Chapter 83: Jemmy Group

Lu Ming furrowed his brow, pondering over Feng Yingcai’s words. Feng Yingcai didn’t seem to be lying, but if what he said was true, then his son had been kidnapped three months ago. In that case, who was it that Lu Ming met aboard the Finis a month ago? Could it have been a ghost?

“Mr. Feng, I think there’s been a bit of a misunderstanding,” Lu Ming said awkwardly.

Feng Yingcai looked at Lu Ming and replied slowly, “A misunderstanding?”

Lu Ming nodded. “I came here because a friend of mine was assaulted, and I suspected you were behind it. That’s why I sought you out.”

“What a joke. Your friend was assaulted, and you think I did it?” Feng Yingcai’s face was flushed with anger.

Lu Ming felt quite embarrassed. He was beginning to realize that things weren’t as simple as he’d thought, nor as he’d imagined. It seemed he had acted rather rashly.

At that moment, Lu Ming recounted the incident from a month ago, when he saw Feng Xifan aboard the Finis.

After listening, Feng Yingcai fell into deep thought. For a long while he was silent, then finally spoke. “That’s impossible. My son vanished three months ago, and two bodyguards were killed. He was certainly kidnapped. How could he have appeared aboard the Finis?”

“Mr. Feng, could you tell me more about your son’s disappearance?” Lu Ming inquired.

Feng Yingcai studied Lu Ming for a while, then sighed and began to explain.

Three months ago, Feng Xifan suddenly vanished, and two bodyguards were found dead. Upon hearing the news, Feng Yingcai immediately notified the police. As the richest man in Huaxia, the disappearance of his son and the deaths of two bodyguards was a major event.

The police launched an investigation at once and concluded that Feng Xifan had been kidnapped. Given his prominence, it wasn’t surprising that his son had been targeted. Everyone accepted this conclusion and the investigation proceeded quietly.

The case was kept under wraps due to Feng Yingcai’s fame; if news got out, it would immediately become a sensation, which would be detrimental to social stability. The police, considering all factors, acted covertly. Meanwhile, Feng Yingcai himself assembled a large team to conduct a private investigation.

At first, he wasn’t too worried. Since it was a kidnapping, the perpetrators were bound to contact him for ransom eventually—money was not a problem for him. But as time passed and no contact came, he grew anxious. A month later, his concern deepened.

Worry, however, was futile. In addition to the police, Feng Yingcai hired several renowned private detectives and martial arts experts to pursue the case, but to this day, there had been no word of his son—as if he had vanished from the face of the earth.

The bodyguards at Feng Yingcai’s villa were hired at great expense after the incident. With his son already missing, he couldn’t afford to risk the safety of his family.

After hearing Feng Yingcai’s account, Lu Ming once more fell into deep thought. The entire matter reeked of strangeness; he sensed the whiff of a conspiracy. The living room was silent.

After a while, Feng Yingcai broke the silence. “Since this is a misunderstanding, I ask that you keep it to yourself.”

Lu Ming nodded. “I understand. I have a feeling that the person who attacked my friend is connected to your son’s kidnappers. If you receive any information, please let me know, and I will do the same for you.”

Feng Yingcai agreed. He had witnessed Lu Ming’s abilities firsthand—his highly paid bodyguards and two inner strength masters had been effortlessly defeated by Lu Ming. With his help, perhaps there would finally be progress in the case.

The two exchanged contact information. Feng Yingcai said, “Mr. Lu, if you need anything in this matter, just call me. I’ll do my best to assist you.”

He had only one son. Though the boy was headstrong, he was still his own flesh and blood. For three months, there was neither word of life nor confirmation of death—naturally, he was deeply distressed.

Lu Ming nodded, then helped up the two defeated martial artists. “My apologies, it was a misunderstanding. I’ll make it up to you both someday.”

The two experts stood in silence, shame written across their faces. Whether it was a misunderstanding or not, the fact remained that, even together, they had been defeated in a single move—it was a blow to their pride.

Lu Ming took his leave from Feng Yingcai, who instructed his driver to see Lu Ming out.

Seated on the plane back to Xijing, Lu Ming gazed out the window, pondering the chain of events. Feng Xifan had vanished three months prior, yet Lu Ming had seen him a month ago aboard the Finis. What was really going on?

Could someone have kidnapped Feng Xifan, then impersonated him, using his invitation to attend the auction? It seemed plausible. But why would they go to such lengths to pose as Feng Xifan?

Lu Ming couldn’t fathom the answer. The only thing that made sense was that his interference had ruined their plans, so they sought revenge, and Qin Lan became collateral damage.

After all, kidnapping nearly half the world’s wealthy elite would net a ransom of astronomical proportions. For such a grand scheme to be thwarted by Lu Ming—if they didn’t seek retribution, it would indeed be strange.

Still, Lu Ming suspected that the person who came was merely there to probe the situation. With the skills he’d displayed that day, not even a master of inner strength could have bested him.

Meanwhile, passengers were boarding the plane. Elegant flight attendants guided people to their seats. A drunken, rotund man suddenly groped a flight attendant’s behind, cackling with satisfaction.

The attendant’s face flushed with anger, but she had no choice but to hold her tongue. Lu Ming shook his head. It was barely past three in the morning—this man must have been drinking all night to end up in such a state.

Seeing the attendant glance at him in anger, the man only became bolder, leering and saying, “Little darling, when we land, let me take you out for some fun. Name your price.”

Humiliated in front of everyone, the flight attendant could restrain herself no longer and snapped, “Sir, please behave yourself. You are on an airplane.”

“So what if it’s an airplane? It’s all about money, isn’t it? I’ve got plenty,” the man replied arrogantly.

At that, Lu Ming could take no more. He glared at the man and said coldly, “If you dare utter another word, I’ll throw you off this plane myself.”

The man felt a chill at Lu Ming’s gaze. The insult he was about to fling caught in his throat, and he nearly bit his own tongue.

With the man silenced, Lu Ming turned away.

Soon, most of the passengers had boarded. Two vibrant young women, both around twenty, stored their luggage and took the seats beside Lu Ming.

The last two passengers to board were a striking young man, about six feet tall, with curly hair, a fitted white short-sleeved shirt, light-colored trousers, and shining blue leather shoes—a picture of charm and elegance. Following him was a younger man, apparently his assistant.

They scanned the cabin, then sat in the seats across the aisle from Lu Ming. The flight attendants announced departure and instructed everyone to fasten their seat belts.

After a brief taxi, the plane lifted into the sky.

Once the flight was stable, the attendants began distributing drinks. The handsome young man turned to his assistant and said sternly, “Next time, make sure to book first class. And don’t make me rush like this again.”

“Yes, Manager Huo,” the assistant replied hastily. “It’s just that this trip was urgent and we have a luncheon at noon. This was the only flight that fit our schedule.”

Manager Huo snorted, then turned his attention from his assistant to the two pretty girls beside Lu Ming.

“Ladies, traveling can be dull. May I join you for a chat?” he asked, his tone polite and his manner gentlemanly.

The girl nearest the aisle smiled at the handsome stranger’s approach. “Certainly, we’re just looking for something to do.”

“I’m Huo Xiu-zhi, general manager of Jiamei Group’s Shangjing office. And may I ask your names?” Huo Xiu-zhi introduced himself.