Zhong Feng checked his phone after delivering his short opening speech. Kaito had called just before he had stepped forward to the podium, so he was not able to pick the call.

He intended to call back, but he found a short message from Kaito about a major ambush by mercenaries at the hotel.

The information did not shake Zhong Feng.

He contacted the head of security and instructed them to strengthen the protective measures around the hotel perimeter. He also instructed the head of security to liaise with the police. He had ensured that there was enough police presence on the scene in concealed squad cars in case a response was needed.

Naturally, Zhong Feng had considered the possibility of some foolish people would act carelessly during the banquet.

After addressing the security situation, he walked to his table where his family was already seated.

He frowned because he did not see Hu Lei. When he had parted with her, she had gone to greet Bo Qian and Beatrice. He assumed she would have already settled in.

He looked at his mother who was watching the emcee. She noticed his presence and turned to him with a smile.

"Have you seen Xiao Lei?" He asked in a low voice.

"She has not yet come to the table. I thought she was waiting for you backstage." She responded.

Zhong Feng nodded and quickly walked away. He guessed that she was probably chatting with Beatrice to avoid coming to the table without him.

Outside the hall where the banquet was being held, Hu Lei walked with brisk steps towards the bathroom. She did not go to the bathroom intended for the general guests. Instead, she walked to the staff bathrooms which were father away.

When she entered the bathroom, she stood behind the door and waited.

The door opened slowly, and a man in a bellboy uniform entered. Hu Lei closed the door and punched towards his face. Her fist landed on his cheek, and there was a crunch.

The man did not waste time in retaliating. He swung his arm at her face, hoping to finish up the job immediately. Hu Lei dodged the large fist coming towards her face. She caught the man by the wrist and punched his chin from below in an uppercut.

She released his arm and directed a palm toward his chest. She would normally not use so many moves on people. However, with the long gown and high-heeled shoes, she could not use her legs for fighting.

The man felt excruciating pain in his chest and lost his breath. He stumbled backward and his back hit the sink as he gasped for air. He fell to the tiled floor.

Hu Lei walked toward him, ready to give him another punch before questioning him. However, she noticed some movement from a bathroom stall through the mirror. She was not sure if the person inside was an attacker or a bystander.

Since the man in the bellboy uniform was already out of commission possibly with a few broken ribs, she decided to check on the person inside the stall first. She walked slowly and with caution while keeping her vigilance up.

When she pushed the door open, a man in black military-style fatigues was waiting for her and used a Taser gun to zap her. The memories of the people who had captured her before in the same clothes distracted her for a moment, so she could not dodge.

The electrodes from the device stuck to the bodice of her evening gown and released a high electrical charge. Hu Lei could tell that the gun had to be at least military-grade because of the high charge. However, it was not enough to take her down.

She caught the charged copper wires and tugged.

The man cursed out loud and released the cartridge from the Taser. He fired again as Hu Lei who should have been down walked toward him.

The second set of electrodes also stuck to Hu Lei and caused her to have muscle weakness. She resisted the urge to collapse.

Unfortunately, she was not prepared for the third man in the opposite stall behind her. When she was trying to shake off the effects of the electrical charge, the third man took the opportunity and injected a sedative into her neck.

"She is tougher than I thought." The man who had injected the sedative spoke as he placed Hu Lei on the ground.

Hu Lei felt her body lose strength, but she did not lose consciousness immediately.

"You thought it would be overkill for the three of us to come. If she wasn't all dressed up, we would not have had a chance." The second man stepped out of the stall.

"At least, you did not have to lure her here. I think I heard bones cracking." The third man looked at the guy in the bellboy uniform in sympathy.

At that moment, Hu Lei realised that it had been a trap from the beginning.

She had separated from Bo Qian and Beatrice when she had noticed a man in a bellboy uniform outside the ballroom. She had found it odd, especially after seeing his expensive military-style shoes.

She had intended to lure him out of the area with guests and solve him quietly.

But it seems that she had acted foolishly once again.

She had been captured again.

She wondered if it would take another three years before Zhong Feng found her again.

Perhaps, she would never see him again.

With that thought, she lost consciousness.