Raindrops pelted forcefully against the car window as the rain beca heavier. Through the mist and fog, Lu Boyan discerned a big patch of fallen trees not far away. Rainwater amassed into a deluge and gushed downhill as if attempting to wash away the entire mountain.
Su Jianan was all alone in a barren mountain and in such a weather.
Just how frightened was she right now?
“Kaboom-”
The rumbling of thunder sounded. A long bolt of lightning slashed across the sky like a blade; a burst of silver light ford aloft and vanished almost as soon as it appeared.
He still rembered what Su Jianan’s greatest fear was: thunder.
“Wang Yang!” growled Lu Boyan whose phone was nearly crushed in his grip. “Drive faster!”
“No!” Wang Yang shook his head. “It’s too dangerous to drive fast in this type of weather.”
“Stop the car!” Lu Boyan ordered suddenly. Wang Yang was too confused to react, so the car drove on. “Wang Yang! Stop the goddamn car!” Lu Boyan growled lowly.
“Yes, sir!”
Wang Yang stepped on the brake pedal, bringing the car to a screeching stop. He heard the opening of the backseat door as Lu Boyan got down. “Move aside!” Lu Boyan ordered, his tone not leaving any room for argunt.
Wang Yang had already figured out what Lu Boyan intended to do. Still, he dared not say anything about it. He quickly moved to the passenger side and buckled up his seatbelt.
Due to the strong wind and heavy rain, Lu Boyan’s clothes were riddled with wet spots by the ti he got into the driver’s seat. Water was dripping from his hair, though Lu Boyan could not care less. He buckled up and step down hard on the accelerator. The white Land Rover galloped forth as if it had transford into a tiger.
Lu Boyan seed as though he barely registered the car’s speed at all. Instead, he stared out the windscreen calmly. Miraculously, the car was stable and very much in control in the hands of Lu Boyan. If Wang Yang did not notice the Lu Boyan’s tight grip on the steering wheel which betrayed the man’s anxiety, Wang Yang would suspected Lu Boyan of being a professional racer who derived pleasure from high-speed driving.
After the Land Rover had overtaken the cars in front, Lu Boyan stepped down on the accelerator once again. The car picked up speed.
Wang Yang swallowed, his hands clutching his seatbelt instinctively.
Driving this fast in such weather conditions was akin to wagering one’s life. Not even an experienced driver like Wang Fang dared make such a bet. But Lu Boyan... With the way he was driving, it was as if he thought the car was only going at 60MPH right now.
Wang Yang had long since heard about Lu Boyan terrifying driving skills. Indeed, the man lived up to that reputation.
After about an hour, the rainstorm gradually subsided. They were still 70 kiloters away from San Ching town.
Lu Boyan allowed Wang Yang to drive, but not before ordering him to drive as fast as he could. After that, Lu Boyan climbed back into the backseat and made several phone calls.
All Wang Yang could hear was Lu Boyan giving out orders and summoning a team of his people into town. Lu Boyan did not even hesitate to call in a few favors to gain access to military search-and-rescue helicopters. Professional search and rescue teams were also on the way.
This was the first ti Wang Yang had seen Lu Boyan mobilizing so many of his resources.
Indeed, Lu Boyan had access to that kind of resources, though he would never use his power on a whim. This ti, however, he was truly concerned.
If Su Jianan was not found by nightfall, the entire San Ching town could forget about going to sleep.
The wind finally abated around three in the afternoon. The rain, on the other hand, was still pouring heavily without signs of slowing down.
“Screech!”
A piercing screech sounded, and a white Land Rover pulled up in front of San Ching town’s police station. Trailing after it were about ten armored vehicles.
The entire police station was taken by shock at the presence of the array.
Xiao Ying recognized Lu Boyan the mont he stepped out of the Land Rover, and she could not help but jump up. “He’s here!” Xiao Ying said. “He must have a way to save Jianan!” Xiao Ying had no idea why she would say sothing like that. In any case, Xiao Ying could feel it in her bones that Lu Boyan would be able to save Su Jianan.
“Who’s that?” asked a squad mber. “Not even the mbers of the police are capable of going up there to rescue her. Can this guy really do it?”
The squad leader had also recognized Lu Boyan at this point. “He’s the President of Lu Enterprises, Lu Boyan. Miss Su’s husband,” the squad leader said. “I don’t know whether or not he’s able to save her. But he does have the ability to call upon resources that we’ve got no access to and do so in the quickest way possible.”
“...” The squad mber glanced at the entire cavalcade behind Lu Boyan and shut up instantly.
Lu Boyan entered the police station in long strides. Every step he took was quick but asured, and his face was as cool as a cucumber when he walked in. A sudden quietness descended upon the station as everyone observed Lu Boyan’s grand arrival nervously.
“When did Jianan head into the mountain?” Lu Boyan asked Captain Yan the mont he entered the station.
“Before the typhoon hit. She went up there to conduct an autopsy,” Captain Yan said, glancing at the ti. “It’s already been five hours since she was stranded. I’m sorry. We were all on duty when she went up there, so no one else had gone with her. The storm was too violent just now, so we weren’t able to head up to the mountain to search for her. But we’ve already called for backup from the higher-ups.”
Lu Boyan was interested in neither an apology nor waiting for the arrival of these so-called “higher-ups”. They might as well make use of the ti to start the rescue operation.
A man dressed in combat gear ran in. He was the leader of the search and rescue team, Captain Long. “Mr. Lu, ” said Captain Long, “our n are on standby. We can depart imdiately into the mountains.”
“You guys got any extra gear?” Lu Boyan asked. “Give two sets.”
Captain Long stared blankly at Lu Boyan for a brief mont. Then it hit him what it was that Lu Boyan had in mind. Captain Long ordered his subordinates to bring in two sets of combat gear and military boots.
Realization dawned on Captain Yan as well; he asked a squad mber to bring Lu Boyan and Wang Yang to the n’s changing room.
Lu Boyan would often pick Su Jianan up from the police station whenever Su Jianan had to do overti, so they had already seen Lu Boyan a lot of tis. But every ti they saw him, he was always this elite and charismatic executive dressed in a suit.
Surprisingly, Lu Boyan’s aloofness and toughness were even more pronounced after he had changed into combat gear. In an instant, he had transford from a chivalrous gentleman into a tough warrior. The transformation was seamless without a single hint of incongruity. In fact, he looked even more handso and enticing in combat gear.
“Wow! So handso!” Xiao Ying was silently fangirling over Lu Boyan. “Jianan must be so damn happy!”
Captain Yan smacked Xiao Ying’s head harshly. “Why are you guys still standing there like idiots?!” Captain Yan shouted, bringing his team out of their stupor. “To the mountains! Let’s move!”
anwhile, Lu Boyan and Wang Yang had already left the station in a car.
Just then, the squad leader had recovered from his shock as well. “Co on! We have to get on that mountain and find Miss Su as quickly as possible!”
...
The white Land Rover led the entire convoy in front with up to ten armored vehicles trailing behind it. At the end of the line-up were four or five police cars. Moving along in such a fashion, the vehicles ford an extraordinary procession. Through the narrow and muddy lanes of the town, the convoy drove downhill towards the foot of the mountain.
All vehicles were parked at the foot of the mountain ten minutes later. The search and rescue team gathered around. Just then, everyone heard a loud rumbling sound aloft, which appeared to be coming nearer and nearer. Xiao Ying raised her head and saw two military search and rescue choppers circling the mountains. The helicopters had obviously begun the search and rescue operation.
Xiao Ying patted her chest. “Oh, dear . So badass! He even brought choppers!”
“Mr. Lu,” Captain Long said as he approached Lu Boyan. “Let’s each grab a copy of the map of this mountain and then split up. We’ll stay in touch with each other at all tis. When any of us find your wife, we’ll let you know imdiately.”
After that, Captain Long ordered the rest of his team to begin the search. The group, which consisted of several hundred people, split up and walked through the rain towards different entry points of the barren mountain.
The paths of the mountain were highly convoluted and difficult to navigate. If Su Jianan tried to travel downhill after the typhoon hit, she would most definitely lose her bearings. The entire search party spread out across the mountain in small teams with each team combing every part of the mountain. In doing so, they would be able to locate Su Jianan in the quickest way possible, wherever she was.
Lu Boyan stood before the path that Su Jianan had used when she ascended the mountain. He glanced ahead at the winding mountain path. A subtle hint of worry ford between his brows.
The heavy storm must have scared her senseless. Was there a mont when she hoped for his appearance?
“Let’s go,” said Wang Yang. “With so many people searching, we will be able to find her before dark. Plus, sister-in-law is so clever and resourceful. She must know how to take care of herself.”
Lu Boyan nodded and took the path uphill with Wang Yang.
“Why do I have a feeling that Lu Boyan will be the one to find Jianan?” Xiao Ying mumbled to herself. All of a sudden, she rembered sothing. “Mr. Lu!” she yelled at Lu Boyan’s back.
Lu Boyan halted his steps and turned around. He saw Xiao Ying brandishing her arm. “Jianan bought this bracelet a few days ago. She wears it on her wrist! Try to keep an eye out for this thing along the way!”
“Understood. And thank you.”
Lu Boyan and Wang Yang proceeded uphill. Wang Yang pulled out a walkie-talkie from his waist. “Captain Long, alert all mbers of your team to keep a lookout for a white, callia flower bracelet. The madam was wearing it when she went up to the mountain. If you find it, she might be nearby.”
“Affirmative,” Captain Long said. Then, he changed the frequency to relay the ssage to his team. “Listen up, guys. Mrs. Lu was wearing a white, callia bracelet. She might have removed it and then placed it in conspicuous places as a signal to us. Keep an eye out for it. Be it person or bracelet, we must find either one before sundown. Move your asses, people!”
...
A gust of wind blew strongly across the mountain, heralding another bout of heavy downpour. Along the mountain path, raindrops beat heavily against the foliage, releasing a series of endless patter.
Lu Boyan switched on a high-performance flashlight; a dark yellow light beam wobbled amidst the foggy rain. The light was a way to attract Su Jianan’s attention so that she would make a sound or give them so kind of indication as to where she was. Lu Boyan checked everywhere within his sight, hoping to see Su Jianan there a second later. But every ti, his hopes ca up empty.
This barren mountain was larger than he had expected. Now that he was uphill, he tried glancing around in all four directions, but all he could see were the wavelike mountain ranges and lush greeneries. The white mist had obscured the mountain’s profile; he could not even see the mountain top from where he stood.
For Su Jianan, soone who was so terrified of thunderstorms, to be thrown into such circumstances, would she not be frightened to the point of tears?
“Wang Yang, give the map,” Lu Boyan said all of a sudden.
Wang Yang had no idea what Lu Boyan had in mind. But since the man had demanded it, Wang Yang had no choice but to pull out the waterproof map and spread it out before him. Wang Yang circled a spot on the map with his finger. “According to the policeman who brought sister-in-law uphill, that’s where the female victim’s body was found. That’s also where the guy had part ways with sister-in-law. If she noticed the incoming rain and then decided to go back downhill, she most likely would have co down from here. But she might have gotten lost sohow.”
“Let’s split up,” Lu Boyan said, giving Wang Yang a signal to put the map away. “Stay on the comms.”
“But-” Wang Yang’s eyes went wide. “How are you planning to look for her without the map? Why don’t I give you this copy?”
“No need,” Lu Boyan said. “I’ve morized it.”
While Wang Yang was gaping at him, Lu Boyan had already begun making his way uphill.
After the rainwater had washed over them, the mountain paths were extrely slippery. Even if the military combat boots had anti-slip features, there were still occasions where Lu Boyan lost his footing and stumbled.
However, none of that diminished the respect and reverence Lu Boyan had commanded within Wang Yang.
With that kind of super mory, it would be strange indeed if Lu Boyan was unable to conquer this mountain and track down little sister-in-law!
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