The Right Decision

In an era like this, having joined a Red Party like this and taken on work like this, facing a group of steadfast Communist fighters who truly fought for the ideals in their hearts and to defend their homes and country—

Even though Wang Yan had lived through nearly a thousand long years and had grown almost indifferent to everything, this kind of national hatred, this greater cause of the people, this greatness forged from flesh and blood amid fire and war, clearly did not fall into that category.

Moreover, he possessed a strong capacity for empathy. That was also why his heart could continue to be stirred. And precisely because of that, given his temperament, he could not help worrying about what was about to happen.

As he had said before, if they failed, it would be a devastating blow that neither the Shanghai underground Party organization nor the JS Provincial Committee could bear. It might not even be any better than April 12, when they had been completely unprepared.

Amid such worries, Wang Yan nevertheless spent three days and two nights in style. After meeting Lu Boda, he contacted Chongqing that very night; it was a necessary procedure. During the next few days, he listened to the broadcasts every noon, but received no notices seeking anyone. That only made him more worried. Since nothing had changed, there were only two possibilities: either they followed his plan, or they continued with the original one.

At this point, only two days and three nights remained until the collective execution date provided by the comrade embedded within the Japanese special agents. Only two days and two nights remained until the time Wang Yan had proposed for the operation. The newspaper would be typeset and printed on the afternoon before that, meaning