Hidden Radiance

the next day.

It's still raining.

Nanzo Yunzi left No. 76 early in the morning with several agents. She was going to Pier No. 3 on the east bank of Hongkou to keep an eye on the deal between the Black Dragon Society and the Military Intelligence Bureau.

Lu Minghui walked out of the confidential office. Gu Yunqiu wasn't there. Her car wasn't in the yard either.

Sun Yaozu was leaning against a pillar in the corridor smoking when he saw Lu Minghui come out. He quickly put out his cigarette and went to greet him.

"Director, are you heading out?"

"Prepare the car. Let's go to Yu Garden." Lu Minghui straightened his trench coat collar.

Sun Yaozu paused, then glanced at the rain outside the window. "Director, what are you doing going to Yu Garden in this pouring rain?"

"I've been too busy lately." Lu Minghui walked downstairs. "I'm finally free today, so I'm going for a boat trip on the lake."

Sun Yaozu didn't dare ask any more questions and ran to start the car.

Yu Garden.

The car was parked outside the gate of Yu Garden.

Rainwater streamed down the eaves, pattering against the bluestone slabs. There were very few tourists.

Lu Minghui opened the car door and took out a black umbrella from the back seat.

"Wait for me in the car," Lu Minghui instructed, opened his umbrella, and walked through the gate.

Sun Yaozu leaned on the steering wheel, watching Lu Minghui's back. His eyes darted around twice before he opened the car door and followed him from a distance.

Lu Minghui walked forward along the corridor. The plaster cast on his left arm was hidden under his coat.

Ahead lies the Nine-Bend Bridge.

Bubbles floated on the lake's surface, and withered lotus leaves swayed in the wind and rain.

A person was standing in the pavilion in the middle of the bridge.

She was wearing a gray trench coat and wasn't carrying an umbrella. Rainwater soaked her hair, which clung to her cheeks.

Gu Yunqiu.

Lu Minghui walked onto the zigzag bridge. His leather shoes made a dull thud on the wet, slippery wooden planks.

He walked to the pavilion in the middle of the bridge and stopped beside Gu Yunqiu. He tilted the black umbrella in his hand forward to shield her from the rain.

Gu Yunqiu turned her head and looked at him.

"Would you like to borrow an umbrella?" Lu Minghui asked softly, looking at the lake.

Gu Yunqiu's gaze fell on the umbrella handle.

"I won't lend it." Gu Yunqiu reached into his pocket, pulled out a pocket watch, and opened the cover. "But my watch is broken."

On the dial, the hands were fixed at exactly eight o'clock.

Lu Minghui withdrew his gaze and handed the umbrella to Gu Yunqiu. He then reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a pocket watch.

"What a coincidence, my watch is broken too."

Click.

The cover popped open.

It also stopped at exactly 8 o'clock.

Two pocket watches lay side by side under the umbrella. Neither of their second hands moved.

Gu Yunqiu looked at the two watches, and her tense shoulders suddenly relaxed. Her fingers, which were gripping the umbrella handle, loosened one by one, and then tightened again.

"Comrade Rouge." Gu Yunqiu's voice trembled.

Lu Minghui's lips twitched slightly. It was very light and subtle, but it was unlike any of his usual smiles.

"Comrade Xia Ke," Lu Minghui said, putting his pocket watch back in his pocket. "Thank you for your hard work."

The two looked back at the lake.

"I was transferred from the South Manchuria Railway to Shanghai with a special mission." Gu Yunqiu quickly got to the point, speaking at a rapid pace, "The organization ordered me to investigate Unit 1644, a subordinate unit of the Japanese Army's 731st Division. Currently, apart from this code name, we have no leads whatsoever."

Lu Minghui listened without interrupting.

"Now, Shinichi Nakajima suspects my identity, and Yunko Nanzo is pressing me relentlessly. My investigation is simply impossible to carry out." Gu Yunqiu looked at the ripples on the lake. "The higher-ups have decided to transfer this task to you. I will assist you from the sidelines."

"Top secret," Gu Yunqiu added. "Not even your former direct superiors can reveal this. From today onwards, I am your sole contact with Mr. Li."

Lu Minghui nodded.

His gaze swept over Gu Yunqiu's shoulder, glancing towards the corridor. The rain was thick, obscuring any figures in the distance.

"This isn't the place to talk," Lu Minghui said, turning his gaze away.

Gu Yunqiu did not hesitate. "You will receive information about Li Shiqun's movements before tonight."

Lu Minghui looked at her.

"Didn't Nakajima suspect you?" Lu Minghui asked calmly. "Nanzo Yunzi is present at today's transaction. Li Shiqun will definitely sabotage it, so be prepared. As soon as his men make a move, lead your men out to protect the ledgers and goods, and repel them."

Lu Minghui tapped the umbrella handle.

"Protecting imperial supplies and rescuing Nanzo Yunko. This achievement is enough to shut Nakajima up."

Gu Yunqiu pulled her right hand out of her pocket, clenched her fist briefly, and then released it.

"We received a signal last night that there were already people waiting on the east bank," Gu Yunqiu said. "I'll go and gather them."

"Go ahead. Be careful." Lu Minghui handed her the umbrella.

Gu Yunqiu pushed the umbrella back and turned to walk down the Nine-Bend Bridge.

After taking a few steps, she pulled her hand out of her trench coat pocket, shook it, and put it back in.

Lu Minghui stood in the pavilion in the middle of the bridge, letting the rain patter on his shoulders.

In the distance, behind the artificial hill.

Sun Yaozu peeked out, looking at the two people in the pavilion. They were too far apart to hear what they were saying. But he saw Lu Minghui holding an umbrella for Gu Yunqiu, saw the two standing facing each other, and then Lu Minghui offering the umbrella to Gu Yunqiu, who then pushed it back.

Sun Yaozu smacked his lips and shook his head.

Lu Minghui walked down the Nine-Bend Bridge and returned along the same route.

Sun Yaozu quickly turned back and took a shortcut back to the gate.

Lu Minghui opened the back door and got in. His coat shoulder was soaked.

Sun Yaozu, sitting in the driver's seat, took a dry towel and handed it to the back seat.

"Director, wipe the raindrops off." Sun Yaozu said with a fawning expression.

Lu Minghui took the towel, wiped himself a couple of times, and tossed it aside.

"Director," Sun Yaozu said, glancing at Lu Minghui in the rearview mirror as he started the engine, "I saw it just now. You and Secretary Gu standing on the bridge looked so well-matched."

Lu Minghui remained seated, leaning back in his chair.

Thinking he had flattered her, Sun Yaozu continued, "Actually, the brothers all say in private that although Secretary Gu is cold and aloof, her looks and figure are impeccable. Much better than that Nanzo Yunzi..."

"Sun Yaozu".

Lu Minghui interrupted him. His voice wasn't loud, but it carried a chilling undertone.

Sun Yaozu shuddered and released his foot from the accelerator. The car paused for a moment.

Lu Minghui raised his eyelids and looked into Sun Yaozu's eyes in the rearview mirror.

"What did you just see?" Lu Minghui asked.

"I...I didn't see anything." Sun Yaozu swallowed.

"I'll ask you one more time, what did you see?"

Cold sweat broke out on Sun Yaozu's forehead. He had followed Lu Minghui in raiding homes and had seen how Lu Minghui dealt with Wu Dazhi.

"I saw the section chief admiring the rain on the bridge," Sun Yaozu said, his voice trembling. "Alone."

Lu Minghui withdrew his gaze.

"You've been with me for a while now. You're a smart man." Lu Minghui looked at the rain outside the window. "A smart man can control his mouth."

He took out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, pulled one out, didn't light it, and twirled it halfway between his fingers.

"You probably don't know this, but Ms. Yunzi and I were lovers in Tokyo."

Sun Yaozu slammed on the brakes. The Ford sedan slid half a meter through the water and came to a stop in the middle of the road.

Sun Yaozu turned his head, his face deathly pale.

"Director...I...I really didn't know about this." Sun Yaozu stammered, "I deserve to die, I was too talkative."

"If these words reach Miss Yunzi's ears," Lu Minghui said calmly, "you might keep your head, but you won't keep your mouth. Understand?"

"I understand! Absolutely understand!" Sun Yaozu raised his hand and slapped himself across the face. "Today, I'm blind and mute!"

"Drive. Back to No. 76." Lu Minghui closed his eyes.

The Ford sedan restarted and merged into the traffic.

Lu Minghui calculated the time.

The rain outside the car window intensified. Water droplets pelted the glass, shattering into a layer of opaque white mist.

Back to number 76.

Lu Minghui entered the confidential office and closed the door. He stood by the window, watching thirty-six men in black training in the rain in the courtyard.

Lieutenant Yamashita's commands were cut into segments by the sound of rain, yet they pierced everyone's ears like blades.

The clock on the wall points to nine o'clock.

One hour left.

10:00 AM.

Abandoned Pier No. 3 on the east bank of Hongkou.

The river wind howled.

Several cargo ships with deep drafts were moored on the shore. Steps were placed on the shore, and the iron chains were taut. When the wind blew, the chains slammed against the posts with a clanging sound.

Matsui, dressed in a black trench coat and wearing a top hat, stood in the middle of the pier. His left hand was in his pocket, and his right hand held a cigar. The cigar was almost burned down to his fingers, the ash sticking out crookedly, refusing to fall.

Dozens of Black Dragon Society ronin were scattered around, their waists bulging.

Nanzo Yunko sat in a black sedan with the window rolled down halfway. In her hand, she held the approval book stamped with Nakajima's personal seal, her thumb wedged on the open page.

Several of Ding Mocun's men stood beside the car, looking tense.

A military truck drove in from the dock entrance and stopped in front of Matsui.

The car door opened, and Paper Hawk jumped out. He was still wearing that dark gray suit, carrying a black leather suitcase. When his leather shoes touched the concrete of the dock, his gaze first fell on Nanzo Yunzi's car, paused for a moment, and then turned to Matsui.

"Boss Chen, right on time." Matsui exhaled a smoke ring.

"In business, reputation is everything." Paper Hawk placed the suitcase on the hood of the car and opened it. Inside were plenty of US dollars and gold bars.

Matsui stepped forward, picked up a gold bar, weighed it in his hand, turned it over to look at the stamp on the bottom, and then put it back.

The ronin behind him lifted the tarpaulin on the cargo ship. A box of penicillin and seamless steel pipes were stacked on the deck, tightly bound together with wire.

Paper Kite stepped forward and randomly checked several boxes. There was only one box of penicillin; the rest were ordinary supplies.

nod.

"Miss Yunzi," Matsui turned to look at the car, "Is the account settled?"

Nanzo Yunzi stepped out of the car. She walked to the suitcase, glanced at the amount, and then checked it against the numbers in the approval book. She traced a line of numbers with her thumb, stopped, and closed the book.

"No problem. Let it pass."

Paper Kite turned around and beckoned his men to come and load the truck, while he himself carried the penicillin.

The first wooden crate had just been lifted onto the truck's tailgate.

boom!

A flash of light appeared on the roof of the abandoned warehouse on the east side of the dock.

A Black Dragon Society ronin threw his head back and fell straight into a puddle. A bloody hole appeared between his eyebrows, rainwater poured in and overflowed.

Matsui suddenly turned his head.

The roof of the warehouse was now filled with gunmen. The dark muzzles of guns were densely packed, forming a row along the roof ridge.

Then, gunfire erupted. From all directions, in quick succession. Bullets struck the metal box, sending sparks flying.