Sixteen Years

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It wasn’t until Fu Yan frowned as he pressed down on Shao Xuefan’s abdomen that Liu Ruosong belatedly realized that this professor was somehow still alive.

He quickly dropped the iron chain he was holding, rushed over and took off his coat, rolling it up to help stem the bleeding on Shao Xuefan’s wound.

Liu Ruosong was accustomed to outdoor activities and had encountered many injuries like this in the wilderness, which made him surprisingly adept at handling external wounds. He skillfully looped the sleeve of his coat around Shao Xuefan’s side and then pressed the thick fabric firmly against the wound.

In sync with each other, Fu Yan handed over the emergency treatment to him and turned to stand by the window, carefully scanning the surroundings.

The window glass was already shattered, leaving just the frame. About two hundred meters away, a black commercial vehicle closed its door and quickly disappeared from Fu Yan’s line of sight.

When Fu Yan had entered the room earlier, he had stumbled upon the scene of the crime. Though the attackers had tried to make it look more like an “accident,” the messy knife wounds provided some hints.

It seemed that the attackers hadn’t anticipated the sudden intrusion of a stranger into the villa at this time. In their haste, they hadn’t even finished their crime before fleeing. They hastily pulled out the triangular blade lodged in Shao Xuefan’s abdominal cavity and without confirming whether he was truly dead, they turned and smashed through the window glass to escape.

At the end of the path leading to the villa’s back door, there were already other people waiting for them. Fu Yan hesitated briefly before ultimately deciding not to pursue them.

Putting aside the fact that he was alone and they would empower him and also he didn’t have a weapon in his possession, Fu Yan couldn’t bring himself to leave Shao Xuefan and Liu Ruosong behind.

What if those people returned to silence any potential witnesses?

“Fu Yan,” Liu Ruosong’s voice sounded muffled, as if squeezed out from between his teeth. “Come help me out here, I can’t stop the bleeding.”

Fu Yan quickly approached to take over the pressure, while Liu Ruosong let go of his arm and pulled off his coat. He then used it to pad the wound.

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But even with their efforts, Shao Xuefan’s condition was extremely severe. Without the intervention of medical professionals and proper equipment, their actions were pointless. They could perhaps delay the inevitable for a few more minutes, but the end result remained unchanged.

“If you can’t get through to emergency services, call the police,” Fu Yan instructed Liu Ruosong. He then turned to Shao Xuefan and asked, “Are those your enemies?”

Shao Xuefan’s gaze was unfocused, his breathing was labored, and he was losing blood at an alarming rate. It took him several seconds to fully process what Fu Yan was asking. His eyes widened suddenly, and with a struggling effort, he grabbed Fu Yan’s wrist.

“Who are those people?” Fu Yan asked further.

His tone was firm, and Liu Ruosong couldn’t help but look at him with a mixture of doubt and disbelief.

However, Fu Yan had his own thoughts, and after a brief pause, Liu Ruosong hesitated and refrained from asking more questions.

Shao Xuefan’s mouth was spewing blood, and he couldn’t speak clearly. Despite his weakened state, he mustered the strength to grip Fu Yan’s hand and continued to speak with persistence, his gaze fixed on him.

“they……” Shao Xuefan wasn’t able to complete his sentence.

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The smell of blood was nauseating. Liu Ruosong knelt on the floor, and his knees were soaked with blood. Shao Xuefan’s life had slipped away in a matter of minutes, and Liu Ruosong’s mind was a blank slate, struggling to understand what had just happened.

With an expression of confusion and disbelief, he sat on the ground, holding a warm body. His heart pounded heavily within his chest.

“Fu Yan” Liu Ruosong said, “who are those people? By breaking into a murder scene, won’t they come back to eliminate witnesses?”

“I don’t know yet,” Fu Yan honestly replied. He walked over and pulled Liu Ruosong’s arm, leading him a few steps away from the windows. He then picked up Liu Ruosong’s phone and activated the speaker function.

“I am Colonel Fu Yan of the A Military Region Air Force 72nd Division,” Fu Yan introduced himself. “Code RU3729. The reason for my call is confidential, but I need your help to locate someone.”

After a pause, he continued, “Among Shao Xuefan’s students, there is someone named Fang Sining. I need information about him and his coordinates.”

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the call. Liu Ruosong could hear faint rustling sounds, indicating that the call was being transferred.

They soon confirmed Fu Yan’s identity and code. When the voice on the other end spoke again, it was a slightly deeper male voice.

“Colonel Fu,” the voice said, “may I ask for the specific purpose of acquiring Fang Sining’s information?”

Shao Xuefan’s unexpected death had led Fu Yan into a web of mysteries. The brutal crime scene he had stumbled upon seemed like an unknown signal, pulling him into a whirlpool. The gears of fate were audibly clicking into motion, and Fu Yan had a vague premonition – if he didn’t act quickly, he might end up with the same outcome as in his previous life.

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Fu Yan had no intention of explaining further; he didn’t want to waste time. He chose the most direct and concise response.

“It’s related to a mission, and I can’t reveal the details.”