52. Arson

The day before, Zhou Hongyi had been inquiring about Gu Tianbo’s whereabouts, never expecting that the very next evening, Gu would come to him willingly—and not only that, but would also provide a wealth of crucial information.

Under Zhou Hongyi’s deliberate guidance, Gu revealed everything: the location of his French girlfriend’s residence, his personal preferences, all laid bare.

“Heh, Young Master Zhou seems quite well-informed. I do know a French lady, but we are merely good friends,” Gu said lightly.

Zhou Hongyi gave him a knowing look and deftly ended the topic. Instead, he asked, “Mr. Gu, aside from your jewelry and jade business, have you ever considered investing in other fields?”

As Zhou posed this question, a warning sign appeared above Gu Tianbo’s head: [Alert]. One after another, new indicators flashed beside him.

Finally glimpsing these deeper secrets, Zhou’s heart roiled with waves of excitement, yet his expression remained perfectly composed.

Gu Tianbo was indeed covertly funding anti-Japanese patriots and guerrilla fighters. He was even a secret financier of a newspaper called The Admonition, a key target for the Wang puppet regime and the Special Higher Police. Nowadays, it operated by moving from place to place, spreading its articles.

“Gu Tianbo, I once thought you were just a simple wealthy gentleman with a penchant for chasing beauties. But beneath that wild exterior beats a red heart. Very impressive,” Zhou said, growing increasingly satisfied. Even Gu’s previously sleazy appearance now seemed less so. The way he looked at Xiaobei, as if wanting to carve a piece of her flesh, was, to Zhou’s analysis, the pure admiration of a man for the woman he desired.

While the two engaged in this somewhat “awkward” conversation, Xiaobei had already wrapped up three pieces of jewelry for Gu—and all sold at triple the asking price.

By the time Gu realized, the items were already packaged and placed before him, leaving no room for refusal.

Gu Tianbo stared silently at the three ornaments in his hand. His eyes had been distracted, fixated on the mysterious “exiled princess” behind the mask. His mind and mouth had to keep up with Young Master Zhou’s probing questions. In his momentary lapse, he had just bought three expensive, impractical trinkets.

However, Gu was not short of money. On second thought, having made acquaintance with Miss Elizabeth, the expense was worthwhile.

“Heh heh heh, I leave today’s visit to Young Master Zhou’s shop with a full haul—quite satisfying. I’ve been meaning to change the décor at my residence, so I’ll be back. I also look forward to Miss Elizabeth’s dazzling performance in the upcoming Miss Rose pageant. Well then, I’ll take my leave. Young Master Zhou, if you’re truly interested in being a judge, find me at the Grand World Teahouse,” Gu said, bowing earnestly to each person. Notably, he lingered two seconds longer when facing Xiaobei, fully demonstrating his skill in favoring women over men.

As Gu Tianbo stepped out of the antique store, a black sedan drove slowly toward him and stopped.

Several men dressed in black flanked him as he opened the door and got in. Their professional demeanor suggested they doubled as drivers and bodyguards. Clearly, Mr. Gu cared deeply for his own security.

Watching the car slowly pull away, the fake smile on Zhou Hongyi’s face gradually faded. He instructed the blind man to close up and then turned to Xiaobei.

“This is a great opportunity. Gu Tianbo is well-known and wealthy in Shanghai’s merchant circles. Moreover, he can secure me a judge’s seat at the Miss Rose beauty contest. That position comes at just the right time, allowing me to confirm the target’s connections before taking action.”

Xiaobei stood straight, hands lightly clasped. “Boss, rest assured, I can tell he’s interested in me. Elizabeth will use this connection to gather more valuable intelligence. But I’ll remember the key principle: act within our limits and never expose our identities. Secrecy is paramount in our work.”

Zhou Hongyi nodded again in approval, gave a few more instructions, and parted ways with the group. He hailed a rickshaw and headed directly to the villa of the French woman.

Gu Tianbo’s foreign girlfriend lived near Huangpu Park—a place sparsely populated and outrageously expensive. Only the wealthy or noble could afford to reside there. Yet Gu rented her an apartment there anyway. Zhou’s mission was to investigate the secrets of that apartment.

By the time he arrived, the night had grown darker. The yellow gas lamps of Huangpu Park flickered on one by one, and the clean, orderly roads stood in stark contrast to the narrow alleys, making one feel as if stepping into another world.

Zhou looked around, noting the directions of the surrounding roads, then nodded slightly, deciding to give this foreign lady a “surprise” tomorrow.

He had already scouted the area, figuring out how to set the apartment on fire without causing casualties or damaging neighboring homes. But the flames couldn’t be too small either—otherwise, there would be no chance for their “part-time firefighters” to intervene.

Having planned everything, Zhou hailed another rickshaw and headed home.

The night passed quietly. Restored to full strength with his Insight Eye skill, Zhou set out early morning with A Gui and Fu Sheng toward the French girl’s address obtained from Gu Tianbo.

Huangpu Park looked even more beautiful by day, filled with birdsong and blossoms. The low population density meant that any fire’s impact would be controllable.

Zhou gave A Gui a signal and ordered Fu Sheng, “Stand by the street corner. If you see black smoke, blow the iron whistle around your neck immediately to alert the surrounding crowd to evacuate.”

With all preparations complete, Zhou circled to the rear of the upscale apartment. He pulled out a lighter, lit a cigarette, took a drag to brighten the flame, then flicked the burning cigarette high into the air. It spun repeatedly before landing precisely in a bird’s nest below one resident’s balcony.

To ensure the fire would catch well, Zhou had modified this cigarette, packing it mostly with gunpowder and only a little tobacco.

As the cigarette burned naturally to a certain point, the gunpowder ignited suddenly, engulfing the bird’s nest in flames. The dry nest quickly became an excellent catalyst, producing thick black smoke under the blaze.

Seeing this, Zhou signaled A Gui, who dashed to the other side of the apartment where trash was piled, pulled out a lighter, and lit a cigarette there as well.