Chapter Nine, Puppet Show No. 76

The firelight in the rearview mirror grew farther and farther away.

Little Bean huddled in the passenger seat.

As the car drove off the Suzhou Creek Bridge, it was already getting light.

Qiao Yuan looked up at the sky. The clouds in the east were dyed blood red, like the blood on Zheng Hao's cotton-padded jacket.

He touched the iron plate in his arms, feeling that it still carried Zheng Hao's body heat.

The wind blew in through the car window, messing up his hair.

Qiao Yuan stepped on the gas, and the car, like a wounded wild beast, sped towards Jiangcheng.

In the rearview mirror, the flames on the Suzhou Creek Bridge grew smaller and smaller until they became a red dot and disappeared into the morning mist.

...

Under Cheng Qing's control, Qiao Yuan drove her back to No. 76.

"Get out of the car." Cheng Qing still pointed the gun at him, her voice filled with the hysteria of someone who had survived a disaster.

Qiao Yuan looked up and saw two sentries standing at the door with guns pointed at him.

Little Bean huddled in the passenger seat.

Qiao Yuan leaned over to comfort Xiao Douzi, but Cheng Qing suddenly pressed a gun against his lower back: "If you don't want this brat to die, then come with me obediently."

“I’ll go with you,” Qiao Yuan said coldly.

The sentry came over and pulled Little Bean away.

"Come with me!"

Where to?

"Go see Mr. Ishimura! I will speak to him on your behalf, acknowledging your merit in this operation and your protection of me. From now on, you will stay by my side, my deputy captain!"

Qiao Yuan was taken aback, then sneered, "Back then, I refused to cooperate with Sato, and now you want me to be your dog?"

“Things are different now!” Cheng Qing said coldly. “Back then, you were the powerful and influential Chief Qiao! Now you’re just a stray dog. You should feel lucky that I’m taking you in!”

"Is that so?" Qiao Yuan's face showed even more sarcasm.

"Besides, if you want to protect those people in the Axe Gang, you have no choice but to cooperate with me."

Qiao Yuan's smile immediately vanished.

Cheng Qing's smile widened as she looked at him. "If you don't want them to become experimental specimens for the Great Japanese Empire, and if you don't want that child to be dissected and poisoned, then you'd better cooperate with me!"

"Cheng Qing!" Qiao Yuan couldn't take it anymore. "You're Chinese too!"

"Is that so?" Cheng Qing curled her lips in disdain. "I don't remember!" She suddenly became impatient. "Qiao Yuan, what nonsense are you talking about? Are you coming with me or not?"

Qiao Yuan could only follow behind her.

Looking at his submissive appearance, Cheng Qing couldn't help but smile again.

...

The corridor was dimly lit, and a Japanese flag hung on the wall, fluttering in the wind.

Cheng Qing took Qiao Yuan directly to the Shi Village office.

“Mr. Ishimura,” Cheng Qing said with a smile as he opened the door.

Ishimura sat on the sofa, holding a cup of tea in his hand.

Cheng Qing explained the operation to him in Japanese, saying, "Mr. Ishimura was farsighted enough to deliberately leak this operation to lure the reactionary elements in Jiangcheng into a trap! We annihilated those who were sniping and causing trouble on the spot. However, the enemy's firepower was too strong. If it weren't for Mr. Qiao, I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to come back to see you."

Ishimura looked at Qiao Yuan with a fake smile on his face: "Mr. Qiao, thank you so much for saving Sakura-san."

Qiao Yuan stood at the door without saying a word.

Cheng Qing said, "Mr. Ishimura, my team also suffered heavy losses in this operation. I would like to apply to you to make Qiao Yuan the deputy captain of my team, so that he can work with me from now on."

Ishimura put down his teacup, glanced between Cheng Qing and Qiao Yuan, and suddenly laughed out loud: "Sakura-san is always so considerate of her subordinates. Since it's your request, of course I agree." He turned to Qiao Yuan, tapped the table with his fingertips, and said in broken Chinese, "Mr. Qiao, please help Sakura-san with the tasks of the action team in the future."

Qiao Yuan lowered his eyes, and he heard his own voice squeezed out of his throat, somewhat hoarse: "Thank you, Mr. Shicun."

Cheng Qing immediately laughed and tugged at Qiao Yuan's arm: "Aren't you going to bow to Mr. Ishimura right away?"

Qiao Yuan pursed his lips and bent down slightly.

Shi Cun stood up, walked to Qiao Yuan, and patted him on the shoulder. His palm was damp and cool, like a snake crawling across his skin. "Mr. Qiao, I believe you will make the right choice."

Qiao Yuan's shoulders stiffened, and when he looked up, his eyes held a hint of fierceness, but it quickly turned into a still, lifeless look: "Thank you, Mr. Ishimura, I understand."

“Very good.” Ishimura nodded in satisfaction, then turned to Cheng Qing and said, “Sakura-san, Mr. Qiao is now in your care.”

"Yes, Mr. Ishimura," Cheng Qing replied with a smile, pulling Qiao Yuan toward the door.

Qiao Yuan didn't speak, but just stared at the Japanese flag on the corridor wall. The wind whipped the flag and slapped it against the wall with a "smack".

Qiao Yuan looked up and saw that the morning mist had not yet dissipated in the window at the end of the corridor, like a lingering dark cloud.

Seeing that he didn't speak, Cheng Qing pouted and pulled him towards the room: "What are you standing there for? If you don't come, I'll have my men bring the Axe Gang over and show you what they're like."

Qiao Yuan was startled and immediately followed. The corridor was dimly lit, casting a long shadow of him, making him look like a caged beast.

...

As night fell, Cheng Qing was not there, seemingly summoned to an emergency meeting.

Qiao Yuan walked slowly down the corridor. When he reached the door of Shi Cun's office, he suddenly heard the rustling of papers inside. Someone was talking: "This list was given by the remnants of this operation. Order their arrest immediately."

His heart sank suddenly. Although he hadn't heard any names, he remembered Chen Mo and his group. He wondered if Lin Tang and Chen Kan would be involved. Cold sweat instantly broke out on his back. He gripped the plaster in the crack in the wall tightly, listening to the sound of documents being turned over inside. Only when he heard the sound of leather shoes at the end of the corridor did he stick to the corner of the wall like a gecko.

"Hey, Mr. Qiao, it's only been a few days, and you've already become Miss Ouyang's new favorite?" Liang Zuo's voice, reeking of alcohol, crashed over as he leaned against the corner of the corridor, an empty wine bottle sticking out of the tip of his military boot.

Cheng Qing happened to come out of the conference room. Upon hearing this, his face darkened, and he immediately walked over: "Liang Zuo, are you drunk again? What nonsense are you talking about?!"

Liang Zuo chuckled, his gaze lingering on the two men's intertwined arms before he walked away, waving his wine bottle.

Qiao Yuan glanced at Cheng Qing and said casually, "What? You were killing so many people on the bridge, and there were still some who escaped?"

Cheng Qing hugged the folder tightly and lowered her voice, saying, "This is truly a perfect opportunity! Originally, these anti-Japanese elements in Jiangcheng were all well-hidden, but thanks to the people arrested in this operation, there are bound to be a few who aren't tough enough to talk out." She glanced at Qiao Yuan and smiled meaningfully, "You wouldn't believe it, quite a few of them are old acquaintances of ours!"

Qiao Yuan's heart tightened, and he asked, "Who?"

Cheng Qing stopped talking, stretched, and said, "I'm so tired, I'm going back to rest."

Qiao Yuan watched her enter the house with the documents, paused for a moment, then followed her, closing the door behind him.

Cheng Qing tossed the folder onto the bedside table, rubbed her temples, and collapsed onto the sofa: "These days, I'm exhausted."

Qiao Yuan walked over and massaged her shoulders, his fingertips casually tracing the edge of the folder: "Who's on this list?"

Cheng Qing narrowed her eyes and patted his hand: "Don't ask questions you shouldn't ask."

Qiao Yuan smiled, turned around to pour a glass of red wine, and handed it to her: "Let me help you relax."

Cheng Qing took the wine, took a sip, and suddenly laughed out loud: "Qiao Yuan, you've learned how to please me now."

Qiao Yuan sat down beside her, his arm gently encircling her waist: "Even heroes soften when they see a beauty, don't they?"

Cheng Qing smiled and teasingly poked his face, "You should really let Qiao Yuan from five years ago see what you look like now. He should be ashamed to death for his past arrogance."

She stood up, saying, "I'm going to take a shower." After taking a few steps, she turned back, winked, and said, "Don't look at things you shouldn't see!"

Qiao Yuan smiled and said, "Don't worry, I know that only you can protect me now, and I won't do anything to betray you."

But no sooner had Cheng Qing entered the bathroom than Qiao Yuan went to look through the documents.

On the first page of the list, the name "Chen Mo" was like a knife, stabbing painfully into his eyes. It was followed by the note "Jiangcheng underground party leader, to be arrested and executed immediately." The second page had "Lin Tang" on it, with the note "suspected of passing on intelligence and having close ties with Chen Mo." Turning to the last page, the name "Chen Kan" was prominently listed, followed by a question mark and the note "suspicious person, pending further verification."

Qiao Yuan was about to look again when Cheng Qing's face suddenly appeared.

"What are you looking at?"

Cheng Qing's voice was like a sharp needle, making Qiao Yuan's neck ache.

Qiao Yuan could only smile and nod: "I know, I won't dare to touch it."

Cheng Qing let go of his hand, tossed his hair, and walked towards the wardrobe: "Go pour me a glass of red wine, chilled."

Qiao Yuan turned and went to the kitchen, his back already soaked with cold sweat.