15. The First Step of the Revenge Plan

Zhou Hongyi noticed the other’s fingers trembling slightly as they slowly moved toward the small of his back. He hurriedly raised both hands, trying to make his movements appear natural and slow, and said, “Don’t get agitated. I’m not here to expose you; otherwise, I would have called the other officers to take you down. There are too many people around—don’t act rashly. Keep pulling the rickshaw forward. Unlike other cops, I want to hear your story.”

His gaze was sincere, fixed unwaveringly on the rickshaw puller, attempting to convey goodwill while carefully observing every subtle change in the man’s expression. If the man made a move, he could respond instantly.

Zhou Hongyi felt keenly the severe shortage of reliable assistance at his disposal. He frowned slightly, recalling the policeman he had recruited the day before—a simple, obedient fellow, but not very sharp. In the complex environment of the police station, every action was under scrutiny, as if under the watchful eyes of a crowd. Hence, it was crucial to find allies from other walks of life in society to serve as his eyes in the shadows, gathering intelligence and helping him accomplish tasks that couldn’t be done openly.

As the saying goes, “The enemy of my enemy is my friend.” Although Zhou Hongyi appeared relaxed sitting atop the rickshaw, his mind was racing.

On the surface, he was a cop within the police bureau, but his heart burned with a fiery passion for justice. The suffering, hatred, and despair in the eyes of the civilians persecuted by the puppet army were etched deeply in his mind. These people were his most steadfast allies; they shared a common enemy—the invaders and their treacherous collaborators.

The rickshaw puller’s eyes reflected a trace of suspicion mixed with curiosity. He glanced at the bustling crowd before gripping the handles tightly, his veins bulging slightly, and pulled the rickshaw forward.

“I’m a survivor of the Qingdong massacre.”

As he ran, the man suddenly spoke, his voice hoarse, as if squeezed from the depths of his throat.

Zhou Hongyi’s body jolted; his brows knitted tightly as a complex emotion flickered in his eyes. He asked with a frown, “Were the ones who hurt you police officers?”

“That’s right... I hate those little devils, but I hate even more the traitorous dogs who aided them in betraying their own people! My brother and sister were brutally slaughtered in that massacre, and I was stabbed nine times... but somehow, the grim reaper wouldn’t take me, and I survived! Yet the great revenge remains unfulfilled. Every night for the past two months since I closed my eyes, I see that terrible scene... Now that I’ve healed, it’s time to avenge my brother, my sister, and my fellow villagers...!”

The rickshaw puller, named A Gui, bit his back teeth as he ran, every word emerging between clenched jaws, his eyes brimming with resolute determination. Veins on his forehead throbbed with the intensity of his emotions.

Zhou Hongyi’s heart sank to the depths. He could almost see the horrific massacre—the damned little devils and their collaborators—all of them deserved to die!

---

“Brother, did that man just call you A Gui? Listen to me—if you rush in like this, you might get one life for one life, but most likely you won’t even make it through the gate before being riddled with bullets, just throwing your life away for nothing. If you truly want revenge, I can help you. Tell me—who are your enemies?”

A Gui slowed his pace, half-turned, eyes tinged with distrust as he looked at Zhou Hongyi.

“You? You’re a cop, too—why help me? Why should I trust you?”

“Because you have no one else to trust. Your chance of avenging yourself alone is almost zero. And think about it—how many enemies were involved in that massacre? Will killing just one be enough? The ringleaders, the planners, those who abetted the enemy—they all deserve to die!”

A Gui stopped completely, as if frozen in place, then looked up at the sky.

In that moment, a flash of realization crossed his eyes, as if a plug had been pulled from his mind and everything suddenly made sense.

“You’re right. Killing just one is not nearly enough... I want to kill all the ringleaders, planners, and traitorous collaborators! Tell me what to do. As long as it helps me get revenge, I, A Gui, will be your beast of burden—this life is yours!”

Zhou Hongyi patted his shoulder. “Good man, I don’t want your life. You know, we share the same goal. Helping you is helping myself. Keep moving forward—I’ll tell you my plan.”

People’s Square was located in the heart of Modu City, a considerable distance from the police station. Along the way, Zhou Hongyi chatted casually with this brother in arms, seemingly idle talk but each word narrowing the distance between them. He asked about A Gui’s recovery, lamented the cruelty of war, gradually easing the man’s defenses.

When they reached People’s Square, they stopped by a tea pavilion and ordered two bowls of herbal tea. The pavilion was not crowded, filled with some noisy voices and occasional passersby. They sipped their tea while talking.

“A Gui, if you want revenge and to kill more of them, we need a meticulous plan and organization. Going it alone won’t work. First, we need a foothold—some small business to mask our activities. It will serve as our base for planning and hiding weapons. I need you to represent me in these matters to avoid attracting attention.”

Zhou Hongyi lifted his cup, blew gently on the tea, and took a sip.

---

A Gui’s eyes brightened, as if he had glimpsed the dawn of hope. He gulped his tea hastily, spilling some on himself without care, eager to say, “Officer, just tell me what to do.”

“Heh, no need to call me officer. I’m Zhou Hongyi. I’m probably a year or two older than you. Just call me brother. Our goals are the same. Though the road ahead is fraught with hardship and danger, as long as our will is firm and we stand united, no difficulty is insurmountable.”

Zhou Hongyi encouraged his new ally, boosting his morale before revealing his plan.

He described every step in detail—from finding a suitable shop to negotiating with the owner, to subsequent renovations and arrangements. Then he handed A Gui twenty silver dollars as initial operating funds.

His plan was straightforward: first establish a safe house and communication point, then recruit and gather weapons and intelligence covertly in stages, and finally begin their hunt. Meanwhile, he needed time to compile a list of core conspirators, perpetrators, and traitorous collaborators involved in the Qingdong massacre.

What he had seen in Guanyintang Town was deeply engraved in his soul. As a modern man transported through time, that scene left a profound impact. The tragic images, the despairing eyes, the helpless cries—they were like sharp blades piercing his spirit. Especially after meeting two survivors firsthand, he felt their hatred almost as his own. If he did nothing, he feared he might lose his mind.

Ultimately, Zhou Hongyi decided to open a Western accessories shop on a relatively busy street.

Such a shop would usually have moderate foot traffic and a quieter atmosphere. Moreover, both the invaders and secret agents tended to be less suspicious of shops dealing in Western goods.

However, securing such a shop required a substantial sum. After all, this was not just a business; the shop had to be outfitted in advance with secret escape routes and hidden compartments for concealing items. This demanded careful design and construction, all dependent on financial backing.

Having laid out his preliminary plan, the next task was raising funds. He could ask his sister, but she had just given him a hundred silver dollars the day before; frequent requests would arouse suspicion. So he needed to find other means.