Before long, the waiter pushed open the door and entered, placing the food and wine on the table before turning and leaving. Gao Yuanwu, invigorated by the rich aroma, leaned closer, rolled up his sleeves, and tore off a plump chicken leg, taking several large bites and wolfing it down. Then, he took a sip of wine, feeling a strong, warm current flow down his throat, and couldn't help but hum a few tunes softly.
Just as he was enjoying his meal, the door was gently pushed open, a figure slipped in, and then the door was closed tightly behind him.
Gao Yuanwu quickly looked up, but he didn't recognize the person. It was a strong young man dressed in short clothes, staring intently at him.
Gao Yuanwu was startled, but he remained quite composed. He knew that the western suburbs were an area where the Japanese army had been stationed for many years, and anti-Japanese elements would almost never choose to operate there. In addition, the Japanese had ruled Shanghai for a long time, and the civilian anti-Japanese organizations had weakened. Therefore, he was not worried that this person would do anything to harm him.
However, he could tell that the person opposite him was no ordinary person. At the very least, the man's eyes swept over the Mauser pistol beside him, but a look of disdain appeared on his lips, and he didn't take it seriously at all.
He looked at the person opposite him and said, "Friend, you've come to the wrong door, haven't you?"
The young man ignored him, instead swaggering over and plopping down opposite him. He smiled faintly at Gao Yuanwu before speaking, "That's right, I'm here to see you, Battalion Commander Gao. I have a business deal to discuss with you!"
Gao Yuanwu's face darkened. He was arrogant and domineering, and didn't have a good temper. He put down the wine glass in his hand and reached for the box pistol next to him with his greasy hand.
But the young man opposite him moved even faster. With a flick of his wrist, he held a Browning pistol, the muzzle pointed directly at Gao Yuanwu's head. Gao Yuanwu was startled and broke out in a cold sweat.
"No, don't misunderstand..."
Gao Yuanwu quickly withdrew his hand, raised both hands, sat up straight, and stammered.
The young man smiled contemptuously. Dealing with such a person was a piece of cake, requiring no effort at all. He said calmly, "Battalion Commander Gao, don't misunderstand. My surname is Zhou. I do want to do some business with you. Don't be afraid. Let me finish speaking before you make any plans. As long as you don't do anything foolish, I guarantee your life will be safe!"
The visitor was Zhou Hao, the captain of the Shanghai Intelligence Section's action team. His mission today was to contact and bribe the battalion commander in front of him.
Gao Yuanwu, staring at the gun pointed directly at him, hurriedly said, "Boss Zhou... let's talk this out. As long as I do it, please don't act impulsively. You know, my men are right there on the other side. Once a shot is fired, you won't be able to handle the situation..."
Zhou Hao laughed and placed the Browning pistol on the table. He continued, "Don't worry, we're just talking business, so let's not waste any more time. Let's be frank. I know that there are some prisoners being held in Battalion Commander Gao's camp. They are from a unit of the Southern Jiangsu National Salvation Army. I don't ask for much, I just ask Battalion Commander Gao to be lenient and release one of them. I will definitely reward you handsomely."
After saying that, Zhou Hao took out a leather bag from his waist, pulled out a thick wad of US dollars, and threw it in front of Gao Yuanwu.
Gao Yuanwu's eyes widened immediately. He quickly grabbed the stack of US dollars, checked it briefly, and then looked up at Zhou Hao in surprise, unable to help but ask, "Boss Zhou, this is quite a sum. What kind of people do you need?"
At this point, he suddenly remembered something and quickly added, "Let's be clear, there are some people we can't let go of, no matter how much money you offer!"
Gao Yuanwu knew that the people on the other side must be from the National Salvation Army or the Military Intelligence Bureau, because the origins of these prisoners of war were obvious. Only their superiors would go to such lengths to rescue them. However, if they were going to go to such lengths, the people they were rescuing must be extraordinary. Among the prisoners, there were indeed a few high-ranking cadres, but these people were on the list, and he really didn't dare to release them.
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