Spy war in the Republic of China, peak undercover

There were sporadic lights on the coal mine's dock.

Lu Yang brought a few people and quietly approached the shore.

"Watch your step," said Uncle Tieniu. "It's all cinders."

Ye Wanru pointed ahead: "Look, those boxes."

Under the moonlight, rows of wooden boxes are neatly stacked.

"These are the looted arms," ​​Lu Yang said, "They're all here."

Suddenly, there was a sound of footsteps.

"Someone," Ye Wanru whispered.

Several figures walked by, speaking Japanese.

"...Tomorrow night," one of them said, "the big ship will arrive."

"It seems we came at the right time," Lu Yang said.

Uncle Tieniu pointed at the mine and said, "Their base is inside."

"Let's take a look at the terrain first," Lu Yang said, "Ye Wanru, you go..."

Before he could finish his words, a whistle pierced the night sky.

"Oh no," Ye Wanru said, "We've been discovered."

Suddenly, several lights lit up in the darkness.

"Who is it!" someone shouted in Japanese.

"Action!" Lu Yang gave the order.

Gunshots rang out on the dock.

"Retreat to the mine!" Lu Yang shouted.

Several people moved towards the mine under the cover of boxes.

"Be careful of the gas," Uncle Tieniu said, "don't shoot."

The mine was pitch black, with only the faint light of alum.

"Stop!" a voice came from behind.

Ye Wanru turned around and threw out a rope.

The rope entangled the pursuer's feet and tripped him.

"This way," Uncle Tieniu pointed to a fork in the road, "leads to the main pit."

The footsteps are getting closer.

“They’re here!” someone shouted.

Lu Yang suddenly stopped: "Wait."

"What's wrong?"

“Do you smell that?” he said. “Gas.”

Uncle Tieniu's face changed: "Gas leak."

"Go back," Lu Yang said, "quickly!"

Before he finished speaking, there was a loud noise.

An explosion was heard deep in the mine.

"Get down!" Lu Yang pounced on Ye Wanru.

The gust of wind, mixed with coal dust, blew towards us.

"Retreat!" Lu Yang shouted.

There was chaos in the mine and the pursuers were running out.

"That's..." Ye Wanru pointed ahead.

A figure stood at the entrance of the cave, holding a torch.

"Matsumoto!" Lu Yang recognized the figure.

"Long time no see," Matsumoto sneered, "Officer Lu."

The mine was filled with thick gas.

"Matsumoto," Lu Yang said, "Do you want to die with us?"

“No,” Matsumoto said, holding up the torch, “I just want to invite you to watch a show.”

Ye Wanru quietly moved her position: "What play?"

"It's going to be a big show," Matsumoto said. "The Chongqing river will be bustling with activity soon."

Lu Yang narrowed his eyes: "You are the bait."

"Smart," Matsumoto smiled, "but it's too late."

Uncle Tieniu suddenly said, "Oh no, the water level is rising."

Everyone looked down and found that there was water under their feet.

“The tide is rising,” Matsumoto said. “The whole mine will be flooded.”

Lu Yang understood: "So you have to move."

“Yes,” Matsumoto said, “the goods are on the way.”

Ye Wanru gripped the rope tightly in her hand: "Where to go?"

"A place you won't guess," Matsumoto waved the torch.

The smell of gas grew stronger.

"Surrender," Lu Yang said, "everyone outside is ours."

“Really?” Matsumoto sneered, “Are you sure?”

Suddenly there was an explosion in the distance.

“That’s…”

"Your ship," Matsumoto said, "has sunk."

The water level was rising rapidly and was already knee-deep.

"In two minutes," Matsumoto said, "this place will be flooded."

At this moment, Uncle Tieniu suddenly threw out a piece of coal.

The coal hit Matsumoto's hand and the torch fell to the ground.

"Catch him!" Lu Yang shouted.

Ye Wanru's rope flew out and entangled Matsumoto's legs.

"Run!" Uncle Tieniu shouted, "I'll block the torch!"

"No!" Lu Yang said, "It's too dangerous!"

The old man turned around and smiled: "In my life, I am destined to be a sailor."

Before he had finished speaking, he leaped towards the torch.

"Let's go!" Ye Wanru pulled Lu Yang, "It will be too late if we don't leave now!"

The two men dragged Matsumoto and rushed towards the cave entrance.

There was a muffled sound behind him.

"Uncle Tie Niu!" Ye Wanru shouted.

"Don't look back," Lu Yang said, "Fulfill his wish."

Starlight can already be seen at the entrance of the cave.

"This is the last part," Lu Yang said, "Hold your breath!"

The three rushed out of the mine and fell heavily to the ground.

The mine behind him collapsed.

At the dock, the water police have taken control of the situation.

"Boss!" Zhou Qing ran over, "We've captured the big ship!"

Lu Yang panted: "Where?"

"At the mouth of Tongluo Gorge," Zhou Qing said, "a warship."

Matsumoto slumped on the ground, his face pale.

Ye Wanru looked at the collapsed mine with tears in her eyes.

"Uncle Tieniu," she said softly, "don't worry."

The morning light begins to appear on the river.

And this night is destined to be remembered forever in Chongqing.

There is a new portrait in the boss lady’s noodle shop.

It is a photo of Uncle Tieniu, with a perpetual lamp next to it.

"This photo was taken the last time he came to the store," said the proprietress.

Lu Yang looked at the photo in silence.

Ye Wanru brought a bowl of noodles: "His favorite Yangchun noodles."

"The case is closed," Zhou Qing said. "A large amount of munitions was seized from the warship."

"Did Matsumoto confess?" Lu Yang asked.

"Yes," Zhou Qing said, "they were planning to blow up the Yangtze River Bridge."

The proprietress wiped her tears and said, "Thank goodness Uncle Tieniu found it."

"Yes," Lu Yang said, "if it weren't for his understanding of the river..."

Ye Wanru put down her chopsticks: "I went to his house."

“Did you see your family?”

"Well," she said, "they were given pensions."

“What did his son say?”

"They say his father loved this river the most in his life," Ye Wanru said. "He died a worthy death."

The wind chimes at the door rang and Chen Yijun walked in.

"Headquarters called," she said, "to posthumously award Uncle Tie Niu the title of martyr."

The proprietress lit a stick of incense and said, "If he knew about this, he would definitely be pleased."

"By the way," Zhou Qing said, "the hand-drawn picture he left behind..."

"I've framed it," the lady said. "Hang it here."

On the wall, a piece of yellowed rice paper was framed.

"This is his life's work," Lu Yang said, "and it must be preserved forever."

Ye Wanru looked at the densely packed markings on the map.

Every reef and every whirlpool embodies the old man’s hard work.

"What was his last words?" asked the landlady.

"He said," Lu Yang said softly, "In this life, my destiny is to sail."

The noodle shop became quiet, with only the sound of wind chimes.

A boat was passing by on the river outside the window.

The white flag flying on the boat was particularly eye-catching in the morning light.

“This river,” Lu Yang said, “will always remember him.”

Ye Wanru raised her teacup: "Cheers to Uncle Tieniu."

"Cheers to the heroes!" everyone said together.

From then on, the boss lady’s noodle shop had a legend.

Legend has it that boatmen on the river can always hear the sound of a gong in the fog.

That is Uncle Tieniu’s call, always guiding the direction.

And this story will continue to be passed down.

Just like the water of the Yangtze River, it always flows eastward.

In late autumn in Chongqing, it was drizzling.

Steam was rising from the boss lady's noodle shop.

"Recently," Zhou Qing said, "there's a strange storyteller at the dock."

Lu Yang looked up: "Why is it strange?"

"He was talking about recent cases," Zhou Qing said, "and many of the details matched."

Ye Wanru put down her chopsticks: "Could it be..."

Before he could finish his words, the wind chimes at the door rang.

Chen Yijun hurried in: "Something happened."

"What's up?"

"A businessman was murdered last night," she said, "right near the docks."

Lu Yang frowned: "What businessman?"

"The silk merchant," Chen Yijun said, "is called Shen Yuanshan."

"I know him," the proprietress said. "He often comes here to eat noodles."

"How did he die?" Lu Yang asked.

"It's very strange," Chen Yijun said. "He was strangled to death by a guitar string."

Ye Wanru's eyes lit up: "That storyteller..."

"Yes," Zhou Qing said, "he told a similar story the day before yesterday."

“What story?”

"It's said that a businessman," Zhou Qing recalled, "died at the dock on a dark and windy night."

Lu Yang stood up and said, "Take me to see it."

"Wait a minute," the landlady said, "the storyteller mentioned one more thing."

"What's up?"

"He said this month," the lady boss said, "three merchants will be murdered."

The rain outside is getting heavier and heavier.

"Let's go," Lu Yang said, "and take a look at the dock."

The pier in the rain is covered with a thin layer of mist.

In the corner, there is a shabby tea stall.

"The storyteller tells stories here," Zhou Qing said.

Lu Yang looked at the tea stains on the ground: "Are there any other clues?"

“Yes,” Ye Wanru said, “look at this.”

She pointed to the pillar of the tea stall, on which were carved a few words.

"Dead at three o'clock, buried at five o'clock," Lu Yang recited, "at seven o'clock..."

Before he could finish his words, a scream was heard from a distance.

"Something happened again!" someone shouted.

The corpse in the rain had a blue face.

“It’s the strings again,” Chen Yijun said. “Exactly the same as last time.”

Lu Yang squatted down and asked: "Who is the deceased?"

"Cloth merchant Li Fusheng," Zhou Qing said, "is from the same hometown as Shen Yuanshan."

Ye Wanru checked the deceased's pockets: "Look at this."

A note, soaked by rain.

"Dead at three o'clock, buried at five o'clock," Lu Yang chanted, "and his soul will return at seven o'clock."

"It's the same as the words on the tea stall," Zhou Qing said.

At this time, a dock worker came running over.

"The storyteller," he gasped, "told a story last night."

“What story?”

"Says a draper," said the workman, "who will die in the rain."

Lu Yang looked at the body and asked: "How long has it been dead?"

"About three hours," said the Coroner.

"He died at three o'clock in the morning," Ye Wanru said, "as expected."

Lu Yang stood up and said, "Check the relationship between the two deceased."

"I've checked," Zhou Qing said, "They were all from ten years ago..."

“Ten years ago?”

"Yes," Zhou Qing said, "they all came from Suzhou."

Lu Yang's eyes lit up: "Who else came at that time?"

"We're investigating," Chen Yijun said, "but we've made a discovery."

“What did you find?”

"The storyteller's teahouse," she said, "is rented."

“Whose rent?”

"A blind old man," Chen Yijun said, "who is said to be able to tell fortunes."

The rain is getting heavier.

"Go find that blind old man," Lu Yang said.

The tea stall was empty, with only a broken piano left.

"This piano..." Ye Wanru looked at it carefully.

"What's wrong?"

“It’s an old zither from Suzhou,” she said. “It’s very rare.”

Lu Yang touched the strings of the zither: "It's the same kind as the murder weapon."

Suddenly, the sound of a piano was heard.

"Over there!" Zhou Qing pointed to the distance.

In the thick fog, there is a vague figure.

"Stop!" Lu Yang shouted.

The figure disappeared in the rain.

A note was left on the ground.

"Tomorrow at noon," Lu Yang read, "Silk shop."

Ye Wanru's face changed: "The third businessman!"