53. Give credit

In the dark night with heavy rain, more than ten spies hurried on their way in silence, letting the rain fall on their straw raincoats and bamboo hats.

After turning the corner of Anxi Street, a secret agent brought out more than ten war horses. Everyone jumped on the horses and galloped towards the East Market.

The sound of horse hooves stepping on the accumulated water was like waves blooming on the ground.

Although Chen Ji survived the disaster, he still felt a palpitation in his heart. He could only hold the reins tightly to adapt to the galloping rhythm of the warhorse and barely avoid falling off the horse.

The pain in his neck almost made him mistakenly believe that Si Cao was still pinching him.

However, Chen Ji still had many doubts in his heart...

Jin Zhu, riding on his horse, turned to look at him. "You seem a little different today than usual. You seem to be worried. What's going on? Did something happen at the Taiping Clinic?"

Chen Ji's heart sank. This golden pig was good at observing people's expressions and would not miss any clues.

He responded with full energy, "Reporting to Master Jinzhu, my master gave me a lecture later that evening. He told me not to go out so often and to focus on my studies."

Jin Zhu knew Chen Ji was hinting at something like, "Don't come looking for me unless you have something to do," but he feigned ignorance and smiled. "Imperial Doctor Yao, I often saw him in the capital in the early years. He cured the Minister of Internal Affairs' leg disease while he was there. Everyone in our Secret Service Department was very polite to him. It's okay. You can honestly tell the old man that you're a secret agent. He'll understand."

Seeing Chen Ji remained silent, he spoke slowly and soothingly, "Are you worried that capturing Jing Dynasty spies is too dangerous? Don't worry, our Secret Service has elite soldiers and strong generals. White Dragon and Black Snake have beaten the head of Jing Dynasty's Military Intelligence Department to the point where they dare not show their heads in the capital, and Corpse Dog and Treasure Monkey have them under immense pressure in Jinling. This country still belongs to our Ning Dynasty, and we won't tolerate their presumption."

When Chen Ji heard this, he suddenly fell into deep thought.

The Ning Dynasty's Secret Intelligence Department has the twelve zodiac animals in charge, but is the Jing Dynasty's Military Intelligence Department only supported by one official?

You have to know that in the Jing Dynasty Military Intelligence Department's system, the next level above the Secretary is the Chief. With only these two people supporting such a large Military Intelligence Department, it seems weak no matter how you look at it.

However, this incident made Chen Ji feel puzzled: the Si Cao he saw today seemed different from the last time.

In Bailu Pavilion, when the Si Cao killed someone, he deliberately avoided the eyes of the deceased, but tonight, the other party stared at his own eyes, as if he enjoyed watching the deceased's gaze gradually lose its spirit.

In Bailu Pavilion, the Si Cao liked to use a knife. Even when dealing with a small character like me, he would definitely take out a short knife. But tonight, the Si Cao did not take out a knife.

In Bailu Pavilion, the Si Cao mentioned his uncle several times, but the other party did not mention him at all tonight.

The more Chen Ji thought about it, the more strange it seemed. Was it the same person beneath the Si Cao mask? If so, then the daily affairs of Bailu Pavilion were already busy enough. How could this Si Cao have the energy to manage the entire Military Intelligence Department's intelligence network?

Chen Ji suddenly asked, "Master Jinzhu, is the head of the Military Intelligence Department hiding in the capital of our Ning Dynasty?"

Golden Pig nodded. "Well, that's the intelligence we got, at least. But the spies we arrested were too low-level, and no one has ever seen his true appearance."

Chen Ji asked again, "Who from the Military Intelligence Department is lurking in Nanjing?"

"Of course it's the Military Intelligence Department's Secretary, but I don't know who came to Luocheng this time."

Chen Ji fell into deep thought.

…

…

Golden Pig looked at Chen Ji and asked with a smile, "Why are you asking about their Si Cao and Si Zhu? Do you want to capture them? You have ambition! If you really catch them, you might actually be promoted to the Twelve Zodiac Signs. Then you will have no shortage of ways to cultivate. The Lord Internal Minister will ensure that you will rise to the top."

"Oh?

"Does the Minister of Internal Affairs have many ways to practice cultivation?" Chen Ji asked doubtfully, "Does the Minister of Internal Affairs have many ways to practice cultivation?"

Golden Pig laughed heartily, "What kind of person is the Minister of Internal Affairs? He must have collected a lot of valuables when he ravaged the martial arts world ten years ago. Otherwise, why do you think Yunyang and Jiaotu want to achieve merit? It's because their cultivation is stuck at the Xiantian realm. If they want to break through to the Dao-seeking realm, they need to achieve great merit."

Chen Ji thought to himself, "So that's how it is. No wonder the Minister of Internal Affairs can control all the officials."

He then asked, "Master Jinzhu, since the Jing Dynasty spy has been captured, they should know who they are and what he looks like. Why do they need to look for me?"

The Golden Pig chuckled and said, "I will make my own arrangements."

Chen Ji frowned, he didn't understand Jin Zhu's intention.

The Golden Pig is obviously different from the Cloud Sheep and the Bright Rabbit. Although it always has a smile on its face, it is like a bottomless pit that is impossible to see through or guess.

The crowd walked through the rain and finally arrived at Red Lane.

Red Lane is the most lively place in Los Angeles at night. It is lined with brothels, gambling houses, and restaurants. If anyone wants to become famous in Los Angeles, they must open a business in Red Lane.

At this time, above the brightly lit buildings, the rain washed over the roofs and then hung down from the eaves to form a rain curtain.

Countless girls in brightly colored clothes waved and flirted with the guests passing downstairs. Even the heavy rain could not stop the liveliness of Red Lane.

However, when more than ten riders from the Secret Service arrived, all the girls and guests saw the solemn bamboo hats and raincoats and hid inside the building. Some even hurriedly blew out the candles in the house.

In just a few breaths, the presence of the Secret Service was like a bucket of ice water, and the huge Red Lane was silent as a cicada in winter.

Jin Zhu laughed and looked at Chen Ji: "See? What is the Secret Service? This is the Secret Service!"

Everyone dismounted at a gambling house called "Asakura" and walked straight inside.

However, the gambling house had been taken over by dozens of spies at some point, with gamblers and swindlers squatting nearby. The so-called swindlers were the dealers of this era, also known as recorders.

Jin Zhu lowered his voice and asked, "Where is the defected spy?"

A secret agent bowed and said, "Sir, he's upstairs. He's willing to confess, but he has to tell you in person that he has conditions to discuss with you."

"lead the way!"

Chen Ji stood aside, inexplicably shocked: The Secret Service had already captured that defecting spy?!

If I just followed him upstairs, wouldn't he recognize me on the spot?

What to do? Fight your way out?

There are so many spies here. With my status as a newly-appointed officer, I can probably deal with one or two spies, but how can I fight my way out?

Jin Zhu walked up the stairs and looked back at Chen Ji in confusion: "Hey, why don't you come up? There are still many things to do. Don't waste time."

Chen Ji said, "Sir, I want to check downstairs to see if there are other spies hiding among the gamblers."

The Golden Pig smiled and waved his hands: "No need, no need, come up quickly."

Chen Ji had no choice but to lower his hat and walk upstairs.

Arriving on the second floor, Jin Zhu pushed open the door and saw a man hanging from the ceiling, his hands tied with hemp ropes and hanging from the beam. Four secret agents were guarding him with knives on their waists.

Chen Ji looked up cautiously, but was shocked to find that the hanged man's face was black and blue, and blood was flowing from all seven orifices. He was deader than dead.

Of course, a dead person cannot identify him!

Chen Ji's palms were numb from nervousness, but he pretended to be calm and asked, "Master Jinzhu, since he is a defected spy, he is extremely important. Why kill him?"

"This person is not the defected spy, but the spy who was responsible for capturing the defected spy... How confusing! Haha, after this person was caught by us, he committed suicide by biting himself with poison," said Jinzhu with a smile.

Chen Ji's heart was lifted again. The defected spy was not dead yet!

The Golden Pig surrounded the hanged spy and exclaimed, "The Jing Dynasty's spies are all deadly warriors. They are cruel to others and even crueler to themselves. Over the years, it has been difficult for my Secret Service to capture a single one alive. Do you know why?"

Chen Ji shook his head: "I don't know."

"On the one hand, it's because they're quick enough to purge themselves. As soon as they discover someone is exposed, they immediately purge the entire intelligence line from top to bottom, sacrificing the rook to save the king. Killing a few people to protect the overall situation is a wise move. As the saying goes, righteousness doesn't go into business, and kindness doesn't lead the army. That head of the Military Intelligence Department is a powerful figure."

"On the other hand, they specifically target spies with families to lurk in the city. If a spy betrays them, their entire family in the Jing Dynasty will be arrested. The young men will be enslaved, and the women will be prostituted; the old ones will be executed directly."

Chen Ji's heart sank. The struggle between the spies of the two dynasties was so cruel.

He asked, "I wonder what Master Jinzhu's next plan is. Do you need me to track down the defecting spy?"

"No rush, no rush. All we know now is that the spy was injured. We could have followed the scent of blood to find him, but a heavy rain washed away all the traces. Now it's hard to find him, but it doesn't matter..." Golden Pig looked at the spy beside him and asked, "After we came in, did anyone go to tip him off?"

The spy whispered, "It's the spy you suspected, sir. He quietly went to the toilet."

"Let him go. We'll just wait here for the Jing Dynasty spies to come and kill him!"

Chen Ji suddenly understood that Jin Zhu had not caught the defecting spy tonight and had no intention of catching the defecting spy.

The other party blocked the entire gambling house, blocked the news, and directly announced to the public that they had captured a defected spy, luring Si Cao from the Military Intelligence Department to come and kill them!

What Jinzhu is betting on is that the Jingchao Military Intelligence Department has not caught the defected spy, so they have to come and kill him to silence him... What an amazing ability to respond!

This kind of person is much more difficult to deal with than Yunyang and Jiaotu!

Chen Ji was silent for a moment: "Why did Lord Jinzhu tell me everything?"

The Golden Pig smiled and held his hands. "You don't know, but I'm different from the Bright Rabbit and the Cloud Sheep. They like to take credit, but I like to give it away!"

"Oh?" Chen Ji was puzzled.

Golden Pig patted the back of his hand and said, "Those two bastards are devoted to cultivation, hoping to exchange their merits for a higher level of cultivation. I don't have that ambition, nor do I seek immortality. It's not easy to sit in the position of the twelve zodiac animals. If I want to go any higher, I'm afraid I will have to enter the palace and replace Master Wu Xiu. I don't care about the top three or the bottom nine. The bottom nine is good enough. If the sky falls, there are tall people to hold it up!"

Chen Ji was speechless. This Lord Golden Pig was well versed in the doctrine of the mean.

Golden Pig continued, "I like making friends. When the Minister of Internal Affairs personally issued an order to appoint you to the Secret Service, I knew you caught his eye. The last time someone was specially appointed to the Secret Service was by Tianma..."

"oh?"

Golden Pig laughed and said, "Do you know who worked for Tianma when he first started working as a spy? I worked for him. Back then, I helped him gain merit step by step, and finally brought him to Tianma's position. Now that he has achieved the third rank, he naturally remembers my kindness. Don't worry, I'm not afraid that you will surpass me in status in the future. The higher your position, the better... Just don't forget me."

"So the reason why the adults asked me to come here tonight is..."

"If we catch the Jing Dynasty spy tonight, the credit will be half for you and half for me."

…

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