RPAGF Chapter 1055 Did they step on me to get ashore?
Chapter 1055 Did they step on me to get ashore?
Isn't this the same guy from the photo studio who "blew his face black with soot, ruined his plans, and made him run for his life" on the street corner?
How did he end up here?
Still hanging out with these scoundrels? Look at how they address each other and their attitudes towards one another...
A bizarre thought flashed through Liu Yuncang's mind, but he immediately shook his head and denied it: Impossible, impossible, how could such a stupid thing be noticed by these killers?
What's more, this kid was personally trained by Zhang Peizhi, and that inhuman thing has maxed out his paranoia skills from his superior...
Taking advantage of the lull in the conversation between Company Commander Tang and the embassy counselor, Liu Yuncang crouched down and quietly approached Xiao Cheng, sizing him up from head to toe:
A few strands of his hair were still scorched, curling in a somewhat comical way. There were obvious burn marks on his collar, a bandage wrapped around his arm, and lingering soot on his face. He still looked as clumsy as ever.
Yes, it was that silly boy. I don't think that comrade was referring to him. Otherwise, he would have made sure the boy was cleaned up before going out, right?
They were poor over there, but they were really good to their comrades.
This kid has definitely been caught!
A strange sense of pity welled up in Liu Yuncang's heart. He patted Xiao Cheng's arm, his tone tinged with disappointment and a touch of sympathy for their shared plight.
"Kid, you've fallen into the hands of these killing gods too? Tsk, judging by your appearance, you didn't suffer any physical pain, did you? That's fortunate. I told you long ago, you're not cut out to be a secret agent! You should have gone back to your dad's photography studio, taking pictures and developing films—that's the proper thing to do. Instead, you insisted on getting involved in these life-threatening things, and now look what happened?"
"Hey, what are they planning to do with you?"
Xiao Cheng was taken aback by his question, seemingly not expecting the other party to be so "concerned" about him.
Instead of the fear or resentment Liu Yuncang had expected, his face showed a... somewhat embarrassed, even innocent smile, like the expression of a student who has been called on by the teacher but has forgotten to bring their textbook.
He raised his hand and scratched the curly hair on his forehead, a gesture with the casualness typical of young people.
"Hehe, you're fast enough, I couldn't catch you even though I wanted to!"
Upon hearing Liu Yuncang say, "Go back and open a photo studio," Xiao Cheng's smile faded slightly. He sighed softly, shook his head, and said in a tone that was hard to define as either regret or relief: "A photo studio... I can't open one then."
Looking at Xiao Cheng's worried face, preoccupied with the family shop, Liu Yuncang felt a strange sense of superiority mixed with a peculiar feeling of shared misfortune.
Perhaps it was the series of shocks, setbacks, life-or-death pressures, and his current predicament of being imprisoned and facing an uncertain future that caused him to suffer from severe psychological imbalance, and even experience temporary cognitive dissonance and transference.
Yes, that's what we commonly call cognitive dissonance, or Stockholm syndrome.
He subconsciously projected some of his own misplaced fear and despair about the future onto this young man who seemed "more miserable," "stupid," and "worthless," and a ridiculous sense of pity and indignation arose in him as a "senior" towards a "junior."
"why?"
Liu Yuncang's voice unconsciously rose a little.
"You didn't cause any real harm! You just... just accidentally set something on fire, didn't you say... didn't you say prisoners of war should be treated well? Are you saying they're going to lock you up for life? Is there no law anymore?!"
As Liu Yuncang spoke, he became somewhat agitated, as if Xiao Cheng's "unfair treatment" confirmed his fear of his own future fate.
This sudden increase in voice immediately drew a calm, unwavering glance from Company Commander Tang beside him.
His eyes were devoid of emotion, yet they were like a bucket of ice water, instantly sending a shiver down Liu Yuncang's spine.
He suddenly realized what he had just said, who he was speaking up for, and what his own identity was...
A deeper wave of despair and self-abandonment washed over him: if even a "small fry" like Xiao Cheng could be locked up for life, then what about him, the "pangolin," who knew so much inside information?
“Yes…yes…” The excitement on Liu Yuncang’s face quickly faded, turning into a deathly pale ashes. He murmured to himself, his voice trembling.
“We’re spies…we’re not on the preferential treatment list…It’s all over, all over…My eighty-year-old mother! Your unfilial son can’t take care of you in your old age and see you off in your final days…”
Liu Yuncang, still bound and gagged, leaned against the damp wall and began to wail in a sobbing voice, his emotions completely collapsing, showing a rather desperate attitude.
Amidst his unseemly wailing, Xiao Cheng blinked his still-clear eyes, seemingly puzzled by Liu Yuncang's sudden outburst of grief, or perhaps sensing a misunderstanding. He leaned closer and, in a casual tone, with the excitement of a young person sharing good news, whispered:
"Brother Liu, why are you crying? Who's going to lock me up for life? The leaders at the embassy said that my case is considered... considered good behavior! Once things are settled here, I'll be recommended to study at Huaqiao University in Guangzhou! To study mechanical engineering! Of course, I won't have to go back to open a photo studio! That's a university!"
"Huh?" Liu Yuncang's wailing stopped abruptly. He looked up through his teary eyes, staring at Xiao Cheng as if he were a monster, completely bewildered.
Going to college?
Direct admission?
Huaqiao University?
What is all this about?
The embassy counselor, who was standing nearby, overheard their conversation and added with a smile, "That's right, Comrade Xiao Cheng is indeed going to study at Huaqiao University. To tell the story, it all started when he was misled."
It turned out that after Xiao Cheng finished his training with Zhang Peizhi, a patriotic overseas Chinese school in Phnom Penh was holding a ball game. Zhang Peizhi asked him to use the excuse of watching the game to find out the list of patriotic people in the school. Xiao Cheng loved playing ball, so he happily went. When he took off his coat before going on the field, his wallet accidentally fell out of his pocket and was picked up by a thoughtful patriotic student next to him.
The student opened the wallet to return it, but unexpectedly found Xiao Cheng's documents, code manual, and related identification documents inside. Realizing the seriousness of the matter, the student dared not delay and immediately reported it to the Chinese Embassy in Phnom Penh.
Xiao Cheng, being careless, didn't care much about losing his wallet. He thought that it didn't matter if the notebooks were gone, as long as the funds from above weren't lost.
Upon receiving the report, the embassy immediately relayed the situation back to China and requested instructions on how to handle it.
The domestic authorities quickly responded with instructions: ascertain the full situation of enemy agents, appeal to Xiao Cheng's emotions and reason with him, and strive to make him work for us.
Later, following Zhang Peizhi's instructions, Xiao Cheng disguised himself as an overseas Chinese and went to the embassy to handle "return procedures" (in reality, he was there to inquire about the situation inside the embassy). As soon as he entered, he was summoned for a private talk by the embassy's first secretary.
The first secretary did not make things difficult for him, but patiently explained the country's policies to him and exposed Zhang Peizhi's instigation. Xiao Cheng was originally a patriotic young man. The core reason why he was persuaded by Zhang Peizhi was that he was eager to return to China to see the country, but he was short of travel expenses. Zhang Peizhi took advantage of this weakness and promised that as long as he cooperated to complete a mission, he would reimburse all his travel expenses and arrange for him to return to China smoothly.
After learning the truth, and with the personal guarantee from the embassy leaders, who promised to help him with his travel expenses back to China and even recommend him to study at Huaqiao University, Xiao Cheng immediately wavered.
He never wanted to be a spy or do anything that would harm the country and his compatriots. Now that he had a legitimate way out, why would he want to follow Zhang Peizhi and be a rat in the gutter?
So he happily agreed and became our spy planted among the enemy agents.
Liu Yuncang was stunned, his jaw almost dropping to the ground.
Wallet? Basketball game? Patriotic students?
The embassy is trying to reason with us? And offering guaranteed university admission?
So this kid didn't "get caught," he "got ashore"!
They actually stepped over these people "in the water" to get ashore! That deadly mission... was leaked like this?