30 Kidnapping

Qiao Yuyan had always believed that as long as one’s inner self was sufficiently strong, one would not be easily crushed by the words of others.

To reshape Jiang Yunxi’s personality, the primary task was to fortify her inner strength, and the first step was to help her regain her self-confidence.

Jiang Yunxi possessed an extraordinary talent for medicine. Even the original author described her thusly: "If not for Huo Lingchen, in due time, she would have become a truly outstanding neurosurgeon."

When Qiao Yuyan read this description, she spat mentally, "You damn author, since you knew that, why waste my sister's talent?"

However, upon further reflection, Qiao Yuyan realized that within the main storyline dictated by Huo Lingchen’s presence, Jiang Yunxi could only ever be a qualified full-time housewife. But in the blank spaces untouched by the original work, Jiang Yunxi could develop freely.

Therefore, this plan had to be kept hidden from Huo Lingchen—not only because of his possessiveness, but more importantly, to conceal it from the will of the world.

After trying for some time, it became clear that this plan was feasible. Jiang Yunxi could study in secret without encountering any interference from external forces. In this way, she could begin to change from the subtle details; Qiao Yuyan believed that once quantitative changes reached a certain point, a qualitative leap would inevitably follow.

Qiao Yuyan accompanied Jiang Yunxi in these clandestine study sessions for several days. She carefully observed Jiang Yunxi’s expression; returning to the medical field she was familiar with gave Jiang Yunxi a sense of being in her element, helping her reclaim her confidence. In just a few days, the tension between her brows had smoothed out significantly, and her whole being radiated a distinct, new brilliance.

Qiao Yuyan was delighted to see these subtle changes in Jiang Yunxi, but her husband, Huo Lingchen, noticed them as well.

Huo Lingchen had recently been pouring all his energy into a biotechnology project in collaboration with the eldest son of the Rongsheng Group, and his attention toward Jiang Yunxi had been significantly less than before.

One morning, as he was about to leave, he caught a glimpse of the radiant Jiang Yunxi. Feeling displeased yet feigning indifference, he asked, "Has something good happened these past few days?"

Jiang Yunxi, who was adjusting his tie, froze. She blinked, looking puzzled, and asked in return, "What do you mean?"

Huo Lingchen realized his tone had been a bit harsh. He softened his voice and explained, "Nothing, I just thought you seemed very happy."

Jiang Yunxi let out a secret sigh of relief and replied with a smile, "It’s because Yanyan is back. I haven't seen Yanyan in a long time, so I'm happy."

After saying this, she glanced at Qiao Yuyan, who returned her smile.

Huo Lingchen followed Jiang Yunxi’s gaze toward Qiao Yuyan. Despite the bright, innocent smile on her face, for some reason, an inexplicable chill rose up Huo Lingchen’s spine. He quickly looked away, refusing to glance at this woman who made him feel so unsettled.

Qiao Yuyan took in Huo Lingchen’s reaction, shooting him a look that was half-smile, half-sarcasm.

"Beep—"

Her phone rang. The name displayed on the screen caused the smile on Qiao Yuyan’s face to vanish instantly, and she couldn't help but frown.

It was the Boss.

Outside of the base, the Boss rarely initiated calls unless there was an emergency mission.

She answered, pitching her voice to a sweet tone: "Good morning, Mommy Belen."

The leader of the GSC operated under the public identity of a wealthy businesswoman named Belen Miller. She had adopted many homeless orphans, and these children affectionately called her "Mommy Belen." After returning to the country, when asked about the six years she had been missing, Qiao Yuyan had claimed that she, too, had been lucky enough to be adopted by Belen.

Hearing her address, Belen immediately understood it was inconvenient for her to talk and simply said: "Emergency mission."

Qiao Yuyan had been mentally prepared for this. She turned to the couple and said, "Sister, brother-in-law, I need to take a call."

Huo Lingchen acted as if he hadn't heard, while Jiang Yunxi nodded, "Go ahead."

Receiving the acknowledgment, Qiao Yuyan walked quickly back to her room. Once she had locked the door, she asked, "Boss, what’s the mission?"

"The young Prince of Sari has been kidnapped by the DK. The King of Sari has reached out to us, hoping we will send someone to rescue the little prince."

Belen was concise, but Qiao Yuyan was even more puzzled. "The little Prince of Sari was only born at the beginning of the year, right? He’s an eight-month-old infant who can’t run or jump, and he’s surrounded by so many bodyguards and military protection—how could he be kidnapped?"

Belen never discussed trivial matters with her subordinates, and Qiao Yuyan didn't expect an answer. She pivoted, "Have you tracked the little prince’s whereabouts?"

"He’s on an uninhabited island in international waters. I sent people to scout it earlier, but before they could even get close to the island, they were warned by the DK that if we continued to approach, they would execute the hostage immediately."

International waters, belonging to no nation, were a lawless zone at sea. There, legal constraints were extremely weak, and various forces mingled, making the situation complex and volatile.

Qiao Yuyan put on her headset and opened the map sent by headquarters. From the markings on the map, the island was desolate; apart from the endless ocean, there was no land or cover for ships to dock.

She stared at the map, muttering to herself, "Does this mean I actually have to swim to execute this mission?"

Tapping her finger subconsciously against the phone screen, she asked after a moment, "Have any other ships passed through this sea area recently?"

Belen replied quickly, "Two global cruise ships passed by a few days ago, but they kept a distance from the island, and the DK did not react."

Qiao Yuyan pressed further, "Are there any more cruise ships scheduled to pass through these international waters soon?"

Belen did not answer immediately, but large cruise ships were required to report their routes in advance, and retrieving this information was not difficult for the GSC.

A moment later, someone beside Belen reported in a low voice: "In two days, on the 24th at 9:00 AM, Xiacountry time, a cruise ship will depart from Xiacountry headed for Yuancountry. It will pass through this sea area in the early hours of the 27th, but... this cruise ship is the 'Voyager,' owned by the Gu Corporation."

The person paused, then added quietly, "It’s the same Gu Corporation whose CEO had his legs broken by Fable."