Confrontation

Zhang Jiaju stared at Liu Antai's receding figure, deep suspicion already taking root in his mind. Could Liu Antai really be playing tricks? That possibility could not be ruled out. If Liu Antai could betray the Red Party and his so-called beliefs, what else was there that a man like him couldn't betray? Had he gotten cold feet at the last minute? ... Or had his surrender been a ruse from the very beginning—a stalling tactic? If so, with Liu Antai's cunning, he would have had plenty of chances and methods to signal Great Sage before the rendezvous. In fact, Liu Antai would only need to make subtle adjustments to his clothing or personal belongings to quietly alert Great Sage. He followed Liu Antai all the way to Shipopo Lane. Liu Antai showed no signs of anything out of the ordinary, allowing Zhang Jiaju to breathe a slight sigh of relief. The rickshaw's pace slowed slightly. "Keep going," Zhang Jiaju said in a low voice. "Don't stop. Cut right through Shipopo Lane." "Understood," the rickshaw puller said, nodding. Zhang Jiaju's gaze swept over the cobbler resting with a newspaper draped over his face, and his expression instantly darkened. "Idiot!" Zhang Jiaju muttered through clenched teeth. ... Fang Jibai stood by the window, lifting the curtain slightly to look outside. He watched as the comrade he was supposed to meet finally returned, unlocked his door, and went inside. Then he spotted the rickshaw. His eyes narrowed. The rickshaw puller didn't stop, continuing forward as the passenger held up an open newspaper with both hands, obscuring his face. Watching the rickshaw pull away, Fang Jibai waited a little longer. Seeing no other irregularities, he finally drew back his gaze. Nothing suspicious. ... Back at the monitoring post. Furious, Zhang Jiaju delivered a swift kick directly to Cao Anmin. "How do you do your job? Who told you to set up a cobbler's stand in Shipopo Lane?" "Team Leader, you said we had to keep a close eye on Liu Antai's movements," Cao Anmin said aggrievedly, scrambling up from the floor. "You dare talk back?" Zhang Jiaju kicked him again. Crestfallen, Cao Anmin had no idea what he had done wrong; he just didn't dare meet Zhang Jiaju's eyes. "Fool!" Zhang Jiaju cursed. "I told you to keep close surveillance, and this is how you do it?" He was beside himself with anger, working himself up the more he thought about it. Cursing under his breath, he kicked Cao Anmin yet again. "Have Xia Yu pull out of Shipopo Lane immediately." Zhang Jiaju was genuinely exasperated. Why were all his subordinates brainless fools? Shipopo Lane was a small alley with few pedestrians and sparse residents. What cobbler in their right mind would set up a stall there? And worst of all, the bastard was actually sleeping! Was that how an impoverished cobbler trying desperately to earn a bite to eat would act? "Yes, sir!" Cao Anmin answered hurriedly, preparing to leave. "Hold on," Zhang Jiaju called him back. "Do you think it's possible Great Sage has already arrived?" he asked Cao Anmin. Cao Anmin's eyes went wide. He tried hard to think, swallowing hard. "Probably not?" "No, that's not right." Zhang Jiaju lit a cigarette, took a deep drag, and paced back and forth. "Yes, exactly. It's very possible Great Sage has already arrived. "He's a cunning opponent—which explains how he managed to survive our repeated dragnets. "The man was supposed to come for the rendezvous, but he's clearly very cautious," Zhang Jiaju said to himself, taking several quick puffs of his cigarette. "He wants to eliminate any danger, so we can't rule out the possibility that he came ahead of time to scout the terrain. "Therefore, something must have spooked Great Sage. "It made him suspicious, which is why he didn't show up at Boyun Teahouse. "What spooked him and made him suspicious?" Zhang Jiaju looked at Cao Anmin. Cao Anmin pointed at his own chest, as if asking, *Team Leader, you're asking me to do the thinking?* He shook his head vigorously. "Useless idiot!" Zhang Jiaju spat. Suddenly. Zhang Jiaju's pupils constricted. Shipopo Lane sat right beside Boyun Teahouse. If Great Sage had already arrived and was observing from the shadows, it was entirely possible he had passed through Shipopo Lane. And that cobbler's stand—if even Zhang Jiaju could tell something was off, then Great Sage, who had lived like a hidden rat all these years, would certainly have spotted the anomalies as well. Even if a single cobbler's stand didn't definitively give the game away, with Great Sage's paranoia, he would undoubtedly prefer to be safe than sorry. So he simply abandoned the meeting. It was even possible that Great Sage hadn't left yet, still watching from the shadows like a rat lurking in a gutter. A thought struck Zhang Jiaju. Could Great Sage have already discovered that Liu Antai lived at No. 21 Shipopo Lane? Impossible! He immediately dismissed the notion. According to Liu Antai's confession, he didn't know Great Sage at all—he didn't even know whether Great Sage was a man or a woman. And the reverse was equally true. Thus, the possibility of Great Sage knowing Liu Antai lived in Shipopo Lane was virtually nonexistent. Thank goodness. Zhang Jiaju exhaled in relief. ... "Fool, you nearly ruined everything!" Zhang Jiaju glared fiercely at Cao Anmin. Cao Anmin looked utterly wronged. He still didn't know what he had done wrong this time, but he didn't dare argue. "Go give the key to No. 19 Shipopo Lane to Lu Xiaoqian. Have her pretend to be a tenant living at No. 19, unlock the door, stay inside for ten minutes, and then come out with her bags," Zhang Jiaju instructed. "Then order Xia Yu and Zhao Xiaokun to ambush her the moment she steps outside, snatch her handbag and leather suitcase, and flee." Cao Anmin scratched his head, looking at his team leader. "Team Leader, why are we doing that?" "Do what you're told! What are you asking so many questions for?" Zhang Jiaju barked, then added viciously, "If you botch this again, I'll put a bullet through your head!" Cao Anmin scrambled off to make the arrangements. Watching Cao Anmin's departing back, Zhang Jiaju shook his head with a slight smile. Cao Anmin wasn't sharp or clever, but fortunately, he was obedient and loyal, which still made him a good subordinate. Subordinates like that were safe to use. ... Fang Jibai twirled an unlit cigarette between his fingers. He lifted it to his nose and sniffed it gently. The scent of tobacco cleared his mind. He continued watching Shipopo Lane from the shadows. About ten minutes ago, a customer had finally stopped by the cobbler's stand. Fang Jibai observed carefully: the cobbler worked with practiced ease. This put him even more on edge. If the cobbler was indeed an enemy plant, his proficiency meant he had thoroughly grown into the role—this was certainly not his first time on a surveillance detail. Right at that moment, he saw a rickshaw pull up and stop in front of No. 19 Shipopo Lane. A woman in a qipao with attractive features stepped down. She seemed to be humming a tune under her breath, in good spirits. After paying the fare, she retrieved a key to unlock the door. Fang Jibai studied the woman. The small clutch bag looped over her arm was a new arrival from Sincere Department Store, said to be the height of fashion in France. And on her feet were white deerskin leather shoes—the latest style featured in Linglong magazine, the hottest trend in Shanghai just last month.