Chapter Sixty-Seven: Chronicles of Great Events

Chapter Sixty-Seven: Chronicle of Major Events

Returning to his room, Mr. Li glanced at the blank envelope without giving it much thought, then opened it and took out the letter inside. At the very top of the seemingly blank sheet was the fox paw emblem he knew so well. Upon seeing it, Mr. Li relaxed—without a doubt, this letter had come from “The Fox.” Yet, it was the speed and manner of the reply that sent a chill through him.

Today’s method of communication was the only time, since he’d begun working with “The Fox,” that they hadn’t used a dead drop. Such a break from protocol could only mean an emergency—it was clear the intelligence was urgent and of great importance.

But what truly unsettled Mr. Li was the unnerving accuracy of “The Fox’s” information. His address was an absolute secret, and this safehouse had only recently been activated. For someone to have found it so quickly was a frightening thought. Fortunately, “The Fox” was an ally. Collecting his thoughts, Mr. Li fetched the developing solution and gently applied it to the paper. As the damp page dried, rows of clear writing emerged:

“Commissioner An Guoming arrived in Shanning three days ago. His whereabouts for one entire day remain unknown. Furthermore, Liu Peiru was arrested last night; the Secret Service suspects him of being a member of the Red Party.”

Just two short sentences, but they revealed a wealth of information. Although “The Fox” didn’t provide specific instructions, Mr. Li sensed something significant between the lines.

The commissioner’s whereabouts had been unknown for a whole day? Disappearing for such a length of time—what could that mean? No one but the person involved could say for certain what had happened. If “The Fox”—who could so easily uncover Mr. Li’s address—couldn’t determine where the commissioner had gone during that day, then something was certainly amiss. The commissioner’s main purpose in Shanning was to deliver orders from above, yet he had vanished for a day.

At this thought, Mr. Li’s expression grew grave. He moved on to the second piece of intelligence: Liu Peiru had been arrested, and the Secret Service suspected him of being a Red Party operative. This, Mr. Li realized, was likely “The Fox’s” true purpose—notifying him that Liu Peiru was being framed.

Taking a deep breath, Mr. Li struck a match and burned the letter. He checked the time—nearly two o’clock. There wasn’t much left before the next rendezvous. He decided to head for the abandoned distillery to wait.

Yet, with Bai Zeshao’s warning from the previous night, and now “The Fox’s” intelligence, Mr. Li was more cautious about the upcoming meeting. Although suspicions about the commissioner were mounting, there was no concrete evidence of betrayal.

Three o’clock in the afternoon. As agreed, Mr. Li met An Guoming at the abandoned distillery. This was the first time he truly had a chance to observe the man; everything else aside, it was An Guoming’s eyes that left the deepest impression.

“Comrade An, was your journey here uneventful? Where have you been staying? Do you need our help arranging accommodations?” Mr. Li inquired with concern.

“It’s been fine. I haven’t detected anyone tailing me, and my current lodgings are secure enough. But let’s not worry about that now—I should first explain my mission,” replied An Guoming, steering the conversation toward the task at hand.

“What is it?” Mr. Li asked curiously.

“Our superiors received intelligence from comrades in other regions: two Nationalist generals stationed in Chang’an—General Zhang and General Yang—are planning a military remonstration. Their aim is to force Chief Chiang to change the current policy towards resistance against Japan.”

He paused, then continued slowly, “Ordinarily, such intelligence could be sent by telegram, but the matter is grave. To prevent interception and decryption by the enemy, I was dispatched to Shanning to deliver it in person.”

Mr. Li drew a sharp breath at An Guoming’s words. The news was shocking—if it proved true, it would shake the very foundations of the state.

With this in mind, Mr. Li couldn’t help but ask, “How likely is this to happen?”

“I don’t know. Many of our comrades are working through various channels to verify the intelligence.”

“What is our underground organization in Shanning tasked with?” Mr. Li asked directly.

“It’s straightforward. Find out the movements of the Secret Service and the Party Affairs Office. If we have intercepted this information, the Secret Service likely has their own channels as well. Our job is to verify the truth as much as possible,” An Guoming answered quickly.

“Understood,” Mr. Li nodded.

“In addition,” An Guoming said, casting a glance at Mr. Li, “I need to meet with all members of our Shanning Party Committee.”

“All members?” Mr. Li asked warily.

“That’s right. Besides delivering orders, I am also tasked with selecting outstanding party members to go to Red Capital for further study and training, to raise their ideological standards,” explained An Guoming, looking at Mr. Li.

“Very well, I’ll arrange it when I can. The situation is tense right now, and many comrades have suspended their activities,” Mr. Li replied, unable to refuse a commissioner’s order, though he gave no specific time, answering perfunctorily.

“Arrange as you see fit. I won’t be in Shanning long—a week at most. Try to organize the meeting as soon as possible,” An Guoming said with a nod.

“Understood. But Comrade An, the Secret Service is frantically hunting our people. It’s not safe for an outsider like you to stay alone. You should stay in the place we’ve prepared for you,” Mr. Li insisted.

“Well... all right,” An Guoming relented under Mr. Li’s firm gaze.

“Good. Let’s do that. I’ll take you there now, so you can see if you’re missing anything and I can make arrangements,” Mr. Li said briskly.

“No need. I still have some things to pick up from my own place. Just tell me where it is; I can find it myself,” An Guoming refused.

“All right, but be careful.”

“I’ll be going, then,” An Guoming said, and left immediately.

Mr. Li watched him go in silence for a long moment, then addressed the shadow lingering in the corner: “Follow him. Be careful.”

“Understood,” came the reply, and the figure swiftly slipped away, heading in the direction An Guoming had taken.