Chapter 33: Walking with Wolves

The warehouse was full of the smell of herbal medicine, like some forgotten corner of this world.

Chen Ji silently thought: The duty of the Military Intelligence Department Si Cao involves a very high level of secrecy. The fact that his uncle could instruct a Si Cao to take care of him suggests he must be a significant figure in the intelligence line.

But why did his mother marry into the Ning Dynasty Chen family? And why did he stay in the Ning Dynasty?

Si Cao saw him silent and not speaking, seeming to misunderstand: "You seem to still hold a grudge against your uncle."

Chen Ji lowered his eyes, asking with an unclear meaning: "Does my uncle still remember me?"

Si Cao patted the dust off his body, saying as if nothing had happened: "Don't say such angry words. That year, in his position, he needed to consider the overall situation. Not bringing you back to the Jing Dynasty naturally had its reasons. Perhaps if he had brought you back, you would have been harmed by villains instead."

"Like this? Is my uncle's situation very bad?"

After the manager of Hundred Deer Pavilion left, this Si Cao seemed to be talking more.

Yet, he heard him say calmly: "Now your uncle has been framed by villains, demoted and retired."

So his uncle had already retired?

Chen Ji asked: "Then when can I return to the Jing Dynasty?"

He felt no sense of belonging in either the Jing Dynasty or the Ning Dynasty, but no matter where he went, it was always better than walking a tightrope here.

However, Si Cao said coldly: "You cannot leave now. Since you are already close to Yun Yang and Jiao Tu, you naturally must make good use of this identity."

Si Cao's tone allowed no doubt.

Chen Ji was silent for a long time: "Then I will follow Si Cao Daren's arrangements. I will strive to gain Yun Yang and Jiao Tu's trust."

At this time, Si Cao's words changed: "Wait... your method of transmitting intelligence is Zhou Cheng Yi's garbled character method. The Military Intelligence Department never taught you the reverse cutting method. Where did you learn the reverse cutting method? And why did you discover the Jin Si Lu?"

Chen Ji didn't know how to answer for a moment.

He couldn't explain to the people of this world that he had wanted to become a diplomatic military officer since he was a child, so he had devoured books on popular science, intelligence, and reasoning.

He couldn't explain to the people of this world that seven months ago, he had been admitted to the Army Foreign Language College with the top scores in both the written exam and interview.

And that school, which was about to be renamed "Army Strategic Support Information Engineering University," was not a place that only taught foreign languages from the beginning. The written exam and interview for the special recruitment batch did not test foreign languages either.

Si Cao narrowed his eyes slightly and asked: "Why aren't you speaking? Who taught you?"

As he spoke, an invisible pressure suddenly approached. Chen Ji clearly saw the other person reach for the dagger in his sleeve again.

He quickly thought things over in his heart and answered: "My mother taught me."

"Oh?" Si Cao's tone still didn't relax: "I didn't expect your mother to teach you these things when you were so young... What else did she teach you? It couldn't have been just the reverse cutting method, that would be too much of a coincidence."

Chen Ji 'recalled': "My mother also told me that solely using the reverse cutting method to hide information is very easily exposed if you encounter someone who also knows the reverse cutting method. So, on top of the reverse cutting method, she created a new method to hide intelligence."

"Eh?" Si Cao became interested: "What method?"

Chen Ji said: "My mother called it a codebook."

"Codebook?"

Chen Ji found a jar of medicinal wine in the warehouse and used his finger to dip the medicinal wine and write on the ground: "Liu bian xun qi di, bo he zheng ri chang. Huang li gai yu chu xi, pai zhang yu jun zhi."

Si Cao said in a condensed voice: "What is the use of this poem?"

Chen Ji didn't answer, only continued to write self-indulgently: "Chun hua jiao, qiu shan kai, gui ke huan ge xu jin bei, gu deng guang zhao shao yin tai. Dong jiao li, xi qiao tou, ji ming cui zao tian, guai mei xie gai gou."

Chen Ji explained: "The first poem has a total of twenty characters, and the initial consonant of each character is different. The second poem has a total of thirty-six characters, and the final consonant of each character is also different. Then, using these two poems as a codebook, the characters can be numbered sequentially. The twenty characters of the first poem are numbered one to twenty, and the second poem is also like this, numbered one to thirty-six."

Si Cao was a bit doubtful: "How to use it?"

Chen Ji said: "With this codebook, if you want to transmit the characters 'ji xu', you only need to write nineteen, twenty-seven, fifteen, eleven. Someone who knows the codebook can immediately translate the information when they see the numbers, but someone who doesn't know the codebook will never think to crack it. Suppose the Jin Si Lu transmits messages using this method, even if the opponent intercepts the Jin Si Lu, they still won't be able to understand it."

Si Cao praised: "A bit interesting."

The codebook, a multi-layered encryption technology, existed in ancient times and developed greatly during World War I and World War II.

It was not omnipotent, but in intelligence work, as long as you were one step ahead, you could completely defeat your opponent.

At this point, Si Cao finally relaxed his tone and chose to believe Chen Ji: "Your mother taught well, you learned well. When your mother first came to lurk in the Ning Dynasty, it only took her three years to become a famous talented woman in Jinling. I didn't expect her to be not only skilled in Qin, Qi, Shu, and Hua, but also to have refined the use of the reverse cutting method. I will report this matter of the codebook and the Jin Si Lu together to Master Si for you and request a merit. You are now a 'Que' level spy, right? This merit is enough for you to be promoted to 'Zhi' level."

Chen Ji suddenly let out a long sigh of relief in his heart: He had bet correctly.

According to his guess, both his mother and uncle were people from the Jing Dynasty, yet his mother strangely married into the Ning Dynasty Chen family. The only explanation for this was that his mother was also a spy!

That year, his mother and uncle came to the Ning Dynasty together. His uncle established the intelligence network of the Military Intelligence Department in the south with his own hands, and his mother married into the Chen residence to obtain intelligence.

Chen Ji changed the subject: "Si Cao Daren, my main task next is to approach Yun Yang and Jiao Tu. Can you tell me more about them?"

Si Cao nodded: "When getting along with Yun Yang and Jiao Tu, never believe a single word they say. These two people were promoted completely by stepping on the corpses of their colleagues. They use you today, and they might abandon you tomorrow."

Chen Ji was doubtful: "If they do this, won't it cause public resentment among their colleagues?"

"It won't. The Secret Spy Department is originally a place that only looks at merit, not emotion. They are ruthless to their own people, and even more ruthless to us," Si Cao thought for a moment and then instructed: "Of course, given their relationship with the Poison Prime Minister, other colleagues might dare to be angry but not speak."

"Hmm?"

"Yun Yang and Jiao Tu are both orphans adopted by the Poison Prime Minister, cultivated over ten years to become the dead men they are today. Perhaps their abilities are not as good as others, but they are merciless when it comes to killing for the Poison Prime Minister."

Chen Ji suddenly remembered that on the night Zhou Cheng Yi died, Yun Yang and Jiao Tu had sworn oaths to his parents respectively...

Just as they were speaking, Manager Yuan pushed the door open and entered: "Si Cao Daren, it has been arranged. Chang Jing will be in..."

Si Cao said coldly: "Slap your mouth."

Manager Yuan was stunned for a moment, but finally gritted his teeth and slapped himself ten times.

Si Cao's muffled voice came from behind the mask: "Each intelligence line is not allowed to inform the other side of information. You've forgotten this basic principle, and you still want to succeed Zhou Cheng Yi as the Hai Dong Ying of Lu Cheng?"

Manager Yuan lowered his head: "This subordinate was rash."

Yet, he heard Chen Ji suddenly say from the side: "Si Cao Daren, I will do my best to approach Yun Yang and Jiao Tu next, but I have one request."

"Speak."

Chen Ji stared at Manager Yuan and said: "I need the Military Intelligence Department to transfer everyone who knows my spy identity back to the Jing Dynasty, and they can never return to the Ning Dynasty again. Otherwise, if others are captured after I have worked hard to approach the Twelve Zodiacs, they will confess me and all previous efforts will be wasted."

Si Cao seemed to be lost in thought.

Manager Yuan's face changed drastically: "Si Cao Daren, he is settling a personal score!"

Chen Ji shook his head: "Not settling a personal score. You already know my identity. If you are captured, you will definitely confess me."

"I won't!" Manager Yuan said urgently: "Si Cao Daren, I have been operating Lu Cheng for six years. No one is more suitable here than me."

Si Cao pondered for a moment and went straight towards a box of medicinal materials.

He pulled open the box and took out a piece of oil paper used to preserve medicinal materials, calmly spreading it on the ground.

Seeing this, Manager Yuan turned to flee the warehouse.

But just as he turned around, Si Cao had already flashed behind him and lifted that fat body with one hand, carrying him onto the oil paper.

The next moment, Si Cao kicked Manager Yuan's leg bend, forcing him to kneel down.

He drew a dagger from his sleeve and looked at Chen Ji: "Interrogating you today was also out of necessity, don't hold a grudge. If today's matter becomes a thorn in your heart, then I will pull it out for you now. After this, you can approach Yun Yang and Jiao Tu with peace of mind. Except for me, Master Si, and your uncle, no one else will know your spy identity."

As he spoke, Si Cao pinched Manager Yuan's jaw and stabbed the knife into the other person's heart: "Yuan Ming, you took advantage of your position to embezzle eight thousand three hundred twenty-seven taels of silver from the Hundred Deer Pavilion in six years. This Hundred Deer Pavilion was originally set up to raise funds for the Military Intelligence Department, yet it became a place for you to line your private pockets. You are no longer loyal."

Manager Yuan gasped, unable to utter a single sentence.

Si Cao twisted the dagger, breaking Manager Yuan's heart, while looking at Chen Ji with that green face and fangs: "If there is no absolute loyalty, then there is absolute disloyalty. Chen Ji, remember this sentence in your heart."

Chen Ji silently watched this scene. He knew that from now on, he would have to walk with these jackals, tigers, and leopards.