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Chapter 10
Yan Xie said smiling, “No wonder you suddenly took the initiative. It turns out Yang Mei is not here today.”
“The number you dialed is busy, please try again later…”
On a bustling street, Yang Mei stood by the car door, her delicate eyebrows furrowing as she dialed the number again.
After waiting for a while this time, just as the busy tone was about to come on, someone answered on the other end, “Hello.”
“Brother Jiang, are you done on your end? I just finished my work and I’m heading to the hospital to pick you up—”
“I’m being followed.”
“What?!” Yang Mei was stunned for a moment, then immediately lowered her voice, “By who? Is it someone from Gongzhou, or…?”
Jiang Ting didn’t answer immediately, and a chill ran through Yang Mei’s heart.
If it was someone from Gongzhou, they would at most want his life.
But if it was someone else, it could be something terrifying, even unimaginable.
“It’s hard to say,” Jiang Ting’s voice finally came through, and Yang Mei felt like he was moving forward briskly, “This person has inquired about me at the hospital, leaving traces behind. Their methods are rough, not like someone from Gongzhou.”
“What should we do now?! I’ll come pick you up immediately!”
However, Jiang Ting’s calm voice suppressed her anxiety, “Whoever wants to kill me doesn’t know about your existence yet. Don’t come find me. Go back to the store and get some people to help. I’ll lead him outside the hospital, and I’ll call you later.”
“Hello, Brother Jiang!” The phone went into a busy tone as Jiang Ting hung up.
Jiang Ting put his phone back in his pocket and looked ahead. The glass door at the end of the corridor reflected the sudden appearance of a man at the corner behind him.
—He’s following so closely.
Is it excessively amateurish, or is he planning to make a move?
The corridor came to an end, and there was no way forward. Jiang Ting glanced around, and within half a second, he had a mental map of the floor, analyzing the positions of the wards, the elevator, the duty station, and the security door. Not far away, several caregivers were slowly pushing their elderly patients, about twenty meters away.
There was a clattering sound above his head, and the footsteps of the pursuer slowed down, as if observing the situation.
At the same time, the elevator door chimed open.
A nurse pushing a cart came out of the elevator and turned toward another corridor connected to the end of the hallway, preparing to distribute pre-meal soup to the various wards.
To an outsider, Jiang Ting, who had just come down from the stairs, didn’t even hesitate for a moment. It seemed as if he had planned it that way from the beginning, casually picking up a bowl of soup from the cart without even looking at it, pouring it onto the ground behind him, and placing the empty bowl back on the cart. His movements were smooth and fluid, and he continued walking forward without any pause.
A few seconds later, there was a loud crash!
The man in the baseball cap had just turned the corner and suddenly slipped on the spilled soup, causing the cart to crash and spilling its contents all over the floor.
“Oh no! What’s going on?!” “Nurse, nurse!” “Quick, someone help him up!”
The corridor was filled with noise. The man in the baseball cap gritted his teeth, and in an instant, he became the center of attention on the entire floor. Several nurses rushed over, trying to help him up, asking if he was scalded.
“I’m fine, let go of me…”
The man in the baseball cap struggled while peering through the crowd. He caught a glimpse of Jiang Ting’s figure disappearing around the corner, and then he was gone.
“Damn it!”
The man in the baseball cap cursed fiercely, quickly freeing himself from the nurse’s support with a few casual words. He walked briskly while pulling out his phone, lowering his voice urgently, “Hey, the situation is bad, the plan leaked!”
There was a moment of silence on the other end, followed by a female voice:
“Discovered?”
“Definitely discovered!”
The man in the baseball cap rushed through the corridor, the target’s figure disappearing from his sight. At that moment, he heard the sound of an elevator door nearby. He turned around and saw Jiang Ting’s back entering the elevator.
On the phone, the woman’s voice sounded cold, “Get rid of him, I’ll send someone to pick you up.”
The man in the baseball cap no longer hesitated, he turned around and rushed towards the elevator!
Jiang Ting pressed the close button and immediately pressed the button for the top floor. Expressionless, he stared at the baseball cap figure in the distance. The elevator doors closed slowly, just moments before he could reach them.
—However, immediately after, the elevator went straight down!
Jiang Ting let out a soft “hiss.”
When escaping in an elevator, it’s better to go up rather than down because running down the stairs within three floors is faster than the hospital’s double-door large elevators, which are usually slower.
Based on this speed, even if he successfully reached the first-floor lobby, the time difference between him and the man in the baseball cap would be no more than three to four seconds.
Ding!
The elevator doors opened again, and a few people waiting for the elevator hadn’t entered yet when Jiang Ting squeezed out ahead of them, walking quickly towards the main entrance.
However, just as he estimated, a few seconds after he came out, the door of the fire escape stairwell around the corner opened. The man in the baseball cap burst out of the door, searching through the crowd for a few seconds before locking onto Jiang Ting’s position. He reached into his pocket while charging towards him!
Jiang Ting pulled out his phone, swiped to the recent contacts page, and quickened his pace, forcefully squeezing past the payment queue.
Several ladies waiting in line became angry, “Hey, what are you doing? Why are you pushing!”
Jiang Ting showed no reaction, his footsteps uninterrupted as he dialed Yang Mei’s mobile number.
“Hey, another line-cutter!” The ladies behind him shouted again, “What’s the rush, young one? Pushing like that!”
Turning his head, Jiang Ting saw that the man in the baseball cap had also squeezed out of the payment queue, pushing and shoving.
The phone dialer showed that the call had been answered, and Yang Mei anxiously asked, “Hello, Brother Jiang?”
“Just meet me at…” Jiang Ting began to speak as he turned his head, but unexpectedly, he ran into someone head-on—thud!
Jiang Ting staggered back a half-step, raising his hand to cover his mouth and nose. Before he could recover from the pain, he heard a familiar male voice with a surprised and amused tone say, “Hey, what a coincidence! Isn’t this Mr. Lu?”
Jiang Ting looked up and saw Yan Xie, his arms crossed, looking at him with a smile.
“Brother Jiang, hello?” Yang Mei’s anxious voice came through the phone, “Brother Jiang, are you there?”
Five meters away, the man in the baseball cap, his right hand in his pocket, his muscular body tensed under his t-shirt, watched intently from behind the crowd, like a fierce hyena eyeing a decaying corpse.
Yang Mei’s voice was almost trembling with anxiety, “Brother Jiang! Answer me! Are you okay?!”
“—Oh, making a phone call, huh?” Yan Xie’s mouth curved in a half-smile. “Alright, you go ahead, see you later.”
With that, he lifted his foot and brushed past Jiang Ting, heading towards the elevator.
In a split second, Jiang Ting made a decision.
“It’s nothing, I ran into Vice-Captain Yan at the hospital. I’ll call you back later,” Jiang Ting hung up the phone, turned around, and reached out, grabbing Yan Xie’s arm in a moment of urgency.
“Vice-Captain Yan…”
Yan Xie glanced at him sideways.
Jiang Ting didn’t know if it was just his imagination, but this guy always seemed carefree. He looked more like a wealthy kid playing cop than a deputy squad leader. When he stared at him like that, there was an indescribable gleam in his eyes, so bright that it made him uneasy.
Yan Xie asked, “What’s up?”
Jiang Ting took a breath, as if releasing all his emotions, and then smiled, “Why is Vice-Captain Yan here?”
Yan Xie said, “I have a relative in the hospital here, and since I had nothing to do today, I thought I’d come and visit. How about you?”
Jiang Ting smiled and said, “I’ve been out of the hospital for a few days, just came for a follow-up check-up.”
“Oh, everything alright?”
“Everything’s fine.”
As the conversation reached this point, Jiang Ting paused for a moment. Before he could speak, Yan Xie glanced at his watch almost deliberately, saying, “If there’s no problem, I won’t bother you. Don’t want to disturb you and your girlfriend’s alone time. You guys probably find us police officers annoying. That’s it then, I’ll be on my way.”
Yan Xie made a gesture to leave, and unsurprisingly, Jiang Ting turned around completely and said, “Vice-Captain Yan—”
“What is it?”
Yan Xie, standing tall at one meter eighty-seven, seemed to be looking down on everyone around him. With his arms crossed and an aura that kept people at a distance.
Truly an experienced criminal investigator, when he stared at someone like this, the strong and compelling presence was enough to make his target nowhere to escape.
Jiang Ting tilted his face slightly, leaning to one side, which made the corners of his eyes slightly curve. In front of Yan Xie,he appeared somewhat vulnerable. After hesitating for a moment, he sincerely said, “Yang Mei’s shop has reopened. I assume it was thanks to Vice-Captain Yan’s intervention. I haven’t had a chance to properly thank you. It’s rare to run into you today. How about I treat you to a meal? Otherwise, I’ll feel uneasy.”
Yan Xie stared at him and raised an eyebrow with a slightly nonchalant tone, “It’s just a matter of duty. There’s no need for a meal. Isn’t your girlfriend waiting for you outside? Don’t keep her waiting.” Without waiting for Jiang Ting to respond, he turned to leave.
“—Hey,” Jiang Ting quickly stopped him. “Yang Mei isn’t here today.”
The words came out in a hurried manner, pushed out by Yan Xie’s interruptions. But as soon as Jiang Ting spoke, he was momentarily stunned, feeling that it sounded somewhat strange.
—Jiang Ting tilted his face slightly, and looked at Yan Xie, which made the corners of his eyes slightly attractive. At this moment, his posture almost seemed like a plea, and the two of them were exceptionally close. Jiang Ting even had one hand resting on the sturdy forearm of Yan Xie.
If Jiang Ting were a woman, this scene would be very ambiguous, even somewhat heart-fluttering.
Not far away, the man in the baseball cap watched Yan Xie warily, not daring to make a move.
“Oh,” Yan Xie’s smile became even more evident, almost intentional. “No wonder you suddenly took the initiative. Turns out Yang Mei is not here today.”
Jiang Ting: “…”
“Sure,” Yan Xie took advantage of Jiang Ting’s momentary confusion and pulled him towards his side with a playful smile. “Why not choose today instead of another day?”
………
It was noon, and the streets were bustling with people. The early May sun cast a golden glow on the asphalt road, making one break into a sweat after just a few steps. Yan Xie rolled up his sleeves to his elbows and looked at Jiang Ting with a half-smile. “Aren’t you feeling hot wearing so much?”
Jiang Ting’s phone silently vibrated in his pants pocket, but he ignored it and said indifferently, “As someone who is almost disabled, I don’t generate as much body heat as you do, Vice-Captain Yan.”
Yan Xie’s gaze slid down to the cuff of Jiang Ting’s wrist, which was firmly clasped by his hand, and he smiled, saying, “What are you talking about? Your disability isn’t that severe. Mr. Lu, you look much younger than me.”
Jiang Ting helplessly deflected, “Please don’t tease me.”
Yan Xie said, “I’m not teasing you, I’m serious. Since the first time I met Mr. Lu, I’ve wanted to have a meal with you.”
Jiang Ting: “…”
“Today, I finally got my wish. It’s really not easy—!”
Yan Xie’s lament didn’t seem fake at all, to the point that Jiang Ting’s expression became somewhat subtle.
Could this person’s mind be abnormal?
Yan Xie asked, “Do you think I’m either messed up in handling cases or mentally unstable?”
“…,” Jiang Ting said, “Why would I think that about Vice-Captain Yan?”
Yan Xie suddenly turned around, his peripheral vision scanning behind him—about ten meters away, a black baseball cap quickly disappeared into the bustling crowd.
But Yan Xie acted as if he didn’t see it, and he held onto Jiang Ting’s wrist tightly, saying with a smile, “Do you believe in the saying ‘familiarity at first sight,’ Mr. Lu?”
In that instant, his fingers clearly felt the uneven skin under Jiang Ting’s sleeve, the old scars left on the inside of his wrist.
Jiang Ting applied a little force to pull his hand away, but Yan Xie held onto it and didn’t let go. Jiang Ting discreetly asked, “Oh?”
“Since the first time I saw you, it felt like meeting a long-lost friend I’ve always wanted to meet but never had the chance to. But you were always with Yang Mei, I don’t know if it’s because you despise us police officers or simply don’t think much of me. So, being able to sit at the same table and have a meal with you today, on equal footing, is something I never imagined before.” Yan Xie’s smile deepened, “That’s why fate in this world is unpredictable, haha—”
Yan Xie’s facial features were slightly rigid, but when he smiled at Jiang Ting like this, a strong and cold evil aura swirled in the depths of his eyes.
“…” Jiang Ting slowly withdrew his hand, as if he wanted to say something but ended up not saying anything. He just smiled briefly and uttered three words, “Is that so?”
His expression remained calm, but Yan Xie was certain that all of Jiang Ting’s good manners in his life were condensed into these three short words.
“Yeah.” Yan Xie was not yet satisfied, and just as he was about to press further, his phone rang.
“It’s from the team.” Yan Xie regretfully said, “Sorry, let me answer it. Wait a moment.”
They were currently standing at a busy exit of the shopping mall. Yan Xie deliberately walked a few steps away to answer the phone, and the voice of Ma Xiang on the other end was filled with exhaustion, “Hey, Brother Yan, it’s not working. That guy named Hu won’t confess no matter what we do. None of us can do anything. Where are you?”
Yan Xie glanced down the steps, and Jiang Ting was standing on the sidewalk, holding his phone and keeping an eye on the surroundings.
“Yuanhang Shopping Mall in the city center,” Yan Xie smiled at Jiang Ting, but spoke into the phone, “Investigating a case from a few years ago, nothing urgent. Wait for me to call back.”
Ma Xiang’s drowsiness disappeared in an instant, “Hey, Brother Yan, why did you go out alone? Do you need backup?”
“No need, what I’m doing today should not be mentioned to anyone, including Chief Wei and Old Qin.”
“Can you handle it alone?”
Just at that moment, Jiang Ting’s phone vibrated, and he lowered his head.
Yan Xie’s gaze shifted to the distance, where the man in the baseball cap concealed himself behind a trash bin, pretending to smoke.
The Mantis stalking the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind.
Yan Xie silently chuckled, shifting his steps without attracting attention, “No problem, I’ve got it.”
………
Jiang Ting unlocked his phone screen, pressed the voice button, and walked briskly in the direction of the Jin Yansha Hotel. There was a back door there with an alley called Sanmao Street. He told the person on the other end, “I’m with Yan Xie heading towards the Jin Yansha Hotel. There’s a guy chasing us. He’s about one meter eighty-five, very strong, and wearing a white short-sleeved T-shirt and a black baseball cap. Don’t panic, just like how you used to cooperate with the police to set up ambushes, I’ll lead him over, and you guys knock him out and bring him back to the KTV. I’ll take care of it when I get back.”
Yang Mei had brought male employees from the KTV, who could hear but not speak on the phone. She replied with “Understood” and immediately initiated a location sharing.
Jiang Ting glanced at it and put his phone back in his pocket. When he looked up, he suddenly froze.
Yan Xie was gone.
In just a few seconds, Yan Xie’s figure disappeared.
Jiang Ting’s first reaction was to survey the surroundings. Then, his heart sank, considering various possibilities simultaneously—Where had Yan Yin gone?
Had he already noticed something unusual?
Was it planned for him to coincidentally appear at the nursing home in the first place?
Jiang Ting quickly walked towards the stairs of the mall while dialing Yan Xie’s number. It rang twice before the call was hung up.
Jiang Ting: “…”
He dialed again, and again the call was hung up after two rings.
The pursuer seemed to sense that something was amiss and slowly approached their direction.
Jiang Ting had encountered various types of cases and had a different understanding of safety compared to ordinary people. He knew that places like hospitals with security and surveillance were relatively safe, but in broad daylight on the street, despite the appearance of a bustling crowd, it wasn’t actually secure.
Simply shouting “thief” or “cheater,” or planning and organizing a short-lived and efficient commotion could potentially abduct someone within a few minutes without attracting much attention. Even if there were eyewitnesses at the scene, it would be challenging for the police to gather the fragmented chaos into a coherent testimony.
The man in the baseball cap hesitated, looking around in all directions but not spotting Yan Xie’s figure. Finally, he made up his mind.
“Yang Mei, there’s a situation here,” Jiang Ting said as he dialed the number, briskly walking in the direction of the hotel. “Go to the designated location immediately and have two people come to support me. I’m currently passing through the main entrance of Yuanhang Shopping Mall…”
Yang Mei’s voice matched her current state, as if a bowstring pulled taut. “Understood! I’ll have someone provide cover for you. Share your location with me!”
“No time,” Jiang Ting turned around, seeing the man pushing his way through the crowd, closing the gap to five or six meters. “He’s catching up!”
As if a silent alarm pierced the air, at the same moment, Jiang Ting and the man in the baseball cap exerted their strength and sprinted!
“Hey! Watch out!” “Are you even looking where you’re going? Are you in a hurry to be reincarnated?!”
“Beep-beep-beep!”
The sound of car horns blared repeatedly, but Jiang Ting didn’t pause for a moment. He narrowly passed by the front of a car and rushed across the road, almost brushing against the bumper, before diving into an alley.
Thanks to the slower pace of construction in Jianning City, these winding alleyways hadn’t reached a point where Jiang Ting didn’t recognize them. He swiftly navigated through the long wall behind the school’s back gate, and his knees protested under the strain, but the footsteps behind him grew increasingly closer, gradually becoming distinctly audible.
“I’m here!” The wind distorted Yang Mei’s voice on the other end of the phone, intermittently reaching Jiang Ting’s ears. “Hurry over!”
The man had exhausted all options and was relentlessly pursuing Jiang Ting from a distance of seven or eight meters. Jiang Ting glanced back, unwilling to be caught, and saw that ahead, a section of the wall had collapsed. With a few steps of a running start, he propelled himself forward, using one hand to push off, gracefully leaping over and landing steadily.
As he stood up, before he could resume running, his mouth and nose were suddenly covered from behind!
“……!”
The person was clearly well-trained and possessed great strength. With just one hand, they forcefully covered Jiang Ting’s struggles, blocking his throat, while their other arm wrapped around him. They forcibly dragged him into the shrubbery, pressing him against the wall. Without hesitation, they cleanly snatched his phone, which was still displaying an ongoing call.
“Did you never ask the right person for help?” He leaned into Jiang Ting’s ear and whispered, “This is really troublesome.”
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