Chapter 4 - The New Mission
Next morning,
The visitor's lounge of the chief commissioner's office appeared crowded when the Eagle team sat with their Captain who came to report at the headquarters.
Though Wan Yi Jun asked his team members to stay at their office and take a rest, they adamantly tagged along since they were worried about their captain bearing the blame of the failed mission.
However, as they sat silently in the lounge after hours of tedious work and sleepless nights, few among them began to doze off without paying any attention to their surroundings.
All of sudden, the pin-drop silence in the room broke by the loud ringtone of Wan Yi Jun's cell phone, startling everyone.
"Excuse me." Wan Yi Jun apologetically stood up with his cell phone and walked out of the lounge to attend the call.
Once he left the room, Bing Wen, the technical expert and the youngest in the team, turned towards Lao Yating, who sat like a statue.
"Sir Lao," He tried to gather Lao Yating's attention by addressing by a nickname. "We have been waiting here for almost an hour. Don't you think this is too much for messing up our first mission in imperial?" He inquired as he rubbed his bloodshot eyes with his palm.
"If our mission was somewhere else, we could have easily gotten away with a written apology. But this is the capital city, and things different here." Fei Yan, the oldest and the most experienced officer in the team, answered instead of the Lao Yating.
Hearing his reply Bing Wen's haggard face turned gloomier than before. He was disappointed by the fact that he failed to help his team on their first major mission in imperial.
"Only if I worked a little better, we could've avoided this." He mumbled as he kept his eyes downcast.
"You did your best, Xiao Bing." Fei Yan gently patted the young man's shoulder to console him. "It's just that wicked people-"
"I swear I will find the one who played this dirty game with me." Bing Wen grunted as he recalled the struggles he had to face while tracking the fake information, pulling an all-nighter. "I will make sure to break his hand so badly that he can no longer use a keyboard."
"But whoever did that, he must be a legend in hacking otherwise who could fool the number one hacker in the country?" Lao Yating made a random comment as he watched the youngest member's rants.
"Sir Lao, are you trying to console me or teasing me?" Bing Wen retorted with a perplexed look on his face. "The country's top white hacker" was the first thing Bing Wen said while introducing himself to the team.
"I am trying to console you." Lao Yating added with a flashy grin, "You tried your best and met with a dead-end because our perpetrator was too wise to leave no traces of his existence."
"Only an experienced criminal can do that." Wan Yi Jun, who returned to their side after the phone call, casually joined their discussion.
"But we are the good guys, captain. How can a criminal outshine us?" Bing Wen whined like child as he complained to his captain.
"But no matter how experienced one must be, we are humans and we are bound to make mistakes. I'm sure that our perpetrator must have left something behind. We should look for it and find him." Wan Yi Jun tried to cheer up, the disappointed young man with his encouraging words. Bing Wen, a newbie who joined the team with dreams of catching criminals and bringing justice to the deserved, was left heartbroken when he experienced the reality of being a police officer.
"It's called, Locard's exchange principle- every contact leaves a trace." Shen Junru, the last member in the Eagle team commented out of nowhere.
"Yes, that's right." Wan Yi Jun agreed with a faint smile.
As they continued with their discussion, the doors to the chief's office pulled open, and a man in his late fifties stepped out, gathering all the attention.
Major general Zhi Qian.
Fei Yan, who was quick to notice the man's identity, sprang up from his seat, triggering the rest of the team to follow his suit and salute in unison.
Zhi Qian responded to their parade with a gentle nod,
"The Eagle team led by captain Wan Yi Jun, sir." Wu Feng, the chief commissioner, who was in charge of the special forces, introduced the eagle team to his superior.
Zhi Qian silently studied the five men who stood before him. However, when his sharp eyes fell on Wan Yi Jun's aloof demeanour, the air around them abruptly turned cold and hostile.
The people who have been working with Wan Yi Jun for a while, clearly knew about the bad-blood between him and general Zhi.
"Hmm...work hard." Zhi Qian kept his words short and walked past them without even waiting for their response.
When their intimidating superior left their sight, the team members let out a sigh of relief and greeted their chief who is exact opposite of General Zhi.
Unlike others, Chief Wu was considered as a cool-headed senior who treats his colleagues as one big family.
"Why is he here? I thought, general Zhi strictly follows his protocol and never visits his second in command's office." Wan Yi Jun remarked as he accompanied Wu Feng to the office.
"He had a favor to ask." Wu Feng smiling stated and gestured them to take seats.
"So the reason why I asked you to report as soon as possible, is because of this." He picked up a document from his desk and handed over to Wan Yi Jun.
"It's a new case file."
"He is not scolding us for last night's mission?" Bing Wen muttered under his breath and peered a glance at his team members, who sat with an emotionless face.
"Well, it's a highly confidential one that requires immediate action." While Wan Yi Jun went through the details of the case file, Wu Feng began to explain the case to the rest of the team members.
"You might have heard about HK corporations, the giants in maritime logistics. Last month, the chairman's office received an anonymous threat about an attack on their largest cargo vessel, 'Long Wei' Since they receive threats daily, the management didn't pay much attention to the issue.However, exactly after two weeks, a fire broke out in their ship, that too while crossing the South Sea."
"Arson on sailing ship?" Fei Yan arched his eyebrow in disbelief.
"Yes. Their primary inference was some accidental breakout of fire. However, later only they realised that it was part of an attack, rather a unique one."
Wu Ying paused and looked at the men who were focused on his words like a bunch of curious school kids.
"Someone broke into the ship's bridge, knocked out the men on watch and destroyed the entire navigation and communication system, including the physical maps, rulers, even compasses."
"How is that even possible? Cargo ships got several tiers of protection measures, and even monitored with the help of satellites and all." Bing Wen blurted out as he listened to the details.
"They even hacked HK corporation's tracking system, surveillance cameras on the ship, jammed every signals and let the vessel float aimlessly for a two days."
"That was some high-level organized crime. I haven't seen anything like that even on pirate movies. But, chief, since it was happened in the international waters, isn't this case comes under the jurisdiction of Navy?" Lao Yating asked doubtingly.
"Yes, they were the ones started the investigation. But two days ago, someone broke into the HK corporation's chairman's house in imperial and left the compass from the Long Wei along with a note.
"Happy new year, but start counting your last days."
"So it is an act of vengeance?" The team members asked in unison.
"It seems so. Again, the perpetrators left no traces. Everything is wiped clean.What do you think?" Wu Feng asked their thoughts on the case.
"Why eagle team?" Wan Yi Jun who buried his eye on the case file, raised a question.
"Nah, the question must be, Why me?"
"Chairman Han believes his nephew more than anyone else." Wu Ying casually added.
"HK Corporation's chairman is Captain's uncle?" The eagle team's eyeballs popped out as the shocking truth entered their ears. They knew that their Captian is from a well off family, but how is he related to the HK corporation and what the hell a corporate heir is doing in police force?"
"I assume that, Wan Ze Min will be joining the team, right?" Wan Yi Jun bitterly asked as he closed the case file and placed it on the desk.
"I'm sorry, chief. Leave me out of this." He refused to accept the new case file without disclosing any reasons.
As soon as the words left Wan Yi Jun's mouth, his team members were left dumbfounded by their captain's decision. It was the first time they saw him refusing a case.
"You are a police officer, Yi Jun. You cannot let your personal life interfere with your profession." Wu Feng advised softly to the man who remained nonchalant before him.
"You should tell this to Captain Han or maybe the man who walked out from your office a while ago." Wan Yi Jun rebutted and wrapped his arms over his chest, as if he is not budging from his decision.
"General Zhi is the one who recommended you. Actually it was the favor he wants to ask me." Wu Feng reminded him with a pleasant face. "It seems like he finally decided to trust you."
"Don't persuade me. I will not-" When Wan Yi Jun tried to argue, all of his excuses were defended by more tempting statements.
"This will be Han Ze Min's last mission. He is quitting police force to take over his family business and also plans to get married. Now it is your turn. Who would know that General Zhi got a much bigger plan for you?" Wu Feng enigmatically pointed out. Even though he didn't explain more about the "bigger plan" anyone who knew the animosity between General Zhi and Captain Wan could figure out it was something related to Zhi Lan,
"Cheif, now you are the one who is mixing my personal matters with professional life. I will leave if you have nothing else to say." Wan Yi Jun harshly said and rose from his seat on an intention to leave the room.
" Captain Wan Yi Jun," Wu Feng's amiable tone replaced with overbearing commanding tone as he stopped his junior.
The eagle team who has never seen this intimidating face of their chief, subconsciously stood up from their seats.
"Whether you like it or not, you should investigate this case. It's an order." Wu Feng concluded and moved the case file towards the man who remained with an indifferent face.
"Fire me then." Wan Yi Jun made his point clear. Since none of his words worked in favour of him, Wu Feng took the last and most effective method of persuasion.
"There are several other officers, who can solve this case, but none of them can show the commitment as you, who grew up within the HK corporation. After all, your father's hard work played a major part in the HK group's glory. So don't you think, you should find the real culprits and save your father's dream from going into ruins" Wu Feng inquired honestly.
"I don't get riled by sentimental talks, chief." Wan Yi Jun scoffed as he stood sternly on his decision.
"Yes. That's why I'm making you in charge of this case. I'm sure that you won't let your emotions meddle into your duty and always make sure to serve justice," Wu Feng affirmed with a smile and turned towards the team members.
"Eagle team, assist your Captain and find out the master mind behind this crime."
"Yes, Chief. We will find the real culprit." They assured him, but unfortunately, none of them could foresee the dilemma awaiting them.
Captian Wan Yi Jun, who had an undisputed loyalty and professional ethics, will be swayed by an emotion that he refused for a longtime and get into trouble for taking a decision, that's forbidden by the morals and values he followed so far.
To fall in love with one of the most intelligent criminal mastermind.