Planning the Arrest

This time, I won't let them come into contact again. First, it would add to Zhou Jingxuan's strength, and he'd use it against us later.

Second, they really are utterly wicked. We finally have a chance to catch them, so we definitely can't let it slip away. Otherwise, who knows how many more people they'll harm?

Although Zhou Jingxuan dealt with them in the end in the original plot, that was only after he had secured his position as head of the household. How many people would they hurt over the next few years?

And Zhou Jingxuan dealt with them because they actually dared to threaten him into doing things. The authorities were watching them too, and he was afraid they'd trace things back to him, so he acted as well.

It was entirely to show off his domineering aura and his love for Shen Keke. Like, "Look, I didn't hesitate to go after her family. Could I possibly not love her? I love no one but you."

Love my ass. If you really loved her, would you let Shen Keke suffer so many years of grievance? Sure, you were supposedly helpless in the plot, but how could there be that much helplessness?

Still, Shen Keke wasn't exactly pitiable either. It was ridiculous—every time he ran away, he never even made it out of A City. There were clearly several times when, with a little effort, he could have gone abroad, yet he still hid somewhere in A City. He knew perfectly well that Zhou Jingxuan had influence throughout A City, didn't he?

I seriously suspect you were just waiting for Zhou Jingxuan to find you so you could feel how much he loved you. Sigh, wouldn't this kind of situation be maddening in real life?

After hearing Shen Can's thoughts, Xu Qingqing was the most speechless of all. As someone who had actually carried out a plan to leave A City, she truly couldn't understand someone who couldn't even escape the city.

Was this really some "he ran, he chased" scenario? This was clearly more like running off after an argument, then waiting for the other person to come coax you.

Of course, from the perspectives of the two people in the original plot, it might have been incredibly agonizing and tragic, but she genuinely couldn't feel it.

Once the Cruise Party starts, I'll immediately call in a report saying there are people on the ship who pose a major threat to society. Then they'll be arrested as soon as they disembark.

But in the original plot, they came to the Cruise Party to move a shipment. Another gang set them up, and that was how the leader, nicknamed Eagle, was accidentally injured.

There are more than a dozen of them, and the other gang has four or five people too. I should probably make it sound more serious, right? But that might not work either.

In this situation, we'll probably need more people. I might as well anonymously report in advance that there'll be an illegal transaction on this cruise ship. That way, the police should set up an ambush beforehand.

I really want to tell Fourth Brother directly, but what if he asks how I know? Should I go to Brother Lu instead? I heard some of his grandfather's old comrades had risen as high as regiment commander.

If there were two people most angered by this news about the gang, they were undoubtedly Shen Yao and Lu Shao.

Shen Yao was in the military, so he naturally couldn't tolerate such things. Besides, he knew of Eagle; the police had been trying to catch him for a long time.

Lu Shao had also been influenced by his grandfather since childhood, making it equally difficult for him to endure this sort of thing.

Shen Can seemed to have spent a long time thinking it over, but only a few minutes had actually passed.

At the right moment, Huo Xi spoke up to greet the Shen Household and said he had come to pick up Huo Huan. Shen Mother quickly asked whether he had eaten, and when she learned that Huo Xi had not, she hurriedly had someone bring him a bowl and chopsticks.

The moment Shen Can saw Huo Xi, inspiration burst forth in his mind. Why is Huo Xi here? Right!! What do I do? I make games!!

I'm very skilled with computers. I can just say I accidentally got onto foreign websites and saw them communicating on an anonymous forum.

Besides, this kind of thing usually only stays up for a little while before disappearing. It would be normal even if no one could find it afterward.

Shen Can put down his bowl and said he had something to do before heading upstairs. He stayed up there for nearly an hour before coming back down.

He pretended to be anxious as he carried his laptop downstairs, only to find that everyone downstairs was gathered together.

Normally, everyone had their own activities after dinner. Shen Can glanced at Huo Xi and figured it was probably because he was there.

"Dad, Mom, I found out something huge!! There's danger at the Cruise Party we're attending. An organization is going to conduct an illegal transaction there."

After saying that, Shen Can intended to show them the page on his computer, only to find that it had already crashed.

Shen Can put on a dejected expression. "They deleted it. There's no evidence now. But someone really was arranging a transaction there."

Shen Chi nearly laughed. His younger brother's acting was genuinely a little amusing in his eyes, so much so that he didn't know how to respond. No one expected Huo Huan to be the first to speak.

Huo Huan nodded solemnly. "In lots of movies, bad people do bad things on cruise ships because once they sail into international waters, no one can control them."

With Huo Huan having said that, everyone else found it easier to join in.

Shen Can looked at Huo Huan approvingly. As expected of you. You really are a genius at this stuff. You understand all this at such a young age.

Good thing you won't turn out the way you did in the original plot now. That would've been terrifying.

Huo Huan did not hold it against Shen Can, even though he had spoken up specifically to help Shen Can continue the conversation. He was already used to Shen Can's erratic thoughts.

And from Shen Can's thoughts, he had learned that he would originally grow into a very bad, frightening person whom others feared.

But that was the original future, not the present.

Sure enough, after Huo Huan spoke, everyone began analyzing the situation.

Shen Yao served in a special forces unit, specifically tasked with handling difficult missions.

When he had transferred there, everyone in the family had worried about his safety, but they had ultimately supported his decision.

Shen Yao nodded and said he would notify his superiors. After all, even the slightest possibility was worth trying.

Many times, they could not verify information passed along by informants, but they still had to carry out their missions.

They worked for the safety of the people, so even if nothing came of it, they still had to give it a try. Lu Shao also said he would tell his grandfather once he returned.

"Uncle, Auntie, you should use my bodyguards when the time comes. It wouldn't be good if anything went wrong. Those people are desperate criminals; they won't show mercy," Huo Xi suggested kindly.

They all knew Huo Xi meant well. Everyone in their circle knew that the Huo Household's bodyguards were exceptionally capable—either former underground fighters from abroad, combat champions, or retired soldiers.

The Huo Household's ability to hire such people spoke to their means, and the Huo family truly needed them as well. Their overseas business required bodyguards of that caliber.

Once Huo Xi saw that the discussion was mostly settled, he took Huo Huan home. Huo Xi was heading upstairs when Huo Huan suddenly called out to him.

Huo Xi turned around and asked what was wrong. Somewhat awkwardly, Huo Huan said, "Uncle, you need to be careful too."

This was the first time Huo Huan had addressed Huo Xi as Uncle, as Huo Xi had asked him to. Everything he had now had been given to him by Huo Xi, and he was truly grateful. Besides, this matter seemed far from simple. He was genuinely worried about Huo Xi, and he also had something he wanted to ask of him.

Children could not attend the Cruise Party. After all, if any family's child got hurt on the ship, it would be far too troublesome.

"My fighting skills and marksmanship are both good, and I have bodyguards with me, so you don't need to worry. Is there anything else you want to tell me?"

Thinking of Shen Can, Huo Huan added, "Uncle, can you protect Uncle Shen Can too? He isn't very capable."

Shen Can was important. Everyone in the Shen Household knew that because they could hear his thoughts too. Huo Huan had secretly noticed this, since he had spent so much time playing there.

But Huo Xi could not hear them, and Shen Can sometimes spent time with Huo Xi. Huo Huan was afraid Huo Xi would not take Shen Can seriously enough, resulting in Shen Can getting hurt by accident or something.

Shen Can's thoughts contained many things about the future, and Shen Can had always treated him well whenever he went over to play. Shen Zhuo also liked Shen Can, his little uncle, very much.

"Okay, I will. Go to sleep now." Huo Xi agreed with a smile. Of course he would protect him, even if Shen Can had been avoiding him all day.

After Huo Xi went upstairs, Huo Huan recalled what had just happened. Had Huo Xi smiled? Why had he smiled? Huo Huan thought about it for a long time without understanding, and could only go to sleep in the end.

Huo Xi had not expected Huo Huan to say something like that. Sure enough, with a different environment, he would not become the person he had been in the original plot.