Spy wars start with lurking Secretary Hong

Chapter 464 Abdominal Dissection as Atonement
Hong Zhi's impassioned and resounding words were like a bombshell, each word carrying a powerful penetrating force that struck the eardrums of everyone present.

Shibuya Saburo's face instantly turned extremely ugly.

He originally wanted to resolve the matter quickly and decisively, executing Hong Zhiyou with swift and decisive measures to put an end to the matter.

However, the sudden appearance of Yano Otosaburo and Commander Kato had already disrupted his plans.

Hong Zhi's counter-accusation has pushed him directly to the dock.

Yano Otosaburo, expressionless, pushed up his glasses, picked up the file on the table, but his gaze didn't fall on the paper; instead, he stared intently at Hong Zhiyou:
"Section Chief Hong, since you're not a red ticket, how do you explain this confession that bears your signature and fingerprint?"

His voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable air of authority.

Hong Zhiyou straightened his back, a smile tinged with sorrow and mockery on his face:

"Explanation? There's no need for explanation at all."

"Because it's all fake!"
"Fake news, fake evidence, fake confessions!"

"The world we live in is full of falsehoods and lies. It is shameful and sad that such a thing could happen even within the Imperial Japanese Army, which is known for its iron discipline!"

His words were cryptic and vague, putting the worthless honor and Bushido spirit of the Japanese devils on the hot seat.

Shibuya Saburo's lips twitched. He finally realized that Hong Zhiyou was a hundred times more terrifying than he had imagined. Only those who had faced him head-on could know how terrifying he was.

The plan is meticulously crafted, with each step carefully planned before action, leaving no blind spots or weaknesses to exploit.

He had no doubt that Kato, Yano Otosaburo, and even Isogai Rensuke's so-called detention of Murakami in Xinjing were all part of a conspiracy, a scheme, and a counterattack, and that he had not noticed any loopholes at all.

As a researcher of the philosophy of mind, Shibuya Saburo quickly calmed down and spoke coldly:
"I must admit that your words are as persuasive as the money in your pocket."

His words were also a sarcastic remark and a warning to Yano Otosaburo, Kato, and others.

“But evidence is evidence, in black and white, irrefutable! You can’t deny it!” he said in a deep voice.

"Is the evidence irrefutable?"

Hong Zhiyou suddenly smiled.

His gaze slowly swept across the entire room, finally settling precisely on Tanaka and Zhang Junyuan:

"Then I'm afraid we'll have to ask Assistant Tanaka and Section Chief Zhang Junyuan of the Security Bureau."

Shibuya Saburo's brows furrowed sharply: "What do you mean?"

Tanaka and Zhang Junyuan's hearts skipped a beat. An extremely ominous premonition surged into their hearts, their faces turned pale, and cold sweat instantly broke out.

Hong Zhi gave them no time to react, and nodded slightly to Zhou Yi:

"Captain Zhou, could you please produce the interrogation records?"

Zhou Yi expressionlessly took a document from his briefcase and handed it over.

Hong Zhiyou held the document high and showed it to everyone present:

"Officers, colleagues! I signed this framed confession out of sheer desperation!"
“If I hadn’t done as they wanted and hadn’t admitted to these false accusations, I have no doubt that I would be a cold corpse right now, dead in that gloomy interrogation room at the Security Bureau!”

He paused, his gaze sharp as a knife, piercing Zhang Chunyuan.

He then went on to state his case eloquently: "During last night's interrogation, this jury record clearly states that Assistant Tanaka and Section Chief Zhang explicitly told me that if I did not admit to these false accusations, they would torture me!"
"They said that whether I recruit or not, I have to recruit!"

"This is mandatory!"

"Tell me, under the threat of those torture instruments in the interrogation room, how could I not confess?"
"How dare I not confess?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Zhou Yi and Chen Jingyu stepped forward at the same time.

Zhou Yi handed another document to Yano Otosaburo, his voice steady: "Reporting to the superior, this matter is absolutely true."

"This is the jury transcript from last night, word for word."

"At the time, Assistant Tanaka and Section Chief Zhang both signed it."

Chen Jingyu added, "I can also testify that the situation at the time was indeed as Section Chief Hong described."

Yano Otosaburo took the document, glanced at it carefully, and casually tossed it in front of Shibuya Saburo.

Shibuya Saburo picked up the document, glanced at it, and his blood pressure spiked instantly, a surge of anger rising to the top of his head!
He never expected that Tanaka and Zhang Junyuan would fall into such a simple and low-level language trap!
The inescapable trap he had painstakingly laid was torn open by these two fools, leaving a huge gap.

They really don't take Hong Ji-yoo seriously!
Saburo Shibuya gripped the document tightly, his knuckles cracking from the force.

He slowly raised his head, staring intently at Tanaka:

"Assistant Tanaka, what exactly is going on?!"

"me……"

Tanaka was sweating profusely, his mind blank, and he stammered his explanation:
"It's fake! It's definitely fake!"

Yano Otosaburo turned his gaze to Zhang Chunyuan, his voice cold and sharp: "Section Chief Zhang, you speak!"

Zhang Chunyuan's lips were pale, and he stood up shakily, his mind a complete mess.

"I...I don't know..."

He was a bit more cunning than Tanaka. In a moment of extreme panic, a flash of inspiration struck him, and he blurted out...

"I...I drank too much during the interrogation last night!"

"Yes, I drank too much!"

"I wasn't thinking clearly at the time, and I...I don't remember what I said!"

Hearing this excuse, Tanaka, who was on the verge of collapse, grasped at a straw and quickly chimed in, "That's right! I was drinking too. We were drinking together, so I wasn't quite myself when I was talking!"

"Drinking?" Hong Zhiyou laughed.

"What a great excuse for being drunk! What a great excuse for being out of it!"

"Captain Zhou, could you please bring up the tape recorder?"

Zhou Yi understood and placed a tape recorder on the table.

Hong Zhi bit his lip, snapped his fingers, and then pressed the play button as if to vent his anger.

The next second, the conversation from the interrogation room last night came through the recorder clearly.

"So, you're denying all the charges against you by the police department?"

This is Zhang Chunyuan's voice, full of official jargon.

"of course."

This was Hong Zhiyou's straightforward answer.

Then came Tanaka's voice, filled with cruel glee: "You can understand it this way. Today, you have to confess, whether you like it or not!"

Following this was Hong Zhiyou's relentless questioning, and Zhang Chunyuan's forced admission: "Yes!"

The voice on the tape was clear and logical, showing no signs of being drunk.

The entire conference room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop, and everyone's expressions became incredibly varied.

Hong Zhi turned off the tape recorder and looked at the two idiots with a smile.

"Sirs, listen to this! Does this sound like someone who's drunk?" he demanded loudly.

Zhou Yi spoke up again at the opportune moment: "Reporting, sir, I did not smell any alcohol at the interrogation last night."

Tanaka had completely panicked and started spouting nonsense: "No smell of alcohol doesn't mean I didn't drink it! I... I washed up before the interrogation, is that not allowed?"

Hong Zhiyou's smile widened even more.

"good very good."

He clapped his hands, seemingly applauding Tanaka's "wit".

"So, you two admit that you were drunk and not thinking clearly at the time, which is why you said those things you wanted to torture me to force me to confess, right?"

Without a second thought, Tanaka nodded immediately: "Yes! That's exactly it!"

Hong Zhiyou's gaze then turned to Zhang Chunyuan, as if he were looking at a clown.

"Section Chief Zhang, is it yes or no?"

Zhang Chunyuan had already realized that this guy's mouth was even more sharp than a judge's, and the more he said, the more mistakes he would make. So he didn't dare to easily respond and just kept his head down, muttering to himself without saying a word.

"Section Chief Zhang! Please answer truthfully!"

Yano Otosaburo drew his sidearm and slammed it heavily on the table, demanding in a deep voice, "Answer the question! Is it yes or no!"

Zhang Chunyuan was terrified. He knew he was forced into a corner with no way out, so he could only grit his teeth and squeeze out a single word in a barely audible voice: "Yes."

"Ah!"

"Commander-in-Chief Shibuya, officers, you all heard that!"

He surveyed the entire room, his voice suddenly becoming impassioned:
"You keep saying that I am a high-ranking red flag leader who is lurking in Harbin and a major threat to the empire."

"And what happened? Chief Shibuya sent two drunken, incoherent guys to interrogate such an important 'prisoner' as me?"
"You really think highly of me, Hong Zhiyou!"

Saburo Shibuya's face was so dark it was almost frozen.

Those two damn stupid pigs!

They fell into Hong Ji-yoo's damned, cunning rhetoric once again!

However, with Yano Otosaburo and Kato Keiichi present, he was unable to vent his anger and could only suppress it deep inside, feeling as if his internal organs were burning.

Hong Zhi gave him no chance to catch his breath, and stepped forward to continue:
"Everyone heard that, they have admitted that they were drunk and not in their right mind when they interrogated me!"
"Then I ask you, can their words and accusations be counted?"
"Can it be used as evidence?" "Since that's the case, I was forced to sign that false confession due to torture and threats from two drunkards. Now, in front of you fair officials, isn't it only right that I overturn that confession?!"

"absurd!"

Yano Otosaburo suddenly stood up, his face full of "furious".

He pointed at Tanaka and Zhang Junyuan's noses and cursed: "As officials of Manchukuo and soldiers of the Empire, you actually neglected your duties while drunk and talking nonsense when handling such an important case!"
"You are insulting the Empire! You are committing a crime!"

Tanaka and Zhang Junyuan were thoroughly scolded. The two of them stood there, their faces ashen, trembling like leaves.

Both of them are still in a daze.

What was supposed to be a good show of interrogating Hong Zhiyou turned into a meeting of self-criticism.
For a moment, it felt like the two of them had swallowed a dead fly, stuck in their throats, unable to spit it out or swallow it down; the feeling was indescribably unpleasant.

Yano Otosaburo turned his head and looked sternly at Shibuya Saburo: "Chief Shibuya, you are in charge of this case. In this situation, don't you have anything to say?"

Shibuya Saburo took a slight breath, and his gloomy face instantly returned to a gentlemanly calm.

He spoke slowly, his voice revealing neither joy nor anger: "It seems that Mr. Tanaka and Section Chief Zhang did indeed use the wrong interrogation methods, which violates the image and discipline of Imperial soldiers and is unforgivable."

He first admitted his mistake, then changed the subject.

"However, Section Chief Hong may question the problems with their interrogation methods, but the evidence is solid."

"Faced with irrefutable evidence, any defense seems pale and powerless."

"The witnesses and physical evidence are crystal clear."

"I believe that the two generals will be able to make a fair and impartial decision."

He defined the actions of Tanaka and Zhang Junyuan as "procedural errors," clinging to the "physical evidence" and trying to steer the case back onto a path favorable to himself.

Yano Otosaburo looked at Hong Zhiyou: "Section Chief Hong, what do you have to say about this evidence?"

Hong Zhiyou didn't take the bait at all. Instead, he took a step forward and stared intently at Shibuya Saburo:

"Chief Shibuya, you just said that this evidence is irrefutable. Is that true?"

"In front of the two generals and their colleagues, please reiterate this!"

He wanted to pin Shibuya Saburo down on the word "ironclad evidence"!

Shibuya Saburo, being such a cunning old fox, immediately sensed the trap in Hong Zhiyou's words.

This guy's mouth is more potent than poison!

He pondered for a moment, then cleverly replied, "Based on the results of Tanaka-kun's interrogation, I believe this is the case."

He once again placed Tanaka at the forefront.

The implication was that if any problems arose, it would be a matter of Tanaka's interrogation, and not of his business, Shibuya Saburo's.

When necessary, chariots, horses, and cannons can all be discarded.

"Better to die than me, you're really playing it cool..." Hong Zhi sneered inwardly.

"Mr. Shibuya, if I heard you correctly, you used the word 'think'?"

"So, you're not entirely confident about the results of Tanaka's interrogation, are you?" Hong Zhi pressed on relentlessly.

Shibuya Saburo was momentarily at a loss.

Seeing that he was in a predicament, Tanaka quickly stepped forward and said loudly:
"I can take responsibility for the results of my interrogation!"
"These are irrefutable proof!"
"The two underground members of the Red Ticket organization, who are hiding in Futai Fur Shop and Yongshengkui Tea House, can confirm that all these materials are crystal clear!"

As soon as he said this, Commander Kato suddenly sneered.

"Tanaka-kun, are you sure you didn't drink alcohol when you interrogated those two witnesses?"

"Ha ha!"

Gao Bin was the first to burst out laughing.

Zhou Yi and Chen Jingyu also smiled slightly, clearly indicating that Hong Zhiyou had firmly grasped the situation.

Tanaka's face instantly turned a deep liver color, filled with shame and indignation, yet unable to retaliate.

He suddenly raised his hand, his expression becoming extremely solemn: "I swear to His Majesty the Emperor! I was absolutely not under the influence of alcohol during their interrogation, and I was fully conscious!"

“Alright.” Yano Otosaburo nodded and looked at Shibuya Saburo: “In that case, Chief Shibuya, bring up the witnesses.”

Shibuya Saburo's ominous premonition grew stronger.

But he was already in a difficult position and could only wave his hand reluctantly.

Soon, Peng Hu and Jia Chong were brought up.

Both of them were given clean clothes, and there were no obvious injuries on their faces.

This was something Tanaka deliberately did to make the confession appear more "voluntary."

But now, these actions that seemed flawless at the time have made Saburo Shibuya extremely uneasy.

If these two people recant their confessions on the spot, their "clean" appearance will become the best proof that they are trying to cover up the truth!
Miao Futian began reading out the confessions of Peng Hu and Jia Chong.

In the conference room, everyone's hearts were in their throats.

They knew the decisive moment had arrived!
Only Hong Zhiyou remained calm and composed.

Are you kidding me?
Peng Hu's parents died at the hands of the Japanese devils. This boy is resolute and I have treated him well. I have given him enough money and status. How could he be bought off by Tanaka's little favors?
As for Jia Chong, he was Wu Jingzhong's confidant, one of his own.

If he dared to change his mind and challenge the bottom line of the Military Intelligence Bureau's Iron-Blooded Youth Assassination Group, given that he was not going to die, he would be incredibly stupid.

Jia Chong is clearly not a fool.

"Is the above statement true?" Yano Otosaburo asked sternly.

Peng Hu slowly raised his head.

In that instant, the seemingly weak expression on his face vanished without a trace, replaced by a sharpness and ferocity like a tiger unleashed from its cage!
Shibuya Saburo thought to himself: This is bad!

Suddenly, Peng Hu ripped open his shirt, revealing crisscrossing, bloody wounds on his chest!

"What utterly ridiculous evidence! It's all fake!"

He pointed to the wounds and roared at everyone: "They deliberately hid a radio in my house to frame our boss, and then tortured me!"
"I really couldn't take it anymore, so I had to go along with their nonsense to save my life!"

"Gentlemen, think about it. I'm just a hunter who grew up in the mountains. I can't even read properly. How could I possibly send a telegram?"

Jia Chong immediately joined in the crying and shouting: "That's right!"
"They said that if we didn't do as they said, they would beat us to death!"

"That Tanaka also said that as long as we identify the boss as a red ticket holder, he will let us go immediately and give us a large sum of money!"
"All of this evidence was fabricated by them!"

Hong Zhiyou stepped forward at the opportune moment, looked around the room, and said with great distress, "Comrades, you have all heard and seen this!"

"It's torture and forced confessions again! It's coercion and bribery again!"
"It seems that Chief Shibuya has really gone to great lengths to kill me!"

"Bagaya road!"

Tanaka's mentality completely collapsed.

Like a mad dog, he pointed at Peng Hu and Jia Chong and cursed, "You two damned Chinese pigs! You're utterly wicked!"

"You are all in cahoots, you are all Hong Zhiyou's accomplices, you are traitors and parasites of the empire!"
"You have betrayed His Majesty the Emperor!"

"You will all be cast into hell by Amaterasu!"

Tanaka, as if possessed, pointed at the crowd and shouted.

Captain Murakami strode forward and slapped him hard across the face: "Baka, you stupid bastard! As an Imperial soldier, I am ashamed of you."

Military police immediately pinned down the frantically struggling Tanaka.

Commander Kato looked at Shibuya Saburo, whose face was ashen, with a cold smile:
“Mr. Shibuya, it seems your ‘belief’ is correct; these testimonies are indeed unreliable.”

"The situation seems quite clear now."

"What do you think?"

Shibuya Saburo's gaze swept over the crowd, landing coldly and ruthlessly on Tanaka, who was being held down tightly.

He uttered four words calmly:
"I am disappointed."

These four words, like five cold knives, instantly pierced through all of Tanaka's hopes and fantasies.

He froze, his face filled with despair and disbelief.

He knew he had been abandoned.

It was completely discarded.

Tanaka knelt down in despair and bowed deeply to Shibuya Saburo:

"Mr. Shibuya! I have failed your teachings and guidance!"

Tanaka stood up and faced Yano Otosaburo and the others: "I did it all. It has nothing to do with Mr. Shibuya."

After saying that, he stared intently at Hong Zhiyou with an extremely venomous gaze:
"The empire will ultimately fall to a villain like you!"
"We will ultimately perish because of your apathy!"

Then, he suddenly let out a fervent shout:

"God bless the Empire! God bless the Emperor!"

With a shout, he drew the short sword that symbolized the honor of a warrior from his waist and plunged it into his abdomen, then suddenly pulled it horizontally!
Wow!

……

(End of this chapter)