Spy wars start with lurking Secretary Hong

Chapter 473 Killing you is like killing a chicken or a dog
On the stage, gongs and drums resounded.

The play depicts Cao Cao's defeat at Huarong Road, where he unexpectedly encounters Guan Yu.

Qiao Niansheng plays Guan Yu with a red face, phoenix eyes half-open, holding the Green Dragon Crescent Blade, looking majestic and awe-inspiring.

Behind him were seven or eight men dressed as axemen, carrying gleaming swords and spears, walking around the stage while singing in a low voice, but their eyes coldly swept across the audience.

Matsuda Shin held his wine glass, a smug smile playing on his lips.

Qiao Niansheng really loves Peking Opera; otherwise, the performance today would have been completely exposed.

The time has come.

Matsuda Shin put down his wine glass and said with a smile, "Gentlemen, I have always enjoyed reading the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, but there is something I don't understand and would like to ask you about it."

Why did Guan Yu let Cao Cao escape at Huarong Road?
"This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!"

His gaze shifted and landed on Hong Zhiyou. "I wonder what insightful opinion Mr. Hong has?"

Hong Zhi picked up his teacup, gently blew away the foam, and said calmly, "It's nothing more than the words 'profit' and 'righteousness'."

"Guan Yu's flooding of the seven armies was a brilliant strategy. How could he not understand the profound meaning behind the strategist's decision to send him to guard Huarong Road?"

"This move can both settle the debts of gratitude owed in the past and balance the situation in the world, which can be described as killing two birds with one stone."

He paused, then concluded, "In short, Cao Cao should not have died, nor could he have died."

"it is good!"

Matsuda Shin clapped his hands and laughed: "What a brilliant idea of ​​achieving both profit and righteousness! Mr. Hong's theory is indeed extraordinary!"

He glanced sideways at Du Juan.

Du Juan immediately understood and chimed in with a charming smile, "My husband Mu is also well-versed in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms and always has a book in his hand. Perhaps he has a different perspective?"

Mu Liancheng really wanted to slap this stupid woman to death.

Which eye of yours saw me reading Romance of the Three Kingdoms?

Matsuda Shin feigned sudden realization: "Oh? So Mr. Mu is also an expert on the Three Kingdoms. Then tell me, did Cao Cao deserve to die?"

Mu Liancheng broke out in a cold sweat again. He took out a handkerchief and clumsily wiped it away, his eyes darting back and forth between Matsuda Shin and Hong Zhiyou's faces.

"Gentlemen, I'm just a businessman. How could I possibly have the right to interrupt such a refined topic?"

Matsuda Shin's face darkened, and he sneered, "Mr. Mu's concealment of his abilities is rather disappointing."

The pressure was overwhelming, and Mu Liancheng knew he couldn't avoid this hurdle.

The fear on his face and the beads of sweat were all an act for Hong Ji-yoo to show that he was indeed powerless to do what he was told.

Hong Zhi put down his teacup and gestured for him to speak: "Mr. Mu, please speak freely."

Mu Liancheng gritted his teeth and said resolutely, "I deserve to die, but I also don't deserve to die."

"Ah."

Du Juan pouted and complained, "What are you talking about? What do you mean by 'deserve to die' and 'not deserve to die'? Whether a person lives or dies is just a matter of a single sentence, isn't it? You're so fussy."

Mu Liancheng suppressed his anger and forced a gentle smile to explain: "Damn it, it's because Cao Cao held the emperor hostage to command the feudal lords, and everyone in the world has the right to kill him."

"He shouldn't have died. It's because the world was divided into three kingdoms. If Cao Mengde had died, the Sun and Liu families would have become the dominant forces. Who knows how many people would have claimed the title of king or how many would have fought for supremacy? I'm afraid we would have fallen into a tragic situation of warlordism and widespread suffering."

Matsuda Shin wasn't interested in academic discussion; he was already getting impatient: "Boss Mu, so should he die or not?"

Mu Liancheng wiped away his sweat again, his voice trembling, as if he had used up all his strength.

"Damn it, damn it! Cao Cao... damn it!"

"Hahaha!"

Matsuda Shin laughed loudly, looking smugly at Hong Zhiyou: "Hong-san, it seems your theory of immortality isn't very popular in the Mu family."

"Humph!"

Wanqiu snorted coldly and suddenly said, "Mr. Matsuda doesn't know anything about Chinese history."

"We should know that the world will eventually unite after a long period of division, and will eventually divide after a long period of unity. If Cao Cao were still alive, the Han Dynasty would have survived, and Sun Quan and Liu Bei would not have dared to overstep their bounds. The world could then be divided into three parts."

Her clear eyes sparkled with wisdom.

"The benefit of their survival far outweighs their loss, so naturally... they cannot die!"

Matsuda Shin's face grew increasingly gloomy as he looked into Wanqiu's eyes, which were filled with adoration as she gazed at Hong Zhiyou.

"Wanqiu! What nonsense are you spouting! Who gives you the right to speak?"

Mu Liancheng shouted sternly.

Hong Zhi smiled but remained silent.

He didn't want to show that he was very interested in Wanqiu.

With Mu Liancheng looking after her in Tianjin, Wanqiu could live a very comfortable life. Since he had no intention of taking her to the Northeast, it was not appropriate for him to have any designs or schemes on a girl who was only sixteen years old at this time.

Moreover, women are all prone to jealousy. If Huizi really becomes the head of the Mu family in the future, Wanqiu's deep entanglement with her might not be a good thing.

"Miss Wanqiu, I never expected you to be not only beautiful, but also so talented."

At this moment, Huizi spoke softly and personally handed Wanqiu a piece of cut fruit.

"Thank you ma'am."

Wanqiu accepted the fruit, feeling somewhat flattered.

Mu Liancheng and Wanqiu instantly felt more favorably disposed towards the gentle and kind Huizi.

Hong Zhi secretly admired Hui Zi for her skill in winning hearts and minds and maneuvering.

Her intelligence lies in its subtle and pervasive influence, its attention to detail, and its distinctive style.

No wonder that in the original drama, even Old Wu was fooled by her, allowing her to successfully escape with the gold and silver treasures from several rooms belonging to Mu Liancheng.

"Ha ha!"

Matsuda Shin broke the brief harmony with a feigned hearty laugh.

"Boss Mu, it's a rare occasion for us to gather together, so let's raise a glass to celebrate Section Chief Hong's arrival!"

He raised his glass.

Du Juan immediately chimed in, "Yes, yes, let's have a drink!"

She wasn't completely stupid; she could tell that no matter how good-looking Hong Zhiyou was, he wasn't her type, and Matsuda Shin was her true support.

"Oh, okay, okay."

Mu Liancheng glanced at Hong Zhiyou with a bitter expression, then shakily raised his cup.

Hong Zhiyou also smiled and raised his glass.

At the same time, the drumbeats on the stage suddenly became more frequent and urgent, as if a storm was about to break.

"General Guan! Please execute Cao Cao!"

On stage, "soldiers" were shouting at the top of their lungs.

Mu Liancheng held his wine glass, feeling extremely uneasy, cold sweat trickling down his temples.

According to the plan, he should smash the cup.

But looking at the composed Hong Zhiyou across from him, he felt that this man was an exceptional individual, and if the cup were to fall, who knows what terrible disaster it might cause.

Matsuda Shin's gaze was piercing, fixed on him: "Boss Mu, why aren't you drinking?"

This is urging him to hurry up and smash the glass!

"me……"

Mu Liancheng's lips trembled, and he couldn't utter a complete sentence.

Just then, Du Juan suddenly raised her arm and bumped it hard against his arm.

Mu Liancheng sighed inwardly, knowing that he had no choice but to smash the cup.

He'd had enough of this reluctant act in front of Hong Zhiyou.

He could only use this force to pretend that his hand slipped and he couldn't hold it properly.

Snapped!
The crisp cracking sound echoed throughout the courtyard.

The wine glass shattered on the ground.

In the blink of an eye, Qiao Niansheng on the stage suddenly opened his phoenix eyes, shouldered his Green Dragon Crescent Blade, and was about to rush off the stage in one stride!
But just then, another actor suddenly appeared from the side!
The man held a pair of golden maces with tile-shaped surfaces and smashed them down on the back of Qiao Niansheng's head without making a sound!

This person was none other than Zhou Yan, who was working in the opera troupe!

Qiao Niansheng sensed an ominous wind behind him and dared not be careless. He quickly turned around and parried with his sword!

"clang!"

Swords and maces clashed, sparks flew!

This is truly a case of Qin Qiong fighting Guan Yu!
In an instant, the drummers on the stage sounded gongs and drums, and the two fought fiercely on the stage, with the sounds of clashing weapons ringing out incessantly!
Qiao Niansheng was surprised by Zhou Yan's skill and couldn't gain the upper hand for a while. He became furious and shouted, "Where are Zhou Cang and Guan Ping?"

The other assassins on the stage, disguised as axemen, immediately drew their weapons and pounced on Zhou Yan!

"not good!"

When Xiao Guohua saw that Zhou Yan was about to lose, he was about to get up and rush over to help, but Hong Zhiyou reached out and pressed down on his shoulder.

In that brief moment of delay, Qiao Niansheng seized the opportunity to break free from Zhou Yan, roared, and charged straight at Hong Zhiyou with his knife!

Matsuda Shin and the others, who were already prepared, stood up and stepped back at the same time.

Click!

With a loud crash, the large table in front of Hong Zhiyou was cleaved in two by Qiao Niansheng's knife!

Wood chips flying everywhere!

"Thief, take your life!"

Qiao Niansheng's broadsword descended with the force of a thunderbolt!
In a flash, Hong Zhiyou remained still, but his hand trembled, and his coat flew out, blocking Qiao Niansheng's view perfectly!
Qiao Niansheng's vision went black before he could react.

Hong Zhiyou had already pulled his pistol out of the holster under his arm.

Snapped!
He didn't even aim; almost instantly, he emptied the magazine of all the bullets.

The whole process was smooth and fast, completed in one go!
The gunshots subsided.

The suit jacket had just fallen gently when it landed right on the tip of Qiao Niansheng's knife.

Several bloody holes were clearly visible on Qiao Niansheng's chest.

He stared wide-eyed, looking down at his wound in disbelief.

He had considered the possibility that Hong Zhi might have brought a gun, but he never expected that someone could take off their clothes and fire a gun so quickly! If only... if only he could have one more breath.

No, in half a second, his broadsword could split this guy's head in two!
Pfft!
Qiao Niansheng's tall body fell heavily to the ground.

Don't rest your eyes!

"Mr. Hong, did you bring a gun to the banquet?"

Matsuda Shin clenched his fist tightly in secret, forcing a smile as he asked.

"No one told me I couldn't bring a gun in."

Hong Zhi blew away the gunpowder smoke from the muzzle and slowly changed the magazine.

"I'm sorry, I startled Matsuda-kun."

As he spoke, he picked up his gun and slowly walked onto the stage.

He looked at the assassins who had been knocked to the ground by Zhou Yan and were groaning.

Snapped!Snapped!
One man was shot in the forehead.

Then, with his finger hooked around the gun, he slowly walked up to Matsuda Shin.

"It seems that I, Cao Mengde, will not die today."

Matsuda Shin's lips twitched slightly, and he forced a smile, saying, "Mr. Hong is blessed with great fortune and his skills are truly remarkable, which is astonishing."

"Now, let's discuss whether you live or die!"

Hong Zhiyou raised his hand, the dark muzzle of the gun pointed at Matsuda Shin's forehead.

"Mr. Hong, please don't joke around."

Matsuda Shin broke out in a cold sweat: "You are the Commander's friend, and I am the Commander's adjutant. We are on the same side."

Mu Liancheng quickly wiped his sweat and advised, "Yes, yes, we're all friends, let's talk things out, let's talk things out."

"Today, we don't care about friends, we only care about life and death."

Hong Zhiyou said coldly.

Snapped!
There was a gunshot.

The bullet did not hit Matsuda Shin.

It was the cuckoo beside him.

Before Dujuan could even scream, a bloody hole appeared between her eyebrows, and her body went limp, collapsing to the ground like a rag doll.

Hong Zhiyou curled his lips into a wicked smile.

"Sorry, it was a slip of the hand, I dialed the wrong person."

As he spoke, he pointed the gun at Matsuda Shin, whose face was ashen.

The courtyard was deathly silent.

The stench of blood mixed with the smell of gunpowder filled everyone's nostrils, making them want to vomit.

Cold sweat poured down Matsuda Shin's forehead.

He wanted to beg for mercy, but it felt as if an invisible hand was gripping his throat, and he couldn't utter a single word.

"Somebody come!"

Matsuda Shin finally mustered up his courage and shouted at the top of his lungs.

He hoped that the soldiers guarding outside would hear the commotion and rush in to rescue him.

However, no one responded.

Hong Zhi waved his hand, and Ren Changchun understood immediately. He strode over and suddenly opened the gate of the Mu residence.

There was no one outside the door.

There wasn't a single Japanese soldier left.

Matsuda Shin's men had already been sent away by the men sent by Shibayama Kenshiro.

Matsuda Shin's heart sank to the bottom.

He knew that he had no way to escape today.

Hong Zhi withdrew his gaze, looked at Matsuda Shin, whose face was ashen, and slowly said, "I heard you want to have a go at me?"

"Section Chief Hong, it's a misunderstanding... This is absolutely a misunderstanding..."

Matsuda Shin panicked completely, shaking his head frantically, his voice trembling with tears.

"Call him Consultant Hong."

He interrupted Matsuda Shin, correcting him coldly: "Advisor to the Chief of Staff of the Kwantung Army."

Matsuda Shin, utterly humiliated, quickly changed his tune: "Yes, yes, Advisor Hong... this, this really is a misunderstanding..."

He hurriedly explained, "You are friends with Commander Honma, how could I, how could I possibly harm you?"

"You bullshit!"

Wanqiu, who had been hiding behind Mu Liancheng, suddenly stepped forward.

Her face turned deathly pale with fright, and her body was still trembling slightly, but her clear eyes burned with the flames of anger.

"You deliberately forced my uncle today!"

Wanqiu suppressed her fear and pointed at Matsuda Shin in a trembling voice.

"You're the one who brought the person here, and you set up this murder trap! My uncle didn't want to break that cup at all; you were the one who kept pressuring him with your words!"

Although Wanqiu is young, she is not stupid.

She could tell that Hong Zhiyou was already in a bloodthirsty rage. If she didn't stand up for her uncle now, the Mu family might really be in deep trouble.

"Yes, Consultant Hong!"

Seeing this, Mu Liancheng quickly echoed, his face showing helplessness and grievance.

"I'm just a businessman, how could I dare to offend you?"
"It's all Matsuda Shin's fault! He forced me to do this! He said if I didn't comply, he would ruin my family!"

He wiped his sweat with a pained expression.

Matsuda Shin's face turned deathly pale instantly. He knew that he had been betrayed by that old fox, Mu Liancheng.

He roared, his voice stern yet weak: "Advisor Hong! This is Jinhai! I am a major adjutant! This is the Imperial Japanese Army..."

He hasn't finished speaking yet.

"boom!"

Hong Zhiyou pulled the trigger without hesitation.

The bullet pierced Matsuda Shin's forehead precisely, drawing out a cloud of blood.

Matsuda Shin's face froze in horror and disbelief. His body swayed and fell straight backward with a dull thud.

Hong Zhi casually tossed the empty gun on the ground, pulled a cigarette from his pocket, lit it, and took a cold drag.
"Mr. Mu, time is limited, how about we... talk about business?"

Mu Liancheng looked at the dead bodies scattered on the ground, especially Matsuda Shin's unseeing eyes, and his legs trembled like a leaf.

He stammered, "Advisor Hong... how am I supposed to talk to you like this?"

"This guy... he died in my house, and I... I might have to move tomorrow to save my life!"

"Old fox."

Hong Zhi cursed under his breath, but his face remained expressionless.

He stubbed out his cigarette, walked to the lobby, picked up the phone, and expertly dialed a number.

The call was quickly connected.

"I am Hong Zhiyou, Chief of Staff Advisor of the Kwantung Army, and I am here to receive Commander Honma Masaharu."

His tone was calm, yet carried an undeniable authority.

A moment later, a voice came from the other end of the phone.

"Brother, it's me."

Hong Zhiyou's voice instantly became warm and sincere.

"Oh, don't even mention it. Today, while I was a guest at the Mu residence, I encountered assassins sent by Master Zhang of the Canal Gang. Mr. Matsuda was shot and killed while protecting me. I am deeply sorry for this."

"Don't worry, I'm fine, I was just a little frightened."

"Okay, okay, then I won't bother you any longer. Goodbye."

Hong Zhi hung up the phone, his expression returning to its previous indifference.

He turned to Xiao Guohua and instructed, "There's still a survivor on the stage over there. Hand him over to the chief of the agency and tell him to interrogate him tonight. He must find out the crimes of Master Zhang of the shipping gang and avenge Mr. Matsuda!"

"Yes!"

Xiao Guohua accepted the order, went up to the stage, and dragged the gangster assassin, whose leg had been broken and who was still groaning on the ground, out like a dead dog.

Silence returned to the courtyard.

Hong Zhiyou strolled back to Mu Liancheng, looked down at him, and asked indifferently, "Boss Mu, Zhang Siye of the Canal Gang is incredibly audacious. He assassinated an advisor to the Kwantung Army and also murdered Matsuda-kun, the adjutant of Commander Honma."

"Everyone has witnessed this, there's nothing wrong with that, right?"

Where had Mu Liancheng ever seen such extraordinary abilities, capable of turning clouds into rain with a flick of the wrist?

Killing a Japanese major adjutant is as easy as killing a chicken.

He made a phone call and turned black into white, even managing to outmaneuver Master Zhang.

Where are the people here?
This is clearly a devil!

He quickly pulled out a handkerchief and frantically wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, nodding vigorously.

"Yes, yes! No problem, absolutely no problem!"

"Master Zhang deserves to die! He even dared to kill a Japanese officer; he's utterly audacious and deserves to die!"

Hong Zhi nodded in satisfaction:

"So, can we talk business now?"

Mu Liancheng quickly instructed, "Butler Pang, clean this place up. Consultant Hong, let's talk in detail upstairs."

……

(End of this chapter)