My spy diary

Chapter 686 Mission (asking for monthly ticket)

Shortly afterward, the middle-aged man appeared in a small alley behind the open-air teahouse.

He stood at the entrance of the alley and looked around.

He quickly regained his composure and continued walking, rapidly removing his long robe as he went. Also tossed into the metal trash can was the fake mustache he'd been wearing. A hand forcefully ripped off a piece of skin from the corner of his mouth; the wound wasn't deep, but it stung terribly. He groaned a few times, quickly straightened his button-down jacket, smoothed his hair, and pulled a pair of gold-rimmed glasses from his pocket. The image of a sharp, refined, and rather scholarly middle-aged man was instantly formed; no one would associate him with the man who had just been drinking tea.

Then, he continued walking forward. He kept his head slightly down as he walked, but because he had scouted the area beforehand, he knew the surroundings like the back of his hand. After turning out of the alley, he slipped into a public phone booth and dialed the teahouse's number.

After finishing his cup of tea, Zhao Deshan sat by the window, eating a steamed bun while checking his watch.

Just then, the phone at the counter rang. The shopkeeper answered it, listened for a few moments, then looked up and surveyed the lobby:
"Which one of you is Editor Zhao? A friend from your newspaper is looking for you."

"Thank you for your help, shopkeeper." Zhao Deshan's heart skipped a beat. He quickly walked over, thanked the shopkeeper, picked up the receiver, and deliberately spoke loudly:
"Hello, this is Lao Zhao. Who is this? Reporter Liu? Okay, okay, I'm coming right away."

Zhao Deshan hung up the phone without saying a word, placed a banknote on the table, and asked:
"Boss, where's the restroom?"

Following the direction the owner pointed, Zhao Deshan calmly walked towards the back door of the teahouse. As soon as he stepped out of the back door, he immediately quickened his pace.

After walking a short distance, Zhao Deshan arrived at a bus stop.

There were several people standing on the platform. Zhao Deshan approached them, panting, looking around anxiously as if waiting for the train.

A short while later, the car arrived. Zhao Deshan said "sorry" and got in first, sitting in a seat near the door.

Soon, everyone else boarded the bus, the doors closed, and the bus began to move slowly. At this moment, Zhao Deshan suddenly asked the driver:
Does this bus go to the Huguang Guild Hall?

"No, I got on the wrong bus—"

As soon as the bus stopped, before the ticket seller could fully open the doors, Zhao Deshan had already jumped off.

He stood there, watching the car drive further and further away. Then, he looked around again. There were no pedestrians looking around on the road, no cars or rickshaws following, and no one getting off the vehicle. Only then did he turn around and leave in the opposite direction.

At that moment, he had no idea that the middle-aged man who had made the phone call earlier was now lying in ambush on the roof of a four-story tenement building opposite the bus stop, holding binoculars. From this vantage point, the situation around the bus stop was clearly visible, and even the Wangjiang Pavilion teahouse in the distance could be seen clearly.

"Sir, if a venomous snake comes out of its hole, are we just going to ignore it?"

In the teahouse across from Zhao Deshan's house, a group of plainclothes officers looked at each other, puzzled as to why Zhang Yi was indifferent to Zhao Deshan's outings.

But Zhang Yi just kept drinking tea and reading the newspaper, showing no sign of urgency. Not only did he ignore his subordinates' questions, he also said a few unrelated things:
“In the wilds of Yongzhou, there are strange snakes. Oh, I should say, in the land of Japan, there are strange snakes that are black with white markings. They kill any grass or trees they touch, and when they bite people, there is no way to defend against them.”

"What did the snake catcher say?" the monkey asked, puzzled.

“However, if it is dried and used as bait, it can cure leprosy, cramps, fistulas, and other diseases, remove dead tissue, and kill three types of parasites.”

This only confused the monkey more: "And now?"

Zhang Yi put down the newspaper and lay down on the chair: "I'll take a nap first. Who knows who's watching? Don't worry, the monk may run away, but the temple will."

"but."

"But what 'but'? Stop arguing, I haven't slept all night." With that, Zhang Yi really closed his eyes.

On the rooftop of the tenement building, a middle-aged man carefully observed every move across the street through binoculars. After seeing Zhao Deshan get off the bus and leave, he looked towards the pedestrians, vehicles, and intersections near Zhao Deshan, and everything seemed normal.

The middle-aged man put down his binoculars, and his tightly furrowed brows relaxed slightly.

Nanshan is located in the NA district of the mountain city. There are cultural landscapes such as the Huangge Ancient Road on the mountain, and the scenery along the way is beautiful. However, Zhao Deshan does not like it at all. Climbing mountains is too tiring, and besides, he is not in the mood to appreciate the scenery. He can't figure out how Xiaodie was exposed. On the other hand, he is also worried about the Kuomintang agent who lives next door to him.

Zhao Deshan climbed the mountain, his mind unsettled, wondering who the person who had arranged to meet him was. He had overheard a few words on the phone earlier; the voice sounded familiar, but he still wasn't sure. Changing the meeting place midway was a necessary tactic for a clandestine rendezvous. This meant that this mysterious person was even more cautious than he had imagined.

After walking for a long time, Zhao Deshan finally saw the middle-aged man waiting quietly by a secluded mountain path. He paused, carefully examined the man for a few moments, and then leaned closer and whispered:
"You're quite different now, Major Yamamoto. It's been years since I've heard from you. If you hadn't spoken a few more words on the phone, I wouldn't have recognized you—you've gotten so thin!"

"Maybe it's just the change in environment. My name is Lu Zhongping now!" Lu Zhongping magically produced a food box from beside his feet and handed it to Zhao Deshan. "Try it, I made it myself, it tastes like home."

Zhao Deshan's heart skipped a beat. He opened the food box and found several glutinous rice balls inside. He couldn't help but smile knowingly; his old friend truly understood him. After the Marco Polo Bridge Incident, the Nationalist government reclaimed the Wangjiatuo Japanese concession, and commercial activities of Japanese residents in Chongqing essentially ceased. This year, with the Sino-Japanese War at its most intense and escalating, Chongqing, as the wartime capital, maintained a hardline stance towards Japan, creating a hostile social atmosphere. Japanese restaurants simply couldn't survive. It was understood that Japanese cuisine was only occasionally offered in the prisoner-of-war camps, but that was primarily for domestic use and not for international business. Therefore, he hadn't eaten Japanese food in a long time.

He wolfed down a glutinous rice ball and mumbled a question:
When did you arrive in this mountain city?

Lu Zhongping didn't answer, and lit a cigarette for himself. Zhao Deshan was stunned for a moment before he realized what was happening:
"Sorry, I got carried away and forgot about the rules. I shouldn't have asked, I shouldn't have asked, I shouldn't have asked."

Lu Zhongping chuckled: "Have you read the newspaper?"

Upon hearing the newspaper, Zhao Deshan felt a jolt in his heart, knowing that he was referring to the news of Xiaodie's identity being exposed.

"How did she get exposed?" Sure enough, Lu Zhongping asked directly.

Zhao Deshan hesitated for a moment: "I'm completely confused too. Liu Ningxue is already dead, so she shouldn't have had a chance to confess. Could it be that Xiaodie gave something away?"

Lu Zhongping remained noncommittal: "No matter how it was exposed, her identity has been exposed, and it's only a matter of time before she speaks out."

Zhao Deshan paused for a moment, then said, "I'll figure something out."

“This could be troublesome,” Lu Zhongping glanced at him, then changed the subject, “How many years has it been since we last saw each other?”

"It's been almost thirteen years."

"Yes, thirteen years have passed in the blink of an eye. You've worked hard these past two years."

"It's my duty. I'm so glad to see you safe and sound. Has anything been revealed about Liu Ningxue's matter?"

When the matter was brought up, Zhao Deshan's expression became somewhat solemn. He replied, "Based on the intelligence she provided earlier, I coerced and bribed Qian Xiaosan. Oh, he was from the Military Intelligence Bureau's Judicial Department. He must have some kind of leverage that fell into the hands of Mao Zhongxin and his nephew Mao Qiwu. I used him to get rid of Liu Ningxue. However, Qian Xiaosan died shortly afterward, along with his family of three. It was said to be a car accident, but I always felt that this matter was not so simple."

Lu Zhongping listened intently, seemingly lost in thought.

Zhao Deshan glanced at his expression, hesitated for a moment, and finally said what he had been thinking about for a long time:

“A Kuomintang agent moved in next door.” He paused, then recounted Shen Linfeng’s story in detail, before sighing, “Do you think this is a coincidence, or a test by the enemy?”

Lu Zhongping's expression was somewhat grave. He then extinguished his cigarette, pondering what Zhao Deshan had just told him: "I've never believed in coincidences." He paused, then suddenly asked, "How did you know his identity? Did you probe him?"

Zhao Deshan shook his head: "No, he told me on his own initiative."

Lu Zhongping felt relieved, and he lit another cigarette:
How do you plan to deal with this?

"Evacuate!" Zhao Deshan looked at him and said cautiously, "I feel that if we stay any longer, something bad might happen. I request to be transferred back to Shanghai immediately."

"I think it's a good idea." Lu Zhongping's tone was calm, revealing neither joy nor anger. Zhao Deshan's hope was ignited by these four words; he straightened up and said:
"Major Yamamoto, I know the discipline very well. I'm just afraid that if my identity is exposed, it will affect the mission."

“Speaking of missions, we need to have a good chat. Two years, you’ve been lying low in the mountain city for two years, that’s not a short time. Even though you’ve been enduring hardship, you’ve only been a high-ranking courier, right? I don’t mean anything by it, after all, the organization has a clear division of labor. I just want to discuss with you what you can do when you go back to Shanghai. A wife, kids, and a warm bed? Shanghai isn’t Manchuria, there’s no earthen bed for you to sleep on.”

Zhao Deshan was speechless. Lu Zhongping snorted, his tone changing to a gloomy one, and said:
"There's a thorny issue that needs to be addressed urgently. There's been a problem with funding. The new money needs to go through procedures and take time, so it hasn't come through yet. The previous money is all with Xiaodie."

"Ah, where is the money kept? In a bank or a safe house?"

"I don't know either. All I know is that it was cash." Lu Zhongping bent down to stub out his cigarette, glanced into the depths of the forest, and said slowly:

"I'll take care of the money. What you need to do now is move."

"Moving?" Zhao Deshan was surprised.

"Yes, move out immediately. No matter what the Kuomintang agent next door is up to, you have to move."

“But moving so hastily will definitely arouse suspicion,” Zhao Deshan objected.

“Yes, what could possibly make someone who shamelessly clings to their former workplace dormitory and tries to take advantage of others suddenly move out?” Lu Zhongping’s tone was somewhat meaningful.

Zhao Deshan stared at him and saw the other man pull a thick envelope from behind his waist. He seemed to have already guessed the reason.

Lu Zhongping's words confirmed his guess: "Besides the money, there's also a business card with the contact number of the person in charge of Da Dong Bookstore. When you get back, contact him and sign the publishing agreement for your novel."

Although he had already guessed it, Zhao Deshan was still stunned and asked hesitantly:
"Is this person one of ours?"

"The remaining fugitives in Nanjing can be put to good use. Perhaps this is the best approach. Think about it: what would a down-on-his-luck scholar do if he suddenly struck it rich? Of course, he would squander it. With money, he would naturally want a house, a car, women, and a position—in their words, 'the five blessings.' Heh, it makes perfect sense, and no one would doubt it."

Zhao Deshan was relieved: "Yes, I'll get started as soon as I get back."

"Hmm." Lu Zhongping looked him straight in the eye, his tone serious: "If you move and that Kuomintang agent still keeps bothering you, you should know what to do."

"Yes." Zhao Deshan couldn't help but shudder. What else could he do? Of course, he had to retreat and escape immediately; if that wasn't possible, he would commit suicide.

Lu Zhongping paused for a moment, then said, "There's something else, which I was originally going to tell you in a few days. Since Amaterasu wants you to move out now, I'll give you a heads-up. Have you heard of the 'Huaxi Loan Agreement'?"

Zhao Deshan shook his head.

"From last year to this year, China and the United States have reached several agreements. The Huaxi Loan Agreement was reached last April, in which the United States provided a loan of US$20 million with an annual interest rate of 4.5%. China will repay the loan by selling 40,000 tons of tin over seven years, and the funds will be restricted to purchasing non-military materials from the United States."

In October, they signed the Tungsten Ore Loan Agreement, under which the United States provided a $25 million loan, which China would repay over five years by selling tungsten ore, and which could also be used to purchase some military supplies.

In February of this year, they signed another "Metal Loan Agreement," this time for $50 million. This was followed by the "China-US Stabilization Fund," also for $50 million.

Following this, the United States passed the "Lease Act," declaring China a recipient of aid and beginning to provide military supplies through leases. Simultaneously, it approved the formation of the Flying Tigers, an air force unit aiding China.

Lu Zhongping grew increasingly agitated, his tone turning cold. "Can you hear the change? They're giving more and more money, and the arms restrictions are getting looser. The Americans clearly don't intend to stay out of it anymore. At the same time, after the Japanese Empire occupied southern French Indochina, the Americans immediately announced a freeze on all Japanese Empire assets in the US and a complete ban on the export of strategic materials such as oil and steel to the Empire. Damn it, the war situation is developing in a bad direction."

"How could this happen?" Zhao Deshan exclaimed in surprise, instinctively asking, "What do we do now?"

“That’s a matter for His Majesty the Emperor and the military to worry about.” Lu Zhongping glanced at him coldly, then changed the subject, “Your task is simple: retrieve these documents from the KMT’s Ministry of Finance’s safe.”

"Yes, I'll try to find out."

"It needs to be quick. I need to hear the results by now, at the latest, three days from now."

"Three days later?" Zhao Deshan could hardly believe his ears; the timeframe was too tight. But Lu Zhongping nodded to him without room for argument. Then, he raised his wrist and looked at his watch:

"Hurry up, this is an order from our superiors, a bargaining chip in the negotiations between the Empire and the 'American beast' (in Japanese, 伜米利加 is abbreviated as 米国, 畜 is a derogatory term for beast), we must complete it."

Seeing that Zhao Deshan seemed a little confused, Lu Zhongping continued:
“Captain Nakamura, let me remind you, there is a female secretary in the Ministry of Finance who has a three-year-old child. She is an orphan and a widow, and she needs a man’s warmth right now.”

This was implying that he was being asked to seduce women. Zhao Deshan, of course, understood the underlying meaning, and he hurriedly defended himself:
“I… I’m not good at this kind of thing. Should we find someone else?” Lu Zhongping didn’t respond. Zhao Deshan looked up at him and added, “Let me think of something. Okay.”

Seeing this, Lu Zhongping changed his tone and spoke gently:
“I know this is a hasty matter, but we have no other choice. Believe me, you’ve made a fortune and are about to become a respectable person. As long as you’re generous and find her weaknesses, destroy her first and then build anew, stabilize her first and then change course, there’s no castle you can’t conquer. What do you say? Isn’t that how you won over Huizi back then?”

These words struck at Zhao Deshan's weak spot. He glanced at Lu Zhongping and replied sternly, "Yes."

(End of this chapter)