Chapter 107: Escape

After the assassination occurred, security personnel quickly gathered around, shielding Wang Siyuan in the center.

He Yuzhu gave Zhao Ying a push and urged in a low voice, "You brought me in, the mission is complete, hurry and leave! Leave the rest to me."

Zhao Ying was still hesitating when He Yuzhu raised his foot and gave her a kick on the backside, "If you don't leave now, you'll ruin my big plan!"

Zhao Ying glared at He Yuzhu before turning to leave, blending into the panicked crowd and running outward.

At this moment, all the security personnel were busy protecting the VIPs, and no one paid any attention to the fleeing guests.

He Yuzhu nimbly slipped behind a pillar in the lobby, put on a mask, and secretly observed the situation.

Surrounded by bodyguards, Wang Siyuan did not dare to take a car to leave and could only retreat back into the hotel first.

Just as he walked quickly into the lobby, the security personnel also breathed a sigh of relief and scattered one after another.

"Bang!" A gunshot suddenly pierced the air.

Wang Siyuan fell to the ground in response, the bullet hitting him squarely in the head, and fresh blood splattered onto the marble floor.

The security personnel were all stunned on the spot; a few seconds later, they hurriedly turned their guns toward the direction from which the bullet had been fired.

These few seconds of daze provided exactly the opportunity He Yuzhu needed; he had already sprinted upstairs, his figure as fast as lightning.

The security guards chased in a rush, their chaotic footsteps echoing in the stairwell.

He Yuzhu ran straight to the roof, the night wind rushing toward his face.

He quickly took out a rope with a grappling hook and threw it nimbly down the building.

He then entered his space, creating the illusion that the assassin had already escaped.

Sure enough, after the security guards went upstairs and searched every corner carefully, they found nothing and had to go back downstairs to continue searching.

Only then did He Yuzhu emerge from his space, walk down the stairs calmly, and return to his reserved room.

He had just taken off his coat to rest when a rapid knocking sound rang out at the door.

The police began to check the rooms one by one.

He Yuzhu opened the door slowly and leaned lazily against the doorframe: "If you aren't out catching the assassin, what are you searching rooms for?"

A fat policeman wiped his sweat and said, "We analyzed that the assassin might still be hiding in the hotel."

"Fine, fine, your analysis makes sense!" He Yuzhu said impatiently.

"Cut the crap, show your identification! Otherwise, we're taking you in!"

"It's not certain who's taking whom in!" He Yuzhu originally didn't want to bother with them, but these two kept pestering him and wouldn't leave; they clearly wanted to extort some money. Helpless, He Yuzhu could only tuck them into his space.

Seeing that this place was not suitable for a long stay, He Yuzhu took the opportunity to change into a policeman's uniform and walked out quietly.

He walked slowly, appearing lost in thought, but was actually carefully observing the surrounding environment.

Just as he was about to walk out the front door, a hoarse voice suddenly rang out: "Stop!"

He Yuzhu's heart tightened; had he been exposed?

There were police and soldiers everywhere outside the door; if he were recognized, it would be trouble! He could only hide in his space.

He turned around slowly and saw a short, wrinkled-faced man in plainclothes smiling at him.

He immediately judged that this person must be from the Military Statistics Bureau and said with a fawning smile, "Which department are you from? I don't think we've met."

The man leaned in with a grin and asked in a low voice, "Brother, do you have a cigarette?" He Yuzhu quickly handed over a pack of Camel cigarettes: "Take it and smoke!"

Seeing the other party was so generous, the man's eyes lit up and he complained, "This job today is really exhausting. I think the assassin has already run away, yet we're still setting up defenses in the hotel—it's useless!"

"Who's to say otherwise? My wife is giving birth today, I can't be stuck here!" He Yuzhu echoed.

"Congratulations! My name is Li Jin, from Action Team Three of the Military Statistics Bureau."

"Nice to meet you, Brother Li. My surname is Liu, called Liu Haizhong. I'm a policeman from the Xuanwu Branch Bureau." He Yuzhu lied without changing his expression.

The two chatted for a while longer, and then He Yuzhu swaggered out of the hotel.

Inside Liugongguan, the fireplace crackled and popped.

Zhao Ying sat opposite Liu Rusi holding a cup of hot tea, recounting what had happened.

Liu Rusi was outwardly calm as she fiddled with her leather gloves, but her heart was turbulent, worried endlessly about He Yuzhu.

"Feng Qingbo is really useless; he missed even from such a good shooting position. He's not even as good as me!" Zhao Ying said with disdain.

Liu Rusi shook her head gently: "Forget it! With your skills, it would be tough too! The wind was strong today, and sniping isn't easy; we can't blame him this time."

"Do you think Zhuzi can escape?"

Liu Rusi nodded: "With his skills, it should be no problem."

"This kid is quite loyal, letting me leave first so I wouldn't be a suspect if an investigation started. But he kicked my butt, I—I'm definitely going to beat him up."

Liu Rusi smiled and patted the back of Zhao Ying's hand: "You haven't taken a liking to him, have you?"

Zhao Ying laughed, the tea rippling in her cup: "I'm already 23, he's only 15; the gap is too big."

The sudden ringing of the telephone broke the silence of the living room.

Liu Rusi hurried upstairs to answer it.

The person on the other end only said one sentence: "Wang Siyuan is dead."

Liu Rusi patted her chest and let out a long breath, finally setting her heart at ease.

Zhao Ying went upstairs to ask about the situation, and upon learning the mission was a success, the two hugged and laughed excitedly.

In the days that followed, the situation in Beiping changed rapidly.

Station Chief Feng of the Military Statistics Bureau Beiping Station, Police Chief Li Yong, and Regimental Commander Zhao of the Garrison Command were successively dismissed and investigated.

Wanted posters for the two assassins were plastered all over the streets and alleys.

Liu Rusi began assisting Shen Shichang in raiding the black businesses of Zheng De, sealing a total of over fifty opium dens, casinos, and brothels.

Every time there was an operation, He Yuzhu followed behind and was always able to find the valuables a step ahead of others.

He upheld the principle of "splitting everything seen in half" and quietly hid half of the valuables.

In the end, Shen Shichang obtained eighty thousand Big Ocean, and He Yuzhu obtained the same amount; the heavy silver dollars filled several crates.

Finally, he gave Liu Rusi forty thousand Big Ocean.

Liu Rusi looked at the Big Ocean before her, unable to believe it, "You, how did you get the money out! My father was even complaining! Saying the money he got was less than he imagined!"

"Sister, when eating eggs, why care which chicken laid them?"

"Fine, I won't ask." Liu Rusi was naturally a lazy person; since someone was giving her money, she accepted it with peace of mind—why worry about so much!

He Yuzhu suggested, "Sister, you should exchange all the Big Ocean for United States dollars. I suspect the authorities will soon push for a new currency, and when that happens, there will be a mandatory exchange; the new currency will inevitably depreciate significantly in the future."

Liu Rusi nodded: "Zhao Ying said the same thing. She studied economics in the United States and said the economy is not far from collapse."

"If the situation changes, Sister, it would be best for you to go to the United States for a few years first, and once Hong Kong is stable, go to Hong Kong."

"Are you coming with me?" Liu Rusi turned to gaze at him.

He Yuzhu replied calmly: "My whole family is in Si Jiu Cheng; I cannot leave. Besides, I am just a commoner; no matter who is in power, life goes on just the same."

"Let's take it one step at a time." Liu Rusi sighed slightly, feeling somewhat dejected.

The twenty-third day of the twelfth lunar month, the Kitchen God ascends to heaven.

The Siheyuan was filled with the scent of gunpowder from firecrackers.

He Yuzhu was setting off firecrackers in the courtyard, and the children followed behind him to pick up the ones that hadn't gone off.

Jia Zhangshi poked her head out from her room, covering her ears, and cursed in a low voice: "Little bastard, setting off so many firecrackers, what a show-off!"

Yan Bugui also stood at his doorway and cursed: "He Daqing is truly a piece of work. When I asked to borrow money, he said he didn't have any, yet he has money to buy firecrackers for his son!"

Xu Damao trotted eagerly after He Yuzhu: "Brother Zhuzi, that's five strings of firecrackers already; has your family made a fortune?"

"What fortune," He Yuzhu laughed and lit another string, "The War of Resistance is won, the devils have run away; shouldn't we celebrate?"

"Well said! Let me light one next time!" Xu Damao said with a sycophantic grin.

"No problem," He Yuzhu took out another string and lifted it with a stick, "You light this one!"

He Daqing came jogging back and shouted as soon as he saw He Yuzhu: "Zhuzi, come home quickly, I brought back something good to eat!"

He Yuzhu threw the remaining string of firecrackers to Xu Damao: "Distribute them among the children, don't hog them all."

Xu Damao happily took the firecrackers and shouted to the children gathering around: "Line up, one by one!"

The children laughed and gathered around, and the courtyard was filled with joy and laughter.