Chapter Nineteen: Death

Chapter Nineteen: Death

On the steps.

Wu Zhengke’s gaze swept over the assembled crowd. Expressionless, he nodded, then shouted in a commanding voice, “Move out!” The group swiftly boarded the vehicles and departed the Special Services Department.

The commotion caused by Wu Zhengke’s action team was considerable. Many in the office took note; heads popped out, curious eyes watching, for it had been a long time since the action team had mobilized on such a scale.

“Uncle, is the action team up to something big? But why hasn’t our Intelligence Section received any news?” Liu Xiaobing asked Liu Peiru, his eyes following the departing convoy.

“I suspect Wu Zhengke got the information himself this time. The source must be reliable, or he wouldn’t risk a full deployment. Still…” Liu Peiru paused, then continued, “Still, I fear our Captain Wu might make a lot of noise only to end up with a few small fry.”

As Liu Peiru discussed Wu Zhengke, Qian Yihai, the rotund head of General Affairs, watched the vanishing convoy with a beaming smile, calculating just how much profit he might glean from this action.

Even Li Hongwei, the head of the Communications Section, known for his single-minded devotion to his own little domain, had removed his glasses and was gazing thoughtfully out the empty window.

Click! Click!

The vehicles halted before a printing factory in Shanning. Wu Zhengke stepped out of his military jeep, sneered, and instructed his men, “I have reliable information that this is a Red Party underground cell. The leaflets in the city are all printed here. Remember, during the operation, not a single person must escape. Teams One and Two attack; Team Three, guard the back entrance.”

“Yes, sir!” The team dispersed quickly.

Led by Tian Haiming, the five members of Team Three hurried to the rear entrance. Along the way, Monkey grumbled, “Here we go again. Every time something good happens, it never falls to us. Everyone knows this operation isn’t dangerous, but only Teams One and Two get to go in, while we’re stuck guarding the back.”

“All right, enough,” Tian Haiming replied, though he too felt somewhat resentful. He tried to comfort his men, saying, “Orders are orders. But who knows, maybe this time luck will turn, and we’ll make a name for ourselves.”

“Yes, sir,” the others replied, though not without reluctance, as they made their way to the back door.

At that moment, Bai Zeshou was growing increasingly anxious. Since Mr. Li’s arrest, he’d been cut off from the underground network in Shanning. Facing this sudden raid, he could do nothing but pray silently and look for any opportunity to rescue someone if he could.

Today’s events only strengthened Bai Zeshou’s resolve to save Mr. Li.

At the back entrance, Tian Haiming said to Monkey, Tiger, Strongman, and Bai Zeshou, “We’re short-handed. Monkey, Tiger, and Strongman, each of you cover a direction. Xiao Bai, you’re with me. Understood?”

“Yes, sir,” came the reply.

Inside the printing factory, the sudden intrusion of the action team threw everyone into panic. Besides the workers, some Red Party comrades, realizing their operation was exposed, drew their guns and began to fight back.

“Director Wu, you go! We’ll cover you. Judging from the Special Services’ posture today, escape seems impossible,” one man in work clothes shouted to the factory manager.

“No, we leave together,” Director Wu refused, shaking his head.

Bang! Bang!

A burst of gunfire echoed. The man in work clothes shoved Director Wu aside and charged forward alone to intercept the Special Services.

“Take care!” Director Wu said no more, turning to flee toward the back exit.

At the rear, Bai Zeshou listened to the clatter of gunfire from the front, his heart heavy with bitterness. His face was clouded with indecision, but inwardly he resolved to elevate his standing within the Special Services, or else he’d forever be consigned to the margins, unable to access valuable intelligence.

“Don’t worry, Xiao Bai. These raids are rarely dangerous. No matter how fierce the fighting sounds up front, it’ll be over soon, and we can leave,” Tian Haiming said kindly. He wasn’t sure about Bai Zeshou’s relationship with Qian Huiwen, but he cared for the young man.

“I understand.”

Sure enough, not long after Tian Haiming spoke, the gunfire died down. Just as Tian was about to call for withdrawal, a figure crawled out of a dog hole in the factory wall—a detail overlooked by many. It was Director Wu.

“Xiao Bai, looks like we’re in for a commendation today. Let’s go!” Tian Haiming drew his pistol and rushed forward. Bai Zeshou, face shifting with conflicting thoughts, raised his own gun, aiming at Tian Haiming’s back in a shooting stance.

Outside the dog hole, Director Wu paused in relief on the empty street. He knew that once the Special Services surrounded the factory, the rear exit would be heavily guarded. That was why he chose the dog hole—an escape route no one would expect.

His relief was short-lived. Suddenly, a voice called out, “Don’t move. Turn around.”

Director Wu slowly turned, meeting the barrel of Tian Haiming’s gun. He managed a faint smile. “Brother, don’t shoot. I’m one of you.”

“Who the hell is ‘one of you’? Looks like today’s my lucky day,” Tian Haiming laughed, but, wary of Wu’s subtle movements, fired a shot into the ground. “Don’t try anything. I’d prefer to take a Red alive, but if I have to shoot, I’ll still get credit.”

“Brother, don’t misunderstand. I really am one of you. I’m an undercover agent from the CC Faction, infiltrating the Reds. If you don’t believe me, check with the Party Affairs Office,” Director Wu blurted, startled. He’d never expected Tian Haiming to fire so quickly and was desperate to prove his true identity.

Perhaps out of fear, Director Wu’s voice was loud. Bai Zeshou, who’d been poised to shoot, lowered his weapon, relieved that his hesitation had spared him from rescuing a mere mole.

“Is that so?” Tian Haiming hesitated. After all, the CC Faction was known for such tactics.

But just then, Director Wu made his move. As Tian Haiming was distracted, Wu spun around, wrested the pistol from his grasp, and fired several shots into Tian’s chest—quick, clean, and ruthless.

Relations between the Special Services and the CC Faction were notoriously poor. Outwardly, they clashed often; privately, things were even more explosive, with lives lost on both sides.

Though Director Wu wasn’t a Red, if he fell into the hands of the Special Services, he’d surely be labeled one, and his death would be meaningless. That’s why he didn’t hesitate to shoot.

The sudden violence stunned Bai Zeshou, but he quickly fired toward the front, while Director Wu used Tian Haiming’s cooling corpse as cover.