Chapter Thirteen: How Can a Person Be So Shameless!

Everyone fell silent, their eyes fixed on Ye Yuan, filled with anticipation, unsure of what he would say next.

“My real name is Ye Yuan, but when I was in the military, the name I registered under was Ye Hengzhi,” Ye Yuan spoke softly, revealing a secret he had carried in his heart for decades. “I had intended to take this name to my grave, but… now, there is no need.”

Ye Hengzhi.

Surname Ye, given name Yuan, courtesy name Hengzhi.

Commander Xiao Bo abruptly turned his head and looked at Liu Ping. “Old Liu, quickly call the military district and have them verify this name.”

Liu Ping understood the gravity of the matter and immediately turned to go.

Seeing the situation taking a sudden turn, Liu Dehai grew anxious, like an ant on a hot pan.

After a moment’s hesitation, he spoke, “All soldiers use false names when enlisting. You still dare claim you have nothing to hide? Maybe from the start, you planned to desert the battlefield and then return under your real name!”

“Old Cong, who is this person?” Xiao Bo frowned and glanced at Liu Dehai.

Cong Gui lowered his voice to Xiao Bo, “Commander, this is the man suspected of kidnapping the old hero’s granddaughter.”

“This is him?” Xiao Bo’s expression darkened. “No wonder he’s been slandering the old hero, trying to smear his name.”

“But judging by his appearance, there’s a very high chance he is the one who kidnapped the old hero’s granddaughter. This is clearly a tactic to buy time.”

“Commander, you can’t say that!” Liu Dehai immediately shouted, “I am a decent man! Such a grave accusation—I can’t bear it!”

“Whether you’re decent isn’t for you to decide,” Xiao Bo snorted coldly, his gaze sharp as an eagle’s. “That’s for the common people to say.”

Liu Dehai trembled but said nothing, his heart burning with anxiety.

Earlier that morning, when he went to the garrison, he had prepared two plans.

He came bearing news that the name Ye Yuan was absent from the county records. If this alone could topple the identity of the veteran, so much the better.

If not, he had another strategy.

Before rising to power, he had served a powerful figure.

It was thanks to that figure’s help that he had gradually become the local tyrant of Hehe County.

Before leaving that morning, he had already called that figure, asking for assistance in this matter.

After all, he had sent plenty of money to that figure over the years; they were like ants tied to the same string.

He was now waiting for that person’s reply.

As long as the operation succeeded, not even Xiao Bo could hold him accountable.

After a while, Liu Ping returned, eyes shining with excitement as he looked at Xiao Bo. “Old Xiao, we found it. The roster does contain the name Ye Hengzhi, but it’s not an ordinary record. It requires multiple levels of approval before we can learn what the old hero did.”

“Good!” Xiao Bo clapped his hands enthusiastically. “That’s enough to prove the old hero’s identity!”

His focus was entirely on clearing Ye Yuan’s name, so he missed the other significant implication in Liu Ping’s words.

A veteran whose very name was strictly confidential…

He was no ordinary man.

Cong Gui also turned around excitedly, directing his gaze at Liu Dehai. “Now that the old hero’s identity has been officially confirmed, what else do you have to say?”

Liu Dehai hung his head in silence.

“Wonderful!” Sun Ting shouted excitedly, then looked triumphantly at Liu Dehai. “Why don’t you hurry up and hand over Yan An? Don’t you understand the principle of confessing to receive leniency and resisting to face harsher punishment?!”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Liu Dehai gritted his teeth, stubbornly refusing to admit anything.

“Playing dumb won’t help,” Xiao Bo said calmly. “I’ve already sent people to negotiate with the police. This matter concerns the old hero’s reputation and the safety of his family. All laws and regulations must make concessions here!”

After a while, Xiao Bo’s phone rang.

He answered, and after a few seconds, he waved his phone at Liu Dehai and thundered in a voice that shook the room. “Do you know who is calling?”

“Our men, together with the police and a search warrant, found Yan An held captive in your home. What do you have to say for yourself?”

Cong Gui and Sun Ting’s faces lit up with joy.

Sun Ting even grasped Ye Yuan’s arm excitedly. “Grandpa Ye, did you hear that? Yan An has been rescued! Your granddaughter is safe!”

Ye Yuan’s face showed deep emotion, his cloudy eyes moist with tears.

“Detain him and bring him back to the county,” Xiao Bo ordered, then respectfully turned to Ye Yuan. “Old Hero Ye, let’s go. We’re taking your granddaughter home.”

“All right,” Ye Yuan nodded, his voice trembling with an emotion he hadn’t realized.

He had only one granddaughter—Ye Yan’an.

If anything had happened to her, he would be utterly alone.

Their bloodline would vanish forever.

The group arrived at Tunkou and boarded the military vehicle, heading toward Hehe County.

The vehicle stopped directly in front of Liu Dehai’s small villa.

Ye Yan’an was carefully protected by several young soldiers in the center, but her face was haggard, her eyes still filled with fear.

It wasn’t until she saw Ye Yuan that her fragile body trembled.

“Grandpa!!”

She called out, fluttering into Ye Yuan’s arms like a fledgling returning to its nest.

At that moment, all her fear and shame poured out in tears and repeated cries of “Grandpa.”

Ye Yuan wore a gentle smile, holding his granddaughter’s thin frame, gently patting her back while whispering, “It’s all right now.”

“Liu! De! Hai!” Cong Gui gritted his teeth, his gaze dark and fierce as he stared at Liu Dehai. “You said you didn’t kidnap Ye Yan’an! Then why was she rescued from your home? And what are those surgical instruments and equipment for?”

There was no way Liu Dehai would admit to any of this now.

“This young girl is dating my son, so she’s been staying at my house!” Liu Dehai raised his hand, pointing at Ye Yan’an. “She begged me not to reveal that she was living with us! As for those instruments, my son wants to study medicine, so I was preparing some for him. Commander, what’s wrong with that?”

Right now, he just wanted to muddy the waters as much as possible.

Only then could he buy enough time to extricate himself from danger.

“You!!” Cong Gui had never imagined anyone could be so shameless.

Suddenly, Xiao Bo’s phone rang again.