Chapter 42: The Secret Base of the Ten Thousand Dragons Association

  Li Huanhuan and I were arranged to stay in a hotel temporarily, and two plainclothes police officers, one male and one female, were specially assigned to follow us, saying it was for our safety.

  The hotel room was quite comfortable, and I lived in a large suite with Huanhuan Li, and two policemen also lived with us.

  Two police officers were very strict, focusing their attention on me and Li Huanhuan, as if they were guarding prisoners. This made the atmosphere in the entire room particularly oppressive, making us feel like we were really in prison.

  To ease the oppressive and dull atmosphere, I joked with the male police officer: "Can't you sit down too? Aren't you tired of standing all the time?"

  The male police officer's face showed no expression, and his voice had no emotional fluctuations: "My mission is... to protect you, so I must always maintain a combat posture."

  I looked at the tall male police officer in front of me, and didn't even have the desire to ask his name. A policeman like him looks like a big wooden stick who doesn't know how to adapt, yet he's supposed to protect me - I think that at critical moments, I'll probably have to protect him instead.

  The female police officer who was protecting Li Huanhuan was also this kind of person, she had never spoken a word proactively all along, and would often stare directly at me and Li Huanhuan, as if there was something on our faces.

  Li Huanhuan's temper was not good. After being stared at by the female police officer for five minutes, she finally couldn't help but say loudly: "Have you seen enough?!"

  The female police officer stared at Li Huanhuan motionlessly and said very seriously: "Are you talking to me?"

  Li Huanhuan was about to blow up, I quickly stopped her: "Don't be impulsive! They are people who have received such training, they don't know what a joke is, and they don't know how to get along with others... Just bear it for now, at worst we can go back to the room to surf the internet or sleep."

  "What kind of people are these? I've never seen anyone so stiff. And what's with staring at me all the time, it's getting on my nerves! Jin Cang, think of something to entertain me and make me happy, or else I'll get angry!"

  I feel embarrassed, I just want to hurry back to my room and play games on my computer to pass the time.

  Li Huanhuan followed me into my room and loudly told the two policemen, "Don't disturb us, we have private matters to attend to."

  Li Huanhuan's words finally elicited a reaction from the two police officers, who exchanged a glance and simultaneously turned red in the face... I thought Li Huanhuan's words had been misunderstood and was about to explain when I heard the male police officer shout loudly: "You can't leave our line of sight! The orders we received are to keep an eye on you, not for one moment can you be out of our line of sight..."

  I was stunned as soon as I heard this. But Li Huanhuan cursed loudly, "Who the hell said that? We're not prisoners, what can't we leave your sight for? What do you think of us? Tell you, we..."

  The male police officer pointed to the only chair in the room and let Li Huanhuan sit down, saying coldly: "If you scold again, I will arrest you for insulting a police officer."

  Li Huanhuan was furious, and with a swift kick, she aimed at the male police officer. The male police officer, caught off guard for a moment, was actually kicked by Li Huanhuan, let out a cry of pain, and fell to the ground.

  The female police officer immediately drew her pistol and pointed it at Li Huanhuan, shouting: "Get down on your knees, or I'll shoot you right away!"

  Li Huanhuan was taken aback, and impulsively wanted to rush up and fight the female police officer. I quickly pulled her back and stood in front of her. Glaring at the female police officer, I shouted: "Do you dare to shoot us? Let me tell you, we are the ones who made great contributions to eliminating the Wanlong Gang this time..."

  The female police officer sneered and said disdainfully, "Remnants of the Wanlong Society, dare to think you're a hero? Honestly, if it weren't for your previous help, we would have sent you to prison long ago. You should be content with staying in such a good hotel now. Before receiving instructions from higher authorities, just stay here quietly and don't go anywhere!"

  I was so angry that I couldn't speak. At this time, the male police officer had already gotten up, and he also drew his gun at us, saying coldly: "Be honest with me, or we can shoot you dead immediately. This is an order we received before we came here, and I hope you remember it!"

  I knew I couldn't afford to antagonize these two policemen at this time, so I pulled Li Huanhuan and went back to my room with her.

  Li Huanhuan slammed the door shut and sat down in front of my computer. She was furious, trapping two policemen outside my room. She violently pounded on my keyboard, venting her anger before gradually stopping.

  I was about to persuade her a few words, but saw her suddenly laughing and saying: "Teach me how to use the computer, I'm very interested in computer knowledge now, you teach me everything you know, okay?"

  I couldn't help but laugh at Li Huanhuan's words: "Come on, you don't know how to use a computer? What can I teach you? The things I know are just some simple stuff that you already know."

  Li Huanhuan smiled slyly: "Don't be modest, I've asked around, you're a computer science major, you must know way more than me."

  I feel very strange: "Why do you want to learn computer knowledge? Don't you think the computer knowledge you have now is enough for you to use?"

  Li Huanhuan looked at me sincerely: "You're right, I feel that the computer knowledge I've learned is not enough. I want to learn computer knowledge that can decipher."

  I felt even stranger: "Decryption? Are you going to be a password expert?"

  Li Huanhuan listened to what I said and nodded: "I really want to be a cryptography expert, not just saying that. What I mean is that I want to master the technology of deciphering."

  I laughed: "What do you take me for? I'm not studying this, how would I know how to decipher it?"

  Li Huanhuan was suddenly disappointed: "So you don't know either! Do you know who knows about this? I want to find a master to learn from."

  I had a doubt in my heart and asked her in a low voice: "Tell me the truth, why do you want to learn this?"

  Li Huanhuan stared at me intently, speaking in a very low voice: "I'll just tell you the truth, I discovered a very confidential place, and I suspect that's where... not us, but the Wanlong Society's secret base is. In this secret base, there are many treasures that the Wanlong Society has collected over the years."

  My heart skipped a beat and I immediately became interested: "Do you know the specific address? Why do we need to decipher it again, what's blocking us?"

  Li Huan nodded: "Speak softly, I don't want others to know. That place is blocked by several latest electronic password doors, and I can only open the first door, but not the ones inside."

  "My interest grew even more: 'Then why don't you seek help from the government?'"

  Li Huanhuan reached out and patted my head, saying disdainfully: "Are you crazy? If the government finds out, what can we still get? I'm telling you, you can't mention this to anyone else."

  I nodded and apologized for my habitual thinking: "Sorry, I was too excited and said the wrong thing. By the way, where is the secret base you mentioned?"

  Li Huan glanced at the door and quietly pulled me to the window: "Keep your voice down. The secret base I discovered is in that mountainous area where we caught you last time. Do you still remember how it was full of abandoned mine tunnels? The secret base is inside one of those tunnels, I made a mark so it's easy to find."

  I recalled the mine tunnel in that mountainous area where I was caught, and nodded: "There are mine tunnels everywhere, I remember. What do you plan to do? Is it too late to start learning deciphering techniques now?"

  Li Huan furrowed his brow: "Indeed, it's too late to learn now. Think carefully, do you know anyone in this field? If not, we can go ask for their help."

  I thought for a moment and could only tell the truth: "I don't know anyone like that. But I can make some calls, maybe we can find someone like that."

  Li Huanhuan immediately became excited: "Then why don't you hurry up and contact him to try? Oh, and don't say the wrong thing, this secret base matter can't be revealed in advance, unless he really can decipher it."

  I nodded and replied: "I know, don't worry."

  Actually, I can think of people who are Sun Heng and Chen Jing, they are from the army, maybe they know someone in cryptography, so I decided to ask them.

  But I didn't dare tell Li Huanhuan about it, because if Li Huanhuan found out, she might stop me from telling Sun Heng and Chen Jing.

  I first called Chen Jing, but she didn't answer my call at all, so I had to give up. In the end, I still contacted Sun Heng and told him about our current situation, and casually mentioned what Li Huanhuan said. As soon as I mentioned the two words "decoding", Sun Heng immediately shouted loudly: "You little devil, don't make mistakes, what decoding are you talking about? Be careful not to get caught by the police and have a boxed meal!"

  I couldn't help but laugh: "Look at how excited you are, I'm not looking for someone to help me commit a crime, just a friend asked me for help and I don't know how, so I thought of you. How about it, do you actually know anyone who's good at this sort of thing?"

  Sun Heng seemed to be thinking, and it took a long time for him to respond. I was about to hang up the phone when his voice came over: "Of course, I know password experts, we have several such experts here. However, if it's your friend's personal matter, the expert won't take action."

  After hearing Sun Heng's words, I could only give up. The experts in the troops would not easily take action for outsiders, this is the rule, and I still understand it.

  So I said to Li Huanhuan, "It seems that I have no choice either. The password experts I can contact are all from the troops and they won't take action for outsiders. Unless you see if there's anyone else who has been forgotten?"

  Li Huanhuan shook her head: "If I had a choice, would I still be waiting until now? You think of a way, at worst we'll give all the other things in the secret base to your friend, we just want the money inside."

  I was stunned: Li Huanhuan is indeed a shrewd character, revealing his true nature in just three sentences. He said he only wants money, not anything else. Who doesn't want money in today's society? If I were to say "We've taken all the money, who would still help us for free?" This idea of yours won't work.

  Li Huan immediately said: "Then let's divide some of the money and give it to your friend, see if he will lend us a hand?"

  I hesitated for a moment, nodded and said: "In that case, I'll get in touch with Sun Heng to try..."

  Li Huan immediately scolded me upon hearing that I had contacted Sun Heng: "Are you out of your mind? How could you contact Sun Heng? He's from the military, aren't you asking for trouble?"

  I said with a straight face: "Don't scold me first. This is what I think, Sun Heng is my brother, we went together to crack the secret base, and the remaining money and other things, let Sun Heng take it all to hand over to the government. In this way, we have money, can more easily avoid the pursuit of the Wanlong Society; Sun Heng will also be credited with cracking the Wanlong Society's secret base, a win-win situation, what's not good about that?"

  Li Huan was stunned for a moment, and then scolded: "If Sun Heng reports this matter directly to his superior and the country takes action, what can we do? Do you think we will only get an honorary certificate or just verbal praise? In the end, we still have to find ways to avoid the pursuit of the Wanlong Society, and become so poor that we need national relief to eat..."

  I interrupted Li Huanhuan's words: "I didn't tell Sun Heng what happened, can you not be so excited?"

  Li Huanhuan was stunned for a moment, and after a long while, she shook her hand and spun around in circles on the spot.

  I looked at her and thought she seemed a bit too excited, so I whispered to her: "I just want to ask Sun Heng for help to contact someone who understands decryption, without telling him what it's about. Besides, even if Sun Heng knew, I believe he wouldn't betray me."

  Li Huanhuan looked at me, slowly calming down: "It's my fault, don't mind. Just do as you said, and it doesn't matter if you tell Sun Heng either. Anyway, I just want the money, everything else belongs to Sun Heng."

  I thought about it again and decided to tell Sun Heng the truth, so I called him again: "I still want you to introduce me to a password expert. I really have something to trouble the password expert with, just help me out."

  Sun Heng's tone was very calm, but what he said was terrifying: "Have you found some treasure?"

  I was shocked and could only say: "Don't tell anyone else, okay? So, Li Huanhuan told me that she discovered a secret base left behind by Wan Long, with many good things inside. However, it's blocked by several latest electronic password doors, which must be cracked before we can enter. So... we've already discussed it, if you help us, we'll only take a portion of the money, and all the other stuff will belong to you, you can take it back and hand it over to the country, and also make a great achievement."

  Sun Heng fell silent, and after a long time slowly said: "I know your current mood, I also know your current situation. To be honest, I feel unfair for you too. You should have been given substantial rewards for your great contributions. However... Ah, Jin Cang, I can help you, but I don't want anything from you, nor do I expect to gain merit or reward from this opportunity. In short, I will help you, but I must tell Old Chen first. Old Chen is my direct superior, he is my chief, and I cannot hide it from him. Please understand me on this point."

  I immediately said with great suspicion: "What if Old Chen doesn't allow us to touch that money? Are we going to be locked up here for a few days, and then stay there for a few days, and spend the rest of our lives without a peaceful day?"

  Sun Heng fell silent again, and I took this opportunity to roughly tell Li Huanhuan what Sun Heng had said, letting her consider what to do next.

  Sun Heng didn't speak again until two minutes later: "Jin Cang, you are my brother and the person I value most. Now that you're in trouble, if I don't help you, I'll despise myself for the rest of my life. Here's what we'll do - I won't mention this to Old Man Chen for now, but I'll introduce you to one of my brothers privately, and he'll help you take care of this matter. You can trust him completely, and there's no need to tell him exactly what it is he's doing; after opening the door, he'll leave on his own initiative. Also, don't mention this to anyone else again - remember these words!"

  I complied one by one, asked for the name and contact information of Sun Heng's brother, and finally asked Sun Heng for help: "You have to think of a way to get us out first, otherwise it's all useless."

  Sun Heng fell silent for a moment, then said helplessly: "This matter still has to trouble Old Chen, I can only think of this method. You guys wait, I'll go find Old Chen now, and as soon as there's news, I'll notify you."

  So I hung up the phone and looked at Li Huanhuan, saying helplessly: "Sun Heng asked us to wait, Old Chen will think of a way to get us out."

  Li Huanhuan sat down weakly and said, "I hope Sun Heng really won't betray us. If he does, we'll just have to spend the rest of our lives in prison. I don't care, after all, I'm originally a member of the Wanlong Society... You're the one who's being wronged, you're the hero who eradicated the Wanlong Society, and now you're being imprisoned with me... It's not fair, it's just too unfair!"

  I let out a soft sigh and couldn't help but reach out to hug Li Huanhuan, I felt like she was my older sister and the only family member I had left. My heart was filled with sorrow, all I wanted to do was lean on her and cry it all out.

  Li Huanhuan's body stiffened noticeably for a moment before returning to normal, allowing me to hold her as I pleased.

  I didn't think much of it, nor did I have the mood to think about anything else. I just said helplessly: "Don't be too sad, we...we will get better. The truth will always come to light, and we will...be understood by others."

  Li Huanhuan reached out and gently grasped my hand, whispering: "Don't think too much about it either. No matter what happens to us in the future, I'll always be by your side. No matter how big the difficulties are, I'll get through them with you..."

  I was deeply moved and whispered: "Sun Heng will save us, Huanhuan sister, this time I have seen through it. If we can get out smoothly and gain freedom, I will never care about these things again."

  Li Huanhuan raised her head and looked at me, with a hint of smile in her eyes: "You can understand it's the best, we will go out, don't worry!"

  I nodded, and suddenly my nose caught a very peculiar fragrance that I had never smelled before. It was so captivating that I couldn't help but take a deep breath and sighed: "So fragrant..."

  Li Huanhuan heard this sentence, her whole body was like being electrocuted, and she suddenly trembled violently. Then I felt my right arm ache to the bone. When I came back to my senses, I found that Li Huanhuan had twisted my right arm behind my back, and she was staring at me with a furious face, with a terrifying killing intent in her eyes!

  I was shocked and didn't care about the pain in my right arm, gritting my teeth and saying: "What...what's going on?"

  Li Huanhuan heard me speaking, seemed to have thought of something, quietly released my right arm, and the expression on her face also gradually improved. I heard her say: "Who told you to talk nonsense... I... my instinctive reaction was to just give you..."

  I finally understood why I was beaten, and innocently said: "What did I say? I just said a sentence..." I stopped here, looked at Li Huanhuan with fear, and didn't dare to continue.

  Li Huanhuan snorted, saying in a bad mood: "You know what you're talking about yourself. I... I hate men who are oily and smooth-tongued the most. Remember this, be careful next time, I... I won't show mercy again..."

  I'm going to cry, I thought: You're still showing mercy? Almost directly killing me as a thug...... But my mouth could only carefully say: "I remember, Huanhuan sister... no, Li Huanhuan... sister..."

  Li Huanhuan's face broke into a smile again, and she said happily: "If you don't want to call me Sister Huanhuan, I won't force you, no need to be so cautious..."