My spy diary

Chapter 537 Zhou Chu
Yoshikawa Teisuke's blood spread, soaking into the feet of his stunned assistant Fujiwara Masao and the agent who reported the incident. The two men trembled with fear and anger.

"General!"

"Doctor! Call an ambulance immediately!"

However, Yoshikawa Teisuke could no longer hear. His body twitched a few times like a leech, and then he stopped moving.

Fujiwara Masao knelt down with a thud, trembling as he checked his breath. Then, as if nailed to the ground, he couldn't move, his face ashen, completely dumbfounded.

Osawa Kanjiro, who was standing a little distance away, changed his expression drastically. Realizing what was happening, he looked sharply out the window and immediately ordered the agents who had rushed in after hearing the gunshots to fight back.

As soon as one of the agents approached the window, he was shot in the forehead and fell to the ground with a "whoosh." The others immediately took cover on either side of the window and returned fire.

Under fire control, Osawa Kanjiro ran out of the room and issued orders expressionlessly:

"The assassin is on the roof of the movie theater. Everyone, follow me!"

After the assassination, Zhang Yi quickly packed up his weapons and left the scene, heading straight for the other side of the staircase. With his gun slung over his shoulder, he took two pulleys from his satchel, tied them to a thick rope that had been secured beforehand, and slid down the wall with agile and nimble movements.

Monkey and Qian Xiaosan's car were already waiting for him at the foot of the wall.

"Chief, the city gates are probably already sealed off. Where should we go now?"

Abandon the vehicle.

"Abandon the vehicle?"

"The most dangerous place is the safest place."

"Is the magistrate referring to a surprise attack?"

"Taking advantage of the situation, Yoshikawa Teisaku is only getting interest; he hasn't even recouped his principal yet." Zhang Yi glanced at the darkening sky, a barely perceptible smile playing on his lips, and asked:

Are there any enemy sentries nearby?

"There was a guard post a few hundred meters away, guarded by four puppet soldiers."

"Okay, let's go there."

At this moment, the group was dressed in Japanese military uniforms and jogged along, pretending to search for anti-Japanese elements. They loudly asked in Japanese from a distance across the guard post if there were any suspicious figures.

When the two puppet soldiers saw that it was the Japanese officer, they carried their guns and came forward like lapdogs.

Monkey and Qian Xiaosan shouted and stepped forward. As they got closer, they drew their silenced pistols with lightning speed and fired two shots without hesitation. The two puppet soldiers fell to the ground.

The other two puppet soldiers stared wide-eyed, hastily grabbed their rifles, and were killed by Zhang Yi with two shots.

"Change clothes." Zhang Yi was in charge of guarding the area. Monkey and Qian Xiaosan quickly stripped the puppet soldiers of their clothes and dragged their bodies into the guard post to hide them.

Then the three changed into the uniforms of the puppet army, changed their rifles, and went on duty.

Luoyang.

On the bustling street, Niu Zidao, dressed casually, walked slowly and nervously toward a quiet teahouse. Reaching the entrance, he stopped and looked back for a moment. Seeing no one following him, he turned and went inside.

On the second floor, his superior, Wang Yongquan, was standing at the door of a private room. The two exchanged a silent glance, and Wang Yongquan went in first, followed closely by Niu Zidao.

As soon as he went inside and closed the door, Niu Zidao immediately asked:
"What happened? Why did the meeting place suddenly change?"

Wang Yongquan glanced at him, his expression grave: "You've been exposed."

"Impossible!" Niu Zidao was stunned for a moment, then tried to calm himself down, recalling the attitude of the intelligence chief, Hui Kaidong, during the meeting earlier that day. "The enemy might just suspect me. After all, I've been in frequent contact with this area lately, so exposure is a low-probability event. Trust me, I can handle it."

Wang Yongquan shook his head, interrupting him: "The intelligence comes from the Southern Bureau and is absolutely certain."

"Are you kidding me?"

"Let's not talk about that for now. Come with me to see someone." Wang Yongquan waved his hand and led him into the private room, where two middle-aged men in plain clothes were sitting. One was rugged, and the other was calm.

Upon seeing Wang Yongquan walk in, both of them stood up.

Wang Yongquan walked up to the two men and introduced them with a smile: "Let me introduce you. This is Comrade Niu Zidao, who infiltrated the enemy's heart."

Niu Zidao nodded somewhat awkwardly.

Wang Yongquan continued his introduction, pointing to the rugged-looking man and saying, "This is Comrade Wu Zhimao, an official from western Henan."

"This is Comrade Zheng Huhe, special envoy of the Southern Bureau." The Eighth Route Army office is an office to the outside world, but internally it is the Southern Bureau. Zheng Huhe came this time as a special envoy.

"Hello, Comrade Zidao." Zheng Huhe smiled warmly and shook hands with Niu Zidao. "Comrade Zidao went deep into the tiger's den and successively suppressed and executed many heinous traitors and scoundrels, making the traitors and Japanese invaders tremble with fear. He greatly inspired the people's anti-Japanese enthusiasm. I have long admired your name."

"Hello, Special Envoy, this is what every Chinese person should do." Niu Zidao smiled modestly, but was also a little uneasy. He didn't know what awaited him. Could it be that Wang Yongquan had reported his plan to the higher-ups, and that his superiors also thought he was "in danger" and were now talking to him? To make matters worse, his identity had been exposed, and he felt uneasy and frustrated.

Wang Yongquan invited the group to sit down, poured Niu Zidao a cup of tea, and waited for him to take it before sitting down silently to the side.

"Comrade Zidao, Comrade Yongquan should have told you," Zheng Huhe paused slightly, "Your identity has been exposed, and the organization has decided to arrange for you and your family to evacuate. However, before you evacuate, there is one more task for you."

Niu Zidao stared directly at Zheng Huhe and asked, "Special Envoy, how exactly was I exposed?"

“It’s Cui Fangping,” Wang Yongquan interjected.

"Him?" Niu Zidao looked incredulous.

Zheng Huhe glanced at him and said in a deep voice, "You must not underestimate this man. He is one of Chen Tumu's men, a young and promising one, who sees us as a major threat. His purpose in coming to the Military Intelligence Bureau's Yuzhou Station is to suppress and attack our underground organization."

Niu Zidao listened intently, still somewhat puzzled as to how Cui Fangping had discovered him.

Zheng Huhe seemed to know what he was thinking and continued, "Even the best swimmers can drown! Venturing into a tiger's den is like walking on thin ice, but if someone stays there for a long time and thinks they are very familiar with their environment, they will unconsciously develop a sense of security, and this sense of security is very dangerous." He paused for a moment, then continued, "Comrade Zidao, may I ask you a few questions?"

“Please speak.” Niu Zidao raised his head, his eyes somewhat vacant. “Do you still regularly check your office and home? Do you still have a gun ready to be loaded at any time? Do you still keep spare documents and cash, ready to be safely transferred at any time?” Zheng Huhe’s words became faster and heavier, one sentence after another.

Niu Zidao was almost out of breath from his barrage of questions, his mouth opening and closing, completely at a loss for words.

Wang Yongquan and Wu Zhimao exchanged a glance. They both knew the power of the special envoy's words. Countless comrades who had infiltrated the enemy had become complacent because of this sense of security, only to have their identities exposed and be destroyed. Looking at Niu Zidao's somber eyes, they couldn't help but sigh.

Niu Zidao remained silent, his face flushing red and then pale. An unprecedented sense of shame welled up inside him. He had always been arrogant, believing that he had already established himself in the Military Intelligence Bureau. Whether it was the station chief Cui Fangping or the deputy station chief Li Mulin, they had all been fooled by him. Now, looking back, he realized that he was the one being played, yet he was still smug and oblivious to it.

Zheng Hu and Wang Yongquan and Wu Zhimao exchanged glances, but no one spoke, and the room fell silent.

Niu Zidao remained silent for a long time before finally raising his head again, his gaze fixed intently on Zheng Huhe:
"Special Envoy, you said you have a task for me. Please give the order."

"Have you thought it through?" Zheng Huhe looked directly into his eyes.

“I’ve thought it through. Shame will spur me on. I’ll fight with my back against the wall. I guarantee I’ll complete the mission.” Niu Zidao stood up, saluted solemnly, and said calmly.

“Very good.” Zheng Huhe’s eyes showed a hint of appreciation. He also stood up and solemnly returned the salute. “I now announce the order on behalf of the Southern Bureau.”

The night was hazy.

Standing by the roadside, Zhang Yi and his two companions, disguised as puppet soldiers, saw plainclothes spies all over the street. They were checking the shops and houses around the cinema. In the distance, a Japanese military vehicle was slowly moving along.

Japanese spies had already located the jeep abandoned by Zhang Yi and his men, and were checking houses in the nearby blocks, completely unaware that their wanted target was watching them from not far away.

At this moment, three sidecar motorcycles led the way, followed by several Ford sedans adorned with the Japanese flag, slowly approaching the guard post.

Zhang Yi's heart tightened, and he gave Monkey and Qian Xiaosan a wink, staring intently at the oncoming car with sharp eyes.

As soon as the sidecar motorcycle approached, Zhang Yi took out a small red flag and went up to it:
"Stop the car and show me your documents!"

The Japanese driver flew into a rage, cursing in Japanese, but Zhang Yi remained unmoved and replied in fluent Japanese:

"The chief has ordered that everyone must stop for inspection. It is said that the anti-Japanese elements disguised themselves as Colonel Jiang, the chief of the Xinxiang government, to infiltrate the city and assassinate Your Excellency. Gentlemen, please show your passes."

The Japanese soldiers paused, exchanging bewildered glances. A Japanese sergeant disembarked from the second sidecar motorcycle and cautiously scrutinized Zhang Yi.

You can speak Japanese?

Zhang Yi proudly said, "Of course, I am not Chinese, I am Korean."

The sergeant asked sternly, "Then why are you hanging out with these Chinese people?"

Zhang Yizheng declared loudly and righteously, "Naturally, it's to monitor them and serve the Emperor. I am a soldier trained by the Empire, and serving the Emperor is my greatest honor and disgrace."

The sergeant smiled and looked Zhang Yi up and down a few times: "Yoshi, a Korean, you are indeed a subject of the Emperor. It's even more remarkable that you can speak Japanese with a Kyoto accent."

"You flatter me, sir. Are you also from Kyoto?" Zhang Yi smiled modestly and gave a standard bow. "Please show me your identification."

"I'm from Kyoto." The sergeant bowed and handed over his identification.

Zhang Yi took the identification documents handed to him by the sergeant and carefully checked them against the documents:
"So it was Sato from the military police."

He handed the documents back to the other person, saluted, and said in a low voice, "Sato-kun, it's my duty, please forgive me. Please tell me who the people in the car behind are so I can verify with my superiors."

Sato returned the greeting and whispered, "The people in the car behind are Colonel Yamamoto, Chief of Staff of Commander Shigeta; Lieutenant Colonel Ruida, Head of the Inspection Delegation of the Troops Stationed in Beiping to Kaifeng; and Captain Fujii Osamu, Captain of the Kaifeng Military Police. They are going to visit General Yoshikawa together."

As he spoke, his face became sorrowful.

"Sato-kun, please accept my condolences. The city gates are closed. The anti-Japanese elements have nowhere to go, no way to escape." Zhang Yi comforted him, then bent down in a salute, turned and ran towards the guard post. He winked at Monkey and Qian Xiaosan while pretending to dial a number on the phone. A moment later, he went out, waving a small flag.
"Confirmed, proceed!"

Monkey and Qian Xiaosan worked together to move the wooden fence aside, and then, imitating Zhang Yi, they paid their respects to the convoy with expressions of admiration.

The sidecar motorcycle slowly passed the checkpoint, and the cars started up as well. In the first car, Captain Teng Jingzhi, the captain of the Kaifeng Military Police, and a major from headquarters sat together. They had been watching Zhang Yi's every word and action, and their eyes showed admiration. The major from headquarters said:

"This North Korean is worth cultivating."

Captain Tengjing smiled and said, "Indeed, he is quite good. As long as his identity is correct, he can be entrusted with important responsibilities." At the same time, he was a little puzzled. Why had he never heard of such a person in the puppet army before?

His expression was somewhat somber. Yoshikawa Teisuke's assassination had everyone on edge, preoccupied with their own problems and worried about how to report to their superiors. They had no energy left to pay attention to a mere Korean collaborator. He shook his head and prepared to draw the car curtains.

This was the moment Zhang Yi had been waiting for. Looking at the face behind the glass, he smiled coldly, suddenly drew his pistol, aimed at the target, and pulled the trigger.

Tengjing Zhi's expression changed drastically, and he abruptly pressed the major down: "Tian Shuijun, get down!"

But it was too late.

With a loud bang, it felt as if Tengjing Zhi's skull had been pierced, and blood splattered everywhere.

Zhang Yi sneered and fired a follow-up shot without hesitation, killing the major with another shot. He then threw a grenade into the car, moved swiftly, and fired several shots at the car behind, killing the driver who was frantically reversing. Then, he rolled over and threw several grenades at the sedan.

At the same time, before the spies on the motorcycle could turn around, Monkey and Qian Xiaosan, with their long guns in hand, fired several shots in quick succession. First, they killed the driver, then they hit the motorcycle's fuel tank. As the motorcycle overturned and the people fell over, there was a loud explosion. For a moment, black smoke billowed, gunshots rang out, and screams echoed.

Zhang Yi and his men's surprise attack caught all the Japanese troops off guard, and the Japanese officers and their entourage in the cars were quickly killed.

The gunshots and explosions quickly attracted the attention of the secret agents and Japanese soldiers who were inspecting the area nearby, who ran towards them shouting and cursing.

Zhang Yi, hiding in the corner, shouted in Japanese, "The anti-Japanese elements are here! They've been shot! Catch them!"

Upon hearing this, the Japanese military police, eager to claim credit, rushed toward the location of Zhang Yi's shout. Suddenly, two hand grenades flew out from the corner of the wall.

Two loud bangs were heard, followed by screams and falls.

"Retreat!" Zhang Yi threw two more grenades into the distance, dipped them in the blood of the Japanese invaders, and wrote on the guard post, "Those who offend China, though far away, shall be punished; those who kill shall be punished by Zhou Chu!" Then he laughed a few times and led Monkey and Qian Xiaosan to retreat while fighting.

(End of this chapter)