Mu Jianhua rushed home after receiving the call. Upon learning the contents of the kidnapper’s demands, he flatly rejected Mu Wan’s suggestion.

“You are not allowed to meet the kidnappers!”

Mu Wan looked at her father with determination. “Dad, this matter needs to end. If I survived this rebirth but others died because of me, that would be unforgivable.”

Mu Jianhua’s expression darkened. “Absolutely not!”

Having endured over ten hours of high-intensity work, he looked exhausted. Placing both hands on Mu Wan’s shoulders, he said firmly, “Wan wan, the Wutong Café had a poisoning incident just a few days ago. This proves that the kidnapper tested his methods on others before this. He used the test results to escape the police’s tight surveillance and roadblocks.

“This man harbors deep hatred for the Mu family. By kidnapping you, he knows that tormenting you is equivalent to tormenting all of us.

“The SWAT officer may be captured, but his grudge against her isn’t personal. Besides, she’s professionally trained to deal with kidnappers better than you can. From both a public and private perspective, I can’t let you go.”

Mu Wan grew anxious. “But he said he’d harm the hostage tomorrow! Should we really hold a press conference and let Grandpa’s name be smeared even after his death?”

Mu Jianhua was visibly conflicted, pacing back and forth with cold sweat beading on his forehead. His father’s honor, his daughter’s safety, and the life of the SWAT officer—three immense burdens weighed heavily on him.

The rest of the Mu family also looked distressed.

Suddenly, Kuang Ye raised his hand. “Uncle, I have an idea.”

Four pairs of eyes immediately turned to Kuang Ye, making him feel slightly overwhelmed. Gathering his courage under their scrutiny, he said, “In my dream, I saw the police investigation unfold. While the kidnapper switched locations frequently, he always kept Wanwan in a basement at the Tongzilou apartments.

“Uncle, you’ve searched that basement before. While the kidnapper may not be there now, it might be because the hostage isn’t Wan wan. There could still be people in that area who know about his wife and child.”

“If we can uncover why he’s so convinced your father harmed his entire family, it might give us leverage in negotiations.”

Mu Jianhua considered this for a moment. Given the kidnapper’s meticulous planning, it didn’t seem likely that he was inventing an excuse just to trouble the Mu family. He took out his phone and instructed the investigators on the ground to bring Zhao Binhai’s photo to the Tongzilou apartments for questioning.

“Use money if you have to. I want results as quickly as possible.”

[“But Commander, that’s against protocol!”]

“I’ll pay for it myself. Just get it done.”

[“Understood, Commander.”]

The family was on edge, eating a rushed dinner with little appetite. Finally, at midnight, the investigators called back with a lead.

Their voice was somber: “Commander, we found something about Zhao Binhai’s wife and child. Do you remember the ‘3.18 Child Dismemberment Case’ that spurred the anti-crime campaign in S City thirty years ago?”

Mu Jianhua’s pupils shrank. “What does that have to do with the kidnapper?”

Investigator: “The child in that case was Zhao Binhai’s daughter—also the kidnapper Zhao Yao’s sister.”

—

Thirty Years Ago, S City

In a damp basement, a three- or four-year-old girl lay feverish, her face flushed, her small body trembling. A knife was pressed against her frail wrist.

“Zhao Binhai is dead, and the whereabouts of his three million yuan stash remain unknown. Tell us where he hid the money, or I’ll cut off your daughter’s hand.”

A group of tattooed thugs sat arrogantly on a simple bed. The room, once warm and cozy, had been ransacked.

A woman knelt on the floor, restrained by someone gripping her arms. Her face was streaked with tears.

“I don’t know! I really don’t know! Binhai never told me anything about the money. My daughter has leukemia—if her fever continues, she’ll die! Please, let me take her to the hospital.”

The leader exchanged a glance with his subordinate. With a nod, the subordinate raised the knife, and a scream of agony erupted, piercing the basement.

“Zhao Binhai robbed the bank to treat his daughter’s illness. He wouldn’t have hidden the money from you.”

“I don’t know! I really don’t know! Please, spare Xiaoyuan. I beg you, let her live!”

She broke free and clung to the man’s leg, sobbing uncontrollably.

The leader kicked her away with a snarl. “If you want me to let her go, tell me where the three billion is hidden.”

Three billion—it was a fortune that could secure their lives forever.

“I don’t know! I really don’t!”

Frustrated by her cries, the man ordered his subordinates coldly. “Keep going. If she doesn’t talk, chop her daughter into pieces.”

The woman’s face turned ashen, and she desperately tried to stop them. But all she received in return was relentless torment.

For an hour, the basement was filled with the child’s screams and the woman’s wails—until there was only silence.

The woman stared blankly, her eyes devoid of life, as if her soul had been ripped away. She no longer reacted, no matter how they abused her.

“Boss, maybe she really doesn’t know where the money is.”

“Damn it. I thought we’d strike it rich. What a waste.”

“What do we do with her now?”

“Kill her.”

A gunshot echoed, and the blood-soaked basement fell silent once more.