Chapter 1410: Chapter 212: Waterborne Apprehension (Part 1)

Deep into the night, the two small docks of Jiuwei Port Water Sandstone Trading Market were still brightly lit.

A two-story inland river freighter from upstream was unloading sand and gravel at Dock No.1. Due to the dock’s size, there’s only one berth for large ships, while other large-tonage, full-sand inland freighters anchored on the left side of the waterway waiting.

Dock No.2 is smaller than Dock No.1, mainly used for berthing small cargo ships under 500 tons.

Tonight was as busy as usual, over a dozen individual ships specifically transporting sand and gravel to various districts on both sides of the Yangtze River were queuing on the river to load goods.

Five years ago, this small island in the heart of the river near Jiuwei Port was an uninhabited sandbar.

Its area is small, only as large as three football fields. Situated close to the Binjiang side, it is under the jurisdiction of Jiuwei Port Village within Tiansheng Street, Gangzha District, Binjiang City.

Even before the reform and opening-up, the farmers of Jiuwei Port Village were planting crops on the small sandbar.

After the reform and opening-up solved the food and clothing issues, farming not only didn’t make money but might even lose money, and the traffic was inconvenient, with crossing the river for work needing rowing. Moreover, during floods, the entire sandbar would be submerged, making villagers reluctant to cross the river to farm there anymore.

What was thought to return to nature as a bird habitat unexpectedly became the largest water sandstone trading hub within a hundred-mile radius with the rapid economic development on both shores.

The village invested to level the ground, build docks and sand and gravel yards, and even dredged waterways, with over twenty sand and gravel operators settling in the water building materials market constructed by village investment, yielding substantial rent and management fees annually.

Villagers could receive dividends, and some engaged in water-based businesses simultaneously, buying small boats for ferry services.

Precisely due to this, apprehending personnel at the water sandstone trading market wasn’t easy.

If police cars were driven to the shore, private ferry-boat operators waiting for passengers could see, and these ferrymen were familiar with the Wang brothers, possibly tipping them off.

Even if ferrymen didn’t alert anyone, it posed another issue of "getting onto the island." Without regulated ferry docks, one might inadvertently be discovered by the island-dominating Wang brothers, who might escape via island boats.

Therefore, apprehending the Wang brothers-led gang required "landing operations" necessitating law enforcement vessels.

At 8:25 PM, the capture fleet set sail on schedule.

To ensure foolproof success, Han Yu, at Director Wang’s request, even deployed Xiao 001 from Bailong Port!

Standing in Xiao 001’s second-floor cockpit, Han Yu gazed at the pitch-black river surface, raising the walkie-talkie for final confirmation of the operation plan.

"Attention all vessels, attention all vessels, after reaching the water sandstone trading market, Binjiang Water Police 002, 003, and Yangtze Police 110, 111 should promptly find mooring locations, land policemen involved in operations, and immediately commence river patrols per the plan. Using radar, searchlights, and night vision devices, closely monitor the river surface to prevent suspects from fleeing in guilt."

"002 received, over!"

"003 received!"

...

"001 calling Hai Xun 39, Hai Xun 48, please respond if received."

"Hai Xun 39 received, please proceed, President."

"President, President, Hai Xun 48 received!"

"Please maintain radio listening, strengthen lookout to ensure water traffic safety during the operation."

"Understood."

"Rest assured, President, we will keep an eye out."

Among the seven law enforcement boats from the Water Police Station, Changhang Bureau, Maritime Bureau, and Water Resources Supervision Team, none activated police lights, or even navigation lights. According to the plan, they stealthily followed the guiding lights of the only illuminated Xiao 001 towards Jiuwei Port.

Han Yu was only the chief commander of the law enforcement fleet, not the overall operation commander for tonight.

Wang Wenhong personally led the capture, currently on Binjiang Water Police 002, taking a phone call.

The bow was drawn; aboard a small cargo ship queuing to load, officers surveilling the criminal group suddenly called, and Wang Wenhong asked urgently: "Xiao Liu, what’s the situation?"

"Director Wang, a suspect has landed using a small boat!"

"There are plenty of suspects, precisely which one landed?"

"Too far to see clearly."

"What about the two main offenders?"

"They are at the dock."

"That’s good, continue monitoring."

"Yes!"

Wang Wenhong hung up and immediately picked up the walkie-talkie: "Hongxing, Hongxing, there’s a slight change in circumstances, Xiao Liu reports a suspect landed using a small boat, he’s unclear which one."

To ensure a comprehensive apprehension, tonight’s operation splits into two teams.

Deputy Director Zhao Hongxing from the Water Police Station leads one team onshore, mainly responsible for apprehending suspects possibly escaping onto land, also issuing notices to two village officials associating closely with the Wang brothers.

Zhao Hongxing has arrived at Jiuwei Port, hiding in a small alley, immediately responding to Wang Wenhong’s call: "Received, I’m waiting like a rabbit on the shore."

"Once someone lands, first find a way to keep an eye on them. Once we take action, you proceed with capture."

"Understood!"

To ensure safe navigation, the waterborne team proceeded at a slow speed.

Wang Wenhong, Political Commissioner Ma, Ma Jintao, and the participating Changhang Bureau Criminal Investigation Team Captain Jiang Youwei could not help but feel anxious, as the waiting indeed was a kind of torture.

Xiao Yu, as the "ship captain" of Xiao 001, was primarily tasked tonight with steering the ship, without the need to land for capture.

He held onto the steering wheel and asked with a smile, "Salted Fish, is Mayor Han attracting investments?"

"Focus on driving the boat, why are you asking such things?"

"Why are you worried about me driving the boat? Can’t I just ask?"

"How do you know?"

"Yu Zhen told me; Yu Zhen said your Mayor Han called Lin Xiaohui. Lin Xiaohui said there are not many enterprises in Hong Kong, anyway, all she knows are some people in trade, maybe she can’t help your Mayor Han."

The senior wanted to introduce manufacturing, but manufacturing in Hong Kong isn’t very developed. Some say the senior really put Lin Xiaohui in a difficult position.

Han Yu was unsure about what to say next, so Xiao Yu animatedly added, "Salted Fish, do you know about Xu Ying?"

"Who is Xu Ying?"

"A Hong Kong movie star, acted in films, very famous."

"I only know Hong Kong stars like Mei Yanfang, Guan Zhilin, and Lin Qingxia, never heard of Xu Ying."

"Lin Qingxia is not from Hong Kong, she’s from Taiwan." Xiao Yu corrected, chuckling, "Actually, Xu Ying doesn’t count as a Hong Kong star; she was set to be one later and went to develop in Hong Kong. She’s going to the East Sea for a concert in a few days. Lin Xiaohui called Yu Zhen to see if she wanted to go; Lin Xiaohui has tickets, front-row ones."

"Going to the East Sea for a concert, your lady there is living the good life!"

"We don’t idolize celebrities; Yu Zhen doesn’t either; she doesn’t have time. We haven’t been to concerts, and neither has Yu Zhen."

"Then why talk about it?" Han Yu asked confusedly.

Xiao Yu glanced back at him, patiently explaining, "Xu Ying is Lin Xiaohui’s good friend; they participated in a modeling contest back then together!"

Almost forgot, Lin Xiaohui was one of the earliest fashion models who also appeared on calendars.

Among the models who competed with Lin Xiaohui, some continued modeling, reportedly forming groups to do events in Paris, France. Some entered the entertainment industry, shooting films and TV shows, even going to develop in Hong Kong. Others were recruited by airlines as flight attendants, only Lin Xiaohui didn’t fuss and returned to her original life after the contest.

Xiao Yu didn’t know what Han Yu was thinking and continued, "When Lin Xiaohui first went to the East Sea, she stayed at Xu Ying’s place in Hong Kong. Houses in Hong Kong are expensive; now her house cost several million and is quite small. If we go to Hong Kong for tourism, we can only stay in hotels, not at her place, it’s too small!"

"Really dreaming about going to Hong Kong for tourism!"

"What’s wrong with going to Hong Kong for tourism? Lots of people go there now. I also want to visit the senior brother and Sister Zhang Lan, they’re nearby; Lin Xiaohui often visits Sister Zhang Lan in Shenzhen."

"Your family has money, so you can go. I can’t afford it; I still have to honestly go on trips with the company."

Salted Fish had just begun to see better days, but then his mother-in-law and Mayor Han bought a house in the East Sea, forcing him to endure hard times again.

Xiao Yu sympathized with Salted Fish’s plight and immediately changed the topic: "Salted Fish, there’s a self-service hotpot on Youth Road, only 28 bucks per person, eat as much as you like."

"Your treat?"

"Play Red Alert with me, and I’ll treat you to hotpot."

"Great, when to go?"

"How about tomorrow?"

"Alright!"

For guys like him, playing without paying is a no-brainer.

Han Yu had just spoken, when suddenly Xiao Chen, who had climbed aboard at some point, grinned and asked, "Director Yu, I play Red Alert with you every day, will you take me?"

"I’ll take you."

"Thank you, Director Yu, you’re really my good mentor and leader."

"Stop flattering and keep an eye once we’re at the Water Sandstone Market."

"Understood!"

Han Yu was genuinely envious of Xiao Chen, able to have such a leader like Xiao Yu who brings them along to play and eat. But then again, despite their "mentor-disciple" duo playing and eating, they have to stay at the dilapidated and remote Bailong Port; most people couldn’t handle it.

By this time, the water squad had safely arrived in the waters near the Water Sandstone Market.

As the dock, brightly lit, grew closer, many of the crew members queuing to dock and unload cargo saw that several police law enforcement boats had arrived.

It’s impossible to stay hidden anymore. 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

Han Yu immediately lifted the walkie-talkie: "Binjiang Water Police 002, 003, Yangtze Police 110, 111, pay attention, dock the side according to plan!"

"002 received!"

"003 received!"

...

At Han Yu’s command, all participating vessels turned on their lights, and instantly the river surface was lit up with flashing police lights and piercing sirens.

Shortly after, a signal flare rose slowly.

As the crew and dock workers looked on in bewilderment, Binjiang Water Police 002, 003, and Yangtze Police 110, 111 had already approached the two ships unloading sand and gravel.

Wang Wenhong personally led the team, surged ahead, guiding the long-waiting police officers up the cargo ships, then crossed the cargo ships to rush onto the dock...

Han Yu picked up the loudspeaker’s communication device, and kept a close eye on the nearby dock and shouted, "Attention all crew members and employees at the Water Sandstone Trading Market. We are police officers from the Binjiang City Police Department Water Branch and Changhang Binjiang Police Station; we are conducting a joint security inspection on passing ships and the Water Sandstone Trading Market. Please do not be nervous; please have your ID cards, Seaman’s Certificate, and other documents ready to cooperate with the inspection!"