Chapter 18 Tribute to the Hero!_1

After a moment of silence, Director Cheng waved his hand towards Shen Wenzheng, "You can go back first, I'll contact you if there's anything."

Shen Wenzheng immediately stood up, replying respectfully, "Yes, Director Cheng, then I'll take my leave."

Once Shen Wenzheng had left, Director Cheng's energy seemed to drain from his body, and he slumped weakly onto the sofa, gasping for air and closing his eyes in agony.

He was going to retire in less than a month.

Originally, all he wished for was for his family to live a peaceful and healthy life and to safely see out his days. He really didn't want any accidents to occur to him or his daughter at this crucial time.

But sometimes, things in life don't turn out the way one hopes.

After a while, he picked up the phone and dialed a private number.

Upon hearing the voice on the other end, he stated bluntly, "I've got the item. I hope you'll keep your promise and release my daughter."

"Hahahaha..."

The person on the other line let out an eerie laugh before slowly saying, "Very well, Director Cheng is truly capable of handling big matters. Rest assured, once I have the item, I will immediately release your daughter."

Director Cheng's face was stern, "I hope you will do as you say!"

The other party replied coolly, "As long as there is no issue with your item, there will be no problems on my end. You know I didn't want to fall out with you, Director Cheng. After all, we've dined and drunk together, had decent conversations, and share some acquaintance, right?"

In his heart, Director Cheng spat in disdain. It was nothing but a business dinner hosted by their company, but the way he put it, it sounded as if he really had a personal relationship with these beasts.

Director Cheng ignored what he said and snorted coldly, "Enough talk, name the place, and I'll bring the item to you!"

Seeing that Director Cheng was in a bad mood, the other party coolly responded, "Let's meet at the usual spot then, today at ten o'clock in the morning. Don't be late."

Director Cheng glanced at his watch, it was 8:20 AM. There was still more than an hour until ten o'clock. The location wasn't far; it was about a half-hour drive away, so there should be plenty of time.

Having worked in public security for a long time, Director Cheng felt a sense of desperation, helplessness, and anxiety after hanging up the phone.

His wife had been killed by the wheels of an enemy's car at the age of forty because he refused to yield to evil forces.

Since then, his once fearless and strong heart seemed to have been pierced with a hole, chilly, and constantly seeping with bone-deep coldness.

Even though in the end he brought the murderers of his wife to justice, his gentle, virtuous, and lovely wife could never come back.

His only daughter was the treasure that he and his wife had struggled to have in their middle age.

At the time of his wife's tragic death, his daughter was only five years old, an age that should have been filled with happiness and carefree joy.

But the sudden loss of his wife had caused the child to develop autism.

He devoted himself to caring for his daughter, trying to give her the best life, curing her autism, sending her to university, watching her marry a good husband, and now she was just newly pregnant.

He himself had seen his sixtieth year, was eligible for retirement, and could have enjoyed his later years in leisure, spending time with his grandchildren, and playing chess.

But he never expected that, in this last stretch of time before retirement, his old nightmares would play out again!

Would he, once more, have to struggle against these evil forces to the end? Had to watch, powerless, as his daughter and the child in her womb faced death?

No! Please forgive him, for he could not do it!

He was already old, no longer that forty-year-old man with a will of steel.

He could not stand by and watch his daughter and her unborn child be harmed!

He would rather die himself than allow his daughter to follow in her mother's footsteps!

He knew all too well that those damned scum, even if they got hold of the material, would not let him and his daughter off easily to silence them.

Cheng Feng had lived to sixty, and that was enough. He was ready to risk it all today, to fight these beasts and scum to the end!

It was just a pity for his daughter and his unborn grandchild...

Cheng Juhong, with tears in his eyes, took some key and decisive pieces of evidence from the file bag that Shen Wenzheng had given him and put them into another file bag, which he then placed in the drawer of his desk.

He then took out a small tape recorder and began to speak slowly into it, "Wenzheng, by the time you hear me say these words, I may no longer be here..."

Cheng Feng's voice was choked with emotion.

He took a deep breath, blinked back the tears welling up in his eyes, and continued, "At forty, I lost the wife I loved dearly; and now, as I near sixty, I am about to lose my only daughter, and the child in her womb. Please forgive me, for I cannot stand idly by, harden my heart, or watch my loved ones die again because of me..."

Cheng Feng's tears, unable to be restrained, slid quickly from the corners of his eyes.

He quickly wiped them away, sniffled, and continued, "Wenzheng, as your colleague and superior for many years, I have always been proud of you. But here, I must solemnly remind you as someone who has been through it: in the days to come, as you bravely lead the charge to apprehend those heinously evil criminals, please remember to keep your family safe! Never let the pain of losing a loved one accompany you for most of your life, as it did for me..."

After a long while, he managed to contain the pain in his eyes and continued, "After I'm gone, look in my drawer, I have left something for you. Wenzheng, I hope you can fulfill the last wish that I couldn't, farewell, my dearest comrade-in-arms, may you live a life of peace and happiness!"

Having said that, Cheng Juhong turned off the tape recorder.

He took the small cassette out of the recorder and placed it in the file bag with the key evidence, then wrote "To be opened by Shen Wenzheng" in bold letters on the file bag and locked his drawer.

Cheng Juhong then called his driver, Li Ming, handed the keys of the drawer to him, and declined Li Ming's offer to accompany him. He also took the car keys from Li Ming's hands.

He was determined to drive himself to that old place to meet with those beasts.

Before leaving, Cheng Juhong picked up his handgun and went to the armory to collect two grenades.

This time, he was fully prepared to trade his life for theirs, never intending to come back!

Even in death, he would take those beasts down with him!