After dealing with Sun Xiangde's probing, Zhou Hao checked the time. The time bomb in the suitcase was already set, with five minutes left to detonate. He should be able to escape without any problem.

He took a sip of coffee, leisurely reading the newspaper in his hand. After a short while, he called over the waiter and asked, "Where is the restroom?"

The waiter nodded in agreement and said, "Sir, please follow me!"

Zhou Hao got up and followed the waiter out of the lobby and to the restroom at the back. He nodded to the waiter and thanked him before pushing open the door and going inside.

He glanced at his watch; there was still one minute left before the explosion. Seeing that no one was around, he walked a few steps to the bathroom window, opened it, and leaped out.

There was a small corridor under the bathroom window. Zhou Hao quickly determined the direction and left.

The TNT explosives placed in the suitcase were very powerful, especially in the relatively enclosed café hall.

Moreover, the distance between the explosion and Sun Xiangde was relatively close. If the explosion succeeded, the shockwave alone would be enough to kill Sun Xiangde.

Once the explosion is heard, the spies lying in ambush will swarm in, and Zhou Hao must get out of danger as soon as possible before that happens.

At this moment, Li Zhiqun and Wu Shicai, who were sitting opposite the coffee shop, were carefully observing the flow of people on the street.

Li Zhiqun pointed to the opposite side and instructed Wu Shicai: "There were two people in the hall earlier who were not our people. Five minutes ago, a man in a suit went in. When we make the arrest, take all three of them back with us. Even if they are not Bats, they are very likely to be people sent by Bats to scout ahead. In short, we cannot let any suspicious persons go."

Li Zhiqun worked for the underground Communist Party in his early years and received special agent training in the Soviet Union. Later, he joined the Central Bureau of Investigation and Statistics (Zhongtongju) and engaged in espionage work. Over the years, he has been on the front line of intelligence, and his experience as an agent is far beyond that of ordinary agents.

Now, all the people he can use are these roughnecks from the Green Gang. He's forced into this role, and he can only train them slowly.

Fortunately, Wu Shicai was also quick-witted and grasped Li Zhiqun's instructions quickly. He nodded and agreed, "Yes, arrest everyone inside in a moment."

In the café lobby, Sun Xiangde's gaze kept sweeping towards the door. He checked his watch again; there were still ten minutes until the appointed time, and the bat should be appearing soon.

He turned his head, his gaze sweeping over the seats next to him, and suddenly realized something was wrong; he felt as if he had overlooked something.

The man in the suit was going to the restroom, which is fine. However, he left a small leather suitcase nearby. Keep in mind that during the Republic of China era, public security was very poor, especially in a chaotic metropolis like Shanghai. Thieves and habitual thieves were everywhere, and theft and robbery were almost a constant occurrence. Wasn't it a bit too careless to leave the suitcase there?

Sun Xiangde was, after all, a veteran agent with a very sharp mind. Normally, he wouldn't be so sensitive and vigilant, but today's situation was special, so he had no choice but to be extra cautious.

However, he hesitated. Of course, he couldn't give up the meeting just because of an unknown suitcase. He gave the agents next to him a wink, signaling them to check the suitcase, while he got up and left his seat, walking to the other side of the hall.

An agent quickly stepped forward, picked up the leather suitcase, placed it on the table, unfastened the buckle, and was about to open it.

"Boom!"

A loud bang rang in everyone's ears, and the entire hall shook violently. A strong shockwave radiated outwards from the suitcase in an instant.

A scorching wave, accompanied by a deafening roar, shot out in all directions, carrying fragments of surrounding objects, like a dazzling, enormous spark!

"Crack!"

The powerful shockwave shattered the glass windows of the café facing the street, sending debris flying in all directions. A gust of wind lifted nearby pedestrians into the air, causing gasps and panic among the crowd.

The spy who opened the suitcase had long been blown to pieces, with blood and fragments flying everywhere, splattering flesh and blood onto the white walls.

The others in the hall were also engulfed by the huge ball of fire. Their bodies were struck by the shockwave, as if struck by lightning. Blood flowed from their noses and mouths, and they all lost consciousness, collapsing in the ruins. For a moment, the entire coffee shop hall was a scene of utter devastation, a living hell.

All of this happened in a split second; the huge explosion caught everyone off guard.

At that moment, a young man was walking briskly towards the coffee shop, blending into the crowd on the street. But just as he got close, a sudden, violent explosion made him stop in his tracks.

Then I saw the coffee shop's windows shatter and pedestrians scattering in all directions.

The young man's expression changed drastically. Without a moment's hesitation, he turned around and walked back.

He wasn't the only one startled by the explosion; Li Zhiqun and Wu Shicai were also caught off guard when they saw it. However, Li Zhiqun reacted quickly and shouted, "Quick, stop the flow of people, block off the entire street, don't let anyone escape!"

Wu Shicai pushed open the window and blew a long whistle. The agents guarding the front and back street corners quickly drew their pistols, fired warning shots, and stopped the panicked crowd. The leader of the action squad, Fan He, shouted loudly: "Everyone, squat down! Anyone who dares to run away will be shot on the spot."

The agents quickly brought the situation under control, and for a moment, the pedestrians on the street were so frightened that they squatted on the ground. However, Zhou Hao, who had come out from the side alley, was just at the west street corner when he was blocked by several agents.

This chapter is not finished, please click the next page to continue reading!