Chapter 174: London
Chapter 174: London
As they were walking out from the Jinling train station, Chen Xiaolian, Roddy and Da Gang were walking side by side when they heard someone shouting from behind. Turning their heads, they saw that a man with thick glasses was running toward them.
“… … Doctor Mu?”
Chen Xiaolian recognized the man.
After rushing over, Doctor Mu gasped for breath and looked at Chen Xiaolian. Then, he looked at Da Gang and Roddy. Finally, his gaze came to rest upon Da Gang’s body. “I caught sight of you just as I was coming out from the station. I thought it might be you so I quickly ran over. I didn’t think that it would actually be you!”
Da Gang did not say anything. Chen Xiaolian on the other hand, smiled. “Doctor Mu, what are you doing here?”
“It just so happened that I am involved with a programme. It is an exchange programme where our hospital swaps doctors with another hospital in Jinling. I am sent to XX Hospital in Jinling as an exchange doctor as part of my training programme,” Doctor Mu said. Then, he looked at Da Gang. “How is your body holding up?”
Da Gang shook his head and said coolly. “I am fine.”
There was a complicated look in Doctor Mu’s eyes. “Truth be told… after returning to the hospital yesterday, I had looked up on your injuries and the pictures taken when you were admitted… this incident is too strange. The pictures taken clearly showed that…”
He shook his head and his expression turned distressed. “Perhaps there was an error somewhere. There is no other explanation to what had happened. It seems that the misdiagnosis from back then had caused you to suffer, wasting so much money in the process.”
“It’s all right,” Chen Xiaolian smiled. His impression toward this Doctor Mu was very good. “You are a very responsible doctor. At any rate, since you are here in Jinling, let us exchange our phone numbers. If you come across any difficulties here, just give us a call. After all, we are the local residents here.”
Doctor Mu did not refuse and exchanged numbers with Chen Xiaolian. However, it was apparent that he was more interested in Da Gang. He kept suggesting to Da Gang to go to the Jinling hospital that he was now working in for a body check-up. Still, Chen Xiaolian had helped Da Gang to turn him down.
Doctor Mu could do nothing. He could also say nothing toward that decision. Besides, who would be willing to go to the hospital when they feel fine?
Chen Xiaolian had wanted to buy Doctor Mu a meal as a token of friendliness. However, Doctor Mu had rejected the offer. According to him, he had to quickly report to the hospital. Thus, they went their separate ways after their meeting in the train station.
Da Gang’s arrival led to another guest in Chen Xiaolian’s house.
That was something of an inconvenience.
Thus, Roddy the plutocrat stepped forward and rented up the entire floor of the fitness centre. The several rooms beside the training room were turned into a dormitory.
That way, everyone was able to live in the fitness centre.
Time passed and another week went by leisurely.
Da Gang simply went with the flow and stayed in the fitness centre’s dorm. Every day, he would help keep the place clean and hygienic. He would then spend the rest of his time in his own room, reading books. He showed a rather taciturn temperament.
Occasionally, he would follow them out for a meal. There, he would sit beside and have his meal while rarely saying anything. After some time, Lun Tai and Bei Tai came to understand this temperament of his and did not suspect anything.
During training time, Chen Xiaolian and the others were originally quite worried that Da Gang will become shocked once he caught sight of the way they were training themselves.
Then, on one day, Da Gang inadvertently saw Lun Tai training Xia Xiaolei in combat techniques. Watching Xia Xiaolei getting whipped by Lun Tai, Da Gang simply looked on silently for a moment before turning away to continue doing his own stuff.
Due to that, Lun Tai and Bei Tai came to like the taciturn fellow.
Someone who was not causing problems, someone who was not a chatterbox, someone who worked honestly while maintaining a calm atmosphere – people like this would never be hated no matter where they go.
Chen Xiaolian and Roddy continued going to school. However, the difference between the two gradually became obvious.
Chen Xiaolian went to school every day, seemingly cherishing the feelings of normal everyday life. Roddy on the other hand, was the opposite. The fellow’s rate of attendance gradually fell and the number of times he played truant increased. Slowly, Chen Xiaolian was the only one left going to school.
Every day after school, he would go to the fitness centre. Occasionally, he would cook meals for everyone.
In fact, Chen Xiaolian’s cooking skills were nothing to brag about. However, every time he cooked, Da Gang would eat it all up.
Although the days were going by uneventfully, for Chen Xiaolian, the biggest problem within his heart was becoming inevitable!
Chen Xiaolian’s patience was almost running out. He made up his mind. If there were still no news from Qiao Yifeng, then he would have to take the initiative to find Qiao Yifeng and discuss the matter with him…
That evening, Chen Xiaolian was inside the fitness centre. He was venting his anger by punching a sandbag.
The thick leather sandbag with several layers upon it was burst apart from the impact of his punch. He then took down the sandbag and tossed it aside.
As he was putting it down the corner, his mobile phone suddenly rang out.
He went to pick up the phone and found that it was an unfamiliar number. Additionally… it was from abroad.
“Hello?”
After accepting the call, the voice that came through the phone gave Chen Xiaolian a shock!
“Xiaolian oppa!”
“Soo Soo?”
Chen Xiaolian quickly gripped onto the mobile phone. “Soo Soo! Where are you?”
Through the phone, Soo Soo sounded short of breath. Seemingly lowering her voice, she quickly said. “Xiaolian oppa! Hurry up and get us out of here. Me and sister are being held by them. They won’t let us leave. I am calling to you secretly. Oh, no! They are coming; I need to hang off now! Hurry up and find us! We are in London!”
After she said that, the call ended.
Chen Xiaolian held onto the mobile phone and listened to the beeping tone indicating that the call had ended. A few seconds later, he attempted to call the number. However, no one answered.
He pondered it and ended the call. He also did not try to call the number again – he feared that it would cause unnecessary problems for Soo Soo.
Chen Xiaolian quickly ran out of the training room and into the resting room beside.
“Roddy! Roddy!”
…
“London?”
Roddy’s eyes were wide open.
“That’s right, London,” Chen Xiaolian sighed and smiled wryly. “Old Man Qiao sure is vicious. He actually sent them to London. He is probably afraid that we would find them if they were within the country.”
“For him… something like this is not too difficult,” Roddy smiled grudgingly. Then, he turned toward Chen Xiaolian. “What do you plan on doing?”
“Go find them!” Chen Xiaolian did not hesitate. “Bring them back even if we have to use force! Even if we fail, we must at least meet up with Old Man Qiao and talk things through with him!”
Since the decision was made, Chen Xiaolian and Roddy quickly took action.
The procedures involving passports and visas were handled by Roddy. Even before this, Chen Xiaolian was someone who would always travel around. Thus, his passport was readily available. As for the matters regarding visas, that was not an issue for Roddy.
After discussing it through, they decided to have Xia Xiaolei leave behind while Lun Tai and Bei Tai followed them to London – in case a fight were to happen, with his present battle strength, Xia Xiaolei would not be of much help.
On the third day, Chen Xiaolian, Roddy, Lun Tai and Bei Tai got on the plane to London.
After ten plus hours, the plane landed in the London Heathrow International Airport.
Although the ten plus hours spent on the plane was exhausting, for the four of them who have had their bodies enhanced, the flight was not a problem. More importantly, the four of them had no need to carry any luggage. Everything was thrown into Chen Xiaolian’s Storage Watch – the space afforded inside was as big as three containers combined.
After the four of them walked out of the airport, they rushed toward the city.
In the evening, Roddy managed to, through the municipal system, find the location where Soo Soo had made the call from two days ago.
It was a public telephone by the street.
Chen Xiaolian and his group quickly moved to the location area and found the phone booth.
The phone booth was located within the corner of a very narrow street – most of the streets in London were not wide.
Chen Xiaolian attempted to call the number using his mobile phone. Sure enough, ringing sounds came from the phone booth.
“It appears this is it,” Roddy sighed. Looking up and down the street, he frowned. “How are we going to find…”
Chen Xiaolian narrowed his eyes as he surveyed the area. Suddenly, he extended his hand out and pointed.
Across the street was a modest sized restaurant. Clear window walls allowed the people inside to view what was happening outside. In addition, there were also some open-air cafés and stores.
Chen Xiaolian slowly said. “We’ll split up. Go ask around in those places and see if we can find any clues.”
Thus, the four of them split up. Each of them had the picture of Qiao Qiao and Soo Soo with them. They went around the pubs, restaurants, cafes, stores in the vicinity and inquired about them.
Chen Xiaolian held on the his mobile phone that had the picture of Qiao Qiao and Soo Soo as he walked out of a restaurant after a fruitless round of attempt. As he was walking out, he saw Roddy running over, gasping for breath. Chen Xiaolian quickly ran over and asked. “Anything?”
Roddy nodded and he said quickly. “The pub in front. I showed him Soo Soo’s picture and he told me that he saw her before. However, she was soon taken away by several adults.”
Pausing, Roddy smiled bitterly. “According to the man, he saw that Soo Soo was a little girl from the east. So were the adults who had escorted her away. They were all Chinese. Thus, nobody cared about it. It was only because of Soo Soo’s attire, she was wearing very special clothes, that he had noticed her. Her clothes were clearly the clothes worn by a child of a wealthy family.”
“And then?”
Roddy pointed in the direction of a street. “He said that she was taken somewhere in that direction.”
After meeting up with Lun Tai and Bei Tai, the four of them moved along the street – in the direction pointed out by the witness.
Soon, the street came to an end. They stood still.
Before them was an outdoor pier by the side of the River Thames.
They brought out Soo Soo’s pictures and asked around the cafes beside the pier. In the end, they managed to get some information.
According to a waitress from one of the cafes, she saw a group of Asians boarding a boat together, it was a private yacht. Then, they left – she seemed to recall seeing a little Asian girl with them as well.
Private yacht?
Chen Xiaolian’s eyebrows furrowed together.
Considering how big the River Thames was, the many piers located along the river and the high number of yachts travelling through the river… only Heaven would know where they would move to land. Where would they go…
Roddy swore in a whisper. “How in the son of bitch are we supposed to find them!”
Chen Xiaolian raised his head and inspected the surrounding area. Suddenly, he found a surveillance camera set up some distant away by a street.
“Roddy, look!”
Roddy turned his head to follow Chen Xiaolian’s gaze.
Chen Xiaolian slowly said. “I recall seeing a news report before. A few years ago… when London was hosting the Olympic games, it boasts a total of 500,000 surveillance cameras! I think…”
“I understand!” Roddy’s eyes lit up. However, he soon frowned. “Transferring the videos for those surveillance cameras is not easy… I do not have the ability to hack into the police’s surveillance system. My ability is Mechanical Heart, not Internet Heart eh… I’m not quite capable of hacking.”
Chen Xiaolian sighed.
Lun Tai who was standing beside them heard what they were talking about and pondered the matter. “Maybe we can think of something else.”
“Oh?”
Lun Tai slowly said. “In every place, where there is light, there is darkness. We foreigners may be incapable of doing something like this. But, some gang leaders would surely have a way.”
Chen Xiaolian looked at Lun Tai, who smiled. “We have been to Europe before for an instance dungeon. Bei Tai came to befriend two fellows here. Maybe they can help find out if there is any method.”
The expression on Bei Tai’s face was cautious. “The two fellows I am acquainted with are involved with the trading of firearms. However… they might be able to get the police’s surveillance videos. I can try to go find those acquaintances.”
“Then, we’ll try that first,” Chen Xiaolian quickly agreed. “We’ll split up! Lun Tai and Bei Tai, you two move together and find Bei Tai’s friend. See if there is any method to find the police’s surveillance videos. As for me…”
He took a deep breath and looked at the River Thames before him. “Roddy and I will look for the yacht along the river… even if it’s dependent on luck; at least it is better than just staying around in a hotel and waiting senselessly for news.”
Chen Xiaolian was the Guild Leader. After seeing that there was no objection, he had them split up.
Roddy quickly made a call to a yacht rental company and chartered a small-size yacht with the permit to sail upon the River Thames. Then, both Roddy and Chen Xiaolian boarded the yacht and sailed along the River Thames to search around – although this method was quite senseless by itself and the chances of it finding anything was pretty much close to zero, it was still as Chen Xiaolian had said, better than staying idle while waiting for news.
Lun Tai and Bei Tai left together to meet up with Bei Tai’s ‘friends’.
…
Truthfully, it was hard to find anything by watching out from the yacht while sailing along the River Thames. But along the way, they could see the famed Tower of London and the London Eye – however, Chen Xiaolian and Roddy were not in the mood for sightseeing.
During the night, the scenery of the surface of the River Thames was quite something.
After drifting about upon the surface of the river for nearly two hours, the staff members of the yacht reminded the two of them that the vision of the river would become poor at night. They advised the two of them to dock the yacht.
Both Chen Xiaolian and Roddy felt anxious.
At that moment however, something occurred to make them even more anxious!
[System prompt: Instance dungeon selection is in progress. Your guild has been selected to participate in an instance dungeon. The comprehensive details for the instance dungeon will be issued out in 24 hours’ time. To the relevant guilds, please make the proper preparations.]
“F**k!”
Chen Xiaolian was unable to contain himself and he swore out.