My spy diary

Chapter 694 Infiltrating (Seeking Monthly Tickets)

Xu Zeng nodded in satisfaction. Just as he was about to say something, he heard a commotion outside the private room, and then a plainclothes officer pushed open the door and rushed in.

Office Director Pu Mengjiu was about to pour wine for Deputy Director Xu when he was startled:
"Which department are you from? Don't you know the rules?"

The plainclothes officer, panting, said, "I'm looking for our District Chief Chen!"

Xu Zeng frowned: "Qingzhai, your men?"

"Excuse me, Director!" Chen Qingzhai quickly glared at the plainclothes officer. "What is it? What kind of behavior is this, all flustered and disrespectful!"

The plainclothes officer was almost in tears: "District Chief, something's happened! Guan Ping, Guan Ping bit off his tongue!"

Xu Zengen and the others looked at each other, dumbfounded.

Xu Zeng'en's great excitement was dampened by this setback, and he was furious at Chen Qingzhai's poor handling of the situation, but he held back his anger.

Chen Qingzhai had followed Deputy Director Xu for many years and knew his boss's character inside and out. He was overwhelmed with a mix of anger, frustration, dejection, and fear. In a fit of rage, he grabbed the plainclothes officer by the collar:

"Why weren't you keeping an eye on things? Is he alright?"

"He's not dead, but he's bled a lot and passed out. District Chief, should we take him to the hospital?"

Just as Chen Qingzhai was about to speak, he heard Deputy Director Xu say angrily:

“The person is already ruined, sending him there is pointless.” With that, he smashed a cup. “That bastard got off easy.”

Judging from Deputy Director Xu's tone, Chen Qingzhai didn't seem to mean any further blame, so he bowed and asked:

"We await your instructions on the next steps."

"What do you think we should do?" Xu Zeng asked, staring at him.

Although Chen Qingzhai was slightly drunk, he was still quite lucid and pondered for a moment before saying:

"In my humble opinion, Liu Wenzhe made the phone call, which may have alerted the enemy, and Guan Sheng is probably out of the question. However, we have retrieved the tailor shop's ledger, which contains a list of cheongsam custom sales from the past few years. We can follow the trail to monitor these people, casting a wide net and targeting the most vulnerable ones."

Xu Zeng pondered for a moment, then suddenly realized, "...Sales list? But the address can be faked."

“If we can find out that his address is fake, then he is the ‘real’ person.”

Xu Zeng'en was enlightened: "That's right!" As he spoke, he frowned again, "But you just said that we've already alerted them. They'll immediately abandon the tailor shop as a contact point, and the contacts on the relevant lines will quickly withdraw or change their identities. How can we investigate now?"

“Ah, well,” Chen Qingzhai thought Boss Xu was very meticulous, and this was a very good question that got to the heart of the matter. After considering it for a moment, he gritted his teeth and said, “Like I said, we’ll try anything, even if it’s a dead end. They will definitely run away, but it will take time. So the most urgent thing is for us to follow the addresses in the ledger and set up roadblocks at major transportation routes. With that guy here, even if they’re reduced to ashes, I will find them!”

"Fine, that's all we can do." Xu Zeng was annoyed and helpless, but there really wasn't a better solution at the moment. With that, he turned and left.

As soon as he left, Chen Qingzhai, finally relieved, immediately summoned his men:
"You immediately take the tailor shop's sales list, follow the clues, and begin surveillance. Arrest anyone suspicious."

"Yes." The agent replied sternly and immediately led a team out of the hotel to investigate along the clues on the sales list.

At the headquarters of the Military Intelligence Bureau, Dai Chunfeng put down the phone and leaned back in his chair, deep in thought.

"Not interested at all?" he muttered to himself suspiciously. Just then, there was a knock on the door; it was Lieutenant Jia.

Dai Chunfeng immediately asked, "How did it go? Did he find out?"

"I deliberately bumped into him just now and told him about Zheng Huhe's whereabouts. He was a little surprised, but he only touched on the topic and didn't ask any questions he shouldn't have."

"What about Yang Rong and He Zhiyuan? Did you run into them? Did you ask them about it?"

"Everything was done exactly as you arranged, without a single mistake. I was right next to them when you said that. Deputy Director Zhang just wished them a successful operation and declined Director He's invitation to join the operation and make the arrest. He said that the intelligence department would provide intelligence, the action department would make the arrests, and the judicial department would conduct the interrogations. Everyone was just doing their job and making empty promises." Then they parted ways.

Dai Chunfeng was somewhat depressed:
"now what?"

"He just went out the door. It's unclear where he's going."

Is someone following us?

"Yes, they are all unfamiliar faces. They are tracked in segments and equipped with the most advanced walkie-talkies."

Dai Chunfeng thought for a moment and still gave the instructions:

"Don't follow him too closely. Observe who he is in contact with and who he is calling. If he is discovered, just say that you are from the Central Bureau of Investigation and Statistics."

"understand!"

However, to Dai Chunfeng's surprise, Zhang Yi drove away from the bureau headquarters without stopping at all, and went directly to Wanglongmen Detention Center.

Across from the detention center, a black sedan drove up and stopped on the side of the road.

The car window was rolled down, and inside, a man wearing a top hat stared intently at the disappearing car.

Back in his office, Zhang Yi immediately summoned Deputy Director Ruan, Interrogation Section Chief Lai Guomin, and Monkey:
"Zhao Deshan has already confessed. When can we get Xiaodie and Lu Zhongping's confessions?"

Just as Lai Guomin was about to speak, Zhang Yi interrupted him:

"You two are a deputy director and the head of the interrogation section, don't you have any ideas at all?"

Deputy Director Ruan and Lai Guomin exchanged a glance, looking at each other blankly, thinking to themselves, "Isn't it you who's in charge of the interrogation work? We can't get involved at all!"

After a few seconds of pause, Zhang Yi suddenly said:
"I'm giving you a chance to redeem yourselves. On my way back to the detention center, I noticed a car following us. It's very likely that they are Japanese spies. You two, immediately organize your men and bring them back."

This abrupt and seemingly unrelated statement left Deputy Director Ruan somewhat bewildered. He asked:

"Ah, Japanese spies, where are they?"

"They're just waiting outside the detention center."

Lai Guomin thought for a moment, then asked in surprise, "Do they have that much guts? Are you sure they're Japanese spies?"

"Wouldn't it be clear once we catch them!" Zhang Yi suddenly snapped. "What do you mean they don't have the guts to poison the safe house so quickly? Arrest them immediately!"

Deputy Director Ruan and Lai Guomin, looking flustered, immediately and solemnly agreed:
"Yes, we'll go right away."

"Remember to capture them alive!"

"understand!"

The operation was carried out silently and swiftly. The guards at the detention center immediately assembled and rushed out of the gates like wolves. The black sedan across the street realized something was wrong and tried to start the car to escape, but a burst of bullets hit its tires, causing the car to lurch violently and crash heavily into a roadside utility pole.

A dozen heavily armed guards immediately rushed over and surrounded the car.

As soon as the three people inside the car made a move, several guards smashed the glass and pressed the dark muzzles of their guns against their heads.

Then, the guards ripped open the door, dragged them down, and removed their sidearms.

"Hey, isn't this Team Leader Zheng from the First Division?" Seeing that the guards had taken control of the scene, Deputy Director Ruan and Lai Guomin approached and immediately recognized the man as Zheng Rui, the action team leader of the Central Bureau of Investigation and Statistics.

Zheng Rui glared at the two of them, struggling unwillingly.

Having been reprimanded by Xu Zeng'en for his previous misdeeds at the brothel, he volunteered to monitor Zhang Yi in hopes of redeeming himself. However, his plan backfired, and he was caught red-handed.

"You guys surnamed Ruan, what do you want?"

"That's exactly what I wanted to ask you."

Zhang Yi walked over coldly.

Zheng Rui caught a glimpse of his murderous expression, and his heart skipped a beat, filled with both fear and anger:
“Deputy Director Zhang, I am from the Central Bureau of Investigation and Statistics (Zhongtong). What right do you have to arrest me?”

“You’ve been following me all this way, which doesn’t seem to have anything to do with the duties of the Central Bureau of Investigation and Statistics, does it?” Zhang Yi said with a cold smile, and suddenly pressed a pistol against his temple. “Following high-ranking Kuomintang officers during wartime is considered, according to wartime military law, as ‘intending to obstruct the war of resistance and disrupt the rear’ or ‘suspected of colluding with the enemy and spying on military secrets,’ and can be punished with life imprisonment or death.”

Upon hearing these words, Zheng Rui and his companions were all dumbfounded and broke out in a cold sweat. If this charge were proven true, they would be doomed, with no chance of appeal.

Zheng Rui remained silent, his face grim. Despite years of experience as a spy and a mind full of ideas, he felt utterly at a loss for words. To tell the truth would be tantamount to admitting guilt. He racked his brains for a moment before stammering out:
"Deputy Director Zhang, you've misunderstood. We were just passing by."

Before he could finish speaking, Zhang Yi coldly interrupted him: "Since you're not going to tell the truth, then we'll have to meet in the interrogation room."

As he spoke, he turned to Deputy Director Ruan and Lai Guomin, “Under the command of Miki, what can’t we obtain? Send them to the interrogation room and see if they have any connections with Japanese spies. The bastards of the Central Bureau of Investigation and Statistics are always tight-lipped, so how you interrogate them is your business. I don’t care if they are crippled or disabled, as long as they are not killed.”

Upon hearing this, the men turned ashen-faced.

In the distance, the plainclothes officers from the supervisory office who were following behind were stunned by what they saw.

When the news was reported to headquarters, Dai Chunfeng was equally dumbfounded:

"Someone from the Central Bureau of Investigation and Statistics? Are you sure?"

Deputy Jia: "It should be right."

Dai Chunfeng fell silent, looking sullen as if he had been ridiculed.

Deputy Jia glanced at his expression and whispered:

"Director, shouldn't we give Deputy Director Zhang a heads-up? After all, now is not the time to go to war with the Central Bureau of Investigation and Statistics. If we kill someone, it will give them a handle against us."

Dai Chunfeng understood what he meant, waved his hand, and said:

"No, that little scoundrel surnamed Xu is even more anxious than us. Let's wait and see."

After saying this, he pondered for a moment and then said, "Prepare the car, I'm going to see someone."

"Yes."

The car left the headquarters and drove along the Jialing River, stopping some distance away in front of a teahouse with its doors open.

This is a fairly large teahouse. Because it was dinner time, there weren't many people inside, except for two waiters chatting animatedly at the counter not far away.

Dai Chunfeng kept an eye on the two people out of the corner of his eye, but didn't say anything. He lowered the brim of his hat and walked silently to the back.

He walked through the lobby and exited the teahouse through a side door.

Outside the door was a street. Dai Chunfeng went out, looked around, and then joined the pedestrians.

Pedestrians came and went on the street, walking hurriedly. He walked forward with his head down, not noticing anything unusual.

Ahead of him, a slender woman carrying a shopping basket was also walking forward.

Upon seeing her, Dai Chunfeng quickened his pace, took a few quick steps, and walked alongside her.

The woman was not startled by Dai Chunfeng's sudden appearance; it was as if she had known he would come all along.

The two people walked forward at the same pace.

"He discovered my fake identity," the woman whispered to Dai Chunfeng.

If Zhang Yi were to see this woman, he would be greatly surprised, because she is none other than Chen Kaiyan, Zhang Yi's nominal ex-wife.

It turns out that she had never left the mountain city, but was secretly working for Dai Chunfeng.

"which one?"

"Chen Nianhe, he now knows my name is Gu Qinghe."

“It’s alright. It was prepared for him anyway. A flawless file without any loopholes will only make people suspicious.” Dai Chunfeng smiled. “It seems they are very efficient. They found out so quickly. But it’s good this way. Gu Qinghe’s identity is easier to be believed. A leftist core member wanted by the police is easier for them to accept.”

Chen Kaiyan sensed his smugness and knew it wasn't appropriate to say anything at this moment, so she simply smiled in agreement. Dai Chunfeng, clearly still not satisfied, continued:
"Use their own spear against their own shield. In the business of espionage, trust is a luxury, and hesitation and kindness are epitaphs. We must use their kindness and compassion to manipulate them."

Chen Kaiyan smiled with mixed feelings. During this time, she had been under orders to infiltrate the Three People's Principles Youth League organization under the identity of Gu Qinghe, while outwardly posing as a student at National Chiao Tung University. Secretly, she had incited and gathered a group of progressive students, and seven days ago, they held several "flying rallies" in areas where the underground party was active—that is, secret rendezvous or demonstrations that were quick to assemble and quickly disperse.

Such gatherings were a common form of struggle used by underground Red Party organizations in cities before and during the early stages of the War of Resistance Against Japan. They were usually held in busy areas, intersections, and other densely populated places to blend into the crowd. Participants would pretend not to know each other, gather immediately upon receiving a code signal, shout slogans, distribute leaflets, give short speeches within minutes, and then quickly scatter and flee to avoid being arrested by the police or military police.

Shortly after the rally began, police officers stormed into the crowd and began punching and kicking the students.

As a result, the assembled crowd fell into chaos and scattered in all directions. Naturally, the police began arresting people everywhere.

As expected, Chen Kaiyan, the leader, fell during the escape and was on the verge of death when a middle-aged man who had been watching for a long time took pity on her and saved her. She has been staying at the man's house for the past few days.

While Chen Kaiyan was lost in thought, she heard Dai Chunfeng ask:
"Tell me, what kind of person is he? Is he a member of the Communist Party?"

“His name is Chen Songnian. He looks to be about forty years old. He claims to be a tea merchant, but I feel that's probably a fake identity. He's a very cautious person and conducts a thorough inspection of his home every day.”

Does he usually carry a gun when he goes out?

"He won't bring it, but he has a gun at home, hidden under the bed."

What was he like when he was with you?

"He's quite easygoing and will ask me some questions about school."

Did he take advantage of you?

"No, never!"

"And what about his lifestyle habits?"

Chen Kaiyan thought for a moment and said, "He sleeps very little, usually only three or four hours a day. He eats out twice a day, and occasionally brings food back for me to cook at home. But after cooking, he takes all the garbage and vegetable scraps and throws them away a long way away. He never drinks alcohol at home, but occasionally he drinks outside. Oh, and he smokes and drinks tea, very strong tea. The dishes he cooks are extremely spicy, so I guess he must be from Hunan or a local from Chongqing."

Dai Chunfeng's eyes gleamed, showing great satisfaction:
"Good progress. Next, you need to speed up the process of getting to know each other better, enhance your relationship, and use this person to completely infiltrate their ranks, or even turn him to defect."

(End of this chapter)