socalfunplaces Chapter 121 You Take the Lead
Chapter 121 You Take the Lead
"I think so. After all, 24 of Cai An's men survived! That's quite an achievement!" Su Ling nodded and said.
"Yes, her psychology is a disorder, a syndrome called empathy for the perpetrator. In long-term confinement and control situations, she will be moved, dependent on, and identify with the perpetrator if the perpetrator shows even the slightest kindness. This is not a good sign," Yan Shuo pointed out the crux of the problem.
"Is it serious?" Su Ling asked in surprise. She didn't know that such a disease existed.
"It might not be serious for others, but for people in our line of work, it's fatal."
Yan Shuo's voice was completely calm. "Su Yan is practically half-crippled. Cai An's survival is her Achilles' heel. If the enemy can capture Cai An, they can control Su Yan, and even our entire team."
He paused, then offered two choices: "Either Cai An dies, or Su Yan is transferred back to headquarters and can no longer participate in frontline missions. Which do you choose?"
If we can't solve the problem, then we'll solve the problem of the people involved!
Yan Shuo's solution to the problem was indeed crude, simple, and direct.
"Will Su Yan rebel in this situation?" Su Ling was a little unsure.
Yan Shuo looked up at her, his eyes sharp as knives: "Just keep your mouth shut, don't say anything you shouldn't. You don't need to make arrangements, I'll have people take care of it. Cai An will die 'accidentally.' Either in a car accident, or he died at the hands of the Japanese. Su Yan will cry for a few days at most, then she'll understand."
He leaned back in his chair, his tone cold yet carrying an undeniable resolve: "She'll hate the Japanese even more, and she'll be even more useful in the future. As for Cai An... a kidnapper and rapist, he's not worth the pain of death."
Su Ling opened her mouth, but finally nodded.
She knew this was the best way, and the only way.
Outside the office, Su Yan stood ramrod straight, tears streaming down her cheeks and dripping onto her clothes, leaving a small, dark stain.
She was unaware of the conversation in the office; all she knew was that something was gripping her heart so tightly that she could hardly breathe.
After the rain, water droplets still clung to the leaves of the plane trees in the Shanghai International Settlement.
In Yan Shuo's office, he had a cigarette between his fingers, and on the desk was a file folder with three words written on the cover: Qian Zhongming.
"The Japanese puppet regime's economic advisors controlled the allocation of grain and cotton supplies in western Shanghai and maintained close ties with the logistics department of the Japanese military."
Yan Shuo stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray, his voice low and menacing. "This man is greedy and lustful, and his hands are stained with the blood of three of our comrades. More importantly, he has a map of the Japanese army's spring supply routes, and we must get our hands on him."
Su Yan stood in front of the table, her eyes downcast. Since Cai An's matter was settled, she had been assigned to internal affairs for three days, sorting out intelligence and checking lists every day. She felt like a stone was pressing on her heart.
Upon hearing the mission, a glimmer of light finally appeared in her eyes.
"Captain, what are the mission details?" She looked up, her voice more composed than usual.
Yan Shuo looked up and sized her up.
After a few days apart, the bloodshot in the girl's eyes had faded, and the melancholy between her brows had dissipated somewhat, but there was still a trace of barely perceptible timidity hidden in her eyes.
What he wanted was to completely crush this cowardice.
"Two steps." Yan Shuo held up two fingers. "First, reconnaissance. Qian Zhongming goes to the Paramount Ballroom on Avenue Joffre every Wednesday night to meet his lover. You disguise yourself as a dancer, sneak in, and find out his residence, the number of his bodyguards, and the location where that route map is hidden. Second, the operation. After obtaining the intelligence, you take the lead, with three people, to raid his hideout. Remember, you must find him alive or dead. The route map must be brought back intact."
Su Yan was suddenly taken aback: "Me... in charge?"
"What? You're scared?" Yan Shuo raised an eyebrow, his tone deliberately provocative. "Are you afraid of Cai An's matter? Or do you think you can only hide behind others?"
"No!" Su Yan clenched her fists, the scars in her heart throbbing with pain. "I dare! I guarantee I'll complete the mission!"
"Very good." Yan Shuo nodded in satisfaction, took out a small brocade box from the drawer, and pushed it in front of her. "Inside is a headdress with a miniature listening device hidden inside. There's also a ticket to the Paramount Ballroom. Be there promptly at seven o'clock tonight. As for the personnel, I'll have Su Ling assign them to you. You just need to give orders."
Su Yan picked up the brocade box, touched the cool headdress, and suddenly felt at ease.
This is trust, a heavy responsibility, more effective than any comfort.
As night fell, the neon signs of the Paramount Ballroom lit up, and the decadent music could be heard from afar.
Su Yan changed into a moon-white cheongsam that accentuated her slender figure, and put on a headdress with a pearl hair clip.
She held the lipstick in her hand and carefully applied it in front of the rearview mirror. The woman in the mirror had a touch of allure in her eyes.
At seven o'clock sharp, she entered the Paramount Ballroom.
The dance floor was packed with people, the smells of perfume and tobacco mingling together.
She spotted Qian Zhongming immediately—the man in the suit with a round belly, who was chatting and laughing with a woman in a red dress in a booth, accompanied by two bodyguards in black suits who were scanning their surroundings warily.
Su Yan took a deep breath, lifted her skirt, and walked over, her voice as gentle as water: "Mr. Qian, would you do me the honor of dancing?"
Qian Zhongming's gaze fell on her, and he leered at her for a while before grinning, "A beauty's invitation is naturally my pleasure."
As the music began, Su Yan placed her hand on his shoulder and swayed her body to the rhythm.
Her hand gently brushed against his suit pocket, feeling the outline of a stiff notebook, which must be the road map.
While dealing with Qian Zhongming, she noted down the address he casually mentioned: "A villa on Yuyuan Road, very quiet..."
Su Yan didn't leave the Paramount until the early hours of the morning.
A cold wind blew, and she shivered, but she dared not relax her vigilance in the slightest.
She immediately assembled the team: two male members with excellent marksmanship and a female member skilled in lock picking.
"Qian Zhongming's residence is at No. 726 Yuyuan Road. It's a two-story villa with two bodyguards at the entrance and one patrolling inside the courtyard."
Su Yan unfolded the hand-drawn map, her voice clear, "Zhang and I will hold them off from the front. Li, go to the backyard, pick the lock, climb in through the second-floor window, find the safe in the study, and take out the route map. Remember, be quick and don't disturb the neighbors."
The team members exchanged glances, all somewhat surprised.
In the past, Su Yan always followed behind others when carrying out missions, but now she can clearly and methodically deploy tactics.
But no one questioned it; they simply responded in unison, "Understood!"
The operation was scheduled for 3 a.m.
The night was as dark as ink, and Yuyuan Road was so quiet that only the chirping of insects could be heard.
Su Yan and Xiao Zhang, dressed in black cloth shirts, crouched down as they approached the door of the villa, deliberately making noise.
The two bodyguards immediately became alert: "Who's there?"
"Just passing by, got lost." Su Yan's voice was filled with panic. As soon as she finished speaking, she and Xiao Zhang pounced on the bodyguards, covered their mouths, and cleanly and efficiently dealt with them.
Meanwhile, Xiao Li had already pried open the lock on the backyard and climbed over to the second floor.
Su Yan and Xiao Zhang rushed into the mansion, dealt with the patrolling bodyguards, and headed straight for the study.
In the study, the combination lock on the safe gleamed coldly.