Chapter 163: Candlelight And Ax Sounds
That was neither a knife nor a gun.
It was a short-handled axe! The axe blade was sharpened to a snowy gleam, carrying a chilling arc.
Xie Zhipan’s movements were so fast they exceeded the limits of the naked eye.
He stepped forward, his body like a taut bowstring suddenly released, using the power of his waist and abdomen, that deadly axe drawing a shrill silver arc in the air with a sharp whistling sound, chopping straight down!
“Woo!” came a sound,
The target of the small axe was precisely Tang Shaoyi’s completely exposed nape, due to his focused appraisal!
Time seemed to be frozen solid by this thunderous strike.
The focus and probing on Tang Shaoyi’s face instantly froze; he didn’t even have time to change his expression.
In the depths of Zhao Lijun’s pupils, only that chill light symbolizing the end, splitting the air, had time to reflect.
“Pfft!”
A scalp-numbing dull thud, like a blunt weapon viciously chopping into soaked thick wood. The axe blade deeply wedged between flesh and bone!
Tang Shaoyi’s body shook violently, as if struck by an invisible giant hammer. A vague, short “urgh” escaped his throat, so brief it was almost nonexistent.
The massive impact force made him lurch forward and collapse, his forehead slamming heavily on the hard red sandalwood edge of the desk, producing a muffled crash.
Blood, not spurting, but surging out like a lost-control spring from that horrific wound, instantly staining his graying hair and the dark silk collar of his shirt red.
A thick bloody stench instantly spread,
The sudden change came far too fast!
So fast that the smile on Zhao Lijun’s face hadn’t fully faded, so fast that the deference on Butler Tang De’s face was still frozen.
Xie Zhipan didn’t pause for a moment, his gaze cold and hard as ironstone.
He didn’t pull out the axe; instead, in the instant Tang Shaoyi’s body lurched forward, using the momentum of his forward rush, he fiercely flipped and pressed his wrist!
That axe deeply embedded in the neck bone was driven by him with an even more ferocious, more thorough force, chopping viciously inward once more!
“Crack!”
This time, it was the clear crisp sound of bone being forcibly split and crushed!
The axe blade sank completely in, nearly severing the neck!
Tang Shaoyi’s body completely went limp, like a sack of grain without support, sliding along the desk edge and crashing heavily onto the Persian carpet.
He lay face-down, his body twitching slightly before going completely still.
A pool of crimson blood rapidly spread beneath him, painting a complex ornate pattern on the carpet.
That antique vase which triggered everything was brushed by Tang Shaoyi’s collapsing body at the desk edge, wobbling unsteadily before losing balance.
“Crash!”
A crisp ear-piercing shattering sound echoed through the deathly silent study room!
That so-called “official kiln” instantly disintegrated into countless sharp bluish-white fragments, scattering at the edge of the expanding blood pool beneath Tang Shaoyi.
“Master!”
At the doorway, Butler Tang De finally broke free from extreme shock, just about to shout when the prepared Zhao Lijun covered his mouth from behind.
At this moment, all color drained from his face, leaving only ashen pallor; his cloudy old eyes bulged in extreme terror, his body trembling violently like chaff.
The last trace of warmth on Zhao Lijun’s face had long vanished, replaced by a cold calm.
Lightly exhaling a breath of stale air, Zhao Lijun’s arm muscles suddenly tensed, and a clear sound of cracking bone came from Tang De’s neck.
“Crack,” in an instant, Tang De’s body slumped down like a pile of mud.
Zhao Lijun didn’t even glance at Tang De’s corpse, his gaze accurately falling on the body still twitching faintly at his feet.
The thick bloody smell filled his nostrils, mixing with the study’s original ink and wood scents to form an extremely eerie atmosphere.
He calmly looked at Tang Shaoyi’s body, the bloodstains on the carpet gradually congealing, his face still bearing the last trace of shock and bewilderment.
Zhao Lijun’s voice wasn’t loud, yet it clearly pierced through Tang De’s desperate whimpers and heavy gasps: “Elder Tang, don’t hold it against us.”
He paused, the corner of his mouth twitching ever so slightly upward, forming an arc devoid of any warmth: “Boss Dai asked me to say hello to you…”
Tang Shaoyi seemed to understand everything; his lips trembled slightly, emitting no sound, but Zhao Lijun read the meaning.
“You are, Military Statistics Bureau…”
Year 27 of the Republic, September 18th morning.
News of Tang Shaoyi’s assassination quickly appeared in headlines on all major Shanghai newspapers.
Consulate third floor office.
Thick curtains blocked out everything from the outside.
On the massive redwood desk, a custom leather evidence box lay open.
In the center of the box lay quietly the murder weapon that split Tang Shaoyi’s skull: a small axe.
Under the cold light, the fine wood grain of the axe handle was clearly visible, covered in large patches of completely dried and clotted bloodstains and a few entangled strands of hair.
The curled nicks on the axe blade silently told of the terrifying force and cruelty when chopping through flesh and bone.
Knock knock knock, a knock at the door sounded,
“Come in.” Kagesa’s voice was terrifyingly low and deep.
“Senior Kagesa,” Chen Yang pushed open the office door and respectfully bowed.
“Mr. Chen, did you see today’s news? I want to know how you arranged Tang Shaoyi’s protection.” Kagesa suddenly looked up: “Why did this happen.”
“Didn’t you tell me the Nanjing Special Affairs Committee could ensure Tang Shaoyi suffered no harm.”
“How are you going to explain this to me now.”
Chen Yang slightly bowed: “I’m sorry, Senior Kagesa.”
“Recently the Southern Transportation Department has had too many matters; the Empire’s frontline warfare is advancing slowly.”
“Material supplies between departments all require unified planning and coordination by the Southern Transportation Department.”
“I left everything to Director Zuo to handle; for this incident, I bear undeniable responsibility.”
Kagesa’s expression softened slightly: “Mr. Chen, I know you truly give your all for the Empire.”
“However, you can’t neglect oversight of the Nanjing Special Affairs Committee just because of Transportation Department matters.”
“You are their direct superior and must bear the responsibility as such.”
“This is the report just sent over by Special Higher Police Affairs.”
“Team Leader Zhang Zixian guarding the front gate has gone missing; three team members were successively killed.”
“According to their team’s driver, Zhang Zixian saw his woman with a strange man, chased after them, and then disappeared.”
“Based on the driver’s description of that man, Ando from Special Higher Police Affairs judged that man very likely a Military Statistics Bureau agent.”
Chen Yang frowned slightly: “Senior Kagesa, could there be some misunderstanding? From what I know, this Zhang Zixian is quite capable.”
“Moreover, in the previous purge operation in the French Concession, it was he who killed Zhang Xiaolin.”
“Plus his relationship with Director Zuo…”
Kagesa said gravely: “Enough, none of that is necessarily true; as an agent, disguise is a required skill! I now suspect Zhang Zixian is very likely a Military Statistics Bureau mole.”
“You are responsible for investigating this matter clearly…”
“Hai.” Chen Yang slightly bowed, took the report from Kagesa’s hand, and turned to leave the office.
Shanghai, 625 Daxi Road, Nanjing Special Affairs Committee Shanghai Office.
Zuo Mingquan rushed in hurriedly from outside, and just as he reached the stairs, he saw duty officer Xiao Lin with furrowed brows pacing back and forth in front of the office.
Seeing Zuo Mingquan appear, Xiao Lin hurried over: “Director, you’re finally back.”
“Director Chen has been waiting for you inside for a long time; from his expression, something seems off, so be careful…”
