Chapter 49: Intelligence

At the county hospital near the southwestern border, police officers and Zhang Chu’an anxiously waited outside the emergency room for news.

Time passed second by second in their anxious wait, until finally, the emergency room door opened under their eager gaze.

Seeing the doctor step out, everyone rushed forward anxiously:

“Doctor, how is he?”

“Doctor, has he been taken out of danger?”

At that moment, Zhang Chu’an stopped them: “You’re all talking at once—how can the doctor answer?”

Only then did they realize they had lost composure; the attending physician, seeing them calm down, began to report:

“The patient is out of immediate danger. We’ve removed the bullets from his body. All that’s needed now is rest.”

Hearing this, everyone outside the emergency room exhaled in relief—so long as he was alive, that was enough.

Watching the group’s expressions of relief, the attending physician couldn’t help but remark:

“His survival is nothing short of a medical miracle. Five bullets struck right near his heart—if not for sheer luck, even a god couldn’t have saved him.”

Hearing this, everyone silently breathed a sigh of relief.

Hearing this, Zhang Chu’an turned to those inside and instructed: “No one is to leak any details about his condition—not a word.”

Everyone present nodded in unison.

Meanwhile, Ma Yunfei was brought back to Yuanshan Town by Nie Huaishang. When he learned of the accident during the test and that his third son had been injured, Ma Shichang rushed over in panic and asked:

“Yunfei, are you alright? How bad is your injury?”

Ma Yunfei shook his head at his anxious father: “Father, I’m fine. This time, I owe my life to Huaisang—if not for him, I wouldn’t be seeing you again.”

Ma Shichang, upon hearing this, gripped Nie Huaishang’s hands tightly and sighed: “Huaisang, you saved Tongtong before, and now you’ve saved my son Yunfei. You’ve done our Ma family a great favor.”

Nie Huaishang quickly replied: “Father-in-law, you’re being too formal—we’re family now. Saving my fiancée and my future third brother is what I’m supposed to do.”

Ma Shichang nodded in satisfaction: “For now, you and Tongtong should enjoy yourselves around Yuanshan Town. In a few days, I’ll invite several old friends over—your wedding must be a grand affair.”

“Thank you for your efforts, Father-in-law.”

Nie Huaishang nodded and left with Ma Qitong.

After Nie Huaishang vanished from his sight, Ma Shichang asked Ma Yunfei, who lay on the bed, in a calm tone:

“Tell me exactly what happened. I couldn’t speak freely with that boy around.”

Ma Yunfei then recounted the events of that night in full detail; Ma Shichang listened and fell into deep thought.

Seeing his father still hesitating, Ma Yunfei pressed on:

“Father, that boy is definitely not a police mole. Without him, I’d be dead today.”

“Also, he fired multiple rounds straight into the police officer’s chest.”

“Most importantly, his abilities are exceptional. If we can bring him into our fold, our Ma family will gain a powerful asset.”

After listening, Ma Shichang paused, then slowly said:

“Given what you’ve said, this boy is likely not a police mole.”

But Ma Shichang had no intention of trusting Nie Huaishang so easily. He looked at Ma Yunfei with a stern face and said:

“I already know what happened yesterday. Still, caution never hurts—especially now, when the police are watching us closely. We cannot afford to let our guard down.”

Seeing his father’s serious expression, Ma Yunfei immediately assured him:

“Understood, Father. I’ll assign men to keep close watch on Nie Huaishang. If he contacts anyone outside, we’ll detain him immediately.”

“Huaisang, do I look good like this?”

Ma Qitong picked up a hat from the roadside and placed it on her head, beaming happily at Nie Huaishang.

She had expected many obstacles when bringing him to meet her father—perhaps his disapproval, or her third brother’s resentment over the threat.

But everything had gone smoothly: her father was pleased, and her third brother, grateful for Nie Huaishang’s rescue, held no ill will.

Meanwhile, Nie Huaishang, taking photos of Ma Qitong, glanced sideways and noticed several surveillance eyes following him.

Clearly, Ma Shichang didn’t trust him and had sent these watchers.

But he made no mention of them in front of Ma Qitong—he already transmitted information through the chat group.

His contact was Guo Jing and the others; the watchers Ma Yunfei assigned would achieve nothing.

Pointing them out would only make him seem guilty—there was no need to do so.

While touring Yuanshan Town with Ma Qitong, he secretly sent details of the town and its various outposts to Guo Jing and the others.

This would aid their assault on the Yuanshan region.

Of course, Nie Huaishang didn’t just investigate Yuanshan Town’s layout—he also probed its network of connections and intelligence system.

After all, if the military moved and Ma Yunfei’s group learned of it immediately, the operation would be doomed.

So Nie Huaishang instructed Guo Jing and the others not to act until he had uncovered Ma’s network and intelligence system.

The intelligence and connection network was the hardest to penetrate—only Ma Shichang and his designated heir, Ma Yunfei, knew its full extent.

During this time, he subtly questioned Ma Qitong, who clearly had no knowledge of her father’s network.

But Nie Huaishang did not give up. Over the course of a month, he secretly eavesdropped on Ma Shichang’s calls and gradually pieced together the full structure of his intelligence network.

The very next morning after sending all the intelligence to Guo Jing, he received a reply.

Ma Shichang’s intelligence network had been completely destroyed.

Nie Huaishang: “When are you planning to move?”

Guo Jing: “Likely the day after tomorrow.”

At this moment, in the Langya Unit, a Major General delivered a stern briefing to the operatives preparing for action; once finished, he declared the mission begun.

To eradicate the poison on the southwestern border, the military district deployed Lei Keming’s Cobra, Lone Wolf A, Lone Wolf B, and Red Cell as vanguard units.

They also sent large reinforcements to clean up the aftermath—every soldier’s face was grim, for all knew the devastation caused by drugs.

Guo Jing and Gou Tou Lao Gao and others wore even more serious expressions—this mission must succeed, no failure allowed. This opportunity had been bought by Nie Huaishang and countless undercover police officers who had infiltrated the lion’s den.

The leaders of the special units exchanged glances, then moved out.

No words were needed—everything was understood.

Ready at all times.