Era: Starting from the local police station

With a creak, the wooden door opened.

One person peeked out.

Jiang Zhenghua, who was prepared, stepped forward and covered the other person's mouth, forcefully controlling the other person's body.

The police officers, who had been lying in ambush on both sides, rushed into the courtyard.

Soon, shouts and reprimands echoed from the courtyard.

"Don't move."

"Put down your weapons."

"Hands behind your head, squat down."

"Bang!"

A gunshot shattered the silence, followed by a barrage of gunfire from the courtyard.

When Jiang Zhenghua brought the man to the hanging flower gate, the gunfire had stopped, and a strong smell of blood filled the air.

Jiang Zhenghua saw Qiao Fuping standing at the door of the east wing, with blood gushing from a corpse not far away: "Chief Qiao, are there any casualties?"

"One of our brothers was grazed in the arm by a bullet, but the rest of us are fine."

Jiang Zhenghua felt relieved and handed the man to Zhang Yi, saying, "Keep an eye on him."

At this moment, Jin Hong and Liang Jing, the director of the Yu'er Hutong Subdistrict Office, walked in.

Jin Hong asked, "Did they catch Brother Leopard?"

Qiao Fuping pointed to the east wing and said, "He was shot in the leg while fleeing and is currently having his wound bandaged."

"What about the gamblers?"

"Old Yu is dealing with things over in the main house."

"Take these thugs and Brother Leopard away first, and bring the gamblers back for further questioning."

As he spoke, Jin Hong strode towards the east wing, and Jiang Zhenghua greeted Liang Jing, "Director Liang."

Liang Jingchong nodded and followed Jin Hong toward the east wing.

On the left side of the kang (a heated brick bed), the bedding was lifted, revealing a dark hole.

A person lay on the ground, blood gushing from his chest, staining a large area of ​​the ground red.

A middle-aged man was being held by one arm each by Qin Weijun and Chen Junsheng, and pressed tightly onto a stool. Jiang Lirong was using a white cloth bag to bandage his leg.

"Has any artery been damaged? Should we take him to the hospital?"

"Deputy Director Jin, the bullet went through from the inside out, but it didn't hit any arteries."

Jin Hong stepped forward and grabbed his head, asking, "You're Brother Leopard?"

At this moment, Brother Leopard's face was deathly pale, his muscles were trembling incessantly, and large beads of cold sweat were dripping down his cheeks.

His voice was hoarse: "My name is Qian Bao, hello Deputy Director Jin."

Do you know me?

Qian Bao grinned: "To survive in this area, you need to at least know who's in charge. Otherwise, if you run into them one day, wouldn't it be a terrible waste to die?"

After saying that, he looked at Jiang Zhenghua beside him: "You look a bit unfamiliar. You must be the new Deputy Director Jiang, right?"

Jiang Zhenghua nodded: "You should know very well why we're here, right?"

Qian Bao nodded: "I know. I didn't expect you to be so amazing. You saw through the car accident scene in one go and even caught Tu Shan."

Jiang Zhenghua asked in surprise, "How did you know it was me who saw through it?"

Jiang Lirong pulled the cloth strip, and Qian Bao's muscles twitched: "I've been running this place for a while now without any trouble, but now you've suddenly appeared, especially after the crime in Tushan, so I guessed it."

He glanced at Jin Hong and the others and laughed, "As for solving the case, it's even easier to guess. I've done some investigations on Director Qiao and Deputy Director Jin. They are very capable, but not to this extent."

Jiang Zhenghua said, "It seems tonight is the perfect time, otherwise I wouldn't have been able to find you."

Qian Bao chuckled, his pale face sending chills down one's spine: "I've been meticulously preparing for this for half a year, and I've invited a lot of people tonight. I didn't expect you to show up just as I was about to make my move."

Jiang Zhenghua nodded: "It seems tonight's guests are quite extraordinary. This isn't the place to chat; let's find somewhere else."

Qian Bao glanced at the corpse: "I like to chop people up, but I can't stand the smell of blood. This place is really unsettling."

Jin Hong ordered, "Take him away, and make sure you keep a close eye on him."

The two Qin guards responded, "Yes."

At this moment, Yu Yong walked in with a dark expression.

Qian Bao laughed and said, "It seems Director Yu has met the people. Don't be angry; you should thank me, otherwise how could we have exposed those corrupt officials?"

Qin Weijun coldly ordered, "Get out of here!"

Jin Hong asked, "What's wrong?"

Yu Yong said in a deep voice, "Many of those people are factory workers, district government staff, and people from the grain system. They're clamoring for us to release them."

Jin Hong's face turned cold: "Heh, so it seems we really have to thank Qian Bao. And this unexpected gain too. Whoever it is tonight, take them all back. Since they're here, they're not leaving."

Yu Yong stood at attention and replied, "Yes, sir."

Qiao Fuping sighed, "It's only been a few years since the founding of the People's Republic of China, how could we have forgotten our roots?"

Jiang Zhenghua said, "There's nothing surprising about it. As the great man said long ago, some people are not afraid of enemy bullets, but they are hard to resist enemy sugar-coated bullets. It's a good thing to take this opportunity to eliminate these people and prevent them from harming the people."

Jin Hong nodded and said to Jiang Zhenghua, "You go back and interrogate Qian Bao first. We'll handle things here."

"Yes."

Jiang Zhenghua returned to the entrance of the Taotiao Hutong Police Station.

Just as Cao Hui rode away on his three-wheeled motorcycle, a mechanical voice echoed in his mind.

At the same time, a prompt appears on the screen.

[Congratulations, host, on successfully completing today's work.]

[System Assessment: The host has worked diligently and completed the task excellently. The host has utilized knowledge to rapidly advance the case, far surpassing peers and contributing to the development of China.]

Today's rating: S-level

As he strode into the courtyard, Niu Fu's voice came from the gatehouse: "Deputy Director Jiang, you're back?"

Jiang Zhenghua stopped, took out a cigarette from his pocket, and offered one to him: "You didn't go back either?"

Niu Fu took the cigarette: "Only Sister Chen went back tonight; the director told the others to stay on duty."

Jiang Zhenghua nodded: "Keep an eye on things for now, a large number of people will be arriving soon."

Niu Fu replied, "Okay."

Upon arriving in the backyard, they encountered Zheng Fang.

The other person immediately stopped and saluted: "Deputy Director Jiang."

Jiang Zhenghua naturally returned the greeting with a raised hand, then lowered his hand and asked, "Which interrogation room?"

"Right in the second interrogation room, I handcuffed Hu Tianshun in the office."

Jiang Zhenghua nodded: "Turn on the main lights in the yard. When the people arrive, tie them all up in the yard and question them slowly."

"Yes."

At this moment, the door to the second interrogation room opened, and Qin Weijun came out.

Jiang Zhenghua walked over and said, "Get ready to take notes."

Qin Weijun replied, "I'll go prepare right away."

Jiang Zhenghua pushed open the door and went in.

At this moment, Qian Bao was handcuffed to a stool, and Jiang Lirong stood beside him with a gun, watching him warily.

"Have you figured out how to deal with this?"

Jiang Zhenghua walked to the front and stopped, took out a cigarette from his pocket, lit it, and put it into Qian Bao's mouth.

"Ask me anything you want to know, and I'll tell you the truth. I know your methods all too well, so I won't make a pointless struggle and suffer any physical pain."

Qian Bao took a puff and reached out to take it.

"I haven't used any underhanded tactics in a long time. Actually, I'd really like you to not cooperate so I can have one more go. Back in the day, we came up with a lot of methods to deal with the Americans."

Jiang Zhenghua lit a cigarette for himself.

"You don't need to test me. I know very well that if I organize gambling and hire murderers, I'll definitely be punished. Why bother? I might as well give myself some dignity."

Qian Bao exhaled thick smoke.

At this moment, the door was pushed open, and Qin Weijun walked in with a notebook, went straight behind the interrogation table, pulled out a chair, and sat down.

Jiang Zhenghua turned around and sat down.

"Name?"

"Qian Bao, 43 years old, native of Shandong Province, comes from a wealthy merchant family."

When did you arrive in Beijing?

"They came to Beijing at the end of 1951."

Jiang Zhenghua didn't speak again, but just stared at him quietly, and the interrogation room fell silent for a moment.

Qin Weijun and Jiang Lirong were both puzzled.

Qin Weijun tried to speak several times, but no sound came out.

The entire interrogation room was suffocating.

Jiang Zhenghua suddenly asked, "Then tell me why you killed Gu Youliang?"

Qian Bao chuckled: "If you take someone's money, you have to do their bidding."

"Who is the employer?"

Qian Bao shook his head: "I really don't know. The other party is just offering a hidden fee and information. In our line of work, we only care about getting paid and doing the job; we never inquire about our employers' information."

Jiang Zhenghua scoffed, "Do you think I believe that?"

Qian Bao took a drag of his cigarette, tossed the butt aside, shrugged, and sighed, "I really hate dealing with smart people. They always make you feel like you have no secrets, nothing to hide. I don't know what that person's name was. He was disguised at the time, and my men followed him for a while, but he managed to shake them off."

As he spoke, he glanced at Jiang Zhenghua and laughed, "That man just forgot that those who know about my undercover operation are all acquaintances in the casino. Even though he disguised himself, his figure and some habits cannot be hidden. And Old Min, who is in charge of the undercover operation, has the ability to remember everything he sees."

"Which one from the machine factory is it?"

"I don't know anything else, I only remember that the person was fair-skinned, had a black mole on his collar, was a regular customer of ours, and was very generous."

Jiang Zhenghua nodded: "When did you accept the mission?"

"The night four days ago."

Jiang Zhenghua frowned and asked, "Are you sure?"

Qian Bao nodded emphatically: "Confirmed."

Jiang Zhenghua sat up straight and said seriously, "Now tell me, which side are you on? What is your mission?"

Qin Weijun's pen paused as he took notes, poking a large hole in the paper. Jiang Lirong was taken aback at first, then gripped his pistol tightly in his right hand, staring at him nervously.

Qian Bao paused for a moment, then smiled and asked, "Why do you say that?"

"So, Tushan was a trap you set, wasn't it? I suspect your original purpose wasn't just to kill a driver, was it?"

"Isn't it a common tactic for casinos to set traps, causing families to be ruined and lives destroyed?"

Jiang Zhenghua nodded: "You're right. But you forgot one thing, which is that Tu Shan was fired and has no income. But you haven't gone to his door to collect the debt; instead, you've been keeping him hanging on. This is not in line with the style of a casino owner at all."

Qian Bao didn't speak, but simply nodded slightly.

Jiang Zhenghua continued, "Besides, with your intelligence, you should know very well that doing underground business will eventually lead to trouble and death. The fact that you didn't seek a legitimate job but chose to operate underground suggests you were forced into this situation, right?"

"You're really scary. Not only are you observant, but you're also very quick-witted."

Qian Bao sighed, "Who doesn't want to live like a human being? In 1948, I witnessed the corruption of the Kuomintang and its impending collapse. I fled from Shandong Province to Tianjin, hiding my identity, hoping to live a simple life with my wife, children, and a warm bed. But those people were useless at doing anything productive; they were adept at finding their own people. In 1950, while working in a factory, I suddenly received a letter containing photos of my wife and children, as well as photos of myself during my training in Linli. I knew I couldn't escape; I had no choice but to accept my fate. Soon after, I received orders to go to Beiping (Beijing) and lie low, awaiting orders from my superiors."

Jiang Zhenghua nodded, then ordered in a deep voice, "Jiang Lirong, go to the door and keep watch. Don't let anyone near."

Jiang Lirong straightened up: "Yes."

After saying that, he quickly walked out and closed the door behind him.

Jiang Zhenghua asked in a deep voice, "Your code name?"

"Blue Eagle, under the jurisdiction of the Kuomintang's Ministry of National Defense, Second Bureau."

Jiang Zhenghua pressed further: "Who is your superior?"

Qian Bao replied, "I only know that the other party's code name is 'Luan Nu Tu'. I have never had any contact with him in person, and I don't even know if he is male or female."

"So how will you make contact?"

"Whenever something happens, he will publish the news in the newspaper, and then I will follow his instructions to go to the designated location to pick up the order."

"Now that you have the intelligence, how do you deliver it to the other side?"

"I will request operas through the radio, and then place the information at the designated location the next day."

"Is this mission to remove the grain, or...?"

"It's not a mission. I'm not lying to you, it really was a smuggling job, to help someone out of trouble."

Qian Bao said solemnly, "Since arriving in Beijing, the other side has asked me to organize a force to be used at any time, and at the same time to gather as much intelligence as possible. However, they only have tasks, not funds. I really had no other choice, so I came up with the idea of ​​underground casinos. On the one hand, it gives my people something to do, and on the other hand, once someone comes to gamble, I can better set up a scheme to seize leverage and complete the intelligence gathering mission. I know very well that once I receive a mission order, it is a matter of life and death. So I thought of taking on some shady deals to train my men and increase my income, and to plan for the future."

Jiang Zhenghua frowned: "So, whose idea was to set a trap for Tushan?"

"It's the higher-ups' order; they want me to find something on him no matter what, but they didn't say why."

Qian Bao paused, then continued, "But just when everything was ready on my end, my superiors said we didn't need him anymore and could discard him. I was afraid they would change their minds, so I kept him hanging on. It wasn't until I received this undercover mission and saw that my superiors weren't mentioning him anymore that I thought of using him this time, making use of him, like putting a good use of a useless person."

"When were you told to give up?"

Qian Bao lowered his head and recalled for a moment before saying, "It was probably at the beginning of last year."

"So, after he was fired?"

"Around that time."

After listening, Jiang Zhenghua lowered his head and fell into deep thought. His right hand unconsciously tapped on the table, making a "thump thump thump" sound, as if it were tapping into everyone's heart.

After a long pause, he looked up and broke the silence: "What missions did you carry out during your undercover work?"

"I never carried out any missions. Every time, I was asked to prepare manpower. The twenty-odd people I trained were all taken away."

Do you have information on these people?

"In the main room of the third courtyard, there is a hidden compartment behind the cabinet."

"Are you looking for a tall, burly man with a Shandong accent?"

Qian Bao shook his head: "No, I haven't recruited anyone from there."

After asking for some more information, Jiang Zhenghua stopped asking questions: "You admitted your identity so readily, you must want something from me, right?"

Qian Bao nodded and said in a deep voice, "I only targeted the Japanese before. I don't have any of your blood on my hands. You can investigate that carefully. I hope you can help rescue my wife and children."

Jiang Zhenghua did not answer. He told Qin Weijun, "You stay here and guard him. No one is allowed to approach him."

Qin Weijun stood up and replied, "Yes, I guarantee I will complete the mission."

Jiang Zhenghua picked up the pen and quickly walked out of the interrogation room.