The Bourne Counterattack

Chapter 171 Kusunoki Shitaka

Hongkou Tiantong Road Food Market.

Inoue Mansion.

"Your Excellency, Agency Chief, it's your turn." Inoue Hiaki said with a humble smile to a middle-aged Japanese man wearing a kimono opposite.

This short, slightly wealthy Japanese man with a little moustache was none other than Major General Shitaka Kusumoto, the chief of the Central China Expeditionary Forces' secret service stationed in Shanghai (according to records, he was a lieutenant colonel).

This guy also has an identity, that is, he is the president of the Shanghai branch of the Black Dragon Society.

It can be seen that Japan's war of aggression against China was a national policy integrating top and bottom. Even the underworld acted as a vanguard, as did ordinary people.

"Inoue-kun, the Ministry of War has given you so much money to support your investigation activities in Shanghai. You are disappointing this time!" Kusunoki Minoru picked up a sunspot and gently dropped it on the chessboard.

"Your Excellency, Chief of the Agency, victory or defeat is a common thing for military strategists. It is just a failure, not to mention that this is just one hand in my plan." Inoue Hizaki responded calmly without a trace of panic.

"Do you have any other arrangements?"

"Has Mr. Nanmu ever heard of Ji Yunqing?"

"We have been in contact with this person before, but his attitude was ambiguous. I didn't expect that this incident actually led to his cooperation with the empire. It was a blessing in disguise," said Kusunoki Minoru.

"This is simple, dumping at a low price."

"This is natural."

"Thank you, Kusunoki-dono. Your share of the money earned from this is indispensable." Inoue Hizaki chuckled.

"Xingxi, Inoue-kun is indeed a good strategist." Kusunoki Sanitaka gave a thumbs up to Inoue Hiaki, "How do you need to cooperate?"

"Are you sure?"

"I heard that the British handed over Nojiri's case to that Cheng Mo?"

"He suffered a big loss this time in Huxi. He lost three generals and lost a lot of territory to Gao Xingbao and others. How can he be willing to accept it? If we give him support, then it is normal for him to turn to us." Inoue Hizaki said.

"Your Excellency, I heard that Ji Yunqing is looking for a channel to buy tobacco. If we can provide him with enough tobacco, this will be a good opportunity. As long as we control the tobacco trade in Shanghai, then the underground Shanghai will be It's ours." Inoue Hizaki said.

"Well, but this requires cutting off their tobacco smuggling channels. Otherwise, we will not be able to achieve the purpose of control." Kusunoki Shitaka nodded.

"I feel that if I can win over this person to cooperate with me, given his status in Shanghai, it won't matter even if we lose a 'dog team'. Besides, we can retrain the 'dog team' at any time. It is nothing more than a waste of manpower." It's just material resources." Inoue Hizaki said.

"I need a lot of tobacco soil, and a secret warehouse to store tobacco soil."

"I'll take care of this. You have to prepare money. Without money, there will be no goods." Kusunoki Shitaka thought for a moment and nodded in agreement.

"Yes, this Cheng Mo is difficult to deal with. He once studied in the Empire and was very good at school. Before the Sino-Japanese Incident, he returned to Shanghai. He first worked in a bank and later entered the Police Department of the Ministry of Industry and Commerce Bureau through connections. According to our investigation, He may have a background in Wuhan."

"Wuhan background?" Kusunoki Minoru frowned slightly, "Blue Clothes Club?"

"No, this background is just a relationship. His sister is the third concubine of Yang Hu, the former Songhu Security Command. However, after the Chinese army was defeated, Yang Hu left the third concubine and ran away first. Cheng Mo entered The job in the Ministry of Industry Bureau should be related to Yang Hu, who hadn't left at that time." "The younger brother of a concubine, which is interesting." Kusunoki Sanitaka grabbed three or five black chess pieces and played with them, "I think I might still be there. I’ve seen this guy before.”

"Have you seen it before?"

"Oh, it should have happened around December last year. He participated in the secret negotiations between the Empire and the Ministry of Industry and Industry as a translator, but it seems that he did not participate in the most important signing ceremony." Kusunoki Shitaka explained. .

"So that's it." Inoue Hizaki said, "This person has a complicated identity and background. We also wanted to contact and use him, but he refused. Later, he was arranged by the British to go to Hong Kong for special training. After he came back, he was promoted to deputy detective. , now he is very popular with the British."

"What about his attitude towards the empire?"

"Not too friendly." Inoue Hizaki said.

“How come you see?”

"An operation of the Special High School in the concession was sabotaged by this person. He let an American reporter go and took away key film materials, which had a serious impact on the empire's international reputation." Hiaki Inoue explained. .

"Is it Frank, the reporter from the American Chicago News?"

"Yes, Your Excellency."

"That one cannot be blamed on him. Our man showed his whereabouts and was discovered. Even without him, the British would not have given us a chance. He was just performing his duties. This cannot be regarded as unfriendly." Kusunoki Minoru said.

Inoue Hizaki said: "But it was because of his intervention that Frank was let go, which had a bad impact on the empire."

"What do you want to do?"

"General Miura has always wanted to intervene in the concession affairs. With our current relationship with the European and American powers, it is impossible for them to give up their interests in the Far East, especially in Shanghai. Since hard work is not possible, then we can only use soft methods. By putting pressure on the concession authorities, we forced them to compromise with us bit by bit, until we captured the concession without any bloodshed!" Inoue Hiaki mentioned the excitement and made a grabbing motion.

"You want to use Nojiri's case to put pressure on the Ministry of Industry and Works Bureau?"

"Yes, we are concerned about the safety situation of the Japanese Empire's expats living in the concession, especially the unfair treatment they encountered and the concession authorities' indulgence in 'anti-Japanese' atrocities..."

"No, this excuse just gives the concession authorities an excuse to ask us to move Japanese expatriates into Hongkou. In the future, if Japanese expats live and live in the concession safely, they will treat them equally, but if they want to protect them individually, it is impossible." Kusunoki Minoru shook his head.

"But Your Excellency, this is an excellent opportunity..."

"We can express concern about the safety of the imperial expatriates working and living in the concession, but if we use this to exert pressure and intervene in the concession's affairs, it will only be counterproductive and cause unnecessary trouble for us to enter the concession." Minoru Kusunoki Long said, "We can only express our dissatisfaction with the frequent assassination cases in the concession, especially the connivance of the 'anti-Japanese' terrorists who caused such vicious cases, especially those led by the 'Blue Shirt Club' thugs. This is What we really want to do.”

"Your Excellency, you mean that the sword is pointed at the 'Blue Clothes Club'?"

"Isn't that what Mr. Inoue thinks?" Kusunoki Minoru smiled slightly, "The Blue Shirt Club's terrorist activities in Shanghai have seriously affected the empire's China strategy and must be completely suppressed and eliminated. The concession is beyond our control. If you want to enter, you must obtain the consent of the European and American powers. This case is a breakthrough. If it can be proven that it was the Blue Shirt Club, it will give us a perfect excuse."

"Your Excellency Kusunoki is really wise!" Inoue Hizaki said with a "sudden realization".

(End of this chapter)