Promise you gold

Two hours after Lu Yao left, a convoy of five black Chevrolet SUVs arrived at the estate.

By then, the area was teeming with military police conducting a search, leading sniffer dogs through the ruins and forest.

The dead bodies had all been removed, even those burnt to a crisp were not overlooked.

Among them were the bodies of Zhang Xin and Rose, placed conspicuously for inspection.

The scene was a hive of activity as a well-dressed Caucasian man stepped out of the vehicles, his hair and beard meticulously groomed, with two faint scars at the corners of his eyes.

The busy people around him stopped their work and saluted respectfully the moment they saw him.

This was Director West of the Foreign Affairs Bureau's External Operations Division.

Two subordinates, a man and a woman, hurried over to report.

The male subordinate was Andre, responsible for liaising with Zhang Xin. He too was dressed in a sharp suit and, after taking off his sunglasses, respectfully said,