As Yixiong picked up the receiver, a voice sounded in front of their house. There was someone trying to open the fence of the house. Yixiong patted Jingkang on the shoulder. With his left hand, he pointed outward. Jingkang nodded. He immediately left Yixiong.

However, before Jingkang got to the entrance of the house, Zhengyi and Caihong had already preceded him. The two of them both got up from the couch. Between the two of them, Caihong arrived at the door first. He then quickly opened the entrance.

Just as the door opened, Jingkang arrived at the door. The three of them, who were currently standing right in front of the door, saw someone had entered the courtyard. The person walked towards them. His steps were like someone in a hurry.

"Uncle Nangong, good afternoon!" Caihong greeted the person who had just arrived.

"Good evening, Caihong." Yiren, the person who had just entered the courtyard, returned Caihong's greeting while smiling so broadly. "Everyone's gathered here, huh?" He stopped for a moment, one step from the front of the terrace, which was quite wide. The smile on Yiren's face widened.

Caihong nodded. "Please come in, Uncle."

Yiren laughed out loud. "You know! This is my house. Why are you the one who let me in?"

"Sorry, Uncle," Caihong said. He also laughed.

Zhengyi just shook his head several times. He glanced at Jingkang. The young man said nothing. He just nodded respectfully at Yiren.

Yiren looked at his wrist. "It's already four o'clock in the afternoon!" Once again, he smiled at Zhengyi, Jingkang, and Caihong.

When Yiren stepped onto the terrace in the living room, he looked inside at once. His brow furrowed slightly when he realized Yixiong was talking on the phone.

"Apparently, the people currently calling us are the kidnappers." Jingkang opened his mouth right away.

Yiren nodded. He hastened on. After stepping inside, he sat down on the sofa in the living room straightway. He sat right where Yixiong had sat before. He turned to Yixiong.

"Fine! We will do according to your directions." Yixiong said in a serious tone to the caller. After that, he hung up the phone with such a quick motion.

Yiren frowned. But he said nothing. He only glanced sharply at Yixiong.

Yixiong turned his body around. He walked back into the living room. He sat beside Yiren. After sitting down, he took a deep breath.

"So it's true that it was a call from the kidnappers?" Qiuzhen asked.

Yixiong nodded. "This time they didn't ask to speak to Dage!"

"Have they realized that we have lied to them?" asked Yiren.

Before Yixiong could answer, Zhengyi opened his mouth. "Our Huaxiang is on!" He pointed at the two boxes beside the phone.

"Xiongge, I'm sure the police want to talk about what the kidnappers talked to you about just now," Qiuzhen said.

Yixiong got up from the sofa. He gestured for Yiren to follow him. Then the two of them walked over to where Yixiong had just left.

Arriving there, Yixiong speedily put earphones in both ears. Yiren also did the same thing. After that, Yixiong talked to the police. Yiren didn't say much during the conversation. He just nodded while answering with short sentences.

After he finished speaking with the police, Yixiong motioned for them all to gather at the dining table.

"As usual, the kidnappers called to say that there was a change of plans," Yixiong said after they were all neatly seated in the dining area.

It was already everyone's guess, so no one there was surprised when they heard it.

"What kind of change of plans?" Qiuzhen asked.

"Not a big change, actually. They're just delaying the handover of the ransom."

"So, it's not tonight?" Asked Zhengyi.

"It's still tonight. However, the time was delayed two hours from the original plan. They had asked us to put the bag somewhere by ten o'clock. Now they said we have to deliver it at twelve o'clock."

"According to Uncle, why did the kidnappers only delay for two hours?" Asked Caihong.

"The police say it is possible the kidnappers will take the ransom in some way that is not simple. This method requires careful preparation. Because there are some serious obstacles, it will take them a little longer."

The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

"From the letter I read yesterday, it seems that the handover process for the ransom was quite simple. Kinda similar to what we had to do yesterday at the park." Qiuzhen exhaled.

"Yesterday's incident was part of their plan," said Yixiong. "From the start, they only wanted to test our sincerity."

"Regarding the plan that the kidnappers had made, the police said the kidnappers would definitely change the things they had written in the letter again. There is a possibility that they would improvise while we were there," said Yiren.

"According to all of you." Zhengyi looked at his friends. "What kind of preparations forced them to ask for a delay?"

"I think that their plan, which required careful preparation, may have something to do with their escape after successfully obtaining the ransom. They know that we have previously cooperated with the police. So they must not believe that this time we are willing to trick the police. Because the police will definitely be there, so they need a master plan to guarantee that they can escape the siege," said Yixiong.

"So, what is our plan now?" Asked Zhengyi.

"As we all know, this time the kidnappers allowed the person carrying the ransom to bring one friend."

"Eh?" Qiuzhen made a strange look on his face. "Is it really like that? I mean, they said that explicitly?"

Yixiong nodded. "Frankly, I'm a bit confused by those words. As far as I know, in every kidnapping case, the kidnappers would have told the person delivering the ransom to come alone. It's safer for the kidnappers."

Qiuzhen bit his bottom lip. "That bag isn't that heavy after all. So there really isn't any reason for whoever brings the bag to bring a friend. Did the kidnappers have any other reason? What do you think?"

"I guess it's even better if two people go there?" said Yiren.

"It's definitely not that simple," Qiuzhen said. "They must have some purpose. A reason that might work in their favor."

"Whatever it is," said Zhengyi. "We don't have much choice. Let's just do as they want."

"Okay, we will have two people deliver the ransom," said Yixiong.

Qiuzhen nodded. He really looked like someone was trying hard to rack his brains.

In a situation like this, would thinking too hard really do any good?

Yixiong coughed briefly. Then he resumed his words. "Are all of you here willing to take part in the handing over of the ransom, which will take place at midnight?" Yixiong looked at his companions.

Everyone nodded.

"Caihong, are you able to stay up until the morning?" Yixiong looked at Caihong.

"I can, Uncle," Caihong replied. "Don't worry!"

"Good! Now let's discuss our plan," said Yixiong.

Yixiong was silent for a moment. Once again, he looked at the faces of the people sitting at the dining table one by one.

"Unlike yesterday, this time we have two bags to hand over at different places. So this time we will form two teams," said Yixiong.

"One bag is just a decoy. Do we have to be that serious?" Asked Zhengyi.

"Earlier, the kidnappers said that a bag that was only a bait, we also had to treat it as if it was a real bag. They said that the police should not suspect that the bag was just a bait," said Yiren.

"And the police also said the same thing. If we are not serious when carrying the bag containing fake ransom items, then the kidnappers will suspect that we have informed the police about the actual plan," Yixiong said.

"But both the kidnappers and the police are already suspicious. The kidnappers are already suspicious that we have informed the police about the kidnappers' plans. Meanwhile, the police are also suspicious that the kidnappers know that we have informed the police," Zhengyi said.

"That's true. But that's all uncertain," said Qiuzhen. We know we have told the police everything, but the kidnappers can't be one hundred percent sure that we have betrayed them."

"Okay, it's almost half-past five. We can't waste time," Yixiong said. "So Yiren and Caihong will be in the first team, while me and Zhengyi will be in the second team."

"Will the first team bring the actual ransom items?" Asked Yiren.

"No. The second team will carry the ransom items. But your acting must be convincing," said Yixiong.

Yiren nodded vigorously. "I will try to act as best I can."

"Then what about me?" Qiuzhen pointed at himself.

"I believe you're still fit. But Zhengyi is taller and stronger. He runs faster too. So if something happens later, he can fight back. Besides, I want you to focus this afternoon first on dealing with Dage's disappearance."

Qiuzhen listened to Yixiong's words with a serious expression.

Yixiong patted Qiuzhen on the shoulder. "We don't know what clues you'll get later. So, if you focus on that, you'll be freer in your actions. If I burden you with anything else, I'm afraid you'll do everything in a rush. After your business is done , you can go straight home. After all, there has to be someone on guard in this house?You understand, right?"

Qiuzhen nodded. "I understand."

"Do you still have any other questions?"

"Am I going to be home alone?"

"You don't worry." Yixiong smiled. "Jingkang will accompany you. So later, if you can't go home by ten o'clock, Jingkang will be ready here."

Jingkang nodded. The young man didn't seem to mind at all.

"Because there are two teams, it means we need two cars to take us to two different places at the same time," said Yiren.

"At the painting exhibition, I have one more car. Later, I will stop there briefly to pick up the car," said Caihong.

"Are we going to trouble Mr. Gongxi again?" Asked Yiren. "I can't bear to make that old man have to wander around in the middle of the night."

"Uncle, don't worry." Caihong smiled. "Later, let me order one of my assistants who is there to take the uncles to the ransom handover location."

"Can't you drive a car?" Yiren turned to Jingkang.

"I'm not good at driving a car, sir!" Jingkang said. "Besides, I don't have a driver's license either."

"Jingkang must be at home. Who knows, the kidnappers will call again to ask Dage to speak," said Yixiong.

"Earlier they did not ask to speak to Dage. There is a possibility that they already know that Dage is not here," said Zhengyi.

"Right," said Yixiong. "Earlier they didn't mention anything about Dage. So there's a possibility they already realized that Dage wasn't in this house. But this is all just our guess. They might have other reasons. So if it turns out later they want to talk to Dage, we'll have Jingkang ready here."