Chapter 21: One Cannot Become Rich Without Windfalls

It turns out that those who have been subjected to long-term brainwashing, like Liu Yuezhen, perceive reality differently than ordinary people. Even as Dujuan was tortured into a mangled mess right before her eyes, Liu remained completely indifferent. Compared to her, Ma San and Zhou Shun actually seemed more human.

"Put Dujuan out of her misery," Song Yingge said to Chen Ke. Although Dujuan was innocent to a certain extent, she had, after all, worked for the Japanese spies. This was a life-or-death struggle for the survival of the nation; there was no room for mercy. Allowing Dujuan a quick end was the extent of Song Yingge's benevolence.

As for Liu Yuezhen, Song Yingge did not want to kill her just yet. He had her locked in a pitch-black, silent cell. Usually, a person’s willpower crumbles within five days, but Song Yingge ordered her to be held for ten. Even if this torture turned her into a madwoman, it didn't matter, as long as she eventually spoke.

When he returned home from Caodu Lane, it was already dark. Xu Zhong was waiting in the shadows at the entrance of the alley. Upon seeing Song Yingge, Xu Zhong did not speak, simply nodding. The two walked into the small courtyard one after another. Once seated, Xu Zhong pulled out several sheets of paper. "This is the information collected by the rickshaw pullers over the past few days. I’ve organized it according to your requirements."

Song Yingge took the papers and saw that there was quite a lot—four pages densely filled with writing. But upon reading the content, Song Yingge was left dumbfounded.

"The cat belonging to Old Lady Chen on Sheng-Lu Street is lost; a ten-yuan reward is offered for its return."
"Old Blind Chen by the West Riverside broke his arm; he didn't see a doctor, yet it healed on its own."

Song Yingge couldn't go on after reading just a few lines. What was this? It was clear that ordinary people without proper training lacked any sensitivity toward intelligence gathering.

"How is it?" Xu Zhong suppressed a laugh, trying his best to maintain a serious expression.

"What do you think?" Song Yingge couldn't even be bothered to respond. He forced himself to continue reading. It was a sea of white-value information; the occasional green entry was a rare standout. When he reached the last page, one piece of information caught his eye:

"Old Man Chen from Xiaochuan Lane says he has several chests of gold hidden in his ancestral home, but he can't find them."
"Intelligence Value: Gold. High value."

Old Man Chen was truly something else—telling outsiders such a thing? For Song Yingge, who was currently short on cash, this intelligence was like rain after a long drought.

"What's the situation with this Old Man Chen from Xiaochuan Lane?" Song Yingge asked.

Xu Zhong, not expecting Song Yingge to be interested in such nonsense, replied, "They say his ancestors were quite wealthy, but his father died early, and after he got hooked on opium, he squandered the family fortune and became a pauper."

"Where is his ancestral home?" Song Yingge asked.

"It seems to be near Dajing Lane in the Zhonghuamen area. You don't actually believe what that old man said, do you?" Xu Zhong asked, surprised.

Song Yingge did not answer. "Find out who provided this information and reward them with ten yuan."

Xu Zhong thought for a moment and understood. "Are you buying a horse's bones with a thousand gold pieces?"

"If that’s what you want to call it," Song Yingge said, offering no further explanation.

The next day, after disguising himself, Song Yingge arrived at Dajing Lane. After some inquiries, he found the Chen ancestral home. The family had indeed been wealthy once. Although the estate was not large, it was situated near the Qinhuai River in a prime location. Since the house was currently unoccupied, Song Yingge contacted the owner and rented it using fake identification for one hundred yuan per month. Including the deposit, two hundred yuan was gone just like that.

The house was well-preserved, and there were traces of life in some areas, likely left by the previous tenant. As Song Yingge wandered through the courtyard, he pondered where the gold might be hidden. Old Man Chen must have searched the house himself, perhaps even digging three feet deep, yet found nothing. Therefore, the hiding place must be somewhere unexpected. Suddenly, a well in the courtyard caught his eye.

"Could it be at the bottom of the well?"

Song Yingge did not hesitate. He found a hemp rope, stripped down to his undergarments, tied the rope around his waist, and dove into the well. The December water was bone-chilling, but thanks to his sturdy physique, he could manage for a while. However, staying too long risked hypothermia. After descending a few meters, the light faded rapidly, but with his superior vision, it was no obstacle. He dove another ten meters and reached the bottom.

"Found it."

Song Yingge immediately spotted three bundles at the base of the well. "Old Man Chen must have suspected it was hidden here, but he couldn't overcome his fear to dive down. Now, I’m the one reaping the benefits."

In three trips, Song Yingge brought all the bundles up. Unwrapping layers of kraft paper, he revealed the boxes inside. After opening them, he counted: twenty gleaming gold bars in each. Sixty bars in total. With gold prices fluctuating around thirty-five dollars an ounce, each bar could be exchanged for about twelve hundred yuan in national currency. Sixty bars amounted to over seventy thousand yuan. It was a massive sum—truly, one does not get rich without a windfall.

Song Yingge cleared the scene of his traces, loaded the boxes into his car, and drove away. After returning home and hiding the boxes, he went to Caodu Lane. As soon as he entered the office of the Fourth Section of the Intelligence Department, Liu Dazhi hurried over.

"Section Chief, things at the Yingchun Brothel have been handled," Liu said.

"Good, that was fast," Song Yingge praised. Liu Dazhi was slick and shrewd; leaving the asset liquidation of the Yingchun Brothel to him ensured there would be no losses.

"Another brothel owner rented the place, and I squeezed some more out of the sewage plant in the suburbs. We got over eight thousand yuan in total." Liu Dazhi handed a cloth bag of money to Song Yingge. After splitting it, Song Yingge would receive over a thousand yuan—not bad at all.

"You did a good job. From now on, handle these kinds of things. Don't let me down." The final sentence was both encouragement and a warning. Liu Dazhi, understanding the implication, quickly assured him, "Don't worry, Section Chief, I certainly won't let you down."

Song Yingge took the money and made the rounds to the various departments to offer his "tribute" before finally heading to Dai Li's office. Dai Li had been under immense pressure lately and was prone to outbursts, so Song Yingge was cautious.

"Director, still worried about the Generalissimo's situation?" Song Yingge quietly placed the envelope of money on Dai Li's desk.

"That veteran of the Fuxing Society actually told me to commit suicide to thank the Generalissimo," Dai Li said gloomily.

"You are a student of the leader, sir. With the Generalissimo's fate unknown, how could you think of ending your life?" Song Yingge replied.

"Well said." Hearing this, Dai Li picked up his brush, dipped it in ink, and wrote eight characters: "If I do not see the leader, I will not die in peace."

"This is my suicide note. I must go to Xi'an to see him," Dai Li declared.

A few days later, Dai Li boarded a plane to Xi'an. A few days after that, he returned to Jinling with the Generalissimo. Although Dai Li had been detained upon arrival in Xi'an and hadn't been able to help much, his willingness to sacrifice his life had earned him the Generalissimo's deeper trust. Consequently, Dai Li grew to value Song Yingge, who had been the first to suggest he "march to save the sovereign," even more.