Spy wars start with lurking Secretary Hong

Chapter 489 Uncle's Stern Warning

Early in the morning.

Xu Yunying nestled in Hong Zhiyou's arms. After the tender moment, her voice was languid yet exceptionally clear.

"Let's make this clear first: after I have the baby, I'll go back to the mountains."

Hong Zhiyou was enjoying the tranquility with his eyes closed when he couldn't help but open them and pinch her nose:

What's so great about the mountains that makes you so attached to them?
"You're willing to abandon me and my child?"

Xu Yunying rested her head on his arm, her eyes gazing at the ceiling, where there was nothing, but there was light in her eyes.

"free."

She paused, then her tone became incredibly firm.

"I am determined to fight the Japanese devils."

Hong Zhi chuckled lightly: "I find it quite strange. Your father was no good man when he crossed the Three Rivers River. He committed arson, murder, robbery, and all sorts of evil deeds. How did he end up with such a conscious daughter like you?"

“My father wasn’t a good person,” Xu Yunying said without hesitation, “but at least he dared to confront the Japanese devils with a knife and didn’t become a traitor.”

“I know that you city folks look down on us bandits, and you also look down on women.”

"I don't expect to be as powerful as Commander Yang or General Zhao."

"I was just thinking that if I could kill one, that would be one."

Her voice was soft, yet it carried an undeniable resolve.

Hong Zhiyou fell silent.

He thought of many people: his younger sister who was not afraid to sacrifice herself for her ideals, Yong Manzhu, the female students who died under Lu Qiaoshan's gun, and Zhang Pingjun and his girlfriend.

Many people think their choice was really stupid and naive.

But their love for it comes from the bottom of their hearts; it is genuine.

The sacrifices they made became insignificant the moment they chose to walk that path.

It was precisely because of countless such "fools" that he had the privilege of witnessing firsthand how the red tide ultimately routed the well-equipped Chiang Kai-shek's army, and even the seventeen-nation coalition on the Korean Peninsula.

MacArthur was so badly beaten that he questioned the meaning of life.

A nation always needs some fearless, stubborn people.

Hong Zhi tightened his arms, holding her even closer in his embrace. Looking at her slightly furrowed, spirited brows, he nodded and said:

"Okay, fighting the Japanese is fine."

"But listen to me carefully, if you really get to the point of no return, you are not allowed to fight to the death. You must live until you see me."

"I will do everything I can to get you out."

Xu Yunying turned her head, kissed him on the chin, and laughed: "I won't get caught."

She carefully stretched out her slender fingers and began to count.

"Look at this, if I can kill three Japanese soldiers a day, that's more than a thousand a year."

"In ten years, we can kill more than 10,000 Japanese soldiers."

"There are so many Chinese people, how many Japanese devils are there?"
"If even one percent of people stand up and follow my lead in carrying out this 'kill three traitors a day' plan."

"It won't even take ten years to wipe out all the Japanese devils in Manchukuo!"

Hong Zhi was amused by her naive algorithm:
"Do you think the Japanese soldiers are wooden stakes, standing there motionless for you to kill for nothing?"

"If you were really allowed to take down three Japanese soldiers a day, their cannons and planes would have already leveled Laotuo Mountain."

"Hmph!" Xu Yunying snorted defiantly and glared at him.
"You're clearly used to being a traitor, boosting the morale of others while diminishing your own."

Hong Zhiyou held her soft waist and breathed hot air into her ear: "You called me a traitor, yet you're still eager to have my baby?"

Xu Yunying's cheeks flushed, but her eyes were bright as she stared at him.

"Because you are... a fake traitor."

She leaned close to his ear, her voice low but clear.

"I secretly met with members of the Anti-Japanese United Army while I was on the mountain."

"They did not suffer casualties due to the germ warfare, and their medical supplies, firearms, and radios were all upgraded."

“The ‘crops’ that you had Hao Guifang secretly plant in the woods, my men are picking them up, and the Anti-Japanese Allied Army is picking them up too.”

She looked up and spoke each word carefully.

"You're a red ticket!"

Fuck you!

Why are you making baseless accusations?

Hong Zhi was startled and slapped her hard on her pert buttocks.

Snapped!
"What nonsense are you talking about? I'm not a pro-banker, I'm a pure businessman."

Xu Yunying hissed in pain and said reproachfully, "You hit me hard!"

She then laughed and said, "You're a businessman, so you're also Hu Xueyan who funded Zuo Zongtang's recapture of Xinjiang!"

"do you know?"

Her voice suddenly softened:

"When I saw the Anti-Japanese Allied Army soldiers finding medicine in the mountains, how happy they were... At that time, I really liked you and missed you very much."

Hong Zhi pushed her and deliberately put on a stern face: "Get lost, you're just after my money."

Xu Yunying took the opportunity to wrap herself around him, like a beautiful snake, hanging on him and winking playfully.

"I love money, I love people, I love them all to death."

As she spoke, she wrapped her arms around Hong Zhiyou's neck, her breath sweet as orchids.

"Get up and come again."

Hong Zhi was immediately at his wit's end.

"Stop joking, I'm really scared."

Xu Yunying refused to give in and kept rubbing against him.

"I don't care, I can't wait any longer, I have to get you pregnant tonight!"

Hong Zhi was both amused and exasperated: "You woman, you really are an unreasonable female bully."

"Oh well, I guess I'll just have to risk my life to accompany the female bandit."

……

The next day.

Hong Zhiyou took leave for the first time ever.

He was weak.

I was really exhausted. My legs were as weak as noodles, and I felt like my body had been hollowed out. I couldn't get up at all.

It was almost 10 a.m. when he finally dragged his tired body to the police station.

Just as I was about to enter the office, I bumped into Lu Ming.

As soon as Lu Ming saw him, he immediately put on a big smile and came over.

"Section Chief Hong, I heard that Boss Xu has come down the mountain?"

He looked Hong Zhiyou up and down, winking and teasing, "You look more haggard than if you'd plowed ten miles of land."

As he spoke, he mysteriously pulled a small porcelain bottle from his pocket and handed it to Hong Zhiyou.

"Here you go. My cousin who sells medicinal herbs gave it to me. He said it works wonders and will make you energetic and vigorous."

Hong Zhiyou took the bottle, opened it, and smelled it; it smelled of deer antler and ginseng.

He smiled and accepted it.

"Thanks."

When Lu Ming saw that he had accepted the gift, he felt a huge weight lifted off his shoulders, and his smile became even more genuine: "Look at you, we're like brothers, no need to be so polite."

"I'll treat you to dinner later."

Hong Zhi waved his hand and walked straight into the office. Before he could even sit down, Gao Bin pushed the door open and came in.

He glanced at Hong Zhiyou from head to toe and asked, "Is there any chance this time?"

Hong Zhi yawned and said weakly, "There's hope. Master Xu said that no matter what happens in the future, he has to leave a seed for our Gao family before he leaves."

"Okay! Okay!"

Gao Bin nodded in satisfaction. Women of the martial arts world are known for keeping their promises and being loyal.

Then, he changed the subject, a hint of amusement on his face.

"But did you miss something important last night?"

Hong Zhi slapped his forehead, then remembered:
"Oh dear! Look at my memory! Last night I was so focused on getting my aunt a grandson that I completely forgot about the banquet at Director Liu's house!"

Gao Bin smiled: "Having a child isn't something that happens overnight. You have to prioritize things, don't you think?"
"Director Liu summoned me early this morning, his face was very long."

"I heard that his family prepared a big feast last night, and they even stewed a big fish especially for you."

"In the end, we waited in vain."

"You're good at disappearing," Gao Bin scolded, but his eyes were full of laughter.

"However, it's better to stand him up this time."

"That old fox Liu Zhenwen is too cunning; he never takes our Gao family seriously."

"Logically speaking, if he really had no other intentions and no intention to obstruct, he should have taken the initiative to bring up the matter of your marriage with his daughter long ago."

Hong Zhiyou quickly waved his hand: "Uncle, stop, stop."

"I can date his daughter, go out for meals and movies, but marriage is out of the question."

"If I don't get married, I can have as many women as I want and have as many children as I want, and no one can stop me."

"But once you get married and become Liu's son-in-law, many things will become inconvenient."

"Director Liu is also a person who cares about his reputation. It's unreasonable for me to do it this way."

Gao Bin thought about it and realized it made sense: "Alright, you decide for yourself."

"Anyway, now that we have a safety net, someone who's willing to have a child for the Gao family, the rest is up to you."

He paused, then brought up another matter.

"By the way, Fu Jun has been released, you know that, right?"

Hong Zhi nodded: "I know."

Gao Bin's expression turned cold: "Chen Jingyu used underhanded tactics in this matter; he's in cahoots with you. As for Fu Jun, you, Ma Wendong, and I all know perfectly well—he's a high-ranking member of the Anti-Japanese United Army."

He took a puff of his pipe, and his eyes became exceptionally sharp amidst the swirling smoke.

"Old Qiu may be stupid, but he's not blind."

“Now that Fu Jun has been released, in other words, you, especially those involved in this matter, are now being blamed for the corruption.”

Hong Zhi leaned back in his chair, a cigarette dangling from his lips, looking nonchalant: "Uncle."

“Ma Wendong didn’t want to make a big fuss. He was afraid that we would be a hindrance when we were suppressing bandits in the mountains. He didn’t want to get involved with the Anti-Japanese United Army and the Red Army, so he ordered Fu Jun to be released.”

"What does this have to do with me?"

He shrugged, looking completely innocent: "Of course, it's a good thing that Fu Jun is gone, saving us from endless entanglements over this trivial matter."

Gao Bin tapped his pipe in the ashtray, making a crisp sound.

"But Fu Jun changed his testimony at the last minute, that was a clever move."

He stared intently at Hong Zhiyou, scrutinizing every subtle expression on his face: "Are you sure it wasn't someone who instructed you or Chen Jingyu to do this?"

Hong Zhiyou's heart skipped a beat; his uncle had become suspicious.

The fact that a high-ranking member of the Anti-Japanese United Army was released just like that, regardless of whether Ma Wendong had any vested interests in him, was enough to trigger his uncle's sensitive nerves.

In his world, catching red tickets is always the top priority.

Moreover, the fact that his uncle asked this question indicates that he had already secretly investigated and knew that Chen Jingyu had been to the interrogation room.

Thinking of this, Hong Zhi met Gao Bin's gaze calmly: "Uncle, it was indeed me who asked Zhou Yi to deliver the note to Chen Jingyu at the Security Bureau."

"What I was thinking at the time was that Fu Jun couldn't be a red vote. Once his identity was confirmed, that deadbeat Lao Qiu might tear me apart in the report."

“I saw this person on the mountain and knew he was a real red ticket.”

Gao Binsen coldly said, "Can I interpret this as meaning that the germ warfare was actually a failure?"

"Believe me, I know Lao Qiu better than any of you."

"He's not one to make baseless accusations; he only bites hard and won't let go once he's caught a whiff of something."

Hong Zhiyou shrugged.

"I don't know. All I know is to save my own life. Everything on the mountain is none of my business."

He paused, his smile fading, and looked directly at Gao Bin: "Uncle, are you interrogating me?"

Gao Bin tapped his fingers on the table, one tap after another, the rhythm neither too fast nor too slow, yet it seemed to freeze the air in the office.

“You can understand it that way.

I'm afraid you'll be taken advantage of.

“Zhiyou, your uncle is old, but his eyes are not blind and his ears are not deaf.”

"I know more than you think."

He stood up, his tone heavy and unusually serious: "You're my only hope. If you want to become rich and powerful, I will fully support you."

"But if you are determined to take the wrong path and a dead end, even a great god cannot save you."

"Child, take care of yourself!"

After saying that, he put his hands behind his back and walked out without looking back.

Hong Zhiyou stood there, stunned.

His uncle rarely warned him so seriously.

Aside from Zhou Yi, he hadn't dealt with any other red tickets. In other words, his uncle's drastic change in attitude today most likely meant he was targeting Zhou Yi again.

And to some extent, he may have some evidence.

Could it be that the emergence of the Yenching University flag bearer this time was a conspiracy orchestrated by my uncle?

Hong Zhi felt a headache coming on.

If there really was a problem pointing to Zhou Yi, given my uncle's personality, he should have taken action long ago.

Therefore, it must be something implicit, or something for which the evidence is insufficient.

What could it be?

Regardless, I must contact Zhou Yishao soon.

Firstly, it could subtly warn Zhou Yi to be careful, and secondly, it could ease his uncle's emotions.

After all, in his uncle's view, keeping him away from "dangerous" people was a form of care.

If you openly resist, it will only make you look like you have a problem.

……

In the afternoon, Gao Bin took driver Jin out.

Hong Zhiyou stood at the office window, watching the black car disappear around the street corner.

Uncle usually asks him to be his driver when he goes out to meet important informants.

It seems that his uncle no longer trusts him.

This trust likely stemmed from the belief that he was being used by Zhou Yi, or someone else whom his uncle considered problematic.

Gao Bin's car stopped in a remote area in the south of the city.

He walked alone into a dark, damp alley, stopped at the end of an inconspicuous wooden door, and knocked rhythmically.

The door opened, and he slipped inside.

The room was dimly lit, and a middle-aged man smoking a pipe was engrossed in looking at a pile of documents.

Upon seeing Gao Bin, he immediately stood up and greeted him very respectfully.

Gao Bin waved his hand and asked bluntly, "Old Cao, how's the investigation going?"

Old Cao's real name is Cao Zhiqing. He used to be one of his subordinates. Now he works in the underground intelligence trade in Harbin. He is very professional and has a good reputation. He has many followers.

Cao Zhiqing handed over a document: "Gu Qiuyan's identity is indeed problematic."

"This person graduated from Fengtian National High School and then went to Moscow to study piano."

"But our informants in Moscow discovered that she had been in close contact with some progressive groups."

He pulled one out of a pile of photos.

"Look at this one, it's a photo taken from her graduation photo at the music academy."

“We have consulted many people and can confirm that Gu Qiuyan was absent for about a month during her studies in Moscow.”

"According to our investigation of that progressive group, during the same period, two other members of the group also had records of being away from their residences and schools for extended periods of time."

He then took out a solo photo of a woman.

"This is one of them, her name is Liu Ping."

"This woman is currently a radio operator in the underground Kuomintang intelligence network in Beiping. She was captured by the Japanese army some time ago."

"According to her confession, she had received special training in telegraphy at the Soviet Red Army intelligence headquarters. She was originally a Red Army agent, but later defected with her current husband and joined the Military Intelligence Bureau."

Cao Zhiqing pointed to the graduation photo.

"She confirmed that the photo is authentic and pointed out that the Gu Qiuyan you mentioned is a student in the same Red Army intelligence training class as her."

"But back then her name wasn't Gu Qiuyan, it was Xu Qingqing."

Gao Bin narrowed his eyes: "Perhaps she used an alias in the Soviet Union, or rather, she is using an alias now."

Cao Zhiqing nodded: "Very likely."

Gao Bin pressed further, "Where is this woman? Can you bring her here?"

Cao Zhiqing shook his head: "He is currently imprisoned in the Beiping Military Police Prison."

"If we're going to ask for the person, I'm afraid Director Ma will have to personally intervene and coordinate with Chief Shanming to get the person from the Japanese military police in Beiping."

"The proper procedures must be followed."

Gao Bin pondered for a moment: "Shan Ming and I have a good relationship, he will agree."

"I will personally discuss the procedures for this matter with Director Ma later."

Cao Zhiqing added, "In addition, our investigation found that Gu Qiuyan may have been to Harbin before."

"At least she had a male friend in Harbin."

Gao Bin nodded, his fingers tapping forcefully on the table.

This woman has a lot of problems.

He then asked, "How is things in Beiping?"

Cao Zhiqing's expression became even more serious: "There is a professor at Yenching University named Liu Wensheng. He is a red ticket holder and has long been targeted by the Japanese."

"The Japanese also cultivated their own people among university professors. Through conversation, that person persuaded the naive Professor Liu and proposed a plan that 'youth is the future, early experience leads to early growth.'"

"The students sent this time were sent to the Northeast by Liu Wensheng after he persuaded the underground Red Ticket organization in North China to send a few new people to gain experience."

"Of the three students sent, one was a Japanese spy."

"Old Cao, well done." Gao Bin smiled with satisfaction.

He pulled a thick envelope from his pocket and pushed it over; inside was a stack of Kangde coins and several gleaming gold bars.

"You're really good at this."

"These three people are good bait."

"Whoever takes the bait is the one in trouble; they're easy to catch."

Cao Zhiqing accepted the envelope without hesitation and put it in his pocket: "My skills are all thanks to you."

"This is a golden opportunity to uproot the red tickets in Harbin."

"The mole your brother was worried about is about to be exposed."

At this point, he said with some confusion, "I'm very curious, why did you let Liu Zhenwen involve Zhiyou? You can't possibly suspect him too, can you?"

Gao Bin sighed helplessly: "Sometimes suspicion isn't necessarily a bad thing; it can help him cleanse himself of the dust."

"What if they find out something...?" Cao Zhiqing didn't dare to continue.

Gao Bin looked at him with a cold smile and said nothing.

He immediately put on his hat and said, "Continue the investigation, especially the leads in Harbin."

After saying that, he walked out.

If Zhiyou really has a problem, then it's Cao Zhiqing's time to die!

……

(End of this chapter)