The old master’s attempt to test his granddaughter-in-law had failed, but his foolish son’s blunders only deepened his disappointment and resentment.

Meanwhile, Su Linlang, the daughter of an old benefactor, had given the old master newfound hope.

She said, “Grandpa, I appreciate your trust, but I don’t want the chairperson position.”

He Mo almost jumped up. If she didn’t want to take control of the board, then what did she want?

“Puting was kidnapped the night before last. The kidnappers are likely in the process of relocating and securing the hostages, which should take about one or two days. Once they’ve found a safe hiding spot, they’ll demand ransom. Right now, we should immediately contact trusted private investigators and Tiger Team operatives to quietly search for clues and monitor the kidnappers. Even if we ultimately have to pay, we must ensure the hostage is rescued alive and unharmed,” Su Linlang said.

This was exactly what the old master had in mind.

He was willing to give everything he had to ensure his eldest grandson’s safe return.

His sallow face grew brighter, and his once-dim eyes shone with renewed light.

In a calm and commanding voice, he asked, “Linlang, who do you think is best suited to lead the rescue?”

He Mo was completely lost, but when he heard the need for a leader, he quickly offered himself. “Of course, it should be me.”

“You’re supposed to be managing the board. What, you don’t want to do that anymore?” The old master ruthlessly set a trap of his own.

He Mo foolishly picked up the shovel and started digging. “Father, you worked hard to build this from scratch. With my older brother ill and Puting absent, the He family must rely on me to take full responsibility. I’ll manage the board and handle the rescue!”

Su Linlang added without missing a beat, “This involves my husband, and his life is my top priority. Of course, I’d like to take charge myself. But it’s better to let Second Uncle handle it—he seems very skilled at guarding the money!”

He Mo didn’t catch the sarcasm in her words and kept digging himself deeper. “Father, you see? She’s working with the kidnappers, trying to drain our family’s resources.”

At this moment, Butler Liu entered after finishing some tasks.

He Mo immediately turned on him. “Butler Liu, this is your fault! You accompanied Puting to the mainland to fetch Su Linlang, and she’s a spy sent by the kidnappers. You’re also complicit!”

Without such blunders from He Mo, Su Linlang wouldn’t have been able to gain the old master’s trust as an outsider newly married into the He family.

But He Mo’s incompetence continued to shine.

Butler Liu, who had served three generations of the He family, immediately grasped the situation. “Master, our background checks were conducted with assistance from the mainland’s police and military. Young Madam’s father has numerous military honors. Even if you don’t trust me, you should trust her father and the endorsement of the PLA.”

The old master nodded firmly.

While the mainland was poor, the PLA, known for its integrity and discipline, had earned widespread respect since its inception.

Butler Liu continued, “I personally investigated Young Madam’s background with the eldest young master. She’s clean and pure.”

The old master nodded again. “Linlang doesn’t speak much, and I once thought she was foolish. Now, I see she’s wisely reserved.”

The old master rarely praised anyone, but his high regard for Su Linlang made He Mo nervous. “Father, she’s still young. Even if she’s not a bad person, her words are too arrogant. How can she lead a rescue? What qualifications does she have?”

If she led the rescue, the family’s resources and power would fall under her control. Should He Zhang die and He Puting not return alive, would the prestigious He family truly fall into the hands of a “mainland girl”?

“What qualifications do I have?” Su Linlang replied in Mandarin. “My father served as a reconnaissance platoon leader and assault regiment commander during the Wars. From a young age, he taught me how to fight and strategize. I am the daughter of a general—a tiger born of heroes.”

Though she cringed at how over-the-top her words sounded, she knew they would resonate with the old master.

He Mo gritted his teeth and complained bitterly, “I’m blood-related to Pu Ting. If you don’t trust me and trust some outsider, you’ll get him killed.”

The old man gave a bitter smile, feeling a wave of sadness in his heart.

If he truly had become senile, he should have transferred all the matters to his second son.

His blood relatives, of course, he would never harm his own nephew. But in the face of billions in cash flow, half of the land in Hong Kong, and half of Southeast Asia’s shipping business, if someone with ill intentions stirs things up and tempts him…

Wealth can move people’s hearts, even blood relatives can be betrayed. The old man had experienced this firsthand.

Now, the enemy was a ruthless kidnapper, and one wrong move could result in a fatal outcome.

And if He Puting were killed, the other grandchildren were too young and useless, and He Mo would take control of the He family.

With his stupidity, He Mo would surely bring the family to ruin sooner or later.

As for why he trusted Su Linlang, there were reasons.

Firstly, when she first arrived in Hong Kong, she was slow to react and didn’t interact much with others, mostly staying alone. Although the old man loved her, he saw her rarely, so he didn’t notice anything wrong.

Secondly, when Su Linlang was born, the old man had actually been present.

He was a master of studying the Four Pillars of Destiny, and when he calculated the time of her birth, he found that she had a blessed destiny, destined for great wealth and nobility.

Hong Kong people, especially those from wealthy families, were often superstitious.

He Zhihuan, grateful for Su Linlang’s father’s life-saving help, was also impressed by her natural fate.

He had pleaded with Su Linlang’s father to marry her off to his eldest grandson, hoping her fortune would be passed on to the family as the future matriarch of the third generation.

When Su Linlang arrived, speaking little, the elderly man did not suspect her and instead saw her as calm and reliable.

In critical moments, she was clear-headed and always said the right things, which earned the old man’s trust, especially with his recognition of Su Linlang’s father. He truly believed she was the strong, capable woman who would lead the family well.

The old man’s health was very poor, and he was close to passing out. He coughed weakly, “Cough… doctor…”

He glanced at Su Linlang and forced himself to speak, “Linlang, you’ll take over as chairperson of the board. You’ll manage the entire He family. If I… I… cough… the checks…”

The He family had the most advanced dialysis machines in the world, and they had employed top doctors on 24-hour standby.

With just a glance from Butler Liu, the personal bodyguard let the doctor in. The old man was being rushed away.

Su Linlang anxiously called, “Grandfather,” then shook her head, “The board chair really isn’t necessary, I won’t take it.”

Being the acting chairperson of the board sounded prestigious, but after the kidnapping incident, no matter how tightly the family tried to keep things under wraps, the news would leak.

The He family was preparing for a major deal, and if something happened during her term, the responsibility would fall on her.

That would be a hot potato, so Su Linlang refused.

She had only one thing to do: save He Pu Ting, to repay the debt of his father’s burial.

This sentence was final, and the old man looked at the butler, who understood the implication, “Don’t worry, Old Master, I will follow the young madam’s lead. You don’t need to worry about today’s return ceremony; I will handle everything and make sure it doesn’t leak!”

…

Speaking of the return ceremony, Su Linlang’s heart skipped a beat.

Yes, today was the third day of her wedding, the day for the return ceremony as per tradition.

Since her father had passed away and there were no relatives on the mainland, the He family had arranged with the abbot of the Wanfo Temple to donate a large sum of money on behalf of the newlywed couple and to pray for the soul of her father.

In the original story, this was the point where she escaped with a huge amount of money and expensive jewelry during the ceremony.

First, her mother-in-law, Xu Wanxin, had taken the jewelry, and then she had run off with the money, causing the media to catch wind of it.

They tracked her for 24 hours, and the old man had died from a stroke. The He family was thrown into chaos.

The old man was now on oxygen, and He Mo was still unwilling to give up.

He thought about the return ceremony and volunteered, “Father, let me accompany Linlang to the temple. There are reporters outside, and Linlang won’t be able to handle it. I’ll take care of it.”

Coincidentally, in the original story, He Mo had been interrogated by reporters outside, which led to a confrontation at the doorstep and ended up at the police station, causing him to miss an important call from the kidnappers, which led to the injury of He Puting.

In any case, the He family had no one capable of handling this kidnapping—only idiots.

If they wanted to catch the kidnappers, they would need to find clues within the event and let things unfold as in the book.

So Su Linlang didn’t say much and silently agreed to let He Mo accompany her.

The old man, seeing his life slipping away, whispered, “Linlang, I have only ever respected one person… that’s… your father…”

Su Linlang held the old man’s cold hand, squeezing it with her warm hands. “Grandfather, rest assured. I swear on my father’s name that I will bring Puting back safely.”

In the past, she had been slow and cold, unable to express herself. But she loved her disabled military father dearly and also cared deeply for this old man who had shown her love.

She would ensure that his eldest grandson returned safely.

The doctor grew anxious: “Madam, the old master really… needs immediate medical attention.”

…

With oxygen and IV drips, the old man was rushed away by the doctors.

But Butler Liu’s actions only made He Mo’s dissatisfaction peak.

Butler Liu, who wasn’t in the best health either, coughed for a while and personally made Su Linlang a cup of tea. “Madam, you haven’t had breakfast yet, right? I’ll have the servants bring you some food. Shall we discuss things while you eat?”

The He family had excellent cooks, and the meals were particularly good, which Su Linlang loved.

However, rescuing the hostage was urgent.

Seeing that there were snacks on He Puting’s desk—soda crackers and wafers—she grabbed a few and quickly ate them, washing them down with tea. “I’m full. Let’s discuss the important matter.”

Butler Liu was the first person in the family to interact with her, apart from He Puting.

He knew her well and found it odd that she suddenly spoke Cantonese fluently, with her thoughts now so clear and structured.

But eating in such a carefree manner, with large gulps of tea and mouthfuls of food, was her original habit.

Before, she had stuttered whenever she spoke, giving off a clumsy impression, so she had tried not to speak. Now, she seemed more like her old self.

When Butler Liu saw her gulp down the tea and eat quickly, he thought to himself that perhaps Su Linlang had been in grief after losing her father and was affected by the local climate, which made her seem dull and slow.

Now that she had adjusted to Hong Kong life, she seemed much better.

He said, “Madam, we have to go to the Wanfo Temple. There’s media outside, so we must prepare. I’ll make arrangements for the private detective agency and the Flying Tigers, along with the donation. You finalize the personnel on the way, and after we finish at the temple, we can meet and discuss the rescue plan.”

As expected from a head butler, he was meticulous and impressed everyone.

Su Linlang nodded, “Excellent.”

He Mo, enraged, shouted, “Liu, are your eyes blind? Who the hell here is named He? Who is your master? You’re meeting with outsiders to choose detectives. What do you take me for, a dog?!”

A fart let loose?

If it wasn’t for Su Linlang’s stare, he would have grabbed the short and thin Liu and thrown him to the ground.

But Liu, following the old master’s instructions, was unfazed and confident in his actions.

He signaled to Su Linlang, “Madam, please return to your room. I’ll prepare for the journey.”

“He Liu, seeing my brother fall and Puting absent, you want to team up with outsiders to seize control of the family, huh? Don’t think I don’t know. This family is mine. Pu Xu is only a year younger than Puting. If Puting is gone, we’ll still be in charge. Don’t be so arrogant!” He Mo sneered, purposely bumping into Liu as if to provoke him.

Liu dodged, “Second Master, be careful.”

He Mo failed to bump into Liu and almost fell into the flowerbed, even more furious, “You’ll regret this.”

Liu the steward bowed respectfully and sent him off, “Second Master, take care.”

After two nights of gunfire and kidnapping, He Mo had been holding on, convinced that if something happened to his elder brother and his son, the family’s authority would fall into his hands, and he would gain command over the men.

But early in the morning, he was booted out of the decision-making circle, and he seethed with resentment.

So be it.

He was about to head out, and reporters were already camped at the door.

He had to present his best self to the public.

He wanted all of Hong Kong to see the spirit and capability of the Second Master He.

As for Su Linlang, that silly girl who the reporters barely knew, what could she possibly understand?

She thought she could take control of the family and oversee the rescue?

Once they stepped out and faced the reporters, he’d make sure she became the laughingstock of Hong Kong.

…

Su Linlang had always been a bit dull, with incomplete speech.

He Puting, the first to come into contact with her, naturally knew her best.

As for the marriage, who knew what he truly thought?

But in everyday life, he was particularly considerate.

To avoid servants gossiping and laughing at her, he specifically assigned her a mute maid.

Breakfast had already been delivered by the mute maid, but Su Linlang was preoccupied. She barely ate two bites.

She didn’t care whether He Mo was plotting against her.

In fact, she had deliberately let him off the hook to ensure a smooth pursuit of the kidnappers.

Otherwise, like Xu Wanxin and Amu, he would have been directly placed under house arrest and strictly watched.

That said, this kidnapping case was anything but ordinary.

In the original story, the name of the gang leader was mentioned.

It also stated that when the police reconstructed the case and tried the kidnappers, they discovered there was an inside man in the He family, making it an inside-outside collusion case.

Of course, during the chaotic 1980s, kidnappings in Hong Kong were rampant.

The wealthy all hired mercenaries as bodyguards. Without someone on the inside providing intel, the kidnappers would never have succeeded.

In the original story, the insider turned out to be Su Linlang herself, proving that even the police were deceived.

But if there truly was an insider, who could it be?

Furthermore, the longer the hostage remained in the kidnappers’ hands, the greater the risk of harm.

So the rescue needed to be immediate and swift.

Piecing together the clues, Su Linlang deduced that the “embezzlement and escape” expected to happen during her trip to the temple today must be the insider’s plan at work.

If she played along, she could identify the insider and infiltrate the gang’s hideout to rescue the hostages.

To find the culprits and save the hostages—given her past experiences as someone who quelled rebellions in space, took down organ traffickers, and won awards for her precision in cane-cutting—she needed some weapons she could rely on.

After hastily eating two bites, she began searching through her dressing table, wardrobe, and other areas in the bedroom.

The mute maid gestured, “Ah, ah, eh!”

The maid thought Su Linlang was looking for clothes and pointed at the outfit she was supposed to wear today.

Her outfit for the family visit was hung separately by the wardrobe.

He Pouting’s outfit towered over hers, and hers was a dignified beige Western dress adorned with pink ruffles at the collar, green lace on the sleeves, and small sequins scattered throughout.

While the dress was decent, the decorations were outrageously tacky.

In her previous state, unable to speak coherently, she had worn whatever the servants gave her.

But now, she wasn’t the same.

She instructed the maid, “Remove all the decorations and lace.”

Of course, there weren’t any weapons in the newlywed room.

Su Linlang considered going to the black market to buy a gun and a proper knife.

But as a newlywed from a wealthy family, with reporters swarming outside the door, that wasn’t feasible.

Perhaps the kitchen had some knives?

Back in her starship days, when she ran out of bullets, she could pick up a kitchen knife and split a skull without hesitation.

As she prepared to head to the kitchen, her gaze caught something in He Pouting’s private bedroom: a military knife hanging on the wall.

She took it down and unsheathed it.

The blade gleamed cold and sharp.

She spun it in her hand and thought to herself, He family’s eldest son isn’t entirely useless; this blade is well-honed.

She tossed a crumpled piece of paper into the air, swung the knife, and neatly sliced it in half.

What a fine blade!

She turned her attention to the desk, scrutinizing it for a moment.

Pulling open the drawers, she found books, letters, stamps, photographs, and other personal items in the top ones.

The bottom drawer, however, was locked.

Such a lock wouldn’t stop her.

She shut the door, used the knife to pry it open, and the drawer sprang open.

Inside was a CZ75 handgun, separated from its magazine.

She counted the bullets—fifteen in total.

She glanced at the clock on the wall. With practiced precision, she dismantled and reassembled the gun, loading and aiming it.

Eighteen seconds in total.

Not bad. Her reflexes had fully recovered to their sharpest, as they had been during her starship days.

…

Steward Liu arrived with a man, both carrying large bags, and came across Su Linlang just as she exited He Pouting’s private room.

Steward Liu froze, startled. “Y-Young Madam, what are you doing?”

In her hand was He Pouting’s prized possession—a razor-sharp Raikiri military knife that could cut through iron like mud and kill without leaving a trace!