Chapter 17: Hidden Intentions

At ten past nine in the evening, the moon was hidden and the wind was fierce. The streets were deserted, save for the patrolling puppet soldiers and military police.

Li Wen Sheng and Yu Jia Rong stepped out of the herbal medicine shop, winding through narrow alleys, turning left and right until they arrived in front of the Drunken Fragrance Inn.

After knocking on the door, a voice immediately inquired, “Who is it?”

“Sanshan Confucius Temple,” Yu Jia Rong whispered.

Upon hearing the unique code of the Jinling station, the door swung open at once. A middle-aged man, draped in a coat and carrying an oil lamp, glanced over the two and hurriedly ushered them inside.

“Where’s the station chief?” Yu Jia Rong asked as soon as they entered the inn.

“Follow me,” the man replied, heading behind the counter.

He twisted a bottle of wine on the rack behind the counter. With a faint creak, the wine rack slid inward, revealing a hidden passage.

“Just follow the passage and you’ll meet the station chief,” the man said, passing the oil lamp to Yu Jia Rong.

Taking the lamp, Yu Jia Rong led Li Wen Sheng into the passage. The man twisted the bottle again, and the rack slid back, closing off the passage.

The tunnel sloped downward; after descending a dozen steps, it turned left. Soon, a wooden panel appeared ahead.

Yu Jia Rong pushed against it, but it wouldn’t budge, so he began to knock. Instantly, footsteps approached, and then the panel opened, letting candlelight spill into the corridor.

With the candlelight revealed, Li Wen Sheng saw they had entered a room—plain and unremarkable, with no distinguishing features. A slightly corpulent middle-aged man sat by the table.

Following Yu Jia Rong into the room, Li Wen Sheng watched as the man at the side twisted a porcelain bottle on the shelf, closing the passage and making it vanish.

“Station chief,” Yu Jia Rong saluted the man.

Li Wen Sheng, seeing this, hurriedly saluted as well. “Station chief, I have come to report as ordered.”

“This is the area behind enemy lines; no need to be so formal. Please, everyone, have a seat.” The station chief of Jinling, Guo Liang, smiled broadly, his demeanor reminiscent of the Laughing Buddha.

Li Wen Sheng saw Yu Jia Rong sit, so he followed suit, then drew out the appointment letter from his breast pocket.

“Station chief, here’s my appointment letter.”

Guo Liang took the letter, glanced at it, then returned it with a cheerful smile. “Captain Li, so young and capable.”

“It’s only thanks to Director Dai’s favor that I've become captain. I’ll rely on your guidance in the future,” Li Wen Sheng replied, feigning modesty.

Guo Liang chuckled, “We all serve the party and nation together, and work side by side at Jinling station. There’s no need to speak of guidance—let’s look out for each other.”

Guo Liang was exceedingly courteous, showing none of a station chief’s authority. Li Wen Sheng understood that Guo Liang was wary of Dai Yunong possibly assigning him a special mission, perhaps even targeting Guo Liang himself, hence the politeness.

Just then, a knock sounded from the bookshelf again. The burly man standing nearby quickly stepped forward, twisted the bottle, and opened the passage.

A man in his thirties, lean with sharp eyes, emerged from the passage. Earlier that day, Li Wen Sheng had asked Yu Jia Rong about the operations team, so upon seeing this man, he recognized him as Ning Wei Xiong, leader of the third group.

“Station chief,” Ning Wei Xiong saluted Guo Liang.

Guo Liang nodded and introduced Li Wen Sheng, “This is the newly appointed captain of the operations team, Li Wen Sheng.”

Ning Wei Xiong quickly saluted Li Wen Sheng, “Captain Li.”

“Group Leader Ning, no need for formality,” Li Wen Sheng replied with a smile, though his gaze discreetly observed Guo Liang.

Guo Liang’s politeness toward him was expected, but he was equally cordial with Yu Jia Rong, suggesting Yu Jia Rong wasn’t Guo Liang’s man. Yet his attitude toward Ning Wei Xiong was markedly indifferent, indicating that Ning was indeed Guo Liang’s confidant.

Whatever the profession, people always appear indifferent toward their own in front of outsiders, but are overly courteous toward those who are not. This is the habit of those with shrewd minds.

After Ning Wei Xiong sat down, repeated knocks came from the bookshelf, and the other two group leaders, Qin Chi and Li You, arrived.

Once everyone was present, Guo Liang instructed the burly man, “A San, keep watch outside.”

After A San left, Guo Liang addressed the group. “Ten days ago, a traitor emerged from the operations team, resulting in the tragic death of the previous captain.

With the team lacking leadership, there’s been no progress over the past half month. Headquarters has issued orders to resolve this swiftly.

Captain Li, I hope under your command, the operations team can quickly recover.”

“Yes, I will reorganize the team as soon as possible,” Li Wen Sheng replied.

“Captain Li, your next mission is to eliminate the former vice-captain, Meng Xin Qi.

Meng Xin Qi is the traitor who caused great losses to Jinling station.

For the sake of deterrence, and to avenge the fallen, Captain Li, I hope you can deal with Meng Xin Qi promptly.”

The more Guo Liang spoke, the angrier he became, as though he wished to drink Meng Xin Qi’s blood and devour his flesh.

Li Wen Sheng listened, his brow furrowing inwardly. With the current manpower, killing a traitor who had only recently defected to the enemy would be difficult.

Even if they succeeded, it would likely come at great cost. Guo Liang, an experienced agent, surely understood this.

He wanted Li Wen Sheng to risk death, and even if he survived, should the team suffer heavy losses, Li Wen Sheng, the newly appointed captain, would be forced to leave in disgrace, returning to Chongqing.

Though the task was a trap, Li Wen Sheng had no choice but to accept it.

Guo Liang was station chief, and the mission to eliminate Meng Xin Qi was perfectly justified; military intelligence always dealt harshly with traitors.

“Station chief, I will ensure Meng Xin Qi is eliminated quickly.”

Guo Liang laughed, “Captain Li, young and talented, I believe I’ll soon be hosting a victory banquet in your honor.”

As Guo Liang finished speaking, Qin Chi piped up, “Station chief, now that our team has a captain, the vice-captain’s position remains vacant. When will you appoint someone?”

Guo Liang glanced at Li Wen Sheng, who remained composed, and smiled, “Indeed, we need a vice-captain; without one, the team’s work cannot progress smoothly.

Let’s do this: whoever performs best in eliminating Meng Xin Qi, I’ll submit a report to headquarters recommending them for the vice-captaincy.”

Then Guo Liang turned to Li Wen Sheng, “Captain Li, do you have any objections?”

“None, station chief. I’ll follow your lead.”

“Good, it’s settled then. Whoever contributes most to eliminating Meng Xin Qi will become vice-captain.”

Afterward, Qin Chi and the others told Li Wen Sheng how to contact them, then began leaving the room in batches via the hidden passage.

Near eleven o’clock, Li Wen Sheng and Yu Jia Rong emerged from the Drunken Fragrance Inn, returning through deserted alleys to the herbal medicine shop.

Once inside, Yu Jia Rong lit an oil lamp and spoke quietly, “Wen Sheng, Qin Chi and the others have always coveted the vice-captain’s position.

Now that you’ve parachuted in as captain, they’re bound to have feelings about it.”

Without Yu Jia Rong’s words, Li Wen Sheng had already observed their expressions and noted their clear dissatisfaction with his sudden appointment.

It was only natural—in this perilous Jinling station, where missions meant life and death, the chance for promotion was in sight, only for a newcomer, so young, to be appointed. Anyone would be resentful.

Li Wen Sheng sat down, poured water from the kettle atop the stove, and laughed, “Jia Rong, did you ever have designs on the captaincy yourself?”

“Me? Haha, I’ve only been in Jinling a year, my roots are shallow, and I came from the training camp—I’m not from the station chief’s clique.

Even if I had ambitions, I’d never become captain,” Yu Jia Rong said, self-deprecatingly.

Li Wen Sheng narrowed his eyes slightly; clearly, Yu Jia Rong did harbor ambitions, and perhaps even envied him.

After chatting a bit more and tidying up, the two went to sleep.

Over the next three days, with the station’s help, Li Wen Sheng assumed a new identity in Jinling—a humble bookstore owner.