aircannonsinc Chapter 37 Citywide Manhunt and Farewell at Dawn
Chapter 37 Citywide Manhunt and Farewell at Dawn
No. 169 Jing'an Road, British Concession.
Han Zhenhua received Lu Qiaoshan, who came to visit him late at night.
Lu Qiaoshan, disguised as a postman, stood at the door with a letter in his hand. In just 20 seconds, he directly stated his identity and purpose, and frankly informed them of Lin Yaodong's arrest, Lin Wuyai's exposed identity, and Boss Dai's order to urgently transfer Lin Xiaowen before riding away on his postal bicycle!
One of the Japanese agents monitoring from a short distance immediately followed.
Han Zhenhua opened the letter, which stated directly that Lin Xiaowen was in great danger and that the Japanese could kidnap her at any time. She had to be transferred to Shancheng to ensure the safety of the hero's family!
At four o'clock tomorrow morning, a garbage truck will pass by the back alley on time. That's the most common way we relocate people; it's not easy to attract attention.
Ms. Lin, please make your preparations in advance. We will meet you and help you get on the bus.
After reading the letter, Han Zhenhua remained silent for a moment.
He knew full well that what the letter said was true; Lin Xiaowen staying in Shanghai was like a ticking time bomb!
After all, there's a saying, "You can't guard against thieves for a thousand days if you're a thief for a thousand days." He couldn't protect her 24/7, and neither the British passport nor Wayne's guards were omnipotent.
Going to the mountain city is currently the safest option.
He glanced at Lin Xiaowen beside him, who had finished reading the letter, her face pale but trying her best to remain calm, and squeezed her hand tightly!
With parting imminent and the future uncertain, a sense of sadness and reluctance filled the air. Lin Xiaowen could no longer hold back and buried her face in Han Zhenhua's arms, sobbing softly, "Zhenhua... I'm scared... of Dad and my brother..."
"Don't be afraid, Xiaowen." Han Zhenhua hugged her tightly and comforted her softly, "Going to Shancheng is safe. Your brother... he's so strong, he'll definitely be alright. Everything will be alright after the war." He knew these words of comfort were weak, but that was all he could say at the moment.
The two sat on the sofa, embracing each other, reminiscing about everything since they met, from their first encounter at St. John's University, to dinner on Avenue Joffre, to the terrifying scene at the school gate, and then to their sweet daily interactions... Tears and smiles mingled.
It's unclear who made the first move, but their lips met. Everything seemed to fall into place naturally. Han Zhenhua carefully picked up Lin Xiaowen and carried her towards the bedroom... (a thousand words omitted here)
After a night of revelry, the most profound traces of crimson remained.
The next morning, just as dawn was breaking.
Han Zhenhua gently pulled his arm, which had gone numb from being used as a pillow by Lin Xiaowen, and carefully got up, afraid of waking his sleeping lover. Looking at Lin Xiaowen's peaceful sleeping face, with traces of last night's tears still remaining in the corners of her eyes, his heart was filled with reluctance and pity.
He quietly went to the study, turned on the radio, tuned it to his usual news channel, and prepared some portable valuables and a few pieces of Lin Xiaowen's underwear while keeping an eye on the movements outside.
"Important announcement from the Special Higher Police of the Imperial Japanese Empire..." Suddenly, the broadcast from the radio made Han Zhenhua pause. He held his breath and listened carefully.
"A bounty has been offered for the capture of the extremely dangerous anti-Japanese spy 'Crow,' whose true identity has now been confirmed as Lin Wuyai, the son of Lin Yaodong, a former securities businessman in Shanghai!"
This person is approximately twenty-five years old, about five feet seven inches tall (approximately 1.7 meters), of slender build, with a thin face. He studied abroad. The reward for providing concrete information remains 100,000 silver dollars or equivalent gold, with the recipient having the opportunity to choose one of the following positions: Deputy Chief of Police, Vice Chairman of the Maintenance Committee, or Major in the Imperial Army. Additional requirements may also be met.
The announcer then began to describe Lin Wuyai's physical characteristics in detail, even mentioning his possible aliases and certain behavioral traits. Clearly, the Special Higher Police had collected a large number of photos and personal belongings from the Lin family home, demonstrating a very thorough understanding of Lin Wuyai.
Han Zhenhua's heart sank.
A city-wide manhunt has begun! The Japanese are serious this time. Although the wanted person is Lin Wuyai, Lin Xiaowen, as his younger sister, likely already has their characteristics known to the Japanese. The relocation plan must be flawless!
He turned off the radio and went back to the bedroom. Lin Xiaowen was already awake, sitting on the bed wrapped in the blanket, her eyes somewhat vacant and worried; she had obviously heard the broadcast as well.
"Zhenhua........." she called softly, her voice trembling slightly.
"Don't be afraid, everything is ready." Han Zhenhua sat down on the edge of the bed, pulled her into his arms, and stuffed a small, exquisite handbag into her hand. "Inside are some legal tender, gold pounds and gold bars, as well as a few pieces of your jewelry. Keep them close to your body, just in case."
And this brocade naan, remember, never, ever open it unless there is danger! Never, ever open it!
You can only open the paper if you are in real danger, whether the person opposite you is Chinese or Japanese. If it is Chinese, take out the red paper; if it is Japanese, take out the black paper.
Once we arrive in the mountain town, everything will be taken care of.
Lin Xiaowen clutched her handbag tightly, nestled in his arms, tears silently streaming down her face: "Zhenhua, I remember, I will never open it unless there is danger. I don't want to leave... I don't want to leave you..."
"Silly girl, this temporary separation is so we can be together longer in the future." Han Zhenhua kissed her forehead, suppressing the bitterness in his heart. "Once the situation stabilizes, I'll find a way to see you. Trust me."
Time ticked by, and the moment of parting drew ever closer.
At 3:50 a.m., the villa was completely silent, with only the occasional sound of wind coming from outside the window. Han Zhenhua and Lin Xiaowen, dressed neatly, stood behind the curtains on the second floor, nervously watching the movements in the back alley below.
At exactly four o'clock, a garbage truck that smelled strange and looked completely ordinary slowly drove into the back alley on time, making a slight clanging sound.
Inside the driver's seat, a man wearing a tattered hat glanced around casually, then raised his hand and flashed his flashlight three times—two long and one short—onto the second floor of the villa in a very rhythmic manner.
It's a pre-arranged signal!
Han Zhenhua took a deep breath and gave Lin Xiaowen a final, tight hug: "Take care! Remember, no matter what happens, surviving is the most important thing!"
"You too...you must be careful...wait for me..." Lin Xiaowen sobbed uncontrollably, steeled her heart, broke free from his embrace, resolutely turned around, and quickly went downstairs.
Han Zhenhua watched as her petite figure quickly opened the back door and slipped out.
The passenger door of the garbage truck opened from the inside, an arm reached out and quickly pulled her in, and the door closed immediately.
The whole process took less than ten seconds, and was clean and efficient.
Just then, four plainclothes officers suddenly rushed out from a villa in the distance. As they approached, two Kuomintang agents jumped down from a tall plane tree. With a few quick swings of their hands, several throwing knives flew out, each accurately hitting the throats of the four rushing men. As if equipped with precision guidance, the four Japanese Special Higher Police agents monitoring them were instantly killed without even uttering a sound!
The lights in the distant villa flickered a few times before going out completely, clearly indicating that the Japanese agents inside had been easily dealt with by the Kuomintang agents!
The two men quickly threw the four bodies into the truck, then turned on their flashlights, carefully wiped away the bloodstains on the ground, and sprinkled some unknown powder before calmly getting into the truck. The garbage truck continued to drive slowly forward as if nothing had happened, quickly disappearing into the darkness before dawn.
The eight British sailors responsible for protecting him were also astonished by what they saw, their expressions showing shock and lingering fear!
Han Zhenhua stood alone behind the window, watching everything that had happened. He first sighed that the Military Intelligence Bureau was indeed full of talented people and their methods were extremely professional. They were definitely not comparable to him, a second-rate "ace agent"!
Gazing at the empty alleyway, he felt as if a piece of his heart had been ripped out, leaving a lingering, aching emptiness. The beauty of his first love and the bitterness of parting intertwined, leaving him unable to move for a long time.