Early in the morning, in the backyard of the Delicious Restaurant, Grace Hale was idly staying in her room. With nothing to do, she was not allowed to leave the house at will. When she saw Raymond Shaw come in, she immediately stood up to greet him. She knew nothing about what had happened in the yard.

"Old Shaw, is Old Clark alright?" Grace Hale asked.

"He's very safe," Raymond Shaw replied. Grace Hale was full of revolutionary enthusiasm, but lacked experience in underground work. Since coming to the city, she always wanted to do something big. Naturally, he couldn't tell her about the note; otherwise, with her personality, something would definitely go wrong.

"He's very weak. Should I go take care of him?" Grace Hale said. Spending every day idly in the back of this restaurant, she felt she was wasting her life. She wanted to learn from Howard Clark and become an outstanding underground worker as soon as possible.

"Your current task is to stay here and rest easy," Raymond Shaw said reassuringly.

"My task is to take care of him. Now that he's gone, my post should also change," Grace Hale insisted, uncompromising.

"Someone else is taking care of him now, the task of looking after him..." Raymond Shaw originally wanted to say that Grace Hale's task was over, but he suddenly changed his words, saying, "Someone else is already taking care of him, but if you really want to go, you can, but..."

"No 'buts'! No matter what the conditions are, I agree," Grace Hale said excitedly. Last night, during the transfer, she had applied to go with Howard Clark, but Raymond Shaw hadn't agreed.

"Old Clark's situation is still very dangerous. You must stay by his side and take care of him twenty-four hours a day, without leaving him for a moment," Raymond Shaw instructed. Whether or not Howard Clark had betrayed them, someone had to be by his side at all times.

Grace Hale's revolutionary enthusiasm was high; letting her "take care" of him, but in reality monitor him, was more than appropriate.

"Guaranteed to complete the task!" Grace Hale said happily.

Every morning, Raymond Shaw would carry a pole to the market to buy vegetables. Today was no exception; he carried his pole to the market. The daily pork head, ribs, and other meats were delivered to the shop by the butcher. But the seasonal vegetables had to be bought by him personally at the market.

This also became his best way to meet with his superior. Howard Clark originally belonged to the City Work Committee. Now that he knew Howard Clark might have betrayed them, he had to report immediately. After Raymond Shaw returned to the shop, vegetable vendors soon came to deliver produce. The last to arrive was a middle-aged man in coarse clothes, with rough hands and skin—clearly a farmer used to hard labor. But after he entered, he exchanged a glance with Raymond Shaw, laughed heartily, and carried the vegetables straight to the backyard.

Once in the backyard, the middle-aged man put down his pole and slipped into the innermost room. Raymond Shaw followed him in, and as soon as he entered, he grasped the man's large hand tightly.

"Old Yu, is everything alright at home?" Raymond Shaw suppressed his excitement at seeing a comrade and smiled as he spoke. The middle-aged man was named Ray Yu, an underground courier for the city committee.

After the Japanese occupied Guxing last year, the Nationalist Army established the Guxing City Special Committee. Under the Special Committee were the City Work Committee, the Workers' Committee, the Students' Committee, the Railway Committee, and the Shipping Committee, corresponding to city work, labor movements, student movements, the railway system, and the shipping system. The departments did not have horizontal contact, to ensure the independence and safety of each. Raymond Shaw and Howard Clark both belonged to the City Work Committee. The committee secretary, Victor Hughes, was their direct leader, currently at the base west of the city.

"Everything's fine. Have the people from home arrived?" Ray Yu asked. He and the Yangjiawan side were on two separate lines. He was more concealed; as a vegetable farmer, he could move all over Guxing City, delivering instructions from above.

"They've arrived. Now there's an urgent situation, take a look," Raymond Shaw said, taking out the note he had found early that morning.

"Where did this come from?" Ray Yu was shocked at first glance. If a comrade was identified as a traitor, it was a very serious matter. The Party valued purity above all; if a traitor appeared, the consequences would be disastrous.

"Someone threw it in last night. You don't know about it?" Raymond Shaw asked.

"How would I know?! Old Shaw, it seems your identity has also been exposed. You must be ready to withdraw at any time," Ray Yu said worriedly, looking at the note. The handwriting was awkward, clearly written with the left hand, and there was no signature, indicating it wasn't written by a Party comrade. If Raymond Shaw's identity was known to outsiders, it would be very dangerous.

"I thought it was one of our comrades warning us. The other party probably means no harm, so there shouldn't be a problem for now. But as for the rescue operation, should we reconsider?" Raymond Shaw said. If Howard Clark had really betrayed them, how could the Delicious Restaurant still be safe? Besides, he had been observing the surroundings all day and hadn't noticed anything unusual.

"We can't be careless, Old Shaw. You must transfer immediately! I'll go back first. Let's meet at Contact Point No. 2 this evening and discuss further," Ray Yu said after some thought. He couldn't be sure if it was their own comrade, but before that, they had to treat it as if it was from the enemy.

Seeing Raymond Shaw look unconcerned, Ray Yu reminded him again: "Old Shaw, this contact point is abandoned from this moment on. Go to Contact Point No. 2 right now!"