Chapter 86: Lin Haotian Arrives

On the other side, after Zhao Fanglin finished his call with his daughter, he sprang into action, dialing several numbers in quick succession. Soon, all major media outlets and newspapers were reporting on Mayor Yu’s son, Yu Weihua, and his scandalous crime. Hot on the heels of this exposé came the news of Yu Jiang’s abuse of his position for bribery and embezzlement. The moment these two stories broke, they caused an uproar, instantly turning Yu Jiang and his son into infamous public figures.

At the same time, the Commission for Discipline Inspection "invited" Yu Jiang for questioning, while his son Yu Weihua was naturally arrested. For years, Zhao Fanglin had kept a close watch on Yu Jiang, waiting for just such an opportunity. No one would tolerate a ticking time bomb by their side, and now that the moment had arrived, Zhao Fanglin seized it, determined to wipe out Yu Jiang’s faction once and for all.

While Zhao Fanglin was triumphant, Yu Jiang was utterly despondent, grinding his teeth in rage. In his heart, he had cursed Lin Fan’s ancestors eighteen generations over, wishing he could tear Lin Fan to pieces. This shameless brat was truly untrustworthy; after agreeing on terms, he had turned his back and handed over all the evidence.

Originally, Yu Jiang planned to have someone follow Lin Fan once he left the police station, retrieve the evidence, and quietly eliminate him without a trace. But now, not only had he failed to catch the chicken, he lost the rice as well.

Yu Jiang felt overwhelmed; the Commission for Discipline Inspection was a place where ordinary people rarely returned once inside. Thinking that his son might be sentenced, Yu Jiang was consumed with hatred for Lin Fan, wishing he could kill him. He only had one son, but now he couldn’t even protect himself. The people from the Discipline Inspection Commission were difficult to deal with; when he was in power, they followed him like lapdogs, but now, as he was about to fall, they beat the drowning dog. It seemed he could only rely on his connections above.

Sitting in the interrogation room, Yu Jiang thought angrily, “Lin Fan, it’s all that damned kid’s fault. If not for him, how would I end up in a place like this? When I get out, I’ll grind his bones to dust to vent my hatred.”

T City was a municipality directly under central government control, and Yu Jiang, as mayor, naturally had deep connections in high places. Before heading to the Commission for Discipline Inspection, Yu Jiang made a flurry of calls. He had sent many gifts upward over the years, and now it was time to see the results. As long as he didn’t fall, everything would be negotiable.

Lin Fan knew nothing of these events. At that moment, he and Zhao Ying had just left the police station when a car slowly pulled up nearby, facing Lin Fan directly. Soon, a middle-aged man of nearly fifty stepped out and walked toward Lin Fan.

Seeing him, Lin Fan’s expression changed and he turned to leave. Zhao Ying noticed it too—Lin Fan was avoiding this man. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have turned away the moment he saw him approaching.

“You brat, how long are you going to avoid me?” the middle-aged man called out. “Don’t you want to know about your parents?”

Upon hearing this, Lin Fan stopped in his tracks and turned to Zhao Ying. “Ying’er, you go on ahead. Don’t worry, I’ll be fine.”

Zhao Ying instinctively nodded. Lin Fan’s face was unusually serious; she had never seen him like this. Perhaps he really did have something important to discuss with that man, she told herself.

Watching Zhao Ying drive away, Lin Fan opened the car door and sat in the passenger seat. The middle-aged man followed him in and took the wheel.

This man was none other than Lin Fan’s uncle, someone he both wanted and didn’t want to see—the highest commander of the Falcon Special Forces, Lin Haotian. Lin Fan wished to see him to learn about his parents’ past, but also resented him for staying silent when the country abandoned him years ago, never giving him even a hint.

“You even hid from me in the police station. Do you really not want to see me?” Lin Haotian turned the car around a bend and asked.

“What’s the point? I died four years ago anyway,” Lin Fan replied, eyes closed, his thoughts indecipherable. In Lin Fan’s mind, his uncle’s presence meant he represented the country, while Lin Fan himself now represented Dragon Soul. So he spoke without reservation.

“The moment you returned to China, the authorities knew. Don’t think the intelligence departments here are a joke. As the leader of Dragon Soul mercenaries, you’re under close watch. I don’t need to remind you,” Lin Haotian said solemnly.

“I never thought the country was a joke. You said it yourself,” Lin Fan replied, expressionless.

“Kid, whatever else, I used to be your commander. Is this how you talk to me?” Lin Haotian glanced at Lin Fan.

“You said it yourself—used to be, not now,” Lin Fan replied calmly, clearly drawing a line between himself, Falcon, and the country.

“You…” Lin Haotian suddenly realized he was at a loss for words. “You’ve become quite sharp-tongued after all these years.”

In his eyes, Lin Fan had rarely been so quick with words. Back in Falcon, he never joked around, except with those he was close to. Now, Lin Fan responded cleverly to every comment.

“Well, I have you all to thank for that. Really, I should thank the country. Otherwise, I’d never have discovered how beautiful life can be,” Lin Fan said truthfully. If not for the country, he wouldn’t be who he was now.

“You…” Lin Haotian struggled for words after just a single syllable. He knew Lin Fan harbored resentment, and anyone in his place would have reacted the same.

“So, are you out of things to say? If so, you should tell me about my parents. I don’t care about anything else,” Lin Fan said, knowing his uncle’s visit must be tied to the government. He blocked any other topics to avoid unnecessary trouble.

“Kid, whatever else, I’m still your uncle,” Lin Haotian said, his tone softening.

As Falcon’s commander, Lin Haotian had seen countless people, and he could easily discern Lin Fan’s changes. This young man was no longer the obedient soldier of the past.

“So you still remember you’re my uncle?” Lin Fan sneered, the meaning clear.

Lin Haotian naturally understood Lin Fan’s implication—he was blaming him for not revealing the country’s decision back then. The truth was, Lin Haotian only learned of it at the last moment and had hoped for a chance to rescue Lin Fan, but by then, Lin Fan and his team had disappeared in the United States.

Lin Haotian said nothing more, focusing on driving. He was taking Lin Fan somewhere.

There was no choice; at that time, China lagged behind the United States in both economy and military strength. Lin Fan and his team were hunted by the US, and if China intervened, it would have led to direct conflict and escalated to an international issue. Weighing the options, the government had no choice but to abandon the three Falcon members on that mission.

But in Lin Fan’s eyes, regardless of the reason, abandonment was abandonment—there was no need to justify it after the fact.

Lying back in his seat, Lin Fan wondered if his words had been too harsh. After all, this man was his uncle. He shrugged, deciding not to dwell on it; what was said could not be unsaid.

“Alright, we’ll talk about other matters later. I’ll take you somewhere first. Yan’er and Rui’er are already waiting,” Lin Haotian said, changing the subject.

“Tang Rui? She’s there too?” Lin Fan muttered to himself. Then, resting his head on his hands, he replied with a faint “Oh.” Since his sister was there, he couldn’t refuse to go, and he also wanted to know where his uncle was taking him.

The car slowly headed toward the outskirts, the scenery changing as they left the city. Soon, they stopped at the entrance of a large estate.

“Come on, kid. I’m taking you to meet someone. Mind your manners—Old Master Tang is highly respected in the upper echelons. When your father was alive, he’d visit him regularly,” Lin Haotian said sternly.

“Also, when he was young, he was involved in the underworld. He controlled nearly all the criminal forces in Central China. Later, after the government cracked down on organized crime, Old Master Tang settled here and washed his hands of it for good. But his reputation and connections in this circle are still vast—far beyond what you can imagine.”

“Old Master Tang? Could it be…?” For a moment, Lin Fan seemed to recall something.

ps: Please add to your bookshelf!!!