused to believe they would hand him over so casually. If only he hadn't let the system gone to sleep early. Wait—even if the system was asleep, shouldn't he still be able to summon it? He would try later.

"Here's the person you wanted. We've delivered him. What happens next has nothing to do with us. Also, you promised to con them out of 50 million. Don't go back on your word once it's done."

A stranger's voice reached Shen Muyun's ears.

"Deal. You've handled things efficiently. Here's the 5 million we promised you. As for conning 50 million from them—aren't you getting that first? We were worried you might run off with it. But I suppose you won't, since your brother is here helping—sort of a partial hostage. Anyway, we'll take it from here. You two hurry and meet up with Shen Liuyun. Remember, no tricks."

"Alright, I've brought the person. Remember to say hello to Brother Shui for me."

"No problem."

Shen Muyun felt a sharp pain in his calf—he had been kicked again. The previous injury hadn't fully healed, and now this new kick made it worse. "Let’s go. Those two brothers were easy to talk to, but the guys here aren't so friendly."

Shen Muyun nodded. "What do you people actually want?"

"What do we want? You'll find out soon enough."

The man dragged Shen Muyun inside. He smelled a greasy, oily odor in the air—probably a derelict chemical plant.

"Brother Shui, he's here. How should we handle him?"

"Tie him up. Wait for the call from the other side. No rush. Shen Liuyun definitely won't abandon his brother."

Shen Muyun figured the person who had received them outside was probably one of Brother Shui's lackeys. "Bro, take it easy. I've been drugged with a sedative. There's no way I can run."

"Keep quiet, kid. Let me tell you—don't try any tricks. We have people everywhere, inside and out. Even if you could escape this room, you wouldn't make it out of this area. If you want to avoid trouble, stay quiet and behave. That way, things will go easier for you. If not... well, let's just say it won't be pleasant."

"Beep beep beep..."

The phone rang. Shen Muyun knew it had to be Shen Liuyun.

Brother Shui outside answered the call and put it on speaker. "Hello, who is this?"

Shen Liuyun's voice immediately came through the receiver. "Where's my brother? Is he safe? I'm almost at the location you specified."

Shen Liuyun felt a sudden, inexplicable panic. This voice wasn’t the kidnapper from earlier. A thought flashed through his mind, but the situation didn't allow him to dwell on it.

Brother Shui chuckled and continued, "Oh? He's doing just fine, don't worry. Our only target is money. As for the hostage, he's just leverage against you."

"You'd better keep my brother safe! Where is he? Let him answer the phone!"

Shen Muyun was tied up uncomfortably, and earlier a cloth strip had been stuffed into his mouth. The feeling was like that of a drowning fish, making it difficult even to breathe.

"Bring him here, let him listen."

"Mmph... mmph..." Shen Muyun struggled to make muffled sounds.

"How do I know this is actually my brother just from these muffled sounds? I need to see him alive!"

Brother Shui ordered his men to remove the cloth strip from Shen Muyun's mouth.

"Brother! Brother, I'm fine. Here... there's a smell of gasoline—"

Before Shen Muyun could finish, the cloth strip was shoved back into his mouth.

A captor grabbed his hair and glared at him viciously. "Oh, your eyes are covered, but your nose is quite sharp. How about this—we slice off your nose and send it to Shen Liuyun as a souvenir?"

Shen Liuyun heard clearly and said calmly, "If you dare lay a hand on him, not only will you not get the money, but the Shen family will hunt you down to the ends of the earth. Remember my words—do not touch him!"

Brother Shui clapped forcefully, and his lackeys whistled around him. "Oh, Young Master Shen has quite the nerve. But even if you chase us to the ends of the earth, your brother will end up deaf, blind, or with broken limbs. What then? Will you still accept that? If we don’t harm him, you'll have to show some good faith."

Brother Shui waved to a lackey nearby, signaling to take Shen Muyun aside.

"You!"

Lu Huainan patted Shen Liuyun's shoulder, gesturing for him to hand over the phone.

"Hello, I'm Lu Huainan, CEO of the Lu Group. What do you want? Our only requirement is to ensure Shen Muyun's safety."

"Well, well, what brings you here today? Is it an east wind? How did the young master of the Lu family get involved? Does Shen Muyun really have such charm? Isn’t he the outcast in your circle? Could it be I’ve been misinformed? It seems rumors can’t be trusted."

Lu Huainan didn’t engage with his remarks, only smiled. "Our business is none of your concern. If it’s money you want, we can provide it. You said not to involve the police, and we’ve complied. As for anything else, bring it on."

"Young Master Lu is straightforward. How about this: we heard you recently secured the contract in the north of the city with the Shen family. Our boss isn’t too pleased with this contract... I think you understand what we mean."

"Fine. Your employer isn’t satisfied with the contract? Simple—we’ll break it. Young Master Shen is right here with me. That condition is easy. What else?"

"Such a decisive man. Also, arrange a plane. We have quite a few brothers here."

"No problem. I’ve already arranged the flight path. Everything is as you requested. You must guarantee Shen Muyun’s safety."

"Of course. We’re just in it for the money, not to take lives. We’ll wait for your money and the plane. See you then."

Shen Muyun listened quietly to their conversation, curled up in a corner with his hands tied behind his back. Fortunately, his fingertips could still move. Though his strength was limited, it was better than nothing.

"System, are you there?"

He waited for a while, but there was no response. Could it be a poor signal, and the system didn’t receive it? No matter, he had to think of a way out.

His fingers lightly brushed the ground. There was a lot of dust, suggesting few people came here. He felt around further, and his fingertips touched something hard, likely metal. He wasn’t sure if it was sharp. Shen Muyun leaned back, trying to hook the small object.

"Ouch..." A small cut opened on his fingertip. He felt a spark of hope. Based on the texture, it felt like a piece of sheet metal with sharp edges. If he could quietly grind at the rope, it might soon come loose.

Seeing him shift back, a lackey nearby kicked him hard. "Don’t move! What are you trying to do? There’s no escaping here."

"Big Brother, I’m just trying to get comfortable. My body’s a bit stiff."

Shen Muyun shifted slightly and felt the rope behind him loosen a bit. Based on the earlier noises, the guard was likely near the corner. He had positioned himself in a blind spot, so the guard probably couldn’t see what he was doing. Reassured, he began vigorously sawing at the rope with the object in his hand.

Faint rustling sounds came from outside.

"Brother Shui, are we really going to let this kid go? He’s heard our voices. What if..."

The leader smiled. "Didn’t we promise the other side? Once the money arrives, we’ll release him. As for whether he can make it out alive—that’s another story."

Shen Muyun paused slightly. He understood the meaning behind those words. These people likely never intended to let him go from the start. He had to try harder and find a way out. If his guess was correct, Shen Liuyun had probably been lured to another location.

"Buzz, buzz, buzz..."

Shen Muyun’s phone rang again. The man called Brother Shui glanced at the screen and immediately answered.

"I’ve arrived at the location you specified. Where should I leave the money? Where exactly is my brother? Money first, then my brother—you won’t go back on your word, right?"

"Hold your horses. Walk forward a bit. You’ll see a red paint bucket—just leave it there. As for your brother, we’ll send him back shortly. What about the plane you prepared? Where is it?"

A lackey nearby held another phone, playing audio from another source.

Shen Muyun struggled fiercely. "Mmph... mmph mmph..."

Before he could make any more significant movements, a lackey drove a foot into his gut. Shen Muyun felt a sharp pain. "Ouch..."

"What did you do to my brother? Where is he? No, I need a video to confirm his condition."

Shen Liuyun looked at the factory area before him. It was eerily quiet, and the entrance led into endless darkness, making it impossible to see inside. Shen Muyun was definitely not held here. Where exactly was he? There were many factory areas around. Searching them one by one would take too long—by the time they found him... He didn’t dare think further.

"Fine, we’ll let you see him. I guarantee he won’t be harmed as long as he behaves and doesn’t try anything strange. After all, we don’t want to hurt anyone. Money talks, after all."

Shen Liuyun hung up and immediately video-called.

The dim factory had only a flickering light, emitting a faint sizzling sound. Still, it was enough to make out the surroundings—an abandoned factory, though something felt off.

"Where is my brother? Where is he?"

Brother Shui tossed the phone to a lackey. "Let him see his brother’s current condition."

The subordinate took the phone and walked into an inner room where the light was even dimmer.

Shen Muyun was blindfolded, with a cloth strip gagging his mouth. His hands were bound behind his back with uneven hemp ropes, and faint wounds were visible on his wrists, tinged with red.

"Is this how you treat my brother?"

"Enough talk, Shen Liuyun. Our patience is wearing thin. You wanted to see your brother, and we agreed. He’s not here to be treated like a young master—he’s a hostage. Haven't you figured that out yet? As for you, where’s the money? You should have handed it over by now. And the plane? Where is it? Our patience is limited."

Shen Liuyun paused. "I can only give you half the money now. Unless my brother appears right before my eyes. As for the plane, it’s ready, and we’re applying for the flight route. Otherwise, you won’t be able to escape either. Didn’t we just discuss this? Are you satisfied? But all of this depends on my brother appearing safe and sound before me."

Brother Shui’s smiling face instantly darkened. "Shen Liuyun, it seems you’re not planning to let your brother live peacefully. Half for half—how about we send you half of him? That’s a fair trade. You’re a businessman; you should understand how these things work."

Without another word, Brother Shui hung up.

"Hey! Hey! You!"

Shen Liuyun’s anxious voice echoed through the empty factory area. At some point, the clouds had dispersed, and a crescent moon hung from the branches, casting eerie shadows on the ground.

There was no other choice. He could only leave half the cash at the designated spot. Shen Liuyun cautiously took a few steps forward, checked the surroundings—indeed, no one was there—and placed the backpack on the so-called red paint bucket.

Lu Huainan, hidden in the shadows, glanced toward the entrance. Seeing Shen Liuyun approach, he signaled for him to step back.

Shen Liuyun understood Lu Huainan's meaning, calmed himself, and then walked behind a tree. After waiting for a while, he glimpsed two shadowy figures at the entrance of a warehouse. They were on the phone, looking around cautiously, their eyes fixed on the backpack on the red paint bucket. One of them quickly walked a few steps, grabbed the backpack, and didn't even check the money inside.

Shen Liuyun's phone began vibrating instantly. He retreated, and only answered the call once he reached a more concealed location.

"You got the money. Where's my brother?"

"Shen Liuyun, the amount isn't enough, is it? It's supposed to be 25 million. This tiny backpack—you expect us to believe it's all here? Out with it. Do you not want your brother to live?"

Shen Liuyun chuckled. "The backpack contains cash and a check. I couldn't physically carry that much cash, so I used a check. If you don't trust it, you can take it to a bank to verify it. However, withdrawal won't be possible today; you can access it first thing tomorrow. Does that work for you? As for the other half, it's in the bank account."

Brother Shui laughed. "So that's how it is. My mistake, it seems I misunderstood. Once we verify the amount is correct, we'll naturally release your brother. The other half—we'll exchange the money for the person. Otherwise, I can't guarantee you'll bring your brother back."

"Where are we supposed to find a POS machine in this wilderness? Every cent is there—not one missing. It seems like you're deliberately stalling. Every extra minute my brother is in your hands is another minute of danger."

Brother Shui clapped. "Oh? President Shen, that's not my intention. This is a fair exchange. At the very least, we need to know if the money is sufficient. But if it's not... you might never see your brother again."

Shen Liuyun gripped the phone tightly, his knuckles turning white. "I will bring him home safely."

Brother Shui didn’t want to say more and hung up.

A subordinate handed him another phone. "You two, did you count it? Is it 25 million?"

"Brother Shui, there's only 1 million in cash. There's a check here with the correct amount, but we can't verify it's real."

"You two, get to the nearest bank and verify it. As for this one..."

Brother Shui glanced at Shen Muyun and gestured to a subordinate.

Shen Muyun immediately felt an unnerving pressure. The ropes on his wrists were already worn thin. He struggled forcefully, and the ropes snapped in two. With many people around, it wasn't wise to act yet. He waited until Brother Shui and the others left, listening as their footsteps faded away, then flexed his wrists.

Seizing the moment when they weren’t paying attention, he removed the blindfold and scoped out the place. He was in a room inside the factory, and Brother Shui was likely outside. He counted the number of people around.

He moved along the wall to one of the guards, gripped the guard's throat, and applied precise pressure to knock him out without killing him, silently.

Another guard was dozing at the door. Shen Muyun covered his mouth and took him down without a struggle.

Suddenly, a group of people appeared at the door, led by Brother Shui, who stood in the center clapping.

"Clap clap clap..."

"Well, well, well... Quite impressive. I heard Second Young Master Shen was sickly since childhood, but it seems that’s not the case. You can't believe everything you hear. Trying to escape? So impatient. We haven't even had our chat yet."

Shen Muyun braced himself in a defensive position, alertly watching the people before him. The two guards inside were just decoys, and with so many people coming in, he regretted moving too soon, but it was a necessary act of self-preservation.

"Brother Shui, you have the money. The plane will be here soon. You don't want murder charges on your record, do you?"

Brother Shui smiled and waved his hand dismissively. His subordinates forced Shen Muyun to the ground. He struggled hard but found it impossible to break free.

"Originally, we didn’t want to make things difficult for you. But, as you heard, your brother only paid 25 million in ransom. Half now, half later—that’s not our problem; it’s your brother’s doing."

"Brother Shui! Phone!"

Brother Shui took the call. "Hey, how is it? Is the money sufficient?"

"Brother Shui, it’s enough. Can we leave now?"

"Not yet. The game has just begun. This Shen Muyun is quite interesting. If you don’t want to participate, you’ll only get the 5 million fee. Are you really willing to settle for that?"

The other end of the line paused, but before they could speak, Brother Shui continued.

"Don’t forget, your brother is still with me. And your mother is lying in the hospital, waiting for a kidney transplant. Even if one becomes available, there’s still the surgery cost and the follow-up nutrition costs..."

"Brother Shui, that wasn't our agreement. Our cooperation—"

"Oh? Think twice."

"Fine, I understand, Brother Shui. What else do you need us to do?"

"Nothing much, just tying up loose ends. Understood?"

"Understood, Brother Shui."

Shen Muyun kicked one of the men restraining him. The man cried out in pain and slapped Shen Muyun across the face. Shen Muyun’s head rang, and blood trickled from the corner of his mouth as someone grabbed his hair.

"Shen Muyun, you’re digging your own grave. Behave, and you’ll suffer less. Otherwise, the boys haven’t practiced their skills in a while."

Brother Shui paced in front of Shen Muyun, who knew well that the situation was dire. Having seen the kidnappers’ faces, he was likely to be killed. The distress signal hadn’t responded at all—could the signal be jammed here? Just my luck.

"Brother Shui, since you put it that way, I’ll behave to avoid unnecessary pain. But can you tell me who masterminded this kidnapping?"

Brother Shui tapped Shen Muyun’s cheek with the back of a knife. "Kid, some things are better left unknown. We’re just hired guns. Think about who you’ve offended. Being targeted like this—tsk—the person you crossed isn’t some minor player."

"Brother Shui, how about we make a deal? If it’s just money you want, it’s simple. I can give you a sum. The coastal markets are hot lately, or you can pick a place to go. Money makes money—isn’t that better than living dangerously, always looking over your shoulder?"

"You’ve got it all planned out for us. But have you considered that each of us has blood on our hands? We're all wanted men. There’s no escape. This is our fate—it can’t be washed clean. Shen Muyun, your best choice now is to stay quiet and wait."

On the other side, Shen Liuyun and Lu Huainan followed the two kidnappers’ car to a nearby bank and waited by the roadside.

Lu Huainan kept thinking about the background in Shen Muyun’s video.

"Liu Yun, I think I know where Mu Yun is!"

Before Shen Liuyun could react, Lu Huainan opened the car door, hailed a passing car, and disappeared from sight within seconds.

"Hey! Huainan... Tsk..."

Shen Liuyun only saw the taillights of the car and immediately understood. He shut the car door and followed Lu Huainan’s vehicle. "Really..."

Back at the factory, things were far from calm. Shen Muyun, mustering strength from somewhere, broke free from the men holding him and kicked one in his most vulnerable spot. The kidnapper, enraged, grabbed Shen Muyun’s hair and slammed his head toward the wall. Shen Muyun grabbed the man’s arm, twisted it, and forced the kidnapper’s head into the wall, causing blood to flow.

The kidnapper clutched his forehead. "Dammit, kid! You’re asking for trouble! With so many of us here, you really have no fear?"

Shen Muyun knew his time to escape was limited. Brother Shui was the real challenge.

Brother Shui watched Shen Muyun and applauded with a smile. "Second Young Master Shen, quite the skills. But with so many people, do you really think you can escape?"

A fierce glint flashed in Shen Muyun’s eyes as he punched several lackeys in the face. Others rushed forward, but Shen Muyun calmly kicked out.

Brother Shui sat back calmly, watching the fight unfold as if it were a show.

"You really won’t give up until you’re beaten."

Shen Muyun felt a sharp pain in his lower back—a previous injury aggravated by a fierce kick. He staggered, nearly falling.

Shen Muyun smirked at the crowd. "Is that all you’ve got? Come at me together. Let me see what you’re capable of."

Brother Shui’s voice rang in his ears. "Take it easy, guys. We need him alive—don’t cripple or kill him. I’m not done playing yet."

Hearing this, the lackeys didn’t hold back but instead intensified their attacks, each punch landing hard.

The first thing that tipped Shen Muyun off was a sound from behind him—a sharp, unmistakable noise of a blade being drawn. He spun around instantly and delivered a swift kick to the arm of the person behind him. The man immediately collapsed, dropping the knife. Just as the downed man tried to grab it, a taller figure elbowed him hard in the face, drawing a trickle of blood from the corner of his mouth. Shen Muyun wiped the blood away.

“What’s this? Did you all suddenly stop listening to Brother Shui?”

“Kid, we’ve followed Brother Shui for years. If we didn’t understand what he meant, that’d be a real problem. We’re not using enough force to cripple or kill you—the brothers are just letting off some steam. It’s been a while since we’ve gotten some exercise.”

Shen Muyun instantly grasped their meaning and dodged. If things continued like this, he was sure to lose to this group. What should he do?

Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted a liquor bottle on the table. In one fluid motion, he turned, grabbed it, and smashed it against the metal table.

*Bang!* The bottle shattered, splattering murky liquid everywhere. Glass fragments cut Shen Muyun’s arm.

He swung the broken bottle at the men in front of him. Some of them, fearless, charged forward. Unflinching, he slashed at their arms. In moments, a chaotic brawl erupted—shouts and cries of pain echoed in the cramped space, mingling with an unpleasant, metallic smell.

Brother Shui watched as his underlings fell one by one to Shen Muyun, a meaningful smile curling his lips.

“Enough! That’s enough! You’re no match for him. Second Young Master Shen truly lives up to his reputation—no wonder they call him a madman. He seemed refined earlier, but now… tsk, his combat skills are impressive. My men were out of line, hurting Second Young Master Shen. I suppose I owe you an apology.”

Shen Muyun wasn’t faring much better. Outnumbered, he was already battered—blood dripped from his forearm onto the floor, forming a trail of crimson beads. His face and the corner of his mouth were bruised, and the injury on his lower back would likely take time to heal.

Brother Shui walked over personally. “Shen Muyun, being so domineering isn't good. You need to learn to yield. Look, we’ve already gotten 25 million. Although your brother didn’t follow our instructions—we originally planned to exchange half for half—you’ve injured my men. How should I handle this now?”

Shen Muyun grabbed Brother Shui by the collar, looked up, and smiled. “So what? It’s already happened. I believe my brother will find this place soon. What, getting scared now? Is that why you called your men off?”

Seeing Shen Muyun’s arrogance, Brother Shui smiled faintly and punched him hard in the abdomen. Shen Muyun released him in pain, clutching his already injured stomach with one hand, gritting his teeth to stay upright.

“Sneak attacks? I can do those too.”

Shen Muyun grabbed another bottle and swung it at Brother Shui’s head, but Brother Shui caught his wrist, making him wince in pain and lose his grip.

“Shen Muyun, you’re actually quite skilled. But we never planned to let you go. When we took the job, the client said they wanted you gone from Jiangcheng. That was just a game.”

Shen Muyun jolted in shock, the bottle slipping from his hand and clattering to the floor before rolling under a nearby box.

“What do you mean?”

“Simple—exactly what you think. But we can’t let you off so easily now. It seems my men need to vent their frustration and have their fun first. Guess what tomorrow’s headline will be: ‘Second Young Master Shen Found Dead in Warehouse,’ with comments praising it as a public service.”

Shen Muyun tried to break free from Brother Shui, but the fight had drained him completely. “Bullshit! I may be reckless, but I’m not public enemy number one. If I don’t make it out today, my brother will never let you go!”

“Shen Muyun, you’re so naive.”

Brother Shui waved his hand, and several underlings rushed forward, grabbing Shen Muyun and tying him to the chair Brother Shui had been sitting in.

“Shen Group originally had only one heir—your eldest brother, Shen Liuyun. Then you suddenly appeared and secured the contract. What do you think he felt? This whole ‘brotherly harmony’ act—only someone as brainless as you would buy it. You’re truly naive.”

Hearing this, Shen Muyun was struck with realization. It made sense—Shen Liuyun had been wary of him before, then suddenly let him into the company and even involved him in the North City land contract. His attitude had done a complete 180, but the system’s favorability rating had only crept up slowly. Everything seemed to fall into place.

“Spare me your crap. You have no right to judge my relationship with my brother.”

Shen Muyun felt a sharp pain in his wrists as the ropes tightened. The agony in his lower back overwhelmed his mind, sending chills up his spine.

Brother Shui toyed with a knife, its tip pricking the skin of Shen Muyun’s neck.

“Originally, I thought about ending you quickly with this. But that’s too fast. I think your brother and that Lu CEO—oh, Lu Huainan—are already on their way. I’d love to see them arrive just in time to find you beyond saving. What a beautiful scene. Death should be a work of art.”

Damn, what kind of deviant is this, enjoying such a scenario? Shen Muyun wanted to curse, both at Brother Shui and the system—wherever it was.

Brother Shui set the knife aside and traced the wound on Shen Muyun’s neck, smearing the blood in a grotesque, rose-like pattern.

“You know, you look like a work of art now. I’ll carve into your skin, slice by slice, and shape you. Tsk, perfection.”

“You’re a deviant!”

Ignoring him, Brother Shui turned and picked up a whip. “You, go to the room over there, soak this whip in saltwater, and bring it back.”

Shen Muyun understood his intention and struggled fiercely in the chair. Brother Shui pressed hard on Shen Muyun’s wounds, the sudden agony sapping his strength.

“Are you even a man? Quit dawdling. If you’re going to kill me, do it quickly. Stop with the creepy art nonsense.”

“Everyone in the underworld knows Brother Shui’s reputation. He loves his ‘art.’ Even his hostages get arranged as artworks. What was the last one? Oh, right—a ballet dancer.”

A cold dread shot up Shen Muyun’s spine. This wasn’t just a kidnapper—he was a deviant with an artistic ideal for murder.

“Tsk, no need to spell it out. Relax, Shen Muyun. To turn you into art, you need to be relaxed. The environment here isn’t great, but it suits the industrial vibe. Unclench, or your stiff limbs will ruin my creative process.”

The underling returned with the whip, now soaked in saltwater, and handed it to Brother Shui.

Brother Shui’s eyes gleamed as he even kissed the whip.

“Perfect. Let’s begin.”

He lashed the whip across Shen Muyun’s chest. His clothes, already thin and torn from the struggle, split open, revealing the muscle beneath. Shen Muyun’s pale skin made the crimson welts stark and grotesque, the flesh slightly torn.

Brother Shui stepped closer to examine the wound, a smile playing on his lips. He touched the welt, admiring the swollen, raised flesh with a deviant’s delight.

“Absolutely beautiful. Don’t you think, Shen Muyun?”

Shen Muyun was at a loss for words to describe the deviant before him. “Are you insane? What’s beautiful about this? Do you even like men?”

“Clever. Most of the people I’ve killed were men—turned into art. Their proportions and