Chapter 1184 Covert Operation
Mi Qianhu's brow twitched almost imperceptibly. "Yes, someone is watching us. I've felt it since we first entered the factory. It must be the hooded man's black-clad subordinates. They've been watching us, but they haven't made a move. Perhaps they're still unsure if we're spies or genuine workers... In any case, we mustn't be complacent. We must be extremely careful."
His subordinate beside him remarked, "Boss, I get the sense that most people in this factory are ordinary folks. It's not like the Eastern or Western Depots."
"Hmm." Mi Qianhu had, of course, noticed the same thing. Those depots were crawling with secret agents, but here at the Chang'an Automobile Factory, the vast majority were just ordinary, unassuming workers. Yet, this didn't stop it from feeling like a "dragon's pond and tiger's den."
He knew it purely by instinct: there was always that subtle sensation of being watched from within the crowd. The watchers were clearly masters of their craft; he couldn't even pinpoint where they were concealed.
Mi Qianhu added, "Those watching us are no ordinary individuals. They are likely masters, no less skilled than our Jinyiwei. In terms of surveillance and concealment, they might even surpass us."
His subordinates felt a prickle of alarm.
Mi Qianhu continued, "Look, the hooded man just entered a standalone building. It's different from the common residences, suggesting it's reserved for someone important. Zhu Yujian, though his princely title has been stripped, is no ordinary person. It's highly probable he's staying in that very building."
A subordinate questioned, "With people watching us now, wouldn't approaching that building be 'beating the grass to startle the snake'?"
Mi Qianhu nodded. "Precisely. We must pretend as if nothing is amiss and return to our dormitories. Our dorms, conveniently, face that building, so there will be plenty of opportunities to investigate. Do not panic, and under no circumstances must we give our watchers any leverage."
However, once inside, they discovered that the items within were genuinely novel.
Mi Qianhu noticed a rope hanging by the wall and couldn't quite grasp its purpose.
He simply reached out and tugged on it.
With a crisp "click," a lamp on the ceiling flickered to life—blindingly bright, far surpassing any oil lamp. It instantly illuminated the entire room as if it were midday.
"Woah!" Mi Qianhu exclaimed, startled. "What in the world is that?"
"It's a lamp, Boss! A lamp!"
"Why did it light up when I pulled the rope? It doesn't need to be lit with fire?"
The group stared up, bewildered, at the brilliant electric lamp on the ceiling, completely disoriented by the sight.
After a few more glances, their eyes were dazzled by the intense light.
Mi Qianhu gasped, "What peerless treasure is this? To think it's just hanging so casually in the middle of the room!"
A subordinate suggested, "When we leave, we should steal this and present it to the Emperor. He would surely be delighted beyond measure."
Mi Qianhu scoffed, "A peerless rarity such as this—how could it be easily stolen? Haven't you noticed the strange wire connected to it? I'm certain that wire is linked to some hidden mechanism. If we dare tamper with this peculiar lamp, the mechanism will activate, and this room might instantly unleash a volley of arrows, killing us all."
His subordinates jumped in fright, indeed no longer daring to entertain any mischievous thoughts.
Mi Qianhu instructed, "This lamp is too bright. If the room is this illuminated, anyone outside could easily see what we're doing. It cannot stay on. Turn it off immediately."
He quickly tugged the strange rope again. With another "click," the lamp extinguished, and darkness returned to the room.
He exhaled in relief, and his subordinates followed suit.
Mi Qianhu announced, "Now that the room is dark, we can hide by the window and, through the gaps in the curtains, monitor the building where the hooded man is staying. Tonight, we'll rest in shifts, rotating every two hours."
From the opposite woods, Bin Sheng observed, "These fellows are certainly suspicious. What normal person dislikes a brightly lit room? They're uncomfortable with it and insist on turning off the light. Humph! Only spies prefer darkness and shun the light."
A Labor Model asked, "Boss, they're staying put in their dorms now. What should we do?"
Bin Sheng pondered for a moment. "Continue the surveillance! Tonight, we'll rotate every two hours, keeping a close watch on this group. If they venture out in the dead of night, we'll have the leverage we need."
The covert struggle among the spies surrounding Zhu Yujian had escalated into a fierce, unspoken battle.
Yet, he himself remained completely oblivious. After entering the guesthouse, he cheerfully switched on the electric lamp, sat beneath its glow, took out his writing brush, ink, paper, and inkstone, and meticulously recorded everything he had learned during his factory tour, character by character.
"If I, your prince, ever have the chance to govern again, I shall certainly start with these principles," he mused.
At this, he shook his head with a bitter laugh. "What chance is there for me to govern? I am a prince, after all. Alas, living a life of leisure, like Zhu Cunji, that is the proper path."
In the dormitory building across the way, a Jinyiwei agent murmured, "The hooded man is writing under the lamp. He hasn't even removed his hat. He's written a few characters and seems deep in thought... Whatever he's writing must be very important."
Mi Qianhu declared, "Perhaps we can find clues about Zhu Yujian in what he's writing! Tomorrow, we'll find an opportunity to infiltrate his residence and steal his notes."
"Understood!"
Zhu Yujian soon fell asleep, but the spies continued their rotating surveillance of the guesthouse, while Bin Sheng and his group, in turn, kept watch over the employee dormitories...
Thus, the night passed.
The next morning, at the crack of dawn, Zhu Yujian, the Jinyiwei, and Bin Sheng with his Labor Model subordinates all rose early.
As soon as he woke up, Zhu Yujian slipped back into the crowd of workers, joining them for their morning exercises. He ran laps around the sports field, chatting idly with the workers as he went.
Mi Qianhu's spirits, however, brightened. "The early morning is often when people are most relaxed. Infiltrating that peculiar building now might yield some rewards."
A brave Jinyiwei agent immediately stepped forward. "Boss, I volunteer!"
Mi Qianhu cautioned, "Be extremely careful. If you are caught, we will all deny knowing you. We won't attempt a rescue immediately; we'll only come for you once the full confrontation begins."
The Jinyiwei agent nodded. "Understood!"
Mi Qianhu ordered, "A few of you, go and draw the attention of those watching us. Create an opportunity for him to infiltrate the building."
No sooner had he issued the command than four Jinyiwei agents began to prepare. They sauntered out to the open ground outside the employee dormitories, pretending to accidentally bump shoulders with one another while walking. Then, the four divided into two pairs, facing each other, and began to argue. "Why did you bump into me?"
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