Red Transportation Line
Rolling dark clouds poured down like a waterfall, and a gale-force wind carried raindrops, enveloping the world from all sides, making it impossible to distinguish between people and trees.
After a thorough search, Da Peng still found nothing. Could it be that Mr. Wang had left by car? No, he clearly saw his back, so how could he have disappeared as soon as he turned into the alley?
If it weren't for his special status, Da Peng would have really wanted to shout at the alley entrance, "Mr. Wang, come out quickly, something terrible has happened!"
Unfortunately, all that responded to him was the raging rain. Dapeng clutched his waist and gasped for breath, feeling as if ninety percent of his strength had been drained. He found a nearby awning to take shelter from the rain and wrung out the water from his clothes.
He went out without an umbrella and got soaked to the bone. But that wasn't the worst part. He was full of energy when he was running, but now the draft made him shiver.
Shh, shh!
Through the water barrier, Dapeng seemed to hear someone chasing something. He looked around but there was no one, no cats or dogs. Helpless, he got up and jumped around, holding his ears. He suspected that water had gotten into his ears, which was why he could hear that noise.
Crackling, crackling—
Why is there still background noise? Da Peng looked in the direction of the sound, confused, but there was still no one there. He suddenly felt his hair stand on end. Could he have run into a ghost in broad daylight?
"Silly boy, look up!"
Following the instruction, Da Peng looked up and saw Mr. Wang peeking out of a second-floor window across the street, his signature eight-tooth grin on his face. He pointed to the black wooden door downstairs, indicating that Da Peng should come in through that door. In the blink of an eye, he vanished.
Finally, he found the person. Da Peng felt very relieved, as if he had just eaten three big bowls of beef noodles. Seeing that his mother and the man looked very anxious, he didn't dare to delay. After confirming that no one was following him, he quickly slipped inside the door.
As soon as they stepped into the inner room, Mr. Wang tossed them a large bath towel. Dapeng caught the towel and quickly said, "Mr. Wang, Comrade Shaoyao is in a hurry to find you. She also has the password: 'The Foolish Old Man Moves the Mountain'."
Wang Renyong's hand, which was pouring water, suddenly stopped, and his smile froze on his face: "Is Comrade Shaoyao at your station?"
"Yes, yes, she's at my family's chess and card room. It's extremely urgent, and she wants to report to you personally." Da Peng nodded repeatedly.
Just then, there was a rhythmic knocking on the door. Da Peng knew it was someone he knew, and at Mr. Wang's signal, Da Peng went to open the door.
A chubby man with an umbrella stood at the door, his expression grave. His glasses were fogged up, and he was completely soaked. Da Peng was surprised to find that this was Section Chief Li from CC.
He threw down his umbrella and rushed in without a care: "Renyong, something terrible has happened!"
A thunderclap ripped through the sky, bringing only a fleeting moment of light before plunging the world back into deep darkness. Wang Renyong seemed to have guessed something and asked urgently, "Who betrayed us this time?"
"Zhang Tianhe!" Section Chief Li grabbed Wang Renyong and shook him excitedly. "He can go to Nanjing to meet Chiang Kai-shek first thing tomorrow morning. We need to quickly notify the comrades to evacuate!"
"Wait, let me calm down." Wang Renyong trembled as he pried open Section Chief Li's hand. He closed his eyes as if he were trapped in some kind of nightmare, his furrowed brows so deep they could kill an insect.
A deathly silence fell over the room. No one spoke; only the three of them breathing, which carried a hint of life.
"Old Li, come with me to find Wu Hao right now." Wang Renyong opened his eyes, which were clear.
He turned to Dapeng and instructed him, "Dapeng, go back and tell Shaoyao that first, immediately go to the priest to arrange an emergency shelter and open an emergency escape route; second, immediately send a telegram to cancel all contact information between the Second Division personnel and Zhang Tianhe, and have the relevant personnel transferred as soon as possible; third, have her stay at the church and wait for orders, I will go to the church later for an emergency meeting."
None of the three wanted to linger any longer. After shaking hands, they walked in opposite directions through the rain.
The raindrops pounded against the eaves like drums, creating a lively scene. Equally bustling was the church in the French Concession. Dapeng followed closely behind Comrade Shaoyao and arrived at the church with her.
A single thread cannot make a line, and a single tree cannot make a forest. Father Tong assigned tasks to everyone in the church's secret meeting room: some went to send telegrams, some went to make fake identities, and others destroyed important secret documents on the spot.
Everyone seemed to know what they were supposed to do, and as soon as the meeting ended, they buried themselves in their work. Dapeng could now appreciate how efficient a united organization could be.
Father Tong and Comrade Shaoyao, using the map, immediately began planning an emergency evacuation route. The route was divided into three parts: a safe house for accommodation, an emergency transport team, and all the transportation stations along the evacuation route.
However, given Zhang Tianhe's immense influence, the fewer transportation stations along the route the better, especially those shared by multiple departments must be abandoned. This would put even greater pressure on route planning. The destinations are tentatively set as Hong Kong and Ruijin, with a possible transfer to the Soviet Union via Manzhouli if necessary.
Dapeng and several other couriers stood helplessly by, waiting for them to plan. They first divided the map of Shanghai into several modules. Comrade Shaoyao held a long ruler like a precision instrument. As soon as Father Tong announced two connected transportation stations, she immediately pointed out the obstacles that would be encountered between the two points, as well as the normal walking time required.
Father Tong couldn't help but give her an approving look and offered his solution: the route with fewer obstacles could still be kept, since they had comrades in all walks of life, and whenever the organization needed help, everyone would step forward to lend a hand.
Safe houses were first chosen in the French Concession and the International Settlement, which were managed by foreigners, and secondly in the Japanese Concession. This is because the busier the city, the more transient the population, and the more diverse the people, the better for hiding. As the saying goes, "the greatest hermit lives in the city."
Moreover, even if comrades were unfortunately arrested, they would first fall into the police station in the concession. As long as there was no "ironclad evidence" to show that they were members of the Communist Party, the organization would have the opportunity to rescue them before they were transferred to the Longhua Headquarters.
Emergency transport personnel are divided into upper-class and civilian lines. The civilian line is suitable for large-scale evacuations, and one transport personnel can lead several comrades.
However, for those who are already on the wanted list or have been exposed, we can cleverly use comrades who are infiltrated in the business, academic, or political circles, and use their legitimate identities in high society to bring them to a safe area.
The saying goes, "You only realize how little you know when you need it." The conversation between the two became increasingly profound. Da Peng nervously rubbed his hands together, as if he were about to burst into flames. He was angry at himself for not studying hard enough, as he was now unable to help at all.
Finally, the two of them finalized the route, and dozens of couriers lined up to receive the planned route. Father Tong, who was always serious, explained each step to them in a gentle tone.
Since Dapeng was a local and familiar with the city's routes, Father Tong arranged for him to connect the emergency evacuation routes in the public concession. There were two emergency couriers: one was Aunt Cao, who ran a hot water stall on Sanma Road, and the other was Director Wu from Shiji Hospital.
So this is what revolution is all about: mobilizing the masses! Da Peng felt a deep sense of admiration. He didn't know how these complex red arteries were established, but being a cell in them was a great honor for him.
The downpour came fiercely, pounding the ground and creating numerous craters. As time passed, the gale subsided, and the rain outside gradually weakened into a drizzle.
After a morning of work, Wang Renyong returned and convened an emergency meeting. Everyone sat up straight, listening intently to Wang Renyong's speech.
Wang Renyong first announced the fact that Zhang Tianhe had betrayed the company, and then announced a personnel transfer. Comrade Jiang Yun was appointed to a critical position and would become the first secretary of the Xinxin Company, replacing Zhang Tianhe.
Everyone should have applauded to celebrate Jiang Yun's promotion, but Wang Renyong raised his hand to stop them: "Everyone, don't rush to clap. Save your energy. We're going to fight a tough battle tonight."
Everyone understood that relocating the headquarters of over a thousand people before the enemy made a move was no easy task. Following Wu Hao's instructions, the following emergency measures had to be taken:
First, destroy all secret documents.
Second, abolish all secret working methods known to Zhang Tianhe and have each department urgently reorganize them.
Third, quickly transfer cadres who were known to Zhang Tianhe and might become targets of his investigation away from Shanghai.
Fourth, the main leaders of the Party, the Communist International, and the provincial committees quickly relocated and took strict security measures.
Fifth, sever all of Zhang Tianhe's important relationships in Shanghai that he could utilize.
"Comrades, I beg you! Before Zhang Tianhe set off, he betrayed all the stations in Wuhan to the enemy, resulting in the complete annihilation of our comrades in Wuhan. He has gone mad in his desire for credit. So we must hurry." Wang Renyong gripped the table tightly, his eyes red with grief and indignation.
Upon hearing that the entire army in Wuhan had been wiped out, Qingcheng realized firsthand the extent of the harm caused by Zhang Tianhe's betrayal. Even if the main agencies could be rescued tonight, under the shadow of the White Army, Shanghai's underground intelligence network would collapse, and all agencies would be paralyzed.
If even one superior or subordinate is missing, the intelligence line is severed. After this ordeal, who knows how many kites will have their strings broken?
Faced with the perilous situation, Wang Renyong, on behalf of Wu Hao, assigned specific tasks to everyone. Wu Hao personally went to evacuate the members of the Central Bureau, and he and Rui Rui led the evacuation of the main comrades of the Central Committee. Jiang Yun went to evacuate the Jiangsu Provincial Committee, Ouyang Qiang evacuated the Communist International and the Far Eastern Bureau, and Station Chief Chen notified the comrades of the Third Section to evacuate...
The tasks had all been assigned, but He Qingcheng hadn't heard her name or code name. She wondered if Old Wang had forgotten her. The military dispatches were in twelve volumes, but none of them bore her name. How could she possibly stand idly by at such a difficult time?
Qingcheng was not one to mince words. As soon as the meeting ended, he rushed up to Wang Renyong and asked him to assign him a task. Wang Renyong, however, kept half of what he was saying to himself: "I'll tell you when I get back. Your task is different from everyone else's. You can't go out and take risks."
Qingcheng used all her strength to restrain Wang Renyong: "By the time you come back, it will be too late. I am a healthy person with hands and feet, what danger do I have to be afraid of?"
During the struggle, Wang Renyong also became anxious, his expression ferocious as he stepped on the door frame and tried to escape: "No means no. You stay where you are. If you're bored, help the priests burn some documents."
"I've been standing by for a day, the documents were burned long ago, give me a new task!" Qingcheng shouted in Wang Renyong's ear.
"Stop arguing, I'm short-handed." Ai Ruirui solemnly handed Qingcheng a list and address. "Comrade Shaoyao, first go to the main road to inform Dr. Ke at No. 47 to evacuate to the safe house, then go to inform Section Chief Ding of Fu'an Cloth Shop to organize the evacuation of Section One. They have a lot of documents in Section One, so if they need your help, go and lend a hand."
"Comrade Emerald is still the best." Kiyosumi happily released Wang Renyong and took the list.
Wang Renyong glanced at his wife, then straightened his shirt helplessly: "I really can't do anything with you two. After you see Section Chief Ding off, come right back. I have something to tell you. Don't be late, it has to be past midnight, understand?"
"Understood." Qingcheng saluted Old Wang.
"Go on, go on," Wang Renyong waved him away.
In the afternoon, in the light breeze carrying a drizzle, Qingcheng hailed a rickshaw and headed straight for No. 47, the rickshaw swaying as it pierced a puddle, splitting it in two before being filled by the newly falling raindrops.
The sign for Tasang Hospital is located at the very end of the main road. Ching-Ching strode into the clinic, intending to go directly to the consultation room.
But the receptionist immediately stopped Qingcheng, who was about to go to the examination room, and politely asked, "Sir, do you have an appointment?"
“No, Mr. Wang from my hometown recommended me to this clinic.” Qingcheng said in a thick Cantonese accent, “We’re all neighbors in Xingfuli, so Dr. Xing will definitely give me an extra appointment.”
"Oh, please wait a moment, let me talk to Dr. Ke first." The nurse entered the examination room with a suspicious look, but she was already half convinced by the accent, and with the pre-arranged code word "Happiness Lane," there shouldn't be any major problems.
Dr. Ke's ancestral home is Haifeng, Guangdong. He has lived in Shanghai for many years, and although his southern accent has faded somewhat, traces of his hometown accent still remain. Given that his southern accent would prevent him from going north, the organization decided to send him to Fujian first, and then by ship to Hong Kong.
As expected, the nurse went in and announced the appointment, and then agreed to add Qingcheng to the schedule. After the previous patient left, Qingcheng immediately went into the examination room and locked the door behind her.
"Dr. Ke, is it convenient to talk here?" Qingcheng asked directly.
Dr. Ke across from me nodded seriously: "Yes, the examination room has been soundproofed. Please tell me, what new task has the organization assigned me?"
“I’m not here to give you a mission, but to get you out of Shanghai as soon as possible. Here’s your safe house key and the alert number for contacting the emergency courier. Once you’ve memorized the alert number, destroy it immediately.” Qingcheng pushed the note and other items toward Dr. Ke.
"Hey, what happened? Why the rush?" Dr. Ke lit the warning sign on paper, and after a few flicks, the fragile paper turned to ashes.
"Zhang Tianhe, the head of the Third Section, has betrayed us," Qingcheng said expressionlessly.
However, Dr. Ke did not seem surprised: "It really is that bastard! Renyong has complained to me before that as long as we live, we will see him betray the revolution sooner or later."
The secret agents will begin a city-wide manhunt early tomorrow morning, so the organization advises Dr. Ke to immediately suspend his practice, destroy all classified documents, and take his family to a safe house for refuge. An emergency courier will contact them afterward.
After making her suggestion, Kiyosumi also discussed the precautions during hibernation with Dr. Ke.
His safe house needs to be marked with warning signs to indicate whether it is safe or not. The organization has prepared three fake identities for Dr. Ke, so that he can change his identity and escape if he encounters danger.
Before leaving the city, try not to have contact with outsiders. If you must make a phone call, it is only for communication, reporting to the police, and arranging a meeting place. Do not make phone calls in any other situation.
"Okay, I also have a high-powered radio in my room. Does the organization want to take it away?" Dr. Ke asked.
"Smash it! We can't take it with us, and we can't leave it to the enemy." Kiyosumi said decisively.
Dr. Ke's eyes showed regret, and he exclaimed what a pity, as the organization had spent three large yellow croakers to ask someone to buy them from Macau.
However, given the current situation, they cannot take the bulky radio with them. The organization always prioritizes protecting people over protecting property, because as long as the green hills remain, there will always be firewood to burn.
Suddenly, the doorknob in the examination room was violently turned. The door lock had been fastened long ago, and it kept rattling. Qingcheng and Dr. Ke looked at each other nervously, not knowing what was going on.
A gruff man called out, "Dr. Ke, I'm Detective Sun from the branch office. Two of my brothers were just shot and wounded. Could you please come out and perform a minor operation?"
"Detective Sun, please wait a moment. Have the nurse stop the bleeding first. I'll come over as soon as I finish seeing my patients." Dr. Ke breathed a sigh of relief. Qingcheng knew that he was a highly skilled doctor and that secret agents and police officers often specifically requested his treatment.
That being said, Qingcheng was on a mission today and didn't want to be discovered by the black dog. Dr. Ke pointed to the door behind him and said, "Comrade, go this way. I'll go into hibernation after I've checked on the few patrolmen outside."
In order to save time, Qingcheng didn't have time to change her clothes carefully. She borrowed a white coat from Dr. Ke, put on a mask, and swaggered out of the adjacent consultation room.
Section Chief Ding's hidden Fu'an Cloth Shop and clinic were located at opposite ends of the street, one at one end and the other at the other. Qingcheng quickly walked to the Fu'an Cloth Shop downstairs through the back door.
After confirming that no one was following her, she immediately ran upstairs and sounded the alarm, doo-doo, doo-doo, doo-doo.
The door was opened by a young apprentice dressed in shorts. He cautiously looked outside before closing the door.
On the second floor, Qingcheng held her breath and looked around the small room of about ten square meters. There were only two men and one woman, three employees, but she did not see Section Chief Ding.
Thinking that Section Chief Ding might be out on business, Qingcheng felt as if she had fallen into an ice cave, and quickly asked, "Where is your boss, Mr. Ding?"
"Hello, young man, call me Sister Chen. Our boss went to his tailor shop across the street to discuss business. What do you need him for?" Sister Chen greeted him with a smile; she must have been from the same department.
"Stop talking! Call him back immediately! The organization has ordered him to organize an emergency evacuation of Section One. Zhang Tianhe has betrayed us!" Qingcheng was so anxious she didn't know what to do with her hands.
The two remaining male employees in the room stood up abruptly, leaving everyone speechless with surprise. Sister Chen was the first to react and instructed her apprentice to quickly call Section Chief Ding back.
She then calmly instructed the two men to light the brazier and begin burning the documents. The scraps of paper in the brazier quickly burst into flames. Qingcheng helped move the documents, but their department resembled an archives, with documents being carried out in an endless stream, soon piling up taller than an adult man.
How long would it take to burn with just two washbasins? Sister Chen realized that burning like this was a bit slow, but she dared not use more braziers. If the smoke from burning was too much, it would not only attract the attention of the police, but the residents might also report it to the fire brigade as a fire. Once the fire brigade sprayed water, everyone would have nowhere to escape.
When Sister Chen was at her wit's end, Qingcheng suggested, "Sister Chen, when I came here, I saw someone selling roasted sweet potatoes in the alley behind the back gate. Let's buy the stall. The iron bucket is big, and we can wrap it in cloth to burn it faster. The smoke won't attract the attention of the police."
"Good idea, Xiao Wu. We had two barbecue grills left over from our last team building event. Take them out and we can put them downstairs to use together later." After saying that, Sister Chen put on her coat and went downstairs to buy a metal bucket.
No sooner had Sister Chen left than the young apprentice who had been looking for Section Chief Ding returned, but he hadn't brought Section Chief Ding back. He lowered his head and apologized to everyone.
"Don't apologize yet, what happened?" Kiyosumi asked patiently.
"Our boss encountered two difficult customers. One was the movie star Xu Xi, and the other was said to be a military officer from the Nationalist government. So the boss didn't dare to turn around and leave, for fear of arousing suspicion," the apprentice explained hesitantly.
"Damn it!" Qingcheng frantically scratched her hair, feeling like a wild beast was roaring inside her. "This world is too small! Why do you have to patronize my business when you could go anywhere else to get your clothes tailored?"
Qingcheng had accompanied him to have clothes tailored before and knew that although the man said he was easygoing, he was actually very picky. From asymmetrical lining to unclear patterns on buttons, he was particular about everything and loved to nitpick!
If only she had strangled him to death, no, no, he's still her fiancé. Kiyosumi suppressed the violent thoughts in her mind. She had to rescue Section Chief Ding, or there wouldn't be enough time to move him.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
