My spy diary

Chapter 557 Congratulations (Seeking monthly votes)

In a window opposite the inpatient building of Luoyang Hospital, a man disguised as an ordinary citizen was hiding behind the curtains, holding a pair of binoculars.

He looked around for a long time, but saw that the curtains in Zhang Yi's ward were drawn tightly, and he couldn't see anything. He couldn't help but feel discouraged and complained:

"Do you think Director Zhang's plan will work? Are Japanese spies that stupid? Even if they do take the bait, it'll just be a few who slip through the net. Is it really worth making such a big fuss?"

Two people were sitting opposite him at a small table, drinking and chatting over freshly bought beer and snacks.

The liquor, freshly bought from outside, was both ice-cold and fiery; the two of them breathed heavily after finishing it.

Hearing this, one of them took another sip from the bottle before saying, "Director Zhang's actions are probably not what they seem."

Hearing this, the man rolled his eyes, muttering, "You guys eat slowly, leave some for me," as he grabbed a bottle of wine, cracked it open, took a swig from the bottle, and let out a burp.

"Boss, stop with the fancy words, just tell me what he wants to do?"

"What else could it be? Apparently, he's in the hospital, but actually he's collecting gifts. Didn't you see the endless stream of people bringing gifts today?"

Upon hearing this, the man next to him immediately chimed in with envy: "Damn it, no wonder everyone wants to be an official. Judging from the way things are going today, he's probably going to take a hundred thousand or twenty thousand."

"Ten thousand or eighty thousand? That's all you've got. No wonder you can't get promoted to captain." The man who had been so pretentious earlier sneered. "These days, who accepts Chinese currency? At the very least, it's US dollars, gold bars, or antiques and paintings, you know? If you exchange that for Chinese currency, it'll be at least a million or two."

The man who had agreed listened with rapt attention: "My goodness, these people are so generous?" Then, as if struck by a thought, he said dejectedly, "Director Zhang is really bold; he actually dares to accept it?"

"What do you know!" This arrogant man is Mao Wenju, a native of Jiangshan. He attended a private school and worked as a shop assistant. After Dai Chunfeng rose to prominence, he joined the Jiangshan Gang as a fellow townsman and was highly valued. He is now a lieutenant colonel in the headquarters' inspection office. This time, he was ordered by Mao Qiwu to lead a team to secretly monitor Zhang Yi's anti-traitor operation.

He considered himself the boss's confidant, felt superior, and liked to show off. He picked up a peanut, popped it into his mouth, chewed it, and looked at the two men, asking:
Do you know why he dared to accept it?

"why?"

Mao Wenju picked up the bottle again, took a swig, and shook his head mysteriously, whetting the appetite of the two men before saying:

Do you know what gift-giving is?

As he spoke, he crossed his legs, glanced at the two men, and seeing that they were listening intently, he became even more smug: "Gift-giving has existed since ancient times. Of course, there's a proper reason for giving gifts, a legitimate justification, so that the recipient can accept them without hesitation. For example, giving gifts during festivals expresses joy, giving gifts at weddings and funerals expresses politeness, not to mention hospitalization gifts—it's all about social etiquette. That's why I say Director Zhang's real intentions are not what they seem; he's quite shrewd."

The two men suddenly realized what was going on and were completely convinced. They quickly offered some flattery, which made Mao Wenju laugh heartily and feel very pleased with himself.

After taking a few more sips of wine, one of them asked unwillingly, "So, is this all we're going to do?"

Mao Wenju sneered: "Of course we have to report it. Otherwise, what's the point of us coming to Yuzhou? It's pointless and unnecessary."

Seeing Zhang Yi accept the gifts, the man was filled with envy. Now, hearing that Mao Wenju wanted to report the truth, he instantly felt relieved and said convincingly:

"Okay, boss, whatever you say goes. I'll do as you say."

The person next to him was about to speak when he suddenly noticed the radio signal light on the bed flashing, and quickly said:

"telegraph."

Mao Wenju was startled. He rushed over, put on his earpiece, and heard the beeping sound inside. He realized that headquarters was calling him. He quickly replied according to the pre-arranged code, then grabbed a pen and paper and started copying it down.

After a short while, the ticking stopped. Mao Wenju took out his personal codebook and translated each message one by one. He saw a line of text on the telegram: "Idiot, Zhang Yi reported that Niu Zidao has been executed. Why didn't we receive your report?"

Upon seeing this, Mao Wenju's expression immediately changed. Wasn't Zhang Yi in the hospital? When did he execute Niu Zidao?
Seeing his gloomy face, his two subordinates hurriedly leaned closer to take a look, and were both astonished, exchanging bewildered glances.

"Boss, isn't Zhou Wen monitoring us from outside the Military Intelligence Bureau?"

Zhou Wen was Mao Wenju's brother-in-law. According to their division of labor, the three of them were mainly responsible for keeping an eye on Zhang Yi, while Zhou Wen was responsible for keeping an eye on the Yuzhou Military Intelligence Bureau.

Niu Zidao was detained at Yuzhou Station without any prior warning and was executed silently.
But wasn't Zhang Yi in the hospital? Who executed him?
Mao Wenju couldn't understand it, nor did he have time to think about it. He snorted coldly, "I want to see him alive or dead. Grab your weapons and find Zhao Wen first."

"Yes."

The three men immediately grabbed their pistols and drove to the hotel opposite Zhou Wen's military intelligence office in Yuzhou.

Upon reaching the room door, one person went up and knocked. Seeing no response from inside, they knocked a few more times after a while, but still received no response.

The three men exchanged a glance, immediately sensing something was wrong, and kicked the door open with their guns.

Inside the room, there was a small table with a wine bottle and peanuts on it, and a fat man was fast asleep on the table next to him.

Judging from his build, this person was definitely not Zhou Wen. Mao Wenju was furious and kicked the fat man to the ground, then pressed a gun against his chin.
"Who are you? Where is Zhou Wen?"

The fat man was dazed and confused after the fall. Just as he was about to start cursing, he realized that a gun was pressed against his chin. His drowsiness and drunkenness vanished instantly, and he stammered, "You...you're in cahoots with that Commander Zhou?"

The words had barely left his mouth when a slap landed on his face: "Where is Zhou Wenren?"

"He went to Cuihua Tower and asked me to stay here and keep an eye on things for him."

"Damn it, they're hopeless, they can't even get away with subletting and outsourcing under orders from the Inspection Office." Mao Wenju's face was ashen, he cursed through gritted teeth, and stomped hard on the fat man's face. "Where is Cuihua Tower?"

"It's right next door, sir. Shall I take you there?"

"No need." Mao Wenju sneered, giving his subordinates a wink as he walked outside.

The subordinate understood immediately, gave a sinister smile, and snapped the fat man's neck in a terrified manner.

Then, the three of them rushed to Cuihua Tower without stopping, their faces filled with murderous intent.

After some effort, they finally found Zhou Wen's men in a private room.

Zhou Wen was in his thirties, with a square face and wide mouth. He had a black mole on his right cheek with a few long hairs on it, which looked somewhat eerie. He was leaning against the headboard smoking when he saw his brother-in-law and his two brothers burst into the room. He paused for a moment, then asked, his eyes still blurry with drunkenness:

"Brother-in-law, why are you here?"

Logically speaking, his appearance was not suitable for being a spy; his looks were too "outstanding." But what could he do? He had a good brother-in-law and couldn't resist his wife's pillow talk. Mao Wenju reluctantly introduced him to the Military Intelligence Bureau. He couldn't do fieldwork, so he could only do some internal work.

This time, I came to Yuzhou on business. I couldn't resist his persistent pleas. I thought that although he was a reckless person, he had been relatively well-behaved during his time in the Supervision Office. So I thought I would bring him out to see the world. If he could make some contributions, he could also get a position. I just didn't expect that a leopard can't change its spots. He had only been here for a few days and had already caused such a big mess for himself.

Mao Wenju was furious. Ignoring his words, he pulled out his belt and lashed out.

There was a "pop" sound.

A shocking bloodstain immediately appeared on Zhou Wen's shoulder, causing him to scream in pain. "Brother-in-law, I was wrong."

"Snapped!"

"Brother-in-law, it was this little vixen who seduced me."

Upon hearing this, Mao Wenju became even angrier. The so-called "little wench" was naturally a prostitute lying on the bed, clutching the blanket tightly and trembling. Although she was so frightened that only her head was showing, Mao Wenju was still disgusted by the woman's appearance.

She was short and stout, with thick eyes and lips, and her face was covered in thick rouge, making her look exactly like a zombie. Mao Wenju was astonished by his brother-in-law's unusual taste and burst into a tirade:
"You beast, now I know what it means to be birds of a feather. You're a disgrace. When you go out to have fun, can't you find someone better?"

"Ouch, brother-in-law, stop hitting me!" the brother-in-law cried out in pain, pleading for mercy while arguing, "Brother-in-law, you just don't understand. The pretty ones have been with countless men, but the ugly ones are more fun. Anyway, they're all the same with the lights off."

Hearing him say that, the two people following behind Mao Wenju couldn't help but burst out laughing.

"You beast, you still think you're right?" Mao Wenju's face was extremely ugly, and he whipped the belt even harder, as if he wanted to beat him to death.

Seeing that Zhou Wen's back and arms were covered in bloodstains, the two men behind him quickly stepped forward and said a few kind words on his behalf. Only then did Mao Wenju impatiently throw down the belt in his hand and walk outside.

Back at his temporary lodgings, Mao Wenju made a few phone calls, and finally a look of relief appeared on his face: "A Military Intelligence Bureau car went out tonight, heading to the suburbs? Okay, thank you."

"Was he really executed?" After Mao Wenju hung up the phone, one of his subordinates asked cautiously.

"Yes, we're going to the outskirts, probably a mass grave. As for whether the dead man is Niu Zidao, we'll have to see his body first. Let's set off immediately."

"Boss, it's curfew now."

"I have a special pass, so stop talking and let's go!"

"Yes."

Half an hour later, the three of them finally arrived at the mass grave by car.

The night was dark, and a cold wind swept in, chilling to the bone.

The wind swirled the ashes of paper money down people's necks, mixing with rotting leaves, corpses, and an indescribable stench. It swept through the weeds among the graves, making a "whooshing" sound, as if someone was crouching in the dark weeping, sending chills down one's spine.

Mao Wenju turned on his flashlight, squatted down, looked at the footprints on the ground, and pointed to the distance: "Let's go take a look."

The two men shrank back, drew their pistols, and were about to step forward when something suddenly darted out from behind the grave mound with a rustling sound, startling them.

Once the noise subsided, the two mustered their courage and crept over. They saw fresh bloodstains not far away, and next to them was either freshly turned grave soil or a hole dug by wild dogs; the soil was loose and soft, but they couldn't see the prisoner's body. The two had no choice but to search around.

Just then, the distant barking of wild dogs came, drawn out and eerie, as if they were tearing at something. The two exchanged a glance and hurried over, only to see several wild dogs with gleaming green eyes fighting over two mangled corpses, one of which had its head gnawed beyond recognition.

When the stray dogs saw people approaching, they bared their teeth and bared their fangs, making an attack stance.

"Bang!" A plainclothes officer fired a shot, driving away the stray dogs, before going up to examine the body.

"Is this person Niu Zidao?"

“A Zhongshan suit, a shirt. He’s been tortured. It must be him.” The two were observing carefully when suddenly someone patted them on the shoulder from behind. They were startled and turned around sharply. It was Mao Wenju.

He said with a solemn expression, "It's not just 'should,' it's 'absolutely certain.'"

One person paused, stunned: "This..."

Mao Wenju didn't speak, he just stared straight at him.

The two men exchanged a glance, and after thinking about what had happened that night, they immediately understood and said in unison, "Yes, it's definitely Niu Zidao."

Mao Wenju nodded in satisfaction: "Let's go, we'll call back right away."

Silent all night.

The next morning, a reply came from headquarters.

As soon as he arrived at work, Zhang Yi personally presided over a personnel appointment meeting.

But it wasn't one appointment, it was two.

Yuzhou Station Chief Cui Fangping, Deputy Station Chief Li Mulin, and heads of various departments all stood straight in front of Zhang Yi, dressed in crisp military uniforms.

Cui Fangping, who had disappeared for a day, returned with a beaming smile, as if he had never left.

Zhang Yi gave everyone a serious look, then took the telegram from the monkey standing behind him:
"First of all, on behalf of the Bureau Headquarters, I congratulate Deputy Station Chief Li on successfully eradicating the Japanese spy organization that had infiltrated Luoyang. Director Dai commended him and, with the approval of the Military Commission, promoted him to the rank of Major General."

Li Mulin's lips curled into a satisfied smile. After three years of hard work, the colonel had finally achieved his goal of being promoted to major general. He couldn't help but steal glances at Cui Fangping, only to find Cui Fangping expressionless.

A round of applause erupted in the conference room, with everyone, including Cui Fangping, congratulating him on his promotion.

Li Mulin responded with a smile, but clearly he wasn't very happy. He didn't know what price Cui Fangping, that old fox, had paid for disappearing for a day, to actually come back.

Cui Fangping took the initiative to greet him, smiling insincerely: "Deputy Station Chief Li, congratulations. Should I call you General Li from now on?"

Li Mulin smiled insincerely, "The station chief is back? Don't worry about rank. You're a major general, so just call me Deputy Station Chief Li. You are the station chief, you're in charge of the work, and you'll always be my superior."

"We are all working for the Military Intelligence Bureau. We must work together from now on."

"Silence!" the monkey interrupted Cui Fangping in a stern voice.

"Now, another appointment will be announced." Zhang Yi glanced at the crowd and continued reading the telegram.

Li Mulin felt a growing sense of anticipation.

Cui Fangping frowned slightly.

"In order to strengthen the leadership of the Inspection Office, Li Mulin is hereby appointed as the Director of the Central China Inspection Office, effective immediately!"

Li Mulin finally smiled with satisfaction, feeling a warm and content feeling inside. As the director of the Central China Inspection Office of the Military Intelligence Bureau and deputy head of the Henan station, he now had the authority to supervise Cui Fangping.

Cui Fangping frowned, looking somewhat bewildered, before finally snapping out of it: "Congratulations, Director Li."

(End of this chapter)