Under Yang Jian's strong insistence, Jiang Bin ultimately paid the judge two million yuan in execution funds and signed a commitment letter to repay all debts within one year.
With this matter settled, Yang Jian originally planned to rest at home for a day before returning to Xiaomengla. On one hand, the matter of San Pang and the others returning to China was not yet finalized, and the investment in the paper mill had not been confirmed.
He also wanted to take advantage of Nan Ge being in Yang Fan's hands to find Mao Ge in one go.
However, Zhang Hui called him, saying that Bao Guo had been apprehended, and their drug trafficking ring, except for Mao Ge, had all been captured. Mao Ge would definitely be hiding deeper during this period, making him difficult to find. It would be better to wait until after the New Year.
Additionally, Zhang Hui entrusted Captain Wu of the Dalou Border Police Station to expedite the procedures for San Pang and the others to return to China. San Pang could return with Biao Biao and the others.
This way, Yang Jian wouldn't need to go before the end of the year. The investment in the paper mill would be overseen by Yang Fan and Ma Lan, so there wouldn't be any issues.
Hancheng Railway Station.
As Wu Laizi stepped out of the arrival hall, an unfamiliar phone number called him. He knew it was either Mao Ge or Bao Guo. Drug traffickers constantly changed their phone numbers to avoid police tracking.
"Hello, who is this?"
"Old Wu, where are you now?"
The voice on the other end was Mao Ge's.
"Mao Ge, I just got off the train and haven't left the station yet. Do you have any instructions?"
"Old Wu, I can't reach Bao Guo. I suspect something happened to him. You helped him deliver goods before. Do you still have those customers' numbers? Try calling a couple of them to see if you can still reach them."
"Okay, I'll contact them right away."
Wu Laizi hung up the phone and, instead of contacting the customers, called Zhang Hui. He learned that the police had already dismantled Bao Guo's entire drug trafficking network.
Zhang Hui told him to continue maintaining contact with Mao Ge and see if the Dalou police could locate Mao Ge's phone.
Following Zhang Hui's instructions, Wu Laizi waited for ten minutes before calling Mao Ge back.
"Mao Ge, something terrible has happened. I can't reach any of the dozen or so customers I've been in contact with. Bao Guo and the others might have been wiped out."
"Damn it, something really did happen."
Mao Ge's voice was filled with panic and fear.
"Mao Ge, what should we do? Will I be arrested if I go back?"
Wu Laizi's intention was to chat with him more so that the police could better locate his phone.
"Don't go back. Find a place to hide and wait for my call."
Mao Ge, with his strong anti-reconnaissance awareness, hung up the phone decisively.
Wu Laizi felt very fortunate that he was an informant for the police. Now he could go home to see his mother with peace of mind. Otherwise, he would have ended up in prison like Bao Guo and the others.
A moment later, Zhang Hui's call came again.
"Captain Zhang, have you located him?"
"Old Wu, your call time was too short. The Dalou police can only pinpoint the number to Xiaomengla, but they can't find the specific location."
"So, Mao Ge has already crossed the border?"
"He should have crossed the border. Because the Dalou police have been conducting large-scale investigations recently, he can't stay in Dalou Town anymore."
"Then what should I do? Do I still need to go? Mao Ge just told me to hide and wait for his call. He probably doesn't suspect me."
Zhang Hui pondered for a moment on the phone before saying, "Go back and see your parents first, but don't let anyone notice. There might be Mao Ge's informants in the town. Then find Yang Jian. Stay at his factory and wait for Mao Ge's call. Whether we can catch him depends on whether he contacts you again."
"Will Yang Jian take me in?"
Wu Laizi felt apprehensive about Yang Jian. Although the latter had said he would let him go, meeting him was another matter. After all, he had caused too much harm to his sister. He couldn't bear to be beaten up by Yang Jian every now and then.
"Don't worry, I'll talk to him. You cannot go out freely when you are there, and you cannot reveal your whereabouts to anyone, including your parents."
"Okay, thank you, Officer Zhang."
With Zhang Hui's guarantee, Wu Laizi believed that Yang Jian wouldn't make things too difficult for him. He then took a bus from the station directly to Xinqiao.
Feng Wu received him and arranged for him to join his security team. That evening, he arranged for a car to take him to the People's Hospital to visit his parents. After that, he stayed working in the security team, and no one noticed him.
The twenty-fourth of the twelfth lunar month.
Biao Biao, Ma Lan, and others, who had completed investment negotiations, returned to Hancheng, accompanied by San Pang and eight others.
Yang Jian specifically arranged for a bus to pick them up from the airport. After arriving in Xinqiao, they went directly to the police station.
Since San Pang and the others were rescued by the Xiaomengla military, they had to coordinate with the Dalou police when crossing the border. Upon returning to their hometown, they were to be punished.
However, Yang Jian had negotiated with Lin Nan in advance, using the excuse that San Pang and the others had suffered inhumane torture and beatings in Xiaomengla, their bodies were in very poor condition, and they needed to be hospitalized for treatment. They requested the police station to handle the bail procedures, allowing them to spend the New Year at home before undergoing interrogation and punishment by the police station.
This was also to save face for San Pang and the others. If they were locked up in a detention center as soon as they returned, they would not be able to hold their heads up when they came out, especially the girls, whose reputations would be ruined.
Yang Jian personally accompanied them to complete the procedures, and then they returned to Yangli Village together.
The parents and families of San Pang, Ba Jiangang, and the other eight were already waiting in front of the new office building of Lijian Company.
San Pang was the first to get out of the car. Li Mantang and his wife rushed over and hugged their son tightly, unable to say anything. The family of three could only hold each other and weep.
They never dreamed they would see each other again in this lifetime.
The other parents were the same, holding their sons and daughters tightly, afraid they would disappear again.
The entire scene was filled with crying, and the onlookers were all moved to tears. It was too tragic. Most of them knew San Pang. The formerly nearly 200-pound fatty was now as thin as lightning, weighing only about 100 pounds.
The faces and necks of the others bore horrifying scars, making it imaginable what kind of cruel torture they had suffered abroad.
"Thump."
Li Mantang and his wife, their voices hoarse from crying, released their son and turned to kneel before Yang Jian.
Yang Jian was startled and quickly pulled them up. "Uncle Mantang, what are you doing? Get up quickly. You are elders. I cannot accept this."
"Er Jian, you can accept it. If you hadn't saved San Pang, he would never have come back. This kindness is greater than the sky to us."
Before Li Mantang could finish speaking, the other parents also came over and knelt down.
"What are you doing? It's not necessary, it's not necessary. Quick, Feng Wu, help them all up."
Yang Jian was caught off guard. Too many people were kneeling, and he couldn't manage them all.
Ba Jiangang's father knelt and refused to get up. "Mr. Yang, thank you for your help in bringing these children back into the light and giving them a new life. We cannot express our great kindness and gratitude in words. This is our most respectful and grateful way of expressing it."
"No, no, no. I am so young. If you bow to me, it will shorten my lifespan. Get up quickly."
Hearing Yang Jian say this, these parents finally stood up and expressed their thanks.
But unexpectedly, as soon as they stood up, a large group of onlookers suddenly surrounded them and knelt before him, completely baffling Yang Jian. He didn't recognize these people.