Chapter 130: Jiang Nianyu's Threat
Zhao Dong hurriedly got into his car, following Jiang Nianyu's vehicle without a trace.
Through the rear window of her car, Zhao Dong's exceptional vision caught the fleeting glint of blades among the men. They have knives!
As Jiang Nianyu's car drove on, the roads became more remote. Zhao Dong frowned. With the traffic thinning out, I'll be exposed soon!
Jiang Nianyu's car finally slowed to a stop at a riverside on the city's outskirts. Zhao Dong parked a short distance away to observe, not daring to get any closer for fear of alarming the men who had abducted Nianyu.
"Move!"
Five men pulled Nianyu from the car. Pressing a knife against her waist, they forced her toward the riverbank.
Zhao Dong switched off his headlights. His body turned into a ghostly shadow that darted into the night, reaching the riverside in the blink of an eye.
The men were utterly horrified to see Zhao Dong appear out of nowhere. "How did you get here?"
Jiang Nianyu's eyes widened in surprise. "Zhao Dong, you..."
Zhao Dong shrugged, looking at the men coldly. "I knew you were up to no good. Let Jiang Nianyu go, or you die."
The bald, tattooed man who had been in the passenger seat let out a raspy laugh. "Who the fuck do you think you are? I'm going to kill you today!"
As soon as the tattooed man finished speaking, he charged forward. Zhao Dong was slightly surprised; the man was a Level 5 Inner Strength cultivator. An expert in the eyes of ordinary people, but to me, he's a complete joke!
Zhao Dong swayed aside to dodge, then slapped his palm against the bald man's chest. The man's chest caved in instantly. He let out a scream as he was sent flying backward. The pupils of the remaining men contracted, their faces filling with horror. Zhao Dong's gaze turned cold as he flashed in front of one of them.
His leg shot up like lightning. BANG!
The man's body flew through the air like a kite with a severed string.
Zhao Dong rolled his neck and walked over to the tattooed man. He grabbed him by the throat and hoisted him into the air. The tattooed man couldn't help but tremble, rasping painfully, "Boss, I was wrong. Spare me... please, spare me."
"Who told you to kidnap Jiang Nianyu?" Zhao Dong asked coldly. Just as the tattooed man was about to speak, his eyes turned cold. He drew a short dagger from his pocket and stabbed at Zhao Dong.
At that angle and speed, most people would never be able to dodge.
Zhao Dong's pupils shrank. He drove his knee up, knocking the man's hand away, then his own hand clamped down fiercely on the man's throat.
With a sharp CRACK, the bald man's neck broke. His body twitched once, then went still.
Approaching the last man, Zhao Dong looked down at him on the ground and said icily, "I'll ask one more time. Who sent you?"
The man's face turned pale with terror as he stammered, "I don't know... I don't know. Only my brother knew... He's the one who told me to come."
Zhao Dong frowned. He could see in the man's eyes that he wasn't lying. "Your brother is dead now," he said, "so there's no use for you anymore."
The man screamed in fear, "No, spare me—"
Before he could finish his plea, Zhao Dong crushed his neck.
All fell quiet once more. Beside him, Jiang Nianyu's face was pale as she spoke softly, "Thank you for today. Otherwise, I don't know if I'd be dead or alive right now."
Zhao Dong frowned. "Have you made any enemies recently? Why would these men go to the trouble of kidnapping you?"
Jiang Nianyu hesitated for a moment before replying, "It could be because of the Beautifying Cream. The formula you gave me was simply astonishing. Our revenue at Jiang's Pharmaceuticals has seen a sixty percent increase, and we've become the largest pharmaceutical dealer in East Sea with an astounding sales volume. But in doing so, we've offended quite a few people. It's possible this is their handiwork."
Jiang Nianyu furrowed her brow, a touch of lingering fear on her face.
"Then it's almost certain someone's gotten jealous," Zhao Dong said, scratching his head. "Can you guess who it might be?"
Jiang Nianyu shook her head. "The list of possibilities is too long. I really can't think of anyone specific."
RING, RING, RING.
The sudden sound of a cell phone pierced the silent atmosphere. Surrounded by darkness, with only the low whine of the river breeze, the ringing was terrifying.
Jiang Nianyu's face turned white, and she nervously pressed herself against Zhao Dong. Her full chest swayed with the motion, its soft curves pressing into his body. The unexpectedly pleasant sensation made Zhao Dong freeze for a second. A rush of heat surged up from his lower body, spreading throughout him.
He cleared his throat twice and shifted away slightly, only then realizing the call was coming from the dead bald man's pocket. After a moment of searching, Zhao Dong retrieved a phone with a shattered screen that was, luckily, still usable.
"Hello? Is it done?"
The moment he answered, a voice echoed across the empty riverside. Jiang Nianyu's expression changed instantly, and her body began to tremble. Zhao Dong frowned, noticing her reaction and shooting her a questioning look.
Just as the pale-faced Jiang Nianyu was about to warn him, the call abruptly ended.
"What's wrong?" Zhao Dong immediately asked.
Jiang Nianyu's voice quivered. "That voice... it sounded a lot like my uncle."
Zhao Dong was taken aback, his brow tightening. "That can't be right."
"The voice sounds very similar, but I can't be certain," she said, still shaking. "Zhao Dong, please just take me home first."
"Don't overthink it. You probably misheard," Zhao Dong said, patting her shoulder reassuringly. "I'll take you home."
Jiang Nianyu nodded heavily.
The two of them got into the car, and the ride home was silent. Zhao Dong didn't let out a sigh of relief until he had seen Jiang Nianyu safely inside, at which point he headed to his own place.
After a relaxing hot shower, Zhao Dong lay comfortably on his bed. His phone buzzed. He picked it up and frowned slightly upon seeing a message from Ding Lan.
"Zhao Dong, there's a class reunion tomorrow at noon. Are you coming?"
Zhao Dong's first instinct was to say no, but then he remembered a couple of his good buddies from his class. Although he wasn't keen on such gatherings, it had been a while since he had seen his old friends. Back then, despite being looked down upon by some for his family's poverty, he had also formed some genuine friendships and received help from others.
Thinking of this, he replied with a single word: "Address."
"We're meeting at the school gate first. You should come."
Zhao Dong sent a one-word reply: "Okay." Ding Lan didn't message again.
That night, Zhao Dong didn't sleep. Instead, he sat cross-legged in meditation as the hours passed quickly.
A new day dawned over East Sea City. As the morning sun rose, Zhao Dong thought to himself, I have money now. I should probably buy a car.
With that in mind, he immediately got up and got ready. By around nine a.m., he was on his way to East Sea's Auto City.