Chapter 65: Shopkeeper Qiu has confessed

Yu Zecheng knew the torture methods of the Military Statistics Bureau all too well.

On that terrifying electric chair, countless heroes and men of mettle had broken, eventually becoming traitors to the organization.

Gu Shunzhang and Liu Wensheng were bloody examples.

He did not want Shopkeeper Qiu to suffer.

He was even more afraid that Shopkeeper Qiu would not be able to withstand the pressure and would sell him out.

Ke Gong had repeatedly exhorted him back then:

Safety first!

When necessary, one could even do things detrimental to the organization to cover one's own identity.

Yu Zecheng had not been in contact with Shopkeeper Qiu for long.

God knows if this person would become the second Liu Wensheng.

The only thing to be glad about now was that Ma Kui did not possess any substantive evidence.

The Station Chief had accepted the red coral and was currently in a "honeymoon period" with him.

There was also the mysterious Hong Zhiyou, who had been "providing cover" from the shadows all along.

He had to try.

Otherwise, if Shopkeeper Qiu spilled, he would be a dead man too.

He closed his office door, quickly dialed a number, and a smile appeared on his face:

"Hello, Madam. I am in the business of mountain goods."

A woman's soft voice came from the other end: "Is something the matter?"

"It is like this, Madam. Didn't you want a batch of old ginseng?

"I am sorry, but recently Officer Xiong has sealed the passes and cleared the manifests; the batch of goods you wanted cannot come out.

"Yes, yes.

"Perhaps you should ask another shop, Madam.

"My apologies!

"Alright, goodbye."

After speaking, he hung up the phone.

Shopkeeper Qiu had only told him to use this code word in an emergency, without explaining the reasons in detail.

Who was on the other side?

Could they save Shopkeeper Qiu?

Yu Zecheng knew nothing of this.

He could do nothing now.

He could only suffer and wait.

……

Station Chief's office.

Wu Jingzhong stared at the slogan about protecting the leader for a long time.

Then he turned his head and dialed a number, calling his wife, Mei Qiuju:

"Did you receive Zecheng's things?

"What did Shopkeeper Li say?

"Authentic!

"That's great. Have your brother send people to take it away immediately, take it to Yuezhou.

"What? Keep it at home?

"What's the point of looking at it? It won't bring any luck.

"Can that thing be used as a decoration?

"Today I am raiding someone else; who knows if it will be my turn to be raided tomorrow.

"Less nonsense, just do as I say."

*Slap! *

He hung up the phone, his brows furrowed, his face unable to hide his smile:

"Women, long hair and short insight.

"A priceless red coral, and she thinks of it as a mascot or an ornament; I can't believe she came up with that."

"Heh, who wouldn't want to take a few more looks at something beautiful."

Hong Zhiyou, who was serving him on the side, brought over the freshly brewed tea.

"What is your take on Section Chief Yu's situation?

"Could he be a Red Ticket?"

Wu Jingzhong looked at him with a pointed expression.

"I hope he is, yet I also hope he isn't," Hong Zhiyou laughed.

"How so?" Wu Jingzhong raised an eyebrow and asked seriously.

"If Section Chief Yu were a Red Ticket and he were gone, I could take on more work for you, Teacher.

"This is naturally beneficial to me.

"It is just that every trade has its master.

"I am skilled at handling the madams.

"But when it comes to shaking down the big wealthy households, Section Chief Yu is far more capable than I am.

"At the very least, I might not be able to squeeze out a treasure like red coral."

Hong Zhiyou said while washing fruit at the sink on the side.

"Why do you also hope he isn't?" Wu Jingzhong asked again.

"It is the same old saying.

"If Section Chief Yu leaves, what if another Lu Qiaoshan or Ma Kui comes along?

"The student would not be as comfortable or at ease as I am now."

Hong Zhiyou explained blandly and brought over the cut fruit.

*Crunch! *

"You are sympathizing with him, favoring him." Wu Jingzhong bit into a crisp apple and said while chewing.

"The student is just speaking the truth.

"To be honest, Captain Ma is just a mad dog.

"He even called me to his office last night, harping on about my meeting with Yong Jianqiu.

"Station Chief, heaven and earth are my witness.

"I was acting under your orders to collect that thirty thousand US dollars in military expenses.

"Just you wait, who knows if he will grab someone from the Yong family and use the student as a target."

Hong Zhiyou feigned a tone of his life being in danger.

"He wouldn't dare!" Wu Jingzhong slammed the table.

"This Ma Kui, he really is annoying enough."

"He doesn't report his actions.

"And he is just a stinking rock in a latrine, impossible to enlighten."

"He makes things very difficult for me."

Wu Jingzhong ate a few bites, wiped his hands, and said.

"Let's not talk about these things anymore.

"Teacher, a disciple of Mei Lanfang is coming to Jinhai to perform soon.

"How about I book a few tickets for you and your wife at the Shengping Theater?"

Hong Zhiyou changed the subject.

"We'll talk about the theater later.

"Like this, you first call Ma Kui..."

Before Wu Jingzhong could finish his sentence, Ma Kui walked in with a triumphant look on his face:

"Station Chief, the one surnamed Qiu has confessed."

"He confessed!"

Wu Jingzhong was greatly shocked.

Hong Zhiyou's heart also pounded wildly.

Immediately, he felt it was unreasonable.

Shopkeeper Qiu was a notoriously hard nut to crack; how could he have confessed just after one interrogation?

"Go, call Section Chief Yu to the interrogation room."

Wu Jingzhong's heart sank, and he ordered seriously.

He had a mind to protect Yu Zecheng.

But the house rules were there, and it was Ma Kui who had made the arrest.

If one were linked to a Red Ticket, even the King of Heaven would have to be executed.

With Mao Renfeng in the way, he didn't even have the chance to plead for mercy.

……

Yu Zecheng was reading the newspaper in his office.

"Old Yu, let's go." Hong Zhiyou walked in and beckoned behind him.

"Where to?" Yu Zecheng asked with a smile.

"The interrogation room!

"Qiu Ji has confessed," Hong Zhiyou said.

"He... he confessed?"

Yu Zecheng's legs went weak, and his heart tightened to the point of suffocation.

Shopkeeper Qiu, this is...

Sigh, a man who was usually so shrewd and capable, how... in the end, he still couldn't withstand the torture.

The terrible thing was, in order to survive, Qiu Ji would definitely sell him out.

In an instant, Yu Zecheng's heart turned to ash, his mind was like a ball of paste, and he couldn't think of any way out.

A dead end.

An unsolvable dead end.

"Section Chief Yu?"

Hong Zhiyou's expression turned stern, and he raised his voice.

Damn it.

Old Yu is panicking.

Hong Zhiyou secretly thought it was bad.

He could understand Old Yu.

Old Yu had only just infiltrated Jinhai, and his skills had not yet reached the level of perfection he would have later.

Furthermore, he had not been in contact with Shopkeeper Qiu for long.

He didn't know the script like he did, nor did he understand Shopkeeper Qiu's character.

Anyone would be scared silly.

"Oh!"

Yu Zecheng was brought back to his senses by this shout and smiled with slight panic:

"Brother.

"You don't think this medicine seller is just spouting nonsense, do you?"

"Hard to say.

"Let's go, the Station Chief and Captain Ma are urging us.

"If you keep dragging your feet, Ma Kui will say you have a guilty conscience."

Hong Zhiyou smiled brightly and pointed at him.

"Yes, yes.

"There are many people who see doctors, they can't all be Red Tickets.

"Don't you think?"

Yu Zecheng took a slight breath and regained his composure.

"Of course." Hong Zhiyou stared into his eyes and nodded firmly.

Things were not under his control.

He only hoped Old Yu would have good luck.

……

Arriving at the interrogation room.

Shopkeeper Qiu was covered in blood.

The shocking wounds and the flesh burned by branding irons made Hong Zhiyou's scalp tingle.

"Station Chief, it is just as I expected.

"This person has admitted with his own mouth that he is a Red Ticket."

Ma Kui greeted Wu Jingzhong as he sat in the seat of honor, his face full of joy as he claimed credit.

"A blind cat bumping into a dead mouse, he really guessed it."

Lu Qiaoshan curled his lip and muttered, very unhappy.

"Captain Ma has worked hard."

Wu Jingzhong sat down in the seat of honor:

"Speak, who is your superior, and who is your contact?"

"Officer.

"Can you give me a pen? I... I have confessed everything."

Shopkeeper Qiu swallowed a mouthful of blood and begged bitterly.

"Hmm." Wu Jingzhong tilted his head.

Lu Qiaoshan hurriedly stepped forward, took off his fountain pen, and spread paper on the desk.

"Don't leave anyone out, otherwise I'll have your head," Lu Qiaoshan threatened coldly.

"Yes, Officer."

Shopkeeper Qiu began to write, trembling with fear.

The first name that caught the eye was none other than Section Chief Yu.

……

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 66 =====