Chapter Sixty-One: Red Value Intelligence

Forty minutes ago, Caodu Lane.

"Director, urgent telegram from Chang'an." Chen Meili walked into Dai Li's office holding a telegram.

Dai Li put down his documents. "Another one?" As he spoke, he picked up the telegram and sprang to his feet.

"Good. This truly is a big fish." Dai Li picked up the phone and called the Fourth Intelligence Group. "Yingge? Come to my office immediately."

A moment later, Song Yingge crossed paths with Chen Meili on his way to Dai Li's office.

"Congratulations, Section Chief Song. You're about to make meritorious service once again," Chen Meili teased.

Song Yingge smiled. "Don't toy with me."

"Chang'an has sent another urgent telegram," Chen Meili reminded him softly.

Hearing this, Song Yingge felt a sudden thud in his heart, a bad premonition rising within him. His pace involuntarily quickened.

"Director, you wanted to see me?" Song Yingge saluted.

"Take a look at this." Dai Li handed over a telegram.

"Urgent telegram from Chang'an: Wan Mu, Deputy Director of the Organization's Security Bureau, is secretly traveling to the capital along with Ye Qiang and two others."

"Intelligence value: Red. Extremely high value."

So, above the golden intelligence value lay the red tier.

With the endorsement of his cheat, there was no doubt that the content of this telegram was genuine.

Shock surged within Song Yingge's heart, but his face assumed an expression of wild ecstasy.

"Director, since they are entering the capital in secret, our Secret Service can naturally make a covert arrest."

"Indeed. I had originally arranged for Zheng Guoen to tail and monitor Ye Qiang and his associates, but never did I expect this Wan Mu to dare follow Ye Qiang straight into the capital. Truly, there is a path to heaven which he refuses to take, and no door to hell yet he insists on barging through." Dai Li made no effort to conceal the joy on his face.

"Should we terminate the Third Group's surveillance mission?"

Dai Li nodded. "The moment Wan Mu is spotted, arrest him immediately."

"Director, I have never laid eyes on Wan Mu," Song Yingge said with a troubled expression.

"Wait, let me find it." Dai Li opened a drawer, rummaged through it until he pulled out a group photo, and pointed to a rather dashing young man. "It's a photo from over ten years ago. Come to think of it, Wan Mu is also a Whampoa graduate, technically a student of the Generalissimo."

"What a pity that he chose to betray the Generalissimo, betray the revolution, and has now degenerated into a red bandit." Song Yingge glanced at it, firmly imprinting Wan Mu's features into his memory.

"Hmph, refusing a fine official career just to become a bandit," Dai Li sneered, a mocking smile playing on his lips.

Looking at Dai Li, Song Yingge felt a deep wave of revulsion.

Dai Li was nothing more than an exquisite egoist; he would never understand what ideals or beliefs truly meant.

"Once Wan Mu and the others arrive in Jinling, they will inevitably enter the city. It's too late to rush to Pukou Pier, so you are to take the Action Section and deploy a blockade at Xiaguan Pier. Make the arrest as covertly as possible to avoid leaving any handle for others to grasp. If circumstances make that impossible, you may execute an open arrest. Above all, you must capture Wan Mu alive," Dai Li ordered.

"Understood."

Song Yingge accepted the order and left.

On his way back to the Fourth Intelligence Group's office, Song Yingge's mind raced, desperately trying to formulate an effective plan.

Wan Mu had to be saved. Occupying the position of Deputy Director of the Organization's Security Bureau, he undoubtedly held a massive amount of core secrets.

Once Wan Mu was captured and defected, he would become a second Gu Shunzhang or Sheng Zhongtang, inflicting incalculable losses on the organization's underground front.

Song Yingge believed in the willpower and courage of his comrades, but he would never test human nature.

Arriving at the Fourth Intelligence Group's office, Song Yingge began summoning his subordinates and assigning tasks.

"Emergency mission. From this moment on, no one is permitted to act alone."

"Sun Xi, Liu Dazhi, the two of you immediately notify the Action Section to prepare for action."

"Zhang Ke, Gu Qiang, the two of you go notify the General Affairs Section to ready the vehicles."

"Everyone else, follow me to draw equipment."

A moment later, a group of men boarded the vehicles and rushed toward Xiaguan Pier.

Huang Yue drove the sedan, Sun Xi sat in the front passenger seat, Song Yingge sat in the back, and the rest followed in a truck.

Huang Yue felt exceptionally honored to be driving for Song Yingge.

"You brat, the quality of your intelligence informants has still been terribly low lately. Next month, your operational funds will be cut in half," Song Yingge said to Huang Yue.

"Section Chief, please don't! Give me a chance, I'm sure I can accomplish a meritorious deed," Huang Yue panicked.

According to the unwritten rule of the intelligence groups, intelligence agents would pocket at least half of their informants' funds.

How could Huang Yue not panic when Song Yingge slashed his budget?

"Accomplish a meritorious deed, you say? Very well, then I shall judge you by your performance today." Song Yingge guided Huang Yue with his words.

Hearing this, Huang Yue fell right into the trap. "Section Chief, what kind of mission are we executing today anyway, making such a massive mobilization?"

"Very well, since we are already on the road, I suppose there's no fear of you leaking secrets. Our mission today is to hunt down red bandits. We've caught plenty of Japanese spies, but catching red bandits is a first. If anyone drops the ball today, don't blame me for turning hostile and refusing to recognize old ties. By the same token, if anyone performs a meritorious service, I will not be stingy with rewards." Song Yingge finally spoke the words he wanted to deliver.

"Section Chief, just watch me. I'm bound to make a contribution today." Huang Yue was brimming with drive.

"Alright, then I'll wait to see your performance."

Amidst their conversation, the convoy arrived at Xiaguan Pier.

After the cars parked and Sun Xi stepped out to close the door, Song Yingge turned to Huang Yue.

"I need to command the scene from here and cannot get away. Later, go to Warehouse 32 and find a man called Nine-Fingers, and pass along a message for me. Tell him that tonight at eight o'clock, someone will come to pick up the cargo. Remember, make sure no one notices you when you go."

"Section Chief, can I go a bit later? I'm still waiting to perform a meritorious deed," Huang Yue protested, reluctant.

Song Yingge's face dropped. "Fine, then I'll have someone else deliver it."

Seeing this, Huang Yue dared not anger his immediate superior and quickly changed his tune. "I'll go right now, I definitely won't delay the mission."

Shortly after, under Song Yingge's arrangements, dozens of operatives quickly occupied every major intersection around Xiaguan Pier.

Song Yingge deliberately assigned Huang Yue to a peripheral position to make it convenient for him to slip away.

A few minutes later, as Song Yingge carefully observed the pedestrians, his pupils contracted sharply. At a tea stall, he spotted Old Zhao.

"This is bad."

Old Zhao must have verified the situation with the organization, discovered the anomaly, and come to the pier as backup.

This added several more variables to the current situation.

The most urgent task was to pass word to Old Zhao.

Just at that moment, the ferry docked, and hundreds of passengers swarmed toward the exit like a swarm of bees.

Pretending to be there to pick someone up, Song Yingge walked to the exit and lit a cigarette.

Throughout this, he kept watching Old Zhao out of the corner of his eye.

Old Zhao picked up his bowl, took a sip of tea, and used the tea bowl as cover to scan the passengers pouring out of the exit, searching for Jiang Quaji.

Suddenly, a familiar figure entered Old Zhao's field of vision.

"Comrade Lushan, why is he here?"

The next instant, Old Zhao seemed to notice Lushan giving a slight shake of his head, and he instantly realized the situation had changed.

"Could it be that the pier has already been surrounded by the Secret Service? Has the surveillance mission been upgraded to an arrest operation?"

This sudden turn of events left Old Zhao momentarily at a loss for how to respond.

Yet the next second, something even worse happened.

To his horror, Old Zhao spotted Jiang Quaji and the others amidst the dense crowd.

If they remained completely unprepared, Jiang Quaji and his companions would undoubtedly be arrested.

In the nick of time, unable to think of a better solution, Old Zhao drew his pistol, intending to fire a warning shot. But a flash of Song Yingge's earlier actions crossed his mind, and after a brief hesitation, he shoved the gun back into his coat.

He knew Song Yingge's capabilities all too well.

At this critical juncture, Old Zhao chose to trust his comrade.

Since he himself was powerless against this, perhaps Lushan had a better way?