My Dearest General: It Has Always Been You

The dessert shop clerk strained her eyes to scrutinize the photograph. "Hmm…"

"How is it?" Xu Binchen pressed more urgently. "Have you seen this car yesterday?"

"Um…sorry, Sir." She shrunk her neck and peeked at Xu Binchen fearfully. "I am only a part-timer and it's not my shift yesterday so I have no idea about it…"

Xu Binchen frowned and demanded impatiently. "Then call whoever was in charge yesterday right now! Say that a person's life is on the line if they take any longer!"

"O—Okay!" She almost burst into tears from how fierce and harsh Xu Binchen was. Lifting the phone with trembling hands, she bit her nails. "Come on, come on please answer…ah! Feng Yu, are you busy right now? Can you visit the shop right now? Yes, now…hmm…" She snuck some glances at Xu Binchen and lowered her voice into a whisper. "A handsome gangster is here. If you still want your life, then you'd better come as soon as possible, alright?!"

She wiped the sweat on her forehead and directed a flattering smile at Xu Binchen. "She's on her way here right now, Sir."

Xu Binchen grunted curtly and went outside to have a smoke. In the meantime, he kept Shi Nian updated and reassured her that Jiang Jinyan would be okay when in fact, he also felt restless. If this was an ordinary kidnapping, then why wasn't there any call for ransom?

Could Jiang Jinyan's disappearance have something to do with the serial killer? 

Or could it be that this was all a trap and the real target was Shi Nian?

Everything was possible. Xu Binchen inhaled the cigarette deeply and let the tobacco warm his body and soothed his headache. He hadn't slept for more than thirty six hours and the repercussions were starting to get into his head.

[Xu Binchen]: After school ends, stay at home. Do you hear me? Your mother applied for a leave for a few days right?

[Ten Years]: Hmm. She said that she will accompany me until Jiang Jinyan has been found.

[Ten Years]: Gege, be careful.

Xu Binchen's expression eased and he snuffed the cigarette. [Worry about yourself, brat.]

After two more cigarettes, the person he was waiting for finally arrived. Feng Yu was the part-timer who was in charge yesterday. Xu Binchen directly showed her the photograph of the black sedan. "Do you remember seeing this car yesterday?"

Feng Yu snapped out of her daze after seeing Xu Binchen's aggressively attractive face and hastily reached for the photograph. Her freckled face reddened ever so slightly and it took a moment for her to focus her sight, especially when Xu Binchen was intently staring at every change of her expression. "W—Wait a moment, please. This car…" Her eyes suddenly rounded. "Oh! This car!"

Xu Binchen leaned forward in anticipation. "You've seen it?"

"O—Of course!" She stammered for a while. Turning to the other clerk, she exclaimed enthusiastically. "Do you still remember the guy I told you last night? The one that's so handsome, elegant and polite like a British butler! Wait a moment, I seem to have snuck some pictures…"

The frown in Xu Binchen's forehead got deeper. "Handsome, elegant and polite man?" His jaws clenched as he took out his phone and scrolled to find Si Zhening's pictures. "Is that him?"

At the same time, Feng Yi showed the photo she took. "Here it is—oh! It's him! You have his pictures too! Do you know him?"

Xu Binchen pushed back the chair and stood up. "Thank you very much for your cooperation." He said in a severe tone. "You will be rewarded immensely. Now, if you'll excuse me." After leaving that sentence, he hastily left the shop, leaving behind only a harsh gust of wind on his wake. 

Feng Yu and the other clerk looked at each other, dumbfounded. Then, the latter suddenly blushed. Cupping her cheeks, she stammered. "Do you think this is like the story of a runaway bride and the president who chased after him?"

"Oh, seriously!" Feng Yu cackled. "You just told me that he looks just like a gangster!"

Xu Binchen got into his car and directly phoned Jin Renguang. "Captain." He said as soon as the call was connected. "I have got the evidence. The one who took Jiang Jinyan away is Si Zhening. Please give me an arrest warrant. I will go and catch him."

***

Fen Huiguan pinched his brows as he waited for the call to go through. Restlessness and anxiety coursed through his veins and he suddenly got the feeling that everything wouldn't go the way he had imagined it to be.

Click. The call was finally answered. "Hello?"

"CEO Nan, this is Fen Huiguan." He tried to hide how uneasy he was and spoke in a calm and even tone. "I'm sorry to bother you."

Sighing, Nan Cheng replied. "What's wrong? Haven't I told you not to call me again?"

"I apologize but there's an unexpected development. You promised me that the serial killer will give himself away soon but you never told me that he will take such a risky path!"

"What do you mean?"

"He has taken CEO Jiang's son hostage! Now, CEO Jiang has taken the matter into his own hands. Do you think we can still keep the matter under the rug?" The more Fen Huiguan said, the more apprehensive he became. 

Why, of all people, must it be Jiang Huocheng's son?

Jiang Huocheng's reputation had spread far and wide. He was someone who abhorred bribery and sexual favors. In the business world where there's a lot of shady deals, he might come out as inflexible and dull, but his true capability suppressed those who talked bad about him. In the end, he managed to become a power that no one dared to consider lightly.

Now that such a person had gotten involved, would everything still go as planned?

The other side was silent for a while. "You said…the serial killer has caught Jiang Huocheng's son?"

"That's right. Is that…part of your plan too?" 

Nan Cheng chuckled. "No, I never expected it would turn out like this either. But actually, it's better this way. From now on, you must assist your subordinates and give your full cooperation. As long as Si Yusheng has been eliminated, everything will proceed smoothly. Not only will you catch the serial killer, I can also teach Jiang Huocheng a lesson. We're hitting two birds with one stone."

Fen Huiguan was bewildered. He couldn't understand how making this matter explode was good in any way. Exactly what was Nan Cheng thinking about? The more he tried to comprehend it, the more uneasy he became.

Since when did this uneasiness appear? Was it the moment when they dug out eighteen unknown corpses from the basement wall? Or was it when Dreamscape Bar's yacht capsized and Si Yusheng got hospitalized?

But he had made sure that nothing could track it back to him. His spy also confirmed that Si Yusheng had died due to delayed treatment. Even if Jin Renguang started to suspect him, there was no evidence anyway so he could do nothing about that.

Everything was going smoothly but…why did he still feel unsettled?

"Alright." He nodded in resignation. "I have done as you said. That's why, my son's matter…you will make Jia Renyu pay for it, right?"

"Yes." Nan Cheng affirmed. "I heard that there are unknown corpses you've found along with illegal ammunition? You may charge all of it on Jia Renyu's head. Once you do, Jia Renyu can't escape from a death penalty."

"You're right." Just the mention of his son was enough to disperse Fen Huiguan's doubt. What did he hesitate for? He had vowed—ever since he found his son's badly mangled corpse, his innocent son who was only caught in the mafia's tussle…he had vowed to let Jia Renyu pay for it. 

This was the only way, he reassured himself. He couldn't bring Jia Renyu to jail just based on legal measures. There was no other choice. He had to resort to these kinds of dirty tricks he hated the most.

"Once the corpses have been identified, I will directly send out an arrest warrant to Jia Renyu's doorsteps." Fen Huiguan said with conviction.

"Good. I will help you from behind the scenes."

Fen Huiguan leaned back on his chair, an unprecedented sense of exhaustion enveloped him. "Thank you, CEO Nan."

"It's a win-win cooperation. Make sure not to call me anymore. Farewell, Director Fen." Click. The call was hung up afterward.

.

.

.

A/N: Director Fen and Nan Cheng still have no idea that Si Yusheng is still alive ψ(｀∇´)ψ please wait for it~

[3/5]