Chapter 11: Farewell to Cen Anyan Again

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System Training Ground.

Although Zhang Anping was breathing heavily, he was grinning from ear to ear.

He had finally completed the difficult instance for the first time!

The one-hundred-point reward had been credited to his account.

Together with the reward points for joining the Secret Service Bureau, he now had 243 points in hand.

Of these, 100 were for joining the Secret Service Bureau, 100 were for completing the difficult combat instance, and 40 were for capturing a Japanese spy.

He opened the exchange screen, and one skill after another appeared before him:

Advanced Pistol Handling, Intermediate Rifle Handling, Advanced Hand-to-Hand Combat, Advanced Disguise, Advanced Voice Alteration, Advanced Rapid Sketching...

Even though Zhang Anping had seen them countless times, the sight of that dazzling array of skills still made him drool.

They were simply too extraordinary.

The description for Advanced Pistol Handling, for example, read:

“After learning this skill, your pistol-handling ability will rank among the top five hundred to eight hundred in the world.”

For an agent, proficiency with a pistol was essential. Seeing that it cost a full 100 points, Zhang Anping gritted his teeth and exchanged for it.

After much deliberation, he spent his remaining 100 points on Advanced Hand-to-Hand Combat. If he had been even stronger in close combat while clearing the difficult instance, he certainly would have completed it much sooner.

Once the two advanced skills had been exchanged, the tycoon who had possessed 243 points only a moment earlier was back among the ranks of the poor. He left the final 43 points untouched, saving them for a crucial moment.

...

When Zhang Anping returned home that evening, his mother, Wang Chunlian, handed him a letter.

“Your letter!”

Wang Chunlian asked curiously, “Was it written by some girl?”

“I wish it had been. It was written by one of my former teachers. Let me see what it says.”

Without showing the slightest change in expression, Zhang Anping opened the letter in front of his mother.

There was naturally nothing suspicious in its contents. In essence, it said: For various reasons, I have resigned from my position and have now come to Nanjing. I heard that you are in Nanjing, so I would like to invite you to meet.

Zhang Anping smiled. “He’s probably looking for my help. I happen to be free tonight, so I’ll go see him.”

“Since he was your teacher, you must help if you can, understand? You’re new to Nanjing. If you can’t handle it yourself, ask your father for help, understand?”

“I understand. Father is the God of Wealth and knows everyone. Mother, I won’t be eating at home tonight. Tell Father when he gets back.”

“Are you taking someone out to dinner? Do you have enough money? If not, I’ll give you some.”

“I still have a little in my private fund. I’ll ask if I run out. I’ll get ready and leave now, so don’t worry about me!”

Zhang Anping casually placed the letter in the study his mother had specially cleared out for him. After splashing some water on his face, he mounted the bicycle she had bought for him a few days earlier and headed straight for Cen Anyan.

Cen Anyan had actually been in Nanjing for several days, but he had not hurried to contact Zhang Anping. He had waited until now mainly because he needed time to observe him. Although he believed that a “comrade” who had been sending money for more than three years could not possibly be a problem, the necessary procedures still had to be followed.

His decision to contact Zhang Anping now meant that Zhang Anping had passed the required investigation.

Knock, knock, knock.

A rhythmic knocking sounded at the door.

Cen Anyan, who had been reading inside, rose and opened it. As expected, Zhang Anping stood outside.

“Teacher Cen, this place of yours is really hard to find!”

“How could you just quit your job for no reason?”

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Zhang Anping boomed the question the moment they met.

Cen Anyan thought bitterly:

Are you never going to get tired of that vulgar joke?

His reputation at Tongji Affiliated Secondary School had been ruined beyond repair!

Underground Party members had exceptionally strong nerves, but being discussed constantly as someone who solicited prostitutes late at night—and who lasted less than ten minutes at that—had nearly made even him die of shame.

Cen Anyan shut the door with a dark expression.

“Comrade Katyusha, that’s enough!”

“Don’t be angry, Teacher Cen. I’m doing this for your own good—hehe.”

Zhang Anping gave another mischievous chuckle. Seeing Cen Anyan’s displeasure, he immediately straightened his expression and asked seriously, “Teacher Cen, have you found another job?”

“I submitted applications to two schools.”

“Don’t go to a school.” Zhang Anping said, “Have you heard of the New Min Daily? How about working there as an anti-communist writer?”

The New Min Daily?

Cen Anyan paused. As an underground Party member, he naturally knew the paper. It was the mouthpiece established by the Revival Society, and a notorious anti-Red newspaper.

Anti-Red?

“What exactly do you mean?”

“You’re my contact, so your safety comes first. When it comes to security, how could a school compare with hiding in the New Min Daily? If you work at that newspaper, it will also be more convenient for me to contact you in the future. As for your public identity, you can pose as an anti-communist, responsible for smearing our Party in the newspaper. What do you think?”

Cen Anyan’s expression changed, and he rejected the idea without hesitation.

“No!”

To personally slander the faith he held dear would have been more painful to Cen Anyan than death itself.

“Teacher Cen, you are my only contact and my only weakness. Only by hiding you somewhere the Nationalist secret agents would never think to look can I guarantee your safety to the greatest extent possible.”

“I have yet to make use of the power of public opinion, and those newspapers that specialize in attacking the communists are precisely the tools I intend to use. Think it over carefully.”

Zhang Anping did not force him, but he believed that, given the convictions of an underground Party member, Cen Anyan would ultimately choose to sacrifice his reputation.

Cen Anyan was about to ask more, but Zhang Anping interrupted him.

“Let’s discuss business.”

“The special training class has been confirmed. In a few days, the secret-service organizations of the Shanghai District, Tianjin District, Beiping Station, Hunan Station, Zhejiang Station, and others will recruit students from the universities under the name of the Central Police Academy. You can have the organization send people to participate. I’m currently working in the Background Investigation Section of the Preparatory Office, specifically handling background checks.”

Cen Anyan had already reported the matter to Sister Qian.

She had taken it extremely seriously and ordered Cen Anyan to cooperate with Zhang Anping unconditionally. Cen Anyan had voiced concerns about security, but Sister Qian had said that Zhang Anping could be trusted without reservation.

“I have a list here.” Cen Anyan tapped his temple. “Would you like me to recite it?”

Zhang Anping refused. “No need. I’ll relax the standards during the investigation.”

What a joke. All three people working in the Background Investigation Section were underground Party members. Why would he need a list in order to let them through?

He simply had not anticipated that such a situation would arise.

Of course, he could not reveal to Cen Anyan that Lu Zongfang and Zheng Yaoxian were underground Party members. For one thing, Cen Anyan and those two men were certainly not in the same line of communication. For another, even if he told him, he would have no way to explain how he had identified them.

Hearing this, Cen Anyan’s trust in Zhang Anping rose another level.

“What other intelligence do you have?”

“My maternal great-uncle has ‘disappeared.’ I suspect he went to Guangdong. The air force there may have been bought off. There’s also...”

Zhang Anping revealed a mass of intelligence concerning the Liangguang Incident. Some of it consisted of information that had circulated in later generations, while the rest came from scattered rumors he had heard within the Secret Service Bureau and analyzed himself.

Cen Anyan listened intently and memorized every word.

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After finishing, Zhang Anping took out a bank certificate. It was from Citibank, and the amount was thirty thousand U.S. dollars.

Cen Anyan accepted it, puzzled.

“What is this?”

“Global Trading has acquired an old bullet-production line. It should arrive in Shanghai in about a month. It’s outdated equipment discarded by an American arms manufacturer, with only average output. Global Trading should put it up for sale in a few days. Have the organization contact them, buy it, and find a way to transport it to our side.”

“The asking price probably won’t be low. The organization will have to find the rest of the money.”

The equipment had been obtained by one of Zhang Anping’s agents, but he could not simply give it to the underground Party. He could not appear personally either. He could only have the organization contact York and Bianchi.

One reason was to protect himself from exposure. The other was to play it safe: even if the Secret Service Bureau discovered that the two men had sold the production line to the underground Party, they would never dare cause trouble for Americans.

Besides, under his guidance, the two men had long since evolved into utterly unscrupulous businessmen. Once the production line was in their hands, they would certainly mark it up several times over, perhaps even tenfold.

Zhang Anping truly had no money to spare at present. Most of the proceeds from the sale of his shares had been left with his agents in America, while the equipment had to be purchased through Global Trading. There was no way the company would give it away for free.

Cen Anyan could barely contain his excitement. A bullet-production line was of immense importance to the Soviet Area. Though it was secondhand equipment discarded by an American manufacturer, the organization had no channels through which it could easily acquire anything like it.

“Comrade Katyusha, on behalf of the organization—”

“Don’t thank me. It’s what I should do.” Zhang Anping stopped him before he could finish.

Cen Anyan was overwhelmed with emotion. He wanted to introduce Zhang Anping to the Party immediately, but in the end he managed to restrain himself, deciding that it would not be too late to do so after the production line reached the Soviet Area.

“By the way, the organization probably doesn’t have suitable workers, does it? Take this list.”

Zhang Anping produced another document.

“These seven men are workers from the production line. They’ll come over with it. When the time comes, have the organization send people to contact them and ask them to teach everyone how to operate the equipment. Their wages will be paid by the Americans.”

He had thought of everything.

Cen Anyan truly did not know how to express his gratitude. All he could do was clasp Zhang Anping’s hand tightly, unwilling to let go for a long time.

“I’m leaving. Teacher Cen, think carefully about my suggestion.”

Zhang Anping did not waste words. He had said everything that needed to be said, so there was naturally no reason to stay. He took his leave.

Cen Anyan gritted his teeth.

“I’ll apply to the New Min Daily tomorrow!”

He had made up his mind.

Zhang Anping’s value was simply too great. He had even managed to obtain a bullet-production line. As his contact, Cen Anyan’s safety truly could not be neglected. He absolutely could not allow his own actions to put Zhang Anping in danger. Under such circumstances, what did one man’s personal disgrace matter?

Zhang Anping could hear the desperate resolve in Cen Anyan’s voice. He clasped his hand and said softly:

“Teacher Cen, let us strive together for the light!”

...

As the mouthpiece of the Revival Society, the New Min Daily was not actually easy to enter.

But through his father Zhang Guanf u’s connections, Zhang Anping found Cen Anyan a way in, and he entered directly. The New Min Daily also accepted funding from the Secret Service Bureau. The God of Wealth was not called that for nothing; arranging a position for one person was truly effortless.

Because of the newspaper’s special status, the Secret Service Bureau also had the Shanghai District investigate Cen Anyan.

After learning the circumstances from Tongji Affiliated Secondary School, the Shanghai District replied directly:

“This man absolutely cannot be a communist.”

The answer was firm and unequivocal, thanks to the issue of Cen Anyan’s “personal conduct.”

Years later, when Cen Anyan learned the conclusion the Secret Service Bureau had reached after investigating him, a thought suddenly burst into his mind:

That night, when Zhang Anping had visited him dressed as a woman, had he already planned out his future for him?