Chapter 83

Wen Xiuzhi patted Xu Yan's shoulder and said with a smile, "Little Brother Yan, if you want to play with guns, there's still a chance for you."

Xu Yan was greatly surprised: In the country, firearms are strictly controlled weapons. Apart from military and police personnel, no one else has the opportunity to come into contact with them. No matter how capable Wen Xiuzhi is, he shouldn't dare to do something as bold as directly giving me a gun, right?

Xu Yan asked in disbelief, "Really?"

"Hehe, as long as you want to, there's no problem." Wen Xiuzhi patted Xu Yan's shoulder with a smile, making Xu Yan feel ticklish inside. He was about to ask Wen Xiuzhi to explain, but the latter didn't continue. Instead, he buttoned up his shirt and walked out, saying, "Let's go, we'll go out now."

Wen Xiuzhi led Xu Yan out. Outside was still the abandoned elementary school. The dense bushes rustled in the night. A few lit buildings stood in the deep night, their outlines blurred. Looking at the old school buildings that looked similar, Xu Yan tried hard to distinguish which one he had been confined in for a day and a night, but he couldn't tell.

Wen Xiuzhi led Xu Yan to the edge of the old playground, which had been turned into a parking lot with a long row of cars. Even though Xu Yan wasn't very knowledgeable about cars, he could see that this old Toyota wasn't a luxury car.

Seeing Xu Yan's puzzled look, Wen Xiuzhi was quite understanding and said with a smile, "What, didn't expect it?"

"Yeah, in the movies, those agents always drive fancy sports cars and date beautiful reporters. I didn't expect a big leader like you, Brother Wen, to drive such an old Japanese car?" Xu Yan said, then suddenly realized something, "Right, Brother Wen. In the 007 movies, Bond drives a car that looks ordinary on the outside but is actually equipped with high-tech modifications like powerful jet engines, machine guns, and flamethrowers. Brother Wen, is your car also a specially modified one?"

Wen Xiuzhi smiled and turned the car key to start the car—there was no roar of a jet engine, no machine gun popping out to spray bullets, and no flamethrower spewing fire. Wen Xiuzhi said with a smile, "Little Brother Yan, you watch too many movies and have too much imagination. This is a genuine used car, nothing special.

"Don't let the movies fool you. In our line of work, we can't always have beautiful women, fancy parties, and luxury cars. I told you, last time when we were on a case, my two colleagues and I drove a Wuling minivan across three provinces, passing through remote mountainous areas. The car often broke down, and I almost vomited from fixing it. Now, my car repair skills are top-notch. Even if I lose my job one day, I can open a repair shop and make a living."

Xu Yan laughed, "Ha ha," but deep down, he didn't believe a word of it—looking at Wen Xiuzhi's delicate and refined appearance, could he really go out in the sun and rain like an ordinary agent?

The car slowly drove out, following the tree-lined road. Under the headlights, Xu Yan saw some soldiers on duty at the gate—real soldiers in army uniforms, not police. They carried automatic rifles and patrolled around the gate, not standing stiffly like at ordinary guard posts.

An officer stopped the car and shone a flashlight at the front. Seeing it was Wen Xiuzhi, he stepped back and saluted.

Wen Xiuzhi nodded slightly and said, "I have something to do, open the gate."

The captain nodded but glanced at Xu Yan, who was sitting next to Wen Xiuzhi, and asked loudly, "Yes, sir, what's the password for today?"

"August 1st."

The officer saluted again and walked away. He quickly went to the gate and, with the help of two soldiers, pushed open the rusty iron gate.

Xu Yan felt a bit strange and couldn't help but ask, "Brother Wen, your subordinates seem a bit stubborn. They recognized you, so why do they still need a password? Don't they know you're in charge here? Do you really need a password to go out?"

Wen Xiuzhi glanced at Xu Yan and said with a smile, "Little Brother Yan, you don't understand. They need the password to prevent you, not me."

"Huh? Me? What do you mean?"

Wen Xiuzhi turned to look at Xu Yan, his face flickering in the streetlight, "If I were going out alone, they wouldn't stop me. But now, I have you with me. You're not part of our investigation team, and you're a stranger sitting next to me. At this point, the gate guards would definitely ask for a password to prevent the possibility of me being kidnapped—If I were really kidnapped, I would give them a wrong password, and they would know something is wrong and take action."

The gate of the base opened, and the car slowly drove out, leaving the compound and onto the main road. Xu Yan looked back and saw the entire base shrouded in a faint black mist, with only a few faint lights visible through the high walls.

Xu Yan shook his head. The investigation base he had experienced was far from what he had imagined. After being confined for a day and a night, he had nothing to brag about to his classmates when he returned to school. In his imagination, such a mysterious investigation base, as a powerful government department, should have grand buildings, armed guards, a waving national flag, luxurious or high-tech offices, electronic doors, voice-activated locks, fingerprint locks, laser security systems, and underground bases—these were essential for showing off.

But Wen Xiuzhi's base, even from a student's perspective, seemed too shabby. The yellow, damp, and black walls, the dilapidated buildings from the 1960s and 1970s, and the rooms without air conditioning—Xu Yan found it hard to imagine any government department using such a place. Plus, the shabby cars... If Wen Xiuzhi hadn't accurately mentioned his connection with Chen Yaoyu, Xu Yan would have suspected he was part of a fraud gang.

As if reading Xu Yan's thoughts, Wen Xiuzhi asked, "Little Brother Yan, what are you thinking about?"

"Ah, nothing—Brother Wen, is your department... short of funds?"

Wen Xiuzhi focused on driving and said, "Short of funds? No, not at all! Our funds are guaranteed by the central government. We have a dedicated budget, and expenses are reimbursed, so there's no shortage."

"But I see your office... in such a remote place, without even an office building. It seems quite tough."

Wen Xiuzhi glanced at Xu Yan and smiled bitterly, "Little Brother Yan, you're mistaken. We are a temporary joint task force, not a permanent institution, so we don't have a fixed office. My unit is in the General Staff Intelligence Department in the capital, and the police officer you met, Shen Dian, works in the Jincheng National Security Bureau. Our task force is temporary, so we don't have a permanent office.

"We are set up to investigate the madman cases in the country. We follow the cases. Today we are in Jincheng, but tomorrow we might have to fly to another place if a new case arises. We can't stay in one place, so we just find a place to make do.

"Actually, the Jincheng government offered to let us work in the Public Security Bureau or the National Security Bureau, or to rent an entire hotel for us, but we considered confidentiality and chose this place. It's remote, but it's less noticeable and more independent, making our work easier."

As they talked, the car continued down the road. Since they were in the suburbs, it was quiet and dark, with shops closing early. Only the streetlights, spaced every few dozen meters, silently illuminated the road. They drove for about half an hour before the area became more bustling, with some shops still open.

Wen Xiuzhi asked Xu Yan, "Little Brother Yan, where do you usually go to eat?"

Xu Yan originally wanted to let Wen Xiuzhi choose, but he suddenly had an idea and said, "I usually eat at the True Dragon Restaurant near the main gate of Shudu University, but it's a bit low-end, I'm afraid it won't suit you, Brother Wen."

"Nonsense, don't say that. The restaurant you mentioned, do they serve late-night snacks?"

"Definitely, I often go there for late-night snacks."

"Alright, let's go to your Shudu University—on the way, I can drop you off."

The car followed the city's ring road. It was already past 10 PM, so the road wasn't crowded. Wen Xiuzhi drove fast, and they arrived at the west gate of Shudu University in about an hour.

Seeing the familiar surroundings of the school, Xu Yan let out a long sigh, feeling much more at ease. The car drove straight to the True Dragon Restaurant, which was still open. As Xu Yan got out of the car, Wen Xiuzhi called him over and took a bag from the car's handbrake box. He handed it to Xu Yan, "Ah, I forgot to give this to you earlier. They took your phone, here it is. Check if anything is missing."

Xu Yan took the bag and saw that his phone and wallet were inside, with the seal intact. He nodded, "Nothing is missing." He opened the seal, took back his phone and wallet, and without even opening the wallet, he put it in his pocket and turned on his phone.

Seeing Xu Yan's behavior, Wen Xiuzhi's eyes showed a hint of approval—such a generous attitude was no wonder his niece liked this young man. If it were an ordinary person, the first reaction upon getting back the wallet would be to check if the money was missing, and they might even count the money in front of him—worrying about missing money and counting it in front of him was normal for a civilian, but for Wen Xiuzhi, it would be a subtle insult. Xu Yan's generous act of putting the wallet in his pocket without checking it was very much to Wen Xiuzhi's liking.

The two entered the restaurant and got a private room. A sleepy waiter came to serve them. Xu Yan skillfully ordered a few small dishes, and Wen Xiuzhi took the menu and added a plate of fried peanuts, saying, "I love fried peanuts with alcohol. A few more small dishes—by the way, waiter, do you have erguotou?"

"Yes, sir, please wait."

Hearing Wen Xiuzhi order erguotou, Xu Yan shivered—this notorious strong liquor was well-known to him. He stammered, "Brother Wen, drinking this seems a bit scary. Let's have beer instead... You still have to drive..."

"Ah, what's there to be afraid of! In the military, we all drink strong liquor. Beer makes our stomachs bloated and uncomfortable. Driving... I can just find a nearby hotel to sleep if I need to. Don't worry about it."

Wen Xiuzhi's words were firm, and his tone left no room for doubt. Xu Yan couldn't persuade him.

After a while, the food and alcohol were quickly served. Wen Xiuzhi raised his glass, "Come, Little Brother Yan, let's have a drink! This is a case of no fight, no acquaintance!"

Seeing the large glass of alcohol, Xu Yan felt uneasy. He tried to refuse, saying he couldn't drink, but Wen Xiuzhi ignored him and glared at him, "Can't drink? A real man, how can you not drink? Are you looking down on Brother Wen?"

"No, no, not at all..."

"Stop talking nonsense, drink!"

Wen Xiuzhi picked up his glass without a word and pushed it in front of Xu Yan. He stared at him, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Since meeting Wen Xiuzhi, Xu Yan had always felt that this person, despite being a military leader and a high-ranking official, spoke and acted politely and cultivated, treating people kindly. But when it came to drinking, Wen Xiuzhi revealed the typical military officer's domineering nature. The "you must drink" attitude was overwhelming, and Xu Yan, a young and inexperienced person, couldn't resist and could only reluctantly take the glass. Wen Xiuzhi held his hand and clinked glasses with him, "According to our military rules, the first glass must be finished! Come, cheers!"

"Uh, cheers..." Xu Yan looked at the glass in his hand, feeling anxious. Seeing Wen Xiuzhi drink it in one go, he thought, "Better to get it over with quickly," and tried to follow suit. Instantly, he felt a fiery line of heat flow down his throat into his body, making him feel hot all over. Strangely, he didn't feel too uncomfortable. The true qi in his body automatically circulated, spreading the heat throughout his body.

Xu Yan smacked his lips, exhaled with a hint of alcohol, and said, "Too spicy, not good... Brother Wen, can I have beer instead?"

"Ah, a real man should drink this strong liquor! Beer is soft and makes your stomach bloated, what's the point? Come, Little Brother Yan, for our no-fight, no-acquaintance, let's have another drink! I'm really happy to meet you, Little Brother!"

Xu Yan was about to refuse, but Wen Xiuzhi glared at him again, "What, Little Brother Yan, you're not happy to meet me?"

In Chinese social interactions, face is everything. Since Wen Xiuzhi had raised the issue to this level, there was no way out. Even if it were poison, Xu Yan would have to drink it. He could only reluctantly take another drink—fortunately, he didn't feel too uncomfortable, just a warm, burning sensation in his chest and abdomen.

Before Xu Yan could put down his glass, Wen Xiuzhi was already reaching for the bottle. Xu Yan had a bad feeling again.

"Little Brother Yan, you saved my old man, which is a great favor to my whole family. Though a great favor doesn't need thanks, I must drink three glasses with you. Here's to the health and longevity of my old man!"

At this point, Xu Yan couldn't even make a sad face. Wen Xiuzhi kept toasting him, and each time, the reason was something he couldn't refuse. Under his overwhelming pressure, Xu Yan couldn't even say a word of refusal and had to obediently drink three more glasses.

"Damn, this erguotou is really strong. People in the military drink this to feel good!"

Wen Xiuzhi, with a hint of alcohol on his breath, said loudly. He swayed slightly, looking like he was enjoying the drink, but he secretly glanced at Xu Yan's eyes: Hmm, this kid keeps saying he can't drink, but his alcohol tolerance is really good.

Wen Xiuzhi thought that since Xu Yan had been confined for a day and a night, his stomach was empty, and he was tired and weak. At this point, if he didn't let Xu Yan eat and just kept pouring alcohol, even if Xu Yan had a good alcohol tolerance, he should be drunk after three or four glasses. Then, he could easily get information from him.

But Wen Xiuzhi didn't expect that after pouring five or six glasses in a row, although Xu Yan kept saying he couldn't drink, his eyes were still clear and alert, showing no signs of drunkenness. On the contrary, Wen Xiuzhi, despite his good alcohol tolerance, was already feeling a bit dizzy after drinking five or six glasses of erguotou in a row.

Wen Xiuzhi inwardly cursed. These college students are too cunning, they know how to pretend to be weak. If he kept drinking with Xu Yan, he might get drunk first. If he couldn't get information from Xu Yan and ended up revealing his own, it would be a real joke. (To be continued)