NABC Chapter 145 The Connection
Chapter 145 The Connection
Yan Shuo pulled out his gun, checking the ammunition with swift and decisive movements, his gaze fixed on the entrance of the coffee shop downstairs.
Just then, a figure in a navy blue suit slowly appeared at the street corner, his left hand in his pocket, his steps seemingly calm, but his expression and behavior were very vigilant. It was Lu Mingyuan.
Meanwhile, in the safe house near the foreign trading company dock, the lights were dim.
Zhao Yawen's brother, Zhao Muqian, leaned against the headboard, his face as pale as paper. Under the doctor's care, he was struggling to recall the people he had met, carefully considering every detail, afraid of making even the slightest mistake, so that Zhou Wen, a team member skilled in painting, could draw a portrait of him.
"There was a woman with thin-rimmed glasses who met Ya Wen with Wang Wanqing..." His voice was hoarse, and his eyes were full of fear. "She spoke softly, but the coldness in her eyes sent chills down your spine. Ya Wen didn't even dare to lift her head when she saw her."
Needless to say, it must be Su Qing.
Sitting next to her, the pretty female team member Zhou Wen moved her pen quickly, sketching a portrait based on the description. The lines became clearer and clearer, gradually overlapping with the photo in the file.
They dared not delay and immediately sent someone to deliver the portrait to the ambush point at the dock, so that everyone would remember this "harmless" face.
As night deepened, the streets and alleys of Shanghai were shrouded in darkness. The evening wind, carrying a chill, swept across the rooftops. The hunter and the prey, hidden in the shadows, were quietly waiting for the moment of their duel.
Coffee shop ambush
Yan Shuo lay prone by the attic window, his finger lightly on the trigger, his night vision fixed on Lu Mingyuan slowly walking towards the coffee shop below. His aura was as cold and heavy as an icy pool. He whispered into his earpiece, "Attention all positions. Target is approaching. Stay concealed. Do not expose yourself without orders."
The team members responded in hushed tones through their headsets, one after another, yet precise and orderly: "Received" "Back door position ready" "Rooftop sniper position locked"
Lu Mingyuan slowed his pace, glancing left and right at the street, his brows furrowed and his eyes full of vigilance. He had already heard about the bombing of the Secret Service. He was ten minutes late for the rendezvous, precisely because he was afraid of an ambush.
The streets were deserted, with only a few passersby hurrying by. The waiter at the entrance of the coffee shop was wiping cups with his head down, and everything seemed normal.
He glanced around the café again. Through the glass door, he could see a few tables of customers, mostly couples, chatting and laughing softly, behaving intimately, like a typical date.
"Hmm, safe." Lu Mingyuan breathed a sigh of relief, straightened the lapel of his navy blue suit, and pushed open the door to walk into the coffee shop.
The waiter immediately stepped forward, a standard smile on his face, and asked respectfully, "Sir, how many are in your party? Do you have a reservation?"
"Table 7." Lu Mingyuan said calmly, but his gaze kept sweeping around the store, quickly locking onto table 7 in the corner.
That was a location he had scouted beforehand, deep inside the store, near the kitchen aisle. Crossing the aisle would lead directly to the backyard and the back door, allowing him to evacuate immediately should anything happen.
He believed his plan was flawless, as he could observe the entire store and know the escape routes, enough to fool anyone lying in ambush.
Unfortunately, he didn't know that what awaited him today was Yan Shuo, an elite force capable of destroying the Wang Jingwei regime's secret service overnight, a force that even Dai Li had to take seriously, and a top expert among a select few.
Lu Mingyuan walked straight to table number 7 and deliberately sat on the side closest to the aisle. He tilted the chair slightly and leaned his back against the wall, so that he could observe the movement at the door at any time and leave quickly in case of emergency. Every movement revealed his careful calculation.
"Zhongqing, Bing Shao!" He gestured with his chin toward the waiter, his tone tinged with impatience.
"Yes, sir!" The waiter nodded hurriedly, not daring to ask any more questions. He turned and quickly walked to the bar, loudly announcing the order to the barista: "Table 7, black coffee, less ice!"
Yan Shuo could see everything clearly through his night vision. He was about to tighten his grip slightly and tell his team to stay on their toes when his gaze suddenly stopped—a middle-aged man in a plaid suit walked in from the direction of the restroom. His build, his features, even the slight hunch in his posture, were exactly the same as Zhou Kai in the file.
"Zhou Kai?" Yan Shuo muttered under his breath, his tone full of surprise. "Why is that bastard in Shanghai? Wasn't it said that he was most likely sending his men to make contact?"
He frowned, secretly calculating in his mind: Zhou Kai had been undercover in the HZ City Party Headquarters for more than two years and had always been cautious. This time, he actually came to make contact in person. Either the supply plan was too important, or he was too greedy for that benefit and dared to gamble with his life.
"Does this bastard think he's Ultraman, invincible?" Yan Shuo couldn't help but mutter to himself, tapping his fingertips lightly on the windowsill as he quickly gave orders into his headset, "Attention, target number two has appeared. Zhou Kai, wearing a plaid suit, middle-aged, just came out of the restroom. Everyone stay still and follow my instructions. Don't alert him."
The team members lying in ambush downstairs all glanced discreetly toward the attic. When they saw Yan Shuo shake his head and lower his hat, they immediately understood. They crouched low and moved as lightly as cats, silently gathering at the key position—two guarding the door, two blocking the kitchen passageway, and one flanking from behind, quickly forming an encirclement.
Upon receiving the order, one of the team members immediately ran towards the back door, circled around the cafe's outer wall to the backyard, and completely blocked the two men's escape route.
Inside the café, Zhou Kai went straight to table number 7, pulled out a chair, sat down, and loudly called out to the waiter, "Shanghai style, extra sugar! Extra tea!"
"Just a moment, sir!" The waiter hurriedly walked over to the bar, casually joking with his colleague, "Another one ordering Shanghai-style tea, a Hong Kong-style milk tea with extra sugar and extra tea, the cloyingly sweet kind!"
Lu Mingyuan looked at Zhou Kai and couldn't help but laugh, his tone laced with sarcasm: "Tsk, Brother Zhou, why are you drinking the kind of coffee that women like? It's sickeningly sweet, what's the point?"
Zhou Kai raised an eyebrow, picked up the water glass the waiter handed him, took a sip, and retorted defiantly, "Who said Shanghai-style drinks are only for women? There are millions of people in Shanghai, how many of them actually like this? As long as it tastes good, what's wrong with me drinking it?"
"I don't like it. It's too sweet and cloying." Lu Mingyuan curled his lip, his eyes full of disdain.
"Everyone has their own taste," Zhou Kai smiled, his tone softening. "No matter how famous a chef is, they wouldn't dare say their food is absolutely delicious or can satisfy everyone, let alone a cup of coffee."
Upon hearing this, Lu Mingyuan nodded, no longer dwelling on the coffee matter. He leaned forward slightly, his tone instantly becoming serious: "Alright, enough with the nonsense. Did you bring the money?"
Zhou Kai's smile faded, and he glanced around warily before asking, "Where's the stuff? I want to see it before I pay."
"I want to see the money first!" Lu Mingyuan retorted firmly, "What if you try something funny? Then I'll have gained nothing!"