Chapter 46: Five Scenes

At this moment, Qian Zhong immediately put on a beaming smile and spoke with enthusiasm, “Section Chief Wei, Captain Ning! We’re all brothers-in-arms here. Isn’t there anything we can’t discuss openly? There’s no need to make a big scene and leave everyone feeling so awkward. After all, we’ll still be working together in the future.”

Wei Liangbi gave a cold laugh. “You’re right, Section Chief Qian. We’ll be working together for a long time, seeing each other day in and day out. There are some things you need to be clear about—what belongs to whom. Am I right, Section Chief?”

“Yes, yes, you’re absolutely right, Section Chief Wei! I, Qian, have always been a good friend to all. I haven’t even had a chance to properly thank you for last time. How about this: today I’ll host you both at the Deyun Restaurant. Please do me the honor! I’ve prepared a small gift as well—hope you’ll both accept it!”

Wei Liangbi’s eyes flashed with disdain; he curled his lips and gave a chilly chuckle. “Forget the meal. Section Chief Qian, let’s not beat around the bush. We won’t hold last time against you, but this time the case has taken a new turn. The suspect was in your custody and ended up like this—there’s no saving him now. This happened during your interrogation period. So, who’s taking responsibility?

Let’s speak plainly. Section Chief Qian, you don’t play by the rules. We can’t just keep cleaning up your mess like fools.

I don’t owe you anything!

If you want us to pretend we know nothing, there’s one price: five thousand US dollars. Not a cent less. Otherwise, don’t blame us for turning hostile and handling things by the book.”

“You’re insane! Five thousand US dollars? Why not just rob me? That’s absolutely impossible! At worst, we’ll just go our separate ways. I don’t believe you really dare blow the whole thing open,” Qian Zhong shouted, feeling as though his heart had been cut open, leaping up and jabbing a finger at Wei Liangbi, spitting curses through gritted teeth.

Wei Liangbi was out of his mind! That ruthless! Qian Zhong cared about money more than life itself—this kind of sum might as well take his life!

“Think it through, Section Chief Qian. I wouldn’t dare make this a public scandal; as a member of the Military Intelligence Division, I would never harm its interests. It wouldn’t do any good for any of us if this got out.

But right now, what matters is the sudden death of the suspect. We simply need to report to headquarters. If the Director learns someone defied his orders, executed a surrendering captive without permission, and sabotaged the mission plan—well, you know better than anyone what fate awaits you, given the Director’s methods.”

At the mention of “the Director,” Qian Zhong felt the blood in his veins run cold. Wei Liangbi had struck right at his weak spot.

He knew all too well what kind of man the Director was—sinister, cunning, moody, quick to turn against anyone. If something was brought out in the open, there was room for negotiation.

But what he hated most was being deceived or undermined in secret. If the Director found out about this, even as a fellow townsman, he’d crush Qian Zhong with his own hands, like squashing an ant.

“And is five thousand dollars really that much? Everyone in the Division knows what kind of man Section Chief Qian is—the most skilled at lining his pockets. Just last month, the boss of Haihe Company handed you twenty gold bars. So what’s this little sum to you? Feeling stingy all of a sudden?”

Having finished, Wei Liangbi turned to Ning Zhiheng and said loudly, “Captain Ning, you’re in charge of the clues you discovered. Report to the Operations Section immediately, go through the proper channels, and urgently interrogate Huang Xiansheng!

Also, if anything happens to Huang Xiansheng—if he shows any abnormality or dies—examine the medicines used on his wounds and conduct a thorough autopsy. Our Operations Section will be present throughout, to prevent anyone from tampering. How about that, Section Chief Qian? Satisfied with this arrangement?”

A bitter taste rose in Qian Zhong’s mouth. Everyone knew he was ruthless when it came to money. But who didn’t want money these days? Those big company bosses—none of them were clean. Catch one in a misdeed and you’d squeeze them for all they were worth.

This was an open secret. He wasn’t the only one doing it—just perhaps more aggressively than most. But he hadn’t expected to draw so much jealousy. It seemed he’d have to bleed heavily to get through this ordeal.

He forced down his anger and managed a strained smile. “Section Chief Wei, you misunderstand me. I’m the most generous friend you’ll find.

Today, I’ll entrust this matter to you and Captain Ning, my two good friends. It’s settled—before noon, five thousand US dollars, not a penny short, will be delivered to your office, Section Chief Wei. Does that satisfy you?”

Wei Liangbi laughed heartily. “If only Section Chief Qian had been this reasonable from the start, none of this would’ve happened. See, a few words and feelings get hurt for nothing!

Fine, since Section Chief Qian is so straightforward, let’s pretend we never even came here today.”

“And what about the new clue Captain Ning mentioned?” Qian Zhong looked to Ning Zhiheng.

Ning Zhiheng, who had stood aside and watched the exchange without a word, wore a look of complete innocence. “Clue? What clue? We didn’t discover anything. Everything is calm—nothing unusual has happened.”

As he spoke, Ning glanced at Huang Xiansheng, who was already on the verge of death. Time could no longer be delayed.

The negotiation between Wei Liangbi and Qian Zhong was over. He had no more reason to stay. But seeing that Huang Xiansheng still clung to his last breath, Ning knew he couldn’t wait. He had to act now—there might not be another excuse to enter this interrogation room.

Though his heart was growing more anxious, his expression remained calm. He slowly shifted his body to block Huang Xiansheng from view and moved his hand to the man’s throat.

He continued chatting with Qian Zhong, but his hand pressed down sharply. Huang Xiansheng, whose breathing was already labored, felt his chest tighten, his larynx crushed, fragments of bone blocking his airway.

Already at death’s door, Huang could hold on no longer. His consciousness slipped into endless darkness.

Almost simultaneously, Ning Zhiheng’s mind plunged into his spiritual space, appearing beneath the Bodhi tree.

He reached out and touched the cluster of memory light before him.

Fragments of memory flashed past, scenes spinning like a lantern show.

The first image: a young boy in a kimono reached out to catch a cherry blossom petal drifting down. Behind him stood a gentle, kimono-clad middle-aged woman, smiling with motherly affection. The two strolled quietly along a mountain path.

The second image: in a mountain valley, a typical Chinese rural town appeared—villages, farmland. The boy was now dressed as a Chinese farmer’s son, as were several companions his age. Together, they worked in the fields or lingered on the streets, conversing in halting Chinese.

The third image: now a young man, he knelt in Japanese military uniform before a stern-faced officer with a small mustache. The officer said coldly, “From today onward, there is no more Ryohei Tetsuya in this world. Your name is Huang Xiansheng—code name ‘Puppet.’”

The fourth image: amidst the battlefield’s flames, the young man—now Huang Xiansheng—crawled forward, gritting his teeth under a storm of shells and bullets, pain etched into his face as he struggled to endure.

The fifth and final image: Huang Xiansheng, now middle-aged, quietly conferred with a young officer in a room. He placed a photograph before the officer—a portrait of a beautiful, gentle woman. The young officer looked conflicted and hesitant, finally closing the photo with a pained expression and bowing his head in anguish.

The five scenes dissolved like stardust into the Bodhi tree.

Ning Zhiheng wasted no time, withdrawing his consciousness from the spiritual realm and returning to reality.

All of this occurred in an instant. Wei Liangbi and Qian Zhong, standing only steps away, noticed nothing out of the ordinary.

Ning quietly withdrew his hand from Huang Xiansheng’s head, his expression unchanged. “Section Chief Qian, you’re busy with official duties—we won’t trouble you any longer.”

Wei Liangbi, seeing their goal achieved, smiled and nodded farewell to Qian Zhong, chatting amiably as if the earlier confrontation had never happened.

Qian Zhong forced a dry laugh, gritting his teeth inwardly. These two bastards changed faces faster than flipping a page—stern and businesslike one moment, polite and gracious the next. None of these young men was easy to deal with!

Wei Liangbi and Ning Zhiheng strode quickly out of the cell. The affair was neatly resolved, and they’d extorted a handsome sum from Qian Zhong. Even Ning hadn’t expected Wei Liangbi’s appetite to be so large!

The two exchanged a satisfied smile.

They hadn’t gone far when Qian Zhong’s voice rang out behind them, calling to his subordinates. The commotion suggested he had discovered Huang Xiansheng had succumbed to his injuries.

Wei Liangbi and Ning Zhiheng exchanged a wary glance but said nothing. Quickening their pace, they left the scene without a backward look.