Spy wars start with lurking Secretary Hong

Chapter 439 Taking advantage of the situation
“Xiao Dong didn’t betray us. He withstood several rounds of torture, which is why he was qualified to be used by Gao Bin,” Hong Zhiyou said.

Let’s talk about it.

Hong Zhiyou was well aware that, whether he or Zhou Yi testified, it was unlikely that Xiao Dong would be given an important position.

This is the cruel reality of underground work.

On the battlefield, a single bullet can kill a person, yet they still have the opportunity to be recognized as a martyr.

But working underground meant living in constant fear; if you were captured and refused to surrender, you would be subjected to torture.

Even if you survive, you'll be marginalized within the organization.

The pain of being suspected and downplayed is worse than death for a believer in communism.

"How is he?" Zhou Yunfei asked.

“I’ve always been suspected by my uncle, and I’ve been walking on thin ice. Life has been very difficult,” Hong Zhiyou said.

"Hey."

Zhou Yunfei sighed softly.

"What do you need me to do?" He poured a glass of strong liquor and handed it to Hong Zhiyou.

"Your squad leader, Lao Qiu, and Yu Bo are secret agents from the Special Service Section. This is the code I used to meet with him. He has already made contact with me."

"Old Qiu will do his best to persuade you to use this batch of medicine as soon as possible. Once the virus spreads, he will save me and bring me down the mountain."

Hong Zhi sold Lao Qiu without hesitation.

“Old Qiu is a spy? How could that be? He used to be our liaison in Fengtian. He made a lot of contributions after coming to the mountain. Many people in the mountain respect him.”

Zhou Yunfei gasped, his expression changing drastically.

Even Lao Qiu has betrayed us; this will be a heavy blow to morale.

"If you think about it carefully, you'll always find a loophole in his logic."

"He will definitely do everything in his power to persuade the troops on the mountain to use the medicine."

“Only in this way can he get away and return to the police station,” Hong Zhiyou said.

“I’ll have him eliminated!” Zhou Yunfei’s eyes turned cold.

"Do not.

“If you eliminate him now, but can’t produce solid evidence, the people in the mountains will lose heart.”

"Furthermore, I need to go back to the city to report, and I need Lao Qiu to take me down the mountain."

"For now, we can only play along with their plan."

"Pretend that drugs were injected on the mountain, causing an infectious disease to spread. Your people will then retreat and go into hiding for a period of time. Old Qiu can testify to me that this mission has been successful."

"This will temporarily ease the Japanese blockade and encirclement of you, allowing the soldiers to breathe a sigh of relief."

Hong Zhi quickly dissuaded him from the idea.

The Anti-Japanese United Army is currently under a high-pressure situation, which has put the entire Northeast, whether in the mountains or among underground workers like Lao Wei, in a state of frenzy, with people constantly thinking of simply and brutally killing people.

Only someone like Zhou Yi, who had received systematic underground work training in Yancheng, could calmly and steadily consider the big picture at all times.

"As for Lao Qiu, you can deal with him when we get down the mountain."

"Old Qiu's defection means you can stand firm in terms of morality, public opinion, and discipline. You won't alert the Japanese and ruin their plans. Otherwise, they will only intensify their search for you to vent their anger, and Old Wu and I will inevitably be suspected as well."

"Once you reach the foot of the mountain, your efforts to eliminate traitors will also deter those restless collaborators."

"At the same time, it can also demonstrate your anger and desire for revenge against the Japanese poison plan that caused heavy casualties, increasing the credibility of our plan to turn the tables on you."

Seeing that Zhou Yunfei was still deep in thought, Hong Zhi continued.

"Yes, you've thought this through very well. For Lao Wu's and your safety, I can cooperate with you," Zhou Yunfei nodded.

"However, the fact that we've reduced our manpower probably can't be kept from the Japanese."
"They'll definitely send people into the mountains to investigate, and then they'll be exposed."

Zhou Yunfei frowned and said.

"Don't worry, I've already thought about that."

"Hao Guifang, the battalion commander of the Second Battalion of the National Army guarding the mountain, is one of my men. They will soon be going into the mountains to secretly eliminate a group of bandits. At that time, they will place a group of bandits in Guanyin Cave."

"These people are all vicious and ruthless."

"Have people take defensive measures and place some clothes or equipment with the Anti-Japanese Allied Forces' insignia inside the cave."

"Then have someone inject these bandits with poison and quickly finish off their guns."

"Then they sealed the cave."

“My men will lead the Japanese to that area. Even if they investigate, they will assume that the Anti-Japanese Allied Army discovered that the soldiers had become ill after being injected with poison and had no choice but to ask for a finishing shot to kill themselves.”

Hong Zhiyou said coldly.

"Wouldn't this..." Zhou Yunfei didn't finish his sentence.

“These bandits usually rob and plunder, especially targeting ordinary people. They also have close ties with secret agents and Commander Guan. How many times have they turned their guns on you in the past?” Hong Zhiyou said.

"How about this, I don't trust the National Army, so let our own people handle the matter of suppressing the bandits and harboring them," Zhou Yunfei said after thinking for a moment.

That would be best.

"By the way, do you have anything valuable to reward Lao Qiu? Gao Bin is very suspicious, and this might be a useful tool to deal with Lao Qiu later," Hong Zhiyou added.

“I have a Swiss watch, a trophy I won before. Do you think it’s okay?” Zhou Yunfei got up, rummaged through a box in the corner, pulled out a mechanical watch, and handed it to Hong Zhiyou.

"This watch is a good one, it's good."

"Let's proceed as planned."

"Remember, do not reveal my or Lao Qiu's identities to anyone, including your most trusted subordinates."

"I think Lao Wu should have mentioned the medicine and firearms to you."

"These will be in place soon."

Hong Zhiyou said.

"Okay, thank you, Brother Hong. Without you, all of us in the Anti-Japanese Alliance would have been finished." Zhou Yunfei shook hands with him and said.

"Don't mention it, I'm helping you in order to make money."

"I need mountain products, and you need food and medicine. It's a win-win situation."

Hong Zhiyou smiled.

"I happened to be attending a meeting this time and got some emergency medicine from a brother unit, which I can use to cover Lao Qiu's eyes."

"Brother Hong, Zhou Yi sent me a message by carrier pigeon earlier, talking about exchanging goods for medicine."

"Back then I was still skeptical, but now it seems that you are indeed a man destined for great things."

Zhou Yunfei added some dry firewood to the brazier to make the fire burn brighter.

“He’s got guts; he’s not afraid of selling me out,” Hong Zhiyou laughed.

"Don't worry, the script he uses is some kind of scribbling."

“Only the two of us know that even the world’s best handwriting experts couldn’t decipher it,” Zhou Yunfei said with a confident smile.

"Brother Hong, I'm sorry to trouble you for one night."

"I will arrange everything until you are safely down the mountain."

After Zhou Yunfei finished speaking, he shouted towards the door:

"Someone is coming."

"Political Commissar." The guard walked in.

"Take this kid to the woodshed and lock him up. No one is allowed to touch him without my order," Zhou Yunfei ordered.

Immediately, someone escorted Hong Zhiyou to the woodshed.

Zhou Yunfei tightened his coat and went outside.

"Political Commissar, how is it going?" Old Qiu asked.

"This kid is incredibly arrogant; he should be worth some money."

"Old Fu, have someone from down the mountain go to the police station and tell Gao Bin that his nephew is in our hands. If he wants to ransom him, he should prepare 1,000 catties of rice, 200 catties of vegetables, 50 machine guns, and 5,000 rounds of ammunition."

"If you're missing even one item, you might as well wait to collect his nephew's corpse."

Political Commissar Zhou coldly gave the order.

“That’s right, we might as well take advantage of these young masters. I’ll have someone arrange it right away.” Old Fu turned and left.

"Political Commissar, the people from the Health Department just came again. This medicine..." Old Qiu asked anxiously.

Zhou Yunfei sneered inwardly.

Old Qiu, you really are a master of disguise!

If it weren't for Hong Zhi, the Fourth Brigade would have been defeated by you.

"Yes.

"This batch of medicine has arrived at just the right time. I'll go and discuss it with Old Chen at the health department, and try to get the brothers some tomorrow," Zhou Yunfei said.

"Very good.

"To be honest, when soldiers are injured, they get infected, have fevers, and inflammation. They can't die, they can only lie there and suffer. It's worse than death for them."

"With this batch of sulfonamide antibiotics, they will recover quickly."

"Our Fourth Battalion can take down those damn Japanese devils again."

Old Qiu said with a worried expression.

"Speaking of which, it's all thanks to you, Lao Qiu. If it weren't for your men helping Xiao Dong, this batch of priceless medicine would most likely have fallen into the hands of bandits."

"Even more difficult to catch is Hong Zhi, who has such a coveted prize."

"We happened to have cleared out a Japanese mine last time and seized some gadgets."

"this is for you."

Zhou Yunfei took out the watch and handed it to Lao Qiu.

"Political Commissar, this won't do. This thing is obviously for intellectuals like you," Old Qiu quickly refused.

"Old Qiu, you're the squad leader. Having a watch would be more convenient when you're on a mission in the mountains."

"Besides, I already have one."

"Since it's just sitting there anyway, you might as well wear it for now."

"We're all on the same side, so don't be so polite."

Political Commissar Zhou pushed it over again.

"Alright, I'll accept it for now. I'll hand it over to the organization later when the troops enter the city." Old Qiu couldn't refuse, so he accepted it.

"By the way, what are your plans for dealing with Hong Zhiyou?" Old Qiu asked.

"Keep him locked up for now. We'll send him down the mountain once Gao Bin's things are delivered," Zhou Yunfei said.

"The temperature has dropped in the mountains, and the woodshed is too cold. If this young master stays up all night, he'll freeze to death."

"Once it's dead, it's worthless."

Old Qiu advised him.

"You're right, Xiao Liu, send a brazier to the woodshed and prepare plenty of firewood, lest he freeze to death," Zhou Yunfei shouted.

"okay.

"I went to the health department and finally managed to get a batch of medicine. I have to plan how to use it sparingly."

Zhou Yunfei said.

"Okay, then I'll go back first."

Old Qiu originally wanted to take Hong Zhi away, but he was afraid that if he did it too obviously, Zhou Yunfei would notice something was amiss, so he had to give up.

Zhou Yunfei watched him and Xiao Yu leave, a chilling glint flashing in his eyes, before quickly heading towards the clinic. The clinic was a large courtyard enclosed by wood.

A dozen or so wounded soldiers lay in the room, groaning in pain from inflammation and fever.

"Old Zhou, what's wrong with you? You got the medicine, but you're not sharing it with the brothers. Are you trying to drive me crazy?" As soon as they met, military doctor Chen Da complained.

"Old Chen, talk to me over there."

Zhou Yunfei called him aside and talked about the medicine.

"what?
"Damn Japanese devils, they're trying to wipe out our family line!"

"Old Zhou, what do we do now?"

Chen Da asked.

“No rush, I got some medicine from the Third Brigade, you just pretend to be…” Zhou Yunfei whispered in his ear.

"Good plan."

"You have to admit that your educated mind is the best."

"I'll make arrangements right away."

After listening, Chen Da said with great admiration.

"Okay, remember not to let anyone know. You'll have to work hard tonight and secretly switch the medicine."

"Keep a few samples of the other poisons so they can be used to expose the Japanese devils' crimes later. Hide the rest somewhere and deal with them later," Zhou Yunfei said efficiently.

"Understood, don't worry, I guarantee I'll arrange everything perfectly." Chen Da nodded.

……

Inside the wooden house.

Old Qiu sat by the campfire, examining his watch with a look of delight: "I didn't expect it to be a Rolex. This thing is made in Switzerland, and it's not cheap."

"Old Qiu, Political Commissar Zhou didn't find anything, did he?" Yu Bo asked.

"should not."

Old Qiu carefully recalled the events and confirmed that he had no flaws.

Unless Hong Zhiyou sells himself out.

But this is almost impossible.

Hong Zhiyou is Gao Bin's nephew. He is rich and loves to play around with women.

There wasn't a single hair in the mountains, and the Anti-Japanese Allied Army was dirt poor. They had nothing of value to give him, not to mention the Japanese were eyeing them covetously.

Only someone with a brain full of water would join the Anti-Japanese United Army.

Moreover, Hong Zhiyou's current status is that of a hostage.

Until Gao Bin responds to the Anti-Japanese Alliance's demands, he is at least safe tonight.
Judging from our previous conversations, this kid is exceptionally intelligent and wouldn't willingly reveal his valuable knowledge.

"When are we leaving?" This was what Yu Bo was more concerned about.

"The sooner the better." Old Qiu's face darkened, and he seemed somewhat irritated.

He had to ensure the medication was administered, but he couldn't get too close, because it contained bacteria, and getting infected could be fatal.

"Why.

"Finally, I can get out of this damn place."

"Once I get down the mountain, the first thing I'll do is find two prostitutes to sleep with, then have a Russian kebab and a few bottles of kvass," Yu Bo said with longing.

"Look at you, so pathetic." Old Qiu scoffed.

He knew Gao Bin's character well; he was ruthless and vicious, and Old Qiu had no hope of getting away with it.

He hoped to get a sum of money so he could take his wife and leave Harbin, this troublesome place, as soon as possible.

Moreover, if he escapes, the Harbin underground organization will definitely hunt them down like mad. Let alone sleeping with prostitutes, whether they can even survive assassination is another matter.

Of course, it's better to stay on the mountain and suffer like this forever.

Old Qiu felt that the risk was worth taking.

……

The next day.

Old Qiu got up early.

The mountains and forests were shrouded in mist, and visibility was very low.

Old Qiu was overjoyed.

Over the past three years, he had thoroughly familiarized himself with the nearby mountain paths, and he could even find his way down the mountain by smell. This thick fog could serve as a natural barrier, blocking Commissar Zhou and his men from pursuing him.

This is divine intervention in their escape.

"Xiao Yu, get ready, we can come down the mountain at any time." Old Qiu pulled out his pipe from his waist and took a couple of puffs.

"Understood." Yu Bo was overjoyed.

"Go check the equipment. I'll ask Political Commissar Zhou to transfer Ren Changchun over here," Old Qiu said.

As he spoke, he walked toward Commissar Zhou's wooden house.

"Xiao Liu, is Political Commissar Zhou here?" Old Qiu called out upon seeing the guard.

"Political Commissar Zhou went to the health department; they're getting new medicine there today," Xiao Liu called out.

Old Qiu's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly walked towards the health department.

From afar, he saw military doctor Chen Da holding a syringe needle, injecting antibiotics into several wounded soldiers one by one.

After watching for a while, Lao Qiu felt it was appropriate.

As expected, Political Commissar Zhou fell for the Japanese trap.

Wounded soldiers cannot refuse sulfonamide antibiotics, just as men cannot refuse women.

If the medicine is strong enough, these wounded soldiers will be able to spread the virus.

Damn it, I need to get out of here quickly.

If these wounded soldiers develop a toxic reaction, they will definitely investigate the batch of drugs. If Hong Zhi can't cover it up and implicates them, he might end up exposing them.

"Old Qiu, what are you doing here? Aren't you going in?" Just then, Fu Jun walked over and shouted at the top of his lungs.

"I've come to see Political Commissar Zhou."

Old Qiu was worried that he had been in the yard, so he deliberately stepped aside and covered his mouth and nose with his collar.

"What's wrong? What's wrong with you?" Old Fu asked curiously.

"It's nothing, I've just had a bit of a cough these past couple of days, and I was afraid of infecting you," Old Qiu said.

"You two, don't stay outside, come inside and talk," Zhou Yunfei called out from a distance as he walked down the steps.

"Political Commissar Zhou."

"I won't go in. I have a bit of a cough, and I don't want to infect the brothers or myself."

"Here's the thing, I want to find Ren Changchun to ask about the deployment of police forces up the mountain. The brothers are getting bored of staying at home all day. If the conditions are right, we'll go up the mountain and give them a shot."

Old Qiu coughed a few times.

“Sure, Xiao Ren hasn’t been assigned any tasks yet, so it’s good for you to go and find out.” Political Commissar Zhou readily agreed.

"Alright, you guys get back to work."

Old Qiu covered his mouth and nose and walked away quickly.

"Political Commissar, I feel like Old Qiu is acting strangely. I've never seen him so formal before." Old Fu felt something was off, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

"Never mind him..."

Zhou Yunfei glanced at Lao Qiu, then looked away.

……

Old Qiu quickly returned to the camp and called out to Ren Changchun, who was tidying up in the wooden house, "Little Ren, how did you sleep last night?"

"Captain Qiu."

"It's great. Just thinking about fighting the Japanese makes me sleep like a log," Ren Changchun chuckled.

"Look at him, this outfit really makes him look like a member of the Anti-Japanese United Army. He looks much more spirited now." Old Qiu looked him up and down a few times, then patted him on the shoulder and said.

"What are you saying? I'm a legitimate anti-Japanese guerrilla fighter now," Ren Changchun said, patting his chest.

"Alright, stop pretending."

"Section Chief Hong told me to come with me, take Section Chief Hong with me, and get down the mountain immediately while the fog is still there."

Old Qiu leaned closer and whispered.

“So you are…” Ren Changchun was stunned.

Then, glancing around, he asked in a low voice, "Is Section Chief Hong alright?"

"He's fine. Don't act so suspiciously. It'll arouse suspicion." Old Qiu cautiously moved two steps to the side.

"Could you please draw me a map of the troop deployment along the riverbank at the foot of the mountain? That way, the brothers can take this opportunity to go down the mountain and harvest dates." Old Qiu deliberately raised his voice a few decibels.

“No problem, Captain Qiu. It’s just that the police department knows this batch of drugs is missing, and they’re probably searching the whole mountain right now. Going down the mountain now would be too risky, as we might run into a gun.” Ren Changchun shouted, playing along with his act.

The two quickly arrived at the woodshed.

There was an Anti-Japanese Allied Army soldier guarding the entrance.

"Xiao Zhang, open the door," Old Qiu ordered.

Xiao Zhang opened it.

Hong Zhi looked haggard and was shivering from the cold.

"You're something else, kid. You stayed up all night and didn't freeze to death," Old Qiu sneered.

"Thanks to you."

"If I die, you won't get a single hair on my head," Hong Zhiyou said, rubbing his hands together.

"Xiao Zhang, I'm taking this person with me." Old Qiu waved his hand and gave the order.

"Captain Qiu, that won't do. Political Commissar Zhou said that no one is allowed to take him away without his orders," Xiao Zhang said somewhat rigidly.

“I just came back from Political Commissar Zhou. He agreed to let me find out about the situation down the mountain. This person is Gao Bin’s nephew and knows a lot of inside information.”

"I'll just ask a few questions, then I'll send it back later."

Old Qiu offered a somewhat displeased explanation.

"No, unless you send someone to consult Political Commissar Zhou right now," Xiao Zhang insisted.

"Hey, you clueless bastard..." Old Qiu was about to explode when he saw Fu Jun walking over from the other side:
"Xiao Zhang, let them through."

"The political commissar did indeed agree to Captain Qiu's matter."

"Besides, it's just asking a few questions. This person is in the mountains, he can't just grow legs and fly away."

He shouted at the top of his lungs.

"Don't worry, I'll take responsibility if anything goes wrong," Fu Jun added.

"Did you hear that? Release them! You're so stubborn!" Old Qiu quickly chimed in.

Xiao Zhang hesitated for a moment, but ultimately stepped aside.

"Old Fu, thanks. If you find some dates down the mountain later, you can have a share."

Old Qiu chuckled dryly and led Hong Zhiyou away quickly.

……

(End of this chapter)