Chapter 246: Sharp Blade
Two black shadows skillfully checked Yasuda’s pulse and breathing, quickly searched the room,
stuffing all the paper with writing on the table and in the drawer, along with those few original documents serving as “evidence,” entirely into a canvas bag they brought.
One of them took out a small bottle and splashed the pungent kerosene inside onto the bed and wooden table.
Then, one hoisted the limp Yasuda Nobuo over his shoulder like mud, while the other vigilantly observed the movements outside. The two melted silently into the shadows of the warehouse district just as they had come.
A few hours later, several kilometers away from the Mai Gen Road Warehouse, at a remote, fast-flowing section of the Suzhou River, early-rising boatmen discovered a floating male corpse.
The body was somewhat bloated from soaking in the river water, but not for long, and the general appearance was still recognizable.
He was wearing an ordinary old kimono, with no items that could prove his identity.
Constables from the police station soon arrived and, after a preliminary examination, concluded: accidental drowning after slipping into the water.
The reason was that the deceased had no obvious external injuries, consistent with drowning characteristics, and the embankment near where the body was found was slippery, making accidents likely at night.
As for the deceased’s identity, it could not be determined at the moment, so it was temporarily recorded as “unknown male corpse.”
After copying the information and sending it to the superior department, the next moment, the doors of the police station were almost kicked down,
Shanghai Ume Agency, Number 76, South Manchuria Railway Investigation Bureau, Special Higher Police Affairs, Southern China Association—all the notable intelligence agencies rushed to request the scene investigation data.
It seemed this Japanese’s death had mobilized everyone.
Haruki Keiin quickly passed the news of Yasuda’s accidental drowning to the Land Transport Section.
At this time, Chen Yang was listening to his subordinate’s “progress” report on the rumor investigation and merely gave a light “mm” in response, his face showing no expression, as if he had heard only some irrelevant social news.
The main source of the rumors had been physically eliminated; Yasuda Nobuo, along with his mix of true and false “evidence,” had been completely swallowed by the murky waters of the Suzhou River.
The remaining matter was how to guide the investigation and how to “explain” to General Sato and all parties.
After much deliberation, Chen Yang began drafting a report to Xinjing, stating that preliminary investigation had clarified the rumors were fabricated and spread by former employee Yasuda Nobuo, who was demoted due to work errors and harbored resentment, in retaliation against the Empire; the man had now died in an accident, and some forged evidence had been seized…
Outside the window, the Suzhou River water continued silently flowing eastward, and Yasuda’s death, like the river water, was soon submerged in the flood.
No one cared why he died, nor why a Japanese would be at the Suzhou River bank deep into the night wearing a tattered kimono.
In short, he died, died inexplicably, yet also as it should be.
Shanghai Yangshupu Wharf, evening, exit of Pier Number Three.
Twilight was slightly dim, with early summer mist floating on the river surface; searchlight beams cut pale paths through the water vapor.
Today, security at the wharf was several times stricter than usual; Number 76 lackeys and Ume Agency secret agents stood everywhere, their eyes vigilantly scanning any corners that might hide danger.
Li Qun and Ding Cun personally oversaw the temporary command post; Wu Sibao blended into the crowd receiving the ship and among the workers with the action team, waiting for the signal that the “fish” had bitten.
The massive silhouette of the Yashan Maru slowly approached the shore.
Accompanied by the mournful whistle sound, the ship steadily docked at the pier, the gangway lowered, and Qian Shizhao, Mr. Wang’s personal secretary, appeared at the top of the gangway surrounded by a crowd of bodyguards and secretaries.
He wore a dark Zhongshan suit, glasses, had a gaunt face, showed fatigue from the long voyage, but his eyes still held vigilance.
The wharf was bustling with people; several men dressed in black linen shirts like wharf coolies blended into the crowd, their gazes fixed tightly on Qian Shizhao.
Qian Shizhao descended the gangway under bodyguard escort, and just as his foot touched the wharf’s concrete ground…
“Boom!!”
A violent explosion suddenly erupted from behind a pile of goods at the wharf entrance!
Flames shot up, thick smoke billowed, shattered wooden boxes and debris flew everywhere!
The massive shockwave overturned several nearby shelves; sharp alarm sounds instantly pierced the sky!
“Careful, protect Mr. Qian!”
“Assassins!”
The scene immediately descended into chaos!
The bodyguards immediately shielded the shaken Qian Shizhao in the center and quickly retreated to the nearest cover.
Japanese soldiers patrolling the wharf and Number 76 secret agents reacted as if facing a great enemy; some rushed to the explosion point, others nervously formed alert circles, muzzles aimed in all directions.
The night provided natural camouflage for those people. The frightened crowd screamed and scattered in all directions, shoving and trampling each other, the scene extremely chaotic.
Li Qun abruptly stood up in the command post, his face ashen: “What happened? Didn’t I tell you to watch all suspicious personnel closely?”
In his plan, an internal spy was to pass a message leading to minor unrest, never expecting an explosion of this intensity!
Ding Cun remained relatively calm, but his eyes were unusually grave: “The explosion point is still some distance from Mr. Qian; it seems more like deliberate chaos.”
“No, they definitely have another plan. Quick, protect Secretary Qian.”
As Ding Cun’s voice fell, suddenly, scattered gunfire rang out again.
In the chaos, several cold shots came from an unknown direction, bullets striking the wharf facilities and sparking.
Several bodyguards clustered together, escorting Qian Shizhao to board a car and leave…
Bang—a bullet accurately struck Qian Shizhao’s left upper arm, blood immediately gushing.
Qian Shizhao grunted dully, his face turning deathly pale, and was quickly shoved into the armored car,
The gunman seemed not intent on killing, watching as Qian Shizhao was stuffed into the car without firing further.
“Careful, sniper…”
“Secretary Qian is injured, he’s bleeding.”
“Quick, to the hospital, hurry to the hospital.” The bodyguards shouted and crowded around.
Surrounding Number 76 agents also converged around Qian Shizhao unprompted.
The next moment, the black Austin Sedan sped toward Ciji Hospital under Japanese Army control, under even denser escort.
Shanghai, Ume Agency headquarters.
Li Qun’s carefully arranged “fishing” operation had completely failed.
This operation not only failed to catch any evidence of the internal spy but instead allowed the target to be injured under heavy protection; the explosion and shooting incidents further caused Number 76 and the Japanese side to lose all face.
Kagesa Shinzhao flew into a rage upon hearing the news and harshly reprimanded Li Qun and Ding Cun.
However, this chaos was not as simple as they imagined.
Shortly after the port explosion, at the backyard of Jishitang Pharmacy in the French Concession.
Song Yilin had just retrieved the message Chen Yang left in the dead letter box, confirming the result of the port operation…
The explosion successfully created chaos; Qian Shizhao was injured but in no life-threatening danger; Number 76’s deployment was disrupted, their attention fully drawn.
This meant the first step of Chen Yang’s “using the enemy’s plan against them” had succeeded.
Next, it was time for her performance.
Song Yilin lowered her gaze, took a slight breath, her right hand trembled faintly, and a slender bamboo skewer appeared in her palm.
With a gentle flick, whether by illusion or not, the candle on the table seemed to move inadvertently, but then again as if it hadn’t…
Song Yilin curved the corner of her mouth slightly in satisfaction, turned and walked out; just as the door closed, that unlit candle snapped into two sections.
The cut was smooth and neat, as if machine-sliced…
Shanghai, Ciji Hospital, fifth-floor VIP room.
After being injured, Qian Shizhao was quickly sent to the top-floor special care ward of the Japanese-controlled Ciji Hospital.
The news was strictly sealed, but Chen Yang still obtained the exact location and security details first.
After the port failure, Number 76 retracted most forces like a wounded beast, surrounding the hospital airtight.
Li Qun issued a death order: if anything happened to Qian Shizhao again, all responsible parties would face military law.
The corridor outside the special care ward was filled with overt and covert sentries; entrants underwent the strictest checks, even the attending physician and nurses’ backgrounds repeatedly verified.
Under such conditions, any direct assault or conventional infiltration was suicide.
Shanghai, Pearl Park dead letter box location.
Eight PM, Chen Yang’s instruction arrived again: “The time has come, eliminate the traitor. Target, Room 502. Method: must be silent, create natural or accidental false appearance. Tools at your discretion, opportunity self-sought. Also, attached Ciji Hospital floor plan.”
Song Yilin watched the two notes burn to ash in her palm, her eyes calm and unruffled.
She knew this was the most dangerous mission yet; in fact, Chen Yang didn’t know Song Yilin would act, thinking a professional killer would be sent.
But what Chen Yang didn’t know was that Song Yilin was now Shanghai’s best killer.
Moreover, no one knew Qian Shizhao’s importance better than Song Yilin.
But how to enter the hospital? Storming was impossible, disguise extremely difficult.
After much thought, Song Yilin suddenly recalled the side entrance channel for daily morning medical waste and kitchen swill transport at the hospital.
Checks there were relatively lax, and… the stench was overpowering, guards often unwilling to approach.
Dawn, before daybreak, hospital side entrance.
A swill truck emitting sour stench slowly approached.
Guards pinched their noses, glanced casually at the pass shown by the laborer pushing the swill bucket, shone a flashlight casually into the truck’s several tightly covered swill buckets, then waved disgustedly to let it pass.
They wouldn’t imagine that inside the inner wall of one empty bucket, Song Yilin was curled up.
The swill truck stopped in the hospital backyard.
Taking advantage of the brief handover between the laborer and logistics personnel, Song Yilin slipped silently out of the bucket wall like a cat, using the shadows of vehicles and piled debris to quickly blend into the hospital interior.
After bypassing the guards, Song Yilin didn’t head straight to the top floor but first infiltrated an empty equipment room, donned a mask and nurse cap, and carefully hid the bamboo skewer in a special pocket in her cuff.
Her gaze lingered on the wall clock, her mind silently calculating nurse shift changes and doctor rounds timing.
Seven-thirty AM was when the hospital was relatively busy, and guards after a night shift might be slightly lax.
Song Yilin calmly exited the equipment room, pushing a cart with disinfection tools and medicine, eyes downcast, steps steady, heading to the dedicated elevator to the top floor.
Number 76 secret agents guarded the elevator.
Seeing her approach with the cart, the agent eyed her warily.
“Changing dressing.” Song Yilin’s voice through the mask carried a hint of weary hoarseness; immediately after, she showed a nurse ID badge recently swiped from the nurse station.
The agent checked against his list, looked at the items on her cart, found nothing unusual, and waved her into the elevator.
Top-floor corridor, atmosphere even more tense.
Plainclothes agents stood every few steps, eyes scanning like hawks.
Qian Shizhao’s room was at the corridor end, with two armed guards at the door.
Song Yilin pushed the cart unhurriedly, though her heart pounded like a drum.
She could feel countless gazes upon her.
Song Yilin took a breath to force relaxation, eyes fixed on the floor ahead, like an ordinary nurse numbed by long overtime.
At the room door, the guards stopped her.
“Changing dressing, cleaning wound.” Song Yilin simply repeated her prepared line, showing the pass.
One guard went in to check, emerged moments later signaling she could enter, but eyes stayed fixed on her.
In the room, Qian Shizhao lay on the bed, left arm bandaged, face pale from blood loss and shock, looking much more haggard, eyes still holding fear from the port attack.
An attending physician and a real special care ward nurse were recording his vital signs.
Song Yilin’s arrival drew little notice.
She silently parked the cart at the bedside designated spot, prepared tools and dressings for dressing change, movements skilled and standard, no different from other nurses.
The physician finished recording data, gave the nurse a few low instructions, and left the room.
That nurse then assisted Song Yilin, unwrapping the old bandages on Qian Shizhao’s arm.
The opportunity was now! Only she, the nurse, and Qian Shizhao on the bed remained in the room; the door guards faced away, their view partially blocked by the door.
In the instant of bending to retrieve sterile cotton swabs from the cart’s lower layer, Song Yilin’s right hand shook imperceptibly, the cold bamboo skewer sliding into her palm.
Her movements had no excess, flowing as if rehearsed thousands of times.
As the nurse turned to fetch new bandage rolls, Song Yilin acted!
She leaned slightly forward, seemingly to inspect the wound more closely, left hand casually pressing Qian Shizhao’s good right shoulder as if soothing.
Qian Shizhao instinctively glanced up at her, eyes somewhat unfocused.
In this split second, Song Yilin’s right hand, with long-accumulated force and pinpoint angle, pierced the thin patient gown, thrusting the bamboo skewer fiercely into Qian Shizhao’s left chest heart area!
Position unerring—straight into the heart!
The bamboo skewer struck with perfect precision, meeting little resistance, instantly penetrating the intercostal space and stabbing into the beating heart!
Qian Shizhao’s body stiffened abruptly, eyes bulging wide, pupils contracting sharply, mouth slightly agape as if to shout, but only a faint “geh” escaped.
Intense agony instantly seized all his life force; his eyes rapidly dulled, head lolled, vital signs vanishing swiftly!
All this happened too fast, just one or two seconds.
The nurse turning back with the bandages only saw Song Yilin seemingly straightening the patient’s collar, while the patient suddenly lost response!
“Patient! What’s wrong with the patient?!” the nurse cried in terror.
Song Yilin showed shock and panic on her face, quickly stepped back as if startled, and shouted loudly: “Quick! Call the doctor! Patient’s condition is off!”
【Operation complete, everything smooth, rest a few days, everyone don’t worry. I, Hu Han San, will definitely return…】
