Chapter 1743 — Demanding Ransom (Part One)

"So that's what you want..." Guan Xuemin mulled over the other party's purpose for a moment, then suddenly asked, "Are you one of the Kang family?"

At present, the only real competitor to Doctor Guan's Pharmaceuticals was the Kang family's medical conglomerate. If anyone was desperate to get their hands on the formula for the Longevity Detox Pill, the Kang family was far and away the most likely suspect.

So Guan Xuemin's first suspicion fell upon the Kang family.

Kang Zhaoming thought to himself, Clever, but said aloud, "Who I am doesn't matter. What matters is whether you'll hand it over or not. Doctor Guan, you're a smart man — it's just a prescription. Copying it out won't kill anyone. But if you don't copy it out, then someone will die!"

"How can I trust you? Let me hear Xinxin's voice," Guan Xuemin said with a frown.

"Hearing her voice is out of the question — she's not with me. But if you don't believe me, there's nothing I can do about that!" Kang Zhaoming said. "I'm not a man for idle chatter. If you don't believe me, Doctor Guan, then there's nothing to discuss. Tomorrow you can wait to collect your granddaughter's corpse!"

With that, Kang Zhaoming hung up outright. He was certain Guan Xuemin would call back.

Sure enough, Guan Xuemin's call came through again before long, and Kang Zhaoming answered it at his leisure. "Hello? Doctor Guan, no need to be in such a hurry, is there?"

"I don't care who you are — you'd best release Xinxin, or I'll call the police!" Guan Xuemin said. "And when I do, whoever you are, you'll find yourself in a mess you can't swallow!"

"Call the police? Oh, I'm so scared!" Kang Zhaoming curled his lip. "Call the police and you'd still have to find me first. Let me be frank with you — you think you can trace my location through mobile phone positioning, but that's impossible. This call has been routed through several call forwards, bounced back from overseas. You'll never trace my whereabouts! Don't waste your effort. If you call the police, then there's nothing to talk about — I'll just have to tear up the ticket, and we'll both go our separate ways!"

"Wait—" Seeing that Kang Zhaoming seemed about to hang up again, Guan Xuemin hurried to stop him. Calling the police had only been a bluff to gauge how confident the other side really was. And now it seemed that whoever dared do such a thing had come thoroughly prepared.

This was no ordinary kidnapper. The other party had clearly planned everything out in full. It looked as though there truly was no room for negotiation — because their goal was plain: the formula for the Longevity Detox Pill. This was not a demand for ransom; there was no possibility of haggling.

"What, Doctor Guan, have you thought it through? Which matters more — your granddaughter's life, or a prescription?" Kang Zhaoming knew Guan Xuemin was about to give in, and asked gleefully.

"The matter of the prescription isn't mine to decide. I need to consult someone — the company isn't mine alone, after all..." Guan Xuemin said helplessly. This was something he could only first ask Wei Zhao about. The formula belonged to Wei Zhao, and if Wei Zhao refused, then he could only leave it to fate.

"Then go and ask. I'll wait for your reply!" Kang Zhaoming hung up outright.

Doctor Guan hesitated a moment, then dialed Wei Zhao's number. He felt somewhat embarrassed, but there was no help for it — this matter could only be laid at Wei Zhao's feet. The other party had made it plain: the formula in exchange for Guan Xin's safety. Only Wei Zhao could decide.

At that moment Wei Zhao had just left the province and checked into a budget hotel with Tang Yun, Gu Mengyao, and Shen Yushu. After dinner, the three girls were playing with General Weiwu and the Thunder Pig — as for the lion, it had been boarded with Wu Chengtian.

"Get some rest early. We've got a long drive tomorrow!" Wei Zhao said, watching Tang Yun and the others play to their hearts' content.

"Mm, just a little longer..." Previously, General Weiwu and the Thunder Pig had lived in the back courtyard of the villa, and Gu Mengyao and the others had never paid them much mind. But on the road they had discovered that General Weiwu was actually teaching the Thunder Pig martial arts! And doing it quite convincingly, too!

They found this enormously entertaining and stood to one side watching.

But Wei Zhao knew that the Thunder Pig had no real attacking ability, and that what General Weiwu was teaching it might well save its life at a critical moment.

Wei Zhao was about to say something more when his phone rang. He glanced at the caller ID and picked up. "Elder Guan, why are you calling at this hour? Is something the matter?"

"Xiaoyi, something's happened to Xinxin!" Guan Xuemin wasted no words and went straight to the point. "Xinxin has been kidnapped!"

"What? Guan Xin's been kidnapped?" Wei Zhao was stunned, then asked urgently, "What happened? Elder Guan, don't frighten me!"

"Xinxin didn't come home on time after work today, so I called her phone, and a strange man's voice answered..." With that, Guan Xuemin recounted the whole affair to Wei Zhao, then said, "The kidnapper only wants the formula for the Longevity Detox Pill in exchange, so I suspect it must be our competitor — possibly the Kang family..."

"The Kang family?" Wei Zhao nodded. Guan Xuemin's reasoning was not without merit, but for something like this to happen now left Wei Zhao feeling truly at a loss. He was out of town, and Guan Xin had been kidnapped back there. To rescue her, he would have to turn around and go back.

"Xiaoyi, I know this puts you in a difficult position. If it can't be done, then let it be — that formula is precious and important, after all. I'll think of some other way on my end..." Hearing the silence on Wei Zhao's side, Guan Xuemin assumed he was reluctant to give up the formula, and so spoke up first.

"Elder Guan, you misunderstand... It's not that I don't want to give it, it's that I'm out of town and can't get back!" Wei Zhao had already made his decision. "How about this — I'll send you the formula by text message. Use it to trade for Xinxin's safety!"

Though Wei Zhao loathed the feeling of being coerced, turning around and heading back now would be a great inconvenience. Better to compromise for the moment, give the formula to Guan Xuemin to exchange for Guan Xin, and once he returned to Songshan City, slowly hunt down the mastermind and take his revenge.

Wei Zhao did not believe the mastermind would obtain the formula and then refrain from manufacturing the Longevity Detox Pill. Whoever produced such a pill would immediately reveal themselves as the culprit — so Wei Zhao was in no hurry.

"Ah?" Guan Xuemin had not expected Wei Zhao to agree so readily, and was somewhat at a loss. "This... Xiaoyi, don't force yourself..."

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