Wu Hao's Sword 2.0
The lights were off on the second floor, and the velvet curtains were drawn, leaving Qingcheng in complete darkness. She raised her flashlight, and the white light swept out, revealing an empty living room without a soul in sight.
She ran so fast! She had only taken one step when the sticky feeling under her feet stopped her in her tracks. The flashlight beam shone on her ankles, revealing a puddle of fresh mud with footprints on the floor.
Her toes pointed towards the study opposite. Qingcheng felt a chill run down her spine. She wasn't sure if this uninvited guest was a petty thief who acted on impulse or a spy who had been plotting for a long time.
Gripping the scalpel tightly, Qingcheng had only one thought in her mind—no one was allowed to disturb Old Wang's surgery.
Standing in the empty corridor, Qingcheng's thoughts shifted, and she put the scalpel back into her pocket. She slowly moved towards the study, silently took the bobby pin from her hat, and bent down to quietly insert it into the keyhole.
"Click," the soft sound of the latch opening was particularly clear in the quiet environment. Suddenly, a great rotating force came from the brass handle. Caught off guard, Qingcheng grabbed the handle, dropped the flashlight to the ground, and at the same time used her shoulder to brace against the door frame to prevent the door from opening from the inside.
The clanging of metal echoed on the second floor, clang, clang! Due to the continuous vibration, the hairpin slowly came out of the keyhole. In the instant it fell out, Qingcheng quickly put it back in, found the latch again by feel, and quickly rotated the hairpin until it could not be turned any further.
Through the heavy, carved door, the person inside tried several more times, but the door was already locked from the inside. A crisp knocking sound came from the door. Qingcheng guessed that he had kicked the door in anger. She shook her head regretfully, thinking it was a pity that she couldn't tell him that the door was carved from ironwood, which was harder than bone.
After a two-second standoff, Kiyosumi exhaled a sigh of relief, basically confirming that the other person couldn't get out.
Picking up the flashlight, Qingcheng suddenly noticed a puddle of mud heading towards the stairs where the flashlight had rolled down. Reflexively, she illuminated the stairwell, but the area below was even darker.
However, this kind of hide-and-seek tactic doesn't seem like the style of spies. If spies noticed anything unusual, they would have rushed up to arrest people long ago and wouldn't have bothered to reason with you.
After hesitating for a moment, Qingcheng's gaze was drawn to the sticky notes on the coffee table. A flash of inspiration struck her. She tore off a few sticky notes, wrapped the coins she carried with her, and rolled them into three small balls the size of ping-pong balls. Seeing a cigarette box nearby, she took out the foil inside and wrapped it around the outermost layer of one of the paper balls.
At that moment, the living room was brightly lit, and Xu Xi peeked out from the bedroom and asked in a low voice, "What's wrong?"
Qingcheng immediately made a shushing gesture and waved for him to go inside, saying she would handle it herself. Xu Xisi looked surprised, but he obediently went inside.
Turning off the flashlight, the second floor fell into chaos again. Qingcheng tiptoed to the top of the stairs, squatted down, and casually tossed the paper ball onto the stairs, where it rolled down the slope.
Tap-tap, tap-tap, tap-tap...
The rhythmic rolling sound was like someone walking down a flight of stairs in slippers. Qingcheng closed her eyes slightly and pricked up her ears, carefully discerning the suspicious sound.
As the "footsteps" grew closer, a very faint rustling sound of a chair being pushed came from downstairs. Kiyosumi opened her eyes with delight, and as soon as the paper ball landed, she threw it towards the dining table.
This time, she saw a figure dart behind the sofa at breakneck speed. Without giving the other person a chance to react, she threw a ball of tinfoil at the nearest window.
Bang!
grass!
With a loud crash, Qingcheng clearly heard someone downstairs curse loudly. She took out her scalpel, took a deep breath, suppressed the urge in her chest, and asked in a deep voice, "Who's there?"
With a "whoosh," the lights suddenly blazed on. Qingcheng, still leaning against the switch, turned around in the light and finally saw the man's face clearly—Liu Hui, still carrying his small medicine box.
At that moment, the air seemed to freeze. Liu Hui didn't answer, just gave a simple, honest smile. Qingcheng quickly looked him over; his feet were clean, without a speck of mud on them, so it was clear that the intruder who had just been cursing wasn't him.
Perhaps seeing that Qingcheng didn't respond, Liu Hui chuckled awkwardly twice: "Haha, sorry, I was too loud. Uh, is Xu Shengxun asleep yet?"
"No, he's waiting for you. Could you please get me a glass of water?" Qingcheng smiled with narrowed eyes. Liu Hui did have a problem, but she couldn't show it now. She had heard that Liu Hui knew kung fu, and there was more than one danger, plus a hidden third person. She could stall for time as long as possible. Continuing to play along with Liu Hui was the best strategy.
Liu Hui's lips trembled slightly, then he shifted his feet: "Okay, wait a moment, I just got back, my hands haven't been washed yet."
"Hey, wait a minute, put the medicine box down first, it's so heavy to carry." As Qingcheng spoke, her hand was already supporting the bottom of the medicine box.
"Hey~ Oh, I don't remember (forgot), thanks for reminding me, Miss He." As soon as Liu Hui finished speaking, both of them froze.
A clear, icy gaze enveloped Liu Hui. The two had only met for less than three hours, and now, with Liu Hui wearing a mask and deliberately lowering his voice, how did the man figure out his identity?
Before she could even ask a question, the fresh scent of earth wafted over, and Qingcheng's neck tightened abruptly. With nowhere to retreat, she stepped on the attacker's shoe, and without hesitation, the sharp blade she had prepared slashed at the attacker's hand.
ah!
The attacker screamed, and warm blood splattered onto Qingcheng's face. The attacker's arm loosened due to the pain, and she took the opportunity to bend over like a fully drawn bow, using all her strength to suddenly turn around and knock the attacker to the ground.
The scalpel gleamed coldly under the light, pressed firmly against the attacker's groin. His pants had been ripped open, revealing bright red and green floral underwear. The attacker's lips trembled, and he gasped for breath like a blower.
Changing her position, Qingcheng knelt on the attacker's chest and warned in a threatening tone, "Don't move, or I won't mind giving you a castration surgery."
“Miss He, don’t be impulsive. We’re here to make money, not to save our lives.” Liu Hui’s eyes flickered, and he didn’t seem to be telling the truth.
"Brother Hui, what are you doing arguing with this bitch? Hurry up and go up there..." the attacker shouted.
"Shut up!" Liu Hui interrupted the attacker through gritted teeth, then bowed to Qingcheng. "Miss He, we can't listen to this scoundrel's nonsense. We're just trying to make a living. If you don't call the police, we'll leave right away."
Feeling a vague sense that something was amiss, and sensing that Liu Hui knew her, Qingcheng felt uneasy. She watched Liu Hui's expression closely and asked, "Fine, I'll assume you're after money. What did you see upstairs?"
"I didn't go upstairs, what's the matter?" Liu Hui cleverly chose to play dumb, remaining calm in the face of danger, which was quite different from his simple appearance.
"Very well, he stays, you can leave. Xu Family Temple is too small to accommodate you, please find another job." Qingcheng dismissed Liu Hui on the spot. She didn't want to hurt anyone, but if she let the brute go, the two of them would gang up on her, and she wouldn't be able to handle it. For safety's sake, it was best to let them go one by one.
Adding to the fact that the brute on the ground kept insulting her female family members, Qingcheng's blood was already boiling with anger, but she maintained a smile on her lips. If she didn't teach this kid a lesson, he wouldn't know his place.
"Okay, okay, okay..." Liu Hui was bowing and scraping just a second ago, but the next second Qingcheng's eyes blurred and Liu Hui had already pulled open the bottom of the medicine box.
In a flash, the dark muzzle of a gun was pointed at Qingcheng. Liu Hui's eyes sharpened, and he said in broken Cantonese, "Miss He, let go. I only want to take my brother away. From now on, we'll keep to ourselves."
"Hahahaha, you bitch, I'll fuck your mother's leg, I don't want to commit murder today..." The attacker couldn't help but laugh out loud, but his expression was immediately replaced by fear.
As if Liu Hui didn't exist, Qingcheng giggled and covered the attacker's mouth, the blade in her hand sinking even deeper.
Immediately, a foul stench of urine filled the room. The attacker's terrified eyes reflected a clear, cold porcelain-like half-face, scattered with cinnabar-like specks of crimson.
"No—"
"Don't shoot!"
The two spoke almost simultaneously. Qingcheng looked in the direction of the voice and saw Wang Renyong clinging to Xu Xi, his dry, chapped lips weakly uttering the last three words: "One of us!"
Everyone present was caught off guard by this unexpected turn of events, which left Qingcheng feeling dazed, as if she were drunk, her head swaying slightly uncontrollably.
It wasn't until Liu Hui rushed up the stairs and excitedly hugged Old Wang's weak body that Qingcheng came to her senses. She glared at him, her eyes filled with a strong warning, and shouted angrily, "Wang Renyong, are you crazy? Believe me or not, I'll saw off your legs right now!"
"Hey~ don't be angry, my injury is minor. Save the mother or the baby, I'll definitely save the mother." Old Wang caught his breath, still in the mood to joke.
"Are you out of your mind?" Qingcheng stood up with a "whoosh," and Lao Wang immediately leaned his head on Xu Xi's shoulder, wailing weakly, "Ah, it hurts so much, it hurts so much. Bai Xi, let's go, I haven't been bandaged yet. Ah, it hurts too much."
Hmph! You're smart enough to know what's good for you. Qingcheng scratched her face, which was itchy and uncomfortable, probably because the mask was too stuffy. However, when she glanced at the stain on the attacker's pants on the ground, and the faint outline of... oh my god, how embarrassing!
Qingcheng's cheeks flushed, and she covered her face as she rushed upstairs, locking herself in the second-floor bathroom. Having caused such a commotion, she was too embarrassed to stay on the first floor and face Liu Hui and the others.
The cool water washed away Qingcheng's anxiety, followed by an overwhelming wave of sleepiness. She thought to herself, "I should rest for a while and then take my leave. Otherwise, my fiancé will be suspicious when he sees my dark circles tomorrow."
After spacing out for an unknown amount of time, Qingcheng's drowsiness was startled by a knock on the door. Xu Xi gently called her out, saying that Old Wang needed to see her. Qingcheng quickly responded, then looked in the mirror and tucked her stray hairs behind her ears before finally leaving the bathroom satisfied.
In the living room, Dr. Muller and his assistant had changed back into their regular clothes. Kiyosumi smiled and shook hands with each of them, thanking them for their selfless act of saving lives.
After exchanging a few pleasantries, Xu Xi, as the host, carried two large boxes of equipment and saw them downstairs. From the bedroom came Liu Hui's sigh: "Oh dear, what a mess! Ah Yong, get some rest. You'll be a handsome young man again in eighteen months."
Oh, he's still here! Qingcheng peeked out from the door frame. Old Wang, sitting on the bed, seemed much more relaxed. But thinking about the awkwardness just now, she hesitated and pulled her head back, biting her lower lip, unsure of what to say.
"Qingcheng, come in! Sneaking around, scouting the enemy?" Wang Renyong's loud voice rang out, and Qingcheng, unable to hide, awkwardly entered the room, secretly regretting her impulsiveness. Should she apologize to the injured comrade first?
Before Qingcheng could speak, Liu Hui smiled and praised Wang Renyong, saying that they had become friends after a fight, and that Miss He was much prettier than in the photos. His tone was as natural as that of an elder visiting a friend.
Qingcheng hesitated, her face slowly turning red. Old Wang noticed her embarrassment and gently tried to smooth things over for her. She wasn't usually like this, being a shy young lady, but she had to say hello to her savior.
After Wang Renyong's explanation, Qingcheng learned that Liu Hui was the sniper outside the Kinmen Hotel. His bullets were homemade, with 1.5 times more gunpowder than ordinary bullets, making them more powerful.
Unexpectedly, the skilled traditional Chinese medicine doctor was also a sharpshooter with unparalleled accuracy. Qingcheng suppressed her shyness with admiration and took the initiative to extend her hand to express her gratitude, while also apologizing for her earlier rudeness.
Liu Hui shook hands warmly, indicating that he didn't blame Qingcheng, as they had attacked first. He mockingly cursed the injustice of fate, saying that robbing and looting didn't necessarily lead to death, but engaging in revolution meant certain death, which was why he hadn't dared to admit his identity earlier.
On the other hand, the comrades he brought were of relatively low rank, and he couldn't let them know too much, especially comrades like Miss He who had a very high level of secrecy. He had already sent them back first.
Qingcheng then realized where the strange feeling came from. Liu Hui had been speaking in dialect and the two could communicate without any problems. It turned out that he already knew that he understood Cantonese, which was why he habitually did not switch to Cantonese mode when speaking.
"Brother Hui, how did you come up with the idea of becoming a caregiver at the Xu family?" Wang Renyong asked the question that Qingcheng had been keeping to herself.
This is another big blunder. Not long ago, Liu Hui was entrusted by Wu Hao to contact some highly classified comrades who were undercover. However, he was new to the area and unfamiliar with the people, so the progress was too slow. He finally found out through the courier that Miss He was looking for a caregiver. He thought it was such a good opportunity to make contact and he couldn't waste it, so he spent a little money to replace the original caregiver.
“Did you hear that? It has nothing to do with Rui Rui. Wu Hao has arranged for another comrade to contact you.” Wang Renyong couldn’t help but defend his wife.
"Stop trying to confuse the issue. I've always been blaming you; you're my direct superior. Don't you know how worried I was when you disappeared?" Qingcheng retorted directly, and Lao Wang cleared his throat awkwardly.
"Comrades, stop arguing!" Liu Hui patted his chest, blaming himself for being slow. But when he arrived at the Xu family's house, he realized something was wrong. He wasn't there to look after Miss He's family, but rather her friend's friend, who had a big-time spy brother. He wanted to retreat immediately, but the Xu brothers' commotion made him the one who ended up there. What kind of situation was this?
To avoid being exposed, he couldn't work there. On the first night, Liu Hui effortlessly strangled a spy unconscious, then heard strange dragging sounds coming from the master bedroom upstairs. Feeling uneasy, he sensed something was wrong, so he hid the unconscious spy behind the sofa and went upstairs to investigate.
What followed was almost identical to what Dr. Muller said. He covered the doctor's view so that the doctor wouldn't see the unconscious spy. As for the shadowy figure, it was probably some kind of small animal.
However, Liu Hui's desire to escape never left his mind. Today, Xu Xi had infuriated his elder brother, taking all the surveillance agents away. He probably wanted to withdraw the "protection" and let his younger brother know that without his protection, there would be serious consequences. This gap actually gave Liu Hui a good opportunity to slip away.
"Then why didn't you just slip away while you were shopping? Why did you come back?" Wang Renyong asked.
No, Liu Hui felt that leaving on his own wouldn't be a problem, but Xiao Xu and the matchmaker, Miss He, might be suspected by the spies. Therefore, he wanted to stage a large-scale burglary so that Mr. Xu could have something to say to his brother. After all, the world is too chaotic, and it's normal for a few thieves to sneak into wealthy areas to scout out places.
As a result, they ran into Miss He head-on. Liu Hui guessed that Miss He must be on some special mission. Just as he was about to call it a day, Miss He chased after them aggressively.
"Hurry up and thank Brother Hui. He didn't even intend to fight. Otherwise, with your small frame, even ten of you together couldn't beat him," Wang Renyong teased with a smile.
“Nonsense! I think Miss He has quite the skills; I didn’t expect that Dragon Tail Swing move,” Liu Hui said seriously.
Suddenly, Wang Renyong grabbed Liu Hui's wrist, his eyes gleaming, and began to enthusiastically promote Qingcheng. Xiao He really hadn't learned martial arts, but with such a talented disciple, shouldn't he take one? This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
"Nonsense!" Qingcheng secretly pinched Wang Renyong. "Haven't you ever seen a pig run even if you haven't eaten pork? You have to start practicing martial arts from the age of four or five, and you have to practice for at least ten or eight years."
She might as well jump off a cliff and see if she can find some rare treasures or a secret martial arts manual at the bottom, so that she can master the ultimate martial arts overnight and become invincible.
The doorbell downstairs interrupted their conversation. Who would come at this hour? Could it be that Xu Qiao had returned? Liu Hui's expression changed. He told them not to go out and then got up and went downstairs.
As soon as Liu Hui left, Wang Renyong lost his earlier energy, and a few strands of weariness appeared between his brows: "Don't worry, it wasn't Xu Qiao. He wouldn't ring the doorbell properly. Dr. Muller probably left something behind."
"Comrade Wang, violence cannot solve problems. We must learn to use our brains and resolve issues peacefully." Qingcheng gave a "kind" smile as a reminder. What if it really was Xu Qiao downstairs? Could he really jump up and beat Xu Qiao up?
"When you were cutting someone's little brother with a knife, why didn't you talk about peace?" Wang Renyong glanced at her sideways. "Could it be that your hypocritical little bourgeois tendencies have resurfaced, and you don't want to do the dirty work? I advise you to suppress it as soon as possible and not let the big leaders see it. As a Party member, you should follow the organization's arrangements."
"Pah, don't try to intimidate me with the organization. I'm an intelligence officer, not a member of the Red Team. I don't like fighting and killing." Qingcheng retorted in a trembling voice. She dared not think about it. Just thinking about it brought back the acrid smell of the explosion at the dock, and the severed hand mixed with white bone fragments seemed to be right in front of her, grabbing her neck and forcing her to pay with her life.
“Hey! Having a sword but not using it is one thing and not having a sword at all.” Wang Renyong said seriously, “If you learn this, you can not only defend yourself, but you can also discipline your husband if he is disobedient. It’s a win-win situation.”
"Heh, if I were to lay a hand on him, would he dare to fight back? And why should I beat him into submission? Can't I just curse him? I always feel that your suggestion is somewhat driven by personal grudges," Qingcheng sneered.
Wang Renyong, lying on the bed, scratched his nose, looking guilty: "No, no, men are like gorillas who only remember what they've been taught but never what they've been taught. Let him develop muscle memory; that's more effective than scolding him a hundred times. Trust me, I'm sure you won't go wrong."
"You're the only one who's like this! You should reflect on yourself. Let me tell you, women only beat their husbands when they can't take it anymore. You're just taking advantage of Rui Rui's bad temper, aren't you? If you're so tough, why don't you argue with me?" Qingcheng poked Lao Wang's chest, her arrogant aura practically reaching the ceiling.
Old Wang quickly scurried back under the covers, leaving only his head sticking out. He grinned slyly and said, "Hehehe, we don't have a place to argue. We're all good comrades who love each other. I'll tell you a secret: Comrade Liu Hui was specially transferred from the Hong Kong Action Team to replace Zhang Tianhe as the new head of the Third Section. He's really capable. You should think about it some more."
Qingcheng frowned, shifted her body, and complained, "Ugh~ Stop giving me trouble! I'm exhausted every day! I have to work during the day, deal with Gao Junxiao after get off work, and also find time to meet with my subordinates. Sometimes I even have to report to you at night. You might as well just kill me!"
In a brief pause in their bickering, footsteps sounded outside the bedroom, indicating four or five people. Qingcheng's expression hardened, and she raised her index finger, gesturing for Old Wang to be quiet.
Do-do! Do-do! Do-do-do!
Unexpectedly, the visitor sounded the alarm. It turned out to be one of their own. Qingcheng patted Lao Wang happily. Lao Wang was equally surprised, and a smile spread across his face. He sat up and urged Qingcheng to open the door.
As soon as the door opened, Qingcheng saw another familiar face—Jiang Yun. Jiang Yun is now the first secretary of Xinxin Company. It was no surprise that he came to make contact after seeing the information in the newspaper.
They understood each other without words, shook hands and smiled at each other. Qingcheng sensibly stepped aside, revealing Wang Renyong inside the room, and Jiang Yun waved to him warmly.
There was more than one person who came today. A comrade followed closely behind, his head down, his face obscured by the brim of his hat.
When the person in the middle took off his hat, Qingcheng froze on the spot. She felt as if she had been blown into the air by a giant firecracker, with loud crackling sounds all around her ears.
What brings you here, Comrade Wu Hao!
"Comrade Xiao He, I know you. You're young, but you're quite capable." Wu Hao's gentle tone was like water dripping from a cave, startling Qing Cheng so much that her soul immediately returned to its place.
Faced with Wu Hao's outstretched hand, Qingcheng's mind went blank. She mechanically grasped it, and after the initial confusion, a hurricane-like excitement swept over her every pore. Her cheeks were as red and hot as if they were steamed crabs.
Ah—the big boss praised me!!!
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