Chapter 428
Duan Yunjie and I got into the police vehicle. Recalling the events that had just transpired, I found it difficult to calm down. I used to call the Dog Trainer’s men ’dogs,’ but now I could sympathize with them. Every one of them was forced into slavery after experiencing what I did and more.
When Sun Tiger got into the vehicle, he sat across me. Sizing me up, he seemed surprised. "Kiddo, are you all right?" he asked.
"I’m fine."
"How can you be fine? Look at yourself!"
Sun Tiger turned the rearview mirror towards me. As soon as I caught sight of my own reflection, I froze. I was actually crying. By this point, I could no longer control my emotions so I buried my face and began to sob.
Sun Tiger sighed, "I must kill the bastard."
He wrapped his arm around my shoulder despite his inability to comfort. Patting my back, he said, "Don’t go home tonight. Stay at my place!" Then, he handed me a paper towel.
As I wiped away the tears, Sun Tiger added, "There’s good news..."
"What?" I asked.
Sun Tiger stopped talking and looked at Duan Yunjie uneasily. "What is your badge number and who is your superior?"
Duan Yunjie answered his questions one by one. It turned out that she belonged to the SWAT team and joined this undercover mission as soon as she graduated. However, her original superior died in the line of duty.
Sun Tiger admitted, "Officer Duan Yunjie, I don’t trust you. You have been missing for three years. Anyone would doubt you."
"I have a list of the Dog Trainers’ clients in my hand and important evidence to charge him. This can prove that I have not been brainwashed," replied Duan Yunjie.
"Where’s the list?"
Duan Yunjie pointed to her head, "I can’t do anything under his supervision so I memorized the list."
"What was the Dog Trainer’s previous code name?" I questioned.
"His previous code name was Nightcrawler. In fact, he wasn’t part of the organization at first. He was a criminal who made a living by kidnapping and extortion. Later, his skills were appreciated and coveted by the organization so they made him one of them," Duan Yunjie explained.
"So it looks like the Public Security Bureau has already started investigating this organization..."
"It started as early as my cooperation with your grandfather. But every time we failed, the people involved in the mission were either missing or mysteriously killed."
It seemed Sun Tiger knew more than I thought.
"Duan Yunjie, I will arrange a psychologist to counsel you and confirm your state of mind,” added Sun Tiger. “Then if you’re given the clear, I’ll formally return you to the team with the honor you deserve!"
Duan Yunjie wanted to salute, only to remember that her hands were shackled. "Thank you, Director Sun," she smiled.
"Song Yang,” he said, turning to me. “You need to receive psychotherapy as well!"
At the thought of revealing those incidents to a stranger and reopening my wounds, I felt resistance. "I’m fine,” I shook my head.
“Listen to me!” urged Sun Tiger.
These two words stimulated me like a sharp needle through the marrow. "I said I was fine. Don’t confuse me with them!" I shouted.
My outburst frightened everyone in the vehicle. When I regained composure, I realized my gaffe and bowed my head in loss, "I know, I’ll go for therapy."
Back at the station, I saw Xiaotao, Bingxin, Dali and Wang Yuanchao waiting at the entrance as soon as I alighted the vehicle. When they saw me in handcuffs, Dali asked in surprise, "What happened?"
"This is for his own protection,” clarified Sun Tiger. “Let’s go inside and talk about it."
Upon seeing Xiaotao after such a long parting, I couldn’t resist a smile. There were a thousand words I wanted to say but all I could manage was, "I’m back."
Xiaotao rushed over and wrapped her arms around me. "Song Yang, we were worried about you!"
"Where’s Song Xingchen?"
"He doesn’t have any serious injuries and is now in the hospital,” answered Xiaotao.
We headed upstairs to the conference room. There was a SWAT team with live ammunition patrolling outside the door. It seemed this was a confidential meeting.
Before entering the room, Sun Tiger uncuffed me. There were many people seated inside, including Captain Xing. I recognized quite a few team leaders from the SWAT police.
When we all took our seats, Sun Tiger cleared his throat and said, "There was a vicious kidnapping in Nanjiang City today. We already have evidence that a criminal code-named the Dog Trainer is acting against the Nanjiang City police."
The main content of the discussion was the special team that the provincial public security department had set up to catch the Dog Trainer. We would be given the authority to use extraordinary methods in dealing with special circumstances. The cases that were orchestrated and framed by the Dog Trainer were put on hold, and all efforts were concentrated to tackle the problem and bring down the Dog Trainer. So Xiaotao and Dali were now free agents.
According to the clues we had at present, the Dog Trainer’s true identity was still unknown. The police couldn’t find his face in the household registration system and he was very likely to have undergone cosmetic surgery. His business was mainly to clean up after wealthy criminals, arranging for obedient slaves to take the rap. At present, at least forty major cases in Nanjiang City had been found to be related to the Dog Trainer, though we had no direct evidence.
Before this, the police had been investigating specific cases and their forces were completely dispersed. Like our investigation of the four young masters, they were all played by the Dog Trainer.
This time, Sun Tiger was going to change his policy. He would try his best to bring down the Dog Trainer first.
"Officers, this isn’t so much as solving a case as it is fighting a war,” announced Sun Tiger. “This is the first time we’re declaring war on this organization. Each of us must be prepared physically and mentally, and be ready to sacrifice ourselves at any moment. Can you do this?"
"Yes, sir!" We replied in unison.
After the meeting, Xiaotao and I left the conference room together. The others were worried about me going home. "Song Yang, would you like to stay at my place?" suggested Xiaotao.
Bingxin grabbed my arm, "Let’s go to my place."
"I’m not going anywhere. I want to see Song Xingchen," I replied.
Thus, we decided to head to the hospital together. As soon as we entered the ward, we heard a commotion. "No, you can’t leave the hospital now,” chided the nurse.
Song Xingchen growled, "Don’t try to stop me!"
When I walked in, Song Xingchen froze in shock before dropping on one knee. "Young master, I couldn’t protect you. Please punish me!"
I shook my head, "No, I’m back now. You’ve done well."
When Song Xingchen refused to get up, I suddenly felt inexplicably irate. "Stand up and get back to bed!" I yelled.
The others looked at me, wide eyes filled with worry and questions. I couldn’t tolerate the look in their eyes. My cheek trembled uncontrollably as I assured, "I’m fine. I’m normal! So stop looking at me like I’m sick."
Xiaotao asked, "Song Yang, are you hungry, or should we go out to eat?"
"I’m not hungry. I just want to stay here and rest for a while."
Xiaotao urged the others to leave first while I remained in Song Xingchen’s ward. Perhaps I was traumatized. I couldn’t be alone and felt uneasy at the silence. With Song Xingchen and Xiaotao around, my dangling heart found solid ground.
Knowing I was mentally unstable at the moment, Xiaotao distracted me with mundane chit-chat. I was very grateful for her company.
At around ten o’clock, I finally fell asleep on my chair, exhausted from the ordeal I just experienced. In my nightmares, the Dog Trainer held a red-hot iron rod and repeatedly stabbed me...
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