Chapter 33: Gunshot Wound

Bang!

The moment the gunshot rang out, Dao Yan, who had been walking toward the Cadillac, instinctively executed a tactical roll. Her Walther PPK was already in her hand, and after pinpointing the direction of the shot, she narrowed her eyes and locked onto the distant clock tower.

"Three o'clock, the clock tower!"

Dao Yan had intended to give chase, but another shot rang out. When she turned, she saw the bullet pierce Zhou Dahe’s chest. A fleeting reflection glinted from the clock tower, and Dao Yan knew the sniper had escaped. There was no time for her to pursue.

Zhao Xuan had pushed Ding Moqun aside to shield Dao Ya, only to have a bullet strike his own shoulder. Both fell to the ground. Dao Ya, her hands covered in blood, began to cry, while Ding Moqun rolled into the courtyard after falling, taking cover behind a stone pillar.

"Uncle, the sniper must have fled."

"Xiao Ya, are you alright?"

Dao Yan ran over in a panic. Dao Ya was sobbing, clutching the fallen Zhao Xuan and shouting, "Brother-in-law has been shot! Someone, save him! Sister, please, save him!"

The intense pain in his shoulder helped Zhao Xuan maintain his composure and clarity. Hearing Dao Ya’s plea, he grabbed her with his left hand, pulled her up, and quickly retreated into the safety of the courtyard. Seeing this, Dao Yan exhaled in relief and followed them inside.

When the shooting started, Aunt Liu had already curled up behind a stone pillar, shivering. Watching this, the corner of Zhao Xuan’s mouth twitched. Watanabe Akiko was truly a master of disguise; there wasn't a single flaw in her performance. In the face of such a sudden crisis, she had managed to maintain her cover and react exactly as her supposed persona would. Zhao Xuan couldn't help but admire her dedication.

"Ah Xuan, are you alright?"

Zhao Xuan shielded Dao Ya behind him, clutching his right shoulder with his left hand. He gritted his teeth and shook his head at Ding Moqun. "I'm fine..."

On the other side, Li Mingzhu carried her sniper rifle down the clock tower and quickly departed Joffre Road under the cover of Tao and Lu Bu from the Hurricane Team. Throughout the journey, Li Mingzhu couldn't figure out how Zhao Xuan had known about the shooter. Her original plan had been to wound Ding Moqun and assassinate Zhou Dahe.

However, Zhao Xuan’s sudden intervention forced her to abandon the initial plan. She chose to wound Zhao Xuan instead, while still killing Zhou Dahe. Regardless, Zhou Dahe was a necessary sacrifice in this mission, a choice he had made for his daughter. It could be said that both father and daughter were caught in a catastrophe they didn't deserve.

Once they reached the Hurricane Team's safe house, Tao looked at the resolute Li Mingzhu and sighed. "Did it go smoothly?"

Li Mingzhu paused, looked up at Tao, and offered a faint smile. "There were some unexpected variables, but it went smoothly enough. The plan can proceed."

As she spoke, a clear tear slid down her cheek. Tao sighed and patted her shoulder. "Don't worry, Section Chief Shen will take good care of Old Zhou’s daughter. Li Dongsheng should have already picked up Zhou Xiaoman."

"The rest is up to you now. Our mission is complete."

Li Mingzhu wiped her tears, nodded, and returned the sniper rifle.

In a black Ford cruising through the outskirts of Shanghai, Li Dongsheng drove while glancing into the rearview mirror at Zhou Xiaoman, who was weeping uncontrollably. She was clutching a letter her father had left behind, tears soaking the paper.

"My dear girl, your father isn't much of a man, but protecting you is my duty... I knew this day would come from the moment Miss Li approached me."

"Don't be sad. Live well. You have your own choices. As your father, shouldn't I set an example for you?"

"Miss Li has promised to take care of you. I’ve lived a full life, but you are still young. You have your own path to walk. If the road is too hard, you can give up, but if you choose to persist, you must see it through to the end..."

Curled up in the back seat with the letter, Zhou Xiaoman wept until she nearly fainted. Li Dongsheng sighed. He didn't know how the Magpie organization had recruited the father and daughter as peripheral agents for the Military Statistics Bureau, but anyone who joined should have been prepared for this. There were many things he didn't understand, but he knew this was a high-stakes game between Chongqing and their enemies. Otherwise, a well-entrenched pair like the Zhou family would never have exposed themselves so recklessly.

It seemed that Shanghai was about to become quite lively in the coming days.

***

Shanghai, No. 76 Medical Room.

The medical facility at No. 76 was the closest to Ding Moqun’s home. Once it was confirmed that the immediate danger had passed, Ding Moqun ordered his men to escort the family—everyone except Aunt Liu—to the facility. The day’s events had been sudden, yet to Ding Moqun, they were filled with suspicious elements. He viewed everyone present at the shooting with deep suspicion, even the injured Zhao Xuan, who was brought in to have his wound treated before being subjected to interrogation.

Inside the infirmary, as he watched the doctor treat his gunshot wound, Zhao Xuan instinctively activated his analytical and scanning modes. He hadn't expected to make such an unexpected discovery.

Previously, many at No. 76 had been scanned, and he had only found Dao Yan, Su Jian, and himself to be agents of the Military Statistics Bureau. There hadn't been a single Communist among them. Zhao Xuan had found it strange that the Communists hadn't placed an agent in such a vital intelligence department. Today, however, he had finally found one.

(Yang Huamei, female, 29, Chinese. A sleeper agent for the Communist Shanghai underground, codename "Drifting Snow." Former surgeon at Hong’en Hospital, fluent in Mandarin, English, Japanese, and French...)

A talent indeed!

After reviewing the file generated by his scan, Zhao Xuan felt a sense of admiration for the caliber of the Communist sleeper agents. It was a pity that he was not yet a member of their party, and even if he wanted to join, he had no way of making contact. However, he had already decided on his path: if he couldn't find them, he would make them come to him.

"Alright, until the wound scars over, watch your diet. Avoid spicy foods and alcohol. Be careful when bathing—don't get the bandage wet."

Zhao Xuan nodded expressionlessly and put on his clothes in silence.

(Gunshot wound from a long-range shot. He’s the nephew-in-law of Ding Moqun. So, someone tried to assassinate the Ding family today. What a pity; if the muzzle had been just a bit further to the left, this guy would be dead for sure. Bah, a dog of a traitor!)

Looking at Yang Huamei, who was wearing a mask with a soft gaze, Zhao Xuan sighed helplessly. Were they all this competent?