Chapter 677: Startled the Snake

At the same time, inside the private villa where Su Zhiyuan was being held……

Beside Sun Weiwei…… a high-power speaker was placed.

The loud music was continuously emanating from the speaker, exactly the same as the background sound she had just heard on the phone.

Sun Weiwei turned off the speaker, and a disdainful smirk curled at the corner of her mouth.

She said to her father beside her:

Lin Yuan that guy, indeed suspected me, but so what? He has no evidence; even if he suspects, he can't do anything to me, and besides, he doesn't even know I'm hiding here.

Father Sun Licheng sat beside her, picked up the water cup on the table, and took a sip.

Sun Licheng's tone carried a hint of a cold smile: 'Daughter, you've thought it through thoroughly; using the speaker to fake the background noise, even if Lin Yuan were sharper, he couldn't guess we're in this suburban villa.'

'Su Monong dotes on Su Zhiyuan; as long as she wants to save her daughter, she will surely hand over the shares obediently, and then the Su Group will be ours.'

Sun Weiwei let out a cold laugh, her eyes full of amusement:

'That's natural; Su Monong has no choice. We'll just sit here, calmly waiting for her to take the bait—three days is enough for her to make a decision.'

Having said that, she glanced at Su Zhiyuan, still bound in the corner and still defiant.

A flash of ruthlessness crossed Sun Weiwei's eyes.

She paid no heed whatsoever to the innocent girl's fear.

……

The night deepened, and it was already late at night.

The entire city had fallen into sleep……

Only Lin Yuan's car…… was still speeding through the night.

Lin Yuan, while driving at high speed, took out his phone and called Mu Lingxue.

The moment the call connected, Lin Yuan said solemnly: 'Lingxue, emergency situation—Sun Weiwei has kidnapped Su Zhiyuan to blackmail Su Monong into handing over the Su Group's shares; you must immediately bring people to help search, and be sure to rescue Su Zhiyuan as soon as possible.'

On the other end of the line, Mu Lingxue, even though she had been resting, instantly woke up upon hearing this.

On the phone, Mu Lingxue's tone immediately turned serious: 'Finding people is fine, but I need to know Sun Weiwei's exact location—do you have any leads?'

She knew the kidnapping case admitted no delay; every extra minute wasted increased Su Zhiyuan's danger.

Lin Yuan, hearing this, gave a slight nod.

Lin Yuan held the phone and spoke with certainty:

'I have a lead. I just got off the phone with Sun Weiwei; although she used the speaker to fake the background noise, I still managed to catch some subtle sounds.'

'She should be in a private villa located on the hillside of the suburbs.'

Lin Yuan paused, then continued,

'Besides, it should be windy there right now, with wind force around level 4. During the call just now, I heard faint insect chirps and the distinctive wind sound of the hillside; these sounds were very clear, and my hearing is sharp enough that I won't mistake them.'

On the other end of the line, Mu Lingxue, upon hearing this, immediately said:

'Okay, I got it! Your lead is crucial; I'm now contacting the police for an overnight search. I'll immediately get in touch with the meteorological bureau to obtain tonight's suburban wind data, then comb through all mountain-side private villas within a 40‑kilometer radius—I will be sure to find Sun Weiwei's hiding place as soon as possible!'

……

After hanging up the phone……

Mu Lingxue rose from her home.

She dared not delay in the slightest, and immediately called the criminal police unit.

Mu Lingxue…… deployed the search operation overnight.

She, on one hand, contacted the meteorological bureau to verify the wind information, and on the other hand, gathered relevant data on mountain‑side villas in the suburbs……

A nighttime rescue and investigation thus got underway.

Relying on the police's strong resource support, plus the precise leads Lin Yuan provided……

Mu Lingxue's investigation progressed swiftly.

The meteorological bureau quickly returned the data……

It confirmed that…… the wind force in the suburban hillside area that night…… was exactly level 4, fully matching Lin Yuan's judgment;

At the same time, the criminal police team members…… quickly filtered out the mountain‑side private villas within a 40‑kilometer radius.

Combining the villas' location, scale, and recent signs of use……

The police, using only half an hour, successfully pinpointed Sun Weiwei's hiding place——

——located on a concealed hillside 20 li outside the city.

That is a…… private villa that has been left vacant for a long time.

There, very few people come and go on ordinary days, and it is extremely concealed.

After locking onto the location, Mu Lingxue dared not delay in the slightest and immediately called Lin Yuan.

Mu Lingxue's tone urgent and resolute: 'Lin Yuan, the location is locked! Sun Weiwei's private villa is on the hillside 20 li outside the city; I am now dispatching the criminal police force to bring people over, so we can coordinate inside and out, rescue Su Zhiyuan in one fell swoop, and bring the Sun father‑daughter to justice!'

On the other end of the line, Lin Yuan, upon hearing this, immediately spoke to refuse:

'No, you police should not act for now. Sun Weiwei and her father are already at the end of their rope, ready to stake everything; if a large police force rushes in recklessly, it will surely scare the snake, they'll be cornered and likely harm Zhiyuan. I'll handle this myself.'

Mu Lingxue, hearing this, instantly became anxious and hurriedly reminded:

'Lin Yuan, this is too dangerous! Sun Weiwei and her gang are now desperate kidnappers; they likely have weapons and plenty of henchmen—if you go alone and something happens, what then?'

She knew all too well the madness of kidnappers when they have no way out……

Lin Yuan going alone is undoubtedly putting himself in danger.

On the phone, Lin Yuan soothed: 'Rest assured, I'll be fine. Don't forget, I'm skilled with concealed weapons and in martial arts; these people are no match for me. Moreover, going alone makes me a small target, hard to spot—I can keep them in check and wait for the right moment to rescue Zhiyuan, which is steadier than a large police deployment.'

Mu Lingxue knew Lin Yuan's character; once he decided something, no amount of persuasion would change it.

She fell silent for a moment, her heart full of helplessness, and in the end could only compromise,

Mu Lingxue said solemnly: 'Alright, I agree to your terms, but you must be careful—absolutely no recklessness. If any danger arises, call me immediately; I'll have people on standby and rush to support you at once—remember, safety first!'

……

Late at night, on the street.

Inside the Tesla.

After hanging up the phone, Lin Yuan dared not delay in the slightest.

He pressed the accelerator hard, the car shooting forward like an arrow released from a bow… racing toward the outskirts of Hangcheng…

The night was dark, the mountain road narrow and rugged…

Using the car's headlights, Lin Yuan sped along…

After about half an hour more, he reached the foot of Qingfeng Mountain.

Lin Yuan stopped the car, quickly extinguished the flame, and pulled out the key.

Lin Yuan parked the car…… steadily in a concealed spot at the mountain's base, to avoid being discovered.

Afterwards, Lin Yuan opened the car door.

His body flashed, and he swiftly climbed toward the mountainside.

Lin Yuan's movements were extremely agile, his form flexible like a leopard…

Even though the mountain night was dark and the road rugged, he still moved as swift as flying…

Lin Yuan's climbing speed was extremely fast; only the howling wind and his own hurried footsteps filled his ears, without slowing his pace at all.

Soon, Lin Yuan had climbed to the mid-mountain.

The wind blowing straight at him…… instantly messed up his hair—

The wind in the mountains, indeed as he had judged, was about force 4.

The howling wind…… swept over the treetops, making a 'woo-woo' sound.

This, was exactly the same as the wind sound Lin Yuan had heard earlier…… when he spoke with Sun Weiwei on the phone……

Lin Yuan slowed his steps, lowered his posture, and proceeded cautiously……

His gaze…… carefully searched the mountains.

Soon, a concealed private villa…… appeared in Lin Yuan's view.

The villa…… stood on the flat ground of the mountainside.

Around the villa…… dense woods surrounded it, making it extremely concealed.

Yet inside the villa…… the lights were blazing.

Inside the villa, every window emitted bright light, especially conspicuous in the dark mountains.

Lin Yuan held his breath, quietly approaching the villa……

He used the forest's cover, his eyes fixed tightly on the villa's doors and windows……

Lin Yuan could confirm.

Su Zhiyuan, must be imprisoned here.

Lin Yuan did not act rashly, but stopped in place……

He carefully observed the villa's surroundings……

Lin Yuan, was seeking the right moment to infiltrate, to avoid startling the enemy.

Lin Yuan's gaze…… slowly swept over the villa's surroundings.

He soon noticed an abnormality——

Around the villa's perimeter, scattered were many men dressed in black martial attire.

They were upright in posture, alert in expression, hands on their waists, eyes constantly scanning the surroundings.

This group of black-clad people moved with steady, orderly steps.

They were evidently subordinates arranged by Sun Weiwei and her father to guard outside, specifically tasked with watching the villa's perimeter to prevent anyone from approaching.

These black-clad people had clear divisions, working in pairs, patrolling back and forth along the villa's walls.

Their eyes were sharp as eagles, missing no slightest movement; even in the dark night, their vigilance did not diminish in the least.

The black-clad people firmly guarded all entrances of the villa, giving outsiders no chance.

A flicker of coldness passed through Lin Yuan's eyes.

Lin Yuan's posture remained low, using the dense thickets for cover, like a ghost…… silently approaching a patrol of black-clad individuals.

Lin Yuan's steps were extremely light, almost making no sound……

The patrolling black-clad individuals sensed no hint of danger silently approaching.

When Lin Yuan drew near to a suitable distance……

Lin Yuan no longer hesitated; his fingertips had already pinched several silver needles, his eyes sharp as a blade, applying slight force, the silver needles shot out like arrows released from a bow!

The silver needles…… accurately…… shot toward the acupoints of two black-clad individuals!

The silver needles' speed was extremely fast, bringing a fierce gust!

The two black-clad individuals didn't even have time to react, unable to utter a groan before their bodies instantly stiffened!

The two black-clad individuals had all their strength drained in an instant, collapsing straight to the ground…… passing out on the spot.

Lin Yuan did not pause, his form flickered……

He, quickly moved to the side of the next patrol of black-clad individuals.

Lin Yuan, still using the same method, flicked his fingertips, silver needles shooting out, precisely striking the black-clad individual's acupoint!

In just a few seconds, another two black-clad individuals collapsed silently.

Lin Yuan's movements were practiced, his force controlled just right……

Each of his silver needles…… precisely struck the vital points of the black-clad individuals.

This neither harms their lives nor fails to instantly deprive the black-clad individuals of mobility.

Just like that, Lin Yuan used the cover of night and thickets, like a hunter in the dark night……

He moved silently through the area around the villa.

Lin Yuan's fingertip Silver Needle kept shooting out……

The patrolling black-clad men…… one after another collapsed……

Not a single person…… could sense his presence.

The black-clad men had no chance to send any distress signal……

Soon, all the black-clad guards around the villa were all knocked down by Lin Yuan with Silver Needles……

Lin Yuan thoroughly cleared the obstacles to infiltrating the villa.

After clearing the outer obstacles, Lin Yuan was not the slightest bit careless.

He still kept his posture low, using the shadow of the villa's courtyard wall, silently circled to the villa's side, and found a concealed window.

Lin Yuan slowed his breathing, his body pressed against the wall,.

He carefully poked his head out, looking through the window glass, secretly peeking at the interior situation of the villa……

Lin Yuan's gaze quickly swept every corner of the hall……

He was searching…… for Su Zhiyuan's figure.

Only the villa's hall was brightly lit……

On the central wooden chair, Su Zhiyuan was tightly bound with coarse rope.

Su Zhiyuan's hands were bound behind the chair back, and her feet were also firmly fixed.

Her cheeks…… still bore the red swollen fingerprints.

In Su Zhiyuan's eyes…… were full of fatigue and fear.

Yet she still feigned stubbornness, lowering her head slightly, remaining silent.

Beside Su Zhiyuan stood four men dressed in black combat attire.

The four men were alert, hands on their waists, eyes fixed on Su Zhiyuan, guarding her side without stepping away.,

These four people were obviously the guards arranged inside by Sun Weiwei and her father.

Lin Yuan's gaze slowly swept across the entire hall, carefully checking every corner……

Yet he never saw the figures of Sun Licheng and Sun Weiwei.

Lin Yuan felt a slight doubt in his heart——

Could it be that they are not inside the villa?

But he didn't dwell on it; the most important thing now was to first rescue Su Zhiyuan.

The rest of the matters can be investigated slowly after the rescue.

After confirming there were only four guards inside the house, a hint of coldness flashed in Lin Yuan's eyes.

Lin Yuan slowly extended his hand, his fingertip lightly pushed open the window, leaving only a thin narrow gap,.

This gap was just enough for the Silver Needle to pass through, avoiding excessive noise that would alert the indoor guards.

Lin Yuan's fingertip…… once again pinched two Silver Needles.

His eyes were sharp as a blade, precisely locking onto the two guards nearest the window……

The next second, Lin Yuan exerted slight force with his fingertip, and the Silver Needle shot out quickly through the gap!

The Silver Needle…… carried a fierce gust, accurately striking the two men's pressure points!

"Thud, thud!"

Two soft sounds…… those two guards didn't even have time to react, their bodies instantly stiffened, all their strength drained in an instant……

The two guards collapsed straight to the ground, losing all consciousness, unable to even utter a whimper……

The other two guards…… sensed the movement of their companions nearby, and abruptly turned their heads.

The two saw…… their companion collapsed on the ground, their faces instantly changed.

The two instinctively opened their mouths to shout, wanting to inform the other companions.

But just as their voices reached their throats, Lin Yuan struck again!

Lin Yuan's fingertip…… shot out two more Silver Needles!

The Silver Needle accurately hit their pressure points, the motion swift and clean, without any delay.

In just a few seconds, all four guards were knocked down by Lin Yuan with Silver Needles!

Inside the hall%…… instantly returned to silence.

Su Zhiyuan, bound to the chair, was startled by this sudden scene……

Su Zhiyuan hurriedly lifted her head, her eyes full of panic and disbelief……

Her gaze fixed on the direction of the window, not knowing what had happened.

Only then did Lin Yuan gently pry open the villa's main door.

He kept the door ajar to facilitate later retreat.

After doing all that, Lin Yuan then quickly walked up to Su Zhiyuan……

He looked at her bound appearance and swollen cheeks, a hint of heartache flashing in his eyes.

When Su Zhiyuan saw that the person coming was Lin Yuan, her panic instantly turned to joy, her eyes reddened, and she couldn't help shouting: "Lin Yuan……"

But just as she spoke, Lin Yuan quickly stepped forward, extended his hand, and gently covered her mouth……

Lin Yuan solemnly shook his head at her, indicating she should not make a sound……

Lin Yuan feared her shout…… would alert others possibly hidden inside the villa.

At this moment, in the meeting room on the second floor of the villa.

Sun Licheng sat in the main seat, his fingertip heavily tapping the tabletop.

Before him… the Su Group's equity structure diagram was spread out.

Sun Weiwei, the daughter, stood to the side, holding a pen.

Father and daughter were facing several trusted aides… arranging the follow-up work for the equity transfer.

Remember, tomorrow morning, have that nominee send the equity transfer agreement over, force Su Monong to sign, record the whole process audio and video, and don't give her any chance to play tricks!

Sun Weiwei's voice was filled with unquestionable ruthlessness: "Once the signature is done, immediately move Su Zhiyuan to the backup location, in case Su Zhiyuan makes a desperate move!"

Several aides quickly nodded in assent, just about to take the documents.

Suddenly, a faint "thud" came from downstairs, and through the stairwell gap it faintly reached the second floor.

The sound was very soft, mostly drowned out by the wind outside the window…

Everyone in the meeting room was on edge, and Sun Licheng and Sun Weiwei instantly caught that hint of abnormality.

Sun Weiwei's pretty face suddenly changed; the smugness in her eyes… was instantly replaced by vigilance.

She clenched her pen‑holding hand tightly.

Sun Weiwei raised her hand, stopping the aides' movement.

She tilted her ear, listening carefully for a few seconds…

The faint silence coming from downstairs… made her inner unease grow ever stronger…

By rights, the downstairs guard should come up to report every ten minutes.

Right now… it shouldn't be this quiet.

Moreover, there shouldn't be a sound like someone falling.

"Something's wrong." Sun Licheng also sank his face, sprang to his feet, and swept a sharp gaze across the doorway: "Something definitely happened downstairs!"

Sun Weiwei came to her senses, and a flash of ruthlessness crossed her beautiful eyes.

She showed no hesitation, giving a fierce look to the four sturdy aides beside her…

Sun Weiwei lowered her voice and commanded sternly: "You, go downstairs to check! Anyone who dares to intrude will be killed on sight!"