Chapter 80: Survival in a Desperate Situation

"Zecheng, are you ready?"

Upon entering the infirmary, Wu Jingzhong asked with dignity, his hands clasped behind his back.

Old Wu was a master of facial expression management.

When happy, he treated one like a son.

When handling business, he treated one like a dog to be driven.

Yu Zecheng scrambled up from the bed, put on his shoes, and stood at attention: "I'm just about ready, Station Chief."

"Good, then go and get the business done.

"A dark night with a high wind is the perfect time for killing.

"Clean it up well.

"Remember, follow the formal procedures with a bit more fanfare, so as to avoid gossip."

Wu Jingzhong instructed with a stern expression.

"Yes." Yu Zecheng accepted the order.

"Little Li is already waiting downstairs.

"Zhiyou, you go through the trouble of tagging along." Wu Jingzhong turned his head to look at Hong Zhiyou.

"Very well."

Hong Zhiyou said in a deep voice.

As they walked out, he took a few quick steps and whispered:

"Station Chief, can I not go?

"I went to Longfu Temple yesterday and just prayed for good fortune; killing is something Little Li and Section Chief Yu can handle well enough.

"That sort of thing brings bad luck and ruins one's fortune."

Wu Jingzhong's brow furrowed: "You still believe in that?"

"I do.

"My mother was a Buddhist, and I've been used to it since I was small.

"I'm afraid of bad luck affecting my future work." Hong Zhiyou said with a cheeky grin.

The original body's mother did indeed believe in Buddhism.

This excuse would have no loopholes.

"Sigh.

"Your fortune is my fortune.

"Fine, go back to your vegetarianism and chanting; you can skip the killing and bloodshed."

Wu Jingzhong sighed with a smile, his hands behind his back, and granted the request.

He currently had only two principles.

First: Subordinates must not be Reds.

Second: Not even the King of Heaven should interfere with his making money.

Sometimes, the first could be compromised for the second.

As for vegetarianism and chanting, it was better to believe it existed than to assume it didn't.

Yu Zecheng breathed a secret sigh of relief.

If both he and Hong Zhiyou went to execute Shopkeeper Qiu.

What if a call from Boss Dai arrived?

Who would "spare the life under the blade"?

Although he knew this possibility was almost zero.

There was still a glimmer of hope.

For the sake of Shopkeeper Qiu, he had to take the gamble.

He went downstairs to see the Station Chief off.

"Old Yu, I'm heading back to rest, see you tomorrow."

Hong Zhiyou waved his hand and drove off on his own.

"Let's go."

Yu Zecheng beckoned to Li Ping.

The two headed straight for the Shuitun Prison.

Cell Number Eight.

Old Xu and several jailers were taking turns beating Shopkeeper Qiu.

Liao Sanmin sat on a chair to the side, trimming his nails as if nothing were happening.

He did not look.

If he looked, his heart would only ache more.

The Juntong Bureau was pervasive.

The prison system was a key location for holding Reds.

He had always known that Old Xu was an informant planted in the prison by Wu Jingzhong.

Beating prisoners and extorting money had always been the norm.

Liao Sanmin could not intervene at will.

That would arouse Old Xu's suspicion.

This was an important part of Wu Jingzhong's fishing operation; no matter how worried he was about Shopkeeper Qiu, he could not jump into the pit.

Shopkeeper Qiu was in danger.

Yu Zecheng could barely save himself.

With the Military Mediation and civil war imminent, he was one of the few remaining pieces for the First Line in Jinhai; he absolutely had to keep his cool and preserve the spark for the organization.

"Speak, where did you hide the money?"

Old Xu lifted Shopkeeper Qiu's chin and roared with a ferocious look.

"I, I have already said." Shopkeeper Qiu said weakly.

Ma Kui of the Jinhai Station had beaten him once.

And here, there had been days of torture.

The once slightly chubby Shopkeeper Qiu had grown thin, and even his baby-fat cheeks had sunken in.

This iron-willed fighter had reached the end of his rope.

"Cut the crap.

"Don't think I don't know; you've treated Yong Jianqiu, Du Jianshi, and every big shot in Jinhai.

"Don't try to fool me with that pittance; it's an insult even to a beggar.

"Speak quickly, where are the gold bars and US dollars hidden!"

As he spoke, Old Xu picked up a club and smashed it against Shopkeeper Qiu's chest.

Pfft!

Shopkeeper Qiu spat blood, unable to speak anymore.

"Enough, Old Xu.

"If you keep hitting him, he'll be dead; Station Chief Wu gave orders that this man must be kept alive."

Liao Sanmin brushed the nail clippings off his clothes, stood up, and gave the order.

"Third Brother, this old thing won't open his mouth, we won't get any oil and water out of him." Old Xu said, unwilling.

"That's enough.

"Go, get him something to eat." Liao Sanmin waved his hand casually and instructed his men.

"He won't die, will he?"

He lifted Shopkeeper Qiu's chin and asked coldly.

"Pah!"

Shopkeeper Qiu spat a mouthful of bloody foam onto his face.

"I, I am going to the police station to report you.

"Police station report..."

Shopkeeper Qiu stared at him, using all his strength to utter the code word.

Only Old Kite Huang Zhong in Jinhai could contact the secret line in Beiping.

He was afraid that if he died.

Liao Sanmin and Yu Zecheng would have no way to send out important intelligence.

"Go to hell and report it to the King of Hell."

Liao Sanmin also conveyed the fact that he was powerless to rescue him.

Yong Jianqiu had spent a fortune trying to save him, but to no avail.

Even with all the capable people in the organization, it was impossible to come up with a plan in such a short time.

Shopkeeper Qiu could not be saved.

"Third Brother, Section Chief Yu is here." At this moment, a jailer came in to report.

Liao Sanmin went to the entrance to greet Yu Zecheng:

"Does Director Yu have business here?"

"The Station Master has ordered that Qiu Ji is innocent and is to be released." Yu Zecheng handed over the document signed by Wu Jingzhong.

"Released?

"Then wouldn't you be taking a huge loss?

"If you had waited two more days, my men could have helped you take your revenge."

Liao Sanmin took the document, signed it, and completed the handover.

"It's a good thing you didn't finish him off, otherwise I'd still owe you a favor."

Yu Zecheng smiled and made a gesture.

Li Ping went inside to retrieve the prisoner.

A moment later, Shopkeeper Qiu, covered in blood, was dragged out.

"Let's go!

"I'm taking you home."

Yu Zecheng stared at Qiu Ji with a grim look in his eyes.

Li Ping and the others escorted him into the car.

"Officer Liao, goodbye."

When Yu Zecheng shook his hand, he used his fingernail to press hard into the palm of his hand.

Liao Sanmin understood instantly.

Yu Zecheng had been ordered to send Shopkeeper Qiu "on his way."

The initial trace of joy was instantly overwhelmed by a surge of sorrow.

He turned and walked back inside.

It was as if he had just sent away a stray cat or dog.

Old Xu was right there beside him; at this moment, even one extra glance at Qiu Ji would invite suspicion.

"Officer Liao, would you like to order a late-night snack?" Old Xu called out from behind him.

"Order it.

"Let's have some spicy blood curd; I haven't had it in a long time."

Liao Sanmin waved his hand and walked toward the lounge to the side.

"Heh.

"Still able to eat something with blood in it; he truly lives up to the name 'Cold-Faced Gentleman'."

Old Xu sneered quietly and signaled his subordinate to take care of it.

The car drove in the direction of Tuanbowo.

That place was remote.

It was a good spot for murder and burying bodies.

Li Ping drove.

Shopkeeper Qiu sat in the back row, guarded by two security guards.

"Ouch, this won't do.

"My stomach hurts terribly; it must be that the pork trotter soup the Station Master's wife sent was too greasy.

"Li Ping, stop the car, I need to relieve myself."

Not long after they had set off, Yu Zecheng let out a muffled fart, and amidst the stench, he frowned and shouted.

"Director Yu, it's getting late, hurry it up."

Li Ping rolled the car window all the way down and said, while fanning his nose.

He was a student of Liu Xiong.

He hadn't learned anything else, but he had learned how to do things strictly by the book.

His tone of voice was even more rigid than Ma Kui's.

But he did have the capital to be arrogant; after all, the Security Section was the Station Master's "Embroidered Uniform Guard."

Yu Zecheng got out of the car, squatted by the side of the road, and bit into some paper to do his business.

He had intentionally taken a laxative.

Even without Sister Mei's pork trotter soup, he would have had Ding Defeng order some chicken soup or something to "nourish his body."

What he needed was a pretext.

Heaven help him.

May Boss Dai's rhinitis improve so he can quickly call the Station Master and pull Old Qiu back from the brink.

He covered his nose and prayed silently in his heart.

"Director Yu, are you done yet?" Li Ping urged impatiently.

"Done, done!"

Yu Zecheng's legs were a bit numb from squatting.

He stood up and returned to the car.

The car had driven for less than ten minutes when Yu Zecheng shouted again:

"No, my stomach still hurts, I need to squat again."

Li Ping stopped the car, speechless.

He stood by the side of the road, lit a cigarette, and just stared at him.

"Li Ping, why don't you just execute him yourself?

"Don't worry, I'll sign the papers.

"My stomach is being uncooperative, and I don't want to ruin the Station Master's important business." Yu Zecheng said apologetically.

"It's fine, I'll wait a bit longer." Li Ping moved and stood upwind.

What a joke.

Director Liu had given strict instructions that Yu Zecheng must be the one to pull the trigger.

To shoot his own comrade.

Even if Yu Zecheng really was a Red agent, it would be very difficult for him to regain internal trust in the future, and he might even be treated as a traitor.

This was a trump card the Station Master was using to hold him in check.

Of course.

This was also Wu Jingzhong's act of goodwill.

Once Yu Zecheng shot Shopkeeper Qiu to prove his innocence, the gossip within the station could be put to rest.

Li Ping wouldn't be stupid enough to ruin the good show the Station Master had carefully planned.

Liu Xiong had given him only one goal.

Qiu Ji must die!

"Oh my, I'm really delaying things.

"Let's go."

Yu Zecheng said with a forced smile.

And then...

The journey was a series of stops and starts.

Yu Zecheng kept calling out that he needed to go again.

Fearing the guy was acting, Li Ping even specifically squatted with him for a while.

Unexpectedly, he really was going.

Then there was nothing to say; the whole trip was dragged out.

It had been nearly an hour, and they hadn't even gone a few miles.

Yu Zecheng knew that doing this was very risky.

It was too coincidental.

But he had to buy time for Qiu Ji.

The wife's pork trotter soup was the evidence.

Li Ping was the eyewitness.

As long as the "Night-Shining Pearl" was there, he believed the Station Master would not make an issue of it or investigate further.

Boss Dai, please make the call quickly.

He leaned against the seat, nearly exhausted, looking at the vast night outside the window, sighing in his heart.

Hong Zhiyou had been guarding the telephone.

At the same time, he stared at his watch, feeling as if every second was a year.

An hour had passed.

Even if Old Yu could stall, by now he should have executed Shopkeeper Qiu and be on his way back.

Ring, ring.

The phone rang.

Wu Jingzhong's urgent voice came from the other end:

"Secretary Hong, has Yu Zecheng left?"

"He has," Hong Zhiyou replied.

"Quick, use every possible means to bring him back. Boss Dai specifically named this person and that bullshit formula of his."

"Go intercept him immediately."

Wu Jingzhong urged from the other end.

Hong Zhiyou hung up the phone.

He had already filled the car with gas.

He got in, floored the accelerator, and gave chase after Yu Zecheng.

The car drove to the edge of the low-lying land.

Li Ping and several subordinates took shovels and quickly dug a pit.

"Director Yu, you may proceed with the execution," Li Ping reminded him coldly.

Yu Zecheng stood with his hands on his hips, looking up at the sky.

"Director Yu, it is time for the execution!" Li Ping clicked on his flashlight and raised his voice.

"Fine!"

Yu Zecheng walked up to Qiu Ji and drew his service pistol.

"I am a Red Ticket!"

He stared into Shopkeeper Qiu's eyes and began to smile.

Qiu Ji was weak but calm.

With the flashlight shining on his face, he couldn't even offer a smiling farewell.

Click.

The safety was disengaged.

Bang!

Yu Zecheng fired a shot straight into Qiu Ji's lower leg.

Qiu Ji let out a muffled groan and knelt on one knee.

"I am a Red Ticket!"

Yu Zecheng repeated, his gaze even colder, and fired another shot into the other leg.

Bang!

Qiu Ji's legs went limp and he collapsed to the ground.

His lips murmured.

Yet he could not say a single word.

Yu Zecheng knew what he wanted to say, but could only treat him with an even colder, more cruel smile.

"I am a Red Ticket!"

He was filled with immense hatred, as if he wanted to tear Shopkeeper Qiu into a thousand pieces.

Pow!

Another shot, hitting his shoulder.

Pow.

Pow!

Continuous gunfire.

Continuous whispers.

Both shoulders.

The shoulder blades.

Sprays of blood bloomed.

In the night, he looked as cold and ferocious as a demon.

His hand on the gun was steady and precise, as if the person on the ground were merely a chicken or a dog.

Shopkeeper Qiu's body shook and convulsed from the force of the bullets.

The light in his eyes behind his round-rimmed glasses gradually dimmed.

Li Ping stood to the side, trembling with fear, his hair standing on end.

Yu Zecheng was usually gentle and soft-spoken.

Who could have imagined his methods would be so cruel?

Even digging up someone's ancestors for eighteen generations wouldn't warrant such revenge.

This was torture, humiliation.

This man was too ruthless, too terrifying.

He finally understood why his Master always said never to underestimate the elites cultivated by the old veterans of Ji'e Lane like Yu Lexing, Chen Gongshu, and Wu Jingzhong.

He finally remembered that Yu Zecheng was no pushover.

He was the Juntong's "Zhao Zilong of Changshan" who had braved the dragon's den and tiger's lair to single-handedly kill Li Haifeng!

Li Ping's arrogant gaze turned fervent and filled with respect.

He stood straight and his tone became more respectful: "Director Yu, give him a quick end."

"Sure."

Yu Zecheng gave him a soft smile, took out another magazine, and swapped it out cleanly and efficiently.

"I am a Red Ticket?"

"Heh."

He sneered and aimed at Qiu Ji's head.

Forgive me, Old Qiu.

I really can't drag this out any longer.

Rest in peace, my comrade.

Mourning silently in his heart, he was about to pull the trigger.

"Beep beep!"

Bright headlights illuminated the dim low-lying land.

"Stop!"

"Hold your fire."

"Old Yu, hold your fire."

Hong Zhiyou parked the car, jumped out, and came running over, shouting.

I'm all about listening to advice; the end of this chapter has been revised. I realized I should probably set up a group so everyone can notify me (or roast me) immediately if you have thoughts or find any issues. Also, I can notify you about update times and such.

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(End of chapter)