Chapter 106: Bring More People Along

“The Golden Triangle? How could he have gone there? Never mind, wait for me in the office. I’ll be there shortly,” Lin Fan said as he ended the call, knowing full well that a brief phone conversation couldn’t possibly clarify the whole situation.

Clutching the phone in his hand, Lin Fan suddenly grew calm, his brows furrowed, eyes sharp as blades. After a moment of contemplation, he turned and walked over to Zhao Ying, sitting across from her.

Watching Zhao Ying eat with her head lowered, Lin Fan found himself at a loss for words.

“If you have something to do, just go ahead. I’ll head back to the police station on my own later,” Zhao Ying said with a faint smile, sensing Lin Fan’s persistent gaze. Since his return from the phone call, she had noticed a stark change in his demeanor—the entire aura around him had shifted. She knew he wanted to say something but was struggling to find the right words.

Hearing her words warmed Lin Fan’s heart. He knew Zhao Ying wasn’t upset; she was genuinely considering things from his perspective.

“Ying’er, I’m going away for a while,” Lin Fan said softly after a brief silence.

“Going away? Where to?” Zhao Ying was taken aback. She had guessed something was wrong but hadn’t expected Lin Fan to leave town.

“The Golden Triangle. The company’s business expansion there has hit some trouble. I have to go handle it in person,” Lin Fan leaned back in his chair, trying to appear relaxed.

“Oh, how long will you be gone?” Zhao Ying asked cautiously. Having been a police officer for so long, she certainly knew what the Golden Triangle was—not just a tourist spot, but a chaotic, lawless region rife with drug trafficking that local authorities couldn’t control. Naturally, she was worried about Lin Fan going there.

“I’m not sure yet. I’ll only know when I get there. But I don’t think it will take long—maybe ten days to two weeks at most,” Lin Fan replied.

“Just don’t go wandering around. And remember to call me when you get there,” Zhao Ying said. “I’ve finished eating. Let’s go.”

“Hey, do you think your husband is that kind of guy?” Lin Fan pouted and gave her a playful glare. “Let’s go. I’ll take you back to the police station.”

“I’ll take good care of myself. Don’t forget, I’m a cop,” Zhao Ying smiled mischievously, blocking Lin Fan’s arm. “You drive ahead. I’ll take a taxi.”

“Alright, then I’ll watch you get into the cab,” Lin Fan said, knowing well that forcing her wouldn’t do any good given her stubborn nature. In truth, he understood that Zhao Ying’s refusal was out of concern for him, not wanting to delay his work. A surge of indescribable warmth filled Lin Fan’s heart. Women like her were one in a million. Missing out on her would be a lifelong regret.

...

Watching Zhao Ying get into the taxi, Lin Fan finally started his car and headed toward Zhentian Group.

Inside the taxi, Zhao Ying leaned out the window, watching Lin Fan’s car disappear into the distance. She murmured softly, “Be careful. I’ll be waiting for you.” After Lin Fan told her about the Dragon Soul last night, she had sensed keenly that his trip to the Golden Triangle was far more complicated than merely handling company affairs.

Yet she understood well that Lin Fan kept silent to avoid worrying her. So she chose to pretend she knew nothing, lest his mind be distracted by concern for her.

Since Tan Zhiyong arrived in Huaxia, Lin Fan had arranged for his sister to prepare a special office for the Dragon Soul team inside the Zhentian Group building. After parking the car, Lin Fan hurried upstairs. When he entered the office, Mo Fei and Zhang Lei were already waiting.

Without a word, Lin Fan sat down and glanced at Tan Zhiyong. “Xiaoyong, when did Li Nanxing go to the Golden Triangle?”

“A few days ago, he went there on a mission. At first, we still had contact by phone, but now, at the agreed time, he suddenly lost all contact. Calls can’t get through. So I suspect something’s happened to Nanxing,” Tan Zhiyong replied.

“What mission?” Lin Fan frowned. Given Li Nanxing’s skills, especially his expertise with poisons, no ordinary person could match him.

“A while back, someone hired us to arrange for Dragon Soul to assassinate a major drug lord in the Golden Triangle. I sent people to investigate. It turns out that drug lord frequently traffics narcotics into Huaxia. Nanxing found out about this and volunteered for the job,” Tan Zhiyong explained.

Trafficking large quantities of drugs into Huaxia—hmpf. Lin Fan snorted coldly. During the Anti-Japanese War, opium had ruined countless lives and branded the Chinese as the “Sick Man of East Asia.” If this drug lord was truly as described, death would be well deserved. Still, Lin Fan knew things couldn’t be that simple; otherwise, Li Nanxing wouldn’t have suddenly disappeared.

“What about the global satellite tracking system? Can we lock onto Nanxing’s current location?” Lin Fan asked further.

“No. All the devices on his person have been destroyed. The last known position is still in the Golden Triangle,” Tan Zhiyong said, his tone tinged with regret. “After that, the employer suddenly disappeared too.”

Hearing this, a fierce murderous intent flashed in Lin Fan’s eyes. “Damn it.” Even without thinking, Lin Fan knew this was tied to the employer. Otherwise, why would they vanish? This had to be a conspiracy from start to finish. A bad premonition gripped Lin Fan’s heart.

“Where are the other brothers now?” Lin Fan asked next.

“I’ve already notified the comrades on a mission near the Golden Triangle. They’ve rushed there immediately,” Tan Zhiyong answered. “Boss, it’s all my fault. If I hadn’t accepted this mission, Nanxing and the others wouldn’t have been in trouble.”

Since the employer had suddenly gone silent, Tan Zhiyong realized this matter was far more complex than he imagined. His words were filled with guilt and self-blame.

Lin Fan patted his shoulder. “Ever since we entered the mercenary business, one foot has already stepped into hell. This isn’t your fault. If it were me, I’d have taken the job too. Hmph, a drug lord. Besides, Nanxing and the others might still be fine.”

Though Lin Fan was now a mercenary, he had been a special forces soldier for five years—a soldier at heart. He had dealt with drug lords many times before, often assigned to assassinate those trafficking drugs into Huaxia. Since these matters were sensitive and the state couldn’t intervene openly, such missions were delegated to secret special units within Huaxia, like the Falcons...

Tan Zhiyong nodded silently at Lin Fan’s words.

As the second-in-command of Dragon Soul and the Star Soul’s Lucun Star, he understood the implication. The previous captain, Han Feng, had once said that the dragon symbolizes Huaxia. Since the team was named Dragon Soul, it represented Huaxia in a way. If someone dared to sell drugs to Huaxia, Dragon Soul couldn’t ignore it. That was why Li Nanxing had volunteered for this mission.

“Mo Fei, book the earliest flight to Thailand,” Lin Fan ordered. “Xiaoyong, stay here and keep trying to locate Nanxing. If you find anything, contact us immediately.”

The Golden Triangle was a unique and dangerous region, a stronghold for various armed groups. Since there were no direct flights from T City to the Golden Triangle, Lin Fan had to first fly to Thailand, then transfer to the Golden Triangle.

“I’ve already checked. There’s a flight at 8 p.m. from Binhai International Airport to Bangkok, Thailand’s capital. I’ve booked three tickets,” Mo Fei said. He had anticipated Lin Fan would personally go to the Golden Triangle for Li Nanxing, so he had already secured the tickets earlier, knowing Lin Fan would never abandon a brother in Dragon Soul.

“Book one more ticket. I want to bring someone else along,” Lin Fan said after some thought.

“Boss, who do you want to bring? You’re not thinking of bringing Sister-in-law, are you?” Mo Fei was stunned for a moment, then suddenly realized something and looked at Lin Fan with wide-eyed surprise.

[Author’s note: Please add this to your bookshelf! Tomorrow it will be featured on the homepage. If you can support with money, thank you; if not, just your presence is appreciated. Wu Xie thanks you all!]