Chapter Seventeen: Recruiting Followers

The so-called Central Party Affairs Investigation Division later became known as the Central Bureau of Investigation and Statistics. For quite a long time, this organization was the primary adversary of the Red Party's underground network. The Red Party’s clandestine organization was even more tightly knit; although it suffered heavy losses in its early days due to inexperience, its operatives’ loyalty, rooted in their ideology, far surpassed that of the Nationalist Party, causing endless headaches for Nationalist intelligence agents.

“So, Brother Huang, which method do you think Fu Cheng uses to receive intelligence?” Ning Zhiheng asked.

“We have preliminarily ruled out the first and second possibilities. In the month we’ve been monitoring him, he hasn’t received any correspondence at all. His life is highly regimented, and he has no contact with outsiders. We’ve checked out all the colleagues and staff he interacts with at work and found nothing suspicious. After work, he goes straight home, never lingering outside.

So how does he obtain the intelligence? We believe it’s his two assistants who retrieve the information and pass it to him. We’ve uncovered their hidden identities—they’re both rickshaw pullers, whose tracks cover the entire city, making them impossible to follow.

Therefore, we surmise that one of these three receives a signal from the mole, after which the two assistants collect the intelligence and deliver it to Fu Cheng. The radio station is managed by a single operator who holds the cipher book and the radio. As for the rickshaw pullers, we haven’t been able to track their movements, so our only hope lies with Fu Cheng. Given his higher status, we think it’s more likely he receives the warning signal. As for which of the three actually retrieves the information, it’s probably one of the two assistants,” Huang Taoguang analyzed, his deductions clear after days of careful consideration.

Hearing this, Ning Zhiheng became even more certain that the potted rose in Yukita Koju’s mind was the signal the mole used to alert him to receive intelligence or to make special contact.

Now, he needed a way to prompt Huang Taoguang, to steer his thinking toward this clue.

“You mentioned earlier that during your surveillance, Fu Cheng’s actions were extremely regular, and he had no unnecessary interactions with the outside world. Actually, it’s unnecessary for him to make direct contact. The mole could simply leave a specific signal at a predetermined location. Fu Cheng only needs to see this mark. Upon seeing it, he would receive the warning and then arrange for his assistants to collect the intelligence or meet with someone to receive it. This method is completely risk-free and very secure,” Ning Zhiheng hinted, almost casually.

Huang Taoguang shook his head, looking a bit embarrassed and helpless. “We’ve considered that as well. As you said, if they’re using this kind of signal system, there’s no way for us to investigate. From morning until night, Fu Cheng sees and encounters countless things. We can’t determine whether it’s something at work or on his way home. Anything his eyes pass over could be the signal—the scope is simply too broad. It could be a tree by the roadside, or a mark on a wall; one glance is all it takes for him to know. The range is too vast. Unless you’re Fu Cheng himself, no one could possibly know what the special signal is.”

Huang Taoguang was, after all, a professional in intelligence. He had long considered these points. The difficulty was that, while knowing where the problem lay, the investigation area was so large that there was no way to proceed.

Ning Zhiheng felt frustrated too, but he simply couldn’t say more, as there was no reasonable way to explain.

In their later conversation, Ning tried several times to guide the topic back to this line of thinking, but Huang Taoguang still felt it was like searching for a needle in a haystack, utterly hopeless. He couldn’t possibly track Fu Cheng’s every step, inch by inch; the manpower and resources required would be astronomical, and in any case, he absolutely would never do such a thing.

Seeing that there was no hope in prompting him further, Ning Zhiheng finally gave up. He then asked Huang Taoguang many questions about intelligence work, all of which Huang answered enthusiastically and in great detail. The two had a wonderful conversation, and Ning Zhiheng learned a great deal.

At last, Ning Zhiheng bid farewell and hurried back to his own apartment—a place he had just rented a few days prior, conveniently close to the Military Intelligence Division. He hadn’t slept all night, having spent hours digging. Even though he was young and fit, he was beginning to feel tired and just wanted a good rest.

When he was still some distance from his door, he saw a figure squatting by the entrance. With his sharp eyes, Ning Zhiheng recognized from afar that it was Liu Datong, the patrol squad leader. Liu Datong was glancing about as if waiting for someone. Upon seeing Ning Zhiheng approach, he hurriedly stepped forward, grinning obsequiously. “Officer Ning, you’re finally back! I’ve been waiting here for ages.”

Previously, Ning Zhiheng had left Liu Datong his contact address, instructing him to deliver the human traffickers’ confessions as soon as possible. Since leaving home the previous morning, he hadn’t returned, so he didn’t know how long Liu Datong had been waiting.

With a slight sense of guilt, Ning Zhiheng said, “Military affairs have kept me busy these past two days. Have you come because those two traffickers have confessed?” With that, he opened the door and gestured for Liu Datong to enter.

Liu Datong, somewhat uneasy, followed him in, smiling eagerly. “Those two crooks couldn’t take much; before we even used any real punishment, a few lashes had them spilling everything. As soon as I got their statements, I rushed here.” The police had many ways of dealing with such criminals; extracting a confession was rarely difficult.

“Did they say where Xiao Wan was abducted?” Ning Zhiheng asked, inviting Liu Datong to sit.

“You were right on the mark. Xiao Wan was indeed snatched in Hangcheng. It was pure chance—they didn’t have a set target and were just prowling the streets, looking for an opportunity. Xiao Wan was alone at the time, and seeing how refined and well-dressed she was, they figured she was from a wealthy family. They knocked her out, stuffed her in a sack, and took her away,” Liu Datong replied, giving a thumbs-up in admiration.

Ning Zhiheng found Liu Datong’s flattery amusing. Being a native of Hangcheng himself, recognizing the local accent was only natural. Liu Datong’s conscientiousness was evident—not only had he taken Xiao Wan home to care for her, but he’d also rushed over to report as soon as he obtained the confession. Clearly, Liu Datong was hoping for something in return.

Suddenly, an idea struck Ning Zhiheng—perhaps Liu Datong could be of use to him. He had only just begun his intelligence work and didn’t have many reliable subordinates. The action team had some capable men, but they didn’t answer to him alone, and there were secrets he couldn’t entrust to them. For instance, if he wanted to pursue this case further, he would have to offer explanations for any official use of the action team, providing legitimate reasons for his requests. Moreover, he hadn’t worked with these men long; their loyalties and interrelationships were still unclear, making it impossible to conceal his actions from the rest of the division.

Liu Datong, on the other hand, was just a low-level patrol officer. No matter what he did, he wouldn’t dare question Ning Zhiheng’s orders, and Ning wouldn’t have to explain himself. Besides, to have survived as a patrol squad leader, Liu must be well-versed in streetwise tactics—possibly even more useful than the action team members.

Judging by Liu Datong’s demeanor, he would leap at any sign that Ning Zhiheng intended to recruit him.

“Datou, you really are a warm-hearted fellow,” Ning Zhiheng said kindly. “I’ll have to trouble you to look after Xiao Wan for a few more days. I still have some matters to attend to, but once they’re handled, I’ll come collect her and take her back to Hangcheng to find her family.” The friendly use of Liu’s nickname made Liu Datong feel deeply honored—it meant Officer Ning was starting to recognize him.

Liu Datong hurriedly replied, “Oh, it’s no trouble at all! You don’t know, my wife’s given me two boys already, but she’s always wanted a daughter—she’s nearly gone mad yearning for one. Bringing Xiao Wan home made her so happy; she dresses the child up like a flower every day, keeps her close, and cares for her as if she were her own. Now that we’re supposed to send her away, I doubt my wife will be able to bear it.”

He wasn’t exaggerating. With two rambunctious sons, peace was rare at home. Xiao Wan, with her delicate looks and gentle temperament, had quickly won the couple’s affection. In just a few days, it felt as though she were truly part of the family.

Ning Zhiheng could see that Liu spoke from the heart. Though a bit slick, the man’s character seemed decent enough. After all, few who worked in the police station were truly honest and simple—Liu Datong was as good as they came.

“So, Datou, how long have you been with the police?” Ning Zhiheng asked with a smile.

“All together, more than ten years. I’m a local—my family used to run a small business, but I couldn’t handle the hardship. My father saw I wasn’t cut out for business, so he paid to get me into the police. I’ve no special skills, but I know everything about street life. If there’s anything you need, Officer Ning, just say the word,” Liu replied, his eagerness to pledge himself unmistakable. His position in the station was awkward—after years of service, he’d only made it to squad leader. The salary and some gray income from unofficial means kept his family comfortable, but he was ambitious. In his early thirties, he still dreamed of making something of himself. But in these times, without connections or money, who would notice him? He couldn’t climb high, and the powerful were out of reach.

Yet here was Officer Ning, from a key department. He didn’t know much about the so-called Military Intelligence Division, but seeing how even his own chief panicked at the mere mention of it, he knew it was a formidable office. Officer Ning could well be his benefactor.

“Datou, you’re a smart man, so I’ll be frank. I work for the National Military Council’s Military Intelligence Division. You might not know much about it, but let me put it this way: it’s one of the nation’s top privileged institutions. We can arrest anyone we consider suspicious at any time or place—just like the Embroidered Uniform Guard in the Ming Dynasty. You’ve heard of them, right?” Ning Zhiheng decided to play up the comparison; in truth, the division was not unlike the famous guards.

“Oh, I know! Of course, I know!” Liu replied, voice trembling with excitement. He’d had some schooling and, from stories in teahouses, also knew the fearsome reputation of the Embroidered Uniform Guard—an organization that struck terror into all.

“I’m short of people who know their way around the streets. If you’re willing, you can work with me from now on. What do you say?” Ning Zhiheng continued.

Hearing this overture, Liu Datong’s face flushed. He stood up straight and declared loudly, “As long as you value me, Officer Ning, I’ll go through fire and water without hesitation!”

Ning Zhiheng laughed. “No need for such drama—it’s just running errands and gathering information for me. If there’s any real fighting, I have plenty of men for that; you won’t be needed.”

Liu Datong looked a bit embarrassed. “That’s true. My skills aren’t impressive, but I promise to be loyal and give my all. I won’t let you down.”

Ning Zhiheng smiled. “Since you’ve decided to work with me, I won’t treat you unfairly. From now on, if you ever run into trouble and can’t settle it, just use my name. As long as you don’t offend any real big shots, with the Military Intelligence Division backing you, no one should dare give you any trouble.”

He wasn’t worried about Liu Datong abusing his name—someone at Liu’s level had no chance of offending the powerful, and as for himself, with military backing, he had confidence to spare.

Upon hearing this, Liu Datong felt as if he’d taken a powerful tonic—his back straightened, and for the first time in years, he felt secure. This is what it felt like to have a powerful patron.

From today on, he belonged to an organization! The Embroidered Uniform Guard! The very thought made him want to laugh out loud.

With Ning Zhiheng’s explicit permission, he could boast about his ties to the Military Intelligence Division—who would dare look down on Liu Datou now?

The two chatted a while longer, but Ning Zhiheng was already feeling exhausted. Thinking of the search he’d have to undertake tomorrow for the house with potted flowers on the windowsill, he sent Liu Datong on his way and hurried to rest.