Chapter 87: Vanishing

Chapter 87: Vanishing

The hot spring was enveloped in steam.

Zhao Zhiao, worried she might get tired, supported her firmly with both hands from behind.

After one round, he didn't insist anymore but instead refreshed the water to help her rinse off.

Lin Yufan, concerned about dehydration from prolonged soaking, got up after a quick rinse.

She lounged on the sofa until hunger prompted her to get up for dinner.

In the evening, they relaxed on rooftop recliners, cooling off and stargazing.

The surrounding sea was pitch black, accentuating the brightness of the stars above. Lin Yufan gazed upward, closing her eyes to rest when fatigue set in.

Swayed by the gentle night breeze and the nearby waves, life seemed worry-free and utterly serene.

The couple spoke little, simply enjoying each other's quiet company.

He was preoccupied with his worries; she had her tasks, and he had even more, including the critical matter of material logistics.

Unable to assist, she could only offer her silent presence.

Lin Yufan retired to her room around ten, awakening the next day to a sunlit windowsill.

The clams they had gathered the previous day were stir-fried with basil by the kitchen and served with noodles, surprisingly devoid of any fishy odor.

It was delectable, with a sweet and refreshing flavor.

Zhao Zhiao observed her enjoying the meal and chuckled, "I thought you didn't care for seafood?"

She twirled the noodles and took a bite, "Lately, I've discovered that seafood can be quite tasty."

"I asked the kitchen to make some chicken congee; would you like a bit more?"

"I'll stick with the noodles," Lin Yufan said, cautious not to overeat and risk a difficult delivery due to a larger baby.

He didn't press further.

After breakfast, Zhao Zhiao headed back to the city ahead of her.

Lin Yufan stayed behind, sending the driver to fetch Xi Gu, He Xiaoqing, and a few others, spending the day by the sea and returning only at dusk.

*

While it was sunny a few days prior, the past two days saw a drizzle that varied in intensity, persisting daily without respite.

In the Hong Kong Office's conference room, Director Gao presided at the head, flanked by Xiao Zepeng and members of Special Operations Teams 1 and 2.

Upon his return, Director Gao's smiles were fewer. His past misfortunes had made him the subject of gossip, and to smile now would be self-deprecating.

Thus, he maintained a stern demeanor.

"In August, three shipments are scheduled to transit through Hong Kong on the 7th, 8th, and 12th. Given their importance, no errors can be tolerated; hence, they'll be moved directly from the train station to Hongsha Bay for loading. The Guangzhou Nationalist Government's Foreign Ministry has notified the British administration in Hong Kong, and the local military police will assist in escorting the shipments aboard. We must also exercise greater caution to prevent any further mishaps!"

After speaking, Director Gao looked at Xiao Zepeng, "Deputy Director Xiao, please outline the specific personnel arrangements."

Xiao Zepeng nodded slightly, "Yes, Director."

Then, Xiao Zepeng glanced at everyone. Though his demeanor was more relaxed than Director Gao's, his tone carried an authoritative edge.

"Everyone, pay attention. The arrangements I'm about to mention should not be written down; you must commit them to memory. There can be no mistakes or omissions. Do you hear me?"

Wang Liu and Deng Kuan exchanged glances. They knew Director Gao didn't like Xiao Zepeng's cocky attitude, so they kept quiet.

However, Dong Yushan quickly chimed in, "We hear you."

After the arrangements were made, the others filed out. Director Gao held back Xiao Zepeng along with Team One Leader Deng Kuan and Team Two Leader Dong Yushan.

Director Gao said, "There were many people in the meeting just now, so some things are just for us to know."

Confidential matters?

Xiao Zepeng was clearly displeased. By the book, Director Gao should have informed him first about any confidential documents from above, rather than making him look like a fool alongside the two team leaders, as if he knew nothing.

Although the higher-ups had instructed him to cooperate well with Director Gao, it was evident that Director Gao was always trying to put him in his place.

Xiao Zepeng kept quiet, and Dong Yushan wasn't about to say anything.

Seeing this, Deng Kuan quickly responded to Director Gao, "Director, we're all ears."

Director Gao then said, "Among the three batches of supplies in August, the one on the 8th is the most important. The ones on the 7th and 12th are just decoys to confuse the enemy. On the 8th, you all must be on your toes!"

Xiao Zepeng grumbled, "Director, you should have told me earlier so that I could have made better arrangements for the 8th."

Director Gao replied, "If I had informed you beforehand, as you said, the arrangements for the 8th would've tipped our hand. Others might have analyzed it and figured out that the 8th is the most important."

Xiao Zepeng: "..."

Dong Yushan jumped in, "Yeah, the Director has a point. Please rest assured, Director, we'll be watching the supply transfer on the 8th closely."

Deng Kuan also chimed in, "Director, don't worry, we'll be on top of it."

Director Gao shot Xiao Zepeng a look, stood up, and walked out, saying, "Deputy Director Xiao, come to my office."

Xiao Zepeng had little choice. Despite his dissatisfaction, he could only grab his notebook off the table and follow.

Dong Yushan looked at Deng Kuan and sighed helplessly, "When the big shots clash, the little guys get caught in the crossfire."

Deng Kuan shrugged with a smile, "You said it."

After leaving the meeting room, Deng Kuan took out a cigarette and stood at the corner of the stairs, smoking alone and processing what had just happened.

Footsteps echoed from the stairs, and the janitor came up from below, holding a metal dustpan.

He placed the dustpan in the corner and said with a smile, "Captain Deng, you can put the cigarette butt in the dustpan."

Deng Kuan looked at the janitor, who was dressed in simple, worn-out clothes, around fifty years old, with slightly graying but surprisingly thick hair.

He handed the janitor a cigarette and asked, "What should I call you, brother?"

The janitor took the cigarette and smiled warmly, "Everyone calls me Uncle Tan. Oh, Captain Deng, this is a good cigarette!"

He sniffed the cigarette, reluctant to smoke it, and tucked it behind his ear.

Deng Kuan said, "Uncle Tan, you work hard. I'll throw the cigarette butt into the dustpan when I'm done."

Uncle Tan replied sheepishly, "You office folks are always so polite."

Watching Uncle Tan's back as he carried the broom upstairs, Deng Kuan looked thoughtful. After finishing his cigarette, he tossed the butt into the dustpan and returned to his office.

*

After a brief clearing, the night sky unleashed another heavy downpour.

Lin Yufan sat by the window, penning an article. She used to hate the rain because it made everything at home so inconvenient.

In the Second Branch, especially, clothes wouldn’t dry, and everything was damp and annoying.

Now, free from such petty concerns, the soft patter of rain outside gave her an odd sense of security.

That evening, Zhao Zhiao returned and had been holed up in the study ever since, discussing crucial matters with Ms. Guan.

Tomorrow was the 7th, and she knew they were discussing something critical, so she didn’t interrupt.

In the study, Zhao Zhiao and Ms. Guan sat on the sofa with a coffee table in between.

On the table was a map of Hong Kong, with two boxes of Go stones—black and white—on either side.

Zhao Zhiao analyzed, "Based on intel from Guangzhou, Thorn, and other sources, I’m leaning toward the important shipment arriving on August 7th, not the 8th!"

Ms. Guan nodded, "Thorn thinks so too. If we’re right, the intel Thorn got about the 8th being key is probably just a decoy."

Zhao Zhiao picked up a white Go stone and placed it on the map at Red Sand Bay. "Tomorrow evening, the 7th, we’ll hit the shipment at Red Sand Bay."

He picked up another white stone and placed it at Red Sand Bay. "Yang Liu has four men and will back us up. Thorn will work undercover."

Ms. Guan grabbed a white stone. "I’ll go too. If Yang Liu runs into trouble, I’ll take over."

Zhao Zhiao took a white stone for himself and placed it at the train station. "I’ll take a team to watch the station, just in case."

Once the plan was set, Zhao Zhiao said, "Focusing on the 7th is the way to go. If tomorrow’s shipment isn’t the big one, we’ll keep an eye on the 8th and 12th."

Ms. Guan nodded. "You’re right. No regrets—we’ve got to hit the 7th hard. If we tip them off on the 7th, we can still stop them on the 8th, whether they go through Hong Kong or the Pearl River Estuary."

"At the Pearl River Estuary, especially, we’ve got more men, so hijacking the ship will be a cinch."

Zhao Zhiao stood. "Alright, let’s get some rest tonight. I’ve got the ammo ready."

"Got it. I’ll let him know." Ms. Guan went over the details with Zhao Zhiao before heading out.

Zhao Zhiao sat on the sofa, rubbing his temples, and rested for a bit before going to his room.

Lin Yufan had finished her article and was soaking her feet in the living room, chatting with her sister-in-law, Dai Ruyin.

Dai Ruyin, who’d been through pregnancy and childbirth, was worried Lin Yufan’s feet might swell, so she came to oversee her foot soak.

When she saw Zhao Zhiao return, Dai Ruyin smiled. "Zhi Ao’s back."

Zhao Zhiao nodded. "Fifth Sister-in-law."

Dai Ruyin stood politely. "It’s late. I’ll head back now."

As she stood, her husband, Lin Yuwu, showed up. He stood at the door and asked his sixth sister, "We’re locking down the plan with Zhang Wei from Desheng and Second Young Master Li from the airport tomorrow afternoon. You coming?"

Lin Yufan asked, "Didn’t we already finalize it last time?"

"The airport wants the central spot in the building. That spot originally had one of our shops. Their idea is to compensate us with an additional shop, but they want the central spot for the airport."

In reality, the difference in location within the commercial district wasn’t significant, and getting an extra shop wouldn’t be a bad deal.

She said, "I won’t go. I don’t have strong opinions on this. Fifth Brother, you can handle it." Lin Yuwu chuckled, "I’m thick-skinned. Since they’re the ones asking, I’ll definitely make them pay a bit more—at least two shops as compensation."

Lin Yufan generously said, "Fifth Brother, if you can secure an extra shop, the extra one’s going to my fifth sister-in-law."

Dai Ruyin asked, smiling with delight, "Really? You're giving it to me?"

Lin Yufan nodded, "Of course, it's true."

"Thanks, sis," Dai Ruyin replied, her face beaming with joy. She nudged her husband, "See? Sixth sis has got my back."

Lin Yuwu also smiled, "I’m out there fighting, and you’re reaping the rewards at home."

With Zhao Zhiao, the son-in-law, present, Dai Ruyin didn’t say much about her husband, only smiling, "I’m not as capable as sixth sis, so I’ll just ride your coattails."

They didn’t linger and happily headed downstairs.

After everyone had left, Gui Xiang had the maid clean the table, and Zhao Zhiao went to take a shower.

After his shower, Lin Yufan was already in bed, and they lay down chatting.

She fretted, "With this heavy rain, will it mess up your mission tomorrow?"

Zhao Zhiao actually hoped the rain would be heavier, "On rainy days, the sound of rain all around makes the enemy less on guard, and the rain can also mask other sounds, so the rain is beneficial for us."

Lin Yufan nestled in his arms, "Then let’s hope it pours even harder."

*

Meanwhile, in a house, Pei Xing, the leader of the second group of the Hong Kong Confidential Department, was on the phone with Linghu.

Linghu said, "This time it's the Secret Service Bureau setting the trap, we’re closing in, you must not make any mistakes."

Pei Xing replied, "Don’t worry, Director, we’ve nailed every task for the past two months—no slip-ups here..."

Linghu interrupted him, "Serving the Party-State, one mistake wipes out all past achievements. No one will remember all the blood and sweat we’ve shed. Remember, successfully completing the current task is the most important."

Director Pei Xing felt disgusted but had to flatter, "Director's criticism is correct, and I will keep it firmly in mind."

Director Linghu instructed, "Tomorrow night at Hongsha Bay, you must wipe out entirely an important Communist group in Hong Kong. This time, I want them dead—no survivors, only bodies. Rewards will be handed out based on the body count!"

This successfully stirred Director Pei Xing's killing intent, "Director, rest assured, explosives are already hidden on the boat. If they dare to hijack it, they’ll be blown to bits with nowhere to bury them!"

Linghu said, "I await your good news. Don't let Eagle’s team overshadow us every time."

"Understood."

*

This time of year, the sun rises early, and Lin Yufan woke up at six.

The rain had temporarily stopped, and it looked like it might turn out to be a clear day.

Zhao Zhiao stood behind her, glanced at the sky, and said, "The weather won’t interfere with our mission."

Lin Yufan worriedly asked, "Will you go personally?"

She’d never really considered how dangerous his work was before.

Since becoming pregnant, her mindset has gradually changed. He, her, and the baby she’s carrying are one.

She doesn't want him to suffer any harm.

Zhao Zhiao comforted his wife, "If needed, I will go personally."

Just like the last time he went in person to assassinate the president of the Beiping Bank.

"But this time I'm on a different front line, important but less dangerous."

"Don't worry, I, Zhao Zhiao, am about to be a father, so I'll definitely be more cautious and value my life more than before."

Lin Yufan nodded, "We’ll await your victorious return."

Zhao Zhiao had already changed his clothes and was going to work as usual in the morning.

The couple had breakfast in the living room, and as they were finishing, Ms. Guan showed up.

Lin Yufan sent Gui Xiang away, "You all step out first; we need to talk with Ms. Guan."

Gui Xiang took the serving maid away.

Once the unnecessary people were gone, Ms. Guan spoke up, "Yang Liu is ready on her end, and Guang Touli is fully prepared too. I’ll head out at noon."

Zhao Zhiao picked up the handkerchief on the table and wiped the corner of his mouth, "I spent a lot of time thinking about it last night. What if we need to mobilize resources while we’re all on the front lines? So Ms. Guan, don’t go to Red Sand Bay; stay here and manage the rear."

Ms. Guan thought for a moment, "But I have duties on the front lines."

Zhao Zhiao insisted, "Delegate them; there are enough people at Red Sand Bay, and your absence won’t matter much. But if you stay here to manage the rear, you’ll be crucial in an emergency."

Ms. Guan agreed with Zhao Zhiao's reasoning, "Alright, I’ll make the arrangements right away."

After breakfast, Zhao Zhiao went to work as usual.

He worked in the office until two, then Zhao Zhiao left with Brother Bing and the others through the side door.

They arrived at a parking lot near the train station, in an amusement park, where Zhao Zhiao got out and entered an unassuming residential building.

The building was six or seven stories tall, but they only went up to the fourth floor, which Shen Te had rented long before.

Zhao Zhiao stood behind the curtains, peering through the telescope to clearly see the loading at the train station’s freight area.

Around three, the Guangzhou special train pulled into the station.

He counted carefully; the Hong Kong Office had arranged over twenty trucks for loading.

They were loading and moving out at the same time.

Seeing this long line of trucks, Zhao Zhiao couldn’t help wondering. He remembered that the cargo ship arranged by the Hong Kong Office at Red Sand Bay didn’t have a large capacity.

The cargo from these twenty-plus trucks probably wouldn’t fit on that ship.

He turned and instructed Brother Bing, "A Bing, get someone to tail these trucks right away. If any aren’t heading to Red Sand Bay, report back immediately."

Brother Bing acknowledged and went out to the living room to assign the task.

More than an hour later, about twenty of the material transfer vehicles had already left. Zhao Zhiao watched from upstairs, everything was normal except for the discrepancy in numbers.

Just then, Brother Bing hurried back, "Boss, the tracking vehicles called back, they found that eight of the trucks headed towards the southeast district."

Eight trucks went to the southeast district?

On the table was a map of Hong Kong, Zhao Zhiao looked closely and found that there were two docks in the southeast district of Hong Kong, and the Hong Kong airport was also in the southeast direction.

Docks or airport?

"Are our people still following?" "They’re still tailing them. But we’ll have to wait for updates."

Whether it was another dock or the airport, it's clearly not Hongsha Bay, which means the information they had previously obtained was deliberately leaked by the Secret Service Bureau!

He walked into the inner room, closed the door, and called Ms. Guan's office to inform her of the situation.

Ms. Guan immediately caught on: "So, we were worried that the 8th was a trap, but in reality, the 7th was. They deliberately led us to Hongsha Bay to take us out in one go."

Zhao Zhiao: "Exactly. They figured we wouldn’t easily buy their story, so they fed us false intel to lure us into hijacking the ship at Hongsha Bay today. Moreover, even if we didn't go today and went tomorrow, they could still take us out. But the important supplies have already been transported through other channels today."

Ms. Guan grew anxious: "I can notify Yang Liu, but it’s definitely too late for the Thorn operation."

The tenser the situation got, the calmer Zhao Zhiao remained. "I’ll find a way to notify Thorn. Guang Touli’s men were split into two teams, and by now they must already be in position for the ambush. I’ll tell Guang Touli to pull back the team meant to create a diversion and cause chaos. You also get Yang Liu to intercept Cui Yuan’s crew helping with the hijack."

Ms. Guan: "Alright. Once you confirm the direction of the important supplies, let me know as soon as possible. No matter which dock it is, we should be able to get there immediately."

After splitting up the tasks, they each got on the phone.

About ten minutes later, Brother Bing knocked and walked in: "Boss, it's confirmed. All eight trucks went to the airport."

The airport?!

This is a problem.

You can hijack a ship at the dock, but how do you pull it off at the airport?

Are we supposed to take over a plane?

Zhao Zhiao called Ms. Guan to inform her that the important supplies had gone to the airport.

He said: "I remember Zhang Aiming mentioning that there’s another group of comrades at the airport working on subversion. Can we get them to help?"

Ms. Guan said she would communicate immediately.

Five minutes later, Ms. Guan called back: "Our people can help, but it’s a long shot. They’re not fully prepared yet."

After Ms. Guan filled him in on the airport situation, Zhao Zhiao immediately recalled what Lin Yuwu and Lin Yufan said last night: "Go find my wife. Get her to help right away. As long as the coordination is good, this mission isn’t impossible to complete."

Ms. Guan hung up and headed straight to the villa’s second floor to find Lin Yufan.

Lin Yufan was a little thrown off, "How can I help?"

Ms. Guan: "Third Young Master Li, who’s in charge of the airport control tower, is there right now. With him there, our people can't coordinate their work. Can we figure out a way to get Second Young Master Li to call his brother away right now?"

Get Second Young Master Li to call his brother away?

That's a bit difficult.

Lin Yufan's mind worked quickly, "Asking Second Young Master Li for help outright would look fishy. Why don’t we stage a little accident?"

Ms. Guan immediately understood: "That could work."

By now, Lin Yufan wasn’t sure if Fifth Brother had wrapped up his talk with Second Young Master Li.

In theory, it should be done.

Regardless, it's worth a try.

Previously, when Lin Yufan was discussing a deal with Boss Zhou at the Turtleback Mountain Teahouse, she had noted the teahouse's phone number.

She grabbed the phone book, found the Turtleback Mountain Teahouse’s number, and called it.

Luckily, Lin Yuwu was still at the teahouse, but the trouble was that Second Young Master Li had left just a few minutes after their meeting ended.

"Fifth Brother, I need a favor..."

*

Today, Dong Yushan and Longjing were stationed at Hongsha Bay.

Xiao Zepeng, Deng Kuan, and Wang Liu were keeping an eye on the train station.

The shipment was nearly complete, so Xiao Zepeng asked Wang Liu to stay at the train station while he and Deng Kuan headed to Hongsha Bay first.

"Leave the car here for Wang Liu. Deng Kuan, ride with me."

Deng Kuan didn’t refuse. He was also heading to Hongsha Bay to play it by ear, coordinating from within and outside.

Before he left, he bummed a cigarette off Wang Liu and inquired, "I was busy with other matters earlier. How many trucks of supplies were loaded today? It feels like more than we planned."

Wang Liu wasn’t sure either. "Nineteen trucks? I just checked with the fleet manager, and he said nineteen."

Deng Kuan didn’t say anything more. He glanced up and spotted a kite soaring high on a distant hill.

As he headed to Xiao Zepeng’s car, he looked up again and saw the kite’s string snap, sending it flying away.

That was the signal!

The organization was signaling him to pull out!

Deng Kuan acted like he didn’t see it and was about to slip away when Xiao Zepeng called him over. "Deng Kuan, hurry up, we’re waiting for you."

Deng Kuan had no option but to go along. He opened the passenger door and got in.

It was rush hour, and the roads were jammed.

The car moved very slowly.

Xiao Zepeng kept glancing at his watch and grumbled, "There aren’t usually this many cars. Why is it so crowded today?"

The driver explained, "A few taxis up ahead are crawling to save gas. It’ll clear up after this stretch."

Right as he finished talking, a taxi plowed into them. The driver hit the brakes, but the car still skidded.

Everyone was thrown forward!

Some banged their heads, others their shoulders.

"Damn it! You moron!" the driver cursed as he got out of the car.

The hood was smoking, and it looked like trouble. Xiao Zepeng, his deputy, and Deng Kuan quickly got out of the car.

The driver was yelling at the person who caused the accident. Their hood was smashed, and it’d need serious repairs before it’s roadworthy again.

They still had to get to Hongsha Bay. Xiao Zepeng noticed several taxis ahead, some of which were empty, and immediately said, "Screw it, let’s grab a cab to Hongsha Bay."

But when he looked back, Deng Kuan was nowhere to be seen.

Suddenly, it started to rain.

Xiao Zepeng stood in the rain and cursed, "Damn it! Deng Kuan’s vanished. Everyone, find him!"