My spy diary

Chapter 602 Portrait (Seeking monthly votes)

Li Yishan was awakened by a blinding light, his whole body trembling uncontrollably. He stared blankly with his eyes, and only after his eyes gradually adjusted to the light was he able to see his surroundings clearly.

It looked like an abandoned warehouse. He was handcuffed to an interrogation rack, spread-eagled. Opposite him were two officers, one fat and one thin, wearing khaki shirts with the sleeves rolled up high, glaring at him fiercely.

It's like escaping one tiger's den only to fall into another.

After escaping from Jiangshan County, he intended to run far away, disappear into the distance, and find a place where no one knew him to start anew.

He believed that as long as he had the skill of shoe repair, no matter how difficult or exhausting it was, he would be able to raise his daughter to adulthood and watch her have her own family in the future. Perhaps one day he would even become a grandfather.
Unexpectedly, his injuries flared up after walking only a dozen miles, and the pain became unbearable. Helpless, he had to find a family to settle his daughter in first, and then seek help from a doctor he had known in the past to treat his wounds. But who could have imagined that this seemingly gentle and kind doctor, who had been calling him brother and asking about his well-being just a moment ago, would take advantage of his unconsciousness and report him to the authorities?

When he woke up again, he had already fallen into the hands of the town's militia.

Next came the Military Intelligence Bureau personnel and the garrison troops.

Li Yishan couldn't understand why this was.
Why do these people have to make things difficult for him? He hasn't offended anyone; he just wants to live an honest and hardworking life. Is that wrong?
Why does God treat me this way?

Just as he was lost in thought, the fat man spoke up:

"Li Yishan, is that you? Will you say it yourself, or will the whip say it for you?"

"What are you going to say? Why did you arrest me?"

"What do you think? How did you, a rapist, escape from a heavily guarded police station with a special pass? Tell me about it."

"I am not a rapist, someone framed me!"

"Oh, who framed you?"

"That bastard Zhao Wenwu."

"Really? Why did he frame you instead of me? Flies don't land on eggs without cracks, which means you're no better than me."

Li Yishan roared angrily, "What did I do wrong? Just because I look like that Yao guy, you're making me his scapegoat?"

The fat man and the thin man exchanged a glance, feigning surprise: "Is that so? Don't worry, if it's true, we'll definitely stand up for you and help you clear your name. Of course, there are conditions."

"What conditions?"

“I won’t beat around the bush with you. Tell us who rescued you. As long as you’re willing to be honest, we can let you go right away.”

Li Yishan fell silent. Although he didn't know the man, he vaguely remembered Zhao Wenwu mentioning that his name was Director Zhang. While he didn't understand why this complete stranger had helped him escape, such a life-saving act—like finding light in a dark room or a boat in a dead end—was a debt of gratitude worthy of a lifetime's remembrance. He should repay it tenfold; how could he betray him and do something so ungrateful and despicable?

Seeing that he remained silent, the fat man's eyes sharpened: "Li Yishan, think about yourself, think about your daughter. People can't come back to life after they die. It's better to live a miserable life than to die a good death. Once you're dead, you have nothing left."

Li Yishan feigned ignorance: "I don't know him."

The fat man sneered, "Really? So you don't know him at all?"

Li Yishan continued to feign ignorance: "Really, I really don't know him."

His posture, in the eyes of the two fat men, was undoubtedly an act, and a rather clumsy one at that, which made them impatient.

"You refuse a toast only to drink a forfeit, huh? I'll see if your words are tougher than my whip."

As he spoke, the fat man grabbed a barbed iron whip and lashed out. Each lash tore open flesh, creating a cloud of blood and screams of agony.

On the other side, Zhang Yi had just returned to the hall after calming down the commotion caused by the gunshots when a woman suddenly walked over from the corridor.

It's Shen Ruozhu.

She wasn't wearing her police uniform today; instead, she had changed into a white evening gown with an exquisite tassel-embroidered shawl and high heels, exuding a noble and elegant air, and smiling sweetly.

"What are you doing here?" Zhang Yi asked, looking at her expressionlessly.

"Director Zhang, you ruined someone's reputation last night. You can't just pretend nothing happened, can you? Since you didn't come to me, I had no choice but to come to you." Shen Ruozhu said with a resentful look.

"So you came here to find me?" Zhang Yi raised an eyebrow.

"I couldn't find you, so I came here to try my luck."

"What do you want from me?"

Shen Ruozhu suddenly snorted, then laughed and said, "Last night, you suddenly came to me, and I don't know what you wanted to do."

These words were quite meaningful. Zhang Yi was shocked and thought to himself that it wouldn't be difficult to make this woman disappear, but he had to find out the whole story behind it. He didn't believe that the person who was so timid and furious in the morning would suddenly have the confidence to confront him face to face. Who gave her that confidence?
So, without batting an eye, he asked, "What are you trying to say?"

Shen Ruozhu smiled, leaned closer, and said reproachfully, "Before, my life was monotonous and boring, you could say dull, but it was peaceful. You seduced someone, gave them expectations, but then you turned your back on them after you were done with them. What am I supposed to do?"

Zhang Yi looked at her and smiled.

Shen Ruozhu continued, "I didn't mean to bother you, but you ruined someone's reputation, so you have to give me an explanation, right?"

She was somewhat agitated when she said this.

Zhang Yi didn't know if she was being genuine or acting. He stared at her expressionlessly and said coldly:

"You want money? Name your price, gold or US dollars?"

Shen Ruozhu was taken aback, then her face fell: "I don't want money, I just want an explanation, an account."

“An explanation? An account?” Zhang Yi sneered. “Why don’t you say that to Zhao Wenwu? You’re all open and subservient in front of him, but when you come to me, you become conservative and domineering? Trying to act like a phoenix with a chicken feather on its head? Trying to cling to me? Who gave you the courage?”

Shen Ruozhu had been observing Zhang Yi's every move. When she saw him suddenly reach into her bosom, her breathing quickened involuntarily. Thinking Zhang Yi was about to attack, she shrank back in fright.
"There are so many people here, you'd better not make a move, or else..."

Zhang Yi interrupted her, giving her a disdainful look, and tossed her a few banknotes he had pulled from his pocket, saying slowly and deliberately:
"200 yuan, is that enough? If you want to be a prostitute, don't even think about pretending to be virtuous. Take the money and get out of here!" Shen Ruozhu was stunned. These words were like a needle piercing her brain. Her head was buzzing, and she muttered repeatedly, completely lost, "prostitute."

"Yes. That's the kind of person I see. Since you've taken this job, you should at least have the professional ethics you're supposed to have. It's about being responsible to yourself and to others. What do you think? Taking shortcuts and resorting to underhanded tactics will only lead to a loss of credibility and being despised by others."

Shen Ruozhu stared at him, feeling extremely uncomfortable. Not just her face, but also her heart and self-esteem.

This humiliation of having her dignity trampled upon made her want to kill the beastly bastard opposite her.

"To be honest, I didn't expect you to be a—how should I put it, in my eyes, you're like a wildcat with its claws outstretched and its fur standing on end. I thought you were a house cat, the kind with neatly trimmed claws, obedient, docile, and easy to manage."

Shen Ruozhu's red lips trembled slightly as she growled angrily, "Someone like you likes cats?"

"It's a cat without claws. Who would like a cat that scratches its owner all the time? Of course, liking someone doesn't necessarily mean you have to keep it as a pet."

Don't look at me like that. I know what you're trying to say. Those sweet nothings from last night, I don't know how many people I've said them to, and each time with a different twist. Heh heh, a man's mouth is a lying devil, especially when it's drunken ramblings. Alright, take the money and go. Let's pretend today never happened. Otherwise, if there's a next time, you'll probably have to go to Zhao Wenwu to pour your heart out."

Shen Ruozhu's expression grew increasingly grim: "You!"

If it weren't for the task assigned by Boss Dai, she would have loved to tear this two-faced, treacherous man to pieces right now. But she couldn't, and she dared not. She couldn't hold back any longer, and silent weeping made her shoulders tremble uncontrollably.

"What are you doing?" Zhang Yi took a step back in disgust. "Don't try this 'crying, making a scene, threatening suicide' trick on me. This kind of coercion won't work on me." He then snorted coldly, "What are you still standing there for? Think you don't have enough money?"

With tears welling in her eyes, Shen Ruozhu roared, "You surnamed Zhang!"

"Why are you crying? Tears are the cheapest thing in the world." Zhang Yi shook his head expressionlessly, bent down to pick up the banknotes from the ground, and stuffed them into her bosom. "Goodbye!"

With that, he turned and walked away without looking back. An officer in the distance, raising his glass, shouted loudly:

"Oh dear, Director Zhang, we've been looking everywhere for you. Come, let me toast you."

Zhang Yi said with a beaming smile, "How could I miss Director Wang's wine?"

Shen Ruozhu stood at the door, watching him merge into another world. She bit her lip hard, stared at him fiercely for a few moments, then stomped her foot and turned to leave.

"The most righteous are often the lowest of the low? You think you can be a hero? Speak! If you don't, you'll die right here today!"

In that rudimentary interrogation room, Li Yishan had been tortured beyond recognition and had fainted several times. The fat man's iron whip continued to lash him, and he let out intermittent, shrill screams.

Seeing that the whip had no effect, the skinny man completely lost his patience. He took a few steps forward, grabbed Li Yishan by the throat, and roared:
"Director Yao Zechong died a miserable death because of you. Director Zhao Wenwu was murdered in the wilderness because of you, dying with his eyes wide open in disbelief. Another one, Zhao Longwen, the police chief appointed by the Nationalist government and a major general in the Military Intelligence Bureau, was also suspected and imprisoned. All of this is thanks to you, you troublemaker, do you know that?"

Li Yishan moved slightly, as if he wanted to speak. The skinny man immediately leaned closer and heard Li Yishan say something indistinctly:

"I really don't know him."

"Pretending to be deaf, huh? I'll show you!" The skinny man, enraged, pulled out a dagger and cut off Li Yishan's left ear.

Warm blood instantly trickled down his jawline and neck, soaking his collar with a cold groan. Li Yishan trembled and screamed in agony. The skinny man thought for a moment, then said:

"Will you talk or not? Oh, right, you have a daughter. Don't think she can escape this time. Hmph, as long as we offer a high bounty, she'll be in the interrogation room within half a day. Do you want to see her ear cut off too?"

These words struck a nerve with Li Yishan, and he suddenly roared wildly, "Fuck your mother, you attacked her! I'll tell you, I'll tell you everything! Waaah!"

A few hundred meters away, the door to the commander's office was half open.

Li Jue's deafening voice boomed from inside: "What director of the investigation office? I, Li, have not received any appointment notice. Stop acting like a bully. What do you mean by 'your people'? Li Yishan was arrested by our garrison. Maintaining local order is also our duty. Tong, shut your damn mouth, you dog who relies on your master's power. If you have something to say, let Dai Yunong talk to me!"

At this moment, the adjutant hurried over. Hearing Commander Li having a fit inside, he dared not go in rashly. After waiting for a while, he cautiously went in to report:
"Commander, Li Yishan has agreed to confess."

Li Jue's mood instantly brightened, and he asked excitedly, "Are you sure?"

"Yes, but he said he didn't know that person. We've already brought in a portrait artist."

"Go, have a look."

After receiving basic first aid, Li Yishan was moved to another office and handcuffed to a chair. A cup of hot water was placed on the table in front of him.

A portrait artist in a major's uniform sat opposite him, his easel already set up. He glanced at Li Yishan and said, "Let's begin."

The fat man's expression changed completely; he handed the hot water to Li Yishan with a friendly smile.
"Are you thirsty? Drink some water and think it over."

Li Yishan hesitated for a moment, his handcuffed hands trembling as he picked up the cup, took a sip, and looked up at the portrait artist.

The portrait artist said somewhat impatiently, "Speak."

Li Yishan took a deep breath and said, "He probably, probably."

The portrait artist made a single stroke, but before he could finish, he glared at him. Seeing Li Yishan stammering for a long time, unable to utter a word, the artist stood up with a cold smile and looked at the fat man:

"If that's the case, then there's nothing I can do to help you. You should send him back to the interrogation room!"

The fat man's face darkened, and without saying a word, he grabbed Li Yishan's hair: "You won't listen to reason, will you?"

"No, I'll talk!" Li Yishan was dragged up, his head twisted from side to side as he struggled. His gaze inadvertently fell on a newspaper on the rack by the door. The prominent photo of Director Zhao Longwen on the folded paper instantly caught his eye; his confident and spirited appearance was unforgettable. A thought suddenly struck him: his current situation was inextricably linked to Zhao Wenwu and his nephew Zhao Longwen. So he pretended to recall something:
He was about five feet one inch tall, with a round face.

"Round face, right?" As Li Yishan described, the portrait artist drew with great skill, quickly sketching the outline of a person's portrait on the paper.

At this moment, Li Jue entered with his adjutant. Everyone quickly stood at attention and saluted: "Commander."

"The portrait is out? It's so lifelike!"

Li Jue waved his hand, indicating that there was no need for formalities, and curiously leaned over to glance at the portrait, praising it as he did so. But after studying it for a while, he suddenly paused, startled:
"The more I look at him, the more he resembles Zhao Longwen."

(End of this chapter)