Chapter 32: Getting Ashore

Yu Chu was taken to the motorboat by the diver, and the people above him pulled him up to the deck. He reached out and grabbed Zhou Mu behind him, “Team Leader Xie, come on. Come on up.”

Yu Chu stood on the deck and saw that Zhou Mu was also pulled on board, and those people all surrounded him laughing and joking.

“Team Leader Xie, I’ve missed you so much! I’ve been dreaming of the day I’d get to the island! I was so excited to see you in the water.”

A baby face in a dark black uniform, holding a dry towel, said, “Team Leader Xie, Cheng Zhi has been taking videos of you in the water with his cell phone, he’s not kidding.” 

Zhou Mu took the towel and laughed and scolded, “All right, all right, go on. Find another towel.”

The baby face answered, turned his head and went to the cabin.

Yu Chu stood behind the crowd watching, his legs shaking. The group of people were wearing uniforms with bullet proof undershirts, and a word was printed on their backs in large font: Police. Although he had guessed Zhou Mu’s identity, now that he saw it with his own eyes, his heart was still feeling happy but also felt a little bit of disappointment.

Zhou Mu was surrounded by the crowd, but his eyes wandered around. Yu Chu was a little surprised that he was looking for him. He turned his head, and when their eyes met, Zhou Mu averted his eyes again.

Yu Chu tugged at the corners of his lips, turning his head to look at the sea in the distance.

A tall and valiant female police officer came over, carrying a chair in her hand. She put the chair behind Yu Chu, and her hands pressed down on his shoulders, “Brother, sit.”

Yu Chu turned around, said thank you to the policewoman, and sat down on the chair. The policewoman leaned against the side of the boat and stared at him.

“How old are you?” the policewoman asked.

Yu Chu looked at her and whispered, “Twenty.”

His hair hung meekly on his forehead, his long, dense eyelashes still beaded with water, and his large eyes reflected the light from the boat, looking black and white.

The policewoman seemed to draw in a very light breath, then turned her head in the direction of the group and yelled, “Li SiMing, dry towel!”

“Coming, coming. Take it easy.” The baby-faced policeman went into the cabin and handed over a towel.

The policewoman put the dry towel over Yu Chu’s head and rubbed his head and face. Yu Chu, not used to being close to people like this, reflexively pushed her hand away and took the towel, saying, “Thank you, I’ll do it myself.”

He lowered his head towel to wipe the water from his hair, and his ears heard Zhou Mu’s voice coming from the side.

“Lin Ju, this is Xie XingMu. Yes, tonight Yu ShiQing dealt with the people from Burma… I was thrown into the water… I’m fine, don’t worry… Take some of them to the bureau, and investigate the rest in the station. Among them should be a few of Yu ShiQing’s men, Wu Chengfeng, Chen Lin, Kong Dagang, these three together should be brought back to Haiyun City… Good, our team will come right away.”

Xie XingMu, Xie XingMu.

Yu Chu soundlessly recited the name twice in his mind.

After he wiped his hair, the policewoman turned her head again and yelled, “Li SiMing, do you have any dry clothes?”

“There are some in the cabin, they are Team Leader Xie’s clothes, brought for him from the bureau.” Li SiMing answered in a loud voice from the stern.

“Go, bring it to me. He’s tough and doesn’t need dry clothes.”

Li SiMing said, “Go get it yourself, I’m doing something.”

The woman asked a passing police officer to guard Yu Chu, and went into the cabin to get dry clothes. Yu Chu’s heart moved, knowing that the people on this boat were guarding against him. He looked over to see Xie XingMu, saw him standing by the side of the ship, a towel around his neck, his right hand holding a walkie-talkie, his left hand holding the rail, a lit cigarette between his fingers.

He just ended the call, handed the walkie-talkie to a person passing by, took a puff of smoke, and turned his head to look at Yu Chu through the smoke.

Yu Chu noticed him turn his head and averted his eyes, staring at the deck in front of him, but still watched his every move. He felt Xie XingMu keep looking at him, never turning his head, and a few seconds later he came towards him.

He saw feet in short boots stop in front of him as Xie XingMu said, “Find a comb to comb his hair.”

“Who would have a comb on them?” The policewoman came over, fingers running through Yu Chu’s hair, muttering, “The little puppy looks good, just has messy hair. It’s cute.”

Yu Chu moved to the side, the policewoman didn’t care, and handed a white T-shirt to him, “Brother, change out of your wet clothes. Don’t wear them, your upper body will be cold.”

“Thank you.” Yu Chu took the clothes, didn’t change, but only held them in his hand.

Xie XingMu said, “Take him to the cabin to change.”

The policewoman was first stunned, then understood, speaking boldly, “Okay, let’s go to the cabin to change. There’s no one inside. Go, go, sister will accompany you.”

Xie XingMu made a stopping gesture and said to the other male police officer, “You go with him.”

Yu Chu went into the cabin to change clothes, the police officer accompanying him stood in the doorway with his back to him. He took off his wet shirt and put on the white T-shirt.

The white T-shirt was the most common, basic one, washed and clean, emitting a faint scent of laundry detergent. Since this was Xie XingMu’s clothes, it was a little too big on Yu Chu, hanging off his too thin body, showing a small piece of his shoulder.

As he walked out of the cabin, he saw Xie XingMu and several heavily armed police officers disembarking and boarding a small motorboat nearby.

Xie XingMu was giving assignments and had a stern look on his face. He was still wearing the soaked black T-shirt, but now had a bulletproof vest over the top of it. Yu Chu obviously saw that he didn’t change, and was in the same clothes.

The small motorboat started, someone tilted his head and yelled at the deck of the big ship, “Come on, let’s go!”

Xie XingMu just finished setting up the mission, standing in the front of the boat, heard the words and also turned his head to look at the deck, and immediately saw Yu Chu.

Yu Chu was wearing his clothes, and the police officer accompanied him as they stood by the stand hatch. He looked quite calm, the night wind at sea was very strong and his oversized T-shirt was blowing around like water waves creating ripples.

Xie XingMu retracted his eyes, whispered to a team member beside him, “You go first and take the witnesses back to the police station.”

“Okay.” The team member jumped off the dinghy and went back to the big boat.

Yu Chu walked towards the stern of the boat, and the policeman followed him. When he leaned over the railing, he reached out and said, “Don’t get too close.”

Yu Chu knew the man was afraid he would jump overboard and escape. After all, Singwon Island must be in chaos at this time; Yu ShiQing’s group would be arrested, and those guests who went to the banquet would probably also be under investigation.

Thinking of all that, Yu Chu looked at the bright moon in the sky and thought, That island is destined for a sleepless night tonight.

Twenty or so minutes later, along the direction of the horizon, was a light band, Yu Chu knew that this was Haiyun City. He knew that the original body hadn’t left the island for a long time, but it was the first time he had gone anywhere else since he had transmigrated, and he was still a little excited.

Haiyun City Port was quite large, mooring various fishing boats and cargo ships. Yu Chu saw all of this before approaching, saw several police cars parked on the pier, with their flashing lights. The people on the shore had received the news, and Yu Chu just got off the boat and was taken to a police car, which left the pier at a fast pace.

He sat with his back against the car window, feeling a little dizzy, but turned his head sideways to look out the window momentarily, full of wonder. Although he saw the city of this world on television, really being there made him feel how similar it was to his original world.

It was two o’clock in the middle of the night, but there were still a few pedestrians on the street. They were either walking along the street, or gathering in front of small stores to drink. They were dressed simply, and the people of Haiyun City were poor. But they laughed and talked loudly, their expressions relaxed and comfortable.

A couple hiding under a tree were kissing and when the police car drove by, the two went around behind the tree to avoid the light. Someone loudly scolded someone else who was still sitting in front of the door drinking tea and told him to get into the house and go to sleep.

This world was really peaceful… 

Yu Chu thought of living here in the future and suddenly had the thought that he had extremely bad luck.

The policeman sitting opposite Yu Chu kept staring at him and suddenly said, “You haven’t been to Haiyun City for a long time?”

Yu Chu looked out of the car window and replied casually, “It’s been a long time, I don’t remember.”

The policeman didn’t say anything.

The police car crossed several long streets and entered a compound. Yu Chu saw a row of words on the wall next to the gate: Haiyun City Public Security Bureau.

On the second floor of the Public Security Bureau, there were fewer people busy which was not unusual this late at night. The police took Yu Chu into a large office and knocked on the door.

The three people sitting in the room all turned their heads to look at the door, and the short-haired police woman saw Yu Chu and said, “Officer Chen, who is this?”

Officer Chen made a difficult face and said, “This is a witness or a suspect from Singwon Island, and your Team Leader Xie didn’t say how to handle him, so let’s give him to your criminal investigation team.”

“Ah this… Officer Chen, we’re only three people. Why hand him over to us?” The short-haired policewoman, who looked older, was examining Yu Chu, smiling with wide eyes, “You should take the man to the interrogation room to make a statement.”

Another kind-looking round fat middle-aged man stood up, “The interrogation room must be full tonight, more crowded than the Wang Ji bun store at eight o’clock in the morning. Since he was sent by Team Leader Xie, let him stay here. We’ll watch him first, and wait for his return. Then deal with him after processing.”

Officer Chen seemed to have dropped a hot potato and hurriedly pushed Yu Chu, “You go in first.” When Yu Chu went inside, he quickly went up to the door and left.

Yu Chu looked at the closed door, and turned his head to look at the three people in the room, standing still, only to feel more and more dizzy. His body also began to feel a chill.

The round, fat middle-aged man tidied up his desk, stuffed some papers into a drawer, and greeted him, “Come sit across from me.”

Yu Chu complied and went to sit across from him, “Yu Chu.”

“Which Yu? Which Chu?” The middle-aged man took a sip from his large yellowing tea pot and spoke in a kind tone.

Yu Chu didn’t know how to describe his characters or his name, so he didn’t say anything, thinking that it would be easier to get a pen to write for him to see.

And in the farthest most corner, a youth with glasses who never said anything finally quietly said, “Uncle Fan, this is Yu ShiQing’s Yu, since he is Yu ShiQing’s young son, Yu Chu.”

“Ah, oh, ah.” Uncle Fan reacted, “So you’re Yu ShiQing’s youngest son Yu Chu, ah, ah… That’s really… Oops.” Then he turned his head and ordered the young policewoman, “Jiang ShaSha, go pour a cup of hot water for Yu Chu.”

Yu Chu took the hot water, drank two sips and then put it on the table, only to look out the window quietly. The other three were also not sure whether he was a suspect or a witness, so they also said nothing, each busy with their own things.

Yu Chu knew they seemed to relax, but in fact, they were watching him. Even if his chair creaked a little, their gazes would dart over. He surveyed the office, his eyes fell on a magnetic whiteboard next to him, and saw that it was filled with awful writing.

At the top were two large, scribbled words: ‘Stay quiet!!!’ Followed by three exclamation points. 

Next to it was a change of handwriting: ‘Silence!’ 

Another person added: ‘The restaurant’s dishes taste like gutter oil, don’t order! Or the Chinese pickled cabbage from the earthen jar yyds’1, then there was a string of phone numbers of a certain noodle shop. The handwriting was large and small, and the handwriting was the same, apparently it was a memo board for everyone in the office.

After sitting for a while, he felt the hot and cold sensation in his body intensify, his temples swelling and painful, and his whole body shivering in an uncontrolled manner.

In Yu Chu’s memory, the last time he had been sick was when he was a child and had naturally healed. And when he grew up he rarely even had a cold, and was sensitive to fever symptoms, so only then did he wake up to the fact that he had a fever.

Jiang ShaSha moved a stack of documents to Uncle Fan’s table, fingers stabbed his shoulder, and when Fan Tao raised his eyes to look, she nudged her head in Yu Chu’s direction.

Yu Chu’s face was flushed with abnormal redness, his nose flaring sharply, his lips were dry and cracked, and he leaned back in his chair with his eyes closed.

Fan Tao looked at Yu Chu and made a gesture towards Jiang ShaSha, “He’s faking.”

The moment was too sensitive and with Yu Chu’s identity suddenly clear, they figured he was pretending to be sick to gain their sympathy. If they went to look for a doctor, Yu Chu might find an opportunity to escape.

“I’m telling you, I’ve seen this situation, and he’ll pretend to faint—”

Bang!

The words had barely been spoken when a heavy sound came from the side, Yu Chu had fallen with the chair to the ground, lying on his sidem unmoving.

Fan Tao stood up and crossed the desk to see Yu Chu, “Oh my, he’s…”

Jiang ShaSha ran over quickly, reached out to pull Yu Chu on the floor, unintentionally touched his forehead, and gasped.

“What’s wrong?” Fan Tao.

Jiang Shasha looked up at the two men, “He’s burning like a furnace.”