Chapter 289: A Strange Hara.s.sment
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
With someone taking the lead, the chaotic situation was now better controlled.
Quan Shaoteng a.s.signed the people into groups and sent them out to search the area.
Nevertheless, no one was in sight, be it Bai Muchuan or any of the Dark Clan members.
The police tried to look for the locals who stayed around the vicinity to gather information from them.
But they hardly get any result.
The person who made the post stayed in a village which was the closest to Brother Steel’s villa.
And that was more than 10 miles away.
There were very few people living there as well…
This area seemed to be different from other places.
It was because the Dark Clan was very active in this area. Hence, there was hardly anyone living near Vulture’s Mouth.
This place had always been a nightmare for the people of Nanmu.
After a careful inspection of the area, they found out that there was an intense shootout in the area at the backyard and beyond but no sign of anyone leaving the place…
There was only a main road.
When they came, the road was previously blocked.
On the other side of the road, as per Bai Muchuan’s instructions, the police had already set up roadblocks.
In the end, not only was there no sight of any jeep that fitted the description that Bai Muchuan had said, not even a single car showed up at all…
In other words, Bai Muchuan, Brother Steel, and the rest of the people had vanished into thin air.
…
That afternoon, the dark clouds could no longer hold the water and it finally rained.
The sky was grey and cold.
The villa which was now temporarily used by the police was unusually quiet as well, as though it was a castle filled with the spirits of the dead.
Everyone was searching.
Even the police dogs were deployed. Every place that they could search had been searched. All methods and means that they could think of had been tried.
Yet they did not find any traces nor clues…
“Unless they had flown to the sky?”
A few hours had pa.s.sed, the rescue teams were now exhausted.
In the end, they decided to rotate their shifts so that everybody could get some rest.
The rest of them continued to search by expanding the area of search.
…
The rain stopped near dusk.
The villa was surrounded by the fog that had shown up after the rain.
Xiang Wan walked out of the main door, trying to get some fresh air.
She could see the police officers running around in front of her.
She looked on quietly, her heart was feeling cold.
Bai Muchuan? Where are you?
She looked up at the sky.
The sky had no answer.
Suddenly, a voice could be heard coming from behind her.
“So, are you happy now?”
Xiang Wan need not turn her head to know who was talking to her.
That voice was easily recognizable.
It was Meng Chi, the young CEO from the Meng Entertainment Group.
Xiang Wan had already b.u.mped into him a couple of times at Vulture’s Mouth.
As they were busy with their own tasks, there was no need for them to interact with each other. Yet every time she saw Meng Chi, he never gave her a friendly look.
“I don’t know what you are trying to say?” Xiang Wan did not show any sign of weakness. She turned her head and smiled coldly at him. “I don’t understand.”
Meng Chi was alone.
He stood right outside the fence, next to a banana tree. His expression was very gloomy.
“Do you mean that I’m only a good person if I use my own life to exchange for another? CEO Meng, that’s emotional blackmailing.” Xiang Wan revealed a condescending smile. “Actually, I’m very curious. Since CEO Meng is so lofty and magnanimous, why didn’t you manage to save Xie Wanwan?”
Her words were dripping with sarcasm.
Meng Chi only gazed at her coldly but didn’t say a word.
“Didn’t the kidnappers ask for 50 million yuan as ransom?” Xiang Wan sneered, “You just have to pay that up. After all, you do not lack money, right?”
“Do you think I don’t want to pay up?”
Meng Chi’s tone sounded low and deep as if his anguish was hidden within.
But after looking at Xiang Wan in the eyes for three seconds, his tone started to soften.
“They wanted me to bring the money to Vulture’s Mouth. I’ve brought the money with me but I’m unable to contact them anymore.”
“You can’t contact them?” Xiang Wan was clueless with regards to his side of the situation.
“Initially I was still able to get through the kidnapper’s phone,” continued Meng Chi, “later on, I’m unable to get through. It should be out of the service area.”
Xiang Wan’s expression changed slightly upon hearing that.
Wasn’t that similar to the situation as Bai Muchuan and Captain Zhang?
“I regret.” Meng Chi’s eyebrows drooped down. “I shouldn’t have called the police.”
Xiang Wan pursed her lips and did not say a word.
“If I didn’t call the police, I might still be able to contact them. At most, it’ll just cost me 50 million yuan… Hmph! Now, there’s no sight of them and they’re unreachable. Maybe… they’ve already killed her!”
Killed her?!
A chilly sensation spread throughout Xiang Wan’s body.
If Xie Wanwan got killed…
She did not dare to think about that.
However, she did not agree with what Meng Chi said.
“If you don’t call the police, do you think you can get her back?” Xiang Wan glanced at him seriously. “So many people have disappeared, CEO Meng should have noticed the gravity of the situation that it has exceeded our initial expectations. Besides cooperating with the police, there’s no other way out…”
“I beg to differ.”
A red glint flashed past Meng Chi’s eyes.
“If the police weren’t involved, maybe… they might have contacted me.”
Xiang Wan raised an eyebrow. “So CEO Meng is trying to say that the police has obstructed you from saving her?”
“Yes,” replied Meng Chi, “fifty million yuan, is not a lot.”
Rich people like him sure sounded arrogant.
Xiang Wan felt that there was no point communicating with this person.
To her, this guy was someone insane although he looked sane on the outside.
“CEO Meng, why not give this a try? Take your 50 million yuan and leave this place! See if the kidnappers will contact you again? There was no need for you to come to me and tell me all this.”
Bai Muchuan’s disappearance had already made Xiang Wan deeply worried.
By then, she could no longer hold her suppressed emotions.
But just as she was saying those words, an idea struck her.
She turned her head slowly and stared at Meng Chi, a cold smile hanging on her face.
“I have a question. CEO Meng… seemed a little overly concerned about Xie Wanwan?”
A CEO from a big company, it was normal to show concern, provide manpower and money to a.s.sist in the rescue. But why would he pay 50 million yuan to save a contracted actress?
Even if he had a lot of money to burn, and maybe that Xie Wanwan did worth that much to him—why did he seem so worked up over Xie Wanwan’s disappearance?
Even to the extent of dissing Xiang Wan right in the face?
That feeling was as though… he wished he could send Xiang Wan to the kidnappers and exchange for Xie Wanwan to come back.
That’s too weird!
Xiang Wan looked at him for a long time.
Her eyes couldn’t hide the doubts that she was having.
Meng Chi did not avoid her line of sight as he returned an unkind look. “She’s one of my artistes. A very famous one.”
Xiang Wan smiled. “Just because of that?”
Meng Chi lowered his eyelids. “She’s innocent. They are after you all along.”
“That’s just your one-sided story,” sneered Xiang Wan, “if everybody has to act according to what you say, then why do we need the police? CEO Meng, I can understand how you feel, but you have to understand that I’m not your enemy. Our common enemy is the Dark Clan. Our goal is to find the one we want to find. So, please don’t bark up the wrong tree!”
Xiang Wan felt that she had to get that off her chest!
She felt better after saying those words and turned to walk away.
However, Meng Chi caught up to her.
His pair of cold eyes looked at her as he blocked her path.
“Miss Xiang, don’t you think that you’re being very cruel and are carrying it too far?”
Eh?
Xiang Wan forced a smile.
“CEO Meng, who’s the actual one that’s taking it too far?”
Meng Chi’s gaze was unfriendly as he stared at her.
For a long while, he kept quiet. Soon, a feeling of detest could be detected in his eyes.
“Scram!”
It was a word filled with insult when he said it in such a hostile tone.
Xiang Wan’s heart was already stretched to the extreme. She was unable to bear with such nonsense.
“Who do you think you are? Or, do you think that this place is your Meng Entertainment Group? That you can just order anybody about?”
She barraged Meng Chi with a chain of questions which were filled with her bottled up rage.
Meng Chi did not act according to what she wanted but sneered and made a calm retort. “You’re not worthy to question me.”
“I think you have a mental problem?” Xiang Wan lifted her hand and made a circular motion near her temples, pointing at her head. “CEO Meng, if this place is sick, you need to go see a doctor. You shouldn’t force yourself…”
She didn’t want to waste any more time bullsh*tting with this man. Xiang Wan turned to take a different path.
Never did she expect Meng Chi to follow her and blocked her way once more.
Xiang Wan: “…”
Well… this was too much of him.
Xiang Wan narrowed her eyes to a squint as she observed him.
This man called Meng Chi, what kind of monster was he?
The first time when she met him at the hotpot restaurant, he was elegant and thoughtful.
The second time when she saw him at the hotel, he was still polite and courteous.
But now… he was so unreasonable that he behaved like a lunatic!
Even if he didn’t suffer from a split personality, he was definitely someone who thought too highly of himself!
Xiang Wan criticized him inside her head while showing a cold smile.
“CEO Meng still have something to say?”
“You’re leaving just like this?”
“Or else? Are you going to treat me to a meal?” Xiang Wan took a glance at Meng Chi’s bloodshot eyes. “CEO Meng, there are police officers everywhere. Please mind your manners! I can sue you for hara.s.sment!”
“…”
Meng Chi froze for a moment.
Slowly, he drew closer toward Xiang Wan. “Miss Xiang, you’re very insolent.”
His breath was getting closer and heavier, the light under his eyes was growing brighter, as well as more complicated.
Xiang Wan could not understand what that meant. She stepped back out of reflex to protect herself.
“I’m warning you! If you take one more step, I’ll call the police!”
“Hur—” Meng Chi laughed stiffly with a cold face. He continued to walk closer to her. “Go ahead! I want to hear you shout—”
Xiang Wan looked at him as though he was a lunatic. “You’re crazy!?”
His eyes were filled with madness, there was an unknown glow of hatred within it. It not only baffled Xiang Wan, but it also made her feel frightened subconsciously, that she felt like running away…
This was absolutely abnormal!
“Go on, shout!” Meng Chi looked at her. “Why didn’t you shout?”
At that moment, Xiang Wan had already taken several steps back that there was no more room for her to go.
Her heart jumped and she wanted to shout for Quan Shaoteng when something caught her eyes.
Her line of sight went past Meng Chi as she noticed someone was approaching them slowly from behind—Cheng Zheng.
“What are both of you doing?”