The two men retreated in haste. Lu Mingxi, his anger unable to find an outlet, slammed his fist onto the table.
The mobile phone on the table rang. He composed himself, picked it up, and glanced at the caller ID.
It was Qin Yun. Ever since he arrived in Japan, he hadn't contacted Qin Yun or the others.
Lu Mingxi hesitated for a few seconds, then, instead of hanging up as usual, he pressed the answer button.
Qin Yun's deep, furious voice quickly came through, "Lu Mingxi, what are you doing? Playing disappear with me at a time like this?"
Lu Mingxi propped his forehead with one hand. The thought of not finding Qin He for so many days brought a surge of regret and guilt.
"I'm sorry, Qin Yun. I received news that He'er is in Japan."
Qin Yun's anger hadn't subsided. "What Japan? He'er has already contacted us. She's trapped in Kun Dian! Can't you at least inform us when you get news? What's with acting alone, Lu Mingxi? She's my sister, and I absolutely cannot let her take any risks! If you don't want to help, I have no objections, but you can't just be so reckless!"
Lu Mingxi sat up abruptly, his brows furrowed. "You said He'er is in Kun Dian?"
Qin Yun relayed the news he had received, one by one, to Lu Mingxi.
"Gu Qichen has already gone to Kun Dian. The Gu family's company has been established in Kun Dian for quite some time and has considerable influence there. You should hurry back; the auction is about to begin!"
Lu Mingxi pursed his lips and remained silent.
"I'm sorry, Qin Yun, I have to go to Kun Dian!"
Qin Yun became anxious. "What are you going to Kun Dian for? We can't alert them now. Gu Qichen is enough!"
Lu Mingxi's gaze deepened. "Don't worry, I will find He'er before he does!"
With that, he no longer listened to Qin Yun's angry shouting and hung up the phone. He took a deep breath and looked towards the door of the office.
"Someone, prepare a plane to Kun Dian."
...
The next day.
At seven in the morning, Qin He supported herself as she went to wash up. After changing her clothes, she sat on the bed.
There was a sound at the door. Qin He looked up and saw Shen Yicong walk in calmly.
A sarcastic smile played on Qin He's lips.
"I thought after you threw such a tantrum yesterday, you would have locked me up for good. I didn't expect you to come back after just one night."
Shen Yicong stood indifferently in the room, looking down at Qin He.
"Qin He, I don't have time for your little games. I thought about it last night. Since you're being so disobedient, I'll just have to make you learn to behave."
As he spoke, he gestured to the doorway, "Come in."
Qin He frowned. What did Shen Yicong want to do now?
Two men quickly entered, still wearing doctors' white coats.
Shen Yicong looked at Qin He coldly. "These are two new assistants I've found for you."
Qin He knew that these two were sent by Shen Yicong to monitor her.
However, one of them was holding a tray with a syringe on it.
"Inject her," Shen Yicong said.
The two men immediately stepped forward, and Qin He cautiously took two steps back.
"Shen Yicong, what do you think you're doing?"
Shen Yicong said, "It's just some medicine to make you obedient, Miss Qin. You're so scared; you shouldn't have provoked me before."
The two men had already reached Qin He and attempted to restrain her.
Qin He gritted her teeth, looking at the blue liquid in the syringe.
She wasn't sure what it was, but she knew she absolutely couldn't let them inject it!
"Shen Yicong! If you dare to do this, I'll—"
"Then I won't treat Yi Lin anymore, right?" Shen Yicong sneered, his face cold. "Qin He, the story of 'The Boy Who Cried Wolf' can't be told three times. Do you really think I have no other way when you try to threaten me with the same thing again and again? Everything now is your own doing."
Seeing that the men had already reached her, Qin He raised her hand and struck.
With an over-the-shoulder throw, she sent the man holding the tray to the ground. Her movements didn't stop as she swept her leg, sending the other man flying several meters away.
Shen Yicong watched calmly.
Seeing Qin He's wary expression, he walked towards her step by step.
Qin He's eyes hardened. She would absolutely not let anyone inject her with something unknown.
At this point, she might as well gamble. If she could hold Shen Yicong hostage, she could also successfully escape from here!
Qin He raised her hand and attacked.
Shen Yicong dodged and simultaneously grabbed Qin He's arm.
They exchanged blows, and although Qin He appeared delicate, her leg strength was formidable.
After she kicked another wooden chair in half, Shen Yicong's eyes showed a growing amusement and cruelty.
"Good kung fu, but still lacking."
Their fight was swift. Five minutes later, Qin He was pinned onto the bed by Shen Yicong.
He grinned. "Still not enough ruthlessness, Qin He. When fighting someone, if you don't aim to kill them, they will kill you."
Qin He's eyes widened, and she glared at Shen Yicong, her breath uneven and her eyes filled with hatred.
"Get lost!"
Shen Yicong didn't mind Qin He's anger at all; it only made him more excited.
"Actually, what I enjoy most is seeing a resilient woman like you learn to behave."
The man's desire to conquer surged within Shen Yicong. This time, even he noticed that he was paying too much attention to Qin He.
The two doctors on the ground had already gotten up.
"Strategist."
"Bring me the thing," Shen Yicong said.
With one hand restraining Qin He, he took the syringe handed over by the doctor with the other.
Qin He's eyes widened in fear.
"Let go of me."
The next moment, her neck felt a sharp prick.
Immediately, the world spun, and a nauseating feeling washed over her.
Qin He collapsed to the ground with a thud, her pupils gradually losing focus.
Shen Yicong's voice reached her, "This 'Ice Sea' is the latest development from Kun Dian. Qin He, I didn't originally intend to use it on you."
Qin He couldn't speak. Shen Yicong's voice became faint and hazy.
"But I don't have time to wait for you to become addicted, so this first time I'm giving you a direct shot to the brain. The drawback is that it can easily cause sudden death, but I believe you can get through it, right?"
Qin He could no longer hear anything.