Captured By The Cold Detective (BL)-Chapter 553: Crossing International Waters

Mu Yuze stood on the deck, his hair fluttering against the breeze, his unwavering gaze locked onto the large vessel at sea.

A dozen small boats were scattered around, their powerful searchlights piercing the abyss-like ocean. The search and rescue operation had been ongoing for nearly two hours, and that’s also how long Mu Yuze had been waiting. Everyone on the scene had already been evacuated, leaving behind only a few officers in charge of overseeing the operation and guarding the harbor entrances, as the area would officially be sealed for the next few days.

The night air was cool and crisp, and the lingering smoke of the AX–03 bomb had long since dissipated, prompting Mu Yuze to remove his mask and take in a mouthful of the salt-tinged air. The tip of his nose was red, and his fingers were chilled from the bite of the cold.

Standing on the deck froze him down to the bones, yet Mu Yuze had no doubt that it was even colder within the unforgiving ocean.

Are you freezing down there, Gege? Can you please show up quicker? Please...

It was not once or twice that Mu Yuze was tempted to take a leap whenever he thought of how He Juan must be suffering below the surface. The ocean was so cold, dark and merciless. What if the rescue team couldn’t find him? What if—

Just then, a distant commotion brought Mu Yuze out of his reverie and he raised his head, eyes widening, to see one of the boats frantically making a signal while several fully geared individuals dived into the water. More and more searchlights focused on that specific area, illuminating the depths of the darkness below.

Mu Yuze’s breath caught on his throat, his heart soaring. Had they found He Juan?! He squinted his eyes, trying to get a clearer look. Alas, the distance between them was too far, and all Mu Yuze could see was the lapping waves and the boats that were akin to small orange dots.

Hurry... he had to find out right this instant!

Turning on his heels, Mu Yuze rushed toward the coast guard station which had become the police’s temporary command center. Along the way, the officers saluted him in acknowledgement, but he barely registered them for all of his attention was centered on He Juan. He burst into the building and headed straight to the monitor room.

"Has anyone been found yet?!"

The officer inside performed a salute before replying, "Yes, Sir! They have found the teenager, and are now bringing him to land!"

A sliver of relief seeped into Mu Yuze’s heart when he heard that. "How is he?" he inquired. He Juan cared so deeply for his student; he must be worried sick about him as well.

However, only Mu Yuze himself knew that his relief stemmed from a more selfish desire. Both He Juan and Wu Yuan had fallen into the water at the same time, so if Wu Yuan was found, then it was only a matter of time until the rescue team would spot He Juan too!

"The vitals are not looking too good," the officer responded, causing Mu Yuze’s expression to sink. "He is showing signs of going into a rut, and the trauma from the explosion has sent him into a feral state. He was already delirious when the team found him. He has been sedated now, but we will only know his full condition once he is at the hospital. But at least, his life is out of immediate danger."

"Good..." Mu Yuze exhaled, closing his eyes. "That’s good."

"Do you still need something, Sir?"

"No, thank you. You may go back to work. I will just stay here."

Mu Yuze found an empty chair and settled himself into it, watching as one report after another made it to the station. Less than ten minutes later, Wu Yuan arrived on land and was swiftly transported into the waiting ambulance.

Now, they only had to search for He Juan.

Mu Yuze bit his nails, anxiety gnawing on the pit of his stomach. His gaze almost bore holes into the communication device from how intensely he had been staring at it. At that moment, every second seemed to drag on like hours.

Five minutes... twenty minutes... half an hour crawled by at an agonizing pace, but why... why hadn’t He Juan been found yet?! 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

"Mu Yuze, you’re here."

Mu Yuze turned to find Li Zhi stepping into the monitor room. He quickly rose to his feet and offered a somber greeting, "Captain."

Li Zhi took in his pale and ashen complexion, sighing. With the lack of words to say, he could only pat Mu Yuze’s shoulder and approached the monitoring officers. "They haven’t found Mr. He yet?" When all he received was a negative answer, Li Zhi furrowed his brow, sensing that something was amiss. "Even if both of them drifted apart due to the waves and impact of the explosion, it couldn’t have been so far."

The officers exchanged surprised glances. "Commander, what you mean is..."

Li Zhi’s expression was grim as he gave an order, "Retrieve the satellite surveillance data and find out if any vessels have crossed into international waters near the time of the explosion. We haven’t been able to capture the armed men, and I’m afraid they have escaped across the border."

The officers swiftly moved to fulfill the orders, their keyboard typing and rapid communication creating a frantic atmosphere in the room.

Mu Yuze clenched his fists, tight enough for his nails to sink into flesh. He was aware that those armed men were He Juan’s subordinates, or at least they used to be. It seemed like they were here to assist He Juan. Could it be possible that they were the ones who had found He Juan first and taken him away?

"Commander!" A cry rang out, and Mu Yuze’s attention snapped to the monitor screen where a few still images had been captured by the radar. "We have identified a vessel that crossed into international waters soon after the explosion. And it seems like they’re heading to either Myanmar or Vietnam!"

Li Zhi was instantly invigorated. "Good! Contact the navy patrols and provide them with the images. Explain our circumstances and request their assistance!"

With the criminals one step closer, the officers instantly perked up, their fatigue and frustration forgotten. After a series of communications and a lengthy wait, they finally received an update at wee hours in the morning.

"Commander, look!"

In the footage, the same vessel could be seen docking at a port in Myanmar. The naval guards had done their part up to this point, as the situation now fell under the jurisdiction of Myanmar’s local authorities. If Li Zhi would like to continue this chase, then he would have to draft a formal request to the said country for assistance.

However, everything was not for naught, because they managed to secure a crucial piece of evidence: a glimpse of several individuals with Asian features transporting an unconscious patient.

Even though the angle and image quality left much to be desired, based on the body built, height and the long hair captured by the camera, there was no mistaking the identity of that person. It was none other than He Juan, the target they had been searching for!