At this moment, Xia Deyan was in his bedroom, not asleep at all. For the past few days, his only task had been to wait for the shadow to appear. For his safety, Fang Boyi had stopped assigning him any other tasks.
The Qing Shi Tea House has become Shadow's exclusive communication station, because every message from Shadow is crucial intelligence that can determine life or death, and doing so is by no means excessive.
But for some reason, Shadow hasn't transmitted any intelligence for three months since the last news of the exposure of the municipal party committee. Xia Deyan couldn't help but worry about Shadow. Could it be because the operation failed and the Central Party Affairs Investigation Department conducted a strict screening operation, resulting in Shadow's accident, arrest, or sacrifice? He didn't know Shadow's true identity and had no way of finding out, so he could only wait here in vain.
Xia Deyan witnessed all the changes in Nanjing. The situation was deteriorating, Japanese bombing was becoming more and more frequent, and the number of dead and injured was increasing.
As the local residents gradually left Nanjing and many refugees appeared on the streets, the small Qing Shi Tea Shop could no longer operate and he could only persist in not leaving.
He was extremely anxious. He estimated that the refugee crisis would soon take hold, and he might not be able to hold out until the end. At that time, his only connection with Shadow would be severed, and a comrade who was active in the heart of the enemy would become a kite with a broken string, never to be found again.
Xia Deyan hadn't had a good night's sleep in days. Just as his mind was racing with thoughts, he heard that familiar knocking sound again, and he immediately sat up.
"Tap, tap tap tap, tap, tap tap tap!" Xia Deyan was sure he hadn't misheard. The knocking was coming from the back door of his house, and it was very rhythmic. This was Shadow's knocking habit.
Xia Deyan was overjoyed. The message from Shadow again meant that he had not encountered any accidents during this period and had escaped the internal screening. He just didn't know what would happen this time.
Various thoughts flashed through Xia Deyan's mind, but his body didn't hesitate at all. Upon hearing the knock on the door, he quickly got up from the bed and rushed to the back door.
As usual, when he opened the door, a small box appeared outside. He bent down, picked up the box, and walked out of the door to look at the dark surroundings. This time, Xia Deyan was eager to communicate with the shadow because he couldn't guarantee that the Qing Shi Tea House would still be intact when the shadow contacted him again.
But the situation remained the same as before. In the pitch-black night, he could not find any trace. After a while, he had no choice but to return to the house and close the door.
The power had already been cut off at home. He took the kerosene lamp, struck a match, lit the wick, and placed the glass lampshade in place. The room was immediately brightened.
Place the small box on the table and open it gently. As before, the bottom of the box was filled with brand-new banknotes, in pounds with the highest exchange rate. This amount was definitely not a small sum.
But Xia Deyan ignored all of that. He focused his attention on the top sheet of white paper and quickly picked it up to examine it carefully under the light of the kerosene lamp.
"Comrade Farmer, this is the last time I will contact you in Nanjing. The situation is not optimistic and will deteriorate rapidly. You and the organization should make arrangements as soon as possible and evacuate Nanjing. I will contact you when needed in the future. There is no need to worry about losing contact. I look forward to continuing to fight alongside you."
"film!"
The signature is still in that large, flowing font!
Xia Deyan was surprised when he read the message. The message from Shadow did not contain any information, but the meaning between the lines was very clear: Shadow must have left Nanjing for some reason, which made it impossible for him to contact Shadow anymore.
Shadow was an agent of the Central Party Affairs Investigation Department. It was estimated that his mission in Nanjing had ended because he was carrying out a task or because his department had withdrawn in advance.
But what did he mean by saying there was no need to worry about losing contact? Did he have confidence that he could find him at any time? Even Xia Deyan himself couldn't be sure of his future whereabouts, so where did Shadow get such confidence?
It's all a mystery, just like the shadow itself is a mystery!
Ning Zhiheng watched in the darkness as Xia Deyan took the box away before turning and leaving. He wasn't sure if they would be able to contact each other again, but he hoped they would meet again someday!
Because of the tense situation, the second batch of people organized had to set off the next day. Ning Zhiheng handed the suitcase in his hand to Zuo Rou and carefully instructed her: "Keep this suitcase safe for me. If you can't come back, burn all the paintings and calligraphy inside. Keep the money for yourself!"
Looking at the young man in front of her, Zuo Rou could no longer hold back her tears. She rushed forward and threw herself into Ning Zhiheng's arms, like a helpless child, without saying a word, silently sobbing.
Ning Zhiheng reached out, his hand lingering on her shoulder for a moment, but he finally pulled her into his arms. He remained silent, his future uncertain and his life hanging in the balance. He didn't know how to persuade her, nor could he make any promises to her. After a long while, the two finally parted.
The assembly whistle sounded on the training ground. Ning Zhiheng patted Zuo Rou on the shoulder and said softly, "Take care of yourself!"
He then pushed open the door and walked out. His subordinates outside were waiting for him. Ning Zhiheng went first, followed closely by all the officers.
On the parade ground, officers and sergeants stood in neat rows. The commander and others did not give any instructions, but simply waved their hands and led a few confidants to the car.
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