manynovel Chapter 144 Ambush
Chapter 144 Ambush
The attic across from the café near Jing'an Temple in western Shanghai is dimly lit.
Yan Shuo leaned against the window covered with a thin layer of dust, looking at the time on his watch. He had already smoked several cigarettes, and his throat was a little sore.
With only three hours left until Lu Mingyuan's rendezvous, the sky had just darkened, and the pedestrians on the street began to disperse sparsely, leaving only the glow of the streetlights.
Zhou Hu, Ma Hongxi, and the others were scattered in the corner of the attic, gun muzzles pressed against their trouser legs, their fingertips unconsciously rubbing the triggers, chatting idly in low voices, afraid of disturbing the deployment environment.
"Captain, the MIT headquarters was just bombed into ruins. Lu Mingyuan still dares to come at this time. Aren't you afraid that this is a trap we set?" Zhou Hu's voice was shrouded in the night, carrying a hint of doubt.
Yan Shuo glanced down at the closed glass door of the coffee shop downstairs, his tone calm yet resolute: "Being entangled in gambling debts is like a death sentence, and the benefits offered by Wang Wei are tempting enough. Even if he has suspicions, he has no choice."
Ma Hongxi squatted on the ground, wiping his sniper rifle with precise and swift movements. The metallic scraping sound was particularly clear in the quiet attic. Without looking up, he replied, "That saves trouble. I'll set up the gun on the roof and give him a clean shot, avoiding any unnecessary complications at close range."
"No rush." Yan Shuo waved his hand, bent down and took out a stack of yellowed files from his canvas bag. The soft sound of the papers turning was particularly abrupt in the attic. "Check the files again. Don't miss a single detail. Nobody knows if Zhou Kai or Gao Bin might be hiding in the shadows watching us."
The crowd instantly composed themselves, gathered around, their eyes filled with seriousness, and even their breathing became softer.
Yan Shuo laid the files out one by one on the dusty wooden table. Each sheet of paper had a blurry black and white photograph pasted on it, and the handwriting on the labels had faded from repeated rubbing, but it contained the key to turning the tide of the battle.
"Lu Mingyuan, wearing a navy blue suit, has a black mole on the ring finger of his left hand." He pointed to the man in the photo with gloomy eyes, "The rendezvous signal is a thread-bound copy of the Analects of Confucius. Remember, seize the supply plan first, then take action. Make sure he has something with him, otherwise, if you kill him, finding him will be too difficult, and you might fail."
Zhou Hu pointed to the edge of the photo, his eyes sharp: "I'll bring two men to block the back door. If he tries to escape, we'll cut off his escape route first."
"Ma Hongxi, guard the rooftop across the street. Lock your sniper scope on the window of the coffee shop." Yan Shuo looked up at the rooftop, his tone cold and hard. "If he tries to hand over the documents, snipe his left arm first. The documents must not be leaked. If he has accomplices, whoever they are, eliminate them first."
Ma Hongxi nodded in agreement, picked up his sniper rifle, and stood up. His steps were as light as a cat's as he silently crept up to the roof through the side door of the attic and disappeared into the deep night.
Yan Shuo then pulled out Zhao Yawen's file. The woman in the photo had delicate features, but she carried an inescapable timidity, like a withered leaf swept by a raging wind.
"We can't force Zhao Ya-wen." He gently stroked the edge of the photo, his gaze darkening. "She was coerced. Her brother was trapped in a Japanese POW camp; that was her only weakness."
Wang Xiaohong walked in carrying a glass of warm water and whispered, "Shall we rescue her first? If we can get her brother out, we might be able to persuade her to change her mind and avoid Su Qing's ambush."
"It's all arranged." Yan Shuo nodded, a hint of tension in his voice. "We just received news that her brother is in the Longhua POW camp. I've sent men infiltrate, and they must bring him out tonight. If we're even a step too late, he might become a bargaining chip for Su Qing to use against Zhao Yawen."
He paused, then added, "After rescuing them, we'll place them in a safe house near the dock, and have Zhao Ya-wen's brother meet with them. Whether we can persuade them to surrender depends on this step."
"What if she's determined to hand over the code name comparison table?" Zhou Hu pressed, his tone ruthless.
Yan Shuo's eyes suddenly turned cold, and his fingertips pressed heavily on the file: "Then don't blame us for being ruthless. Once the code name comparison table falls into Su Qing's hands, the Kuomintang agents will be doomed. If necessary, kill them without mercy."
As he spoke, he pulled out Su Qing's file. The woman in the photo wore thin-rimmed glasses and had a gentle demeanor like an ordinary office worker. There was a faint smile on her lips, but it made people feel inexplicably cold. This harmless appearance was her most dangerous disguise.
"Su Qing is adept at hiding. She's managed to infiltrate the foreign firms in the concession for so long; she's no pushover." Yan Shuo's voice carried a warning. "Keep a close eye on the people coming and going at the docks, especially women dressed like secretaries or clerks in the foreign firms. She might arrive early and be observing from the shadows."
Yan Shuo picked up Chen Tiejun's file again, pointed heavily at the man in the photo, and said in a serious tone: "This matter needs to wait for Li Zhixing to coordinate the forces. We can't rush it."
"Should we set up surveillance along his escape route in advance? Just to be on guard," Wang Xiaohong asked, her eyes full of vigilance.
"No need." Yan Shuo shook his head, his tone resolute. "Chen Tiejun is leading two battalions; a direct confrontation would only expose us. We need to wait for Li Zhixing to coordinate with the officers, then lure him into our trap under the guise of a troop rotation. Only then can we wipe them all out. Besides, nobody knows if Gao Bin has any informants around him."
As the group was discussing in hushed tones, the attic door was suddenly pushed open gently, and two dark figures flashed in like ghosts. They were the team members who had gone to rescue Zhao Yawen's brother, and they still carried a faint smell of blood and gunpowder.
"Commander, the person has been rescued. He was shot in the left arm, but the injury isn't serious. He's been placed in a safe house." One of the team members whispered, his voice tinged with fatigue but completely composed.
A hint of approval flashed in Yan Shuo's eyes, but then his expression turned serious: "Arrange for doctors to do everything they can to save him. Also, have him carefully recall if he saw anyone who coerced Zhao Yawen, especially Su Qing. Don't overlook even the smallest detail or action."
"Yes." The team member responded and withdrew, his figure quickly disappearing into the night. The attic returned to silence, with only the occasional whistling of the evening wind coming from outside the window.
Time passed slowly amidst the torment, and the streetlights lit up one after another, their dim yellow glow barely dispelling some of the darkness. Gradually, some customers sat down in the café, whispering in twos and threes, and no one could see the undercurrents hidden in the crowd.
Yan Shuo took out his pocket watch, the ticking of the hands sounding like a death knell in the quiet attic. Only one hour remained until the rendezvous.
"Everyone to your positions." He ordered in a deep voice, his tone carrying an unquestionable authority. "Zhou Hu, take two men to block the back door. Wang Xiaohong, stand guard at the door and keep a close eye on the person in the navy blue suit carrying the thread-bound book. If there is any unusual movement, give a warning before taking action."
The group acted immediately, their footsteps so light they were almost silent, quickly retreating from the attic and disappearing into the shadows of the street, like lurking hunters, waiting for their target to appear.
Yan Shuo remained alone in the attic, picked up Gao Bin's file, and frowned deeply.
The man in the photo has an ordinary face and would be inconspicuous in a crowd, but he hides the most deadly malice.
There was still no news from Feng Yaodong. This mole, who had been lying in wait for three years, was like a venomous snake lurking in the shadows. No one knew when he would suddenly strike and deliver a fatal blow.