My spy diary

Chapter 660 Intelligence (Seeking Monthly Tickets)

Today's intelligence has been updated.

[1. You met with Dai Chunfeng today and obtained relevant intelligence—Operation "Thunderclap" is actually bait, created to cover up Operation "Lone Boat." It's a feint, a covert maneuver designed to lure the undercover agent within the headquarters into taking a risk, thus exposing their weakness during the intelligence gathering and transmission process, leaving them nowhere to hide. Simultaneously, it ensures the successful completion of Operation "Lone Boat."]

Bait? Zhang Yi had already figured this out at the banquet, and he believed that the other department heads and directors present had also figured it out; they just kept it to themselves.

After all, classified intelligence is equipped with information isolation mechanisms, which limit the scope of intelligence access according to the principle of "knowing what is needed" to avoid the complete leakage of information.

It makes people know what happens but not why it happens.

Without knowing the whole picture, acting rashly will lead to a small mistake that results in a huge error.

But if only I and the other attendees know, what about the others?

Although Dai Chunfeng acted mysteriously and deliberately emphasized secrecy, with so many people present, even if they kept their mouths shut, clues would inevitably be exposed, and those around them would find out sooner or later, and then the Thunderclap Plan would spread.

Will the other undercover agents and informants lurking in headquarters seize the opportunity to gather intelligence?
This is inevitable!
This is what makes Dai Chunfeng so insidious and terrifying: he uses an open strategy—a plan laid out in plain sight yet impossible to decipher. It doesn't rely on the concealment of conspiracies and tricks, but rather precisely grasps the weaknesses of human nature and the predicaments of the situation, placing the trap in the open. Because of weighing the pros and cons and being bound by a mission, you have no choice but to jump in willingly, without even a chance to struggle.

[2. You met with Wang Xinheng today and obtained relevant intelligence—Wang Xinheng has been ordered to carry out "Operation Lone Boat" and has selected 24 well-trained agents from the ninth training class of the Shancheng Bai Mansion in Hanzhong to carry out a long-term infiltration plan. The list is as follows.]

Zhang Yi was startled and immediately took out paper and pen to write down the names.

[3. You met Mao Zhongxin today and obtained relevant information—Mao Zhongxin has a lover in Huanyun Pavilion in Wangjiatuo, using the alias Liu Ningxue, whose real name is Kawashima Yukina, and codename Black Butterfly.]

Wangjiatuo Huanyun Pavilion?

Zhang Yi knew this place; after all, it was the site of a former brothel in the Japanese concession, now little known to people, or rather, selectively forgotten.

After the First Sino-Japanese War, Japan obtained unilateral most-favored-nation status through the Treaty of Shimonoseki, which allowed it to follow the example of Western powers by establishing concessions in Chinese treaty ports.

In 1896, Japan sent people to Shancheng to prepare for the establishment of a concession. After several years of negotiations, on September 24, 1901, China and Japan signed the "Twenty-Two Articles of the Treaty on the Japanese Commercial and Civilian Concession in Shancheng", which clearly stipulated that a Japanese-administered concession would be established in Wangjiatuo on the south bank of Shancheng.

The concession was leased for 30 years. When the lease expired in 1931, the people of Chongqing launched a large-scale movement to reclaim it. In October, Liu Xiang, the warlord stationed in Chongqing at the time, sent military police to take over Wangjiatuo and force the Japanese consul and Japanese residents in Chongqing to evacuate.

The predecessor of this Wangjiatuo Huanyun Pavilion was called "Youlai Pavilion," and the owner was a Japanese "madam" named Kato Shuai, who employed nearly 20 prostitutes from Korea. It provided services such as alcohol, Japanese food, opium, and coffee, and its customers were mainly Japanese sailors, important officials of the Nationalist government, military personnel, and business people.

Although the Japanese had left, "Youlaiguan" was transformed into Huanyunge, with a new signboard and a new premises, but it still harbored filth and grime.

[4. You met with Mao Zhongxin today and obtained relevant intelligence—Mao Zhongxin, acting on Mao Qiwu's orders, used Qian Xiaosan to secretly injure the leg of Feng Wenrao's mother, a handwriting expert in the technical department.]

Upon seeing this intelligence report, Zhang Yi's eyes turned slightly cold. It seemed that Qian Xiaosan had gone too far and was beyond redemption.

[5. You met Zheng Mingyuan today and obtained relevant intelligence—the Second Bureau of the Military Command has dispatched an agent codenamed "Stinger" to infiltrate Baota Mountain. "Stinger" is using the alias Shen Wenbin, but his real identity is Zheng Wenbin, a captain intelligence officer in the Second Bureau of the Military Command.]

Poison Sting? The Second Bureau of the Military Command also dispatched undercover agents?

Zhang Yi was somewhat surprised, but upon closer inspection, he felt it made perfect sense.

Zheng Mingyuan was the chief secretary, but he rarely worked at the bureau headquarters, only coming once or twice a month at most, and always when Dai Chunfeng was away, just to make his presence known. However, he was nominally the second-in-command, and within the Military Intelligence Bureau, he held an irreplaceable position: reviewing intelligence concerning the Eighth Route Army and the New Fourth Army. Therefore, Zheng Mingyuan always considered himself an expert on the Red Party issue.

The Second Bureau of the Military Command should also do its best to collect intelligence on this matter and report it to Chang.

However, because much of the intelligence was gathered from hearsay and some was even fabricated to meet needs, it was inevitably contradictory and even completely different from the intelligence collected by the Military Intelligence Bureau.

In this way, before reporting, Dai Chunfeng had to privately check the intelligence with Zheng Mingyuan, reach a consensus, and submit consistent intelligence to avoid problems.

This is also why his position within the Military Intelligence Bureau was so exceptional.

6. You saw the monkey today and obtained relevant information: the monkey was being monitored and tracked on its way back.

Zhang Yi discovered the surveillance on his way back, but pretended not to know.

7. You met with Shen Ruozhu today and obtained relevant information—Deputy Officer Jia met with Shen Ruozhu today to inquire about the progress of their relationship.

After receiving the intelligence, Zhang Yi lay awake in the dim light, his mind racing with thoughts of how to pass it on.

Outside the window, the night is deep.

The mountain city in June is as quiet as a baby's smile, yet it also feels as swift as the Jialing River.

He quietly got up, turned off the desk lamp in the study, groped his way to the window, carefully hooked a corner of the curtain with his finger, and looked out through the crack.

Following his gaze, across the street below, a black sedan with its engine off sat quietly.

Zhang Yi sneered, lowered the curtains, and walked into the living room.

The moment the desk lamp in the study went out, Zhao Kui, who had been lying in the black sedan by the roadside, staring intently at the study window, suddenly turned to Zhou Wu, who was sitting beside him, and said:

"Finally asleep."

Zhou Wu finally breathed a sigh of relief, glanced at his watch, recorded the time on the surveillance log, and said dejectedly:
"It's so late! You know, the 5th too. He has a beautiful woman at home, with her soft and fragrant body in his arms, and instead of enjoying her company, he's still up so late, holed up in the study. Isn't that putting the cart before the horse?"

Zhao Kui glared at him: "Don't gossip about your superior's privacy!"

"know."

After a moment, Zhou Wu spoke again:
"Wait a minute, isn't this woman in Deputy Director Zhang's house someone he brought from Jiangshan County? Was her identity verified?"

Zhou Wu asked this question because it involved the responsibilities of the Military Intelligence Bureau's Inspectorate.

Before ordinary people could enter the Military Intelligence Bureau and its affiliated agencies, they had to fill out a "guarantee letter." The letter stipulated that two people, both civil servants and current officials within the Kuomintang system, had to write the "guarantee letter." If this person had any problems in the future, the guarantors would be held jointly responsible.

Then came the oral exam, written exam, and physical examination.

That's simple. Just ask about their family situation.

The most important thing is the physical examination; to be a spy, one must be quick-witted and sharp-eyed.

After being admitted and entering the special training class, students are required to fill out a student enrollment survey registration form, at which point the process becomes more rigorous.

In addition to name, original ID number, alias, pseudonym, gender, age, ethnicity, place of origin, current address, and permanent address, the form requires information on special skills, characteristics, education, experience, social relationships, any political parties, groups, or gangs the applicant has participated in, religious affiliation, family financial information (detailed including movable and immovable property, daily and monthly income and minimum expenditure), family member information (including each member's political affiliation, age, relationship to the applicant, occupation, etc., spanning four generations), hobbies, the name of the original guarantor, and the relationship between the applicant and the guarantor. The form will indicate that the above information is voluntary for students.

The registration form has three more sections at the bottom: initial review comments, reviewer's comments, and final decision.

The initial review will involve an interview with the interviewer to verify the information on the form you filled out. If your answers are correct, they will sign it, and from that moment on, everything you filled out will become a fact.

Then, your information will be secretly investigated in your place of origin by special field agents. If you conceal any information in your application, you will be arrested directly on charges of being a "dissident," with penalties ranging from imprisonment to execution. People like Shen Ruozhu, who entered the headquarters or worked alongside high-ranking military intelligence officials from Jiangshan County, will have their identities verified again.

The General Affairs Department is responsible for background checks, including verifying basic personal information, checking past work experience, and investigating background integrity. The Human Resources Department is responsible for interviews and audits, while the Supervision Office is responsible for oversight and providing a safety net.

Zhao Kui grew impatient: "Are you bored? Why are you worrying about this? She came back with Boss Dai, so if anything goes wrong, the boss will cover for her. Don't make trouble for yourself."

"I'm just curious!" Zhou Wu pouted sullenly, then changed the subject, "Can we get something to eat now? I'm starving."

After saying that, he was about to push open the door and get out of the car. But just as he pushed the car door open, he suddenly heard Zhao Kui call out, "Wait."

Zhou Wu looked at him with a puzzled expression: "What's wrong now? Aren't you hungry?"

"Aren't you hungry?" Zhao Kui said, his eyes fixed on Zhang Yi's window again. "Wait a little longer, a car will come by soon, and we'll have to change cars."

"transfer?"

"They're just talking nonsense. A car sitting here for so long is bound to arouse suspicion."

“Starting the car and making noise will only arouse more suspicion,” Zhou Wu retorted, “Are you serious? Who is Deputy Director Zhang? He’s more experienced than we are. Don’t think we can fool him with our little tricks. Maybe they’ve already discovered us. We’re just keeping quiet about it. Let’s not let the fire at the city gate cause collateral damage.”

“How could I not understand?” Zhao Kui said bitterly, “But what can I do? Once the order is given, I have to bite the bullet and go.”

"Alright, buddy, we're just keeping watch, not risking our lives. Let's fill our stomachs first!"

After saying this, Zhou Wu ran off in a flash.

Inside the room, Shen Ruozhu couldn't fall asleep in bed. The thought of Zhang Yi's return home filled her with anger. They had made a pact and signed a mutual agreement, but Zhang Yi hadn't told her anything, completely ignoring her. She tossed and turned, finally throwing back the covers and sitting up. With a snap, she switched on the bedside lamp and left the bedroom.

On the sofa in the living room, Zhang Yi lay stiffly with his eyes closed.

Shen Ruozhu turned on the living room light and walked over, glaring down at him for a while. Seeing that he didn't move, she said irritably:

"Stop pretending, I know you're not asleep. Even when people are asleep, turning on the light will unconsciously produce physiological reactions."

Hearing her words, Zhang Yi had no choice but to open his eyes and give her an awkward smile.

Shen Ruozhu rolled her eyes at him and continued in an annoyed tone, "You called this afternoon? Aren't you curious about what I did?"

"Where did you go?" Zhang Yi pretended to be stupid and asked, following her words. As he spoke, he also sat up.

"Lieutenant Jia summoned me and asked if there had been any progress in our relationship."

Zhang Yi said "Oh," and then said nothing more.

Shen Ruozhu stared at him and asked, "Aren't you curious about how I answered?"

"A harmonious and loving couple? A life of mutual respect and affection?"

Seeing Zhang Yi feigning ignorance, Shen Ruozhu also played along mischievously:
That's what I answered too.

"Oh."

"Why don't you ask me anything else, like whether he's given me any other tasks?" Shen Ruozhu said, sounding somewhat frustrated.

"What mission?" Zhang Yi asked honestly. "If there really is a mission, let me know and we'll cooperate in the charade."

Shen Ruozhu looked at him with a helpless expression.

There was a long silence.

"Do you have a woman you like?" Shen Ruozhu asked frankly.

Did I? Yes, but that was a long, long time ago.

This time, it was Zhang Yi's turn to remain silent.

The night was deeper.

Unlike other places, Huanyun Pavilion in Wangjiatuo is even more noisy at night. Amidst the bright lights and revelry, lewd noises and whispers never cease. Some seemingly respectable high-ranking officials and nobles will sneak inside under the cover of darkness when all is quiet.

Mao Zhongxin, with his slicked-back hair and powdered face, strode confidently into the Huanyun Pavilion in a sharp suit. The madam, seeing him, quickly approached him with a beaming smile.
"It's Young Master Mao! It's been a few days since you last visited. What a rare guest! Why are you dressed so formally today? I'm drooling over you!"

Mao Zhongxin, looking smug, chuckled and pinched the madam's round buttocks:
"Stop babbling. Quickly bring Xue'er out. She wasn't feeling well the past few days, and tonight I want to see what she's got to do with her singing and playing instruments."

As he approached, a putrid stench wafted out, which even perfume couldn't mask.

The madam frowned almost imperceptibly, then chuckled and slapped his hand away, thinking to herself, "What do you mean 'unwell'? You've clearly caught a venereal disease, infecting two girls and now you want to harm Xue'er." She said in a shrill voice:
"Young Master Mao, you didn't know that Miss Xue'er wasn't feeling well these past few days since you last visited."

"Are you sick?" Mao Zhongxin was taken aback, then asked with concern, "Is it serious?"

The madam thought to herself, "As long as I don't sleep with you, everything will be fine." She rolled her eyes. "You're on your period, you're not feeling well. Want me to get you another one? Or you can come back in a few days?"

Mao Zhongxin stared wide-eyed: "I thought it was something else. If she can't do anything, she can at least keep me company and have a few drinks, right? Quickly call her out!"

The madam was furious, but had no choice but to put on a smiling face:

"To be honest, Xue'er is currently serving your government's Young Master Tang."

"That Young Master Tang?"

The madam said mysteriously, "It's Tang Gongzi, the adopted son of Chief Tang of the police station. He's been here for several days now."

Mao Zhongxin snorted coldly. If it really was Tang Yi, he would have shown him some respect. But he was just a godson. How dare he compete with him for a woman?
"Since he's been here for several days, let him rest. I'll do some work for him tonight."

The madam panicked and quickly said, "Young Master Mao, that won't do. This Young Master Tang has powerful connections; we can't afford to offend him. Besides, first come, first served; that's not in line with our rules."

Mao Zhongxin scoffed, "He has powerful connections? Am I not powerful? Do you even know who I am? You wouldn't dare mess with me if you couldn't afford to offend him?"

The madam repeatedly said, "We can't afford to offend him, we can't afford to offend any of us. But after all, he was the one who arrived first tonight."

Mao Zhongxin grew impatient, shoved the madam aside, and rushed upstairs.

(End of this chapter)