Chapter 54: The Military Statistics Bureau's Sixth Brother is Shocked, Su Changqing's and Zheng Yaoxian's Agreement

The moment Lu Hanqing laid eyes on Su Changqing, his mind went completely blank.

Since the Headquarters had ordered both Lu Hanqing and Zheng Yaoxian to covertly protect and escort Su Changqing, naturally, both men had previously seen photographs of him.

However!

Lu Hanqing and Zheng Yaoxian belonged to the absolute inner circle of top-secret operatives. People with their status were rarely, if ever, known to others.

Therefore!

When Su Changqing suddenly appeared right in front of him, Lu Hanqing felt a persistent buzzing inside his skull.

Could it be a coincidence?

Impossible!

If it were merely a coincidence, how could Su Changqing possibly know about the sapphire ring?

In the television series *The Kite*, the sapphire ring was the sole liaison token given to Zheng Yaoxian by the organization when he infiltrated the Military Statistics Bureau.

His superior, Lu Hanqing, had repeatedly urged him to keep the ring safe, as this sapphire ring served as the crucial piece of evidence to verify his identity.

In reality, the sapphire ring was a seal carved with distinctive patterns. When the patterns on the seal matched those recorded in the organization's top-secret archives, Zheng Yaoxian's identity would be authenticated.

After discovering the ring, Zheng Yaoxian’s "wife," Lin Tao, realized its vital importance to him and left it to their daughter on her deathbed, hoping it would one day clear Zheng Yaoxian's name.

Yet, due to various circumstances, Zheng Yaoxian had long been unable to use the ring to prove his identity, until years later when the secret of the ring was finally unveiled and his true identity confirmed.

Secrets of this magnitude were known to very few.

For Su Changqing to mention the sapphire ring was equivalent to declaring that he was already fully aware of the identities of both Lu Hanqing and himself.

Yet!

Lu Hanqing could not fathom how anyone could know about the identities of Zheng Yaoxian and himself.

Very few people in the world even knew of this.

Where on earth did Su Changqing find out?

"Shopkeeper, your clerk cannot treat my illness."

With that, Su Changqing pulled a sapphire ring from his pocket.

"This illness of mine can only be cured by you."

"As long as the shopkeeper can provide a complete cure, this sapphire ring is yours."

Naturally, Su Changqing had not come unprepared.

Bringing up the sapphire ring was primarily a tactic to prompt Lu Hanqing to meet with him.

Meanwhile, taking out the sapphire ring was meant as a cover story to fool the pharmacy apprentice.

"Very well! Excellent!" Lu Hanqing repeated the affirmation three times.

"Xiao Liu, continue attending to the other customers."

"I am taking this customer to the back to examine his condition."

"Understood, Shopkeeper!"

Once Su Changqing and Lu Hanqing reached the back courtyard and confirmed that no one else was around, Su Changqing dropped all pretense. Cutting straight to the point, he said, "Comrade Lu Hanqing."

"Since I was able to accurately name the sapphire ring as our token, I believe you already know that I am fully aware of the identities of Comrade Zheng Yaoxian and yourself."

"I know everything."

"Today, the reason I managed to shake off the surveillance of the Military Statistics Bureau, the Central Statistics Bureau, and even the Japanese spies, and took the risk to come and find you and Comrade Zheng Yaoxian..."

"...is because there is a matter of paramount importance."

"That I must tell you both!"

Seeing the intense urgency etched on Su Changqing's face, Lu Hanqing immediately pushed down all his swirling doubts.

"General Su!"

"For you to take such a massive risk just to appear here at the Huichuntang Pharmacy means this matter must be of the utmost gravity."

"I will go right now and contact Comrade Zheng Yaoxian for you."

There was, of course, no need to doubt Su Changqing's identity.

Lu Hanqing was a man of exceptionally decisive action.

Since Su Changqing had displayed such an urgent attitude, the issue at hand was undoubtedly critical.

Therefore!

Using the private and exclusive communication method established between them, Lu Hanqing quickly located Zheng Yaoxian, who had not long ago left the Military Statistics Bureau.

When Zheng Yaoxian arrived at the Huichuntang Pharmacy and stepped into the back courtyard to see Su Changqing sitting there sipping tea, he froze.

His mind went completely blank.

Why would the very person the Headquarters ordered him to protect suddenly show up at the home of his own superior?

Wasn't his own identity supposed to be top-secret?

How on earth did Su Changqing find out?

"Comrade Zheng Yaoxian."

"I didn't expect us to meet again so soon."

"My coming here today to see Comrade Lu Hanqing and you is driven by an extremely urgent matter."

"This issue is of monumental significance and will have a massive impact on the Songhu battlefront."

"Given my position."

"It is difficult for me to step forward and intervene directly, and even if I did, I fear I could accomplish very little."

"But Comrade Zheng Yaoxian, given your current identity and position."

"Not only are you the most suitable person to handle this."

"It would also be an extraordinary contribution."

With those words, Su Changqing laid out every detail regarding the leak of the Jiangyin Fortress intelligence.

Furthermore, he shared his own deduction: the traitor who had sold out his motherland and betrayed his nation was none other than Huang Jun, the Chief Administrative Secretary of the Nationalist Government's Executive Yuan.

"General Su!"

"This matter is of earth-shattering proportions. If the news leaks."

"The Japanese fleet on the Yangtze River will evacuate the river at top speed."

"However, does General Su possess concrete evidence of Huang Jun's treason and defection?"

Zheng Yaoxian furrowed his brows and looked closely at Su Changqing.

While Zheng Yaoxian harbored no doubts regarding Su Changqing's words, the reality remained: without evidence, attempting to bring down the Chief Administrative Secretary of the Executive Yuan was a task of immense difficulty.

"Evidence!"

"I do not possess it on my person at the moment, but I know someone who can help us secure it."

"If we can leverage her relationship as the best friend of Huang Jun's daughter to extract the relevant evidence directly from Huang Jun's hands."

"Then the situation changes entirely." Su Changqing smiled faintly. Though it was inconvenient for him to step in personally, with Zheng Yaoxian on the job, locating Lan胭脂, the best friend of Huang Jun's daughter, would not be particularly difficult.

"General Su, who is this daughter of Huang Jun and her best friend that you speak of?"

"She is the daughter of a wealthy family, the only child of Shanghai banker Lan Changming."

"Not long ago, Lan胭脂 accidentally obtained a piece of Japanese intelligence, which initially led her to be mistaken for a Japanese spy. To prove her innocence, she joined the War of Resistance and eventually became an agent of the Military Statistics Bureau."

"With Comrade Zheng Yaoxian's standing within the Military Statistics Bureau, locating this woman and enlisting her assistance to swiftly uncover Huang Jun's treasonous crimes and prevent the Japanese from learning about the Jiangyin Fortress plan..."

"I believe it is entirely achievable."

Hearing Su Changqing's explanation, a gleam of light flashed in Zheng Yaoxian's eyes.

He had long since heard whispers about Lan胭脂, this newly recruited agent of the Military Statistics Bureau.

If Lan胭脂 could indeed exploit her relationship as the best friend of Huang Jun's daughter to infiltrate the Huang residence and secure crucial evidence, thereby definitively establishing Huang Jun's guilt of betraying his country and nation, and preventing the plan from falling into Japanese hands, then the probability of the Jiangyin Fortress plan's success would increase exponentially.

"I understand!"

"General Su!"

"Zheng Yaoxian will do everything in his power to accomplish this mission."

"For the smooth execution of the Jiangyin Fortress plan, for the great nation of China, and for the Chinese nation."

As Zheng Yaoxian's voice trailed off, Su Changqing rose from his seat and saluted both Zheng Yaoxian and Lu Hanqing with a crisp military salute.

"The Party and the people!"

"Thank you!"

"Thank you, you unseen guardians, for shielding the future of our country and our nation."

At that exact moment!

Zheng Yaoxian's heart was struck profoundly. Having lived undercover within the Military Statistics Bureau for years, he had long been branded as "Ghost Six" and secretly resented by his own comrades.

Now!

Receiving the validation and gratitude of his own comrade, the surge of emotion in Zheng Yaoxian's heart can well be imagined.

"General Su, when the War of Resistance is won—when total victory finally arrives—might I have the opportunity to share a drink with you?"

"Of course!"

"Provided that I am still alive by then."

Su Changqing and Zheng Yaoxian exchanged a deep smile.

An unspoken covenant between men was thus forged.