Crimson Instinct

Same time at Xin Lei's side.

---

*Xin Lei*

If I had been drinking water, then I would have surely spit it out by now. Bai Li and I both coughed at once.

Dad was really something else.

Bai Li and my child…

"Dad!" Bro suddenly roared. "What are you saying? And Xin Lei. Snap out of your stupid dream already! I can see you must be imagining your children."

I blushed and typed. "I wasn't thinking that!"

Dad shrugged. "What did I say wrong? Lei Lei is also old enough to give me grandbabies. Isn't she already dating Bai Li? What's the problem?" Then his gaze fell on Bai Li, and he beamed. "Bai Li. Finally, we meet!"

Bai Li smiled and brought his hand forward in his direction. "Nice to meet you too, Mr. Xin."

Bro snorted and looked away.

"Call me, Uncle. The same goes for you three too," he looked at Luo Zhiqiang, Liao Huifang, and Kang Yuan. "Well, Yuan already calls me that, isn't it?"

I shook my head at Yuan's state. He seemed so anxious as if he would run away the moment he got his chance.

"Huh? O-oh yes. But how can I call you that now?" I mean…"

"Of course you can. So what if you broke up with her? I still like you. You are a good man. That doesn't affect our relationship."

His smile felt a little dull and faint to me, but he said nothing in response to Dad. Now I was sure that something was up with him. I mentally made a note to talk to him later.

Bai Li said, "Thank you for all the help in Fu Ting's case. You were here. That's why we could be at ease investigating in Langfang."

Dad smiled. "Don't thank me. That was my job. I should thank you for having my daughter's back till now."

Bai Li scratched his head. "Actually, you should thank Cocoa. I had refused Xin Lei to help her in the beginning. I am not a soldier anymore, so frankly, I didn't want to get in any mess. But he pulled my leg and dragged me to her side."

Dad laughed. "I admire your honesty. And I was excited to meet Cocoa too but...it's alright. They will be fine. I know we will save him and Chu Jie. I can feel the time is coming near. Call it my instinct."

He nodded.

The doorbell rang, and we glanced at each other. 

Luo Zhiqiang said, "I will check."

He came after a minute with another man walking beside him.

"Dad!"

Shi Ruiling hopped into Major General Shi Jianguo's embrace. 

"Ruiling, my child." He smiled and patted her head.

It was an emotional moment for both of them, just like it was for Dad and me.

"Dad, how are you here?"

"I told him." Dad said, "Major General and I got acquainted when Lin Zihao kept in protection in the army base. I just got to know that Captain Su Weiyuan has disappeared, so I called him here since you were all coming too."

We nodded.

Bai Li asked, "Any clue about his whereabouts?"

Major General shook his head. "I am pretty sure that Sergeant Zi Mimi had sent a message to ex-Major Yu Zichen, but I didn't find any burner phone anywhere. She didn't send out any secret radio or communication."

Bai Li narrowed his eyes. "It is easy to suspect her so that she might have discarded it somewhere else."

"But it is impossible in the army grounds. When you enter or leave the base, your belongings are always checked along with doing a body checkup. If there is any unidentified and unregistered equipment with you, the security immediately questions the soldier. No such questioning happened to Sergeant Zi. Then how did she contact Yu Zichen?"

"Time is running short. We will have to pay a visit to Yu Zichen for the answers. Let's go."

***

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Time: 7:00 PM. Thirty hours and thirty minutes left.

Su Weiyuan woke up in a dark place as his eyelids slowly fluttered. There was only a small source of light from the bulb hung above him. He blinked his eyes, adjusting to the light.

The cogs of his brain instantly got alert, and he sat up straight in attention. He narrowed his eyes as he saw his arms and legs tied to the chair he was sitting. His mouth was covered with tape.

As expected, he thought.

Like any trained soldier, he studied the place where he was kept. It was a small room with no windows. There was a door at the far end of his left side. Apart from that, there was nothing: no furniture or no old boxes lying here and there. 

His mind instantly went back to the scene where he just came out of Yu Zichen's home after talking to him. As soon as he walked further, he detected movement behind his back. 

It took him by surprise for a moment because he didn't expect the attack after he met with Yu Zichen.

They have set a trap, he thought.

He knew the men behind him were going to attack him. He made a split-second decision. And that was to let them kidnap him. He wanted them to take him where he would meet Tan Ye's murderer.

But he also knew it would look too suspicious if he just let them attack him as if he didn't sense anyone's presence. He was too trained to miss it.

So he turned. He seriously fought them for a few minutes until he knew one man had a set tripwire. So he fell for it, busy fighting with two men at once, and another man knocked him out.

And so he was in this place now.

Su Weiyuan moved his wrists. He rubbed his shoes against each other, but his wrists and ankles were tightly tied.

"They are special ropes, Captain. You cannot free yourself from them. Escape is pointless."

He heard a deep and gruff voice as the door opened, and a tall figure entered the dimly lit room.

---

At the same time, where Ying Yue was, everybody had no idea why she was sent back. When one of the guards came to take her, Cocoa was ready to slit his throat with his sharp claws. 

But the man aimed his gun at him, and Chu Jie covered him in fear.

"No, don't shoot him!"

Ying Yue said, "It's okay. Chu Jie." 

She stared at Cocoa and then at the gun, the man was aiming at him.

"Grrr…"

She slowly put her hand on his furry head and petted him. Cocoa rubbed his head on her palm and licked it. "Arf."

Then she stood up and said, "Please don't risk your lives for me. I will go."

"Sis…" Chu Jie teared up. He knew what horrible things were going to happen to her. Long Hu also felt helpless. Nobody was in a situation to help her.

She went away, but to their surprise, she returned just five minutes later as the man pushed her back into the room.

Long Hu widened his eyes. "You came back?"

"Sis!" Chu Jie beamed and jumped in her arms. He cried as he hugged her tightly. "Sis, what happened? I-I thought I would never see you again," he sniffled.

Cocoa circled her and furiously nudged his head on her hand.

Ying Yue was in a daze. She didn't even hear their questions. Her gaze seemed distant and felt as if she was in disbelief.

"Sis?" Chu Jie shook her shoulder. "Are you okay? Where are you lost?"

Ying Yue snapped back. "Huh?"

Long Hu asked, "What happened?"

She slowly said, "I don't know myself. I was walking with the guard, and a man suddenly came up to him. He said to him to take me back."

They blinked their eyes in confusion.

"Why?" They spoke in unison.

Ying Yue lowered her gaze. "They were orders from somebody. The other man said to hold on for some time until he is back."

"Orders? Who gave them? Did he say a name?"

Her heart skipped a beat. She didn't know if it was true or not.

Did I hear it correctly? Or maybe I am mistaken.

"The other guard said that the orders were from Rodey."

Chu Jie frowned. "Rodey? I never heard that name."

The little hope that lit in her heart instantly vanished. Her gaze dimmed, and she pursed her lips.

I see. So, I heard it wrong. Maybe I was thinking about him too much that I misheard.

Long Hu said, "I have heard that name."

Ying Yue froze. She raised her head and looked at him in anticipation. She rushed to his side and sat beside him. "You know him?"

"No. I haven't seen him. But I have heard the men outside talking about him sometimes. From what I understood, Rodey never comes here, and he is an important figure in this gang. He handles outside operations. If you heard Rodey's name who gave the order, then maybe you are right."

So he is really here. 

She knew that Rodey was involved in criminal activities, but she never expected to get kidnapped by his gang.

She was lost in her thoughts when a scream from outside jolted her into reality.

"Hey, let me go! Why did you bring me here!?" The voice cried loudly. "Help! Somebody, please help!"

Ying Yue widened her eyes in shock as she recognized the voice she knew all too well.

Jingjing?