NFBE Chapter 1942: Counter-espionage
Chapter 1942: Counter-espionage
"Fuck!"
Upon hearing this, Wang Defa couldn't help but swear, rubbing his hands excitedly. "Little Li, you mean... you want Cuihua to become our spy? To work together from the inside and outside, and really screw over Little Buddha?"
"Is this...is this okay?"
Song Ziming also became agitated, but more so with doubt. "If she was truly coerced, she must be terrified. How could she dare to turn around and become a double agent for us? And how do we gain her trust? What if we end up becoming double agents ourselves..."
Li Xiangnan waved his hand, signaling the two to calm down.
"So, the premise is that 'she was really coerced,' and we must first ensure the absolute safety of Cuihua and Lao Lantou. This will relieve her biggest worry, and then there will be nothing to worry about!"
"Secondly, we must always make her believe that we are capable of protecting them, and even more capable of dealing with those who are coercing her!"
"Finally, we must convince Cuihua that standing on our side is the only way to break free from their control and allow the father and daughter to truly live in peace!"
At this point, Li Xiangnan took out a cigarette and offered it to the two of them, then continued, "Moreover, I've observed Lan Cuihua. After spending these days with her, I've found that she has a strong will, is filial, and is reasonable."
"If she was truly coerced, then she must be filled with pain and struggle. If we can offer her timely help and give her a real sense of security and hope, I believe there is a very high chance she will switch sides! Of course, we still need to approach and work with her carefully, and we cannot be too hasty!"
Wang Defa and Song Ziming were deeply moved, yet also felt immense pressure.
This is like walking a tightrope; one wrong step and you lose everything.
Wang Defa took a deep drag on his cigarette. "So what do we do now? Just go back and wait?"
"of course not!"
Li Xiangnan shook his head, clearly already having a plan. "First, we definitely need to confirm whether Lan Cuihua and her father are currently safe. And, most importantly, is it as I suspect, that someone has recently started contacting her, putting pressure on her, and assigning her tasks? We need a pair of eyes, and reliable eyes that can't arouse anyone's suspicion!"
He glanced at the two men and finally made a decision: "It's best to leave this to Cheng Kui! There are many people in the brothel, so they can take turns keeping watch. Even if he bumps into Lan Cuihua, she won't recognize him!"
“I considered sending Zhang Long and Zhao Hu, but Lan Cuihua has already met them both. Anyone with a bit of sense would know I'm suspicious of her if they saw them near my home! Boss Cheng and the others from the brothel are more suitable!”
"The people in the brothel are all quite skilled, have a steady temperament, and are as strong as oxen. Moreover, they come from humble backgrounds and can blend into the streets very well. They are good at counter-surveillance and covert reconnaissance! Sending them to monitor the Lan family's area will not easily cause misunderstandings!"
"That's great! They really are the least noticeable people!" Wang Defa exclaimed in realization.
"Moreover," Li Xiangnan exhaled a puff of smoke, "I will still have a great use for the Red Star Gang Room in the future, so we can't waste so many resources! Let them have a sense of participation in some things, so I can also assess their abilities and methods! To prepare for the future!"
Song Ziming was full of admiration: "Brother Nan is always so farsighted!"
He paused, then immediately asked, "But Brother Nan, I still want to remind you, they won't act impulsively out of loyalty like they did when they asked you before, will they? For example, if they see someone who really is Little Buddha, they might get excited and go to the Lan family to arrest him first?"
Li Xiangnan waved his hand: "I'll talk to Cheng Kui first. This is just preliminary observation and confirmation; we shouldn't have any direct confrontation! If you find anything unusual, be sure to notify me first! The old man from the morgue was different before and after his accident..."
He then chuckled and said, "But you're right, that's why we need to assess people! Only by using them can we know who is suitable for us!"
Li Xiangnan glanced at the sky and stubbed out his cigarette: "Remember, when you get back, act as usual, especially in front of Mom, Grandma, and Ruobai. Don't mention this matter! Treat Cuihua the same way, be polite and grateful as usual!"
"Know!"
The three of them said no more and hurriedly returned to the vicinity of the courtyard house.
Outside the Jiaodaokou Supply and Marketing Cooperative, Li Xiangnan gestured to Cheng Kui, who was fanning himself with a felt hat, and said, "Brother Cheng, I have something to tell you!"
Without saying a word, Cheng Kui got up and followed. The two walked to a quiet spot outside the public toilet and started smoking.
Li Xiangnan succinctly conveyed his plans and doubts to Cheng Kui.
After listening, Cheng Kui showed no hesitation or surprise on his dark and simple face; his eyes simply became more focused.
"Don't worry about this. If the young master really wants to target her, we won't let him off the hook! Don't worry, the gangsters have done plenty of surveillance on this! Besides, this concerns your family, so no one dares to be careless! I'll make arrangements immediately, mainly to see if there are any unfamiliar faces around her house, or if anyone has been in contact with her, to ensure the safety of her father and daughter. I will inform you immediately if there are any developments!"
"Tell the brothers to be careful. If they notice anything amiss, prioritize their own safety and don't try anything rash!" Li Xiangnan solemnly instructed. "And you guys take this with you!"
He handed over a whistle. "We blow this thing in an emergency. The Lan family lives close to our yard, so they'll know something's happened as soon as they hear it!"
Cheng Kui took the whistle, put it away, nodded to Li Xiangnan and the other two, and his figure disappeared into the alley like a wild cat blending into the night.
With everything arranged, Li Xiangnan and the others finally breathed a sigh of relief, but their nerves were on edge even more.
Back in the courtyard, my parents went to bed, and my grandmother also went back to the back room to rest.
Qin Ruobai and Xiao Xitang went to sleep, leaving only a small lamp on.
Li Xiangnan quietly washed up and went to bed.
That night, Li Xiangnan didn't sleep well, his mind racing with various possibilities until the sky began to lighten.
For the next two days, the courtyard appeared peaceful and serene on the surface.
Xu Damao's family became the focus of attention in the entire hospital, with people coming in droves to deliver millet, eggs, and brown sugar.
Under Li Xiangnan's care, Qin Cuilian's morning sickness symptoms were significantly reduced, and her face regained its radiance. Xu Damao was overjoyed all day long, offering cigarettes to everyone he met, and suddenly looked ten years younger.
The Yuan Zhencheng couple seemed to have adjusted their mindset. When they occasionally encountered Li Xiangnan, they smiled more and even took the initiative to inquire about Qin Cuilian's situation. However, Li Xiangnan clearly saw the longing in their eyes, made a mental note of it, and thought he would take the initiative to talk to them again in a few days.
Lan Cuihua still comes every day, sometimes in the morning and sometimes in the afternoon, to help with housework, keep Tang Qingshuang company, and play with Xiao Xitang.
Her expression and demeanor were no different from usual; she was still that diligent, shy, and grateful girl.
Li Xiangnan had observed secretly but had not found any obvious flaws.
There was no news from Cheng Kui either, as if it was all just Li Xiangnan's paranoia.
However, this tranquility was shattered on the afternoon of the third day.
Ding Yuqiu arrived, and Li Xiangnan was inside talking to her about the insurance coverage of employees at Chunyu Medical's No. 1 and No. 2 factories, while also considering whether to assign some staff from the quay to the security departments of factories and hospitals.
Suddenly, a rapid bicycle bell rang from the gate, and Liu Yiming practically rushed into the backyard.
He was dressed in casual clothes, his forehead covered in sweat, and Tiger Thorn was also moving rapidly, his face showing a complex expression of shock, confusion, and urgency.
Without even greeting Qin Ruobai inside, he rushed straight to Li Xiangnan, saying anxiously and in a panic, "Advisor Li, Captain Guo told me to come find you immediately. Pudu Temple is on fire... and strange things are happening!"
"Fire? Strange thing?"
Li Xiangnan jumped to his feet. "What's going on?"
"Just after noon today, another outbuilding in the backyard suddenly caught fire, damaging quite a few things..."
"Was anyone injured or killed?" Li Xiangnan asked, frowning. He had a feeling that something was wrong with Pudu Temple catching fire at this time; perhaps someone wanted to destroy something.
"Advisor Li, that's not the point. The point is we found a box at the scene!" Liu Yiming's voice trembled as he stared at Li Xiangnan with a strange look. "When we opened the box, it wasn't filled with gold or silver jewelry, nor with documents, but rather a box full of..."
He paused, seemingly unsure how to describe it accurately, took a deep breath, and emphasized a word that made Li Xiangnan's pupils shrink: "They are clay figures, all kinds, strangely shaped, painted clay figures, and, moreover, the face of one of the clay figures..."
Liu Yiming's face turned pale as he looked at Li Xiangnan:
"Captain Guo said that the clay figure looks... about five or six points similar to a photo of your grandmother when she was young, and he asked me to make sure you come over..."
"???"