Chapter 57: I Love to Kill When Drunk

"Who was the person trailing you?" Song Yingge asked in astonishment.

"I saw him in the mirror while I was touching up my makeup. His name is Xiao Wei, the former transport company manager. A few months ago, he got into a traffic accident and was hospitalized. My late husband went to the hospital to visit him at the time. It was he who recommended Wang Sheng for the position of transport company manager."

Upon hearing Jiang Shuning's account, Song Yingge's immediate reaction was that Xiao Wei was a Japanese spy. Otherwise, there was no way to explain so many coincidences. Perhaps this Xiao Wei was even a member of the "Dagger" Operation. That old bastard Suma truly refused to give up. All the Japanese spies lurking within the Caimao Transport Company had been wiped out in one fell swoop, yet he was still plotting against Jiang Shuning and her daughter.

Song Yingge glanced sideways at Jiang Shuning and Chu Manman. Well, the two of them looked striking enough to warrant such persistent scheming.

"If he harbored malicious intentions toward you, he should have made a move long ago. Why drag it out until now?" Song Yingge asked, puzzled.

"Boss, I arranged for a few of our brothers to protect the mother and daughter. Xiao Wei and his cohorts probably haven't found a suitable opportunity yet," Nine-Fingers said.

Song Yingge nodded. That explained why Jiang Shuning and her daughter had remained safe and sound up to this point.

"When you and Chu Manman came to Zhendong Hall, was anyone following you?" Song Yingge asked.

"Probably not. After passing through the Yijiang Gate, a few of us hid near the city wall and waited for a long time, and we didn't see Xiao Wei follow us," Jiang Shuning replied.

There would certainly not be only a single person on surveillance. It could only be said that ordinary people without professional training possessed extremely poor anti-surveillance awareness. Perhaps the person trailing Jiang Shuning and her daughter was hiding at this very moment in some concealed spot outside the warehouse.

"Chuan Shu, bring me pen and paper."

After receiving the writing materials, Song Yingge spoke up, "Miss Jiang, would you mind describing Xiao Wei's appearance?"

"His eyebrows are very light, he has a bulbous nose, and his lips protrude..."

Jiang Shuning described him in great detail. A few minutes later, Song Yingge sketched a portrait of Xiao Wei.

"How close is this to the real person?" Song Yingge asked.

Jiang Shuning looked astonished. "It's eighty or ninety percent like him."

Beside them, Chu Manman walked up behind Jiang Shuning, poking her small head out from the side. "Officer Song, you're amazing."

Song Yingge smiled. "Wait here." With that, he stepped out of the warehouse.

If the person tailing them was hiding in the vicinity, Song Yingge was confident he could ferret them out. The area around Zhendong Hall was filled with warehouses, and it was usually not very crowded.

With a cigarette dangling from his lips, Song Yingge had just stepped out of the warehouse when he felt the sensation of someone watching him. Using his peripheral vision, he spotted a young man disguised as a laborer.

The man was short in stature, with thick limbs and a ruddy complexion devoid of any sallow malnutrition. Without a doubt, this was the Japanese spy trailing Jiang Shuning and her daughter.

"So he really did follow us here."

Song Yingge strolled around the perimeter of the warehouse twice more, finding no other abnormalities. The rest of the Japanese spies were hiding who knew where. Continuing to wander around would just be a waste of time.

Returning to Zhendong Hall, Song Yingge said, "There's one not far outside the warehouse."

"Have you ever seen this person?" Song Yingge drew the appearance of the surveillance operative and handed it to Jiang Shuning.

Jiang Shuning shook her head. "No."

"Miss Jiang, could you do me a favor?"

"Please go ahead."

"Take Chu Manman and head home first, shifting the surveillance operative's attention back onto yourselves. That way, it will be easier for me to flush them out."

Jiang Shuning hesitated slightly. "Will it be all right for me to go back alone?"

"It's best if both you and your daughter go together. Don't worry, I'll arrange for men to protect the two of you." Song Yingge understood Jiang Shuning's apprehension.

"Alright," Jiang Shuning said, gritting her teeth.

Emerging from the warehouse onto the main road, Jiang Shuning and her daughter boarded a rickshaw, while the Zhendong Hall brothers tasked with their protection followed closely by their sides. The group hurried toward the city.

The Japanese spy on surveillance outside the warehouse furtively trailed after them. Song Yingge silently hung back behind him.

When they reached the Yijiang Gate, the man suddenly halted. Following his line of sight, another man, similarly disguised as a laborer, came into Song Yingge's view. Although the man was disguised, Song Yingge recognized him at a glance as Xiao Wei.

"They've swapped the person doing the tracking."

Song Yingge followed Xiao Wei all the way to Jiang Shuning's residence. Xiao Wei entered a nearby courtyard house, which had presumably been specially rented by Xiao Wei and his accomplices for surveillance purposes.

Song Yingge hurried over to a small eatery and placed a call to the Fourth Branch. Half an hour later, Zhang Ke arrived with three other men.

Song Yingge briefed the four of them on the situation. "Keep your eyes locked on this target."

"Don't worry, Section Chief."

"If any unexpected situation arises, prioritize saving Jiang Shuning and her daughter."

"Yes!"

So much time had passed since the incident with Wang Sheng, yet Suma had never made a move against Jiang Shuning and her daughter. Sending men to trail them these past two days meant he must have found a new target to co-opt. Let that old dog Suma live for a few more months. When the time came, old debts and new accounts would be settled together.

By the time Song Yingge returned to Caodu Lane, it was already afternoon. He had barely exchanged a few words with Chen Meili in the Communications Department when Liu Dazhi hurried over to find him.

Stepping out of the Communications Department together, Liu Dazhi lowered his voice. "Section Chief, there's movement on Liu Guoquan's end."

A sharp glint flashed in Song Yingge's eyes. "Did the Japanese inform him about Liang Xue's arrest?"

"It seems so. When he was eating at a restaurant at noon, Boji Sugiyama showed up, and the two chatted for a bit. After that, Liu Guoquan hurried home."

"And after he got back home?"

"He's stayed inside the house the entire time and hasn't shown his face."

"Keep watching him. I'll go report this to the Director."

"Understood."

In Dai Li's office, after Song Yingge finished his report, Dai Li wore a troubled expression. "Do you know how the Generalissimo instructed me regarding the matter of Liu Guoquan?"

"This subordinate has no idea."

"The Generalissimo said: surround but do not capture, nurture but do not kill."

"I don't understand..." Song Yingge said, using a Fenghua accent.

Dai Li didn't catch the reference and patiently explained, "Even if he tries to run, he must not be arrested."

"This subordinate understands."

Returning to the Fourth Intelligence Branch, Song Yingge summoned Liu Dazhi. "Call off everyone monitoring Liu Guoquan."

"Section Chief, if that man runs, what should we do?"

"Just act as if we have no idea he's been turned, understand?"

Liu Dazhi's mind raced. "Does Liu Guoquan have a deep background?"

"He's Gu Rong's brother-in-law."

Upon hearing the name "Gu Rong," Liu Dazhi was frightened into shutting his mouth. He inwardly congratulated himself; if he had really gone ahead and executed Liu Guoquan, he would have been in catastrophic trouble.

"Look at that cowardly look of yours. Are you scared?"

"Section Chief, what are you saying? How many people in the Secret Service aren't afraid?"

"Indeed, I'm scared too."

Song Yingge was only afraid that there were too few traitors and scum, not enough for him to slaughter.

In the evening, Song Yingge kept his appointment on time. Because there were too many people, Zhao Changjing specifically moved the celebration banquet to the Changsheng Restaurant.

During the banquet, glasses clinked and the atmosphere grew lively. Everyone made bold declarations that they would definitely get Song Yingge drunk today. Song Yingge accepted all challenges. After consuming over three catties of white liquor, Song Yingge declared he could hold no more and collapsed onto the dining table.

"Having known Brother Song for so long, this is the first time I've ever managed to get him drunk. We must drain a large cup to celebrate."

"Section Chief Song went toe-to-toe with seven or eight of us single-handedly. I truly admire his liquor capacity. He deserves to be called defeated yet glorious."

...

Listening to the drunken nonsense of this group of topers, Song Yingge desperately wanted to roar out loud: "I love to kill after drinking!"

And every single person he killed was a traitor, a scoundrel, and a national betrayer. Tonight, he would send Liu Guoquan on his final journey.