Espionage: I Have Photo Editing Software

Wei Renming was startled by the loud shout. He thought he had failed to intimidate Chen Zhiqiang, but when he saw the fear on Chen Zhiqiang's face, he immediately felt relieved.

"I swore a solemn oath never to tell a lie! If you don't believe me, just ignore me!"

Chen Zhiqiang frowned, his expression shifting between anger and uncertainty. After a long silence, he said in a low voice, "Is there a way to break this?"

Wei Renming lowered his eyes and did not answer.

Seeing his attitude, Chen Zhiqiang felt a glimmer of hope.

"You swore a solemn oath never to lie?"

"Yes." Wei Renming chuckled inwardly as he saw the fish take the bait.

"If that's the case, then tell me, is there any way to break this?" Chen Zhiqiang's eyes were fierce, exuding a strong sense of pressure.

"Revealing secrets will surely bring backlash. Why are you pressing me so hard?" Wei Renming said with a troubled expression.

"Whoosh..."

Without a word, Chen Zhiqiang flicked his wrist, and the dagger slashed across Wei Renming's arm, tearing the skin and drawing blood.

"explain!"

"Yes, yes."

Wei Renming had even resorted to a self-inflicted injury ruse at this point in his performance; the time was ripe, so he said:

"Heaven never seals off all paths; though the situation is extremely ominous, there is still a glimmer of hope."

He pondered for a few seconds, then lowered his voice and said, "This calamity begins with officialdom and will also end with officialdom. That's all I have to say. The rest is up to you to decide."

Although he was not fully aware of Chen Zhiqiang's predicament, the fact that Dai Li, given his status, would personally come to interrogate such a nobody was enough to illustrate the point.

As the saying goes, of the thirty-six stratagems, running away is the best.

Teaching someone to escape is never wrong.

His remarks coincided perfectly with Chen Zhiqiang's thoughts.

"Snapped!"

Chen Zhiqiang agreed in his heart, but he still raised his hand and slapped Wei Renming across the face, cursing angrily:

"You wicked scoundrel, how dare you teach me to flee in the face of battle? Do you really think I wouldn't dare kill you?"

Wei Renming saw through his outward bravado but still played along, saying, "How could I possibly have the guts? If you don't believe me, just pretend I'm talking nonsense!"

"snort!"

Chen Zhiqiang snorted coldly, then ordered his men to bring Wei Renyi into the interrogation room for identification.

When Wei Renyi was fourteen, he was contracted out to the boss of Dagong Cotton Mill for a term of three years for a price of twenty silver dollars.

Now that a year has passed, she only needs to endure two more years before she can regain her freedom and no longer be a bonded laborer.

However, the remaining two years will not be easy to get through.

The survival rate of bonded laborers was less than two-thirds after three years and less than half after five years.

Wei Renyi was just like the "reed stick" in the article "The Bonded Laborer"—skin and bones, unkempt and dirty, and without even a pair of shoes.

Do you know him?

Chen Zhiqiang only raised his voice a little, but Wei Renyi was so frightened that he raised his arm to block, which shows that he was often beaten.

Seeing that no stick fell, she slowly lowered her arm and looked at Wei Renming with her bloodshot eyes.

"Brother..." Wei Renyi cried out instinctively when she saw Wei Renming's miserable state, and then tears streamed down her face.

This was the first time Wei Renming had seen Wei Renyi since he traveled through time.

At an age when she should have been carefree, she was tormented beyond recognition, and he couldn't help but feel sorrow.

The original owner worked hard to save money so that she could redeem her sister from servitude.

However, if things had followed the original trajectory, Wei Renyi probably wouldn't have lived to see the original owner save enough money.

"Don't cry, I'm fine. Once the matter is investigated, they'll release me," Wei Renming comforted him softly.

Chen Zhiqiang waved his hand, "Take him away!"

Before Wei Renyi could even take a second look, he was dragged away by his men.

Wei Renming wept uncontrollably:

Last year, my hometown suffered from drought, and there was no harvest. My mother was also frail and sickly, and the family was already destitute.

The foreman used sweet talk to deceive us, saying that once we came to the city, at least we could have a full meal. My mother then made my younger sister sign a contract to become an indentured servant.

At the beginning of the year, my mother's condition worsened. I sold the land and spent all my money to treat her, but I still couldn't save her.

When I was desperate, I had no choice but to come to Shanghai to stay with my younger sister, only to find that she was living such a life.

I was an apprentice at a photo studio and secretly learned how to take pictures. I wanted to find a job and earn more money to redeem my sister from her servitude, but I ended up being captured and brought here again.

What's wrong with this world?

How can ordinary people like us find a way to survive?

Chen Zhiqiang did not respond and turned to leave.

With Dai Li's orders in place, even if he still had doubts about Wei Renming, continuing the interrogation without the option of torture would only be a waste of time.

After leaving the cell, Chen Zhiqiang walked down the corridor to the innermost interrogation room, where Zhang Zhihe was being interrogated by Wang Xinheng.

"District Chief, have you recruited them yet?" Chen Zhiqiang asked with concern.

Wang Xinheng threw down the whip in his hand and cursed:

"This traitor is absolutely determined; he'll never admit it, even if you beat him to death!"

Zhang Zhihe is in his fifties and bears a resemblance to Lin Yi.

At this moment, his clothes were soaked in blood, and he looked extremely weak.

"You bandits, after kidnapping me, you tortured me severely without saying a word, and even forced me to confess. It's outrageous!"

A scholar can be killed, but not humiliated.

I've also studied the classics for a few years. You can kill me or torture me as you please.

"Trying to get me to admit to something I didn't do? Dream on!"

These words sounded so high-sounding that if it weren't for the traitor pointing it out, Wang Xinheng might have actually been swayed.

"You really think we're helpless if we stay silent? Bring them in!"

The iron gate opened, and Lin Yi was pushed inside.

Her hair was disheveled and her face was covered in blood; she had clearly been tortured.

"Mr. Zhang, you should know her, shouldn't you?"

Wang Xinheng pointed to the wooden horse by the wall and said in a calm tone:

"You recognize this rocking horse, right?"

We've been dealing with each other in secret for so long, you should know our methods!

Even if you don't think about yourself, you should at least think about your family.

She was just an appetizer.

If you don't confess, I guarantee that none of your family members will escape.

Zhang Zhihe, straining to keep his temper in check, cursed:

"Shameless! Utterly shameless! Is there no justice? Is there no law?"

Lin Yi collapsed to the ground, crying as she tried to comfort him:

"Uncle, if you've really done it, just admit it! Even if you die, it's better than being tortured!"

"Xiao Yi, I've dragged you into this." Zhang Zhihe coughed violently, his emotions running high. "You don't understand! They tortured me into confessing. Even if I confess to this fabricated crime, do you really think they'll let us leave alive?"

Lin Yi's eyes were filled with despair. "Are we just going to die here like this, without even knowing why?"

"Falling into my hands, death is a good thing. I won't get the information I want, so I guarantee you two will suffer a fate worse than death and live to be a hundred."

Wang Xinheng grabbed Lin Yi's hair and sneered:

"Do you know what happened to the last person who rode this wooden horse?"

Lin Yi's eyes widened in fear. "This Trojan horse..."

"You're still a virgin, aren't you?" Wang Xinheng suddenly yanked her, causing Lin Yi to stumble and hit her head on the ground. "Mr. Zhang, do you really want to watch us torture your niece?"

Zhang Zhihe looked grief-stricken, two lines of tears streaming down his face. "I can plead guilty, but you must release Xiao Yi."