Chapter 35: The Truth Comes to Light, Merit and Glory Kept Hidden

Eliza returned to her office in a fit of rage. The office, formerly belonging to the captain of the Japanese military police, was spacious and bright, yet it still carried a lingering, stifling scent of disinfectant and blood. She kicked the door open and hurled her military cap onto the desk with such force that her golden curls tumbled down, adding a touch of wild charm to a face that was already striking.

"Vasily!" she roared toward the hallway.

The tall driver, Vasily, immediately rushed in and stood at attention. "Comrade Captain!"

"Get me the Harbin intelligence station on the line—highest encryption!" Eliza’s tone was absolute. "Also, send someone to Dalian. Use our connections in the 'Kwantung Leased Territory' to investigate a Japanese man named 'Masao Kobayashi.' I want his entire dossier—from birth to death—not a single detail missed!"

"Yes, ma'am!"

"And one more thing!" A cold light flashed in Eliza’s blue eyes. "Send two of our sharpest agents to Laohegou Village. I want them to dig into that bastard named Wang Erhu. I want to know everyone he associates with, how he makes a living, and what he’s been up to—I want to know everything!"

She did not believe that a low-life hoodlum like Wang Erhu would provoke Xu Feng for no reason. There was definitely something behind this.

Vasily took his orders and departed, leaving Eliza alone in the office. She walked to the window and stared out into the pitch-black night, her mind a tangled mess. Xu Feng’s face, with its faint, rogue-like smirk, and his words—"Living a quiet life, what’s wrong with that?"—circled in her mind like a curse.

Quiet? Was a man like Xu Feng capable of living a quiet life? A man who could turn a starving wolf into dinner in the snowy woods—would he really be content to spend his days farming and hunting in a small mountain village with a Japanese woman? She didn't believe it. Yet, the exhaustion in his eyes had seemed so genuine.

Eliza ran her hands through her hair, frustrated. She felt as though she had fallen into a massive enigma, and at the center of that puzzle was the very bastard she both loved and hated.

Meanwhile, in another room, Lin Xue was undergoing "questioning." Unlike Xu Feng’s holding cell, this room was much cleaner and even featured a table and two chairs. The officer in charge of the interrogation was a kind-looking female Soviet lieutenant wearing glasses; she spoke excellent Chinese, and a clerk sat beside her to record the statements.

"Don't be nervous, miss," the lieutenant said, handing her a cup of hot water. "This is just a routine inquiry."

Lin Xue held the warm cup with both hands and nodded. She kept the silent lip-reading of Xu Feng’s last words firmly in mind: *Don't be afraid.*

She continued to play the part of the terrified, mute, and pitiful orphan. No matter what the lieutenant asked, she would only shake or nod her head, her eyes filled with just the right amount of timidity and bewilderment. When asked about her background, she wrote the words "orphan" and "Old Li" on her palm.

Her performance was flawless. The image of a frail girl, shattered by the war, having lost her family and left unable to speak, was perfectly rendered. The lieutenant clearly let her guard down. After a few routine questions, she ended the session, though she informed Lin Xue that she could not leave just yet.

Lin Xue was taken to a clean dormitory to rest. She lay on the bed, eyes fixed on the ceiling. She wasn't worried about her own safety; she was worried about Xu Feng. That man, facing such an imposing blonde officer all by himself—could he handle it?

...

Early the next morning, the heavy door of the cell opened again. This time, it wasn't just Eliza who walked in. Behind her followed a Soviet female soldier carrying a meal tray.

Xu Feng was sitting against the wall. He hadn't slept all night, yet his eyes were clear, devoid of bloodshot veins. He looked at Eliza, then at the contents of the tray—black bread, borscht, and a small slab of butter. Not a bad meal.

"Looks like there's a result?" Xu Feng smiled, standing up and stretching his stiff neck.

Eliza didn't speak. She simply tossed the thick file on Masao Kobayashi toward him. It was an express delivery from Dalian, far more detailed than any telegram. It contained photos, his service record, and even photocopies of intelligence reports he had personally delivered.

Xu Feng took the file and flipped through it page by page. His expression was one of intense focus. The more he read, the brighter the light in his eyes became. The Masao Kobayashi in the files was an even greater anti-war activist than he had imagined. Not only did he provide intelligence to the Soviet military, but he had also used his position to repeatedly sabotage Japanese supply lines and had funded and sheltered countless Chinese and Korean anti-Japanese fighters. At the end of the file lay a secret commendation signed by the commander of the Soviet Far Eastern Military District, posthumously awarding Kobayashi the "Order of the Red Banner."

He was a true hero.

Xu Feng let out a long breath and closed the file. His face was filled with genuine joy and respect. He was happy that Lin Xue had such a father.

"Well, Mr. 'Cripple'?" Eliza leaned against the doorframe with her arms crossed, her tone carrying an indefinable weight. "Now, do you have anything else to say?"

"Thank you." Xu Feng handed the files back to her, his voice profoundly sincere.

"So, can we go now?" he asked.

"Of course," Eliza nodded. "I will go to Laohegou Village myself to explain everything to the villagers. As for the girl..."

Eliza glanced outside. Lin Xue was being led by the female soldier and was standing at the end of the corridor, looking toward them with visible unease.

"I will report her father's identity to my superiors. As the daughter of a hero, she can receive the protection of the Soviet Union. She can live in the light, without having to pretend to be deaf and mute anymore."

However, Xu Feng shook his head.

"No."

Eliza’s brow furrowed. "What?"

"Eliza," Xu Feng looked at her, his expression turning exceptionally serious. "Don't do that."

"Why?" Eliza couldn't understand. "Don't you want to clear your own name? Don't you want her to live a normal life?"

"Clear my name?" Xu Feng laughed at himself. "To those villagers, the fact that the Soviet army took me and then released me is clearance enough. For you to go and explain it further would only be gilding the lily."

"I just want to be a dead man," he repeated his earlier sentiment. "A hero who is alive and has connections to a Soviet captain is too conspicuous. A 'cripple' who is dead to the world and scraping by in a village is the only way to be safe."

Eliza fell silent. She had to admit that while Xu Feng’s words were blunt, they held truth. In this chaotic place, staying low-profile was often more important than honor.

"And what about her?" Eliza pointed toward Lin Xue. "Are you going to make her be a 'dead person' with you? She has the right to be proud of her father!"

"Honor is for the dead; the living need to survive." Xu Feng's voice was soft, yet every word struck home. "Once her identity as a hero's daughter is made public, what will happen? Your Soviet army will use her as a propaganda banner, the Nationalist government will see her as a target to recruit, and those lurking Japanese spies and bandits will see her as a target for revenge or extortion."

He looked at Eliza, enunciating every word: "Everyone will come looking for her, looking for her father’s 'legacy,' looking for that 'gold' that she doesn't even know exists. You aren't giving her protection; you're roasting her over an open fire."

"And as it is now?" Xu Feng’s lips curled into a helpless arc. "An unwanted Japanese orphan living with a crippled hunter in the deep mountains. Who would give us a second glance? That is the best protection she could ever have."