<h4>Chapter 1356: Chapter 1664: North-South Strife (5)</h4>


    "The yacht has stopped." A few minutester, the technician reported thetest situation.


    "They’re still waiting for the signal from those at the port." Ling Chen had just finished speaking when he heard his phone ring. Answering the call, he immediately heard the voice of the man from before: "Ling Chen, we’ll give you at most two hostages..."


    Before the other party could finish, Ling Chen directly hung up the phone. "Big brother, Sir Chen, we should get going."


    It’s not very far from the base to the port, a little over ten kilometers, about a twenty-minute drive. Near the port, Ling Chen got out of the car and went into a shop nearby. "Boss, a cup of coffee, please." Ling Chen called out, while cing his phone on the table.


    When the cup of coffee was almost finished, his phone finally rang again.


    "Ling Chen, three, three hostages, that’s our bottom line. If you don’t agree, then let’s fight to the death."


    "Okay, three, that’s what you said." Ling Chen slightly raised the corners of his mouth, revealing a faint smile. He knew this was the limit of what the other party could ept; if he pushed them further, it would definitely end in a mutual destruction.


    "Ling Kun, Ling Tao, and the porridge girl, I want these three people. Get ready and meet at the port gate in ten minutes." After hanging up the phone, Ling Chen drank the rest of the coffee in one gulp and then stood up, leading everyone to the port gate.


    About five minutester, someone finally appeared at the port. Seeing Ling Kun and the other twoe into view, Ling Chen secretly breathed a sigh of relief. As the other party got closer, Ling Chen stepped forward, looking at the man in charge of escorting Ling Kun and the others, and said, "Leave them here, and you can go."


    "Ling Chen, you better keep your word, don’t forget, I still have three hostages." After saying this, the man nced warily at Chen Junfeng and the others, slowly backing away. Watching them leave, Ling Chen immediately ran to Ling Kun, untying the ropes on the three of them.


    "Dad, porridge girl, are you okay?"


    "I’m fine." Ling Kun exhaled slowly. Other than looking a bit pale, he seemed alright.


    "Ling Chen, tell your men to act immediately, we absolutely cannot let them escape." Ling Tao urged from the side: "Those three are the core high-level members of our Northern Ling Family, they can’t be allowed to meet any mishaps."


    "If weunch a strong attack, they’ll definitely kill the hostages. But don’t worry, I’ve already arranged for backup."


    After speaking, the group got into their cars and returned to the base. Upon reaching the control room, Hu Fei spoke up: "Those people have already boarded the yacht, heading towards the public sea."


    Ling Chen nodded and said, "Keep watching them, see where they go. ording to Miss Lin’s intel, the people from the Southern Ling Family are hiding on a cargo ship; that yacht is likely heading to meet them."


    "I understand. I’ll let you know as soon as there’s news."


    "Dad, I’ll take you to rest first."


    Ling Tao shook his head and said, "No, I want to stay here; I can’t focus on anything else until we rescue them." Saying this, Ling Tao nced at Ling Chen beside him, sighed, and said, "You should have made them give us the Family Head. As long as the Family Head is safe, no matter the loss, we can find a way to recover. s..."


    "It’s not his fault; he doesn’t know who the Family Head is. He only knows the three of us, so of course, he saved us first." Ling Kun interjected, "Thankfully, this kid has some brains; otherwise, the two of us wouldn’t be standing here."


    Seeing Ling Tao insist on staying, Ling Chen didn’t say much, but took Ling Kun and porridge girl out of the control room, arranging a room for each of them.


    Having not seen the porridge girl for a long time, Ling Chen stayed a little longer with her. Seeing her weary face, Ling Chen gently caressed her cheek and said tenderly, "Get some good rest for a while, don’t worry about the Ling family matters anymore; I don’t want you, young as you are, to turn into an old nag."


    The porridge girl chuckled softly, "Anyway, Master has already promised me to you, so even if I be an old nag, you can’t abandon me."


    "Yes, yes, I couldn’t bear to abandon you." After pausing for a moment, Ling Chen said seriously, "Since the Northern Ling Family is in trouble, you shouldn’t follow them anymore. Stay with me; I don’t want you to be in danger again."


    "But, Master..."


    "I’ll talk to my dad; you don’t have to worry. Besides, with the Northern Ling Family like this, I don’t want my dad to be involved anymore. Our family has finally reunited; I don’t want any idents."


    While they talked, there was suddenly a knock on the door. Ling Chen got up to open it, finding Xia Yue standing outside.


    "Fifth Sister, do you need me for something?"


    "Sixth Brother, you should go and have a look; that guy Ling Tao is arguing with the fatty."


    "Arguing?" Ling Chen’s expression changed slightly, and without thinking further, he hurried to the control room. Before he even entered, he heard Ling Tao’s voiceing from inside: "Remember, not just you, everyone here has to listen to me. Understand?"


    "Listen to you?" Hu Fei sneered. "Are you joking? Who are you, and why should we listen to you?"


    "Because I am from the Northern Ling Family."


    "Pah! The Northern Ling Family is finished. Stop using that name to pressure me. Besides, even if the Northern Ling Family is something, do you think I would be afraid? If it weren’t for our help, you all would be done for by now."


    "Shut up!"


    Hearing this, Ling Chen frowned slightly and quickly entered the control room, "Uncle Ling, fatty, what’s going on?"


    Seeing Ling Chen approach, before Hu Fei could speak, Ling Tao had already taken the opportunity to say: "Ling Chen, you came just in time; immediately get this fatty out of my sight, and don’t let him appear at this base again."


    Ling Chen smiled and patted Hu Fei on the shoulder, "Uncle Ling, what’s going on? We’re all on the same side, no need to be unpleasant with each other, right? Fatty, you too, Uncle Ling is a guest; as the host, you should at least be a bit polite. Come on, apologize to Uncle Ling, and let’s move past this."


    "No way!" Ling Tao said sternly, "He must leave."


    Hu Fei shrugged, nonchnt, saying, "Leave then, what’s the big deal." After a pause, Hu Fei continued, "Ling Chen, it’s not that I’m not being courteous, but this guy is too annoying; whatever I do is my business, why should I listen to him. Ling Chen, you judge: should this base listen to me or to him?"


    Ling Tao said coldly, "This is the property of our Northern Ling Family, naturally it listens to me."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen couldn’t help but nce at Ling Tao and, with a smile, asked, "Uncle Ling, what do you mean by that?"