The next day, Lin Tao felt like her bones were made of jelly.
Yesterday, she had interrogated Chen Han Wen and Ai Mei Zhen about their relationship, but got nothing out of them, leaving her completely exhausted.
She didn't want to go to work.
Lin Tao simply stayed in bed and continued to sleep.
Meanwhile, Chen Han Wen was still energetic and full of life.
Lin Tao thought about how she had fought tooth and nail to keep Chen Han Wen under her control, but after a fierce battle, she had still been defeated.
Chen Han Wen tidied up, grabbed his car keys, and headed off to work.
Since Lin Tao wouldn't be going to work today, Chen Han Wen simply drove off.
Mao Ren Feng had been scolded by Dai Li yesterday, but it didn't affect his cheerful disposition as he greeted Chen Han Wen with a smile, handing him a set of car keys: "Ming Cheng, your car has arrived. Take it when you're off work."
"Alright."
Chen Han Wen looked at the Cadillac L keys, dangling them in his hand: "Thanks, Old Mao."
"Between brothers, don't say thank you. It's too formal."
Mao Ren Feng obviously wasn't just here to deliver car keys. Seeing Chen Han Wen ready to leave, he quickly stopped him and spoke in a mysterious tone: "Ming Cheng, do you feel that the atmosphere in our department is a bit different today?"
Chen Han Wen knew what Mao Ren Feng was referring to, but he pretended to be oblivious and unconcerned: "Different? So what? Is it going to stop me from eating or sleeping?"
"Hahaha... Of course it wouldn't affect you, Ming Cheng. I'm just being nosy."
Mao Ren Feng then continued, "The Bureau Chief might be looking for you today. There's been progress in the investigation regarding your assassination attempt a few days ago."
"Oh, if they've found the person, just kill them."
Chen Han Wen looked at Mao Ren Feng and asked, "Tell me their name. I'll take care of it."
"No, the Bureau Chief told me not to tell you."
Mao Ren Feng only revealed half the story, avoiding a breach of Dai Li's orders while also demonstrating his goodwill to Chen Han Wen: "But, you probably won't have to do it. The Bureau Chief already has a plan."
"So what are you telling me this for? It's useless."
Chen Han Wen stared at Mao Ren Feng and said directly: "Alright, thanks for telling me this pointless nonsense, Old Mao. I owe you one. There's a Coke in my office. Consider it a thank you."
It was a blatant taunt. Anyone would have been offended, but Mao Ren Feng remained smiling, his face unchanged: "Keep it for yourself. I'm close to you, Ming Cheng, not because I want your favor."
Chen Han Wen didn't respond, waved his hand, and returned to his office.
Chen Han Wen's office was on the fourth floor, the easternmost one. It was a suite, with the general affairs staff outside and Chen Han Wen's office inside.
The general affairs section was the most attractive place.
The most beautiful girls in the entire Military Control Headquarters were in the general affairs section. Others called them Chen Han Wen's "harem," but the people in general affairs knew that Chen Han Wen simply enjoyed having beautiful women around. As for sleeping with them... Chen Han Wen wasn't really interested.
Beautiful women were plentiful. Why eat grass at the foot of the wall?
"Good morning, Chief."
Chen Han Wen hadn't been to his office for about a week. He'd been in solitary confinement, but his desk was still spotless, meticulously cleaned.
Chen Han Wen instructed the office staff to buy him breakfast while he went to his office to rest.
Xu Zhong Yi brought the breakfast. He told Chen Han Wen, "Chief, something major happened at our station yesterday. Li Hai Feng from the telecommunications department defected. He was our 'cipher encyclopedia.' Bureau Chief Dai was furious when he heard. The meeting lasted until 3 am yesterday."
Chen Han Wen already knew this. He had sent the message to Lu Zong Fang around 4 am, when the headquarters was quiet.
Chen Han Wen said nonchalantly: "Was it Li Hai Feng who gave the information to the Japanese about my assassination attempt at Yu Hua Tai?"
Xu Zhong Yi furrowed his brow: "I haven't heard anything about that. Besides, Li Hai Feng was on a mission outside and hadn't returned to the headquarters. How could he know your whereabouts? Could this be someone trying to frame him, then use you as a pawn?"
"It doesn't matter. Just a small fry."
Chen Han Wen shook his head and said to Xu Zhong Yi:
"My favors aren't easy to gain. Where's Liu Xin Jie? Did he go to Nanjing?"
Xu Zhong Yi immediately replied: "He left Shancheng three days ago. He wanted to say goodbye to you, but you were in solitary confinement. I told him to go to Nanjing first. Chief, do you need me to call him back?"
Chen Han Wen thought for a moment and said to Xu Zhong Yi: "No need. Someone will handle Li Hai Feng. Go about your business."
Xu Zhong Yi immediately put away the tableware and left. Chen Han Wen started thinking about how to utilize Liu Xin Jie.
Right now, Liu Xin Jie was a dead weight. The way to awaken him was through the Sudoku puzzles in the newspaper. Gradually, Chen Han Wen had an idea.
…
Lu Zong Fang's identity had been exposed, but after a night of psychological preparation, he could now maintain an outward appearance of composure. He chatted with his colleagues and even used the pretext of reporting to meet with Cheng Yi Ming, the Chief of the Third Division of Operations at Headquarters. However, Cheng Yi Ming was completely unaware of the situation.
Cheng Yi Ming was the newly appointed head of the Military Control Headquarters' Operations Division, a Major General with exceptional abilities and Dai Li's trust. But in reality, he was a member of the Communist Party and Lu Zong Fang's superior.
When Lu Zong Fang told Cheng Yi Ming about his exposure, Cheng Yi Ming was also shocked. He immediately wanted to arrange for Lu Zong Fang to be transferred, but Lu Zong Fang stopped him.
Lu Zong Fang whispered to Cheng Yi Ming: "The letter says I'm exposed but that I should still go to Nanjing, which means the mysterious person has important work for me. I used to be responsible for introducing Yu Ze Cheng, who I found to be a suitable target for development. The person who provided me with information knows our work very well and is also very familiar with the Military Control Headquarters. Chief Cheng... who do you think it could be?"
"I don't know."
Cheng Yi Ming shook his head and said to Lu Zong Fang: "I don't know either. I asked my superiors, and they don't know either. But... their identity isn't important. Whether they're Communist or Nationalist, as long as they can help our cause, that's enough."
Lu Zong Fang nodded and then said: "Yesterday, he only said that I should follow Dai Li's orders. But I was interrogated until midnight, and only Mao Ren Feng, Xu Bai Chuan, and Zheng Yao Xian were left. Do you think... could the mysterious person be one of them?"
While he said that, Lu Zong Fang didn't believe that these three were Communist comrades.
Mao Ren Feng was out of the question. He couldn't possibly be their comrade.
Xu Bai Chuan and Zheng Yao Xian... Lu Zong Fang thought Xu Bai Chuan was more likely because Zheng Yao Xian was a major threat to the Communist Party. Dozens of Communist comrades had died at his hands. How could such a person be their comrade?
As for Xu Bai Chuan... Lu Zong Fang couldn't say.
Cheng Yi Ming didn't let Lu Zong Fang blindly speculate and reminded him: "Blindly guessing will get you nowhere. Maybe it's a comrade on a different line, or maybe it's not even the same side. Remember, we have discipline. Different lines cannot communicate horizontally. We should not make assumptions. When we achieve victory, we will see our comrades."
As they were talking, there was a knock on the door of Cheng Yi Ming's office, and then a letter slipped under the door... almost exactly like how Lu Zong Fang had received his letter yesterday.
Both Lu Zong Fang and Cheng Yi Ming were stunned. Lu Zong Fang was the first to recover and quickly went to the door, picked up the letter, and rushed back. Together with Cheng Yi Ming, they opened it:
Go to Nanjing and find the owner of the Shanxi Guild Hall. Have them broadcast on Nanjing Be He 3364 channel: 1102, 4231…