Spy wars start with lurking Secretary Hong

Chapter 456 The tip of the needle versus the awn of wheat

Gao Bin and his group drove at high speed, kicking up a trail of dust, and soon arrived at the edge of Wolf Head Cliff.

The cold wind howled, stinging people's faces.

Battalion Commander Hao Guifang and several of his men were already waiting at the edge of the cliff, stamping their feet to keep warm. Upon seeing Gao Bin's convoy, he quickly came forward and saluted.

"Section Chief Gao!"

Hao Guifang yanked off the white cloth on the ground and breathed on it as he reported, "Our men found it this morning while patrolling at the bottom of the cliff."

A female corpse appeared before them.

She was wearing thick winter clothes, but half of her head was smashed to pieces, her red and white splattered with her black hair, frozen on the cold snow. Her body also bore numerous bite marks from wild animals, her skin torn open, a gruesome sight.

It's obvious that it fell off a cliff and died, then was attacked by wolves.

Hong Zhiyou stood aside, watching the tragic scene, but secretly admired Wu Jingzhong.

Old Wu is very efficient and meticulous in his work.

Not only did they rescue Gu Qiuyan safely, but they also prepared a scapegoat. Otherwise, they could have remained steadfast in Tianjin in the previous life, unaffected by the machinations of Boss Dai, Mao Renfeng, and Zheng Jiemin.

Gao Bin squatted down, pinched his nose with a handkerchief, and carefully examined the belongings next to the corpse—a pistol and a few banknotes from the puppet state of Manchukuo, which were basically of little value.

"Can we still get your fingerprints?" Gao Bin asked.

“So many people have touched it, it’s risky,” Hong Zhiyou said after taking a look.

"Battalion Commander Hao, you've worked hard," Gao Bin said politely.

"It's my duty, Section Chief Gao, you're too kind," Hao Guifang said respectfully.

"No one went to the bottom of the cliff last night, right?" Gao Bin asked.

"No, my men searched the bottom of the cliff all night. Several brothers were frostbitten, but we didn't see a single ghost."

"Besides, with the temperature dropping to minus twenty or thirty degrees Celsius at night, and with checkpoints set up outside, if we had really blocked them, they would have frozen solid by now," Hao Guifang laughed.

"Okay, please have your people transport the body to the police station later and hand it over to the criminal investigation department for examination."

Gao Bin gave an instruction, then turned and walked back to his car.

Lu Ming followed behind with a sullen expression, his face as long as Changbai Mountain, muttering unhappily, "Damn it, all that work for nothing!"

His wishful thinking failed again.

Gu Qiuyan is alive, and the person who sent the message has been found, so Zhou Yi can basically be ruled out as a suspect.

Gao Bin closed the car door, tightened his clothes, and instructed Lu Ming in the passenger seat: "Investigate this woman's identity immediately and see if there have been any missing persons reports in the city recently."

"Also, find out which friend's house Gu Qiuyan spent the night at last night. I need to know all the information about that friend!"

"Yes!" Lu Ming accepted the order.

Gao Bin glanced at him coldly again, his tone laced with a hint of mockery and self-deprecation: "Aren't you disappointed?"

"A bit... Such a perfect coincidence, and in the end it wasn't even between the couple. If this is staged, there must be an organization with a lot of connections and resources behind it to pull it off."

"What's even more terrifying is that if this is true, we were completely unaware and clueless about the operations of so many people. That's just too frightening."

Lu Ming said.

"If you want to know the truth, find that monkey who ran away from the forest!"

"Don't worry, Section Chief, I'll dig three feet into the ground to find that guy!" Lu Ming promised through gritted teeth.

Hong Zhi did not rush to leave, but stayed and chatted with Hao Guifang.

"Young Master Hong, that kid Guan Weilong recognized me as his godfather and gave me thirty gold bars as a gift," Hao Guifang said in a low voice.

"You look happy?" Hong Zhiyou took a drag of his cigarette, his smile somewhat hazy.

“I’m not stupid. With my limited abilities, I can’t protect him. He can give me thirty today and fifty tomorrow.”

"I'm counting on you for everything."

"I, Lao Hao, have never seen money before, but I'm not stupid. I know that some money, even if you take it, you can't keep it, and you won't live to spend it."

The seasoned veteran Hao Guifang gave a knowing dry laugh.

“Take it without worry. You’ll get three hundred, three thousand in the future,” Hong Zhiyou said.

"By the way, that kid seems really afraid that you'll come up the mountain and cause him trouble. He's both acknowledging me as his godfather and befriending all sorts of bandits. It looks like he's trying to make a big splash," Hao Guifang said.

“Later, I’ll have Wei Huanzhang withhold your supplies, cause you some trouble, and spread rumors that you’re going to be transferred, creating conflict between us. That way, he can be appeased for now,” Hong Zhiyou said after a moment’s thought.

"Young Master Hong, why don't I just wipe them out with one shot? Why bother arguing with him?" Hao Guifang said.

“If you take him down, a bunch of people will come up and fight for the meat, including your superior, Commander Li.”

"I have to go in person and get it properly, then they'll only be able to come after me."

"Besides, he's doing a pretty good job, so let him dig up more gold first."

"I'll deal with him when I get back from Jinhai."

Hong Zhiyou smiled coldly.

……

In the afternoon, the Special Operations Division of the National Police Agency.

Hong Zhiyou pushed open the door and walked into Zhou Yi's office.

"Have you heard?" He casually closed the door and sat down on the sofa.

Upon hearing this, Zhou Yi stopped what he was doing and looked up: "The female corpse?"

"Hmm." Hong Zhi nodded.

Zhou Yi smiled, his face showing genuine admiration: "Your friend is truly meticulous in his work."

Hong Zhiyou said, spreading his ten fingers, "Even close brothers should keep clear accounts; you have to pay."

"Ten gold bars, not one less."

“No problem.” Zhou Yi readily agreed. “I’ll remember this favor. If you ever need my help in the future, just let me know.”

This is a life-or-death crisis, something that money can't repay.

Hong Zhi chuckled dryly, leaned closer, and lowered his voice to remind him, "This isn't over yet."

"You need to ask your partner to call me every now and then, invite me out for tea or shopping or something."

"It's best to do it at night, and it should be done secretly, like having an affair."

Hong Zhi added.

"Why?" Zhou Yi asked, puzzled.

"Why?" Hong Zhi rolled his eyes. "To help you cover up that lie!"

"I told Lao Gao and Lu Ming that you were the one who hit Gu Qiuyan on the face. The reason... is because she's not clean outside, and you were jealous."

"They were very curious about how I knew about such a secret matter."

"I hinted very subtly that I have a private relationship with my sister-in-law."

"I sacrificed my reputation for you."

He joked helplessly, "Old Zhou, I'm sorry, I've added another hat to your head for no reason. Lu Ming, that big mouth, was there too. I bet he'll be secretly laughing when he sees the two of us together in the future."

Zhou Yi gave a wry smile: "If we can survive, none of this matters."

"Anyway, hats are flying everywhere, including foreign ones, so one more won't make a difference."

……

official residence.

The atmosphere inside the Japanese-style room was oppressive.

Shibuya Saburo and his assistant Tanaka Tadashi knelt on the tatami mat, listening intently to the static coming from the radio with somber expressions.

On the radio, a slightly rough Russian male voice was broadcasting the news.

According to TASS, the Georgian border guard announced yesterday that it had successfully killed three criminals who had illegally crossed the border from Türkiye in the Sochi border region, while four others escaped in the chaos.

"Preliminary investigations have revealed that this group of individuals are Trotskyists supported by foreign fascist forces, and their ultimate goal is to carry out a despicable assassination of Comrade Stalin in Sochi..."

"boom!"

Tanaka slammed his fist on the low table and cursed angrily, "Baka! Those idiots, the Lyushikovs, are good-for-nothings!"

"A golden opportunity! And we've missed it!"

His face flushed with anger: "After this incident, Stalin will surely be on high alert, and it will be as difficult as climbing to heaven for us to assassinate him again!"

"If he takes this opportunity to publicly criticize us, or even turn against us, it will cause a huge diplomatic disaster for the entire Japanese Empire!"
"The Kwantung Army will also face unimaginable pressure!"

Shibuya Saburo waved his hand and said firmly in a deep voice, "Stalin wouldn't."

"He is currently facing enormous pressure from the German forces on the Western Front. He won't be foolish enough to completely break ties with us on the Eastern Front before he has dealt with Hitler."

He closed his eyes and fell into deep thought. After a moment, he slowly spoke, his tone tinged with self-reflection: "It was we who underestimated the capabilities of those hostile intelligence organizations in Harbin."

"The plan was so meticulous, yet it still got leaked. Someone must have cracked our plan and passed the information out."

“Yesterday at Wolf Head Cliff, a radio operator fell to her death. According to the technical team’s inspection of the radio transmitter, she sent a relatively long message before the Nationalist soldiers pursued her.” Shibuya Saburo’s eyes sharpened.

"Those damned Russians, Vasilyev!" Tanaka gritted his teeth.
"They're a bunch of idiots! They act so arrogantly and without any discipline! Give them a few bottles of vodka, and they'll be standing in Sofia Square, announcing our plans to the whole world!"

“We must learn from this lesson,” Shibuya Saburo said coldly. “Now, we need to turn our attention back to the present.”

"Both the Red Tickets and the Military Intelligence Bureau are becoming increasingly cunning. Especially that Hong Zhiyou, I always felt he would be a big problem."

"We must focus our attention on this person."

“Now Murakami, and even Commander Kato, are getting close to him, and he is corrupting our ranks.”

"News came from the Kwantung Army Headquarters in Xinjing that our Great Japanese Empire's soldiers have also been caught up in a red tide, with many acting as spies for the Chinese, which has even alarmed the Emperor."

“If things continue like this, the enemy will disintegrate us from within, which is absolutely intolerable.”

"It's time for us to take the initiative."

Shibuya Saburo's eyes sharpened.

"Hai! Please give your instructions, Director." Tanaka bowed.

Shibuya Saburo's lips curled into a cold smile: "I heard that Hong Zhi owns the Yong Sheng Kui Tea House and a leather goods store, and his business is quite large?"

"Yes, Director. Yongsheng Kuili even has a casino; it's a notorious den of iniquity in Harbin."

“Very good.” A venomous glint flashed in Shibuya Saburo’s eyes. “He’s shut it down.”

He took a sip of tea, feigning difficulty with a cunning air: "However, directly sealing it off might cause trouble. This matter involves Wei Huanzhang and Murakami, and it's not time for me to openly break ties with them yet."

“Isn’t this simple?
“Just grab any guy from Yong Sheng Kui and say he’s a red ticket holder. Then, we can legitimately shut down Yong Sheng Kui on suspicion of harboring red tickets.”

"As for evidence...do we need evidence?"

Tanaka smiled coldly.

“Very good, I’ll leave this to you. But I still suggest you do something underhanded, like planting some embargoed drugs and guns in that guy’s house!” Shibuya Saburo instructed.

"Understood!" Tanaka nodded.

……

night.

The back room of the leather goods shop was dimly lit.

Hong Zhi threw a heavy cloth bag onto the table with a dull thud.

He sat down casually: "Old Wu, count them."

Wu Jingzhong slowly untied the cloth bag, revealing ten gleaming gold bars neatly arranged, their alluring light shining under the lamp.

He didn't touch any of them, just glanced at them, and then wrapped the cloth up again.

Hong Zhi asked with a smile, "I'm very curious, where did you find that female corpse at Wolf Head Cliff?"

Wu Jingzhong picked up his teacup and blew on the steam: "She was a defector from the Military Intelligence Bureau. We've wanted to deal with her for a long time, but we haven't found a suitable opportunity."

"This is exactly what we need."

He spoke in a flat tone, as if he were talking about a trivial matter.

"Brilliant! You really know how wise old people are. You've completely fooled my uncle and the police!" Hong Zhiyou gave a thumbs up and praised him.

Wu Jingzhong put down his teacup, his expression becoming more serious, and his fingers tapped rhythmically on the table.

"Zhiyou, there's something I need to remind you of."

"Don't get too close to some people, or you'll inevitably run into trouble later."

He lowered his voice: "Don't forget, the old man has always advocated that internal stability must come before external resistance. Now that the country is in crisis, and the young marshal has made such a fuss, he has reluctantly agreed to cooperate."

"But you have to think about it, the old man's desire to kill the red is still alive."

"Once we drive the Japanese away, this debt will be settled sooner or later. You'll be caught in the middle, pleasing neither side, and you might even be the one to be punished."

Hong Zhi nodded solemnly: "Understood, I know what I'm doing."

"It's good that you understand." Wu Jingzhong changed the subject, his eyes becoming sharp. "There's one more thing you need to be extremely careful about."

"Shibuya Saburo.

"The plan to assassinate Stalin has failed. He is now a mad dog with its teeth pulled, and he will definitely take his anger out on Harbin."

"Going forward, the investigation into red tickets and people like us will only intensify."

"Especially you, who operates in the gray area and runs a thriving business, are a thorn in Shibuya Saburo's side."

“If you’re not careful, he’ll target you.”

Hong Zhiyou laughed, flicked his cigarette ash, and said with a hint of disdain, "Don't worry, sir."

"Shibuya Saburo won't be around for much longer."

"However, whether you can send him to his death with a single sword strike depends on you."

Wu Jingzhong raised an eyebrow, intrigued: "Oh? Tell me about it."

Hong Zhi leaned closer, lowering his voice as if he were sharing a huge secret.

"Shibuya Saburo is one of Ishihara Kanji's men. Within the Kwantung Army, especially in the eyes of the General Staff and the Headquarters, he is an anomaly, and they have long disliked him."

"It's just that because of Ishihara Kanji, everyone is keeping a polite distance and not saying anything."

"Now, all they lack is a suitable and legitimate reason, an opportunity to kick Shibuya Saburo out of the game."

He looked at Wu Jingzhong, a calculating glint in his eyes.

"If you can persuade the Soviet Union to make a big deal out of this assassination and issue a strong diplomatic condemnation against the Japanese, putting enough pressure on them."

"Think about it, if this matter blows up, what will happen to Shibuya Saburo, as the direct planner of the scheme?"
“Even if he doesn’t lose his life, people like Isogai Rensuke will take this opportunity to get rid of him.”

Hong Zhiyou said.

Wu Jingzhong fell into deep thought, his fingers ceasing their tapping.

This plan is ruthless and vicious.

He used two sharp knives—the Soviet Union and the Japanese Kwantung Army—to kill someone.

After a moment, he slowly spoke: "This... I can give it a try."

“My old classmates Jianfeng and Xie Ligong are familiar with the Soviets, so I asked them to find a way to get in touch with the Soviet leadership.”

"Shibuya Saburo had previously arrested several spies at the embassy in Harbin, and the Soviets had long hated him to the core."

"The key is whether our people can persuade Stalin."

"That Georgian shoemaker is a deep and unpredictable man. We'll have to rely on our luck in this matter."

Hong Zhiyou laughed and said, "It can't hurt to give it a try. I won't be idle either."

"Tomorrow I will visit Isogai Rensuke and Yano Otosaburo, have some tea with those old men at the General Staff Headquarters, and build good relationships with them."

"Oh?" Wu Jingzhong was somewhat surprised. "You have to be careful when dealing with the Japanese. Those guys are ruthless and heartless. Be careful not to throw good money after bad."

"If a meat bun is big enough, it can hurt a dog."

Hong Zhiyou wore a confident smile.

"Don't worry, I've already done my homework."

"Right now in Japan, Hideki Tojo and his gang are busy winning people over, and they need money everywhere."

"In the Kwantung Army, it's almost an open secret that the higher-ups are embezzling soldiers' pay; they're all rolling in money."

"At this time, these people claimed to be loyal to the Emperor, but in their hearts, they were only interested in making money."

Hong Zhiyou said.

Wu Jingzhong looked at him. Through their long-term cooperation, he knew that Hong Zhiyou was indeed capable and a man of his word.

Their ability to handle affairs and execute tasks is exceptionally strong.

"You know what you're doing, kid. It's getting late, let's go."

"If you keep coming like this, I'll get my comeuppance sooner or later." Wu Jingzhong waved his hand, dismissing him.

After Hong Zhi left, he pondered for a moment.

A wise strategist is mindful of potential dangers even in times of peace.

He's been feeling uneasy lately, and his intuition tells him something is wrong:
"Old Liu, you and Guohua get ready. You're coming with me to Dalian. Just let Xiao Jia watch the shop. If you need anything, just ask Lao Hei at the teahouse."

……

(End of this chapter)