The door swung open and the man scooped him up, clutching him passionately in his powerful arms.
Lin opened the last document and guessed that it was the passport of Wei's father. The boss had planned something in advance, but hadn't released the details to the young man.
"Not yet," Lin clarified to him, "I think they're worth taking."
Then he shifted his gaze to the stacks of money. They were of different currencies: euros, dollars, and yuan. He counted the last stack; the amount was enormous. Enough of a small portion to pay for the lawsuit and not traumatize his mother with the truth.
Remembering that Jiang Wei had allowed him to use the money, he counted out the right amount and took some with reserve. He was also interested in what was on the memory cards.
The first video he discovered shocked him. It was a video from a private lodge in a host bar.
Lin scrolled through the obscene scenes and, finally seeing the man's face, grinned.
"Mr. Fei, you're a very rotten man," Lin said. The video showed Mr. Lu entertaining three young girls, and it showed him slipping something into their drinks.
There were nine such videos on the card, Lin put it aside and took another. The information on it was all numbers and reports. He didn't understand anything and put it aside, too. While he was looking through the information, video message appeared on the screen of the laptop. Lin saw his boss's face and hurriedly launched the file. The boss coughed and spoke.
"Lin, I was counting on your curiosity, so you see this video. So I'm missing," the boss was silent. "But if you're here, it turns out I'm making contact and we have every chance of turning the situation in our direction. Use the money; sorry I didn't put it in your account sooner."
"Now, as for the cards and the archive from the server. You have to upload them to cloud storage using this laptop. No one will be able to trace it. I'll know you've done it as soon as you're done."
"Lin, you're very brave."
"Now listen, I hope you're already protected by the Claw, but your family is in danger. I would insist that you move them here to this shelter. When you go to me, they will need a safe place, so don't procrastinate."
"You have to open the door of the house, jam it, and then turn off the power. I found out that the cameras are powered by the house system. You'll get your family into the house, and no cameras will react."
"Regarding the future plan, I'll be in touch. Be ready to leave the country at any moment. Hide the euros in your workshop. I made a floor safe there, the code is the same. I know you must be in shock, but I promise we'll work it out. I'll be fighting for my old man's life now, I hope you understand."
"Love you...and counting on you."
The video ended. Lin frowned for a while, figuring out how to convince his brothers and mother to move here, but there was very little time for everything. He made up his mind and started uploading information to the vault.
The first thing that went there was the archive from the server that the boss had asked for in a message. Then the video from the host club and everything else. Lin didn't look at two more cards, just poured them in. He looked at his watch: it was the beginning of the fourth.
It was nearing dawn, and he had to hurry.
Putting the money in his bag, he put the cards back where they belonged; lingering over the passports Lin decided he'd take them when he brought his family. But at the last moment, he raked up everything, and slammed the safe shut.
In his haste to leave the safe, he pretended to fall asleep at his boss's desk, and when it dawned, he left the house. He had thoughtfully carried the bag to the car during the night.
Upon his return, Lin left his valuables in the safe. He put the yuan in envelopes and kept it with him. Then Lin went to check on his brothers. They were all still asleep. Lin made breakfast and gathered the brothers around the table.
"You and I are going out to the victims today," he informed them.
"You got the money?!" marveled the brothers.
"Borrowed it," Lin replied.
He was disgusted at the thought of having to endure humiliation. He understood that these men had been bribed, but no one would expect the Shi family to be able to find the money so quickly to make the case go away.
First of all, Lin went to a lawyer and prepared documents in which the plaintiffs waived their claims. He was going to get them to sign these papers. The brothers put on suits and went with him.
The people were caught off guard, and when they saw the money, many felt guilty. Everyone unconditionally signed the document. In the evening Lin and his brothers took Mom home.
"Mom, tomorrow you go to the store and tell everyone that your nephew is getting married and we are all going to his wedding. And tell them that your brother offered to let us stay at his house for a couple of weeks to recover from the fire. You have to speak up so everyone can hear you, you know?" Lin explained his plan during dinner.
Shi Meili put away her chopsticks and looked at her son carefully.
"I'll move you to a safe place tomorrow," he explained.
Meili pondered his words for a while and finally nodded silently. After dinner, the family packed. Only the essentials were to be taken with them, everything else was in the shelter.
Mailey was greeted with joy in town, but as she recalled the tragedy at the restaurant, her acquaintances sincerely sympathized with her. And the woman told left and right about her nephew's wedding.
The news spread pretty quickly and the Lin family left the house in the evening without arousing suspicion.
Linh calculated that they would arrive late at night. Stopping the car a little early, he took the device and went alone. After opening and jamming the door, he made his way into the study and opened the hatch. He secured it, too.
After that he turned off the power and texted his mother. The three shadows walked quickly down the road, helped by the fact that it was a moonless night. Once inside, Lin led them through a maze of corridors and finally to a trapdoor. Cautiously supporting their mother, the brothers made their way down.
Their eyes quickly became accustomed to the poor lighting. Lin explained the situation and left, leaving the family in the hiding place. He turned on the light and the hatch closed. Lin exhaled. Now he could show himself in front of the cameras. After eating his dinner, he fell asleep.
The next morning he got another message from his boss that could have broken anyone's brain. After solving the puzzle, he received a lucid guide to action:
[Hermosillo, 12:40 p.m. Thursday. Passports, money].
Lin realized that he would have to fly to Mexico and was able to buy a ticket since, earlier; he had put money in the account. It remained to figure out how to get the money across the border. In the morning, Lin went to a lawyer and consulted. Out of the options offered, he chose to open a business.
Fortunately, it could be done remotely. So Shi Lin became the owner of an outsourcing firm. Before his flight, he visited his mother and brothers and, without giving them the details, asked them to be careful and wait for him.
It was a long flight, but Lin didn't sleep a wink. He kept thinking about meeting Wei, and his wrist also ached a little, but he just took a pill. Looking out the window, he convinced himself that he was now at war, where there was no room for feelings.
The people who burned down his mother's restaurant don't care about other people's relationships; they are willing to kill and destroy to get their way. He must be ready, too. Jiang Wei counts on him, he has constantly guided his steps and now they can fight together.
The crowd moved noisily through the airport. Lin stood at the conveyor belt and caught his suitcase. He didn't really need the stuff, but creating the image of a tourist, he heaped up a suitcase full of stuff, and hid the really important things between it. Finally his suitcase showed up on the ribbon. He picked it up and went to the exit.
Those greeting waved cheerfully and held up their nameplates. Lin stopped and looked around, but he didn't see Jiang Wei. Suddenly, he was pushed by some woman and shoved a piece of paper into his hand. Lin walked out of the airport and furtively unfolded the piece of paper. It said:
"A car with a white monkey on the left."
He turned left and walked quickly along the road. There were hundreds of cars parked there. He peered closely and finally saw the monkey van.
Drops of sweat broke out on Lin's forehead, because there were armed thugs sitting in the front seat. Lin slowed his pace, but was still hesitant to approach when a suddenly opened door swallowed him.
The young man was grabbed and pushed into the car. He flopped down on the far seat and almost took his breath away. But they didn't kill him. The car just started up and drove off. The heavily tinted windows of the van barely let in any sunlight, so all Lin could see in the half-light was his trembling hands.
There was no one beside him; the chauffeur and his assistant looked tense and did not speak. Lin didn't even realize who had pushed him into the car, where the man had come from, and where he was now gone. Suddenly the phone rang in front of the man, he answered in incomprehensible language and turned around and handed the receiver to Lin.
"Hello?" said Lin uncertainly.
"It's me," he heard a familiar voice and instantly relaxed. "Did you have a good flight?
"Uh...yeah, I'm fine," the young man replied, closing his eyes and exulting inside.
"My boys will get you there safely. You see, where I'm hiding is a very dysfunctional environment and you just can't survive without security. A few more people will join you later, don't be afraid of them," Jiang Wei reassured him, guessing how scared he must be alone in a foreign country.
Lin returned the phone and calmed down a bit. Hearing his boss's voice, albeit at the edge of the world, was a gift to him. Thinking back to when he'd slept with his blanket around him, Lin blushed with embarrassment.
When he didn't know if Jiang Wei was alive or dead, if he was okay or not, he allowed himself to be a sentimental fool, shedding tears, refusing to eat and drawing portraits of the boss.
"And even that," Lin pursed his lips and looked at his left hand. The watch concealed a secret he was afraid to reveal to his boss, for fear of causing ridicule.
The car came to an abrupt stop and the unbelted Lin flew forward. The man in the front seat chirped something in his language, and Lin nodded and sat back in his seat.
"Of course he called me a moron," went through the young man's mind. Suddenly the door on the right opened, and one by one several armed men entered the car. They threw a curious look at Linh, but immediately forgot about him.
The car started up again and drove along for about two hours. It seemed to Lin that his insides had switched places several times, because the road was bumpy and the driver made no effort to drive carefully.
Т hence, Lin realized that they had entered the countryside. Finally the car stopped. Lin wanted to get out, but he was stopped.
The first to get out were the men who were next to Lin. They looked around the perimeter and then led Lin out. Surrounding him on all sides, the group began to make their way somewhere up. It seemed as if they were climbing mountains.
Lin was dragging a suitcase and stumbling. Seeing this, the chief gave the signal to the other two men, and they picked up the suitcase themselves. In their hands it seemed like a feather. Lin was very tired from the forty minutes they had been climbing up. Finally he saw the lights. The welcoming town was full of music and the aromas of food.
Lin's stomach growled. The man in front of him stopped at a shop and bought a flatbread. He handed it to Lin and smiled with his comical mouth. The fact that he had gold and silver teeth made it look very funny, but Lin sincerely thanked him and began to chew.
The scone was warm, fresh, and delicious. With his strength restored, he moved more briskly and kept asking himself what Jiang Wei was doing in such a hole, why exactly here.
In the distance stood a relatively modern building three stories high. It was also conspicuous because it was surrounded by a particularly large number of dubious individuals.
They set up a table right in the street and played cards emotionally. The gambler jumped up and started shooting in the air; others rushed toward him and disarmed him and knocked him out with the butt of his own gun.
After dragging the body aside, the men returned to the game. Some were placing bets; others were strolling around, drinking something from bottles. Lin trembled like an aspen leaf. His posse approached the building and stopped. The young man looked timidly at the house and guessed it was a hospital.
A man with colored teeth took Lin under his elbow and gestured for him to enter. He led him to the third floor and, pointing to the white door, left. Someone put his suitcase next to it.
The young man knocked on the door and waited. The door swung open and the man scooped him up, clutching him passionately in his powerful arms. All the air left Linh, and he rolled his eyes.
The boss loosened his embrace, then picked the young man up under his knees and carried him into the room. Seating Lin on the bed, he stared intently into his face. The young man also kept his eyes on Jiang Wei. His skin was darkened; his face was three days unshaven.
Lin reached out and touched his prickly cheek. Suddenly he heard gunshots again. Jiang Wei jumped up, opened the window, and shouted something. The atmosphere below instantly changed and intonations of apology were heard.
"Sorry, these cretins lose their minds when they drink," said the boss guiltily.
"Nothing," braved Lin, "is that your security?"
"Something like that. As long as I pay them, I'm kind of their boss."
"I see," nodded the young man.
"Lin, tell me what happened in my absence," the boss asked.
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