Chapter Twenty-Eight: A Pretense Turned Reality

According to the intelligence obtained from the "Communist bandit" interrogations, the underground Party's Jiangsu Provincial Committee was located in a small courtyard in Baiyi Alley.

"Let’s hear your thoughts on how to coordinate this operation," Dai Li said.

Wei Si spoke up, "There are over a dozen small alleys near Baiyi Alley, known as the 'Ghost Wall.' Even the locals often find themselves walking in circles before they can find their way out. If we rely solely on our Secret Service agents, it will be difficult to cover all exits, and the tactical deployment will be quite challenging. I suggest we contact the police department to assist in the containment."

Dai Li nodded and looked at the others. "And you?"

"Director, if we involve the police, there is a risk of a leak. If the mission fails because of that, can Section Chief Wei take responsibility for it?" Liu Yan’s words were aimed directly at Wei Si.

The rivalry between the Intelligence Section and the Operations Section was long-standing. The Operations Section did all the dirty and grueling work, while the Intelligence Section reaped all the rewards and credit. Every operation was commanded by the Intelligence Section, while the Operations Section had to risk their lives on the front lines. And, of course, intelligence work was prone to errors. The cost of those errors was paid in the blood of the men from the Operations Section. It would have been a miracle if the two section chiefs got along.

"If the containment is lax and the 'Communist bandits' escape, will Section Chief Liu take the blame?" Wei Si retorted coolly.

The two traded barbs during the meeting, while the team leaders present kept their heads down, acting like shrinking turtles.

"Enough. By the time you two finish arguing, the bandits will have already escaped," Dai Li chided. He then turned to the others. "Yingge, give us your opinion."

"A loose containment indeed makes it easy for fish to slip through the net. I support Section Chief Wei’s view, but we must also be strict regarding secrecy. Let the Secret Service agents secure the site first. Once the initial deployment is complete, we can use trucks to fetch officers from various police substations. Only inform them of their mission once they arrive at Baiyi Alley. This way, the risk of a leak will be greatly reduced," Song Yingge suggested.

"We will proceed as you suggested." Dai Li approved Song Yingge’s plan, then added sternly, "This capture must succeed; failure is not an option, or you will face military law!"

"Director, the personnel from both the Intelligence and Operations Sections are assembled," Cheng Shuli reported.

"Move out!" Dai Li commanded.

Ordinarily, Dai Li would have led such a major operation in person, but this time he chose to remain at headquarters. His goal was to keep a close watch on the base to sniff out any potential Red Party moles.

Everyone boarded the trucks and headed straight for Baiyi Alley. As they neared their destination, the trucks stopped, and the men proceeded on foot. On the way, Song Yingge tested Zhou Weijiang with a few questions, confirming that he knew nothing about the internal details of the operation.

Song Yingge did not know what had happened to make Dai Li suspect a mole within the headquarters. Furthermore, he did not know if there were any other moles besides himself. If there were, he hoped that comrade would be able to recognize the trap; otherwise, they would be in grave danger.

Upon arriving at Baiyi Alley, Wei Si took charge of the scene, and the initial containment was soon established. After an hour and a half, the police arrived. Soon, an airtight net was woven. If the underground Party were truly in Baiyi Alley, they would have no way to escape.

Fortunately, all of this was merely a trap set by Dai Li.

Once the deployment was complete, Wei Si ordered the raid to begin, emphasizing the need to take captives alive.

For a location as critical as a stronghold of the Jiangsu Provincial Committee, the lack of hidden sentries was something Song Yingge couldn't help but criticize—the act felt slightly too staged.

The "stronghold" was a small courtyard with four or five rooms. The men from the Operations Section scaled the walls, and once the doors were forced open, Song Yingge took the lead and charged inside. He scanned the room quickly; no one was in the yard, so they must have been inside the rooms.

Knowing these people were fakes, Song Yingge naturally did not hold back. In close-quarters combat, his reaction time, agility, and situational awareness made him unrivaled. Without hesitation, he picked the largest room and rushed in.

There were two people inside. Hampered by Wei Si’s order to keep them alive, Song Yingge couldn't use lethal force. He fired four shots to incapacitate them before moving on to the next room. This was the best time to prove his "allegiance," and he had to put on a good performance. In the end, out of the ten "underground Party members," Song Yingge personally wounded five.

On the way back, Wei Si praised Song Yingge for his divine marksmanship and fearless courage.

However, after returning to Caodu Alley, the result Song Yingge dreaded most came to pass: Chen Xunlei, the deputy leader of the Transportation Team under the General Affairs Section, had been arrested.

As a Red Party sleeper agent, Chen Xunlei had joined the Secret Service long ago and had provided the organization with a wealth of intelligence. But this time, Dai Li had handled the secrecy too well.

Apart from Wei Si and Song Yingge, it is estimated that no one in the entire Secret Service knew this operation was a trap. Chen Xunlei had misjudged the situation, and when he attempted to pass information to the outside, he was discovered and reported to Dai Li.

Now, he was being held in the interrogation room. Song Yingge was frantic, desperate to find a way to warn the organization so that other comrades on Chen Xunlei’s line could evacuate immediately. But the next scheduled meeting wasn't until tomorrow. If Song Yingge went to the White Deer Bookstore now, it would not only violate organizational protocol but also risk exposure. He could only hope that Chen Xunlei would be able to withstand the torture and hold out for a while.

"Team Leader, the Director is summoning you to the interrogation room," a team member said. Song Yingge nodded.

When he reached the interrogation room, Chen Xunlei’s face was covered in blood; he had clearly already been tortured. Song Yingge had dealt with Chen Xunlei a few times before; he remembered him as a smooth, easy-going man who made others feel comfortable. He never imagined he was a comrade.

"You performed well today. I heard from Wei Si that you captured five men yourself," Dai Li praised. After Chen Xunlei was arrested, everyone in the Secret Service knew the Baiyi Alley raid was a screening operation.

"Director, please, don't tease me. If I had known they were our own, I wouldn't have been so heavy-handed," Song Yingge said.

"Whether the mission was real or not, the fact that you captured five men is real," Dai Li laughed.

Dai Li was very satisfied with Song Yingge’s performance during the operation. Both his suggestions during the meeting and his lead-from-the-front approach in the field fully demonstrated his "stance." If someone were to tell Dai Li now that Song Yingge was a Red Party mole, Dai Li would surely slap them across the face.

Of course, given Dai Li’s suspicious and cautious nature, how long this trust would last remained to be seen. But at the very least, for now, neither Wei Si nor Dai Li suspected that Song Yingge was a mole for the Red Party.

"I will continue to work hard, sir," Song Yingge replied.

"I am handing this man over to you for interrogation. Once you get a confession, I will personally recommend you for a commendation!" Dai Li said.

Dai Li’s intention was to promote Song Yingge, but he had inadvertently thrown him a massive, impossible dilemma.