Chapter Seven: The Secret Meeting

Chapter Seven: The Secret Meeting

When Bai Zeshao walked out of the military academy, he had regained his composure. Now, what he needed to do was to find out news about Mr. Li as soon as possible.

Beside him, Liu Xiaobing glanced at Bai Zeshao’s face, which was covered in bruises. “Xiao Bai, you’re really not yourself today—so impulsive. Aren’t you usually calm and collected?”

“Heh, I just had a bit too much to drink. The blood was rushing to my head,” Bai Zeshao joked.

“Yeah, right. You really think you’re a hot-blooded youth now, all fired up?” Liu Xiaobing gave him a playful punch, then asked with concern, “Want to see a doctor?”

“No need. We’re men, aren’t we? If I ran to the doctor for every little bruise, how would I ever stand on a battlefield?” Bai Zeshao refused with a grin.

“True enough,” Liu Xiaobing nodded. “So, where are you off to now?”

“Home, of course,” Bai Zeshao replied as if it were obvious. “What about you?”

“Same here.”

Just as they were about to part ways, a black sedan pulled up beside them. As Bai Zeshao looked on in puzzlement, the car door opened, and Sun Yanjie, dressed in a police uniform, stepped out.

“Well, Brother Sun, where are you headed?” Liu Xiaobing greeted him with a smile.

“There was a shooting on Ping’an Road this morning. I just finished the investigation and was heading back to the station to report. Saw you two walking, so I thought I’d offer a ride,” Sun Yanjie said as he handed each of them a cigarette.

Knowing he was about to join the Special Operations Department, Bai Zeshao paid extra attention to the police bureau, which was one of its affiliated organizations. The information Sun Yanjie revealed piqued his interest even more. He didn’t refuse the cigarette, accepting it with a nod.

“Thanks, Brother Sun,” Liu Xiaobing said with a smile.

“No need to be so polite. And this is…?” Sun Yanjie turned to Bai Zeshao.

“This is my good friend Bai Zeshao, the top student in our class. He’s about to join the Special Operations Department,” Liu Xiaobing introduced him.

“Hello, Brother Sun,” Bai Zeshao greeted him with a smile.

“Haha, no need to be so formal. Just call me Old Sun,” Sun Yanjie replied warmly, giving Bai Zeshao a searching look. “So, where are you two headed? Doesn’t look like you’re returning to campus.”

“Home. We’ve graduated, and we’re about to report to the Special Operations Department. They’ve given us a couple of days off,” Liu Xiaobing explained.

“That calls for a celebration! How about this—Xiaobing, I’ll treat you both tonight at seven, at the Rose Dance Hall,” Sun Yanjie offered. Seeing Liu Xiaobing about to refuse, he quickly added, “No excuses. If you want to give your brother some face, you’ll be there. Same goes for you, Xiao Bai—no refusing.”

“All right, see you tonight,” Liu Xiaobing agreed, knowing that while Sun Yanjie wasn’t a big shot, he was well-connected and always informed in Shanning. He was more than willing to build a relationship.

“Then hop in. I’ll give you a ride home,” Sun Yanjie said, opening the car door.

“No need, Brother Sun. Xiao Bai and I live in opposite directions. Besides, don’t you need to hurry back and report? You know how Chief Zhao can be,” Liu Xiaobing said with a wink.

“All right, I’ll be off then. See you at seven,” Sun Yanjie replied, getting back in his car and driving away.

Watching the car disappear, Bai Zeshao nudged Liu Xiaobing, “So, what’s his story? You two seem pretty familiar.”

“Sun Yanjie, a captain at the police bureau. Not high-ranking, but very well-connected, both in the underworld and with the authorities. He’s got a lot of friends in the Special Operations Department. I met him at a card game, and we gradually got to know each other,” Liu Xiaobing explained earnestly.

“You probably don’t know this, but four years ago he was just a street thug, always picking fights. Now he’s a police captain.”

“Seems he’s not a simple man,” Bai Zeshao remarked thoughtfully.

“What do you think? Anyway, enough talk. See you at seven,” Liu Xiaobing said, flagging down a rickshaw and departing.

Bai Zeshao walked home at a leisurely pace, mulling over the morning’s events and recalling every detail.

...

“How is it? Has everyone relocated?” In a small house in Shanning, Ye Weitian, the number two figure in the city’s underground organization, asked the two men and one woman before him with a grave expression.

“As soon as we learned about Mr. Li’s incident this morning, we quickly notified everyone to move,” Guo Xiaofei, head of party operations, reported.

“That’s good,” Ye Weitian breathed a sigh of relief. “There was no warning before Mr. Li’s arrest. I don’t know where the problem was, but we must be prepared for the worst and get ready to relocate just in case…”

“Nonsense,” a rough voice interrupted him. It was Zhou Shan, in charge of student movements. “We all know what kind of person Old Li is. Do you really think he’d betray the revolution or his own beliefs?”

“Old Zhou, that’s not what I meant,” Ye Weitian shook his head. “I’m just following protocol. It’s for everyone’s safety, don’t misunderstand.”

“I’m not misunderstanding,” Zhou Shan said, turning his head away.

“All right, enough arguing. What’s important now is to report this to our superiors and await their instructions. Besides, we have no news of Old Li—don’t even know where he’s being held. There’s no way to attempt a rescue,” said the only woman present, Sister Wang, trying to ease the tension.

“Yes, let’s focus on how to save him,” Guo Xiaofei agreed.

“Getting information will depend on you, Sister Wang. You’re the only one with access. I hope you can keep an eye on Qian Yihai, the head of the Special Operations Department’s General Affairs Office,” Ye Weitian said.

“I know, but I’m only a housekeeper at Qian Yihai’s home. There are limits to what I can do without drawing suspicion. It may take some time,” Sister Wang replied.

“Just do it as quickly as possible. The sooner we find Old Li, the less he’ll have to suffer,” Ye Weitian said with concern. “That’s all for today’s meeting. Does anyone have anything to add?”

Everyone shook their heads.

“In that case, let’s disperse. Suspend all activities for now, stay safe, and wait for orders,” Ye Weitian concluded.

“Understood.”

With that, the group quietly left the house.