Chapter Forty-Eight: Radio Exposure

Chapter Forty-Eight: The Radio Station Exposed

Hongxi Photo Studio, serving as the underground contact point for the Red Party, was known to very few; apart from a handful of key members, virtually no one else was aware of its existence. Before coming here, Mr. Li had secretly observed the place for quite some time. The fact that the location remained undiscovered proved the internal traitor was not among the core members. After all, Wang's wife, Guo Xiaofei, and Zhou Shan were all crucial figures within the Shanning underground organization.

But if it wasn't them, how had he been captured? Moreover, besides these few, no one else in the organization even knew his residence. Puzzled, Mr. Li left Hongxi Photo Studio. Meanwhile, recalling recent intelligence, he left an emergency signal for Bai Zeshao as previously arranged. After ensuring he was not being followed, he returned to his current hiding place at 2 Chunhe Road.

...

Shanning City Police Bureau.

Sun Yanjie was reclining in his office, listening to a tune with his eyes closed, dozing lightly, when suddenly the door was flung open and a flustered figure rushed in.

"Captain, something's wrong—we're in trouble!" the newcomer shouted anxiously, jolting Sun Yanjie from his rest.

Displeased, Sun Yanjie shot his subordinate a glare and asked, "What happened? Wasn’t I the one who assigned you to fetch that batch of goods? Why are you back? Don’t tell me…”

"You guessed it, Captain. Our shipment was seized about a kilometer outside the city. I don’t know what happened—in the morning everything was fine, but on the way back there were suddenly more sentries, and they started searching us immediately. That's when they found the opium," the man explained rapidly.

"Who seized our goods?" Sun Yanjie asked calmly, rising to his feet.

"Seems it was the City Defense Command. But among them were some plainclothes agents, probably from the Special Services Division," the man replied uncertainly.

"Could it be there’s a joint operation lately that I haven’t heard about?" Sun Yanjie muttered to himself. He was about to ask more when the phone on his desk rang, and he had no choice but to answer.

"Brother, I suppose you've heard about the shipment. You must do something—it's worth a hundred thousand silver dollars!" came Wu Jian’s voice over the line.

"I’ll handle the official side of things, but, Old Wu, tell me—did you smuggle any contraband this time? If you did, you'd better say so now, so I can figure something out," Sun Yanjie said, knowing Wu Jian’s habits. Besides trafficking silver, Wu Jian would often sneak in some high-demand items—not many, perhaps an antique or two, medicinal herbs, or radio parts.

"Well, I..." Wu Jian hesitated, fumbling for words.

"Old Wu, at a time like this, why are you still beating around the bush? We’re in the same boat now—if you go down, so do I," Sun Yanjie pressed, his heart sinking at Wu Jian’s hesitance.

"I did, I made a big haul this time—I got a radio transmitter..." Wu Jian spoke slowly.

Sun Yanjie exhaled in relief and interrupted: "Radio parts, right? Got it, I’ll find a way."

"It’s not parts," Wu Jian almost shouted, frustrated at being cut off.

"Then what is it?" Sun Yanjie was momentarily confused.

"It’s a brand-new, complete radio transmitter, never used, and its frequency isn’t even registered," Wu Jian confessed.

Hearing this, Sun Yanjie felt a headache coming on. He had never imagined that Wu Jian would smuggle this. If it was exposed, the consequences would be unimaginable.

A radio transmitter was far more valuable—and dangerous—than opium or spare parts. High reward meant high risk; if caught, prison was inevitable, and even ruin and death were possible.

"This is trouble," Sun Yanjie muttered.

"What, you mean you can’t handle it either?" Wu Jian grew anxious.

"The City Defense Command handled the seizure—they're out of my reach. Looks like I’ll have to find Bai Zeshao and hope his connection with Qian Huiwen is strong enough," Sun Yanjie said uncertainly.

"Then you must hurry. If they open that cargo, it will be too late for anything," Wu Jian urged.

"I know," Sun Yanjie replied.

After hanging up, Sun Yanjie called Bai Zeshao, then drove straight to the Special Services Division. When he arrived, Bai Zeshao looked at him curiously. "Brother Sun, you weren’t clear on the phone—what exactly happened?"

Sun Yanjie didn’t hide anything and recounted the entire incident, then asked, "Xiao Bai, is there some joint operation between your division and the City Defense Command? Why set up a checkpoint outside the city all of a sudden?"

"No, I haven’t heard anything, and none of our action teams have been deployed," Bai Zeshao replied lightly, though he made a mental note. He sighed inwardly—so those ten gold bars wouldn’t be earned so easily after all. He pondered Sun Yanjie’s words: "So, Brother Sun, you want me to find Secretary Qian?"

"Yes, only she can suppress this matter. Time is too tight—if the radio is exposed, it won’t just be about losing money," Sun Yanjie said, brow furrowed.

"Alright, I’ll give it a try," Bai Zeshao agreed, then went straight to Qian Huiwen’s office.

When Bai Zeshao arrived, Qian Huiwen was sorting documents. She was surprised to see him. "Xiao Bai, what brings you here?"

"Sis, I just came to check on you," Bai Zeshao replied with a smile.

"Xiao Bai, you must need something; otherwise, you’d never call me 'sis' in the office. Out with it—what’s going on?" Qian Huiwen walked over, tapped him lightly on the forehead with her slender finger, and smiled.

"Alright then, I won’t be polite," Bai Zeshao said, steeling himself for the transmitter’s sake. "Sis, a friend of mine had some goods seized by the City Defense Command. Now he’s come to me, and I can’t refuse him. But I don’t know anyone there, so I have to trouble you."

"Just a friend? And what sort of goods did the City Defense Command seize?" Qian Huiwen looked at him intently.

Bai Zeshao scratched his nose sheepishly. "To be honest, I have a share in that business too. As for the goods... well, they’re contraband."

"You’re really bold. I know many are involved in this trade nowadays, but you’re a small player—if anything goes wrong, you might not even get a chance to turn things around," Qian Huiwen sighed, then turned to the phone and dialed a number.