harleyscars Chapter 86 As planned!
Chapter 86 As planned!
The moment the Kuomintang agents stepped into Shitai Department Store, they were trapped like turtles in a jar, with no chance of escape.
The entire operation was orchestrated by Feng Manna, executed by Zhou Xiao, and overseen by Xian Daofeng. The three parties worked together seamlessly, leaving no room for error.
But none of them expected that Zhou Xiao had already deduced Feng Manna's every move from the intercepted intelligence.
More importantly, Zheng Yaoxian will also be present at the scene of this operation.
Zhou Xiao, Xian Daofeng, Feng Manna, Lan Yanzhi, Zheng Yaoxian... each of them is a meticulous and quick-witted character.
This is no ordinary contest; it's a life-or-death battle between masters!
A true life-or-death situation!
Both sides are making moves, it's a matter of who can figure out the other's moves first and who can seize the other's weakness first.
Deep within an old street in Shanghai lies an unassuming antique shop.
This is one of the most important secret liaison stations of the Military Intelligence Bureau in Shanghai.
There were only three people in the shop at the moment: Wan Zhichao, Song Mian, and Xu Tao.
Wan Zhichao glanced at the two men and said, "Song Mian, Xu Tao, we have an important matter to attend to next."
"This matter concerns the very survival of our entire Shanghai station."
"However, before we take action, we need to clear one hurdle first—I hope you two can help me take this step."
Xu Tao immediately responded, "Station Master, please give us your instructions, and we will definitely take care of it."
Wan Zhichao didn't reply, but simply nodded slightly to Song Mian.
Before he could finish speaking, Song Mian drew his gun with a "whoosh," the dark muzzle pointing directly at Xu Tao's chest.
The situation suddenly reversed, and Xu Tao was stunned, his face draining of color instantly.
He had a premonition in his heart, but he still tried to remain calm: "Station Chief? Team Leader Song? What does this mean?"
He was gambling, betting that the other party had no solid evidence; he was also stalling, trying to buy time and find a glimmer of hope.
In this line of work, it's not uncommon for one's identity to be exposed at any time.
Boss Dai hates traitors the most; once they are proven guilty, there is no way out for them.
Wan Zhichao stared at him, his voice cold and hard: "Xu Tao, you've worked at the Shanghai station for so many years, I never expected you to defect to Feng Manna and become an inside man for the Special Operations Headquarters."
"I've been wondering for a long time: how come several contact points were raided one after another? The telegraph addresses were so well hidden, how could they be found so easily?"
"What doesn't make sense is that Wu Cheng and Li Guo were just transferring the printing plates when they were blocked by the Special Operations Headquarters halfway there—the printing plates were lucky enough to be saved, but the men were all killed."
"So, it was you who delivered the message."
Xu Tao laughed instead, a bitter and sarcastic laugh: "Station Chief Wan, do I need to elaborate on Boss Dai's temperament?"
"While we risked our lives and fought hand-to-hand on the front lines, they were behind the lines selling weapons and smuggling supplies, exchanging our soldiers' guns for boxes of gold bars and 'big yellow croakers' (a euphemism for bankruptcies)!"
"You really know nothing about this? Even without irrefutable evidence, shouldn't you be able to smell the stench of money?"
"Yes, I surrendered to the Special Operations Headquarters. I'm not after wealth and glory; I'm just trying to save my own life."
"What's wrong with exchanging some intelligence for some capital? Boss Dai is even more ruthless than me..."
"Shut up!" Song Mian shouted sharply. "Traitor seeking personal gain, spouting nonsense—you're a complete and utter traitor!"
"You should have expected this when you chose this path!"
As Lan Yanzhi had planned, this time they had to turn the tables and capture Xu Tao on the spot—without eliminating this mole, the subsequent operations would be impossible.
Xu Tao sneered: "Blind loyalty! To serve a bunch of rotten parasites is truly foolish!"
Before he finished speaking, he suddenly twisted his body and lunged to the side, his right hand flashing out towards his waist!
Target – Wan Zhichao.
He wanted to kidnap the stationmaster and force him to find a way out.
But he forgot that this game of chess had never left him a way out from the very beginning.
Song Mian is the leader of the action team of the Military Intelligence Bureau in Shanghai. He is well-mannered and cultured, but at heart he is upright, decisive and efficient. He is extremely strict with himself, has a clear sense of right and wrong, and is not good at speaking or being tactful. However, he is sincere and firm in his heart, keeps his promises, and treats people with utmost sincerity and respect.
This is Song Mian.
To be able to sit in the position of action team leader, his combat skills and military expertise must be extraordinary.
boom!
Just as Xu Tao quietly reached for his waist, Song Mian had already pulled the trigger.
The bullet hit the center of the wound.
puff--
One fatal blow!
Xu Tao's body stiffened, and then he fell heavily to the ground.
Song Mian looked down at the still-warm body on the ground, let out a soft sigh, and said in a low voice, "Xu Tao was once a staunch revolutionary soldier... what a pity."
These words sound simple, but they are actually quite profound.
The implication is: if the Military Intelligence Bureau had not become increasingly corrupt and disorderly, why would Xu Tao have secretly planned to defect to the Special Operations Headquarters and pave the way for himself and accumulate bargaining chips so early?
His last words proved this point.
Wan Zhichao waved his hand: "Song Mian, let's not dwell on these old grievances. Let's focus on getting the current matter sorted out."
He glanced down at his pocket watch, his tone turning serious: "The 'playing along' operation should have already begun. We must proceed according to the original plan, otherwise Lan Yanzhi's entire scheme will have been for nothing."
Since Lan Yanzhi has never revealed Zhou Xiao's true identity, Wan Zhichao and Song Mian still believe that the entire scheme was orchestrated by Lan Yanzhi.
Actually, that's not the case. The real mastermind was Zhou Xiao.
Song Mian nodded: "Okay, let's proceed according to plan."
Shitai Department Store, with its ordinary storefront, is actually an important liaison point for the Military Intelligence Bureau in Shanghai.
If it weren't genuine, it wouldn't have fooled Xu Tao at all—he had too much information, and the slightest flaw would arouse his suspicion.
To set up this scheme, the Military Intelligence Bureau had decided to abandon this stronghold.
At this time, under the joint deployment of Zhou Xiao, Feng Manna and Xian Daofeng, elite personnel from the Special Operations Headquarters had already been laid in ambush around Shitai Department Store.
More importantly, the military police also quietly moved in two kilometers away to stand by—as soon as gunfire rang out inside the department store, they would immediately surround and encircle it, ensuring that the people inside would have no chance of escape.
The military police station must be located further away, because if it is too close, it will easily alert the Military Intelligence Bureau. Once the other party becomes alert and cancels the rendezvous, the Special Operations Headquarters will find it difficult to find such a good opportunity again.
What they want is a single, decisive strike, with absolutely no chance of failure.
The special operations headquarters agents lurking near the department store were all meticulously disguised: some pretended to be street vendors, some mingled in the crowd as casual shoppers, and others leaned against the shop windows as passersby looking at the merchandise.
The goal is to dress naturally, without leaving a trace, blending into the street scene as much as possible without showing any unusualness.
It's clear that Feng Manna did her homework thoroughly for this operation.
At 9:30 a.m., Feng Manna, Zhou Xiao, and Xian Daofeng quietly arrived at the Lorfi Apartment, which is diagonally opposite Shitai Department Store.
The three settled on the third floor, where they had a wide view of the entire department store and the street in front of it.
Feng Manna stood by the window, her gaze frequently sweeping downstairs, her expression slightly tense, clearly holding her breath and waiting for the operation to begin.
Zhou Xiao and Xian Daofeng remained calm and sat peacefully inside the house, waiting for their chance.
Time slips away quietly.
It's 9:58 in the blink of an eye!
Outside the Shitai Department Store, commotion finally broke out—a life-or-death struggle between top secret agents was about to begin...
On the surface, the streets appear calm and peaceful; but beneath the surface, undercurrents surge and danger lurks everywhere.
The Military Intelligence Bureau set a trap with the intention of eliminating Xian Daofeng;
The Special Operations Headquarters made a swift and decisive move, targeting the top echelons of the Military Intelligence Bureau.
The outcome will be decided soon.
Nine fifty-eight.
Two men dressed in navy blue long gowns appeared at the entrance of Shitai Department Store.
Both men wore wide-brimmed hats with the brims pulled down so low that they covered most of their faces, making it difficult to discern their features.
They paused briefly in front of the store, quickly scanned left and right, and only after confirming that everything was alright did they slowly step into the store.
This scene was naturally witnessed by Feng Manna, Zhou Xiao, and Xian Daofeng on the third floor of the Lorfi Apartment.
Feng Manna immediately turned around, her voice firm: "Section Chief, the two people who just came in should be Wan Zhichao and Song Mian."
"Wan Zhichao is the station chief of the Military Intelligence Bureau's Shanghai station, while Song Mian is the head of the action team."
The Military Intelligence Bureau had multiple action groups in Shanghai, and the one led by Song Mian was just one of them; another group consisted of Mingtai, Yu Manli, and Guo Qiyun, who were independent of each other, unaware of each other's identities, and did not recognize each other.
Upon hearing this, Xian Daofeng's lips curled into a slight smile, and he chuckled, "Interesting, this is getting more and more interesting—all the leading figures of the Military Intelligence Bureau in Shanghai are here?"
The arrival of Song Mian and Wan Zhichao boosted Feng Manna's confidence even further.
With high-ranking officials present, this meeting was by no means an ordinary one.
Zhou Xiao said calmly, "The people are in place, and the liaison will appear soon. Keep a close eye on everyone who comes in and out."
Whether it was the underground Communist Party or the Military Intelligence Bureau, they all preferred to use department stores as cover to set up contact points. The reason was simple: people came and went, and all sorts of people were mixed in, making it extremely difficult to distinguish the contact person from the crowd.
Feng Manna nodded: "Don't worry, not a single one will be missed."
Before she could finish speaking, she had already turned her gaze back to the window.
Zhou Xiao and Xian Daofeng picked up their teacups and sipped slowly, their expressions calm and composed, as if victory was assured.
The Special Operations Headquarters' operation was meticulously planned and executed, leaving no room for error.
The executors were all handpicked top talents, with Zhou Xiao, Feng Manna, and Xian Daofeng being the most outstanding among them; the outer perimeter was also tightly guarded.
They simply couldn't think of any other reason why they would fail.
Xian Daofeng put down his teacup and spoke first: "Director Zhou, in your opinion, what are the chances of success for this operation?"
Zhou Xiao: "That's really hard to say."
"Nothing in this world is ever set in stone. Before the results are in, no one can say for sure. If we're going to talk about it, it's about 50/50."
Xian Daofeng let out another sarcastic laugh: "Hahaha, Director Zhou's words are so smooth—that's right, it's truly a 50/50 chance, either you succeed or you fail, a choice between two options, half and half, brilliant!"
10:05 AM.
A figure entered Feng Manna's field of vision.
A stylishly dressed young woman.
If someone can catch her eye instantly, they must be the target.
The woman was wearing a floral dress, a Western-style wide-brimmed hat, black-rimmed sunglasses, and stiletto heels. She was carrying a small handbag in her left hand.
She was dressed in the latest fashions.
However, this outfit also completely covered her face.
Because of the slanted angle, Feng Manna couldn't see her facial features at all, but just by looking at the outline of her clothes, her body proportions, the charm in her gestures and the lines of her back, it was enough to make people's hearts jump – she looked so familiar!
Blue Rouge!
That silhouette, that bearing—it's exactly like Lan Yanzhi!
Feng Manna stared for a few seconds, then immediately turned to Zhou Xiao and Xian Daofeng: "Director Zhou, Section Chief Xian, look quickly—doesn't this girl's back look like someone?"
Zhou Xiao glanced at it only once and blurted out, "Lan Yanzhi?! That back view...it's exactly the same!"
Xian Daofeng simply stood with his hands at his sides, without saying a word.