The surroundings were deathly quiet, so oppressive that even birds wouldn’t bear to fly overhead.

Fujita Kiyono took out a cigarette and lit it—he never used to smoke. The way he squinted while holding the cigarette between his lips made his already melancholy temperament appear even more decadent.

He Feng and Li Changsheng lay in ambush on the hillside. Old Ji crawled to his side from the right side of the slope. Unable to stop He Feng or let him go to his death alone, he could only join him in taking the risk. He had also brought an experienced sniper. “Twenty of them.”

Weeds concealed their bodies. He Feng looked through binoculars, searching for Xie Chi’s position. He carefully examined the woman in the middle. Though her head was covered with black cloth and she wore Xie Chi’s clothes and shoes, something felt wrong.

Old Ji said, “I’ll drive to rescue people. Once we succeed, we run. As agreed, we only save one person—we don’t care about the others.”

He Feng said, “Bring them all.”

Old Ji’s anger flared immediately. He cursed under his breath, “One person is already risking our necks. I’m violating discipline by coming with you to save a Communist, and you want us all to die for it?”

He Feng paid no attention to what he said. His full attention was on the back of the second truck, where he saw faint smoke emerging and something pushing against the side canvas. From the vague protruding shape, it looked like a fist.

She was in the truck.

One tap, pause, one tap.

It was Morse code.

Repeating two words over and over: 【Trap】

But things had come this far. He couldn’t care about any trap—he just wanted to rescue his wife and child immediately.

…

Fujita Kiyono turned his head. Xie Chi immediately stopped moving and pretended to struggle. Smoke still curled from his nostrils. Holding his cigarette in one hand, he rubbed her wrist with the other. After a moment of silence, he lowered his eyes and said gently, “I’m sorry for hurting you. Bear with it a little longer—just a little longer.” He tidied the messy hair by Xie Chi’s face. “Once this is all resolved, you can do whatever you want. You want intelligence? I’ll give it to you. Take it to your Yan’an—it doesn’t matter. What else do you want? Military supplies? Medicine? I can find ways to get them all for you, even if it means being an enemy to my homeland.” He gazed at Xie Chi’s hateful eyes, his brow slightly furrowing as he pressed his forehead against her temple. “I can give you everything I have, as long as you love me properly.”

Xie Chi dodged, using her elbow to push him away. Fujita Kiyono glanced at his wristwatch and said to Kuroki Kai waiting outside, “Begin.”

“Yes.” Captain Kuroki nodded to him and walked toward the row of Japanese soldiers with rifles. “Prepare.”

The Japanese soldiers raised their guns simultaneously.

Before the “fire” command could be given, a bullet from an unknown direction struck right between one gunman’s eyebrows, and he fell straight forward. Instantly, the Japanese soldiers scattered like startled birds, raising their guns toward the surroundings. Unable to locate the sniper position, two more fell in succession.

Fujita Kiyono gripped Xie Chi’s chin and made her look through the gap. “He’s here. Now let’s bet again—whether he can take you away from me.”

Xie Chi pushed him away and fell to one side. Fujita Kiyono pulled her back into his arms, holding her tightly. “The more you struggle now, the more stabs I’ll give him later.”

Captain Kuroki drew his gun and retreated toward the truck. “Protect the officer!”

The Japanese soldiers used cars as cover. Uncertain how many opponents they faced, they dared not advance rashly.

Captain Kuroki said to Fujita Kiyono, “Sir.”

Fujita Kiyono released Xie Chi and sat by the truck’s edge, calmly watching the distance. “Find the sniper position and drag him out for me.”

“Yes.”

Taking advantage of his inattention, Xie Chi bent down and brought her head near her hands, pulling off her earring. She quickly straightened up, using her body to block her hands behind her as she carefully straightened the silver hook of the earring, attempting to unlock the handcuffs.

Captain Kuroki led several men, crouching as they approached from both sides. As soon as they exposed themselves, two shots rang out and two men fell.

Li Changsheng laughed, “Brother, isn’t my marksmanship divine!”

He Feng ignored him. Seeing the devils using bound prisoners as shields while slowly advancing, he cursed, “Damn bastards. Be careful not to hurt our own people.”

“Got it.”

He wrapped his face mask more tightly. “Shoot out the truck tires and those motorcycle fuel tanks.”

“You bet.”

He Feng switched guns and rolled to the other side of the slope, saying to Old Zhao who was positioned between two rocks for sniping, “I’m going around below. You pick off those devils by the truck behind.”

“Leave your back to me, don’t worry.”

Without waiting for Old Ji, He Feng took smoke grenades and continued toward the southwest. The devils’ attention was fully drawn by the two snipers searching for their positions, with no one noticing when he circled to the other side. He fired at the Japanese soldiers’ backs—one shot to the back of the head. Only after his third shot did the Japanese soldiers guarding the other truck notice his position and shout while surrounding him.

Four smoke grenades were thrown down from the hillside in succession. The crowd disappeared into thick smoke, unable to distinguish direction.

He Feng went northwest. The Japanese soldiers huddled together, randomly firing into the smoke with raised guns. He lay prone, slowly crawling forward until he rolled under the truck and around to the other side.

Old Zhao suddenly saw two trucks driving over majestically from the distance. He looked through his scope and saw the trucks packed with Japanese soldiers—at least forty of them. Only from his position could he see the reinforcements. He had to warn Li Changsheng and He Feng below. He pressed his gun and shouted down, “Devil reinforcements are coming!”

This shout completely exposed him.

The Japanese soldiers’ gun barrels immediately aimed in his direction, firing wildly. Old Zhao rolled to the other side. Just as he set up his gun again, a grenade was thrown up, landing a meter away from him. Unable to dodge in time, with a boom, he was blown right out and rolled down the slope.

In an instant, dense bullets swept vertically along his rolling path, leaving a winding trail of blood.

Li Changsheng gritted his teeth in hatred and fired at the leading squad leader. In his momentary fury, the bullet went wide and exposed his position.

Hugging his rifle, he quickly rolled backward to avoid the incoming grenades.

The reinforcing Japanese soldiers jumped from their trucks and quickly surrounded the execution ground. He Feng was forced to take cover behind the truck—any attempt to show his head would result in being shot full of holes. They were obviously prepared, and judging by the speed of support, they must have been waiting nearby, ready to swarm out at the first sound of gunfire.

Seeing the reinforcements arrive, Fujita Kiyono lifted the tarpaulin to get out but was suddenly locked around the neck by Xie Chi. She quickly took the knife from his waist and held it to his throat. “Don’t move.”

“I almost forgot—you’re also a spy.” Fujita Kiyono’s heart went cold. He laughed bitterly and, ignoring the blood mark on his neck, turned to look at her with bewildered eyes. “You really want to kill me?”

“Get down.” Xie Chi pushed him forward, kicking open the tarpaulin with her foot. Captain Kuroki turned and saw his hostage officer, immediately raising his gun at her. Xie Chi said in Japanese, “Take your men and withdraw, or I’ll kill him.”

As soon as she got off the truck, He Feng saw her.

Captain Kuroki raised his right hand, signaling the soldiers to retreat.

The smoke gradually dispersed, and figures became clear.

Li Changsheng found a new sniping position and aimed at Fujita Kiyono, but dared not shoot. Xie Chi kept moving while holding him, and he feared accidentally hitting her.

Old Ji drove over, charging straight through. He Feng immediately darted from under the truck and jumped onto his car.

Seeing the car approaching, Fujita Kiyono ignored the knife at his neck and grabbed Xie Chi’s hand, trying to restrain her. Xie Chi reacted extremely quickly, lifting her knee against his leg and twisting his right arm to pin him to the ground.

Gunfire ceased.

The car drove over. He Feng reached out his hand toward Xie Chi. She released Fujita Kiyono and moved toward him, but Fujita Kiyono grabbed her foot and dragged her back, using her momentum to lunge at He Feng, his hand going straight for his face mask. He Feng quickly blocked his hand. As they struggled, Fujita Kiyono was determined to remove his mask. He Feng tilted his head right to dodge, pressing one hand on his shoulder while striking at his neck with the other. Fujita Kiyono dodged extremely quickly, drawing his gun from his waist to shoot at He Feng. Before he could pull the trigger, a knife stabbed into his back shoulder. Xie Chi wrapped around his back, pressing the knife and driving it deeper. He Feng took the opportunity to kick him off the truck. Fujita Kiyono rolled and lay on the ground. Xie Chi pressed her knee against his arm, seized the gun from his hand and pointed it at his head. She said to He Feng, “Let’s take them first.”

Stray bullets had killed two of them. Amid Old Ji’s cursing, He Feng carried the three living people to the back.

Xie Chi got into the passenger seat and suddenly pushed Fujita Kiyono away. As the car started moving, her gun still pointed at Fujita Kiyono lying on the ground. At the last moment, she still didn’t pull the trigger, instead firing at the pursuing Japanese soldiers.

The car sped away.

Fujita Kiyono was covered in blood, so angry his teeth were trembling as he screamed hysterically, “Chase them down! Chase them down!”

All Japanese soldiers instantly boarded the later trucks.

Li Changsheng saw they had succeeded and ran toward where the car had come from, nimbly jumping onto the back.

Without reinforcements, this might have been a successful rescue.

Old Ji drove too aggressively, shaking Li Changsheng so much he couldn’t aim properly. Ammunition was already insufficient, so he dared not waste bullets.

The car drove at full speed. Old Ji took back roads and temporarily shook off the devils.

He Feng tore off his shirt to bind his right arm. Xie Chi looked through the small window anxiously. “You’re injured.”

“The bullet grazed by—it’s nothing.”

“Where are we going?”

“Leaving Shanghai.”

“How much ammunition is left?”

He Feng pulled out bullets. “Not much.”

Li Changsheng removed the hoods from the three rescued people and untied the ropes binding their hands. Two men had been beaten beyond recognition. The woman dressed as Xie Chi covered her eyes, unable to open them due to the sudden light.

Xie Chi didn’t recognize any of the three. They should be members of other cells. Due to secrecy issues, only a very few three people had direct contact with her.

Old Ji glanced at Xie Chi from the corner of his eye, then looked at her belly, saying coldly, “To save you, we sacrificed one brother.”

Xie Chi turned around. “I’m sorry.”

“What good is sorry? Can it bring back a life?”

“Old Ji.” He Feng frowned. “Don’t be harsh with her. If you want to scold someone, scold me.”

Old Ji sighed deeply and fell silent.

The car stopped at the edge of a forest. Everyone quickly got out. Xie Chi didn’t understand and asked Old Ji in the driver’s seat, “Why are we stopping here?”

“No cars travel through this area. The devils will quickly catch up following the tire tracks. We split up and run—I’ll lead them away.” Old Ji glared at her fiercely. “Why aren’t you getting out?”

Xie Chi jumped from the passenger seat and bowed to him. “Thank you.”

Old Ji didn’t want to look at her. “Get lost quickly.”

He Feng directly carried the severely injured man on his back and had Li Changsheng carry the other one. “Follow me.”

Xie Chi helped the woman out of the car. “Can you walk by yourself?”

The woman said nothing, just hummed in response.

The group walked into the forest. Old Ji drove on ahead.

The woman walked at the very back. When the people in front weren’t paying attention, she kicked off one shoe and threw it into the middle of the road, then used her toe to scratch a mark in the mud pointing toward the forest.

…

With two minutes left until three o’clock, Jiang Shouyue waited by the river, anxiously looking toward the forest. A’Ru waited on the boat with Guoqiang and another comrade. Just seeing figures appear, Jiang Shouyue breathed a great sigh of relief and quickly went to help the two severely tortured men onto the boat.

Suddenly there was movement in the forest. Li Changsheng raised his gun and aimed. “How did the devils find us?”

Xie Chi sat at the bow and reached back toward He Feng, but unexpectedly he handcuffed her, locking the other end to the boat. “What are you doing?”

He Feng pushed the boat away. “You leave first.”

Xie Chi gripped his sleeve tightly. “Let’s go together.”

“I have to stop them, or none of us will escape.”

“I’ll stay with you.”

“Don’t waste time.” He cupped the back of Xie Chi’s head and kissed her forcefully through his mask. “I’ll definitely catch up. Protect my son.”

Xie Chi’s eyes immediately reddened. “You knew.”

The voices grew closer. He Feng pushed her away forcefully. “Go.”

“He—” She didn’t dare call his name. In her urgency, she blurted out, “Young Master.”

He Feng paused but didn’t turn back, running with Li Changsheng in the opposite direction.