CHAPTER 85: ZHAO YIMING BEING KIDNAPPED?!

Zhao Yiming strolled leisurely down Lianwu Street, hands in his pockets and a light whistle escaping his lips.

The day was warm, the wind gentle, and the air filled with the scent of steamed buns and roasted chestnuts.

He looked far too relaxed for someone juggling real estate deals, lawsuits, and a growing harem.

But hey, he deserved this.

Officer Han had finally managed to detain Ma San and his gang of thugs. The bastards were now rotting in an interrogation room, probably crying for their moms or begging for noodles.

Yes, Han Queying detained all the thugs who were involved in threatening Lianwu Street tenants. Even when she was already being issued by her senior, she didn’t care about them.

Even better, Madam He’s condition had improved—though she remained in an induced coma, the doctors said her vitals were stable and her body was healing.

Mr. Wu had returned to his antique shop like nothing had happened. Even though Luo Yanyu tried to stop him, the old man refused to listen.

He’d barked, "I’m old, not dead!" and waved her off like an annoying mosquito. Fiercer than a mafia boss, that one.

And as for Golden Earth? They were quiet now. Too quiet. Like a lion pretending to nap before biting your head off. But for now? Zhao Yiming was in a damn good mood.

He whistled louder and smirked to himself while mentally calculating how much money he had stacked up in his inventory.

"Let’s see... cash, quest rewards, and that golden ticket—hell yeah, I’m loaded!"

Unfortunately, the universe didn’t like it when Zhao Yiming got too comfortable.

Because right then—

SCREECH!

A black van came to a sudden halt just a few meters ahead of him.

"Huh?" he blinked. "Why does that look like every kidnapping scene ever filmed?"

He remembers when his daughter was still a child, she was scared of a specific car and ran away when she saw one because of the kidnapping common troupe.

"No way... "

The door slid open with dramatic flair and out came three men in black suits and sunglasses—yes, sunglasses at noon. Because why not?

"Hey! Who the hell are you guys?!" Zhao Yiming barked, stepping back as four men in black charged toward him.

"Golden Earth, huh?! You bastards really don’t know when to quit!"

Zhao Yiming sweats, ’Do they already know I was the one who stole the black ledger? Or maybe because I tried to stop them from taking Lianwu street?’

His mind was full of possibilities, but right now, he needed to focus to beat them up.

"Zhao Yiming," one of them said flatly. "You’ve been selected for a surprise vacation."

"The hell I have! I never signed up for—"

The first guy rushed in with a wide swing. Zhao Yiming sidestepped, grabbed his wrist, twisted it around, and dislocated the poor guy’s shoulder in one fluid motion.

"Argghhh!!!" the man scream

"Dumbass. Don’t lead with your dominant hand unless you wanna lose it."

The second man was charged with a taser. Zhao ducked low, spun, and swept his legs. The guy went airborne like a ragdoll and slammed onto the sidewalk face-first.

"Is this all you’ve got?! Come on, now! Try harder if you want to kidnap me!"

Zhao Yiming laughed, his mood was good today as he became arrogant right now and was somehow in the mood to talk a lot.

Number three thought he was slick and tried to jump him from behind.

It was a bad idea for someone as good as punching people like him.

Zhao spun his elbow straight into his chin, then followed up with a spinning back kick that sent the guy flying into a street lamp.

"Haha! Three down, one to g—"

A bottle shattered next to his head as the fourth guy tried to sucker-punch him with a broken wine bottle.

"Oh, now you wanna fight dirty?"

Zhao Yiming grinned, cracking his knuckles. "You’re gonna regret that."

He grabbed the broken bottle mid-swing and snapped the guy’s wrist before tossing him into the same mop bucket the earlier guy had slipped in as Zhao laughed hard, feeling invincible.

But just as he turned to finish the job—someone tapped him on the shoulder.

His instincts screamed too late.

He spun around just in time to see a thin man in glasses with a neutral face—Peng—striking with two fingers.

WHACK.

The blow landed cleanly on the pressure point at the back of his neck.

Suddenly, his vision blurred as his legs turned into pudding.

Zhao Yiming stumbled backward, eyes wide, mouth half open.

"You... you dirty... you used acupuncture martial arts?!"

"I did warn them to let me handle it," Peng replied calmly, catching Zhao’s limp body before it hit the ground.

Zhao Yiming’s last conscious words were a soft, deflated:

"...I was winning..." he then fainted.

Peng adjusted his glasses, then glanced at the unconscious bodies of his own men sprawled across the alleyway.

"Hmph. What a mess."

He waved for the backup crew. "Load him up. And grab his other flip-flop."

The team hurried to pack Zhao Yiming into the black van, gently this time—like he was a kidnapped celebrity instead of a martial arts freak who just wiped out half their squad.

Peng climbed into the front seat and sighed. "Madam Ruan better appreciate this. He’s not easy to bag."

The door slammed shut.

The van disappeared into the traffic, taking with it a groggy Zhao Yiming whose only crime was sneaking out on a dangerously seductive woman.

***

Zhao Yiming opened his eyes slowly, blinking a few times as his vision adjusted to the dim, sultry red light that coated the entire room.

A strange scent hit his nose—something between scented candles and trouble.

His gaze darted around.

Walls lined with leather. Whips, chains, handcuffs, gags. A swing hanging from the ceiling. A velvet sofa with suspicious straps.

A rack of very detailed toys—some mechanical, some glowing, some looking like they belonged in a sci-fi movie.

This wasn’t a room.

This was a full-blown sex dungeon.

"What the hell..." he muttered couldn’t believe what he had just seen.

Zhao Yiming tried to sit up—but something yanked at his arms.

Both his wrists were cuffed and spread to the corners of the massive bed. Cold metal, tight lock. Even his ankles were fastened down, rendering him completely immobile.

And worse than that?

He was naked. Completely. Balls-out naked.

"Sick bastard... What the hell do they want with me?!"

Zhao Yiming’s voice cracked as he stared at the ceiling in horror. His cheeks flushed, his stomach churned, and sweat beaded on his forehead despite the icy AC.

There were a hundred ways to either torture him in this room...

Or pleasure him.

And honestly?

That was the worst part—he didn’t know which one was planned.

"I’m gonna die in here... as some pervert’s favorite chew toy..." he whispered, horrified. Trying a way to get out of this nightmare.

But then, the door opened. The sharp click of high heels echoed on the tile floor, as a silhouette appeared in the doorway.

He could see a woman figure with tight black body suits. Her hair was tied up wearing leather gloves while a long whip dangled lazily from one hand.

Then she stepped into the red light with a playful smile.

"Hello again, Mr. Zhao," she purred.

Zhao Yiming froze. "Madam Ruan?!"His voice cracked like a teenager getting caught watching porn.