Chapter 106: Target Discovered (Requesting Monthly Votes)

Ever since Takeda Kaede parted ways with Su Yu, he had not returned to the club. They had already set a time for their next meeting, which was a week away.

This morning, he went to work on time as usual. He hailed a rickshaw and was whisked away to the intersection of Gulou Street. After paying the fare, he stepped out and merged into the dense crowd, walking east. The Minsheng Newspaper office was located in the middle of this thoroughfare, and he still had some distance to cover on foot.

While the bustling crowd helped conceal his movements, it worked just as well for those watching him. He did not notice a man in a worn-out jacket peeking from behind a newsstand. The man watched Takeda’s retreating figure, hesitating for a moment as if unsure, but soon began to follow him from a distance.

After walking for a while, the man watched Takeda enter the Minsheng Newspaper office. He checked the sign at the entrance, found a secluded corner nearby, and waited. After more than an hour passed without Takeda reappearing, the man became certain that this was Takeda’s hideout and hurried away.

Takeda remained completely unaware that his movements had been observed. His daily routine of working as an editor for the Minsheng newspaper was a cover meticulously prepared for him by the Black Water cell. He had maintained this disguise successfully, and his superiors and subordinates alike were quite satisfied with the diligent "Editor Tian."

After arriving at work and reviewing the columns under his responsibility, he finished his tasks, stood up to stretch, and walked to the window to open it, taking a deep breath.

It had been four days. He wondered how Su Yu’s progress was going. Lately, he had felt lightheaded and exhausted. After all, he hadn’t slept well for over ten days. The burglary at his hideout and the loss of his family crest seal had left him in a state of deep depression.

When he first came to Nanjing to operate underground, he had assumed he was chosen for this defection mission because he was Su Yu’s classmate. He hadn't realized until it was too late that he had been double-crossed and was being kept in Nanjing by a direct order.

Now, counting the days, he had been in Nanjing for nearly two years. How many two-year stretches does a person have in a lifetime? He, the heir to the noble Takeda family, was wasting his time in this backwater.

He could not let this continue. If he had to, he would have to ask his father for help. Although doing so would lower his standing in his father’s eyes, he wasn't afraid of danger—he simply did not want to waste his precious time here.

Ning Zhiheng received Liu Yong’s call immediately.

"The Minsheng Newspaper office? Good, I’ll be there at once! Keep a close watch and don’t let up!" Ning Zhiheng ordered.

Finally, there was news. Hard work pays off; the target had finally slipped up. As long as they found this man and systematically uncovered the connections around him, he believed the harvest this time would be most satisfying.

Ning Zhiheng soon arrived at the entrance of Gulou Street and saw Liu Yong standing in front of a newsstand, holding a newspaper and looking at it with affected seriousness.

Ning Zhiheng couldn't help but chuckle. Liu Yong was actually barely literate; before meeting Ning, he could barely recognize his own name. But ever since he began working for Ning, and especially after becoming the manager of the rickshaw firm, he had begun to study hard.

In a few months, he had learned hundreds of characters. In his own words, he had to at least be able to understand the accountant's ledger, otherwise, if he ruined the firm, he wouldn't be worthy of Officer Ning’s cultivation.

He was like a different person now, especially fond of the airs of a scholar. He was constantly holding a book or a newspaper, and one could no longer see the ruffian he had once been. This drastic change even made his parents wonder if their son had been secretly swapped!

Seeing Ning Zhiheng approach, Liu Yong quickly folded the newspaper, tucked it under his arm, and hurried over.

"What is the situation now?" Ning Zhiheng asked.

"Our men have been watching this area for days, but there are too many people and vehicles here, so we didn't find anything. This morning, one of my men finally saw Dong Chengjie. He had only seen a portrait, so he wasn't entirely certain, but he said this man looked exactly like the one in the photo. We’ve confirmed his hideout is the Minsheng Newspaper office. I’ve placed men at the front and back doors; the moment he appears, they will report it!" Liu Yong replied quickly, leading Ning Zhiheng toward the office.

Ning Zhiheng nodded with satisfaction. Liu Yong had truly matured; his handling of tasks was methodical. He was becoming a capable talent.

"I haven't seen Dong Chengjie in person either, only heard descriptions of him. We must be one hundred percent sure," Ning Zhiheng said.

He scanned his surroundings and spotted a commercial telephone sign on a shop. He stepped inside, paid the fee, and called Liu Datong, instructing him to go to Willow Alley immediately and bring the landlord, Jin De, to the Gulou Street entrance. He wanted Jin De to identify Dong Chengjie personally to be certain.

Liu Datong did not dare to delay. After hanging up, he took a few men to Willow Alley, found Jin De, and rushed to Gulou Street.

Back at the newspaper office, Ning Zhiheng and Liu Yong waited nearby. Liu Yong waved his hand, and a man emerged from the side, reporting, "Manager, the person is still inside the office and hasn't come out."

Liu Yong nodded and looked at Ning Zhiheng, awaiting further orders.

Ning Zhiheng pondered for a moment and said, "Don't alarm anyone. Just keep watching here and wait for Jin De to confirm his identity."

He looked around, pointed at several buildings across from the office, compared the angles, and pointed to the one most suitable for surveillance. He told Liu Yong, "Go find out what that building is used for. Find a way to rent a room where the window overlooks the entrance of the newspaper office. Set up a watch point there; standing out on the street like this will only make the target suspicious!"

Liu Yong agreed and turned to make arrangements. Ning Zhiheng found a corner and waited for Dong Chengjie to appear.

Half an hour later, Liu Datong and several plainclothes officers arrived with Jin De.

Ning Zhiheng frowned as he looked at them and asked, "I told you to bring Jin De; why did you bring so many men?"

Liu Datong pointed at the plainclothes officers and explained, "Officer Ning, these are men I carefully selected from the security police. They all have experience in surveillance and tracking. I knew that once you found the target, you would definitely need to tail him, and I was afraid you wouldn't have enough manpower!"

Ning Zhiheng realized that Liu Datong was becoming increasingly organized. He found that his peripheral subordinates were adapting quickly as they took on new roles. It was true that environment creates talent; many people weren't lacking in intelligence, but in opportunity. Ning Zhiheng had given them that opportunity, and they were progressing rapidly.

"Not bad, Datou! Your head is finally working well. You’re right—if we confirm the target, I wouldn't trust just Liu Yong’s rickshaw pullers. They’re good at finding people, but poor at tracking." Ning Zhiheng gave a look of approval, which made Liu Datong feel quite embarrassed.

Ning Zhiheng looked at the plainclothes officers. They were indeed capable, but he didn't recognize any of them. He asked, "Why didn't Gong Ji'an and Hou Cheng come?"

During the last operation, Liu Datong had selected four capable men: Xiong Hongda, Gong Ji'an, Hou Cheng, and Wen Xingsheng. Xiong Hongda and Gong Ji'an were former subordinates of Wang Pipi, whom Ning Zhiheng had dealt with previously. Hou Cheng and Wen Xingsheng were old brothers from Liu Datong’s time as a patrolman.

None of the men present had been involved in the surveillance of Lin Muchen. Xiong Hongda had been assigned to watch Lin Muchen, but the other three were also missing. It seemed Liu Datong’s strength had grown significantly in the past two months; his manpower was much more abundant.

"Didn't you ask me to keep an ear to the ground on the streets? Something came up, so I sent the three of them to investigate," Liu Datong replied in a low voice.

"What happened? Is someone looking for the seal and the magatama?" Ning Zhiheng’s attention was immediately piqued.

"Two days ago, two bodies were found in a trash heap at the North Street intersection. Usually, beggars dying of hunger in the streets is common, and if you hadn't specifically told me to keep an eye on street news, I would have overlooked it. When I heard about it, I sent men to dig them out. My subordinates identified them as local thugs—the kind of petty thieves like Cui Er. I felt it had something to do with the seal, so I sent my men to investigate who did it."