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"Can anyone tell me what happened?" Commander Xiong pointed at the corpse, his sharp gaze sweeping across the entire area.
For a moment, there was complete silence. No one was willing to be the first to speak up. Chen Jian hung his head, not daring to look the commander in the eye. Gao Junxiao was no better off, not daring to even breathe.
"Fine, fine, no one's saying anything." Commander Xiong suddenly raised his voice. "Chen Jian! He was alive when we handed him over, how did he turn into a corpse in the blink of an eye? A telegram just arrived from Nanjing, ordering him to be escorted to Nanjing alive. What do you expect me to give you in return, your head?"
Chen Jian shuddered, cold sweat pouring down his face: "Commander Xiong, it was an accident. This subordinate didn't know the equipment was aging; it only went into second gear before..."
"An accident!" Commander Xiong interrupted him, turning his attention to Gao Junxiao. "Counselor Gao, you were there too. The initial prisoner was handed over to you. He died during the interrogation. What do you have to say about that?"
Faced with Commander Xiong's anger, Gao Junxiao sighed and bowed slightly: "Commander, I am indeed responsible for oversight in this matter. Captain Shen was eager to obtain clues about 'Honghu' and 'Document No. 1,' and his interrogation methods were indeed a bit too harsh. However, the sudden equipment failure was an accident, which I did not expect."
"Hmph!" Commander Xiong snorted coldly, seemingly sensing his attempt to shirk responsibility. His gloomy gaze swept back and forth between Gao Junxiao and the ashen-faced Chen Jian, before he suddenly roared, "It's all the machine's fault, isn't it? Then you two go and explain to the president yourselves!"
“Commander, please calm down. All the leads have been cut off, and we really can’t explain this to Nanjing,” Gao Junxiao said sincerely. “Why don’t we cover up the interrogation? Let’s just say that he was executed as soon as we received the order. That would only show that we are very determined to suppress the bandits. I really didn’t expect this person to be of any use.”
Upon hearing this, Commander Xiong raised an eyebrow in thought, then waved his hand weakly: "Never mind, the deed is done. Councilor Gao, do as you say. Quickly draft a telegram and report it to Nanjing 'truthfully'."
"Yes." Gao Junxiao accepted the order.
Commander Xiong then turned to Chen Jian: "And you, shut your mouth and don't let me hear any other rumors. Otherwise, even Team Leader Dai can't protect you."
"Yes, thank you, Commander." Shen Jian breathed a sigh of relief and nodded gratefully to Gao Junxiao.
Commander Xiong ignored Chen Jian and strode out of the interrogation room. The sky outside the window was pitch black. The interrogation was over. Gao Junxiao was worried about Qingcheng outside. He had to finish the report as soon as possible to go find her.
As Gao Junxiao had expected, after the report was submitted, Commander Xiong not only tried to downplay the matter, but also granted Gao Junxiao two months of honeymoon leave so that he could spend more time with his bride and enjoy their honeymoon.
Avoiding suspicion was exactly what he wanted, so Gao Junxiao immediately saluted and fled the headquarters as fast as he could. He knew that someone was desperately trying to light a lamp in the darkness.
As dusk settles, Shanghai's nightlife is just beginning, with colorful neon lights casting a false sense of prosperity over the city fraught with peril.
Gao Junxiao needed to confirm Honghu's safety first. He arrived at the hotel where Honghu was staying. Before he even got out of the car, he saw a yellow towel hanging on the windowsill, which meant that Honghu was not at the hotel.
Glancing down, Gao Junxiao's eyebrows twitched. The street vendors had all been replaced by spies, and a black sedan was parked in the alley next door, seemingly under the command of the spies.
Everyone who came out of the hotel was stopped by two men who questioned them menacingly.
Secret agents are searching hotel guests! Honghu's situation is bad. Where did he go? Did he successfully transfer, or...? Gao Junxiao dared not think too much about it and drove away from this dangerous place.
Anxiety, like damp, cold air, can seep in even when you're dressed in thick clothes; Gao Junxiao's hands gripping the steering wheel were frozen.
With Honghu gone, what about Qingcheng? Are the two of them transporting "Document No. 1" together? But with so many spies on the street, how are they going to avoid being seen? Gao Junxiao couldn't help but let his mind wander.
The car drove aimlessly down the road. He didn't know what to do next—should he go home and wait for her to come home, or go find her? Oh right, the dowry chest!
Her final plan was to use her dowry chest to move the documents, so her most likely location now is the warehouse at the Shiliupu Wharf.
The closer they got, the stronger their ominous premonition became. Just around the corner was the warehouse area where dowries were stored, but now the gates were locked, and two armed guards patrolled back and forth.
Since the theft, the warehouses here have been reinforced with security. Gao Junxiao parked the car and looked around. As expected, several dark figures were gathered in a group on the street opposite the warehouse, seemingly discussing something.
The dog spies' keenness is no joke; they must have had suspicions, but without solid evidence, they could only stay outside.
Using the light, Gao Junxiao observed that three junior agents, with their hands in their pockets, were walking around the east side of the warehouse, probably trying to force their way in. If these two thieves saw Qingcheng and the others moving documents, the agents outside would have an excuse to search.
"Dream on." Gao Junxiao walked calmly to a phone booth across the street in the Chinese-controlled area and dialed the police. Soon, the on-duty police received a call that several people suspected of being thieves were climbing the wall outside the warehouse.
After hanging up, he called Master Wu's residence. Upon hearing that Qingcheng would be going to the warehouse tonight to count and pack her dowry, Master Wu immediately and generously offered to send a team to the warehouse to escort the goods and ensure their safe delivery to the French Concession.
Two spies skillfully formed a human ladder, and a third person stepped on their backs to climb the nearly four-meter-high wall with his bare hands.
ah--
The gravel struck the back of the head of the person at the bottom, and the two agents who were stacked on top of each other immediately fell to the ground.
"who?"
"Damn it! What's going on?"
Something's up!
A commotion drew the attention of the guards, and a white beam of light swept over them: "What are you doing? Get down here!"
The two agents below took off running, leaving the agent on the wall with a gun pointed at him, unable to go up or down.
Taking advantage of the opportunity, Gao Junxiao quickly sneaked into the warehouse area and headed straight for the warehouse where Qingcheng had stored her dowry. Sure enough, there was a large jeep parked at the door, with some light shining through the crack in the door.
As soon as he pushed open the door, a dark gun barrel was pointed at him. Gao Junxiao helplessly raised his hands: "It's me."
"Ah Xiao, you scared me to death." Qingcheng put away her gun. Jiang Yun and Honghu were both there. Jiang Yun hurriedly closed the warehouse door.
"Big brother, you've arrived." Huang Xiaoxian breathed a sigh of relief; he was Honghu.
"How's it going?" Gao Junxiao asked, following Huang Xiaoxian's gaze to see two enormous boxes.
Next to it were several camphor wood chests that Qingcheng had vacated, but Qingcheng's dowry chests looked like they were still immature in front of "Document No. 1".
"The box is too big, bigger than my dowry box, it just won't fit," Qingcheng sighed, hands on her hips. "If only we had a key, we could break it down into smaller pieces and fit it in."
"Hey, what a coincidence, look." Gao Junxiao took out the key from his pocket and shook it, making a jingling sound.
"The key!" Kiyosumi exclaimed in surprise as she took the key. "Great! Where did you get it?"
"What did Big Gold Tooth bring? And where's Sweetie?" Gao Junxiao looked around but didn't see his niece.
"Don't worry, the child is safe," Qingcheng explained. "I've asked the post office courier to look after the child for a while. We'll need her to hold the suitcases down for the operation and deliver them directly to my aunt's house."
"Don't trouble your aunt. Just send it to our new house. It's perfectly reasonable for the bride to send some personal gifts in advance, isn't it?" Gao Junxiao suggested as he had Huang Xiaoxian unlock the mandarin duck lock.
Huang Xiaoxian took out the small tortoise shell from his waist, poured out all the coins, and finally pulled out a peculiar key, exactly the same as the one in Gao Junxiao's hand. The two of them each took a key and inserted it into the keyhole, one turning counterclockwise and the other clockwise, turning it at the same time.
Click! The box opened. Just as everyone was happy, wailing, wailing—the urgent sound of a police siren rang out.
"What's going on outside?" Qingcheng asked with a change in expression and concern.
Gao Junxiao calmly replied, "It's nothing. I called the police. There are three spies trying to climb over the wall. Hurry up and take away all your bulky porcelain, enamel clocks, and bronze ornaments, and replace them with documents."
Jiang Yun and Huang Xiaoxian helped change the boxes, but Qingcheng climbed the ladder, took out a pocket telescope and looked out the window. She didn't climb down until all the boxes were emptied.
“There are over twenty spies and police officers outside. We can’t proceed as planned. We’ll split into two groups, one to transport the real document box and the other to transport the fake one,” Qingcheng said decisively.
“Then you take Tian Tian through the main route and bring the real documents. I contacted Master Wu beforehand, and he will send a team to escort you to the new house. Even if the spies don't care about the monk, they won't dare to stop you.” Gao Junxiao's hands didn't stop, and the second large box was quickly emptied as well.
They raced against time and finally replaced the two large chests with four dowry chests.
Jiang Yun wiped the sweat from her forehead and said breathlessly, "I don't think this is appropriate. Making such a big fuss would just make you a sitting duck. The spies aren't stupid. Besides, Master Wu's influence is limited to the International Settlement. It won't work in the French Concession. But your new house is in the French Concession."
“Yeah, that last stretch of road is really dangerous. If the spies crash into your car, you won’t have anywhere to hide,” Huang Xiaoxian chimed in.
They took turns pouring cold water on Gao Junxiao. Gao Junxiao pursed his lips, unable to refute them. What they said was true. He had only thought about Master Wu's help, but he had overlooked the fact that Master Wu's reach couldn't go that far. What would happen to the last part of the road?
“How about… we store our things in a safe house in the public concession first?” Jiang Yun suggested, but her tone was somewhat uncertain.
Gao Junxiao immediately disagreed: "That won't work either. We're already being watched. If we leave someone to guard it, we'll be caught red-handed. If we don't leave someone to guard it, the box will definitely be pried open, and we'll all be implicated. At least no one will dare to break into my new house, which will make it easier to plan the next move."
"Stop arguing!" Qingcheng interrupted their debate. "It's the last stretch of the road, and I know what I'm doing."
Everyone looked at each other, and all eyes turned to Qingcheng, waiting for her to continue: "Let's split into two groups. I'll go with Master Wu, but I'll bring the fake suitcase, and you guys will bring the real ones."
"When my convoy reaches the intersection of the International Settlement and the French Concession, I will have the driver turn around and let them pass, while you continue towards the French Concession, heading straight for the new house."
"What about Tian Tian?" Gao Junxiao frowned.
Qingcheng said to Gao Junxiao, "The child must come with me, and of course I will guarantee her safety. The main purpose is to create an opportunity for you."
Just as the atmosphere became tense, Huang Xiaoxian, who had been silent all along, suddenly started shaking his tortoise shell.
"I'm really fed up with you. What kind of time is this to be still clinging to feudal superstitions?" Gao Junxiao shook his head, a surge of anger rising within him.
Huang Xiaoxian ignored him and poured a row of square-holed coins onto the box. After a while, Huang Xiaoxian laughed out of the blue: "It is actually a divination of withered wood coming back to life. A jinx has died, and their luck has dissipated. Although the process is dangerous and there may be bloodshed, Miss He's plan is feasible. Luck is on our side."
The jinx is dead? Gao Junxiao immediately thought of the corpse on the electric chair. It seems Huang Xiaoxian has some skill; she wasn't just spouting nonsense. But bloodshed? What does that mean? Who has suffered it?
"Alright, everyone agrees, right? Ah Xiao, go outside and have Master Wu's men bring in two cars." Qingcheng gestured towards the door.
Gao Junxiao didn't have time to think deeply and nodded emphatically: "Okay, be careful."
The waning moon hung like a bowstring, and a convoy of trains sped away from the warehouse district like arrows released from a bow. Secret agents hidden in the shadows peeked out and buzzed as they flew over, but only followed from a distance.
Inside the car, Qingcheng held Tiantian and explained to the child what "a child to be brought into the dowry" meant. It meant choosing a cute child like Tiantian to accompany the bride.
"Why?" Sweetie asked, her eyes wide with curiosity.
Qingcheng gently explained, "Children have pure minds and are of pure yang nature. No evil spirits will dare to follow the newlyweds, so they can have a baby in peace."
"Wow, Sweetie is so important! Then Auntie, hurry up and have a baby too, I want to be a big sister, I want to play with it." Sweetie snuggled against Qingcheng's chest and acted coquettishly.
Touching the sweet and soft little bun, Qingcheng was amused: "Hahaha, not so fast."
With a loud crash, Qingcheng felt a strong push against her back. However, her body reacted faster than her thoughts. She hugged Tiantian tightly and used her back to absorb all the impact.
*Thud*—Her head slammed hard against the back of the seat in front of her, and her left shoulder throbbed with excruciating pain. The bodyguard in the passenger seat was already unconscious from the impact.
"Ah!" Tian Tian screamed in fright. Qing Cheng, despite feeling dizzy, patted the child and said, "Don't be afraid, your aunt is here."
A dozen or so masked men in black got out of a small truck parked to the side and headed straight for Qingcheng and his group.
The driver shook his head, immediately drew his gun, and shouted angrily, "Who are you? You dare touch Master Wu's car?"
Bang!
The driver shuddered, and bright red blood splattered on the window. Alarm bells rang in Qingcheng's mind. Something was wrong; they were still in the public concession.
No matter how arrogant the Nationalist government's secret agents were, they would have some reservations about Master Wu's convoy and wouldn't go for the kill right away.
While covering Tian Tian's eyes, she pulled out her sidearm from her leg: "Tian Tian, Auntie has a game for you. Can you count to three hundred?"
"Sweetie can count to five hundred." Sweetie blinked her big eyes and looked timidly out the window.
Qingcheng pressed her curious little head back to her chest, and opened the car door a crack with her other hand: "Sweetie, you're so great! Now, you close your eyes and count to five hundred, and Auntie will do you a magic trick called 'The Great Disappearance.' The magic trick is about to begin, start counting!"
Sweetie immediately covered her eyes with her two little hands, and her little mouth moved: "1, 2, 3..."
Bang! Qingcheng kicked open the car door, and the man in black outside stumbled back in pain. Bang! Qingcheng swiftly killed him.
The child jumped in fright at the sound of the gunshot. Qingcheng comforted her, "Don't be afraid, Tiantian, it's just firecrackers, keep counting."
Another man in black seemed to get angry and turned his gun on Qingcheng. In a flash, Wu Ye's bodyguards rushed over and knocked him to the ground.
Bang! The bullet missed, grazing the roof of the car and leaving a hot bullet mark.
At this moment, everyone came to their senses, and Master Wu's guards drew their weapons and opened fire on the men in black outside the car.
Bang bang bang...
Clang! A few stray bullets hit the front of the car behind, exploding into sparks. The agents who were following them got out of the car, looking bewildered. They probably thought that their rivals were trying to steal the credit. Someone got out of the car to negotiate.
Before they could speak, several more stray bullets hit their feet, nearly hitting them.
"Damn it, take them out!" someone shouted, and all the agents got out of the car, using it as cover, and opened fire in the direction of the men in black.
In the ensuing chaos, a jeep quietly slipped into another side road not far behind, amidst the confusion.
The gunfight lasted for several minutes. Perhaps hearing the gunshots, the police officers from the International Settlement arrived at the scene before the police from the International Settlement.
The whistle seemed to break some kind of restraint, and the remaining masked men shouted in unison: "Tian Nao Hei Ka, Ban Zai."
They were Japanese! Completely ignoring the flying bullets, they charged towards the driver's seat of the car with shouts of "Whoosh!" Damn it, they wanted to take the car. Kiyosumi swiftly jumped into the driver's seat, pushed the corpse aside, and started the car.
But the Japanese man appeared like a ghost. The moment the car started, he had already opened the car door and reached for the steering wheel like a cobra. Kiyosumi reacted quickly and grabbed the man's fingers, forcefully pulling them back.
"Ah! You bastard!" The man cried out in pain, but his arm was unusually flexible, twisting in the direction it was being pulled, the joints making a teeth-grinding cracking sound, and it looked like it was about to slip out of his grasp. Kiyosumi's eyes flashed with cold light, and with a flick of her wrist, the short knife in her sleeve stabbed towards the man's right rib.
Ding! A kunai blocked the attack, but the sharp blade cut Kiyosumi's hand instead. In the moment of the Japanese soldier's triumph, Kiyosumi stepped on the clutch and the accelerator at the same time, and the car shot forward.
Who knew that the Japanese soldier was so difficult to deal with. Taking advantage of the initial low speed, he clung tightly to the frame of the car. Qingcheng didn't give in to him either, and turned the steering wheel all the way. With the huge inertia, the Japanese soldier was flung up like a banner, but he still refused to let go.
"You're asking for death!" Qingcheng snorted coldly, completely unfazed. She aimed at the winding road ahead and swiftly struck to the right with both hands.
Squeak—bang!
With a muffled thud, the car door slammed into the Japanese soldier. Kiyosumi then swerved erratically, and with a crack, the crisp sound of bones breaking was terrifying in the middle of the night. The Japanese soldier was thrown off by the enormous inertia and rolled to the ground like a broken sack, unable to get up again.
Qingcheng dared not linger. Although her wound was still bleeding and she felt a slight numbness, she forced herself to fight off the sudden wave of drowsiness and headed towards her new room.
Her vision was getting blurrier and blurrier. Qingcheng could barely feel her arms. She was just driving forward by muscle memory. No, she couldn't faint on the road. Sweetie was behind her.
She bit her tongue hard, the pain bringing a moment of clarity. She parked the car steadily behind a relatively secluded flower bed by the roadside, and with her last bit of strength, pulled the handbrake...
A loud horn blared, piercing the night sky.
"...498, 499, 500!" When Tian Tian finally finished counting the last number, she carefully let go of her hand. "Auntie, I'm done counting. Where's the magic trick?"
The car door suddenly opened, and a blast of cold air rushed in. Gao Junxiao called out anxiously, "Qingcheng!"
"Wow, my little uncle really appeared!" Sweetie giggled.
Hearing the laughter, Gao Junxiao noticed Tian Tian in the back seat and forced a kind smile: "Tian Tian, be good, get out of the car first and sit on the flower bed to wait for your uncle. Your aunt is too tired and has fallen asleep."
Sweetie obediently jumped out of the car and sat on the edge of the flower bed.
Was he too late? Gao Junxiao's hand trembled as he checked her breath. The faint warmth eased his anxiety, but the next second, he saw the abnormal purplish-blue wound on Qingcheng's hand.
She's been poisoned! Gao Junxiao forced down his panic and carefully carried his lover out. Her body was limp and light as a cloud, as if she might drift away at any moment.
After placing Qingcheng in the back seat, Gao Junxiao carried the child to the back seat as well. He didn't have time to take the child back; he hastily wiped the water off his face with his sleeve and started the car.
"Sweetie, wake up my aunt and tell her to talk to her uncle." Gao Junxiao drove steadily, but his heart was in turmoil. He wished he could grow superhuman speed and take Qingcheng directly to the hospital.
"Doctor! Help my wife! She seems to be poisoned."
Medical staff immediately rushed Qingcheng into the emergency room. Gao Junxiao and Tiantian sat side by side outside the operating room, like two abandoned stone statues.
Finally, a doctor with a solemn expression came out: "Who are He Qingcheng's family members?"
"It is I." Gao Junxiao jumped up, his voice trembling slightly. "Doctor, how is my wife?"
“Sir, your wife’s wound is not deep, and we have already treated it, but…” the doctor paused, “the toxin on the back of her hand is very rare; I have never seen such a biological slice before.”
"Can it be detected through testing? Let's give her other antidotes first," Gao Junxiao said urgently.
"We've already done expedited testing. I suspect it's a biological toxin, similar to snake venom or mushroom venom. But biological toxins require a corresponding antivenom to be effective. May I ask how she got injured? Was she cooking or something?" the doctor asked.
"She was robbed, and the thief slashed her," Gao Junxiao replied, downplaying the seriousness of the incident.
"Robbery! This is difficult. I'll give her an IV drip of vitamin saline to boost her metabolism." The doctor said, hands clasped in a troubled gesture.
"Uncle, I heard a bastard cursing, 'Baka yarou,' he's so mean, just like the Japanese kid in my alley," Sweetie suddenly exclaimed.
Gao Junxiao suddenly grabbed the doctor's arm and said in a hoarse voice, "Doctor, it's Japanese. Could it be a snake venom unique to Japan? Call all your experts for a consultation! I'll pay whatever it takes!"
The doctor was startled, but quickly recovered: "Don't get agitated! I understand how you feel. As for Japan, I'll ask my Japanese colleague now; he might know. If you have any connections, it would be best to contact the black market as well; there might be some extraordinary people there. It's always good to have more options."
"Okay, thank you, doctor." Gao Junxiao clenched his fists, the surging magma in his chest making it hard for him to breathe.
The black market, that's right, go find Master Wu. He's racing against time to snatch his beloved back from the clutches of death.
While Gao Junxiao was searching for someone, the trunk of his car, which was parked on the side of the road, was pried open, revealing a large box inside, though it was unlocked.
Upon opening the box, one finds it filled with a dazzling array of antique gold and silver artifacts. The lock-picker's eyes gleam with greed, but before he could take anything of value, the box was slammed shut.
The man beside him said sternly, "Dismiss the team and go back to report. There is indeed only dowry in the box."
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