14. The Perilous Coachman

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Upon hearing such an assessment, Zhou Hongyi chuckled quietly to himself, thinking, “This is neither an exaggeration nor an excuse, but the plain truth.”

Zhou Hongyi watched Ding Mucun’s expression without revealing any emotion. When he heard the mention of the Intelligence Headquarters’ operation, Ding had raised an eyebrow—an indication that his brother-in-law was quite concerned about this subject.

Since Agent 76 couldn’t even clearly see his appearance, Zhou Hongyi had no worry about being traced. Suddenly, he shifted the topic:

“Brother-in-law, if this is true, can I infer that our Intelligence Headquarters has already obtained some internal information on the Red Party, enabling us to precisely locate their communication points and safe houses? That would mean either we intercepted some highly confidential telegrams from the Red Party’s core, or we’ve turned one of their key members. Am I correct in this guess?”

Zhou Hongyi fixed his gaze on Ding Mucun, leaving almost no room for response, then continued, “Brother-in-law, when you heard my guess, your pupils twitched slightly—a typical sign of inner shock, which means I hit the mark. And now, the faint smile on your face looks forced, the curve at the corner of your mouth unnatural—classic signs of feigned composure.”

“Uh...” Ding Mucun was about to reply, but Zhou Hongyi raised a hand, signaling him to hold his tongue, pressing on relentlessly: “Brother-in-law, when I mentioned the two possible ways the Intelligence Headquarters might have obtained the Red Party’s internal information, you subconsciously pressed your lips tightly—an involuntary sign of nervousness, showing I’m close to the truth.

Moreover... your eyes briefly flickered to the left wall—that’s a subconscious search for the source of information while you’re considering how to respond to my questioning. In the subconscious mind, the left side often represents the origin of information.”

“...”

“Now, brother-in-law, your silence itself is a message, and the subtle tapping of your fingers on the armrest reveals your inner anxiety. The irregular rhythm shows your troubled thoughts.”

Zhou Hongyi was ready to continue, but Ding Mucun raised his hand, signaling him to stop.

“Impressive, Zhongliang. So this is what you meant by guiding through rhetoric and microexpressions? A top graduate from West Point really lives up to his reputation. Well then, it’s getting late; better head to your room and rest. Tomorrow’s a busy day for us.”

Having had his thoughts pierced by Zhou Hongyi’s words, Ding Mucun decided to end the topic. He didn’t want his brother-in-law to dig any deeper. Now, he even found this method of interrogation through microexpressions and rhetoric somewhat frightening—he, a seasoned veteran, found himself ensnared. Someday, he’d have Zhou Hongyi bring this technique to Agent 76 Headquarters to teach the interrogators there.

As Ding Mucun stood to head upstairs, Zhou Hongyi seized the moment to firmly imprint in his mind the deeper keywords that had surfaced above Ding’s head.

Among these keywords, one caught Zhou Hongyi’s attention.

“‘Turncoat liaison, codename "Fireworks"’? Is this the traitor within our party? Knowing the codename should make it easier to uncover his true identity. I must relay this information to the other contacts as soon as possible—finding the traitor and eliminating him immediately.”

Though Zhou Hongyi felt anxious, he understood the wisdom of not rushing. Besides, as the duration of his Insight Eye ended, he was immediately struck by the aftereffects and backlash from using his power.

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Dizziness, chest tightness, nausea, cold sweats—Zhou Hongyi rolled restlessly in bed like a man suffering severe withdrawal from a heavy addiction until he finally slipped into unconsciousness.

Early the next morning, he was awakened once again by the barking dogs downstairs.

Zhou Hongyi sat up with his head bowed, only then realizing he hadn’t changed clothes or taken off his shoes before falling asleep the night before.

After washing up, he went downstairs to find Ding Mucun already fully dressed and preparing to leave.

“Brother-in-law, leaving so soon? Not having breakfast?”

Ding Mucun glanced at him with a smile. “What time do you think it is? Breakfast is long over. There are leftovers on the table for you. I heard Director Feng assigned you as the leader of a special operations team. You should seize this opportunity. It was your insistence to join the police force; now that you’re here, make some achievements. Don’t worry, as long as you perform well, no one can steal your credit. Having a trusted family member like you in the police will make things easier in the future. Well, I’ve got a mountain of work waiting for me at the bureau.”

Zhou Pan’er followed behind Ding Mucun, draping a coat over him and handing him a hat, leaning in the doorway with a sweet smile as she waved goodbye.

Watching Ding Mucun almost twist his ankle descending the stairs, only saved by timely support from his men, Zhou Hongyi turned to Pan’er and quietly gave her a thumbs-up.

“Sis, you really have the art of managing your husband down pat.”

Pan’er smirked. “I don’t think he has the energy to chase after other women anymore. Tonight, he’ll have to come home obediently.”

The two watched Ding Mucun’s car pull away before returning to the dining room.

Zhou Hongyi ate two fried dough sticks, a fried egg, and drank a glass of milk before grabbing his coat and hat and pedaling off to the police station.

His current dilemma was that none of his contacts within the Red Party had a fixed meeting place; he could only passively wait for them to reach out. Next time, he must arrange a safe house so that intelligence can be transmitted immediately.

Zhou Hongyi leisurely rode his bicycle to the Second Police Precinct, arriving at 10:45 a.m.

Police officers bustled in and out, clearly busy. Several rickshaws stood parked outside alongside street vendors hawking goods.

Though Zhou Hongyi hadn’t activated his Insight Eye, he immediately noticed one rickshaw puller standing apart from the others.

This man squatted behind his comrades, wearing a felt hat, not attracting passengers, but his eyes were fixed on the police station’s entrance with deadly intent, hatred, and a resolve to die.

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“What’s this guy up to? Planning to blow up the station?” Zhou Hongyi wondered. Although his Insight Eye was still cooling down, he decided to probe the man’s true intentions.

He parked his bicycle inside the station yard but didn’t enter the building. Instead, he walked over to the group of rickshaw pullers, pointing at the man at the back.

“You. Take me to People’s Square.”

“Huh?”

The man staring at the police station with hatred froze in surprise. He didn’t understand why, having hidden at the back, this police officer singled him out.

“What ‘huh’? I’m talking to you. Hurry up. Aren’t you a rickshaw puller? Take me to People’s Square.”

A middle-aged puller beside him, seeing his companion ignoring the officer, nudged him anxiously.

“Ah Gui, the officer’s talking to you. Got business? Move it! What are you daydreaming about?”

Then he smiled at Zhou Hongyi. “Sir, please don’t mind him. He’s a bit off in the head but hardworking and reliable, just not very talkative.”

The man called Ah Gui reluctantly stood and pulled the rickshaw. Once Zhou Hongyi was seated, Ah Gui glanced back with lingering hesitation.

“What are you looking at? Do you have enemies inside?” Zhou Hongyi asked quietly after they had gone some distance.

Ah Gui’s voice was hoarse as he replied, “I... I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“You don’t know? Then let me guess. You and your family have suffered injustice, caused by a cop inside this very station. You’re angry and want to confront him today. If I’m right, you must be hiding a weapon in your sleeve or at your waist.”

No sooner had Zhou Hongyi finished speaking than the rickshaw puller abruptly stopped.

He dropped the handlebar and turned, his eyes flashing with dangerous light.