Sea storm
CC is coming! Run!
Little Sa!
Pushing open the phone booth, Chen Jian grabbed his dying brother and hugged him tightly. His hands were covered in warm, sticky fluid. His friend, who had been playing ball with him just a few hours ago, was now lying on the ground like a bloody mess.
The bleeding spot on his forehead wasn't fatal. Suppressing the surging heartache, Chen Jian gently turned Xiao Sa over. There was a deep bloody hole in his brother's back, seemingly from a dagger.
From the fallen microphone beside him came Brother Cao's voice: "Hello, where is that?"
Swallowing the bitterness, Chen Jian pressed on Xiao Sa's wound while picking up the microphone, his voice filled with murderous intent: "I am Chen Jian, requesting reinforcements. We have been tricked by CC."
"What? You retreat first! Retreat! Do you understand...?" Brother Cao's voice was almost hoarse from shouting.
Before Brother Cao could finish speaking, the microphone slipped from Chen Jian's hand and fell to the ground. The CC agents who were chasing him were right across the street, and the two spotted each other almost simultaneously.
The air seemed to freeze for three seconds. Chen Jian leaped up, using his hand as a shield. A cold light flashed on the other side, and with a whoosh, a sharp blade sliced through his sleeve, causing a burning pain in his arm.
Despite the pain, Shen Jian twisted one leg and hooked the other man's ankle, forcing him to kneel on the ground. The assassin twisted a few times but couldn't break free, and the blade stabbed at him again. At this moment, the two were very close, and Shen Jian seized the opportunity to punch the other man in the neck, followed by a chokehold, which choked the assassin unconscious.
A series of hurried footsteps faintly came from the east. Chen Jian glanced at his brother, dodged, and pressed his back tightly against the phone booth, quickly glancing outside.
About twenty meters away from him, the CC agent gripped the dagger in reverse and followed the trail of blood toward the phone booth.
The blood on his palms smeared onto his trousers. With a flick of his wrist, Chen Jian seized the moment when the CC agent was checking the assassin's breath. He leaped out from behind the phone booth with lightning speed, his fist striking the assassin's nose. Instantly, blood splattered onto his face.
Bang bang bang! A series of fierce punches struck, and the opponent passed out without even uttering a sound. Chen Jian's sneak attack was successful, and he immediately disarmed the CC agent.
The sharp blade pressed against the enemy's throat, instantly slicing through flesh and revealing a bloody gash. Chen Jian's chest heaved violently. With this strike, the enemy would be reporting to the underworld.
"Captain, no!" A faint voice suddenly pulled him back to his senses, and Chen Jian wiped the sweat from Hu's eyes.
"Don't be impulsive, yes, don't be impulsive," Chen Jian reminded himself. The secret investigation team could only fight CC covertly, not openly, after all, the two sides were too different in size.
However, he had never felt such resentment as he did at this moment. A bright crimson light ignited in Chen Jian's eyes, as intense as a cluster of fire. With a whoosh, the blade turned and pierced the other's shoulder. He never held grudges overnight. Wherever CC had injured his brother, he would repay him in kind.
"Hey, Chen Jian, are you still there?" Brother Cao on the other end of the phone hadn't hung up yet.
Taking a breath, Chen Jian reached for the phone receiver lying on the ground and told Brother Cao where he was on the street and where the phone booth was located, explaining that someone on their team was injured and needed medical treatment.
"Okay, Xiao Shen, come back first. I'll send another group to replace your group. Don't linger any longer," Brother Cao hurriedly suggested.
"No need. Since CC has torn off the mask first, then don't blame us for breaking up. Just help me take the wounded away. Also, why are there two sets of coordinates you just gave me?" Chen Jian thought of that strange set of numbers.
Brother Cao on the other end of the phone sighed heavily, indicating that it was no longer important, but Chen Jian couldn't stand people only saying half of what they were saying.
Unable to dissuade Chen Jian, Brother Cao explained that the four sets of numbers he had just given Chen Jian were two sets of nautical coordinates, but not complete coordinates; Zhang Tianhe had concealed the other two sets of coordinates.
However, Cao was no pushover. Using the data that Zhang Tianhe had cracked, he rearranged the last few characters of the telegram and deciphered the last two sets of numbers in reverse. Originally, he needed Chen Jian to find paper and pen, write down the two sets of numbers, and then buy a nautical map to find the location where the four sets of coordinates intersected.
Upon hearing the numbers, Chen Jian smiled knowingly. But where could he find paper and pen now? Scratching his head, his gaze fell upon the unconscious CC agents. They all had a pen clipped to their chests. Taking the pen from one of them, Chen Jian wrote down the two sets of numbers on his wrist, then returned the pen.
"Pah, what are you pretending to be, intellectual!" Shen Jian said dismissively, but in his heart he was thinking that once he caught the CCP members, he would use the reward money to buy the most expensive 24k Parker pen to wear on his chest, which would make him look even more impressive than a university professor.
"I've noted down the numbers. I'll contact you again later." After hanging up the phone, Chen Jian stared blankly at the numbers on his wrist. Suddenly, he felt a chill on his hand as the heavily injured Xiao Sa opened her eyes.
"Captain, let's retreat. Zhang Chong is in the dispatch room, and all the men we sent there have been killed." Xiao Sa weakly tugged at Chen Jian's sleeve. "There will always be another chance. As long as we're alive, we can always fight again."
So that's how it is. Shen Jian finally understood where he lost. His every move had been under Zhang Chong's watchful eye. His clenched fist slowly loosened. What could he do if he was unconvinced? The difference in strength was too great! After confirming that there were no CC agents around, he took out a small cylinder he always carried with him.
Whoosh~ Orange fireworks bloomed in mid-air, and countless golden threads disappeared in an instant. After setting off the emergency assembly fireworks, Chen Jian carried his injured brother and searched for a clinic along the street.
One, two, one...
Soldiers marched past Chen Jian in perfect unison, their movements solemn and restrained. Chen Jian couldn't help but glance at them a few more times. Even Xiao Sa on his back was impressed by Commander Xiong's skillful military command, saying that such demeanor far surpassed that of the ragtag army.
Who can argue with that? The Central Army is the Central Army, how could any ragtag army compare? While admiring the army's heroic bearing, the word "outsider" flashed through Chen Jian's mind, and his eyes grew colder and colder. Ha, Shanghai is not your CC Clique's sole domain.
As dawn broke, a ray of morning light pierced through the dispatch room, illuminating the pale white letter paper and a set of numbers with letters on it.
Sitting in his heavy executive chair, Zhang Chong looked at his calculated results with great satisfaction. He looked up and instructed the agent beside him to immediately requisition two boats and take four action teams to this coordinate point to lie in wait. He remembered that Secretary Yu wanted to capture him alive, and he wanted to interrogate him personally.
The agent in the customs uniform repeatedly agreed, then asked worriedly, "Since the mice have all run away, is there still a need for someone to guard the dock?"
“Of course we need to, the Communist Party is very cunning.” Zhang Chong stood up, walked to the window and looked into the distance. A rising sun was slowly rising from the sea, and the dock under the glow of the sunset was particularly eye-catching.
It's almost dawn, the G Party should be hiding by now!
Several key points flashed through Zhang Chong's mind. He issued an order to control the docks, forbidding all merchant ships from leaving. He also ordered a few people to immediately impersonate "Blackie" and search for Secretary Yu under the pretext of searching for contraband. If they couldn't find Secretary Yu, it didn't matter; the docks would be reopened after daybreak.
Having the coordinates would increase their chances of winning, but Zhang Chong understood that the CCP's methods were unpredictable, and this time, with the important Secretary Yu being escorted, the courier would definitely be very cautious when choosing the retreat route.
Therefore, Zhang Chong's plan was simple: place two agents behind the courier to follow him, and let them make contact after arriving on the island, since they should be more familiar with the island's terrain than he was.
Once their own agents control the merchant ships that bring them to the island and they hand over the radio, it won't be so easy for them to escape.
However, to avoid the possibility that the Communist Party might have left small boats in some remote corners, Zhang Chong suggested that after sending agents to the island first, they should thoroughly survey the surrounding terrain. That place was a small reef, theoretically uninhabited, and if there were any boats, they should be destroyed directly.
"Yes, I understand," the agent in the customs uniform said in a deep voice.
"Okay, go ahead, I'll wait for your news." Zhang Chong nodded slightly. This time, he was determined to capture Secretary Yu alive, not only for his own career but also for that list.
The sky brightened by one degree every minute. Through the glass window, Zhang Chong noticed that a large walkway was congested. Thick black smoke enveloped everyone, and shouts, cries, and screams created a chaotic mess.
What happened? As soon as Zhang Chong opened the window, thick, pungent smoke rushed into the room. His throat was so dry that he couldn't help but cough. His heart sank. Was the dock on fire?
Zhang Chong quickly scanned his surroundings and saw a young man in a light-colored short-sleeved shirt standing outside the crowd, waving provocatively toward the dispatch room. Zhang Chong's mind skipped a beat; it was Chen Jian.
The secret investigation team didn't have many agents on field missions to begin with, and after the expulsion, only some remnants remained, posing no threat whatsoever. However, Zhang Chong didn't care about killing a few more people now, as long as it was done cleanly, otherwise it would affect the CC's reputation.
Just as Zhang Chong was closing the window and preparing to call for help, there was a rapid knocking at the door. A special agent in a customs uniform pushed the door open and entered. He reported with a serious expression that someone had set fire to the dock. The strong winds today had affected the cargo of more than ten ships, and the merchants were in an uproar.
Mmm-mmm-mmm-mmm-mmm
Before they could exchange more than a few words, the fire brigade's red truck was already in position, and the firefighters immediately began spraying water on the fire.
"That little brat's gone mad! He actually dared to set a fire. His goal must be to lure the foreign devils here." Zhang Chong's fingers trembled as he walked to the desk and swept all the documents off the table.
Snap~
Thick sheets of manuscript paper lay scattered on the ground. The agents in customs uniforms beside them didn't dare to breathe. Zhang Chongqi trembled all over, pointing at his subordinates and roaring, "We didn't set up checkpoints around the docks, so how did Chen Jian sneak in? Are you all blindfolded?"
"Section Chief Zhang, we've done our best. The other side came prepared. The arsonists were Axe Gang thugs. They were all dressed like dockworkers, and they outnumbered us so much that we didn't have time to react." The agent lowered his head and explained, afraid of saying a single wrong word.
With a gloomy face, Zhang Chong forced himself to calm down. It was just an emergency, and he hadn't applied to the concession for permission to search the Communist Party beforehand. It wasn't a big deal. He immediately dialed the number of Deputy Director William's office, but the line was busy.
Strange, even if William isn't here, his secretary should be. What's going on?
"Section Chief Zhang, are you looking for me?" A voice sounded behind him, with a broken Chinese accent. Who else could it be but William?
Since their parting at the Golden Gate Hotel, the two had never met again. Zhang Chong extended his hand in greeting, but William's hands were in his pockets, and he showed no intention of shaking hands.
The air seemed to freeze. Zhang Chong silently withdrew his hand and forced a smile to cover his embarrassment. He said he wanted to apply for a search warrant from William. The G Party's appearance was too sudden, and they could only track them down first and then complete the formalities.
"Section Chief Zhang shouldn't have asked me for a search warrant. You have a close relationship with our chief, so wouldn't it have been better to ask him directly?" It seems William still remembers the grudge from last time.
"Heh, these foreign devils can even use idioms now," Zhang Chong casually revealed, adding that the person arrested this time was named Yu Xiangyang, a high-ranking official of the Communist Party. "If the concessions cooperate with the arrest, there will be plenty of benefits to come."
William's azure eyes darted around, his tone laced with sarcasm: "Oh, another high-ranking CCP official. They've run away, leaving me with a mess. We in the concession don't want to deal with the same kind of thing again."
"How about we have the representatives from the Maritime Surveillance Bureau accompany us to arrest the Communist Party members this time? That would also serve as a deterrent," Zhang Chong said, noticing William's reluctance and lowering his stance to negotiate.
“No, the staff of the Maritime Surveillance Bureau all have their own jobs, otherwise the dock will be in chaos.” William resolutely refused. “And your inexplicable restriction order, I have already ordered it to be lifted. The dock is a very important international trade venue, and it cannot be closed down because of a small matter.”
Zhang Chong's face immediately turned ashen. William's attitude was tough. Even if he immediately went to the director to smooth things over, it would take some time. If the Communist Party escaped during this time, he would suffer a loss. He couldn't help but resent the foreigners' rudeness. Why should we not have the right to decide our docks?
"William, can't you even show a little mercy?" Zhang Chong asked again, suppressing his disappointment.
William shook his head: "I am still very willing to cooperate with the government, but we Britons have an old saying: professional matters should be left to professionals. So I have brought in people from the Shanghai-Nanjing Command to supervise. You should be very familiar with them."
Headquarters? Zhang Chong immediately thought of Li Sheng. Well, he and Li Sheng were old acquaintances, so cooperating wouldn't be too difficult, and he could also test him a bit more.
"The men have arrived, gentlemen, please come in." William clapped his hands, and two men, one tall and one short, dressed in crisp military uniforms, walked in.
The short, dark-skinned Zhang Chong was very familiar to me; he was Director Yan from the Military Law Department. The other tall one seemed to be Councilor Gao, wasn't he the one who led troops into battle?
"Why didn't Li Sheng come?" Zhang Chong asked, glancing at Gao Junxiao with a puzzled look.
"Oh, he took his mother back to the countryside to sweep the tombs." As soon as Director Yan finished speaking, a trace of regret flashed through Zhang Chong's heart.
Regardless of whether Zhang Chong had the patience to listen, Director Yan continued, "Our Section Chief Li was too busy last month and didn't even have time to go back for Qingming Festival. He only dared to ask for leave recently when he had some free time. With Commander Xiong's approval, all the affairs of the Propaganda and Distribution Section were handed over to Councilor Gao during his leave."
"It's a pity. I originally wanted to find Li, but he was on vacation. I can only trouble Councilor Gao, who is filling in for me." William smiled amicably at Gao Junxiao.
"Alright, will you be leading the team this time, Director Yan or Councilor Gao?" Zhang Chong asked Director Yan in a nonchalant manner.
Director Yan smiled and continued, "Naturally, I'll lead the team. Our Councilor Gao is a proper military leader, but he knows nothing about arresting CCP members. He can only ask me, Yan, to assist him to avoid making a fool of himself."
Spies are all excellent actors, so Zhang Chong immediately put on a friendly smile and loudly welcomed his colleagues to supervise him. He said that when they caught the Communists, he would definitely ask his superiors to reward everyone in the headquarters. Of course, Deputy Director William's benefits would also be included. Zhang Chong remembered everyone's kindness.
Perhaps seeing that Zhang Chong was sensible, William took out the search warrant he had prepared beforehand, repeatedly warned Zhang Chong not to harm civilians again, and then left.
Once William's figure had completely disappeared from the office, Zhang Chongcai said sarcastically, "Old Yan, you guys got here really fast."
"Old Zhang, don't be upset. Even if William hadn't invited us, Commander Xiong would have sent someone to mediate. You and the secret investigation team had that little commotion this morning, and it's already reached the principal, you know?" Director Yan said confidently, as if he were telling the truth.
Zhang, filled with resentment, changed his smile and frowned, saying, "I don't know."
Director Yan sighed, "You injured their team members. I heard that Team Leader Dai made a scene on the phone with the principal, demanding an explanation from CC. And your CC team wasn't going to back down either. Committee Member Chen, still in his pajamas, stormed into the principal's house, forcing him to choose between two women. Damn it, one is a powerful and influential wife, the other is a favored concubine, how is the principal supposed to choose..."
"Alright, alright, I know. I'll write the self-criticism later," Zhang Chong interrupted impatiently. "William didn't allow us to blockade the docks, so we proceeded according to plan and carried out the island encirclement."
After Zhang Chong finished speaking, he took out a document from the drawer and handed it to Director Yan. Director Yan accepted the document and led Gao Junxiao to sit on the sofa, where the two of them read it together.
After verbally explaining his plan, Zhang Chong led them onto a medium-sized merchant ship. Once his men reported that the courier's ship had left port, he also relayed the order to sail to the small island.
A gentle sea breeze caressed the surface of the sea, carrying the unique salty smell of the seawater. A strong gust of wind blew by, stirring up layers of waves. The seawater was stirred up and slammed onto the deck like a giant hand, breaking into droplets after crashing.
On the deck, Gao Junxiao helped Director Yan, who was seasick, to sunbathe. Suddenly, Director Yan covered his mouth and rushed to the railing, gagging until he could no longer vomit anything. Then, Director Yan sat down on the deck with a blank expression.
In the wheelhouse, Zhang Chong looked at the two men with mixed feelings. One was a novice who didn't know anything about arrests, and the other was seasick and barely alive. Relying on them for help was less desirable than heading back home as soon as possible. Rubbing his temples, Zhang Chong told a sailor to bring some ginger to Director Yan to stop his nausea, otherwise he might not make it to the island alive.
No sooner had he finished speaking than a commotion erupted on the deck, followed by a violent rocking of the ship. Zhang Chong lost his balance and fell to the ground, scraping his hand.
The weather at sea can change in an instant; the sky was clear and blue just a moment ago, but now it's gloomy and looks like it's about to collapse.
"Thunder and strong winds are approaching us. Lower the sails immediately and adjust the course. All unrelated personnel must evacuate the deck immediately." The captain, without time to attend to Zhang Chong, issued the order urgently.
The wind and waves grew even stronger. Several sailors ran to the mast, untied the thick hemp ropes, and together three or four men worked hard to pull up the sail, their bodies almost parallel to the deck. Finally, the sail was raised.
Zhang Chong breathed a sigh of relief, but his dissatisfaction with the CCP deepened once again. This time, he was determined to capture Secretary Yu alive.
boom--
A clap of thunder rang out, and instantly a torrential downpour drowned out all other sounds. The two CC agents patted the rain off their clothes and cursed the heavens for being blind.
The cabin was very dark. The two men wanted to take out a cigarette to warm themselves up, but after groping around for a while, they couldn't find a lighter. Click, a red flame lit up, and without thinking much, they lit the cigarettes.
Smoke filled the cramped warehouse. An agent took a drag of his cigarette and asked, "Hey, where did you find that lighter?"
"Huh? Didn't you order it?" the other person replied.
The two men froze on the spot, but quickly realized there was a third person in the cabin. However, before they could draw their guns, their necks suddenly tightened, and the feeling of suffocation soon plunged them into darkness.
A flash of lightning illuminated dozens of faces hidden inside the ship's cabin.
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