Resumo do episódio 2 de THE REBEL
> Resumos de THE REBEL
After a heavy rain, Shanghai's temperature dropped, leaving the city under a blanket of clouds. Lin Nansheng, his head covered in light sweat from the recent interrogation, emerged from the room, looking out of place in the somber environment. Chen Moqun, accustomed to such scenes, gave some brief instructions to Wang Shi'an before taking Lin Nansheng to an old Western-style house hidden at an alley entrance, a personal residence he had specifically arranged for Lin Nansheng, unknown to anyone else.
Chen Moqun urged Lin Nansheng to familiarize himself with the surroundings and then questioned him about his thoughts on their work. Lin Nansheng confessed his discomfort, worrying that they might harm innocent people due to insufficient investigation. He found it hard to stomach the thought of fellow countrymen being brutalized, particularly when they, too, might only wish for a better country, despite choosing a different path.
Chen Moqun, however, dismissed Lin Nansheng's concerns as a weakness unfit for a Nationalist intelligence officer. He warned Lin Nansheng to remember his identity, maintain a firm stance, and discard any excess emotion to achieve their objectives. He reminded Lin Nansheng that he was a candidate personally selected and trained by him, and that he must not be disappointed. Lin Nansheng, cherishing this opportunity, reaffirmed his commitment to his duty and vowed never to back down.
Satisfied, Chen Moqun left, while Lin Nansheng stared intently out the window, standing tall, as if seeking to reaffirm his initial convictions in the dawn light, believing in the righteousness of his party. Meanwhile, Gu Shenyan met with A Mu at a teahouse, inquiring about Wang Zhi's transfer and discussing Lin Nansheng's background.
Gu Shenyan revealed that he had studied Lin Nansheng's file, which showed no suspicious ties, suggesting Chen Moqun’s hasty selection of a new confidant was a sign of his extreme frustration over recent intelligence leaks. A Mu confirmed that Wang Zhi had safely left Shanghai, believing he had reached Xinyang by now. Gu Shenyan explained that Chen Moqun had implemented the highest security measures for Wang Zhi's arrest, but his failure to capture him had enraged him.
Gu Shenyan worried that Chen Moqun, cunning and experienced in fighting their organization, would now change his strategy and try to break through their defenses to target the core. He noted that the silence within the Special Agents Department indicated secret operations were underway, making it harder to obtain timely information. Gu Shenyan promised to clear the contact system upon his return to ensure A Mu's safety.
Wang Shi'an had been in lengthy negotiations with Nanjing, and thanks to Director Dai's intervention, Nanjing finally agreed to extradite Wang Zhi to the Shanghai Special Agents Department. Chen Moqun ordered the information to be kept strictly confidential, mandating Wang Zhi's solitary confinement and secrecy from all departments, including Gu Shenyan. That evening, Zhu Yizhen was organizing a group of fellow students at a dance hall to write patriotic propaganda pamphlets condemning the national government's non-resistance policy.
When the police suddenly raided the venue for a spot check, everyone scrambled to evacuate. As Zhu Yizhen exited, she was mugged. Fortunately, Lin Nansheng, who was exploring the area, intervened, snatching her handbag back from the robber. Seeing Lin Nansheng, the robber fled. Zhu Yizhen, more concerned about her scattered manuscripts than the robber, quickly collected the papers, thanked Lin Nansheng briefly, and hurried away.
Lin Nansheng watched her retreating figure, puzzled but choosing to let it go, already feeling the profound impact Shanghai had made on him in just a few days. Later, Section Chief Cao Yangfei from Nanjing's inspection department arrived in Jiading with Wang Zhi. Chen Moqun confirmed the situation via phone and then instructed Wang Shi'an to remain at the office. He took Lin Nansheng with him to the meeting point.
Lin Nansheng and the driver, Old Huang, were each given two submachine guns, and Chen Moqun explicitly ordered the General Affairs Section to record the name of anyone who inquired about the weapons, as they could be potential moles. Gu Shenyan realized the gravity of the situation after Chen Moqun's departure, so he took a bottle of foreign whiskey to visit Wang Shi'an. Wang Shi'an was in a foul mood, venting his frustration by torturing a Communist prisoner.
He felt marginalized by Lin Nansheng's rapid rise in favor, believing his own position as Chen Moqun’s trusted aide had been usurped, leaving him with little more than a nominal deputy station chief title. Gu Shenyan feigned sympathy, leveraging Wang Shi'an's resentment by lamenting how Chen Moqun had seemingly overlooked their shared history at Huangpu Military Academy and their participation in the Northern Expedition.
Gu Shenyan, who actually managed extensive intelligence personnel information in the archives, had deliberately cultivated a reputation for lacking ambition and being content with a relaxed position, using it as a cover for his true identity.
As they drank, Gu Shenyan subtly extracted information from an unsuspecting Wang Shi'an, who openly complained about the cost of housing Nanjing agents and Chen Moqun's eagerness to retrieve "the person he wanted" from Nanjing without involving him in the process, confirming Gu Shenyan's suspicion that Wang Zhi had been captured.
Chen Moqun met Cao Yangfei in the outskirts of the city and took custody of Wang Zhi, immediately arranging for him to be detained on the fourth floor of the Datong Hotel to ensure absolute secrecy. He installed two men at the entrance, guards in an opposite room, and gave strict orders that only he and Lin Nansheng were allowed near Wang Zhi's room.
He then instructed his secretary to tell anyone asking about him that he was on field duty. After his meeting with Wang Shi'an, Gu Shenyan called A Mu, instructing him to meet Ji Zhongyuan at a bookstore to verify the identity of the captured Communist. Moments later, Zhu Yizhen visited Ji Zhongyuan at the library to inform him that the patriotic manuscripts were safe.
Shortly after their conversation, Ji Zhongyuan received a phone call, which was a coded message from A Mu about an "illustrated version of Qing Dynasty" that would sell out quickly. Ji Zhongyuan then excused himself to a colleague, saying he needed to go to the bookstore, and promptly left for the meeting. Back at the hotel, Chen Moqun personally interrogated Wang Zhi, who initially only revealed information about his subordinates, refusing to name his superior.
Lin Nansheng attempted to persuade Wang Zhi by reconstructing the timeline of his escape from Shanghai. He pointed out the wet footprints found at Wang Zhi's residence after the rain and the impossibility of his escape without a tip-off, suggesting that the person who warned him was his superior. Wang Zhi initially insisted he only escaped due to his "sensitivity."
Growing impatient, Chen Moqun resorted to intimidation, threatening to kill Wang Zhi and frame it as an escape attempt, with his family also facing consequences. This broke Wang Zhi's resolve. Pleading for money and safe passage abroad for his family, Wang Zhi confessed that his superior, named A Mu, who operated a bookstore, was the contact person for a spy within the Special Agents Department, codenamed "Mailman."
Based on Wang Zhi's confession, Lin Nansheng quickly accessed A Mu's detailed file from the Shanghai Book Trade Association. Meanwhile, Gu Shenyan feigned illness at the Special Agents Department and, relying on the driver, Old Huang, to take him home, subtly inquired about the location of the pan-fried dumplings Old Huang had bought. This allowed Gu Shenyan to identify the secret hotel where Wang Zhi was being held. Gu Shenyan couldn't directly approach the heavily guarded hotel entrance. He drove past the establishment, observing the numerous agents stationed outside, but his suspicious vehicle was noticed by Lin Nansheng, who was keeping watch.
