Chapter 353: with translation of chapter title

Jiang Liangjin gave an order, and two black-clad figures stepped in, one after the other.

Their black hoodies were pulled low, masks covering most of their faces, each holding a lockbox in hand.

Jiang Liangjin stared at the leader, "I've brought the money for you—for now it's only this much; the rest can be transferred immediately."

The leader opposite hadn't come for ransom anyway; hearing this, he instantly showed impatience, roughly waving a hand to cut him off, "Then use Qing An to make up the difference—hurry up and come over!"

Mu Youyu, with a dagger pressed to her neck, shuddered all over, and Qing An's posture instantly tensed.

He looked at his sister being held hostage, without the slightest hesitation, took a big step forward, "Alright, I'll take her place—let her go."

The ringleader watched Qing An step forward voluntarily, his eyes shifting unpredictably.

The other kidnappers also panicked, one whispering urgently, "Boss, really let him swap? What if the leader turns on us…"

"What else can we do? Just watch Ai Luoxiu's sister die here?"

"If we let him swap, it'll be fine—if we'd known earlier, we'd have moved faster and taken the girl away."

"We shouldn't have asked the leader; now we're stuck, riding a tiger we can't dismount."

"We can't beat the leader's entourage, let alone… what do we do? We can't start a fight with the leader."

The ringleader closed his eyes, gritted his teeth, and spat out four words: "Watch and wait."

They have a deadly feud with the M Guo royal family, lying low for years just to take that person's life.

But the kidnapped little girl happens to be the benefactor's sister!

Back then, Song Ze Yi helped them, saying only that they should remember Ai Luoxiu, and if they ever got a chance to help him, lending a hand would repay the favor.

No matter what, they must not hurt her.

Caught in a dilemma, they could only take it step by step.

Seeing Qing An truly willing to risk himself alone to swap for a sister with no blood relation, the bald leader curled his lips into a sinister smile.

Just as he was about to agree, a hoarse voice cut in first: "Don't touch her."

Jiang Liangjin stepped forward half a pace, the hem of his coat stirring a faint cool breeze.

"I'll swap."

"I'll take her place."

Qing An instantly understood his intent, and gave the two black-clad figures holding boxes by the door an extremely covert gesture.

The bald leader blinked, sizing up the unfamiliar youth before him, and snorted, "You want to swap? Who are you? We want Qing An!"

"Jiang Liangjin."

As the three words fell, the warehouse fell silent in an instant.

The bald leader's face stiffened, his knife-hand loosening involuntarily, a flicker of wariness flashing in his eyes: "You're Jiang Yuan's nephew?"

Jiang Liangjin hadn't expected them to utter his uncle's name, his gaze still fixed on the person beneath the dagger, without yielding an inch: "Yes."

How did Jiang Yuan's nephew also come here?

The leader's throat convulsed as he swiftly weighed the pros and cons in his mind.

He couldn't afford to offend them, so he wanted to call it off, yet he was unwilling.

But if he harmed Jiang Yuan's nephew, the other side would surely not let him go—by then, not to mention revenge, the whole organization would be uprooted.

Other subordinates who knew the situation also hesitated.

The leader forced himself to speak: "This isn't your concern—let Qing An come over…"

Before the words even landed, his wrist suddenly went numb.

A sudden change!

A black-clad figure who had been standing in the corner holding the money box, his eyes turning cold, shot forward like a blur.

Everyone present didn't even see his move clearly, only feeling a flash before him—he was already in front of the leader.

Almost at the same second, his comrade beside him instantly blocked the warehouse exit, aura fully unleashed.

As the black-clad figure raised his hand, a black pistol was already drawn, aimed precisely at the leader's knife-wielding hand, and he fired without hesitation.

"Bang!"

"Holy shit, it's Song Ze Yi!" the lead kidnapper's pupils shrank, he exclaimed in disbelief, "He's grown so big I almost didn't recognize him!"

Song Ze Yi, Ai Luoxiu's confidant.

They had all received favors from the Peiweika family back then; even if they hadn't seen Ai Luoxiu, they had seen Song Ze Yi.

Back then Song Ze Yi had talent but was still a bit green; lately they hadn't heard any rumors about him.

He used to help Ai Luoxiu manage the Duke's Mansion affairs, occasionally assisting Princess Xun Li, and now he helps Ai Luoxiu handle domestic matters.

The sidekick's face twitched slightly, "Back when I saw him, he wasn't that tall."

……

The leader's wrist ached, and he flung Mu Youyu away hard.

Damn it, how did Song Ze Yi also come here?

A kidnapper beside him instinctively reached out, barely catching her rope so she didn't fall to the ground.

"Boss, run! Forget the leader—our lives matter!"

"Yeah, let the leader reap what he sowed!"

"We can't fight Song Ze Yi—if we can run, we run; if we can't, we'll consider this life returned to him!"

The bald leader's wrist was indeed shot—after all, he's the leader of this bunch, a tough character who's long scraped by on the edge of life and death.

He could still grapple with Song Ze Yi for a long time.

"What are you standing there for? Get up!" he roared, calling a few subordinates to join the fray with Song Ze Yi.

As for the ringleader's crew, they were capable, but they wanted to deal with an M Guo royal family member, not Song Ze Yi.

"Running won't help! Brothers, forget Song Ze Yi—go kill Qing An!"

No matter what, the royal family of M Guo are enemies.

Upon hearing the leader's words, the kidnappers immediately surrounded Qing An, eyes blood-red, striking with lethal moves.

Obviously they wanted to take advantage of the chaos to complete their revenge plan.

Seeing his sister frightened and the path blocked, Qing An felt anger burning in his heart.

"Your Highness, be careful!" The royal guard who followed Song Ze in felt his heart tighten, quickly rushing from the doorway to his side.

Qing An took the pistol he handed over with a backhand.

The two fought side by side, Atmosphere fully unleashed, beating back the kidnappers who charged forward, forcing them into a steady retreat.

Jiang Liangjin, at the moment Mu Youyu was helped up, rushed over without hesitation, "Youbao."

"A Jin..." Mu Youyu's voice weak, she caught sight of the bloodstains on the ground in her peripheral vision, her head spinning.

"Don't be afraid, I'm here, nothing will happen."

Others were fighting fiercely, no one noticed them.

Jiang Liangjin crouched down, softly comforting her, took out the dagger that had fallen to the ground, his fingertips trembling as he helped her loosen the bonds, his movements quick and gentle, afraid of hurting her.

The hemp rope was undone, Mu Youyu felt a pang of pain in her wrists.

She didn't speak, just lifted her head to quietly gaze at the boy before her, filling her vision, her flustered heart gradually calming, "Is it just you two who came?"

"No, the others are outside; we'll talk after we go out."

Jiang Liangjin bent over, scooped her up in a horizontal hold, and wrapped her in his own windbreaker.

Mu Youyu had been tied to the ground for too long, her legs and hands numb; leaning in his embrace, she only then felt a slight sense of safety.

Seeing Jiang Liangjin about to take her out, she endured her bodily discomfort, reached out to lightly grasp his collar, leaning into his embrace, "What about Qing An gege and Xiao Yi and the others..."

"Nothing will happen; the reinforcements will arrive shortly."

At this moment, another batch of people in combat uniforms rushed in from outside the warehouse, pre-arranged reinforcements, encircling the entire warehouse impenetrably.

The leader was suppressed by Qing An and his group working together, gradually losing the upper hand.

His subordinates nearby were also subdued one by one; the defeat was sealed.

He was unwilling, his blood-red eyes flashing with madness, his gaze locked onto Mu Youyu in Jiang Liangjin's embrace.

As long as they capture this girl, they still have a chance to turn the tables!