Chapter 88: Arson

Crackling sounds filled the air. Pig bristles, highly flammable and an accelerant, aided the blaze. Li Wensheng carried several bags of pig bristles, scattering them over other piles of goods. He pulled out a match, struck it, and in an instant, the flames surged. By the time he had ignited all the piles, the first heap was already engulfed in fire.

He turned for a glance, struck another match, and tossed it onto a pile of pig bristles. The flames leapt up swiftly. Li Wensheng strode quickly out of the warehouse, glanced at the guard still deep in slumber, and melted away into the crowd.

A vast heap of pig bristles burned rapidly and fiercely. Less than half a minute after Li Wensheng disappeared into the throng, the warehouse was ablaze, and the people at the dock noticed.

The awakened guard panicked, and those at the dock who knew it was the Kong family’s warehouse were equally alarmed, aware that when the Kong family investigated, they’d suffer for it too.

The dock teemed with tightly packed crowds, shoulder to shoulder as they gathered around the burning warehouse.

Within the crowd, Li Wensheng, slipping sideways toward the edge, suddenly changed his expression and halted, turning to look behind him.

“Keep your eyes forward,” came a voice. “I brought plenty of people with me. Linger too long, and no matter how skilled your disguise, someone will recognize you.”

He gazed at Chen Wenqi, who had suddenly appeared behind him, her face calm and composed. Li Wensheng was silent for several seconds, then turned to face the inferno, murmuring quietly, “You did this on purpose.”

Chen Wenqi’s abrupt arrival, precisely at that moment, made it clear she had intended for him to set fire to the warehouse. Otherwise, she would have appeared before he started.

She moved half a step closer, tilting her head as if brushing against his cheek. “You’ve vented your anger, haven’t you?”

Li Wensheng’s lips moved slightly as he inhaled the jasmine scent she wore. “You don’t have a grudge against the Kong family, yet you had me burn their warehouse. Is it their actions you can’t abide?”

“You once said that regardless of a woman’s reasons for enlisting, she’s braver than those men who cower in fear. But I’ll add this—whatever the motive, anyone who enlists wishes for the country’s calamity to end in victory.”

Li Wensheng turned his head, catching the cold elegance of Chen Wenqi’s half-face in his peripheral vision. “But others are still amassing wealth unscrupulously. Can you stop them?”

Chen Wenqi also inclined her head, and for a moment, their breaths brushed each other’s faces. Though the proximity was intimate, neither felt a ripple in their hearts.

“Don’t tell me you’ve already pledged allegiance to Yan Prefecture,” Chen Wenqi said, a hint of surprise in her voice. She couldn’t believe Li Wensheng had switched sides, yet his earlier words sounded exactly like something someone from Yan Prefecture would say.

“No, I won’t pledge allegiance to anyone.”

Chen Wenqi gazed deeply at Li Wensheng, then leaned close to his ear and whispered, “There are plenty within the Nationalist Party, and the Political Department too, who take ill-gotten gains. I’ve taken questionable money myself. I know you’ve done the same in Shanghai and Nanjing. But people like us have a line we won’t cross—we won’t aid the enemy.”

Suddenly, she turned her head again, and once more their breaths mingled.

“Isn’t it strange? We love money, but when it comes to aiding the enemy, even for a price, we refuse.”

“People are complicated, aren’t they? Like you—clearly, you want to catch me and claim credit, so my uncle can promote you. Yet now, you let me go.”

Chen Wenqi didn’t answer immediately, but after a few seconds of silence, she murmured, “Go on. This time, I’m letting you off because you burned the Kong warehouse. Next time, I won’t.”

Li Wensheng didn’t believe her, but he didn’t press the matter. Instead, he asked, “How did you see through me? How long have you been watching?”

Chen Wenqi smiled, revealing two dimples. “If I tell you, you’ll try to change, making it harder for me to catch you next time. That’s wishful thinking.”

Before Li Wensheng could speak, Chen Wenqi winked mischievously. “But I’ll tell you anyway—it won’t help, you can’t change it. No matter how well you disguise your face, your physique stays the same. And those trained in the military stand and walk differently from ordinary people—it’s instinct. Even if you try to force a change, you can’t.”

“Unless you stop being an agent, avoid combat and intelligence work, maybe in a few years you’ll blend in with ordinary folk. But you, you’ll never stop being a spy. As for how long I’ve been watching you, I started when you reached the warehouse door. Aren’t you curious how you didn’t notice me?”

“Yes, I am. Can Miss Chen enlighten me?”

Chen Wenqi’s smile faded, her expression grew solemn. “Let me warn you—not to rely too much on your intuition. Sometimes, it will betray you. I know your instincts are sharp, but experts never watch their target directly. When I’m tailing someone, on sunny days, I watch their shadow; on rainy days, I watch the raindrops. My methods always change with the weather.”

Li Wensheng was genuinely surprised. “It’s a pity you’re in the Political Department; you should be a spy.”

Chen Wenqi scoffed. “A spy? Has anyone in this country ever truly respected female agents? The Secret Service and the Central Bureau treat women like commodities, only using them to seduce men. I went abroad to study at fifteen. My parents thought I was learning finance, but in truth, I attended a military academy. I learned a great deal, but sadly, there’s no place for me to use it here. They think that even if a woman attends military school, she’s only fit for a clerical post, or to be used as bait.”

After a moment’s silence, Li Wensheng said quietly, “You smile more than before, and you can joke with me, which means you’re better. But just now, your words showed you’re still trapped. Miss Chen, I wish you a swift recovery.”

With that, Li Wensheng stepped forward, continuing to push his way out.

As she watched him vanish into the crowd, Chen Wenqi stood for half a minute before turning and disappearing herself.