Gritting his teeth, Yuan Nong said to Lu Hanqing, "If it wasn't extremely urgent, I wouldn't have contacted you. Recently, I received a mission that threatens our Party. Dai Li has a list of 73 spies who are undercover in Shaanxi. If we don't root them out, it will be a huge threat to our Party. So, after receiving this mission, I immediately instructed my undercover agents in the Military Commission Headquarters to investigate and get the list as soon as possible. However, she kept delaying, and when I met her, she kept evading the topic."
After recounting the incident, Yuan Nong took a deep breath and said, "I suspect that she might have wavered. That's why, Old Lu, I had to risk coming to you and hope you could help."
Hearing Yuan Nong's words, Lu Hanqing also realized the seriousness of the matter.
He pushed up his glasses and then asked, "A list of 73 spies? How come I don't know about this?"
“……”
Yuan Nong wanted to take the credit for himself and wouldn't tell Lu Hanqing.
Moreover, he knew that Lu Hanqing had a 'kite' that had been flying for years. If he learned about this, he could easily obtain the list.
But what was in it for Yuan Nong?
Yuan Nong didn't want Lu Hanqing to know about this in the beginning, but now he had to seek his help.
"I received the intelligence and had my people do it. How could I easily use your trump card?"
Yuan Nong casually explained, then said to Lu Hanqing, "Old Lu, we can't let him stay out of this. I want you to help investigate her current situation. See if she has betrayed us. If she has, I will arrange for someone to eliminate her. If not, let her continue until she gets the intelligence!"
Lu Hanqing didn't have Yuan Nong's cunning. He just wanted to do what he should. Yuan Nong's words forced him to take them seriously.
Everything else didn't matter, but the list of 73 spies undercover in Shaanxi did.
Why were they risking their lives doing underground work in Chongqing?
Wasn't it to protect the safety of our Party?
After pondering for a moment, Lu Hanqing said, "I'll figure something out. Tell me her name."
Seeing Lu Hanqing agree, Yuan Nong was delighted. He immediately said, "Zeng Mo Yi."
Hearing Yuan Nong's words, Lu Hanqing paused, "...Okay, I know. There's nothing else, I'm going. We should contact each other less often. Don't look for me. I will notify you as soon as I have news."
Lu Hanqing suspected that Yuan Nong had his own motives for asking him to investigate Zeng Mo Yi, but he didn't have any evidence.
This time, he would help him as a favor to their past friendship.
Yuan Nong got the answer he wanted and was overjoyed. He chatted with Lu Hanqing for a while, then got up and left.
……
Zheng Yao Xian and Lu Hanqing met, casually. They had been close friends for many years and had become like family. After a few greetings, they listened to Zheng Yao Xian tease Lu Hanqing a few times, and there was nothing else to do.
Lu Hanqing wasn't good at expressing himself, and he wasn't Zheng Yao Xian's match when it came to banter. After listening to Zheng Yao Xian tease him a few times, Lu Hanqing asked, "Does your headquarters have a woman named Zeng Mo Yi?"
"Yes."
Zheng Yao Xian looked at Lu Hanqing, sizing him up and down, "What's wrong? Old Lu, are you trying to find a young girl for yourself? Want to marry the Military Commission's flower?"
"Stop joking."
Lu Hanqing extended his index finger, bending it down and pointing. "Mission, this is a mission! You must answer honestly!"
"I am answering honestly. I haven't finished talking yet."
Zheng Yao Xian chuckled, then said, "Zeng Mo Yi is good, but you'd better not mess with her. This flower has been coveted by someone. Don't mess with her, otherwise, if her suitor finds out, the entire party organization in Chongqing will be severely damaged."
Lu Hanqing was immediately interested, "You mean Dai Li has his eyes on her?"
"It's not Dai Li. It's someone even scarier than him!" Zheng Yao Xian looked at Lu Hanqing and said, "You know Chen Han Wen, right? He's been pursuing Zeng Mo Yi, for a long time, but he hasn't succeeded yet. Now, he's become a local attraction."
At this point, Zheng Yao Xian couldn't help but laugh.
No one in the Military Commission could make Chen Han Wen back down.
But he was rejected by Zeng Mo Yi, which made Zheng Yao Xian admire Zeng Mo Yi.
He had always been rejected by Chen Han Wen. Now, it was finally Chen Han Wen's turn!
Zheng Yao Xian secretly gloated.
"Chasing Zeng Mo Yi? Doesn't he have that little girl, Lin Tao?"
After Lu Hanqing finished speaking, he suddenly understood why Yuan Nong had asked him about Zeng Mo Yi. His face darkened, and facing Zheng Yao Xian's teasing, he was in a bad mood. "Alright, I know you're a smooth talker, but don't show off in front of me. Besides, I need to tell you something. Dai Li sent 73 spies to Shaanxi. Keep an eye out for this list. If you can find it, find it. If not, just protect yourself and don't expose yourself."
Hearing Lu Hanqing's words, Zheng Yao Xian's originally carefree expression immediately became serious. He didn't speak immediately, but looked at Lu Hanqing. Lu Hanqing met Zheng Yao Xian's gaze, but he couldn't hold it for long.
Zheng Yao Xian was usually okay, but if he got serious, his gaze was something Lu Hanqing couldn't handle.
"Zeng Mo Yi is one of us? She received the mission to find the list of 73 spies, but someone doesn't trust her?"
Looking at Lu Hanqing who was hanging his head and not speaking, Zheng Yao Xian said, "Old Lu, is that right?"
“……”
Lu Hanqing didn't know how to answer, so he simply changed the subject, "I know you're a clever one, but I warn you, don't get involved in this. Don't forget your identity, and don't forget your mission."
"Go to hell with your mission. I'm undercover in the Military Commission, not to supervise my comrades."
Zheng Yao Xian looked at Lu Hanqing and angrily said, "Besides, a mission as important as the spy list, entrusted to Zeng Mo Yi? What makes her qualified to complete this mission? I don't even know about this list. How could she access it? Are they trying to get her killed?"
Seeing Zheng Yao Xian's anger, Lu Hanqing was worried he would do something irrational. He quickly tried to appease him, "I knew I shouldn't have told you this, but I did. Why did I tell you? Because I know you can handle this calmly. Now you're angry, how can I be at ease? Zheng Yao Xian! You clever fox! Don't get involved! This is an order!"
"Humph, worried that I'll steal their credit? Interesting. When did our Party learn to scramble for power?"
Zheng Yao Xian was full of anger, but he couldn't let it out. Looking at the anxious Lu Hanqing, he finally said, "I know the rules, some things I won't participate in. But some things I have to do. Zeng Mo Yi... I will try my best to protect her."