Chapter 148: Released and Bound Again

"Scholar, once the shootout with the Section Chief starts, we cannot hesitate for even a second. The moment the Section Chief is captured, we are dead men too. If we want to survive, our only option is to defect to him," Shi Xiaozhen whispered.

"Understood."

Scholar's tone was deeply disheartened. Seeing this, Shi Xiaozhen offered both an analytical breakdown and words of comfort. "If the higher-ups wanted to wipe out our entire families, they would have already investigated our relatives. Once they discovered that the families of all four of us had vanished, they would have placed our external communications under strict surveillance. Yet, all the way from Chongqing to Shanghai, the people accompanying us never monitored our outside contacts. This proves that the higher-ups never intended to touch our families; they only wanted our lives. Since the superiors aren't intervening, your family has undoubtedly already boarded a ship and gone abroad. It'll be fine."

Prompted by Shi Xiaozhen's reasoning, Scholar regained a modicum of composure. "I understand. Don't worry, I won't hesitate. Moreover, I need to thank all of you for taking such a huge risk on account of my family."

The journey from Chongqing to Shanghai had been accompanied by a mere twenty-odd people—ostensibly an escort, but in reality, a surveillance detail. The five of them had once considered eliminating those twenty operatives and fleeing abroad, but the thought of Scholar's family—who had not yet left the country—halted them. If they killed those agents, Headquarters would immediately investigate their relatives, and Scholar's family would inevitably be captured.

To buy time and allow Scholar's family to safely depart overseas, they had come to Shanghai.

Following this, the five fell silent, methodically checking and organizing their firearms. Once finished, Bai Yan, whose demeanor had grown considerably more steady than before, spoke in a low voice:

"None of you should blame the Section Chief. From the very moment the Director ordered us to hunt down the Section Chief, our fate was sealed. Regardless of whether the Section Chief stayed in Chongqing or not, the higher-ups were bound to make a move on us sooner or later."

What Bai Yan said was crystal clear to everyone; over the past month in Shanghai, they had all figured it out. Given the critical importance of Li Wensheng's identity and his massive renown, his existence dealt a severe blow to the ruling regime's prestige in the hearts of the common people. Whether Li Wensheng defected to the Nationalist Government or escaped Chongqing, anyone who knew his true identity had to die.

Therefore, they had long since decided that the moment Si Faren tracked down Li Wensheng and a direct firefight broke out, they would immediately turn on their handlers.

"Bai Yan, I wouldn't find it strange if Sister Shi said something like that," the Firearms Enthusiast teased with a grin, "but for you to actually say it... well, well, you couldn't still be harboring feelings for the Section Chief, could you? Forget about it. Didn't you hear Department Chief Si say that the Section Chief and Section Chief Chen have flown off together like a pair of lovebirds?"

Bai Yan rolled her eyes dramatically and retorted unashamedly, "So what? I wouldn't mind being a concubine."

"Hehe, Second Mistress Bai, you might as well give up," Big Niu chuckled heartily. "Back in Jinling, you were right before the Section Chief's eyes every single day. As for Section Chief Chen? She had only met the Section Chief a handful of times before they flew away together. That just goes to show you and the Section Chief were never meant to be."

"Hmph!" Bai Yan refused to concede defeat. "I just want to see what this Section Chief Chen looks like in person."

Scholar, whose spirits had been somewhat low earlier, couldn't help chiming in with a tease at the sight of Bai Yan's stubbornness. "Gun Enthusiast, Old Niu, and I have all seen Section Chief Chen. We are all of the opinion that she is an absolute peerless beauty. As for you—well, you're not bad-looking, but you simply can't compare to her."

Bai Yan glared at them, highly dissatisfied. "That just means you're all blind."

"Ha! Old Niu, she says you're blind," the Firearms Enthusiast bumped Old Niu's shoulder, laughing merrily.

"She said you were blind too," Old Niu chuckled.

Bai Yan was on the verge of a retort when Shi Xiaozhen interrupted, "All right, that's enough. Si Faren was right; the Section Chief loves to do the unexpected. This time, the Section Chief is bound to show up in front of the Star Newspaper office. Everyone, get ready. Old Niu, Gun Enthusiast, once we arrive, keep your attention focused on our immediate surroundings and eliminate anyone close to us at the very first sign of trouble. Scholar, observe the surrounding terrain carefully and map out an escape route before the operation begins; you'll take the lead during the retreat. Bai Yan, keep your eyes on Si Faren—if all else fails and escape becomes impossible, take him hostage. I'll take responsibility for drawing the Section Chief's attention; with any luck, seeing us will prompt him to lend a hand."

Bai Yan and the other three all nodded solemnly.

*Knock, knock!*

At that moment, a knock sounded at the door. Shi Xiaozhen walked over and opened it to reveal one of Si Faren's subordinates.

"Section Chief Shi, it's time to move out."

---

At eleven-fifty in the morning, inside a room located in the alley directly behind the guesthouse across from the Star Newspaper office.

Li Wensheng dragged a burlap sack out from under the bedroom bed. Untying it, he revealed Feng Jingyun, who had regained consciousness but was lightheaded and dizzy with hunger.

"Mmph! Mmph!"

Upon seeing Li Wensheng, the frail and powerless Feng Jingyun suddenly found a surge of strength and began making muffled noises.

Amidst her frantic sounds, Li Wensheng untied the ropes and ripped the adhesive tape off her mouth.

"I didn't work for the Japanese! I really didn't! Please, I'm begging you, let me go!" Feng Jingyun immediately began to plead for mercy.

"Didn't I just let you go?" Li Wensheng smiled faintly.

Feng Jingyun sat there in a stunned silence of disbelief for a few seconds before mustering whatever strength she had left to scramble out of the sack.

"Thank you, thank you! I swear I won't contact the Japanese ever again! I—I swear I won't even set foot in a dance hall! I promise to leave Shanghai immediately—right away! I swear I'll never reveal your identity!"

After blurting out these guarantees and seeing that Li Wensheng remained silent, Feng Jingyun hurriedly scrambled toward the door with a look of elation.

Just as she stepped out of the bedroom, however, Feng Jingyun froze. Feeling the cold rim of a gun barrel pressed against the back of her head, the relief of escaping death instantly vanished from her face.

After a few seconds of blank shock, she slowly turned her head to see Li Wensheng holding a firearm directly at her.

"Um... didn't you say you were letting me go?" Feng Jingyun asked nervously.

"That's right, I just let you go. But I never said I wouldn't tie you up again."

Feng Jingyun's eyes widened in horror. With a heavy thud, her legs gave out and she collapsed to the floor.

Then, she let out a hysterical shriek: "Ah!"

The cry was ear-splitting, but it lasted for only a fraction of a second before Li Wensheng sealed her mouth back up with adhesive tape.

Having tightly bound Feng Jingyun once more and stuffed her back into the sack, he glanced at the watch on the bedside table. Seeing that it was eleven-forty-nine, he put the watch down, hoisted the sack over his shoulder, and walked out.

Arriving at the alley where he had stashed the sack yesterday, he glanced around. Finding the alley deserted, he immediately pulled a raincoat, a cap, a hood, and rainboots out of his system inventory and changed into them.

Fully disguised, he opened the sack, hauled out a despairing Feng Jingyun—who no longer dared to make a sound—and hid the empty sack behind the pile of dilapidated tables and chairs in the alley corner. Carrying the lifeless-looking Feng Jingyun horizontally in one arm as if she were a corpse, he walked toward the Star Newspaper office.

On the street in front of the Star Newspaper office, a street vendor sat behind his stall, lazily waving a cattail-leaf fan while chatting idly with a neighboring vendor about the lone vigilante's appearance the day before.

As they gossiped, neither of them entertained the notion that the vigilante might show up here again today; they firmly believed such a thing was impossible.

Inside the Star Newspaper office, no one was paying attention to the windows either. The staff were happily discussing where to go for lunch, entirely dismissing the possibility of a repeat performance.

"Sunny, the Editor-in-Chief gave you a bonus, didn't he?" Berry asked loudly from across the room, addressing Sunny.

"He did!"

Sunny beamed, her face wreathed in smiles. Because she had secured that interview, her bonus came to fifteen hundred dollars—nearly a whole year's salary.

"Sunny, you've got to treat us..."

A Chinese colleague chimed in with a teasing grin, but before he could finish, the rapid, heavy sound of hurried footsteps echoed from outside.

Everyone turned their heads toward the entrance, only to see the Editor-in-Chief appear.

"Quick, Sunny! The vigilante is outside! Come with me to interview him!" Panting heavily, the Editor-in-Chief, who had spotted Li Wensheng from an upstairs window and sprinted all the way down, yelled breathlessly.

Numerous staff members instantly scrambled to their feet and rushed toward the windows. Berry asked in sheer disbelief, "Editor-in-Chief, how could he possibly show up here again?"

"How should I know? Sunny, hurry up! Let's go interview him!"

The Editor-in-Chief harbored deep concerns about Sunny's courage, but since she was the one who conducted yesterday's interview, what if the vigilante refused to answer anyone else? Timid or not, the Editor-in-Chief had no choice but to rely on her.

"Yes, Editor-in-Chief!"

Money was the source of courage; having just been awarded a bonus of fifteen hundred fiat currency, Sunny was feeling remarkably bold.

With that brief reply, she bolted toward the front door.

Everyone else in the office followed the Editor-in-Chief and Sunny right behind.

On the street to the left of the Star Newspaper office, Li Wensheng was strolling unhurriedly, carrying the curvaceous form of Feng Jingyun.

The Editor-in-Chief cast a quick glance his way, then turned to Sunny and instructed, "Remember, this time ask more questions about the vigilante himself, but do not ask about his identity."

"Understood. I'll ask about romance—the vigilante's romantic life is bound to be a huge hit with female readers," Sunny said with a confident smile.

The Editor-in-Chief gave her a thumbs-up, and the two of them broke into a run toward Li Wensheng.

*Bang!*

The sudden, sharp crack of a gunshot instantly sent the pair, who had barely taken two steps, scurrying back in sheer panic.