Chapter 26: All That Could Be Done Has Been Done

As dusk gradually settled, Li Wensheng stood by the window on the second floor of the photography studio, glancing from time to time at his watch as he gazed at the Dongya Hotel diagonally across the street. The minute hand crept inexorably toward twelve, both slow and swift, and Li Wensheng’s restlessness grew more acute.

At five forty, after what felt like endless waiting, rain began to pour from the heavens in torrents. Li Wensheng opened the window, reaching out to feel the cold drops. Staring at the rainwater in his palm, he muttered with murderous resolve, “A man dies but once—why should I fear? If I cannot be cold-blooded, then so be it. I must try, no matter the cost, or I’ll never be at peace with myself.”

With that, Li Wensheng retrieved a raincoat and a pair of galoshes from the system’s space, donning them, then pulled out a black face mask to cover his features. He descended quickly, slipping out the back door of the studio. Circling around the block, he entered Jinling Street once again.

It wasn’t long before the spies lurking in the shadows spotted him. To see Li Wensheng, calm and unhurried, striding through the rain on an otherwise deserted street, sent a shudder through them; their hearts brimmed with respect. None had believed he would come, and yet, for the sake of the people of Jinling, he had appeared openly and without subterfuge—a man risking his life for his city.

“Old Ma, take a photo!” the Zhongtong team leader sighed inwardly before giving the command in a low voice. As Old Ma raised his camera, operatives from other factions also aimed their lenses at Li Wensheng.

After snapping several shots, Old Ma frowned. “Captain, he’s wearing a mask. We can’t get a clear shot of his face.”

“It doesn’t matter—a photo of his back will suffice.” The captain lowered his gaze and spoke quietly, “Old Ma, when you develop the photos, make an extra copy for me. I’ll use it for a memorial tablet. He’s not coming back from this—such a hero shouldn’t be forgotten, even in death.”

Old Ma’s face grew solemn. “Captain, I’ll make a few extra copies. I want to pay my respects as well.”

“Uncle Ma, count me in too—make one for me,” a younger man said anxiously.

“I’ll make copies for everyone—now quiet!” the captain snapped, eyes fixed on Li Wensheng, who by then was less than a hundred meters from the Dongya Hotel.

As the hotel loomed ahead, Li Wensheng quickened his pace. When he was only a dozen meters away, he stopped. The young Zhongtong operative whispered, “Captain, is he hesitating?”

The captain shook his head gravely. “If he’s come this far, he won’t turn back. He must be preparing for something.”

No sooner had he spoken than he raised his hand instinctively, for Li Wensheng suddenly broke into a run. In the gloomy rain, he was like a shadow, and in the blink of an eye, he reached the entrance of the Dongya Hotel.

Inside, the hotel was packed with enemy soldiers—filling the lobby and the upstairs corridors. In the center sat Kato, eyes bloodshot and wild, sipping sake and occasionally picking at dishes with his chopsticks. The moment Li Wensheng appeared at the door, the military police in the lobby raised their rifles at him. Kato’s eyes lit up, and he laughed in excitement—only for his laughter to die as though strangled in his throat.

At the hotel entrance, Li Wensheng pulled a twentieth-century remote-controlled bomb from beneath his raincoat—really, from the system’s space—and hurled it forcefully inside. Then, with a swift motion, he dashed away so fast the enemy had no time to fire.

“After him!” Kato roared, leaping to his feet in fury. Some soldiers bolted after Li Wensheng, while others stayed to guard Kato.

The remote-controlled bomb was unlike anything the enemy had seen. They stared at the device on the floor, baffled. One captain bent to pick it up and started toward Kato, saying, “Commander, he threw something strange inside.”

“Bring it here!” Kato barked.

No sooner had he spoken than an earth-shattering explosion ripped through the hall. The captain was killed instantly, along with every enemy soldier within ten meters; those farther away were hurled into the air by the blast.

The spies watching from outside quickly turned their gaze to the Dongya Hotel. Moments earlier, after Li Wensheng flung the bomb, they had tracked his retreat. Now, the tremendous explosion drew their eyes back in alarm.

They cursed inwardly—this was bad news. Kato would surely suspect he was being watched. Earlier, his focus was on Li Wensheng and he had paid them little mind, but now, with the explosion and Li Wensheng on the run, if the enemy failed to capture him, Kato would surely vent his fury on the spies.

The Zhongtong captain spun on his heel and hurried for the exit, shouting, “Retreat!” Spies and operatives from every faction slipped out the back, making their escape before the military police could close in.

Inside the hotel, Kato was hauled to his feet by his men. Li Wensheng, unaware of the situation within, had pressed the detonator too soon. Had he waited a few seconds longer—until the captain set the bomb on Kato’s table or stepped closer—Kato would surely have perished. As it was, the soldiers nearby had thrown themselves over Kato at the moment of the blast, and he emerged, battered and covered in soot but otherwise unharmed.

Rising amid the carnage, Kato roared, “Mobilize the troops and seal off the area! He must be caught!”

Meanwhile, having thrown the bomb, Li Wensheng raced away. By the time enemy soldiers burst out after him, he had already darted into a narrow alley, twisting and turning until he lost his pursuers. Most of the remaining soldiers were stationed at the city gates and would need time to respond. The puppet troops and police patrolling the streets were cowardly—those with any courage had long since died in battle, not defected to the enemy. Though they executed orders promptly when the call came, it was all for show; they dawdled, and by the time they arrived in the Qinhuai district, Li Wensheng was long gone.

Back at his courtyard, Li Wensheng finally breathed easy. He changed his clothes and settled in to boil water and make tea. As for whether the enemy would execute a thousand civilians at the city gate, he gave it no further thought. He had risked everything at the Dongya Hotel and done all he could. If the enemy insisted on killing civilians, there was nothing more he could do—he would not throw his life away in vain.

At seven that evening, as Li Wensheng was preparing dinner, he heard a knock at the gate.

“Who is it?” he called out.

“From Sanshan, Fuzimiao!” came the reply—the unique code for the Jinling station. Li Wensheng immediately went to open the door.

Outside stood a middle-aged man, anxious, suitcase in hand. Li Wensheng recognized him as his neighbor from across the street.

“Captain Li, I’m with the Military Intelligence Jinling station. It’s urgent, so I had to come myself. Qin Chi has betrayed us. The military police are rounding up our people everywhere. You must leave at once.” The man was so rushed he didn’t even step inside, speaking in a low voice at the door.

Li Wensheng was not surprised at Qin Chi’s betrayal. The operation at the Dongya Hotel had been reckless—it was only natural that he was caught, and no one could withstand such torture. Li Wensheng had considered moving after assassinating Yoshizumi Ryosuke, but with the city under heavy surveillance and the chaos among the military police, he had not found the time. Now, with the round-up underway, he had no choice but to act.

“Thank you,” Li Wensheng said. The man turned and hurried down the alley.

Once alone, Li Wensheng quickly packed his belongings, slipped out the back door, and vanished into the night. Mere minutes after his departure, the military police surrounded the courtyard. Finding it empty, they moved on to the next address. The fire in the kitchen hearth was still burning; under normal circumstances, they would have chased after him. But this was no ordinary round-up.

The Dongya Hotel had been bombed, and the military police had failed to capture Li Wensheng. The spies watching from the shadows had slipped away before the police arrived. Unable to find anyone on whom to vent his rage, Kato turned his anger on the Military Intelligence Service.

With Qin Chi’s cooperation, many agents were captured; the first was Guo Liang. In truth, the person Qin Chi hated most was not Li Wensheng, the parachuted commando captain, but Guo Liang. Qin Chi had bribed Guo Liang with five gold bars—his entire fortune—in hopes of becoming the team’s deputy leader. But Guo Liang had pocketed the money and done nothing, instead suggesting that whoever killed Meng Xinqi would earn the post.

Qin Chi's discontent with the Military Intelligence Service and his willingness to betray them stemmed largely from Guo Liang’s lack of integrity. It was because Guo Liang was captured that those keeping watch could not report to him and instead warned others to flee. Had they reached Guo Liang, he might have ordered them not to alert Li Wensheng, seizing the chance to eliminate him with the help of the military police.

But the round-up of the Military Intelligence Service was merely an act of vengeance. The real focus of the military police remained the hunt for Li Wensheng, and they had little interest in pursuing anyone else. If he escaped, so be it—they had other priorities.