My spy diary

Chapter 634 Telegram (Seeking monthly votes)

A wall lamp hangs at the entrance to the guard cell; the further down you go, the dimmer the light becomes.

Lu Shu'er walked alone into the depths of the passage.

Soon, he arrived at the iron gate of the warehouse at the end of the passage.

He blew on a tinderbox, took out a special key he had taken from the guard, and prepared to insert it into the lock, but an accident happened.

The large lock has two cylinders.

The other key is undoubtedly in the owner's possession.

Lu Shuer paused for a moment, opened the first lock cylinder, then pulled out the key and inserted it into the second lock, but the key got stuck halfway in.

He tried even harder, but it still didn't work.

Fortunately, he had been a thief before and had a mentor, so he was quite skilled at picking locks. He immediately pulled out the key, carefully examined the lock cylinder, and then took out a small file that he had prepared in advance from his pocket. He controlled the noise and tried to polish the key as quietly as possible.

Just as Lu Shuer was engrossed in filing the key, a rustling sound suddenly came from upstairs.

Lu Shuer was startled and turned around, only to find it pitch black behind her.

He dared not be careless, so he tiptoed to the door of the guard cell and looked inside. He saw the four guards lying sprawled on the ground, fast asleep. It couldn't have been them who made the noise.

He listened carefully again, but found nothing amiss. After hesitating for a few seconds, he gritted his teeth and returned to the warehouse door to carefully file the key.

"It should be the sound of the wind, or a mouse."

As he thought about it, he sped up the process of filing the key.

The file sliced ​​across his finger, drawing blood, but he didn't stop.

However, at that moment, faint footsteps came from upstairs.

Hearing the noise, Lu Shu'er quickly leaned against the wall, pulled out the pistol tucked behind his waist, and didn't dare to breathe.

"Brother, no, Captain Chen, this kid is quite capable. I didn't expect him to actually succeed."

"Shut up, or I'll pull your teeth out!"

Hearing the voices, Lu Shuer, who had been hiding trembling behind the wall, finally breathed a sigh of relief and poked half her head out to ask:

"Is this Captain Chen?"

Sweat streamed down his face, stinging his eyes. He hurriedly touched his face, unaware that several bloody marks had been left on his face.

"It's me!" Captain Chen came down with a special agent, glanced at the young policeman whose hair was soaked with sweat and whose hands and face were stained with blood, and smiled almost imperceptibly. "Hasn't the door opened yet?"

"A lock with a mother and child is missing a key."

"So you're filing a key?"

"Yes, it should be ready soon."

"The idea is good, but don't you think it's a waste of time?"

"what?"

“We’ve had him arrested for over half an hour now. If he doesn’t go home, are his family members not going to care?”

"This"

"Brother, why are you wasting your breath talking to him?" another agent interjected with a disdainful look. "Is it really necessary to go to all that trouble? Is that something you're carrying a fire poker?"

As he spoke, he pointed the gun at the lock.

After two shots were fired, he went up and yanked, tearing off the chain links.

Lu Shuer was dumbfounded.

"That's what you call simple violence!" The agent proudly raised his head, pushed open the door, and went inside.

Captain Chen shook his head and went inside as well.

Lu Shuer realized what was happening and quickly followed.

The warehouse was small, filled with stacks of boxes and mahogany furniture covered with tarpaulins.

The agent casually lifted a corner of the tarpaulin, pulled out a pair of pliers from his back, and with a swift movement, unlocked the lock.

He lifted the lid of the box and saw neatly stacked, brand-new Chinese currency inside. His eyes widened in surprise.

"Brother, it's money!"

"I'm not blind!" Captain Chen glared at him, signaling him to continue.

The agent took a deep breath and had no choice but to continue opening the box.

After opening several more boxes filled with legal tender, with a bang, the moment a slightly larger box was opened, the beam of the flashlight shone on it, and the gold bars stacked like a small mountain inside suddenly burst into a blinding light, as if even the air was coated with a layer of cold, hard gold.

The agent's breath caught in his throat, his fingers hovered in mid-air, his eyes instantly filled with greed, and even his Adam's apple bobbed involuntarily.

"Brother, gold bars! We're rich!"

Even Captain Chen was unsettled. He took a deep breath and quickly stepped forward to open the remaining dozen or so boxes one by one.

When the dozen or so boxes filled with gold bars were all opened before their eyes, the three of them froze on the spot, dumbfounded.

"How many gold bars are there exactly?"

"Eight thousand. Ten thousand?" the agent muttered to himself, then suddenly came to his senses, his right hand quickly reaching for the pistol at his waist, frantically winking at his boss.

Captain Chen understood and said to Lu Shuer with a smile:
"Officer Lu, could you please keep watch at the door?"

Lu Shuer said "Oh," sensing something was amiss. She smiled at Captain Chen, then forced herself to remain calm and left.

As soon as he left, the agent approached Captain Chen and whispered, "Brother, let's go all the way. If we get rid of this troublesome little cop, we can keep all the gold for ourselves and run away. Ten thousand taels of gold! That's enough for us to live on for several lifetimes."

Captain Chen didn't speak, staring at him for a long while before saying with a dark face, "And then?"

"what?"

"What happens after we kill him?"

"Of course, we should transport the gold out of the country."

"How do we get it out?" The agent was speechless.

Standing at the warehouse door, Lu Shu'er was still shaken by what had just happened. Captain Chen had sent him away, clearly plotting something with his so-called brother. Especially his brother's eyes, which gleamed with murderous intent, as if he wanted nothing more than to kill him immediately.

Thinking this, Lu Shu'er was immediately terrified. He gripped his pistol tightly and quickly took out the bamboo tube he had been carrying in his bosom, clutching it tightly in his hand. If they dared to lay a hand on him, he wouldn't mind letting them experience the effects of the sleeping potion.

Inside the warehouse, Captain Chen was still scolding his younger brother: "I think you're blinded by greed, your mind is clouded by lard. You dare to covet what Boss Dai wants, without even thinking about the consequences!"

"Brother, as the old saying goes, 'People die for wealth, birds die for food.' I don't believe you won't be tempted."

"Ten thousand taels of gold, who wouldn't be tempted? But the fear is that we might have the life to take it but not the life to spend it. Even if we can smuggle the gold out, then what? Will Li Jue and the Military Intelligence Bureau let us go? We'll have nowhere to stand, no matter where we go."

"We..." The agent, still unwilling to give up, peeked at his elder brother's expression and whispered, "Brother, if all else fails, we can still defect to the Japanese."

After hearing his words, Captain Chen remained silent for a long time, looking his younger brother up and down as if he were meeting him for the first time.

The younger brother, feeling uneasy under his gaze, gave an awkward laugh: "Brother, I meant just in case."

Before he could finish speaking, a slap landed on his face.

"Chen Lao Er, do you want to defect and become a traitor?"

Chen Lao Er was stunned by the beating and covered his cheek, saying, "Brother, that's not what I meant."

Captain Chen snorted, pointed to his head, and said with a look of exasperation:
"Idiot, if you want to die, don't drag me down with you. Think about our parents, our wives and kids. Open your pig head and think about why we were sent on this mission? Is there no one else at the station?"

Before his younger brother could answer, he muttered to himself:
"That's because all four of us have wives, children, and elderly parents, making us easy to manipulate, understand? Fool, do you really think everyone else is an idiot? A pawn should be prepared to be a pawn. You want to join the Japanese? You? Why would the Japanese want you? 'A common man is innocent, but possessing a treasure is a crime.' They won't kill you and take the gold for themselves, will they?"

Captain Chen knows his younger brother too well: all brawn and no brains, always acting on a whim.

Chen Lao Er hung his head and remained silent.

Seeing this, Captain Chen's anger seemed to subside a bit. He gave his younger brother a push and said, "Cheer up. You and that guy surnamed Lu keep an eye on this place. I'll go back and report to the station right away."

"Okay, bro."

Captain Chen glared at him twice more, glanced at the gold in the box, sighed, and left.

Upon reaching the door, he noticed Lu Shuer secretly clutching something and slipping it into her pocket, but pretended not to see it.
"Officer Lu, thank you for your hard work. Please hang in there a little longer. I'll go back and report now."

Lu Shuer glanced furtively at Captain Chen, whose face remained impassive. He smiled and said:
"Captain Chen, you're too kind. You've worked hard too."

Captain Chen glanced at him, and vaguely sensed that Lu Shu'er seemed different than before. True wisdom lies in feigning ignorance, in hiding one's true nature in the city—those are the real masters. Could Lu Shu'er be that kind of person?
Bao'an Village.

A newly translated telegram was delivered to Dai Chunfeng. Upon reading its contents, he was overjoyed and immediately said to his adjutant, Jia, who was standing beside him:

"Please have Zhang Yi come over." He paused, then added, "And have Tong Xiang and Lu Dawei come along too."

Soon, the three of them arrived one after another.

Zhang Yi was injured and felt drowsy, but he managed to get a good night's sleep.

Tong Xiang and Lu Dawei, the two brothers, were in the same boat and couldn't sleep. They both had dark faces and looked extremely haggard.

"How was your rest?" Dai Chunfeng's gaze swept over the group, finally landing on Lu Dawei. He then changed the subject, "Director Lu, are the people in the Investigation Department still trustworthy?"

Lu Dawei was taken aback, and quickly said, "Please rest assured, Director, I can guarantee that they are all loyal to the Military Intelligence Bureau and Director Dai. They will go through fire and water for any order!"

"Does this also include those who received bribes from Li Jue?"

As Dai Chunfeng spoke, a barely perceptible hint of murderous intent flashed in his eyes. The lighting was dim, and Lu Dawei didn't notice, but he still sensed a chilling undercurrent in Dai Chunfeng's tone. To further ascertain Dai Chunfeng's thoughts, he quickly stated:
"Don't worry, Director. I will reorganize the team and deal with all those who violated the rules when I get back."

"If the water is too clear, there will be no fish. If we get rid of them all, who will fight for us?" Dai Chunfeng yawned, opened one eye and glanced at Lu Dawei, who quickly chimed in:
"Yes, Director is right. Then I will find the ringleader and make an example of him to deter others."

Dai Chunfeng remained noncommittal, tapping his knee with his fingers, and spoke with deliberate care, choosing his words carefully:
"You're all well aware of the current situation. I want to punish Li Jue, and that old fox can't possibly be unprepared." Seeing Lu Dawei nodding repeatedly, Dai Chunfeng continued, "As the old saying goes, time will tell. Dawei, you're from my hometown. You need to be clear about where you stand at this crucial moment. If you handle things well, besides letting bygones be bygones, you'll definitely get your share of the benefits; if you dare to be ambiguous, or have other plans in mind, don't blame me for not showing any brotherly affection."

Lu Dawei was filled with trepidation. Although he was suspicious of what the matter was, when he heard the man mention his hometown, express his willingness to forgive past transgressions, and offer both encouragement and a threat, he quickly expressed his loyalty.
“Mr. Dai, I am deeply ashamed. We are both from the same hometown and drink the same water. Dawei’s success today is entirely due to your kindness and support. I will never forget your kindness. Mr. Dai, you are the helmsman and the guide for us Jiangshan people. I am just the rower and I am willing to follow you forever.”

As he spoke, Lu Dawei became emotional, his eyes welling up with tears. He took a half-step forward, his expression even more respectful, and said loudly:

"From now on, no matter what dangers lie ahead, whether it be mountains of knives or seas of fire, or dragon's dens or tiger's lair, wherever you point, I will fight without hesitation."

Lu Dawei had started talking and was about to swear an oath to express his feelings when Dai Chunfeng interrupted him, saying:

"I understand your intentions, so there's no need for further words. I'll just ask you one question: Is there anyone trustworthy in the investigation department?"

"Yes, there are plenty of people who are absolutely loyal to the Party, the State, and the Military Intelligence Bureau."

"That's good." Dai Chunfeng nodded, then looked at Station Chief Tong, "What about your end?"

Tong Xiang quickly replied, "Director, it's the same for me."

"Alright, I'm relieved to hear you say that. Now let's get down to business." Seeing that the time was right, Dai Chunfeng smiled meaningfully and gestured for his adjutant, Jia, to hand the telegram to the group. "Take a look, everyone. The matter we were just discussing was triggered by this telegram."

Lu Dawei and Tong Xiang exchanged bewildered glances, completely confused, but Zhang Yi understood in an instant. He took the telegram and glanced at it; sure enough, Lu Shuer and his men had succeeded. He feigned shock and handed the telegram to Station Chief Tong.

Station Master Tong took it and glanced at it, then stared in disbelief.

Unable to contain himself, Lu Dawei leaned over for a look and was equally dumbfounded, blurting out:

"Ten thousand taels of gold?"

He stole a glance at Dai Chunfeng, then asked a second time incredulously, "Ten thousand taels of gold? Just how much did Li Jue embezzle?"

Dai Chunfeng snorted coldly and asked in return, "In your opinion, how should this matter be handled?"

Lu Dawei bit his lip and pondered for a moment, then suddenly slapped his fist together, his face turning fierce, and said:

"There's only one way: get rid of Li Jue."

Dai Chunfeng's heart skipped a beat. His deep gaze fixed on Lu Dawei, and after a long while, he shook his head and said:

"No, if he gets cornered, the consequences will be unimaginable. Besides, his life or death depends on the old man's approval."

"Mr. Dai, let's just say he's guilty and plotting a rebellion."

Lu Dawei wanted to argue his point, but Dai Chunfeng waved his hand to interrupt him: "Alright, Li Jue deserved to die, but he can't die at our hands."

"Then, Mr. Dai, what do you plan to do with this? That's ten thousand taels of gold!"

"How should we handle this?" Dai Chunfeng smiled mysteriously, slowly stood up, looked around at the group, and asked, "What's Li Jue's brother-in-law's name?"

(End of this chapter)