58. Kidnapped

At the Haishi Public Security Bureau, a task force of dozens of people had been holding a meeting at the command center for nearly six hours.

Reliable intelligence indicated that the two tons of drugs would be transacted again within the next two days. The higher-ups had issued a death order, demanding that they must successfully apprehend the criminals and seize the two tons of drugs in this operation.

“These people are very cunning and know us very well. They are likely to temporarily change the transaction location before the official deal. I suggest multifaceted...” The vibrating of his phone interrupted Lin Xudong’s speech for the third time.

The call was from the same number.

Lin Xudong’s eyes held a veiled emotion. He picked up his phone and stood up. “Excuse me, I need to take a call.”

The call connected. “Old classmate, your phone has been too hard to reach lately. This is quite disruptive.”

“Please know when to stop. My patience has limits.”

“Misunderstanding, a huge misunderstanding! I’m calling today out of goodwill to give you a heads-up,” Zhan Tianxiong chuckled meaningfully. “Director Lin’s precious daughter arrived in Nanshan Town this afternoon, correct?”

Someone ran over hastily from the corridor. “Director Lin, it’s bad! Erhu called and said he didn’t pick up the person!”

The driver and car were both gone. Lin Xingzi’s phone was off, and she had lost contact.

“The intersection is a blind spot for surveillance. It was dark then. The only eyewitness is the four-year-old son of the shop owner. He can’t explain anything, just said he saw the black car that was originally parked at the intersection suddenly speed away very quickly.”

Lin Xudong’s heart clenched violently, breathing with difficulty. He clutched his chest and squatted down, swaying slightly. His phone dropped to the ground, its screen shattering.

“Director Lin? Director Lin, are you alright? Erhu and his team have already contacted the local public security department.”

________________________________________

The medical conditions in the county town were poor. Jiang Yan’s leg injury made movement difficult. After regaining consciousness, he had spoken to Lin Xingzi on the phone, but he waited from dusk till dawn without seeing her.

“When will she arrive?”

Erhu had already prepared his excuse before entering the room, rehearsing it no less than ten times. “Shaocheng had a heavy snowfall. Sister-in-law’s car broke down on the road, and the road is impassable. It’s estimated to be delayed for one night. Sister-in-law has two people with her, so she should be fine.”

Jiang Yan was uneasy. He pulled out his still-barely-functional phone from under his pillow.

“Brother Jiang!” Erhu lunged forward, almost snatching the phone from Jiang Yan’s hand. The chair he knocked over with his foot concealed his overly aggressive reaction.

He scratched his scalp, his tone trying to sound natural, “Uh... Brother Fang’s surgery is done. The doctor said whether it will affect his normal life depends on his recovery later. Brother Fang is in a bad mood. I’m not good at comforting people. Why don’t you go see him? Oh... and I just remembered, Director Lin wants you to contact him as soon as you wake up... Hehe, Brother Jiang, why are you looking at me like that?”

Jiang Yan propped himself up on the hospital bed, asking in a faint voice, “Are you hiding something from me?”

Erhu slumped onto a stool, somewhat deflated. “Ah, it really couldn’t escape Brother Jiang’s eyes. Our people couldn’t catch up to Yan Li. He just vanished in the mountains.”

In short, they absolutely couldn’t let Brother Jiang know that sister-in-law was in trouble for now.

Erhu thought, I’ll hide it for as long as I can. “There’s going to be a big operation at the bureau. Whether we can catch Zhan Tianxiong’s tail depends on this one.”

Jiang Yan knew his injury had delayed the plan. “I’ll contact Director Lin.”

________________________________________

Meanwhile, in Haishi.

Ji Qiuchi feigned a drug addiction relapse and escaped from the hospital. Yan Li was also nowhere to be found. Zhan Tianxiong realized the situation was slowly slipping out of control. He used threats and inducements to pressure Lin Xudong, demanding that Lin Xudong allow his men to transport the goods out of Haishi.

Li Qing returned home overjoyed after picking up Lin Xingzi’s test results from the hospital. She wasn’t as eager as other parents to have grandchildren. Lin Xingzi and Jiang Yan were still young. She could help with the child after she retired in a few years. But it was also good to be pregnant now, continuing her career after having the child, which would add some cheer to the family.

The living room was quiet and dim, with only the flickering light of Lin Xudong’s cigarette.

“Why aren’t the lights on? You scared me,” Li Qing patted her chest. She had just entered the room when she choked from the heavy smell of smoke, coughing non-stop. “How many cigarettes have you smoked...”

Li Qing opened the windows and turned on the lights, nagging and complaining, unable to resist telling Lin Xudong the good news about their daughter’s pregnancy. Lin Xudong, however, remained silent.

“Old Lin?” Li Qing sensed something was wrong. Her heart tightened. “Speak up, what on earth happened?”

Two minutes later, she saw the video on Lin Xudong’s phone, and her face turned ashen.

“Jiang Jiang has been kidnapped,” Lin Xudong’s voice was hoarse and muddled. The helpless sense of defeat made him unable to lift his head, and he seemed to have aged ten years in an instant.

[Director Lin, it’s not that I’m heartless. The people who kidnapped your daughter are not me, but those who can’t live without money. They want money. With money, anything can be discussed. I’m just an intermediary and don’t wish for a tragedy to befall you or me. Once this deal is done, our slate will be wiped clean as you wish, and we guarantee your daughter will return safely, reuniting your family. Director Lin, you have twenty-four hours. Please consider carefully.]

“I harmed her. I harmed our daughter. I don’t deserve to be a police officer, nor do I deserve to be Jiang Jiang’s father.”

At the same time, the same video was sent to Jiang Yan’s phone.

In the video, Lin Xingzi was tied up, her mouth covered with black tape. A masked man was dragging her out by her neck, a gleaming white knife pressed against her face. She couldn’t speak, her hair and clothes were wet, and even her resistance seemed feeble.

Jiang Yan stared fixedly at the screen, his eyes red as if bleeding, the sound of his teeth grinding sending chills through the silent hospital room.

Three hours ago, he had thought he would open his eyes and see her when he woke up.

She had traveled thousands of miles, crossing mountains and rivers. She hadn’t cried on the phone, only her voice was low, calling his name over and over: Jiang Yan, Jiang Yan, wait for me.

The small hospital had poor medical facilities. Snow had blocked the roads, making it difficult to bring in outside resources.

She had said she brought the best medicine.

“They dare! How dare they!”

The video played repeatedly. Erhu couldn’t bear to watch anymore. He took a deep breath and turned his eyes away, desperately trying to hold Jiang Yan down. Jiang Yan pulled out his IV needle, a string of blood beads trailing, dripping onto the yellowed bedsheet.

“Brother Jiang! Brother Jiang, calm down! The local police are already searching, and Director Lin is trying to find a way...”

Erhu realized his clumsy words couldn’t even soothe him. As an outsider, watching the video made him want to kill those beasts, let alone Jiang Yan.

When the local police arrived, the hospital room was in disarray, as if a violent fight had taken place. Jiang Yan’s gauze bandages were stained with blood.

Finding someone required information, but Jiang Yan didn’t have a single photo of Lin Xingzi on him, nor on his phone. Their only joint photo was the one on their marriage certificate. The video only offered a vague glimpse.

“Only a car from Haishi was left at the scene. The owner is abroad. The kidnappers likely followed her all the way from Haishi. Comrade Jiang Yan, please describe the kidnapped person’s appearance in detail so we can mobilize the villagers to help search.”

Erhu silently patted Jiang Yan’s shoulder.

Jiang Yan’s lips moved, but he seemed to have lost his voice. A taste of blood welled up in his throat. He lowered his head, covering his eyes with his hand. After a long while, he finally uttered a low, hoarse voice.

“My wife’s name is Lin Xingzi, from Haishi. She has long hair, about... about this long. Her skin is very fair, double eyelids, a very small, light mole near the left side of her nose. Her height is 1.68 meters, slender. On the day of the incident, she was wearing a black down jacket. She’s afraid of cold and afraid of the dark. If you find her, absolutely do not give her anything with mango; she’s allergic. Don’t leave her alone when it’s dark, and also...”

Erhu saw liquid dripping from between Jiang Yan’s fingers, and his heart ached immensely.

“She’s pregnant,” these four words seemed to drain all of Jiang Yan’s strength.