Chapter 42: Assassinating Guitian

Inside the interrogation room of the Military Police, the lights were blazing. Shedding his usual laziness, Guitian was like a starving wolf that had caught the scent of blood, interrogating the thirty-four "suspicious individuals" caught during the day throughout the night.

The air was thick with a heavy, bloody stench and suffocating fear.

The whistling sound of a whip tearing through the air rang out again and again, accompanied by the shrill, miserable screams of the tortured, making one's hair stand on end.

A prisoner, already mangled and bloody, was hung on the torture rack, and the leather whip in Guitian's hand continued to fall mercilessly, one lash, then another...

"Ah—! Stop hitting me! Your Excellency... I'll talk! I'll say everything!" The prisoner finally broke down, wailing and begging for mercy in a hoarse voice.

Only then did Guitian stop, the tip of his whip dripping with blood. He leaned in a few steps, his voice as cold and chilling as a viper flicking its tongue: "Speak."

"I... I am called Sun Qiang, I manage the accounts for the Lamp Shade in Nancheng... A few days ago, a person of unknown origin, impersonating someone from the Special Higher Police, did away with my boss... no, did away with the Lamp Shade! I... I highly suspect that person is the culprit you are looking for, Your Excellency..."

Enduring the excruciating pain, Sun Qiang told everything he knew in broken, intermittent sentences.

In truth, he had no time to think it through; he only wanted to suffer less physical pain, so he made up a random connection, not expecting that Guitian would actually believe it to some extent.

He hurriedly struck while the iron was hot: "Your Excellency, please see clearly! Just think, this Si Jiu Cheng was originally peaceful and prosperous under the Imperial Army's governance, so why have so many bizarre cases popped up lately? It must be this gang! Better to investigate wrongly than to let one slip through!"

Guitian looked at him coldly and nodded, "Continue."

Gasping for air, he added eagerly as if presenting a treasure: "Guitian, Your Excellency! I... I know where that kid lives. Whether it's him or not, wouldn't it be clear if we go and check?"

A sharp glint suddenly flashed in Guitian's eyes, as if he had finally caught a trace of prey in the darkness. He leaned down toward Sun Qiang, his voice dropping even lower, yet filled with an unquestionable urgency: "Mr. Sun, lead the way! We go to make the arrest now!"

"Right away, right away!" Sun Qiang replied hurriedly, fearing that any delay would cost him his life, "He lives at Nanluoguxiang 95, he is the son of a cook named He Daqing."

"Good! Mr. Sun, you are very good!" Guitian's eyes lit up, and he waved his hand excitedly: "Men, untie Mr. Sun! We are going to arrest He Daqing now!"

Sun Qiang excitedly flexed his wrists, which had been numbed by the ropes: "Officer, just watch! This trip will definitely not disappoint you!"

At this moment, He Yuzhu was writing furiously on a broken kang table in the 91 Hao Yuan, diligently copying that battle manifesto, intending to post it all over Si Jiu Cheng.

Suddenly, noisy footsteps came from the alley outside the courtyard, as if dozens of people were heading this way. He quickly put away his four treasures of the study, nimbly flipped over the wall, and followed them in secret.

Seeing this group head straight for the Courtyard, He Yuzhu understood: these people were coming for his home. Today's matter could no longer be settled peacefully; a conclusion had to be reached.

He would not rest until he killed Guitian and overturned the Military Police.

He flashed into his space, changed into a Japanese military uniform, and after a simple disguise, he quietly appeared, nimbly climbing onto the roof of the west wing of the East Cross Courtyard of the Courtyard to secretly monitor the situation in the courtyard.

The Japanese army had sealed off the front and back gates, and everyone in the courtyard had been driven to the Zhongyuan.

Guitian first interrogated the "gatekeeper" Yan Bugui; Teacher Yan was already pale with fright, trembling all over.

Guitian asked sternly: "Does He Daqing live here? Does he have a son? Where is he?"

Yan Bugui answered stutteringly: "Y-Your Excellency, He Daqing lived in those two main rooms," he pointed to the pitch-black main house, "but I heard he is already dead; it happened when he went to be a cook for the Martial Arts Assembly. His wife is in the hospital, and his son went to take care of his mother... All of this, all of this was told to me by He Yuzhu himself this morning."

Guitian glared and threatened: "If you are lying, you will die, die!"

"I wouldn't dare, I wouldn't dare!" Yan Bugui waved his hands repeatedly.

Sun Qiang reminded him from the side: "Your Excellency, the point is still to find that kid."

Guitian nodded and shouted at the crowd: "What is He Daqing's son's name? Does he know Kung Fu?"

Yan Bugui thought for a moment: "His name is He Yuzhu. I heard he practiced martial arts for two years and can fight better than the average kid. But the Xu Family knows best about this."

Sun Qiang immediately shouted: "People of the Xu Family, stand out!"

Xu Damao's eyes darted around. Originally, he was secretly happy to see the He Family in trouble, but once he heard the devils call his name, he was scared silly, clutching his mother's hem tightly.

Mother Xu had no choice but to stand out with her two daughters and Xu Damao, her voice trembling: "My man broke his leg and is lying in the hospital!"

Guitian continued to press: "Who among you knows He Yuzhu? Speak quickly!"

Xu Damao suddenly spoke up: "If you want to know who in this courtyard knows He Yuzhu best, it has to be me!"

Everyone secretly broke into a cold sweat; why did this kid dare to wade into such muddy water?

Guitian feigned kindness: "Little friend, how is He Yuzhu's Kung Fu? Can he kill an adult who knows martial arts?"

Xu Damao curled his lips: "A few days ago, he was beaten until his face was covered in blood by my father with a broom. You say he can kill an adult who knows martial arts? Impossible! Although I can't beat him, he isn't that amazing either..."

Guitian asked again: "Then does he know any ghost-driving spells? Like waving his hand and moving things from one place to another?"

Xu Damao sneered: "If he had that ability, he would have gone to heaven already! I don't get along with him, but he's just a bit stronger than me, though I will surpass him sooner or later!"

He Yuzhu on the roof almost applauded Xu Damao. This brat was always competitive and looked down on him, but he didn't expect him to be a big help instead.

Seeing he couldn't get anything out of them, Guitian turned to the crowd: "Whose house is closest to the He Family? Stand out!"

Lao Jia reluctantly moved a step forward: "It's my house."

Guitian asked: "Has there been anything unusual at the He Family lately?"

A wave of hatred surged in Lao Jia's heart—his own wife often complained that he was incompetent because the He Family always ate meat.

It would be better to take this opportunity to completely ruin the He Family! He pretended to be afraid and said: "Your Excellency, I'm always at work and haven't noticed anything unusual at the He Family. But my old woman is home all day; she knows more!"

Before Lao Jia could finish, Jia Zhangshi blurted out: "Their family has been eating meat a lot lately!"

Guitian's eyes lit up, and he immediately waved his hand: "Search! Search carefully!"

Several Japanese soldiers smashed open the He Family's door and rushed in.

Yi Zhonghai glared fiercely at Lao Jia, and He Yuzhu on the roof also rolled his eyes.

He secretly made up his mind that from now on, he would never care about anything regarding the Jia Family.

At a critical moment, they weren't even as good as his arch-rival Xu Damao.

Of course, He Yuzhu understood that Xu Damao was just young and loved to show off, helping him unintentionally.

But Lao Jia's jealousy was truly too strong, and his whole family was wicked and selfish.

Because He Yuzhu had already put all useful items into his space, the He Family was left with nothing but bare walls, and the Japanese army found nothing during their search.

"Your Excellency, there are no suspicious items!"

Guitian asked a few more questions, but since he could never find the He family members, he had to arrange for his men to check the various hospitals, and then he left in a huff.

He Yuzhu on the roof followed them silently.

Just as Guitian and his men were about to reach the Military Police, He Yuzhu made his move.

He took a Type 11 Light Machine Gun out of his space, mounted it on a low wall, and suddenly opened fire.

"Da-da-da—" The sound of gunfire tore through the night sky, and the car Kameda was riding in was instantly riddled with holes like a sieve.

He Yuzhu could not confirm whether Kameda was dead; the opposition was numerous and powerful, and he could not eliminate everyone in a short amount of time.

He quickly put away the Machine Gun and vanished into the night like a ghost.

After nightfall, the sirens of the Japanese military echoed throughout Si Jiu Cheng, and it was several hours before the commotion gradually subsided.

He Yuzhu appeared from his space and arrived at Qianmen Street, where he neatly arranged sixty-five blood-stained heads in the busiest part of Tianqiao, and posted a notice he had written beforehand beside them.