Mastermind.

Hao Ren and Yue Shenlong stood facing each other. The latter did not underestimate Hao Ren because of a brace on his arm. On the contrary it scared him for some reason. He could not help but ask, "How did you get in? Even if there are loopholes in the security, you could not have known the layout of the house with ease." 

Hao Ren smiled and said, "I hacked into your security system, and made it so that none of the cameras pick me up and all the alarms were diffused. Avoiding the human guards was easier. As for the layout of the house, the satellite navigation helped me." 

Yue Shenlong was surprised and asked, "What do you mean?" 

Hao Ren smiled as he went on, "Well, you can find the aerial image of the mansion by clicking the terrain button." 

Yue Shenlong was stunned and so were the rest of the guards in the control room. One of them could not help but ask, "Sir, can you tell me how were you able to talk with Young Master on the video call?" 

Hao Ren nodded and said, "I only set a deepfake frame in the set up. I was monitoring the call and responding in real time. The voice was real but the scene was fake." 

The guards gulped a mouthful, they did not expect Hao Ren to be so proficient with technology. Yue Shenlong sighed and said, "I never expected that the state of art security system would have such loopholes." 

Hao Ren shrugged, and asked, "How is her mental status?" 

Yue Shenlong smiled and said, "In shambles." 

Hao Ren nodded and said, "Have someone fetch her a set of clothes, I want to talk to her." 

Yue Shenlong raised his brow and said, "Why do you want to put clothes on her?" 

Hao Ren winked and said, "You all will know in a bit. If you don't mind, Brother Shen, put on a mask to cover your face later, same with everyone else." 

Yue Shenlong was confused and tried to find out what Hao Ren was planning to do. However, the young man did not budge at all. After a few minutes, Maria was given a set of clothes and she was given some water and food. Yue Shenlong watched everything from the outside, and Hao Ren moved to go inside the holding room. 

...

Maria was sitting on the ground, filled with doubt, after a few days of solitary, her thoughts were in chaos, however, now she was given food and clothes. She had no idea what was going on or why her captor suddenly took pity on her. 

Just when she was thinking about it, the door of the holding room opened and her eyes opened wide when she saw Hao Ren walking inside. She stood up and pointed her finger at him. Hao Ren sighed and said, "Save your energy, I am not the one who is keeping you captive." 

Maria yelled hysterically, "Liar! If not you, who could harm me? You are the one who is doing it, or is it that bitch Han Lingshi? Tell me, who is keeping me here. What do you want from me." 

Hao Ren approached her with a calm face and then he delivered a stern slap to the lady. Maria was forced to fall on the padded floor, as Hao Ren grabbed her neck with his right hand and exerted some force as he spoke coldly, "You dare to bad mouth Lingshi, while you are the one who betrayed her. Bitch, do you want to die?" 

Maria was scared shitless, and shook her head. Hao Ren sighed and flung her away as if he was throwing out garbage. Maria gasped for air, and watched Hao Ren walking around in the room. The young man took a deep breath and said, "Lingshi does not know any of this, she has been outside the country. Before leaving she filed a missing person report, and I know that she has been in contact with the police regularly even from there." 

Maria covered her mouth, as tears trickled down her face. She was shocked because the person for whom she betrayed Han Lingshi did not seem to have any intention of saving her or even look for her. Hao Ren said, "Han Yuntian and Han Ming are the ones who caught me." 

Maria opened her eyes wide, as she was stunned. She asked, "What did you say?!" 

It was hard for her to believe that the guy she loved moved against her. Hao Ren nodded as he sat down in the corner of the room, "A few days ago, Lingshi hired a guard for me. However, the person was planted by Han Yuntian. He brought me here on gun point." 

Maria was shivering on the side, after half an hour she finally asked, "Are you not worried that they might kill you?" 

Hao Ren shook his head and said, "They want to take over the Empress International. However, if they kill me, Lingshi will not have any weaknesses, and she will ruin Han Ming and Han Yuntian." 

Maria scoffed and said, "You overestimate your value in her heart." 

Hao Ren chuckled as he pointed at her and said, "To think that someone like you would tell me about my importance in her heart. What a pretentious bitch you are?" 

Maria was stunned, and then she glared at him, however, she could not refute him. Hao Ren lay down on the padded floor and said, "Do you think they could be watching us?" 

The girl rolled her eyes but did not talk to him. Hao Ren gazed at her and then turned his face away. Maria asked, "Do you think we can leave this place alive?" 

Hao Ren nodded and said, "I think we can. Han Ming has called Lingshi back by tonight. They intend to get the deal done as quickly as possible." 

Maria nodded and went silent, Hao Ren asked her, "Say, I know that you did betray Lingshi for Han Yuntian, but I cannot figure out why? Can you tell me?" 

Maria glared at him but did not say anything. Hao Ren smiled and said, "Let me see, was he the knight in the shining armor that you always imagined when he met you?" 

Maria did not budge and then Hao Ren used his soothsaying skill, "You love him and that's why you decided to betray Han Lingshi for him. You thought as long as he let Lingshi live, it would be alright. Am I right?" 

Maria turned to him with a snap and yelled, "Yes, that's what I thought, and that's why I did what I did. Who are you to comment on it? Do you think Han Lingshi is an angel? She is a ruthless business woman. Yuntian was born out of wedlock, and the Han Family never accepted him. Han Lingshi despises him, it was not his fault but Han Ming's why is he the one to bear all the responsibility? 

Han Ming has committed many crimes all over the years, yet I don't see anyone on his case. Why do you want to come after Yuntian? He is innocent." 

Hao Ren sneered and said, "From what I have learned, Han Yuntian runs underground drug dens, gamble shop, and his Vanity Jade & Jewels have a lot of fake Jade too. You say he is innocent, but to me he appears to be the biggest sinner of them all. If I had the power, his head would be rolling at the Jade Capital Square." 

Maria clenched her fist and said, "Fuck you, and fuck your power. You don't know half of this shit. Han Ming is the person behind all the illegal businesses. He is the one who groomed Han Yuntian to look after all this ever since he was a young man. It was the father who corrupted his son and not the other way around." 

Hao Ren shouted, "What proof do you have?" 

Maria shouted even louder, "That old bastard is wearing a pendant, that is actually a storage drive. All the proof you want is in there. Alright, and not only that, that old swine is also involved with the Ye family underground forces." 

Hao Ren was dazed for a moment and then he smiled as he said, "Thank you for your help." 

Maria was confused when the door was opened and Hao Ren walked out leaving behind the lady to scream at the top of her lungs.

... 

When Hao Ren came out, Yue Shenlong and his men were looking at the former as if he was a monster. Hao Ren did not care about them, and came to the security equipment console before he picked up his phone and pretended to be on call. He said, "Xiao Mei, access the footage for the past half an hour, extract all the audio against Han Ming." 

As he put his phone back, Yue Shenlong asked, "What are you doing?" 

He was confused, Hao Ren said, "My person is still able to monitor this system so the evidence will be extracted with ease. Don't worry, tonight, Han Ming and Han Yuntian will be bidding there farewell to the world of living." 

He turned around and said, "Just be prepared to bring Maria out when I tell you to." 

Yue Shenlong watched him leave the room, and after a thought he chased after him but Hao Ren was no where to be found. Yue Shenlong was more scared than shocked at this moment. He could not believe that someone barged inside his family villa, and left unnoticed by the guards. He was angry but not at Hao Ren or the guards. He was angry on himself. 

How could all that he had done look like a child's play to someone else. He clenched his fist, and mumbled, "Hao Ren, one day I will catch up to your strength." 

... 

Hao Ren was sitting in the driver's seat of his car, he used his assassination skills to move in and out of the Yue Mansion. The reason he went in like that was to shock Yue Shenlong and show his strength. This may seem unnecessary, but Yue Shenlong was a very competitive person, he never took those who lost to him seriously. 

He was known for his ruthlessness, not to others but himself. He would go to any extent to hone himself into a person whose strength was supreme. Hao Ren exploited that trait to his advantage.

Xiao Mei asked, "Boss, the extraction is complete." 

Hao Ren nodded and said, "Find me the most secluded place outside the city. Find out if Han Yuntian has been released from the lockup." 

After a few moments, the AI replied, "Boss, he is still in. Han Ming needs your signature for the deal to go through." 

Hao Ren thought for a bit and said, "Tell Han Ming to send his lawyer to Mister Leigh and agree for the settlement of twenty million yuan plus psychological damages." 

Xiao Mei nodded, and said, "Han Yuntian should be out by the evening." 

Hao Ren smiled as he turned his vehicle, "Night is when the wolves prey, Xiao Mei."