Under the blazing sun, a military helicopter flew towards the distant coast, circled a few times, and then veered away. Lin Xiaoliang, hiding in the reeds and leaning against a Toyota while smoking a British pipe, took off his sunglasses warily and watched the helicopter fade into the distance. He dialed Lu Hui on his phone: "Lu Hui, bring the new guy over here."
Shortly after, Lu Hui sped towards him on a motorboat, bringing along Qiang Min. Lin Xiaoliang observed Qiang Min through high-powered binoculars from his hiding spot and was taken aback. Through the lenses, Qiang Min's tattered clothes and grimy face became increasingly clear. Nervously, Lin Xiaoliang put down the binoculars and ordered Lu Hui, who had just landed, over the phone: "Listen, come here alone!" He watched Lu Hui say something to Qiang Min before swaggering towards him alone.
As Lu Hui approached, Lin Xiaoliang emerged from the reeds. Trying to stay calm, he asked casually, "When will the goods be delivered?"
"Didn't we agree yesterday? Within ten days at the latest," replied Lu Hui.
Lin Xiaoliang threw an envelope at him. "Can you make it in five days?"
Lu Hui weighed the money and said, "Six days, if I push it."
"Don't play games. Can you or can't you?" Lin Xiaoliang pressed.
Lu Hui stiffened. "No problem!"
Lin Xiaoliang looked up at the sky. "Have planes flown over here before?" Lu Hui thought for a moment. "I don't think so."
Feigning nonchalance, Lin Xiaoliang asked, "Is this new guy trustworthy?"
"You told me to bring him, didn't you? If you're worried, ask him yourself," Lu Hui responded, irritated. "Have you checked his background?" Lin Xiaoliang's tone grew ominous.
"He's a convicted murderer. What more is there to check? His story matches the intel from our inside contact perfectly," Lu Hui retorted, annoyed. "You never trust anyone!"
Lin Xiaoliang got into his Toyota and revved the engine. "It's you guys that make it hard to trust anyone!" Lu Hui snapped, "Then do it yourself. I'm done babysitting."
Not wanting to provoke him further, Lin Xiaoliang softened. "Alright, alright. Trust but verify. At six this evening, have Qiang Min deliver the rough samples to the designated spot. I'll have someone there to pick them up." Lu Hui replied, "Fine, but I have one condition."
"What is it?" Lin Xiaoliang asked, frowning.
Lu Hui smirked shamelessly. "I want to have dinner with your beautiful sister." Lin Xiaoliang felt a wave of disgust but masked it quickly. "You know, she mentioned wanting to meet you. She'll call you with the details tonight."
Lu Hui, overjoyed, asked, "Really? Just the two of us?" Lin Xiaoliang, impatient, snapped, "Yes, now get out of here." He drove off.
Lu Hui strutted back to the beach, humming a vulgar tune.
In the Police Chief's Office
Li Xinjian approached the door of the police chief's office, then paused and loudly announced, "Reporting!"
From inside came the cheerful voice of Zhang Xiaohua. "Come in, Xinjian."
Li Xinjian handed over a stack of aerial photographs. "Chief, these are today's photos of Island No. 9."
Zhang Xiaohua examined them carefully. "How are the SWAT team preparations?"
"The SWAT team is ready, along with a platoon of armed police. We're waiting for your orders," Li Xinjian replied.
"Good. Keep a close watch on Lu Hui and his boss. Once we have solid evidence, we arrest them. No matter who this boss is, we need to break this case wide open," Zhang Xiaohua instructed.
Li Xinjian couldn't help but ask, "When will we move against the black factory? Qiang Min is still inside."
"Without catching Lu Hui and his boss, shutting down a drug processing workshop means nothing. The island has armed guards; a night operation could go wrong. If there's a breakthrough tonight, we move at dawn," Zhang Xiaohua said sternly.
Li Xinjian straightened up. "Understood. I'll go prepare." He turned to leave but was called back.
"Wait."
"Yes, Chief?"
Zhang Xiaohua handed him an invitation. "There's a grand banquet at the Haizhou Tower celebrating its tenth anniversary. I can't make it. I need you to go in my place."
Li Xinjian pushed the invitation back. "If it's not an order, I refuse."
Zhang Xiaohua chuckled. "It's a great opportunity to network. Even Mayor Jin will be there."
Li Xinjian walked out. "Find someone else."
Zhang Xiaohua frowned. "Yesterday you insisted on investigating Haizhou Tower. Now that you have the chance, you balk. Take it!"
Lin Xiaoliang sped along the highway in his Toyota, frequently crossing lanes and honking incessantly. A roadside vendor cursed at the speeding car, "Are you in such a hurry to die?"
As the Toyota approached the city, it got stuck at a red light. Trapped in traffic, Lin Xiaoliang fumed, "Damn it, move!" He kept honking until he saw a traffic cop pointing at him, then stopped and pulled out his phone. Finally connecting, he urgently said, "Sis, there's a problem."
Liu Mei's voice came through. "I'm busy at the tower. Get here, and we'll talk." She hung up.