As he spoke, there was a sudden knock on the door.

Their conversation was interrupted.

"Who is it?"

"Brother Jiang, it's me. Someone is here to see Mr. Yue. He said his name is Shen Renjie."

It was one of the guards who had been waiting outside.

Jiang He looked at Yue Dingtang, who nodded.

"Let him in."

Shen Renjie was sweating profusely.

The first thing he said when he saw Yue Dingtang was, "Something has happened, Mr. Yue!"

As soon as he saw Jiang He, Shen Renjie's voice caught in his throat like a duck being strangled.

"Speak," said Yue Dingtang.

Shen Renjie took a deep breath and quickly recounted how he and Ling Shu had tracked Lu Zude, infiltrated the gambling den, and how Ling Shu had disguised himself as a dealer and finally kidnapped Lu Zude.

"I was outside and didn't dare to go in. I saw him holding, no! Kidnapping Lu Zude and before he left, he gave me a signal. I think he wanted me to inform you and hurry to find you. I went to Yue Manor and they said you came here, so I..."

He spoke quickly and was a little out of breath, coughing twice.

"I didn't have time to follow them and I don't know where they went. What should we do?!" he exclaimed.

Yue Dingtang furrowed his brow.

He was also getting anxious. Ling Shu held Lu Zude hostage, undoubtedly wanting to delve deeper into the tiger's den. But even with his quick wit, he could easily be outsmarted on his own.

At this moment, with Jiang He by his side, he couldn't express his urgency too much.

The other side is currently an ally, but not one of their own.

He suppressed his anxiety and looked towards Jiang He.

"Where do you think they will go?"

Jiang He thought for a moment. "Chunshan Club. There's a game tonight, and I know the location. It's just a short distance from one of Lu Tongcang's mansions."

Yue Dingtang asked, "So you mean he will go there after receiving the news?"

Jiang He replied, "It's very likely. This business can't be ruined, and Lu Zude is his capable assistant. If he intervenes, Ling Shu will definitely be in danger."

Yue Dingtang smiled bitterly, "From my understanding of him, he will definitely make a big fuss about this matter."

The more chaotic it gets, the easier it is to escape in the confusion.

Jiang He seemed to be lost in thought.

"Perhaps, tonight we have a chance to succeed."

...

With Lu Zude in hand, Ling Shu was unstoppable.

He had Sister Rong find a yellow cab and didn't allow anyone to follow them. He had the driver take them to the "Decheng Restaurant" that Sister Rong had mentioned.

This restaurant wasn't particularly well-known locally because it was expensive and not for the common people. The owner would also frequently close for a break.

Ling Shu had passed by before and thought that this place would eventually go out of business, but he didn't expect that the owner behind it was Lu Tongcang.

No wonder it was still open until now, without any intention of making money.

"You've been holding a gun and choking me so tightly, aren't you tired?" asked Lu Zude coldly.

At this moment, his expression was no longer that of a child. The innocence and cleverness he had shown at the Sun family's house were gone, replaced by a mature and gloomy demeanor that didn't require any more pretense.

"I have to keep choking you, even if it's tiring. You're my lifeline now. Sister Rong will definitely send people to catch up with us soon. Without you, I won't survive!"

Ling Shu still had a carefree attitude, completely unaware of the impending disaster.

Lu Zude couldn't believe that Ling Shu was still so nonchalant despite the situation they were in.

"Go to the train station now, leave Shanghai, and maybe you can still save your life. If you go to Chunshan, it'll be too late to escape. Do you want to know what happened to Mrs. Sun?" Lu Zude said with a sinister tone.

Ling Shu said, "Wasn't she abused by you, whipped until she was half-dead?"

Lu Zude was shocked, "How did you know?"

Ling Shu grinned, "If I want to know something, I naturally find out. You were wondering why I willingly walked into your trap, right? I caused a scene in your gambling den, took you hostage. Do you think if Mr. Lu heard about it, he would praise you for your unwavering loyalty? Or do you think he would find an excuse to kick you out for your incompetence? Your godfather, Jiang He, is Mr. Lu's life and death brother. He even wants to kill Jiang He, so do you think he will spare you? Maybe Mr. Lu will be so pleased with my courage, strategy, and clean background that he will hire me on the spot."

Lu Zude's face turned dark. Although this guy was clearly talking nonsense, he did get one thing right. If this matter spreads to Mr. Lu's ears, Lu Zude will definitely not have an easy time.

Ling Shu set the stage and patted his shoulder.

"To be honest, I was originally trying to save Mrs. Sun. She's just a woman and not important. If you have someone bring her to the Chunshan Club and buy two tickets to Nanjing, I'll take her and leave Shanghai overnight. We'll exchange the person for the money, and everyone will be happy, right?"

Lu Zude replied, "I can't make that decision."

Ling Shu deliberately said, "What, do you really treat Mrs. Sun as your mother?"

Lu Zude was furious: "You know nothing! Her sister is Mr. Lu's favorite, and she herself has been reserved by Mr. Lu. She is also responsible for handling things that I cannot be seen to handle. I cannot release her just because I want to!"

Ling Shu understood. Mrs. Sun was not only a hostage, but also forced to do things for them.

She knew too much.

Lu Zude was very angry: "You have made things worse today. Sister Rong and Sister Song will definitely report to Mr. Lu. When that happens, not only Mrs. Sun, but even you and your brother-in-law will not be able to escape. Your whole family will die! If you release me now and leave Shanghai with your family, there may still be a chance for you!"

Ling Shu sighed, "Either way, you'll die if I let you go, and you'll die if I don't. It's safer to have a hostage, and it's also a chance for you to see the world before you die. I'm curious about what this Chunshan Club is all about just from hearing its name."

Lu Zude sneered, "Have you ever heard the saying, 'Those who meddle in other people's business will die quickly'?"

Ling Shu laughed, "If you haven't been struck by lightning for all the bad things you've done, then I'll probably die slower than you, right?"

When it came to verbal sparring, Lu Zude was only destined to be infuriated to death. He didn't say another word.

The yellow cab driver stopped his steps, and they arrived at the entrance of Decheng Restaurant.

It was already the middle of the night, and the entrance was deserted with no one in sight. The restaurant's door was also closed.

Ling Shu led Lu Zude out of the cart, and with a light kick, the door opened.

At that moment, Lu Zude's voice was as cold and damp as a rainy Qingming Festival.

"Have you thought this through? Once you step through this door, you won't be able to leave just because you want to," he warned.