Chapter 2490: Burning the Building (Part 3)

Yang Cao asked: "How long has he been inside?"

The scout said: "He's been in the residence for over four hours. Other cart drivers have already gathered, eaten, and left—they're preparing for the return trip at the horse hitching post. But this person hasn't appeared yet. It's possible he came out from one of the other two gates, but no report has been received."

Yang Cao said: "Pass a message again. Have Coral check on this person—it might be a useful lead. In the future, don't have Coral check daily visits. Try to use peripheral personnel to reduce Coral's exposure."

The scout said: "Yes."

Yang Cao said: "Is the map marked?"

The scout said: "Marked. We walked it personally once." He handed over a regional map marking all alleys, entrances, exits, and paths within the surveillance range.

Yang Cao nodded with satisfaction: "Not bad. Is the character profile card done?"

The scout said: "We started on it right after returning from identification. Just finished—haven't had time to distribute it yet." He handed over a stack of small paper slips. The slips were copied in triplicate using carbon paper. Yang Cao looked quickly. Written on it was: Height eight chi, short beard, wearing an octagonal pointed bamboo hat, black hair color, gray coarse linen short jacket on upper body, gray coarse linen trousers on lower body, broad shoulders, thick neck, thin waist, wearing hemp shoes on feet, carrying a local white cloth bundle on back.

Yang Cao said: "Very good. Distribute to all surveillance team members immediately to facilitate tracking and identification..."

She had a good impression of this scout. Not many could do such tedious work so neatly. She asked casually: "What is your name?"

"Report! Probationary Commander Zhang Jiabin!"

"Oh, this name is well given. Not of refugee background, right?"

"No," the scout was a bit nervous. "I'm an immigrant. My old home is indeed in Guangdong—right in Shaoguan."

While the two were talking, the monitoring observer suddenly said: "He's out."

Yang Cao immediately walked quickly onto the observation platform and moved her eyes to the telescope. In the lens, a sturdy man stood before the small door beside the main gate, bowing to the household servant who sent him out and exchanging a couple of words.

At that moment, a patrol policeman carrying a baton passed by on patrol, slowly walking past the man and looking him up and down casually a few times. The man immediately stood aside carefully and respectfully, bowing with hands down by the roadside, watching the policeman slowly leave.

Yang Cao observed quietly. The moment the policeman appeared, the man's upper body shifted slightly backward—an unconscious attempt to distance himself from the police. Immediately after, he squared his chest toward the policeman. That was animal instinct—hiding one's soft flank and facing the enemy with the front. His legs parted slightly—a display of hostility. Even a shrew shouting abuse in the street would put hands on hips and spread her legs to show fierceness. His right heel lifted slightly; he was stabilizing his balance, and at the same time, the ball of his foot was ready to exert force to flee or attack at any moment. This was not a posture of awe or respect, but vigilance and hostile readiness. A person could control their expression and tone, but it was hard to suppress subconscious physiological reactions.

Yang Cao let out a long breath: "This person has a problem. Follow him."

Zhang Jiabin asked: "Request support from the other two gates?"

Yang Cao said: "Too late. You stay on duty here and try to call for support immediately. The other two will track. You—" she pointed to one of the scouts beside her—"take the main tail. Him, take the vice tail." She pointed to the other, then continued: "I will be backup support. The carriage will follow up when needed. Start."

The constraints of their communication capabilities made it difficult to fully mobilize manpower for perfect deployment when facing sudden situations.

The two scouts nodded and said no more, quickly making preparations.

Yang Cao silently raised her head and looked out the window. This case had consumed enormous material resources, financial resources, and manpower from the Political Security Bureau. It had created doubled pressure for Director Zhao back in Lingao. Some sarcastically asked whether the Political Security Bureau was flush with funds or had invested everything into the entertainment business of Purple Cloud Tower—they couldn't even take down a local bully or bad gentry. Some clamored to audit the bureau's fund flow. All the noise was pushed back by Director Zhao. They had to steady their minds and block out all the swaying wind and rain to stand firm. Anxiety would be the beginning of bad luck.

On the windowsill, a mantis held a locust with its sickle-like forelegs, chewing methodically. The locust struggled in vain until it was completely consumed. The mantis waved its forelimbs happily. For it, today was a good day.

Yang Cao was slightly nervous. Tracking missions usually required sufficient preparation beforehand. The more intelligence gathered, the higher the probability of success. Only by fully understanding the target's physical characteristics, activity area, scope of work, and living habits could routes be planned and contingencies formulated in advance, and the tail recovered quickly if lost. Temporary tracking with few personnel and no support—once encountering counter-surveillance—would be very difficult to succeed. But at this moment, Yang Cao had no choice.

Scout No. 1 followed secretly six or seven meters behind Qiaoyan, moving slowly along the right side of the street. Scout No. 2 followed five meters behind Scout No. 1. The three formed a column, moving slowly with the flow of people.

Yang Cao walked on the opposite side of the street, moving in the same direction along the left side, forming a triangle with Scouts No. 1 and No. 2. Her position was slightly behind Qiaoyan, allowing her to see his back while also allowing Scout No. 1 to see her sideways with peripheral vision. Yang Cao gently raised her right hand to tuck her hair at the temple and adjusted her hairpin flower—signaling Scout No. 1 to move ahead and observe the target's appearance. Scout No. 1 immediately strode quickly past Qiaoyan, while Scout No. 2 walked a few steps faster, taking over the main tail position.

Scout No. 1 stopped in front of a fruit stall ahead. Seeing a customer, the fruit vendor immediately beamed: "Does this official want pears? My pears have no match on the whole street—sweet and juicy. How many does the official want?"

Scout No. 1 rummaged in the fruit basket twice: "Your pears are no good—they have worms. Can only sell them cheap."

The fruit vendor immediately became anxious: "Official, don't talk nonsense. I picked these out one by one; where are there worms?"

Scout No. 1 held up a pear, looking at it left and right. Just as they were arguing, Qiaoyan happened to walk close. Scout No. 1 quickly turned the hand holding the pear toward him, pointing at the pear: "Look, look, right here is where the worm is." At the same time, his gaze swept over Qiaoyan's face following the pear in his hand. After Qiaoyan and Scout No. 2 walked past one after another, he threw the pear back into the basket, following behind Scout No. 2 to become the vice tail—leaving only the fruit vendor complaining dissatisfiedly behind him.

Yang Cao fell a few steps behind to approach Scout No. 1, probing him with her eyes. Scout No. 1 touched his headscarf gently and shook his head slightly—he hadn't seen the target's face because of the bamboo hat.

Qiaoyan walked slowly down the street, looking left and right from time to time, constantly scanning his surroundings. After walking for another quarter of an hour, Qiaoyan suddenly walked into a carriage agency called "Yuesheng." Yang Cao and the other two immediately dispersed, hiding their figures at street corners and storefronts outside the agency, eyes fixed on the open front counter and exit, waiting quietly.

Yuesheng Carriage Agency was newly opened, doing "Australian vehicle" business. It had learned the Qiewei model—besides rickshaw rentals where pullers paid a daily fee, there was also long-distance carriage service running land routes from the suburbs to neighboring counties, charging by the trip. Though not as comfortable as taking a boat, the speed was much faster. People with urgent matters often chose carriages.

The agency's rule was to place orders at the front counter and dispatch vehicles from the backyard. Qiaoyan talked with the dispatching manager at the front counter for a moment, then received a dispatch slip in duplicate. Before long, a passenger carriage came out from the backyard and stopped by the door. Qiaoyan boarded, lowered the carriage curtain and window curtains, and gave the driver a few instructions. The driver shook the whip tip, and the carriage pulled slowly away.

As soon as Qiaoyan left, Yang Cao immediately walked out quickly from the street corner, went directly to the agency's front counter, and said to the dispatching manager: "Greetings, sir. Did you see my husband come to hire a carriage? He is eight chi tall, wearing a bamboo hat, coarse cloth clothes, and has a burly build."

The manager was stunned: "Oh, you just missed each other, one after another."

Yang Cao said hatefully: "This stubborn donkey temper! He came to the city to hand over an errand. I brought our son to stay with him at my parents' home for a short visit. During lunch, my father disliked his shabby clothes and hat for losing face and said a few words. He threw a temper tantrum and couldn't stay even a moment—immediately wanting to hire a carriage home. Where in the world is there such a temper, leaving wife and son behind! What should we mother and son do?" She covered her face with a handkerchief and sobbed low twice, then said: "I will also hire a carriage to chase him. It's just that a woman doesn't know the market price—how much silver is it?"

The manager said: "Madam, don't cry. I don't know where Madam wants to go? Long-distance carriages aren't cheap! If it's just to chase the carriage, I will dispatch one right away. Whatever the fare is can be paid to the driver when you catch up. You just need to prepay a deposit of two jiao here first—I will write a receipt. When convenient, bring the receipt back for a refund; I definitely dare not short you."

Yang Cao exclaimed: "Why so expensive? Bullying a woman for not knowing the ways of the world? Let me see." She came to grab the registry. The manager had no choice; after pulling back and forth a few times, he pointed it out, saying: "Don't grab, don't grab, don't tear the account book. My Yuesheng Carriage Agency treats children and old men honestly. If you don't believe me, look, Madam—your husband also hired at this price."

Yang Cao looked at the registry, instantly feeling a bit lacking in funds, and said helplessly: "I, I don't have enough money on me. Sir, wait a moment; I'll get money and come back to hire the carriage."

The manager said: "Madam, please suit yourself." He cursed secretly: Where did this crazy woman come from? No wonder the man ran away!

Yang Cao walked out of the carriage agency. By this time, the Political Security Bureau's carriage had caught up. Scout No. 2 gestured in front of the door, and the carriage stopped steadily at the corner ahead. Yang Cao ran quickly. Seeing no one paying attention, she boarded the carriage with an arrow step, lifted the front curtain, and said to the driver: "Go to Sanxian Tai. Take the North Gate."

(End of Chapter)