A False Alarm?

The moment the consciousness link connected, Lin Feng had just swallowed a mouthful of warm water. The next second, K's voice rang out directly in his mind. The tone was still steady, but the content almost made him choke.

"Boss, I've run into a bit of trouble." K's voice carried a hint of helplessness. "They've kidnapped me; looks like it's one of those telecom fraud gangs."

"What?" Lin Feng put down his water glass, his brows furrowing. "Tethered? Where are you now? Are you hurt?"

"He's alright, just a bit restricted." K's voice didn't sound too tense. "He's blindfolded, hand and foot bound, and being swayed around in a car. I don't know exactly where he is, but judging from the noise, it sounds like he's heading out of town."

Lin Feng rubbed his temples; the news came too suddenly. K was one of his most capable men—smart, technically skilled, and, most importantly, reliable. How could he have suddenly fallen from grace?

"Can you determine the general direction? Or are there any unusual sounds or smells around?" Lin Feng pressed, already mentally calculating how to rescue the person.

"I can't tell for now," K replied decisively. "The car was bumping a lot, so the road is probably not good. There's a strong fishy smell in the air, so we're probably not far from the sea. As for the rest... I'll take a closer look when we get there."

Lin Feng hesitated for a few seconds, then quickly instructed, "Okay, then stay calm and don't force anything. When you get there, try to remember the surrounding features—building styles, vegetation types, any special landmarks, even graffiti on the walls. Be careful, I'll find a way to locate you."

"Understood," K replied, and the link went silent for the time being.

Lin Feng sat back on the sofa, staring blankly at the ceiling for a while. A telecom fraud gang... This was unexpected. K went out this time to investigate Xie Yunchuan's lead, how did he get involved with telecom fraud? Was it a coincidence, or had Xie Yunchuan's business expanded into this area?

He picked up his phone, hesitating whether to notify Lawyer Zhou to prepare some cross-border rescue resources in advance. Although K was very capable, he was, after all, in a foreign country and his freedom was restricted; if something really happened, he wouldn't be able to help from afar.

Just as I was pondering this, the consciousness link lit up again.

"Boss," K's voice came again, this time with a hint of... how to put it, an almost absurd sense of relief, "It's alright."

Lin Feng was taken aback. "What? You're alright? You got away?"

"I guess so." K paused, seemingly organizing his thoughts. "The situation is a bit... complicated. To put it simply, I'm now the technical director of their industrial park, earning $30,000 a month, with a single room, meals provided, and even a 'personal assistant'."

Lin Feng: "..."

He remained silent for a full five seconds before slowly speaking, "Say it again?"

K's tone held a rare hint of amusement. "I'm not joking. The group that kidnapped me is a telecom fraud ring, and the person in charge is called Brother Kun. I demonstrated my technical skills and impressed their original technician. Now they treat me like a treasure; they even asked me just now whether I prefer Chinese or Western food, and if I need someone to keep me company tonight."

Lin Feng was speechless at this absurd plot development. He was already figuring out how to organize a cross-border rescue, while K had already become one of their key technical personnel?

"You..." Lin Feng opened his mouth, but finally managed to stammer out, "You could say this is a blessing in disguise?"

"You could say that," K's voice regained its usual calm. "I've already made initial contact with the park's internal network; my access level isn't low. I'll continue investigating Xie Yunchuan's line, and as for telecom fraud... I can figure that out while I'm at it. But boss, there's something I need to make clear to you."

"You say."

"I didn't touch any of the 'benefits' they offered, like alcohol and women," K said casually. "Technique is technique, and principles are principles."

Lin Feng listened and suddenly laughed. He could picture K coldly refusing those "special services."

"Okay, good that you understand." Lin Feng relaxed and leaned back on the sofa. "Then we won't rush to rescue you for now. Be careful over there, handle any situations that need to be dealt with, and don't give anything away. Contact me anytime if you need any support."

"Understood." K paused, then added, "By the way, the internet speed here is alright, but there's a lot of surveillance. There are six cameras in my place, even in the bathroom."

Lin Feng chuckled, "So, are you still going to take a shower?"

"Go ahead and wash," K said matter-of-factly. "I'm not afraid of being seen. It's just that they might be disappointed; my figure is average."

This was probably the first joke Lin Feng had ever heard K make since they met. Although it wasn't funny at all.

"Alright, stay connected." Lin Feng disconnected, shook his head, and the smile on his face hadn't faded.

He got up and walked to the window, looking at the brightly lit city outside, and suddenly felt much lighter. K, no matter what environment he was thrown into, could always thrive in his own way.

Fine, let him stay there a little longer. The telecom fraud park... maybe we can actually dig up something interesting.

Lin Feng picked up the now-cold water and drank it all in one gulp. The coolness slid down his throat, but it made him feel exceptionally clear-headed.

This game of chess is getting more and more interesting.