Chapter 360: Who Says the Old Three-Step Trick Can't Kill Someone?

Xinxin Coffee House.

Li Guifen stirred the coffee with a complicated mood.

From the moment Li Ya found her, she knew this was a nightmare that would not go away.

She did not understand politics well, but she had a simple sense of right and wrong.

If Lu Qiao and his son Lu Ming had even a shred of gratitude and not so many devious schemes, they could have lived a perfectly good life.

Hong Zhiyou had forgiven them time and again, but Lu Qiao did not appreciate it.

He did not die at the hands of others.

He died of greed and madness.

Li Guifen did not want to take any revenge; she held no hatred for Yu Zecheng or Hong Zhiyou.

If there was hatred, it was for Li Ya.

From the moment Lu Qiao was framed by Li Ya with a recording and forced to flee to Jingling, Qiaoshan had gone mad, and this family had already fallen apart.

Moreover, she was very happy now.

Professor Hu loved her very much; he was a gentle and polite man.

Li Ya, that devil, wanted to shatter her family once again.

Li Guifen hated this guy to the core.

Therefore, she told Hong Zhiyou about Li Ya's plan the first chance she got; that was how Wang Zhanjin died.

Today's assassination plan was very dangerous.

Li Guifen did not care.

She only wanted Li Ya to die.

*Hoo!

Li Guifen took a slight breath, waiting for Li Ya's arrival.

Secret Service Bureau office building.

Li Ya stood on the steps with his hands behind his back, watching the guards inspect the vehicles, a smile of contempt for everything hanging on the corners of his mouth.

He was the Deputy Station Chief.

Possessing the right to report directly to Bureau Chief Mao and concurrently managing the Action Team, he had already shaken off the constraints of Wu Jingzhong.

Once he obtained the materials and brought down Yu Zecheng.

That chair of Wu Jingzhong would be his.

"Deputy Station Chief, the inspection is complete," Gao Yuan said, walking over to report.

"Good," Li Ya nodded slightly.

"Deputy Station Chief, perhaps I should go instead.

"Jinhai is too chaotic right now; there is no need for you to take this risk," Gao Yuan said in a low voice.

"No need.

"If I don't go, Li Guifen might not hand it over. Do not underestimate this woman; she is Lu Qiao's wife."

Li Ya smiled slightly, very satisfied with Gao Yuan's loyalty.

"Very well," Gao Yuan nodded.

"You take my car.

"I will sit in the trailing car," Li Ya instructed.

"Umbrella formation."

Gao Yuan waved his hand.

*Swish! Swish!

Over a dozen guards simultaneously opened black umbrellas, surrounding Li Ya as they walked toward the cars.

Li Ya randomly boarded one of them.

The remaining guards split into four sedans, the car windows all covered with black curtains, and the group headed toward Xinxin Coffee House.

Arriving at the entrance of the coffee house.

Eight fully armed guards got out first and split into two groups; one group rushed into the coffee house, while the other began clearing the second-floor shooting point across the street.

Ten-plus minutes later.

Gao Yuan walked over: "Deputy Station Chief, it is secure."

Only then did Li Ya unhurriedly extend a polished black leather shoe and step out of the car. He straightened the buttons of his expensive handmade suit, tilted his neck slightly, and scanned the surroundings with a look of disdain yet vigilance before walking inside.

The few customers originally in the shop, seeing this display, hurriedly paid their bills and left.

"Sister-in-law," Li Ya greeted with a smile.

"Captain Li.

"What would you like?" Li Guifen asked.

"No need.

"You leaked Wang Zhanjin's address, otherwise why would you be hiding?" The sunlight outside the window was very bright, and Li Ya asked with a smile that seemed somewhat indulgent.

"It was me," Li Guifen knew she had to stall for time.

"Why?

"Don't you want to avenge old Lu?" Li Ya frowned.

"The person who killed old Lu was you.

"From the day he was framed by you and left Jinhai, my home was destroyed.

"You are the true executioner."

Li Guifen's eyes were slightly red as she said this in a trembling voice.

"Hmm.

"If that is how you want to think, so be it.

"Where is the item?"

Li Ya asked.

"Right here."

Li Guifen took a stack of materials out of her bag.

"These are all the intelligence reports old Lu collected regarding Wu Jingzhong and Yu Zecheng," she handed them over.

Li Ya flipped through them roughly.

This process lasted about a minute or two.

"These intelligence reports have no value; I have already mastered them long ago.

"I only want the medical examination report of Mrs. Yu."

After reading, Li Ya placed the materials by his side.

"Release Professor Hu first," Li Guifen said.

"You do not have the right to bargain with me," Li Ya sneered.

"You can try.

"I will tear this examination report into shreds.

"You can gamble on whether the hospital has a backup, or whether that doctor has been silenced."

Li Guifen took out that examination sheet and said with great determination.

"It seems you love this old Hu very much.

"Women, truly fickle. Before, you were a devoted couple, flying wing to wing.

"How long has old Lu been dead, and you are already risking your life for another man.

"If Lu Qiao knew this in the afterlife, I fear he would not be able to rest in peace."

Li Ya let out a disdainful laugh and sighed with a look of sympathy.

"Li Ya, stop with the sarcastic remarks, release, release the person," Li Guifen said.

"Gao Yuan, go make a call, release the one surnamed Hu," Li Ya instructed.

Gao Yuan walked to the front desk and quickly dialed the number for the interrogation room:

"Baoxing, the Deputy Station Chief has ordered.

"Release the person!"

Hanging up the phone, he walked over: "Deputy Station Chief, it has been arranged."

"Now can you give it to me?" Li Ya asked coldly.

At this moment.

The sound of a hawker selling candied haws came from the street.

Li Guifen opened her hand and held the sheet up in front of Li Ya: "Look clearly, whether it is real or fake."

Li Ya sat with his legs crossed; his eyesight had always been very good.

He saw the diagnosis result for Wang Cuiping: gynecological illness, still a maiden.

"Very good, give it to me," he said.

"You surnamed Li, you are dreaming."

Li Guifen opened her hand, ready to tear up the lab report.

Li Ya saw this and grew anxious, hurriedly leaning forward to grab it.

A military jeep drove past on the street.

Cuiping held the gun, the muzzle hidden in the gap of the curtain, seeing Li Ya leaning forward and struggling.

She pulled the trigger without hesitation.

Bang!

The bullet tore through the long sky.

It instantly pierced the glass, grazing Li Ya's forehead and kicking up a spray of blood.

"Damn it, missed," Cuiping cursed.

"No time, let's go."

Zhou Yan floored the gas pedal, and the military vehicle bolted away like a wild horse.

"Assassins!

"Quick, quick!"

The guards outside finally reacted.

This latest North American military jeep was already over a hundred meters away.

Rat-tat!

A portion of the guards opened fire.

Another team rushed into the shop.

Li Ya only felt a sharp, piercing pain in his forehead, his vision swimming with dizziness and darkness.

"You, you!"

Li Ya pointed at Li Guifen, subconsciously wanting to reach for his gun to execute her.

But the woman before him gradually blurred.

Before he could give the order, Gao Yuan shouted:

"Quick, leave this woman to me.

"Captain Zhang, take the Deputy Station Chief to the hospital immediately.

"The rest of you, get in the cars and hunt down the assassins."

"Yes!" Captain Zhang knew Gao Yuan was Li Ya's confidant; he did not hesitate and immediately took the order.

Captain Zhang personally helped Li Ya into the car.

They drove straight toward the hospital.

The others boarded three other vehicles and chased wildly in the direction the assassins had fled.

"Mrs. Lu, let's go," Gao Yuan instructed.

"Go where?" Li Guifen was terrified and could no longer move her feet.

"To the station, Professor Hu is waiting for you there." Gao Yuan could only help her walk outside.

……

Ring-a-ling.

The phone rang.

Hong Zhiyou answered with the fastest speed:

"Alright, I understand."

Hanging up the phone, he looked at Yu Zecheng, who was waiting for news on the side:

"Old Yu, Cuiping missed.

"The bullet didn't hit a vital spot, only grazed his frontal bone; the guards are currently rushing Li Ya to the hospital."

"Ah!" Yu Zecheng clapped his hands in frustration.

"If Li Ya doesn't die, he will definitely retaliate crazily.

"And Director Mao.

"He will certainly send more men to protect Li Ya, and the protective measures for the Yellow Sparrow Plan will be even more thorough.

"Once Li Ya recovers, he will be a hundred times more cautious.

"Stealing the Yellow Sparrow Plan will be even harder."

Yu Zecheng frowned.

He had originally wanted to eliminate Li Ya, so the Yellow Sparrow Plan would either be handed to the Station Chief to execute, or to a newly arrived special envoy.

That would have created an opportunity.

But now that Li Ya wasn't dead, everything would be a huge headache.

"They will definitely add more men at the hospital; we might not find an opportunity.

"Don't be anxious yet, let Senior Sister and Zhou Yan hide for a while to avoid the spotlight.

"We'll think of a way when the time comes."

Hong Zhiyou patted Yu Zecheng on the shoulder and stood up to walk toward the Station Chief's office.

Wu Jingzhong was reviewing documents.

"Teacher.

"The operation I arranged failed."

Hong Zhiyou got straight to the point.

"Expected; shooting at a moving target, there are too many uncertain factors. If you hit, you're a god; if you miss, it's to be expected." Wu Jingzhong capped his pen and smiled faintly.

"Teacher.

"If Li Ya doesn't die, the aftermath will be very troublesome.

"You... you don't seem worried at all."

Hong Zhiyou asked with some curiosity.

"In Jinhai, if I want to protect someone, even if they are a death-row inmate, it's as simple as drinking water.

"Likewise, if I want to kill someone, it's just as easy.

"According to my years of experience, killing someone is always simpler than protecting them.

"It's almost twelve o'clock.

"Before Rui Rui comes, let's hurry and go out to eat.

"Ever since those two came back, every day it's all kinds of so-called healthy meals, claiming it's from some bullshit famous doctor in Xiangdao.

"So I have a fatty liver, so what.

"Broccoli, boiled chicken breast, whoever wants to eat that can go ahead.

"Let's go!

"Hurry, or we'll be intercepted later."

Wu Jingzhong picked up his coat and urged.

"Teacher, didn't you have high blood pressure during your last check-up? Rui Rui means well," Hong Zhiyou laughed.

"Alcohol, I can drink less or not at all.

"Cigarettes, I don't smoke either.

"If I'm not even allowed to eat a mouthful of meat, is that even a life worth living?

"These foreign doctors just talk nonsense.

"Forget it."

Wu Jingzhong waved his hand and nimbly climbed into the car.

……

Taishan Road.

Li Ya leaned against the car, blood already soaking through the towel in his hand.

This shot hadn't taken his life.

But he had lost quite a bit of blood.

"How, how much longer? Drive faster," Li Ya urged weakly.

"Zhang Yuan, can the person be caught?" he asked.

"Hard to say.

"The opponent's car has plenty of horsepower, but this type of car is easy to find; there aren't many in all of Jinhai, so finding the person won't be difficult," Zhang Yuan said.

"That's good.

"I know who did it," Li Ya said.

"Who?" Zhang Yuan asked.

"Yu Zecheng!

"Last time with the Qian Siming affair, Lu Yuan was shot in the head by a sniper.

"The opponent was able to move inside the car and nearly killed me.

"This is highly likely a gun expert from the Red Ticket forces who has received specialized training."

Li Ya narrowed his eyes and said hatefully.

"Should we report this to Director Mao?" Zhang Yuan asked.

"Li Guifen, and where is that intelligence?" Li Ya asked.

"Gaoyuan has taken over," Zhang Yuan said.

"Then there is no rush; I will wait until I have recovered from my injuries," Li Ya felt a bit more relaxed.

Gaoyuan was loyal and devoted, so he was still reliable.

With him there, Li Guifen and the intelligence would not be lost, and once he got out, he could bite Yu Zecheng to death.

"Good."

Zhang Yuan nodded.

In the distance.

Wearing a dirty set of work clothes, the disguised Xiao Guohua was sitting by the curb smoking a cigarette.

He saw Li Ya's car approaching.

He glanced at the time, timed it perfectly, and quietly lit the fuse with his cigarette butt.

Then, he stood up and left quickly.

Very soon.

Li Ya's car drove to the sewer manhole cover.

Zhang Yuan was worried about Li Ya's injuries, so he drove very fast and did not notice the fuse sticking out from the green belt on the side at all.

The fuse burned just right.

Just as the car's front right wheel rolled over the manhole cover.

Boom!

The bomb taped to the underside of the sewer manhole cover exploded on cue.

It blew the car straight up into the air.

With high-yield explosives meeting gasoline, there was absolutely no hope of survival.

The entire car turned directly into a sea of fire.

Hong Zhiyou drove to the restaurant.

Just as he killed the engine and was about to get out.

He heard a loud, thunderous boom.

Judging by the sound, it seemed to be in the direction of the Army Hospital.

He looked into the rearview mirror with a look of shock and surprise.

Yet he saw Wu Jingzhong as steady as Mount Tai, with a cold, sinister smile on his face.

He understood in an instant.

Those words Old Wu had just said.

He had taken action himself.

Sure enough, ginger is still spicier when it is old.

"Who said the old three-piece set doesn't work?

"Get out of the car.

"Eat!"

Wu Jingzhong let out a cold snort, pulled open the car door, and walked out with a flick of his hand.

Hong Zhiyou followed him out, looking completely bewildered.

The two of them ate this meal with great relish, finishing every single dish.

Back at the station.

People from the various branches were walking in a hurry.

Yu Zecheng and Police Bureau Chief Bai Shiwei were waiting anxiously on the steps.

Seeing the Station Chief.

Yu Zecheng came forward first: "Station Chief, we just received news that Deputy Station Chief Li was assassinated and injured at the Xinxin Cafe, and his car was hit by a bomb attack on the way to the Army Hospital."

"What?

"Say that again, this... how is this possible.

"Where is Li Ya?"

Wu Jingzhong was shocked, his face full of disbelief.

"Station Chief Wu, our men have inspected the scene; the yield of the explosives was very high, the car caught fire on the spot, and from the scene, it appears Deputy Station Chief Li may have already perished," Bai Shiwei said.

"Who is it, so bold as to dare to harm a field officer of the Secret Service?

"Outrageous!

"Chief Bai, Zecheng, immediately impose martial law on the whole city and carry out arrests; not a single culprit can be let go."

Wu Jingzhong said as he walked.

"Station Chief, I have asked the guard unit and Gaoyuan.

"Before the incident, Li Ya and Li Guifen had an appointment to meet at the Xinxin Cafe; at that time, an imported car drove by, and someone in the car fired a shot at Li Ya first.

"Li Ya was injured on his forehead, and on the way to the hospital, he encountered the bomb attack.

"The culprit set a chain trap; they were clearly prepared."

Yu Zecheng reported.

"First, arrest Gaoyuan and Li Guifen for me; you go interrogate them yourself, do not miss any clues, and be sure to find the culprit," Wu Jingzhong ordered.

"Alas, heaven is jealous of talent.

"The Party-State has lost a pillar, and I, Wu, have painfully lost a beloved general.

"How painful is my heart, how sorrowful is my heart!"

As he spoke, he furrowed his brows and clapped his palms together in great pain.

"Indeed.

"Deputy Station Chief Li was always shrewd and capable; he was the pillar of Jinhai.

"With him gone, the Jinhai Station has suffered a heavy loss."

Hong Zhiyou also sighed endlessly.

Arriving at the Station Chief's office.

Hong Zhiyou poured tea for the two superiors.

Bai Shiwei said: "Station Chief Wu, please accept my condolences.

"This case will soon reach Jingling; Jinhai is an important material base for the Party-State, and with such a shocking case occurring at this time, the Ministry of National Defense and Bureau Chief Mao will certainly inquire about it.

"You are Li Ya's teacher and former leader, and you know Jinhai better than I do; who do you think could be behind this?"

"Hard to say," Wu Jingzhong shook his head.

"Li Ya is a person who never leaves any leeway in his work, and he has offended many people in Jinhai.

"For example, he once arrested black market profiteers and broke their rules.

"It is said that someone from above threatened to eliminate him.

"Moreover, he previously deliberately sabotaged military supplies for Fu Zuoyi and was strictly cracking down on corruption within the military, so it is possible that the military took action.

"Not to mention the Red Tickets; they have always viewed Li Ya as a thorn in their side.

"By the way, Li Ya has killed quite a few people recently.

"Many were executed privately without trial, making the entire city of Jinhai panic.

"There are countless people who want to kill him.

"Chief Bai, this case is not easy to investigate.

"If you dig too deep, you won't know who is hiding behind it; in my opinion, you can report to Tang Zong and hear what Officer Tang thinks," Wu Jingzhong suggested.

"Alright.

"Then I will investigate first; you should also receive notification from Bureau Chief Mao on your end.

"If there are any clues, we can exchange them then."

Bai Shiwei said.

"Good.

"Then I will trouble you, Chief Bai," Wu Jingzhong stood up to see him off.

After seeing off Bai Shiwei, he turned and went to the interrogation room.

"Station Chief."

Yu Zecheng and Hong Zhiyou hurriedly stood up.

Wu Jingzhong sat down and asked in a deep voice:

"Gaoyuan, how many people were in the Xinxin Cafe at the time?

"Me, two other guards, and a waiter; the rest were on guard outside," Gaoyuan said.

"Very good.

"Where were they positioned, and did they hear the conversation between Li Ya and Li Guifen?" Wu Jingzhong asked, squinting his eyes with murderous intent.

"The two guards were at the entrance.

"The waiter was at the counter, both relatively far away.

"I was the closest."

Gaoyuan answered truthfully.

"Did you hear clearly what they were saying?" Wu Jingzhong asked again.

"I heard a little."

"It seems Lu Qiao had previously investigated corruption in the garrison and privately kept some important intelligence; Deputy Station Chief Li wanted to take over the investigation, so he seized Professor Hu to coerce Li Guifen into handing it over," Gaoyuan said.

"Did you see them conducting an intelligence exchange at the scene?" Wu Jingzhong asked again.

"I did."

"Li Guifen gave Deputy Station Chief Li a stack of materials," Gaoyuan said.

"Where are those materials?" Wu Jingzhong asked.

Hong Zhiyou handed them over.

Wu Jingzhong flipped through them; they were indeed documents regarding military corruption, and among them was one suspecting that there were Red Party members within the high-level staff of Fu Zuoyi's headquarters.

"This Li Ya has such audacity, he's even investigated up to the General Headquarters," Wu Jingzhong snorted coldly.

"Is it all here?"

He asked again.

"It is all here, not a single piece missing," Gaoyuan said.

"Mm," Wu Jingzhong nodded with satisfaction.

He pondered for a brief moment.

"Was there monitoring on the phone call where Li Ya arranged to meet Li Guifen?" He turned his head to ask Yu Zecheng.

"I went to the Telecommunications Office and the Telephone Bureau to check; Deputy Station Chief Li had issued a strict order forbidding the monitoring of his calls, saying he was afraid of leaking secrets."

"Therefore, no recording clues were left behind."

Yu Zecheng replied.

"Mm," Wu Jingzhong felt relieved.

The juniors were quite meticulous in how they did things.

No clues were left behind.

As long as the matter was dragged onto Fu Zuoyi, it would be useless even for Mao Renfeng or Tang Zong to intervene.

(End of chapter)