thefictionvixens Chapter 60: We cannot retreat. Even if it costs us all, we must stay here and wait.
Chapter 60: We cannot retreat. Even if it costs us all, we must stay here and wait.
Seeing the stationmaster's absent-minded appearance, Fu Jingnian quickly lit a cigarette for Wang Tianmu!
Li Guanyu, who had just learned from Shi Yongcheng's outburst in the telegram that he had made a "huge" mistake, also brought over a glass of water in a panic!
Wang Tianmu mechanically took the cigarette and took a deep drag, forcing himself to calm down!
He simply couldn't imagine the inhuman torture that Ma Gui was currently enduring.
Although he had confidence in the loyalty and willpower of Ma Gui, a protégé of the Chairman and an elite student of the second class of the Whampoa Military Academy, the Special Higher Police's methods were endless. He even learned through the "barbed wire" that the Japanese army also had that terrible "scopolamine" drug!
Although the chances of this drug successfully extracting information and turning someone into an idiot are each 50%.
But no one can absolutely guarantee that Ma Gui will definitely be one of the 50% chances of becoming an idiot!
What does it mean if the methylsiloxane can no longer withstand the effects, or if the medication takes effect?
This means that the headquarters address, personnel composition, and even radio frequency of the Shanghai station may have been exposed!
Seeing Wang Tianmu still hesitating, Deputy Station Master Fu Jingnian said anxiously, "Station Master, we can't wait any longer, we must activate 'Awakening of Insects' immediately!"
Activate the "Awakening of Insects" contingency plan immediately!
Our headquarters location may have been exposed! We must destroy the documents, relocate our personnel, and evacuate immediately!
Move to a safe house in Nanshi that Ma Gui doesn't know about!
"Yes! Stationmaster, there's no time to hesitate! It'll be too late if we delay any longer!" Lu Qiaoshan, the smiling tiger, urged anxiously. However, his eyes suddenly shifted, and he glanced at the hesitant Wang Tianmu. With his high intelligence, he immediately thought of a certain possibility, but he didn't say it out loud.
All eyes were on Wang Tianmu, waiting for him to give the order for an emergency evacuation of all personnel.
However, Wang Tianmu seemed to be nailed to the spot, his face filled with extremely painful struggle and entanglement!
He abruptly looked up at the still-dark night sky outside the window, then glanced at the silent black telephone on the table, and let out a low growl like that of a trapped beast:
"No...we can't retreat! Now...we absolutely cannot retreat now!" Wang Tianmu roared, sounding as if he had lost his mind!
"Stationmaster, why?!" Everyone asked in unison, incredulous.
"Why? Why? How would I know why?"
No!!! I know why, but I can't tell you. It's top secret. Anyway, we can't withdraw. Not only can we not withdraw, but we've been doing it for years!
Wang Tianmu slammed his hand on the table, a savage glint in his eyes like that of a mad gambler. “Not only can we not retreat, but we also have to bring all our brothers here, and all our subordinates from the Green and Red Gangs, Yizhantang, and the Coachmen’s Association!”
"Send as many people as you can, bring all the machine guns, grenades, and explosives from the station."
Wang Tianmu's roar echoed in the office, carrying an almost manic determination.
His words stunned everyone, as if they had heard the most unbelievable command.
"Not withdrawing?! Station Chief, are you crazy?!" Fu Jingnian was the first to react, and stepped forward hurriedly, his voice trembling with urgency. "If Ma Gui falls into the hands of the Special Higher Police, even if he is the Chairman's protégé and a tough guy, who can guarantee that he can withstand all the measures?"
Especially that damned scopolamine! Our position may have been exposed, and the Japanese could pounce at any moment!
We must relocate immediately to preserve our strength. As the station chief said, "Where there's life, there's hope!"
"Yes, station chief! Now is not the time to act rashly!" Lu Qiaoshan hurriedly advised, cold sweat beading on his forehead. "The lives of our brothers are the most important! Let's retreat to the safe house in Nanshi first, and then discuss this further!"
"Green hills? What use are bare green hills without firewood?!" Wang Tianmu's eyes were bloodshot as he waved his arms wildly. He couldn't bring himself to say anything about the "harbinger bird" or the top-secret intelligence that was about to be revealed—a top secret that Boss Dai had strictly ordered him to know alone!
He could only transform it into a fanatical belief, roaring almost frantically, "I believe in Ma Gui!"
I believe in his loyalty to the Party and the country! He is the one for whom the Chairman personally inscribed the words, "The snow-capped mountains are cold for eternity, yet the Emei Peak shines alone!"
It's Mount Emei, the iron man who still gets to take a solo photo!
He can at least buy us one day! One day!
Just one day!
We might only have half a day if we're lucky, but we can't retreat!
Not only can we not withdraw, we also need to transfer all our personnel here!
Turn this place into a fortress! We'll wait here...wait for something important!
We have to wait!
Over the years, Qiaoshan, Guanyu, Yongcheng, Liangjun, Mingtai, listen to me.
Some things..............
More important than life itself!
"I'm the station manager, what I say goes, wait..."
His words were illogical and his eyes were glazed over; he was clearly on the verge of collapse due to immense pressure and unspeakable expectations.
He thought of the intelligence concerning the second phase of the Japanese offensive and even the entire war situation, and of the time, location, and objectives of the five Japanese armies' attack on the capital that the "Good News Bird" had previously sent...
Details were provided for each individual platoon, with an accuracy of zero error, not even half a day's time.
Top-level strategic intelligence...........
The thought that if they couldn't obtain the intelligence, tens of thousands, or even hundreds of thousands, of Nationalist soldiers might lose their lives on the battlefield...
Even the key moments of the second phase of the battle may only take up a single day or half a day!
He can't leave; if he leaves, all his efforts will be in vain!
Although Wang Tianmu knew his abilities were average and his emotions unstable (Wang Tianmu's nickname was "The Madman with Divine Ears," while the four top military intelligence officers Chen Gongshu was nicknamed "The Ruthless Scholar," Zhao Lijun was nicknamed "The Life-Chasing Tai Sui," and Shen Zui was nicknamed "The Killing Machine"), he relied more on his background at the Baoding Military Academy, where many bigwigs from the Baoding clique had been his teachers, and on the recommendation of his backers to become the station chief!
But Wang Tianmu was confident that he would still be willing to give up his life when faced with matters of great importance!
As Fu Jingnian looked at Wang Tianmu, who seemed to have gone mad, his heart sank deeper and deeper.
He understood Wang Tianmu's desire for merit and his obsession with being promoted to major general, but he had never seen him lose his mind like this.
The Wang Tianmu before me has been consumed by some kind of illusory obsession, and he is actually willing to gamble the entire elite of the Shanghai station on something "important" that he can't even describe!
"Station Chief! I'm so sorry! You'll kill all the brothers if you do this!" A resolute glint flashed in Fu Jingnian's eyes; he could no longer hesitate.
He quietly gave a wink to Li Guanyu, the expert operative standing behind Wang Tianmu.
Li Guanyu immediately understood. Taking advantage of the moment when Wang Tianmu was emotionally agitated and waving his arms, he silently stepped forward, his right palm like a knife, and struck Wang Tianmu's left neck with lightning speed!
The palm strike contains a subtle force, capable of instantly rendering someone unconscious without causing serious injury.
Wang Tianmu's attention was entirely focused on Fu Jingnian and Lu Qiaoshan in front of him, and he was completely unaware of the attack coming from behind.
He felt a tingling sensation at the back of his neck, followed by a wave of intense dizziness that surged to his head. His vision blurred and began to spin, and his roar turned into meaningless hoarse sounds. He tried incredulously to turn his head to look at Li Guanyu, but his body slumped down uncontrollably.
Fu Jingnian hurriedly stepped forward, supported the limp Wang Tianmu, and said to the crowd with a heavy heart, "The stationmaster has fainted temporarily due to a sudden surge of anger."
I'm now in charge! Execute the "Awakening of Insects" contingency plan immediately! Quickly!
At the command, everyone sprang into action as if wound up. The intensive training was showing its effectiveness at that moment.
Telecommunications team leader Shi Yongcheng rushed to the communications room first, yelling at the telegraph operator, "Quickly! Send an emergency warning message to all known outposts and teams: 'Home base on fire, evacuate immediately! Evacuate immediately!' Repeat the message until we confirm all units have received it before we leave!"
On the other side, the team members quickly opened the filing cabinet, took out stacks of documents, threw them into a prepared tin bucket, poured gasoline on it, and set it on fire. Flames shot into the air, engulfing the papers, and thick smoke billowed out, reflecting the anxious yet resolute faces of the team members.
The radio was dismantled, key components were smashed, and the codebook was carefully hidden away by Shi Yongcheng.
Fu Jingnian commanded with composure: "Qiaoshan, take your men to cover the technical department! Guanyu, take your men to the first floor and the front and back doors to set up booby traps and delayed-detonation devices to block the pursuers!"
Yongcheng, after you finish sending the message, immediately bring the radio and codebook and come with us!
The rest of you, carrying light weapons and essential supplies, will evacuate through the secret passage in five minutes!
In a very short time, the entire headquarters of Shanghai Station, like a highly efficient machine, prepared for self-destruction and evacuation. The air was filled with the acrid smell of burning paper, gasoline, and a suffocating sense of tension.