Chapter 73: Breakthrough
Chapter 73: Breakthrough
Chen Chuan had no doubts about Wei Chang'an's arrangement and said, "Alright, I'll follow Wei Ge's plan." Noticing that Wei Chang'an seemed to have more instructions for Cai Si, he said, "Wei Ge, I'll go check out the situation nearby and be back soon."
"Okay, be careful," Wei Chang'an replied.
After Chen Chuan left, Cai Si said to Wei Chang'an, "Wei Ge, this Chen Xuedi is quite capable."
Generally, newcomers like Chen Chuan, at his age, were eager to show off, especially those with skills and talents. They disliked being relegated to the background.
However, due to their lack of experience, they often messed things up. Wei Chang'an had experienced this himself, so he usually didn't favor including newcomers. But Chen Chuan was the one who provided the lead and was a key participant; it was impossible to exclude him. Fortunately, Chen Chuan was self-aware, which made things much better.
Sometimes, they feared not danger but their own people becoming a liability.
Wei Chang'an said, "Don't underestimate him. Although he's two years younger than us, during the last assigned mission, I was supposed to lead him. But due to Guo Pangzi's tricks, I almost failed. Thankfully, Chen Chuan captured the target. He's skilled and decisive in his actions. With a year or two of experience, he'll likely surpass both of us."
"Really?" Cai Si exclaimed in surprise, "He's quite capable then."
Wei Chang'an said, "Let's not talk about him for now. This time, you all need to be cautious. Our information comes from 'Tian Ge,' and due to time constraints and various limitations, we can't verify everything. So, we have to trust him, but the actual situation is hard to predict. Nothing can be foolproof, so stay alert."
Cai Si nodded and said, "Wei Ge, the pressure must be immense."
"It's my first time leading such a mission, so it's not an exaggeration to say the pressure is high," Wei Chang'an admitted. "The Patrol Bureau specifically assigned this mission to me, which displeased many in the company. Now, I'm sure many are waiting for me to fail.
But if we succeed and use this lead to capture Fang Dawei's group, it'll be a significant achievement. Then, we'll have a chance to take on higher-level commissions and eventually work independently. So, we must give it our all."
Cai Si nodded silently.
Then, he spoke softly, "Wei Ge, I need to remind you that besides our own brothers and classmates, most others are company-assigned. There might be someone trying to sabotage us. It's difficult to succeed, but it's easy to cause trouble."
"I understand," Wei Chang'an said. "That's why we can only trust our own brothers for critical positions. And Chen Xuedi is trustworthy; you can count on him in crucial moments."
Cai Si smiled and said, "It seems you placed Chen Xuedi in that position not just out of consideration for him. Alright, I got it."
At this moment, Chen Chuan had reached the ground floor. Knowing there was something important happening, he didn't wear his student uniform but changed into a regular jacket.
He first wandered through the trading market, where most shops sold daily necessities and clothing. The majority were wholesalers, with many tricycles coming and going. Not far away, there was also a vegetable market and a fruit market.
Walking in the middle of the market, he looked back and could see the windows of the building directly facing him through the large signs above the shops.
The intersection Wei Chang'an asked him to watch was just ahead, flanked by shops selling daily necessities and food.
After a quick survey, Chen Chuan bought a bag of apples and three bottles of soda. Leaning against the street, he made his way back, glancing at the building as he turned the corner. He noticed a woman walking out and couldn't help but pay more attention.
Although she was a middle-aged woman, her gait suggested some martial arts training. However, many people had trained in this era, so he only took a quick look and averted his gaze, returning to Wei Chang'an's hideout. He placed the apples on the table and handed each of them a bottle of soda.
Cai Si smiled and said, "Xuedi, you even brought things? You're so considerate. Alright, Fourth Brother will take care of you later."
Wei Chang'an took the soda but didn't drink it. Instead, he washed an apple and ate it, then changed his clothes. After checking his watch, he said, "We have one and a half hours left. Get ready. I'll make the arrangements, and then we'll take turns keeping watch."
He led the two to the street where the trading market was located and entered a grain and oil shop. After greeting the owner, he went inside and handed Chen Chuan a note, instructing him, "Xuedi, according to the plan, we'll move at 10:00. At 10:15, we'll gather in batches on the rooftop. Around 10:20, firecrackers will go off, possibly a bit later. We'll make our move half a minute after the firecrackers start. So, at 10:00, you'll make this call to cut the phone line."
As the two waited patiently, occasionally exchanging a few words, Chen Chuan and Cai Si were keeping a close eye on the situation. Cai Si informed Chen Chuan that they weren't alone; there were also some henchmen responsible for assisting in the fight, like the shop owner who was on their side and could be called upon if needed.
After over an hour of patient waiting, it was already 10 o'clock. Cai Si, ever mindful of the time, suddenly looked up and said, "Junior, Wei Ge's team should be climbing up now. You can make the call!"
Chen Chuan, standing guard by the phone, immediately picked up the receiver and dialed a number. Following the instructions on the note, he said, "This is the Capture Squad. We request an immediate disconnection of the phone line."
The response came promptly: "Understood. Executing now."
Chen Chuan hung up and nodded to Cai Si, who then moved to the side of the shop, looking up at the building and occasionally checking his watch.
After about five or six minutes, a commotion erupted on the trade market street behind them, followed by a clamor of voices and running footsteps. Someone shouted, "They're fighting! They're fighting!"
Cai Si was startled and turned to look up at the building, muttering, "Seems like we've got some trouble here."
At that very moment, Wei Chang'an and five others had stealthily reached the rooftop. They had climbed up one by one from their designated positions, unnoticed by anyone. However, they were still half short of the expected number, but they weren't worried as they still had seven minutes until the designated time, plenty of time.
Just then, a commotion erupted from the north side of the trade market, indicating trouble. Someone peered over and reported, "Wei Ge, we've got a situation here."
Wei Chang'an frowned. Disturbances in this trade market area were common, but at this critical juncture, it made them uncomfortable, as it could easily draw Scarface's attention to that side.
Moreover, the timing of the disturbance was too coincidental, making him instinctively feel they couldn't wait any longer. "Something's wrong. The situation might've changed. We need to act now!"
"But Wei Ge, not everyone's here yet," someone reminded him.
"We'll start without them," Wei Chang'an decided. "We'll hold them off, and they'll know what to do when they arrive!"
"Wait," someone grabbed him, speaking seriously. "Wei, we can't confirm if Scarface has noticed that side yet. In that case, let's choose to break in from the south first, and those who arrive later can enter from the north. Won't that increase our chances?"
Everyone looked at Wei Chang'an, awaiting his decision.
After a moment's thought, Wei Chang'an realized this plan merely swapped the original north-then-south entry sequence. So, he made a quick decision: "Fine, let's do it! No more waiting, act now!"
Wei Chang'an and his team cautiously moved to the south side, treading lightly. Three of them held one end of a rope, while the other three pulled on it, leaping outward and using the recoil to crash into an old window.
With a crash, the window shattered, and Wei Chang'an smashed through, quickly rolling to his feet. He found the easternmost room empty, while sounds of fighting and cursing came from the other rooms. Without hesitation, he charged into the next room.
As he pushed open the door, a punch flew at him. He dodged to the side, blocking it with his hand, while his opponent kicked. In the burst of power, both figures trembled, but Wei Chang'an didn't retreat. His opponent, however, stumbled back. Wei Chang'an glanced at him, then, without a second thought, leaped through the open window to the north.
Wei Chang'an didn't hesitate; he charged into the inner room, seeing a teammate locked in combat with an opponent. He shouted, "Scarface is in the next room!"
Wei Chang'an rushed towards the last room, but before he reached it, a loud crash sounded, and the wall opposite him shattered. A teammate and a brick came flying out together. Wei Chang'an quickly raised his hand to shield himself, taking a few steps back.
As the dust settled, behind the broken wall, a robust man stood there. He wore gray-blue work overalls, his legs were thick, and a long scar ran across his face. In one hand, he held a large cleaver, and in the other, a crossbow.
Wei Chang'an's expression turned solemn as he shouted, "Scarface!"
...
...
(End of Chapter)
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