Did he trick the young marshal into becoming sworn brothers and then go south to Huangpu Military Ac

"Hanqing, don't be anxious."

Lin Qi's voice remained as steady as a mountain, as if it possessed a magical power to calm people's hearts.

He reached out and gently patted the back of Zhang Hanqing's hand, which was tightly gripping the hunting rifle.

"This is just my speculation. Maybe I'm overthinking it. Let me calm down and sort out the clues."

Hearing Lin Qi say this, Zhang Hanqing's heart, which had been in his throat, eased slightly.

He exhaled a long breath, and a fine layer of cold sweat had already seeped out from his forehead.

"Big brother, you really scared me to death."

Zhang Hanqing wiped his forehead haphazardly with the back of his hand, muttering with lingering fear, "I knew it! Yang Yuting wouldn't have the guts. The old man praised you a lot last night. Who would dare to lay a hand on you at this critical moment? You must not have slept well last night; you're too tense. Let's not think about anything today. When we get to Erdaogou, I'll hunt some fat roe deer for you, and we'll roast them and relax."

Without daring to disturb him further, he instructed the driver, "Old Tan, drive carefully, don't jol my brother."

Silence fell over the carriage again, with only the monotonous roar of the engine echoing in the air.

Lin Qi closed his eyes, seemingly resting, but his brain was working at an extremely high speed. He had to deduce Yang Yuting's murder plan and find a foolproof way out in the shortest amount of time.

……

At the same time, in Fengtian City, at the office of the Chief of the Fengtian Military Council.

In a spacious but dark office, the curtains were drawn tightly, completely blocking out the sunlight.

The room was not brightly lit, only a green-shaded desk lamp on the desk emitted a dim and yellowish light.

Yang Yuting had just returned when he took off his wool coat and casually draped it over the back of a chair.

He also took off his gold-rimmed glasses and casually tossed them onto his desk. His triangular eyes, now free of lenses, gleamed with a cold, venomous, ruthless, and calculating light, like those of a hungry wolf.

Just as Lin Qi had guessed, once Yang Yuting returned to his own territory, he instantly dropped the "humble and sincere repentance" facade he had worn outside the second gate, revealing his true colors.

He took a deep drag on his cigarette, the smoke swirling in his lungs before exhaling through his nostrils.

For Yang Yuting, that night was nothing short of a humiliating and agonizing ordeal.

Being thoroughly humiliated on the sand table by a young man in his early twenties, having his proud title of "Little Zhuge Liang" trampled underfoot, was already an immense disgrace.

What terrified and spurred him even more was Lin Qi's display of "omniscient and omnipotent" strategic deduction abilities.

When Zhang Hanqing recounted Lin Qi's grand plan of "starting war in Jiangsu and Zhejiang in September, Feng Huanzhang defecting in October, and taking over Zhongnanhai in November," Yang Yuting knew that he had been utterly defeated in this contest of wits and strategy.

Of course, he wanted to kill Lin Qi not only because he had lost, but also because he genuinely believed that once Lin Qi could no longer be used by the Fengtian Army, he would inevitably become a major enemy in the future.

However, after he suggested a plan to kill him to the old commander, the old commander only said to him, "Lingge, I understood your three sentences, but I will pretend I didn't hear the third one, and I will pretend I never heard it again, understand?"

After hearing this, Yang Yuting didn't quite understand at first, but when the old coach told him to go back and rest in the morning, he instantly understood the meaning behind what he had been told.

"General, you truly are a cunning old fox from the outlaw world! Your trick of using someone else to do your dirty work, and doing it without getting your hands dirty, is executed with unparalleled skill!"

Yang Yuting followed the young marshal out of the operations room, already fully understanding the situation.

"I understood those three sentences." It meant acknowledging Lin Tuozhi as a significant threat and recognizing his fear of the Fengtian Army's future.

"But I will pretend I didn't hear that third sentence, and I will pretend I never heard it in the future." This means that I would never have given the order to kill Lin Tuozhi, and I am absolutely unaware of it!

This matter was done on your own initiative, Yang Yuting. If you succeed, I will reap the benefits and eliminate a major threat. If you mess it up or anger Xiao Liuzi, then it will be your responsibility alone, Yang Yuting.

Having figured this out, Yang Yuting felt not anger at being used as a shill, but rather an overwhelming sense of excitement.

As long as the commander-in-chief doesn't stop him, and as long as the commander-in-chief tacitly approves in his heart, he has a hundred ways to make that kid surnamed Lin disappear from this world without anyone noticing!

"Lin Tuozhi, do you really think that just because you can perform a few sand table simulations and see through the grand scheme of things, you can roam freely in this chaotic world? You're too naive! The rules of this world are ultimately set by force! The dead cannot predict the secrets of heaven!"

Yang Yuting walked out of the operations room, having already made up his mind.

That is to feign weakness to appease the enemy, keep Lin Qi, this prodigy, in check, and leave enough time to deal with the situation calmly.

Sure enough, after his performance, Lin Qi and the young marshal had relaxed their guard.

Thinking that he was about to achieve his goal, Yang Yuting sneered, stubbed out his cigarette, picked up the phone and dialed: "Come to my office immediately, I need to talk to you urgently."

Less than ten seconds later, the office door was pushed open, and a lean, sharp-eyed major adjutant strode in, closed the door behind him, and stood at attention to salute.

"Sir! You summoned me? What do you need me to do?"

Yang Yuting did not answer directly, but began to quickly deduce the assassination plan in his mind.

How do I take down Lin Qi?

This is a craft that requires extremely high skill.

The first option is to directly deploy the military police, under the pretext of arresting a direct spy, to surround Lin Tuozhi and shoot him to death.

The moment the thought popped into his head, Yang Yuting vehemently rejected it.

"That's so stupid! Absolutely stupid!"

Yang Yuting cursed inwardly.

Lin Tuozhi is the young marshal's sworn brother. Given the young marshal's impulsive and protective nature, if I really send troops to launch a strong attack, the young marshal will definitely take up his gun and personally charge out to fight to the death!

In the chaos of war, where swords and spears are indiscriminate, what if a hair on his head is injured, or even an accidental killing occurs...?

Thinking of this, Yang Yuting couldn't help but shudder.

If that kind of thing really happened, the old general would definitely skin himself alive and burn himself to death!

Moreover, a strong offensive would be too commotional and impossible to conceal, and even if successful, it would be impossible to explain to the South.

Therefore, we must never resort to force.

He must be assassinated!

We must use someone else to do the dirty work!

Yang Yuting suddenly remembered that the young marshal had just taken Lin Qi hunting.

So he asked, "Do you know where the young marshal usually goes hunting?"

The adjutant was taken aback, but still answered truthfully.

"Reporting to the Chief of Staff, the Young Marshal usually goes hunting in Erdaogou."

"Erdaogou..."

Yang Yuting's eyes suddenly lit up, and a cruel smile curled at the corner of his mouth.

This is simply a golden opportunity from God!

Erdaogou has undulating terrain, dense birch forests, and complex topography, making it a natural ambush site.

Moreover, hunting inherently carries the risk of being accidentally injured by stray bullets.

Yang Yuting whispered to his adjutant:

"Go to the guard company immediately and pick two veterans who are the best marksmen, the most discreet, and whose lives are in their hands! Don't use the new rifles; go to the armory and get two German-made Mauser sniper rifles with optical sights. The bullets must be dumdum bullets!"

The adjutant felt a chill run down his spine. Having followed Yang Yuting for many years, he immediately sensed the bloodshed behind the order.

Using sniper rifles and dumdum bullets (which explode upon impact with the human body, causing massive and extremely cruel wounds) indicates a top-level assassination mission.

"Sir, who is the target?"

The adjutant's voice trembled as he first asked where the young marshal was, and then asked to find the sniper. What was he trying to do?

Yang Yuting didn't say anything. He walked up to his adjutant, grabbed him by the collar, and spoke in a voice so venomous it seemed to drip water.

"Have those two snipers change into civilian clothes, ride fast horses, and take the back road to Erdaogou! Set up an ambush in the woods the young marshal is bound to pass through!"

"Remember, there's only one target: that southerner in the gray Zhongshan suit! The first shot must be to the head! Absolutely no chance of him surviving! A dumdum bullet to the head, even a god can't save him!"

"After firing the shot, absolutely no one is allowed to engage the young marshal, and absolutely no one is allowed to harm a single hair on his head! Retreat immediately, throw the gun into the river, and return to report without anyone noticing!"