Spy wars start with lurking Secretary Hong

Chapter 470 Assassin Zhou Yan

Mu Liancheng's hand holding the teacup trembled slightly.

He knew very well that Matsuda Shin was using him as a pawn.

If it works, Hong Zhiyou and the forces behind him will definitely make trouble for me.

If he loses, Matsuda Nobu will blame him and might even use the opportunity to get rid of him.

As one of their own, Mu Liancheng was all too aware of the Japanese devils' despicable and ruthless nature.

He suppressed his fear and forced a smile: "Mr. Matsuda, Master Zhang and I do have some connections, and those thousands of brothers in the Canal Gang can be put to use."

"But... this Hong Zhi was able to kill Shibuya Saburo outside the Great Wall, he's definitely not someone to be trifled with. If he fails, my Mu family will be in serious trouble..."

He paused, then tentatively asked, "Do you have any other tricks up your sleeve?"

Matsuda Shin slammed his teacup down on the table with a dull thud.
"Boss Mu."

"Just do your job well."

"Don't ask if you shouldn't ask."

These words were extremely impolite, and Mu Liancheng's face flushed red and then turned pale, extremely embarrassed.

"Hey, Old Mu, what are you hesitating for!"

Du Juan, swaying her hips, leaned closer and said in a sickeningly sweet voice, "It's rare to have Matsuda-kun backing us up, what are you still hesitating for? Honestly, you're so afraid of everything, you're a waste of your position as the president of the chamber of commerce!"

Mu Liancheng was burning with anger.

This stupid woman!
Long hair, short wits!
This is a matter of life and death, and she's still stirring things up here. She's really courting death!
He cursed inwardly, but stood up with a cheerful smile, cupping his hands in a gesture of respect to Matsuda Shinichi: "Madam is right, I was overthinking it. Rest assured, Mr. Matsuda, I will do my utmost to ensure that Hong Zhi never returns!"

Matsuda Shin's expression softened, and he picked up his teacup: "Good, Boss Mu is indeed a wise and shrewd person who knows when to yield."

"I offer tea in place of wine, wishing us swift success!"

Mu Liancheng quickly raised his glass: "Successfully killed the traitor!"

Just as the two were about to clink glasses, a clear and lively voice came from outside the door.

"Uncle, I'm back!"

Just then, a girl with lively pigtails skipped in.

A blue top, a knee-length skirt, white stockings, and black leather shoes—this is a typical outfit for a female high school student.

Her oval face, full of collagen, paired with a pair of big, watery eyes, exuded the grace and purity of a young girl.

The youthful energy that wafted over made the originally gloomy and calculating atmosphere in the living room feel much fresher.

The lustful Matsuda Shin's eyes widened instantly.

"Sigh!"

His Adam's apple bobbed, and he exclaimed in broken Chinese, "What a gorgeous young lady! Boss Mu, who is this?"

Before Mu Liancheng could speak, Du Juan had already drawn a long face and said sarcastically, "This is Old Mu's niece, named Wanqiu."

“My parents died early, and I had nowhere to go, so I just stayed at our house. I’m a complete money-loser.”

Mu Wanqiu's smiling face suddenly turned cold.

She was going through a rebellious teenage period and couldn't bear such public humiliation.

She sneered and retorted without any politeness: "I've been with my uncle since I was six years old. He treats me like his own daughter and has never mistreated me."

"But some people, I don't know what they're thinking when they marry into the Mu family, they just keep running around outside all day."

"Hey! You disrespectful brat!"

Du Juan was so angry that her eyebrows stood on end, and she pointed at Wan Qiu, about to explode: "You've gone too far!"

"okay!"

Mu Liancheng raised his hand to interrupt her, and said in a deep voice, "Why are you arguing with a child!"

He turned to Wanqiu and said, "Wanqiu, do not be rude. Quickly greet Mr. Matsuda."

Mu Wanqiu then reluctantly bowed to Matsuda Shin: "Greetings, Matsuda-kun."

Matsuda Shin smiled so hard his eyes narrowed into slits, and he was about to ask Wanqiu to sit down and have a cup of tea with him.

Mu Liancheng spoke first: "Wanqiu, go upstairs to review your lessons. This is none of your business."

"Got it, uncle."

Mu Wanqiu obediently responded and turned to walk upstairs.

Matsuda Shin's gaze was glued to Wanqiu's shapely buttocks, which swayed slightly with her steps, until her figure disappeared around the corner of the stairs.

He reluctantly withdrew his gaze, swallowing hard... What a tantalizing girl.

Seeing that Wanqiu was unlikely to come downstairs, Matsuda Shin exchanged a few meaningless pleasantries and then got up to take his leave.

Mu Liancheng said to Du Juan, "Du Juan, go and see Matsuda-kun off."

"Ok."

Du Juan immediately put on a charming smile, swaying her slender waist and gracefully seeing Matsuda Shin off to the door.

When he arrived at the car in the yard, Matsuda Shin felt a surge of heat and restlessness as he thought of Mu Wanqiu's pure yet alluring figure.

He yanked open the car door and growled at Du Juan, "Get in!"

Du Juan giggled and climbed into the car without hesitation.

As soon as the car door closed, Matsuda Shin pounced on her like a hungry wolf, showering Du Juan with kisses and then impatiently unbuckling his belt.

"No...Matsuda-kun..."

Du Juan pushed him away, panting, "Old Mu is still at home, it wouldn't be good if he saw us."

"he?"

Matsuda Shin let out a disdainful sneer:

"Just a piece of trash!"

"Without our Great Japanese Empire, he wouldn't even be qualified to be a dog!"

"I'm already giving him a huge favor by not messing with you in front of him!"

Matsuda Shin grabbed Du Juan's chin and stared at her intently: "What, don't you miss me?"

"Yes, of course I do."

Du Juan's eyes immediately became docile and flattering, and her voice was so sweet it could melt your heart.

"I think of you every moment, Matsuda-kun."

"When I was with that old man, all I could think about and talk about was you."

As she spoke, Du Juan lowered her head gently.

Matsuda Shin leaned back comfortably in his seat and closed his eyes.

His mind was filled with Wanqiu's pure face and her graceful, vibrant figure.

The window of the study on the second floor.

Mu Liancheng stood expressionless in the shadows, coldly watching the car outside the courtyard gate.

His marriage to Du Juan was essentially a transaction.

He wanted her to connect with the Japanese so he could make more money for himself.

To him, women are like clothes in a wardrobe: he wears them if they're useful, and throws them away if they're not.

People need to save face, just as trees need bark.

Mu Liancheng is now a prominent figure in Tianjin, and everyone who sees him respectfully calls him "Master Mu".

Unfortunately, this Matsuda Shin repeatedly used his past relationship with Du Juan to humiliate himself in public.

Du Juan, that shameless woman, not only had no self-respect, but also deliberately flattered him every time, causing him to lose face and become the laughing stock of the entire Tianjin.

He could tolerate all of these things.

But today, this woman is terribly wrong.

In discussing such a life-or-death matter as assassinating Hong Zhiyou, she actually dared to overstep her bounds, make decisions for herself, and foolishly chime in, pushing him into the fire.

Mu Liancheng could disregard Du Juan's past philandering and ignore her extravagant lifestyle.

The premise is that she can bring herself enough benefit.

Now it seems that this woman is showing signs of squandering money, and the harm she has caused far exceeds the value she could have provided.

Since this garment is already dirty, it not only fails to keep you warm but also invites in wind and rain.

Perhaps it's time to get a new outfit.

The temperature in Mu Liancheng's eyes gradually cooled down, turning into a chilling cold.

"uncle……"

Mu Wanqiu walked over at some point, her eyes red, and asked aggrievedly, "That woman is ruining your reputation everywhere, why do you still tolerate her?"

"The rumors circulating outside are really awful."

Mu Liancheng turned around, his cold expression instantly melting away, replaced by a gentle smile.

He reached out and ruffled Wanqiu's hair, saying softly, "Little girl, you're still young."

"In this world, people are not in control of their own lives, so what does a little reputation matter?"

"You'll understand when you grow up."

Looking into his niece's clear eyes, he solemnly promised, "Don't worry, with your uncle here, no one in this world can hurt you."

“But I don’t like her.” Mu Wanqiu pouted, her face full of disgust. “Just you wait.”

"Everything will be alright."

He turned and walked back to his desk, his eyes turning cold and sharp once more.

Mu Liancheng picked up the phone and dialed a number.

After the call connected, he spoke slowly in a completely emotionless tone:
"Hello, is this Xiao Xie? I'd like to buy a few old things."

"See you at Donghai Tea House this afternoon."

……

Inside a suite at the Astor Hotel, Hong Zhiyou was slowly and methodically cutting a steak, the aroma of red wine filling the room.

Xiao Guohua pushed open the door and walked in, his expression solemn.

"Why are you back so early?"
"It's a rare opportunity to come back to Jinhai, shouldn't you spend more time at home with your wife and kids?"

Hong Zhiyou didn't even look up, and pointed his knife at the chair opposite him.

Xiao Guohua has a son and a daughter. His daughter, Duoduo, is his future daughter-in-law.

However, the little girl probably hasn't been born yet.

"No."

Xiao Guohua shook his head and sat down in the chair.

"I'm here on a mission, not to visit family. I just need to go home for a quick look."

He lowered his voice, his brow furrowing into a frown, and continued:

"Section Chief, the situation is not good. I just took a walk outside and found a lot of suspicious figures."

"Jinhai has always been a place where hidden talents reside."

"Many martial arts masters who retired from the Qing Dynasty, as well as those who ran escort services and traveled the Jianghu during the old Beiyang period, are now out of work and are taking on jobs in the black market to carry out assassinations."

"These people are extremely cunning. They have killed even some high-ranking Japanese and puppet government officials. As long as the money is right, they dare to kill anyone."

"Moreover, local gangs were deeply entrenched, such as the largest canal gang, which also sided with the Japanese."

"Although Shibuya Saburo is dead, he still has many followers in Tsukai, including many local Japanese military officers."

“If these officers collude with the canal gangs, our situation will probably be even more dangerous.”

His tone grew increasingly heavy.

"If they can hire people, so can we."

Hong Zhi put down his knife and fork, wiped his mouth with a napkin, and showed no sign of nervousness.

"Come on, let's go meet a friend."

The two quickly changed into inconspicuous clothes and quietly left through the back door of the hotel.

A rickshaw took them to the Haihe River.

The winter night was bitterly cold, but a man dressed in thin clothes stood motionless like a statue, fishing by the river.

"Old Zhou, I'm here."

Hong Zhiyou walked over and naturally sat down next to him.

"We don't know each other well."

The man didn't turn his head; his voice was as cold as ice shards in a river.

He was in his early forties, with a short beard, and his eyes were fixed on the broken ice.

He was Zhou Yan, an old acquaintance of Hong Zhiyou and a follower of Wang Yaqiao, the King of Assassins.

He is also one of the top assassins on the Tianjin coast.

“Since it was Mr. Qiu who invited me, I will naturally protect you,” Zhou Yan said coldly.

Hong Zhi was about to speak when Zhou Yan interrupted him:
I know where you live.

"I will appear when the time is right."

Zhou Yan paused, then added:
"For your safety, I've hired an even more capable person for you, who will ensure your safety at all times."

"Thank you very much," Hong Youzhi said.

Sitting next to Zhou Yan, his menacing aura that kept strangers at bay actually gave me a long-lost sense of security.

As expected of Old Zhou, his bodyguard who has been with him his whole life.

He was looking forward to taking advantage of this rare moment of peace to enjoy the night view of the Haihe River.

Zhou Yan asked impatiently, "Why aren't you leaving yet?"

“Look at the Haihe River, the scenery is nice,” Hong Zhiyou replied casually, his hand unconsciously draped over his shoulder.

A hint of wariness flashed in Zhou Yan's eyes, and his right hand swiftly reached for the short axe at his waist.

Almost at the same time, Xiao Guohua also immediately reached for the pistol at his waist.

Swish!
A whooshing sound suddenly rang out.

Xiao Guohua felt a sharp pain on the back of his hand. Before he could react, a crisp "ding" sound came from the wall not far behind him.

He looked down and saw a bloody gash on the back of his hand, from which blood was slowly seeping out.

On the wall, a two-inch-long iron nail was driven in most of the way.

That's some impressive strength!
The other party clearly held back, only managing to scrape his skin.

If they were aiming for my throat, I'd be dead by now.

Zhou Yan let out a cold laugh, too lazy to even pick up the fishing rod on the ground, and strode straight up into the night.

"Old Zhou, your fishing rod!" Hong Zhiyou called from behind.

Zhou Yan didn't turn his head, and his figure quickly disappeared into the darkness.

Hong Zhi was speechless.

We're old buddies, would it kill you to sit with me and chat for a bit longer?
When you get old, I'll get those foreign devils to give you a good beating.

Xiao Guohua took out a handkerchief from his pocket, wiped the blood from his hands, and instead of fear, a hint of joy appeared on his face:

"Section Chief Hong, this Mr. Zhou is incredibly skilled. With him protecting me in secret, I feel much more at ease."

Hong Zhi smiled and asked him, "How many moves can you go toe-to-toe with him?"

Xiao Guohua shook his head with a wry smile.

"We have learned some assassination techniques, but the main purpose is to gather intelligence."

"Compared to such professional, top-notch assassins, they are not even in the same league."

"He could kill me in the blink of an eye."

Xiao Guohua glanced at the iron nails on the wall with lingering fear, and added, "He's already so capable, and he even hired someone more capable than him. Section Chief Hong's safety is guaranteed."

"Actually, you are already very capable and professional."

"He is the last disciple of 'Sharpshooter' Li Shuwen, it's normal that you can't compare to him."

Hong Zhi smiled.

However, he also had some doubts.

As far as he knew, in Tianjin, apart from Ke Chengwu, who gave the Chairman nightmares, there were probably few people who could fight better than Lao Zhou.

Ke Chengwu is a typical royalist, and has always been despised by Lao Zhou and his gang, so it's impossible for them to go to him.

Who would that be?
Without giving it any further thought, Hong Zhi took Xiao Guohua back to the hotel.

As soon as he entered, Ren Changchun came forward and reported in a low voice:
"Section Chief, I just spotted a sneaky kid trying to sneak onto our floor, but I caught him."

"He said he was a student at Beiyang University and was doing part-time work distributing flyers."

"Small cards?"

Hong Zhi curiously took it.

They call them small cards, but they're really just a few crudely printed black and white pieces of paper.

The print features photos of several women in cheongsams, striking seductive poses, each heavily made up.

Below the photo are the names of several brothels, including Xiuchunlou, along with a phone number.

These days, some people already know how to use this method for precise targeting; they're really clever.

"Where is he? Bring him here," Hong Zhiyou ordered.

Soon, a tall, thin man wearing a blue school uniform and a school cap was pushed in.

As soon as he came in, he stammered in his own defense:

"I...I'm really a student. My family is poor, so I'm out distributing these cards to make a living."

"Besides, it's perfectly natural for a man to... to find a woman. How can a reasonable need be called sneaky?"

Hong Zhi recognized the person's face and a smile appeared on his face.

It’s not a waste of time to break through the iron shoes.

This kid is none other than Xie Ruolin, the old friend he was planning to find.

……

(End of this chapter)