After a Disabled Alpha Marked a Yandere Female Lead - Chapter 60

Chapter 60: The Abduction

The house was eerily silent. Zhu Qingluo’s heart sank; she had a bad feeling. She quickly made her way to the staircase and found a servant lying unconscious in the shadows. “Wake up,” she said, tapping her face. “Where’s the housekeeper?”

The servant’s eyes fluttered open. “The housekeeper… the housekeeper was knocked out upstairs. No, no…” She trailed off, a look of pure terror on her face. Zhu Qingluo’s heart pounded. She couldn’t get any more information, so she left the servant and hurried up to the second floor.

She found the door and window of Jiang Yun’s bedroom wide open. A cold wind blew in, illuminating the mess inside. Zhu Qingluo searched every corner, but Jiang Yun was nowhere to be found. A bead of sweat dripped down her forehead. She took a deep breath, calming herself, and walked over to the desk. Tucked in a book was a letter.

“Tomorrow night at 8 p.m. at the Mingzhong Pier.” The note also specified the ransom. The handwriting was disguised, but Zhu Qingluo could tell it was an amateur attempt. Still, she had to confirm her suspicions. She called the prison and confirmed that Xie Ke was still there and had even been given more time for fighting with other inmates. Her mind then turned to Dong Aoyu. Was the exhibition a distraction?

The next afternoon, a mysterious package arrived. The housekeeper’s hands trembled as she handed it to Zhu Qingluo. Zhu Qingluo opened the package carefully. Inside was a videotape. She felt a chill spread from her fingers to her heart. She had the housekeeper play the tape.

The screen was dark for a few seconds, then static. A few grainy images flickered on the screen. She saw Jiang Yun, pale and unconscious, with her eyes closed. From her body’s position, it was clear she was tied up. The surroundings were a small, narrow space like a warehouse, with medical equipment and vials of medicine. A distorted voice said, “If you want to save her, come find me.” Then the screen went blank.

“Oh no, this is terrible,” the housekeeper cried, filled with dread. “What if the kidnappers hurt Ms. Jiang? We should call the police.”

Zhu Qingluo, however, was staring at the blank screen. “Did you notice the equipment in the background?” she asked. “Those are not common.” The housekeeper was confused, but Zhu Qingluo insisted. The housekeeper replayed the video. She was able to get a clear image of a serial number on a piece of equipment.

Later that evening, the analysis came back. The equipment belonged to the Jiang Corporation’s own R&D department. The kidnappers were members of Jiang Yun’s team.

…

A Game of Cat and Mouse

At 8 p.m., Zhu Qingluo arrived at the pier. A luxurious cruise ship called the “Pearl” was waiting. It was a bustling, floating community, filled with tourists enjoying a birthday celebration. After a security check, Zhu Qingluo stepped aboard. She looked up at the second floor. A shadow of a person stood on the railing. The angle was awkward, but Zhu Qingluo knew she was looking at the person she had to find. The figure turned and disappeared behind a door.

Zhu Qingluo’s heart pounded. She grabbed her suitcase and headed for the stairs, keeping her eyes and ears open. She had a strong feeling there would be accomplices. She quickly found her room and checked it for traps. It was clean. She looked at her watch. Only half an hour had passed since she boarded.

She waited. After the birthday party, the ship grew quiet. People dispersed into different areas. The Pearl sailed alone on the dark sea, moonlight illuminating the cold air.

The silence was broken by a rhythmic footstep outside her door. Click… clack… Zhu Qingluo’s heart leaped to her throat. She knew her purpose here was a simple exchange. She couldn’t wait any longer. She put the suitcase in a visible spot and hid behind the cabinet.

The door opened. A woman in a sharp suit appeared, her face arrogant and her eyes full of contempt. It was Dong Aoyu. She was with two other people. She didn’t grab the suitcase right away. Instead, she went to the mirror on the cabinet, adjusted her hair, then, satisfied, walked over to the table and picked up the suitcase. She signaled to her accomplices and left.

Zhu Qingluo followed them. She overheard Dong Aoyu talking on the phone. “I got it,” she said. “You were right, she was scared, but she still came. Now, what’s our next step…” Dong Aoyu then opened a secret passage in the floor and went down into an underground tunnel.

…

The True Mastermind

Dong Aoyu emerged into a large, dimly lit warehouse. An old man in a white lab coat was standing next to a huge glass incubator filled with bubbling blue liquid. “You were worrying for nothing, Professor,” Dong Aoyu said. She put the suitcase on a table. Professor Shen took off her gloves and opened the case. Inside was the ransom money and a contract to acquire the Jiang Corporation. The contract was the real prize; it would guarantee Zhu Qingluo’s silence.

“Is she okay?” Dong Aoyu asked, her voice filled with a hint of concern.

“Hypnotic drugs,” Professor Shen replied.

Dong Aoyu’s eyes widened. She realized Shen had used drugs to amplify Jiang Yun’s psychological condition. The pain Jiang Yun must have felt was unimaginable. “You’re a real piece of work,” Dong Aoyu said. “How could you do that to her?” She couldn’t believe Shen, Jiang Yun’s mentor, could be so cruel.

Dong Aoyu wanted to see Jiang Yun, but Shen stopped her. “Now is not the time for sentiment. We have a plan to follow. Don’t leave any loose ends.” Dong Aoyu left reluctantly.

Shen was alone. She walked to a small door. The lock on it was heavy, and a chain clinked as she opened it. Inside, a dinner tray sat untouched on a small table. Shen sighed. She knelt down. “You didn’t like to eat when you were a child,” she said softly. “You would only talk when I was about to leave. You told me you didn’t like the scar…”

“But it looks so beautiful on you,” she said, admiring the woman in front of her. “Because it was a gift I gave you myself.”