Chapter 186 40

Chapter 186: 40

That night, Rong Qing was the first to fly back to China.

Although Ruan Cong's blows weren't life-threatening, they were far from light, especially the knee to his stomach. It didn't require a hospital visit, but it left a large bruise and, by aggravating old injuries, caused a deep, persistent ache that radiated from the surface inward. While still in Mingzhu City, surrounded by people, Rong Qing could still bear it, but once he was alone on the flight back, he had reached his limit.

During the five-hour flight, he remained curled up in his seat, barely able to keep his eyes open, a continuous cold sweat breaking out. He asked the flight attendant for warm water and a blanket, and it took two doses of painkillers to endure the journey.

As soon as the plane landed, the base sent a car for him, which drove him straight back to the base. Exhausted from the journey, he arrived at Tianning in the middle of the night. After only a few hours of sleep, he was summoned to a meeting with leadership to deliver his mission report.

The higher-ups placed great importance on this "Carrier Pigeon" operation, and Rong Qing pushed through to finish the meeting. There was still plenty of work to follow: First, the domestic authorities hoped to apprehend and interrogate key domestic remnants involved in the case; secondly, they needed to notify the families of the abducted individuals and prepare for their resettlement and reception.

He hit the ground running the moment he returned, busy nonstop, working around the clock, without a moment to spare for being sick.

Rong Qing stayed in the base dormitory for another two days, rushed through several reports, completed the handover and arrangements for his work, and was finally able to return to Yuncheng first.

Coach Zhao thoughtfully arranged a car for him. Before he left, Zhao called him into his office.

Coach Zhao got straight to the point: "Captain Rong, you performed exceptionally well in this mission. So many abducted individuals were rescued, and the investigation into the Psi network case has made significant progress—all thanks to you. I will arrange a commendation for you here."

Rong Qing modestly replied, "Thank you for the recognition, but this was the result of the team's efforts."

Zhao Lingyue added, as if remembering something: "By the way, speaking of the team, there's something about He Lin."

Rong Qing didn’t know why He Lin was suddenly mentioned and softly hummed in acknowledgment.

Zhao Lingyue rummaged through his desk and pulled out a folder, explaining to Rong Qing: "Recently, among the arrested individuals, we found an executioner who had escaped from the Lily Garden area back then, and he provided an account of the process of He Lin's punishment. I know you’ve always felt guilty about He Lin’s injury. Here’s a copy for you to read, so you can understand what happened at the time."

Rong Qing looked down at the folder, feeling as if it were burning his hands, but after a moment of silence, he mustered the courage to take it.

Zhao Lingyue added, "Also, I've always thought your talents are wasted in Yuncheng. I have some understanding of your physical condition. Although the Missing Persons Investigation Unit is grassroots work, it still requires frontline involvement and participation in arrest missions. I hope you can stay at the base and be promoted to Deputy Detachment Commander."

At this point, Zhao Lingyue paused and continued, "There’s another position you might consider as well. The provincial department’s task force for the Psi website has been mostly assembled—it’s a relatively young team. They hope the base can send an experienced commander, with a relatively high rank, to cooperate with the task force and eradicate that criminal organization."

Zhao Lingyue looked at Rong Qing: "This is a desk job running operations from the command room. In terms of experience and qualifications, I think you're the only candidate for the job."

Rong Qing hesitated. That case was a lingering concern for him. If it could be eradicated, then He Lin would truly be safe.

He could come, but He Lin...

He had just opened his mouth to say something when Zhao Lingyue interrupted him: "There’s no rush for any of this. Go back first, think it over carefully, and just give me your answer within a week."

Since the leader said so, Rong Qing swallowed his unspoken words. That was fine. He would go back and discuss it with He Lin.

After finishing, Coach Zhao patted his shoulder and said, "Hurry back. You’ve worked hard lately. You look thinner and paler. Go home and get some proper rest."

Rong Qing hummed in agreement and turned to leave.

Standing in the corridor, Rong Qing thought for a moment and then knocked on Coach Zhao’s office door again.

Seeing Rong Qing return, Zhao Lingyue asked puzzledly, "What’s wrong? Is there something else?"

Rong Qing stood in front of Zhao Lingyue, seemingly struggling to speak. Zhao Lingyue looked at him, not rushing, patiently waiting for the captain who had once made him most proud to speak.

After a long silence, Rong Qing finally said, "Coach Zhao, this time, due to the urgent situation, the identity of Rong Qing was reactivated. But in fact, from the moment I decided to leave the base, the name Rong Qing should have been sealed away along with my past records. Now that the mission is over, from now on, I am only Li Shang."

Zhao Lingyue was initially stunned and stared at Rong Qing for a long time. Rong Qing also met his gaze calmly and confidently.

Soon, Zhao Lingyue’s expression relaxed. He stood up and asked Rong Qing, "Have you thought it through?"

Rong Qing nodded, "I have."

Zhao Lingyue took a deep breath and saluted Rong Qing with a police salute: "Rong Qing, thank you for your contributions to Tianning Base over all these years. Li Shang, I look forward to you joining the base again."

Li Shang stood at attention and returned the police salute: "Thank you."

After leaving Zhao Lingyue, the car had already arrived. Li Shang had to go to the dormitory to get his luggage first. He didn’t have time to look at the file and just got into the car.

The driver was the base’s driver assigned to leadership, driving quickly and steadily, considered the best driver in the base. But for some reason, Li Shang recalled the last time He Lin drove him back, taking the same road. He had slept the entire way then. But now, on the same road, he couldn’t find the same sense of peace, feeling restless no matter how he sat.

Li Shang wasn’t a talkative person and really didn’t know how to start a conversation with the driver. Sitting alone in the back seat, he fished his phone out of his bag.

During the undercover operation, he had been using Shen Xi’s phone, and later, due to mission confidentiality, he used a Mission Machine. Before the mission, Li Shang had left this phone in the drawer of his base office. Perhaps he had been in a hurry and forgot to turn it off. Now, after pressing it a few times, it wouldn’t light up, so he had to borrow a charger from the driver.

After plugging it in, Li Shang leaned his head against the car seat, recalling that when he got in the car earlier, the driver asked where he was going, and he almost blurted out He Lin’s home address.

Finally able to go home—this home, Li Shang instinctively considered was wherever He Lin was.

With a slight vibration, the charged phone finally turned on.

Almost the moment it unlocked, a flood of messages poured into Li Shang’s chat box. The latest one was from Lin Hui an hour ago, likely knowing through internal channels that he was back, asking about the mission.

Li Shang replied: All smooth.

The other messages were from various times, with the most frequent senders being Fang Jue and Zhu Xiaonian. Li Shang opened their chat boxes and scrolled for a long time without reaching the end. Skimming through, Fang Jue’s messages weren’t particularly substantial, mostly about how he missed them since both he and He Lin were away. Li Shang didn't bother reading and only replied to Fang Jue’s last message.

—Brother Li, when are you and Captain He coming back?

Li Shang replied: I’m already back. Captain He will need a few more days.

Fang Jue’s video call came almost instantly, but it was inconvenient to talk in the car, so Li Shang didn’t answer and hung up directly. Fang Jue probably understood that Li Shang might still be busy and didn’t call again, only replying that he missed him so much and also missed Captain He.

Compared to Fang Jue’s longing, Zhu Xiaonian, somehow, had learned about his argument with He Lin and vowed to help him seek justice. Li Shang looked at the long paragraphs Zhu Xiaonian had typed, almost able to see him typing urgently.

Later, not receiving a reply, Zhu Xiaonian guessed that his captain might have another mission. The following messages were reminders for him to stay safe.

Looking at Zhu Xiaonian’s messages, Li Shang felt both amused and exasperated, so he simply replied: On a mission, just returned, all is well. Also, behave yourself.

After handling the messages that needed replies one by one, Li Shang felt his eyes dry and sore, always wanting to rub them. After snow blindness, the doctor had advised him to use his phone less, but aside from work needs, Li Shang wasn’t someone who was obsessed with electronic devices. In the past, he had many things to do daily and no time for his phone.

Since when had Li Shang started consciously checking messages on his phone?

He might not have noticed himself, but it was certain that it must have been after reuniting with He Lin.

Li Shang wanted to turn off his phone and rest his eyes, but as he locked the screen, he noticed there were still unread messages. Holding the phone, Li Shang thought for a moment and suddenly remembered something, scrolling the chat interface to the very top.

That was He Lin's chat window, the only one Li Shang had pinned.

This pin was set by He Lin after Li Shang moved into his place and they started living together. At the time, Li Shang called it childish, but he gladly embraced He Lin's childishness.

Li Shang stared quietly at the red notification for a few seconds before tapping to see what He Lin had sent him.

It was a text. Li Shang noticed it had been sent two months ago, on the day he left for Country J. He hadn’t messaged He Lin directly but left a note at home, telling him to be careful and wait for his return.

And what was He Lin’s reply?

—I’ll be careful. But I won’t just wait—I told you I’d fight alongside you, and I meant it.

Below that message was a meme He Lin sent a week later—a big white dog holding a tiny red heart in its mouth, captioned: "Here I come."

That must have been the day He Lin set off for Country J.

As Li Shang read the messages and looked at the meme, his eyes, dry until now, began to sting and swell up again. He reread He Lin’s words several times before finally locking his phone and pressing it against his chest.

Calculating the time, He Lin should still be busy in Country J. As long as he hadn’t returned, He Lin wouldn’t be messaging this account. Any message Li Shang sent now would go unseen, so he didn’t reply. He was sure He Lin had understood the message he’d lip-synced before leaving—now, it was Li Shang waiting for He Lin to come back.

Whatever needed to be said, Li Shang wanted to say it to He Lin face to face.

This reminded him of that night in Country J when he tricked He Lin into practicing English. Before Li Shang fell asleep, He Lin had gently kissed his lips.

It wasn’t an act—it was He Lin’s genuine affection. Even though they were arguing and hadn’t made up, He Lin still showed his affection constantly.

Slowly, Li Shang felt the thorn in his heart beginning to dissolve. He and He Lin shouldn't end here.

With his eyes closed, Li Shang leaned back in his seat, thinking of He Lin. Whether it was because of He Lin or his overly tense nerves and exhaustion, the more he tried to rest, the dizzier he felt.

The temperature in the car was comfortable, yet Li Shang still felt a chill. He wondered if he was running a fever again. A dull pain came in waves through his chest and abdomen. He’d recently switched to stronger painkillers—in Country J, to navigate around those people, and back here, to wrap up his work at the base smoothly. He took them whenever the pain flared, probably overdoing it. He might have to quit them once he got back.

But that wasn’t what worried Li Shang now. His most important task was to wait for He Lin’s return and say everything clearly.

The long ride was tedious, and as his mind wandered, Li Shang’s hand rested on the case dossier.

When it all happened, he’d been desperate for answers. He’d investigated through both overt and covert means for a long time, doing everything he could, yet he never fully uncovered what had truly occurred.

Now, the truth was right in front of him, but Li Shang felt a deep sense of dread toward that file.

He had found He Lin again and come to understand how He Lin had changed because of those events. So now, Li Shang was almost afraid of what the file might reveal.

What kind of truth could completely warp a person’s entire memory…