Chapter 27: On the Verge of Exposure

The next day, rain still poured from the sky.

Early in the morning, across the streets of Jinling, a group of collaborators braved the downpour, shouting loudly everywhere.

“Yesterday, since you kept your appointment, I honored my promise and did not execute anyone at the city gate.

Unfortunately, you and the envoy only met briefly yesterday, without any conversation—a true regret.

Therefore, today, I will continue to wait for you at the East Asia Hotel.

I hope you can come before six in the evening, lest a thousand common folk fail to see tomorrow’s sun!”

In a deserted courtyard, Li Wensheng sat by a dust-covered table, eating bread.

Last night, after slipping out of the yard, he hadn’t gone far—just found a nearby abandoned courtyard in a neighboring alley and settled in.

Hearing the shouts of the collaborators outside, Li Wensheng’s hand paused mid-bite.

“Again, those devils really aren’t afraid of death.” He muttered, then stopped thinking about it. He would not risk himself again.

As Li Wensheng muttered, the newspapers in the French Concession of the Magic City were hawking their latest edition.

“Extra, extra, the Lone Hero appears, killing more than ten enemy soldiers!”

“Extra, extra, the Jinling Gendarmerie Commander uses the lives of ordinary people to force out the Lone Hero!”

Li Wensheng was the hot topic. As the newsboys shouted, crowds of citizens soon gathered around.

After glancing at the newspaper, many felt a tinge of disappointment.

The front-page photo was striking: under the torrential rain, a solitary figure walked calmly down the street, radiating loneliness and grim resolve. The accompanying text told of his solitary journey to meet the commander for the sake of a thousand lives.

It sent chills through everyone, raising goosebumps.

But the man in the photo wore a raincoat and his face was obscured, making him unrecognizable.

As those reading the paper by the roadside felt disappointed, a burst of laughter rang out.

“Ha! Good—he didn’t show his face!”

Everyone looked toward the sound and saw an elderly man, hair white, scholarly in demeanor, laughing heartily with the newspaper in hand.

Instantly, the crowd understood his joy: if his appearance was hidden, the enemy didn’t know who he was, meaning he was safe.

Their disappointment melted away, replaced by relaxed smiles.

Today Jinling’s weather was dreadful; it rained all day, heavy and relentless.

The New Life Movement had been around for years, but in the alleys, excrement still lay everywhere.

The ankle-deep rainwater carried the filth from alleys, floating it throughout the city, enveloping Jinling in a nauseating stench.

At six in the afternoon, vehicles rolled out from the Gendarmerie Headquarters.

On three trucks in the middle, a thousand shivering citizens sat, eyes vacant and numb.

Li Wensheng hadn’t left his house all day. Kato personally led the convoy, escorting a thousand citizens to the East Gate for execution.

Apart from the now-defunct Military Bureau Jinling Station, spies from all factions followed covertly, hoping to see whether Li Wensheng would appear at the execution site.

Among them was Shi Xiaozhen’s group, who had entered the city that morning.

After the gendarmes escorted the citizens to the East Gate, Kato, seated in a bulletproof vehicle, gestured with a wave. The gendarmes pressed the thousand citizens against the city wall.

Protected heavily by gendarmes, Kato stepped out into the rain.

He turned to face the houses lining the street and said, “Shout!”

Several collaborators hurriedly shouted toward the houses on both sides, “Sir, the hour has come, but I am still willing to give you another chance.

If you come out now, I will release these thousand citizens!”

The thousand citizens, their eyes numb, suddenly saw a glimmer of hope, and stared fixedly down the street.

Amidst their hopes, the collaborators shouted for several minutes, but no one appeared; their hope gradually faded.

Seeing this, Kato lowered his hand, and the collaborators fell silent.

“Fire!” Kato ordered the gendarmes.

“Yes!” The gendarme bowed to accept the command.

Just as the gendarme prepared to relay the order, a furious shout erupted: “You bastard born without a mother! You want to be a hero but you’re getting us killed!”

The angry cry came from a young man among the thousand citizens.

Kato’s eyes lit up, an idea sparking.

“Go tell them: if they curse that man in the streets for ten days, they can live!” Kato ordered.

“Yes!”

The gendarme led a collaborator over, who shouted through a megaphone to the thousand citizens, “The Imperial Army is merciful! That demon’s crimes cannot be excused, but if you curse him in the streets for ten days, you will be spared!”

Faced with the chance to survive, none wished for death. The citizens’ eyes brightened; some quickly shouted, “I’m willing!”

Others began cursing outright. “You bastard! You’re a scoundrel!”

“Excellent!” Kato was delighted. He then said to the gendarme, “From tomorrow, the city will no longer be under curfew. Jinling must return to its former state.

But without my written order, the city gates remain one-way—entry allowed, exit forbidden!”

“Yes!”

Hearing the loud curses from many citizens, the hidden spies felt a chill.

They understood Kato’s intent: he wanted to break the hero’s spirit, to show him that he risked his life for these people, yet they turned on him. Would he still risk everything for them?

The covert commander from the Central Bureau, watching Kato by the car, whispered in fear, “Brilliant. If he’s an idealist, he might take his own life!”

A young man beside him, anxious, asked, “Captain, shouldn’t we do something?”

The captain shook his head slightly. “Given the situation, there’s nothing we can do. It’s up to him now.”

The young man sighed in his heart, deeply pained.

Shi Xiaozhen’s group, hidden nearby, all looked stunned.

They were young and had yet to grasp the selfishness of human nature.

They only knew that the man was a hero, but now, the people did not respect him—they cursed him.

“Captain, we…” A beautiful young woman tried to speak, but couldn’t find the words.

Shi Xiaozhen sighed helplessly. “Let’s not concern ourselves with these matters. Our mission is to uncover his identity as soon as possible and recruit him into the Bureau.”

Young blood ran hot, and Li Wensheng’s assassination of Hirohito had made him an idol for youth nationwide. Dai Yunong certainly wouldn’t tell Shi Xiaozhen that discovering his identity was for the purpose of killing him.

Dai Yunong’s line was that they would recruit him for the Party and the nation, so he could achieve greater things.

“Ah!” The young woman sighed helplessly.

The three young men shook their heads.

Shi Xiaozhen, seeing their dejection, turned to business.

“Bai Yan, what can you glean from his masked photo?”

Bai Yan, the young beauty, replied quickly, “Captain, from the photo, I estimate his height between 1.80 and 1.83 meters.

He has phoenix eyes, brows neither thick nor thin.

His posture suggests formal training.

That’s all I could discern!”

Shi Xiaozhen turned to a burly, stubbled young man.

“Old Ox, what about you? You walked the Qinhuai district this morning. Any findings?”

“Captain, I toured Qinhuai… nothing much.”

But seeing Old Ox’s puzzled expression, Shi Xiaozhen asked, “Did you discover something odd?”

As everyone looked at him curiously, Old Ox scratched his stubble, confused. “I found something, but it’s so far-fetched I feel foolish saying it—you’ll probably think I’m dreaming.”

“Old Ox, stop teasing, spit it out!” urged a pale, bespectacled man.

“Well, here’s the thing: I found several rooftops in Qinhuai with broken tiles, as if someone had stepped on them.

On New Year’s Eve, the residents heard something, but the firecrackers masked it.

The trail of broken tiles led all the way to the foreign firm across from the East Asia Hotel.

So I suspect, on New Year’s Eve, he walked across the rooftops to the firm opposite the hotel and shot the enemy Yoshizumi Ryosuke.

But those houses are over seven meters apart, with no space for a running start on the roof—no way to jump that far.

So, I find it impossible. Yet, I can’t think of any other way he could’ve crossed.”

“Seven meters? Impossible!” Bai Yan exclaimed.

Her words had barely fallen when the thin man nicknamed Gun Maniac spoke excitedly, “No, it’s possible!

He assassinated Hirohito—already beyond normal limits. Who knows if he has the physique or strength of an ancient warrior?”

The other four were stunned; if so, it could make sense.

Shi Xiaozhen thought for a moment, then asked Old Ox, “Assume he jumped across the rooftops. Can you pinpoint his hiding place?”

“Near Jiangning Fengyou Street!” Old Ox replied quickly; he had followed that line of inquiry and found the trail ended there.

Shi Xiaozhen’s eyes brightened, and he turned to the pale, scholarly man. “Scholar, what’s your psychological profile?”

“Captain, there’s too little data—I can only make a basic sketch.

Male, between twenty and thirty, lives alone, strong sense of justice.”

Scholar awkwardly rubbed his nose, “That’s all I can say.”

“It’s enough.”

Shi Xiaozhen said excitedly, “Now our target is clear.

Male, twenty to thirty years old, height between 1.80 and 1.83 meters, lives alone, formally trained, with phoenix eyes.

Tomorrow, we’ll split into two teams and search Jiangning Fengyou Street. Bai Yan, Old Ox, you’re with me; Scholar and Gun Maniac, you’re together.”

The four nodded, and Bai Yan said with excitement, “I hope tomorrow I can finally see what he looks like!”

Gun Maniac scoffed, “Forget it—he won’t be interested in you.

Besides, if he joins the Bureau, he’ll have to follow the rules, and agents can’t be together.”

Ever since Dai Yunong picked them from the special training camp, Bai Yan had often spoken of that man.

And whenever his name came up, her eyes brimmed with admiration. It was obvious she was infatuated.

Perhaps upon meeting, she’d throw herself into his arms.

But unlike a sheltered lady, Bai Yan didn’t blush when teased.

If she were truly shy, she wouldn’t have spoken of him so often during their training.

She shot Gun Maniac a look. “I’m a beauty, after all—plenty of admirers. Why wouldn’t he be interested?

As for Bureau rules, he assassinated Hirohito—his contributions to the Party and nation are immense. Director Dai will surely make an exception.”

Gun Maniac wanted to retort, but Shi Xiaozhen interrupted, “Enough, enough—let’s go. Tomorrow, we search for him!”