Chapter 154: Better To Let The Corpse Rot Into Meat Mud
Wu Jingzhong lowered his voice, chillingly saying: “The little devil’s special agents are no pushovers. From this moment on, everyone contacts singly! If anyone slips up, don’t blame me for not honoring old ties!”
Puff~
The Browning pistol was placed on the table, its pitch-black body especially conspicuous in the room.
“Brothers, remember this well. If captured by the little devils, either kill yourselves or bite the sugar pill first!”
“Whoever dares to be taken alive,” his gaze swept over everyone present, his voice cold as ice, “will be treated as a traitor!”
“Better to rot into meat paste than spit out a single word!”
“Yes!” The special agents straightened their backs, roaring solemnly in a low voice.
Those who could join this action had basically all prepared to sacrifice their lives for the cause. Capturing them alive?
Impossible!
Wu Jingzhong closed his eyes and waved for them all to leave.
The room returned to silence, only the old wooden chair creaking under Wu Jingzhong’s heavy body.
He lit a cigarette, the match’s ‘hiss’ strikingly loud in the quiet space.
The cigarette burned, emitting faint sizzling sounds. Through the exhaled smoke, his gaze fixed deadly on the black-and-white map of Beiping’s Outer Third District on the wall, as if piercing the paper to see the Japanese Army’s ferocious features.
Soon, the heat from the cigarette butt pulled his thoughts back. He tossed the cigarette butt, his knuckles unconsciously touching the rough chair, leaning back and closing his eyes, a suppressed, tragic operatic tune spilling from his throat:
“Hating the Hu barbarians for ravaging China with strong troops at the border. Willing to sacrifice to vent loyal fury, clever schemes to sweep away the smoke and dust.”
Just as Wu Jingzhong was filled with tragic resolve to sacrifice himself, time quietly passed.
In the Beiping Hotel private room.
The atmosphere was exceptionally harmonious. Several flushed-faced men clinked glasses, their large hands roaming nonstop over a dozen or so beautiful girls from various countries, the room filled with an atmosphere of revelry.
Cao Weida shrewdly handed over several room keys. Amid the little devils’ “Yōshi, yōshi” praises, they each grabbed keys, arms around the foreign beauties, and left the private room.
The doorman respectfully opened the main gate. Cao Weida, reeking of alcohol, walked out and casually tossed two union bonds as tips.
Amid the doorman’s profuse thanks, he belched and walked out.
“Hoo~” He let out a long breath, waved to a rickshaw waiting nearby for fares, and stepped on.
“Sesame Hutong.”
“Got it, sir, sit tight.”
The rickshaw pulled away, the view slowly receding. Cao Weida sat in the rickshaw with eyes closed, resting.
Things had gone smoother than he imagined. With Ono Shiota and Fujita Sosuke stepping in, plus Cao Weida offering a small box of “local specialties,” and the two foreign beauties in his arms, Kato Senzhang readily agreed to let Bai Jingqi go.
On leaving the private room, he had enthusiastically expressed to Cao Weida his desire to build a relationship.
Kato Senzhang was a smart man. Cao Weida’s frequent visits to the Gendarmerie Headquarters and his close ties with Fujita Sosuke, Matsui Koji, and others were no secret.
Plus the recent changes among Beiping’s Japanese military and political officials, and the vague rumors, he naturally wanted to get on good terms.
In truth, arresting Bai Jingqi had put him under pressure too. The Yan Family had quite a reputation in Beiping’s pharmacy circles. Arresting Bai Jingqi meant offending all of Beiping’s pharmacies.
Many of the little devils’ smuggled medicines relied on these pharmacies to help sell them. His actions had united Beiping’s pharmacy circles in intent to boycott Japanese medicines.
This was something the Japanese side’s medical department and Ministry of Finance absolutely could not accept.
But just releasing Bai Jingqi like that left him unwilling. He’d just caught Bai Jingqi, and if the pharmacies united and he let him go, what would that look like?
What about the Great Japanese Empire’s dignity?
So even gritting his teeth, he had to force Bai Jingqi to become Chamber of Commerce president and extract the prescription.
But now it was different. With Cao Weida “mediating,” he had a perfect out.
He could also take the chance to befriend Cao Weida, who was riding high in Beiping, and who had thoughtfully given “local specialties” and such lavish hospitality. Naturally, he happily took the out.
All this was within Cao Weida’s expectations. With the matter done, he stopped thinking about it.
What he considered now was the upcoming assassination action.
The rickshaw slowly passed Shajing Hutong. Just as they were about to exit, Cao Weida spoke:
“Driver, stop here.”
The rickshaw puller obediently stopped without asking a word.
After taking the fare, he thanked him and ran off toward his dormitory with the empty rickshaw.
The sun was about to set, not far from nightfall. He had to hurry back; once dark, curfew would start.
Cao Weida stretched lazily and strolled toward Sesame Hutong.
From afar, he saw the signboard erected at what was originally Tong Mazi’s house.
In his peripheral vision, he glimpsed a siheyuan across the way.
“This should be Qin Fang Ju master Yan Zhensheng’s house. Speaking of which, by killing Tong Mazi, I’ve solved a future enemy for the Yan Family.”
Qin Fang Ju specialized in pickled vegetables business. With good taste and fair prices, it was very well-known among the common people.
In these times of supply shortages, with daily unpalatable food, a cheap, tasty dish of pickled vegetables was a great choice.
Thinking of Yan Zhensheng, Mu Chunhua’s figure inevitably appeared in his mind.
“This one’s quite proud and haughty.”
Mu Chunhua’s father had done business early on, sending her through junior high.
Though just a junior high diploma, in this era of high illiteracy, it was already very good.
Plus her father’s careful nurturing from childhood, though not wealthy, she had high aspirations. With new-era education, she absolutely wouldn’t be a concubine for anyone.
She later agreed to be a concubine purely because her father fell ill and needed lots of money for treatment.
Later, hearing penicillin was needed to save him, she declared whoever provided penicillin, she’d be his concubine. That let Yan Zhensheng pick her up.
For this inwardly tough, brave, resourceful, righteous woman, Cao Weida had quite a favorable impression.
If there was a chance to take her in, he naturally didn’t want to miss it.
“Not the time to act yet. When the moment comes, old Cao can take another concubine.”
Thinking happily, his gaze locked ahead, he turned into a small hutong.
He planned to enter through the back door and scout the terrain.
The courtyard house’s back door was in a small alley, opposite another small hutong, usually with little foot traffic.
Especially as the sun set westward, it was even more deserted.
But just entering the back door hutong, he stopped.
“This hutong is blocked, doesn’t go through, hurry off!”
Seeing the man blocking the hutong entrance, Cao Weida couldn’t help furrowing his brows.
He naturally took this as fart talk. Even if the hutong was blocked, what business was it of yours?
Seeing the man’s rough clothes and the faintly fierce air on his face, he knew this was absolutely a gangster.
“Alright, got it.” Cao Weida replied noncommittally and turned to leave.
His peripheral vision caught that this small hutong, which should be deserted at this hour, now had over ten people.
Something odd must mean trouble. Thinking of their vaguely positioned stance, he couldn’t help cursing inwardly.
Damn it, wasn’t this exactly the back door area of what was originally Tong Mazi’s, now his courtyard house, the way he planned to go!
Because he was going to Beiping Hotel tonight, he wasn’t in patrolman uniform, just neat clothes.
He wasn’t short, and with a youthful face, he easily looked like a university student.
Seeming to feel he’d asserted dominance, the blocker grinned smugly and raised a brow at his companions.
Laughter immediately erupted in the hutong, but it was quickly silenced by a pockmarked, bearded man glaring.
“Laugh your mother’s laugh! All of you guard the hutong entrance properly!”
“Yes, Biao Ye.”
The younger brothers meekly assented.
The one called Biao Ye glared at them again, pulled aside a younger brother, and whispered: “You sure you saw clearly?”
“Biao Ye, don’t worry, I saw it clear as day. Several large boxes were carried in.” The younger brother hurriedly replied. “These boxes were sneaked in, and the leader, I know him—Little Ear from Tianqiao black market.”
Biao Ye had naturally heard of Tianqiao Little Ear’s name, especially how a black market boss turned patrolman, very famous in local underworld circles.
Heard he followed a big shot with background, called Cao Ye, who mingled widely among Beiping’s higher-ups.
Today, his younger brother had chanced to see Little Ear leading men carrying several large boxes into this courtyard and reported it, so he got ideas.
These days, many shops in Outer Second District and parts of Outer Third District had been sealed, merchants taken to the police station—big news. As a gangster, Biao Ye had sharp intel.
A little thought told him these boxes must hold money scraped from those merchants.
This immediately stirred his greed—a fortune right there, how could he pass it up?
“Saw clearly, good. Don’t worry, pull this off and I’ll reward you handsomely!”
The younger brother was first excited, then worried: “But Biao Ye, are we sure? That Cao Ye is a big figure in all Beiping. If he finds out…”
He knew Police Station Cao Ye was no simple man. With his influence, if he learned it was them, they couldn’t get by in Beiping.
