My spy diary

Chapter 637 The World Spins (Seeking Monthly Tickets)

When Li Jue changed into his military uniform and came out of the bedroom, his wife had already prepared a briefcase.

"Keep a close eye on Gu Mingyuan's matter. Remember to notify me immediately if you receive any calls," Li Jue instructed as he took the briefcase from his wife.

Upon opening it, he found an exquisite wooden box containing mooncakes. He took out a bunch of keys from his pocket, found the right one, and unlocked the box.

The lid of the box was lifted, revealing a layer of golden, glistening mooncakes.

When the mooncakes were moved aside, gold bars were neatly stacked in two layers, about fifty in total.

Li Jue nodded, closed the box, glanced at his wife, and strode out.

Outside, the car was already waiting, and the adjutant stood respectfully beside the door.

In front of and behind the car were two jeeps, each carrying six armed guards, all armed with MP18 submachine guns.

This type of gun entered China after World War I. Because there were many holes in the heat dissipation sleeve outside the barrel, Chinese soldiers jokingly called it "flower gun".

Upon seeing Li Jue emerge, the adjutant stepped forward, took the briefcase, and opened the car door.

Li Jue ducked inside, glanced at his watch, and asked seriously:

"How are the preparations going?"

"They've all confessed. In addition to submachine guns, they were also equipped with pistols and grenades."

"Okay, everyone check your weapons, bring extra bullets, just in case—let's go."

As the car slowly started moving, Li Jue also drew his Browning pistol from his waist, reloaded it, and put it back in its holster.

The adjutant, taken aback by his actions, asked in bewilderment:

"Commander, aren't you overthinking this? I don't believe he has the guts to attack you in public."

Li Jue sneered: "Don't forget Han Fu and Qu!"

Who were Han Fu and Qu? They were deputy commanders of the Fifth War Zone, known as the "Kings of Shandong." Yet they were captured by Dai Chunfeng using the strategies of "luring the enemy deep into the trap" and "inviting the enemy into the urn," without even firing a single shot.

Of course, this man had angered the Chairman by openly disobeying orders and abandoning his territory, coupled with his previous attempt to seize control of the central government's tax revenue in Shandong and his public telegram during the Chang'an Incident expressing support for Zhang and Yang. All these factors, both old and new, fueled the old man's murderous intent. To make an example of him and deter others, he secretly ordered Dai Chunfeng to arrest him.

His situation was naturally different from Han's, but when life and death were at stake, who would dare to entrust their life so easily, or gamble on uncertain risks?

Therefore, it's never too much to take precautions.

"Yes, sir." The adjutant quickly cocked his pistol as well.

The car left the city and soon arrived at the temporary airport controlled by the garrison.

Li Jue stopped the car far away and stared intently through the window at Dai Chunfeng's private plane in the distance.

At this moment, several crew members are inspecting the aircraft, while several heavily armed special agents are guarding the area.

Li Jue snorted coldly: "People from the Military Intelligence Bureau?"

The adjutant secretly glanced at his face:

"Yes."

Li Jue asked with a dark face, "The airport is a restricted area. Who let them in?"

The adjutant was speechless.

Li Jue didn't press the matter further, frowning as he pondered. Based on his understanding of Dai Chunfeng, this man was extremely secretive and always kept his travel plans highly confidential.

Generally speaking, he makes the decisions about the timing and route of the mobile phone's movement, and he never allows himself to be influenced or controlled by others. Moreover, after making a decision, he often suddenly changes the timing and route of the movement, catching his subordinates off guard.

However, now that the plane is parked in an area under his control, he has no secrets left.

The driver in the driver's seat looked at Li Jue through the rearview mirror, as if to ask if he should go over.

"Wait a little longer." Li Jue, sitting in the back seat, kept his eyes following the plane.

The driver didn't say anything and waited patiently as instructed.

Just then, the sound of car horns came from afar, and soon two black sedans arrived near the private jet.

After seeing Dai Chunfeng and Deputy Officer Jia get out of the car, Li Jue gave a few words of advice to the crew and then strolled to the side by himself.

A few minutes later, two more cars arrived. The first car carried a radio operator and a wounded man who was helped out. Li Jue vaguely remembered that his name was Zhang Yi.

Two more injured people got off the bus next.

The second car was hailed by Director Gong, Station Chief Tong, Lu Dawei, and several entourage members.

Upon seeing this, Li Jue immediately breathed a sigh of relief.

But he didn't go over immediately. Instead, he carefully looked around the convoy again until he found nothing amiss. Then he leaned back in his seat and said to the driver:
"Go over there."

The driver started the engine, shifted into gear, and stepped on the gas, slowly driving the car forward.

Dai Chunfeng, who was pacing in the distance, suddenly sensed something. He turned around and saw a Dodge slowly driving towards him.

The car stopped about 30 or 40 meters away from the plane.

The adjutant got out of the car first, carrying a briefcase, followed by Li Jue.

Then, all the guards got off the vehicle in an orderly fashion, their boots landing with a resounding thud.

Li Jue glanced in Dai Chunfeng's direction and subtly gave the guard squad leader a wink.

The squad leader understood and immediately came over.

Li Jue whispered to him, "Remember, you only have one task: keep your eyes and ears open and watch my hand signals."

"Understood." After accepting the order, the sergeant asked again, "What if we have to fire?"

Li Jue hesitated for a moment: "Open."

After saying this, he led his adjutant toward Dai Chunfeng, calling out from afar:

"Brother Yu Nong, why are you leaving in such a hurry? You didn't even let me do my part as your host."

"Brother Yunbo, you're too kind. There's plenty of time in the future," Dai Chunfeng replied with a smile, seemingly unconcerned.

"To my shame, I, Li, have failed in my military command and have been negligent in my precautions, causing Brother Yu Nong to suffer greatly. Fortunately, we escaped unharmed. My apologies, my apologies!"

Dai Chunfeng wore a polite smile and didn't respond, waiting for Li Jue to continue.

"Yu Nong, I'm truly sorry. Although I have a clear conscience, I am still responsible. Don't worry, I will definitely give you an explanation for this matter." Li Jue said, taking the briefcase from his adjutant. "The Mid-Autumn Festival is approaching. These are mooncakes made by your sister-in-law. Please have a taste, Yu Nong."

"Of course I believe you," Dai Chunfeng said, still smiling. "Is it really a mooncake?"

The Dragon Boat Festival hasn't even passed yet, so how can we talk about the Mid-Autumn Festival? What's inside the box is self-evident.

Seeing Dai Chunfeng feigning ignorance, Li Jue cursed inwardly, but maintained a smile on his face. As he spoke, he intentionally or unintentionally glanced at the people behind Dai Chunfeng:

“Your sister-in-law said that these things are not for you, but for Ms. Hu Die. It’s just a small token of her appreciation.”

Dai Chunfeng sized him up, then continued to play dumb:

"You still haven't told me what's inside."

"Playing dumb." Li Jue was furious inside, but the smile on his lips was gone from his eyes: "I swallowed my pride and went to great lengths to collect fifty of them. Oh, by the way, the official exchange rate today is 665 yuan per tael of currency."

That's what they say, but everyone knows that's the official listed price. On the black market, it's already being traded for between 700 and 1200 yuan, but there's no market for it.

What could be called a "market tael" was, of course, gold bars. Dai Chunfeng's smile slowly faded. Having already acquired ten thousand taels of gold, why would he care about such a small amount? He sized up Li Jue a few times, then asked with a look of surprise:
"What does Commander Li mean by this?"

"It's just a small token of my appreciation. Is Yu Nong disrespecting me?"

"You have no face to speak of," Dai Chunfeng sneered inwardly. However, to continue to lull Li Jue into a false sense of security, he sighed, gazing at the box of 50 small yellow croakers with a greedy look. He spoke with utmost sincerity: "Commander, you are the local official of my hometown. Who would dare refuse your face? If it were before, I would definitely accept this box. But times have changed. Commander Li, I have a question for you. Please tell me the truth."

Li Jue became serious: "Director Dai, please ask. As long as I know the answer, I will tell you everything without reservation."

Dai Chunfeng frowned and asked, "Did the commander participate in the smuggling and trafficking activities in the Third War Zone?"

Li Jue feigned ignorance: "Smuggling and trafficking? I haven't heard of that! Even if it were true, I wouldn't get involved. When the country is in crisis, soldiers take it upon themselves to protect their country; how could they get involved in such a thing?"

Dai Chunfeng finally showed a relieved expression: "It's best if there's nothing wrong. Commander, to be honest, even if it's against discipline, I still have to let you know. During this trip to the Southeast, the Chairman repeatedly instructed me to thoroughly investigate smuggling and trafficking in the Third War Zone."

At this point, his face turned stern. "Those people in the Third War Zone are truly outrageous! The military situation at the front is so critical, yet they still dare to live such a lavish lifestyle in the rear. They actually dare to set up checkpoints privately, engage in smuggling, levy exorbitant taxes, knowingly break the law, and disregard the Chairman's repeated orders. They are simply insane. When I return to Shancheng this time, I will definitely report them to the authorities."

Li Jue sneered inwardly: "As expected of a hypocrite who deceives the world and steals fame. He's still putting on an act with me now, and I almost believed him. Hmph, if you had any evidence, I'd probably be the first one to attack you when you get back to Shancheng."

He said "Oh," feigning concern: "Yu Nong, Commander Gu is the Chairman's trusted lieutenant, not someone to be trifled with. You'd better be careful, or you might end up losing more than you gain."

"Ah, who can argue with that?" Dai Chunfeng sighed, his voice filled with mixed emotions.

He paused, looking as if he wanted to say something but hesitated.

Li Jue cursed inwardly, but naturally didn't respond. He simply stared at him, waiting for him to continue.

Dai Chunfeng hesitated for a moment, then took out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, pulled one out and handed it to Li Jue. As Li Jue took it, seemingly reluctantly, Dai Chunfeng immediately pulled out a lighter and lit it for him. Then he opened his mouth, as if considering his words:

"Commander, I have a few words from the bottom of my heart before I leave. I wonder if it is appropriate to say them?"

Dai Chunfeng's words were cryptic and left Li Jue with a look of suspicion.

Dai Chunfeng continued, "Since it is Commander Li's kind intention, then I should accept it without hesitation."

With that, he casually took the briefcase from Li Jue's hand and boarded the plane.

Once he left, only Li Jue and his adjutant remained.

The adjutant asked suspiciously, "Commander, what does he mean by this?"

Li Jue frowned as he watched Dai Chunfeng's figure disappear through the cabin door. He then sized up the Kuomintang agents around him and said sullenly:

"He's playing tricks; who knows what he's trying to say!"

“He clearly wants to talk to the commander on the plane.” The adjutant, on high alert, looked at him and said, “I’m just saying, whatever he wants to say, you don’t need to worry about it. Just in case…”

"Hmph, without evidence, he wouldn't dare lay a hand on me even if he had ten lives. This is my territory!"

Li Jue felt he had gained the upper hand in the previous overt and covert exchanges, and Dai Chunfeng had already accepted the gift as he wished, giving him leverage over Dai. He didn't think Dai Chunfeng would dare to make a move here. Besides, he had dozens of armed guards on his side, while the Military Intelligence Bureau was just a few old, weak, and disabled men. He sneered, glanced at his watch, and instructed his adjutant:

"If I haven't disembarked by five minutes, fire warning shots immediately and surround the plane!"

"Yes, sir." The adjutant replied crisply, then added, "I'll go check on the plane first."

"You think there's an ambush up there?" Li Jue raised an eyebrow.

"Commander, it's better to be safe than sorry." After saying that, the adjutant added, "After all, the Military Intelligence Bureau's people are everywhere. I'll go up and check first, just in case."

Li Jue remained silent.

Silence means consent.

Seeing this, the adjutant gripped his sidearm at his waist and walked toward the plane.

As they ascended the spiral staircase, no one stopped them; the Kuomintang agents below the plane simply watched from a distance.

The adjutant stood at the cabin door and peered out. He saw Dai Chunfeng sitting with his back to him, and next to him was Director Zhang, who was grimacing as he changed his dressing. There were blood-stained bandages next to him.

Looking to the right, the cabin door was open, and two crew members were engrossed in operating the instruments, completely unaware of their presence.

The adjutant glanced at it intently for a few moments, secretly breathed a sigh of relief, and then turned to nod at Li Jue.

Seeing this, Li Jue's doubts vanished. He shrugged and strode confidently toward the plane.

Ascending the spiral staircase, he arrogantly glanced down at the Kuomintang agents and his own guards below, then walked in with his hands behind his back. He was completely unaware that his adjutant had just descended the stairs when Station Chief Tong grabbed him and pulled him aside to talk. At the same time, two capable Kuomintang plainclothes officers walked resolutely toward his guards, even with a hint of fearlessness.

"Yu Nong, what exactly do you want to say?" Before Li Jue could finish speaking, Dai Chunfeng suddenly turned around with a sinister look in his eyes. Seeing this unfamiliar gaze, Li Jue immediately sensed something was wrong. Just as he was about to draw his gun, he saw Zhang Yi, who had been looking sickly, suddenly flash with a fierce light in his eyes, and his previous dejection vanished.

His movements were as fast as lightning. His right hand gripped Li Jue's gun-wielding hand like an iron clamp, while his left elbow slammed into Li Jue's chest. Li Jue groaned, and before he could react, the pistol at his waist was already in Zhang Yi's hand, and then his pistol was pressed against Li Jue's chin.

Li Jue was stunned, his mind went blank for several seconds, before he gritted his teeth and asked:
"Dai Yunong, what are you trying to do, acting insubordination?"

Dai Chunfeng sneered. Now that the truth had been revealed, he was too lazy to play along any longer. He simply pulled a telegram from his pocket and tossed it in front of Li Jue:

"By order of the Chairman, Li Jue is to be arrested immediately and relieved of all his duties."

Li Jue's face was grim: "I don't believe it! Why are you arresting me? What crime have I committed?"

Dai Chunfeng didn't speak, but just smiled sarcastically, then slowly and politely sat down, and opened the briefcase that Li Jue had given him.

The key was in the lock, and Dai Chunfeng opened it to take a look.

Unexpectedly, he then took a thick file bag from the side, opened it, took out a seal with "Military Commission Investigation and Statistics Bureau" printed on it, and stuck it directly on the wooden box. Then he took out a stamp from the file bag and stamped a large red seal on the seal. Finally, he took the pen from his chest and wrote the two large characters "bribe" on the red seal.

After doing all this, he smiled:
"Li Jue, do you have anything else to say?"

Li Jue was dumbfounded, feeling worse than if he had eaten shit. He stared intently at Dai Chunfeng, gritting his teeth:

"Dai Chunfeng, this is slander! This is insubordination! I want to see Commander Gu! I want to see the Chairman! I am the commander of an army group. Without orders from the Military Commission and the theater command, no one has the right to remove me from my post. Falsely accusing a high-ranking officer during wartime is tantamount to treason and collusion with the enemy. You'd better think carefully about the consequences of doing so!"

Dai Chunfeng scoffed and walked towards him expressionlessly.

Li Jue's gaze was fixed on him. He was the commander of an army group, yet facing this major general, his face, though filled with hostility, couldn't hide the fear in his heart. The fear wasn't directed at Dai Chunfeng, but at the Chairman behind him.

Does the Chairman really intend to put me to death?
Didn't I ask my father-in-law in Shancheng to inquire about the news?
Why is there not a single word from them?

Dai Chunfeng walked to his side: "You're right. It's indeed difficult to convict you based solely on the fifty small yellow croakers you bribed me with, but what if it were ten thousand taels of gold?"

Li Jue's heart skipped a beat: "What does that mean?"

"Your acting was good, but unfortunately you fell for my trick today. What's with the unusual movements of the military police in the city? The Garrison Command's Investigation Department said you're looking for a man named Gu Mingyuan. Isn't he your brother-in-law? They also said that he robbed you of the ten thousand taels of gold you obtained through smuggling and embezzlement. Am I slandering you for that?"

"Nonsense, what you're saying are all rumors and speculations, and have nothing to do with the person in question."

"Scoundrel! You're about to die and you're still being stubborn!" Dai Chunfeng roared, forcefully ripping off Li Jue's officer's cap.

Before Li Jue could react, Dai Chunfeng ripped off his collar insignia and shoulder insignia with two quick slaps.

Li Jue's current position is a testament to his seniority, military achievements, and background; he cannot tolerate such humiliation from a junior spies. Enraged, he hysterically roared, "Guards! Guards! Open fire!"

"Still clinging to illusions? Too late!" Suddenly, Dai Chunfeng grabbed his collar and dragged him to the airplane window. "Open your dog eyes and take a good look."

Li Jue was speechless, his eyes glazed over. He gritted his teeth and stared wide-eyed, only to be stunned and his face turned ashen. His trusted guards, on whom he had placed so much hope, were now squatting on the ground, heads in their hands, like wilted eggplants. Two plainclothes officers from the Military Intelligence Bureau, their shirts open and grenades hanging from their sleeves, were disarming them.

He felt a sudden dizziness and almost fell to the ground.

(End of this chapter)