Rest in peace, child.
After leaving the temporary clinic, Secretary Deng confessed to Cai Tou that it was basically confirmed that Lao Zhang was the Mr. Leng that the Scorpion had mentioned.
First, the gold bars. No matter what, Lao Zhang couldn't explain why he was carrying so many gold bars. Judging from Poison Scorpion's last request, he also recognized Lao Zhang as Mr. Leng. So, he wanted to pretend to be crazy and eliminate this hidden danger, shifting all the blame onto Lao Zhang.
Secondly, the secret passage behind the bat cave was an escape route left by the designer. It has many branching paths, and even scorpions need to rely on markings to find their way. If Old Zhang accidentally entered the secret passage, he would be very scared in the pitch-black cave. His first reaction upon seeing light would be to call for help, not to run away.
Third, shoe prints. In a daze, Feng Nian asked to check the soles of everyone's shoes because there were only muddy footprints of Red Guards in the secret passage. Secretary Deng admitted that in order to monitor Lao Zhang, he ordered the young soldier to carry him into the air-raid shelter. At that time, he was on duty in the Agricultural Committee office, and there was not a speck of mud on the soles of his shoes.
"He's a spy. I suggest he be arrested as soon as possible and brought to justice for a thorough interrogation," Secretary Deng said decisively.
“A top-level spy is different from an ordinary spy. By the time you discover one, he has already developed a large network of subordinates,” Cai Tou replied. “Comrade Wu Hao instructed that if Zero is discovered, we should not rush to arrest him, but instead use his network of connections to trace the clues and eliminate him completely.”
As for whether Lao Zhang is the zero, Cai Tou thinks there is basically no suspense. The agricultural committee where Lao Zhang works is the department that distributes grain seeds. As long as he secretly replaces the rice with opium seeds and distributes them to the designated area, outsiders will not be able to find out.
The Agricultural Commission, while vital to people's livelihoods, was hardly a classified department and had little access to high-level secrets, which aligns with Old Zhang's claim that he wasn't doing well in the Soviet area. Of course, this was merely an excuse to appease Nanjing; towards Shanghai, he adopted a completely different, obsequious attitude.
Where there is opium, there is money; where there is money, there are channels. So Lao Zhang used some corrupt officials to frantically expand his "cells" within our ranks.
It doesn't matter if his position is unimportant, as long as those "cells" hold important positions. He can even obtain the city defense deployment map of Ruijin City, which shows how deep his infiltration is.
Halfway through hearing this, Secretary Deng felt a chill creep into his heart. "If you don't cut the weeds at the root, they'll grow back in the spring breeze." Comrade Wu Hao was truly farsighted.
"Since he's already revealed his hand, if we replace him with someone else, we'll have to start looking for clues all over again. We might as well play our cards right." Secretary Deng clapped his hands excitedly and said, "By the way, according to Poison Scorpion, Old Zhang should be from Xuzhou. He has no reason to lie about that. Do you know him? Isn't he the traitor from Xuzhou back then?"
As a witness to the Xuzhou siege, Cai Tou pondered for a moment and replied, "I don't recall anyone like him. There are probably more young people in the Xuzhou Municipal Party Committee. The only one of similar age is Principal Ji, but Principal Ji has already sacrificed his life. His body was even displayed at the school gate for three days. We had to pull a lot of strings to retrieve his body..."
Secretary Deng interrupted Cai Tou: "Don't limit yourself. What if Old Zhang looks older than he actually is? Poison Scorpion once said that Mr. Leng's identity was arranged in Nanjing. He must change his appearance, otherwise he will be recognized by acquaintances as soon as he shows his face. How can he stay infiltrated then?"
“Indeed, I will investigate his true identity as soon as possible. Secretary Deng, do you have any other clues?” Cai Tou asked sincerely.
"There really is one." Secretary Deng whispered something in Cai Tou's ear. Cai Tou's eyes widened in surprise. Secretary Deng patted his chest. "I've already blocked this information. You just need to know it yourself. Otherwise, if his identity is exposed, he might be silenced by other spies."
“Understood, Secretary Deng. You need to be careful during interrogations in the future. They’ve all received professional training from Zhang Tianhe, and they’re very difficult to deal with. Poison Scorpion stole the pen from your pocket, used the metal on the pen cap to unlock your handcuffs, and then took advantage of your kindness to send a guard away, creating a gap in the defenses, and almost killed you,” Cai Tou kindly reminded him.
In fact, when Du Xie mentioned his hometown, Secretary Deng noticed the problem. Du Xie said he was from Jiujiang, but Jiujiang County was only renamed in 1914; before that, it was called Dehua County.
If his father worked in the government office, it means that the Qing Dynasty was still in power. His parents should have identified themselves as people from Dehua. The older they got, the less willing they were to change their place of origin. Since he had never been back, he would definitely have continued to use his parents' names.
At the time, we just thought that Poison Scorpion was being dishonest and lying about his place of origin to avoid Minister He's investigation in his real hometown. We didn't think about the reasons in depth. Now that I think about it, he may not be from Jiangxi at all, and his place of origin was most likely bought from Yudu County.
Minister He once said that as long as enough money was given, the Yudu County Party Committee would sell anything, which was an open secret. He had underestimated the bottom line of corrupt officials.
Secretary Deng sighed with a bitter face: "Hey~ if it weren't for the fact that it's a bumper year and I was forced into this situation, I wouldn't have suffered like this, and a good comrade on guard duty wouldn't have been sacrificed in vain."
“Secretary Deng, don’t blame yourself too much. After all, you’re not an intelligence officer. Leave everything about Lao Zhang to me.” Cai Tou changed the subject. “Also, I’d like to ask you to take me through the secret room again. I want to see if there are any new clues.”
"Great!" Secretary Deng was eager for someone to help him investigate. He practically dragged Comrade Cai, who was more than two heads taller than him, back into the secret room amidst the astonished gazes of the crowd.
The walkway was mostly dry, and the clanging of hammers came from the left. Cai Tou asked to go to the source of the sound first, but Secretary Deng waved his hand and asked him to go first.
The entrance to the snow cave was secured with ropes, and the stone door to the empty room was wide open. Secretary Deng felt a vague unease. They stepped into the secret chamber where the explosives were placed, but the ground was empty. Several soaking wet workers were building a wall near the explosion site.
"Why are you allowed to sabotage the site?" Secretary Deng angrily rushed forward to stop the construction.
The worker blinked innocently: "Secretary Deng, the higher-ups told us to fix the leak as soon as possible."
“Secretary Deng, they are just following orders.” Cai Tou suppressed his smile and told the workers to leave first. “Some people are getting restless. The more they try to stop us from investigating, the more we want to find something out.”
“Actually, this place has been flooded, so there were no clues left to begin with, and now there are even fewer…” Secretary Deng’s mind flashed with the little face of the Red Devil, and he choked up for a moment.
A warm press came from his shoulder. Cai Tou patted his shoulder and then looked around the secret room by the light of the kerosene lamp left behind by the workers.
Before long, Cai Tou started walking in half-steps, until he reached the vicinity of the explosion site, as if he were measuring something. Secretary Deng watched him silently, even breathing softly, afraid of disturbing Cai Tou's investigation.
It wasn't until his calves started to cramp that Cai Tou stopped the investigation and beckoned him over. Secretary Deng twisted his stiff ankle and came to the spot Cai Tou had designated.
"Secretary Deng, were there many explosive charges stored here in the past?" Cai Tou asked earnestly.
"Yes, there were a dozen or twenty explosive charges pressed against the wall," Secretary Deng recalled.
“That’s it, look at this.” Cai Tou magically produced a deformed piece of metal from the wall. As he turned his wrist, the metal transformed into something familiar—the hands of a clock.
"A clock that spies hang on the wall?" Secretary Deng asked curiously.
Cai Tou shook his head in denial: "No, it's the pointer of a time bomb. These explosives should be connected in series with a single fuse to ensure that all the explosive charges detonate at the same time and exert maximum power. However, there is a fatal flaw in connecting them in series: if one connection point breaks, it will short-circuit and won't explode."
"You mean the explosives were ineffective before they were soaked in water?" Secretary Deng asked in surprise.
This time, Cai Tou said with great certainty, "Well, I'm not sure what mistake he made that caused the timed explosive charge not to detonate. It would be best if I could take a look at those explosive charges. You were in the air-raid shelter just now, so you should have only heard two explosions. I feel that he doesn't know much about the explosive charges; he just roughly strung them together."
Cai Tou then led Secretary Deng to the explosion site, gesturing as he explained, "Compared to the rough conditions outside, the explosives arrangement at the explosion site is much more refined. This was originally a power distribution room, which can perfectly integrate complex explosive circuits. Poison Scorpion must know electrical work, and the amount of gunpowder is controlled extremely well, just enough to collapse one wall without affecting the opposite wall. Only a professional could do such a delicate job."
"Were both explosions from the power distribution room?" Secretary Deng was a little confused.
"That's pretty much it. Zero will definitely tell Scorpion the exact detonation time so he can use him as a double, allowing him to live and go down the wrong path. On the other hand, Scorpion, to cover up his explosives, will probably choose to detonate them simultaneously with Zero's. In the end, only Scorpion's explosives will go off. Zero will be wondering why there were only two explosions, and he might turn back to check the situation halfway through his run," Cai Tou explained.
Secretary Deng gasped: "Wait a minute, Zero has so much gold on him, he can live a wealthy life anywhere, why bother getting entangled with those spies and becoming their lackey?"
“Secretary Deng, don’t forget we were born in a chaotic era. We only have money, not power. We can’t protect those gold bars at all. Even a small bandit can wipe them out.” Cai Tou continued, “If he manages to escape, he will surely become a great hero who bravely ventured into the Soviet area. With his connections in Shanghai and by using those gold bars to bribe officials in the Nationalist government, he should be able to get a lucrative position and never have to worry about food and drink again.”
"Daydreaming! He even wants to slaughter pigs, pluck their hair, bleed us from our necks, and feed them with our flesh and blood." Secretary Deng curled his lip in disdain.
Cai Tou sighed, “The Nationalist government hates our two leaders to the bone. They publish reactionary editorials in the newspapers all the time, calling for the killing of Zhu De and the removal of Mao Zedong. Our comrades in the White Areas have fought them with words several times, and they have always lost.”
Suddenly, the two looked at each other, realizing at the same time that they didn't seem to be talking about the same thing; this "Zhu" was not that "Zhu".
In an instant, Cai Tou's expression changed drastically: "Have you checked for any secret rooms near the command post?"
"No!" Secretary Deng's voice trembled slightly.
"Don't panic. It's a tandem structure, so it's definitely failed now. Our top priority is to find the remaining explosive charges. Secretary Deng, which direction is the command post?" Cai Tou frowned and scratched his head.
“North.” Secretary Deng pointed to the north wall.
After groping around for a while, the two finally pressed the right button, leading to another bottomless tunnel, only wide enough for one person to pass through. The difference was that there were two long electrical wires lined up on the ground in the tunnel, with the ends neatly cut off. Cai Tou guessed correctly that the explosives on the ground were all connected in series.
Walking north, at the end of the path was a dry room, where the sounds of leaders discussing in a meeting could still be faintly heard. When Secretary Deng raised the kerosene lamp, his heart pounded and he almost cried out. There was an entire wall covered with explosive charges.
Secretary Deng hurriedly retreated to the entrance of the room and dimmed the kerosene lamp, fearing that a spark might accidentally touch the gunpowder pack, which would bring the Chinese revolution to a standstill.
"Secretary Deng, was the young soldier who sacrificed his life particularly mischievous, always trying to climb to higher places?" Cai Tou asked abruptly.
“Boys are at that age where cats and dogs hate them, they’re more unruly than monkeys on Mount Emei. Sometimes I feel like I want to beat them up.” Secretary Deng sniffed, barely suppressing his emotions.
“Even if he wasn’t a well-behaved child, he was still a qualified Soviet soldier.” Cai Tou’s body was once again bathed in the light. “Secretary Deng, I know the child’s route.”
"Tell me quickly!" Secretary Deng said nervously, grabbing Cai Tou.
Rewind to the moment the child caught the hen. He accidentally discovered a secret passage under the henhouse. After tying the hen with straw rope, he and the hen entered the passage together.
He must have found the box containing the gold in the secret passage. He secretly took one or a few pieces and hid them on his person. He continued walking forward and eventually reached the air-raid shelter. Without thinking much, the child hugged the hen and eagerly sought out Secretary Deng for praise, also telling him about his discovery of the gold.
However, Secretary Deng was busy at the time, so he could only sit aside and wait. Children of that age can't sit still, so they went back into the secret passage to play an adventure game.
As for his light source, Cai Tou spread his hand, and a tiny firefly flew out, like a star fallen to earth. In fact, this little guy had been resting on the kerosene lamp, but its light was too weak, and it only revealed its true form when the brightness of the kerosene lamp was turned down.
Guided by this faint light, the child navigated the secret passage, likely tying the chicken's beak shut and carrying it on his back, until he encountered Zero, who was setting up the explosives. Zero pulled the wire all the way into the secret room next to the command post.
Darkness is the best tool for concealment. The child followed him into the secret room. Cai Tou pointed to the symmetrical small handprints at the top of the passage. At that time, the child should have been leaning against the walls on both sides, observing in secret, and only jumped down to cause damage after Zero left.
Perhaps the child didn't have a suitable tool, so he chewed on it for a long time and managed to break through the rubber insulation of the wire. Since Zero could return at any time, the only option was to use the most primitive method: urinate on the explosive charge to destroy the connection point before the power was turned on.
He then hid for a while, and only came out after hearing Zero's footsteps leave, and used the same trick on the explosives outside.
This time he wasn't so lucky, because Zero hadn't gone far. Zero, who was meeting with Scorpion, heard the noise. The boy quickly came up with a plan, tore the rope, and threw the hen he was holding to attract Zero's attention.
He slipped out through the crack in the door during the chaos, losing his source of light in the process. However, Zero quickly realized the problem, sending Scorpion after him while he went to get the gold and prepare to escape.
The child panicked and hid in the filing cabinet below, thinking he was safe. But when he came out, he encountered a scorpion lying in ambush. After a chase, the scorpion saw the gold bars the child was carrying and assumed he had stolen his share. Driven by evil, the scorpion, seeing that the child was no match for an adult man, was poisoned by the pen.
Just then, Secretary Deng's call came from outside. The child ran towards the door as if he had grasped a lifeline. When Poison Scorpion heard someone coming, he was afraid of being exposed and dared not chase after him anymore.
The poison took effect quickly, and he managed to crawl out of the secret passage using both his hands and feet. In his dying moments, the child heard Secretary Deng calling out to him, but he was too weak to answer. He could only wrap the gold bars and put them in his mouth to prevent them from being taken by the scorpions.
This also serves as evidence to identify the perpetrator, because the naive child believed that Secretary Deng would uphold justice for him.
A sorrowful silence fell over the room. Secretary Deng's lips trembled uncontrollably. He gritted his teeth to control his emotions, but his vision was blurred.
Four days later, the sky was overcast, as if mourning for the little life. The new tombstone was inscribed with the two words "Red Firefly".
This was his last gift. Secretary Deng recalled that the child had said he was an orphan and wanted to follow the Red Army, so he would take the surname Hong. He had planned to give him a formal name when school started in September so that it would be easier for him to enroll, but there was no longer a chance.
Stroking the words on the tombstone, Secretary Deng murmured "Red Firefly" a few times, hoping that the little devil would like this new name. Although fireflies are weak and short-lived, they can shine the brightest light in their limited time.
Suddenly, a gentle breeze swept by, and the small white flowers around the tombstone swayed gently in the wind, as if nodding in acknowledgment of the name.
As the light and shadow shifted, the red fireflies merged into rows of tombstones engraved with red five-pointed stars. The tombstones were arranged neatly, like silent guardians, standing shoulder to shoulder to protect this restless land.
The last ray of light on the slope, as the sun sank into the mountain mist, painted the entire sky a vibrant orange-red.
The newspaper office was as busy as ever just before closing time. Qingcheng hooked her arm around Secretary Zhao's neck and said, "Sister Zhao, your new cheongsam is so beautiful. It's made of silk. If you wear a pearl necklace with it, your migratory husband will be completely captivated."
The afterglow of the setting sun shone through the glass window onto the two playful people. Sister Zhao shoved a roll of sample manuscripts into Qingcheng's arms and said impatiently, "Go, go, go, hurry up and review the layout so I can leave work early."
Qingcheng chided, "Oh dear~ Our model worker Ms. Zhao E is leaving early? Has the sun risen in the west, or has a migratory bird flown back?"
Editor Xu, who was standing to the side, chuckled and interjected, "You talk too much. You're making Sister Zhao feel embarrassed. Hurry up and review the layout; the printing plant is waiting."
"Okay, okay, we can't let this interfere with everyone's after-get off work dates." Qingcheng winked at Sister Zhao, her words carrying a hidden meaning.
At that moment, a stern male voice rang out from behind: "I am a publication reviewer. May I ask which one of you is Editor He Qingcheng? Please come with me."
Qingcheng turned her head and saw a tall, thin, unfamiliar man standing at the top of the stairs. He was wearing a black Zhongshan suit and had a very serious expression. He didn't seem to be here with good intentions.
"Hello, sir, I'm Editor Xu. I usually handle the review process. Would you like to come with me?" Editor Xu skillfully took out a cigarette and offered it to the man.
The man took the cigarette, smelled it, and seemed unimpressed, but his tone softened: "It's no use you going; they specifically requested Editor He."
Editor Xu's expression changed slightly, and he looked at Qingcheng with concern. Qingcheng was at ease: "I'll go if I want to. I guess my latest editorial has offended some deity again."
"Miss He, the car is parked downstairs. Please come closer." The man didn't say much and directly invited Qingcheng to come downstairs.
"Okay, please wait in the car first. We still have some work to hand over." After seeing the man off, Editor Xu turned to Qingcheng and said, "This person is suspicious. The investigation department is just two streets away from us. Why would they need to take a car? I think someone is trying to get you. Why don't I go with you?"
"It's alright. He dares to come to my workplace to recruit people, so there's no way to avoid him." Qingcheng slung her small bag over her shoulder and reminded Zhao Jie before leaving, "Sister Zhao, if I don't come tomorrow, remember to pay my parking fee. It's about 20 yuan. Take the money from the first drawer on my left. It's in the envelope."
“Parking overnight is too expensive. Why don’t we call your fiancé and have him come and pick it up?” Sister Zhao suggested.
Qingcheng shook her head: "If he comes to drive, who will cook for me? Sister Zhao, you should go home early too."
Outside the car window, the scenery changed rapidly, but they were still driving through a bustling city. Qingcheng couldn't immediately discern their intentions. Did they want to invite her to dinner and chat over a meal?
Not long after, the car stopped in front of Kaisiling. There were two more guards at the door. Qingcheng ignored them and pushed the door open as usual. The store was empty.
Only a man sat in the corner against the wall, dressed in a gray-white Zhongshan suit, with his legs crossed. An open newspaper covered most of his body. The man put down the newspaper when he heard footsteps, revealing his true face: "Editor He, I have long admired your name."
Zhang Chong!
Had what happened last time been exposed? Perhaps there's no evidence, and they can only try to get information out of him. Qingcheng composed herself and sat down opposite him: "Sir, what's your name?"
"My surname is Zhang, and my given name is Chong. Editor He, let's order first. I can't let you just talk." Zhang Chong pushed the menu in front of Qingcheng.
"A glass of lemonade, please." Qingcheng called the waiter over without even looking at the menu, then turned to Zhang Chong and said, "No need for Mr. Zhang to spend money. You shouldn't eat too much before dinner, otherwise the person who worked so hard to cook will be unhappy if you don't eat enough for the main meal."
Zhang Chong thought for a moment and nodded knowingly: "Then I'll try to keep it brief. When did you learn that Ruijin had been bombed?"
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