The hunt begins
In the overcast night sky, two black sedans sped into the darkness one after the other, their headlights briefly illuminating their license plates before disappearing into the evening mist. The entire street was eerily quiet, as if something momentous was about to happen.
Several shadowy figures flashed and rushed straight upstairs where the light was shining. Light sleepers were awakened, but they thought it was just rats disturbing them and went back to sleep. However, some people didn't even have a chance to shout before their hands were stuffed with dirty strips of cloth and cuffed with a "clang".
A bolt of lightning flashed across the sky, and a terrifying clap of thunder assaulted our eardrums. In another quiet alley, sparks flew from the bluestone slabs as a blood-soaked man fell into the mud. Raindrops washed away the bloodstains on his body, forming a red stream.
In the dark, stormy night, without starlight, he was the only torch. Even if he were to go out, countless other torches would ignite behind him. The man pulled back the magazine and counted; he had three bullets left. He could take out at least two more spies and keep one for himself. Unfortunately, there was a piece of intelligence he hadn't yet transmitted.
Suddenly, the world spun around him, and the man was pulled into the room with his mouth covered. He instinctively nudged the person with his elbow, but the person's words, "It's me," successfully calmed him down. Then, like an enraged lion, he shoved the person, telling them to leave quickly.
They've all been exposed! Someone has become a shameful traitor!
When several dark figures burst into the house with guns, they found only the man's cold body, a dark hole in the sun, bloodstains still wet, and an empty Colt pistol in his hand.
Shortly after, Team Leader Dai arrived at the crime scene with a black umbrella. He looked around but found nothing suspicious. He then took a closer look at the body and the gun in the body's hand.
The known situation indicates that this member of the Communist Party, having exhausted all other options, chose to commit suicide out of fear of punishment, and the trail has gone cold again.
Team Leader Dai walked to the center of the courtyard, reached out and touched the railings and pillars. The rain had long since washed away the original traces, but the railings were too clean. This was an empty house. Was it a ghost cleaning it?
Of course not, he has accomplices.
Judging from the meticulous cleaning inside, it was the work of an experienced person. Team Leader Dai closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and exhaled heavily. He thoroughly enjoyed the atmosphere of this hunt. He had a feeling that there was a big fish here, a very deep-diving big fish, either a high-ranking member of the Communist Party or a direct subordinate of a high-ranking member of the Communist Party.
This idea made him tremble with excitement, and only working through the night could calm him down.
The heavy rain outside didn't stop until dawn. Inside the office, Team Leader Dai was carefully reviewing the statements and transcripts. The action team leader across the table stood respectfully, not daring to say a word.
Finally, Team Leader Dai closed his confession, looked up at the action captain, and gave the order: "Continue to investigate red publications and monitor the movements of left-leaning figures in the cultural and journalistic circles. Once we find the superiors, it's not too late to arrest the subordinates."
"Yes, sir." The action captain snapped to attention, saluted, and then said angrily, "If it weren't for that damned telegram that leaked the secret, we could have wiped out the entire Communist Party in Xuzhou in one fell swoop."
"No rush, clear the perimeter first, then break through the center. Xiao Bai, how's the phone record check coming along?" Team Leader Dai coldly changed the subject. Since they were going to conduct an internal investigation, it meant everyone was a suspect.
“Xuzhou is a small place; all call records are only kept for 5 days,” said Bai Haoyue, the team leader, regretfully.
“It’s okay, let’s start with the higher-ranking ones.” Team Leader Dai closed his eyes, which had been working all night, and leaned back in his chair, relaxing.
The action team leader opened his notebook and read aloud the call log: Du Ying, commander of the Xuzhou city defense, major general, made 15 calls to his family in Jinan, 3 calls to Chairman Han in Jinan, 12 calls to subordinates of the Xuzhou patrol station, 9 calls to the Xuzhou anti-bandit temporary command post, and one call each to the county-level security regiments in his jurisdiction.
Then came the attacks: 21 from the Xuzhou patrol station, 6 from the Xuzhou anti-bandit temporary command post, once from the Xuzhou military club, once from Antai Trading Company, once from Weishi Trading Company... The action team leader, seeing Team Leader Dai's increasingly gloomy face, knew he shouldn't say anything more, and only added that the following were all due to connections and business banquets, totaling 43 times.
Though his face remained impassive, a nameless rage was already brewing within Team Leader Dai. After all, he was the commander of the National Revolutionary Army, yet Du Ying's warlord habits remained unchanged. He received more calls from people asking for banquets and pulling strings than calls about work—was this acceptable?! Without even opening his eyes, he said irritably, "Continue."
Bai Haoyue cautiously continued her report: "Gao Junxiao, director of the anti-banditry supervision office, with the rank of colonel, has spoken to his girlfriend in Shanghai three times and to his family in Beiping once."
Upon hearing this, Team Leader Dai immediately opened his eyes and interrupted the report: "Wait a minute, doesn't his girlfriend need to talk to him every day? They're not even married yet, and he's already so carefree."
"He was taken out for drinks by Commander Du for two days, and he got drunk at night and had to be carried back," Bai Haoyue explained.
After listening, Team Leader Dai pinched the bridge of his nose to relieve the soreness in his eyes, thinking to himself that he learned nothing good from following that old fox Du Ying, but he picked up the bad in no time: "Then how come Du Ying has time to call his family? Is Du Ying not drunk?"
"They're all drunk. But Commander Du calls three times a day on time to make sure his family can have their next meal. He always calls before mealtimes."
This explanation was reasonable, and Team Leader Dai didn't press further, simply humming in acknowledgment to continue.
The action team leader adjusted his tone slightly and cleared his throat before reporting: "Gao Junxiao spoke with Committee Member Tan in Nanjing twice, the Quartermaster Department six times, the Shanghai Songhu Command nine times, including seven times to Commander Xiong and two times to the General Affairs Department, three times to the garrison in the southern suburbs of Xuzhou, and six times to the Xuzhou City Defense Command."
"There were also calls from the military garrison in the southern suburbs of Xuzhou (twice), the Xuzhou City Defense Command (nine times), Committee Member Tan in Nanjing (twice), and the Shanghai Songhu Command (twice), all from the General Affairs Department. In addition, the Luoyang Command called once from Division Commander Chen Yao, and the Shanghai Chamber of Commerce's Xuzhou office called once. That's all."
This Director Gao must have been held hostage by the Quartermaster Department lately, so he's been going around asking leaders for leniency. Chen Yao, the two of them are inseparable, he's probably here to give him advice. After thinking it over, Team Leader Dai asked suspiciously, "What does the Shanghai Chamber of Commerce want with him?"
"He asked his girlfriend to bring him two bottles of floral water from Shanghai. It's supposedly a high-end product that can only be found in Shanghai. The Chamber of Commerce told him to pick it up when he has time." A hint of envy flashed in Bai Haoyue's eyes.
After hearing the explanation, Team Leader Dai was disdainful, a look of contempt on his face. "Ha! What a fuss! A grown man wanting floral water is one thing, but he insists on having his girlfriend send two bottles from Shanghai, as if making himself smell nice will make bandits afraid of him."
But he comes from a prestigious family, is a disciple of Committee Member Tan, and is highly educated. He's affiliated with both the Baoding clique and the Japanese Army University, so he's influential everywhere, and his position is even one rank higher than his military rank. Should we expect him to change his spoiled brat nature? Forget it, comparisons are odious. Team Leader Dai sighed helplessly and told the action captain to announce the next person.
"Qin Qulu, commander of the 33rd Regiment and deputy brigade commander of the 110th Brigade, with the rank of colonel, spoke with his family in Beiping 3 times and with Brigade Commander Zhao of the 110th Brigade 5 times. That's all."
Although Qin Qulu was only temporarily transferred and wouldn't have complicated social connections, his phone calls were always with his family or superiors. His simple relationships even made Team Leader Dai sigh, "If the Party and the country had more loyal and incorruptible generals like Regiment Commander Qin, the President wouldn't be so worried."
I had investigated Commander Qin before and found that he was just biased and not a member of the Communist Party. During the April 12 Incident, he was protected by Commander Zhang and Marshal Ma. The president did not want to offend the high-ranking officials of the Northwest Army, so he ordered Commander Qin to watch his words. In the end, nothing came of it, but his position was stuck at the commander level and it was difficult for him to be promoted.
"If the team leader can command an army, he will certainly be no worse than those people." Bai Haoyue flattered him skillfully, knowing how to read the room.
"Shut up!" Team Leader Dai snapped, though a hint of smugness flashed in his eyes.
"Yes, I was being nosy." Bai Haoyue chuckled and slapped her own face twice.
Just as the action team leader was about to continue reporting the brigade commander's call log, there was a knock on the door. It turned out that Commander Du was inviting Team Leader Dai to do morning exercises together. Team Leader Dai, full of suspicion, dismissed the guards. Why was Du Ying suddenly being so polite? Something was definitely amiss.
When Team Leader Dai arrived at the drill ground with one of his subordinates, he was greeted by a gunshot. Du Ying, who was on patrol, immediately cursed, "Damn it, which idiot accidentally fired?"
Qin Qulu, standing next to Du Ying, grinned and said, "Commander Du, accidental discharge is just like farting; it happens every day. How can you blame a lowly soldier? You're a magnanimous man. Intensify training so that people don't have a chance to gossip."
"Go to hell! Don't even look at the place before you fart. We just invited Team Leader Dai for a tour. If you scare Team Leader Dai, I'll skin you alive." Du Ying turned around, making a veiled insult, and then greeted Team Leader Dai with clasped hands as if he had just seen him. "Oh, Team Leader Dai, your presence is an honor to my humble abode."
"Commander Du, you're too kind. Did you invite me here today just for a visit? Could we reschedule? I have other matters to attend to and can't get away," Team Leader Dai asked bluntly.
"Of course not, how could I trouble you, a busy man like Team Leader Dai, to visit my little place?" Commander Du waved his hand, and his instructors blew whistles. Squads of soldiers in black uniforms entered the drill ground in an orderly fashion until the vast drill ground was completely filled.
"Team Leader Dai, these are all county-level security regiments under my command with official designations. I've heard that the Communist Party likes to infiltrate small rural areas. I'd appreciate it if you could inspect them together. Consider it a check-up for our army. If you find any Communists, the credit is all yours. Just remember to put in a good word for me, Team Leader Dai. I don't want to be accused of colluding with the Communists," Commander Du said "friendly."
Looking at the sea of heads on the playground, Team Leader Dai felt dizzy, and his lips twitched as he squeezed out a "good" through his teeth.
"Oh, these are just a few. My place is small and can only accommodate this many people, so I had the security regiments from each county come in batches. When we get back, I'll have Lieutenant Shen write you a timetable so you can deploy your search at the station." Commander Du's few casual words greatly increased the workload of the ten-man team.
Even if you gathered all the hidden agents in Xuzhou City, let alone just ten core members, it would still take them endless investigation. At this point, Team Leader Dai didn't even bother to answer; he simply forced a slight smile and nodded.
At this moment, a black-clad agent jogged into the drill ground, whispered a few words to Team Leader Dai, and a sinister smile flashed across his face. He then asked Commander Du, "Commander Du, where is Inspector Gao? Doesn't he have to do morning exercises?"
"Team Leader Dai is joking. Inspector Gao isn't my subordinate. If you want to report me, you'll have to go to Commander Xiong in Shanghai, or directly to Committee Member Tan in Nanjing." Du Ying directly passed the buck to Gao Junxiao's superiors.
“Since it has nothing to do with Commander Du, then I will go and question Director Gao,” Team Leader Dai said with a half-smile.
Commander Qin frowned, about to raise his fist in warning, but Du Ying stopped him. Facing the aggressive Team Leader Dai, Commander Du smiled and gestured for him to leave. Team Leader Dai, having received his pardon, left the training ground without looking back.
Perhaps feeling the strain of working hard for days, the sun went on strike after hiding back in Miyun. Only the eaves dripped water along the roadside. A group of uninvited guests broke into the temporary bandit suppression headquarters at the East Gate.
Two black-clad agents stood guard outside the study, giving the impression that no unauthorized personnel were allowed in. Inside the antique-style room, Team Leader Dai carefully observed Gao Junxiao, who sat opposite him. His refined, scholarly air seemed to emanate from his military uniform, and his handsome appearance even made him somewhat envious.
The faint fragrance emanating from Gao Junxiao made Team Leader Dai find it somewhat amusing: "Supervisor Gao, you're very clean, aren't you?"
"Isn't cleanliness a good thing?" Gao Junxiao retorted with a straight face.
"Your clothes are clean, but the work you're doing isn't so clean." Team Leader Dai had some unsettling confidence in accusing others of not being clean.
"Team Leader Dai, stop beating around the bush and just say what you want to say. I'm very busy." Gao Junxiao's intention to get rid of him was practically written all over his face.
As if knowing that Gao Junxiao wouldn't cooperate obediently, Team Leader Dai calmly tossed out a Colt M1911 pistol: "This is a pistol that only officers of the rank of colonel or above in our Central Army's elite units carry. How did it end up next to a Communist Party member with a split head?"
In fact, it's not just the colonel-level officers of the Central Army who wear them; intelligence departments, detective agencies, and other special service departments are also issued them. There are even a small number of them circulating on the black market. Team Leader Dai just wanted to see Gao Junxiao's attitude.
He probably thought of this too, and Gao Junxiao didn't take the evidence seriously: "You think you can accuse me of treason with just a gun? Putting aside whether it's even tenable, Team Leader Dai, you've got a good plan. How much did you get from the bandits to trip me up?"
“Superintendent Gao, you’ve misunderstood. My subordinates have absolutely no connection with the bandits on the mountain. I just found out that the serial number of this pistol has already been issued to your unit. This is the quartermaster’s distribution record.” Team Leader Dai then threw out another photo, which was the quartermaster’s outbound record. It was clear from his expression that he had come prepared.
"Oh, is that so? Then gather all my officers of the rank of colonel and check which one is missing a gun. This is my sidearm." Gao Junxiao didn't even look at the photo, and readily pulled out his sidearm and placed it on the table.
“Supervisor Gao, I’m not doubting you, but don’t you have any records of receiving the guns?” Team Leader Dai asked.
"What records? I'm just a rough guy, all I care about is fighting. When I'm fighting bandits, I use whatever I get. Do you think every soldier gets paid like they're getting a weapon and putting their fingerprint on it? That's ridiculous." Gao Junxiao retorted without any politeness.
The logistics management of the troops was even more chaotic than Team Leader Dai had imagined. This was not a problem of just one unit, especially for a mixed anti-bandit team like Gao Junxiao's, which had no fixed functional departments. At most, a combat company was temporarily responsible for the management of supplies.
No, I almost got confused by Gao Junxiao. He was talking about officers using pistols, but Gao Junxiao insisted on bringing up conventional rifles. This was just sophistry. Team Leader Dai threatened sternly, "Supervisor Gao, the clues we worked so hard to find have ended with you. Who do you think should be held responsible?"
Gao Junxiao probably knew that he wouldn't be able to get away with it without giving an explanation today. He picked up the photo, glanced at it, and pointed out the suspicious points with a cold smile: "Look at the date of this shipment. I was still dealing with bandits on Fengshan Mountain. You can ask Commander Qin, Commander Du, or even Commander Xiong."
"I will naturally verify it, but is there something else that Inspector Gao is hiding?" Under Boss Dai's scrutinizing gaze, Gao Junxiao's eyes darted left and right, clearly showing his guilty conscience.
After hesitating for a while, Gao Junxiao snorted coldly and looked directly at Team Leader Dai, saying, "Alright, I'll tell you. There was a batch of guns that I swindled from the quartermaster's warehouse. There was no record of them leaving the warehouse at all. If there was, it was a fake record they made later. And they didn't even bother to make it up properly. I've never handled a pistol. Everyone knows that those things are useless in battle. Rifles are what soldiers live for."
"You're a direct subordinate of the regular army, why aren't you following the procedures?" Team Leader Dai squinted his eyes in a questioning tone.
“I have applied multiple times, and the leaders have all spoken on my behalf. But the son of a gun in the quartermaster department still wants to act tough. I have already signed a military pledge with the military headquarters that the bandits must be wiped out by the end of this year. What can I do? I can’t just send my brothers into battle shirtless.” Gao Junxiao’s words were heartfelt.
Team Leader Dai could tell that Gao Junxiao wasn't lying or playing tricks this time; he was only filled with bitterness and helplessness. He had also heard rumors that the Quartermaster Department liked to act tough, and he hadn't wanted to get involved in this mess, but he wouldn't let anyone who lied to him get away with it.
The quartermasters need a good talking-to!
"Excuse me, farewell." Team Leader Dai put on his wide-brimmed hat and left as silently as he had come, like a ghost.
The city of Xuzhou now seems to be covered by a giant spider web, with hunting dogs lying around the perimeter, waiting for the right opportunity to pounce on more people.
When the tragic news reached Shanghai, everyone mourned the fallen comrades with heavy hearts. Wang Renyong, who was always smiling, remained silent with no expression on his face after receiving the list of the fallen from the Second Division.
Rui Rui poured him a glass of cold water. She wanted to say something comforting, but couldn't utter a word. Wang Renyong glanced at Rui Rui numbly, picked up his coat, and went out. The loss of a comrade-in-arms of many years—this kind of pain is unbearable for anyone!
Looking at the list of the fallen, there were two extremely familiar names: Hu Yukun and Cai Shaokang.
Two comrades who fought alongside her suddenly became short names on the list of the fallen. Qingcheng's vision blurred, and her heart ached as if it were being pricked by needles. They were both once living, breathing people.
Knowing what Qingcheng wanted to ask, Rui Rui took out a copy of the Xuzhou Evening News and handed it to Qingcheng: "You're soft-hearted, so Wang Renyong didn't dare to show it to you, but I think you need to understand what kind of people your former comrades-in-arms were. Even if they were bullied until their faces were covered in blood, their knees would never bend."
The sensational headline, "G-Party Member Spotted, Commits Suicide Out of Guilt," was accompanied by a photo of the deceased sitting in a chair. Upon closer inspection, Qingcheng realized that the man, dressed only in a vest and shorts, was Hu Yukun. He must have woken up in the middle of the night to find the spies, and before he could even put on his pants, he fled to an empty house and chose to end his life to protect the organization's secrets.
Another news item reported the bust of a printing plant distributing communist publications, which was met with violent resistance from the printing workers who refused to comply with law enforcement. The armed rioters were all killed by the authorities. This was just a brief report without even a picture.
Qingcheng tried her best to control herself, but she couldn't stop the tears from flowing. It seemed like only yesterday that Hu Yukun went to the station to pick her up with a sign, and the two of them smoked the German with stinky pickled vegetables. They searched through the corpses in the car tires with Caitou to rescue their female comrades. They fought together at the base and held a victory celebration in the village. All of these things were still vivid in her mind.
Their lives are now frozen in time, dying in a state that isn't even respectable. This kind of thing happens now, and it will never stop happening. Rui Rui handed Qing Cheng a handkerchief, gently advising, "To shed tears in vain without taking action is the greatest insult to our fallen comrades."
Then Qingcheng learned from Ruirui that the Fourth Division had received two telegrams today. One was from Xuzhou, saying "Nine Ears has betrayed us," and the other was from Yangzhou, saying "The Lark has betrayed us." Both telegrams were encrypted with "Hao Mi," so the senders must be core members.
Since the establishment of the Second Division, Hu Yukun has maintained a single-line contact with Wang Renyong and also served as the Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of Xuzhou City. Judging from the destroyed liaison offices, the traitor is likely a member of the Xuzhou City Party Committee, and his rank is not low. There is a high probability that the traitor was targeted by spies a long time ago, defected, and then went back to infiltrate.
As for who the traitor was, Wang Renyong had his own considerations.
Kiyosumi didn't know the people behind those two code names, but this incident served as a wake-up call for her. The most terrifying thing is not that the enemy is too cunning, but that comfort is the root of all evil. One is born in hardship and dies in comfort.
The desire for personal comfort can erode a person's will, causing them to lose their sense of responsibility and mission; this is how traitors are created.
Having advanced on the blood of her comrades, she no longer has the right to enjoy comfort.
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