Chapter 133: The Meeting

The next morning, the streets were still buzzing with the news that the Chief of the International Settlement Police had been kidnapped by a lone vigilante.

Inside a baozi shop, Chen Wenqi listened to the chatter of the other patrons while biting into a bun. Chewing thoughtfully, she whispered, "Are you going to meet the person who posted the notice in the paper later?"

Li Wensheng shook his head slightly. "The notice asked for a meeting at ten in the morning, but the actual time is 'three days'—meaning three o'clock in the afternoon. You’ll come with me."

Chen Wenqi felt a warmth in her chest. "All right."

"Once we finish eating, we’ll head over to the police station to look around," Li Wensheng said in a low voice.

Chen Wenqi understood that he was preparing to move against the Chief of the French Concession Police. She nodded slightly and whispered, "We should try to get inside to see how many officers are on duty. If anything goes wrong, we’ll be better prepared to handle it."

"Mm."

After breakfast, the two took a rickshaw toward the police station. They spent several hours wandering the vicinity, familiarizing themselves with the surrounding streets, before finally walking into the station.

Whether it was because they were shaken by the chaos at the International Settlement station or simply due to standard staffing, the French Concession police station was swarming with officers. As soon as they entered the lobby, they saw a dozen men leaning against the walls, chatting idly.

At the counter, they reported a theft at a fabricated address, and an officer led them into the interior office area to take a statement. The office was crowded, with many officers lounging in their chairs, resting.

The police approach to investigations was highly selective: for wealthy merchants, high-ranking officials, or foreigners, they acted immediately. For anyone else, justice came only with a bribe.

Li Wensheng played the part of a modest merchant. He offered no bribe, and once the report was filed, the police dismissed them.

It was past noon when they emerged. They found a restaurant for lunch and then headed toward the Feisi Cafe. By two o'clock, they reached a junction; the cafe was located on the street to the left, about a hundred meters ahead. Li Wensheng turned left and entered the street.

After a few steps, Chen Wenqi couldn't help but ask in a low voice, "'Three days' is the time—three o'clock in the afternoon. 'Front' is the location—the street behind the Feisi Cafe?"

"Exactly. That’s our pre-arranged code. You reverse the two numbers in the newspaper notice to get the time. The address works the same way: 'front' means the back street, and 'back' means the front street."

"Your code is quite simple, yet very practical. Even if someone suspected a secret meeting, they’d never guess the time and place."

They walked for a while longer before ducking into a pastry shop. They ordered two small cakes and sat by the window, chatting as they ate. Before long, with his cake only half-finished, Li Wensheng, who had been keeping a watchful eye on the street, stood up. "Let's go."

As they stepped out of the shop, Chen Wenqi noticed a man standing on the opposite side of the street. The area was filled with eateries and bustling with pedestrians, but she recognized him instantly.

"The person you're meeting... it wouldn't be him, would it?" she asked, startled.

"Yes," Li Wensheng replied, striding across the street. Chen Wenqi suppressed her shock and hurried after him.

As they approached, the man began to walk away. By the time Li and Chen reached the corner, the man had just ducked into an alley. He glanced back at Li Wensheng once before disappearing inside. They followed him in.

The man was no longer in sight, but Li Wensheng continued forward at a steady pace. After a few dozen steps, he turned left into a cross-alley behind the storefronts, where the man was waiting.

The man looked at Chen Wenqi, then smiled at Li Wensheng. "So, the bird without feet has finally started to grow them."

Chen Wenqi felt a sudden wave of embarrassment and turned to stand at the mouth of the alley to keep watch.

"If I don't grow feet and keep flying, I'll eventually die of exhaustion." Li Wensheng pulled the letter he had written the night before from his pocket. "Help me get this to the headquarters in Shancheng."

The man took the envelope, inspected it, and chuckled. "I hope this isn't another batch of critical documents. That trunk you sent me last time nearly ruined me. Having to claim it was full of classified files in front of so many people—I was terrified into fleeing Shanghai that very night."

"Who told you to ask what was inside? I warned you not to, but you insisted. If I hadn't said anything, it would have looked even more suspicious."

"I had to ask. I was playing the role of a superior officer; if I hadn't asked, how could I maintain my authority as station chief? Besides, our relationship isn't exactly friendly—if I hadn't questioned you, my own men would have started doubting me."

The man Li Wensheng was meeting was none other than Chen Moqun, the chief of the Military Statistics Bureau's Shanghai station.

"Fine, fine, it’s my fault. Just get this letter to Shancheng. Remember, tell them you found it at your doorstep—don't ever let them know I handed it to you directly. You help me deliver this, and I’ll give you some vital intelligence in return."

At the mention of vital intelligence, Chen Moqun tucked the envelope away, his expression turning grave. "What kind of intelligence?"

"The Japanese have been conducting human experiments, and they've produced new results. I encountered them when I was kidnapping Ma Long."

Chen Wenqi, standing not far away, turned around at these words. Chen Moqun pressed him, "What is it?"

"It seems they've developed a drug that alters human cells. I encountered two types of subjects at the International Settlement police station. One type feels no pain—you could hack off their arms, and their expressions wouldn't change. However, their cognitive functions are severely impaired; they’re like wooden puppets. They can't use firearms, only knives. The other type has normal consciousness but possesses strength far beyond that of a normal human. As for whether they feel pain, I didn't get the chance to test it. Once I confirmed their speed and strength, I simply drove a blade into their hearts."

Chen Wenqi and Chen Moqun, who had walked closer, both wore looks of utter disbelief. They had expected Li Wensheng to report on some new chemical weapon or gas. But this—numbness to pain, enhanced strength—it defied all reason.

"Are you sure you aren't mistaken?" Chen Moqun asked, struggling to process the information.

Li Wensheng nodded slightly. "I'm sure. The one who retained his consciousness was named Kamiyama Osamu, and he came from Manchuria. If you report this to Shancheng and have them send someone to investigate him in Manchuria, you'll see for yourself."

"How could human experimentation possibly produce such a thing?" Chen Wenqi, like Chen Moqun, found it impossible to believe.

Li Wensheng didn't know the specifics of the science, but he knew Chen Wenqi wasn't asking for a technical explanation; she was simply struggling to accept the reality of it.

"In the past, no one believed that cutting open a human body could save a life; they thought it was just murder. But look at us now."

Li Wensheng's words finally caused Chen Wenqi and Chen Moqun to begin accepting the impossible.

"Thank you. I will report this to Shancheng as soon as I return."

"Good. I'm leaving. We'll be in touch if something else comes up."

"Wait, hold on," Chen Moqun called out to stop him.