Kingsman Agent in Film and Television

In the morning, Zhang Anping, who hadn't slept all night, stretched and walked to the office window. The moment he opened the window, a strange gust of wind blew in, making the various documents in the office rattle and rustle.

Is a storm brewing?

Zhang Anping smiled, but did not close the window. Instead, he stood quietly, letting the wind blow against his cheeks.

As the start of the workday approached, more and more agents from the Bureau entered the headquarters. Logically, with the increase in the number of people, there should have been a restless atmosphere in the headquarters, but today was particularly strange—no matter how many agents came in, a sense of grimness that was difficult to dispel lingered in the headquarters.

A convoy of four cars drove into the headquarters compound. Zhang Anping looked down from his vantage point and silently thought to himself:
The third one.

The doors of cars one, two, and four opened first, and the agents acting as bodyguards got out. Then the door of the third car opened, and Mao Renfeng's slightly chubby figure appeared.

As if sensing something, Mao Renfeng raised her head after getting off the car, and her eyes met Zhang Anping's.

Mao Renfeng nodded slightly as usual.

Zhang Anping watched with amusement, a mocking smile playing on his lips. He then turned and strode quickly to his desk, picking up the phone.
"It's almost time. Assemble everyone immediately!"

"Yes!"

Just as Mao Renfeng was walking towards the stairwell, the piercing alarm bells blared violently.

Hearing the urgent and violent alarm bells, Mao Renfeng maintained his usual smile. Facing the agents rushing into the courtyard, he would even nod and encourage them occasionally—only after he entered his office did he hastily wipe the smile off his face.

I've been up all night...

Are we about to go to war?

Standing behind the curtains by the window, Mao Renfeng glanced sideways at the front yard of the bureau headquarters where crowds were constantly gathering, her eyes filled with a chilling gloom.

He originally thought that the war between the section chief and the four major families would end with the four major families having an absolute advantage, but when the news from the prison came last night, he realized that something was wrong—Zhang Anping was too ruthless, and actually used such bloody methods to tear open the defense line built by the four major families.

Mao Renfeng closed his eyes unwillingly, as if he could see the scene of the four major families' "army" collapsing like a landslide.

"I told you long ago, you all underestimated Zhang Anping!"

Mao Renfeng clenched her fists, her heart filled with resentment that seemed about to burst forth from her body.

Front yard of the bureau headquarters.

Hundreds of people stood quietly in the courtyard without making a sound—although nearly a quarter of them hadn't slept all night, they now looked as energetic as the others.

You can say spies are bad, or you can say they have no bottom line, but one thing cannot be denied:

Having experienced the War of Resistance against Japan, none of them wished for their country to prosper!

As spies operating in the shadows, they understood the danger posed by the four powerful families that controlled the Nationalist government better than ordinary people. They had thought that all of this was unchangeable, and that these powerful families would continue to parasitize the Nationalist government and constantly absorb its resources.

The curtain is about to rise, but the curtain that will end all of this!
They will wield their swords and ruthlessly cut down these four parasites that are clinging to the Nationalist government!
The wind howled, but it couldn't move the grim and imposing troops.
The chill of deep winter was like a knife, but it couldn't chill the grim atmosphere emanating from this team about to set off.

In the chilly silence, footsteps suddenly sounded. Everyone straightened their backs in the morning air and looked intently toward the stairwell—until a slightly thin figure appeared.

Zhang Anping!
When Zhang Anping appeared, his burning gaze was like a tangible flame.

Many of them did not belong to Zhang's faction; they came from the veteran faction, Mao's faction, or Zheng's faction. But at this moment, they had only one person in their eyes:

Zhang Anping!
Their Deputy Director Zhang!
He wanted to lead them to tear apart the huge and greedy parasites that were entrenched in and parasitizing the Nationalist government.

Zhang Anping approached gradually. Although his steps were the same as usual, to the crowd gathered in the front yard, each step clearly carried an unwavering determination and a righteous spirit that dispelled filth and swept away evil spirits.

Previously, many of them tended to be numb.

But over the past seven days, they have uncovered one corrupt group after another, sharpening their weapons time and again—in this process, they have felt hope and gradually seen hope.

Their numbness dissipated because of hope.

Now, the sharp spears and razor-sharp swords are about to fall!
Sweep away all demons and monsters!

Amidst the almost palpable, fervent gazes, Zhang Anping stepped forward. There was no lengthy speech, no pre-battle mobilization, only a brief sentence:

"Each team...must capture the target! If resistance is encountered, all means may be used!"

A short sentence, yet more inspiring than any mobilization!

Under the intense gazes, Zhang Anping gave the order:
"All teams, prepare to move out..."

Before the last word could be uttered by Zhang Anping, an anxious voice suddenly rang out:

"Lord Qu! Wait a minute—the VIP room is on the phone!"

Time goes back to one minute ago.

Zheng Yi stood quietly by the window, waiting for Zhang Anping to appear.

A minute earlier, she gently straightened Anping's clothes and then quietly stepped aside—she understood perfectly what the next moment meant; it was this man's moment of glory, the moment when he used his spear and sword to cleave through the darkness that blotted out the sky.

She wouldn't share in his glory and magnificence; she would only watch quietly from behind the window as this man unleashed that earth-shattering strike.

But accidents always happen so unexpectedly.

Before Zhang Anping could even appear in her sight, the phone rang urgently.

Zheng Yi's intuition told him that it was best not to answer this call.

The incessant ringing of the phone relentlessly tormented her soul, until finally Zheng Yi succumbed and answered it:

"Which one?"

A voice with a strong Fenghua accent rang out on the phone:
"Tell Zhang Anping to immediately cancel the arrest operation!"

"what?"

"I said, the operation is canceled! No one is to be arrested! Not a single one!"

Zheng Yi realized who was on the other end of the phone. She glanced out the window, and although she couldn't see anyone, she knew that countless passionate men had gathered in the courtyard.

So she said:
"But...but the procession has already set off..."

"Don't you understand what I mean?! Take it back! Damn it!"

With a bang, the phone was slammed down. Zheng Yi listened blankly until the busy tone of the call ended, at which point she hurriedly put the phone down.

Hanging up the phone is such a simple action!
Zheng Yi rushed to the window. She wanted to shout, but the sound got stuck in her throat.

Qu Zuo was unwilling to get involved in this mess, so he chose to settle things peacefully after being humiliated.
Those people below were already living numbly; they never thought of removing the parasites that were feeding on the Nationalist government!
It was your order that made Commander Qu choose to draw his sword even in the face of oppression as vast as a mountain stretching for thousands of miles.

It was your order that ignited hope in those who were living numb lives below;
It was your orders that enabled them to face numerous difficulties, yet they persevered in their attacks and assaults.

Now, the decisive battle is imminent!
But you...

Zheng Yi closed his eyes, not daring to look at the passionate yet incredibly tense crowd below.

But Zhang Anping's voice was still ringing out, and it seemed he was about to give the order to depart. Zheng Yi finally couldn't hold back any longer:
"Lord Qu! Wait a minute—the VIP room is on the phone!"

She actually wanted to shout:
The chief attendant gave the order that the operation be cancelled.

But she was unwilling to utter such words during this moment of glory and grandeur that belonged to Zhang Anping—she knew perfectly well that it would only deceive him for a few minutes.

Front yard of the bureau headquarters.

The sudden shout made Zhang Anping's last word catch in his throat.

At that moment, everyone saw Zhang Anping's spirit and energy rapidly deflating, like a punctured balloon.

Zhang Anping raised his hand again and again, seemingly determined to swing it down each time, but each time, it felt as if it weighed a ton and he couldn't bring himself to do it.

Struggling, struggling again and again.

Finally, it all came down to a few words:

"Wait... wait a minute."

His voice was dry and weak.

Then came a desolate figure, disappearing into the distance. Suddenly, a chilling coldness permeated the crowd in the front yard. From the moment the assembly alarm sounded until now, as countless people gathered, no one had uttered a word; only a chilling atmosphere and an uncontrollable fervor in their eyes emanated from the scene.

But now, the weather seems to have changed abruptly.

It's cold, freezing cold.

Someone, for no apparent reason, said:

"You're wearing...a bit too thin clothes."

The next second, everyone felt the chill.

"Yeah, the winter uniforms in the bureau are too thin."

Is it thin?

In Nanjing in January, the lowest temperature at night is only one or two degrees below zero.

"The weather must have changed; it's ridiculously cold."

Many people huddled up, as if that would make them a little warmer, but... why is it still so cold?
The buzzing of conversation grew louder for some reason, but no one spoke of the matter at hand, and much of what they said was incoherent and illogical.

"It's so scorching in this sun that I feel weak."

"I didn't eat breakfast."

"I stayed up all night and can't stay awake any longer. I'll find somewhere to take a nap later."

Their nonsensical conversation completely disregarded the rules of the assembly.

After several extremely long minutes of buzzing conversation, Zheng Yi leaned halfway out of the upstairs window:

"The district... is disbanded."

This sentence should be interpreted as an order from the district commander to disperse.

"Oh."

In the crowd, someone gave a soft "oh" in response, and then countless people shrank back, smashing the orderly queue that had remained intact despite the buzzing noise into a chaotic mess.

Mao Renfeng, who had just returned from the window, took off his winter coat, rubbed his sweaty head, and then grinned foolishly.

From hell to heaven, it happened in the blink of an eye!

He thought that Zhang Anping's spear and sword would draw back the curtain and tear apart the four major families, and also drag him, Mao Renfeng, into hell.

He believed that today marked the beginning of his complete defeat.

He thought today...

But the ending is often so dramatic—inexplicably, they win, and win decisively!

He didn't know exactly how he won, but Zhang Anping's desolate figure and the sudden numbness that enveloped the Bureau of Investigation and Statistics made him realize that he had won—yes, the Bureau of Investigation and Statistics lost, the Bureau of Investigation and Statistics represented by Zhang Anping lost, but he, Mao Renfeng, won!
Wiping away another bead of sweat, Mao Renfeng, still grinning foolishly, looked out the window, thinking to herself:

Is it going to rain heavily?
……

The convoy moved slowly through the streets of Nanjing.

Inside a car, the section chief rolled down the window and desperately tried to breathe in the outside air—but the outside air felt just as oppressive as the air inside the car.

The secretary hesitated several times before speaking, and the head guard also hesitated several times before speaking, but in the end they did not dare to make a sound and did not ask the director to close the window.

The section chief stared blankly outside.

Passing by a rice shop, the shop was closed, and the words "Sold Out" were unusually eye-catching. Starting from the "Sold Out" sign, a long line stood there steadily. Ironically, everyone in this long line was carrying a heavy amount of Chinese currency that was suffocating. But could such a heavy amount of Chinese currency be exchanged for the same weight of rice?

The convoy continued onward, and as it passed through a once bustling neighborhood, all that came into view were tightly closed shop doors.

A sense of impending doom arose spontaneously.

A peddler carrying goods suddenly appeared from some obscure corner, seemingly intending to set up a stall on the spot. But as soon as he stood still, several gang members appeared out of nowhere and dragged him away by pulling and grabbing him.

The section chief shifted slightly, clearly intending to stop him, but the next second, he numbly leaned back in his seat.

Did his attempts to stop it work?

The convoy was still moving forward, and everywhere... was a desolate wasteland.

It was as if the world had come to a standstill.

The secretary finally spoke up:

"Director, it's cold outside, should we close the window?"

He had tried to stop it before because, for the section chief, opening the window was unsafe.

He's stopping it now because he doesn't want to worsen the director's bad mood!

The section chief waved his hand, and after a long silence, as if he had just remembered something, he said to his secretary, "Let's cancel the lunch banquet."

"Anyway... I doubt anyone will come, and besides... it wouldn't make a difference if they did."

The so-called lunch banquet was Zhang Anping's suggestion yesterday—to have the section chief contact patriotic businessmen to stabilize the market and people's livelihoods.

But now, it's unnecessary, absolutely unnecessary.

The convoy continued forward. Perhaps at the secretary's signal, this time they finally passed through a densely populated area. The crowds finally made the director's expression improve slightly—at least, people's livelihoods weren't completely under their control.

The newsboy's clear voice suddenly rang out:
"Newspapers for sale! Newspapers for sale! Last night, 59 corrupt officials were executed in prison! The National Government's determination to fight corruption is unwavering!"

The sound reached the director's ears, causing him to hastily close the window. The newsboy, unaware of this, continued shouting and chasing after the convoy, but the convoy lost him and fled in a disheveled state.

The atmosphere inside the car became suffocating.

Fortunately, the section chief wasn't the type to vent his frustrations on others. After rubbing his face vigorously, he said to his secretary:
"No need to beat around the bush, let's go straight to the official residence."

The secretary replied, and the convoy began taking the fastest route.

Just as they were about to arrive at the official residence, someone stopped the car.

The head guard immediately said to the section chief:
"It is Attendant Zhuang."

Attendant Zhuang, also known as Zhuang Weihong, was an old man in the Attendant's Office and enjoyed the deep trust of the Chief Attendant.

The section chief realized the other party's purpose, and after a mocking smile appeared on his lips, he said in a hoarse voice, "Let him come up."

The car stopped, the door opened, and the secretary and head guard tactfully left. Attendant Zhuang nodded to them before getting into the car.

The gloom on the section chief's face had disappeared, and he asked with a puzzled look, "Attendant Zhuang, what brings you here?"

Attendant Zhuang gave the section chief a deep look, then whispered:

"Chief Attendant... this time it was out of necessity."

He said to himself:
"There are serious problems with people's livelihoods in Nanjing, and the government's operations are also coming to a standstill."

"The most critical issue is the military. The Fifth Army's supplies have all stopped—Commander Du is flying to Nanjing. Liao's Corps says the soldiers are about to mutini because half of their cotton-padded clothing won't be supplied in the short term. The 13th Corps is even defying orders by demanding supplies, and there's more..."

As Attendant Zhuang recounted the points one by one, the gloom that the director had deliberately concealed involuntarily resurfaced.

It's obvious that they...

The coup was successful!
Attendant Zhuang stopped announcing the "bad news," sighed, and said:

"Director, the chief aide is indeed in a very difficult position, please understand."

Upon hearing this, the section chief suddenly laughed, but the laugh was filled with bitterness.

After a long while, he murmured:
"Look, if we don't fight corruption... the country will perish!" (End of Chapter)