Chapter 043: The Second Step to Improve Conditions

Led by the gatekeeper, Liu Junze was the first to enter the interrogation room. Indeed, there was someone hanging from the cross, but fortunately, these people hadn't entirely lost their minds—the stove was lit, making the room even warmer than the cells.

“Brother, Zhao Ruilong is my comrade from the army, as you saw just now. He agreed to provide them with some medical care and protection. Do you think I could move him to the cell with his companions? Whether they’re colluding or not doesn’t matter anymore, right?”

“Alright, but you’ll need to mention it to the chief later.”

“Got it, brother. Help me take down this stuff!”

Wu Lishi, barely alive and hanging from the cross, felt herself being released and then helped into a cell. Wait—was that a warm bun?

In Cell No. 1, another guard had brought water and cups. Liu Junze poured water for the three, handed out medicine, and fed them buns. Slowly, the color returned to their faces.

“Brother, could you step out and see if your chief has come back? It’s freezing in here!”

Liu Junze managed to send the guard away, then gave the three a meaningful look and whispered, “Eat more buns, drink water, save your strength, hang in there! People outside are working to rescue you!”

“Is one of your group called Zhao Yunrong? Do you know which cell Zhao Yunrong is in?”

The three looked at each other, wary and silent, afraid this was some trick.

“Is Wu Lishi among you?”

They were surprised, even agitated, but after another glance between themselves, they still didn’t respond.

Liu Junze felt at a loss, but he understood. They didn’t know him; it was risky to acknowledge each other so rashly. He only wanted confirmation—were these really the captured comrades from the Manchuria Provincial Committee?

Liu Junze checked all six cells and administered aid to all thirteen prisoners, but found no women. What was going on? Zhao Yunrong wasn’t here? Could the one who escaped be Zhao Yunrong?

Just as he was about to ask again, the one-eyed Zhao Ruilong returned.

Zhao Ruilong directed a bedding vendor to bring in quilts, placing one in each cell. Damn, why couldn’t he have come earlier?

“Hey, old Zhao, the big boss said there’s supposed to be a woman among the people to be rescued. Do you have any female prisoners here?”

“No women. All thirteen are here, and none are female.”

“Alright, let’s leave it for now. Old Zhao, look at the other cells—those are all our countrymen. It’s pitiful if they freeze to death. Give any extra quilts to the other cells, I’ll pay. Boss, send more over here!”

By the time everything was done, dawn was approaching. The two returned to the office.

“Old Zhao, do you think we can get them out today? What procedures are needed, I’ll handle it.”

“You can’t. I have to write a report, fabricate interrogation records, submit them for approval by the director and chief. Whether it can be done today, I can’t say.”

“Alright, old Liu, please hurry with the paperwork. I’ll contact the big boss so he can prepare the money and the vehicles for picking them up.”

“There’ll be no more interrogations. Let’s arrange a meal at noon—simple, but enough to fill them halfway, so they don’t collapse after getting out and leave the boss cursing us for incompetence.”

Liu Junze quietly placed three envelopes of silver dollars on the desk.

Leaving the police bureau, Liu Junze made several detours to ensure he wasn’t followed, then arrived at Safehouse No. 4 and hung a red cotton jacket in the courtyard.

Ten minutes later, there was a knock. Shao Mazi and Zhao Shiyu had both arrived!

“Brother Shiyu is back!”

“Never mind me—what’s the situation?!”

“Very lucky! Misfortune within fortune, I saw them—all thirteen are alive. They’ve had medicine, warm buns, water. Mats and quilts have been added to their cells.”

“How did you get in so easily?”

“A police chief at the bureau is my old comrade from the Young Marshal’s army, Zhao Ruilong. He lost an eye and transferred to the police bureau.”

“So it was him! I heard about him when I worked at the arsenal!”

“Last night, I set up a drinking session to probe him, but he saw right through my plan!”

“He saw through your setup, yet things went so smoothly? There must have been some twist—tell us!”

“He’s short on cash. I told him a big boss from Rehe hired me to rescue people, ten envelopes of silver dollars per head. He was tempted!”

“Ten per person! How could we possibly have so much for him?”

“There’s plenty in the basement. Later, decide who’ll play the Rehe boss, arrange for someone to meet the people outside the west gate. I’ll see to it that the paperwork is expedited and the people are escorted out!”

“Once they’re out, we can’t let our guard down. We must move them quickly.”

“As long as they get out of the city, we’ll handle the rest. Damn, old Liu, you’re impressive!”

“Let’s not talk about that now. Take three crates of silver dollars from the basement—one crate is ten envelopes, give him no more. The rest, use for the journey. Also take some medicines.”

Zhao Shiyu knew the money and medicine belonged to Chen Jiehua and didn’t fuss, taking what was needed for the next steps. Shao Mazi couldn’t figure out how they had so much money, but seeing Zhao Shiyu didn’t ask, he kept quiet as well.

“Brother Shiyu, Mr. Shao, I didn’t see any women in the prison—thirteen men only! Asked who was Zhao Yunrong, no one answered; asked who was Wu Lishi, again no response. I want to confirm if these are the people we need to rescue. I’m worried those heartless ones might have swapped them out!”

“The comrades are tough, tight-lipped, and frightened—refusing to answer is the right move. I’d do the same!”

“That’s a real problem. We’re on separate lines, never met before. In future, we must suggest to the organization to set up secret identification tokens.”

“But what now? If this is their scheme and the people we rescue are theirs, or if a couple of them are planted spies, we’d all be exposed!”

“The key is that Zhao Ruilong is too clever! He saw through everything, and the smoothness of it all makes me uneasy.”

“Old Liu’s concern is valid. Let me think how to confirm, who we can use as a breakthrough.”

“Brother Shiyu, did you leave the radio with the organization? Does anyone know how to use one? If not, we can go to the shop and confirm with the organization via radio.”

“That’s feasible!”

Liu Junze and Zhao Shiyu carefully returned to the pharmacy, assembled the radio components, and contacted the organization. They finally obtained a key piece of information: Wu Lishi is small and thin, has an injury above her left eyebrow, making it shorter than the right. (For plot purposes—fictional.)

That made things easier! Once Wu Lishi was found, during the rescue and escape, she could quietly alert them if strangers were present.

Though Liu Junze hadn’t slept all night, excitement kept him awake. He grabbed two envelopes of silver dollars, then took a bundle of yen just in case, and went out again to the teahouse on the second floor opposite the police bureau.