Chapter 60: Torture

The disappearance of the technical documents for the currency reform, because it involved the Military Bureau of Investigation and Statistics, was handed by the Old Man to the Central Bureau for investigation, and then Xu Enzeng passed it on to Gao Zhanlong.

When Gao Zhanlong received the order, he could only curse his luck inwardly. How could such a hot potato have landed on his lap? Wasn’t this just pushing him into a pit of fire?

The Tax Police Corps personnel and the servants in the Sheng Residence—how could he interrogate them? If it turned out one of these two groups harbored a Japanese spy, it would either disgrace the Song family or embarrass the Old Man.

As for the second department’s counter-espionage division and those three women from the Military Bureau, they could be interrogated, and he had done so. They confessed, admitting to stealing the documents.

But when it came to where the documents were or how they had stolen them, they couldn’t say. It was clear they were simply unable to withstand torture and wanted to confess just for relief.

If not for the fact that higher-ups would personally inquire about this case, Gao Zhanlong would have closed it as such. But with superiors involved, how could he close the case without real evidence? That would be courting disaster.

Xu Enzeng kept pressing him, even hinting that the blame should be dumped on the Military Bureau, with implications that could go all the way to the top.

Now he was at his wits’ end, worrying so much every day that his hair was falling out in clumps.

Now that Li Wensheng had come to intervene, Gao Zhanlong was more than happy—relieved, even. He certainly wouldn’t play any tricks.

He brought Li Wensheng to the gloomy interrogation cell, gave the interrogators a simple order to “cooperate fully with Chief Li,” and left.

He had no idea who this Li Wensheng was, but to think that the Central Bureau would cooperate with someone from the Military Bureau on a case was unusual.

Moreover, when Xu Enzeng instructed him yesterday, there wasn’t the slightest trace of anger.

This Li Wensheng was far too mysterious for Gao Zhanlong’s liking. He had no desire to linger here any longer. If he overheard something, and Xu Enzeng questioned him afterward, what would he say?

If he kept silent, he would offend Xu Enzeng; if he spoke, he might offend Li Wensheng. Best to leave early and know nothing at all.

Once Gao Zhanlong left, Li Wensheng pulled up a chair and sat down three meters in front of the interrogation rack. Then he ordered the interrogators, “Bring the Tax Police captain, Mi Guangjun, over here.”

The men exchanged glances, then turned and went to fetch him.

Although they resented a Military Bureau officer giving them orders, since Gao Zhanlong had told them to cooperate, they had no choice but to obey.

Soon, Mi Guangjun was brought in.

Li Wensheng noticed that Mi Guangjun had no injuries at all, not even shackles on his hands and feet. This made Li Wensheng’s eyes brighten. Since the Central Bureau hadn’t tortured the Tax Police men, perhaps something could be gained this time.

“What the hell do you want from me?” Mi Guangjun swept his gaze around the room, then, seeing at a glance that Li Wensheng was the leader, shouted rudely.

Li Wensheng studied him for a moment, then turned to the interrogators. “Torture him.”

The men were stunned. Torture a Tax Police officer?

Mi Guangjun’s eyes bulged as he burst into wild laughter. “Ha! You little bastard, you want to torture me? Who do you work for? Who’s your superior?”

Li Wensheng frowned slightly, then suddenly leapt up and, with a high kick, struck Mi Guangjun’s right arm.

Bang!

Mi Guangjun flew several meters, crashing into the table where the instruments of torture lay.

“Cough, cough.” Clutching his agonized right arm, Mi Guangjun glared fiercely at Li Wensheng, who had already sat back down, and shouted, “Who the hell is your superior?”

Li Wensheng ignored him and looked at the Central Bureau officers. Seeing that they all hung their heads, he turned to Zheng Yaoxian. “Sixth Brother, we’re all juniors here, not skilled in such matters. I’ll have to trouble you.”

Seeing that Li Wensheng was ignoring him, Mi Guangjun became even angrier and shouted, “You! Who’s your superior? Get your superiors here!”

Li Wensheng couldn’t be bothered with this fool. If someone dared interrogate him, they obviously had the authority. And yet he was still so stubborn—he was simply asking for pain.

Li Wensheng kept his gaze on Zheng Yaoxian.

Zheng Yaoxian, after a moment’s hesitation under Li Wensheng’s steady gaze, could only nod. “Fine, I’ll act as the interrogator this time.”

Only then did Li Wensheng turn his attention to Mi Guangjun, who was still shouting for his superior and asserting his position in the Tax Police Corps.

“Old Niu, go assist Sixth Brother.”

Old Niu stepped forward at once, and together with Zheng Yaoxian, they forced Mi Guangjun onto the iron rack.

As Old Niu and Zheng Yaoxian chained Mi Guangjun’s limbs, Li Wensheng told the interrogators, “Wait outside.”

The men rushed out as if escaping a disaster.

After binding Mi Guangjun, Zheng Yaoxian smiled lightly at Li Wensheng. “Chief Li, shall we start with a little appetizer or go straight to the main course?”

“There’s time. Let’s start with the appetizer.”

Zheng Yaoxian turned to Daniu. “If it’s just an appetizer, you do it. These old bones of mine get tired easily.”

While Old Niu was still confused, Zheng Yaoxian pointed to a whip on the floor. “Use this.” Then he gestured to a wooden bucket in the corner. “Dip it in the brine and lash him hard.”

Old Niu nodded, went to pick up the whip, and dipped it in the salt water.

At this point, Mi Guangjun was starting to panic, though his pride wouldn’t let him show it. He was still shouting insults.

“You bastards! Who gave you the right to torture me?”

“Brats, wait till I get out—I’ll make you pay!”

“Let me go, you little—”

Crack!

Before he could finish, Old Niu brought down the whip hard on Mi Guangjun.

“Ah!”

Soaked in brine, the whip’s blows carried extra sting and burned the wounds.

Given Old Niu’s exceptional strength, the lash left Mi Guangjun unable to speak, only able to scream in pain.

After each crack of the whip came another scream, one after the other.

After more than ten lashes, Mi Guangjun’s body was covered with bloody, split-open welts.

At this point, Zheng Yaoxian, who had been smoking in a corner, exhaled a plume of smoke and said, “Go dip the whip in brine again. It must stay wet, or it won’t hurt as much.”

Old Niu immediately went to the brine bucket.

With the whipping paused, Mi Guangjun finally caught his breath.

After a few gulps of air, his terror took over. “Ask what you want—I’ll tell you everything!”

Old Niu halted and looked to Li Wensheng.

Sitting on his stool, pencil scribbling aimlessly on the interrogation record, Li Wensheng didn’t even look up. “Continue. Don’t stop.”

“Bastards! I’m willing to confess!” Mi Guangjun shouted, eyes bulging.

But Old Niu paid him no mind. Li Wensheng had said not to stop, so he continued.

Soon, crack! Another blow, and Mi Guangjun no longer had the energy to curse. The brine-soaked whip inflicted such searing agony that he could only scream instinctively.

After a few more lashes, Mi Guangjun was drenched in blood, his screams growing weaker.

Zheng Yaoxian, seeing this, walked over to Li Wensheng. “Chief Li, the appetizer should suffice.”

Li Wensheng glanced at Mi Guangjun, then shouted, “Old Niu, stop.”

Daniu moved aside at once.

Li Wensheng, holding the layout of the Sheng Residence he had just sketched, walked to the agonized, groaning Mi Guangjun, held up the paper, and asked, “Do you recognize this?”

After two rounds of whipping, Mi Guangjun was now completely docile. He raised his head slowly. “That’s the map of the Sheng Residence. Before leading my team on security duty, I studied it carefully.”

“Good. Now tell me, where did you station the Tax Police Corps personnel?”

“Be detailed. Otherwise, the whip will remind you.”

Faced with Li Wensheng’s smiling expression, Mi Guangjun shuddered inwardly.

“There were twenty-three of us, myself included, assigned to guard the Sheng Residence.

“I posted six at the main gate, four each outside the left and right walls, and five at the rear. And—”

“Wait,” Li Wensheng interrupted, “why five at the rear?”

“Because I found a dog hole in the back wall, so I assigned an extra man there.”

Li Wensheng frowned slightly. “And the other four?”

“Three of them, plus myself, kept watch from the Batouzi Restaurant diagonally across from the Sheng Residence.”

“How many times did you enter the Sheng Residence?”

“Twice, before that Englishman moved in. After he moved in, I never went in again.”

A trace of disdain flashed in Mi Guangjun’s eyes. “I’m not like that fool, needing the Englishman to put in a good word for me, so why would I go in and act like a dog for him?”

Li Wensheng immediately turned, returned to his chair, and said quietly, “Scholar, have the Central Bureau men bring those three women in.”