It was the seventh day since Laila had disappeared.
Both domestically and internationally, people had grown impatient. The calls to bring her back were growing louder by the day. In the U.S., people gathered in public squares, holding vigils and praying for her safe return.
At the Moran estate, Janet had already fainted several times in Quentin's arms from grief. The old Mr. Moran's face had turned grimmer with each passing day, but there was nothing more he could do. He'd already sent the best people he could find to South Africa in search of leads. He had exhausted every possible avenue—and still, he wasn't even sure whether Laila was still alive.
Her grandmother had retreated into the family's Buddhist altar room after learning of Laila's disappearance, chanting scriptures day and night to pray for her granddaughter's safety. She believed that such a good child would surely be loved by the Buddha. If the gods of the West couldn't protect her, then surely the Buddhas of the East would.
At the film crew's base, Roy couldn't sit still any longer. Xiao Ye kept insisting he wait, telling him not to act rashly. But now that a whole week had passed, Roy was full of regret. A week was enough time for anything to happen—for someone alive to become someone lost forever…
He couldn't stand the torment anymore. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw a gaunt, tearful Laila begging him to find her, to save her.
"I can't wait any longer!" He grabbed the backpack he had long prepared and rushed to the door. He'd already scoped things out: right now, everyone was eating—the least guarded time of day. If he could just reach the parking area, he could use a car to leave. As for where he would go… he didn't know. But doing something was better than helplessly waiting.
But as he opened the door, he found Xiao Ye standing right there, about to knock.
Seeing the backpack, Xiao Ye immediately understood. "Roy, where are you going?"
"It's none of your business!" Roy brushed past him and kept walking.
Xiao Ye stepped in front of him. "You think this is really the most relaxed time security-wise? Let me tell you—that's just for show. It's meant to lure intruders in. The moment you actually try to leave, you'd be stopped before you even reach a car."
"You're lying!" Roy wasn't someone who gave up just because of a few words.
Xiao Ye sighed. "You know how many people we have here. Do you really think there's ever a moment when we let our guard down? These are top-tier professionals—how could they leave any opening? That 'easy moment' you saw is a trap, meant to bait the enemy. Anyone who takes it will end up surrounded before they know what hit them."
He laid it all out in detail, and Roy realized he wasn't lying. But that didn't mean he'd give up. If he couldn't leave on his own, then he'd just ask directly.
"I want to go out."
Xiao Ye raised an eyebrow. "If, after everything I just told you, you still want to go out… then I'll let you. But only if you listen."
Roy stared at him. A sudden thought struck him, and his voice trembled as he grabbed Xiao Ye by the arm. "You found her, didn't you? You've got news about Laila!"
He was trained—his grip was no joke. Caught off guard, Xiao Ye let out a yelp. "Dude! Chill out!"
But Roy was anything but calm. "Tell me! You found her, right? She's safe? Has she been rescued? Is she back?!"
"Hold up!" Xiao Ye first wrested his nearly dislocated arm free, then rubbed his sore muscles and said, "Didn't I tell you our mercenaries were secretly investigating? They've had some presence here for a while. After a lot of work, they finally found out that Laila was kidnapped by a local crime boss named Martin."
As for the fact that Martin was the same guy who lost a diamond during a previous operation—Xiao Ye had no intention of mentioning that. If Roy knew, he'd be wracked with guilt.
"Martin?" Roy clenched his fists, his voice hoarse. "Is she okay?"
Xiao Ye knew this wasn't the time for jokes. "Don't worry. She's fine. At least, for now, she's safe."
"Then what are we waiting for? Let's go get her!" Roy said firmly. He believed that with all the people they had here, they could definitely rescue Laila from this so-called Martin.
After all, they had bodyguards, mercenaries, special agents from back home, and even support from the local military. How could Martin's ragtag gang compare to that?
And he was right. Martin's gang had once numbered over a thousand—not all armed, but still a sizable force in the region. But during the recent anti-crime sweep, many had ended up in prison. The remaining members couldn't even show their faces in public, lest they disappear forever.
These days, Martin's only followers were a bunch of wannabe heroes with juvenile delusions of grandeur. Even the old Martin would've been no match for this film crew's firepower.
Still, Xiao Ye shook his head. "It's not that easy. Martin has a solid foothold in West City. From what we've gathered, Laila's being held in the heart of that area. If we want to rescue her, we have to first secure the perimeter. Otherwise, a small team going in won't have more than a 20% success rate."
"We've got plenty of people," he continued, "but not enough to completely surround his territory. With Martin's network, the moment we move into the outskirts, he'll know. He'll take Laila and vanish. And finding her again won't be easy."
Roy knew he was right. "Then what? We know where she is, and we can't even get her out? What about Fusca? His team knows the area better. Can't they do it?"
Wasn't the whole point of using locals to avoid tipping the scales too hard?
Xiao Ye gave a bitter smile. "You really trust those people? Sure, Fusca's reliable—but can you say the same about his subordinates? Martin's been operating in that region for decades. Who knows what shady connections he has in the military or the police? Even a casual leak could tip him off. Are you really willing to risk that?"
Roy wasn't.
He couldn't afford to make any move that might endanger Laila. Just like Xiao Ye said—if they alerted Martin and he moved her again, they might never find her.
"So what do we do?" He paced in frustration, turning in circles. "Maybe I should call Mr. Moran. Maybe he has a better plan."
Xiao Ye thought about it and nodded. "Good idea. He's well connected. Maybe he can reach out to someone we can trust—someone who can actually help."
Roy didn't say another word. He pulled out his phone and called the old man.
Laila had been missing for far too long. The family needed some good news.
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T/N:
🎉🎬 Chapter 1000 Milestone! 🎬🎉
💥💯 We've officially hit Chapter 1000! After like 3 Years?! From new life, billion Boxoffice, secret plots, and daring rescues to unexpected friendships and million-dollar scripts—we've come so far together! 💪📖
Thank you to every reader who's laughed, cried, gasped, and facepalmed with these characters. 🙈💖 Whether you've been here since Chapter 1 or joined somewhere along the way, your support means everything! 🌍🙌
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🔥 But we're not stopping here! The story's only getting more intense—more secrets, more schemes, and definitely more chaos. Buckle up, because the next 300 chapters are gonna be a ride! 🚀📚
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