Chapter 170: Missing
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Despite her weakened limbs, Wen Nian mustered the strength to sit up, albeit with some difficulty. Gazing out of the window, she noticed that the sky had already brightened, indicating the start of a new day. Glancing at the wall clock, she saw that it displayed 9:30.
Wen Nian furrowed her brow in confusion and asked, “Young Master Zhang, there’s no animosity between us. Why have you kidnapped me?”
Zhang Lin was focused on reading the email message. After a while, he looked up and replied, “You have to ask yourself that question. Why did you have to date such a troublesome boyfriend?”
When Wen Nian heard this, she knew that Zhang Lin had probably investigated her thoroughly. She started to pretend to be confused. “He has many girlfriends. Are you going to kidnap them all?”
Zhang Lin’s smile reappeared, reminiscent of the first time Wen Nian had encountered him. “All, I never anticipated that our Young Master Shen would be such a playboy. But it doesn’t concern me. You hold a special place in his heart. As long as he favors you, everything will be alright.”
Wen Nian didn’t know what Zhang Lin was up to, so she simply kept quiet.
Seeing this, Zhang Lin didn’t appear impatient. After dealing with some work in the guest room, he took his computer and left.
When Wen Nian saw the door close, she pushed herself up and moved to the sofa beside the coffee table. She opened her bag and realized that all the lethal weapons had been taken away. Her phone had also been confiscated, leaving only her textbooks and some stationery.
Zhang Lin returned to his room in the club. Peng Can closed the door and reported, “We’ve already destroyed that mute’s studio.”
Zhang Lin poured himself a glass of water and asked calmly, “What about the paintings?”
Peng Can smiled and said, “Not a single one was left. All of them were splashed with paint.”
“By the way, Shen Jun has already realized that something is wrong. Our people saw him mobilizing all his subordinates to search for Wen Nian.”
Leaning against the desk, Zhang Lin leisurely took a sip of water, relishing the moment. His eyes closed, a contented smile graced his refined features. “I’m in such a delightful mood. Even plain water tastes exquisite to me right now. Make sure to find a reason to prevent Tingting from coming over for the next two days.”
The more comfortable Zhang Lin was now, the crazier Shen Jun was.
Upon waking up in the morning, Shen Jun immediately sent Wen Nian a WeChat message. However, an uneasy feeling washed over him as his eyelids incessantly twitched, giving him a foreboding sense that something unfavorable might befall Wen Nian.
As Shen Jun attempted to call again, there was still no response from Wen Nian. Worried that she might have had an early morning call time for filming with the production team, he hurriedly made his way there.
After meeting Xu Chang, Shen Jun realized that she was indeed gone.
Shen Jun proceeded to check the IP address associated with Wen Nian’s phone. Upon discovering that the last recorded time and location were when he departed from the production team, he realized that the individual responsible for abducting Wen Nian was no ordinary kidnapper. This situation went beyond a spur-of-the-moment idea.
Despite the general rule that missing persons would typically not be reported until 24 hours had passed, the presence of Shen Jun would necessitate an immediate response, even if it was only for an hour.
During the early stages of Operation Skynet, public camera installations were still limited in many places. Only a few cameras were sporadically placed within the vicinity of the film crew’s area.
With all possible leads seemingly severed, Shen Jun had no choice but to rely on sending someone to investigate based on the limited camera records available. However, progress was frustratingly slow in piecing together the necessary information.
Trapped in the guest room, Wen Nian found herself with nothing to occupy her time. The windows were made of soundproof glass, rendering her unable to seek help from the outside. Her gaze drifted towards the beautiful flowers and plants beyond the window. “The scenery here is quite captivating. I even spot a small lake. Could this be some sort of club?” she pondered.
As Wen Nian was lost in her thoughts, contemplating the nature of her surroundings, a knock on the door interrupted her musings. In came Peng Can, pushing a dining cart and wearing a flawless smile. “Hello, Miss Wen. It’s lunchtime. Knowing that you are from Hai City, I’ve prepared a meal with flavors familiar to your hometown,” he announced cheerfully.
Upon hearing Peng Can’s words, Wen Nian approached the dining cart and took a few glances at the spread before her. The assortment consisted of three meals and a soup, with a well-balanced combination of meat and vegetables. A smile adorned her face as she quipped, “Did you bring me here just to indulge me with delicious food?”
Peng Can maintained his composure as he lied, his expression unchanged. “It’s a rare occasion for you to visit the capital. Our boss has always enjoyed a good relationship with Young Master Shen. We want you to just stay here for two daysJust keep calm and stay here.”
“By the way, I have also prepared a game console for your entertainment,” Peng Can added. “If there’s anything specific you desire to eat or drink, simply knock on the door and inform the attendant outside. We will make every effort to accommodate your requests to the best of our abilities.”
Upon hearing Peng Can’s words, Wen Nian deduced that Zhang Lin didn’t intend to keep her captive for an extended period. She surmised that within the next two days, negotiations would commence between Zhang Lin and Shen Jun.
Aware of her value to Zhang Lin, Wen Nian understood the importance of maintaining her physical strength. Thus, she diligently consumed the food and drink provided to replenish her energy. She recognized that, should any harm befall her, it would diminish Zhang Lin’s leverage during potential negotiations.
By 3 a.m., a total of 28 hours had elapsed since Wen Nian’s disappearance. The police had meticulously positioned themselves at all the intersections leading out of the capital, conducting thorough surveillance. However, their efforts had yielded no trace of her whereabouts..