thefictionvixens Chapter 325 Old Friend Forced to Serve
Chapter 325 Old Friend Forced to Serve
Having settled matters in Hong Kong, Lin Yan turned his gaze to Beijing, and after a moment asked in his mind, "Lin San, how has the situation been on the mainland these past two years?"
Lin San said solemnly, "Young Master, you've finally emerged from seclusion. The domestic situation has been turbulent these past two years. Three months ago, a group of Red Guards stormed into our doorstep, shouting that we were practicing capitalism, and they almost came to blows."
He paused, a cold smile playing on his lips: "However, your methods are still superior, young master. We laid the groundwork beforehand, slowly boiling the frog. I only made one phone call, and the military personnel arrived immediately, subduing that group on the spot. Now there are armed guards standing watch at the gate every day. People who don't know any better would think this is some kind of high-ranking official's residence."
Lin Yan listened without changing his expression, but tapped the table lightly with his fingertips, seemingly lost in thought.
Lin Yan nodded slightly during the telepathic connection, then turned to ask about another important matter: "How are those two brothers who were arranged to go into the Central Committee last time doing now?"
Lin Yi's response carried a confident ease: "Progress is going quite smoothly. Just as Young Master predicted, the man at Xihua Hall, after recognizing the limitations of individual strength, has devoted all his energy to boosting domestic production. Furthermore, Elder Dan visits Zhongnanhai every week to check on his health; aside from some mental strain from working day and night, he's doing quite well. The arrival of our two brothers at this crucial juncture with projects and resources is like a timely rain."
He reported in detail: "One of them has now established himself in the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation, and the other has made a name for himself in the subordinate China National Machinery Import & Export Corporation. Both are highly valued. As for the deployment in various provinces and cities, the brothers are following your instructions, forming groups of three, and are actively moving closer to the organization. As long as one person in the group can stand out, the other two will fully assist him, waiting for the right opportunity to gradually enter the system and support each other."
After learning about the many developments over the past two years, Lin Yan felt somewhat relieved and decided to meet up with Mike and his old friends. He drove to the familiar Maple Leaf Street, parked his car, and knocked on Mike's door.
The door opened, and standing behind it was Mrs. Anderson, her eyes slightly red.
"Hey, Mrs. Anderson, I'm Lin, Mike's friend. Do you remember me?" Lin Yan smiled gently.
As soon as Mrs. Anderson saw him, she immediately stepped forward and gave him a tight hug, her voice slightly choked with emotion: "Oh, Lin... of course I remember you, please come in."
She ushered Lin Yan into the living room and then busied herself in the kitchen pouring him a cup of black tea. Lin Yan took the teacup, looking at this clearly downcast elder, and asked with concern, "Mrs. Anderson, what's wrong? Have you encountered some difficulties? Is Mike... not home?"
"Oh! Lin..." This question caused tears that Mrs. Anderson had been holding back to stream down her face. Lin Yan panicked when he saw this and quickly took out a handkerchief from inside his coat and handed it to her.
"Mrs. Anderson, please don't worry, tell me slowly. Is there some trouble you've encountered? Is there anything I can do for you?" he said in a soft, comforting voice.
Mrs. Anderson wiped away her tears with a handkerchief, sat down on the sofa, and choked out, "Lin...Mike...he was forcibly enlisted and sent to fight in Vietnam!"
Lin Yan jumped up from the sofa, his face filled with shock and disbelief: "Forced conscription? Sent to Vietnam? Mrs. Anderson, please don't cry. Tell me, when was Mike taken away? What about Tom? Was Tom drafted too?"
"Tom... Tom was the same," Mrs. Anderson sobbed. "They were sent to the front lines together this June... I haven't slept a wink since Mike was taken away; I worry about him every day..."
Lin Yan took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down, but his clenched fists betrayed the shock and anger in his heart.
Upon hearing this, Lin Yan was startled and immediately stood up. Without the slightest hesitation, he spoke to Mrs. Anderson in a calm and firm tone:
"Mrs. Anderson, I'm so sorry, I wasn't in New York when this happened. I can't stay any longer; I need to find out immediately which unit Mike and Tom were in Vietnam, and what their current situation is."
He put on his coat and looked earnestly at the grieving mother: "I will let you know as soon as I have any news. Please don't grieve too much, take care of yourself, and trust me!"
Hearing his resolute promise, Mrs. Anderson felt as if she had seen a ray of light in endless darkness. Instantly, she felt reassured and her emotions calmed down considerably. She nodded vigorously, hope rekindling in her eyes, and escorted Lin Yan all the way to his doorstep.
Lin Yan offered no further words of comfort; at this moment, actions spoke louder than words. He got into the car, slammed on the engine, and the car sped away like an arrow, quickly disappearing around the street corner.
Lin Yan returned home with a grim face and went straight through the foyer. The old butler, Charles, keenly sensed his master's unusual mood and mustered his courage to approach, asking softly, "Young Master, is something wrong?"
Lin Yan took a deep breath, realizing he shouldn't take his anger out on others. He simply shook his head and quickly went upstairs to his study. He immediately picked up the phone and dialed Professor Williams' office number in California.
The phone rang for a long time before being answered. A familiar and cheerful voice came from the other end: "This is Williams."
"William, it's me, Lin."
"Oh! Lin!" Williams' voice immediately filled with surprise, "It's been so long since I heard from you! Are you in New York now?"
Lin Yan cut straight to the point: "William, I wanted to ask, is Daniel still working in your lab?"
"Lin, you really hurt me," Williams said, feigning hurt. "You haven't contacted me in so long, not even a simple greeting. But we're good friends, so I forgive you. Daniel has been here all along; he's outstanding. I have to thank you for recommending such a talented person to me."
"William, I'm sorry, I've run into some urgent business," Lin Yan's tone softened. "When I get back to California, I'll definitely treat you to the most authentic Chinese food to make up for it."
After hanging up the phone, Lin Yan breathed a slight sigh of relief. At least Daniel wasn't affected.
Lin Yan contacted Manhattan with his divine sense: "Alexander, use our connections in the military to immediately find out the specific formation and deployment location of Tom and Mike in the Vietnam battlefield."
"Understood, young master!"
About half an hour later, the divine sense fluctuated again, and Alexander's echoed: "Young Master, it has been confirmed. Tom has been assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 5th Regiment, 1st Marine Division of the United States Marine Corps, currently stationed in the area surrounding Hue City, mainly responsible for urban defense, daily patrols, and mopping-up operations. Mike belongs to the 196th Infantry Brigade, 23rd Infantry Division of the United States Army, stationed in the Quang Nam Province area, and is carrying out field guerrilla and small commando operations."
He paused briefly, his tone becoming cautious: "Young Master, should I immediately send men to intervene and safely remove them from the battlefield? I understand your feelings right now, but if you personally appear on the battlefield, it might arouse unnecessary suspicion. It's best to leave this matter to me. I assure you, our men will ensure their safety!"
"Alright, make sure to bring them both back safely!" Lin Yan thought for a moment and agreed to the plan.
Lin Yan's disgust for American politicians had reached its peak. He had read a report in his later life that in this dirty war, those who truly bled and died in the quagmire of Vietnam were mostly young people from ordinary backgrounds like Mike and Tom. Meanwhile, a staggering 300,000 children of the wealthy and powerful escaped to Canada and Mexico through falsified medical records and other means, remaining unscathed. Three names were on this long list of escapees—Bill Clinton, Joe Biden, and Trump.