A perfect frame-up
While Zhang Chong was organizing and assigning tasks, Gao Junxiao waved to the soldiers to check if there were any clues on the body. If not, he told them to just throw the body into the ditch, as it was too unsightly to leave it in the passageway. Zhang Chong nodded and gestured with his lips. Captain Jia nodded in agreement and followed the soldiers to dispose of the body.
After assigning tasks, the CC agents went to the gourd cave to make arrangements. Zhang Chong glanced at Gao Junxiao, seemingly hoping that he would go with the agents to ambush.
Before Gao Junxiao could respond, several consecutive cries of "Ouch!" came from inside the cave. He turned around and saw Director Yan clutching his stomach and groaning.
The fact that he still had the strength to shout meant that the problem wasn't serious. However, as a colleague, Gao Junxiao naturally had to check on him. He patted Director Yan on the shoulder and took the opportunity to ask if Director Yan needed to go out for some fresh air. Director Yan nodded with a grimace.
They both had something to say to each other. As they walked into a dense forest, Yan gestured with his eyes to the shadows dappled through the gaps in the trees.
Someone was eavesdropping. Gao Junxiao deliberately praised the scenery repairs loudly so that the people monitoring him could hear. At the same time, Director Yan found a tree branch and wrote a few big characters on the ground: "Muddy Waters and Find the Leftovers!"
Given Lao Yan's level of education, he wouldn't have made such obvious typos. Gao Junxiao understood that he was competitive and replied in kind, writing "Unclear, do not move" on the ground.
Yan Chu circled the character "余" again, his eyes filled with urgency. He seemed to hope that Gao Junxiao could go with the agents. After all, the CC had made thorough preparations and could at least capture a high-ranking CCP official alive. He didn't want to miss out on the credit.
But Gao Junxiao had his own ideas. He glanced at the shadow out of the corner of his eye. The angle of the shadow was changing slightly, and it seemed that the person eavesdropping was moving to a different place.
Holding my breath, I felt a gaze from the shadows again, this time from my left. Suddenly, a chill ran through my entire body.
call out--
With a flash of silver light, Gao Junxiao swiftly pressed down on Yan Chu's head and almost simultaneously rushed towards the eavesdropper at top speed.
The dry branches and leaves rustled, and the dense forest had many forks, making it look like a maze. Gao Junxiao was not familiar with the surrounding terrain and was either blocked by large rocks or tripped by tree roots. In the blink of an eye, he disappeared without a trace.
Helpless, they returned to their original spot. Director Yan was terrified, his face pale and slumped on the ground. Gao Junxiao offered a few words of comfort, then turned his gaze to the tree trunk, where a thin, black needle was stuck straight out. Gao Junxiao casually picked a large leaf, wrapped it around the needle, and removed it. The needle tip was even blacker and faintly emitted a pungent, sour smell.
Fearing it might be poison, Gao Junxiao immediately wrapped the needle in leaves and prepared to confront the secret agent from the investigation team.
When Gao Junxiao returned to the cave in a menacing manner, Zhang Chong immediately asked him what had happened. He ignored Zhang Chong, reached out and grabbed the collar of the secret investigation team agent, opened the leaf in his palm and asked, "What is this?"
Upon seeing the needle, the junior agent in the secret investigation team had a glint of smugness in his eyes, but he meekly claimed that he didn't know anything about it.
Before Gao Junxiao could make a move, Zhang Chong spoke first: "Don't know, or don't want to say? I'll answer for you. This is the latest American-developed ejector-type poison needle, which can be hidden in a pen, lipstick, or lighter. Councilor Gao, be careful not to cut your hand. A single drop of the poison on it can kill an elephant."
Upon hearing of the danger, Gao Junxiao immediately threw the poisoned needle to the ground and wiped his hands in disgust.
"So what? Our secret investigation team isn't rich. This good stuff is obviously from your CC." The secret investigation team's agent argued.
"Heh, you're right, CC has some in stock. But this good stuff was personally brought in by your team leader Dai after he visited the US military base. If he didn't keep a few boxes for himself, how could he justify the kickbacks he took?" Zhang Chong squinted and retorted sarcastically.
The junior agent in the secret investigation team was rendered speechless by the rebuttal. Zhang Chong continued to press his advantage: "Besides, what benefit would I gain from assassinating my colleagues at headquarters? Anyone with a brain can see that who wants them dead, who wants us to be in chaos."
Glancing sideways at the members of the secret investigation team, Gao Junxiao snorted coldly: "That little brat surnamed Chen doesn't want me to go, but I'm going anyway! Section Chief Zhang, I'll have the communications team connect the line immediately, and we'll stay in touch at all times."
"Okay, thank you, Councilor Gao." Zhang Chong smiled with relief, and Director Yan next to him also breathed a sigh of relief. They probably felt that Gao Junxiao was different. With Gao Junxiao in command, many unnecessary risks would be reduced.
Just then, Captain Jia and several soldiers returned from disposing of the body, and together they went to the waterfall.
The clear waterfall has a slight blue tint, as if the sky has melted into the water. The trees on both banks are tall and straight with lush foliage, making it a perfect place for concealment and ambush.
Besides setting up the outside, they also needed people inside the cave. Gao Junxiao led a team of agents into the cave, lowered ropes, and descended along the almost vertical slope. The light inside the cave became increasingly dim.
Soon, a damp and fresh scent wafted over, and the road underfoot became much smoother, but it was still dripping with water, making each step slippery. Even those with some agility could only walk slowly.
As their eyes gradually adjusted to the darkness, the scene before them slowly came into view, and everyone was amazed by the scenery inside the cave.
The cave walls are adorned with strangely shaped stalactites that shimmer with iridescent colors under the light of a flashlight. Sharp stalagmites extend from the ground to the cave ceiling, varying in shape and arranged in a staggered pattern, some of which seem to be constantly growing.
Chirp!
A swarm of bats swept overhead, creating a whirlwind that pulled the people, who were lost in the scenery, back to reality. They were there to arrest members of the Communist Party, not for a vacation.
"Counselor Gao, if we go any further down, we might end up in the sea," Captain Jia said worriedly, touching the damp rock face.
"If you're scared, don't follow. Go back and find your Section Chief Zhang; it's safe there," Gao Junxiao said sternly.
"Uh... that's not necessary." Captain Jia shrank back, not daring to say anything more.
The passage gradually narrows, and the cave walls become more complex and varied. Being in the narrow passage feels like being surrounded by rocks.
After walking a few dozen meters, a bright light suddenly appeared before my eyes. Sunlight streamed in through the skylight at the mouth of the gourd, shining precisely on the small pool of water on the ground and reflecting a beautiful halo.
They arrived at the Gourd Cave. Following his plan, Gao Junxiao arranged for two people to block all the entrances and exits of the cave. One person pulled up a tripwire on one side, while the other person was responsible for sprinkling water to cover up the footprints.
Just as everyone was working enthusiastically, a shout broke the lively atmosphere in the cave: "Counselor Gao, Councilor Gao, the Communist Party is here."
"So fast, everyone finished their work in five minutes." Gao Junxiao frowned and glanced at his watch.
No sooner had he finished speaking than two secret agents from the investigation team, now dressed in shorts, were brought up, but the boatwoman was nowhere to be seen. The escorting agent explained awkwardly that the boatwoman had slipped into the reeds and run away while she was using the restroom. Zhang Chong told the junior agents from the investigation team to hold her off for now.
"You only tell me when things are at their most urgent! Do you think I'm stupid?!" Gao Junxiao shouted, took a deep breath, turned to the communications soldier, and said, "Connect me to Zhang Chong, I need to talk to him."
The soldier extended the antenna and successfully connected with Zhang Chong. Gao Junxiao snatched the microphone and launched into a tirade of complaints. Zhang Chong waited quietly for him to finish before explaining that he was afraid of affecting morale and that he didn't know where Shen Jian was hiding, so he didn't want him to know that they had lost the "ship girl" card.
The most urgent task is to have the secret agents of the investigation team probe first. If that doesn't work, Gao Junxiao will decide when to detain them, and Zhang Chong will bear the responsibility for whether it succeeds or not.
"Section Chief Zhang, it's your people who are doing the work, we're just assisting. If it succeeds, it's your responsibility; if it fails, of course..." Suddenly, a piercing noise rang out, and Gao Junxiao covered his muffled ears, only recovering a few seconds later.
"Councilor Gao, the line is down, I'll go check it." The communications soldier hurriedly got up, but was knocked to the ground by another soldier, who reported urgently that the Communist Party had reached the waterfall.
"Everyone take cover immediately, quick, quick, quick!" Gao Junxiao clapped his hands, and the soldiers quickly withdrew from the cave, leaving only about a dozen CC agents inside.
In an instant, the cave fell silent. The sound of water droplets falling on the stone slab was particularly clear. At the same time, the sound of footsteps wading through the water came from the direction of the passage.
The cave had been sprinkled with water, making it even cooler to lean against the stone wall. The footsteps grew closer, and Gao Junxiao's nerves tightened even more.
In the darkness, his hearing and touch became increasingly acute. In his haste, he drew his pistol and saw a small pebble bounce into the gourd hole.
Having tested the waters, Gao Junxiao finally felt relieved. Taking a deep breath, he nudged the undercover agent, giving him a warning look to behave well. The agent nodded like a chicken pecking at rice, but his expression became somewhat unnatural when he saw Captain Jia.
In the endless darkness, a thin figure peeked out of the cave entrance, wearing tortoiseshell glasses and sporting a large beard—it was Secretary Yu in simple disguise.
"Sir!" The little spy's shout startled Secretary Yu, who took a few steps back. "Sir, don't run away! Your companion hasn't paid for his boat yet. He said you have money."
"Don't come any closer." Secretary Yu suddenly pulled out a hand grenade and pointed it at the junior agent. "Who are you?"
The secret investigation team's acting training was quite good. The young spy's legs trembled, and he stammered that he was a boatman who had been asked to pick up a guest on the island. If the person had mistaken him for someone else, he would leave.
"Who asked you to pick them up?" Secretary Yu continued, relentlessly pressing for an answer.
"There was a young man in his early twenties, a bit taller than me, with dark skin, and he wasn't particularly good-looking," the junior agent replied, his voice trembling with tears.
There was silence in the cave again. The few seconds that Secretary Yu pondered were unusually long. Finally, he let out a long sigh of relief, slowly lowered his sidearm, and asked where the young man who had booked the boat was.
"He left first on my wife's boat, saying, 'See you at the usual place, I have something for you.' Sir, are you the guest I'm supposed to pick up?" the little spy asked, rubbing his hands together.
Secretary Yu nodded and solemnly asked the boatman to take him aboard first, and then he would tell him where to go.
"No, the gentleman who booked the boat specifically requested that we check the numbers with you, 5731. You, you tell me, what are the numbers you got? Only if you answer correctly can I take you away." The little spy was quite good at making things up.
Secretary Yu was immediately stunned. He pushed up his glasses and stammered for a while before finally saying that the lighting was bad and he needed to go outside to check the memo, as he had forgotten something.
Hehe, what memo? It's a codebook. It seems Secretary Yu really does carry the codebook with him. Gao Junxiao thought to himself that the little spy was quite good at getting information out of people.
However, the next second, the little spy reached out and stopped Secretary Yu, saying that he could answer in a moment, but at least half of the boat fare should be paid first, and he could pay the rest when they reached the shore.
Everyone understands the principle that boatmen don't charge for crossing the river. Adjusting his glasses, Secretary Yu silently touched his side pocket, hesitated for a moment, then lowered his hand and solemnly stated that he would pay immediately upon seeing the boat, as he needed to get out of the cave first.
"Sir, the boat is on the beach on the southeast shore. You can't break my rules. Pay up now." Whether he was too into character or his true nature was showing, the little spy lunged at Secretary Yu's chest menacingly, as if trying to rob him.
"Don't come any closer!" Secretary Yu roared with heart-wrenching despair.
Oh no! Gao Junxiao's heart stopped. "Bang! Bang!" Deafening gunshots rang out throughout the cave. Secretary Yu held a gun in one hand and clutched his chest with the other, trembling uncontrollably.
Sweating profusely, the young spy lay on the ground groaning. A hole had appeared in his calf, and the blood that had seeped out flowed through the crack in the stone into the pool, spreading into a red ribbon.
With his hands trembling uncontrollably, Secretary Yu could no longer hide his panic. He turned to run, but Captain Jia pounced and forcefully pinned down the struggling Secretary Yu, and the two wrestled together.
Chaos! Chaos! Everything's in complete disarray! In the brief moment Gao Junxiao was stunned, Captain Jia had already snatched the palm-sized grenade and tossed it aside. With things as they were, Gao Junxiao waved his hand, and several hidden agents surrounded them.
Unexpectedly, Secretary Yu's small frame unleashed astonishing strength. He broke free from Captain Jia's grasp, suddenly ripped open his side plaster, revealing mechanical explosives wrapped in oil paper: "Since we can't escape, let's die together! Come on, fire!"
In an instant, the cave fell silent. Everyone looked at each other in bewilderment and retreated.
The cave was cramped, and if it exploded, no one could escape. Gao Junxiao quickly spoke up, telling everyone to put down their guns. He took a deep breath and advised, "Mr. Yu, don't be impulsive. Actually, we only want to cooperate with you, not take your life."
"Bah! Who wants to discuss this with you reactionaries? I'd rather die than reveal the organization's secrets." Secretary Yu grabbed the red fuse, looking utterly uncompromising.
When the stalemate continued, Gao Junxiao noticed that the water level in the deep pool was rising at a visible speed, and soon it was above his ankles.
Oh dear, the tide is coming in. Gao Junxiao glanced at his watch and realized it was almost time to leave this gourd cave.
"Everyone, retreat immediately! Captain Jia and I will stay behind to cover your retreat." At Gao Junxiao's command, the agents, who had been itching to move, swarmed out, their cursing echoing throughout the retreating ranks.
Forced to take the lead, Captain Jia was both amused and exasperated. He swallowed hard and asked, "Counselor Gao, shall we still make a move?"
"Don't move!" the injured junior agent shouted, pointing at Gao Junxiao with the palm of the hand that Secretary Yu had dropped.
In a flash, Gao Junxiao also drew his pistol. He widened his eyes and scanned back and forth between the junior agent and Secretary Yu: "Oh~ you are an accomplice of the Communist Party."
Secretary Yu, who was sitting in the corner, suddenly realized what had happened. His eyes were filled with tears as he said, "Comrade, you... I'm sorry. Why did you expose yourself for my sake? I can't leave now."
"Who said you'll die? You run now. I'll hold them off for you," the little spy said righteously.
Bang!
A bullet pierced the darkness, striking the stone wall with a crisp sound. The four of them were startled and looked towards the cave entrance.
Zhang Chong sat upright in a chair as two men carried him into the gourd cave. He glared ahead, his sharp eyes capable of tearing a person apart: "Hmph, one or two, neither of you will escape this island. Arrest him."
At a command, two burly agents behind Zhang Chong stepped forward, their fists flying like lightning, but not at the Communist Party members, but at Captain Jia beside Gao Junxiao.
At this moment, Captain Jia and the little spy exchanged a glance. Captain Jia raised his leg and swept it towards the lower body of one of the "bears." The bear was caught off guard and tripped, falling face-first into the water with a "splash."
The water was almost knee-deep, so Gao Junxiao silently waded back to Zhang Chong's side. This spot was higher and easier to watch the play from.
Bang! The other "bear" shuddered, a bloody spurt appearing on his shoulder, but he didn't even flinch, and even mocked the palm thunder as something only women would use, saying it was like tickling. Under his overwhelming pressure, the three on the other side huddled together, taking turns dealing with the burly man.
The burly man was not at a disadvantage at all. Seizing the opportunity, the little spy kicked hard with his right leg, a groin kick that landed squarely on the burly man's buttocks. Ouch! Gao Junxiao felt a momentary phantom pain. There was no beauty in the power of the spies' fight. Forget it, I won't watch anymore.
"Section Chief Zhang, your Captain Jia seems a bit fake," Gao Junxiao said coldly.
"Please excuse me, Councilor Gao. He's not one of my men. The real Xiao Jia was knocked unconscious," Zhang Chong explained patiently.
"Then who is 'Captain Jia' on the other side...?" Gao Junxiao looked at Zhang Chong with a puzzled expression.
“Little thing, you’re quite clever, but it’s a pity you don’t use it for good.” Zhang Chong shouted loudly, “Chen Jian, if you want to live, stop pretending to be a member of the Communist Party, or I’ll wipe you out too. Your team leader Dai wouldn’t dare to overturn the case for a lurking Communist Party member.”
No sooner had he finished speaking than "Captain Jia" drew his sidearm and pointed it at Secretary Yu's temple: "Nonsense! Our team leader is a man of great loyalty and integrity. He would rather suffer himself than let his brothers be killed."
"So you're a spy too." Secretary Yu was being controlled, but his resolute eyes revealed a stubbornness that refused to admit defeat.
Gao Junxiao recognized that look all too well. The old saying was true: you become like someone's family when you eat at their house. He pursed his lips, forcibly suppressing the upturned corners of his mouth, thinking to himself: I need this annoying farce to end quickly; I still need to finish work and go home to eat mutton.
“Captain Chen, why are you doing this? We can’t arrest all the CCP members. Come here. Section Chief Zhang has already guaranteed that the people I arrest will be under my jurisdiction, right, Section Chief Zhang?” Gao Junxiao asked Zhang Chong kindly, while giving Zhang Chong a look that reminded him to move back. The water level in the gourd cave had reached Secretary Yu’s waist, and it looked like it would be completely submerged in another twenty minutes.
“That’s right, kid, you should be content. If it weren’t for Councilor Gao putting the bigger picture first and pleading for you, you would have been thrown into the sea to feed the fish long ago.” Zhang Chong gave him face and directed the men carrying the sedan chair to slowly move back, while also praising Gao Junxiao a few times.
The water level continued to rise, and the sword, which was submerged in the water, turned blue from the cold, but it still did not budge.
Seeing through Shen Jian's ulterior motives, Gao Junxiao said with a smile, "Captain Shen, now that you've neutralized the explosives on the Communist Party member, I'll go back and ask my superiors for a commendation for you. I won't give you anything more, but I can share some of the bonus with you."
“You filial son, go ahead and die. Your mother won’t even have a grave to mourn you in. But it doesn’t matter. Without your support, she probably won’t live long anyway.” Zhang Chong stared intently at the threat.
After being persuaded by the two men, one red-faced and the other white-faced, Shen Jian's wrist twitched, as if something had been touched, and the muzzle of the gun moved slightly. Just then, Secretary Yu used the same trick again, slamming the back of his head hard into Shen Jian's face. Shen Jian cried out in pain and covered his bleeding mouth and nose.
Run! Boom! The two voices rang out almost simultaneously.
Gao Junxiao sprinted towards the end of the slope, with Zhang Chong swaying behind him. The fire dragon caused by the explosion chased after them, but the agent slipped and fell to the ground. Zhang Chong also lost his balance and fell to the ground.
Seeing this, the two henchmen didn't care about the sedan chair and ran away first. Zhang Chong staggered and tried to stand up. Then there was another explosion that shook the heavens and the earth. The ground trembled as the scorching air wave passed through it, and he was thrown to the ground again.
Amidst the swaying, Gao Junxiao turned around and hoisted Zhang Chong onto his shoulder. The slope behind them was instantly filled with water, and damp moisture enveloped the two of them.
The already difficult slope was now further complicated by the added burden. Gao Junxiao's pace gradually couldn't keep up with the rising tide, and a layer of cold sweat appeared on his forehead. If he didn't speed up, both he and Zhang Chong would have to give up.
He paused, held his breath, gathered all the strength he had accumulated in his life, and with a powerful lift, his body almost soared into the air, like an arrow piercing through the damp stone steps, and suddenly the view ahead opened up.
The once beautiful stalactites now resembled hidden mechanisms and traps in an ancient tomb, constantly falling down. The stalagmites on the ground were even more dangerous to touch. The agent who had escaped earlier lay prone on the ground, his body riddled with sharp stalactites.
Clang! A sharp stone grazed the brim of his hat. Gao Junxiao dodged it, and the dust kicked up made the two of them cough.
With the vertical passage leading away right in front of him, Gao Junxiao had no other thoughts in his mind and charged towards it in one go. If he remembered correctly, there was a rope there.
But when they arrived there, the rope from their memory had vanished.
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