Chapter 80: The Shadow Operation
Chapter 80: The Shadow Operation
"So this is Mr. Chen." The team leader couldn't help but feel a sense of respect as he stood before the young man, Chen Chuan.
The battle in the Gateway Zone had made quite an impact, and news of Chen Chuan had spread to various commission companies and even reached the desks of senior commissioners.
They didn't dare to inquire further about the origins of the military implants on Scarface, but Chen Chuan, who could directly confront a military-implanted individual, had caught their attention. Chen Chuan was a collaborator of Wei Chang'an, not a subordinate, and they were both alumni of Wu Yi Academy, which made it even more difficult for the companies to approach him.
Fortunately, Chen Chuan would be allowed to leave the academy in a year or two, and some companies were even considering sending people to establish contact with him beforehand.
After all, strength was the ultimate credential.
For someone like Chen Chuan, it was only natural to treat him with courtesy.
"Mr. Chen, I'm sorry. My young master doesn't like outsiders. Wei Chang'an can go in, but I'm afraid you'll have to wait outside. Please don't take it to heart." He apologized.
"Sure, Wei Ge. I'll wait for you," Chen Chuan replied.
The man immediately stepped aside and politely invited him in.
Wei Chang'an entered and, guided by the man, went straight to a temporary office. Inside, a man dressed in a yellowish-brown imported suit, with oiled hair, was lounging on a sofa, filing his nails. An assistant stood nearby, bent over, drafting documents.
Upon seeing Wei Chang'an, the man in the suit showed a hint of impatience. "Wei Chang'an, what brings you here again?"
"Mr. Hu, I'd like to inquire about the specific action plan. As a member of this operation, I believe I have the right to know," Wei Chang'an said.
Mr. Hu didn't respond but instead kicked the assistant, who straightened up and adjusted his glasses before addressing Wei Chang'an. "Mr. Wei, for the sake of caution, the operation details must remain confidential. We kindly ask that you stick to the original plan and guard the designated intersection. Rest assured, your name will not be omitted from the commission list."
"Did you hear that?" Mr. Hu spoke with an air of entitlement, swinging his legs casually. "Mr. Wei, please don't cause any trouble. We're about to begin the operation."
Wei Chang'an gave Mr. Hu a deep look and decided not to argue further. He turned and left the room.
At that moment, his determination to strike out on his own grew stronger. It wasn't just about the low pay; it was the feeling of being controlled by others that was truly suffocating.
He found Chen Chuan and headed towards the location assigned to them by the company. However, he was well aware that Mr. Hu had merely used an excuse to keep him away. If Tong Qianjiang were to show up, he wouldn't even make it to this place.
After walking for half a mile, they reached the designated spot. It used to be a factory, with rusted slides and frames welded together for people to exercise and children to play on. Now, it was covered in rust, and the surrounding ground was overgrown with weeds.
They found a worn-out chair, and Wei Chang'an took out a newspaper he had prepared and spread it on the seat before sitting down. "I couldn't get any details about the mission. Mr. Hu clearly doesn't want us involved and has assigned us to guard a crossing."
Chen Chuan didn't sit but leaned against a tree. "Wei Ge, I can't speak for your company, but I imagine this isn't your first time dealing with such a situation. The night before dawn is always the darkest, but it will pass."
"You're right, but that's not what worries me," Wei Chang'an said, glancing inside. "Mr. Hu lacks experience and has a tendency to be overly clever. I'm concerned he might mess things up, and then no one will benefit. Not to mention, Fang Dawei and his team might take much longer to capture their target."
"Since he's here, he must have brought some experienced people with him, right?" Chen Chuan asked.
"That's usually the case, but you should know there's been a recent issue in the company," Wei Chang'an explained. "They say Mr. Hu only got his position because he's the boss's son. Without help from others, he's good for nothing."
"That's the truth, but sometimes the truth hurts," Chen Chuan said, understanding Wei Chang'an's concern. "And he loves to show off, so he might not listen to others' advice and insist on doing things his way."
Time quickly passed, and it was already 8:00 pm. Since they weren't directly involved in the capture operation, they had nothing else to do but chat about other topics.
"Junior Brother, did you know that the teacher from Central City usually visits the school around this time? He might even be there already," Wei Chang'an said. "With your outstanding performance, he might come looking for you."
Chen Chuan was surprised. "But I thought you said he only teaches recommended students?"
"Well, that's what he usually does, but it's up to him to decide how and whom he teaches. If someone stands out, he might take notice," Wei Chang'an explained, glancing at Chen Chuan. "I heard he has a way to bring people to Central City without taking up a recommendation slot."
"Not taking up the recommendation slot?"
Chen Chuan's heart stirred slightly. He thought for a moment and said, "That's probably not as simple as it seems."
Wei Chang'an nodded and said, "I heard this from someone else too. He might not even come to you, I'm just saying this, so don't take it too seriously."
Chen Chuan didn't have too many thoughts about it because if something were truly beneficial without any drawbacks, everyone would be fighting for it. It wouldn't even be his turn.
After this conversation, the two of them chatted about other things. But when Chen Chuan mentioned military implants, Wei Chang'an seemed reluctant to discuss it further. He warned Chen Chuan not to be too curious, as the matter was too deep and he should stay out of it.
He continued, "After Scarface was questioned, he was taken away by people from the Government Hall. No one knows where he is now, so don't expect to get any leads from him."
Looking towards the intersection ahead, he could only hope that this operation would succeed, so that Fang Dawei and his gang would cause less harm.
The two of them chatted intermittently, and just when it was about half past nine, they suddenly heard hurried footsteps. A man from the Commission Company ran over, excitedly telling Wei Chang'an, "Mr. Wei, we caught him! We caught the person!"
Wei Chang'an stood up and said to Chen Chuan, "Let's go!"
Chen Chuan followed suit.
The two of them quickly arrived at the abandoned factory they had just been at. Inside, they saw a person wearing a duckbill hat being pinned to the ground, with the hat falling to the side. Hu Shiguang stood there triumphantly, surrounded by a crowd. Wei Chang'an looked at the man on the ground and felt something was amiss. Seeing that no one else spoke up, he stepped forward and asked, "Wait, how can you be sure he's Tong Qianjiang?"
Hu Shiguang hummed and gestured, saying, "Identify him."
Someone immediately went up and pulled off the man's mask, revealing the face of a passerby. The man identified him, hesitated for a moment, and said, "Young Master, this doesn't seem to be Tong Qianjiang..."
"What?"
Hu Shiguang was both surprised and angry. He pointed and asked, "Then who is he?"
The man was also very frightened at this moment, but under the interrogation, he couldn't speak no matter how hard he tried. He could only let out some air.
Someone realized something and said, "It's a silencing drug. Give him a voice-restoring pill." The silencing drug was a common medicine in the Commission Company, usually used to prevent unexpected noises during operations.
After taking the medicine, the man was finally able to speak after a while. He shouted, "I'm not involved! I'm not involved!" He cried, "I was forced to come here. They held a knife to my wife and children's necks. I had no choice, I was forced..."
Wei Chang'an shook his head. The situation was already clear. Tong Qianjiang was worried, so he had someone else come in his place, probably hiding nearby, but now he had probably run away.
This wasn't a clever tactic; anyone from the company wouldn't fall for it. But now, they had messed up.
He glanced at Hu Shiguang, who was pulling his assistant's collar and yelling, and said to Chen Chuan, "Let's go, Junior Brother. This capture operation has failed."
Chen Chuan also looked at Hu Shiguang and nodded. The two of them left.
Despite the failed operation, Hu Shiguang seemed unwilling to give up. He dispatched a large number of people to search the surroundings, trying to find Tong Qianjiang, but of course, this yielded no results.
They kept searching until midnight, and when everyone was exhausted, Hu Shiguang finally gave up. Before the team had even gathered, he drove off alone. When the others returned and learned of this, they were speechless and cursed him behind his back.
On his way back, Hu Shiguang drove through the luxurious residential area in the south of the city. As soon as he entered the living room, the dejection and agitation in his eyes vanished. He dismissed the maid who had come to change his shoes and walked to the phone, picking it up and dialing a number. "Father, I did everything you asked of me."
A voice came from the other end, "Son, I know you've been wronged. You've always been capable."
Hu Shiguang scoffed, "What's the use of being capable? I know, with my older brother, it'll never be my turn. I'd rather be less capable. That way, he won't see me as an enemy in the future. But why did you do this, Father?"
"This matter is too deep. It's best to leave it here and not get involved further."
"Can't you tell me? I've worked hard, and I even risked the Commission's reputation."
"You're not the eldest son. There are some things you don't need to know. This is for your own good."
Hu Shiguang sighed and said, "For my own good? I just don't want to be implicated. I don't want to share the blessings but bear the misfortunes."
"I understand this matter. Just know your place, and the eldest son won't make things difficult for you." As he spoke, the phone call ended.
Hu Shiguang fidgeted with his tie in frustration, muttering to himself, "Old man, I hope you really understand."
...
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(End of Chapter)
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