---
In another pub at Andingzhen, Rodey reached almost five hours later from Dongcheng to personally check on the latest status.
Sufi, the co-ordinator, was working on the computer as usual.
"When is the weapons consignment going out?"
"Four days later." She said. "They will be shipped from Tianjin Port. I have recorded the request in the database."
"Have the party given the advance?"
"Yes. A full fifty million dollars."
Rodey nodded. "See to it that there is no problem. Boss has specifically said that this is an important order. We cannot afford to make any mistakes. This is some serious money."
"Roger. We have to be careful about the Intelligence Service."
He spat. "Those dogs are sniffing around everywhere. Tell our guys to be extra careful."
She nodded.
"Did you work upon our next target? Sally must have sent you the list. Our other boss is getting anxious." He smirked.
She smiled. "Yes. He is a seventeen-year-old boy. His name is Chu Jie. I was just chatting with him. He is so cute. I think he is in love with me."
Rodey snorted. "Whatever. Convince him to meet you at the usual point. Neal will take it from here to Langfang. "
"Roger." Sufi looked at him. "Is the woman caught? That lawyer's daughter?"
"Not until now. But soon, she will be caught. And not only her; someone else too who I am dying to meet again." Rodey smirked. "Neal is there to welcome them."
*Xin Lei*, ---
Rodey. Who was he? I wondered.
As Bai Li said that strange name, Lin Zihao and Su Weiyuan shook their heads. The tension was apparent on their faces.
"No, but we are trying to trace his movements after the showdown you had with him in that terminal."
Showdown? Gunfire?
"Liao Chuntao's dead body is found in LangFang, dumped in a small alley." Lin Zihao said. "She was beaten up pretty much badly."
I wondered who she was. Perhaps she was the victim.
Bai Li asked, "Details?"
"She was found at 9.20 am by a cleaner. Nobody had seen anyone in that alley the night before or early that morning. The post mortem is done. The forensic expert has found a drop of sweat on her neck, and he is going to run the sample today, it seems."
Su Weiyuan spoke. "They also think that she was kept in an oil refinery or some sort of similar place."
Bai Li tilted his head. "But we never found any other victims who disappeared. And Rodey is smart and thorough. How can Liao Chuntao slip from him? What changed?"
I was dumbfounded.
There were other victims too? Was it serial kidnapping and murders?
"That is the question."
"Do you have the crime scene photos?" Bai Li asked.
Lin Zhihao took out a few and handed it to me. I was horrified as I saw the woman's condition.
Beaten up was an understatement. Just who hated her to this extent?
I typed. "This is horrible."
Lin Zihao nodded.
Bai Li said, "Keep me updated on her case."
Su Weiyuan added, "Major General Shi Jianguo is also investigating Tan Ye's presence in the container. He does it secretly, but we all know. He hasn't given up on your innocence, and neither have we."
Innocence...They must be talking about the case where Bai Li killed the civilian. He must be Tan Ye.
I wanted to know more about it too.
Bai Li chuckled. "That old man. He won't listen. Just give him a friendly reminder not to be caught by our great General. Same goes for you too."
Lin Zihao scoffed. "General Song is very busy. There is going to be an election for the National People's Congress. The candidate Zhang Chao, who has not lost his seat for five years, is going on in his rallies, and he has requested military protection for his safety. Word is he would win the seat of the Chairman of the Central Military Commission this time. So, being a big political figure, General Song has stepped in."
I had heard about the election. I had seen many banners of Zhang Chao's party office to vote for his representative, who would, in turn, vote for him. Apparently, it was a huge deal this time.
Bai Li shrugged. "Xin Lei and I should get going. The sooner we meet Fu Ting, the better."
I agreed. I just hoped not to deal with those goons again.
"Just one more thing before we leave." Bai Li said.
We went outside where two of the goons laid dead, and the other three were groaning in pain. Uncle Rong was keeping an eye on them.
Suddenly, Bai Li clutched the man's neck who was bitten by Cocoa. His body was covered with Cocoa's claw marks. Ah, those must be so painful.
"Who's your boss?"
The man raised his head, and he was huffing in anger. "Bastard! You won't get anything from me."
It was to be expected.
Then the man's face was contorting into uneasiness and pain. He was trying to move but couldn't.
Wait, what happened?
I took a step forward and realized that Bai Li was tightening his grip on his neck. I did not doubt Bai Li's strength.
He would crush it in seconds.
"Gen Gen! His name is Gen Gen!" The man exclaimed.
"See?" Bai Li was smiling. "It was very easy, wasn't it?"
I twitched my eyebrow.
"Where is his so-called base?"
"X-Xiachen district, near 8th Alley."
"What does he want from her?"
"She is Xin Nianzu's daughter, that lawyer, and they don't want anyone related to him to know anything about Fu Ting's case or interfere with it."
I really had no information about his case, but yes, I was interfering in it.
"Where is Fu Meili?"
"I-I don't know- Ah!!!!!" Bai Li was ruthlessly crushing his neck single-handedly.
I felt a lot better, thinking that he was on my side.
"It's true! I don't know the inside details! We only know bits and pieces that this woman could be a hindrance to us. So we had to get rid of her."
"And Xin Nianzu? Where is he?"