My spy diary

Chapter 534 Destination

"But what if the guy surnamed Cui doesn't come to pick me up at the station?"

"Hmm, that is indeed a problem." Li Mulin replied verbally, but in his heart he was also thinking: This Cui guy is not a member of the Military Intelligence Bureau after all, and he has Chen Tumu's backing. What if he gets too big for his britches and doesn't go to pick up Director Zhang? Wouldn't I be the one to go?

As the deputy stationmaster, I would inevitably have to go to greet the emperor, which would put me in a dangerous situation.

He pondered for a moment, then suddenly said, "We've already used the tactic of using someone else to do the dirty work, why don't we create something out of nothing?"

"Creating something out of nothing?" Niu Zidao stared intently at him, his eyes filled with anticipation.

“Yes, it’s all fabricated.” Li Mulin smiled mysteriously. “Who is Director Zhang? He represents headquarters, so he’s an imperial envoy. With that kind of status, even if Cui is unwilling, he has to go to pick him up. If he doesn’t go, then I, the deputy station chief, will have to go. What if I’m sick tonight?”

"Great! Now that guy surnamed Cui has no choice but to go. That's brilliant!" Niu Zidao exclaimed in admiration.

"Hehe." Li Mulin's laughter was unsettling.

"But won't he have any doubts?" Niu Zidao was still a little uneasy.

"Suspicion is certain, after all, it's too much of a coincidence. But he can only go with suspicion for now, and deal with me later. But will he ever come back?" Li Mulin said confidently, looking at Niu Zidao. "We'll need your help with the covert intelligence gathering and sniping, otherwise things will be difficult to accomplish. Don't worry, as long as things go well, I'll take care of things from above. Once I become the station chief, I'll immediately recommend you as the deputy station chief and action team leader."

"It's a deal!" Niu Zidao stood up and took his leave.

After leaving the Military Intelligence Bureau, Niu Zidao did not go home immediately. Instead, he went to a bookstore and met with his superior, Wang Yongquan, the head of the underground Communist Party in Luoyang.

The bookstore was already closed. Wang Yongquan hurriedly put on his coat and opened the door. The two of them went straight to the secret room without saying a word.

If it weren't for the urgency of the situation, Niu Zidao shouldn't have come at this time. But Li Mulin's plan to get rid of station chief Cui Fangping gave him an opportunity.

"You mean Li Mulin is already preparing to make a move against Cui Fangping? He's in such a hurry?"

"He climbed up to Mao Qiwu and brought down Yue Zhuyuan, thinking he could take another step forward. Who would have thought that a Cheng Yaojin would suddenly appear out of nowhere? Enraged, he had long wanted to get rid of Cui Fangping. He had asked me to conspire with him before, but I kept making excuses. This time, the Military Intelligence Bureau sent people, and he saw another opportunity. He is now full of ambition. Since he wants it, we can't let him down. We might as well play along with him to the end."

Wang Yongquan frowned and looked at him: "What do you want to do?"

"The mantis stalks the cicada and the oriole follows behind."

"What about it?"

"First, cooperate with Li Mulin to get rid of Cui Fangping, then get rid of Li Mulin."

How to remove it?

“Just kill him, and nobody will know. Afterwards, spread the word that he is a member of the Communist Party, and nobody will care.”

"What about his family?"

"Kill them all."

"Bang!" Wang Yongquan slammed his teacup down, staring intently at Niu Zi and said, "You are indiscriminately killing innocent people."

"So what?" Niu Zidao said dismissively, sticking his neck out. "How many of our comrades did Li Mulin kill back then? Were his wife and children so innocent? The best way to deal with someone who aids and abets evil is to get rid of them as soon as possible."

“Your thinking is dangerous.” Wang Yongquan shook his head and stared intently at him. “I don’t object to you using the enemy’s infighting to get rid of those executioners who have committed countless crimes, but it must not be done through the Japanese invaders. Also, what did his wife and children do wrong? Are the children guilty? This is not righteous indignation, this is indiscriminate killing of innocent people, this is a blatant violation of discipline.”

Niu Zidao looked stunned and said with a dark face, "This is weakness."

Wang Yongquan sighed and said, "The underground work of the Chinese Red Party has always taken the national cause and the interests of the people as its fundamental purpose, strictly followed revolutionary ethics and discipline, and absolutely prohibited the indiscriminate killing of innocent people. This is an inviolable bottom line. Our underground work is essentially to resist the oppression of the Japanese invaders and protect the masses of people, and is by no means indiscriminate harm. Whether it is the struggle against the enemy or the code of conduct for underground work, it is clearly required that innocent people must not be harmed."

"I don't think they are really that innocent."

Wang Yongquan shook his head: "I won't argue with you. I'll only talk about discipline. Revolutionary work opposes extreme behavior. All actions must be reasonable, advantageous, and restrained. We oppose extreme behaviors that are detached from the masses and violate humanity. Even against the enemy, we follow the principle of 'striking the ringleaders, winning over the middle, and dividing and disintegrating,' rather than blindly killing, to ensure the justice and strategy of the struggle. You say his wife and children are guilty, but you must provide evidence. If you don't have it, you cannot harm them. Even if they are guilty, it depends on the circumstances. The law will decide, not just one person's word."

"Are you going to use the Kuomintang's laws to punish them?"

"It may not be possible now, but it may not be possible in the future. Once we achieve victory in the new democratic revolution, we will have our own laws, the people's laws. The net of justice is vast and its meshes are wide, yet nothing escapes it. Anyone who has harmed the interests of the people will ultimately not escape the punishment of the law."

Niu Zidao listened indifferently, without saying a word.

Wang Yongquan sighed again, staring blankly at Niu Zidao, as if from another world. The slightly awkward, sunny, and respectful labor movement cadre he had first met had transformed into this after only a few years infiltrating the Military Intelligence Bureau. "One is influenced by one's company," as the saying goes. The negative effects of undercover work are significant; one inevitably picks up some of the scoundrel's ways. But this man was even more dangerous; his thinking had gone awry.

He thought for a moment and asked, "Zidao, do you remember what I said when we first met?"

Niu Zidao was silent for a while before saying, "Don't forget the original aspiration of a Communist Party member."

"Just remember that I said when you infiltrate the enemy, you have to learn to be patient and roundabout. You have to use smarter and more covert methods to deal with the enemy. You can go very slowly and compromise to a certain extent, but you must always remember your original intention and never compromise your principles. But look at yourself now and ask yourself honestly, is what you are doing really right? Your current thinking is too dangerous."

“Of course I remember my original intention.” Niu Zidao shook his head and said, “You say my thoughts are dangerous, but if I didn’t act this way, I would never have been able to integrate into their ranks. Once I joined the Military Intelligence Bureau, I spent half my time arresting and killing people, and the other half thinking about how to arrest people or on my way to arrest them. If I had upright thoughts, I probably would have been exposed long ago.”

“That’s not an excuse. I understand you, and I know that undercover work is difficult and dangerous, but what we Red Party members have always been doing is the difficult but right thing. Discipline is discipline, and there is no room for argument.”

"Can't you try a different way of lecturing? You sound like a political commissar."

“I actually did serve as a political commissar.” Wang Yongquan glanced at him. “You should go back first. I will report today’s events to the organization truthfully.”

“That’s your right.” Niu Zidao shrugged helplessly, somewhat disappointed, and turned to leave.

The conversation broke up unhappily.

At dawn, the bustling Chang'an Railway Station saw a steady stream of people dispersing at the exit.

As Zhang Yi, along with Monkey and Qian Xiaosan, carrying large and small bags, stepped out of Chang'an Station, a charming woman wearing a stylish high-necked cheongsam and exuding the fragrance of rouge swayed gracefully towards them.

"Gentlemen, would you like to stay somewhere?"

Zhang Yi and his two companions exchanged glances, each puzzled. Why would such a natural beauty need to personally solicit customers?

Looking next to the station, a bulky black police car was parked, with several police officers standing guard beside it, ready to respond. Nearby, a police captain was whispering to a well-mannered young man, occasionally glancing over in their direction.

Zhang Yi and his two companions instantly realized they had encountered a sting operation, or what's more, a "scammer." "Scammers," also known as "honey traps," are essentially people setting traps for victims.

Zhang Yi was in a hurry to get on his way and didn't bother with such matters, waving his hand and saying, "No need."

Unexpectedly, the alluring woman clung to him like a leech: "The price is very reasonable, with superior rooms and pick-up and drop-off service. Gentlemen, wouldn't you like to consider it?"

As she spoke, she winked and proudly thrust out her ample breasts.

Qian Xiaosan chuckled: "Picked up and dropped off by car, it's probably a police car, right?"

The monkey added with a smile, "Maybe it'll even give you a silver bracelet."

The woman feigned anger: "What are you saying, sir? I'm running a legitimate business."

Zhang Yi laughed and said, "It sounds good, but I'm just a little scared."

"What are you afraid of?"

"I'm afraid your husband will suddenly kick the door down."

The woman couldn't help but laugh, saying self-deprecatingly, "I'd rather he had the guts to catch them in the act—but he's already run off to Shanghai because of his gambling debts."

"Really? Maybe he's hiding nearby watching."

On the other side, the police chief who was talking to the pretty boy saw that the woman was still unable to handle the "fat sheep," so he spat and beckoned his men over.

"What are you three doing here? You look suspicious. Show me your identification!"

Qian Xiaosan sneered and handed over his ID: "Open your eyes wide and look carefully."

The police chief's heart skipped a beat when he saw the blue ID with the Kuomintang emblem that the man pulled out. When he opened the ID and saw the words "Military Commission Investigation and Statistics Bureau" written on it, he broke out in a cold sweat. How had he offended the Military Intelligence Bureau? And the head office of the bureau at that.

He cursed the woman under his breath for being so blind, while nervously returning the documents with both hands: "I'm sorry, Major Qian, I didn't know you were from General Headquarters."

"Any thing else?"

The police chief smiled ingratiatingly: "No, that's all. Where are you officers going? I'll give you a ride."

"Fourth Precinct of the Police Department."

The police chief shuddered. How did the other party know he was from the Fourth Precinct? He asked anxiously:

"Is there something you need to do there, sir?"

Qian Xiaosan snorted coldly. The police chief, realizing what was happening, hurriedly said:
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked those questions."

As he spoke, he gestured for his men to bring the police car over, while secretly telling them to quickly notify the chief.

Half an hour later, when they arrived at the Fourth Precinct, the chief and several of his men were already there to greet them respectfully.

As soon as Zhang Yi got out of the car, he recognized the bureau chief as one of his students from the Linli training class.

"Do not look at what is improper, do not use what is improper." In recent years, most graduates of the Linli training program have received special recognition. He had done his homework before coming, and the person he was looking for was this guy named Lu Yuan.

Lu Yuan clearly recognized him and greeted him with delight: "Instructor Zhang, what brings you here? Why didn't you let me know beforehand?"

Zhang Yi smiled enigmatically: "How could I trouble you? I almost got arrested as soon as I got off the train."

"Is that so?" Lu Yuan was taken aback and immediately called over the police chief. "What exactly happened?"

The police chief had a bad feeling; he hadn't expected even the chief to be someone's student. Trembling with fear, he recounted the incident and then explained, "Chief, I was wrong. This was all for the sake of the bureau's funds."

"Shut up!" Lu Yuan slapped the police chief twice across the face, leaving him stunned. "What do you mean by 'for the bureau'? We've told you to stop all that lowlife stuff a long time ago, but you wouldn't listen. Luckily, you didn't offend Instructor Zhang today, or you would have been in big trouble!"

After reprimanding his subordinates, he quickly apologized to Zhang Yi: "Instructor Zhang, it's all my fault for not disciplining them properly. I will definitely investigate this thoroughly next time."

Zhang Yi naturally didn't believe Lu Yuan was completely unaware of the matter, but since the other party had already given him a way out, Zhang Yi didn't bother to argue and went straight to the point:
"Does your bureau have any cars? I'd like to borrow one."

"Yes, yes, they're all in the courtyard. Instructor Zhang, please come in."

A row of vehicles was parked in the police station's courtyard: old-fashioned police cars, sidecar motorcycles, jeeps, and several sedans of various styles.

Zhang Yi had his eye on a sedan, but considering the difficult road to Kaifeng, he pointed to a jeep with a canopy and said, "This one will do."

"Alright, if you like it, then fine. Shall we eat first? Since we're on students' turf, I have to do my best to be a good host. After you've eaten and drunk your fill, I'll find you a skilled driver to help you drive," Lu Yuan said very solicitously.

Zhang Yi waved his hand: "No need for that. Time is tight and the mission is heavy. I need to leave now."

Lu Yuan tried to persuade him several more times, but seeing Zhang Yi's resolute attitude, he said with admiration:
"The instructors prioritize official duties and work tirelessly, which truly earns the students' admiration. So be it."

As he spoke, he summoned a subordinate who appeared to be a secretary and whispered a few words of instruction to him.

Soon, the secretary returned, carrying two small flags, one red and one green, and three small brocade boxes in the other.

"Instructor Zhang." Lu Yuan ruthlessly stuffed three small brocade boxes into Qian Xiaosan's hands, then pointed to the flag and said:
"Please take these two flags with you, instructor. They will only bring you benefits."

Zhang Yi saw the official seals of the police station and the highway bureau on the two small flags and understood. If these flags were placed on the car, it would indicate that the car was the lead vehicle or command vehicle of a convoy, with another convoy following closely behind. This way, if they encountered bandits or guerrillas who tried to rob the car on the road, they would be hesitant to act.

Moreover, with these two flags, you don't need to queue or be checked at checkpoints.

"Alright, thank you for your kindness." Zhang Yi nodded, accepted the flag, glanced at the brocade box, saw that it contained a gold pen, and gestured for Qian Xiaosan to accept it, everything was understood without words.

After exchanging a few more pleasantries, Zhang Yi, accompanied by Lu Yuan and his entourage, drove off, but his destination was Kaifeng, not Luoyang.

(End of this chapter)