Chapter 197: Something Happened
“No, no problem anymore.” Zuo Mingquan swallowed, and quickly said, “Hurry and bring Miss Shen out.”
The junior agent fumbled and opened the cage. Chen Yang let out a cold snort and walked into the cell.
As he got closer, Chen Yang could clearly see Shen Qingyao’s appearance.
This was a very typical Jiangnan girl. Her skin was delicate and fair, nurtured by the water towns of Jiangnan, like fine mutton-fat jade. However, there were already whip marks and bloodstains in many places.
Her eyes were curved, her nose was small and exquisite, and there was a trace of bloodstain on both her upper and lower lips. Her head leaned powerlessly against the cell wall. Her hair was dark and glossy, with a few stray strands messily hanging by her ears and neck.
Southern girls were usually petite and delicate.
This Shen Qingyao was no exception. She was less than five feet tall, with a slender frame. She wore a Shanghai University student uniform: a light blue jacket over a black skirt, with thick white stockings underneath.
And now, these clothes were also torn in many places, revealing her skin underneath.
“Miss Shen, can you still walk?” Chen Yang asked softly.
Shen Qingyao leaned against the wall, struggling to stand up, and looked at Chen Yang and Zuo Mingquan behind him.
“Mm,” Chen Yang frowned. Looking at Shen Qingyao’s condition, he gently raised his hand.
Zuo Mingquan was clever and immediately said to a junior agent beside him, “Go get a clean set of clothes.”
The junior agent responded and quickly fetched a clean uniform from the adjacent room. Chen Yang took the uniform, casually draped it over Shen Qingyao, and helped her out of the cage.
“Phew,” Zuo Mingquan said, wiping the sweat from his forehead with lingering fear as he watched Chen Yang and a group of military police leave.
“Director, you just let her go?” Gao Bin from the Intelligence Department approached and asked cautiously.
“She’s a troublesome one. Although there’s no evidence to prove she’s joined the Communist Party, she has repeatedly made speeches at Shanghai University, criticizing the government and Sino-Japanese friendship.”
“Arresting her wouldn’t have been unjust,”
Zuo Mingquan’s plump face contorted. “Do you think I don’t know that? But what can we do if an officer wants to protect someone?”
“Forget it, she’s just a small fish. If she slipped away, she slipped away.”
“As long as the officer doesn’t have any intentions towards that person, we can talk about anything else.”
“Section Chief Gao, has that person confessed yet?”
Gao Bin’s lips revealed a cruel smile. “Director Zuo, I have not failed you. The person codenamed Blacksmith has confessed.”
“He implicated two people: one is their cipher officer in the French Concession, Xue Lian, and the other is his superior, Qing Hu.”
Zuo Mingquan was overjoyed. “It seems that chess piece is still somewhat useful.”
“If this Blacksmith is real, then that codenamed Shopkeeper Old Zhong must also be real.”
“Section Chief Gao, prepare your men. According to the time he provided, tonight, on Foch Road, we must capture Old Zhong.”
“Yes.”
As soon as Gao Bin left, a junior agent rushed in again.
“Director Zuo, someone is looking for you outside. He says they are from the Special Higher Police Affairs.”
“Special Higher Police Affairs? What are they doing here?” Zuo Mingquan was stunned, but he had no right to refuse. He quickly commanded, “Take them to the office. I’ll be right there.”
“Yes.”
French Concession, Shen Mansion.
A black sedan slowly stopped outside the imposing yet slightly old-fashioned black lacquered gate of the Shen Mansion.
The rain had stopped. The wet road reflected the dim yellow lamplight from outside the mansion.
Chen Yang got out of the car first, then opened the rear door.
Shen Qingyao slowly got out of the car.
She was wearing a man’s jacket, her face still pale, her eyes carrying the daze of a narrow escape and a trace of lingering fear.
She subconsciously tightened her jacket, as if she could still feel the coldness of the detention room of the Nanjing Special Affairs Committee.
Shen Xing Shan, who was waiting at the entrance, saw his daughter and immediately rushed forward, tears streaming down his face. “Qingyao! My child! You’re finally back! You scared your father to death!”
He looked his daughter up and down, and seeing the faint scars on her face and her haggard expression, he felt even more heartbroken.
“Dad…” Seeing her father, Shen Qingyao’s nose stung. The suppressed grievances and fear finally found an outlet, and her voice choked.
Shen Xing Shan hugged his daughter tightly, then suddenly turned to Chen Yang, so agitated that he was about to kneel again. “Section Chief Chen! Thank you! Thank you! You are the great benefactor of my Shen family! A debt of gratitude for saving my life! I, Shen Xing Shan, will never forget it!”
Chen Yang said calmly, “Boss Shen, you don’t have to be like this. It’s good that she’s alright. You should discipline her more in the future and don’t let Miss Qingyao get involved in those dangerous matters again.”
Shen Qingyao met his gaze and subconsciously lowered her head, pressing her lips together. She didn’t know if it was fear, gratitude, or defiance.
“Yes, yes, yes! Absolutely, absolutely! I will definitely talk to her properly! I definitely won’t trouble you again!” Shen Xing Shan replied repeatedly, then quickly shouted to the butler and servants behind him, “Quick! Help Miss inside to rest! Boil some ginseng soup to calm her nerves!”
Watching his daughter being supported into the mansion by the servants, the excitement on Shen Xing Shan’s face slowly transformed into a shrewd gratitude.
He leaned closer to Chen Yang and quickly took out a bulging, long, rectangular small package wrapped in thick brown paper from his long gown pocket. With extremely discreet and skillful movements, he swiftly slipped it into Chen Yang’s hand.
“Section Chief Chen, it’s just a small token of my appreciation! This time, for my daughter’s matter, you must have handled many connections and spent a lot of money! You absolutely cannot have both worked hard and spent money! You must accept it! Otherwise, I will never feel at ease in my life!”
Shen Xing Shan lowered his voice, his tone sincere and carrying the customs of people in the underworld conducting business. The paper package was heavy, clearly indicating a considerable sum.
Chen Yang weighed it. Before he could speak,
Shen Xing Shan quickly added, “Section Chief Chen, please don’t misunderstand! This is just my small gesture of goodwill, with no other intentions! There will definitely be more later…”
Chen Yang smiled, “Boss Shen, you’re too extravagant.”
While saying this, he placed the brown paper package on the car.
“This is as it should be,” Shen Xing Shan felt greatly relieved seeing this. In such matters, those who spend money always have more peace of mind than those who don’t.
“By the way, I heard that Section Chief Chen likes calligraphy and paintings. I happen to have a few good pieces.”
“I’ll have someone deliver them to your residence another day for Section Chief Chen to appraise.”
Chen Yang waved his hand. “Boss Shen, I take money to do things, and everything is clear between us. There’s no need for calligraphy and paintings or anything like that.”
Shen Xing Shan continued, “Oh, Section Chief Chen, saying that makes us sound like strangers.”
“Calligraphy and paintings are naturally meant for those with fate. We who live in the underworld are, to put it bluntly, hangers-on of elegance. Only people like Section Chief Chen can truly appreciate the subtleties of these things.”
“Section Chief Chen, please don’t refuse. I’ll send someone to your residence another day.”
Chen Yang laughed heartily, “Boss Shen, your daughter has just returned. Remember what I told you before, absolutely do not let her go out again.”
“This time I was able to use my superior’s name to get her out of the special agent department’s prison. Next time, you won’t be so lucky.”
“Spend more time yourself and keep an eye on her.”
Shen Xing Shan nodded repeatedly. “Thank you for the reminder, Section Chief Chen. I will certainly comply and will never trouble you again.”
Chen Yang nodded. “Please go back. I’ll be leaving now.”
“Section Chief Chen, please take care.”
Shanghai, night, French Concession, Jinxian Road Coffee Shop.
Lin Xueli sat in the innermost booth. The coffee in front of him remained untouched. He was already fifteen minutes past the agreed-upon time.
At this time, such an abnormal delay made his sensitive nerves taut, and an ominous premonition spread in his heart.
There were five more minutes. If the person didn’t arrive within five minutes, he would have to leave first and reschedule the next meeting.
Finally, the coffee shop door was pushed open, and a figure, bringing with them a damp chill, quickly approached.
It wasn’t the contact person he expected, but another courier, codenamed “Carrier Pigeon,” who was only activated in extremely urgent situations.
“Why is it you? Where’s Shopkeeper?” Lin Xueli vaguely felt something was amiss.
“Carrier Pigeon” looked ghastly pale. Without even taking off his dripping trench coat, he hurriedly sat down opposite Lin Xueli, his voice extremely low but carrying undisguised panic. ” ‘Shopkeeper’ fell into a trap set by the Special Higher Police Affairs at the meeting point on Foch Road yesterday evening!”
Lin Xueli’s pupils contracted sharply, his heart feeling as if it had been struck by a heavy hammer.
Shopkeeper’s real name was Zhong Yuan. His identity was extremely important. Besides being the deputy team leader of the underground transportation station, he was also Comrade Pan’s right-hand man, the leader of the Shanghai Intelligence Group.
Most crucially, he held the list of most people in the Shanghai Intelligence Network.
“Specific details! Do you know which department was in charge?” Lin Xueli forced himself to calm down, his voice steady but his speech accelerating.
“The Special Higher Police Affairs acted directly! The operation was extremely precise and swift, giving us absolutely no warning time!”
“The preliminary judgment from above… there’s a mole within us! And it’s a deeply embedded traitor! Otherwise, it would be impossible to so accurately ascertain ‘Shopkeeper’s’ whereabouts and the safe house on Foch Road!”
Traitor. Lin Xueli’s eyes suddenly tightened. This not only meant Old Zhong’s life was in imminent danger but also that the organization’s recently planned operations might be at risk of exposure.
Carrier Pigeon said gravely, “Higher authorities have activated emergency mechanisms.”
“All communication links related to ‘Shopkeeper’ have been severed. To rescue Shopkeeper and Xue Lian, the organization has appointed ‘Ace of Spades’ as the Special Commissioner, who is rushing to Shanghai to take full responsibility for assessing the situation and leading the rescue operation.”
“The organization orders you,” Carrier Pigeon stared intently at Lin Xueli, each word carrying immense weight, “to use all possible means, without endangering your ‘cover,’ to the maximum extent possible, to ascertain ‘Shopkeeper’s’ location, interrogation progress, and how much information the enemy has obtained.”
“This will be the main basis for ‘Ace of Spades’ to formulate the action plan. But the prerequisite is to absolutely ensure your own safety! This is an ironclad rule!”
