Chapter 70-72

(Note from TB: In the internet version, there are 84 chapters in total.  However, chapter 70 is completely blank, and chapter 71 are side stories which you should read after the ending.  I am not sure why that is.  But I checked a few website, and it's all the same.  For consistency purposes, I will use the same chapter numbers as the internet version.)

Chapter 72

“Xie Han.  English name - Jabber.  Born in California, US.  Age - 26.”  A Hong Kong officer is presenting the information as an image of a handsome Asian man is projected onto the screen: “His father was the Chairman of Tong Neng Corporation before he passed away.   His personal asset worth is over 1 billion US dollars.  His mother was a biologist.  His parents divorced when he was four.  She gave up her custody rights.” 

Based on Bo Jinyan’s interactions with No.1 last night, and the deductions he made previously, the FBI and the Hong Kong have set up a special unit to work together on the case. And they have found a person that fits all the description.

The officer continues: “Even though we have a name, we have difficulty issuing a warrant of arrest.  He disappeared in 2006.  All his personal assets have been moved overseas.  Since then, no one has seen him.  We suspect that he has had plastic surgery done to him. Look at this.”

He shows a different image on the screen.  It’s a photo taken during the 2013 HK Galaxy writers Award Ceremony.  The photo of “Mei Yuanjun” fits the description of the family that was kidnapped earlier, but it looks very different from Xie Han’s. 

“Experts say there are a few features on his face that look like it’s pasted on.  For example, his brows.  There might be other features that have been ‘camouflaged’ as well.  But even just by looking at the shape of his face, it’s obvious that there are a number of changes to how he used to look. The possibility of plastic surgery is extremely high.”  

Ouyang Lin says: “So, even though we have his name, identity and even his DNA, we can’t find him because we still don’t know what he looks like.  And there is a possibility that he is using a new name and a fake identity.  We are looking for a needle in a haystack!”

Everyone is quiet.  The team leader look at Bo Jinyan: “Professor, do you have any ideas?”

Bo Jinyan answers faintly: “I agree with  Sergeant Ouyang’s views.  But he was forced to abort his most current plan because of us.  He will need some time to organise something that is more complex and cruel.  So we must seize time to check the top 1% of the rich people in Hong Kong.  It’s a competition on speed.  If we find him quickly, we can stop the next wave of murders.”

——————-

The sun warms the sheets on the bed.  There is a smell of disinfectant and medication in the air.  The usually pungent scent brings peace to the minds of those who are there.  

 Jian Yao is sitting on the side of the bed.  She looks at Li Xunran.  He is asleep at the moment.  All his injuries are treated.  He is still the handsome officer she knows.  Just that he has lost a lot of weight and his face is heartbreakingly pale.

She holds on to his hand.  

Bo Jinyan is sitting in a sofa behind her.  He is quietly accompanying his girlfriend.   Occasionally, he will look up at the man that’s lying in bed.  Hmm… Li Xunran is still an annoying guy.  But he will tolerate him for two reasons. 1. He is Jian Yao’s good friend. 2.  He is the only other person (besides himself) who survived after being imprisoned by the Flower Cannibal for a long period of time. 

Jian Yao can feel Li Xunran’s fingers moving. Then she sees his eyes slowly open.  

“Xunran….” She calls him softly. When Bo Jinyan hears that he is awake, he stands up and stands beside Jian Yao.  

Li Xunran’s lips are still cracked from dehydration.  He gives a small smile: “Come on, pinch me… I need to know if this is a dream.”

Jian Yao’s eyes tear up.  She says softly: “You are safe now.  Jinyan and I, and the Hong Kong Police Force will protect you.”

Li Xunran looks at her.  Tears of joy swell up in his eyes.  He squeezes the hand that is holding her.  They look into each other’s eyes and laugh together.  

Then he lets go of her hand.  He turns to Bo Jinyan and says with a coarse voice: “Thank you.” He reaches his hand out to Bo Jinyan.

He is clever enough to know that he owes his lucky escape to Bo Jinyan.  He is truly grateful.  

Bo Jinyan reaches his hands out and shakes his hand: “You don’t have to thank me.  You are a lucky man.” 

Li Xunran smiles.  Jian Yao takes a look at Bo Jinyan: “Yes, he is a good person, so the gods looked after him. But you don’t have to be so ‘humble’…. if it’s not for you…” She says it with admiration and love.

Oh…. Bo Jinyan’s lips curl into a smile. 

That’s excellent.  Her love for him is getting deeper and richer every day.  

———————

Li Xunran tells them briefly what happened during the time he was kidnapped.  He went to the hospital for a check up after returning from B City. The nurse gave him some aesthetics before doing some tests.  When he woke up again, he was in a cell.  He didn’t even know when or how Xie Han did it.

Bo Jinyan asks: “Why didn’t he kill you?”  It doesn’t make sense that the sole purpose to capture him is to use him as a human bomb in Hong Kong.  Why did he go through so much trouble?

Li Xunran smiles: “I remember… during the killer machine case…  you said… an organised psychopaths wants to find satisfaction and joy from torturing his victims…. So… I made sure I did everything against his wishes.  He would not get any satisfaction from me.”  

He didn’t eat.  He didn’t talk back.  He didn’t react to any of his provocations.  He just pretended Xie Han was not around.

Jian Yao feels sorry for her friend.  Bo Jinyan replies: “That’s a dumb move, but at least it worked.” 

Jian Yao quickly pulls his sleeves to protest.  Bo Jinyan looks at her long pretty fingers.  He decides to keep quiet.  He gives her a small smile.  

Li Xunran observes them.  He smiles too.

Jian Yao and Bo Jinyan stayed until around 7pm.  Li Xunran watches them go out of the ward.  Then he closes his eye.  

He thinks for a while, then gives a big sigh.  He has a smile on his face.

Thank you.  I am very lucky to have friends like you.    

————————

The dark sky looks like a large black curtain wrapped around the earth.  Misty rain gently and quietly lands on the ground.  

Jian Yao’s vision is blurred.  She is standing in the fog, she sees a man standing in the distance.  A tall man with a handsome face, lean and long body.  A familiar man.

Jinyan…. Jinyan…. 

She steps into the rain and walks towards him.  But he turns around and runs in a different direction and disappears in the darkness.  Then she hears a loud explosion.   She sees fire and smoke coming from the area Bo Jinyan is in.  

The fire engulfed him.  It’s going to engulf me too.  She thought.   

Jinyan— She used all her strength, but no sound is coming out of her mouth.

Jinyan— tears filled her eyes.  Suddenly she starts to fall… into a bottomless pit.

……

“uh….” 

Jian Yao opens her eyes.  She is sitting on the armchair in the hotel.  Outside, the rain is falling. She can hear the sound of the raindrops brushing the window. There is a blanket  covering her body, and a book on her lap.    

She fell asleep.  

She gets up and walks to the bathroom.  After splashing some water over her face, she looks into the mirror.  It’s a dream.  Only a dream.  Yet, she feels sad, and afraid. The dream only reveals the fear she has in her heart.  The fear that came to her when Bo Jinyan walked towards  the bomb yesterday.  

She looks at her watch.  it’s 9pm.  Jian Yao is wearing a nightgown. It’s getting a bit cold.  She grabs a shawl to wrap around her body.  Then she walks into the study.  Bo Jinyan is standing in front of a white board.  Quiet and focused. 

There’s a map of the California US on the white board.  There are markings on various locations.  He is reviewing the old Flower Cannibal case.  Jian Yao walks up to him.  As she is about to hug him, the phone rings.  

Bo Jinyan turns around to pick up the call.  He sees Jian Yao.  He gives her a smile, then he says hello to the caller.  

Jian Yao walks over to stand beside him.  

It’s Yin Ziqi on the phone.  She’s arrived in Hong Kong for a while now.  But Bo Jinyan has been too busy to contact her.

Bo Jinyan frowns: “…. there’s no sign of him.  Well… there is a good chance that he is still alive like Li Xunran.  It will be easier for me if you aren’t around.  Go back to China…” he pauses for a while: “…up to you. Take care of yourself…. Of course… I will be careful.”

Jian Yao listens quietly.  She wraps her hands around his waist, and rests her head in his chest.  His steady and strong heartbeat has a soothing effect on her.  

“Ok.  I get the signal.” A low magnetic voice speaks. 

Jian Yao looks up.  He is looking down at her.  Their faces are just inches apart.  He’s finished his conversation with his sister.  Bo Jinyan stares at her.  

Jian Yao blushes.  She lets go of him and says softly: “What signal?  I didn’t give you any signals.”

“Are you sure?”  He bents his head down a little more.  His masculine scent moving closer towards her.  “Don’t you want me?” 

Jian Yao’s face is bright red. How is she supposed to answer him? 

She refuses to give an answer.  Instead, she turns around and walks out of the room.  However, Bo Jinyan has known her long enough to know that, for women - silence means yes - under these circumstances.  He smiles and follows her out of the room.

————-

(Sorry for the interruption, 18+ readers  can access the next section at http://lmfydx.blogspot.co.nz/p/chapter-72.html)  

—————-

A beautiful and sweet evening for a pair of lovers.  A time to temporarily put aside all the cares of the world, and concentrate on each other.  

But there are others out there who can’t sleep.  The night is long. 

Yin Ziqi is lying alone on a King size bed.  She’s been tossing around, unable to sleep for hours.  

She sits up, and looks at the spacious and opulently decorated room.   Sadness comes over her. 

This is Lin Yi Yang’s villa in Mid Levels in Hong Kong.  She’s arrived in Hong Kong for a few days now.  There’s no progress in finding Lin Yi Yang yet.  She wants to go back to China, but Lin Yi Yang’s mom insists that she should stay in Hong Kong.  So she has been using the time to inspect the Hong Kong offices of Lin Corporations and Yin Corporations, just to keep herself busy.  

Perhaps it’s the worries and fears, she’s been suffering from insomnia for a few nights already.  She calls their family doctor, who says it’s probably due to stress. 

She gets out of bed and walks to the study.  She picks up a book and starts to read.

————-

All the lights suddenly go off.  Yin Ziqi looks at the darkness around her. 

This villa has its own generator.  Even if there’s a power outage in the area, this house should not be affected.  She frowns and calls the maid: “Zhang Ma!  Zhang Ma!”

Nobody answers.

She starts to feel a little uncomfortable.  Just as she gets up from the sofa, she hears footsteps from the stairways.

“Ms Yin.”  A tall man appears at the door.  He sounds a little out of breath.  Perhaps it’s because he was rushing to bring her the news: “I am very sorry. There’s a short circuit in the system.  We are fixing it right now.” 

She smiles politely: “Thank you.  You are…”

The young man smiles.

“I’m one of Mr.Lin’s bodyguards.” His voice has a natural soothing quality about it.  It has the power to make people relax and put their trust in him: “Nice to meet you.”