My Dearest General: It Has Always Been You

Hearing that sentence, their blood instantly ran cold. "T—That person is still here?!"

"What to do? Should we call the police?!"

"Hush, don't you know that Boss is a police officer himself?!"

"Ah, sorry—I was so nervous that I forgot about that…"

Xu Binchen gave out orders systematically. The staff members were mobilized to search in the empty rooms in a two person group. "Seal the gate and keep watch around the front gate and back door. If there's someone suspicious, immediately report it, understand?"

"Yes, sir!"

Chairs were pushed back and everyone was ready to move. At that moment, the cleaning auntie suddenly raised her hand. "Um—Mr. Xu, I feel like I have seen that person before."

It was as if someone had just pressed on the pause button. All movement halted and the noises ceased.

Xu Binchen turned to the middle aged woman with wrinkled face and white hairs on her temple. "Auntie He, are you sure?"

Auntie He cowered under everyone's heated gaze and nodded after some hesitation.

Xu Binchen's expression sank in an instant. "Who is it?"

"I—I am not quite sure, it's just that he looked kind of familiar." Auntie He fidgeted nervously.

"Don't be so wishy washy and just say it." Xu Binchen urged.

Auntie He braced herself and blurted out, "He looks like Mr. Fei's son from room 1002!" 

Being the part of the cleaning staff, Auntie He had more opportunity to meet with the tenants. She also had to remember them one by one so as to not offend anybody.

Sometimes, there were tenants who were rude, like some obnoxious brats who would belittle and mock her. Remembering them would make everything easier and Auntie He would be able to cease all troubles that might arise.

Xu Binchen nodded and directly took the security guards with him to 1002 and rang the bell continuously. For the first ten minutes, no one answered but Xu Binchen was persistent as he pressed on the bell button again and again. 

Finally, the door swung open, followed by Mr. Fei's grumpy and drowsy face. "Do you know what time it is?! What do you want?!"

He glared, unaware of how grim his situation was.

"Mr. Fei." Xu Binchen directly flashed his police badge and Mr. Fei's eyes opened wide in shock. "Can you call your son out? We need him for some questioning."

Of course, the questioning would be done in the police station. Mr. Fei's son trudged out from his room, rubbing his eyes as he yawned sleepily. "What's wrong, dad?"

"You…!" Mr. Fei smacked the back of his son's head. "You should tell me what's wrong instead!"

Mr. Fei's son was startled awake and his soul almost flew out of his body as he found the police outside the door for him. What happened? What crime did he commit?!

Xu Binchen nodded. "Mr. Fei, we need him to testify on something."

"W—What is it?" Mr. Fei asked nervously.

It was unknown what Xu Binchen was thinking about as his lips curled up into a cold smile. "You will know later on."

The security guards stood on both sides of Mr. Fei's son as he was escorted to the police station, still clad with pajamas and slippers. Xu Binchen lagged behind as he returned to the twentieth floor. As he guessed, Shi Nian and Jiang Jinyan were there.

Xu Binchen directly addressed Shi Nian. "You should go and rest."

Shi Nian shook her head. How could she rest after something like that happened?

"Whatever, then." Xu Binchen sighed. "Lock the door and call me if anything happens. I will tell you if there's any further development. Don't worry, we haven't confirmed what's going on yet, it might not be that person."

Shi Nian hummed. "Drive carefully, gege."

After nagging for five more minutes, Xu Binchen walked down the hallway toward the elevator. Behind him came a series of footsteps. He didn't look back and took long strides ahead when the elevator door opened.

The two men entered one after another, silence reigned between them for the next few moments. It was Jiang Jinyan who spoke first. "You still haven't answered my question, Detective Xu."

Xu Binchen reached into his pocket to pull out the cigarette. His voice was muffled as he bit on it and flicked the lighter. "Why don't you ask her? I am sure that she will tell you everything."

Jiang Jinyan fell silent for a moment, eyes staring at the descending number. 19…18…17… "I can't." He let out a mirthless chuckle. "She was already like that, how could I ask her? Tell me, Detective Xu. I can be considered as a witness, can't I? I have the right to know about the situation."

The tongue of the flame had almost burned the tip of the cigarrete but in the end, Xu Binchen decided against it as he put it off and let the cigarette dangle between his fingers. "Mr. Jiang, do you know what is the main case I am working on?"

Jiang Jinyan shook his head. "I'm afraid not."

This time, instead of being straightforward like he always did, Xu Binchen told it in a roundabout way. "My Captain's name is Jin Renguang."

Jin Renguang.

Jiang Jinyan's brows knitted as a vague memory surfaced in his mind. That name sounded quite familiar, where had he heard it before?

"Alright, I don't know that you're such a hermit." Xu Binchen scoffed and gave up in an instant. "I am working on the serial murder case which has caused 13 people's death." Or even more, he added inwardly.

Along with Xu Binchen's words, Jiang Jinyan finally remembered. He had seen Jin Renguang being interviewed on the national news channel before. It could be said that almost all people in the country who watched TV should have seen him once or twice before.

Jiang Jinyan's brows furrowed deeply and he suddenly got a bad feeling. "Then, Shi Nian—"

"The news didn't report it, but actually the number of victims should be 14. Thirteen, dead." Xu Binchen turned sideways to meet Jiang Jinyan's appalled eyes. He crushed the cigarette in his palm and breathed out heavily, "One, alive."

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A/N: Aaaah, Jiang Jinyan finally knows!!! (ToT)/~~~

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