Chapter 274 The Cage of Clicks
Jingxin Tea House, Beijing.
At 11 p.m., the streetlights at the entrance of the alley were dim and yellow, illuminating the snow on the ground.
Wu Wenshan, wrapped in an overcoat and with his hat pulled low, walked into the teahouse.
There were no customers in the shop. Li Fugui was standing behind the counter. When he saw him come in, he nodded.
"Mr. Li," Wu Wenshan said in a low voice, "I need to see the tea server."
Li Fugui turned and went into the back room.
After a while, he returned and waved to Wu Wenshan.
Wu Wenshan followed him through the long corridor and into the innermost room.
Inside the room, a man in his fifties sat at the tea table, pouring tea into a cup.
The man was wearing a gray Zhongshan suit, his hair was neatly combed, and his eyes were cold.
"Deputy Director Wu, please have a seat."
Wu Wenshan sat down opposite him, picked up his teacup and took a sip.
"Tea server, I've come here on an important matter."
The tea server put down the teapot and looked at him.
"explain."
Wu Wenshan gritted his teeth: "We're being targeted in the south. The tax authorities are investigating, the docks are being seized, and our cash flow has been cut off. My older brother calls me every day, pressing me hard."
The tea server picked up the teacup and blew on it to cool it down.
"Who is targeting you?"
“Bai Zhu,” Wu Wenshan said. “Besides her, there’s no one else.”
The tea server took a sip of tea but didn't say anything.
Wu Wenshan grew anxious: "Tea server, you have to help me think of a solution."
"A solution?" The tea server put down his teacup. "What solution do you want?"
"Could you..." Wu Wenshan licked his lips, "could you get the organization to help me get rid of Bai Shu?"
The tea server stared at him for a few seconds, then smiled.
"Deputy Director Wu, have you forgotten the rules of the organization?"
Wu Wenshan's face turned pale.
“The organization isn’t your babysitter,” the tea server said. “You got yourself into this mess, so you have to fix it yourself.”
Wu Wenshan clenched his fist: "But..."
"But what?" the tea server interrupted him. "Do you think the organization has been supporting you for so many years for nothing? The money you receive every year is enough for you to live on for several lifetimes. Now that you're in a little trouble, you come crying?"
Wu Wenshan's forehead was beaded with sweat: "Tea server, that's not what I meant..."
The tea server waved his hand: "Alright, stop explaining. You came here this time to get the organization to help you deal with Bai Shu, right?"
Wu Wenshan nodded.
The tea server was silent for a few seconds: "It's not impossible."
Wu Wenshan's eyes lit up.
“But there’s a condition,” the tea server said. “You have to do something for the organization first.”
"What's up?"
The waiter took out a piece of paper and pushed it in front of Wu Wenshan.
"You should have heard of Haitang Technology."
Wu Wenshan nodded: "Atractylodes macrocephala's technology company."
“Yes,” the tea server said. “There’s some information inside that the organization needs.”
Wu Wenshan's pupils contracted as he looked at the contents of the paper.
"Artificial cultivation techniques for moonflower?"
The tea server nodded: "Bai Zhu has already mastered this technology, and the data is kept in the safe at Haitang Technology. You can use your authority to create a power outage for maintenance, and the organization's people will take the opportunity to sneak in and take the data."
Wu Wenshan swallowed hard: "This matter... is very risky."
"Risk?" The tea server sneered. "You're still afraid of risk now? If you don't do it, you'll have to deal with the problems in the south yourself."
Wu Wenshan clenched his fists and remained silent for a long time.
Finally, he nodded.
"Okay, I'll do it."
The tea server smiled with satisfaction.
"Three days from now, at 10 PM, Haitang Technology will undergo a power outage for maintenance. Make the arrangements."
Wu Wenshan stood up, turned around and walked out.
As he reached the door, he turned back and glanced at the tea server.
"Once this matter is settled, you must help me resolve the issue of Atractylodes macrocephala."
The tea server picked up his teacup: "Don't worry, the organization keeps its word."
...
Courtyard No. 1, study.
Bai Zhu sat at the table, listening to a recording through his earphones.
"...Artificial cultivation techniques for moonflowers..."
She pressed the pause button and looked back at Fang Zheng standing at the door.
"Craftsman, are you sure that's the tea server's voice?"
Fang Zheng nodded: "Confirmed. We set up three listening points at the Jingxin Tea House, and the recordings are crystal clear."
Bai Shu took out the photos and looked at them one by one.
In the photo, Wu Wenshan, wrapped in a coat, sneaks into the teahouse.
The tea server sat at the tea table and poured him tea.
The two spoke with their heads down, their expressions grave.
Bai Zhu placed the photo on the table and leaned back in his chair.
"The time has come."
Qin Zheng stood to the side and asked, "Miss, should we call the police?"
Bai Shu shook his head: "The evidence is insufficient."
Qin Zheng frowned: "But we have a recording."
“What can the recording prove?” Bai Shu said. “At most, it proves that Wu Wenshan and the tea server met and spoke. But they can say they were discussing business, and there’s nothing we can do about it.”
Fang Zheng nodded: "Young Master is right. To completely bring down Wu Wenshan, we must catch him red-handed."
Bai Zhu stood up and walked to the window.
Outside the window, the snow was falling heavily, bending the trees in the yard.
She turned around and looked at the two of them.
"I'm going to set a trap and make them deliver the evidence to me themselves."
Qin Zheng's eyes lit up: "Miss, you mean..."
“Yes,” Bai Shu said. “Craftsman, through Haitang’s secret channels, you deliberately leaked false information to the tea server. You said that I had found the artificial cultivation method for Moonlight Grass, and that the key technical data was stored in Haitang Technology’s safe.”
Fang Zheng was taken aback: "Young Master, what if... what if they really come to steal it?"
“I wanted them to steal it,” Bai Shu said. “I put a fake document in the safe and added a high-voltage stun gun. As soon as they opened the safe, they were knocked unconscious on the spot.”
Qin Zheng slapped his thigh: "Brilliant!"
Bai Shu looked at him and said, "Old Qin, you take the security team and lay a tight net in the factory. Remember, don't alert them. Wait until they make their move before you arrest them."
Qin Zheng nodded: "Understood."
Bai Shu then looked at Fang Zheng: "Craftsman, you are responsible for monitoring the tea server's movements. If there is any disturbance, notify me immediately."
Fang Zheng replied, "Yes."
Bai Shu took out his communicator and dialed Zhou Jimin's number.
"Mr. Zhou, how are your preparations going?"
Zhou Jimin's voice came through the communicator: "Boss Bai, the device in the safe is installed. Once opened, it will release a high-voltage current that can stun people, but it won't be fatal."
"Okay," Bai Shu said, "Did you include the fake documents as well?"
“I released him,” Zhou Jimin said. “As you requested, I wrote a technical report that looked very realistic, but it was full of fake data.”
Bai Shu smiled and said, "Thank you for your hard work."
She hung up the communicator and looked out at the snow.
Wu Wenshan, your time has come.
...
Three days later, at 9 PM.
Zhou Jimin's office in the Haitang Technology factory area.
Zhou Jimin sat at the table, pretending to look at documents.
In fact, his attention was entirely focused on the doorway.
Qin Zheng led a dozen or so security personnel, who were scattered throughout the factory area.
Some were hidden in the warehouse, and some were tucked away in the corner of the workshop.
Everyone was holding a gun, ready for battle.
Bai Zhu sat in the monitoring room, staring at the screen.
On the screen, every corner of the factory area was clearly visible.
She took out her pocket watch and glanced at the time.
9:50.
Ten minutes left.
Fang Zheng pushed the door open and came in: "Young Master, there's some activity from the tea server."
Bai Shu looked up: "Speak."
“He sent two people, both agents from Eagle's Nest,” Fang Zheng said. “One is codenamed ‘Ghost,’ and the other ‘Shadow.’ Both are highly skilled.”
Bai Shu nodded: "Understood."
9:55.
The lights in the factory suddenly went out.
The entire factory was plunged into darkness.
Bai Zhu stared at the screen, which switched to an infrared display.
Two dark figures climbed over the wall on the east side of the factory area.
They moved quickly and were agile, reaching the bottom of the office building in just a few leaps.
Zhou Jimin's office is on the third floor.
The two climbed up the wall with astonishing speed.
In less than a minute, they reached the third-floor window.
One of them took out tools, pried open the window, and climbed inside.
The other person was outside keeping watch.
In Zhou Jimin's office, the man turned on his flashlight and shone it on the safe.
The safe was hidden behind the bookcase.
The man walked over, squatted down in front of the safe, took out tools, and began to pry open the lock.
Bai Zhu stared at the screen, clenching his fists.
It will be soon.
The safe's lock clicked open.
The man opened the cabinet door and reached inside to take out the documents.
The instant his fingers touched the document—
Sizzle!
A blue bolt of lightning exploded and struck him.
The man convulsed, let out a muffled groan, and collapsed to the ground.
Hearing the commotion, the people outside climbed in through the window.
"Third brother!"
He had just entered when Qin Zheng and his men rushed in through the door.
"Don't move!"
The man's expression changed, and he turned to run away.
Qin Zheng raised his hand and fired a shot, hitting him in the leg.
The man screamed and collapsed to the ground.
Qin Zheng walked over and pressed the muzzle of a gun against his head.
"Behave yourself."
Bai Zhu stood up and took out his communicator.
"Director Wang, a thief has broken into my factory. He was caught red-handed. I would appreciate it if you could come and handle this."
Wang Ju's voice came through the communicator: "Boss Bai, I'm coming right away."
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