Chapter Twenty-One: First Glimpses of the Truth

As evening approached, Ning Zhiheng did not bother to cook. Living alone, he felt it unnecessary. He went out to a nearby diner for dinner, then hurried back home to wait for news from Liu Datong.

Around seven o’clock, Liu Datong arrived in a rush.

“How did the investigation go?” Ning Zhiheng asked, seeing Liu Datong’s dusty and hurried appearance. He knew Liu Datong hadn’t wasted a moment and had come at the fastest speed to report. Ning Zhiheng nodded inwardly; it seemed he had indeed chosen the right man for his task.

“It’s all been sorted out, Chief Ning. But some matters are hard to explain alone, so I brought two brothers with me. Would you be willing to meet them?” Liu Datong asked cautiously.

He had gathered his acquaintances at noon, explained everything, and tossed a stack of bills onto the table. The group had grown excited—Datong had found a powerful backer, and their days would be much easier now.

Everyone used their skills to get the job done and rushed over to report. Whether Chief Ning would meet his brothers remained uncertain. If he agreed, it meant he held no prejudice against these street fellows, which would make future cooperation smoother. If not, Liu Datong would need to mind his behavior, lest he displease Chief Ning.

Ning Zhiheng knew it would be difficult for Liu Datong to investigate everything alone in such a short time. He had intended to meet the brothers under Liu Datong’s command, as understanding them better was essential to controlling this force in future.

“Is this your idea, or did they request to see me?” Ning Zhiheng asked.

“It was my idea! Among my brothers, these two are most adept at this sort of thing, and know many details better than I do. I feared delaying your affairs, so I brought them to report face to face,” Liu Datong explained.

This was the first task given by Ning Zhiheng, and it was a major case—catching a Japanese spy. Liu Datong could not afford any mistakes.

“Where are they now?”

“They’re waiting at the alley entrance—at your discretion?”

“You’ve brought them, so let’s not waste words. Bring them in,” Ning Zhiheng smiled.

Liu Datong was truly shrewd, considering every angle. Such a person was convenient to use; he anticipated much without needing instruction.

Liu Datong turned and left, soon returning with two men.

He pointed to the tall, slender, and handsome young man, introducing, “This is Chen Yanqing, also a household registration officer at our police bureau.”

Then, pointing to the other unremarkable man, one who would blend into any crowd, he said, “This is Liu Yong, a childhood friend. Nothing on the streets escapes his notice.”

Both greeted in unison, “Hello, Chief Ning!”

Chen Yanqing’s salute was standard—after all, he was a policeman. Liu Yong, however, bowed low, making Ning Zhiheng frown; this fellow was a slippery one.

“Very well. Datong has told me everything. You’ve worked hard today, brothers. Once the case is solved, you won’t be disappointed,” Ning Zhiheng rewarded them verbally, then asked directly, “Now, explain the situation.”

Chen Yanqing stepped forward and respectfully placed several record sheets on the table. “This is the information we’ve compiled. Please review it, Chief Ning, and I will supplement anything further.”

Ning Zhiheng’s eyes lit up—there was a written report.

This was unexpected; he had not anticipated such talent among his subordinates. He reached for the report, his tone noticeably softer, “You prepared this?”

“Yes, I feared missing some details, so I classified and recorded the situation of all nine households,” Chen Yanqing replied quickly.

“How many years of schooling did you have?” Ning Zhiheng continued.

In these times, educated people were rare, and those who could handle affairs even rarer.

“Five years. My father died unexpectedly, and the family couldn’t afford it, so I left school,” Chen Yanqing answered with bitter regret.

“A pity. But learning isn’t confined to schools. Read more, stay informed, and you’ll gain knowledge—sometimes more than what’s taught in classrooms,” Ning Zhiheng advised, speaking as an experienced man, forgetting he was himself newly graduated from military academy.

“Thank you for your guidance, Chief Ning. I will remember it deeply!” Chen Yanqing’s inability to continue school had always been a regret. He sensed the genuine encouragement in Ning Zhiheng’s words, feeling a surge of gratitude.

Ning Zhiheng nodded for the three to sit, then read through the records.

The contents were detailed, listing each household’s family situation, number of residents, living and working conditions, and background. Even the health of family members was noted. Everything Ning Zhiheng could have thought of was meticulously included.

“No wonder you’re from the police bureau. This report is as thorough as our Military Intelligence Bureau would make!” Ning Zhiheng laughed, slapping the table. “Datong, you’ve done well!”

“You flatter us, Chief. It’s all just minor work, nothing grand. Sorry to make you laugh,” Liu Datong responded, relieved to see Ning Zhiheng satisfied. The first task given had been accomplished, making a good impression that would pave the way for future matters.

“How did you investigate all these details?” Ning Zhiheng wanted more specifics.

“We had some records at the police bureau, so I took Yanqing and two other colleagues and went out under the guise of checking household registration,” Liu Datong said proudly.

It was his idea—using his police identity to inspect homes openly, arousing no suspicion.

“Are your two colleagues trustworthy?” Ning Zhiheng pressed.

“They’re brothers, we’ve looked out for each other for years at the bureau. Reliable people. The investigation won’t leak,” Liu Datong assured, knowing what Ning Zhiheng feared.

Ning Zhiheng nodded. For such confidential matters, a shrewd person like Liu Datong wouldn’t ask outsiders for help.

“Did you investigate these households alone, or did you check all nearby residents?” Ning Zhiheng asked.

“Uh, if we’d checked everyone, there wouldn’t have been time. We investigated some, mostly as a formality, focusing on these nine households,” Chen Yanqing replied.

A flaw, for sure. The household check wasn’t comprehensive, only covering some residents. This in itself was unusual. If the Japanese spy was alert enough, it might have aroused suspicion.

“I don’t blame you. Manpower and time are limited, and providing this record is already excellent,” Ning Zhiheng waved off further explanation. “Still, there’s a loophole. Let’s hope things aren’t as bad as we fear.”

He tapped the report, analyzing, “Of these nine households, seven keep potted flowers, six of which cultivate roses. Roses are the most common flower in Jinling, nothing unusual!

Of those six, four are families with many members. In principle, the best spies live alone.

It makes things much easier, with no risk of others leaking secrets. That’s not to say these four are without suspicion, but with limited time, we must investigate the most suspicious first.

That leaves two very suspect households—one is a single woman, a dancer. Is that information accurate?”

Liu Datong glanced at Liu Yong. Ning Zhiheng realized Liu Yong would report the remaining details.

Household registration checks were handled by the police; the rest fell to Liu Yong, whose street connections were invaluable.

Liu Yong, nervous under Ning Zhiheng’s gaze, quickly stood and replied, “The dancer is from Shanghai, came to Jinling a year ago. I checked at the Leisure Club—her information is accurate.”

Ning Zhiheng nodded; if that was true, her suspicion was low. Her profession didn’t lend itself to access to valuable intelligence.

The mole’s public identity should facilitate information gathering and minimize intermediaries.

That left one final household.

“You didn’t meet the last resident?” Ning Zhiheng waved the report.

“Correct, Number 402 North Hua Street. The resident rents the place. The landlord registered the name as Wang Yunfeng, a man in his early thirties.”

Ning Zhiheng continued reading, “Medium height, robust build, a dentist?”

“Yes, all this is from the landlord. Wang Yunfeng claims to be a dentist. But here’s the thing: every time the landlord comes for rent, he’s not home. Wang Yunfeng always seeks out the landlord to pay, and the landlord says he’s a straightforward man,” Liu Datong added.

“A dentist’s income should be decent. He’d choose a place for convenience, not just low rent,” Ning Zhiheng mused, working through the logic.

“So his choice of 402 must be close to his workplace, with good transport. Is there a dental clinic nearby?” Ning Zhiheng asked.

Liu Yong, seeing Ning Zhiheng’s questioning look, hurried to answer, “There’s only one dental clinic on North Hua Street—a small shop run by an old dentist in his sixties. We all know him; doesn’t match the description.”

“If you never saw him, how do you know he keeps potted roses?” Ning Zhiheng noticed something off.

“The landlord had a spare key. We had him unlock the house and checked—there were potted roses,” Chen Yanqing replied, seeing nothing amiss.

From what was known, Ning Zhiheng judged Wang Yunfeng the most likely candidate.

First, he was a single man, and the landlord never found him at home when collecting rent. This suggested he spent very little time there, fitting the mole’s profile—a communications point.

He would only come before passing intelligence, place the potted flower on the windowsill, then return to remove it after the exchange. He wouldn’t linger, nor truly live there, as that would be too risky.

Second, his identity didn’t match. The nearby clinic had no dentist fitting his description, suggesting his registered identity was likely false.

“Did you ask his neighbors when they usually see him?” Ning Zhiheng asked.

“We did. With frequent population movement, many hadn’t even met him before moving out. Neighbors said they’d never seen him, had no impression!” Liu Datong replied, helpless.

Even the neighbors hadn’t seen him, meaning he deliberately avoided others—a further sign of suspicion.

If Wang Yunfeng was indeed a Japanese spy, having the landlord unlock the room was reckless.

A trained spy would never fail to notice someone entering his residence.

Especially since Liu Datong and his group were not professional searchers and hadn’t cleaned up traces of their entry.

Wang Yunfeng only needed to place a hair on a door or window, or mark key items. Even the slightest change would alert him, prompting a swift escape to avoid danger.