Chapter 2319 — Sun Jingyan's Crisis

"Wei Zhao, I was just eating in the hotel restaurant when I saw a few small-time thugs slipping something into my drink. They were sitting across from me with bad intentions, so I didn't dare stay. I left before finishing and went to the restroom..." Sun Jingyan said urgently.

"What?" Wei Zhao was stunned. He hadn't expected the local thugs here to be so brazen—daring to drug Sun Jingyan right in the hotel restaurant. What were they after? Were they lusting after her beauty, planning to drug her and take advantage, or were they trying to abduct her?

"Wait for me. I'll be right back. Don't come out of the restroom..." Wei Zhao said at once.

"All right... Ah! What are you doing? How did you get in?" From the other end of the line came Sun Jingyan's voice, suddenly shocked and furious. Then the phone seemed to be snatched away—there was a "smack," and then nothing.

"Jingyi!" Wei Zhao's heart lurched. The thugs' brazenness exceeded even his expectations—when the drugging failed, they had actually stormed into the restroom to snatch her!

"What's wrong? What happened?" Big Feng asked hurriedly upon hearing Wei Zhao's words.

"A friend of mine is at a hotel. She was drugged, ran into the restroom, and those thugs went in after her," Wei Zhao said briefly.

"Oh? Which hotel?" Big Feng asked.

"Which hotel?" Wei Zhao frowned—he actually hadn't kept the name in mind. He had simply asked the taxi driver to recommend a somewhat luxurious large hotel. Wei Zhao remembered only the address, not the name: "Number 1 Miluo Road—what hotel is that?"

"Uh... it's on our way. We're headed there too..." Big Feng said with a bitter smile. "That's the Fire Wolf Hotel, one of the largest luxury hotels in the city, and also the headquarters of the Red Conch in Qingrun City."

"The Fire Wolf Hotel?" Wei Zhao was taken aback. He hadn't expected the hotel to bear that name, and asked instinctively, "Is it a Fire Wolf Gang property?"

"You know the Fire Wolf Gang?" Big Feng was startled too.

"I know them. Aren't the Fire Wolf Gang and your lot one and the same?" Wei Zhao said. "Though you actually set up your headquarters right out in the open?"

"Anyone who's had dealings with my superiors, the Third Boss and his people, generally knows that secret by now," Big Feng said. "If your lady friend was staying at the Fire Wolf Hotel, it's no wonder she was taken. Their targets are precisely single out-of-town women staying at the Fire Wolf Hotel. She must be very pretty, your lady friend—otherwise they wouldn't have made their move so impatiently..."

"What—you know?" From Big Feng's tone, Wei Zhao gathered that he seemed to know the hidden circumstances behind Sun Jingyan's abduction.

"It's got to do with the drug-refining base again..." Big Feng smiled bitterly. "The base is in a remote, isolated place, sealed off year-round. The ones doing the labor there are all living machines, but the management are all normal people—like me! There's no ** out there. When a man has physical needs, naturally they snatch some girls and bring them over. But girls often can't bear it and kill themselves, so every so often they bring in a fresh batch."

"You're saying they took my lady friend to send to the drug-refining base?" Wei Zhao frowned, his expression somewhat grim.

"But there's no need to worry. She won't be in danger for the time being, because they have to gather at least ten before sending a batch, and a specialized martial master comes to receive them and escort them away. Right now your lady friend is surely locked in some room in the hotel," Big Feng explained.

"Those little thugs—they won't do anything to her?" Wei Zhao breathed a sigh of relief at Big Feng's words and asked.

"No. The senior chiefs there get first pick—why would they let small-time thugs go first? Being passed on after they've had their fill of her would be revolting," Big Feng said. Then, seeing Wei Zhao's expression darken, he hastily added, "Of course, I don't mean your lady friend... They must have been blind to dare grab someone at your side..."

"It's fine. Then let's head over together," Wei Zhao said with a nod. Since Sun Jingyan was safe for the moment, he naturally breathed a sigh of relief. Yet in his heart he was already turning certain matters over.

A thought had just flashed through Wei Zhao's mind: let Sun Jingyan play along—pretend to be captured—and then, when she was escorted to the drug-refining base, Wei Zhao would follow and wipe the whole base out in one stroke!

But that thought was snuffed out by Wei Zhao the moment it appeared. Too dangerous!

Never mind what strength that martial master Big Feng spoke of—the one who came to collect the captives—possessed, or whether Wei Zhao would be a match for him. Even if he were, having Sun Jingyan wait here until ten people were gathered was far too risky. Sun Jingyan was no cultivator; she had no strength to defend herself. If anything went wrong, it would be too late for Wei Zhao to regret it.

As for the drug-refining base, there was no need to rush. If the Pangolin was alive, then most likely he had been transformed into a living machine. Whether Wei Zhao went early or late made little difference; better to wait until he had the strength.

"How about this: in a moment I'll go in alone and raise hell at the Fire Wolf Hotel. You wait at the entrance. If I can't get to the Third Boss, then you step in and make the introduction," Wei Zhao said after a moment's thought.

"This..." Big Feng understood that Wei Zhao meant to kick up a fuss on the pretext of his lady friend's abduction. That way the Third Boss and the others would never suspect Wei Zhao of coming deliberately to move against them; they would take him for a man standing up for Sun Jingyan. And then, even if Wei Zhao made a scene, the Third Boss wouldn't flee.

And it would also spare Big Feng from having to show himself—naturally he was glad of that. Only, what he worried about was this: if Wei Zhao kicked up a storm and still failed to see the Third Boss, what then? If he was asked to make the introduction after all, wouldn't those people come to know Wei Zhao's face?

"Don't worry. I can disguise myself," Wei Zhao said lightly. "If it doesn't work, I'll change to another face and go in with you."

"That'll work," Big Feng said, relieved, secretly delighted.

"You have a car, don't you?" Wei Zhao gave Big Feng no time to gloat, but asked directly.

"Yes, yes!" Big Feng and Wei Zhao left the office side by side. Before leaving, Big Feng gave Er Longzi and Chuizi each another dose of anesthetic; they probably wouldn't wake for a day.

At that moment, Wei Zhao and Big Feng looked like two friends who had just struck a deal, coming up from the basement to the bar's parking lot without arousing anyone's suspicion.

"Please, get in..." Big Feng's own car was a Toyota Land Cruiser. He respectfully opened the passenger door and let Wei Zhao get in, then got in himself, started the engine, and sped straight toward the Fire Wolf Hotel. "Boss, how should I address you from now on?"

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