My Dearest General: It Has Always Been You

A series of knocks resounded through Fen Huiguan's office. "Come in." He answered.

The door swung open, revealing Jin Renguang who brought with him the chilly air outside. The tip of his nose was slightly red from the cold and the breath he exhaled dissipated into thin, white mist. Jin Renguang stood in front of him and gave a military salute. "Major General Fen."

Fen Huiguan took off his glasses and hummed. "How is the situation?"

"It's been brought under control. Majority suffered from shock and light injuries and there's no casualties from our side. Si Yusheng has the most severe injuries, currently he's still unconscious and the situation doesn't look very good. We have questioned some of the people there, but they know nothing of the owner of Dreamscape Bar. From their statements, it seems like Si Yusheng is indeed behind everything."

Fen Huiguan didn't give any response and merely listened.

"Major General Fen, allow me to ask bluntly," The hands Jin Renguang put behind his back clenched. "You said that Dreamscape Bar is related to the first victim of the serial killer. We have almost dug out everything there is but found nothing except for the human trafficking and drug distribution case. May I ask you to elaborate further about that, Sir?"

Fen Huiguan narrowed his eyes. Everytime he took off his glasses, everything would become a blur. He could no longer see Jin Renguang's face clearly, the same way as how he couldn't find a way out of this dark tunnel. But no matter what happened, he had to keep walking forward to know what laid on the end of it. 

"Keep digging. We might find something eventually."

"I am quite lost." Jin Renguang said. "What exactly are we trying to find? I have also asked you the exact question before we started the mission. Now that the mission almost ends, I still don't understand what you're implying."

This was blatantly pressuring the other man to give him an answer. If this was Jin Renguang before he heard Xu Binchen's words, he wouldn't have done it. Who said that he wasn't surprised? It was just that he had perfected the skill to mask his emotion, not wearing them on his sleeves anymore. Only God knew how he wished that he could get the answer he wanted from Fen Huiguan's mouth.

But unfortunately, that wouldn't happen in this life.

"Everything will end soon, Jin." That was the only sentence Fen Huiguan gave.

Jin Renguang's jaws tightened. Just with that, he could guess on which side Fen Huiguan chose to stand in the end. Somehow, he really felt like laughing. Who was it that instilled into his flesh and bones that one could break all of their bones, but shouldn't bend their principles, shouldn't betray the country even with a gun pointed at their foreheads? 

"Very well, Sir." He bowed politely. It seemed that people did change. Jin Renguang was already too tired to ask why. "Then, I will take my leave."

***

"What are you doing out here?" Wang Chengbing asked when he found Xu Binchen smoking outside the open balcony with only a coat draped across his shoulder. Cold wind fluttered the man's hair and the night caused him to look softer. 

Wang Chengbing coughed and waved frantically to disperse the thick scent of smoke. "Seriously, can you stop smoking just for one day? You know you're gonna die young if you keep this up, right?"

Xu Binchen scoffed lightly yet still pressed the cigarette bud on the ashtray. "Done interrogating?"

"Yeah, we practically dumped all of the work into General Crime's hands. So far, there's no information regarding the owner. No one met him before. Everything is practically hearsays or rumors."

"I expect so." He hummed. "Since the beginning, the owner has always been surrounded by mystery."

Wang Chengbing leaned on the railing and stared into a distance where cars lined up like ants, flowing like rivers toward where life took them. "Binchen, why do I get the feeling that everything is messed up? You know, being a hacker, I have always hid behind the shadows. I don't care about evil or kindness as long as the other side fulfills our transaction and money goes into my bank account."

Xu Binchen sneered. "Even now, you still haven't changed a bit."

"Hey!" Wang Chengbing huffed angrily. "And you're still a heartless bastard. Oh no, you're not heartless anymore." He covered his mouth and smirked evilly. Xu Binchen rolled his eyes and showed a nonchalant expression even under Wang Chengbing's tease, making the latter get angrier instead. "You're no fun! It's no wonder that you haven't got a girlfriend."

Xu Binchen delivered a stab right where it hurt. "Well, have you?"

Wang Chengbing clutched his chest, groaning. In a timely manner, Xu Binchen's phone which he put by the side vibrated, the screen lit up, showing a new WeChat notification.

[Lei Liqiu]: Hello, Mr. Xu. This is Lei Liqiu. Please take care of me :)

"Oh?" Wang Chengbing's eyes twinkled in mischief. "What do we have here? Little Qiuqiu?"

Xu Binchen clicked his tongue and pocketed his phone. "None of your business."

"I really don't get it. You're so rude, bastardly and annoying but girls flock to you like you have magnets implanted in your bones. Do you have some sort of secret?"

Xu Binchen pushed his face away, his face twisted in contempt and disdain. "What secret? Keep on talking nonsense and I will kick you down from here."

The corner of Wang Chengbing's mouth trembled and he burst out laughing, carefree. The heaviness he felt dissipated slightly. He also didn't know why, it seemed like Xu Binchen was just that magical. Simply talking and bantering with him could lighten his mood. His laughter slowly receded and he closed his eyes to enjoy the breeze.

"Don't think too much about it." Xu Binchen suddenly said. "We only have to do as best as we can and leave everything in Captain Jin's hands."

"You're right." Wang Chengbing rubbed his face. "I also don't know what I am scared of. I haven't met such a complicated case before, well not that I have solved many cases. But this time…I truly can't guess how everything will end up. Moreover, I still haven't found Jia Renyu's son yet…" He kept on grumbling and messed up his own hair in frustration. "Arrrgh, I'm so stressed out! I need to resign as soon as the case is solved! I don't want to be a police officer anymore!"

Xu Binchen recalled Jin Renguang's somber face and Director Fen Huiguan whose intention they had no idea of. The thing that irritated him the most was, even when the situation was tangled up like a ball of messy yarn, the person who occupied his mind was a certain golden eyed girl. 

He didn't want to admit how anxious he was. 

  "Don't you think that the serial killer is too quiet recently? I don't know if it's just my imagination but I can't help thinking about it. Everything is just like the calm before the storm. I'm afraid…he might be preparing something huge." 

The more Xu Binchen thought about what Jin Renguang had said, the more ominous it sounded. He was scared that Shi Nian would be put in danger once more. 

The girl barely recovered. She had just started to speak not long ago. He couldn't even ascertain whether the girl was truly okay or she was just pretending to be. What would happen if the tragedy repeated itself? In the end, could she escape from the past trauma and pain?

Xu Binchen got a headache everytime he thought about it. In exchange, the urge to smoke heightened. He couldn't help but pull out one more cigarette, disregarding Wang Chengbing's complaints. The lighter flame flickered, illuminating his haggard face and the bluish circles under his eyes. 

"Are you listening to me?" Wang Chengbing groaned. "I told you to cut it down, damn it!"

Xu Binchen's phone rang in a timely manner, rescuing him from having to deal with Wang Chengbing and his loose mouth. He exhaled white smoke, flicked off the cigarette ash and pulled out his phone to see an incoming call from an unknown number. "Hello, who's speaking?"

A faint rustle sounded from the other side, followed by an unfamiliar male voice. "...Is this Detective Xu Binchen?"

"Yes, I am. Who are you?"

The man chuckled. "Haven't you always been searching for me?"

The cigarette slipped from Xu Binchen's fingers, almost scalding Wang Chengbing's foot. He scooted backward in surprise and exclaimed angrily. "What's the problem with you?! Hey! What's with that face? Who is calling? Is that Captain Jin?"

He waved his hand in front of Xu Binchen's blank face. "Hello? Earth to Binchen~"

Xu Binchen lowered his phone and pinched his brows, frowning.

"What's wrong? Hey!" Seeing him like that, Wang Chengbing grew flustered. "Are you unwell?!"

Instead of answering, Xu Binchen suddenly reached out and pinched Wang Chengbing's fleshy arm and twisted it with strength. 

"Aaaah it hurts, damn it!" He slapped Xu Binchen's hand away and rubbed his arm with reddened eyes, cursing incessantly. "What's wrong with you?! You wanna fight?!"

Xu Binchen rubbed his face roughly and raked his fingers across his hair, laughing incredulously. "You don't have to search for Jia Renyu's son anymore."

Wang Chengbing: "...huh?"

"Guess who just called?" Xu Binchen shook his phone gently. "It's him."

Wang Chengbing's face turned even more at a loss. "Who?"

"Jia Renyu's son." Xu Binchen smirked. "I can't believe he took the initiative to seek us out."

Wang Chengbing's jaws dropped open. It took forever for him to regain his wits. "SAY WHAT!!!"

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A/N: oooh Director Fen is dead set on putting the blame on Si Yusheng's head. Poor Jin Renguang, he must be so disappointed...

Also here comes Jia Renyu's son ^^