Halfway there, he almost collided with a passerby, who was heading home late at night. The man had a briefcase with him and was tipsy. “Watch where you're going,” he grumbled. 

“Sorry.” A little way down the path, the moonlight caught the metallic outline of a telephone booth. Ding Wei was struck by a new idea. He turned to the drunk, who was relieving himself against the wall. 

“Do you need help?” Ding Wei returned to the man. That would cost him time. So be it. Crow had given him five minutes. He would have to make it with that somehow. 

The man waved him away, while he remained in a stooped position. Ding Wei patted his back anyway. With his free hand, he carefully reached into the man's coat pockets. He was lucky. There was a wallet. He quickly pulled it out. 

“Mind your own business,” the man murmured, shaking him off. 

Ding Wei didn't need to be asked twice. He had, what he wanted. Without wasting any more time, he ran to the phone booth. He stayed in the shadows, while doing so. It was enough, that the moonlight touched the booth. His heart was pounding. Hastily, he opened the purse and stuffed several coins into the phone jack. With trembling fingers, he dialed Lin Zhiyue's number. 

Answer, he prayed inwardly. Answer. The ringing at the other end strained his nerves. Come on, he thought. Uneasily, he looked at his wristwatch. Time felt like it passed faster, than the hands of the clock actually moved. Finally, there was a crackling sound in the receiver. 

“Hello?”

Her quiet voice sounded sleepy and worried at the same time. 

“Zhiyue?“ Ding Wei's heart leaped. He was freezing and sweating at the same time. 

“Wei?” Suddenly, her tone changed. 

“Yes. Listen. I don't have much time. Contact the police in Qingcheng. Tell them to contact the Hong Kong authorities.” She started to reply, but he didn't let her. “Tell them to close the harbor and search all cargo ships. Captain Luo and Zhuang Yaobai are on one of the ships. Wenjie and I are with Xu Zhengqing somewhere in one of the nicer residential areas. Wait...” He tried to recognize the street name on the wall of the office building and quickly relayed it. “Xu Zhengqing is brainwashing Wenjie with a device, that is probably illegal.”

He heard Zhiyue breathing hastily on the other end. “You didn't betray us, did you? You just pretended to defect in front of those men.” Her voice trembled. “Do you know the name of the cargo ship?” 

“No. Unfortunately not.” He wondered whether he should also tell her about the yacht. The police could kill two birds with one stone. However, by doing so, he would be betraying his father, who had obviously instructed his men to give him the opportunity to betray Monsieur. ”I have to hang up. I believe in you.”

“Take care.”

Ding Wei felt warm inside. “I'll bring your boyfriend back safely, I promise.” 

“Thank you.” Unlike Wenjie, she didn't disagree with his assumption.

He put down the phone and left the purse next to the receiver. There was no sign of the man, from whom he had taken it. As a precaution, he threw the letter he had written into the office building's letterbox, before returning to Crow. 

Crow looked at his watch as Ding Wei entered the garden through the entrance gate. He drummed his fingers on the dial. “That was close,” he said. Then he indicated, that he would follow him back inside. They took the stairs, which delayed their progress. 

To break the oppressive silence, Ding Wei tried to make small talk. Without success. More than a nod, a shake of the head or grumbling sounds did not come over the man's lips. The fact that he did not smell of smoke went uncommented.

Wenjie still sat in the chair, eyes closed. His body seemed much more relaxed than before. His eyelids moved only slightly. Ding Wei looked around. Xu Zhengqing was sitting on a chair, legs crossed, fiddling with a tray. He suspected, that it was somehow connected to the helmet that Wenjie was wearing. The two guards from before were no longer in the room. 

However, there was a second armchair with leather straps and a helmet. Ding Wei felt a shiver run down his spine. “Should we get something to eat and drink?” Don't stay here too long, or Xu Zhengqing might get ideas. 

Monsieur paused in his actions and looked up. “It won't take much longer.” He studied him thoughtfully. “We should talk.”

Xiao Dao swallowed and buried his hands in his jacket pocket. He felt Crow's watchful gaze on his back. Even if he had let him go, he would hardly stand up to Xu Zhengqing if it came to it. 

Monsieur gestured for him to sit down. Ding Wei reluctantly took a seat. There was that devious smile again. But he didn't get up or make any move to buckle him in. Not yet. 

“You grew up together,” said Mr. Xu. ”We traveled all over China in a caravan. You went to different schools, but both received a good education. During the holidays, you committed art theft together.”

Ding Wei dared to steal a furtive glance at Wenjie. Did this ominous technology actually work? If so, how did he undo it?

“Listen to me.” 

Ding Wei winced. 

Xu Zhengqing stood up and came over to him. ”We returned to Qingcheng before your father was released from prison. At my suggestion, Wenjie began studying law. When your father was released, you worked out a plan for Wenjie to get in touch with the police and gain their trust.”

Ding Wei suppressed a laugh. “Isn't that far-fetched? My father tried to kill him.”

“That was part of the plan. The vault door was easy to open for the police.”

“If you say so.” He shrugged. “But you realize, that if Wenjie talks to Captain Luo-” 

“It won't come to that.” 

There was a promise in his words that sent another shiver through Ding Wei. Coldness crept through his limbs, paralyzing him internally. “What are you planning?” For a moment, he thought he saw his own breath. It was only an illusion, caused by his growing concern.