Chapter 2: Arrest

Chapter 2: Arrest

Did the old man drink or not?

“The old man bought alcohol once a few days ago. He smokes a pipe, and he’s heavily addicted to tobacco,” one of the action team members recalled from the past several days of surveillance.

“Not once, twice,” another team member added.

Wang Kangnian said nothing and turned to stare at a nervous young man.

“Zhuang Ze, the Team Leader is asking you,” an action team member said, kicking the young man.

“He drinks. No, no, no, he doesn’t drink,” Zhuang Ze stammered. The place where he had been kicked had previously suffered severe torture. The muscle pain reached into the bone, causing sweat to pour down his face.

“Hm?” Wang Kangnian’s eyes locked onto him like those of a hawk.

Zhuang Ze was terrified. Wang Kangnian wore gold-rimmed glasses and looked refined and scholarly, but anyone who had been tortured by him knew how frightening he truly was.

“Old Mister Luo, the one now called Old Liao, used to drink. Later, his second son, youngest daughter, and youngest son were all killed by the Japanese within a span of several days. He... he said that until the Japanese were driven out, he would never drink again.” As he spoke, a trace of pain appeared in Zhuang Ze’s eyes.

“Team Leader, this old man’s finished.” Ding Naifei spat his cigarette butt viciously onto the ground. “He can even forget an oath made after his son died. Damn it, arrest him. He’s just a wandering ghost now.”

Wang Kangnian understood what his deputy meant. This old man was someone who had lost contact with the Communist organization. There was no point expecting to catch a whole network through him.

The Nationalist Army had achieved remarkable results in its anti-Communist campaigns on the front lines, and the Party Affairs Department’s anti-Communist purges had also been highly effective. Large numbers of Communists had been captured and killed over the past several years.

Especially after the destruction of the Communist Special Branch in Shanghai in November of last year, the Communists in Shanghai had lost contact with what they called their Central Committee and had become little more than a scattered rabble.

These survivors who had slipped through the net after major crackdowns became wandering ghosts.

There were also people like this old man, Communists from Northeast China who had fought the Japanese, been scattered during Japanese suppression campaigns, and escaped back through the Shanhai Pass into China proper.

The Communists in Shanghai were currently being hunted down like frightened birds. It was indeed unlikely that a Communist from Northeast China like Old Luo would be able to make contact with Shanghai’s local Communist organization anytime soon. The Party Affairs Investigation Section referred to such people as wandering spirits and wild ghosts.

Such “wandering spirits and wild ghosts” were usually very difficult to catch. One could only rely on luck.

The Party Affairs Investigation Section had previously received a tip that a young man from Northeast China had been promoting “abnormal resistance against Japan” at National Tongji University.

The young man claimed to have served in the Anti-Japanese United Army.

The Anti-Japanese United Army was backed by the Communists.

And the Communists were best at misleading ignorant students. There was a high probability that the young man was a Communist.

The Party Affairs Investigation Section treated this as a treasure falling into their hands.

Ding Naifei led men to arrest Zhuang Ze, while Wang Kangnian personally conducted the torture.

Unable to endure the torture, Zhuang Ze confessed.

They had originally hoped to use this boy to reel in a big fish. Unexpectedly, he was not even a small fish or shrimp. He was not even a full Communist member. According to Communist terminology, he was still within a three-month probationary period.

Zhuang Ze had only recently escaped from Northeast China and returned to China proper, eventually making his way to Shanghai. He had not yet established contact with the local Communist organization there.

A Communist without any value was only fit to be killed.

Terrified, Zhuang Ze declared that he was willing to take the initiative and work his way into the Communist ranks as an undercover agent.

Ding Naifei then wandered around everywhere with Zhuang Ze like a headless fly, hoping for luck. What they had thought would be like searching for a needle in the sea unexpectedly paid off, and Zhuang Ze actually rendered meritorious service:

As a representative of progressive students, he had once delivered supplies to the Anti-Japanese United Army and had met Old Luo on one occasion.

Of course, Old Luo now went by the surname Liao.

According to Zhuang Ze, this Old Liao was a veteran Communist, definitely a big fish.

“Captain, should we move in and arrest him? Once we bring him in and question him, he’ll spill everything,” Ding Naifei said impatiently. Following this kind of isolated Communist who had lost contact with the organization day after day was exhausting, and more importantly, there was little value in it. It was a waste of time. Better to arrest him and be done with it.

After thinking for a moment, Wang Kangnian shook his head. “Not yet. This old man usually stays hidden away and never comes out for no reason. If he hasn’t lost contact with the organization, today is very likely a rendezvous.”

Wang Kangnian had a feeling that keeping an eye on this old man would bring a major reward.

Veteran Communists like him, who had returned from Northeast China and fought against the Japanese, were extremely valuable talents to the Communist Party. There was no way the Communists would not take him back.

“Old Ding, go down there and keep an eye on him. See who he makes contact with today.” Ding Naifei lit a cigarette for him. Wang Kangnian took a puff, held it between his fingers, waved his hand, and gave the order.

Ding Naifei nodded. First he examined himself, removed his scarf, changed into an older coat, accepted a somewhat worn but reasonably clean felt hat from one of the team members and put it on, then had someone nearby inspect his appearance before quietly heading downstairs.

“Ding ding dang, ding ding dang!”

The crowd waiting for the tram began to stir as they saw it approaching in the distance.

Several women quickly tightened their hold on their children to keep them from being separated in the crush.

The pickpockets who had been waiting for a long time also perked up and prepared to begin work.

A smile appeared on Old Liao’s face as well. He was very much looking forward to meeting Cheng Qianfan. Even though such rendezvous rarely allowed them to exchange more than a few words, simply seeing that the young man was doing well made Old Liao happy.

“You little bastard!”

At that moment, a furious shout drew everyone’s attention.

Ding Naifei was stunned after being slapped for no reason at all. Not even in his dreams had he imagined that someone would dare hit him.

This little hoodlum was drunk and had come over asking for a light.

Already irritated, Ding Naifei waved him away.

Unexpectedly, the drunkard slapped him across the face.

Ding Naifei was furious. He glared viciously at the man.

Had it not been for operational discipline, he would have liked nothing better than to pull out his pistol and shoot the bastard.

“What, got big eyes, have you?” the drunkard shouted, raising his hand to slap him again.

Suddenly, his eyes seemed to freeze.

The old felt hat, the timid manner, the appearance of an honest man who looked easy to bully. Yet the man before him casually lifted a corner of his coat, faintly revealing the dark grip of a pistol underneath.

The drunkard was terrified.

His drunken face instantly turned deathly pale.

“Get lost!” Ding Naifei snorted coldly.

Watching the drunkard scramble away in panic, Ding Naifei suddenly froze.

Almost instinctively, he looked toward Old Liao.

And at that exact moment, their eyes met.

Old Liao had not been suspicious at first.

But after seeing how terrified the drunkard was, he immediately became alert.

What kind of person could frighten a street thug like that, especially a drunk one?

However, before Old Liao could withdraw his gaze, his eyes met the other man’s.

Both sides instantly realized that something was wrong.

Old Liao knew he had been exposed!

The enemy had him under surveillance!

When had he been exposed?

How had he been exposed?

At that moment, Old Liao no longer had time to think about his own safety. These were his first thoughts.

Had there been a traitor?

Or had he made some mistake that drew the attention of the secret police?

How long had the enemy been following him?

Damn!

Ding Naifei was equally shocked. He knew his cover had been blown.

Damn it, at that moment he truly wanted to chase after that drunken idiot and shoot him.

At this point, there was only one option left.

Arrest him.

“Move!” Ding Naifei drew his pistol and waved his hand, leading the action team members who had already been lying in wait nearby as they charged forward.