“What are you doing here?”
Pei Kangnian walked up and stood beside Pei Yan. Together, they gazed out through the floor-to-ceiling window toward the distance. “It’s all over now.”
The board meeting that morning hadn’t been particularly perilous, all things considered. Overall, it had gone smoothly.
Pei Tai truly hadn’t anticipated that the two of them would team up.
After all, their public relationship had always seemed strained.
Anyone looking in would think the same.
So who could have guessed they’d end up joining forces?
Pei Kangnian said, “It was the first time I’d seen him lose his composure like that.”
Pei Tai had wanted them to check each other, so the shares he gave Pei Yan became the key to Pei Kangnian’s victory. Pei Tai had planned to pick a more obedient successor after stepping down as CEO, but once Pei Kangnian became the largest shareholder, he pushed Pei Yan into the top spot instead. Now Pei Tai was neither the head of Pei Corporation nor in control of operations.
It was a move that pulled the rug out from under him, leaving Pei Tai so stunned he could barely hold his expression together on the spot.
Some shareholders and board members had fully defected to their side. Pei Tai was thoroughly defeated.
“No, not yet,” Pei Yan said. “He hasn’t been convicted.”
Pei Kangnian patted Pei Yan’s shoulder. “He has no power left now, and I’ve got people watching him. You can take your time finding what you need.”
“People…”
Pei Kangnian nodded. “Yeah, you know his personality. He won’t go down without a fight.”
Pei Yan whipped his head around. “What about Xu Yun?!”
“What?”
“Did you see Xu Yun after the board meeting ended?!”
“Mr. Xu?”
Meanwhile, Shen Ju and Jian Yi ran into Xu Yun on their way to the Pei Family.
More precisely, Xu Yun had pulled his car up right next to theirs.
He’d just driven out from the Pei Family, so he was curious why they were there.
“Uh…”
Shen Ju said, “We’re here to see Pei-ge. I left some exam practice sheets with him.”
“Looking for the second young master?”
Xu Yun said, “He’s at the company, not here. And he doesn’t live at the Pei Family place anymore.”
“Oh, really? Haha, I thought he’d moved back.”
Shen Ju gave an awkward laugh. “It’s been a while since I got tutoring from him, after all.”
“In that case, I’ll head out first?”
[Host!]
996’s voice suddenly cut in, laced with urgency: [I scanned his trunk—there’s someone in there!]
[What?!]
Shen Ju’s heart went thump: [A real person?! Brother 996?!]
[Of course! I had scanning on since I figured you were heading to the Pei Family for evidence!]
The Pei Family…
Class president was at the Pei Family hunting for evidence.
And Xu Yun had just driven out from there…
Shen Ju’s pulse raced faster. He desperately wanted to pull out his phone and contact Tang Yuexin.
He’d just fished it out when Xu Yun spoke up again.
“I’m heading to the company anyway. If you want to see the second young master now, I can give you a ride.”
Jian Yi frowned, about to decline.
“Sure.”
Shen Ju said, “Thanks for the trouble, Mr. Xu.”
Xu Yun smiled. “No problem.”
Jian Yi froze, feeling Shen Ju tug at him discreetly under the radar, so he stayed quiet and got in the car with Shen Ju.
Once inside, Shen Ju pretended to scroll on his phone. He typed out what 996 had just told him, then held it up to Jian Yi like he’d spotted something hilarious.
“Bro, check this out. It’s so funny.”
Jian Yi glanced down.
“…Yeah, hilarious. Let me take a closer look.”
Jian Yi: [Contact Pei Yan ASAP.]
[No calls. Don’t alert him.]
At the same time, 996 spoke again: [Host! This guy has your bio-signature on him! Faint trace—in his right pocket!]
The USB Drive?!
Then the person in the trunk…
Shen Ju didn’t dare waste another second. He fired off a message to Pei Yan right away.
Pei Yan’s at the company—perfect. Once Xu Yun drops us off…
“You messaging the second young master?”
Xu Yun’s voice cut in from the front seat.
Shen Ju and Jian Yi both tensed up instantly.
“Good timing. I was worried that little girl wouldn’t be enough leverage against him, but with you in hand…”
Xu Yun glanced at Shen Ju in the rearview mirror. “That changes everything.”
“What the hell are you planning?!”
Shen Ju leaned forward over the driver’s seat, demanding, “You kidnapped class president, didn’t you?! She’s in your trunk?! That’s a crime!”
“Class president? So that’s your class president.”
Xu Yun spoke calmly, but floored the accelerator. Trapped in the car, Shen Ju and Jian Yi couldn’t do much.
“I’m not sure how you knew about the girl in my trunk, but it’s not exactly kidnapping. I just wanted a chat, but she wasn’t cooperating.”
Xu Yun paused. “Plus, she tried to steal from the main family.”
Shen Ju slammed the driver’s seat. “Class president didn’t steal anything! You know damn well what you’re hiding!”
“Ah, so you know about it too.”
Jian Yi pulled Shen Ju back and took a deep breath. “Where are you taking us? This isn’t the way to Pei Corporation.”
Shen Ju realized he didn’t recognize the roads outside anymore. No clue where Xu Yun was headed.
“Where the hell are you taking us?!”
Shen Ju brandished his phone. “We can call the cops right now! You’re driving—you can’t stop us!”
“Go ahead.”
Xu Yun said, “Call them now if you want. But see if the police get here first, or if I destroy this USB Drive first.”
“That girl was desperate to snatch it from me. Must be important to her, huh?”
“If she hadn’t gotten so worked up, I wouldn’t have had to knock her out and take her.”
Xu Yun chuckled. “I can just report her for stealing from the Pei Family and assaulting me.”
Shen Ju and Jian Yi exchanged a glance. Jian Yi gave a slight shake of his head.
“Don’t worry, I’m not out to hurt you. As long as the eldest and second young masters play ball, I’ll send you all back safe and sound.”
Xu Yun gave a self-deprecating laugh. “Blame it on those two brothers teaming up…”
By then, the car had crossed a small bridge.
They seemed to be heading up into the mountains.
Xu Yun wouldn’t have invited them in if he couldn’t handle them once stopped.
Even without calling the cops, they couldn’t just sit there.
Shen Ju and Jian Yi locked eyes.
In the same instant, they sprang into action.
Jian Yi lunged forward, hammering the steering wheel, while Shen Ju found the trunk release button on the side and popped it open. At the same time, he smashed his phone against the car window.
Xu Yun roared in fury: “You trying to get yourselves killed?!”
Crash…
The car slammed into the guardrail and plunged into the river below.
The water wasn’t deep, and the current mild, enough to cushion the drop.
Shen Ju shoved Jian Yi out through the shattered window, pointed at the trunk, then turned back to grab Xu Yun.
Not to save him.
To snag the USB Drive from his pocket.
No telling if water would ruin it. Shen Ju quickly asked 996 to shield and back it up.
[I can shield it, but you need to touch the USB Drive first for me to extract and back up the data! The bio-signature you left on it before isn’t enough anymore.]
Shen Ju acknowledged and went all-out to wrestle it from Xu Yun.
But Xu Yun knew the USB Drive was his last bargaining chip now. No way he’d let go.
What he hadn’t expected was the kid’s freakish strength!
The next second, though, he realized Shen Ju could barely swim.
Or not at all.
Jian Yi wasn’t much better.
He’d learned as a kid, but that was before age eight.
Thank goodness he remembered the basics.
And luckily, with the trunk open, the impact of the car hitting the water jolted Tang Yuexin awake—though her limbs were still weak. They supported each other to swim upstream.
Once they reached the bank, Jian Yi barely managed to boost her up.
As Tang Yuexin reached down to pull him, he shook his head. “I’ll help Shen Ju. Go find someone nearby—get help!”
He dove back in.
Shen Ju clung to Xu Yun desperately but had already choked down several mouthfuls of water.
Underwater, he forgot all about respecting elders. He kicked Xu Yun hard several times.
The water dulled the blows, but they still hurt like hell.
If this dragged on, even with his decent swimming, Xu Yun wouldn’t last.
Ripples broke the surface—Jian Yi was swimming back.
No choice.
One against two was impossible.
One disabled, sure, but the other had freakish strength.
Xu Yun gritted his teeth, let go, and swam off fast.
Truth was, he didn’t know Shen Ju was at his limit too.
Seconds after Xu Yun turned, Shen Ju’s vision blurred, his grip on the USB Drive pure instinct.
He saw Jian Yi reach him, face etched with panic, tugging him upward.
He tried to kick and follow, but his body sank on its own.
What do I do, bro?
I’m out of strength.
As darkness closed in, he felt Jian Yi’s right hand on him, the left arm flailing desperately but useless.
What do I do?
His mission wasn’t done.
Just a bit more, and he could help bro get whole again.
And Pei-ge… he hadn’t heard Pei-ge praise him yet. Thanks to my blood, we found the evidence…
He really wanted to see Pei Yan.
Shen Ju felt something detach from his body.
Like Brother 996.
His consciousness latched onto it. He tried calling out, but 996 didn’t respond, as if it couldn’t hear.
Then he saw 996 appear beside Pei Yan.
Pei-ge!
Pei Yan was driving, face ashen.
His phone was on, ringing Shen Ju nonstop—but no answer.
Oh right, I smashed my phone on the window. Probably totaled. Even if not, it’s drowned now.
Pei-ge must’ve seen his message. He’d even sent a location pin, though not the crash site.
Ding-dong…
The next second, the car’s nav updated.
996: “It’s here! Hurry—save the host! He’s in the river!!”
![Rebellious Disciple, Don’t Pluck Master’s Fur! [Transmigration]](https://i0.wp.com/dobynovels.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/chu.jpg?resize=151,215 "Rebellious Disciple, Don’t Pluck Master’s Fur! [Transmigration]")
![The Sickly Beauty Forced to Be a Villain [Quick Transmigration]](https://i3.wp.com/dobynovels.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/vill.jpg?resize=151,215 "The Sickly Beauty Forced to Be a Villain [Quick Transmigration]")
![Hundreds of Assassination Attempts on the Immortal Venerable [Transmigration Book]](https://i1.wp.com/dobynovels.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/tr.jpg?resize=151,215 "Hundreds of Assassination Attempts on the Immortal Venerable [Transmigration Book]")