Spy wars start with lurking Secretary Hong

Chapter 425 Kill Whoever Gets in My Way

"You seem very confident about the future of the War of Resistance against Japan?"
"To be honest, seeing the West, Britain, France, and even the Soviet Union all compromise with Hitler, I felt that relying on outside help was hopeless."

"Once the Japanese abandon even their last shred of dignity, they will become even more insane."

"They even used chemical weapons to create plagues without any scruples."

"Now Wang Jingwei has turned to Tokyo and is going to be a dog for the Japanese again."

“There are ruthless Japanese outside.”

"There are traitors like Wang Jingwei, Li Shiqun, and Puyi who are willing to act as henchmen."

"North China and East China have fallen."

"The Japanese planes, tanks, and artillery shells are becoming more and more advanced."

"I really worry about this disaster-prone land, relying solely on Chongqing and Yancheng."

Zhou Yi frowned and sighed deeply.

"My uncle and the Japanese always thought that young people like Zhang Pingjun were stupid."

"But that's wrong."

"When ten, a hundred, or even tens of thousands of people like Zhang Pingjun awaken, it will be an unstoppable force."

"We can't trust Generalissimo Chiang's wisdom."

"But we must have confidence in the Chinese military."

"Wars, after all, require people to fight them."

"As long as they are human, we can win."

"Six years, at most six years, and we'll be able to drive the Japanese back."

Hong Zhiyou smiled.

Zhou Yi's brows relaxed, he smiled but said nothing.

Judging from the dire situation of the Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army, it was a pipe dream to think that they could drive out the increasingly powerful Japanese and Manchukuo troops in six years.

"You don't believe me?" Hong Zhiyou asked with a smile.

Just as no one believed at the time that Chiang Kai-shek, who had seized countless resources in major cities after the restoration, would flee to Taiwan in such a sorry state within just a few years.

It takes courage to be a prophet in this era.

No, I believe it.

I must believe it!

"Harbin desperately needs a prophet like you!"

Zhou Yi looked at the hazy distant mountains, his eyes resolute.

Hong Zhiyou is a rare find in this era.

It was one of the few glimmers of light in the long, cold night.

"Just wait and see, you'll witness a miracle," Hong Zhiyou said with a smile.

"By the way, I had the people on the mountain transfer the goods to Qijiatun. Together with the last batch, this makes two large batches of hides."

“I trust you, but the people on the mountain are waiting for food and medicine.”

"Hurry up here."

"For you, I've risked the reputation of Harbin Transportation Station."

"Once you see something, other mountain brigades will naturally come to you for barter."

"Don't mess it up."

After a moment of silence, Zhou Yi spoke.

"Are Manchukuo soldiers searching the mountains recently?" Hong Zhiyou asked.

"Ok.

"It was the responsibility of the 3rd Battalion of the 26th Regiment."

"These guys love to scavenge for scraps. Now that Guo Sanjiang is dead, they all want to pick up the bandits' things."

"The operation has been underway for several days now."

Zhou Yi said.

"Is the Fourth Detachment of the Anti-Japanese United Army still in Laotuo Mountain?" Hong Zhi asked.

"Not sure.

"Previously, we had large-scale mobilizations and suffered heavy losses in several head-on clashes with the Kwantung Army in Jilin."

"Commander Yang decided to adopt guerrilla warfare tactics and launch attacks from multiple points. Currently, each region is organized into teams, and the personnel are very dispersed."

"Even we have difficulty knowing their exact whereabouts."

"The only ones who can find them are bandits."

Zhou Yi replied.

"Who is the commander of the Third Battalion of the National Army?" Hong Zhiyou asked.

"Hao Guifang."

“He’s a seasoned veteran who’s been stationed in the Old Camel Peak area for a long time,” Zhou Yi said.

"This name sounds familiar."

"I remember now, this guy used to sell drugs to Commander Guan, and he would occasionally go to the casino to gamble."

"I'll see him first, and we'll talk about the rest later."

Hongzhi has the Way.

"Just take me to Yong Sheng Kui Tea House."

……

Wenxuan Street.

Futai Leather Goods Store.

Old Hei was checking the accounts, and the shopkeeper was nodding like a chicken pecking at rice.

"Section Chief Hong, you've arrived."

Upon seeing Hong Zhiyou, Lao Hei quickly came over to greet him.

"How's the investigation going?" Hong Zhiyou asked.

"These guys are used to being cunning. They've been manipulating the leather prices. There's a discrepancy of over six hundred yuan in the accounts for the past two months," Lao Hei said.

"Fire him."

"Isn't Mr. Feng's shop across the street doing poorly?"

"Take over his shop and make him the manager."

Hong Zhiyou sat down and took a sip of tea.

Through the storefront, he saw Wu Jingzhong across the street scraping icicles off the eaves with a shovel. The two exchanged a glance across the street, everything understood without a word.

"also.

"It's not easy to do business with leather goods now."

"In Manchuria, who doesn't have a few poor relatives in the mountains? In addition, the Anti-Japanese Allied Army and bandits have been cultivating the land for many years, so there is no shortage of mountain products."

"Those inside the Great Wall are all just staring blankly at each other. The Japanese have set up checkpoints in Beiping and Tianjin, so goods can't get through."

"General Guan did turn over two batches before."

"He wasn't really ambitious. He figured he could live comfortably on his small plot of land in Harbin and the gold mines in the mountains. He didn't care much about the rest of China."

"There's a guy named Ni Xiaoping in Fengtian who does pretty good business dealings with people in Tianjin and Shanghai."

Old gangster.

Ni Xiaoping?
No wonder Zhang Guaizi hasn't made any moves.

It's possible that the Ni family will eat all the goods.

Hong Zhi silently crossed this person's name off the Book of Life and Death.

Many people are unaware of the profit margins on leather goods.

Nowadays, from prominent figures in the Nationalist government like Madame Chiang Kai-shek, Sun Ke, and H.H. Kung, to wealthy businessmen, their fondness for tonics such as ginseng, deer antler, tiger bone, tiger penis, and bear paws, as well as various animal furs, far exceeds what ordinary people can imagine.

In my previous life in Tianjin, the deer antler powder that Old Wu gave me was extremely rare.

If this business were to be monopolized, the profits would be even greater than those from loan sharking.

"Mr. Hong, the hides you had brought in a while ago, plus the ones you had stockpiled before, have left a lot of inventory stuck in the warehouse."

"These things are not good to keep for too long."

"It needs to be dealt with as soon as possible."

Old gangster.

"Tonight, send out one batch to test the waters, another batch towards Tianjin and Haikou, and yet another batch towards Beijing. Remember, never send them all on the same train."

Hong Zhi pondered for a moment and said.

"Are there people who receive or escort goods?" Old Hei asked.

"Don't worry about receiving the goods; someone will take care of it when the time comes. As for escorting the goods, just find someone. Once they arrive at the destination, someone will contact them using a code word to proceed with the next steps." Hong Zhiyou glanced at him and handed him a slip of paper with the code word written on it.

Old Hei understood and refrained from asking questions he shouldn't.

Is it reliable?

"In the past, General Guan also distributed some, but without the help of tough locals in Tianjin and Beiping to resell them, the Japanese and police would cut off half of it during random checks."

"The rest are often robbed by the police in collusion with local gangs."

"Many people have ideas about this business, but very few can actually make it work."

He wrote down the code words, then took out a lighter and burned the note.

"fine.

"If we can make a profit on this batch of goods, we'll make it; if not, we'll throw it away," Hong Zhiyou said.

"Lost?" Old Hei was a little confused.

"If you don't throw it, how will you know which fish are taking the bait?"

"This is called 'you can't catch a wolf without risking your cub'."

"When doing business, if you want to make a fortune right away, there's no such thing as a free lunch. Losing money is the norm."

"If you dare to do something, you must be prepared to lose money."

Hong Zhi smiled faintly.

This time he is pursuing two relationships.

One was Wu Jingzhong's military intelligence faction.

The current director and station chief of the Beiping Inspection Office is Qiao Jiacai. Station Chief Qiao is a reliable person, has a very close relationship with Lao Wu, and is also very capable. He is known as one of the "Five Tigers of the Military Intelligence Bureau in the North" and is currently highly valued by Dai Li.

If he can ship the goods, that would be wonderful.

The second route is Zhou Yi's Jinhai Underground Transportation Station.

Based on the timeline, Qiu Zhanggui should still be in charge of the secret underground transportation station in Jinhai at this time.

Hong Zhi had previously reviewed the autumn's files.

Shopkeeper Qiu's Xuanji Pharmacy opened in 37, and his medical skills were quite good, which is why he was able to successfully infiltrate during the Japanese occupation.

If Zhou Yi's contact person in Jinhai was Qiu Qiu.

Without a doubt, this is a reliable person.

Old Hei stared blankly at the young man for a while, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes.

Previously, Hong Zhi had dealt with Guan Dashuai in just a few days with swift and decisive methods. Lao Hei was only afraid of this young man's connections and cunning.

He even thought Hong Zhi was useful to him, simply because the kid didn't understand business.

Looking back now, I realize how stupid I was.

Hong Zhiyou also possesses a vision and wisdom in business that are difficult for ordinary people to match.

Old Hei felt that being alive and able to serve such a person was a blessing he had earned through eight lifetimes of good deeds.

"Okay, I'll arrange for someone to go to the station to deliver the goods immediately." Old Hei respectfully accepted the order.

"Old Black."

"Just ask if you want anything."

"You don't need to tighten your belt too much."

"You are now a prominent business figure in Harbin."

"At this age, it's time to enjoy life."

"Women, money, antiques—play with whatever you like, don't be afraid to spend money."

"If you don't go crazy now, you'll really be too old." Hong Zhi patted him on the shoulder, took a box of cigars out of his briefcase and handed it to him.

"Mr. Hong, this is too much. Your kindness to me is as deep as the sea. I could never repay you even in ten lifetimes," Old Hei said gratefully.

"You're too kind."

"Do a good job."

“I’ve reserved 10% of Hongsheng Company for you. If you ever decide you don’t want to continue working here, or if you get too old to work anymore, this money will be enough for you to enjoy the rest of your life.”

Hong Zhi smiled, picked up his briefcase, and walked out.

"Thank you, Mr. Hong."

Old Hei bowed to him at a ninety-degree angle, and only straightened up, his heart pounding, after Hong Zhiyou entered the shop across the street.

"see it?
"Working under Mr. Hong requires a conscience."

"You guys are penny-wise and pound-foolish."

Old Hei turned to look at Fu Tai's old buddies, and said with great sorrow.

……

Hong Zhiyou walked straight into Lao Wu's shop.

Wu Jingzhong, wearing a furry dog-skin hat and a thick cotton-padded coat, idly passed the time with warm wine and peanuts.

"I've fired the shopkeeper. You can go there tomorrow," Hong Zhiyou said as he walked in, poured himself a glass of wine, and took a sip.

Didn't I say that last time?
“There’s an old man named Dai here. He’s keeping an eye on me. If I don’t give him a copy, he’ll report me to the authorities.”

"Who isn't afraid of Boss Dai's methods?"

Wu Jingzhong said.

"Are you still using the old password to contact your superiors?" Hong Zhi asked.

"Yes.

“As you instructed, I have been saying that the password was taken from Professor Jin’s suitcase by the police and that they are still using the old password book,” Wu Jingzhong said.

"Don't be like that, it'll shorten my lifespan!" Hong Zhiyou said, pursing his lips.

"Using the old password is correct."

“Li Songquan is currently highly regarded by the National Police Agency and the Military Police, and it is highly likely that he will target you.”

He grabbed a few fried peanuts, threw them into his mouth, and started crunching them.

"You're about to make your move on me, but why do you seem so happy about it?" Wu Jingzhong glared at him.

"This is the day we've been waiting for."

"Aren't you being watched by that guy named Zhang... Zhang Anqing?"
“This is a perfect opportunity for us to take him away,” Hong Zhiyou said.

"Here's what I'm thinking: Isn't Liu Xiong your telegraph operator now?"

"You let him..."

Hong Zhiyou lowered his voice and carefully explained the plan.

"Then we can kill two birds with one stone and eliminate Zhang Anqing and Li Songquan directly."

"Only then will you truly deserve the title of stationmaster of Manchuria."

"It can also eliminate traitors."

"If the two of us join forces, wouldn't we make a fortune?"

He took a sip of his drink and continued.

Is it stable?
“Zhang Anqing is a cunning old fox,” Wu Jingzhong said.

"You can rest assured that I'll handle things," Hong Zhi said.

Wu Jingzhong was not fooled. He smiled slightly and said, "I'm just curious. You're also a member of the Military Intelligence Bureau. It shouldn't be difficult for you to find Zhang Anqing."

“His roots in Harbin are much deeper than mine.”

"It's more convenient for you to work with him than for me."

"Why did you choose me? And you even gave me so many things."

"To be honest, sometimes when I look at that golden Buddha, I feel uneasy in the middle of the night."

There is no such thing as trust without a reason in this world!

"tell me why?"

"Do you really want to know the reason?" Hong Zhiyou asked with a smile.

As he spoke, he took out something wrapped in red cloth from his bag and handed it to Old Wu.

"What do you mean?"

Wu Jingzhong opened it and found a lotus platform made of black jade, of superior quality and with extremely fine carving.

“A diamond throne with a golden Buddha.

"If General Guan is unconventional, we can't be unconventional."

Hong Zhi took out a cigarette and lit it in the brazier.

After taking two puffs, he continued:

"The reason is simple. I have heard some stories about you in the Northwest District. You love money just like me, and you are good at dealing with superiors and kind to subordinates."

"Moreover, you are also a senior member of the Military Intelligence Bureau, one of the few veteran instructors."

"This is exactly the partner I've always dreamed of."

“Of course…” Hong Zhiyou said, looking at Lao Wu with an increasingly affectionate gaze.

"Why are you staring at me like that? Stop beating around the bush and just say it." Wu Jingzhong got goosebumps from his gaze.

“You look a lot like my... deceased father.”

"From the first moment I saw you, I felt an immediate and natural closeness to you."

Hong Zhiyou smiled.

"So, that's why you called me 'Dad' that night." Wu Jingzhong understood a little.

"There's nothing we can do; our parents passed away early."

“If you don’t mind, I can call you ‘Dad’ now.”

Hong Zhi said with an indifferent expression.

Anyway, I'm determined to win Rui Rui over; it's all the same whether I say it sooner or later.

"Don't.

"I can't accept that. Even Lü Bu called Ding Yuan 'Dad.'" Wu Jingzhong couldn't stand his shameless behavior and quickly dismissed the idea.

"You old man, how can they be the same?"

"He's my godfather, I...I am..."

Hong Zhiyou couldn't continue making things up.

If you say he's thinking about Rui Rui, Lao Wu would probably slap him across the face.

"Let's get down to business."

"I've already arranged for the goods to be shipped out tonight; the sales over there depend entirely on you."

"I don't care how they go bankrupt. I only charge three times the profit from the goods. After deducting bribes and losses, we can still make a net profit of about double the amount."

"Also, let Lao Xiao go on this train."

"Tell him that if anything goes wrong, don't worry about the goods, just get back."

"But we must find out who stole the goods."

Hong Zhi gave some instructions.

"Don't worry, Station Chief Qiao and Lao Xiao are both very meticulous. The transportation stations in Beiping are very well-established, so there shouldn't be any problems," Wu Jingzhong said confidently to his old friend.

"Oh, right, help me take someone out."

“Ni Xiaoping from Fengtian,” Hong Zhiyou said.

"I know this person. Many leather dealers in Harbin get their goods from him. He has connections with the interior of the city, especially the Tianjin-Haikou area."

"You've already given me the jade throne and golden Buddha, so you can leave this person to me."

"I'll find someone to take care of him."

Wu Jingzhong knew this was a major obstacle in his business dealings, so he readily agreed.

"Thanks.

"It's best not to let the Military Intelligence Bureau do it, or they might trace it back to you," Hong Zhiyou warned.

"This person is ruthless in business."

“Even Hu Zi was exploited by him. There are many people who want him dead. There are probably dozens of them in Fengtian City alone. Even if the Japanese and the Special Service Bureau investigate, they won’t be able to get to Harbin.”

Wu Jingzhong's lips twitched slightly, feeling somewhat uncomfortable with his "guidance".

"Okay, okay, you're the father, you decide what to do."

“I’m leaving.

"By the way, there's a new restaurant that just opened on Zhengyang Street in Fujiadian. It's pretty good. I'll go try it sometime."

Hong Zhi gave a brief explanation, then got up and left.

Wu Jingzhong walked to the door and watched him drive away. He then stroked his hair and frowned, looking quite puzzled.
"This is really fucking weird."

"I've seen people who crave wealth and status, and even call others 'father' for the sake of power."

"I've never seen the God of Wealth voluntarily acknowledge someone as his father."

"Could it be that he really looks like his father?"

Wu Jingzhong stroked his chin, lost in confused thoughts.

Coming to his senses, he went into the shop and instructed Xiao Jia:
"Have Liu Xiong send a telegram to headquarters immediately."

"Yes, stationmaster." Xiao Jia accepted the order.

……

Hong Zhi returned to the police station and went straight to Zhou Yi's office.

"I've already sent the goods out. It's in carriage number seven. The person escorting the goods is Lei Dajun. Your people can get on the train. We'll hand over the goods to him when we arrive in Tianjin."

"I only want three times the profit, which is this amount."

"How much of the rest you sell is none of my business."

Hong Zhi handed the receipt to Zhou Yi.

Zhou Yi glanced at it: "After deducting all customs clearance costs and transportation fees, you won't make much."

“If I make too much money, your comrades in Tianjin will lose their motivation.”

“They are under greater economic pressure to transport supplies to Yancheng. My help is like sending charcoal in snowy weather. I’ll take on the responsibility for both the Anti-Japanese Allied Forces and Yancheng.”

"Thank you," Zhou Yi said gratefully.

"Don't mention it, we're all Chinese," Hong Zhiyou said with a smile.

"That's right."

"Chinese!"

Zhou Yi smiled and nodded.

"I'm not going to talk anymore. I didn't sleep well last night. I need to go to my office and take a nap. I also have to meet with the battalion commander of the 3rd Battalion of the 26th Regiment tonight to sort out the matter of transporting medicine," Hong Zhiyou said with a yawn.

"You've worked hard." Zhou Yi stood up to see him off.

Just as Hong Zhi was about to leave, Xiao Li walked in: "Captain Zhou, there's an urgent mission."

"What mission?" Zhou Yi asked.

"Squad Leader Xia and Consultant Li from the communications squad have just detected an enemy radio signal."

"Near the cement plant in Daowai District."

"Section Chief Gao wants you to come over."

Xiao Li reported.

“Okay, I’ll be right there,” Zhou Yi said.

“Li Songquan has his eye on these Military Intelligence Bureau agents,” he said to Hong Zhiyou with a relaxed expression.

"Yes, this is going to be interesting." Hong Zhi nodded.

Old Wu is really efficient.

This round depends on Liu Xiong.