cicada

Chapter 1507 A New Struggle
Inside the Military Intelligence Bureau headquarters, after listening to Gui Youguang's report, Zuo Chong asked, "You said the Judas were brought in by the US Office of Strategic Services?"

Gui Youguang nodded, his bald head gleaming under the light, and answered truthfully.

"Yes, Vice-Captain, and Skorzeny said earlier that the Americans recruited a key British intelligence officer and framed the Red Russians for it."

"This reminds me of Ni Ni. I suspect these things aren't isolated incidents. Do you think the Strategic Intelligence Bureau might also be behind Ni Ni's schemes?"

He voiced his suspicions, and Zuo Zhong seemed to understand, realizing that such a possibility did indeed exist.

Even if Ni Ni's defection had nothing to do with OSS, his actions of turning Hasegawa Ryosuke, Copper Lock, and British agents against each other, cooperating with Reinhard Grün, the former head of German intelligence, and guiding the Zionist organization to China, could still prove that the United States was already working on postwar strategic arrangements.

After a moment's thought, Zuo Zhong called He Yijun over and said something to him. Gui Youguang vaguely heard words like "copper lock" and "observation." He Yijun then left.

After dealing with this matter, Zuo Chong looked at Gui Youguang again, a playful smile appearing on his face.

"Hey, are you still in contact with Miss Margaret from the British Special Operations Executive? I heard you've been receiving a lot of letters and gifts from strangers lately, am I right?"

Gui Youguang blushed and scratched his head with a dry laugh: "Yes, but don't worry, I didn't mention any sensitive information in the letter. It's just that Margaret has quite a few complaints about the British."

"Oh?" Zuo Zhong looked curious and gestured for the other party to elaborate. Everyone has a gossipy nature, and even special agents are not immune to it.

Gui Youguang said indignantly, "Margaret saw the Special Operations Executive Office's post-war plan for dealing with anti-Japanese forces in Southeast Asia. Those British are really despicable. Do you know what they're planning to do?"

"The British are prepared to give each anti-Japanese person £20, hold a public medal awarding and commendation ceremony, and recognize them as anti-Japanese heroes, but on the condition that they disband their armed forces."

"MD, the British also plan to secretly monitor relevant personnel, especially Chinese and leftists, and take decisive action when necessary to support colonial elites."

After listening to Gui Youguang's report, Zuo Zhong was not surprised at all. The British were notorious for their inhumanity, and targeting Southeast Asian Chinese and leftists was perfectly normal for them; it was a consistent practice.

He rubbed his fingers on his chin a few times, then looked up and smiled, "Hey, how about a business trip to Malaya?"

"what?"

Gui Youguang opened his mouth wide, and a shy smile appeared on his rugged face, which made Zuo Zhong feel a chill and quickly waved his hand to shoo the guy away.

A few days later, the Nanjing puppet government's Political Security Bureau.

The traitors pretended to be very busy, but everyone knew they were doomed. Even the Japanese supervisors lost their former arrogance and spent their days hiding in their offices, drowning their sorrows in alcohol.

In this atmosphere of despair, a man slowly walked down the corridor. The traitors who saw him whispered among themselves, their eyes filled with schadenfreude.

"This must be the one surnamed Ni, right?"

"It's him. What do you think he's thinking, joining the new government at this time? Tsk tsk."

"Who knows? I'm afraid this guy has offended Boss Dai or Boss Zuo. If he doesn't run, he'll only be dead."

Hearing the whispers around him, Mr. Ni walked into his office with a calm expression, showing no sign of embarrassment, and even humming a little tune.

At the end of the corridor, Tong Suo squinted at the scene. Just as he was about to leave, he caught a glimpse of a familiar figure out of the corner of his eye.

At the corner of the stairs, Mr. Lao, who had defected with Mr. Ni, quietly left. Tong Suo thought of the order from the mountain city and raised his eyebrows slightly.

That evening, a car drove out of the Political Security Administration. The driver was Mr. Ni. Someone in the building whispered to Wan Lilang, "Director, should we send someone to monitor him?"

Wan Lilang looked tired and shook his head slightly: "No need. Whether he's from the mountain city or the Northwest, it's better to avoid trouble in the current situation. Let him be."

The subordinates were speechless. Yes, the Japanese had lost their spirit; what could they possibly do?

If the person surnamed Ni is from the Northwest, that's fine. But if he's from Chongqing, then whether we live or die in the future is entirely up to him.

Having figured this out, the subordinate bowed his head and left. After he left, Wan Lilang suddenly muttered to himself.

"The new government, the Japanese, the Americans, I'm really going to become a slave to three masters."

After uttering a barely audible self-deprecating remark, Wan Lilang's expression quickly hardened. Whether it was three surnames or five surnames, he had to seize this path to survival!
After driving around Nanjing a few times and confirming that no one was following him, Mr. Ni parked his car outside a German trading company.

He looked around, got out of the car, and quickly walked into the store. A white man led him to a secret room on the second floor.

Before the two had even settled in, the white man got straight to the point and asked the question that concerned him most.

"Ni, is Wan Lilang willing to serve America?"

Mr. Ni, with a respectful expression, reported in a low voice: "Yes, Director Wan is very willing to work for the Strategic Intelligence Bureau, and he was the one assisting me in this meeting."

Upon hearing this, the white man excitedly clenched his fist and slammed it against his palm. Wan Lilang was the director of the First Bureau of the Political Security Department of the puppet government; successfully turning such an important intelligence officer would be a huge success. After a while, the white man, having regained his composure from his excitement, patted Mr. Ni on the shoulder and informed him of the good news.

“Ni, congratulations. You have won a ticket to America for yourself and your family. We will help you reach the free world within three weeks.”

"After you arrive in the United States, you will begin a new life in Virginia, which will also be your future workplace."

“Your understanding of the KMT’s intelligence system is exactly what we need. Washington has offered you the position of Specialist in the East Asia Research Office of the Office of Strategic Services.”

Mr. Ni's expression became even more obsequious, as if he wanted to kneel down and thank the other party. For the sake of his own future, he once again put forward a new suggestion.

“Sir, I think Ji Dawei is also a possibility of being turned. Compared to Wan Lilang, Ji Dawei has a closer relationship with the Japanese, especially with the Hase Agency.”

“If Washington wants to gain an advantage in postwar East Asia, absorbing the Japanese is an essential task, Mr. Station Master.”

The white man was the head of the Office of Strategic Services' intelligence station in the puppet government. Upon hearing Mr. Ni's suggestion, he casually waved his hand, interrupting Mr. Ni.

"You don't need to worry about this matter. Your task is to ensure that Wanlilang submits to us."

"Yes, sir."

Mr. Ni wanted to say a few more words, but seeing the unfriendly look in the white man's eyes, he wisely kept his mouth shut.

The meeting ended there. Mr. Ni drove to his residence, and on the way, he suddenly realized that Ji Dawei had likely been turned by OSS.

Now that the war has progressed this far, anyone with a modicum of intelligence can see that the United States is destined to be the final victor, and may even become the world's superpower.

Therefore, no one can resist the Americans' overtures. Presumably, Ji Dawei made the same choice as him, and the two of them may become colleagues in the future.

Mr. Ni immediately felt threatened. Ji Dawei was a veteran agent of the 76th Division, with experience no less than Wan Lilang, and was definitely a formidable opponent.

After a bumpy ride, the car drove into a Western-style courtyard. Mr. Ni's wife was holding their child and waiting for her husband to come home. The scene was warm and touching, but it was bought with the safety and even lives of countless spies in the occupied area.

Mr. Ni closed the car door and complained gently, "Why did you come out? Didn't I tell you, it's been windy lately, you and the kids should have just stayed home and waited?"

As he spoke, he took his son from his wife's arms and tossed him into the air twice, and the child let out a happy shout.

Ni's wife smiled gently, smoothed her hair, and replied, "The child missed you, didn't he? The food is all ready, go wash your hands and eat."

Under the protection of Japanese and puppet regime agents, the family returned home to have dinner. At the dinner table, Mrs. Ni hesitated several times, as if she had something to say but did not know whether she should say it or not.

Mr. Ni noticed his wife's unusual behavior. He shook his head slightly to signal her not to speak. After dinner, he took his wife and child for a walk in the garden, where they could say some things that were inconvenient to say in the restaurant.

"Old Ni, I'm very worried about you. The Military Intelligence Bureau won't let our family go." Ni's wife said with concern.

Mr. Ni's expression changed. He was well aware of this matter. Although Daishan Company did not have much contact with the Military Intelligence Bureau's intelligence and operations system, he had heard many rumors about it.

The Americans, fearing it would arouse the concerns of their allies, pinned the blame for his defection on the Japanese. This was originally a good idea, but doing so made Mr. Ni an outright traitor.

The Military Intelligence Bureau always dealt with traitors swiftly and cruelly, even using anti-aircraft guns. This is why he was so eager to leave Nanjing.

However, he couldn't tell his wife these things. Mr. Ni forced a smile at his wife and children, saying, "Don't worry, we're going to America in a few days. The Kuomintang's reach won't extend that far."

Unbeknownst to him, right outside his residence, someone was hiding in the shadows, retrieving their rifle.

The spy surnamed Yu discovered that there was no field of fire in the courtyard, and a look of disappointment appeared on his face. He had finally found a foothold for his target but could not take action, which made him a little anxious.

After disassembling the gun parts and putting them into a box, the spy surnamed Yu huddled in the bushes, pondering silently. Since long-range sniping was not an option, he would have to resort to close-range assassination.

He had previously scouted the area and found that the target had to pass through a bridge archway on his way from his residence to the Political Security Administration, a place that was perfect for an ambush.

After reviewing the plan in his mind, the spy surnamed Yu fell into a deep sleep, thinking of his wife who had stayed in the mountain city.

In the darkness, a pair of eyes slowly moved away from him and then looked towards the small courtyard in the distance.

Inside the Ni residence, Mr. Ni and his wife nestled together on the sofa, dreaming of their wonderful life after arriving in the United States.

Meanwhile, the white man who was meeting with Mr. Ni also welcomed a new guest, Ava, the "upline" of the copper lock.

The shadow of war is about to pass, but the competition between nations beneath the surface is becoming increasingly fierce. Unlike "hot war," this will be a completely new mode of struggle.

(End of this chapter)