Chapter 20: The Perfect Scheme

Chapter 20: The Perfect Scheme

“Yeah, how do you know about this?” The other kids were all very curious.

“Because my dad was the one who led the operation,” the chubby boy replied.

“Your dad would really tell you such a closely guarded secret?” Wang Erniu doubted.

“Of course, my dad wouldn’t tell me directly,” the chubby boy explained, “He talks in his sleep, and I overheard him.”

“Come on, you can’t trust someone’s sleep talk,” Wang Erniu immediately challenged, “Stop making things up. This isn’t even a secret.”

“Exactly, sleep talk isn’t reliable,” the other kids echoed Wang Erniu’s skepticism.

Seeing that no one believed him, the chubby boy grew anxious. “I’m telling the truth. I even know where Captain Qiu’s dad is buried.”

“You’re just talking nonsense,” Wang Erniu said again, playing hard to get.

“I’m serious. Captain Qiu’s dad is buried in the doctor’s graveyard,” the chubby boy insisted.

At that moment, a perfect plan flashed through Wang Erniu’s mind.

Captain Qiu had buried his father publicly in the most magnificent tomb, so everyone believed his father was resting there. But that very night, he secretly swapped the body, moving it to the doctor’s grave, effectively taking over the doctor’s tomb.

With the doctor’s reputation guarding the grave, no one would dare disturb Captain Qiu’s father’s resting place.

The people from surrounding villages would even voluntarily protect the tomb, and occasionally, someone would come to offer incense and burn paper money for Captain Qiu’s father.

This way, Captain Qiu didn’t need to personally tend to his father’s memorial rites; his father would enjoy the abundant offerings from the whole region.

Brilliant—this trick was truly clever!

Wang Erniu suppressed his urge to mock Captain Qiu’s scarred face and continued, “Stop making things up. If that were true, your dad would have been silenced by Captain Qiu already.”

“Captain Qiu did arrest my dad once, but my dad had protection from the Imperial Army. Captain Qiu didn’t dare harm him,” the chubby boy said, “But those others who knew this secret were definitely eliminated by Captain Qiu.”

“How do you know they were silenced by Captain Qiu?” one child asked.

“My dad told me himself,” the chubby boy replied.

Wang Erniu laughed mockingly, “Don’t tell me it was sleep talk again, haha.”

“Erniu, if you don’t believe me, I know other secrets too,” the chubby boy said, desperate to prove himself.

“Is that so? Go ahead, tell us,” Wang Erniu took the opportunity to change the subject.

The chubby boy then revealed several more secrets, all of which Wang Erniu carefully noted down.

The other children also shared various secrets, and Wang Erniu recorded them all.

Finally, to avoid suspicion, Wang Erniu revealed the method Wu Ze had taught him to coax secrets out of others.

They all swore fake oaths to each other before reluctantly parting ways.

Once separated from the group, Wang Erniu slipped away to a secluded spot, where Wu Ze appeared from the shadows.

“Erniu, did you get anything today?” Wu Ze asked, reading Wang Erniu’s expression, already guessing the answer.

“Yes,” Wang Erniu nodded emphatically and then shared all the gathered information with Wu Ze.

“Damn it, that Captain Qiu is sly as a fox,” Wu Ze fumed. He had even paid respects at the doctor’s grave, only to find out he’d been honoring the wrong person—Captain Qiu’s father.

This also gave Wu Ze a glimpse of the cunning of the collaborators.

The Japanese employed a strategy of controlling China through Chinese themselves, promoting many collaborators to govern. Fighting against them was truly no easy task.

“Wang Erniu, remember, don’t come to Wanjia Town anymore,” Wu Ze instructed, “Go back to the Children’s Corps.”

“Brother Wu, if there’s a mission, come find me in the Children’s Corps,” Wang Erniu promised.

“All right.” Wu Ze nodded, and Wang Erniu quickly disappeared.

“Let’s go back. If nothing unexpected happens, I already know how to take down Qiu Family Village,” Wu Ze said as they parted ways. He went to find Xiao Wuzi and the others.

“What? Wu Ze, are you saying you already have a plan to capture Qiu Family Village?” Xiao Wuzi was utterly shocked.

The Qiu Family Village had caused countless comrades endless headaches; even the regiment commander had lost sleep over it.

The village’s fertile potato fields were highly coveted.

But the village’s strong defenses were discouraging.

And now, just by playing with a group of collaborators’ children and one kid from the Children’s Corps for two days, Wu Ze claimed to have a way to capture it?

“Xiao Wuzi, leave two people to keep an eye on Cui Baozhong. Don’t alert him,” Wu Ze instructed. “Once I report to the regiment commander, he’ll come to handle it.”

Cui Baozhong was the chubby boy’s father. Wu Ze planned to report the intelligence to Li Yunlong, who would certainly have Zhong Zhicheng apprehend Cui Baozhong to verify the information.

Wu Ze couldn’t arrest Cui Baozhong directly; the situation in Wanjia Town was complicated. Knowing only a few children’s secrets, he understood he must not act rashly.

He suspected Zhong Zhicheng had planted an undercover agent there, so the arrest would be left to the professionals.

The reason for surveilling Cui Baozhong was to prevent the chubby boy from telling him anything. If Cui Baozhong disappeared suddenly and Li Yunlong couldn’t verify the intelligence, that would be a big problem.

After all, the chubby boy said the information came from his dad’s sleep talk—which might be false.

If they disturbed the doctor’s grave by mistake, the villagers would misunderstand the New First Regiment, harming its standing among the people.

So verifying the information through Cui Baozhong was absolutely crucial!

“Yes, sir,” Xiao Wuzi replied cautiously. Leaving two men behind, he quickly led Wu Ze back to the New First Regiment.

——

New First Regiment Headquarters

“My Italian cannon, don’t worry. I’ll never let the brigade commander take you away,” Li Yunlong vowed silently as he caressed the barrel of the cannon in the warehouse.

For three days, he had eaten poorly and slept little, his mind constantly occupied with plans to capture Qiu Family Village.

Though no solid leads had emerged, Li Yunlong’s determination never wavered.

Wang Chengzhu, watching Li Yunlong come every day to check on the cannon, knew the weight of his commander’s burden.

But aside from operating the cannon, Wang Chengzhu knew little about battle strategy and didn’t know how to comfort Li Yunlong.

“Commander, the brigade commander is on the phone,” someone reported, running in.

Li Yunlong didn’t hesitate; the brigade commander was surely calling to inquire about the plan to attack Qiu Family Village.

He went to the telephone and picked up the receiver. Sure enough, the brigade commander’s voice came through: “Li Yunlong, it’s been three days. What are your thoughts on attacking Qiu Family Village?”

(End of chapter)