Lu Huaizhang gazed at the other person's face for a long time, then sighed deeply, stood up, dusted off his epaulets, and reached out his hand to Li Yiming.
"Let's shake hands one last time. For all the years we've worked together, for the trouble you've caused me, for the ninth inning when it's just the two of us left."
Li Yiming extended his shackled hand and gently shook hands with Lu Huaizhang.
Lu Huaizhang walked out of the cell, squinting as he stared at the blazing sun outside.
The Communist Party went to great lengths to save Tianguang. But with a strait separating them, it was no easy task. And somehow they found a way to get to Lu Huaizhang.
Since Kou took control of Taiwan, life has become increasingly difficult for Principal Kou's men. Especially after Li Yiming's incident, Lu Huaizhang was heavily implicated, losing almost his entire fortune just to save his life. But he was left with nothing.
The Communist Party spared no expense, giving Lu Huaizhang a box of genuine gold bars, only asking that he pass them on to Li Yiming. Director Lu, always skilled and daring, gritted his teeth, thinking of his emptied house, and finally agreed.
With Li Yiming's skillful hands, it wouldn't have been difficult for him to take and hide the object during the handshake. Besides, Lu Huaizhang saw that it was just a small piece of red cloth, nothing special.
However, even if there were any special features, Lu Huaizhang would still hand it over to Li Yiming. Just like many years ago, when he knew that Li Yiming was not as simple as she seemed on the surface, he still resolutely brought her into the Ninth Bureau in order to protect his own position.
He knew perfectly well that Li Yiming's identity was suspicious, that Cheng Daiqing was innocent, that Di Ting was killed by Li Yiming himself, and that Bai Jing'an was executed by someone within the bureau. And what about Shen Yanzhi, Jin Heming, and He Xi? Weren't they all sent away by Li Yiming one by one?
The Communist Party was advancing with unstoppable momentum, and wherever it went, the people welcomed them with food and drink. The world had long since turned red. Only fools like Cheng Daiqing and Di Ting thought that uncovering a few spies and purging a few corrupt officials could save the decaying government from its dire straits.
What a joke! How could the success or failure of a nation be decided by Li Yiming alone? Li Yiming was the one who caused the pillars of the Party and the State in the Ninth Bureau to collapse; then, who was it that caused the entire National Government to be utterly defeated?
In life, survival is paramount. He wasn't an idealist like Li Yiming, who didn't care about his own safety in order to create a new world. It was better for him to take the Communist Party's money, retire gracefully, and live a peaceful life as a wealthy old man.
Lu Huaizhang had no interest in where that red cloth came from or what was written on it. Whether Li Yiming was alive or dead, today would be the last time they ever saw each other.
The winter sky was a bleak, deathly white. Looking at it, Lu Huaizhang was inexplicably reminded of the Ninth Infantry from many years ago—a time when the Ninth Infantry was a gathering of heroes, a group of valiant and cunning warriors vying for supremacy, their battles fierce and bloody. He, on the other hand, watched from the sidelines, a slight, cold smile playing on his lips, while simultaneously calculating his own escape route.
Now, all the glory days are over, and he, the bureau chief with no one else, has truly become the only one who survived to the end.
But there's nothing to be happy about.
Lu Huaizhang shook his head, wrapped his clothes tighter, and left.
That moment has finally arrived.
Li Yiming was led out of the prison and headed towards the execution ground.
That little piece of red cloth, no one knew where she had hidden it. The midday sun was blazing, and the world was shrouded in a sweltering stillness. Only the clattering of the shackles and chains echoed lazily.
As they walked, Li Yiming suddenly turned around and asked the guard beside him, "What day is it today?"
In the prison cell, there was no day or night, and Li Yiming had long since lost the concept of time.
The guard said sternly, "It's your death anniversary."
Li Yiming persisted, "I asked you what your number is? You have to grant this dying man's wish, right?"
The guard rolled his eyes: "December 6th."
"Will it be this hot in December?"
"This is Taiwan, so it's always hotter than the mainland. But this kind of hot weather is very unusual; I haven't seen it in many years."
After answering that question, the guard muttered, "This eerie weather is unlucky to kill someone."
Thinking about the unfortunate job he had taken on, the guard refused to talk to Li Yiming. Li Yiming walked with difficulty on the scorching hot ground when he suddenly heard a noise beside him.
Thump!
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