My spy diary

Chapter 667 The Search (Seeking Monthly Tickets)

"Did you hang up the phone?"

He said he would call back in five minutes.

Xu Zeng'en rushed into his office, his voice even faster than his footsteps: "Quick, get on the listening list! We have to find him this time!"

As he ran, Pu Mengjiu and Zheng Rui followed behind. Suddenly hearing his command, they abruptly stopped and adjusted their positions, almost causing Pu Mengjiu and Zheng Rui to collide. The scene was quite comical, leaving their subordinates looking at each other in bewilderment.

The hurried footsteps and surging emotions left Xu Zeng a little out of breath. He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that the phone wasn't ringing. He plopped down on the sofa and stared intently at the phone on the table, as if trying to see a hole through it.

Soon, Pu Mengjiu and Zheng Rui, who had made the arrangements, entered the office again.

Pu Mengjiu held a detailed map in his hand, spread it out on the coffee table, and squatted down to explain it to Xu Zeng'en:
"Director, he made his first call here, and the second one here, about three kilometers apart. The last call was made here, from a public phone." As he spoke, he took out a pencil, hesitated for a moment, and then drew a circle around the locations of the three phone booths. "He's been moving around within this five-kilometer radius."

Zheng Rui added, "I have already dispatched the four closest teams to this area, in addition to a mobile team."

Before he could finish speaking, Xu Zeng interrupted him, muttering to himself:

"How long would it take a well-trained man to walk 3 kilometers?"

Pu Mengjiu and Zheng Rui were stunned for a moment, then began to think.

But Xu Zengen, a master's student at Carnegie Institute of Technology in the United States, immediately provided the answer: "It takes a normal person about 30 minutes to walk 3,000 meters, about 15 minutes to jog, and about 22 minutes to brisk walk. The fastest time to reach the target is 7 minutes."

What does this refer to?
Pu Mengjiu and Zheng Rui simultaneously considered a possibility: the target had a means of transportation, such as a car or a bicycle. They preferred a bicycle because it was a smaller target and less likely to attract attention.

"The Director is insightful and perceptive, able to see the big picture from small details." Pu Mengjiu subconsciously offered a compliment, but before he could finish, Xu Zeng interrupted him, snatching the pencil from Pu Mengjiu's hand and drawing circles on the map as he spoke:

"Be prudent in your assessment of the enemy. Double the scope of your surveillance and investigation—I'll double the manpower. The key is to find a man around thirty years old, of medium build, riding a bicycle, to keep a close eye on men loitering or leaving near public phone booths, shops with phones, restaurants, coffee shops, and hotels. Check them one by one, don't miss a single one, like sweeping away fallen leaves in autumn, and be quick!"

He paused, then added, "Also, immediately dispatch the police. As quickly as possible, cordon off this area on charges of being a wanted murderer, and thoroughly check the identification of everyone leaving. Expand the scope of the check; investigate people of similar height and age, including women. Prevent them from escaping by disguising themselves—"

"We must quickly cast the vast net and then tighten the opening. It has to be fast and accurate," Xu Zeng thought to himself as he made the arrangements.

"Yes, mission accomplished!" Zheng Rui immediately jogged away.

The phone rang suddenly as soon as he left.

Xu Zeng was taken aback, somewhat surprised. Wasn't it supposed to be five minutes? Only three minutes had passed! He cursed the unpredictable Communist Party member in his mind, then made a listening gesture to Pu Mengjiu, took a deep breath, and walked over to pick up the phone.

At this moment, Pu Mengjiu had already picked up another phone and dialed the telephone exchange's switchboard department.

When police and intelligence agencies are fully operational, their efficiency can sometimes be astonishing, especially in the wartime capital region, where police, military, and intelligence forces are the largest and most abundant.

On the bustling streets, some police officers and plainclothes agents who had arrived ahead of time were hidden in the crowd, walking and searching at varying speeds.

Leading the way was Chen Qingzhai, the head of the Southwest Experimental District of the Central Bureau of Investigation and Statistics.

This is a veteran spy who came from a gang of thugs, and also a seasoned gunman specializing in operational work.

Since the Jinling period, he had been risking his life to do operations with Xu Zeng'en, and was known for his boldness and ruthlessness.

He recruited a group of ruthless henchmen who were dedicated to committing murder, arson, kidnapping, and torture for him. At one point, they were so arrogant that they openly stormed into the Executive Yuan with guns to arrest people. This undoubtedly damaged the "democratic image" that Chang had carefully cultivated. Chang angrily rebuked them for being incompetent, and Xu Zengen was also reprimanded.

Xu Zengen could only lock him up in solitary confinement for a period of time as punishment.

But after he was released, Chen Qingzhai continued to do things his own way.

At this moment, Chen Qingzhai's eyes were like a scanner, scanning through every crowd and every corner of the street.

Zheng Huhe was just a few steps away from his line of sight.

On the other side, Xu Zeng picked up the receiver but didn't speak first; he wanted to wait for the other person to speak first.

An unfamiliar voice came through the receiver: "Is this Mr. Xu's home?"

Xu Zeng was taken aback. This voice was different from the previous one, but he remained calm and asked in a soothing tone:
"It's me, you?"

Just then, Pu Mengjiu, the office director, walked over and quickly wrote a few words on a piece of paper: "Wudu Wenxuan Coffee Shop".

Xu Zeng silently waved his right hand, making a sharp movement. Pu Mengjiu understood and immediately walked towards the phone.

The voice on the other end of the phone said, "This is Wudu Wenxuan Coffee Shop. A Mr. Xu asked me to tell you that he has an important appointment today, so he can't call you back in person. Also, he asked me to ask you if you are satisfied with today's news. He said not to underestimate that person; he's hiding a big secret. Mr. Xu said that person also has business dealings with the Japanese."

"I understand, thank you." Xu Zeng was both angry and helpless; the enemy was more cunning than he had imagined. He suppressed his anger and asked again, "By the way, Mr. Xu, what are you wearing today?"

"Suit."

"Oh, did he ride a bicycle?"

"Sorry, I didn't notice that."

"Okay, thank you." Xu Zeng hung up the phone expressionlessly and immediately called Pu Mengjiu over:

"Immediately launch a search centered on the Wudu Wenxuan Coffee Shop, and find that person for me."

In the crowd, Guo Xinya, disguised, followed closely behind Zheng Huhe as they headed to carry out their next mission.

"Don't you want the bicycle anymore?" Guo Xinya asked in confusion.

Zheng Huhe had now disguised himself as a refined and respectable merchant. He held a specially made cigarette case in his left hand and a cigarette in his right, tapping the cigarette against the case while observing the situation behind him through the mirror on the case.
"Don't speak, there are spies watching."

These words startled Guo Xinya: "A member of the Military Intelligence Bureau?"

Zheng Huhe had no time to answer Guo Xinya's question. He had already spotted an alleyway ahead and quickened his pace without making a sound, heading in that direction.

Guo Xinya didn't dare to ask any more questions. She kept her head down and followed Zheng Huhe closely as they turned into the alley.

In the instant she moved, her figure was detected by the "scanner".

Chen Qingzhai's eyes narrowed, and he forcefully pushed through the crowd, leading his four men in a chase towards the alley entrance.

Just then, a panting young spy came running over:

"District Chief, phone call, the phone says the target is Wudu Wenxuan Coffee."

Chen Qingzhai was taken aback, hesitated for a moment, and then said to two of his subordinates:

"Keep searching, you must find that woman."

After saying that, he drew his pistol and led the other two men against the flow of people toward the coffee shop.

A moment later, the two plainclothes officers from the Central Bureau of Investigation and Statistics rushed out of the alley where Zheng Huhe and Guo Xinya had fled. At the end of the alley, two paths branched off to the left and right, both now empty except for a woman's handkerchief lying under a sign marked with a public bus symbol.

"Separate and search!" The two plainclothes officers exchanged a glance and quickly ran out.

"Quickly, take control of the coffee shop immediately!" Chen Qingzhai stared longingly at the coffee shop in the distance. The sun was blinding due to the backlighting. He immediately shielded his eyes with his hand, shouting to his men as he ran:

"Xiao Liu, you go to the left; Xiao Ma, you go to the right. Keep your eyes wide open and find him! If necessary, you can shoot him directly, just don't kill him!"

Everyone ran quickly towards their destination. Just then, another plainclothes officer came running up, panting heavily.
"District Chief, Director Pu called and said the caller wasn't the person we were looking for; we've been scammed. He told us to search around the coffee shop; he couldn't have gone far."

Chen Qingzhai was stunned for a moment, then rushed over in a fit of rage and slapped the plainclothes officer twice across the face: "You keep changing your mind, when will your intelligence be more accurate? Do you know that I almost caught him just now!" The fleeting image of a slender figure flashed through his mind; it was clearly a woman.

Perhaps she is an accomplice of the Red Party.

Thinking this, his gaze searched and landed on the little spy who had initially notified him.

Sweeping across him with his cold gaze, the junior agent shrank back in fear, hesitant to speak.

Chen Qingzhai said with a look of disgust, "Spit it out!"

The little spy pointed to the coffee shop entrance: "District Chief, you can run away, but you can't hide. He's busy escaping, but his bicycle is still outside the coffee shop."

"Is that so?" Chen Qingzhai snorted coldly, looking in the direction he was pointing. An old, worn-out scooter was parked next to the coffee shop, seemingly mocking their incompetence. He stared at it for a few moments, then curled his lip in disdain.

"It's just a regular scooter, what good is that!"

The junior agent, however, looked very serious: "District Chief, I've looked at it carefully. There are two characters written on the bicycle—'Lion.' It should be the brand of the bicycle. If we can find out the company that manufactured it, we might be able to find out something."

Chen Qingzhai snorted, about to curse, when he heard the little spy say confidently:

“District Chief, don’t you always say that to find someone, you have to figure out their movements first? Whether this car was stolen or he bought it, if we follow this lead, we’ll eventually find some clues.”

At this moment, Zheng Rui, the action team leader who had been listening quietly in the crowd for a while, suddenly stepped forward:

"District Chief Chen, have you found anything?"

There was some friction between the two, and Chen Qingzhai didn't want to pay him any attention. After thinking for a moment, he suppressed the urge to spit on his subordinate and said to Zheng Rui insincerely:
"We've found the bicycle the target left behind. If Team Leader Zheng is interested, we can continue the investigation."

"Say it," he glanced at Zheng Rui twice, then left with his men.

Zheng Rui snorted coldly and gave orders to his subordinates:

"Ride the bike back and check it carefully."

After half an hour.

At the headquarters of the Central Bureau of Investigation and Statistics, the door to the deputy director's office was wide open. A teacup shattered on the floor, splashing water everywhere.

Xu Zeng'en, hands on his hips, cursed loudly: "Everyone says that most of our Central Bureau of Investigation's so-called special agent legion are good-for-nothings and good-for-nothings. Now it seems that they are right. You are not only good-for-nothings and good-for-nothings, you are a bunch of good-for-nothings! A hundred or so people working together, and you couldn't even touch the shadow of the Red Party?"

Everyone looked ashamed and remained silent.

After hesitating for a long time, Zheng Rui stammered, "Director, actually, I have something else here, but I don't know if it counts as a clue."

These words brightened Xu Zeng'en's eyes; it was like finding a new path after a long period of uncertainty. He asked:
"what?"

Zheng Rui pointed out the window and said, "Oh, speaking of which, this is all thanks to District Chief Chen's men. They said it was a bicycle abandoned by a fleeing Red Army member."

Xu Zeng frowned slightly, walked to the window, and stared at the bicycles parked in the courtyard for a few moments.
"and then?"

Zheng Rui pointed it out to him earnestly: "Look, oh, you might not be able to see it clearly here, but there are two characters on the bicycle—'Lion.' It should be the brand of the bicycle. If we can find the company that manufactured it, we might be able to find out something."

As he said this, he was completely oblivious to the sneer in Chen Qingzhai's eyes.

Xu Zeng stared at him for a moment, his gaze sweeping over Chen Qingzhai and Pu Mengjiu before settling on Liu Cixiao, the office secretary who stood awkwardly outside the door:
"come here!"

Liu Cixiao immediately jogged over, bowing respectfully: "Deputy Director!"

Xu Zeng asked, "I remember you ride a bicycle to work. What brand is your bicycle?"

"Lion Brand!"

"What about the others?"

Liu Cixiao thought for a moment and said, "There are Gem Brand, Omega, and Eagle King, but most of them are Lion Brand."

Zheng Rui was stunned when he heard this.

Xu Zeng poked his nose and roared, "Shancheng has a population of seven or eight hundred thousand, close to a million. There are tens of thousands of scooters, the most common brand being Lion. Tell me how I'm going to investigate? Are the people below stupid? Are you stupid too? Or do you think I'm stupid like you?"

Zheng Rui shrank back, feeling utterly disgusted by Chen Qingzhai's outburst.

Seeing the bureau chief's fury, the people in the office fell silent, their faces filled with gloom.

Xu Zeng stared at the group of people intently, feeling extremely frustrated. However, as the head of a bureau, he was unwilling to let this mood continue. He snorted coldly and ordered Pu Mengjiu, "Bring over the phone recording."

"Yes." Pu Mengjiu quickly brought a wire recorder from the listening room, and after receiving permission, pressed the play button.

The voices of Xu Zengen and the coffee shop waiter came through the loudspeaker.

Mr. Xu said that the person also had business dealings with the Japanese.

Hearing this, Xu Zeng'en frowned: "Play it again."

Pu Mengjiu rewound the screen and pressed play again. Xu Zeng'en and the others listened intently.

The waiter's voice came through the recording again.

"Doing business with the Japanese?" Xu Zeng muttered to himself, "Could this Mao Zhongxin be a double agent?"

Zheng Rui felt somewhat aggrieved: "But he's already dead, where are we supposed to find clues? Who would have thought that bastard Liu Dali was actually a Kuomintang spy?"

Xu Zeng gave him a cold look, not wanting to bring up this disheartening matter again:
"Think again carefully. Is there any detail about Mao Zhongxin that we've overlooked? You all need to think about it carefully."

Pu Mengjiu glanced warily at the door, walked over and closed it tightly before hesitatingly saying:
"Director, we're surrounded by enemies, and we're surrounded by enemies. Should we activate our undercover agents within the Military Intelligence Bureau to try and find out more?"

Xu Zeng remained noncommittal, then looked at Chen Qingzhai. Chen Qingzhai thought for a moment and said:

"If what that person said is true, perhaps we can go to Mao Zhongxin's house to look for him."

Xu Zeng nodded and then looked at Zheng Rui.

Zheng Rui felt wronged; he had already been scolded several times today and felt incredibly stupid. He blurted out:
"This kid smells terrible, like he has some kind of venereal disease, does that count?"

I originally just wanted to brush it off, but Xu Zeng'en was quite interested:
"Did you contract a sexually transmitted disease? Do you frequent brothels?"

"I don't know the specifics, but I heard that this guy indulges in all sorts of vices, including drinking, gambling, and whoring."

Xu Zeng'en immediately said to Chen Qingzhai, "Check the brothels right away and see which one he frequents."

Seeing that the bureau chief had bypassed him, Zheng Rui hurriedly asked:
"Chief, what about me?"

"Go to his house and take a look."

After saying this, Xu Zeng took a deep breath and said firmly:
"Gentlemen, I hope you won't disappoint me this time!"

Meanwhile, Zheng Huhe and Guo Xinya, now dressed in different clothes, arrived at Wangjiatuo Huanyun Pavilion, a place Mao Zhongxin frequented.

(End of this chapter)