chapter 19 Kidnapping ===

Since the establishment of Golden Shield Security Company, Alexander Xu had been immersed in training his staff. He hardly ever went home, even at night, preferring to stay at the company along with Brandon Li and others. After several days of adjustment, the training had become more structured. Excluding Brandon, the twenty-four members were divided into three groups. Two groups trained at the facility while the other eight, including four from William Xu's side and four from Xu's Villa, were rotated for security duties. To ensure no lapse in training for those on security detail, the groups took turns. The Xu family's previous bodyguards were all replaced, though their training intensity was less rigorous than Brandon's group. Training them to the desired level would be a gradual process. Alexander only needed to draft the training plan, leaving the rest to Brandon Li. Within just a week, the team realized the uniqueness of Alexander's training regimen, growing an even deeper respect for him. They had never experienced such training before and could feel their latent potential being unlocked, their strength increasing daily. Despite the grueling process, the pain seemed trivial compared to the power they were gaining. After all, if they couldn't endure this hardship, how could they become stronger? They had all witnessed Alexander's formidable strength and dreamt of becoming as strong as him. However, they knew it was nearly an impossible goal. As they grew stronger, so did Alexander, and at a much faster rate. On the fifth floor of Golden Shield's office building, Alexander took out a newly bought mobile phone and dialed a familiar number. "Who's this?" a gruff voice answered. "King Kong, I need the best goods for ten million dollars. Don't try to fool me with junk. Deliver it to warehouse number two at Tianhai Pudong Wharf in ten days!" Alexander was straightforward with his request. "Who are you?" the voice on the other end asked cautiously. "Someone bringing you money!" Alexander chuckled, adding, "Lynx!" 'Lynx' was not a name but a code word, known only to their most trusted circle. Hearing Alexander utter their code, the voice no longer hesitated, "Who do I contact once the goods arrive?" "I'll collect them personally. Remember, 2 a.m. in ten days. If you're not on time, I'll personally visit Lau Town and crush your skull!" Alexander knew that being polite with such people often led to slackness; they responded better to a firm hand. After hanging up, Alexander transferred ten million dollars from a Swiss Bank account. "Damn, who's this guy? Sounds just like that bastard," the voice muttered, shivering at the thought of Alexander's ruthlessness. Having settled the weapon deal, Alexander stepped out of his office and nodded slightly at the sight of his team training intensely. He had undergone similar training himself. Only, they had started too late to reach his level of expertise. His phone rang. It was Hannah Lin, calling in tears, "Alexander, something's happened to Evelyn!" "What happened?" Alexander's heart skipped a beat, his face turning cold. Although unaware of the specifics, he could tell from Hannah's crying that it wasn't good. He had not met Evelyn since his rebirth, but her innocent smile involuntarily came to his mind. "Evelyn's been kidnapped!" Hannah was in utter panic, crying inconsolably. "What are their demands?" Alexander calmed down, somewhat relieved. A kidnapping meant the captors wanted something, ensuring Evelyn's temporary safety. He was curious why they targeted Evelyn. Didn't they know her father was the chief of the criminal police? "They want a billion in ransom and told me to come alone. They also said not to tell your brother-in-law!" Hannah thought of her daughter's predicament, crying helplessly, too afraid to inform her husband for fear of endangering Evelyn further. Alexander shook his head with a wry smile. The kidnappers were clearly aware of Andrew Yang's identity, and well-prepared for this. Over the years, Andrew had made numerous enemies; it was unknown who they had crossed this time. A billion in ransom? A hefty sum indeed. Hannah could perhaps scrape together ten million, but a billion was out of her reach. Demanding such an amount indicated they were targeting not just Andrew but the Xu family as well, knowing how dearly they cherished Evelyn. Regardless of the kidnappers' motives, Alexander couldn't remain a bystander. "Go to my father's place for a check. I'll be right there, and we'll go together," he instructed over the phone. "Hurry, I fear for Evelyn's safety…," Hannah sobbed. Alexander hung up, a rage igniting within him. He yelled down to the floor, "Brandon, take group one with me!" If someone was courting death, it was an excellent opportunity for Brandon's group to practice and gauge their training. It was time to bare their fangs. Brandon, unaware of the situation but loyally following orders, shouted, "Big Bear, your group, grab your gear and follow me! Move out now!" Trained military men, the team quickly assembled under Big Bear's command and boarded the vehicles rapidly. At the entrance of Prosperous World Group, Hannah paced anxiously. Seeing Alexander arrive with three black sedans in tow, she rushed over, "Are you mad? Bringing so many people might provoke them to harm Evelyn!" In this crisis, Hannah lost her usual composure, her mind solely on her daughter's safety. She feared the kidnappers noticing the large group and endangering Evelyn. "It's fine. I'll have them stay on the outskirts. You and I will go in alone. Get in the car, let's meet them," Alexander said, pulling Hannah into the car without further explanation and signaling Brandon to follow at a distance. Half an hour later, they arrived at a deserted warehouse on the outskirts. Built-in the 1990s as a chemical storage facility, the warehouse was later abandoned. Located in a remote area with no developmental value, it remained untouched, overgrown with weeds and bushes, and connected only by a gravel path – an ideal hiding spot for kidnappers. It is suitable for kidnappers to hide, and it is also suitable for Brandon and others to hide their tracks! This is really a good place to start a game of cat and mouse! Alexander's sports car had a low chassis and was speeding all the way. It was already scarred, but he didn't care at all. He only cared about Evelyn's safety now. From the moment the car approached the abandoned warehouse, Alexander noticed that there were at least thirty people around him staring at him and Hannah. The car stopped in front of the warehouse. As they got out, a burly man with a walkie-talkie and a gun emerged from the bushes, angrily confronting Hannah, "Didn't I tell you to come alone? Why bring someone else? Do you think we won't kill your daughter?" Hannah, facing a gun for the first time, panicked. Alexander, however, appeared nonchalant, "My friend, surely you recognize me? Just a playboy, not worth your concern." "Ha, Alexander Xu, it's you!" The man finally noticed Alexander's relaxed posture against his car, "Didn't expect you to care so much about your niece." "Enough talk. I've brought the check. Where is she?" Alexander needed to confirm Evelyn's safety first. Another voice came through the walkie-talkie, "Caleb, it's clear. They didn't call the cops. Bring them in." Hearing the voice from the walkie-talkie, Caleb felt relieved, and so did Alexander. Obviously, the kidnappers had not found any trace of Brandon's team. So, the rescue could be said to be more than half successful! "Huh, you guys know each other!" Caleb walked up behind the two of them, pointed the gun at two of them, and walked towards the warehouse. Looking at Hannah's graceful figure behind him, he couldn't help but feel lustful and said to her as he walked. He said to the walkie-talkie: "Brother Tiger, this girl is so damn beautiful, do you want..." These people all made a living by licking blood from the edge of a knife. It was rare for them to meet a beauty like Hannah who had both beauty and temperament. At the first sight, Caleb actually had evil thoughts. Listening to Caleb's words, Alexander's eyes flashed with murderous intent! If he hadn't been worried about Evelyn's safety, he would have kicked Caleb's head off right now! Hannah noticed Alexander's expression and gently pulled the corner of his clothes with her fingers to signal him not to be impulsive. At Hannah's signal, Alexander temporarily gave up the idea of ​​killing Caleb. The most important thing now is to ensure Evelyn's safety. However, in Alexander's heart, he has already sentenced Caleb, the kidnapper, to death. ! "Watch your mouth," the voice on the walkie-talkie scolded "Caleb! Remember our goal. Once we have the money, we can have any woman." Led into the warehouse, they met a man in sunglasses, leisurely smoking a cigar – presumably Caleb's "Brother Tiger". Behind him stood four muscular men, each with a pistol at their waist. Only six people had been seen so far. It seemed that many people were hiding in the dark. They were really cautious.