Chapter 123: Searching for Sun Heng

  I didn't go back to Old Chen's place, but instead went to a very unfamiliar place - the Gobi Desert.

  It's not that I don't want to go back and see Chen Jing and the others, but as soon as I came out of the Red Clothes Female Army, I received Old Chen's order, telling me to head directly to the Great Desert.

  What I call the Great Desert is not a large desert, but a grassland, that is our Mongolian grassland. The original Great Desert referred to the grassland, also known as the North of the Desert, so there are poems like "The solitary smoke of the Great Desert rises straight, the long river falls into the round sun".

  As for the vast grasslands of Mongolia, I was very unfamiliar with them, especially when Old Chen sent me to this place, not even a name on the military map. So, the soldiers who were ordered to go with me privately called this place the Nameless Grassland.

  We were sent here by Old Chen because he received intelligence that there was news of Sun Heng here.

  I rushed over without stopping because I heard some news about Sun Heng.

  Sun Heng is my comrade-in-arms and also my brother. Since he went missing, I have been thinking about finding him every moment. However, due to various reasons, there has been no clue so far. Now that Old Chen provided me with this information, I have no reason not to make every effort to rush over and search for Sun Heng.

  If we can really find Sun Heng, then... I dare not imagine what will happen, but there will definitely be many people who will be happy and excited about it, even jumping for joy.

  The warriors who came with me are all Chen Lao's bodyguards. There were five of them in total, and they can be considered as my assistants this time.

  I have no other requirements for them, just one word - fast. Fast to feel this vast unknown grassland, fast to find the source of the news, fast to start searching for Sun Heng's whereabouts. Everything requires achieving this "fast" word.

  The five of them did not disappoint me, and their speed was very fast. In just one day, we rushed from the hinterland of Huaxia to this unnamed grassland in the far north, and found the border guard post that sent out the message, as well as the border soldier who used the satellite network to transmit the message.

  Facing what seemed like a sudden descent of the six of us, the border guard in front of us, who looked to be less than twenty years old, was somewhat nervous, occasionally touching his sleeve with his hand.

  I asked him in a low voice: "Was it you who spread the news and exposed Sun Heng?"

  The border guard's name is Zhang Wang. His hometown is not here, according to another soldier at the border guard post, Zhang Wang comes from Sichuan.

  Currently, there is a war going on over here, but this area has been affected by the unknown plains and is still considered safe. Zhang Wang was quite fearful of us sudden arrivals, his voice even trembling as he spoke: "I... I saw someone who looked very much like... what you guys said... Sun Heng, so... so I sent a message."

  I smiled and said, "Don't be nervous, we're here to ask for your help, not to trouble you. The person who looks like Sun Heng that you mentioned is my company commander. He went missing earlier and we've been searching for him everywhere. Where did you see him? Can you take us to find him?"

  Seeing Zhang Wang was too nervous, I simply let him lead us directly and didn't ask much.

  Zhang Wang nodded, stood up, and hesitated for a moment before saying: "You... said in your missing person notice that if I find Sun Heng, you can... give me some money. Is that true?"

  I furrowed my brow: "Is it true? Do you really need money that badly? Asking your own comrade for money, isn't that also...?"

  Zhang Wang anxiously said in a loud voice, "My family urgently needs money for medical treatment, I...I have no choice but to ask. If there's no money, I...I can also take you to find Sun Heng."

  I knew I had misunderstood this timid border guard, and smiled as I said: "Don't worry, as long as we find Sun Heng, we'll definitely give you enough money to treat your family's illness." Pausing for a moment, I felt that what I said was not suitable, so I changed my words: "Even if we can't find Sun Heng, I will still give you money to send back home to treat your family's illness."

  Zhang Wang's face was filled with emotion and surprise, and he almost immediately said: "Thank you!"

  I smiled and patted his shoulder, saying: "Let's go, take us to where you saw Sun Heng."

  Zhang Wang said while leading the way, "I saw him two days ago. At that time, he was alone in a residential area about 50 kilometers away from our border guard post. It seemed like he was being escorted by someone..."

  I was listening to Zhang Wang speak when he suddenly shut his mouth. I was taken aback and asked, "What's next? Where did you see him go?"

  "He seems to be injured, covered in blood. If it wasn't for that, I wouldn't have paid attention to him."

  I frowned and said: "How many people did you see escorting him? What kind of people were they?"

  Zhang Wang made a great effort to recall: "The one who escorted him seemed to be the civil policeman from that residential area, yes, it was a civil policeman. I saw the police uniforms they were wearing."

  I nodded: "Then let's drive to the Public Security Bureau of that residential area, if we're lucky, we might be able to find Sun Heng tonight."

  The nameless warriors who came with me nodded in unison: "Yes!"

  Zhang Wang also nodded and said: "Yes!"

  I felt they were a bit stiff, so I smiled and said: "Everyone relaxes, we are going to find someone, not going to war."

  Zhang Wang let out a slight sigh and said in a low voice, "I took a look from afar, but I don't know if it's really the person you're looking for. If...it's not, please don't blame me..."

  I smiled and said, "Don't worry, you've done your best. Whether it's Sun Heng or not, we'll investigate ourselves. Now tell me your family's bank account number, I'll have someone transfer some money to your family as a personal favor."

  Zhang Wang didn't hesitate and directly gave me his bank card number. It seems that his family member is really in urgent need of money for medical treatment, even someone as timid as him didn't refuse me, it must be true that they urgently need the money.

  I really called Li Huanhuan in front of Zhang Wang and asked her to send money to Zhang Wang's family.

  The road here is not very wide, but it's quite straight, so our car can go very fast. In less than half an hour, we arrived at the residential area that Zhang Wang mentioned.

  We just observed this residential area from the car, and now it seems that there are many residents here, similar to some small towns in the south. However, the houses in this residential area are generally only one-story, unlike the buildings in the south, which often have 70 or 80 floors, making them look a bit short.

  The public security bureau on the residential site, no, it should be a police station, is located in a row of one-story houses on the east side. Our arrival made several duty policemen who were playing poker immediately tense up.

  The unnamed warriors who came with me stood in a row, with their guns and ammunition, looking very majestic. When one of the soldiers showed his military ID, a police officer immediately stepped forward to salute and asked, "May I ask what brings you all to our police station?"

  I took a step forward and said directly: "We are here to find someone. You arrested a man named Sun Heng a few days ago. Is he still here?"

  The policeman was stunned for a moment, then said: "Misunderstanding? We... we've never arrested anyone named Sun Heng?"

  I took a glance at Zhang Wang, and Zhang Wang immediately stepped forward and said: "It was the person you caught the day before yesterday."

  The police officer was stunned again, and a look of fear flashed in his eyes. One of the police officers said: "You're looking for that person? He... he was sent away by our captain."

  I frowned and asked: "Where are you sending it?"

  The policeman said cautiously: "I heard from the captain that the man was a wanted criminal, so the captain took him to Beijing personally the next day. I guess he's almost there by now."

  "I thought for a moment and said: 'What's your phone number?'"

  The police officer immediately dialed a number on the phone in their duty room and carefully handed me the receiver.

  "We waited for the other party to answer the phone and directly asked: 'Where are you now? What is the current situation with the escorted prisoners?'"

  The other party was taken aback for a moment, then laughed and said, "Who are you?"

  "Holdonglian, Jinkang! Report back!"

  The other side almost immediately said: "Don't worry! We were delayed on the road and are still on our way, half a day's journey from the capital... The prisoner... The prisoner is fine now, no signs of escape. We will safely deliver the prisoner to the capital, please rest assured..."

  "I cut him off: 'You immediately return the way you came, and don't stop to rest along the way. Before dawn tomorrow, I'll be waiting for you at your police station. Remember, the prisoner can't have any mishaps. If he has any mishaps, the consequences... you know.'"

  The squad leader was startled by my words and stuttered: "I... we will leave immediately, definitely... definitely return to the police station before dawn..."

  I put down the phone and immediately said to the police officer standing by: "Prepare dinner, we'll wait for your boss to come back here."

  The police officer hastily went out to call for backup, not daring to ask us any questions at all.

  I spent the night in the duty room of the police station. During this time, we didn't do anything except eat something. The five soldiers who came with me stood still on the spot all night without moving. Their actions made several civilian police officers on duty look stunned and estimated that they were very impressed, while also secretly saying: "Foolish, not moving for a whole night, doesn't your legs ache?"

  Only I know that these five warriors are Chen Lao's bodyguards. Let alone just standing for one night, even if they were asked to stand on one leg for a whole night, they wouldn't frown once.

  I also stood still for a whole night, standing in front of these warriors. My gaze was fixed on the police station's gate, hoping to see the returning police car as soon as possible, and then I saw Sun Heng who had been missing for a long time.

  As the sky gradually brightened, the police officers couldn't help but secretly let out big yawns. Even Zhang Wang, who had come with us, didn't know when he quietly sat down, probably because he really couldn't take it anymore and sneaked away to rest.

  The six of us remained motionless, our six pairs of eyes fixed on the police station's door, like six stone statues.

  When the sky was bright, the personnel who came to replace the shift arrived, but as soon as they saw us, they were stunned. Then, under the hint of the original on-duty police officers, they quietly left the duty room.

  Not long after, some of them came back again, bringing a lot of breakfast, seemingly prepared for us.

  I'm getting anxious inside, it's been a while since dawn broke, but the police car from the station hasn't returned yet, did something happen on the way?

  I quietly decided to wait for another five minutes. If they still didn't show up after five minutes, I would leave and follow the highway they took when they left to look for them.

  "So I said calmly: 'Have breakfast, and we'll leave in five minutes.'"

  The five warriors who came with me immediately responded: "Yes!" Then, they quickly picked up the breakfast that was quietly placed in front of them by the police and solved it in a flash.

  The whole process of eating breakfast took less than a minute. Such an extent is not something that ordinary soldiers can achieve.

  Of course, such a meal degree, unexpectedly once again frightened the local police here.

  Zhang Wang had just picked up his breakfast when he saw that others had already finished eating, so he was also stunned and staring at us, not knowing what to do.

  I glanced at the time and ordered: "Check the vehicle, fill up with gas."

  The five warriors responded in unison: "Yes!"

  "I said to Zhang Wang, 'Eat, what are you staring at?'"

  Zhang Wang seemed to be startled by me, his hand shook, and the bowl of porridge in his hand almost spilled.

  I let out a soft sigh, picked up the phone and dialed the director's number again. The call was quickly answered, and then I heard the director's voice: "Director, we'll be there in three minutes... just three minutes."

  I put down the phone and looked at the warriors who were inspecting their vehicles and preparing to go to the gas station to refuel, and I suddenly felt a little scared.

  I'm afraid the person I've been waiting for all night isn't Sun Heng, but at the same time, I'm also afraid that it is indeed Sun Heng. No matter what, if the person I've been waiting for really is Sun Heng... how great would that be! But how am I supposed to face him? Should I treat him as a brother? Or as a deserter? Or perhaps as an innocent victim of circumstance?

  No matter what, as long as he comes back, isn't everything okay?

  I let out a sigh of relief, looking at Zhang Wang who had not started eating his breakfast yet, and said with a smile: "Eat up, finish your meal and head back to the troops. I'll have someone send your reward directly to your home."

  Zhang Wang nodded, looking at me with gratitude, wanting to speak but stopping himself.

  I walked out of the police station and prepared to meet Sun Heng.

  The police car from the police station finally appeared in front of me, and several civilian police on the car all looked tired, but after seeing us, they still insisted on standing at attention and saluting.

  One of them, who appeared to be the captain, shouted loudly: "Captain, we're late, forgive us!"

  I nodded slightly and didn't say a word, but instead walked directly into the police car, reached out and pulled out the prisoner who was still getting in with his face covered.

  My emotions about this matter are really not calm, 30% anxiety, 30% expectation, and 40% fear. What I'm most afraid of is that this time's hope will be in vain, then I don't know what to do.

  The culprit's appearance was indeed similar to Sun Heng's, and I secretly prayed that this person was the long-lost Sun Heng.

  My hand involuntarily trembled a bit, but I still steadily lifted the offender's headgear.

  At the last moment, I plucked up the courage to see this person. It was as if it were the first time meeting my future in-laws, facing them with a mix of nervousness and anticipation.

  I finally got a clear look at the person, and then I couldn't help but shout loudly: "Sun Heng! It's really you! Where have you been all this time? Don't you know we've all been looking for you? We thought you were dead!"

  I'm like a wife who has seen her long-absent husband who left without saying goodbye, nagging and complaining endlessly.

  Sun Heng's face was filled with confusion, and then he said in a hoarse voice: "I don't know you... what do you call me? Sun Heng? Am I called Sun Heng?"

  I was stunned, and then I thought of a terrible thing - Sun Heng had lost his memory. So I carefully said: "You are Sun Heng, take a look at me, do you still recognize me? I am Jin Cang, your brother, Jin Cang!"

  Sun Heng still looked bewildered, then took the initiative to say: "Sorry, I've lost my memory and don't remember anything from before..."

  I nodded and gritted my teeth, saying: "It's okay, as long as we found you, our military doctor will help you recover your memory." Then I said to the people standing by: "Hass, quickly unlock his handcuffs? He is the captain of the Dragon Guard Regiment, Sun Heng."

  The director of the police station immediately stepped forward and opened the handcuffs on Sun Heng's wrists, then carefully said: "Misunderstanding, it was all a misunderstanding. We thought he was the Sun Heng who was wanted, so... sorry about that, please don't blame us."

  I smiled and patted the captain's shoulder: "He is Sun Heng, who was wanted in the past, but it was all a frame-up. Our military department has already rehabilitated him, but the notice hasn't been issued yet. So you're not wrong, on the contrary, you have merit, you found Sun Heng, it's a great achievement."

  The director exclaimed "Ah" and immediately laughed: "That's great, I was worried that we did something wrong this time and would be punished!"

  I saw Sun Heng was fine, in a great mood, and smiled: "Don't worry, not only will you not be punished, but you'll also be rewarded. Once I get back to the military department, I'll immediately announce the reward for your police station."

  The captain was overjoyed and said warmly: "Thank you, Captain! Please let the captains stay in our police station for a day, and we will entertain them."

  I waved my hand: "No need, we have to hurry back to the military department, there are tasks waiting for us." After a pause, I turned back to Sun Heng who looked confused and said: "Major Sun, please get on the car, we're heading back to the military department now."

  Sun Heng nodded blankly and didn't say a word, apparently he had no idea what I meant by "returning to the Military Department".

  I know amnesiacs are like that, so I won't say more. I directly give the order: "Everyone get on the car and go to the nearest airport."

  The five warriors who came with me replied in unison: "Yes!"

  The director of the police station and those civilian police officers stood at attention and saluted loudly, saying: "Yes!"

  I smiled and after everyone got on the bus, I whispered to the squad leader: "Don't play poker when you're on duty next time."

  The director was stunned for a moment, then said solemnly: "Yes, Director, rest assured, I guarantee that such things will not happen again!"

  I smiled and said nothing more, leaving the settlement on this unfamiliar grassland with the sound of the car's engine.