Chapter 124: No Time for You

Considering the potential impact on the girls' futures, this matter was not made public to society; it was only disclosed within the police and government systems.

The next step was to locate the girls' families. However, as Yang Fan had noted, many families had fallen into a state of mental breakdown after their daughters went missing. Only ten percent had registered with the police—fewer than three hundred people—and not all of them could be found, which further reduced that number by half. Some were even too afraid to confirm the identities.

The government took charge of developing a forest park around the Women’s Academy, and with the Shadow Hunter team stationed there, security was not an issue. Men were strictly forbidden from entering the academy, with Yang Fan being the sole exception.

"Brother Liu, President Chen, President Qian, I think that since this is a forest park, we should build a plaza or something over there. In any case, this plot of land needs to be fully utilized."

As Zhang Hai led the elite SWAT team and the representatives from Tianhai City to catch a glimpse of the girls from afar, Yang Fan and his three companions were sitting on logs, discussing matters. The five manor estates and the resort had already been completed, and the four men had spent the entire day walking the grounds.

Wang Yun spotted Yang Fan immediately. This was the first time she had seen him since the "Redemption" incident. This bastard—after messing with her, every time she called, a woman would answer. And it was always a different woman, too.

Yang Fan, however, was truly innocent; he had been so busy lately that he sometimes even forgot to bring his phone.

"President Yang!"

"Oh, Chief Zhang, and Deputy Captain Wang!"

Wang Yun really wanted to bite his head off. Was he planning to just love her and leave her?

"What are you all doing here?" Yang Fan asked.

"Just coming to take a look, and maybe get you to treat us to a casual meal, since you're such a wealthy man," Chief Zhang replied.

"That’s no problem. The four of us have been eating nothing but casual meals these past few days! Let me introduce you: President Liu of Four Seasons Anthem, President Chen of the Chen Group, and President Qian of the Qian Group."

"This is Chief Zhang Hai, that is Deputy Captain Wang Yun, and the rest are from the Tianhai City SWAT team."

"Prominent figures of Tianning, nice to meet you all."

"Good to see you, Chief Zhang!"

Knowing that Yang Fan and Zhang Hai still had things to discuss, Liu Mingfeng and the other two continued deeper into the site. They had only come there in their spare time to refine the planning.

"How are the girls doing?" Zhang Hai asked.

"Still the same. They only seem a bit better when they are playing together," Yang Fan said.

"When will this ever end?" Zhang Hai sighed, handing Yang Fan the donations and the records of families searching for their daughters from the Tianhai City police station. Yang Fan flipped through them casually.

"Have any parents been confirmed?"

"Yes, about forty or fifty, but it’s no use. We can't get them to leave the premises, so they can only come by for a chance to see them. Even then, they don't get much of a look because the girls are so frightened." Yang Fan sighed. Whenever the girls saw their parents, they feared they were being sold again.

"What does the medical team say?"

"They say it’s hard to predict the recovery time for these girls. Maybe one or two years, maybe three or five, maybe ten or eight, or perhaps..." Yang Fan trailed off, then added, "But they need to be checked every few days."

Zhang Hai nodded; deep psychological trauma truly requires slow healing.

"By the way, we’ve developed a campus platform app. They can video call me on their phones—group chats, even—and they can upload performances of their various talents. Some of them even do live streams on the platform!"

"Is that so? That’s great!" Zhang Hai said.

"Let’s go. I’ll take you inside. Only when I’m here can you get a chance to talk to them." Yang Fan stood up.

Zhang Hai and his team followed quickly. Yang Fan stood at the entrance, searching for his phone but failing to find it. After waiting a moment, someone noticed Yang Fan on the surveillance cameras and opened the gate.

"I’ve been forgetting my phone these past two days. It’s probably left in Haoyu’s car again."

Ai Xiaomei and Lin Ruo had been staying there during this period. Yang Fan felt that he had finally found something meaningful for Ai Xiaomei to do. Xia Yufei walked out.

"You're here?"

Yang Fan smiled. His wife was beautiful every day, and most of the staff at the Women’s Academy were from teaching backgrounds.

It was also Wang Yun’s first time seeing Xia Yufei; the five wives were finally all present.

On the other side, Ai Xiaomei was setting up a snack cart. The girls were doing all sorts of things. In truth, if you set aside their lack of personality, they were all top-tier: expert bartenders, high-end luxury goods appraisers, master dancers, painters, and professional translators—they covered every industry. Yang Fan often asked questions on the campus platform, and the girls' answers were so brilliant that even professionals were left in awe. Their training had been designed to prepare them for the upper echelons of society.

The former female slaves were allowed to be taught dancing and singing by the girls in the evenings. After this incident, the number of female slaves had reached four or five hundred. Letting them perform great deeds was a way to wash away their sins.

In reality, these female slaves fell into two categories: those who joined voluntarily and those who were coerced. The voluntary ones were the majority, accounting for seventy percent. Regardless of whether they were voluntary or coerced, they had committed wrongs. Since they had committed wrongs, they should bear the consequences. Yang Fan did not harm them; instead, he founded another academy where instructors would teach them.

President Han had sent all the female slaves back, and Lao San and Haoyu had also sent their slaves to this academy. Whether they were maids or slaves, they ceased to exist as such once the "Redemption" faded away. All that remained were a group of wounded girls and a group of girls seeking atonement.

Zhang Hai and his team left after a while. Before departing, Wang Yun shot Yang Fan a glare.

"Why are you glaring at me?"

"Why do you think she's glaring at you? Don't you have any idea what you've done?" Lin Ruo’s voice came from behind.

Yang Fan hurriedly waved his hands at Lin Ruo and Xia Yufei!

In the car, Liu Haoyu was driving, while Yang Fan and the three men—Liu, Chen, and Qian—headed back to Tianning.

"Yang Fan, the first movie starts filming tomorrow. We’re all heading to the resort. Aren't you coming? Can the opening ceremony even go ahead without you?" President Qian asked.

"My three brothers, with you there to oversee things, why do you need me? I just can't get away," Yang Fan said with a bitter expression.

"That won't do. You have to be there that day."

"Fine, fine. Once I finish handling other matters, I'll go."

"That works. We'll head straight there tomorrow!"

Just as they were talking, his phone rang. It was Huo Xinxie.

Yang Fan answered.

"Hello, Chief, I haven't seen you for five or six days. Whose turn is it to treat tonight!"

After a pleasant chat with Huo Xinxie, they arrived in Tianning. Yang Fan went straight to the SWAT team headquarters; this was his daily life. Finding someone to treat him to dinner—since there was no one at home to cook—he let Liu Haoyu go back first and headed to the parade ground.

However, when he looked closely, Wang Yun was there too...