Chapter 138: Sacrificing the Rook to Save the King

Looking at Shi Zhichao, who had hurried over, Bai Zeshao said with a face full of sorrow, "I'm fine, just a few scrapes. But two of our brothers from the security team unfortunately lost their lives."

While speaking, he secretly observed Shi Zhichao. Seeing that Shi Zhichao's expression did not show any unusual signs, Bai Zeshao breathed a sigh of relief, as he was genuinely afraid that Shi Zhichao might have witnessed what happened just moments ago.

"It's nothing. In our line of work, we live for today without knowing about tomorrow," Shi Zhichao said calmly, looking at the two corpses on the ground.

"No matter what, these two brothers died because of me. I will cover the compensation for their families," Bai Zeshao said with deep sincerity.

"Then I'll thank you on their behalf," Shi Zhichao did not refuse, knowing that Bai Zeshao was quite wealthy and wouldn't mind such a small expense. Besides, had he refused, it would have chilled the hearts of the rest of the men.

"Brother Shi, how did you all get over here? Have all the personnel from the Party Affairs Office been eliminated?" Bai Zeshao suddenly remembered something and asked directly.

"Yes, they have been basically cleared out. Only one or two fish slipped through the net; the brothers are pursuing them, and we should have results soon," Shi Zhichao replied.

As soon as he finished speaking, a member of the security team walked over from a distance and reported, "Report! All Party Affairs Office personnel within a one-kilometer radius have been eliminated."

"Good, excellent. Brother Shi, it looks like we can wrap up our mission," Bai Zeshao endured his pain as he stood up, checked the time, and saw that it was already past three o'clock in the afternoon, speaking to Shi Zhichao.

"Indeed, we can call it a day," Shi Zhichao also breathed a sigh of relief.

"Very well, let's head back," Bai Zeshao said to the security team members. "Everyone can head over to Deyi Tower for dinner later. Order whatever you like, just put it on my tab. Tonight, when we go to the Rose Cabaret, have a great time and let loose!"

"Woohoo! Yeah!"

Hearing Bai Zeshao's words, the men of the security team cheered wildly like unleashed hounds, filled with indescribable excitement.

Shortly after, everyone boarded the trucks and left, leaving behind a ground covered in corpses and blood.

Inside Qian Yihai's villa.

Hearing the loud crackle of gunfire outside, Sister Wang also felt somewhat anxious in her heart because she did not know the situation out there. It wasn't until the gunfire completely ceased and the sound of truck engines grew fainter and fainter that she finally mustered the courage to walk out.

Looking at the corpses scattered everywhere around the villa, Sister Wang's heart tightened. Finally, she stopped at the location of the surveillance outpost and walked inside.

When she came out, her face was filled with anxiety. After quickly checking the surrounding situation, she left in a hurry.

At that moment.

Bai Zeshao's motorcade was heading back to the Special Service Office. Inside the vehicle, Shi Zhichao looked at Bai Zeshao's pale cheeks and said, "Xiao Bai, you should still go to the hospital to get your wounds treated."

"I'd like to, but the mission is completed, and I must return to the office to report. Otherwise, even if I'm at the hospital, I won't have a moment of peace," Bai Zeshao said with a bitter smile.

"As you wish then."

Soon, the motorcade returned to the Special Service Office. Dragging his injured arm and holding a black briefcase containing a stack of surveillance logs, Bai Zeshao walked into Wu Zhengke's office.

"How is it? Was the mission successful? Did you get the logs?" As soon as Wu Zhengke saw Bai Zeshao, he anxiously pursued the question.

"I have not failed the mission; the logs are all right here," Bai Zeshao said, handing the black briefcase in his hand to Wu Zhengke.

"Let me see," Wu Zhengke said, taking the briefcase and immediately flipping through it. As he browsed, he asked, "Xiao Bai, are you certain all the surveillance logs are here?"

"Yes, they are all here," Bai Zeshao affirmed with certainty.

The page containing Sister Wang's surveillance record had been cleanly torn out by him from the logbook, leaving no trace behind. Therefore, Bai Zeshao wasn't worried that Wu Zhengke would notice anything amiss.

After briefly looking through the contents, Wu Zhengke raised his head and asked Bai Zeshao, "Xiao Bai, has anyone else seen these logs?"

"Captain, no one has seen them, not even myself, and Captain Shi hasn't seen them either. During the operation earlier, I collected all these logs, and as soon as the mission was complete, I rushed right back to the office," Bai Zeshao said with a resolute expression, sensing Wu Zhengke's tension.

"That's good. Excellent, Xiao Bai, well done," Wu Zhengke put down the surveillance logs and praised him admiringly.

"This is all thanks to the Captain's visionary leadership and meticulous command; otherwise, I could never have achieved such results," Bai Zeshao heavily buttered up Wu Zhengke.

"You rascal," Wu Zhengke chuckled playfully and scolded him jokingly before noticing that Bai Zeshao's left arm was injured. "How did you get hurt?"

"It's nothing, just a few scrapes," Bai Zeshao said dismissively.

"What do you mean it's nothing? Getting shot is no minor matter. Well then, since there aren't any pressing missions for the time being anyway, I'll grant you a half-month leave to properly recover, and you can spend the New Year holiday as well," Wu Zhengke said very readily.

"Alright, since the Captain has put it that way, I won't be polite," Bai Zeshao accepted with a smile.

After saying this, Bai Zeshao glanced at Wu Zhengke with a hesitation in his expression, as if he had more to say.

Wu Zhengke glanced sidelong at Bai Zeshao and said, "What? You have something to say? Spit it out."

"It's nothing," Bai Zeshao shook his head in refusal.

"You must be wanting to ask about Tian Yaopeng, right?" As he spoke, Wu Zhengke's expression instantly turned unsightly.

"Could it be that something went wrong again this time?" Seeing Wu Zhengke's complexion, Bai Zeshao had a bad premonition and instinctively asked.

"Yes, right as our men went to negotiate with the Party Affairs Office, they secretly tipped off Tian Yaopeng. By the time we discovered it, Tian Yaopeng had already fled," Wu Zhengke said with extreme dissatisfaction.

"This can be considered sacrificing the rook to save the king. I'm afraid those espionage activities against us will truly be pinned on Tian Yaopeng's head," Bai Zeshao instantly figured out the Party Affairs Office's motive.

"Exactly, that's what the Party Affairs Office is thinking. And while we have the justification on our side, we failed to capture Tian Yaopeng, so we can only squabble with the Party Affairs Office. However, their actions this time have crossed the bottom line of the rules no matter what, and reprimands from above will arrive soon," Wu Zhengke sneered.

However, when his gaze fell back onto the surveillance logs before him, a sense of relief washed over him. Whether it was bickering with the Party Affairs Office or capturing Tian Yaopeng, compared to the items right here in front of him, everything else seemed utterly insignificant.

What Wu Zhengke did not know was that precisely because they were bogged down in intense wrangling with the Party Affairs Office, the opposition had neither the time nor the energy to deal with the affairs of the surveillance outpost, which was what allowed Bai Zeshao to successfully complete his mission.

Otherwise, had these materials fallen into the hands of the Party Affairs Office and been escalated to the higher-ups, there really was no telling which side would ultimately be found in the wrong.