Siheyuan came through and sent Jia Zhang to prison

The meeting place Zheng Qiang had chosen was a shabby little house tucked away deep in an old alley. Most of the wall paint had peeled away, revealing the mottled masonry within. A few spiderwebs clung to the corners. Rusty iron barrels and rotting wood piled up at the doorway, creaking in the wind. It looked like a deserted house, unremarkable and unassuming, like one that had been abandoned for a decade or more. He had chosen this spot because Zhang Shi's men were still outside watching him. If they caught him meeting Scar, the charge of "collaborating with the enemy" would be confirmed, a charge he would never be able to clear even if he threw himself into the Yellow River.

Zheng Qiang stood in the room for a while, leaving a few shallow footprints on the dust under his feet, and then he heard three light knocks on the door - the code they had agreed on in advance. He lowered his voice and said "Come in", and the door hinge turned with a creak, and Scar pushed the door open and walked in, carrying the cold air from outside with a hint of dust. He glanced at the environment in the room, there were webs in the corners, and dust on the ground. He curled his lips and grinned: "Director Zheng, the place you chose is really nice, it looks like a rat's nest. What's the matter? Are you afraid of being seen? Why don't you come to my place for a drink of hot tea? I just made some Longjing tea, and I was thinking of letting you try it."

Zheng Qiang didn't want to exchange pleasantries with him. His brows knitted into a knot, and he asked bluntly, "Alright, stop talking nonsense. Before you came in, were you sure no one was following you?"

Scar patted his chest and raised his chin smugly. "Don't you know what I'm capable of? After so many years on the road, I still have some vigilance. From the moment I left the house to get here, I went around three alleys and shook off two suspicious people. If there really were people following me, would I be able to come in so openly? Don't worry, I've shaken them off completely, not even a hair left. Tell me, what do you want from me? Why are you so anxious to see me? Is there something big going on?"

Zheng Qiang stared at him, his tone as serious as ice: "Okay, let me ask you, has anyone been secretly following you recently?"

Scar was stunned for a moment, then nodded, the smile on his face fading a little. "Director Zheng, you're right. There have indeed been a few unfamiliar faces outside these past few days. They're all dressed strangely, acting furtively, and always hanging around our area, their eyes constantly glancing into the yard. But you specifically instructed us not to act rashly, for fear of alerting the enemy, so I haven't let my brothers touch them. I just pretended not to see them and continued to do what I had to do."

Zheng Qiang said in a deep voice, "Remember, no one is allowed to act rashly without my order. Got it? Those people's origins are unknown. It's still unclear whether they are coming for us or for others. Acting rashly will only make things worse."

Scar smiled and waved his hand nonchalantly, "I know, I know. You're the director, and you have the final say. We'll do whatever you tell us to do, and we won't meddle in other people's business. You know the rules."

Zheng Qiang finally relaxed his frown a bit, leaned forward, and lowered his voice even more: "Scar, I want to know how the person who sent you the weapons got them into your hands? Can you tell me about this?"

Scar scratched his head and shook his head in embarrassment. "I really can't explain it. The people delivering the things are different every time. They're tall, short, fat, and thin. They don't talk to us much, just drop the things and leave, like they're dumb. But I do smell a bit of fishy smell on them, a strong fishy smell, like they just came from the dock. After all, they're sent by someone from above, so we can't ask too much, and even if we did, they wouldn't say anything."

Zheng Qiang said nothing, but his mind was clear as a mirror—the fishy smell was most likely from smuggled goods brought in by water, coming through the docks, where the crowds were thick and varied, making it the easiest place for things to hide. It seemed they had to start their investigation at the docks, following the clues, and they'd eventually find the source.

He waved his hand. "That's all, there's nothing for you to do now. Go back and keep an eye on those unfamiliar faces and the weapons delivery. Report any new activity to me immediately. Remember, I'll give you a signal when I tell you to act. Don't move without it. Do you understand?"

Scar nodded quickly, a smile on his face again. "Don't worry, Director Zheng, you're right. We'll act whenever you tell us to. We'll be waiting for your news at any time, no hesitation."

Scar turned, opened the door, and walked out, briskly towards the alley entrance, whistling a tuneless tune, looking relaxed and at ease. He didn't notice that the moment he left the hut, a figure quietly followed him from the shadows at the end of the alley. He thought he had shaken off all the tails, but he didn't know he had already been spotted. He just swaggered back the way he had come, completely unaware of the eyes watching him from behind.

On the other side, Zhang Shi stood behind an old locust tree at the corner of the street. The trunk obscured most of his figure, revealing only a pair of sharp eyes. He watched Scar's retreating back and instructed Li Di beside him, "Li Di, follow Scar and see where he came from and who he met in there. Find out his lair along the way. Remember, don't reveal yourself. Just follow from a distance and report back if anything happens."

Li Di nodded and said, "Don't worry, Captain, I know my limits. You should be careful here too. I'll go first." After that, he straightened his collar, put his hands in his pockets, pretended to be a leisurely passerby, and followed slowly, his steps as light as a leaf.

Zhang Shi stared at the direction the two men retreated, his brow furrowed, a heavy feeling in his heart. He had originally been ordered to investigate whether there had been any unusual movements within the organization, but he hadn't expected to follow the clues and discover the weapons issue. This was no small matter. Secretly hoarding weapons, their origins unknown. Who knew what these people were planning to do with so many weapons? If chaos broke out, it would cost lives, and the consequences would be unimaginable. He had to keep a close eye on the situation, not making a single mistake, absolutely no errors.

Zhang Shi stared at the pictures of the weapons, his brow furrowed in knots. How could these be ordinary, privately-made weapons? The disassembled magazines held high-explosive warheads, the barrels were rifling for increased range, and even the modified hunting rifles were nearly as powerful as standard rifles—all weapons of mass destruction capable of easily causing death. He felt a sinking feeling in his heart: If this group wasn't taken down quickly, and they were actually used publicly, the consequences would be unimaginable, and he was afraid it would cause quite a stir.

He still couldn't figure out Director He's intentions. The evidence chain was already clear, yet he still refused to close the net. However, when he arrived, the director had specifically instructed that this operation was entirely under Director He's command. He could only suppress his temper and watch from the shadows.