Chapter 191 I Went Mad During the Republic of China 7
After leaving the teahouse, Old K didn't take the main road. Instead, he ventured into the winding alleys. After walking for a while, he would stop and chat with an old man getting a haircut by the roadside. Then, after walking a little further, he would go into a general store, buy a pack of tobacco leaves, chat with the shopkeeper, and take the opportunity to check if anyone was following him.
Zhou Jue followed him all the way. Old K went into the shop three times, turned nine corners, and finally stopped in front of an ordinary courtyard house. He took out his key, opened the door, and slipped inside.
Zhou Jue stood for a while at the candied hawthorn vendor at the entrance of the alley, carefully scanning the entire courtyard inside and out with her mental power. After confirming that there were no other people watching, she turned around and slipped into a deserted dead-end alley next to her. She lightly touched the wall with her toes and silently climbed over the wall.
The yard wasn't big, but it was kept clean and tidy. There was a grapevine and several pots of thriving flowers and plants. Old K had just bolted the door from the inside and hadn't even had a chance to catch his breath when he turned around and saw a strange girl standing prettily in front of him. It turned out to be the country girl who had been drinking tea at the tea stall.
He tensed up instantly. Years of underground work had given him a beast-like instinct. He didn't shout or ask anything. His right hand flashed out from behind his waist and pulled out a black pistol, the muzzle pointing directly at Zhou Jue's forehead.
However, he was fast, but Zhou Jue was even faster.
He felt a sudden numbness in his wrist, and the precious gun that had been with him for so many years seemed to have forgotten him, falling steadily into the other person's hand. Zhou Jue weighed the gun in his hand, removed the magazine, ejected the bullet from the chamber, and then placed the empty gun and the bullet together on the stone table in the courtyard.
Old K's pupils contracted, and a fine layer of cold sweat appeared on his forehead. This move was too fast.
"Hello, Comrade K." Zhou Jue spoke, his voice not loud but clear: "My name is Xinghuo. I'm sorry to meet you in this way, but it's the only option."
As she spoke, she took out the five-pointed star badge engraved with flames from her pocket and handed it over.
Old K's gaze shifted from Zhou Jue's face to the badge, and he was completely stunned. Although he had never heard of the code name "Spark," he recognized this badge.
His tense body finally relaxed slightly, but his vigilance remained undiminished: "What... evidence do you have to prove your identity?"
“The evidence is what I’m about to say.” Zhou Jue put away his badge and spoke very quickly, without wasting a single word: “I just came from the mountains and met a comrade codenamed Steel Nail. He was being chased by the Japanese and was seriously wounded.”
"Steel nail?!" Old K's voice suddenly rose, and he took a step forward: "How is he? Is he still alive?"
Steel Nail was one of his most capable henchmen, and he lost contact with him three days ago. He had already prepared for the worst.
"Alive." Zhou Jue's answer eased his anxiety slightly. "But he was badly injured. I've settled him in a safe place to recover. Don't worry, his injuries have been treated, and he's safe."
Old K breathed a sigh of relief, but the doubt in his eyes deepened. Why was the information about the steel nail delivered by her?
"The two pieces of intelligence he risked his life to send out." Zhou Jue didn't give him time to think about it and cut straight to the point: "The first one is that there is a traitor among us, codenamed Cuckoo. He betrayed a list of underground comrades. The Japanese didn't take action, they were planning to play the long game and catch the big fish. Juyuande Teahouse is the trap they set. You should have seen it today."
Old K's face turned deathly pale instantly. He had noticed something amiss when he went to the teahouse earlier that day, but he never imagined the situation was a hundred times more serious than he had thought! A traitor and a list meant that the entire underground organization in northern Hebei could potentially be exposed.
"Also, Comrade Huamei has already sacrificed his life," Zhou Jue added, continuing before Old K could react.
"The second intelligence report." Zhou Jue's voice deepened: "The Cherry Blossom North China Garrison is planning a large-scale military operation, intending to use the disappearance of soldiers as a pretext to provoke an incident at Lugou Bridge and launch a full-scale attack!"
Old K was struck dumb. He staggered back two steps, grabbing the stone table behind him to keep from falling. He knew the Japanese devils were cunning and would make their move sooner or later, but he never expected it to happen so quickly, and that they had even prepared a story for it!
“Steel Nail’s intelligence says the time is in early July.” Zhou Jue looked at him and added, word by word, “My intelligence is more accurate. The time is July 7th, night. Today is July 2nd, and we only have five days left.”
Five days!
Old K's mind went blank for a moment. He finally understood why this comrade named Xinghuo would use such an extreme way to see him. This was no longer a matter of life and death; it was a matter of the sky falling down!
"I need you to use all your connections to get in touch with the organization, and have the organization take the lead in contacting the high-ranking officials of the Kuomintang and the 29th Army, and tell them exactly what the Japanese are going to do! Make them prepare for battle!" Zhou Jue knew that at this time, only the 29th Army had the largest number of troops in this area. Now that it was a critical time, cooperation between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party was the right thing to do. He just didn't know if the Kuomintang would still have any illusions.
Zhou Jue's eyes sharpened: "As for that leaked list, give me the comrades on it."
"No way!" Old K refused without hesitation: "You alone? Do you know how many spies the Japanese have planted around those comrades' hideouts? It's like a spider web! Going there like that is like walking into a trap!"
“I have my own way.” Zhou Jue’s tone left no room for doubt: “We’ll split up and act separately. You’ll be responsible for contacting the higher-ups and stabilizing the situation. I’ll be responsible for rescuing people and eliminating potential threats. I’ll come back to you at midnight tonight, Old K. Make sure the Nanjing government and the 29th Army believe this and take precautions in advance. This won’t be easy.”
After she finished speaking, she didn't give Old K a chance to refute her. She turned around, leaped over the courtyard wall without making a sound.
Old K stood in the courtyard, looking at the empty wall. He looked down at the empty gun and the bright yellow bullet on the stone table, then looked up at the sky.
He took a deep breath, steadied himself, turned and strode into the house. He had to act immediately, organize and encrypt the intelligence, and then report it to Yan'an as quickly as possible! Time was of the essence, and he didn't know if the Kuomintang would believe them.
As for this comrade named Xinghuo... he also needs to report to his superiors and confirm his identity!
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