Chapter 104: The Operation (Part One)

The Iwai Residence was vast—more than twice the size of the Military Intelligence Headquarters. However, its buildings were not as tall, lacking the imposing grandeur of the headquarters. Yet, in terms of environment—the gardens, the plazas, the lush lawns—it surpassed the Military Intelligence Headquarters by far.

The car halted before a building on the left. After the woman stepped out, she called over the guards at the entrance to help Li Wensheng descend from the vehicle.

Instead of taking Li Wensheng to the interrogation room, the woman led him to an office on the second floor and had someone untie his bindings.

Then, she dismissed the others.

Once alone, the woman smiled warmly and extended her right hand, as pure and white as jade, toward Li Wensheng.

“Mr. Ma, hello. My name is Ayumi Tsujimoto. I also have a Chinese name—Zhang Lanhua.”

Li Wensheng said nothing; instead, he closed his eyes.

Zhang Lanhua’s smile only grew brighter, undeterred.

She walked behind the desk, sat down, pulled out a pack of cigarettes from the drawer, lit one, and took a deep drag.

Exhaling the smoke, she scrutinized Li Wensheng, who stood like a pillar.

As the smoke dispersed, she parted her alluring cherry-red lips.

“Mr. Ma, if you tell me where the Gao Xin treasure is, I guarantee your safety and a reward of one thousand dollars.”

A thousand dollars—Li Wensheng immediately sized her as a minor squad leader.

Considering the Military Intelligence budgets available for operations, even if the Japanese were generous with funds, the maximum sum Zhang Lanhua could allocate within her authority would not exceed ten thousand dollars.

This gave him an idea instantly.

Seeing Li Wensheng’s lack of reaction, Zhang Lanhua pressed on, “Mr. Ma, you didn’t sacrifice yourself for Mr. Gao earlier. Now, you haven’t made a move either. That means you still want to live. So, tell me—where is Mr. Gao Xin Bao?”

Li Wensheng remained silent but wore a look of inner struggle.

Delighted, Zhang Lanhua smiled smugly, refraining from pressing further, letting Li Wensheng wrestle with his thoughts.

After a moment, Li Wensheng opened his eyes, glared fiercely at Zhang Lanhua, and ground his teeth, “Not enough!”

Zhang Lanhua’s eyes flickered. She rose, approached him, and traced her slender fingers gently across his face.

“Mr. Ma, if you want me, I can agree to that as well.”

Zhang Lanhua was skilled in seduction; every smile, every glance, every gesture brimmed with charm. Her captivating allure, paired with spring-like longing in her eyes and the breath she exhaled from her tempting cherry lips, would stir any man.

Li Wensheng suppressed the agitation within and said coldly, “I’m talking about the money—not enough!”

Zhang Lanhua was stunned, unable to believe it. Her beauty, which had never failed her before, was utterly ineffective now.

Snapping back to herself, she withdrew her hand and, furious and humiliated, snapped coldly, “How much then?”

“Fifteen thousand dollars.”

Though aware that fifteen thousand was beyond Zhang Lanhua’s normal budgetary limits, Li Wensheng added the extra five thousand for safety.

Zhang Lanhua’s eyes widened in shock, “Impossible. The maximum is three thousand.”

“Then kill me. I betrayed Mr. Gao. If I remain in the country, I’m surely dead. Without fifteen thousand dollars, I can’t survive abroad either. That’s death too. Better to die now and leave a good name.”

Li Wensheng finished speaking, closing his eyes again.

Zhang Lanhua frowned, contemplating for a moment. “Fine. I can give you fifteen thousand dollars. Now, tell me—where is Mr. Gao?”

“Heh,” Li Wensheng chuckled coldly with his eyes closed, “Give me the money first, then I’ll give you the address. Otherwise, don’t expect me to speak.”

“Do you not trust the Iwai Residence?” Zhang Lanhua asked with a frown.

“Precisely because it’s the Iwai Residence, I want the money first before revealing the location.”

Anger flared in Zhang Lanhua’s eyes.

She glared fiercely at Li Wensheng and shouted, “Then how do you guarantee the address you give is real?”

“Believe it or not. Either kill me now, or pay first, escort me to the dock, and I’ll tell you the address when we board the ship.”

“Baka!” Zhang Lanhua’s fury boiled over. She grabbed Li Wensheng’s collar and said harshly, “You have no choice. Either cooperate or die!”

Li Wensheng opened his eyes, calmly pried her hand away, and said expressionlessly, “Fine. Then shoot me now. I promise I won’t resist.”

His defiance left Zhang Lanhua breathless, her ample chest heaving noticeably.

“Ma Xiaowu, don’t pretend to be noble in front of me. If you weren’t afraid to die, you wouldn’t have stopped earlier,” Zhang Lanhua snapped.

“Heh,” Li Wensheng sneered, “Just because you took a Chinese name doesn’t mean you understand China. Don’t misuse Chinese idioms. I’m not being noble or righteous. I’m afraid of dying, but precisely because I’m afraid, I want the money first, then I’ll give you the address once we’re on the ship. You have no morality in your work. I’ve already said: if you don’t pay and kill me afterward, I lose both my reputation and my life.”

Zhang Lanhua’s anger slowly subsided. She gazed deeply at Li Wensheng, then returned behind the desk, lit another cigarette, and said,

“Then how do you guarantee the address you give is true?”

“You can only gamble that I’m telling the truth,” Li Wensheng replied before closing his eyes again.

Zhang Lanhua frowned, thinking for a few seconds. “Five thousand. I can keep you company for a few nights, and I’ll let you board the ship before you tell me the address.”

Li Wensheng opened his eyes, a triumphant smile spreading across his face. “You’re very beautiful, but I love money more. Fifteen thousand dollars. If you can’t decide that, then go ask your superiors.”

The blow hit Zhang Lanhua hard. Her beauty had always been an unerring weapon, but it was utterly useless against ‘Ma Xiaowu.’

She stood and walked toward the door. Pausing beside Li Wensheng, she glanced at him and ground her teeth, “I really don’t know if you’re even a man.”

Then she strode out.

At the door, she spoke to two men standing guard in Japanese, “Take him to the reception room on the third floor.”

Turning back to Li Wensheng, she said, “Mr. Ma, why don’t you rest somewhere else for a while?”

This office contained many files. Although Zhang Lanhua believed Li Wensheng wouldn’t look through them, she still didn’t dare let him stay, just to be safe.

“I don’t mind. Anywhere is fine.”

Li Wensheng followed the two men to a reception room on the third floor.

After bringing him there, the two men did not leave but instead headed toward the door.

Li Wensheng, who had just sat down, immediately rose and quietly followed them.

As the door to the meeting room opened, his eyes darted first to the window.

Though the window was large glass, iron bars secured the outside. Escape through it was impossible; only the door offered a way out.

The two men reached the door; the one in front reached for the handle when a cracking sound rang out. Li Wensheng twisted the neck of the man behind with brutal speed.

The man at the front, hearing the noise, turned his head just in time to see a hand darting toward him, followed by a sharp pain in his throat and sudden breathlessness.

Li Wensheng crushed the man’s larynx, stepped forward, pressed down on his head, twisted once more with a crack, and the man fell lifeless.

He dragged the two bodies to a corner of the meeting room, stripped one of the men, and changed into his clothes.

Then he retrieved a wet towel from his system space, wiped off the birthmark makeup from his face, and exited the meeting room.

If he could have disguised himself as one of them, he would have been safer. But time was short. Zhang Lanhua was only going to request funding and wouldn’t be long. If he wasted time on makeup and she returned before he left the building, trouble would ensue.