Release that Man

Cedrick had been keeping a low profile. First, there was the incident of his failure, and then came his request from Anthony. Following that, there was the great pressure China had against illegal activities and also the few troublesome characters that he had met in San Lin City…

As someone used to traveling in and out of most countries easily, Cedrick had his identity and weakness exposed on his first day in China. Because of that, he had to keep a low profile and act like a law-abiding citizen. At least on the surface, he was a good tourist.

Since he had not given up on Anthony, Cedrick did not plan to leave this city. He planned to stay at least until his visa expired. Who knew, perhaps things might change before that? Therefore, just as Cedrick planned to wait the result out, a call from Ye Shuang ruined his entire plan.

…

“Hi!” The familiar female voice greeted him on the phone and then added naturally without any hesitation, “Are you free? Help me steal someone.”

“…” The flax-haired youth was baffled for several seconds because he was confused by this newfangled term. “…I believe you’re trying to ask me to steal someone’s heart, right? I’m sorry, even though I’m a thief, I will not do such things that violate my moral code.”

I hear many Chinese people have issues with spoken English, even though they might score really high marks in their written English tests… As a gentleman, Cedrick decided to forgive Ye Shuang for her mistake.

“Stop kidding, you’re a thief on the FBI’s watchlist, and you’re talking about morals with me?” The female laughed mockingly on the phone. Before Cedrick had the chance to make his counter-argument, she continued. “Plus, you have misunderstood. The steal someone I said, I meant it literally; I need you to steal a person. Is that clear enough?”

“…Wait, a person can be stolen?”

“Of course.” The female laughed and said confidently, “Taking something or someone that does not belong to you without leaving behind a reason is called stealing. And ignoring the person’s desire and forcibly taking them away can thus be called stealing someone.”

“…”

Cedrick felt like his world had been turned upside down since he arrived in China. He massaged his temples, and then he tried to correct the girl’s English. “…That is where you’re wrong. What you’re suggesting is actually kidnapping.”

Regardless, whether it was stealing someone or kidnapping, Cedrick would have to do it. He was staying under the group’s roof, and he had a request from them. Thus, Cedrick had to surrender himself to his fate. Furthermore, he was actually quite curious about what Ye Shuang was planning. When he arrived at Ye Shuang’s apartment, Cedrick not only had the chance to meet Anthony that he had been trying to meet, he also met a Chinese youth that he had not seen before.

“Let me make some introduction first, the person who opened the door for you is called Xu Jian.” Ye Shuang was leaning against the back of Anthony’s chair, looking at the computer screen. Without turning her head, she saw that Cedrick had entered the door from the reflection on the screen and then continued. “The target that I need you to kidnap this time is his uncle, Xu He… We plan to keep him overseas for a week before allowing him to come back to the country.”

“Can I ask why?” Cedrick smiled at Xu Jian and strode into the room. He walked to the two at the computer table and asked, “Why are we kidnapping this gentleman’s uncle? Don’t tell me this is because of family inheritance or things like that.”

“Of course not. But if you have to know…” Ye Shuang turned around and stood up. She used her hand to grab the edge of the chair and then considered how to summarize the whole incident without revealing too much sensitive information. “You can see it as a kind but forced gesture, like helping a family member gain the conviction to stay away from an illegal activity.”

Cedrick frowned and quickly happened upon the closest possibility. “Rehab?”

Xu Jian staggered when he heard that. He looked at Cedrick with surprise, surprised that the man’s imagination could be so wild. Even Ye Shuang was startled. Then she smiled and nodded. “Yes, it is to treat his addiction toward a ‘drug’ that is very dangerous to him… Everyone knows the thing is dangerous, but there are people who try it because they cannot withstand its allure. As Xu Jian’s friend, we have to help him.”

Oh, based on this reaction, the guess is probably wrong. Cedrick nodded and did not ask for more details. After all, he was there to do people a favor. He walked to the computer, and when he got a closer glance on the screen, Cedrick instantly caught to the group’s plan, “You’re changing this person’s identity… Hmm, you want to give him a new identity, one that is completely different, other than his face?”

“Yes.” Ye Shuang also turned her eyes to Anthony, who was working on the computer. The latter did not mind having so many eyes on him. His tapered fingers danced on the keyboard, creating a crescendo of typing sound.

While he operated the computer, it did not affect Anthony’s focus. He answered without turning his head away, “If he uses his original name and identity, he’ll be discovered very soon. Even though we are not sure people will go through the trouble of searching through this man’s records, it is better to be safe than sorry, right?

“After we’re done with his new identity, we’ll help him register a passport and visa… I’ll work a little late today and try to finish everything by tomorrow. That means we can move him away on the day after tomorrow.”

A smile crept onto Anthony’s lips. “We plan to place this man in a small town in Wyoming. The scenery there is not bad with a vibrant economy in agriculture and mining. I have a safehouse there, and we just need someone to watch over him for a period of time.”

Cedrick was speechless for a long time. Even though he admitted that he was not a good person, he had not reached a stage where he needed a safehouse. Therefore, after hearing such a long string of illegal activities, even with Cedrick’s experience, he did not know how to continue.

Ye Shuang had also just heard about Anthony’s plan. In a surprised voice, she asked the question that was on Cedrick’s mind. “Why do you even have a luxury like a safehouse?”

“It might be a luxury for others but not for me.” Anthony blinked his sky-blue eyes and explained in a cute manner, “I am Anthony—those who want me to help them create a fake identity or get something can fill up a hall, and more than a handful of them are willing to give me one or two safehouses in exchange for my service.”

Then, he was quite confused. “I thought you would not be that surprised. Don’t you plan to put the man into confinement?”

Ye Shuang was speechless. “Even though Xu He might look to be a weighty character, in reality, he is just a cannon fodder who has too much ambition. He doesn’t even speak fluent English. You can just drop him anywhere overseas since he won’t be able to ask other people for help… unless he is clever enough to commit a crime and captured so that he will be assigned a translator.”

“Hey, that’s my uncle.” Xu Jian had dark lines and then explained, “Our original plan was to send me along with my uncle to stay there for some time, and I’d be there to take care of his life and stop him from escaping.”

Anthony nodded and then sighed. “Such a simple plan.”

Cedrick coughed to pull the attention back to him. When the group’s eyes were on him, he shrugged helplessly. “So, that means there is no job for me today, right?”

“Of course, there is.” Ye Shuang looked confused. “Didn’t I tell you that you’re here to kidnap someone? If you do not take the man overseas, how are we going to continue the rest of our plan?”

“…But haven’t you already prepared the visa and passport?” Cedrick was stumped. In other words, since you already have the ‘legal’ identity and means of leaving the country, why ask me to waste my energy?

Ye Shuang sighed. “Those are for other people’s sake, not for the target. Now, all the other problems can be easily solved. The main issue is… is the man willing to cooperate and follow us to leave this country?”

Currently, the Xi Hwa Organization was swaying in the wind. With Xu He’s greed and courage, regardless of whether he wanted to wait his moment to swallow the company or was too afraid of running for fear of revenge from the organization, he definitely would not leave San Lin City in these few days. However, for Ye Shuang, these few days were the perfect time to go after the Xi Hwa Organization. After the organization recovered, or Xu He finally could not resist his greed anymore, the trouble would only grow bigger.

Cedrick looked like he still had not gotten it… or perhaps he had already gotten it but refused to understand it. Ye Shuang decided to put it even more plainly. “Both Xu Jian and I are familiar faces, so if we show up around Xu He, after his disappearance, people will instantly suspect us. But there are few people who know you in San Lin City. As long as you do not show up before the camera like you often do, no one will think you’re the one who kidnapped the man.”

She had already clarified it, so Cedrick had to face the truth. “So, you need me to steal this person… I mean, kidnap this person and hand him to you?”

“Yes, we don’t trust other people, and other people are not as skilled as you,” Ye Shuang said with confidence. “We’ve already planned the smuggling route. I have a friend in Chaohai who can lend us his yacht. So, we only need you to help us kidnap the man without being noticed by others…”

Thank you for placing so much trust in me!