Chapter Eleven First Contact

  These days have been quiet with no major cases, and the undercover operation has also gone smoothly. News from Hong Kong reveals that the Zongtian Group plans to inject a large amount of funds into Jintian's company, making Tianhang Technology Consulting Company one of the top industry leaders in the country overnight. Captain Han is overjoyed, thinking that no matter what Jintian discovers about the Zongtian Group, as long as it's something, it will be enough to catch Long San and accuse Zong Kuo, ultimately dismantling the Zongtian Group. Jintian has also made great progress in his studies these days, this kid is not bad, with good comprehension skills. With him and Lan Xinlin on their side, they'll see how the Zongtian Group can defend themselves. Captain Han took a satisfied sip of tea.

  Xing Yong knocked on the door and came in, "Captain, there's a lawyer outside who wants to see you."

  "Lawyer? We don't have any cases recently, what's a lawyer doing here? Are you little rascals getting into trouble again?"

  "Report to the captain, I swear on today's lunch that this matter has nothing to do with us. The lawyer was invited by the Zongtian Group. You've forgotten that we still have someone locked up in our detention room."

  The big fish has taken the bait, Captain Han was delighted and wanted to smile, but he restrained himself, expressionless, saying "Go get the lawyer in." The Zongtian Group is eager to get rid of Jintian Airlines, they must be planning something, as long as we get accurate information, we'll catch them red-handed.

  After Xing Yong walked out, a middle-aged man in a suit and leather shoes walked in. He was wearing a well-pressed suit, gold-rimmed glasses, and carrying a leather briefcase in his left hand. Captain Han knew from the way he dressed that this lawyer was different from the ones he had dealt with before. His experience told him that this lawyer would not be easy to handle. "Hello Captain Han, I am Lawyer Qin from Shenzhen Dayu Law Firm. I have been entrusted by my client to come and bail out my client, Mr. Jin Tianxing."

  "Can I know who your client is?" Captain Han asked, raising an eyebrow. "The case involving Jin Tianxing is strictly confidential, so how did you know he was here with me?"

  "Mr. Qin said without asking anyone to sit down, 'My client is the Hong Kong-based Zongtian Group and they are the ones who informed me of this news. As for how they knew about it, I have no idea. From what I know, you don't have enough evidence to charge my client, so I hope you can release them as soon as possible. This way, we can both avoid a lot of trouble.'"

  "Captain Han snorted, 'I feel like you're threatening me.'"

  "Your detention of my client has exceeded the legal time limit," said Attorney Qin calmly. "Once this enters the judicial process, coupled with media intervention, I think you're aware of the consequences."

  The captain of the Korean team pretended to think for a moment, and said in a slightly helpless tone, "Jin Tianxing's case is very complicated, it can't be settled with just a word, I need to consult my superior."

  "Mr. Qin stood up, 'I hope you make a decision as soon as possible, I will come again at this time tomorrow, if you still don't release him, we have no choice but to take legal action.'"

  As he watched Lawyer Qin's back, Captain Han's mouth corners slightly curved upwards, revealing a barely perceptible smile. After Lawyer Qin left the Criminal Police Unit, Captain Han loudly shouted to those outside the door, "Prepare the interrogation room for me, I want to interrogate Jin Tianhang alone." Several police officers busily arranged it.

  Jin Tianxing was reading a book thicker than a brick, "Tracking Studies". He held the book in his hand and thought that this thickness of the book would be just right for hitting someone, with an effect no less than a wooden board. He had already read half of the book, and the content was quite attractive to him. Just as he was getting into it, two young police officers walked in with iron faces, without saying a word, they dragged Jin Tianxing out, Jin Tianxing muttered to himself, there were still two or three days before his release, what's going on now?

  In the interrogation room, Jin Tianxing saw Captain Han and carefully observed him. He found that there was a hint of joy between his eyebrows. Jin Tianxing's mind was put at ease, but he still asked cautiously, "Captain Han, is there something you want to talk to me about?"

  The four of them were alone, and Captain Han chuckled, "Little Jin, don't be nervous. I called you here just to tell you that our plan is working out. The lawyer from the Zongtian Group will bail you out. Get ready, you'll be released tomorrow."

  Jin Tian hurried along the road, "Can't you give me a few more days? There are still many books I haven't read yet."

  "Alright, don't worry about this matter. You can go find Lan Xinlin, she's in charge of your safety and you can learn from her, her grades were excellent at the police academy. After you get out, first find a hotel to settle down, then go to her house to find her, these days she's been cooped up at home and is about to go crazy. As for what happens next, it'll depend on how the two of you adapt." The two of them discussed some details, more than half an hour later, Captain Han walked out of the interrogation room with a dark face, slamming the door shut behind him. The two police officers waiting at the door didn't hesitate to throw Jin Tianxing back into his cell.

  On the second day, early in the morning, Captain Han had just sat down on his chair when Lawyer Qin knocked twice on the door and pushed it open, saying with a smile, "Captain Han, I think you've had enough time to consider and prepare overnight. Can I take my client away now?"

  Captain Han's heart was filled with joy, but he still had to do his part. He let out a sigh of reluctance and glared at Lawyer Qin for a few seconds before speaking up, "Li Gang, take Lawyer Qin to handle the procedures, then release that kid." As soon as Captain Han gave the order, Li Gang didn't dare to delay. He pulled out a thick stack of documents, "Sign these papers and you can take that kid away."

  After a while, Lawyer Qin had finished signing several documents. Li Gang took the files and checked them through, "I didn't expect that you, a big lawyer, would have such beautiful handwriting, just like a little girl's. Alright, you can take Jin Tianhang away now." Putting down the file, he looked around but couldn't find any trace of Lawyer Qin. It was as if Lawyer Qin had quietly left without making a sound. The police surveillance video didn't capture Lawyer Qin's appearance from start to finish, only some blurry shots of his back. After investigation, it was found that Shenzhen Dayu Law Firm indeed had a lawyer named Qin, but he was currently on vacation abroad.

  Jin Tian Xing left the criminal police team and wandered aimlessly with the crowd on the street, thinking about the Zong Tian Group and the old temple waters. Luo Yi was nowhere to be found, and Qing Qing's life or death was unknown. Captain Han's plan was good, but whether it would succeed was still an unknown number, and his heart had no bottom line.

  "Sir, do you need a place to stay?" Jin Tianxing came back to his senses and found himself standing in front of a hotel. He was indeed looking for a place to stay, and this hotel seemed clean and tidy. Jin Tianxing needed a temporary place to settle down, so he walked in. A person had been following him from the police station door, sneaking around behind him. When they saw the room number where Jin Tianxing was staying, they made a phone call to someone, then left. Jin Tianxing was distracted and didn't notice this person at all. After settling in and resting for a bit, Jin Tianxing went to look for Lan Xinlin according to the address.

  After settling in, I made some preparations and headed to Lan Xinglin's house according to the address given by Captain Han. Lan Xinglin had been locking herself in her room for days, only eating and sleeping, occasionally walking out of the door, pretending to be in pain, scaring Chen Ya and Lan Tianke. The two were afraid that their precious daughter would come to harm, taking turns guarding Lan Xinglin's door, trying to persuade her with kind words, unaware that Lan Xinglin was comfortably lying on her bed listening to music and eating potato chips, completely unable to hear what her parents were saying outside the door.

  "Linlin, Mom bought your favorite Satsuma mandarin oranges. Open the door, Dad has already peeled them for you." There was no response from inside the room for a long time, and Chen Ya's heart became anxious. "Old man, look at how many days it's been. Do you think our daughter will do something reckless?"

  "Pah, pah, pah." Lantian scolded, "Old lady, why are you talking nonsense? Don't you know to say something pleasant? Our daughter will be a weak person like that?"

  Chen Ya also blamed herself, "It was I who spoke hastily and wrongly, our young lady will definitely be fine."

  Just then, Jin Tianhang knocked on the door of Lan Xinlin's house. Chen Ya opened the door and saw a handsome young man standing outside with gifts in both hands, politely asking, "Auntie, is this Lan Xinlin's home? Is she at home?"

  Chen Ya was taken aback, and Lan Xin's heart skipped a beat. This was the first time a boy had come to her house looking for her. "Who are you?"

  "My name is Jin Tianxing, I'm her friend. I heard she's had some trouble, so I came to see her. Is everything okay with her?"

  Chen Ya was overjoyed, the man at the door must have a special relationship with her daughter, with his help to comfort Lan Xinlin, she would definitely soon come out of the shadow and return to her own life. Chen Ya quickly invited Jin Tianhang into the house. When they reached the door of Ya Lin's room, Chen Ya knocked heavily on the door, Lan Xinlin was singing a song and pretended to be angry, shouting "I don't want to eat anything, I don't want to drink anything, stop knocking on my door!"

  "It's your friend who has come to see you, hurry up and open the door." Chen Ya shouted loudly.

  Lan Xinlin took a sip of juice in the room and said, "What friends? Didn't I say that no one is allowed to see me?"

  Jin Tian Xing said at the door, "It's me, Jin Tian Xing."

  Upon hearing Jin Tian Xing's voice, Lan Xin Lin immediately jumped up from the bed, knocking over the chair placed beside it, making a loud clattering sound. She gritted her teeth to bear the pain and said, "You go sit in the living room first, I'll be right there." These past few days at home, Lan Xin Lin hadn't washed her face or combed her hair; although she wasn't fond of dressing up, going out with a messy appearance to see Jin Tian Xing was also unacceptable.

  Chen Ya had been guessing before, but from her daughter's reaction just now, she could confirm that the relationship between this Jin Tian Xing and her daughter was absolutely not ordinary friends. Looking at Jin Tian Xing's handsome face, no wonder her daughter didn't want to get married, it turned out that her heart already belonged to someone. Blue Sky, although not as much as Chen Ya thought, basically agreed with her. The two elders brought Jin Tian Xing to the living room and started chatting.

  The time Blue Heart Lin spent washing up was a torture for Jin Tian Xing. The two elders were really formidable, either attacking from the side or striking directly, asking about Jin Tian Xing's family situation, his parents' work, and his own career until everything was clear. They asked until Jin Tian Xing's forehead was covered in sweat, not much different from Captain Han's interrogation. If Blue Heart Lin didn't appear soon, Jin Tian Xing would have to reveal the true purpose of this visit. The two elders looked at Jin Tian Xing with increasing satisfaction - young, successful, good family background, and decent looks, making him an excellent candidate for a son-in-law.

  Jin Tianxing snapped his fingers loudly, and Lan Xinlin finally appeared. Blue Sky wanted to chat with Jin Tianxing for a while longer, but was dragged out by Chen Ya, "I'm going to buy some vegetables with the old man, Little Jin you just eat dinner here."

  As they walked out of the living room, Lan Tian said with a hint of dissatisfaction, "You're not bad, kid. Why couldn't you just let me chat for a bit longer?"

  Chen Ya scolded, "What are you, an old man, meddling in young people's business for? Give young people some free space." Lantian could only obediently follow his wife out to buy things.

  Lan Xilin and Jin Tianxing chatted for a while, seeing that there was no one at home, they began to discuss the situation they were about to face. From then on, every step of the way would depend on themselves, and the police could only provide assistance when necessary. They would soon be facing the Zongtian Group, so how should the two of them coordinate? Should they take the initiative to make contact or wait for an opportunity to arise? Both of them needed to discuss it before making a decision.

  Jin and Lan had just decided on their next move when the two old men returned. Blue Sky tiptoed to the living room door, trying to eavesdrop on their conversation. However, his amateur eavesdropping skills did not escape the attention of the two. Jin Tian changed the subject and they started discussing the latest blockbuster movie that was currently popular. They even made plans to watch it together tomorrow. Jin Tian accidentally saw a dartboard in the living room with the bullseye area looking like a beehive, but there were not many marks on the board from darts hitting the center. Blue Heart Lin asked, "So, you also enjoy playing darts?"

  Jin Tian Xing picked up a flying dart and threw it out, hitting the bullseye. Only then did he say, "I wouldn't say I like it, but I know your family must have an expert."

  Lan Xilin's expression turned gloomy, and she said in a low voice, "This shuttlecock was my sister's. She often played with it when she was at home."

  It wasn't long before Chen Ya also joined the eavesdroppers, Lan Xinlin looked at the door with dissatisfaction, and the two old men hurried to the kitchen to cook.

  That night, Jin Tianxing had a sumptuous local dish at Lan Xinlin's home and felt the warmth of family for the first time after the incident. The harmonious scene of Lan Xinlin's family made him think of his own parents, and in order not to worry them, he still hasn't told them about what happened. Jin Tianxing drank a little wine and walked out of Lan Xinlin's house with a slight intoxication. His heart was filled with hatred, if it wasn't for the sudden change, he and Luo Yi would have had a happy family too. The old master's mysterious and unpredictable nature made him unable to find a specific target, so he could only concentrate all his hatred on the Zong Tian Group. Even if he couldn't defeat the Zong Tian Group, he definitely wouldn't let them live a good life.

  Jin Tianxing didn't rush back to the hotel, he needed to adjust his mood, he couldn't bring personal emotions into action. He strolled alone on the street, with a gentle breeze caressing his face, bringing a hint of coolness that made him feel comfortable. When his mood gradually calmed down, he walked towards the hotel.

  Just as he sat down in the hotel, someone knocked on Jin Tianxing's door. He thought it was a hotel staff member and shouted towards the door, "I don't need service, go away!" The person knocking didn't leave and continued to knock. Who is this? Jin Tianxing walked to the door with some annoyance and opened it to see a stranger standing outside, around 40 years old, wearing high-end western attire, looking refined and elegant, with a faint smile on his face and a pair of piercing eyes staring at Jin Tianxing.

  "May I ask who you are?" Jin Tian Xing's memory was quite good, and he didn't recall ever seeing this person before.

  A middle-aged man stretched out his hand and said, "Hello Mr. Jin, I am the chief secretary of the Zongtian Group, I was entrusted by Mr. Zong to visit you."

  It's really beyond expectation, I didn't think that the Zongtian Group would find him so quickly, to know that he had only been living in the hotel for less than a day, the Zongtian Group seems to be aware of his every move, can their plan still succeed?

  The middleman smiled and said, "Mr. Jin, are you going to let my hand just stretch out like this?"

  Jin Tianxing extended his hand and shook hands with the middle-aged man, inviting him into the house. In less than half a minute, Jin Tianxing had already come up with a countermeasure in his heart. This person was probably here to probe, and he couldn't let him see any flaws.

  After the middle-aged man sat down, Jin Tianxing asked, "May I ask your surname, sir? What brings you here at such a late hour?"

  "My surname is Yang, you can just call me Mr. Yang, I came to visit in the middle of the night because I wanted to discuss cooperation matters with you, our group wants to establish a close cooperative relationship with your company." The middle-aged man said slowly.

  Jin Tianxing snorted, and said straightforwardly, "I doubt it, Mr. Yang. I just left the police station this morning, and you found my hotel tonight. I don't think this is a coincidence. Either you sent someone to follow me, or you received special treatment from your 'good friends' at the police station. What's your purpose? Don't beat around the bush."

  The middle-aged man's face didn't change color, and he still smiled as he said, "Mr. Jin, don't be angry, how could we possibly send someone to follow you? Our General Manager likes making friends, and the police station where you were detained just so happens to have a good friend of our General Manager's. Through him, I found out about your whereabouts. This friend isn't someone who can be easily invited, which further shows the sincerity of our Zhongtian Group towards you."

  The middle-aged man's demeanor made Jin Tianxing lose his temper. It is said that a smiling face can avoid being hit, but Mr. Yang was just a secretary and couldn't represent the Zongtian Group. Jin Tianxing said seriously, "Mr. Yang, let's open the window and speak frankly. Your Zongtian Group isn't as simple as it appears on the surface. I'm also aware of what you're doing behind closed doors, but I don't want to interfere. What I want to know is why you chose my small company and what your purpose is in cooperating with us? If you speak up, I'll have a clearer understanding."

  Mr. Yang's smile disappeared, his face turned serious and he said solemnly, "Thank you for Mr. Jin's candor. As Mr. Jin said, our Zongtian Group did have some shady activities during the period of primitive capital accumulation, but that is all in the past. Under the leadership of Mr. Zong Yang, our Zongtian Group will bid farewell to its dark past and move towards a bright future. The reason we want to cooperate with Mr. Jin's company is that our group is going to enter the mainland's high-tech product market, which requires a high-tech consulting firm to work together. Due to the tense relationship with the mainland police, we can only seek a cooperative partner. After investigating multiple parties, General Zong chose your company, and then learned about your character, and I really like your personality, and have been admiring you for a long time. General Zong has repeatedly asked his subordinates to work hard and learn from you in public occasions."

  Jin Tianxing's tense face cracked a smile, and after many years of navigating the business world, he naturally knew that Mr. Yang was flattering him. He was still delighted, with a hint of pride in his heart. His intention was not to ruin the relationship between the two parties by contacting the Zongtian Group. Jin Tianxing smiled and said, "Then I must thank President Zong for his appreciation. When you see him, be sure to thank him on my behalf. If he hadn't hired a lawyer, I'd still be locked up in prison, who knows when I would have gotten out." As Jin Tianxing spoke, Mr. Yang's smile faded away.

  Mr. Yang asked solemnly, "Mr. Jin, are you sure that Mr. Zong hired a lawyer for you? Before I left Hong Kong, Mr. Zong did receive news of your detention by the mainland police. Mr. Zong considered hiring a lawyer to pressure the mainland police into releasing you, but he decided against it, fearing it would raise unnecessary suspicions among the mainland authorities."

  "Isn't it your Zongtian Group? Who else could it be? I don't have any friends here, and according to the police, even the lawyer who helped me was invited from Shenzhen. If it's not your Zongtian Group, then who is it? I certainly don't know of any friends with such a big hand."

  Mr. Yang analyzed, "This point further illustrates the problem, our Zongtian Group is powerful and has its own team of lawyers. If President Zong wants to rescue you, we will use our own lawyers. The group spends a lot of money every year, it's not for nothing that they are being kept. Besides, since we have made up our minds to rescue you, there is no need to hire others when we have people under our command. Money can't be wasted, and President Zong is also a very frugal person."

  Jin Tianxing thought for a moment and said, "Could it be someone else from the Zongtian Group? For example, Long San, I met him when I was in the hospital, he even gave me 100 million US dollars as compensation, but I still don't understand what he meant. Do you think it could be him who arranged for my release?"

  Mr. Yang said disdainfully, "Long San does have some power in the Zongtian Group, he is a veteran of the group and one of the earliest followers of Mr. Zong Yang, but he absolutely doesn't have the guts to take private actions, there must be someone else helping Jin."

  Jin Tianxing was completely confused, and Mr. Yang's expression did not seem to be lying. He could not determine whether the lawyer who released him was really another person or if Mr. Yang was acting to confuse him. At this moment, Mr. Yang's mind was also complicated. The Zongtian Group had indeed not used a lawyer to release Jin Tianxing, which made what he said believable and convincing.

  Just as the two were hesitating, Mr. Yang's phone rang. Although he didn't deliberately avoid Jin Tianxing, his tone was very cautious, and the person on the other end of the line must have been someone special. Mr. Yang's expression gradually became serious, his eyebrows furrowed, revealing a hint of venom. After hanging up the phone, Mr. Yang stood up and apologetically said to Jin Tianxing, "Mr. Jin, I'm sorry, but something urgent has come up that I need to take care of. Let's talk another day." Jin Tianxing saw him out the door, watching as Mr. Yang walked away, thinking to himself: this person is not simple, could he just be a secretary?

  At the same time, Lan Xinlin, who was watching TV at home, received a mysterious text message from an unfamiliar number. The content of the message was: "After investigation, it is found that Qin lawyer of Shenzhen Dayu Law Firm is on vacation abroad, and the lawyer who rescued Jin Tianxing is an impersonator. Afterwards, Dayu Company did receive a large sum of money from Zongtian Group." Lan Xinlin called back, but the other party had already turned off their phone. Lan Xinlin's mind was full of questions: Could this clue have been sent by Captain Han? Who was the person who sent the message and what was their purpose? Had their undercover plan been discovered?

  Twelve hours later, at the Hong Kong Chung Tin Building, all high-ranking officials of the Chung Tin Group stood in a row with caution. In front of them, one person was furious, and before him were antique fragments scattered everywhere. He had an intense killing aura about him. He bellowed at the crowd, "Who?! Who did it?! Come out!" Everyone trembled, lowering their heads as much as possible, not daring to look him in the eye, lest they be intimidated by his gaze. If Jin Tianhang were present, he would have been shocked and lost color. The one who was furious was none other than Mr. Yang, whom he had met just a few hours ago.

  After a few minutes of silence, his anger did not dissipate, but instead intensified. Long San, who was standing in the front row, walked out trembling and whispered in his ear, "No one at this station dares to take liberties without orders, do you think it might be 'her'?"

  Mr. Yang stopped talking, and after a moment of contemplation, he waved his hand and said in a low voice, "You all withdraw." In just a few seconds, everyone in the room left, with Long San being the last to leave, quietly closing the door behind him, leaving only himself in the vast conference room.