Chapter Twenty: Young Master Bai

Chapter 20: Young Master Bai

With a sharp hiss, during the exchange of gunfire, Bai Zeshao’s bullet pierced through Factory Director Wu’s windpipe. Wu’s eyes widened in disbelief as he clutched his throat, slowly collapsing to the ground. Bai Zeshao quickly moved to Tian Haiming’s side, touching the still-warm corpse and shaking his head in resignation.

Tian Haiming’s death did not stir much emotion in him. However, seeing Factory Director Wu still breathing on the ground sparked an idea. Since this man was a traitor planted by the Party Affairs Office within the Red Party, perhaps he could be used to his advantage.

Thus, Bai Zeshao, who had initially intended to finish Factory Director Wu off with another shot, stopped himself.

“Xiao Bai, what’s wrong?” At that moment, Monkey, Tiger, and Dali—all drawn by the sound of gunfire—hurried over. But when they saw Tian Haiming’s lifeless body on the ground, they froze.

“Team Leader Tian, he—” Before Bai Zeshao could finish, Wu Zhengke rushed in, leading a large group from the action squad.

“Captain!” Bai Zeshao and the others quickly greeted him.

Wu Zhengke nodded indifferently, glanced at Tian Haiming, then focused his attention on Factory Director Wu, who was gasping for breath and clearly on the verge of death. He shouted anxiously, “Someone, get him to the hospital! Make sure he survives!”

“Yes, sir!” Two men immediately carried Wu into a car and sped away.

Only then did Wu Zhengke turn back to the group. “Who captured and wounded Factory Director Wu?”

All eyes turned to Bai Zeshao. He stepped forward and reported loudly, “Captain, Team Leader Tian and I did it together.”

Since Tian Haiming was already dead, Bai Zeshao didn’t mind sharing the credit. After all, when it came time for rewards, the benefits would fall to him anyway. Mentioning Tian now would also leave a good impression.

“Oh? And you are?” Wu Zhengke looked at his young face, puzzled.

“Reporting in, I’m Bai Zeshao. I’ve just joined the Special Services Office.”

“So you’re Bai Zeshao,” Wu Zhengke said coolly. “Not bad. You’ve already made a major contribution just after joining. When we stormed the printing factory earlier, we couldn’t find Factory Director Wu and thought he’d escaped.”

After speaking, Wu Zhengke patted Bai Zeshao on the shoulder, then turned to Team One’s leader, Ye Mao. “Send someone to contact the police station and have them come clean up this mess.”

“Captain, what about the people we just captured?” Ye Mao asked.

“Bring the key members back to headquarters. Leave the rest to the police. There are too many; we can’t get any leads from them, and we can’t keep them all locked up. All right, let’s wrap up. Gao Debiao, take some men and make sure Factory Director Wu is well protected at the hospital.” With that, Wu Zhengke left by car.

“Xiao Bai, looks like you’re about to be promoted and make a fortune,” Monkey said enviously, looking at Bai Zeshao.

“It’s too early to talk about that,” Bai Zeshao replied, shaking his head.

Inwardly, he sighed at the fickleness of human nature and the coldness of the world. Not long ago, Monkey and Tian Haiming were as close as brothers, but Tian’s body wasn’t even buried yet, and Monkey was already envying him.

Before long, officers from the Shanning Police Station arrived. To Bai Zeshao’s surprise, leading the team was none other than Sun Yanjie.

“Brother Sun, you came personally for this?” Bai Zeshao offered him a cigarette, curiosity in his voice.

“Xiao Bai, you don’t know,” Sun Yanjie directed his men to detain the captured suspects, then drew Bai Zeshao aside. “This is all about the money. Most of these people are peripheral Red Party members. After spending ten days or half a month locked up, they’ll be released once some money changes hands. But outsiders don’t know that.”

As he spoke, Sun Yanjie winked at Bai Zeshao, who couldn’t help but marvel at Sun’s skill in making money.

“Enough about me. You’re really a hidden dragon, Bai! You’ve just joined the Special Services Office and already caught a Red Party member—impressive. And now your team leader is dead, looks like your chance has come.” Sun Yanjie slung an arm around Bai Zeshao’s shoulders in a friendly gesture.

“I’m just a newcomer. It’s not so easy to rise so quickly.”

“Heh, don’t tell me you have nothing going on with your squad’s confidential secretary, Qian Huiwen. With her support and your abilities, moving up will be a breeze,” Sun Yanjie teased.

“Brother Sun, are you investigating me?” Bai Zeshao joked, but inside, he tensed and grew more wary of Sun Yanjie.

“Don’t flatter me. I wouldn’t dare investigate anyone from the Special Services Office. It’s just one of my guys saw you escorting Secretary Qian home,” Sun Yanjie explained quickly, catching Bai Zeshao’s tension.

“Is that so?” Bai Zeshao replied lightly.

“Alright, it seems you really misunderstood me. How about this: when you get promoted in a few days, I’ll personally treat you to a night out at the Rose Dance Hall. And as luck would have it, Miss Chen, their star performer, will be taking the stage soon,” Sun Yanjie said with a smile, unfazed by Bai Zeshao’s demeanor.

“You’re too kind, Brother Sun. If that day comes, the drinks are on me,” Bai Zeshao replied with a hearty laugh.

“Deal.”

Not far away, the police had finished processing the scene. Sun Yanjie bid Bai Zeshao farewell and drove off.

Once the police had left, Bai Zeshao and his companions also departed. On the way, Monkey, Tiger, and Dali exchanged peculiar glances with him.

“What is it?” Bai Zeshao asked curiously.

“Xiao Bai—or should we say, Young Master Bai—we didn’t expect you to be so close with Sun Yanjie from the police, arm in arm like brothers. You might not know, but in many people’s eyes, Sun Yanjie is a man with vast influence. Looks like your background isn’t simple either,” Dali said, half-joking, half-probing.

“Young Master Bai?” Bai Zeshao repeated to himself, amused, but made no move to correct them—he merely smiled.

“So you admit it, then? We really failed to recognize your true status,” Monkey chimed in. Unconsciously, they all began addressing him as Young Master Bai.

With the mission over, the action squad disbanded. Only Gao Debiao from Team Two took men to the hospital, while Bai Zeshao and the others returned to the office.

By now, news of the squad’s destruction of the Red Party printing factory was spreading throughout the Special Services Office—a major event, since it had been a long time since they’d had such a sensational success.

As for the arrest of Mr. Li, only members of the action squad and a handful of top officials in the office were aware, as those in the know had been ordered to keep silent.

Of course, the newcomer Bai Zeshao, who had captured Factory Director Wu, was now on everyone’s radar. To stand out so quickly upon joining the Special Services Office—he was clearly no ordinary man.