Chapter 295

Shooting Lu Ming required almost no thought from Hong Zhiyou.

In this world, one must have a conscience, but one dares not have a heart.

These two things are completely different.

Just as revolutionaries have a conscience, they shed blood and tears without hesitation.

Likewise, shedding blood also means one must hold blades and guns to make the opponent fall first.

And a heart is insignificant in the face of a bloody struggle.

To earn more, climb higher, and live better, one is destined not to have too much of a heart.

Letting Lu Qiaoshan return was largely due to the Station Chief's deep skepticism about the "49" Red Flag-covered land.

The Station Chief saying he wanted to retire was a lie; it was bait for Li and Lu.

In officialdom, how many people can truly retire at the peak of their success?

Especially in a lucrative office like the Jinhai Station.

But Hong Zhiyou knew that the time left for Jinhai was actually not much.

If possible, he would just wait to secretly assist Mao Renfeng in removing Ma Hansan and Liu Yuzhu, swallow the assets they transferred to Xiangdao, and then he could withdraw.

After all, money can be earned less, but one's life must be preserved.

Therefore, in Hong Zhiyou's eyes, Lu Qiaoshan and Li Ya gradually became useless chess pieces from their original mutual containment.

The reason he didn't act in a hurry was entirely out of consideration for Old Wu's thoughts.

Old Wu's worries were just worries; deep down, he always believed that the Nationalist Army, with the support of US military planes and cannons and the Generalissimo's wisdom, would surely be the ultimate victor.

One can never wake a person who is pretending to sleep.

Likewise, he could not convince Old Wu that the Nationalist Army would soon collapse completely.

Jinhai would be liberated on January 15th of next year.

The days for Old Wu to sit securely in Jinhai, watch the tigers fight, and rake in easy money, when truly calculated, were already less than half a year.

He would not act against Li and Lu.

But regarding Lu Ming, that big nephew, Hong Zhiyou had no such scruples.

"Old Zhou, pay attention to safety." Hong Zhiyou urged.

"Rest assured.

"Lin Tian has already scouted the location; I'll just go over and clear out those rats."

Zhou Yan waved his hand and disappeared into the night, carrying the gun case.

Hong Zhiyou glanced at his watch and quickly returned to the car.

He drove to a nearby public phone booth, put on black gloves, picked up the receiver, and dialed the number for Qian Siming's residence:

"Hello.

"A thunderstorm will arrive in five minutes; don't forget to take in the flowers."

After finishing, he hung up the phone, returned to the Mu Mansion, took Wanqiu to bathe, and studied new ways to play.

Zhou Yan moved like a night owl to the residential building opposite Qian Siming's.

Creak.

He pushed open a wooden door, stepped up the wooden stairs with a thud, and opened another small door to reach the small balcony of the attic.

Lin Tian, dressed in night-travel clothes, was smoking.

"Old Zhou, you are really slow; I've been waiting for half a day." Lin Tian said.

"How is it?" Zhou Yan asked.

"The shooting position in that building is not bad; I've checked, and one can go around from here.

"I've already pried open the attic door for you in advance.

"There is a person from the Action Team on the second floor keeping watch.

"You have to take him out first." Lin Tian said.

"Why didn't you take him out?" Zhou Yan said with dissatisfaction.

"Sister-in-law believes in Buddha.

"I'm afraid of getting blood all over my hands and bringing her bad luck.

"Besides, I have to save these hands for touching little girls' cheeks; killing these cats and dogs isn't worth it."

Lin Tian said with a roguish, dry laugh.

Zhou Yan knew the sister-in-law he mentioned was Hong Zhiyou's head housekeeper, Ji Qing.

"Get lost quickly."

He glared at Lin Tian and said.

"Yes." Lin Tian extinguished his cigarette and jumped lightly from the top of the attic.

"Damn, Swallow Li San really has some skills."

Zhou Yan poked his head out to look at the bottom, crouched down, and continuously crossed the narrow alleys between the houses, entering the attic of the shooting point directly.

Arriving at the second floor.

A staff member of the Action Team was holding a teacup, standing by the window keeping watch.

Zhou Yan pulled a sharp knife from his waist, held his breath, and crept over.

Swish.

He suddenly covered the man's neck.

Three swift, fierce stabs went straight into the heart.

After the man stopped moving, he pulled the body aside and set up the sniper rifle at the window.

"Dog shit.

"I, a dignified disciple of the Axe Gang, have actually ended up using this thing."

He aimed at the opposite window.

There was a pot of red Chinese roses there.

The old house opposite.

Qian Siming put down the newspaper in his hand and said to Liu Shan, who was cutting fruit:

"Liu Shan, go to the bookstore and buy me a few books; here is the list."

"Buy books?

"Why don't I go instead?"

On the sofa, Lu Ming, who was sitting with his legs crossed drinking tea, stood up and said.

"Teacher, I don't have any money on me." Liu Shan said.

"Oh.

"Unfortunately, I don't have much left either.

"When we arrived in Jinhai, the luggage was confiscated by those secret agents; this is all I have, see if it's enough."

Qian Siming feigned difficulty, rummaged through his pockets, and pulled out a few sheets of legal tender.

"Cao Fang, why don't you go instead?" Liu Shan said hurriedly to Lu Ming upon seeing this.

"Ugh.

"My stomach is a bit uncomfortable, why don't you go instead."

Lu Ming wasn't stupid; seeing that he would have to pay for the books himself, he hurriedly slipped away to the restroom.

"Professor Qian, please wait a moment, I'll be back soon."

A cold smile appeared on the corner of Liu Shan's mouth as he took the book list and walked out quickly.

A while later, Lu Ming walked out, pretending to be relieved.

"Teacher, let me pour you a cup of tea." He said, looking for a topic.

"Hmm."

Qian Siming nodded.

After the tea was brewed and they chatted for a few sentences, he said:

"Cao Fang, the wind is strong outside; is it going to rain?"

"Hmm." Lu Ming nodded.

"No wonder my knees have been aching all day; by the way, I have a pot of flowers upstairs still sitting on the windowsill; help me go take it in.

"My legs ache, so I won't move."

Qian Siming suddenly remembered this matter and instructed.

"Alright, Teacher."

Lu Ming didn't suspect anything and went upstairs to the second floor.

Arriving at the windowsill.

He reached out to take the vibrant Chinese rose.

The color was blood-red, like a rose.

Very beautiful.

Just as his fingers touched the edge of the flowerpot, a bullet flew precisely toward him.

Woo!

The bullet pierced Lu Ming's forehead.

The huge impact force sent his body flying backward.

Bang!

Lu Ming crashed heavily onto the wooden floor.

A huge blood hole appeared in the center of his brow, and blood mixed with brain matter oozed out.

"So painful..."

Lu Ming's eyes rolled wide, his whole body twitched a few times, and then he stopped moving.

Qian Siming heard the commotion downstairs and ran quickly to the second floor.

Seeing Lu Ming lying in a pool of blood, he knew this guy was beyond saving.

"Struggle, this is struggle.

"Without shedding blood, without sacrifice, there will be no light.

"Think of Mr. Shouchang, Wen Yiduo, Li Gongpu..."

He quickly calmed the unease in his heart, took a few deep breaths, returned downstairs, and shouted to the outside:

"Someone, come quickly!"

Guilin Road.

Lu Qiaoshan held his chest, eyes closed, leaning back on the sofa.

He hadn't caught Chen Yan, and he had been disgusted by that villain Li Ya; he was truly holding in a stifled anger, and his chest had been hurting severely for the past few days.

"Qiaoshan, if it's really not working, let's go to the Western hospital for a checkup tomorrow."

His wife, Li Guifen, brought over the brewed medicinal soup.

"Checkup for what?

"When a person gets old, who doesn't have some ailments?

"Wu Jingzhong also has prostatitis and high blood pressure; put it here, put it here."

Lu Qiaoshan said impatiently.

"You, why are there so many materials; can you finish organizing them?" Li Guifen said.

"You aren't going to investigate the Station Chief and Zhiyou, are you?"

She glanced at them, frowning in surprise.

"Must.

"Do you think they are good birds?

"Hong Zhiyou took the Cao Gang's account book and kept it in his hands, letting Wu Jingzhong threaten me to my face.

"This is trying to get a hold on my lifeline." Lu Qiaoshan said coldly.

"Why are they like this?

"Haven't you always had a good relationship?" Li Guifen said, puzzled.

"Naive, superficial.

"Why do you think Wu Jingzhong called me back?

"Isn't it because Li Ya was watching him too closely, delaying them from making money, so they pulled me back to compete?

"I'm just playing along with their plan.

"Anyway, either Li Ya or I must die; besides, if I can become Deputy Station Chief, that's also a good choice.

"Of course, I'm not a child like Ma Kui who eats shit.

"This is the evidence I've organized and collected.

"Evidence of Wu Jingzhong's embezzlement, including his collusion with the traitor Mu Liancheng.

"And evidence of Hong Zhiyou and Yu Zecheng's dealings with the Red Tickets.

"The most important one is this one, Liu Xiong's.

"Liu Xiong was executed by Wu Jingzhong's order; Old Five told me personally before he died that he was afraid of being silenced, and this is the recording he made in front of me at the time.

"When necessary, I will give this cassette to Li Ya.

"Let him help me bite Old Dog Wu back."

Lu Qiaoshan pointed to the cassette on the table.

"Qiaoshan, if you keep fighting like this, I... I'm really scared.

"The Station Chief, Secretary Hong, Li Ya—none of them are to be trifled with.

"Why don't we stop fighting?

"Now that your rank is high enough and you have enough money, isn't it good to be safe and stable?" Li Guifen advised with worry.

"Look, here we go again?

"If I don't fight, others will; if you don't fight, you won't be rich, and if you don't fight, our son will have no future.

"Why can Hong Zhiyou be so glorious?

"Isn't it ultimately because Wu Jingzhong is backing him?

"Who does Lu Ming have? Who can he rely on?

"Only me!

"If I don't strive, who will?"

Lu Qiaoshan said with dissatisfaction.

As he spoke, he gulped down the medicinal soup.

For his son, he had to cooperate well; living one more day meant one more opportunity and future.

"I am now just one move away from completely pinning down this father-in-law and son-in-law."

He wiped his mouth and continued.

"Which move?" Li Guifen said.

"Yu Zecheng!

"He is highly likely to be Mount Emei, or perhaps Deep Sea."

Lu Qiaoshan raised his index finger and said.

"You, didn't you say it was Li Ya? The evidence is conclusive." Li Guifen said.

"It's not Li Ya.

"I have already caught Old Wolf, who was reselling Shang Bo's intelligence, through the Inspection Team.

"Old Wolf received these materials.

"I followed this line and caught thirteen people; guess who the final source is?

"Xie Ruolin of the Dangtong Bureau.

"Those close to Xie Ruolin are Yu Zecheng and Hong Zhiyou.

"I have every reason to believe that this intelligence was highly likely organized by Yu Zecheng himself and then sold to the black market by Xie Ruolin.

"The goal is still that core objective: to make me bite Li Ya.

"I got the materials from Shang Bo, and they are indeed very unfavorable to Li Ya.

"I was willing to believe it was because of this point.

"Likewise, they were also using my hatred for Li Ya to manipulate me; if I couldn't see through even this, I would have wasted all these years in the Military Statistics Bureau."

Lu Qiaoshan sneered and said.

"Think again about Li Ya finding Chen Qiuping, and Gu Youniu defecting, including the matter of Liu Xiong biting Mrs. Yu to death before.

"The answer is already very obvious.

"Yu Zecheng is Mount Emei, and he might also be the current Deep Sea."

He continued.

"Then isn't Ma Kui... wronged?" Li Guifen was stunned.

"Of course.

"Wu Jingzhong is a master.

"Holding a carrot to fish me, I personally helped him send Ma Kui to the Yellow Springs.

"Li Ya, Ma Kui, and Liu Xiong are essentially the same type of person.

"Therefore, Li Ya cannot be a Red Ticket.

"Only a Red Ticket would hope and be willing to frame others as Red Tickets."

Lu Qiaoshan made a gesture, and Li Guifen understood and brewed him a cup of chrysanthemum tea to remove the bitterness.

"Then you should report it to Deputy Chief Zheng, or Wu Jingzhong, quickly." Li Guifen said.

"Stupid.

"After talking for so long, why don't you understand?

"Wu Jingzhong, Yu Zecheng, and Hong Zhiyou are in the same boat; Li Ya and I are the true outsiders.

"Report to him? Can I still live?

"Didn't Liu Xiong die because he investigated Yu Zecheng?

"At the moment, we are still lacking some substantive evidence; we can't kill Yu Zecheng like Li Ya or Ma Kui.

"However, I already have some clues.

"Once I take down Yu Zecheng, the single charge of harboring Red Tickets and colluding with Red Tickets to extort and blackmail is enough to make Wu Jingzhong get out.

"Rest assured, I will definitely sit in the position of Jinhai Station Chief.

"At the moment, I can't be in a hurry; first, let Lu Ming distinguish himself, get rid of Li Ya, and then act against their iron triangle."

Lu Qiaoshan patted the intelligence materials he had collected and said with a proud face.

Just as he was speaking, the phone rang.

He took a slight breath, glanced at Li Guifen, and said: "I hope it's good news from Qian Siming's side, that we've caught a big fish."

"Hmm, it must be." Li Guifen nodded in agreement, very submissively.

"Hello, it's me." Lu Qiaoshan grabbed the receiver.

"Station Chief?

"It's so late, do you have something for me?

"What?

"You, you say that again.

"I kn... I know, I'll be there immediately."

Thump!

Once he put down the phone, Lu Qiaoshan's body swayed, his vision went black, and he slumped to the floor.

"Qiaoshan, Qiaoshan!

"What happened? Don't scare me."

Li Guifen hurriedly helped him up, scared to the point that tears flowed out.

"My son is gone..." Lu Qiaoshan's face was ashen, and two lines of old tears flowed from his eyes.

"Wh... what?

"Qiaoshan, you, don't scare me, Mingzai he..."

Li Guifen was struck as if by lightning, and she was completely stunned.

"The Station Chief is already at the Army Hospital.

"Let's go.

"Go see our son one last time."

Lu Qiaoshan wiped away his tears and pulled himself together.

Army Hospital morgue.

Wu Jingzhong, along with Li Ya, Yu, Hong, and others, were already waiting in the corridor.

"Station Chief Wu, my Lu Ming, he, he really..." Li Guifen asked, crying.

"Qiaoshan, Guifen, go in and see."

Wu Jingzhong said with grief.

Someone immediately opened the door to the morgue.

Lu Qiaoshan stood at the doorway, trembling all over; his two legs felt as if they weighed a thousand pounds, and he couldn't take a step.

He had been to this place several times.

Some of the people inside were sent off by him.

Some were sent off by others.

But he had always been an observer of grief, indifferent and unaffected.

He never dreamed that he would have such a day himself.

Whoo!

He took a deep breath and dragged his heavy footsteps inside.

Inside, on an iron bed, the body was covered with a white cloth.

Lu Qiaoshan's hands trembled, and he swallowed his saliva frantically in nervousness, "Heaven, it's fake, it's not Lu Ming, it's not Lu Ming."

He muttered, and suddenly pulled away the white cloth.

On the iron bed, Lu Ming lay quietly, eyes wide open, a blood hole in the center of his brow, the exposed skin already turning pale purple, and dried brain matter and blood stains congealed around the wound—it was so shocking to the eye.

A fresh, young life.

Just gone, for nothing.

"Mi... Mingzai."

Li Guifen wailed, threw herself onto the body, and cried bitterly.

"I told you earlier, don't let Mingzai come to Jinhai, you had to bring him over.

"You Lu, give me back my son.

"Give me back my son.

"Give me back my son, wuwu!"

She cried while grabbing Lu Qiaoshan's collar and shouting.

Lu Qiaoshan closed his eyes and let the tears fall.

A moment later, he wiped away the tears, his eyes blood-red with a beast-like ferocity.

This was aimed at him.

Lu Ming could not die in vain, and blood could not be shed in vain.

This revenge must be taken.

He could not be sad.

That would only make the enemy happy and himself hurt.

He could not fall.

He had to turn grief into strength, take revenge, and tear the murderer into pieces.

He knew the murderer was among the few people outside.

Perhaps even several of them.

It didn't matter; these people all had to die and be buried with Lu Ming.

Lu Qiaoshan took a deep breath, lowered his head, and walked out.

"Qiaoshan, please accept my condolences.

"I have already had Captain Li fully investigate and pursue the murderer; I must give you and Guifen an explanation.

"Captain Li, you have many men, put some heart into it."

Wu Jingzhong comforted him while instructing Li Ya.

"Chief Lu, condolences.

"Rest assured, I have already notified the garrison to seal the city gates, and all the internal and external staff of the Action Team have been sent out; as long as the murderer is still in the city, we will catch them sooner or later."

Li Ya raised his eyebrows and patted Lu Qiaoshan's shoulder with a sorrowful face.

"Captain Li, I thank you." Lu Qiaoshan raised his head and smiled at Li Ya.

"It's only right." Li Ya also nodded.

Yu Zecheng and Hong Zhiyou also expressed their grief.

"Qiaoshan, why don't you put the Qian Siming matter aside and let Captain Li keep an eye on it for you.

"You handle Lu Ming's funeral arrangements first?"

Wu Jingzhong said again.

He wasn't deliberately disgusting Lu Qiaoshan.

According to the rules of the Confidentiality Bureau, matters like action and field work were usually the responsibility of Li Ya.

If Lu Qiaoshan hadn't been using the signboard of the Inspection Group, the job of protecting Qian Siming should have been Li Ya's.

"No need.

"Let Sheng Xiang keep an eye on it first; if any Red Tickets fall into our net, it can also comfort Lu Ming's spirit in heaven." Lu Qiaoshan said.

"Fine, let's do it that way." Wu Jingzhong nodded in agreement.

Li Ya curled his lips and didn't express an opinion.

"Let's go."

Wu Jingzhong glanced at the three of them, turned around, and walked away, his steps crisp and decisive.

In the car.

Yu Zecheng was driving.

Wu Jingzhong and Hong Zhiyou were sitting in the back row.

"Jinhai is too complicated a place.

"It's not a place everyone can play in; Lu Qiaoshan was too careless."

He frowned and said lightly.

This plan was orchestrated by Hong Zhiyou; it was originally intended to fire a shot to scare Qian Siming and Lu Qiaoshan, so as to break the "fishing" setup, let Lu Qiaoshan transfer quickly, and facilitate finding an opportunity.

But he didn't expect Hong Zhiyou to shoot Lu Ming dead with one shot.

"This kind of person is not worth sympathizing with.

"What is this called?

"Cause and effect, it never fails.

"His hands are stained with the blood of so many students; he deserves this retribution.

"Who does Heaven spare?"

Wu Jingzhong shook his head and sighed.

"Zhiyou, who do you think did it?" He turned his head to look at Hong Zhiyou.

"Red Tickets.

"Or Li Ya?

"Or perhaps the Dangtong Bureau." Hong Zhiyou said.

"Is that so?"

Wu Jingzhong frowned with dissatisfaction:

"The scene has been surveyed; there was an American-style sniper rifle, and this kind of new sniper rifle isn't something everyone can get their hands on.

"Haven't you thought that someone might be splashing this dirty water on you?"

"Li Ya has also been getting very close to the Americans recently, and he obtained the account book from the Americans concerning the Dragon Gang's opium smuggling and entrusted his friend to pass it to Fu Zuoyi." Hong Zhiyou said lightly.

"Then it must be Li Ya." Wu Jingzhong breathed a sigh of relief.

"Killing someone's son and then taking it to the Pacification Headquarters to file a complaint—Li Ya's move is ruthless enough." He crossed his arms and continued.

"That's right.

"These two are both jackals; Teacher, you must be careful." Hong Zhiyou reminded him secretly.

"Let them bite each other for now.

"Zhiyou, you go get some flour from the Americans tomorrow.

"I chatted with President Li last time; the legal tender has reached 600 trillion yuan, and they are still going to continue increasing the printing of money.

"When it was just liberated, the legal tender could still be used.

"Now, in just three years, the money printing has increased more than a thousand times; this money is just like paper.

"Some people even take low-denomination legal tender to use as papermaking raw materials, and they can actually make a profit; it truly makes one see what it means for money to be worth less than paper.

"The money in the hands of the common people yesterday could buy a catty of rice, but today it might not even be able to buy an egg.

"Look at the Red Tickets, their land reform is in full swing, and the farmers have been allocated fields and land.

"When they fight, the common people provide military aid—a pancake, a steamed bun, a mouthful of thin porridge—and they have managed to raise their troop strength to nearly two million.

"What about us? Every day we consume the Japanese-occupied assets in the national treasury and American aid.

"Sigh.

"It's not optimistic.

"My old classmates and old friends are all very panicked now; they are asking me to get some supplies from Jinhai because they are afraid of running out, and they are all in a hurry to hoard grain.

"I have a list here; get a batch and transport it to them."

Wu Jingzhong took a list from his pocket and handed it to Hong Zhiyou.

"Teacher, the price..." Hong Zhiyou asked.

"Does that even need to be asked?

"These people aren't short of money; they're just afraid of having nothing to eat." Wu Jingzhong said.

"Understood.

"I will go procure it this afternoon." Hong Zhiyou said.

Arriving at No. 1 Changde Road.

Hong and Yu got out of the car to see him off.

Wu Jingzhong walked two steps and remembered:

"By the way, Ma Hansan has been active in Jingling recently, building momentum for Li Zongren's vice-presidential campaign.

"The Generalissimo is inclined toward Sun Ke and is currently very annoyed with this Ma Hansan.

"Inside information reveals that Mao Renfeng is collecting evidence of Ma Hansan's corruption and may be drawing his blade soon.

"When you have time, see his secretary.

"Have her whisper in his ear to speed up the transfer of assets to Xiangdao.

"Otherwise, it will just be a waste for Mao Renfeng."

"Alright, Teacher." Hong Zhiyou accepted the order.

"Also, the Lunar New Year is coming soon; your teacher's wife, Ruirui, and the children want to come back; what are your opinions?" Wu Jingzhong rubbed his hands and looked at Hong and Yu, clearly not treating Yu Zecheng as an outsider.

"Teacher, it's the New Year, the whole family should be reunited; it's quite good for them to come back." Yu Zecheng smiled.

"I also miss the children; why don't they come back?" Hong Zhiyou nodded and, at the same time, handed over the black hat.

"Then it's settled.

"By the way, put the matter of a second child on the agenda." Wu Jingzhong pointed at him, took the hat, and put it on his head.

Three days later.

Lu Qiaoshan returned to the station, sipping coffee with a haggard look.

"Brother Shan, there's a clue about the gun." Sheng Xiang walked in quickly and closed the door.

"Speak." Lu Qiaoshan held the coffee cup and said.

"I had someone identify that gun; it is indeed the latest American sniper rifle, and even in the Marine Corps, it was just equipped—it's a hot item and not for sale.

"I suspect Hong Zhiyou was the one who played the dirty trick."

Sheng Xiang said.

"No, it was Li Ya." Lu Qiaoshan's eyes flashed, and he said coldly.

(End of chapter)