Chapter 078
Shimen Yihshyong
The sedan that Shiuander Janji was driving slowly started to move forward. Previously, the car had stopped with its back to the highway, so now Shiuander drove his car straight down the narrow alley.
"Thank you very much, Sir!" Yihshyong said. "How did you get here?"
"It's just a coincidence."
"Coincidence?"
"This afternoon, I didn't have any plan to go anywhere. However, it changed when a friend called. He had something important to say to me. But he didn't want to say it on the phone, so he asked me to come over to his house," said Shiuander.
"Why didn't your friend just come to your house?" Iren opened his mouth. His voice was almost the same as usual. He seemed to have almost recovered from the shock from the accident earlier.
"He had to take care of his little nephew. So he couldn't go anywhere. So he told me to come. This afternoon, right after we met in front of the house, when I entered the house, I immediately received a call from him."
"So you have left the house since this afternoon?" Iren asked.
"It took me about ten minutes to get ready. After that, I went straight to his house."
"It's dark now. It means that your conversation with him is very serious," said Iren.
"I think that's a very subjective thing." Shiuander smiled. "But indeed, I was at his house long enough. I just came back from his house."
"I hope your friend is okay," Yihshyong said.
"Don't worry. The problem my friend is having isn't that serious. We can solve everything."
"So, his house is in this area, right, Sir?" Iren asked.
Shiuander shook his head. "It's not too close from here. But I was deliberately passing through the road in this area."
"Do you mean to avoid traffic jams by going around here?" Iren asked.
"It's not like that. I happened to be passing by here because I wanted to stop by a restaurant about five hundred meters from the intersection where your accident happened."
"We understand!" Yihshyong laughed. Stomach affairs could sometimes make people changed plans.
Shiuander smiled. He continued his words. "So, when I was passing through the main road before the intersection, I realized that the road that had been quite empty had suddenly turned crowded. I heard people saying that there had been an accident at the intersection. So I immediately turned the car into this narrow alley and stop there. After that, I got off and walked to the intersection. My intention was actually just to see how bad the accident was. If it was really serious and the road was completely jammed, then I didn't go there. After arriving at the intersection, unexpectedly, I met Mr. Nangong there."
"I'm very sorry, Sir! That incident has made you unable to eat at the restaurant," said Yihshyong.
"It's okay. Next time I can still go there. It's not a big deal." Shiuander laughed. "By the way, who hit your car?"
"We don't know. After hitting us, he immediately ran away. The car behind us also suffered damage because it hit our car from behind. The car did not have time to break," said Iren.
"How many people were there in the car?" Shiuander looked so curious.
"There were only four people," Yihshyong replied. There were three of us and one driver. Right now, he is still there giving statements to the police and taking care of things. It is actually our friend's car, and the driver is also our friend's driver."
"Actually, where are you going?"
"We want to go to Chyhjoong Park," Yihshyong replied.
"At this time of night?" Shiuander's voice sounded doubtful.
Iren smiled. "That's a very subjective thing." He imitated the words Shiuander had said earlier. "I don't think it's too late at this hour."
"Yes, you could say it's still twilight," said Shiuander. "But I think it is rare for people to go to the park at dusk. Moreover, Mr. Shimen's clothes are not like the clothes of people who want to relax in the park."
"I have very urgent things to do in the park. It's a very important thing. As for this outfit, I just want to wear it. There's no other reason," Yihshyong replied.
I am sure my answer is very difficult for his mind to accept. But, what should I tell?
Yihshyong actually didn't know what to answer if someone asked him about the clothes he was wearing. He couldn't possibly answer that he wore those clothes to make him looked like Shannchyuan. So he just blurted those words. He didn't know if that answer was enough to make Shiuander believe it.
"Frankly, you look exactly like Mr. Duanmuh," said Shiuander. Earlier, when I saw you appear, I thought I saw Mr. Duanmuh."
"Yes, it is true. In clothes like this, I do look very much like him," said Yihshyong.
"Speaking of Mr. Duanmuh, I didn't see him. Hasn't he come back yet?" Mr. Shiuander asked.
Iren turned towards the back seat. His face showed confusion. Yihshyong was actually confused, too. He was considering telling Shiuander the truth.
Now, what should I say?
"You are right, Sir! He hasn't come back yet. I've contacted the library that interviewed him. They said that he had been home a long time ago."
"Could it be that he has another appointment after his business at the library is over?" Shiuander asked.
"We don't know, Sir. But I don't think so," said Yihshyong. "After that, I called one of Mr. Duanmuh's friends. He also had an interview at the library. He told me that Mr. Duanmuh had said that he would stop by the mall in front of the station before returning home. So most likely, this afternoon Mr. Duanmuh was at the mall."
Shiuander looked so surprised after hearing Yihshyong's words. He suddenly braked the car. The atmosphere became silent. Yihshyong waited for the question Shiuander would ask. But the old man just sat pensively. They were in silence about ten seconds.
"Sir, Mr. Shiuander." Iren tried to talk to the old man, who suddenly looked shocked. "We can't stop here."
"Sorry." Shiuander seemed to come to his senses. He quickly stepped back on the accelerator. The car that had stopped for a few seconds was running again. However, the car runs very slowly. Shiuander looked left and right. After finding a suitable place, he pulled the car to the side of the road. After that, the car stopped there.
Jinqkang, who was sitting next to Yihshyong, turned to him. He said nothing, but Yihshyong felt that the look in Jinqkang's eyes suggested they should say something to Shiuander. If not, then along the way, the old man would keep showering them with dizzying questions.
"What's this really about?" Shiuander looked towards the back shuttle. "Is Mr. Duanmuh one of the victims of the incident at the mall?"
I think we should tell this old man about what happened at the mall. But how much can I put forward?
"We also don't know for sure, Sir! There is absolutely no news from Mr. Duanmuh," said Yihshyong. "Mr. Dongfang has already gone to the hospital to look for information. I hope we will get news about it soon."
"So, after the incident at the mall, Mr. Duanmuh hasn't returned home at all?"
Yihshyong nodded weakly.
"This afternoon, when we met in front of your house, you seemed calm. It was as if nothing had happened."
Yihshyong was silent. This time, he did not answer Shiuander's question. Not even a single word. He just nodded.
Shiuander shook his head. "Okay! There are things that are difficult to say. I can't force you to tell me. I understand."
"Thank you, Sir." Iren bent his body.
Shiuander sighed. "Now, let's just move on." He started the car, which he had stopped, again.
Their journey went smoothly. Perhaps it was not right to call it smoothly because there were several times traffic congestion hampered them. But in general, everything was relatively smooth. However, Yihshyong felt so uneasy. They had already lost quite a bit of time. He hoped they wouldn't be late in the park.
Along the way, Yihshyong racked his brain to find the words he would say to Shiuander. So far, the old man person had been willing to take them without knowing exactly what they had come to the park for. Mr. Shiuander still seemed to understand that they hadn't been able to tell everything that had happened for some reason. But at one point, Shiuander's curiosity was bound to explode. Even if the old man had said that he could understand, there was no guarantee he wouldn't be fussy about it. When that time came, Yihshyong had to say something. Something that made sense.
"We're here, Sir." Shiuander suddenly stopped the car. The car stopped at the side of the road.
"Eh? Where's the park?" Iren looked around.
"Behind that wall, Sir." Shiuander pointed to the wall to their left.
"Have you been to this place many times?" Yihshyong asked.
"I haven't, Sir. So I know little. Just know that the garden is in there," said Shiuander.
Yihshyong nodded.
Now, it's showtime!
"I will park the car. You guys get off now or later after I find a parking space," Shiuander said.
"To save time, we'll just get off here, Sir," Yihshyong said. "I am very grateful that you are willing to take us here. I really feel bad. If you want to leave this place immediately because you have other needs, go ahead, Sir! Later, we can find another vehicle to go home."
"It doesn't matter. I will wait for you. Don't worry, I don't have any plans tonight."
"Iren, you go with Mr. Shiuander to find a parking space. Jinqkang, you come with me."
Iren nodded. He didn't argue at all.
Yihshyong and Jinqkang got out of the car where it had stopped. Shiuander's car left to find a parking space right away. They both looked left and right. There was no one they could ask.
"Don't you know where the entrance is?" Jinqkang asked. "I've never been here."
"I've never been here either. So I don't know either. I think we got off at the wrong place. Now let's just explore the walls of this park. Later, we will surely find the entrance."
"Let me bring it, Sir!" Jinqkang pointed at the large bag Yihshyong was carrying.
"It's okay, I'm still be able to carry this thing," said Yihshyong.
"You wear clothes like that. I am sure it's very tiring. Why don't you just let me carry the bag? When we get there, I'll give the bag back to you."
Yihshyong thought for a moment. The young man's words were quite reasonable. He gave the bag to Jinqkang.
The two of them walked along the sidewalk that separated the garden wall from the road. It was very quiet. They didn't see a single person walking on the sidewalk. Yihshyong looked at the watch he was wearing. "It's ten to eight. We've only got about ten minutes to get there."
"There it is, Sir!" Jinqkang pointed to a section of the wall that was about a hundred meters from where they were standing. From where they were standing, it looked like a niche. "I think that's the entrance."
Yihshyong and Jinqkang rushed there. They quickened their pace. In fact, when they arrived at a point that was about fifty meters before that place, they ran.
Luckily, this kid is the one who bring the bag. I can't run with a big bag like that.
"You're right! This is indeed the entrance." Yihshyong smiled broadly when they got there.
"Fortunately, we found this gate soon." Jinqkang's voice sounded so relieved.
Although Yihshyong smiled but he felt very uncomfortable. Running around in a full suit like that was really excruciating. He felt boiling. Sweat was profusely from the skin all over his body.
There was no one guarding the entrance. Visitors were free of charge. The two of them, still running, entered the park. They searched for a board with a park plan. But they didn't find it. They wanted to ask other people, but they didn't see anyone either.
Now what should we do? If we're late, things can get complicated!
Yihshyong and Jinqkang kept walking. The park turned out to be very large.
"Let's stop for a moment, Sir!" Jinqkang gripped the sleeve of Yihshyong's coat.
"What are you doing? Are you not strong enough to run?" Yihshyong asked. "From here on out, please let me carry the bag."
Jinqkang, who was panting, did not answer Yihshyong's question. He just shook his head. After that, he pointed towards a small building located not far from where they were standing.
Yihshyong gazed the building. The building was a public restroom. There was someone standing there smoking a cigarette. From the uniform he was wearing, it seemed that he was the janitor in the park.
Yihshyong smiled. They then approached the building. After asking the person, they got information that the pond they were looking for was right in the middle of the park. They had to walk inward, not down the side of the park near the big road. After saying their thanks, Yihshyong and Jinqkang immediately ran in the direction the person was pointing at.
"Are people who work here allowed to smoke while they're on duty?" Jinqkang asked as they ran towards the pond.
"They really shouldn't have done that." Yihshyong shook his head vigorously. "But now there are almost no visitors. So it's unlikely anyone would be bothered."
About two minutes later, they arrived at their destination. That was the point determined by the kidnappers as the place of the ransom delivery.
In front of them lay a pentagon-shaped pool. The pool was quite spacious. Each side was about fifty meters long. In the middle of the pond, there was an exquisite fountain. The five sides of the pool were soil covered by paving block. The width of each side covered by the paving block was about fifteen meters.
Yihshyong imagined that when viewed from above, there would be two pentagons here. The first pentagon included the area covered by the paving block. The second pentagon was located inside the first pentagon and included the pool in the middle of which there was a fountain. Yihshyong remembered the emblem at the top of the paper containing the message from the kidnappers.
On each side of the pool, either directly next to the pool or fifteen meters from the pool, there were three stone benches, each about two meters long. So in total, there were thirty benches around the pentagon-shaped pool.
Of the thirty benches, only six were occupied by people. One bench was occupied by three people, one bench was occupied by two people, and four benches were occupied by one person each.
The three people sitting on one of the benches consisted of one adult and two children. The two children each carried a gas balloon. The gas balloons were tied with ropes, which the children held at the ends. One balloon was yellow, while the other was green.
There were several park lights illuminating the place. But the lights were not very bright. Apart from the people who were sitting, there were also several people who were standing. They stood by the pool while watching the fountain in the middle of the pool. The water that came out of the fountain was thrown very high. Maybe five or six meters. In addition, there were also people standing in other parts. For example, there were those who were leaning against the park lights.
There was also someone standing next to the bench. It was not clear why the man did not sit down. Yihshyong had suspected that the person might be suffering from hemorrhoids. He watched the people. Yihshyong really couldn't figure out which of the people were park visitors, undercover cops, or the kidnappers who were waiting for them.
Yihshyong told Jinqkang to take a seat on one of the empty benches there. After carrying the large bag that Jinqkang had been carrying, Yihshyong looked around. He tried to find the trash can the kidnappers were referring to. He gasped. There was not only one trash can, but five trash cans. The bins were in every corner of the pentagon outside the pool. He didn't know which dumpster the kidnappers were referring to.
Yihshyong glanced at his watch. It's now 7:59 p.m. He only had a minute to decide which bin to stand in. In trepidation, he looked once more around him. He once again looked at the five trash cans. There was nothing special about the five bins. Each trash can consists of three parts, namely the green, yellow, and red trash cans. The green one was for organic waste. The yellow one was for inorganic waste. And the red one was for garbage that contains toxic and dangerous materials.
Suddenly he withdrew the impression. Yihshyong furrowed his brows.
So weird! Why did this park designer put five trash bins next to each other? Is there any other purpose other than its function as a place to throw garbage? If there is, then what symbolic meaning can be drawn from this formation? Then did the kidnappers realize this symbolic meaning and use it to determine the place of the ransom delivery?
Various questions raced through Yihshyong's mind. He really didn't know which trash to go to. He looked at his watch. It's eight o'clock. Like it or not, he had to choose. Without a second thought, Yihshyong walked to the trash can closest to him. With steady steps, he headed there. Arriving there, just like the kidnappers' instructions. He stood beside the trash can.
Thirty seconds he stood there. Even though it was only thirty seconds, it felt like hours. During those thirty seconds, there was no movement whatsoever. Yihshyong almost gave up. He had thought that because he was late standing beside the trash can, the kidnappers canceled their agreement. But at the thirty-first second, he saw something.
A man who had been sitting alone on a stone bench suddenly stood up. After standing, he sat down again. Yihshyong was disappointed. But the next second, his eyes widened. The person sitting on the stone bench suddenly stood up again, then sat down again. That person's behavior was bizarre. It wasn't even enough for him to do that twice. A few seconds later, he did the same thing again. Jinqkang, who was sitting on one of the stone benches, looked at the person, and then at Yihshyong.
The person sitting on the stone bench then stood up again. But unlike before, this time, he didn't sit back down again. He stood looking left and right. After that, he walked up to Yihshyong. Yihshyong was relieved and panicked. He didn't know how to deal with that person. If that person was really part of the kidnapping herd, he probably already knew how Shannchyuan sounded. Although his appearance was very similar to Shannchyuan, but as soon as Yihshyong opened his mouth, people would immediately know that he was not Shannchyuan.
The man walked up to him. Yihshyong was ready. The person then stopped in front of the trash can. He reached into his pocket and pulled out an old battery. Then throw the battery into the red trash can. After that, he immediately turned around and walked away. Yihshyong was surprised. That person didn't mean to meet him.
Just want to throw away the used battery, he took so much time to consider it?
Suddenly, someone else approached. He was the one sitting on another stone bench. Just like the previous person, he immediately walked closer to Yihshyong. After arriving in front of the trash can, he glanced briefly at the three different colored trash cans. After that, he turned his gaze directly to Yihshyong. The person looked Yihshyong in the eye. Yihshyong shuddered. His eyes were cold and scary.
The person walked closer to Yihshyong. He stopped when his body was right in front of Yihshyong. This time, Yihshyong was ready. This person's standing position was very advantageous for Yihshyong. The man was standing right on the parallel line between Yihshyong and Jinqkang. Now Yihshyong could see Jinqkang sitting on the stone bench without taking his eyes off the person in front of him.
"Are you Mr. Duanmuh Shannchyuan?" asked the person. His voice was heavy. Like the voice of a heavy smoker who used to consume more than twenty cigarettes in one day.
Yihshyong nodded. He tried hard not to look scared.
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