Chapter 114: You, You Are the Emei Peak!

"Station Chief, the interrogation room is a sensitive area; I'd better not go."

Hong Zhiyou knew Huang Zhong was locked inside and thought it best to avoid getting involved.

"It doesn't matter."

"What should be known will naturally be known."

"What shouldn't be known is already known."

"Let's go take a look together; such a good show is worth seeing while it lasts."

Wu Jingzhong gave a cold, meaningful laugh.

They arrived at the interrogation room.

Ma Kui and Yu Zecheng immediately rose from their seats to greet them.

"What is going on?"

"Why are you at each other's throats again? Is there no end to this?"

Wu Jingzhong barked, utterly annoyed.

He truly did not want to investigate Yu Zecheng.

Yu was his own hand-picked man.

A Juntong hero who had personally received commendations from Boss Dai, been praised by the Generalissimo, and shot Li Haifeng dead.

If he turned out to be a Red agent,

wouldn't the face of the entire Party and State be completely lost?

Especially now, when Boss Dai was being roasted over a fire by various factions.

If something went wrong with Yu Zecheng,

it could very well be the fuse that detonates Boss Dai.

Even if Yu Zecheng were a Red agent,

they could only handle it according to house rules—a secret execution.

One Ma Kui, one Liu Xiong.

Two pigs with absolutely no political sense.

At a time like this, they were still stirring up trouble.

"Station Chief, I suspect Yu Zecheng is a Red agent."

"First, there was the phone call at night."

"Just now, he tampered with the food again."

"It is clearly an attempt to poison Huang Zhong and cut off our leads."

Ma Kui said, pointing at the food tray.

"Slander," Yu Zecheng replied with two words.

"Do you have evidence?"

Wu Jingzhong sat down at the head of the table.

"Bring it over," Ma Kui gestured.

Mi Zhiguo kept his head down, not daring to look at Yu Zecheng, and handed over the developed photos.

"Station Chief."

"At noon, Old Luo gave the food tray to Director Yu."

"Director Yu turned and carried it into his own office."

"He stayed inside for a full minute or more."

"I have reason to suspect he poisoned the food."

"These are the photos I took."

Ma Kui sneered at Yu Zecheng and handed the photos to Wu Jingzhong.

Everyone present was an old hand.

At first glance: a setup.

"Director Yu, how do you explain this?" Wu Jingzhong glanced at them and asked with a straight face.

He had come purely to watch the show.

Let alone the fact that Yu was an intelligence prodigy he had trained himself,

anyone with a shred of brains wouldn't commit such a rookie mistake.

"Old Luo asked me to deliver the food."

"I went back to my office to have a sip of tea first, then came to the interrogation room, and was blocked by Captain Ma."

Yu Zecheng remained calm and collected.

"Still putting on an act."

"Station Chief, I request to test this bowl of corn porridge," Ma Kui said, full of confidence.

"Test it," Wu Jingzhong nodded.

"Section Chief Lu, go make a call and have someone from the Army Hospital's laboratory come over to take a sample," he ordered.

Lu Qiaoshan immediately made the call.

A while later, the lab personnel arrived, took a sample, and brought it back for analysis.

Half an hour later, the phone rang.

Lu Qiaoshan picked up the receiver:

"It's me."

"Good, good!"

*Snap!

He hung up the phone and said with a beaming smile:

"Station Chief, the lab says there is nothing wrong with the porridge."

"Nothing wrong?"

"How is that possible? He clearly took the tray inside. Could the test be wrong?"

Ma Kui took off his hat, rubbed his buzz cut, and was bewildered again.

"The test was wrong?"

Yu Zecheng sneered, picked up the corn porridge, and drank it in one gulp.

"Captain Ma, I poisoned it."

"Do you believe me now?"

Yu Zecheng wiped his mouth and squinted at him with a bright smile.

"This..." Ma Kui was speechless.

"The porridge is not bad."

Yu Zecheng's smile vanished, and he raised his hand and slapped him.

"You!"

Ma Kui was caught off guard and took the blow squarely.

"If you want to frame me, try using your brain next time!" Yu Zecheng sneered.

"Fine, fine!"

Ma Kui lost his composure, covered his face, and admitted defeat.

"Let's go."

He signaled to Mi Zhiguo and stormed off in a rage.

"Hold on!"

Lu Qiaoshan called out to stop him.

"Does Section Chief Lu have something to say?" Ma Kui had a bad feeling.

"Captain Ma, you know how to take photos."

"Others do too."

"This photo was taken by someone before 9: 6 last night."

"The time was around 9: 0."

"Care to explain?"

Lu Qiaoshan also pulled a photo from his pocket, seizing the chance to kick a man while he was down.

Boss Dai was coming.

If he could bring down Ma Kui at this moment, he could enjoy the credit for the Sky Net Project alone and gain favor in front of the Boss.

"Lu Qiaoshan!"

"You were tailing me!" Ma Kui roared.

Tailing?

The way he used that word... even the bystander Hong Zhiyou felt anxious for Ma Kui.

"I wouldn't call it that; we are working together on this operation."

"As the internal screener appointed by the Station Chief, and since you, Captain Ma, are from Shancheng, supervising you is part of my duty."

Lu Qiaoshan said with a smile as gentle as a spring breeze.

"Oh, right.

"If I heard correctly, Captain Ma just said 'following'?

"In other words, Captain Ma admits to having left and secretly tipping off Huang Zhong, which led to a heavyweight Red Ticket operative escaping right under our noses?"

Lu Qiao Shan emphasized the word "heavyweight" heavily.

"Lu Qiao Shan, don't you go pinning false charges on me."

Ma Kui could not out-argue him, so he gritted his teeth and roared.

"He's getting anxious.

"Station Chief, look, he's getting anxious again."

Lu Qiao Shan gave a disdainful smile and looked at Wu Jingzhong.

"Ma Kui, anxiety won't solve any problems.

"Now, explain yourself.

"At 9: 0, where did you go, and why did you appear there?

"What was written in that letter?"

Wu Jingzhong tapped the table and asked sternly.

"You all..."

Ma Kui was so angry he was left speechless.

He never dreamed that he had intended to trap Yu Zecheng, only to end up facing a "three-agency tribunal" himself.

"Station Chief, that person wasn't me.

"This is a frame-up."

Ma Kui explained.

"Just now, when Director Yu mentioned a frame-up, you didn't believe him.

"What?

"Once these two words come out of your mouth, they suddenly become pure and noble?"

Lu Qiao Shan shook his head and chuckled, "Oh my."

"Lu Qiao Shan, I'll screw your eighteen generations..."

Ma Kui could not argue back, his veins bulging with rage.

"Enough!

"Special Commissioner Ma, you had better give me an explanation.

"Otherwise, I don't care who you served as a bodyguard for, I'll shoot you dead right now!"

Wu Jingzhong slammed the table and shouted angrily.

"Station Chief, that person wasn't me.

"I, I left at that time to make a phone call."

Ma Kui turned his head away and said resentfully.

"To whom?

"Who can testify to that?" Wu Jingzhong asked again.

"Was it to your good brother Tang Wu?

"How unfortunate.

"He is currently at the Shuitun Prison eating noodle tea and gaba cai." Lu Qiao Shan interjected with a beaming smile.

"You all!

"Tang Wu is my brother, what did you do to him?"

Ma Kui roared.

"He colluded with the Zhongtong!" Lu Qiao Shan produced a photograph.

"Let's not talk about useless things for now.

"Who was the call made to?" Wu Jingzhong pressed.

"I... I called Director Mao." Ma Kui said.

"To Director Mao?"

Wu Jingzhong cast a cold glance at him.

He picked up the desk phone directly and dialed the headquarters' number:

"Director Mao, it's me, Jingzhong.

"Last night, Captain Ma..."

He hung up the phone.

Wu Jingzhong stood up, shook his clothes, and pointed at Ma Kui:

"Captain Ma, you've found a good backer.

"Director Mao has personally vouched for you.

"I have no choice but to let you go."

"Station Chief, I swear to Mr. Sun and the Generalissimo, I truly didn't know Tang Wu was colluding with people from the Zhongtong!" Ma Kui explained desperately.

"You are clearly colluding with the Zhongtong..."

Lu Qiao Shan wanted to keep biting, but Wu Jingzhong raised his hand to stop him:

"Alright.

"Since it's a misunderstanding, let this matter end here.

"My dear Captain Ma.

"You are also an old hand at the Juntong Bureau.

"Next time you talk about someone being a Red Ticket, I suggest you polish the three eyes on the back of your head and bring evidence before you speak.

"I don't have the patience to play house with you over and over again!"

He gave Ma Kui a cold, stern look and turned his gaze toward Huang Zhong in the electric chair.

He had originally wanted to use this opportunity to finish off Ma Kui.

But as it turned out, Mao Renfeng had vouched for him.

Because of this, there was no point in bringing out the verbal evidence from Li Ping.

Mao Renfeng was famously petty.

Wu Jingzhong had no need to take that risk and burn bridges at this juncture.

"Since you're already here.

"After staying up all night, it's time to interrogate.

"Captain Ma, go ahead."

Wu Jingzhong gave a carrot after the stick, gesturing with his chin toward Ma Kui.

Ma Kui was stunned.

He had thought he was out of this operation, but he hadn't expected Old Wu to actually be so professional.

"Yes!"

Ma Kui's deflated spirit surged back up.

"Huang Zhong.

"Let's start by talking about your relationship with Director Yu."

Ma Kui asked.

"Huang Zhong.

"Why don't you start by talking about your relationship with Captain Ma?"

Yu Zecheng added from the side with a blank expression.

"You!"

Ma Kui turned his head and glared fiercely at Yu Zecheng.

Yu Zecheng shrugged and smiled at him.

Biting people, who doesn't know how?

I'm not someone to be bullied either.

"Captain Ma.

"Please, be professional, don't waste everyone's time, okay?" Lu Qiao Shan urged.

"I want to see Director Li." Huang Zhong said.

"Once you've entered this place, let alone Li Hanyuan.

"Even Li Shizhen can't save you.

"Speak, who is your superior, how did you contact Emeifeng, and who is he?"

Ma Kui shouted.

"Speak.

"As long as you confess, I can guarantee you'll be restored to your original position." Wu Jingzhong said.

"Restored to my original position?" Huang Zhong sneered.

"Once you've been arrested, your comrades will know sooner or later."

"I know you have an internal purge squad."

"How about this, I can give you a sum of money."

"Send you to Xiangdao, Yuezhou."

"If you keep dragging this out, you only have a dead end."

"You only have one life, think it through, don't waste everyone's time."

"My patience and generosity are limited."

Wu Jingzhong said with dignity.

Huang Zhong fell into silence, and after a long while, he raised his head and said:

"Can you give me a cigarette?"

Ma Kui took out a cigarette, lit it, and handed it to him.

Huang Zhong took a drag and said slowly:

"I'll confess."

"Lu Qiao, you record this, not a single word is allowed to be missed!" Wu Jingzhong crossed his arms and sat up straight.

"I do indeed know Emeifeng," Huang Zhong said slowly.

Yu Zecheng felt all the hair on his body stand up at once, and his eyelids twitched uncontrollably.

Hong Zhiyou also felt his heart skip a beat.

If Old Huang was going to spill everything, Yu Zecheng would be skinned alive even if he didn't die.

"In '43, when I was at the Shancheng Police Headquarters for annual training, I was introduced by Mr. Lin Huaifu to Mr. Meng at 50 Zengjiayan, and I joined the Red Ticket."

"My codename was 'Old Kite'."

"The person who escaped was my wife."

"At that time, Lu Zongfang and I were on the same line."

"He was a liaison for the transit station, and Emeifeng and I were in single-line contact with him."

When Huang Zhong said this, he took a few deep drags of the cigarette and began to cough.

"Who is Emeifeng?"

Ma Kui asked impatiently.

The corners of Yu Zecheng's mouth trembled, and his heart jumped into his throat.

Hong Zhiyou quietly turned to the side to shield him from the sight of the Station Chief and Lu Qiao.

"When I was in Shancheng, I never met him."

"Later, I was arranged by Tang Zong to serve as a clerk in the Wang Puppet Police Department, and I went to Jingling first."

"I heard there was a traitor at the Shancheng Bai Mansion."

"Lu Zongfang came to Jingling under the guise of assassinating Li Haifeng, wanting to use the Shaanxi Guild Hall to leave."

When Huang Zhong said this, he spat out the cigarette butt and looked at Ma Kui:

"Can you give me another one?"

Ma Kui lit one and handed it to him with a smile:

"The group Lu Zongfang brought included Section Chief Yu, right?"

"I don't know about that."

"The last time I saw Lu Zongfang."

"He had been completely exposed and said he wanted to leave, and before he left, he wanted me to meet Emeifeng once."

"Emeifeng was a member of the Juntong Bureau and had a secret radio station in Jingling at the time."

"Lu Zongfang told me to contact him in the future."

"At that time, we agreed to meet at the Xile Bathhouse at five in the afternoon."

"I had just arrived at the bathhouse and was about to make contact when the Juntong assassination squad struck early; I suppose I escaped a disaster."

Huang Zhong said.

"And then? Did you see Emeifeng?" Ma Kui's expression grew more excited.

At that time, he was the one leading the Juntong assassination squad, and he had successfully eliminated Lu Zongfang.

Huang Zhong was not lying.

Ma Kui even felt a slight sense of regret.

If he had known that Emeifeng was among the contacts at the time, he should have executed them all together.

It was a pity that there were too many people in the bathhouse, and there were Wang Puppet police nearby; the timing was too rushed.

"I saw him."

"He and Lu Zongfang opened fire on the Juntong agents in the bathhouse."

"Lu Zongfang covered his retreat through the back door."

"To attract the enemy's attention, Lu Zongfang ran upstairs, drawing away a group of people."

"At the time, I was lying low in the crowd, the scene was very chaotic..."

Before Huang Zhong could finish, Ma Kui's face changed, and he scolded:

"A pack of lies!"

"Pure nonsense!"

He had personally led the men to open fire, and at the scene, they had only exchanged fire with Lu Zongfang alone; where would Emeifeng have come from to escape through the back door?

"How does Captain Ma know he is talking nonsense?"

"Could it be that you were at the scene?"

Lu Qiao put down his pen and asked with a light laugh.

"You!"

Ma Kui was speechless.

The mission he carried out was top secret.

It wouldn't have been a big deal if it were public.

But he was captured afterward, fell into the hands of the Wang Puppet regime, and betrayed his own teammates.

Now, the Generalissimo and Boss Dai were strictly punishing traitors.

The elimination of Wanlilang was a living example!

Therefore, Ma Kui could only let the matter of Lu Zongfang rot in his stomach; he dared not get involved in it at all.

"Continue," Wu Jingzhong signaled.

"Emeifeng was shot, and after the people at the back door chased after him, I didn't know what happened."

"My superior, Lu Zongfang, was shot again after jumping out of a window from the second floor."

"By the time I got outside and saw him in the crowd, he was already gone."

"It was after Lu Zongfang died, and Emeifeng also disappeared without a trace, that I became a kite with a broken string and entered a period of silence."

"I eventually pulled some strings to return to Jinhai."

Huang Zhong said with a sorrowful expression.

As soon as he finished speaking, the heart that Yu Zecheng had been holding in his throat finally settled.

"Who exactly is Emeifeng?" Wu Jingzhong leaned forward and asked in a deep voice.

"Emeifeng is..."

Huang Zhong looked at him, then his gaze turned toward Ma Kui with helplessness and grief.

"Why, why are you looking at me?" Ma Kui panicked a little.

"Captain Ma, I'm sorry."

"I really can't hold on anymore; the local committees and transit lines are a complete mess now, we can't hide anymore."

"The Generalissimo has airplanes, cannons, and the Americans' warships and bombs."

"We can't win, let's just admit it."

Huang Zhong shed tears, shook his head, and pleaded with a trembling voice.

"What, what are you saying?"

"You damn bastard, you're courting death!"

Ma Kui's eyes widened, blood rushed to his head, and he punched Huang Zhong in the face repeatedly.

"Quick, stop him."

Lu Qiao's voice trembled with excitement.

Old Five and two other thugs grabbed Ma Kui from left and right and disarmed him directly.

"Are you saying that Ma Kui is Emeifeng?"

"I warn you, if you talk nonsense, I will grind your bones to dust!"

Wu Jingzhong stood up and pointed at him sternly.

"Ca... Captain Ma is Emeifeng."

"At the Xile Bathhouse, I saw with my own eyes that he and Lu Zongfang were fighting side by side."

"Right."

"Captain Ma seemed to have been shot in the shoulder."

"It was, it was the left shoulder."

"If you don't believe me, you can check."

Huang Zhong spat out a mouthful of blood-flecked saliva and continued to point him out.

"You!"

Ma Kui was about to die of rage.

Yet he had no way to refute it at all.

Even if he exposed the events of that year, it would be of no help.

The brothers sent to carry out the mission with him were either arrested by the police at the time.

Or they were betrayed by him, with some dying and others fleeing.

There was simply no one who could testify for him.

"Strip him," Wu Jingzhong shouted.

Lao Wu tore off the collar of Ma Kui's left shoulder in one go, and upon looking:

"Station Chief, there is indeed a scar from a bullet wound."

"Station Chief, I am wronged.

"I am wronged."

Ma Kui began to yell.

"Have you recorded everything in the Qiaoshan transcript?" Wu Jingzhong asked.

"Station Chief, don't you worry, not a single word was missed." Lu Qiaoshan's mouth curled into a smile.

"Huang Zhong, I am very curious.

"Since you and Ma Kui are comrades, why didn't he let you escape?" Wu Jingzhong asked.

"It was too late.

"When I saw the letter Ma Kui sent telling me to withdraw, Division Chief Lu's men had already rushed in.

"So, I could only swallow the letter paper.

"However, it is a pity that you did not catch my wife, Jiang Aimei."

Huang Zhong held a cigarette in his mouth, his expression relieved and clear.

"What do you mean?" Lu Qiaoshan asked.

"Lü Zongfang was assassinated, and Emei Peak fled.

"After the organization contacted me later, they no longer assigned specific tasks.

"The one who truly carried out the secret mission in Jinhai was Jiang Aimei.

"She and I are a fake married couple.

"She also controlled the radio alone; I was usually responsible for hiding in the police station to collect some simple intelligence to facilitate the local committee and the comrades on the transport lines.

"She was also the one who contacted other comrades.

"Without Captain Ma's notification to spare that bit of time, perhaps Jiang Aimei would have fallen into Division Chief Lu's hands."

Huang Zhong simply "sold out" everyone to the end.

"What a pity!

"Ma Kui, you have ruined my great undertaking." Lu Qiaoshan cooperated by gritting his teeth.

"Station Chief, this is a trap.

"It is a frame-up, he is spouting blood, Station Chief!"

Ma Kui was so anxious he was jumping up and down.

"Huang Zhong, what is the story with Yu Zecheng's phone call?" Wu Jingzhong asked again.

"I don't know about that either.

"It must have been a coincidence.

"However, Captain Ma did mention that Director Yu is Station Chief Wu's trusted subordinate.

"Once something happens, dragging Director Yu into the water might provide unexpected room for maneuver."

Huang Zhong said.

"Nonsense.

"Station Chief, this is clearly a frame-up.

"If I were Emei Peak and wanted to tip someone off, I would have done it long ago; would I have waited until today?"

Ma Kui yelled.

"Captain Ma, this is very easy to explain.

"During the operation, you rushed to the very front; if I hadn't ordered to take him alive.

"Who knows, Huang Zhong might have been silenced by you on the spot.

"As for the interrogation room, your jumping up and down was nothing more than a cover-up.

"If it weren't for Lao Wu having a sense of proportion and stopping you.

"Huang Zhong would probably have been beaten to death by you by now.

"Then you would frame Director Yu, wanting to muddy the waters to achieve your goal of maneuvering.

"Everything is so clear and obvious; what else do you have to explain?"

Lu Qiaoshan shook his head slightly, closed his pen cap, and smiled with disdain.

"Emei Peak?

"Good!

"You've gone crazy right under my nose!

"Lock him up first!"

Wu Jingzhong nodded with a cold laugh and waved his hand.

"Station Chief, what about Detective Huang?" Lu Qiaoshan asked.

"Keep him locked up for now.

"Boss Dai is coming soon.

"Do not create extra complications at this time!"

Wu Jingzhong whispered in his ear.

"Understood." Lu Qiaoshan nodded.

"Lao Wu, keep the people under guard first, provide enough water and food, and do not use torture for now." He turned his head and ordered.

"Understood, Division Chief Lu." Lao Wu replied.

"I am being framed, I want to see Director Mao!" Ma Kui struggled and roared down the corridor.

Outside the door.

A guard frowned and walked away quickly.

(End of this chapter)