C51 The Sudden Signup Location

As Lee Yu passed by Chen Jingfu, she paused, and the captive black dog instantly recognized the woman.

Previously, some of his men had foolishly tried to harass her, only to vanish without a trace the next day.

The black dog now realized that this so-called good brother leading the way had truly set him up. Initially, he had been sent a photo and told to simply nab two ordinary students.

He had been cautious, uncovering only that Huang Xiu's family was well-off, but nothing more. This put the black dog at ease—if it was just a girl from a wealthy family, he had nothing to fear. Had he known there was a connection to Chen Jingfu, he wouldn't have dared touch the situation with a ten-foot pole.

"Lend me your car keys, and you stay here to clean up this mess," Lee Yu said, gesturing with her mouth. She took the keys from Chen Jingfu and hauled the black dog downstairs as if he were a small dog.

Someone had to handle the aftermath of the injuries caused.

Surveying the scene in the corridor, Chen Jingfu finally understood why her grandfather held Lee Yu in such high regard.

After making a few calls, she navigated through the emptier parts of the corridor, heading deeper in.

"What's this..."

Upon entering the room, Chen Jingfu's gaze fell on the bed where a severely injured man lay unconscious, and her expression turned to one of fury.

Elsewhere.

"It was the Northern Group who approached me initially, wanting me to give a couple of naive souls a hard lesson," the black dog confessed from the passenger seat. "But then they switched gears, saying I just had to deliver the people to them."

"Where to?" Lee Yu asked, driving with surprising steadiness. Though new to driving, his recollection and the proficiency he'd gained made him seem like a seasoned pro.

"The Northern Nightclub."

The name was notorious in S City, recognized by nearly everyone as a place of significance.

Noticing Lee Yu's silence, the black dog mistook it for suspicion and hurriedly added, "I'm not lying, honestly. I've got the call logs to prove it, and I have no reason to lie. If the Northern Group hadn't double-crossed me, I wouldn't have bothered that girl at all."

Lee Yu shot him a sidelong glance and said, "I doubt you'd have the guts. You lead the way."

His silence earlier was due to the location; if his memory served him right, it was a business owned by an 'old friend.' Additionally, the system had just released a new check-in spot!

Ding! Check-in system updated: the underground chamber of the Northern Nightclub.

This was the first check-in location to be announced, one that no one had mentioned before... Could Huang Xiu be here?

Without dwelling on it, Lee Yu floored the accelerator, speeding down the deserted highway.

Half an hour later, he reached his destination.

Squinting, Lee Yu surveyed the building before him. It appeared particularly desolate in the daylight, with only a few security guards present.

He strode toward the entrance. The black dog, no longer on a leash, didn't dare to flee and simply followed closely behind.

"Who goes there? Halt!"

The security guards at the door attempted to block their path.

Lee Yu gave them a brief look, and the black dog quickly interjected, "They're all with the Northern Group, especially during the day. It's basically staffed by Northern Group personnel."

Indeed, the Northern Nightclub was essentially the Northern Group's original headquarters. Even though it had since transitioned to leasing office spaces, the nightclub was the foundation of the group's early success. Despite a successful rebranding, the Northern Group's elite still preferred to frequent this establishment.

Hearing the black dog's explanation, the guards realized they were dealing with a hostile situation and reached for their plastic batons.

But Lee Yu was quicker. He struck each guard at the base of the neck, taking them down swiftly.

"Act natural and lead the way," Lee Yu instructed, gesturing for the black dog to enter first.

The black dog harbored no thoughts of escape; he wouldn't dare entertain the idea, knowing how close Lee Yu was. If he tried to run, Lee Yu wouldn't even need to give him a thirty-meter head start.

Caught between two warring 'tigers,' his only focus was survival.

Should he manage to locate Huang Xiu, he'd make a beeline out of S City at the first opportunity. The world was vast, and he suddenly felt an urge to explore it.

Quickly, the pair reached a room on the second floor. Lee Yu declared, "It's empty!" effectively halting the black dog's impulse to enter. From the black dog's demeanor, Lee Yu could tell this was where his knowledge ran deepest.

The black dog was puzzled about how Lee Yu could be certain the room was vacant. Frozen in place, he was at a loss for what to do next. What if Lee Yu suspected he'd been played for a fool? Surely, he wouldn't lash out with a slap, would he?

Thankfully, Lee Yu didn't leave him stewing in his worries for long before he asked, "Do you know about a hidden room here?"

The system had just pinpointed the check-in location. It was possible Huang Xiu had been moved there, and Lee Yu suspected the system wasn't acting without reason.

A hidden room?

On the verge of denial, something clicked for the black dog. "I've heard rumors of an underground casino beneath the nightclub, not open to the public. Is that what you're referring to?"

He recalled a drunken conversation with members of the Northern Group, who had boasted about a secretive casino, accessible to only a select few. It was partly why the nightclub served as their headquarters—to guard the casino.

"Do you know its location?" Lee Yu's interest was piqued.

"I think there's an elevator on the top floor that goes down to it," the black dog replied, dredging up the memory. The man had passed out before finishing his tale, but he remembered the sole entrance was on the top floor.

...

Upon regaining consciousness, Huang Xiu realized she was bound hand and foot in a windowless space. After an initial surge of panic, she steadied herself. Her sister's business had flourished, and there had been a kidnapping attempt years before. Their enterprise wasn't large, but it wasn't small either, so attracting unwanted attention wasn't unusual.

Yet, she couldn't fathom why she was the one tied up, as she hadn't exposed anything of note.

As Huang Xiu's mind raced, voices suddenly filtered in from outside.

"The boss said to keep her, didn't he? I'm just having a bit of fun. What's the worry? I'm not going to kill her."

"Brother Leopard, you're putting me in a tough spot here."

"What's so tough about it? By acting this way, you're disrespecting me."

The voices grew louder, and with a sharp squeak, the door swung open violently.

In the dim light, Huang Xiu couldn't make out the faces of the newcomers, only their silhouettes against the bright light from outside.

Instinctively, she shrank back into the corner.

The man at the center spoke up, "This little lady is so soft and smooth, just how I like them!"

"Brother Leopard, if you're interested, there are several girls upstairs..." someone at his side attempted to reason.

Smack!

The man who had spoken received a fierce slap from Black Leopard, leaving the others trembling with fear, too terrified to utter a word.

In that moment, Huang Xiu got a clear view of the leader's face—a square jaw with a scar trailing down from the corner of his eye, giving him a menacing look, particularly his eyes, which seemed to devour one's very soul.

"Everyone, out!" Black Leopard commanded with a dismissive wave of his hand. He had a preference for girls who stirred his pity, especially those with clear, sparkling eyes—nothing like the ones upstairs.