chsdbacks Chapter 19 Conspiracy in the Dark
Chapter 19 Conspiracy in the Dark
Li Ranmo sat on the hard wooden chair in the office, tapping his fingers on the table.
Shen Qiushui nodded, her voice low: "That's what Han Xiuyun's intelligence says. The specifics are still unclear, but we've been in contact for a while. It seems that his drug smuggling route might not just be about making money."
It was already dark outside the window, and the hospital was quiet.
Li Ran remained silent.
He knew Wang Qingnian was greedy. But colluding with the enemy was another matter entirely.
"When will Han Xiuyun get the specific information?" he asked.
"She said she would as soon as possible." Shen Qiushui glanced at her pocket watch. "Someone might come tonight."
As soon as he finished speaking, very light footsteps echoed down the corridor.
It wasn't the footsteps of the doctors and nurses in the hospital; it was lighter and more steady.
The footsteps stopped outside the door.
Tap, tap tap.
Three strokes, two short and one long.
signal.
Shen Qiushui went to open the door.
A man dressed in a black cloth shirt and wearing an old felt hat with the brim pulled low stood outside the door. He carried a small cloth bag in his hand.
"Sister Yun sent me," the man said in a hoarse voice.
Li Ranmo stood up.
The man entered the house, closed the door, and took something out of his cloth bag.
It was a tin box, about the size of a palm, with a thin string attached to it.
"A wax tube for a phonograph." The man placed the item on the table. "It was installed last night by Sister Yun's men in the room next to 'Drunken Immortal Pavilion' on the Qinhuai River. They only recorded a short segment before they discovered it."
Li Ranmo picked up the wax cylinder and looked at it.
"Is there a machine to put it in?"
"Yes." The man then took out a small hand-cranked phonograph from the cloth bag; the head of the phonograph was already installed.
He cranked the handle, placed the wax tube on it, and the needle gently fell.
The hissing noise.
Then, a familiar voice rang out; it was Wang Qingnian, but his voice was lower than usual.
"...Don't worry, sir. I've already arranged for that batch of sulfathiazole to leave from Pier 3 in three days. It will be recorded as 'transportation loss' in the accounts, and no one will be able to find out..."
Another voice, broken Chinese, with a Japanese accent.
"Wang Sang, you're very efficient. The Empire won't treat you unfairly. The next batch of sulfanilamide powder and surgical instruments should also be sent as soon as possible."
"Yes, yes, yes, I'll do it as soon as possible. But, sir, things are getting tense lately. Li Ranmo at the hospital, and Han Xiuyun at the docks, are keeping a close eye on us..."
"That's your problem." The Japanese man's voice turned cold. "The Empire wants results. If you can't even handle something this small, Mr. Wang, many people want your position."
The recording abruptly ended there.
Only the rustling sound remained.
The man turned off the phonograph.
"That's all," he said. "The people in the next room noticed, and Xiao Liu, who was installing the equipment, almost ran away. Sister Yun said that Wang Qingnian has been meeting with the Japanese frequently these past few days, at various locations. Her people are still keeping an eye on him, but the other side is very wary."
Li Ran stared silently at the wax cylinder.
This recording isn't long, but it's enough.
Wang Qingnian's treason is confirmed. He not only smuggled medicine, but also sold life-saving medicines from the front lines directly to the Japanese.
"I'll leave the things behind," the man said. "Sister Yun asked me to pass on a message: she'll follow Wang Qingnian's lead to the end. If you need anything, just say so."
After saying that, he nodded to Li Ranmo, turned around, opened the door, and slipped out. His footsteps quickly disappeared at the end of the corridor.
Shen Qiushui closed the door and looked at Li Ranmo.
"What do we do now? This recording is evidence, but it's not enough. Based on this alone, Wang Qingnian can easily argue that he was framed and that the recording was fabricated."
"I know." Li Ran sat down. "We need more. The complete recording, or... written documentation."
"The documents are with Wang Qingnian, or in the Department of Health's archives," Shen Qiushui said. "We can't get into those places."
Li Ran remained silent.
he was thinking.
There was another knock on the office door.
This time it was a normal knock on the door.
Shen Qiushui went to open the door, and it was Chen Qitai.
Chen Qitai came in, glanced at the phonograph and wax cylinder on the table, and his face remained expressionless.
"Has someone been here just now?" he asked.
Li Ran nodded silently.
Chen Qitai walked to the table, picked up the wax cylinder, looked at it, and then put it down.
"I heard the noise," he said. "Wang Qingnian isn't at the Department of Health tonight. His men said he went to a 'banquet.' I guess he went to meet with the Japanese."
Li Ranmo looked at him and said, "Vice Dean, about this matter..."
"I've suspected it for a while now," Chen Qitai interrupted him. "Wang Qingnian's recent actions have been too strange. There are several discrepancies in the Department of Health's drug approvals. Medicines urgently needed on the front lines have been inexplicably 'allocated' to some unimportant places. I've investigated privately, and those places don't need that many medicines at all."
He paused.
"But I have no evidence. I can't get into the Department of Health's archives. Wang Qingnian locked up those key documents; only he and a few close associates could access them."
Li Ranmo's heart stirred.
"The archives...are they in the hospital, or the Department of Health?"
"The innermost room on the third floor of the Department of Health," Chen Qitai said. "There's always someone guarding the door, even at night. There are only three keys: one for Wang Qingnian, one for his secretary, and the third is with the director of the archives. That director is Wang Qingnian's brother-in-law."
Shen Qiushui frowned: "Then what should we do? Forcing our way in is definitely not an option."
Li Ranmo stood up and took a few steps around the room.
"Han Xiuyun's people are still keeping an eye on Wang Qingnian, trying to get the complete recording. On our side, we're trying to get the documents."
"How do we do it?" Chen Qitai asked.
Li Ranmo looked at him.
"Vice President, could you go to the archives tomorrow under the pretext of 'checking documents between the hospital and the Department of Health'? You don't need to go inside; just stay at the door, say a few words to the director, and stall him."
Chen Qitai thought for a moment.
"Sure. I can tell you that there are a few discrepancies in the drug transfer approvals, and we need to verify them in person. That director is timid; if I go in person, he won't dare to ignore it."
"Okay," Li Ranmo said. "Qiu Shui, you are responsible for forging a pass from the Department of Health that can get past the guard at the gate."
Shen Qiushui nodded: "I'll give it a try. I've seen the Department of Health's pass format before."
"Then," Li Ranmo said, "I'll go in."
Chen Qitai and Shen Qiushui both looked at him.
"How are you going to get in?" Chen Qitai asked. "Even if I hold off the director, there are guards at the door. Besides, we have no idea what's going on inside the archives."
"I have a way," Li Ranmo said, "but it will take time. Vice President, go at 3 p.m. tomorrow and try to stall the director for at least 20 minutes. Qiushui, the pass needs to be ready before 2 p.m. I'll be at the Department of Health entrance at 3 p.m. sharp."
Chen Qitai stared at him for a few seconds before finally nodding.
"Okay. But remember, safety first. If things don't look right, get out of there immediately. Wang Qingnian is like a mad dog right now; if he bites you, you'll be in big trouble."
"clear."
Chen Qitai has passed away.
Only Li Ranmo and Shen Qiushui remained in the office.
Shen Qiushui looked at Li Ranmo.
"Do you really have a way to get into the archives?"
"When I was studying in Germany, I saw a lock-picking tool," Li Ranmo said. "It was a simple pin tumbler lock, not hard to open. The problem was the guard at the door and where the documents inside were kept."
"I can figure out a way to guard them," Shen Qiushui said. "Tomorrow afternoon, I can create a little chaos near the back gate of the Department of Health to distract some people. But it won't last long."
"That's enough," Li Ranmo said. "Ten minutes will do."
The two then discussed some more details.
Late at night.
Shen Qiushui went back to prepare to forge a travel permit.
Li Ranmo sat alone in his office, taking the small phonograph apart and putting it back together, repeating this several times.
He was familiarizing himself with the machine's structure.
It was past 1 a.m.
Footsteps echoed down the corridor again.
It's still the same code.
Li Ranmo opened the door, and the man in the black shirt from before was there again. This time, his face was a little pale, and there was sweat on his forehead.
"Dr. Li," the man gasped for breath, "Sister Yun told me to come quickly. She got another recording, but something happened."
He took another wax cylinder from his pocket and handed it to Li Ranmo.
"Tonight, Wang Qingnian met with the Japanese in a private room on the second floor of the 'Yuelai Teahouse.' Our men were discovered while installing equipment. Xiao Liu was shot in the leg but managed to smuggle the wax cylinder out. Sister Yun has already hidden him, but Wang Qingnian is definitely on alert."
Li Ranmo took the wax cylinder.
What is the content of this recording?
"More crucially," the man said, "They're talking about a batch of 'special supplies,' supposedly transported from Northeast China, called something like 'bacterial strains.' Wang Qingnian agreed to help find a place to store them in Nanjing and also provide a batch of experimental animals. The Japanese man said this is part of a 'grand plan,' and if it succeeds, Wang Qingnian will be credited with the greatest achievement."
Li Ranmo's heart sank.
Microbial strain? Laboratory animal?
Several words flashed through his mind instantly: germ warfare, epidemic prevention, large-scale infection.
"I'll leave the things here," the man said. "Sister Yun said she'll keep an eye on things, but Wang Qingnian will definitely be more careful from now on. Dr. Li, you need to act quickly."
After saying that, the man left in a hurry.
Li Ranmo closed the door and placed the second wax cylinder onto the phonograph.
Crank the handle.
Wang Qingnian's voice rang out again, this time with a hint of ingratiation.
"...Don't worry, sir. I've already chosen a storage location. It's in the basement of that abandoned church hospital in the west of the city—damp, secluded, and no one goes there. I've also contacted the rabbits and mice for the experiments; they'll be delivered in three days..."
The Japanese voice said, "Very good. This batch of 'goods' is extremely important; there can be absolutely no mistakes. Mr. Wang, your future depends on this."
"Yes, yes, I will definitely take care of it..."
Recording has ended.
Li Ranmo turned off the machine and sat down in a chair.
He now understands completely.
Wang Qingnian was not only colluding with the enemy, but also helping the Japanese carry out bacteriological warfare. Those "bacterial strains" were pathogens.
We must obtain the documentary evidence, and we must do so as soon as possible.
Before dawn, Shen Qiushui returned, holding a forged pass with a red stamp in her hand, which looked quite legitimate.
"It's all taken care of," she said. "But when I came back just now, I noticed two unfamiliar faces loitering around the hospital archives. Judging from their attire, they didn't seem to be from the hospital."
Li Ranmo walked to the window and looked down.
The archives are on the first floor, in the row of bungalows facing the courtyard.
Sure enough, there were two men in gray short jackets leaning against the wall opposite the archives room, smoking, their eyes glancing at the entrance of the archives room from time to time.
"Wang Qingnian's men," Li Ranmo said. "They acted quickly. They got the recording here, and they sent people to keep watch over them."
"What should we do then?" Shen Qiushui asked, "We can't get into the archives."
Li Ran remained silent.
he was thinking.
We need to go into the Department of Health's archives, and the hospital's archives might also have some items there.
With so many drug transactions between Wang Qingnian and the hospital, it's impossible that there wouldn't be any trace left. Some document copies or correspondence might be in the hospital's archives.
But there are people guarding that side now.
"The plan has been adjusted." Li Ranmo turned around. "Tomorrow afternoon, the vice president will still go to the Department of Health as originally planned to stall the director. You will create chaos to distract the guards at the back door. I will go into the Department of Health's archives to find the documents showing Wang Qingnian's collusion with the Japanese."
"What about the hospital archives?" Shen Qiushui asked.
"I'll handle this," Li Ranmo said. "Wang Qingnian sent people to guard this place, which means there's definitely something inside. I'll find a way in."
"It's too dangerous," Shen Qiushui said. "How can you manage both at the same time by yourself?"
"We have to manage, even if we can't," Li Ranmo said. "Time is running out. Wang Qingnian and the Japanese have already started their 'grand plan,' and we must get ahead of them."
Shen Qiushui looked at him and finally nodded.
"Okay, I'll go with you."
Li Ranmo walked to the metal cabinet, opened the innermost compartment, and took out the surgical instruments.
There was a small cloth bag under the instrument tray.
He opened the cloth bag, inside were several thin wires, a few small hooks, and an extremely thin blade.
"I haven't used these things in a long time," he said.
Outside the window, the sky was beginning to lighten.
A new day is about to begin.
Chen Qitai came by in the morning and listened to Li Ranmo's adjusted plans. He didn't say much, just patted him on the shoulder.
"Be careful. See you at the Department of Health at 3 PM."
Li Ran nodded silently.
At 2 p.m., Shen Qiushui left first to make arrangements at the back gate of the Department of Health.
Li Ranmo walked around the hospital and finally stopped behind the row of bungalows near the archives.
The two men in gray short jackets were still there, sitting on the stone benches at the entrance of the archives room, chatting idly.
Li Ranmo went around to the side of the bungalow.
There was a small window there, the glass was broken and nailed shut with planks.
He looked around; no one was there.
He took out the thin blade from his pocket, inserted it into the crack in the wooden board, and gently pried it open.
The nail has come loose.
Pry open the other end.
The wooden planks were removed.
The window wasn't big, but it was big enough for one person to squeeze through.
Li Ranmo placed the wooden plank against the wall, braced his hands on the windowsill, and with a burst of strength, climbed inside.
Inside was the archives' storage room, piled high with old newspapers and waste paper boxes.
He tiptoed to the door and pressed his ear against it.
It was quiet outside.
The archives are rarely visited during the day, and even less so at night.
He gently turned the doorknob.
The door wasn't locked.
Push it open a crack.
Outside is the main room of the archives, with rows of metal filing cabinets standing there, and the air smells of dust and old paper.
no one.
Li Ranmo slipped inside and closed the door.
He began searching rapidly.
Wang Qingnian's documents should be placed in the categories of "Department of Health correspondence" or "Drug allocation".
He found the corresponding cabinet and opened the drawer.
Inside was a thick stack of documents, arranged in chronological order.
He flipped through it quickly.
Most of them are normal approvals and notices.
His hand stopped when he flipped to the documents from the last three months.
There is a document titled "Special Materials Storage Filing", signed by Wang Qingnian, and dated ten days ago.
The document is very simple, stating only that there is a batch of "medical research supplies" that need to be temporarily stored in the basement of an abandoned church hospital in the west of the city, and that it has been registered.
There was no specific name, quantity, or source of the supplies.
However, at the end of the document, there was a hastily written signature, not in Chinese characters, but in Japanese katakana.
Li Ranmo's pupils contracted.
He took the document out, folded it, and stuffed it into his pocket.
Continue flipping through.
Several more drug allocation slips were found, but the approved quantities of drugs did not match the actual quantities delivered to the hospital. The discrepancies were all marked as "transportation losses," but the signatures on the slips were all from Wang Qingnian.
Li Ranmo also took these out.
Just then, footsteps could be heard outside.
There were also voices.
"Damn it, this godforsaken place isn't even deserted. What's the point of having the two of us guarding this place?"
"Stop talking nonsense. If the section chief says to guard it, then guard it. I heard there might be important documents inside, so we can't let anyone touch them."
"Important documents? In this run-down hospital archives? What could be important...?"
The footsteps grew closer.
It was those two men in gray short-sleeved shirts at the door.
They came in.