C21 Saving Jiaang Xueer!

Ling Yifei emerged slowly from the shadows and, with a swift movement, appeared in the brightly lit backyard. The kidnappers, unaware that Ling Yifei had feigned death, were reveling in anticipation of their imminent payday. Had they seen Ling Yifei standing there, unharmed, they would have likely been scared stiff. Yet, Ling Yifei chose not to act hastily from his hidden vantage point, opting instead to slip back into the main hall.

On this occasion, Ling Yifei couldn't afford to reveal his true identity while rescuing Jiang Xueer. He wanted to keep his identity a secret, uncertain whether other cultivators existed in this world. Should they exist, his predicament would become perilous.

Scouring the area, Ling Yifei eventually discovered a piece of wood tucked away in a corner. Channeling Vital Spirit into his fingertip, he swiftly traced it over the wood, and before long, a strikingly realistic demon mask materialized in his hands.

"This will do," Ling Yifei murmured, slipping on the mask. He then draped himself in a selection of coats left behind by the kidnappers, ensuring his disguise was flawless. After dusting himself off, Ling Yifei employed his clairvoyance to pinpoint Jiang Xueer's precise location.

Using his clairvoyant powers, Ling Yifei quickly located where Jiang Xueer was confined. Peering through the doorway, he saw her with her head buried in her knees, her vulnerability evoking the image of a wounded rabbit. Even Ling Yifei, who harbored disdain for Jiang Xueer, felt a twinge of compassion.

Jiang Xueer, hearing the door rattle, feared the kidnappers had returned. She looked up in terror, instinctively recoiling, but instead of her captors, she saw only the silhouette of a masked figure.

Panic struck Jiang Xueer, and she nearly screamed, but Ling Yifei swiftly gestured for silence, and she quickly clamped a hand over her mouth. With a bit more force, Ling Yifei shattered the lock, freeing her from her confines.

Ling Yifei strode in and addressed the panicked Jiaang Xueer with a gruff voice, "Don't be scared. I'm here to rescue you. Come with me, now!"

Despite hearing his words, Jiaang Xueer remained huddled in the corner, her eyes wide with terror as she stared at the masked man before her. Clearly, she was dubious about this stranger and hesitated to follow him.

Ling Yifei felt a twinge of frustration. He had nothing on him to prove his intent to save Jiaang Xueer, and he certainly couldn't remove his mask—his identity would be compromised! Left with no other option, he decided to resort to intimidation.

With a calculated coldness in his tone, Ling Yifei warned her, "It's your choice. If you want to survive, come with me. If you'd rather they toy with you before killing you, then by all means, stay put." He put extra emphasis on the word "toy."

The scare tactic worked immediately. Jiaang Xueer, petrified, made up her mind and declared, "Fine! I'll go with you." She quickly got to her feet and followed Ling Yifei, who now paid even closer attention to his actions, trying to act differently than usual to avoid giving himself away.

Suddenly, Jiaang Xueer, trailing behind Ling Yifei, seemed to remember something. She hastened her steps, reached out, and clutched his arm. "Please, you have to save my classmate!" she implored in a faint voice.

Ling Yifei arched an eyebrow, signaling her to go on. "My classmate is trapped here too. He tried to save me and... and... please, you have to rescue him," she pleaded, her voice breaking into sobs.

Internally, Ling Yifei felt a surge of satisfaction. At least the girl had some heart. 'Why the tears, though? I'm right here in front of you. Wait, I'm not Ling Yifei at the moment.'

He cleared his throat and said dismissively, "Don't worry about that. Your classmate isn't going to die. We can't waste time; I have other matters to attend to." With that, Ling Yifei continued his stride toward the door.

Jiaang Xueer was torn between belief and skepticism after hearing the man's words. With no other options, she decided to trust him, though she couldn't help but wonder about Ling Yifei's current situation. With these thoughts silently swirling in her mind, she quickened her steps to keep up with the masked man.

Upon leaving the hall, however, Jiaang Xueer sensed that something was amiss. The masked man wasn't heading towards the exit of the abandoned factory; instead, he was making his way to the rear of the building. A sudden fear gripped her heart. Ling Yifei, noticing the footsteps behind him had ceased, turned around with a look of confusion to face Jiaang Xueer.

"This isn't the way home. You're deceiving me," Jiaang Xueer said, mustering an unexpected courage as she locked eyes with Ling Yifei. In that moment of direct gaze, she was spellbound.

His eyes were mesmerizing, shining like stars, deep and alluring, drawing her in like a black hole. She was so captivated by Ling Yifei's gaze that she couldn't snap out of it for the longest time.

"I've already told you, I have my own matters to attend to. Rescuing you was just a side task, so please don't get the wrong idea. If you don't wish to follow, feel free to stay here," Ling Yifei said before turning on his heel and walking away.

Jiaang Xueer snapped out of her trance, stung by Ling Yifei's indifference. She felt a twinge of annoyance. She had always been confident about her appearance, but this man's repeated coldness made her question herself. Had she lost her allure? With these thoughts, she reflexively touched her face.

Looking up as the masked man walked further away, she stamped her foot in frustration and broke into a jog to catch up, all the while inwardly cursing Ling Yifei: "Humph! Hiding behind a mask, too scared to show his true face. He must be hideous, yes, that's it—a frightful sight."

Meanwhile, Ling Yifei was oblivious to the storm of thoughts in Jiaang Xueer's head. Had he known, he might have been tempted to leave her right back in that factory. The nerve of her to think him ugly when he prided himself on his dashing looks!

Back at the police station, under mounting pressure, they finally pinpointed Jiaang Xueer's last known location. "Chief, we've found her. She's in an abandoned factory not far from the outskirts of the city," Lee Xinyi reported promptly to the chief upon receiving the update.

"Absolutely, dispatch the police force immediately to prepare for the rescue operation. Notify the Criminal Police Unit to coordinate with us on this action!" The chief emphatically repeated 'good' three times, clearly indicating the immense pressure he felt regarding Jiaang Xueer's abduction. Once Lee Xinyi had left, he reached for the telephone.

At home, Zhao Yuqin, gaunt and ashen-faced, was enduring the most agonizing wait. Her daughter had been kidnapped, and her old classmate's son, Ling Yifei, was also entangled in the ordeal. The kidnappers had made just one call, demanding fifty million yuan within two days or they would harm her daughter. Since then, there had been silence. As she pondered this, a tear slowly traced its way down her cheek.

The phone's ringtone pierced the silence. Zhao Yuqin was momentarily startled, but quickly composed herself and fished out her phone. "Hello? You've found something? Really? Alright, I'm on my way." It was the police chief on the line. Without hesitation, Zhao Yuqin made her way to the police station. As she drove, she offered a silent prayer: "Heavenly Father, please keep Xueer and Yifei safe."