Chapter Fifty-Nine: The Rickshaw Puller

(Beneath the words of gratitude to the supporters.)

Bang!

Without any warning, Mr. Li pulled the trigger. Everyone was startled, then looked in disbelief at Guo Xiaofei, who slowly collapsed to the ground.

At that moment, Guo Xiaofei opened his eyes, staring straight at Mr. Li, unwillingness etched across his face as he fell.

Thud!

The sound of his body hitting the floor struck the hearts of all present like a heavy hammer. Mr. Li’s method this time was shockingly violent and crude, a complete departure from his usual style.

Moreover, there were clear protocols within the organization for dealing with and judging traitors. Yet Mr. Li had merely asked a few questions and, with scant evidence, had executed him on the spot.

This conduct left everyone bewildered and suspicious. Even Ye Weitian, who was privy to part of the plan, found himself confused by Mr. Li’s actions; to him, it seemed as if Mr. Li was acting with uncharacteristic haste.

It even gave him the impression that Mr. Li would rather kill an innocent than let a traitor slip by. He truly couldn’t make sense of what was happening.

If he hadn’t received a telegram from his superiors earlier—during Mr. Li’s time as a wanted man—instructing him to continue obeying Mr. Li’s leadership, Ye Weitian would have begun to suspect Mr. Li had betrayed the revolution.

Meanwhile, not far away, Lu Tiankang breathed a sigh of relief upon witnessing Guo Xiaofei’s execution. Though the whole process felt surreal and almost dreamlike, the outcome suited his purposes.

He raised his head, glanced at Mr. Li across from him, and, frowning slightly, remained silent.

Though the group was filled with sorrow, all eyes turned to Mr. Li, awaiting his next instructions. But after firing the shot, Mr. Li lowered his head again, falling into deep thought.

Only after a long while did Mr. Li’s voice finally drift into their ears: “You all should disperse. Stay safe. The special commissioner will contact you about future tasks and arrangements.”

“What? Old Li, do you mean there really is a special commissioner, and the rendezvous is truly happening?” Ye Weitian looked at Mr. Li in surprise.

Mr. Li nodded.

“But earlier, you said that the time and place for the rendezvous had already been discovered by the Special Service Department. How can you still meet? If you show up, won’t you walk right into the enemy’s trap?” Zhou Shan asked worriedly.

“The threat from a traitor within our own ranks is far greater than the Special Service Department’s encirclement,” Mr. Li replied, his tone full of helplessness and grief.

“Old Li, can’t you notify the special commissioner to cancel the rendezvous? There must be a contingency plan,” Ye Weitian suggested.

“I can’t. The special commissioner has come with a mission. We’ve already lost two days due to the sudden tightening of the blockade. Besides, I can only passively wait for the commissioner to contact me; I have no way of contacting him,” Mr. Li explained.

“Old Li, if you don’t show up, the commissioner will surely try to reach you again. How about that?” Aunt Wang suddenly proposed.

“Of course I’ve thought about abandoning the rendezvous. But the special commissioner is an outsider—every extra day he stays here under these tense circumstances, the danger doubles. That’s why I must meet him this afternoon.”

“But your situation is hardly safe. The risk is too great if you go in person. Let me go instead,” Ye Weitian said, stepping forward resolutely after a moment’s thought.

“No need. The rendezvous isn’t as dangerous as you imagine. The time isn’t two in the afternoon, but one. By the time the Special Service Department reacts, the meeting will be long over,” Mr. Li said, suddenly cracking a faint smile.

“One in the afternoon?”

“Yes, one o’clock. Now you can rest easy.” Mr. Li smiled at everyone.

But within Lu Tiankang, a storm was raging. Mr. Li truly lived up to his reputation as an old revolutionary—his mastery of espionage work was profound, blending truth and falsehood until no one could discern his true intentions.

Yet he knew he must get this information out as quickly as possible. He had infiltrated the reds for the money, but now he longed to live openly, no longer skulking in the shadows like a rat.

Only by wiping out these reds could he breathe the air of freedom under the sunlight. With the fortune he’d squirreled away, he could live a life of ease anywhere.

“That’s enough. The rendezvous is set. Everyone, leave separately,” Mr. Li said, glancing at the group.

“All right, Mr. Li, take care of yourself. But regardless of everything, Old Guo was a comrade and a friend—you can’t just leave him here,” Aunt Wang said mournfully, her voice low.

“I’ll see to it. There’s a pond behind the distillery,” Mr. Li replied quietly.

“Okay, we’ll go now. Take care, Mr. Li,” Zhou Shan, Aunt Wang, Lu Tiankang, and Ye Weitian quickly departed, leaving Mr. Li inside to deal with Guo Xiaofei’s body.

After leaving the distillery, Lu Tiankang flagged down a rickshaw at random and headed toward his residence. By coincidence, the driver was the same man who’d taken him to the distillery earlier.

This time, however, Lu Tiankang didn’t rush to deliver the information. Instead, he went home and stayed there for almost an hour before stepping out again.

Once he had confirmed everything was normal, he casually chose a phone booth and made his call.

Special Service Department.

Liu Peiru was making plans for the afternoon’s arrests. As long as he could catch the red envoy and Mr. Li together, the credit would almost guarantee him the position of deputy director of the Special Service Department.

He had coveted that position for a long time. Not long ago, the speculation was only whispered among colleagues, but now it was certain—only he, Li Hongwei, Qian Yihai, or Wu Zhengke would be promoted.

Just then, the phone rang.

“There’s been a change. Time is short, so I’ll be brief: the rendezvous between Mr. Li and the special commissioner is not at two, but at one this afternoon. Make arrangements quickly.” Lu Tiankang’s voice came swiftly through the receiver.

“What’s going on? Why has the time changed?” Liu Peiru frowned, puzzled.

“It’s a long story. It was all that bastard Mr. Li’s scheme—I was nearly exposed. Luckily, things are back on track now. I’m hanging up,” Lu Tiankang said, ending the call.

He closed his eyes and let out a slow breath. Relief washed over him.

He turned to leave the phone booth, but was greeted by the cold black muzzle of a pistol. Even more startling, the man holding the gun was the very rickshaw driver who had twice carried him.