Chapter 132: Lu Qiaoshan Falls into a Trap

"Brother Shan, are you busy?" Hong Zhiyou poked his head in and asked with a smile.

"Didn't you go to the meeting with the Station Chief, brother?"

"Why didn't you eat together?"

Lu Qiaoshan glanced at his watch, capped his pen, and asked.

"It was a working meal, not very convenient."

"Besides, once Boss Dai sits at the head of the table, no delicacy in the world tastes like anything," Hong Zhiyou joked.

"Oh my."

"I haven't slept well these past few days, and I still have to go to the Gendarmerie Headquarters at noon to urge Commander Fang on the investigation report for Tang Wu."

"This bunch of people is truly dragging their feet."

"The photographic evidence is conclusive, yet they keep investigating back and forth; it's purely looking for trouble."

"Brother Shan, you wouldn't mind if I had a cup of your coffee, would you?"

Hong Zhiyou, not letting go of the red-bound document, stood up and poured himself a cup of coffee.

"Of course."

"Who are we to each other? From now on, just treat this place like your own café."

"Whenever you want a drink, just come and take it."

Lu Qiaoshan smiled warmly.

"Thanks, Brother Shan."

"To be honest, I just like coming here."

"It feels human."

Hong Zhiyou leaned in with a flattering smile and casually slapped the document onto the desk:

"Sigh, busy day in, day out."

"It's exhausting."

"Boss Dai has finally left!"

"Top secret? It's not simple that the Boss stayed in Jinhai for so many days, is it?" Lu Qiaoshan glanced at it and asked with a smile.

From the moment Hong Zhiyou walked in, he had been eyeing this document.

The secret mission of Dai Li coming to Jinhai was definitely top-tier intelligence.

If this thing were put on the black market, it would be worth at least five gold bars, starting at three thousand US dollars.

He had to find a way to get his hands on it.

"What top secret."

"Nowadays, every document is labeled top secret."

"Believe it or not, if Boss Dai farts, he'd probably have those two words stamped on it too?"

Hong Zhiyou whispered with a laugh.

"Brother, you've got some nerve, daring to criticize Boss Dai."

Lu Qiaoshan pointed at him and laughed, then sighed lightly:

"It's true, though; intelligence is flying all over the black market these days."

"What top secret or not."

"Believe it or not, by tomorrow morning, the Reds will know about the contents of this."

Hong Zhiyou nodded in agreement: "Entirely possible."

"That's why I say your job isn't easy, brother."

"If you do it well, it's expected."

"If there's a leak, you're the one who has to shoulder the responsibility; it's truly not easy."

"Brother, you're the only one who understands me." Lu Qiaoshan nodded slightly, feeling a sense of mutual sympathy.

"If I didn't understand, could I be brothers with you?"

"I'm off; if I'm late, Section Chief Qin of the Confidentiality Section will be off duty, and I need to file this."

Hong Zhiyou put down his unfinished cup of coffee and stood up to leave.

Lu Qiaoshan watched the intelligence about to fly away, his mouth twitching with anxiety.

But there were rules in the station.

Even if his relationship with Hong Zhiyou was good, he absolutely could not ask about or pry into the contents.

That was why intelligence had to be "stolen."

Just as he was getting anxious, Hong Zhiyou suddenly frowned and let out an "Ouch."

"Zhiyou, what's wrong?"

Lu Qiaoshan asked hurriedly.

"Maybe that pear syrup I ate on the road earlier was bad."

"My stomach feels a bit uncomfortable."

"I can't take it, I need to go to the restroom."

"Brother Shan, could you trouble yourself to make a run for me and hand this document to Section Chief Qin?"

"I'm afraid it'll be too late if I wait."

"Headquarters needs a receipt!"

Hong Zhiyou said with a pained expression.

"Brother, that's not according to the rules."

"If this leaks, will it be on you or me?" Lu Qiaoshan looked troubled.

"That's true."

"Brother Shan is right to remind me; I'd better deliver it myself."

Hong Zhiyou, who had already extended the document, pulled it back.

Damn it.

Wanting to sell intelligence for money while keeping his hands clean—what kind of sweet deal was he dreaming of?

Hong Zhiyou walked to the door, grabbed the threshold, tightened his glutes, and his face turned pale.

"Oh my."

"Look at you; if you don't go now, you're going to soil your pants."

"We're all family; I'll deliver it for you."

"If anything goes wrong, just remember Brother Shan's kindness and put in a good word for me later."

Having just given a gift to Ke Shufen and with his coffers running low, Lu Qiaoshan hurriedly snatched the document.

"Alright, thanks, Brother Shan."

Hong Zhiyou clutched his stomach and stumbled toward the restroom.

Lu Qiaoshan stood at the door.

Seeing his figure pass the corner.

He quickly closed the door and took a miniature camera out of the drawer.

He opened the document.

Shocking, hard-hitting, explosive material.

Click!

Click!

He quickly took photos, including the document's seal, date, and other things proving its authenticity.

After finishing.

He hid the camera, closed the document, and hurried toward the Confidentiality Section.

Arriving at the door.

Section Chief Qin was just about to go off duty.

"Division Chief Lu, what is this?" Section Chief Qin asked.

"Top secret document, for Blue Cabinet storage."

"After storing it, send a receipt to Headquarters."

Lu Qiaoshan picked up the document and passed it through the iron-grated window.

"Understood."

"I'll handle it right away." Section Chief Qin took the document and walked inside.

Lu Qiaoshan let out a sigh of relief.

He turned back to his office and dialed Sheng Xiang's number:

"Where are you?"

"Forget about going off duty; you're running faster than a rabbit."

"Go to Fuyun Teahouse and wait for me."

Hanging up the phone, Lu Qiaoshan hid the camera, hurried downstairs, and drove away.

Hong Zhiyou came out of the restroom.

He stood at the corner railing and watched the car drive away.

Leaving in such a hurry.

It seems Old Lu has "succeeded."

A playful smile appeared at the corner of Hong Zhiyou's mouth; he went downstairs, drove to find a public phone booth, called Old Xie, and made an appointment at their usual Hongsheng Teahouse.

After entering the private room, they waited for the dishes to be served.

Xie Ruolin arrived fashionably late.

"Old Xie, you're late; that's not your style," Hong Zhiyou said with a smile.

"Sorry... sorry about that."

"All sorts of things have piled up lately; there's too much intelligence, and a lot of it needs to be vetted. I've been busy with that."

"To be honest."

"The water in this business... is too deep."

"There's a lot of fake intelligence; the thunder is loud, but you have to pay up first."

"There are those who don't follow the rules; once you give them the money, he... he just runs off."

Xie Ruolin sat down and poured himself some tea to drink.

"Now you know why Old Yu and I are so straightforward," Hong Zhiyou said with a smile.

"That... that is true."

"In Jinhai City, in my heart, you two are closer than my own... own father," Xie Ruolin said with a chuckle.

"I just like it when you come to me."

"Tell me, what good news is there?"

He licked his lips and asked impatiently.

"You know Sheng Xiang, right?" Hong Zhiyou asked.

"I know him."

"The profiteer from your Jinhai Station," Xie Ruolin said, picking up a piece of pig ear with his chopsticks and chewing it with a crunch.

"He has intelligence on a secret mission Dai Li is coming to Jinhai for."

"Go haggle and buy it."

"I'll have Old Yu find you later."

Hong Zhiyou said.

"Wait, you're the Station Master's secretary, how could such important intelligence fall into Sheng Xiang's hands?" Xie Ruolin expressed his confusion.

"I've said it before, I don't touch this stuff."

"For some things, I'd rather spend more money."

"Just to seek peace of mind."

Hong Zhiyou poured him a glass of wine.

The benefit of this era is that there are few cars.

And... one can drive drunk.

When the police see someone driving a sedan, they hide faster than a rabbit.

"Easy enough."

"But let's be clear first, the price will definitely be high."

"I won't hide it from you, brother; no matter what price I haggle down to, you pay the cost, and I must earn at least one large gold bar plus two hundred US dollars from you."

Xie Ruolin said very bluntly.

"Deal!" Hong Zhiyou replied readily.

"That's refreshing."

"No wonder we're friends and relatives," Xie Ruolin raised his glass and clinked it with Hong Zhiyou's.

"Since when did we become relatives?" Hong Zhiyou didn't understand.

"Liu... Liu Shan is my distant nephew."

"He calls me uncle."

"Your sister is dating him, so in the future, won't she have to call me uncle too?"

Xie Ruolin chuckled smugly.

"I was wondering why this kid suddenly had such good taste."

"So it turns out he had an expert like you guiding him from behind," Hong Zhiyou said with a smile.

"Ha."

"I went through all this trouble just to get closer to you, brother," Xie Ruolin stopped pretending.

"Old Xie."

"With your integrity, there's no need to get closer."

"We are already family."

"Let's put it this way: I trust you more than I trust my own father."

Hong Zhiyou spoke the truth.

"A man who understands."

"Look at this world; fathers aren't close, children aren't filial, and there are plenty of people selling their daughters or letting their parents starve."

"Only... only money is the real father and the truly filial son."

"Whatever you want, it can give you."

Xie Ruolin tilted his head and began to talk about his philosophy of life.

"You're a professional, Old Brother, and your words are pleasant to hear," Hong Zhiyou truly loved listening.

"What do you mean pleasant."

"These are all bloody life experiences."

"Back then, when my parents were killed by the Japanese, my... my relatives all stayed far away; in their eyes, I wasn't even worth as much as a dog."

"And now? I... I've become an official, and they all come running from the countryside to find me."

"I don't give a damn about them!"

Xie Ruolin gave a disdainful cold snort and continued:

"That's why I say, money is a thing."

"If you have it, others might still look down on you."

"But if you don't have it, people will definitely look down on you."

"Can you afford not to have it?"

"Insightful, thorough, profound!" Hong Zhiyou gave a heartfelt thumbs-up.

"Hehe, you flatter me."

"I can only speak my true thoughts with you, brother."

"Enough talk, let's drink."

Xie Ruolin said with a feigned smile.

When it came time to pay the bill.

"Brother, we're family."

"I must treat this meal today."

"Don't fight me; I'll get angry with whoever tries to pay."

This guy rushed to the counter, fumbling with his pockets and clothes to waste time.

"That's enough."

"I've already paid the bill," Hong Zhiyou said with a generous smile.

"Ah!"

"Brother, why didn't you say so earlier?"

Xie Ruolin looked quite embarrassed.

"Go handle the business; Director Yu will come to see you tonight," Hong Zhiyou said, patting his shoulder.

"Don't worry."

Xie Ruolin winked, smiled, and left gracefully with his briefcase.

That evening.

Hong Zhiyou ate dinner before going to Yu Zecheng's home.

"Zhiyou is here."

"Quick, I guessed you'd come today, so I specifically stir-fried a large portion."

Wang Cuiping greeted him.

"No thanks, Sister-in-law."

"I've already eaten; look at this belly, it's as round as Zhu Bajie's."

Hong Zhiyou didn't want to "suffer," so he said quickly.

"Alright then," Wang Cuiping stopped insisting.

They chatted for a while.

While Cui Ping went to wash the dishes, Hong Zhiyou said in a low voice:

"Old Yu, you should settle the balance you owe Old Xie."

"I ran into him on the road today, and he specifically mentioned it."

"Oh, right, that should be settled." Yu Zecheng understood.

"Cui Ping, I'm going out for a bit, I'll be right back."

He grabbed his bag and was about to leave.

Hong Zhiyou grabbed him and pulled the bag open to take a look: "One thousand US dollars isn't enough."

"Brother, I really don't have any money left."

"Yong Jianqiu has gone overseas, and no one is coming to me for favors."

"I don't have the nerve to go around specifically shaking people down."

"Why don't you lend me some."

Yu Zecheng requested in a low voice.

"I already prepared it for you."

"Remember to pay me back."

Hong Zhiyou pulled two gold bars and three thousand US dollars out of his pocket and placed them in his bag.

Anyway, the money was coming from the station.

Might as well take it while he could.

Yu Zecheng took the money and headed straight for Xie Ruo's home.

Old Xie had been waiting for a long time.

"This is the balance from last time." Yu Zecheng was as taciturn as ever.

"I, I have some new intelligence here, about Dai Li's secret mission to Jinhai, do you want to take a look?" Xie Ruo asked with a smile.

"Why would I look at that."

Yu Zecheng's heart raced, but he gave a faint smile.

"Don't be nervous."

"Who you buy it to sell to, other than the Chairman, no one will care."

"We're old acquaintances, I'll give you a discount."

"If you flip it again, that's guaranteed money."

Xie Ruo didn't talk politics with him, leading the conversation straight to money.

"Can it really make money?" Yu Zecheng asked, following the lead.

"It really can."

"Not much, at least it'll cover half a year of your salary." Xie Ruo tilted his head, rubbing his fingers and smiling.

"Fine."

"I, I'll take a look."

"You name the price."

Yu Zecheng nodded, acting like a miser.

"Not much."

"Give me two gold bars and three thousand US dollars!"

Xie Ruo raised his eyebrows.

"Forget it."

"Three thousand US dollars could buy a villa."

"Make it cheaper."

Yu Zecheng bargained.

"Don't."

"From our last deal, you should have seen my... sincerity."

"This is honest money I'm earning."

"If you, if you haggle with me, that's just heartless."

Xie Ruo said, shaking his head in a devil-may-care manner.

"Alright."

"You don't have it easy either, it's a deal."

Yu Zecheng didn't haggle further and took out the money to hand to him.

Xie Ruo took out the developed photos and handed them to him, back to the light.

"Thanks."

Yu Zecheng put them in his bag and walked out quickly.

Back home.

Yu Zecheng asked: "Cui Ping, has Zhiyou left?"

"Just left."

"Went to the club to find some Mrs. Ji," Cui Ping said.

"Sigh."

"This kid has given me a difficult problem."

Yu Zecheng flipped through the photos and frowned.

"These photos are full of words, what do they say?" Cui Ping asked.

"Dai Li's secret mission to Jinhai."

"Only Commander Chen, Army Commander Mou, and the Station Chief have the minutes."

"Where did this guy get them from?"

Yu Zecheng was also completely confused.

"Never mind that, hurry up and read to me what it says?" Cui Ping urged.

"It says above."

"Dai Li has sent agents to the Border Region."

"They've packed weapons to be shipped to the Northeast."

"This is all extremely important intelligence."

Yu Zecheng said briefly.

"Ah."

"Then, then what are you standing there for, hurry up and find a way to send it out," Cui Ping said anxiously.

"How do I send it?"

"The transit station has already been destroyed."

"Mr. Yong isn't here either."

Yu Zecheng said gloomily.

"Then what do we do?" Cui Ping smacked her lips, even more at a loss.

She only hated that she had all this martial arts skill but nowhere to use it.

Coming to this godforsaken place, she could only stare blankly at everything.

"You go downstairs and keep watch, I'm going to make a phone call."

After a moment of silence, a flash of inspiration struck Yu Zecheng's mind.

It wasn't entirely without a way.

The Prefectural Committee.

The Military Mediation Office.

These could all be used to contact the organization.

Forget the Prefectural Committee.

The transit station had collapsed, and things probably weren't any better over there.

The only choice was the Red-leaning Military Mediation Office.

Upstairs, Yu Zecheng picked up the phone and dialed the number for the Military Mediation Office:

"Hello."

"This is Gao Rong from the Jinhai Daily, could I please speak to Ms. Zuo Lan."

Soon, Zuo Lan's warm yet firm voice came from the other end.

"Representative Zuo."

"The article you asked me to help publish didn't pass the review."

"The editor-in-chief said some of the wording was too sharp and not conducive to the current atmosphere of negotiations."

"Why don't we meet, and you can revise it based on my suggestions."

"If it can be published, I'll apply for the front page for you tonight."

"It could even be in the morning paper tomorrow."

"You need to consult your leader, right? Fine, I'll wait for your call."

He hung up the phone.

Yu Zecheng sat on a stool, his hands clasped, tapping his forehead lightly.

He knew the phone was highly likely being monitored.

But he had a rigid condition for a "date" with Zuo Lan.

The two had a past together in Shancheng, which Ma Kui and the Station Chief both knew about.

Rekindling an old flame, meeting in private, or even trying to win the other person over.

These reasons were plausible.

Now he was worried that Zuo Lan wouldn't trust him and wouldn't be willing to come out.

Then the intelligence would rot in his hands.

Shangquan Society.

Zuo Lan walked into the courtyard with a hurried expression.

Deng Ming was drinking tea.

"Director, I have something I'd like to report to you," Zuo Lan said.

Deng Ming looked around, then nodded and said, "Go ahead, what is it?"

"Gao Rong from the Jinhai Daily.

"It's the Yu Zecheng I mentioned to you last time, the one Old Lu failed to win over.

"He suddenly called and said he wanted to meet me at the Luo Si Coffee House.

"I, I'm afraid this is a trap."

Zuo Lan's tone was somewhat hesitant.

Deng Ming was silent for a moment.

Zuo Lan had mentioned Yu Zecheng last time.

After asking the Border Defense Bureau and getting no results, he had consulted Ke Gong.

Ke Gong replied that Yu Zecheng was indeed the key operative Emei Peak, who was lurking in Jinhai on the No. 1 line, and was worthy of trust.

According to organizational discipline, such top-secret intelligence could not be told to Zuo Lan openly.

Currently, the Jinhai underground transit station had been destroyed.

Jiang Aimei and Huang Zhong were also in grave danger.

Yu Zecheng had suddenly come to find her.

There must be important intelligence urgently needing to be passed on.

"Go and see him.

"It is still a time of Kuomintang-Communist cooperation; didn't you dance together at the social gathering today?

"Go and see him.

"I don't think Wu Jingzhong will be able to say anything about it."

Deng Ming said after careful consideration.

"Then, then I will go and meet him once," Zuo Lan said.

"Mm, we have our people at the Luo Si Coffee House.

"Mr. Guan, the front desk clerk who solicits customers and takes a cut of the liquor sales, is one of our people.

"He will protect you in secret.

"Go."

Deng Ming nodded and said.

"Very well, Director."

Zuo Lan returned to her room to tidy up briefly, took her gun, went out, hailed a rickshaw, and headed straight for the Luo Si Coffee House.

Jinhai Station.

Operations Team office.

Sun Xing walked in quickly and said to Ma Kui, who was drinking his sorrows away:

"Captain, there's news."

"What is it?"

Ma Kui's face was flushed red from drinking.

A recent series of failures had severely dampened his confidence and spirit.

Jiang Aimei had lost her tongue.

The fishing operation was a complete bust.

Now that Boss Dai had gone to Qingdao, there was no one in Jinhai to back him up.

He was not only isolated and helpless now.

He also had to find a way to prove his innocence and wipe clean the bucket of filth Huang Zhong had splashed on him.

A heart loyal to the Party and State.

He had the will to kill the thieves, but no power to turn the tide.

"Zuo Lan just left the Shangquan Society and went to the Luo Si Coffee House," Sun Xing said.

"Luo Si Coffee House?

"Could they be exchanging intelligence?"

Ma Kui narrowed his eyes and began to scheme.

Today's 10, 00-character update is complete. Thank you to all the big bosses. I will fix the typos together tomorrow morning. Thanks to book friend 20240723110009553 for the tip.

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(End of chapter)