After Yin Shixiong had left, Gu Nianzhi went back to her bedroom and sat on her bed to call He Zhichu.
“Professor He, is now a good time?”
He Zhichu had been waiting for Gu Nianzhi’s call.
If he hadn’t seen that Gu Nianzhi was at the Special Operations Forces Headquarters all afternoon, he wouldn’t have been able to resist calling her.
Finally, Gu Nianzhi’s call came through. He quickly picked it up, but his tone was indifferent. “I’m fine. What’s the matter?”
Gu Nianzhi pursed her lips and whispered,”… Luo Jialan was just sent to the Imperial Women’s Prison yesterday. She suffocated herself with a plastic bag in the prison…”
He Zhichu:”…”
“Is that why you went to the prison today? And then you were ambushed? As expected, it was because of him. Why are you meddling in the Huo family’s business?”
He Zhichu was a little angry. He looked at the news coldly. It was full of gunshots, grenades, and smoke from the Imperial Women’s Prison.
Gu Nianzhi laughed and said playfully, “But the devil is stronger than the ruler. I have powerful bodyguards by my side, and not only did they not get the upper hand, they were beaten to a pulp by my bodyguards!”
He Zhichu turned off the television in front of him and said coldly, “That’s because your bodyguard is strong. Why are you so smug yourself?”
“Professor He, please don’t spoil the mood. I really like my bodyguard.” Gu Nianzhi felt a little strange after she finished speaking and immediately added, “That young lady is beautiful and can fight. She’s my idol!”
He Zhichu:”…”
“A female bodyguard?”
“Yeah.” Gu Nianzhi pretended to be dumb. “Women are also very strong. They’re not worse than men.”
He Zhichu’s pursed lips relaxed.
He didn’t want to put down the phone so he started chatting with Gu Nianzhi. Finally, he said, “Pay attention to the news in South America and Japan these few days. Your case in Japan should be announced soon.”
Gu Nianzhi frozefor a moment before she remembered the “Angel in the world” foundation.
“Are they still stalling? They’re so annoying. Is it that hard to find a new judge?” Her face puffy with anger, Gu Nianzhi pouted.
“They’re deliberately stalling. That’s why they’re pushing for a new judge.” He Zhichu laughed coldly. “I’d like to see how much they can pay for this foundation.”
Gu Nianzhi didn’t understand what He Zhichu meant at the time, but she understood the next day.
News about that was suddenly popping up on Weibo like mushrooms after a rain.
# the newly installed government of Brazil claimed that the former government’s cooperation with Japan is seriously problematic and has withheld $750 billion in mineral investments from the Japanese government. #
# the largest gathering place of Japanese expatriates in Brazil has been seized by the police on suspicion of illegal drugs and human smuggling. #
# Japan’s Yamaguchi Corporation experienced the biggest ambush in Peru, and its CEO was killed on the spot #
# Brazil’s richest man, Lei Yaer, ended investment negotiations with a Japanese consortium, and claims that Japan isn’t a country friendly to foreign businessmen#
..
News of this sort took up large pages.
Japan’s biggest interest in South America was Brazil, followed by Peru, both of which had suffered heavy losses this time.
Everyone watched the Japanese government and the Japanese people lose a lot of money every day as if it was a festival.
The Japanese stock market was facing a large-scale sell-off as if it had been smashed by someone. The stock prices plummeted, and it became a carnival for short sellers.
Gu Nianzhi couldn’t help feeling itchy. She used her overseas account to short sale stocks in the Japanese stock market one after another, and cashed in a large sum of money. She then donated it to Song Jinning’s high-energy Physics Research Institute for experimental funding.
Under these successive blows, the relevant people in the Japanese government finally understood the crux of the problem.
They couldn’t resist the massive loss of the stock market and overseas interests, and began to force people to let go, especially the government and parliamentary personnel associated with the “Angel in the world” foundation. Otherwise, everyone would lose even more, it would be even more than the benefits they received from the “Angel in the world” foundation.
In less than two days, the new judge for Gu Nianzhi’s case was suddenly selected and the final sentencing date was immediately set.
It was initially set for ten days later.
He Zhichu sneered and made a phone call to his men in South America.
Japan’s interests in South America were slipping away even faster.
The Japanese government quickly compromised again, declaring that the case had dragged on for too long and that they wanted to end it quickly. They moved the sentencing date to tomorrow, eight days earlier than the originally set time.
Gu Nianzhi saw the news and wanted to sneer.
At this point, they still wanted to drag it out as long as they could.
Unfortunately, they had met He Zhichu and were doomed to suffer.
Gu Nianzhi had now returned to her apartment in the Sanhuan road.
Xiao Ye still lived with her, but Gu Nianzhi didn’t say anything about it. She treated Xiao Ye the same as before.
Xiao Ye didn’t change her way of behaving, and no one brought up the topic again.
..
Tomorrow was the day the verdict on the “Angel in the world” case would be announced.
Gu Nianzhi was still a little excited when she thought about it.
She took a bottle of grape juice and knocked on Xiao Ye’s door. “Xiao Ye, come have a drink with me.”
Xiao Ye could tell at a glance that it was fruit juice and not wine. She narrowed her eyes and said, “Drinking fruit juice isn’t actually drinking.”
Drinking wine was drinking a glass.
Gu nianzhi smiled and said, “I prepared red wine for you. I’ll drink grape juice with you.”
Xiao Ye smiled and followed her to the dining room to sit down. “Nianzhi, you’re already nineteen, right?”
“Yes, I’ll be twenty in a few months.” Gu Nianzhi looked forward to it. “I’ll be able to drink when I’m twenty-two.”
Xiao Ye:”…”
She asked in confusion, “Why twenty-two? As far as I know, people can buy alcohol in foreign bars at twenty-one.”
Gu Nianzhi shrugged. “I’m not sure either, but Major General Huo and Professor He both said so, so I have to listen to them.”
Xiao Ye smiled slightly and poured herself a glass of red wine. She raised the glass and waved it around. “Come, I wish you all the best and whatever your heart desires to come true!”
Gu Nianzhi smiled happily. “Xiao Ye, you didn’t even ask me why I’m so happy.”
“Idon’t have to ask. You can tell me if you want to.” Xiao Ye looked at her with a smile. Under the lotus lamp in the dining room, her face was so beautiful that Gu Nianzhi’s heart skipped a beat.
This young lady was simply too perfect.
If she were a man, she would probably fall for her…
Gu Nianzhi took a sip of grape juice and said, “It’s nothing much, actually. It’s just a case overseas. It’s been going on for a long time, and the verdict will finally be announced tomorrow.”
Xiao Ye raised an eyebrow and said politely, “Congratulations, then.”
“You’re welcome.” Gu Nianzhi was in high spirits. “By the way, where did you learn Kung Fu? Can you teach me when you have the free time?”
The two chatted for a while before Huo Shaoheng walked in.
Xiao Ye quickly stood up and said, “Major General Huo is here, so I’ll be going back today.”
Every time Huo Shaoheng came to visit Gu Nianzhi, Xiao Ye would excuse herself.
First of all, with Huo Shaoheng around, Xiao Ye didn’t have to worry about Gu Nianzhi’s safety.
Second of all, they were engaged, so how could she be a third wheel?
Huo Shaoheng raised his hand to stop her. “You’ve been doing well recently. I’ve already given you credit for it. The organization has just approved it, so I’m here today to let you know.”
Gu Nianzhi’s eyes lit up. She held Xiao Ye’s hand and said, “Congratulations! You’ve been promoted!”
His expression gentle, Huo Shaoheng nodded. “You’re a Colonel now. Keep working hard.”
Xiao Ye was in a great mood, but since Huo Shaoheng was here, she tried her best to contain her joy. She said calmly, “Thank you, chief. This is what I should do. I’m going to call my parents. Excuse me.” With that said, she went back to her room.
Gu Nianzhi looked at Xiao Ye’s retreating back figure and smiled. “Xiao Ye has parents too?”
“You make it sound as if she came out of a rock. How could she not have parents?” Huo Shaoheng pinched Gu Nianzhi’s nose in amusement. “Colonel Xiao’s father is General Xiao, and her mother is the president of a military academy. They’re both dedicated to serving the country.”
Gu Nianzhi was saddened by these words. She buried her head in Huo Shaoheng’s arms and mumbled,”… I feel like I came out of a rock.”
Huo Shaoheng was momentarily speechless.
He had planned to leave after telling Gu Nianzhi the news, but now he had no choice but to hug Gu Nianzhi and comfort her.
The two of them returned to Gu Nianzhi’s bedroom and made love for a while. Huo Shaoheng watched her wash up in the bathroom when he heard a call coming in.
“Major General Huo, there’s an important report from the Japanese field office.”
“Put it through.” Huo Shaoheng put on his Bluetooth headset and walked to the window to make a call. “What’s the situation?”
“Major General Huo, we’ve just received news that Dou Qingyan’s whereabouts have been found.”
The field agent for the Japanese area seemed to be in an empty space outside, and his voice traveled quite far.
“Where is she?”
“Kyoto Clearwater Temple,” the field agent for the Japanese area said nervously. “She lives with a middle-aged woman, who looks somewhat similar to the wanted Aiko Yamaguchi and Yoko Yamaguchi.”
Huo Shaoheng’s expression turned cold when he heard about Aiko Yamaguchi’s whereabouts. “Are you sure? Do you have a photo?”
“Yes.” The other party quickly sent him a photo.
The photo had been taken in the morning.
The early morning sunlight had automatically added a layer of filtered soft light to the photo.
The photo showed a three-story wooden Tang-style building. The wooden window on the third floor was slanted open with a thin bamboo stick.
A few cherry blossoms that were blooming vibrantly came in from outside the window. Under the flowers, two women in kimonos sat across from each other as they drank tea.
A beautiful long-haired woman sat on the left side of the window. She proped her face with her hand and stared at the person across from her.
The woman across from her wore black-framed glasses and appeared to be in her forties. The crow’s feet on both sides of her cheeks were obvious.
The two of them happened to be smiling while staring at the cherry blossoms that were peeking in from outside the window at the same time. Their faces were captured in the photo.
The young, long-haired woman was indeed Dou Qingyan. The middle-aged woman across from her looked very similar to Aiko Yamaguchi.
Huo Shaoheng looked at the photo and immediately decided, “You guys keep an eye on her. I’ll send someone to pick her up right away.”
He hung up the phone and had already decided to make a trip to Japan himself.
If he had guessed correctly, Dou Qingyan had been with Aiko Yamaguchi ever since she had been released from prison.
Huo Shaoheng couldn’t believe his luck when the people he had been chasing for so long suddenly appeared one after another.
However, he wouldn’t deliberately go against his luck when it came.
Huo Shaoheng said to Gu Nianzhi through the bathroom door, “I still have something to do, so I’ll be leaving first.”
When Gu Nianzhi came out, he was already on his way to the airport.
When Gu Nianzhi called him, she heard the sound of the wind outside. She asked in confusion, “Major General Huo, where are you?”
Huo Shaoheng replied calmly, “I was suddenly notified by the base. You should go to bed early.”
Gu Nianzhi also understood the nature of Huo Shaoheng’s work. She quickly said, “Then be careful and don’t stay up late.”
She paused and said in a low voice, “Call me tomorrow…”
Tomorrow was the day of the “Angel in the Human World” foundation’s sentencing. Gu Nianzhi really wanted to share this joy with Huo Shaoheng.
“Okay, good girl. I’m hanging up now.”
Huo Shaoheng got out of the car and saw a flight to Tokyo, Japan, from the T-3 hangar building of the Imperial International Airport.
There was no direct flight from the imperial capital to Kyoto, so he had to go to Tokyo first and then transfer to Kyoto.
He had already completed the formalities. His face had been disguised, and he didn’t look like himself at all. His passport and credit cards also reflected his current appearance and identity.
Ten minutes later, the plane soared into the sky and flew towards Tokyo, Japan.
Three hours later, they arrived at Tokyo International Airport, Japan.
Huo Shaoheng led Yin Shixiong out of the airport without stopping. He called a taxi and rushed to the Shinkansen line to take the Shinkansen train to Kyoto.
The sky was already bright after this long journey.
In the early morning, Kyoto appeared ancient and full of history while shrouded in a thin layer of hazy mist.
Qingshui temple was a famous place where people prayed for marital luck. It was the oldest temple in Kyoto. Overlooking the entire capital, it was entirely made of wood and was situated high up in the sky. There were cherry blossoms in spring and maple leaves in autumn. The scenery was very beautiful.
The cherry blossoms had long since withered in the early June weather. It wasn’t quite the same as in the photos.
However, the heavy eaves and tall roofs, and the shade of the trees, carried a sense of ancient solemnity and grandeur.
However, the sort of evil lurking beneath this ancient solemnity and grandeur was unknown.
Huo Shaoheng and Yin Shixiong contacted the field staff in Kyoto and asked, “Had they always been here?”
“We received a report yesterday and checked. They were indeed here, but the middle-aged woman seemed to have just arrived here. She wasn’t always here. Dou Qingyan was always here.”
Huo Shaoheng narrowed his eyes and looked up at the tall temple in front of him. “Have you verified Dou Qingyan’s identity?”
“Yes. Our people snuck in yesterday and got some of her hair. We’ve already tested her DNA.”
The field staff took out the DNA report and showed it to Huo Shaoheng.
Huo Shaoheng’s current identity was only one of the field agents. Even the field staff on his side didn’t know that he was the head of the Special Operations Forces.
Huo Shaoheng glanced at the report and had the man send it back while he worked out a plan with him.
After looking at his watch, he saw that it was already six in the morning. It was the time for Qingshui Temple to open.
“Let’s go.” Huo Shaoheng took the topographic map and tickets that the field operations team had prepared for him. He and Yin Shixiong followed the crowd into Qingshui Temple.
Dou Qingyan was staying in a meditation room in a small building in the back.
Of course, ordinary people didn’t receive such treatment to be able to stay in a thousand-year-old temple like this.
However, it would be easy if someone helped her.
In this aspect, Aiko Yamaguch indeed has a powerful status in Japan. It was no wonder that she was able to hide for so long.
Huo Shaoheng and Yin Shixiong split up and made their way to Dou Qingyan’s meditation room.
This wasn’t a scenic area. It was very quiet and peaceful.
A small bird with a black back and a red head was chirping on the tree. It wasn’t afraid even when it saw the people coming. It blinked its beady eyes and tilted its head to look at them.
Huo Shaoheng raised a finger to his mouth and shushed.
The small bird chirped and spread its wings to fly into the blue sky.
The window of Dou Qingyan’s small building creaked open. A middle-aged woman wearing black-rimmed glasses leaned over to take a look.
She had short hair and thick bangs that draped over her forehead. Her skin was a delicate milky white color.
Huo Shaoheng inexplicably felt alarmed inside. He stopped and stood under a big tree, then looked in the direction of the building without moving.
Yin Shixiong had already reached over and climbed up the building from the wall.
The middle-aged woman looked at it and used a thin bamboo stick to open the wooden window.
Huo Shaoheng waited for a while, but decided to follow his original plan and go up the stairs.
His footsteps were so light that there wasn’t any sound.
However, when he was about to reach the second floor, a cat suddenly rushed down the stairs. It was caught off guard and saw Huo Shaoheng. It meowed and scuttled past him.
The door not far from the stairs opened, and a voice came out. “Is it Mimi? It’s still so early, but it’s already up?”
The voice was loud and clear. It was Dou Qingyan’s voice.
Then, they heard a gentle voice speaking in Japanese, and the speaker seemed to have said, “She’s a cat, so of course cats get up early. Do you think she’s like you?”
But there was no blame in her tone.
Dou Qingyan smiled and said with some disappointment, “It’s said that praying for marriage is the most effective here, but I’ve lived here for almost two years. I’ve been going to the good marriage praying place every day, but I haven’t seen that heartless person come to visit me even once.”
“With your current identity, how can he come to visit you?” The gentle female voice spoke again. “But, perhaps you’ll see him when you open the door. In the last moment of life, dreams always come true.”
Huo Shaoheng felt warning bells go off inside of hhim. He wanted to leave but it was too late.
The wooden door on the stairs was pushed open, and Dou Qingyan appeared before him in a kimono with bean-sand-green flying cranes.
She glanced at Huo Shaoheng, who had disguised himself, and frowned. “Who are you? You’re in the wrong place. This isn’t a tourist attraction…”
She thought he was a tourist.
Huo Shaoheng was about to speak when the sound of a silent pistol suddenly came from behind Dou Qingyan.
A few bullets shot into Dou Qingyan’s back, all the way into her heart.
She didn’t even close her eyes before falling straight to the ground.
All she could see was Huo Shaoheng’s tall and handsome figure.
That figure was so familiar…
In the last moment of her life, Dou Qingyan thought, the Qingshui Temple’s marriage stone is indeed the most effective…
The stairs were narrow, so Huo Shaoheng couldn’t dodge or retreat.
The moment Dou Qingyan fell, a middle-aged woman dressed in black behind her was revealed. She held a gun in her hand and looked at Huo Shaoheng in shock, as if she hadn’t expected someone to come to such a secluded place at this time!
“Who… Who are you?!” She asked in a trembling voice as she clutched her chest. She raised her hand and fired several shots at him.
Huo Shaoheng remained silent. He twisted his body, leaned against the handrail of the stairs, and raised his wrist to fire a shot as well. There was a dull thud, and the shot hit the woman’s wrist.
The gun in her hand fell to the ground. Her other hand held the injured wrist, and she knelt on the ground in pain.
Huo Shaoheng looked up and saw that Yin Shixiong had already flipped into the window behind her like an ape.
