"It's useless to capture me." Jiang Yi finally chose to compromise. "The only evidence I can produce that the Li Family is behind this is the notifications in the group chat. Even if you force me, that's all I have."

Since Jiang Yi's hand was still pinned to the floor, Xu Ke had to take the phone from his pocket and unlock it with facial recognition.

Xu Ke browsed through the phone, frowning. "Indeed."

The companies behind the Li Family and Jiang Yi had always treated them as disposable pawns. It was unlikely they would leave behind any evidence that could be used against them.

"Can you let go of my hand now?" Jiang Yi begged.

Xu Ke ignored him. After a moment of contemplation, he recorded the other party's chat history. Then, he set the phone aside. "I have a plan, and I sincerely hope you'll cooperate."

"What?" Jiang Yi was taken aback.

"Call your boss and ask for the chat records, transfer history, and all related evidence," Xu Ke said slowly.

Jiang Yi immediately shook his head. "That's impossible. My boss is incredibly tight-lipped. How could I possibly get that?"

"Don't worry," Xu Ke smiled. "There's always a way."

Without another word, Xu Ke yanked the scissors from Jiang Yi's hand.

"ARGH, MMPH—!"

Excruciating pain struck. Before Jiang Yi could even react and let out a full-throated scream, Xu Ke quickly clamped a hand over his mouth.

...

Xu Ke tied Jiang Yi up, but not before tending to the wound on his hand to prevent any further issues.

"What are you writing?" Jiang Yi asked, his face pale with pain as he watched Xu Ke scribble on a piece of paper.

"I'm writing a script for you," Xu Ke said with a smile.

"A script?" Jiang Yi was startled.

Xu Ke walked over with the paper. "Here. In a moment, you're going to read what's on this paper and send it as a voice message to your boss."

He chose a voice message for two reasons: first, to verify it was actually Jiang Yi speaking, and second, so Xu Ke could immediately stop him if he went off-script.

He placed the script in front of Jiang Yi.

Jiang Yi's eyes widened as he read it, his face paling dramatically. "What?! This... this is blackmail!"

"It is," Xu Ke nodded honestly.

Jiang Yi's lips trembled. "What if he sends someone to get me?"

"They'd be coming for you, not me. Why are you asking?" Xu Ke replied matter-of-factly.

Jiang Yi was left speechless, his face ashen.

"Unwilling to cooperate?" Xu Ke raised an eyebrow. "Then you'd better pick which country you want to be shipped to."

"No, no, no..." Jiang Yi cried out in terror, hurriedly stopping him. "Mister Xu, I never said I wouldn't cooperate! It's just... can we change the wording a little?"

"No." Xu Ke shook his head. He placed Jiang Yi's phone directly in front of him, unlocked it, and opened the chat with his boss. "Read."

Jiang Yi swallowed hard, bracing himself. "Is there really no room for negotiation?"

Xu Ke simply stared at him in silence.

Jiang Yi reluctantly began to read from the script.

...

"Boss, it's Jiang Yi. You people have backed me into a corner on this, and I really don't want to have to do this.

"But you forced my hand.

"Right now, you can either wire me one million, or you can send me all the evidence you have of the Li Family's instructions. I'll go get the money from them myself.

"If you don't comply, I can't guarantee what I might do..."

With a sinister expression, Jiang Yi finished reading the script.

Xu Ke hit send.

Jiang Yi's face immediately fell. "Will that do?"

"Not bad. Decent enough," Xu Ke nodded.

The original script had been far more graphic, and the threats more extreme. However, Xu Ke figured that Jiang Yi, being an educated man, likely wouldn't threaten someone so crudely, so he had toned it down.

Even so, Jiang Yi's heart pounded as he read the lines.

If the boss decides to settle scores later and takes me to court, I'll definitely end up in a detention center for a few days…

"Are you really not going to let me go?" While waiting for a reply, Jiang Yi tried to plead with him again.

Xu Ke said nonchalantly, "Don't worry, I'm not an unreasonable person. I'll let you go."

"Really?!" Jiang Yi was overjoyed, the two wounds on his hand no longer seeming to hurt.

"You just have to pledge your allegiance," Xu Ke said.

The color drained from Jiang Yi's face. "Pledge my allegiance? How?"

"It's very simple." Xu Ke gave Jiang Yi a warm smile.

But Jiang Yi broke out in a cold sweat. "It's not something illegal, is it?!"

Xu Ke laughed. "And you think cornering and surveilling me isn't illegal?"

Jiang Yi was choked up, stammering a weak defense, "I... I'm a reporter. I have the right to conduct interviews."

Xu Ke stopped talking and just kept smiling at him.

Feeling a deep sense of dread, Jiang Yi lowered his head. He was filled with regret.

I never should have started surveilling Xu Ke. Even if I had to, I shouldn't have followed him into his den… Who knew the guy was this insane?

「Meanwhile.」

It was afternoon at the Li Family's residence.

Li Lang, the swelling on his face having subsided, sat on the sofa with a stormy expression. After returning home, he had slowly processed everything.

He'd been played! He'd been played by Duan Chongfeng! If Duan Chongfeng was truly going to deal with Xu Ke, why would he have let Xu Ke just walk away safely?

Moreover, what incensed Li Lang the most was that Duan Chongfeng and the Wang Family had just called to add insult to injury.

Duan Chongfeng had said, "Little Lang, your uncle really wants to get justice for you, but the Wang Family's power is too great for me to provoke.

"I have already condemned them.

"They should give you a proper apology."

Right after Duan Chongfeng hung up, Wang Wu had called. "Mister Xu knows he was in the wrong. Please get some rest." Then he hung up after just a few words.

Li Lang was stunned.

Isn't this a blatant attempt to protect Xu Ke?!

"Dammit!" Li Lang gritted his teeth, his chest practically bursting with rage and humiliation. He had thought that enduring the beating from Xu Ke would result in a greater backlash against him.

But now...

He finally realized that Duan Chongfeng had been in cahoots with Xu Ke all along, that they were in the same boat. His actions today had been nothing more than begging for a beating, utterly debasing himself.

"What are you swearing about?"

A stern voice cut through his anger. "I could hear you from a mile away. Do you think you can abandon the family's dignity just because you're at home?"

Li Shichuan walked in from outside, his face grim.

Li Lang's bodyguard bowed his head. "Family Head."

Li Shichuan gave a slight nod.

Seeing his father, Li Lang immediately shot to his feet, fuming. "That bastard Duan Chongfeng! It turns out he's been on the Wang Family's side this whole time! We just didn't know it!"

Hearing this, Li Shichuan's expression shifted. "What? Duan Chongfeng has teamed up with the Wang Family?"

"Yes!" Li Lang's face was a mask of frustration. "He told me he would handle Xu Ke and give me a satisfactory resolution.

"But now he calls to say he's afraid of the Wang Family's power and that making a move would offend them.

"If that's not being in the same boat with the Wang Family, what is?"

After Li Lang finished speaking, Li Shichuan frowned. "Is that all?"

"Dad, is that not enough?!" Li Lang's expression changed.

Li Shichuan's frown was so deep it looked like it could crush a crab. "Let me think."

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