Chapter 38: The Mission Remains Unchanged

"Wensheng, headquarters replied. The mission to blow up the enemy’s supply depot remains unchanged. Everything is under your command. Here’s the message."

It was a little after ten in the morning when Yu Jiarong arrived.

Li Wensheng took the dispatch Yu handed him and opened it for a glance.

"The mission proceeds, and is under the command of Captain Li Wensheng, leader of the action squad!"

He had already guessed Dai Yunong would do this. After reading, Li Wensheng calmly tossed the slip of paper into the nearby stove.

"Here are your residency and work permits. I couldn't manage to get you a journalist’s credentials, but I arranged for you and Bai Yan to be buyers for the Longxing Trading Company. The owner of Longxing is involved with the East Asian Prosperity Chamber of Commerce and is reportedly on good terms with Captain Kato from the enemy's military police. With this identity, the Japanese generally won’t scrutinize you. I could only get two buyer credentials, not four, so you and Bai Yan will have to do. Your real name has probably been exposed to the enemy, so I used the alias Li Yiming for you."

Li Wensheng took the two work permits and two residency certificates Yu handed over, but before he could examine them, Yu produced another piece of paper from his coat.

"Since you and Bai Yan are living together, I set you up as a married couple—here’s your marriage certificate."

Li Wensheng was momentarily stunned. In both his lifetimes, this was the first time he’d ever had a marriage certificate.

He couldn’t be bothered to look at it, so he set it aside and instead opened up the Longxing work permit. Seeing there was no section for a photograph, Li Wensheng exhaled in relief. He had no wish to leave any photo evidence.

As for the residency certificate, there was no need to check. Photography was a rare commodity these days—ordinary people couldn’t afford it. Only residency permits in large cities might have photos; elsewhere, many were just handwritten cloth slips. Although Jinling was a big city, after the massacre, almost every photography studio had been destroyed; getting a photo for a permit was out of the question. Even the one Yu had previously obtained for him under the name Li Han had no photo.

Seeing Li Wensheng finish with the credentials and set them aside, Yu immediately asked, "Wensheng, what should we do next?"

"You prepare the explosives. I’ll handle the intelligence."

"Explosives? We’ll have to buy them off the black market, but the prices there are exorbitant—our funds are nowhere near enough," Yu said, troubled.

"If we can’t afford to buy them, then just seize them. Get in touch with Fang Daoguang—have his group cooperate with you. With men and guns, surely you can manage to take some explosives?" Li Wensheng replied calmly.

Yu’s eyes widened. "Robbery? That will tip the enemy off to our presence!"

"And if we don’t, do you think they won’t find out? Everyone else at the station has been wiped out. Tell me, do you think the enemy doesn’t already know we exist?"

Yu thought it over. The Japanese certainly already knew of them. If they robbed the black market and left no witnesses, the enemy would have no trail to follow. As for killing everyone involved—that was no issue. The black market was run by big players, but the actual operatives were just local thugs and hoodlums. If well-trained agents couldn’t handle them, they might as well be dead already.

"Fine, I’ll handle the explosives. But Wensheng, how are you planning to gather the intelligence?"

"I’ll take care of it. You don’t need to worry."

Yu didn’t press further. He nodded and left.

As soon as Yu departed, Li Wensheng sought out Bai Yan, who was busy cooking.

He set Bai Yan’s work and residency permits, along with the marriage certificate, on the stove.

"This is your new identity. We’re a married couple newly arrived in Jinling. Xiao Mao and the Scholar are our rural relatives who have come to join us."

Bai Yan froze for a moment, then her face broke into a delighted grin. "Husband!"

Li Wensheng rolled his eyes. "Get ready—we’re going out this afternoon."

"Hee hee, yes, Husband," she replied, brimming with joy.

Li Wensheng ignored her and went to find the recently awakened Scholar and Xiao Mao, instructing them that from now on, their outward identity was that of his country relatives, so they should dress plainly.

A little after two in the afternoon, Li Wensheng, dressed in a suit and overcoat, left the house arm-in-arm with Bai Yan, who was likewise bundled up in an overcoat and scarf.

Out on the street, Bai Yan was beaming, her dimples and teeth showing.

"Husband, where are we going next?" she asked sweetly.

"Pukou. There’s a shipment I need to inspect."

On hearing this, Bai Yan set aside her playful thoughts. The train station was in Pukou, and visiting there could only mean investigating the enemy’s warehouses—serious business. She dared not think of anything else.

After taking the ferry to Pukou, Li Wensheng noticed many more military police and collaborators on the streets.

At street corners, plainclothes men observed passersby, and anyone who seemed suspicious was promptly questioned.

"What are you doing here?"

Li Wensheng and Bai Yan, two young people walking together, drew attention. Soon enough, several plainclothes officers surrounded them.

"We’re buyers for the Longxing Trading Company. We have a shipment to check in the warehouse," Li Wensheng replied, pretending to clutch Bai Yan in fear.

The leader scrutinized them. "Work permits?"

They quickly produced their credentials. After a glance at the official seals, the officer returned them and led his men back to their post.

After two more blocks, another group stopped them.

They managed to get through, but Li Wensheng frowned inwardly as they pressed on. After a few steps, Bai Yan whispered, "Maybe I should go back. Two people are too conspicuous."

"No. If you turn back now, it’ll look even stranger to those who checked us before."

Bai Yan said no more.

Every two blocks, another inspection. Although the Longxing credentials kept suspicion at bay, the constant interruptions wasted time. In an entire afternoon, they only managed to circle a few warehouses.

The train station being in Pukou made it convenient for most trade companies to store goods there; the warehouses were large, with dozens of major ones in the area. At this rate, it would take days to find the enemy’s supply depot.

After six in the evening, Li Wensheng and Bai Yan returned home.

Bai Yan went straight to cooking, while Li Wensheng sat at his desk, sipping tea and pondering his next move.

After a while, he went to the courtyard, where Xiao Mao was tidying up.

"Go find Deputy Yu and get a map of Pukou."

Xiao Mao immediately set down his broom and hurried out.

Before dinner, Xiao Mao returned with the map.

After dinner, Li Wensheng spread it on the table.

Staring at the dense web of roads, he circled the train station with a pencil and considered where he would store supplies if he were the enemy.

"Captain, I don’t think the enemy will keep the supplies in Pukou," came a sudden voice.

Li Wensheng turned. "Why do you think the warehouse isn’t in Pukou?"

The Scholar, Miao Xingsong, brightened, a gleam in his eye. "Captain, after capturing so many of us, the enemy could easily find out our target is their supplies. Judging by how they forced that man using civilians, the military police commander in Jinling is no fool. Knowing our aim, he’d surely move the supplies elsewhere. The heavy security in Pukou is just bait to lure us in!"

Li Wensheng regarded the Scholar with surprise. "But how can you be sure the enemy isn’t doing the opposite—tricking people who think like you?"

The Scholar froze. "That can’t be! If the enemy could really read our minds, they’d have caught us long ago."

"Then how can you be so sure your guess is right?"

The Scholar fell silent.

Li Wensheng set his pencil down, his expression stern. "Don’t think I’m just being contrary. Remember—never underestimate the enemy. Don’t assume they’re stupid and we’re clever. That kind of thinking will get you killed."

"Yes, Captain. I’ll remember," the Scholar replied, though inwardly he remained unconvinced. After all, he’d studied psychology for years; how could he not see through the enemy’s intentions?

Li Wensheng saw the look in his eyes and immediately understood.

If he didn’t need manpower for the upcoming sabotage, he’d have ignored the Scholar’s attitude altogether.

"Trickery is useful when the odds are close, or the weaker side is fighting the strong. If you have overwhelming strength, straightforward methods are usually the simplest and most effective. Our strength compared to the enemy’s is worlds apart; they have no need for tricks. Their military law is strict—if supply deliveries are delayed, a whole garrison could be sent before a court martial. They wouldn’t risk the supplies; they’d just gather forces to guard the warehouse."

The Scholar shuddered and bowed his head. "Thank you for the lesson, Captain."

Li Wensheng said nothing more, turning his attention back to the map. He picked up his pencil and pondered where the enemy would store their supplies.

After a moment, he circled an area to the right of the train station.

If he were the enemy, he’d surely use that spot: convenient traffic, close to the station, with the Yangtze River right beside it. It was the obvious choice.

Setting his pencil down, Li Wensheng said, "Xiao Mao, put the map away."

He turned to Bai Yan and the Scholar. "Tomorrow, I’ll scout Pukou alone and won’t be back at night. Stay alert. If anything happens, go to Deputy Yu."

"Captain, let me go with you. It’s safer with two," Bai Yan said quickly.

Scholar echoed, "Right, Captain. Better to take someone with you."

Dai Yunong had made it clear: they were to keep Li Wensheng in sight at all times. They dared not let him out of their sight for a whole day.

"There are things you can’t help with. If the higher-ups ask, just say I refused to let you follow."

Xiao Mao looked puzzled, but Bai Yan and Scholar were both deeply alarmed.

The higher-ups! Li Wensheng clearly knew they’d been sent by Dai Yunong.

They exchanged glances as Li Wensheng walked back to his room.