"Didn't go anywhere, just did so hiking and surfing."
"Wow, that's so romantic. You guys know, Captain Li's girlfriend is really beautiful, like a celebrity."
Sun Zhidong heard this and chuckled, "What do you an by 'like a celebrity'? She is a celebrity. Lin Feifei, you don't know? She sings 'Angel's Kiss'."
"Huh?"
Zhou Man was surprised, her mouth agape in disbelief, and with a hint of regret, she said, "She's Lin Feifei? I love her song 'Only for You'. I can't believe I didn't recognize her in person and missed the chance."
"You fake fan, your idol was right in front of you, and you didn't even recognize her."
Sun Zhidong teased from the side, making Zhou Man a little embarrassed, she stamped her foot in frustration, "It was too dark at the ti, I didn't recognize her."
"Alright, alright, no more teasing. Lin Feifei is our captain's girlfriend. If you flatter the captain well, you won't have to worry about not getting an autograph from your idol."
Zhou Man's eyes lit up, and she happily said, "Yes, from now on, I'll look to our dear captain to help get a signed photo from Sister Feifei, alright?"
"Sure, sure."
Everyone knew that Li Xiang had a singer as a girlfriend, and their curiosity was piqued, wanting to probe him for any juicy gossip from the entertainnt industry.
See,
Gossiping truly knows no boundary of profession or gender, it's human nature.
For the first half of the morning, there was basically nothing happening. Just before noon, Li Xiang received a call.
It was from Director Zhao Jianguo of the Hongqiao Police Station.
Li Xiang found it a bit strange. Director Zhao never called without a reason. Could sothing have happened?
"Li Xiang, do you have ti to co to the station now?"
"Director Zhao, what's up?"
"Eh, you'd better co over."
Li Xiang sensed so bad signals from Zhao Jianguo's tone.
His family had encountered so trouble, so Li Xiang decided to go back and look into it, considering how well everyone at the Hongqiao Police Station had treated him back when he was there.
At this mont, Zhao Jianguo's tone didn't sound right. Li Xiang wanted to know what had happened at the station.
Driving back to the station, he found Director Zhao's office and knocked before entering. Director Cai was also there.
"Director Zhao, Director Cai, what's going on?"
"Co, Li Xiang, have a seat. Help persuade Director Cai. He wants to go to Northern Myanmar."
"What? Go to Northern Myanmar? Are you going to find Shao Han?"
As soon as Li Xiang heard that Director Zhao ntioned going to Northern Myanmar, he understood why Director Cai wanted to go there: "But what can you do by going alone? You don't even know where she's being held."
"I know, Shao Han sent a ssage ho. She's being held in CC Park, in Miaowadi. She's been resold as a 'piglet' to three different scam companies. Because her skills didn't et their standards, they called ho demanding a ransom of five hundred thousand. If we don't pay up, she'll never co back. My niece has had a hard life as it is, and now she has to suffer this? As her uncle, I have to do sothing. I'm planning to personally take the money there to bring her back."
His tone was a bit sorrowful. When her father was alive, he doted on this daughter the most. Now that she's been sold to Northern Myanmar, if he didn't stand up for her, she might really never return. The reputation of that place is notorious; those deed valueless end up in the Red Market.
"Then you definitely can't go. If you take the money there, the end result will be losing both the person and the money. You'll even get trapped yourself, let alone rescuing Shao Han."
"Old Cai, you see? Li Xiang shares the sa opinion. You absolutely cannot go. I'm not approving this visa."
Director Cai wanted to go abroad, but it required the unit's permission. Director Zhao, having learned the situation, naturally wouldn't allow Cai Yongqing to take this risk. Once both the person and the money were there, they'd be at the rcy of criminals.
"Then what can I do? Am I supposed to just stand by and do nothing as her uncle? What kind of advanced party mber would I be then?"
Director Cai was almost hysterical. As a police officer, he found himself powerless in the face of his own niece being trafficked and kidnapped. This was a blow, a blow to his beliefs.
"You're right, if we can't bring her back, it's a disgrace to our uniform." Li Xiang resonated with this sentint. The case he's been overseeing had exposed him to various scam thods, and each year countless people are fooled into going there, with very few returning.
Especially from listening to the survivors, the internal stories they shared were horrifying. Those deceived into going were living in a hell on earth.
"Li Xiang, I called you here to help persuade Director Cai. You've just handled a case like this, you know how dangerous going to Northern Myanmar is. Can Old Cai, with his brittle bones, really expect to return?"
Upon hearing that Li Xiang actually supported Cai Yongqing's idea, Zhao Jianguo was urgent. After he finished talking to Li Xiang, he turned to Director Cai: "You have a family too. Have you thought about what happens if you don't co back? What about your wife and kids?"
This is a dilemma, a choice no one likes to make.
"Should we just send the ransom over?"
Zhao Jianguo had just suggested this when Li Xiang imdiately objected:
"No, Miaowadi is already the second-largest trafficking hub in Southeast Asia. Even if you send the ransom, there's no guarantee Shao Han will co back. The place is chaotic. You send the ransom, they may release her, but the mont she steps out of one fraudulent park's gate, she'll be captured by another fraudulent company, starting the cycle again."
Such cases are rampant in Miaowadi, becoming an unspoken rule even.
Many families, after sending the ransom, receive news that their loved one has been captured by another company, demanding another ransom, draining the family dry.
It's another form of extortion, tricking you into paying ransom with promises of release.
Ensuring you keep shelling out money, with no certainty of ever getting the person back.
"If this isn't a solution, and that isn't either, what can we do?"
"Northern Myanmar's fraudulent activities have caught the attention of the nation. Last week, our diplomatic envoy held talks with Northern Myanmar's high-level officials about this. Hopefully, there'll be results soon."
Li Xiang could offer no better alternative, so he tried comforting him, though he felt helpless.
Sotis, he thought, if nothing else worked, he'd go himself. Having just learned about the New CH-10 Z dicine, he thought about leveling those telecom fraud parks.
"How soon is 'soon'? Can Shao Han hold out till then?"
"You need to stall those people. As long as they don't receive the ransom, Shao Han is safe. We'll all think of a plan together."
"Old Cai, Li Xiang is right. As long as the ransom isn't sent, Shao Han shouldn't be in imdiate danger. Let's figure sothing out together. I'll accompany you to see Director Song. You can't handle this alone, and it's best to escalate it."
After much persuasion, Cai Yongqing temporarily set aside his plan to go to Northern Myanmar. Together, they headed to the city bureau to figure out a plan with Song Jun.
Three people, in two cars, arrived at the city bureau and made their way to Director Song's office door.
They knocked and the three walked in.
Thanks to Li Xiang's comndable work on the 6·23 special task force, Song Jun had been having a decent ti recently.
Seeing them walk in, he was sowhat puzzled, "What's the matter?"
"Director Song, you rember I reported to you that the 6·23 special task force was ford because of a missing person case, right?"
"I rember, Director Cai, it was your niece who went missing. Why? Is there any news?"
Song Jun quickly recalled the situation. Li Xiang had reported it to him. Now seeing Cai Yongqing together with him, he figured there might be new developnts.
"Yes, news from Northern Myanmar. They're demanding a ransom of five hundred thousand before releasing her, but this is their usual tactic. If we really send the money, the result will still be losing both the person and the money. She won't actually co back."
Li Xiang filled Song Jun in on the current situation. Only the city bureau stepping in might lead to a satisfactory resolution.
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