Spy wars start with lurking Secretary Hong

Chapter 434 I'll treat you to bear paw

"Zizi!"

Gao Bin rang the bell under his desk.

"Section Chief." Xiao Li walked in.

"Go and call Captain Zhou here," Gao Bin ordered.

"Yes." Xiao Li accepted the order.

Soon, Zhou Yi walked in.

Gao Bin gestured for Xiao Li to step back.

"Captain Zhou, please sit down."

Gao Bin walked to the sofa and sat down, saying in a deep voice, "Li Songquan's death has brought a lot of trouble."

"He devised a top-secret plan before his death, which was aimed at the Anti-Japanese United Army."

"Captain Murakami has now submitted the plan to the department."

"As you know, the Japanese always like to use us as a pretext to get things done. When the Emperor wanted to seize land in Northeast China, he made Puyi boast about the Co-Prosperity Sphere. When Murakami, the General Headquarters, and the Special Higher Police wanted to get things done, they asked us to submit applications."

"It's as if we're begging them to do it."

"That's where the Japanese are clever; they've absorbed the dregs of our culture, and they're all 'gentlemen'," Zhou Yi said calmly.

He always speaks in a casual, agreeable way.

When Gao Bin praises the Japanese, he remains silent. But when Gao Bin criticizes the Japanese, he joins in with a few sarcastic remarks.

"But this time is different. If the operation is successful, it will be a textbook example of a feat, and it will be highly commended from the Kwantung Army headquarters down to the department level."

"Nowadays, the number of Red Tickets, Military Intelligence Bureau, and Anti-Japanese Allied Forces is decreasing due to the encirclement and suppression by the Japanese and the Nationalist army."

"Opportunities to make great contributions like this will be even rarer than seeing Empress Wanrong once in the future."

We must cherish it.

"I recommended you to Captain Murakami. He knew your resume and praised you as a hero of Manchukuo. He was very satisfied with you."

"how?"

Gao Bin had a gentle smile on his face, as kind as an older brother.

"Ah, cut."

Zhou Yi suddenly sneezed, took out a handkerchief from his pocket, and blew his nose.

"I'm sorry, I probably didn't wear a thick hat today and caught a chill," Zhou Yi apologized.

"It's alright, here, have a cup of hot water."

Gao Bin got up and poured him a glass of hot water.

"What's your decision?" he asked again.

"Thank you. How will the specific plan be implemented?" Zhou Yi asked.

"Captain Murakami means that you will be in direct contact with him, which means you will be fully in charge."

He will discuss this plan with you.

"You can submit a report directly to Director Liu. Once he approves it, you will be directly responsible to the village and will not need to report to me at all."

"It's top secret, the fewer people who know about it, the better."

"I am no exception."

Gao Bin said.

"What is Zhiyou's opinion?" Zhou Yi asked.

"He's too young. He wants to participate, but the village head doesn't think much of him."

"Japanese people are still more willing to trust people with work experience."

Gao Bin said with some regret.

"Zhou Yi."

"The Fourth Detachment of the Anti-Japanese United Army was like a centipede that died but did not fall down. The Laotuo Mountain stretched for hundreds of miles. This group of people always appeared and disappeared like a dragon, firing a cannon here and a shot there. They were always a major concern for the Japanese."

"And this plan, if successful, will surely wipe them out in one fell swoop."

"Although I don't know the specifics, judging from Murakami's attitude, the Japanese are very confident about this matter."

"In other words, the success rate of this plan is very high."

"This is the perfect opportunity to completely eradicate the Anti-Japanese United Army and sound the death knell for them."

Gao Bin took a sip of tea, relaxed, and leaned back on the sofa with his arms outstretched, deliberately speaking in a threatening tone.

He believed.

If Zhou Yi is a red voter, then he has no reason to refuse this operation.

The more exaggerated the story, the more tempted Zhou Yi would become.

"It is indeed a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

"I've only been back for a short time, and there have already been some complaints about me being the team leader. I'm afraid Corey will be dissatisfied if such an important plan falls on my shoulders again."

"Section Chief Liu and Lu Ming have followed you for many years. Wouldn't I be a better fit?"

Zhou Yi frowned and said modestly.

"them?"

Gao Bin waved his finger.

"Liu Kui is fine for doing necessities, but as for putting him in charge of the overall situation, with his tendency to shout for war at the drop of a hat, let's forget about it."

"Lu Ming is quite capable, but he is tight-lipped and narrow-minded."

"To put it bluntly, the real mastermind behind this is the Japanese. We're just going through the motions, and the credit will definitely go to them."

"Given Lu Ming's personality, if he succeeds, he'll be incredibly arrogant."

"At that time, not only will you, the action team leader, be in trouble, but even I, the section chief, will probably be getting shitted on and pissed on."

"to be honest.

"If I were ten years younger, I would definitely have taken on this job."

"But at this age, there's basically no chance of climbing the ladder now, so it's better to leave the opportunity to you young people."

"Your ability is closely related to your intelligence."

"To some extent, I am happy to see you promoted, as it will be good for Zhiyou's future as well."

Gao Bin offered his comments, speaking as if he were considering Zhou Yi's best interests.

"Let me think about it some more," Zhou Yi said, maintaining his calm and profound demeanor.

"Don't say anything more, it's you!"

Gao Bin pointed at him and said.

Zhou Yi didn't respond, but lowered his head and drank a mouthful of tea, as if he was deep in thought.

After a long while, he gently put down his teacup, his eyes filled with gratitude: "Alright, since you think so highly of me, Zhou Yi, I'll take this job."

"it is good!

"Then it's settled."

"Tomorrow morning, go directly to the military police headquarters to find Captain Murakami. After you learn the details of the plan, write a report and apply to Director Liu," Gao Bin said with great joy.

"Section Chief, if there's nothing else, I'll head back now," Zhou Yi said.

"Go."

Gao Bin stood up to see him off.

He escorted Zhou Yi to the outer corridor and watched him leave.

come back to the office.

He slowly closed the door with both hands, his eyes gradually turning fierce and sinister.

Zhou Yi finally agreed.

Gao Bin had always thought Zhou Yi was an exceptionally intelligent person.

Such a person wouldn't be easily fooled by a few simple words.

Li Songquan's death has proven Shibuya's seriousness and caution regarding this plan.

The current plan is to send them directly to the military police.

It's the police department again that's starting this.

That's right, this is indeed a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and someone like Lu Ming would dream of taking a chance on it.

However, Zhou Yi has always been steady and reliable, and with his pregnant wife and good connections, as long as he perseveres, he will eventually be promoted.

There's no reason for him to take that risk.

Thinking of this, Gao Bin's recently somewhat muddled intuition became sharp and confident again.

Zhou Yi has a problem!
He wanted to participate in the plan and gain access to core secrets in order to save the Anti-Japanese United Army.

Yes, that must be the case.

Gao Bin immediately became excited.

If Zhou Yi really is a red ticket, then all I need to do is keep a close eye on him from the shadows, and I'm sure there will be an unexpected surprise.

Zhou Yi, oh Zhou Yi.

Do it yourself.

……

eight pm.

Yong Sheng Kui Tea House on Wenxuan Street.

The casino was bustling with noise.

Casinos and opium dens were the tools that Lao Hei and the dock brothers used to make a living. Hong Zhi didn't like these things, but he wasn't so righteous as to directly destroy his men's livelihoods.

As the saying goes, good advice is hard to persuade a damned fool.

A gambler, even without Yong Sheng Kui, will go to other casinos.

People who can't afford to gamble, or who don't like to gamble.

The moment you step inside, you'll be driven away by the menacing thugs and the stench of their feet.

Hao Guifang squeezed into the crowd, his hat pulled back, and shouted along with the rough-looking man next to him, his face red and neck thick:

"big big big!"

The dealer opens.

"Small!"

"Damn it, is this casino rigged? We've been losing all night long."

Hao Guifang cursed and turned around, grabbing the waiter who was serving tea next to him: "Go, tell Lao Hei to give me another three hundred yuan in chips on credit."

“Master Hao, you’ve already borrowed over a thousand yuan. Master Hei said that if you want to borrow more, you have to pay back the principal and the interest you owe first,” the shop assistant said.

"Oh ho, so you're going to challenge your Master Hao?"
"When Commander Guan was around, everyone had to be extremely respectful to me."

"What the hell is Old Black?"
“Go tell him that I have hundreds of brothers under my command. If they dare to dawdle again, believe me, I’ll have them smash up.”

Hao Guifang was furious upon hearing this.

"Uncle Hao, you don't need to scare us."

“If it were people like you, Yong Sheng Kui would have several cases every day. If everyone lost so badly that they would crash the place, Yong Sheng Kui wouldn’t be where it is today.”

"Our shop is under the protection of Little Hong from the Police Department."

"Above him is Wei Huanzhang, below him is the village head."

"If you think your fists are strong, then go ahead and smash them."

The waiter, used to such things, casually sneered.

"Damn it!"
"I'm going to tear your mouth apart today, so you'll learn a lesson."

Hao Guifang was publicly humiliated, which caused him to lose his temper. He slapped the waiter to the ground and then proceeded to punch and kick him.

Hong Zhi glanced at him indifferently and went straight upstairs.

Entered the office.

Old Hei was dressed in a smart, shiny, gold-yellow silk robe, and his slightly wavy, black and white hair was neatly combed, giving him the air of a powerful figure in the underworld.

His overall demeanor and spirit have changed considerably compared to before.

"Young Master Hong." He respectfully offered fragrant tea.

"You look good." Hong Zhiyou sat down and slid the lid of his teacup.

"May you have good fortune."

"Now that I, Lao Hei, have the opportunity to be reborn, how dare I not do my best?" Lao Hei replied, standing to the side.

"sit.

"I've said it before, I need shrewd and capable managers."

"We are friends, we are business partners. There's no need to be so formal."

Hong Zhi raised his hand and said.

Old Hei then dared to sit down: "General Guan left some belongings behind. Look at these antiques, calligraphy and paintings, should I clean them out?"

"Keep it."

"These things are all in the heart. When your heart is at peace, they are just a pile of tiles."

"Besides, enjoy life while you can. It's good to do some research to pass the time when you have nothing to do."

"I think I just saw Hao Guifang fighting with one of his guys downstairs."

Hongzhi has the Way.

"Let them fight."

“These kinds of Nationalist military officers and hooligans will cause trouble from time to time, but a beating will make them behave,” Lao Hei said.

“The truly wealthy and high-ranking officials, like Section Chief Gao and Village Team Leader, even if they wanted to gamble, wouldn’t squeeze in with these people to gamble.”

"They usually go to places like the Madier Hotel, tea houses, and high-end clubs."

"To put it bluntly, the Nationalist soldiers in Harbin were just a bunch of freeloaders. With the Military Police Headquarters, the Police Department, and the Security Bureau around, they only had to pay attention to the regimental level; the others were not worth worrying about."

Old Hei served Hong Zhi some snacks such as dried fruit, dried meat, melon seeds, and peanuts.

Hong Zhi nodded.

Manchukuo's military and political administration system was very brutal. Prime Minister Zhang Jinghui also served as Minister of Military Affairs, thus holding both military and political positions.

This system extends to the provincial level.

For example, Wei Huanzhang, a high-ranking official in Binjiang Province, also served as the commander of the Binjiang Provincial Army.

Yong Shengkui had the backing of the Japanese and Wei Huanzhang.

Let alone Hao Guifang, even if Li Guoyi, the commander of the 26th Regiment, came, he would still have to greet the former Marshal Guan with a respectful "Greetings, Lord Guan" upon seeing him.

Moreover, Hao Guifang was not a corps commander stationed in the city or its suburbs.

His Third Battalion spent most of its time at Laotuo Mountain.

To put it bluntly, it was all scraps; whether or not they could get a meal most of the time depended entirely on the mood of the city's military supply officers.

When I'm in a good mood, I'll bring some medicine and food up the mountain.

In a bad mood, Hao Guifang could only compete with the bandits for food.

"Peng Hu, come in." Old Hei opened the door and called out to the young man on duty at the door.

The young man had a buzz cut, wore a black Zhongshan suit, had a stern and serious face, and piercing eyes. He exuded a dangerous tension and was clearly a trained martial artist.

"Young Master Hong, this is my nephew, Peng Hu."

"He used to be a hunter in the mountains. He was a good shot, and he was strong and had a lot of strength. He had hunted tigers, bears, and wild boars."

"I cleared out some of Guan Dashuai's old gang and transferred him to help me manage the casino. He usually trains the casino staff in their skills."

"Young Master Hong, what do you think of this young man?"

Old Hei patted his nephew's sturdy body, signaling him to cheer.

“He… he looks even younger than me, I can’t bring myself to call him ‘Grandpa’,” Peng Hu said, glancing at Hong Zhiyou. He was an honest man.

"Hey, you disrespectful brat."

"Without Master Hong, could you even make a living in the city?"

"Call him right now!"

Old Hei got angry and cursed.

"Alright, just call me Section Chief Hong, or Brother. I'm really afraid people will call me old," Hong Zhiyou said with a smile.

"Stay."

"Old Hei, keep working on your slept and recruit more skilled men."

“Old Camel Mountain is so big, there must be more than one bandit group. When I return from Tianjin later, I will have to go into the mountain again to check on the gold mine,” Hong Zhi said.

"Yes.

"With General Guan dead, the Japanese and Nationalist soldiers have blocked the mountain, and we can't get in."

"The person in charge of the mine is Guan Weilong, a nephew of Guan Dashuai."

"This guy has killed people before, he's a ruthless bastard, and the management of that mine are all his brothers."

"When Commander Guan was around, he would steal gold."

"Now that General Guan is dead, this kid is even further from the emperor's reach, and he's practically acting like a king now that he's in charge of the gold mine."

"Last time I tried to trick him into coming down the mountain under the pretense of attending a funeral, but the kid was too clever and didn't come down."

"It will be a bit difficult to get him."

Old Hei said with a worry.

"In other words, if I don't go up the mountain and take over the mine, the gold mine will belong to Guan Weilong?" Hong Zhiyou asked rhetorically.

"That's right." Old Hei nodded truthfully.

"Unless you can send the Kwantung Army and Nationalist soldiers, or bandits and the Anti-Japanese United Army to clear their mountains."

"But Guan Weilong controls the gold mine, which is located deep in Laotuo Mountain. The Kwantung Army is unfamiliar with the terrain and may not be willing to go there."

"The Anti-Japanese United Army has always been very tolerant of people who wave the banner of anti-Manchuria and anti-Japanese, and is unwilling to have conflicts with them."

"Therefore, it is very difficult to deal with Guan Weilong."

Old Hei told the truth.

"You don't need to worry about this, I have a way of handling it."

"Let's train Hao Guifang first, get him on track, and I'll meet with him later."

Hong Zhi smiled faintly and gave the instructions.

After half an hour.

Old Hei came up: "Brother Hong, Hao Guifang has behaved himself."

“Alright, let’s go see this Third Battalion Commander,” Hong Zhiyou said, standing up.

We arrived at the basement.

Hao Guifang was covered in blood from the beating and cowered in a corner, trembling.

"Damn it, how dare you run wild in Yong Sheng Kui? You should take a piss and look at yourself in the mirror. What a piece of trash you are!" A guy nearby cursed.

"Alright, everyone, please step back."

Old Hei waved his hand.

After the servants left, Lao Hei glanced at Hong Zhiyou, nodded knowingly, and led Peng Hu away, closing the door behind them.

"Commander Hao, please sit down."

“My name is Hong Zhiyou, and I am the real boss of Yong Sheng Kui. You should know that.”

Hong Zhiyou sat down and gestured for Hao Guifang to take a seat.

"I know," Hao Guifang said, his voice trembling slightly.

Hong Zhi handed him a cigarette, sizing up the officer whose face was sallow and sickly.

"Battalion Commander Hao, I just found out you were here. I was ignorant and you were frightened." Hong Zhiyou handed him a cigarette.

“Hong Zhiyou, you have committed a serious crime by detaining and beating an officer.”

“If I tell Commander Li, you’ll be in deep trouble.”

The moment the cigarette went down his throat, Hao Guifang's courage returned.

“Not really.

“I’m going to tell Captain Murakami that you led the gambling, and in ten minutes you’ll be in the military police’s jail.”

"The Japanese are far more cunning than Lao Hei and his gang."

"You know that, don't you?"

Hong Zhiyou smiled.

"You!" Hao Guifang pursed his lips and remained silent.

"We are not enemies."

"Let's chat for a bit."

Hongzhi has the Way.

"You didn't come down the mountain just to gamble, did you?" he asked.

"Why.

"The brothers on the mountain are having a hard time. I came here this time to ask the regimental quartermaster for cotton-padded clothes, cotton-padded shoes, and food."

"Now that the mountains are closed, the Anti-Japanese Allied Forces and bandits have nothing to eat. Many of my brothers have also suffered frostbite. Most of them can only drink rice porridge and hunt some wild game to make do."

"Look at the salaries and benefits of the Japanese and your Special Service Section members on the street. They eat rice every meal and occasionally have Western food at public expense."

"I won't talk about you guys."

"The Nationalist soldiers in the city must have steamed buns and brown rice every meal."

"Why should we, the more than four hundred brothers in the Third Battalion, do the hardest work and suffer the fiercest northwest winds?"
"That's not fair."

Hao Guifang was very annoyed.

"Do you know why you and your soldiers are living such a miserable life?" Hong Zhi asked with a slow, chuckled laugh as he took a drag of his cigarette.

"Why?" Hao Guifang also wanted to know.

Hong Zhi smiled, walked to the side, picked up the phone, and quickly dialed a few numbers:

"Hello, Auntie, this is Zhiyou. Is Uncle Wei here?"
"Not off work yet?"

"Yes, it's not easy for you, Uncle, to shoulder the heavy burden of national affairs and the entire province."

"Actually, it's nothing."

"I just want to eat the bear paw stewed by you, Auntie. I'll give you a call and see if it's convenient for your nephew to come over for a meal."

"I've recently acquired some fine treasures and would like Uncle Lao to take a look at them."

"well.

"see you later!"

Hong Zhi hung up the phone.

"You called Mr. Wei's house?" Hao Guifang sensed something was amiss.

"Yes.

"Didn't you say that the Quartermaster Department doesn't treat your Third Battalion like human beings?"
"I'll take you to find Wei Huanzhang and demand an explanation."

Hong Zhi said calmly.

"Really?" Hao Guifang felt it was a bit far-fetched.

Wei Huanzhang is very busy with important matters. Even if Hong Zhi has reconnected with Commander Guan, he might not listen to a mere pretty boy like him.

"Are you alright?" Hong Zhiyou turned to ask Hao Guifang.

"I won't die, it's just a minor injury. They wouldn't dare to really hit me." Hao Guifang touched his swollen cheek and put on an act again.

Hong Zhi could tell that this guy was quite concerned about his image, and was the kind who was both incompetent and loved to boast and show off.

A typical seasoned veteran of the National Revolutionary Army.

They rely entirely on boasting to win battles.

However, being able to eat from the same big pot and sleep in a shared dormitory while smelling stinky feet, even without much ability, he can still attract a large number of people who are devoted to him.

"That's fine."

"Let's go upstairs and tidy up first."

“Let’s go to Wei Huanzhang’s place for a free meal,” Hong Zhiyou said.

"Hey bro, stop messing around, it's so late. I know you're capable, but please stop bothering me, okay?"

"My more than 300 brothers on the mountain are still waiting for food."

Hao Guifang panicked.

He could never meet such an important figure as Wei Huanzhang.

If you anger them, you might even lose your job.

"Whenever I want to eat, it's mealtime."

"Mr. Wei's chef makes a delicious braised bear paw!"

"Let's go."

Hong Zhi smiled and stood up.