In the pouring rain of a dark night, more than a dozen spies silently made their way through the storm, letting the rain soak their straw raincoats and bamboo hats.
As they turned the corner at Anxi Street, a covert agent led out over ten warhorses.
The group mounted their horses and galloped toward the eastern market.
The sound of hooves splashing through puddles echoed like waves crashing against the ground.
Chen Ji, who had narrowly escaped death earlier, still felt a lingering fear in his heart.
He tightly gripped the reins, trying to adjust to the rhythm of the galloping horse to avoid falling off.
The pain in his neck made him almost believe that the Si Cao was still choking him.
However, Chen Ji had many doubts in his mind...
Jin Zhu, riding on his horse, turned to look at him.
"You seem different today, preoccupied with something. Did something happen at the Taiping Medical Hall?"
Chen Ji's heart sank.
Jin Zhu was skilled at reading people, and he wouldn't miss even the slightest clue.
Chen Ji gathered his wits and replied, "Reporting to Lord Jin Zhu, I was scolded by my master earlier. He told me to stop wandering around and focus on my studies."
Jin Zhu knew Chen Ji was hinting, "Don't come looking for me unless necessary," but he pretended not to notice and smiled.
"Ah, Physician Yao. I used to see him often in the capital years ago. When he was in the capital, he cured the leg ailment of the Grand Chancellor. Everyone in the Secret Spy Division holds him in high regard. Don't worry, you can tell him about your identity as a spy. He'll understand."
Seeing Chen Ji remain silent, Jin Zhu comforted him in a gentle tone, "Are you worried that capturing spies from the Jing Dynasty is too dangerous? Don't worry. Our Secret Spy Division is full of elite agents. Bai Long and Xuan She have driven the head of the Jing Dynasty's Military Intelligence Division into hiding in the capital, while Shi Gou and Bao Hou have them pinned down in Jinling. This land belongs to our Ning Dynasty, and we won't let them run wild."
Hearing this, Chen Ji fell into deep thought.
The Ning Dynasty's Secret Spy Division had the Twelve Zodiacs guarding it.
Did the Jing Dynasty's Military Intelligence Division only have one Si Cao struggling to hold things together?
In the hierarchy of the Jing Dynasty's Military Intelligence Division, above the Si Cao was the Division Head.
With just these two people managing such a vast intelligence network, it seemed incredibly understaffed.
Yet, this made Chen Ji even more suspicious.
The Si Cao he had seen today seemed different from the one he had encountered before.
At the Bailu Pavilion, the Si Cao had avoided looking into the eyes of his victims when killing them.
But tonight, the Si Cao had stared directly into Chen Ji's eyes, as if he enjoyed watching the life fade from his victims' gazes.
At the Bailu Pavilion, the Si Cao had preferred using a dagger, even when dealing with small fry like Chen Ji.
But tonight, the Si Cao hadn't drawn a blade.
At the Bailu Pavilion, the Si Cao had repeatedly mentioned Chen Ji's uncle.
But tonight, he hadn't brought it up at all.
The more Chen Ji thought about it, the stranger it seemed.
Was the person behind the Si Cao's mask the same as before? If it was the same person, how could he handle the entire intelligence network of the Military Intelligence Division while being so busy with the daily affairs of the Bailu Pavilion?
Chen Ji suddenly asked, "Lord Jin Zhu, is the head of the Jing Dynasty's Military Intelligence Division hiding in our capital?"
Jin Zhu nodded.
"Yes, according to the intelligence we've received. But the spies we've captured so far are all low-level. No one has seen his true face."
Chen Ji asked again, "What about Jinling? Who from the Military Intelligence Division is stationed there?"
"Naturally, it's the Si Cao. But we don't know who has come to Luocheng this time."
Chen Ji fell into deep thought.
...
Jin Zhu looked at Chen Ji and smiled.
"Why are you asking about their Si Cao and Division Head? Do you want to capture them? Ambitious! If you really catch them, you might just earn a spot among the Twelve Zodiacs. Then you won't lack cultivation methods, and the Grand Chancellor will ensure your rapid rise."
"Oh? Cultivation methods?" Chen Ji asked, puzzled.
"Does the Grand Chancellor have many cultivation methods?"
Jin Zhu laughed.
"What kind of person is the Grand Chancellor? Ten years ago, when he pacified the martial world, he collected many treasures. Otherwise, why do you think Yun Yang and Jiao Tu are so eager to earn merits? Their cultivation has stalled at the Innate Realm, and they need to achieve great merits to break through to the Seeking Dao Realm."
Chen Ji thought to himself, so that's how it is.
No wonder the Grand Chancellor could control so many officials.
He asked again, "Lord Jin Zhu, since we've already captured spies from the Jing Dynasty, shouldn't they know who we're after and what they look like? Why do you still need me?"
Jin Zhu chuckled.
"I have my own plans."
Chen Ji frowned.
He didn't understand Jin Zhu's intentions.
Jin Zhu was clearly different from Yun Yang and Jiao Tu.
Though he always wore a smile, he was like a bottomless pit—unfathomable and impossible to predict.
The group made their way through the rain and eventually arrived at Red Dress Alley.
Red Dress Alley was the liveliest place in Luocheng at night, filled with brothels, gambling dens, and restaurants.
If anyone wanted to make a name for themselves in Luocheng, they had to set up shop in Red Dress Alley.
At this moment, the brightly lit buildings were being pelted by the rain, which cascaded down from the eaves like curtains.
Countless women in vibrant clothes waved and flirted with the passersby below.
Even the heavy rain couldn't dampen the lively atmosphere of Red Dress Alley.
However, when the dozen or so riders from the Secret Spy Division arrived, all the women and patrons, upon seeing the stern bamboo hats and straw raincoats, quickly retreated indoors.
Some even hurriedly extinguished the candles in their rooms.
In just a few breaths, the presence of the Secret Spy Division was like a bucket of icy water poured over the entire alley.
The once-bustling Red Dress Alley fell into complete silence.
Jin Zhu laughed and looked at Chen Ji.
"See that? This is the power of the Secret Spy Division!"
The group dismounted in front of a gambling den called "Chaocang" and walked straight inside.
Inside, dozens of spies had already taken control of the place.
The gamblers and dealers were all crouched to the side.
The dealers, known as "nangjia," were essentially the equivalent of modern-day croupiers or record-keepers.
Jin Zhu lowered his voice and asked, "Where's the defector?"
A spy bowed and replied, "My lord, he's upstairs. He's willing to talk, but he insists on speaking to you directly. He says he has conditions to discuss."
"Lead the way!"
Chen Ji stood to the side, his heart pounding.
The Secret Spy Division had already captured the defector? If he followed them upstairs, wouldn't he be recognized immediately?
What should he do? Fight his way out? With so many spies around, and with his newly acquired status as a low-level official, he might be able to handle one or two spies, but how could he possibly fight his way out?
Jin Zhu climbed the stairs and turned back, looking at Chen Ji with confusion.
"Huh? Why aren't you coming up? We have a lot to do. Don't waste time."
Chen Ji said, "My lord, I'd like to stay downstairs and check if there are any other spies hiding among the gamblers."
Jin Zhu waved his hand dismissively.
"No need, no need. Come up quickly."
Chen Ji had no choice but to adjust his bamboo hat and reluctantly follow them upstairs.
On the second floor, Jin Zhu pushed open a door.
Hanging from the ceiling was a man, his hands bound with hemp rope and suspended from a beam.
Four spies stood guard around him, their hands resting on the hilts of their swords.
Chen Ji cautiously looked up and was shocked to see that the man's face had turned blue, with blood flowing from his seven orifices.
He was clearly dead.
A dead man couldn't identify him!
Chen Ji's palms were sweaty from nervousness, but he forced himself to remain calm and asked, "Lord Jin Zhu, since this is a defector and such a crucial figure, why kill him?"
"This man isn't the defector. He's the spy responsible for capturing the defector... What a mouthful! Haha, this man bit into a poison capsule and killed himself after we captured him," Jin Zhu explained with a smile.
Chen Ji's heart tightened again.
The defector was still alive!
Jin Zhu circled the hanging spy and praised, "The spies from the Jing Dynasty are all dead men. They're ruthless to others and even more ruthless to themselves. Over the years, it's been incredibly difficult for our Secret Spy Division to capture a live one. Do you know why?"
Chen Ji shook his head.
"No."
"On one hand, they clean up their own ranks quickly. As soon as someone is exposed, they immediately purge the entire intelligence chain from top to bottom, sacrificing the pawns to protect the king. Killing a few to save the whole is a wise move. As the saying goes, 'Kindness has no place in business, and mercy has no place in war.' The head of the Jing Dynasty's Military Intelligence Division is a formidable figure."
"On the other hand, they specifically choose spies with families to send on missions. If a spy defects, they arrest the spy's entire family back in the Jing Dynasty. The young ones—men are enslaved, and women are forced into prostitution. The old ones are executed outright."
Chen Ji felt a chill run down his spine.
The conflict between the spies of the two dynasties was truly brutal.
He asked, "What are your plans now, Lord Jin Zhu? Do you need me to track down the defector?"
"No rush, no rush. We only know that the defector is injured. We could have followed the trail of blood, but the heavy rain washed it all away. It's hard to track him now, but it's fine..."
Jin Zhu turned to a spy and asked, "Since we arrived, has anyone tried to send a message?"
The spy whispered, "The spy you suspected, my lord, quietly went to the restroom."
"Let him go. We'll wait here for the Jing Dynasty spies to come and silence him!"
Chen Ji suddenly understood.
Jin Zhu hadn't captured the defector tonight, nor did he plan to.
He had sealed off the entire gambling den and spread the word that they had captured the defector, luring the Si Cao of the Jing Dynasty's Military Intelligence Division to come and kill the witness!
Jin Zhu was betting that the Jing Dynasty's Military Intelligence Division hadn't captured the defector either and would have to come to silence him...
What a brilliant move!
This man was far more difficult to deal with than Yun Yang and Jiao Tu!
After a moment of silence, Chen Ji asked, "Lord Jin Zhu, why are you telling me all this?"
Jin Zhu smiled and grasped Chen Ji's hands.
"You don't understand. I'm different from Jiao Tu and Yun Yang. They like to snatch merits, but I prefer to give them away!"
"Oh?" Chen Ji was puzzled.
Jin Zhu patted the back of Chen Ji's hand.
"Those two are obsessed with cultivation. They want to use merits to climb higher in their cultivation. But I have no such ambitions. I don't seek immortality. Reaching the position of the Twelve Zodiacs is already difficult enough. Climbing any higher would likely mean castrating myself to replace Lord Wu Xiu in the palace. I don't care about the upper three or lower nine ranks. The lower nine are just fine. If the sky falls, the tall ones will hold it up!"
Chen Ji was speechless.
This Lord Jin Zhu truly understood the art of moderation.
Jin Zhu continued, "I like making friends. The Grand Chancellor personally ordered your entry into the Secret Spy Division, so I know you've caught his eye. The last person to be specially admitted into the Secret Spy Division was Tian Ma..."
"Oh?"
Jin Zhu smiled.
"Do you know who Tian Ma worked under when he first became a spy? Me. Back then, I helped him earn merits step by step, pushing him all the way to the position of Tian Ma. Now that he's achieved the upper three ranks, he naturally remembers my kindness. Don't worry, I'm not afraid of you surpassing me in rank. The higher you climb, the better... Just don't forget me."
"So, you called me here tonight to..."
"If we capture a Jing Dynasty spy tonight, half the merit will be yours, and half will be mine."
...
End of Chapter.