After the Scummy Alpha Marked the Crazy Beautiful Heroine - Chapter 46.2

Who’s behind this…

Thrown into a dark room and tied to a post, Chi Yang kept circling back to that question.

Who wanted her kidnapped?

Mercenaries worked for money. Some were loyal, but most were reckless drifters—the kind who’d switch sides as long as the price was right.

Ross had already investigated her background. She had to know that working with her meant enormous profits.

Unless… Ross believed she had already burned every bridge with her, and feared retaliation later.

But someone willing to pull this kind of stunt usually pressed for negotiation, demanded something more.

Ross, however, never intended to bargain. Her objective was crystal clear.

She’d said she couldn’t be touched. Could it be Mo Tian?

Unlikely. Chi Yang remembered, through the haze, hearing Ross mention a “top Omega.” If Mo Tian knew she’d differentiated as an Omega, she wouldn’t have let her live.

Clearly, this employer wanted her alive.

Could it be Bai Zhi? She had just partnered with Chi Qing on the Eastside business district. Even if that cooperation was only a Bai family ruse, Bai Zhi cared too much about reputation to risk such a scandal.

Her mind jumped to another name—Chi Leya.

Chi Leya herself had been kidnapped as a child. If this case was connected to that one…

Could it be Chi Ran? Did she want to strand her abroad—was Minghe’s equity finally shifting hands? Or… was it Grandmother?

Chi Yang swept her gaze around the room. It was a bare, cavernous space with a roof soaring five or six meters high. Windows were cut near the top, and a few barred vents let in the cold. Beyond them was only darkness, save for the occasional flurry of snow drifting down to the concrete floor.

The cement walls were reinforced with a layer of iron sheeting. The door, too, was made of iron, secured by a digital lock—without the code, only explosives could force it open.

In the middle stood a lone pillar, and Chi Yang was tied firmly against it. A low stool sat a short distance away, the only other object in the room.

Escaping on her own was out of the question.

If the mastermind really was Chi Ran, at least her life wasn’t in immediate danger. But stranded overseas, she worried whether Chi Qing might run into trouble back home.

“Boom—”

A sudden sound outside shattered her thoughts.

Then—“Bang!” A gunshot.

Chi Yang flinched involuntarily. Someone was here?

Moments later, Ross’s voice rang out, laced with curses:

“Fuck—how the hell did you find this place?”

“I think you’ve lived long enough.” As she spoke, Ross raised her sniper rifle and aimed.

Leaning against the wall, Pei Jiuyao rubbed her abdomen with one hand and weakly lifted the other, voice thin and trembling:

“Hey, if you fire that thing at such close range, neither of us is walking out alive.”

Ross tossed the sniper rifle to Molly. “Switch it out.”

Pei Jiuyao forced a flattering grin. “Come on, don’t be mad. It’s just me, nobody else.”

“I only wanted to see my girlfriend. Since you’re already kidnapping people, one more won’t make a difference. Why not tie us up together?”

“Just you?” Ross pressed her boot against her injured knee. Jiuyao’s face went pale in an instant, sweat pouring down her temples.

“So fragile? One step and you’re breaking into a sweat? What on earth does that Omega even see in you?” Ross barked a laugh, then jerked her chin at one of her men. “Check outside—make sure the cops aren’t crawling around.”

She pointed at another. “Search her. See if she’s carrying a tracker.”

Jiuyao was yanked to her feet and frisked head to toe. Only a phone turned up, no locator, which Ross promptly smashed under her boot.

A savage kick sent her stumbling; blood streaked her face. Her knees, already injured, gave out beneath her. She leaned against the iron wall, forehead pressed to the cold metal, breathing hard.

Soon the scout returned: “No suspicious vehicles outside.”

Ross frowned. Strange. Her mole in the police hadn’t said anything about moving the hostage.

So she really had come alone.

Still wary, Ross demanded, “How did you find this place?”

“I… followed the tire tracks here. Figured I’d take a chance.”

A flimsy excuse, riddled with holes. But with no cops trailing her, Ross—cocky as ever—was inclined to believe it.

Sure enough, she raised a pistol and leveled it at her. “Since you’re so brave, go to hell.”

“Wait!” Jiuyao tugged at the corner of her lips. “Miss Chi’s not easy to handle, is she?”

Ross narrowed her eyes. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You’re after money, aren’t you?” Jiuyao leaned against the wall, breathing unevenly. “She’s got a temper, but she loves me. Keeping me alive will get you more leverage than killing me.”

The gun shifted slightly. Then—“Bang!”

The bullet slammed into the iron sheet. Jiuyao flinched, eyes squeezed shut, ears ringing, legs buckling beneath her.

“Being too clever never ends well.” Ross sneered, then waved her hand. Her men bound Jiuyao and shoved her inside.

Outside the iron door, a massive white incandescent lamp glared.

When the door opened, the flood of light poured in, briefly illuminating the pitch-dark room.

Chi Yang squinted against the sudden brightness. From within that halo, a figure slowly emerged.

As her eyes adjusted, the woman’s face sharpened into focus.

“Jiuyao?” Chi Yang whispered, half-convinced it was a hallucination. Her heart jolted violently, thundering in her chest. “You came to rescue—”

Jiuyao arched a brow at her with a smile.

“Stop trying to look cool. Get in there!”

A sharp blow struck from behind. Jiuyao staggered forward, Ross grabbing her by the collar and throwing her down in front of Chi Yang.

Chi Yang: “…”

The two of them were tied back-to-back. Once the captors left, Chi Yang frowned slightly and murmured, “Why are you here?”

“To see you,” Jiuyao said breezily. “Share the blessings, share the hardships, right?”

“Has the police found this place—?”

“Nope,” Jiuyao chuckled softly. “Just me. Isn’t it nice to have company?”

“Reckless!” Chi Yang hissed, barely containing her anger. “If you knew where I was, you should have gone straight to the police instead of charging in here—”

“Don’t be mad,” Jiuyao’s fingers slowly groped downward until they found Chi Yang’s hand. She pressed their palms together behind her back. “You were never this fierce with me before. Even when you scold me, you’re soft.”

“You shouldn’t have come.” Chi Yang curled her fingers slightly and slipped free from Jiuyao’s grasp.

Jiuyao sighed softly. “But I missed you.”

Lowering her eyes, Chi Yang bit her lip. Her lashes trembled. “Tied up here—what good are you?”

“No good at all,” Jiuyao said, resting her head against the pillar. Her voice dropped to a murmur. “If only I was Hela. Do you know Hela?”

“I don’t.” Chi Yang’s voice carried lingering resentment, but it wasn’t the sharp fury from earlier. Jiuyao noticed the change immediately.

So she teased, “What about Wanda? Or Jean Grey?”

“What are those?” Her tone had softened, yet remained cool.

Jiuyao sucked in a sharp breath at the pain in her ribs, but still laughed. “Superheroes. Pretty awesome ones. Want me to tell you a story?”

Chi Yang cut her off: “Why didn’t you go to the police?”

Jiuyao exhaled slowly. “If it worked, you wouldn’t be here right now.”

Here.

Chi Yang seized on the point. “How did you find this place?”

Jiuyao glanced around. The room was empty, but surely watched.

Scratching at Chi Yang’s palm, she said lightly, “Followed the tire tracks. Hard to trace with all that snow.” Then her voice grew suddenly serious. “But you and I—we’re connected. No matter where you are, I can find you.”

“If I was kidnapped one day, would you… find me too, Jie?” Jiuyao asked.

Jie? Jiuyao knew she disliked that title, only using “Sugar Mommy” once in a while to tease.

Chi Yang’s fingers paused, then dropped. “…Of course.”

Snowflakes drifted through the vents, settling by their feet. Jiuyao’s legs throbbed with numbness, her ribs aching from that vicious kick. Even sitting was difficult.

She licked at the blood on her lips, metallic and sharp.

“Why won’t you sit a little closer?” she asked quietly, disappointment lacing her tone. Each word scraped at her ribs, but she forced them out. “Don’t be mad anymore.”

Chi Yang hesitated—then inched backward, letting her warm body lean against Jiuyao’s. Her hand slipped into Jiuyao’s, fingers tightening gently. She wasn’t angry; she only hated that Jiuyao had risked her life for this.

But since she was already here, what good would scolding do?

A strange ache welled in Chi Yang’s chest. Softly, she asked, “Did you get hurt just now?”

“Nope. I talked circles around them, had them so confused they threw me right in.”

Chi Yang’s lips curved faintly. “So impressive.”

“Boom—”

The heavy door suddenly burst open.