“Cut the crap. If it weren’t for those damned cops chasing us so hard, do you think I’d want to come here? In this freezing weather, I’d rather be in bed with a woman.” Another voice chimed in.

“How’s that woman surnamed Shen? Haven’t heard a peep from her the whole way—don’t tell me she’s suffocated to death.”

“She’s fine, her body’s still warm, she won’t die.”

“We’ve really stirred up a hornet’s nest this time. That woman surnamed Shen isn’t some nobody—otherwise the cops wouldn’t be after us like madmen.”

“We took the money, so we do the job. Fortune favors the bold, can’t worry about too much.”

“True. Let’s lay low here for now. First thing tomorrow, we’ll go meet the employer, hand her over, and get the money. That sum will be enough for the two of us to live on for a lifetime.”

“What secret does that woman surnamed Shen have that she’s worth so much?”

“That’s not our concern. Our job is to kidnap her, hand her over to the boss, and take the money. Think about it—if someone’s willing to pay ten million to hire us for this, it proves that this woman surnamed Shen, tsk tsk, is really valuable…”

“The more you think about it, the scarier it gets…”

“There’s a bridge up ahead. Let’s hide out under there for the night…”

The two shadowy figures stumbled along the riverside path, making their way into the darkness beneath the bridge. The tunnel was pitch black, and Zhang Xiaoyu’s little den was hidden by wild grass—they didn’t notice it at all.

The shorter, stockier man set down the burlap sack he’d been carrying, exhaled heavily, and said, “This woman looks skinny as a rail, but she’s heavy as hell to carry. My arms are about to give out…”

“Back in the army, I could do five hundred push-ups in one go, run cross-country with a hundred pounds on my back for twenty kilometers without breaking a sweat. Now you’re out of breath just carrying a chick? I bet all your strength goes into women’s bellies—you’re getting soft…”

“Screw you, you’re the one who’s soft…”

The stocky man untied the rope on the sack, but was so startled he jumped back a few steps.

A pair of eyes, bright as gemstones, suddenly lit up in the darkness, staring at him coldly.

“Speak. Who sent you? How much did he pay you? I’ll pay double.” The woman said calmly.

“So this woman’s been awake all along. Looks like the knockout drug was fake—didn’t work well enough!” The stocky man grinned.

“Let me go, and we’ll pretend none of this ever happened. If the price isn’t right, we can negotiate. You know I can afford it.”

“You should’ve kept pretending to be unconscious. Now that you’ve seen our faces, it means we have to silence you.” The taller man narrowed his eyes, made a throat-slitting gesture, and looked menacing.

“Heh…” The woman gave a light, indifferent laugh and said coldly, “You don’t dare kill me. You’re just hired hands, doing someone else’s dirty work. If you don’t hand me over to your employer, how will you get paid?”

“I’ve got a temper…” The tall man made as if to rush forward.

The stocky man grabbed him.

“Let go of me! I have to kill this arrogant bitch…”

“Enough, cut the act.” The stocky man said irritably. “This woman isn’t ordinary—she’s almost supernatural. She’s right, we really don’t dare kill her. If we did, we’d be stuck with a murder on our hands, and who would pay the ransom?”

Besides, if she were an ordinary woman, being kidnapped to such a desolate place in the middle of the night, she’d either faint from fear or scream her lungs out, begging for mercy in every way possible. Someone as calm and composed as her is one in a million.

Before any real confrontation, she’d already figured out the gist of the situation and was certain she was safe—at least until she met the real mastermind. Calm in the face of danger, turning the tables—this kind of wisdom and composure commands respect.

No wonder she’s achieved so much—Jiangcheng’s number one beauty and CEO, truly living up to her reputation.

“Looks like we’re on the same page.” A faint, mocking smile appeared at the corner of the woman’s mouth as she continued, “Let’s talk price. Name your number—if you dare to ask, I dare to pay. I give you my word, I won’t call the police afterward.”

The tall man was a little flustered and angry. Damn it, aren’t we the kidnappers here? What’s with women these days?

What a pain! She doesn’t even treat kidnappers with respect, not a hint of fear or awe.

“What makes you think you can bargain with us? Don’t forget your place—you’re just a hostage.” The tall man said angrily. “If you piss me off, even if I can’t kill you, I can still cut up your face, or…”

The tall kidnapper’s gaze lingered on Yvonne Sullivan’s flawless face and curvy figure. He swallowed a few times and said, “This woman’s pretty hot. Why don’t the two of us have some fun with her first…”

As he spoke, he reached out to touch Yvonne Sullivan’s face.

Yvonne Sullivan quickly dodged back, shouting angrily, “Get lost.”

“I’m not getting lost. If I do, we’ll get lost together…”

Chapter Five: Murder to Silence!