Lu Ruoxi's heart leaped into her throat as she gripped her fountain pen, ready to stab the nearest assailant.
Yet, just as the three thugs' fists were about to crash into Su Yang—
"Whoosh! Whoosh!"
Two shadowy figures darted into the alley like phantoms, their movements swift as lightning.
Their strikes were precise, their forms agile, and their efficiency brutal.
Within seconds, the sound of dull impacts and the sickening crack of dislocated bones filled the air. The three hoodlums, who had been so arrogant moments ago, now writhed on the ground, moaning in agony.
It all happened too fast—Lu Ruoxi and Su Yang barely caught a glimpse of how the two strangers had intervened.
Silence returned to the alley, broken only by the groans of the defeated thugs.
The rescuers were two unremarkable young men in plain jackets, the kind who could vanish into a crowd without a second glance.
One of them stepped toward Su Yang, gave a curt nod, then pulled out a phone and dialed the police with practiced ease.
"Hello, 110? This is Alley No. 3, Guangming Road in the urban village. Three armed assailants attempted a robbery but have been subdued. Please send officers to handle it."
His tone was eerily calm, as if reporting a trivial daily occurrence.
Lu Ruoxi studied these sudden "good Samaritans," her wariness deepening instead of fading.
Too convenient.
Their timing was impeccable, their skills too professional, their demeanor too composed.
These were no ordinary passersby.
She turned to Su Yang beside her, her piercing gaze demanding answers. "Su Yang, who are they? Do you know them?"
Su Yang's face flushed instantly. His eyes darted away as he stammered, "Th-they're... friends I met at the computer mall. Just happened to be passing by..."
"Friends?" Her voice dripped with skepticism. "What a coincidence."
"Y-yeah..." He forced the lie, unable to meet her eyes. "I helped them out once before. They... said they owed me."
Just then, one of the black-clad men finished his call and approached.
"Su Yang, it's handled. You two should head home now. Stay safe."
With that, he exchanged a glance with his companion, and without another word, they vanished around the alley's corner in a flash.
Lu Ruoxi stared at the spot where they'd disappeared, her brow furrowed in thought.
She didn’t buy Su Yang’s explanation.
Those men moved like... professionally trained bodyguards.
Was this arranged by that man—Lu Chenyuan?
What else was hidden beneath his so-called "investment"?
Meanwhile, several hundred meters away on a main road...
Inside a black Audi A6, Li Jinchuan slammed his palm against the horn in frustration.
Ahead, a fruit-laden tricycle had overturned, scattering oranges and apples across the narrow street and blocking traffic entirely.
A middle-aged woman wailed on the ground, arguing with the tricycle driver while a crowd of onlookers clogged the road further.
"Damn it!" Li Jinchuan hissed, checking his watch.
His father’s timeline had demanded his arrival at that alley thirty minutes ago.
Now? He was too late.
Unseen by him, a man in a baseball cap murmured into an earpiece:
"Target successfully delayed. Estimated obstruction: thirty minutes minimum. Repeat, target has been intercepted."
This "accidental" street dispute was no coincidence—it was the handiwork of Lu Chenyuan’s operatives.
Simple. Effective. Untraceable.
By the time Li Jinchuan finally broke free from the gridlock and reached the alley, it was deserted.
Only a few cigarette butts littered the ground, the faint metallic tang of blood lingering in the damp, musty air.
In the distance, fading sirens narrated the aftermath of what he’d missed.
He was late.
Someone had called the police. The girl—Lu Ruoxi—was gone.
Li Jinchuan punched the steering wheel, the dull thud echoing his fury.
The sting of a thwarted plan ignited a fire in his chest.
Was this bad luck... or deliberate interference?
He grabbed his phone and dialed his father.
"Failed," he bit out.
A pause. Then Li Xiujian’s voice, icy: "Explain."
"Got held up. By the time I arrived, the cops had already taken her away."
Jingzhou, Lu Corporation Headquarters.
Lu Chenyuan had just concluded a cross-continental video call when Lin Yuan entered with a report.
"Sir, updates from Anhe County." He handed over the briefing. "Mission accomplished."
Lu Chenyuan skimmed the details.
"Li Jinchuan was successfully intercepted. The target remains unharmed. The three hired assailants are in police custody—initial interrogations confirm they were paid anonymously via a burner phone."
"Trace the number?" Lu Chenyuan asked.
"Prepaid black-market SIM. Dead end," Lin Yuan replied. "But our surveillance confirms Li Jinchuan left for Anhe this afternoon."
"It’s him," Lu Chenyuan said, setting the report down, his eyes glinting like frost. "The old fox Li Xiujian couldn’t resist making his move."
From the moment he’d decided to shield Lu Ruoxi, he’d known this clash with the story’s "protagonists"—the Li family—was inevitable.
He just hadn’t expected their desperation to surface so quickly.
"Next steps, sir?" Lin Yuan asked. "Should we reinforce Anhe?"
"No." Lu Chenyuan’s lips curved. "The bait’s set. Now we wait for the fish to bite. Why guard against thieves when you can lure the snake from its hole?"
He rose, striding to the floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the city’s glittering skyline.
"Lin Yuan, instruct Zhang Qi to dig up dirt on Shengtian Real Estate."
"Shengtian?" Lin Yuan blinked. "Their connection to the Li family is...?"
"Not yet. But soon." Lu Chenyuan’s gaze darkened. "Isn’t Li Xiujian’s brother-in-law a Shengtian executive?"
Lin Yuan’s breath hitched—the boss wasn’t playing defense anymore.
He was declaring war.
"Understood. I’ll arrange it immediately!"
As Lin Yuan exited, Lu Chenyuan’s focus returned to the horizon.
Li Jinchuan, your script is outdated.
Since you're determined to join the game, I'll play along—properly.
But this time, I'll set the board. And the rules? Those are mine to write.