Spy wars start with lurking Secretary Hong

Chapter 490 Selling Gao Bin
Gao Bin returned to his office, closed the door, and the entire space was instantly filled with an invisible pressure.

He walked to the window, looking down at the bustling traffic below, but his gaze was vacant, fixed on some unknown distance.

Gu Qiuyan's identity is questionable.

Cao Zhiqing was someone he personally trained; in Harbin's underground intelligence circle, this reputation was synonymous with professionalism and credibility.

Old Cao wasn't the kind of person to talk nonsense. He wouldn't go to Moscow and ask someone to go to Beiping for a few gold bars, making up such a long story to fool himself.

In other words, it can be basically confirmed that Gu Qiuyan, the seemingly gentle and harmless housewife, is very likely a skilled telegraph operator trained by the Soviet intelligence headquarters.

This conclusion was like a key, instantly unlocking all the dusty, unresolved cases in Gao Bin's mind.

The ghost signal that the telecommunications detection vehicle locked onto on Horvat Street.

That idiot Liu Kui even noticed the dust residue on the radio, but they couldn't find any trace of the radio operator at the scene.

And why did Zhou Yi and Gu Qiuyan happen to appear in the mountains at Wolf Head Cliff?

Is it really about going out of town to buy eggs and local produce?

Isn't that too much of a coincidence?

But what if Gu Qiuyan is the telegraph operator for the red tickets?

Then everything makes sense.

The two telegrams were actually sent by the couple themselves.

The most dangerous place is the safest place. They are right under our noses, making everyone run wild.

But why?
Why are they always able to cover it up so conveniently?
In Gao Bin's mind, a figure he least wanted to see became clearer and clearer.

Hong Zhiyou.

His nephew.

If Zhiyou is the red vote, then many things not only make sense, but are practically flawless.

He took advantage of his uncle's complete trust and secretly cooperated with Zhou Yi, one in the open and the other in the dark, to cover for each other and deceive everyone.

Yes, that must be the case.

And Fu Jun.

A high-ranking member of the Anti-Japanese United Army, a position that seemed certain to be established, simply swaggered out of the police station.

Ma Wendong was afraid of trouble, but if Hong Zhiyou hadn't stirred things up, things would never have ended so easily.

Thinking of this, Gao Bin felt as if he had been filled with ice water in the dead of winter, chilling him to the bone.

how could this be?

His most valued nephew turned out to be the enemy he had been relentlessly pursuing.

Of course, Gao Bin is a man who values ​​evidence.

This is especially true since it involves his only nephew.

Until irrefutable evidence is presented, all of this remains speculation.

However, Gao Bin had already prepared himself for the worst.

He slowly sat back in his chair, picked up the pipe on the table, and slowly filled it with tobacco.

If it turns out that Zhiyou, Zhou Yi, and Gu Qiuyan are all red tickets in the end...

That would put an end to my worries.

It's better to be certain and know than to be kept in the dark, unable to sleep at night, and suspicious of everyone around you.

……

Inside a room in an alley.

Assistant Xiao Wu was tidying up the documents on the table. He glanced at Cao Zhiqing's solemn face and asked in a low voice, "Sir, should we continue to dig deeper into the leads between Gu Qiuyan and Hong Zhiyou?"

"What if... I mean what if, if the investigation really leads to Section Chief Hong, this matter could cause a huge problem."

Cao Zhiqing didn't even look up, his voice calm but undeniable: "Investigate, of course we must investigate."

"This is what we do for a living. If we take someone's money, we have to do things clearly and transparently."

"These are the rules, and they are also the foundation for our livelihood in Harbin."

He lit a cigarette, took a drag, and sneered:

"Don't even mention Hong Zhiyou, even that old emperor Puyi, as long as the client can afford the price, we'll find out the color of his underwear."

A barely perceptible glint flashed in Xiao Wu's eyes, and he nodded respectfully: "Understood, sir."

Cao Zhiqing put on his coat and hat, and instructed Xiao Wu, "I've arranged to meet an informant. He'll be back later. Keep an eye on the house."

After saying that, he went downstairs and drove away.

As Cao Zhiqing's car disappeared around the street corner, the respect on Xiao Wu's face vanished instantly.

He hurried downstairs, cautiously surveyed his surroundings, then turned two corners, entered a public phone booth, and quickly dialed a number he knew by heart.

When the call connected, he lowered his voice and spoke very quickly.

"Hello, Section Chief Gao, it's me, Xiao Wu."

"Yes, he just left."

"He said that if you take the money, you have to do the job, and even if it's the emperor, you have to keep investigating."

"Don't worry, I will keep an eye on him and report to you immediately if there is any movement."

After hanging up the phone, Xiao Wu straightened his collar, walked out of the phone booth as if nothing had happened, and disappeared into the crowd.

At this moment, Cao Zhiqing, who was driving, did not go to meet any informants.

He parked his car by a secluded riverbank, where there was no one around.

He slumped over the steering wheel, his shoulders trembling slightly, his expression one of pain and struggle.

Suddenly, he raised his hand and slammed his fist into the steering wheel with all his might!
"Son of a bitch!"

A suppressed curse echoed in the enclosed carriage.

He never expected that Gao Bin, that old fox, had gone through all that trouble, and his ultimate goal was to get him to investigate his own nephew, Hong Zhiyou!

Cao Zhiqing is not stupid.

Gao Bin is Gao Bin, and Hong Zhiyou is Hong Zhiyou.

The latter, in Harbin, did not rely on Gao Bin at all, but on his own skills and money, became the real local tyrant of this black land!
How did General Guan die?

How did Shibuya Saburo die?

And Lao Qiu too!

Which of these things, if brought up out of context, wouldn't make your scalp tingle?
Isn't that obvious enough?
Previously, he thought Gao Bin's target was only Zhou Yi, so he went to great lengths and used all his connections to investigate.

Now things have gotten complicated; the fire has spread to Hong Zhiyou.

Given Gao Bin's butcher-like nature, there are only two possible outcomes to this matter.

Alternatively, Gao Bin could abandon his conscience, arrest Hong Zhiyou, and hand him over to the Japanese, thus betraying his own family for the greater good.

Or perhaps Gao Bin silenced him to protect the reputation and bloodline of his Gao family!
Hong Zhiyou is the only surviving son of the Gao family!

Is Gao Bin capable of putting righteousness above family ties?

Go ahead and cheat!

When the time comes, I, the "hero" who knows too many secrets, will definitely be the first to suffer.

What he said in front of Xiao Wu was deliberately meant for Gao Bin to hear.

Xiao Wu had worked for Gao Bin before, and Cao Zhiqing had long suspected that this kid was Gao Bin's spy planted by his side.

This was just to appease Gao Bin and make him feel that he was still under control.

Cao Zhiqing rubbed his temples in pain, his mind racing.

How do we break this deadlock?

This is a dead end.

One step forward is an abyss, one step back is a mountain of knives and a sea of ​​fire.

Soon, an idea flashed through his mind.

If... if the investigation continues, will the final result be whether Hong Zhi has any problems?

Even all the doubts surrounding Gu Qiuyan have been overturned by the new evidence?

At most, one would just be blamed for being incompetent, unprofessional, and a useless bum.

At worst, we can return all the money and gold bars Gao Bin gave us, and then pay him a fine.

Although I lost face, at least I can keep my life and my job.

Does Hong Zhi have any problems?

This must be the result that Gao Bin most deeply desires to see, right?

He was, after all, Gao Bin's only family member.

Having figured this out, Cao Zhiqing felt a sense of relief, as if he had found a lifeline.

He immediately started the car and turned it around.

We must go see Hong Zhiyou immediately!
I must meet him secretly!
Yong Sheng Kui Tea House.

This is one of Harbin's most upscale dens of iniquity; it appears to be a teahouse, but in reality, it's a casino.

Cao Zhiqing had a habit of gambling, so he wasn't afraid of arousing suspicion by coming here.

He exchanged a large amount of chips and sat down at a table playing Sic Bo.

He deliberately lost focus, losing seven or eight rounds in a row, watching his chips dwindle.

The gamblers around him were looking at him like he was an idiot.

Finally, after the dealer opened with "small" again, Cao Zhiqing slammed his hand on the table and stood up.

"Damn it!"

He flipped the heavy mahogany gambling table over!

Chips, dice cups, and teacups were smashed on the floor, making a series of jarring noises.

The entire casino fell silent instantly.

"Damn it!" Cao Zhiqing pointed at the dealer's nose and cursed, "There's definitely something wrong with this table! You keep betting small, do you think I'm a pig to be slaughtered?"

He grabbed the croupier by the collar, making a move as if to attack him.

Soon, Peng Hu arrived with seven or eight burly men and surrounded Cao Zhiqing.

Peng Hu's face was gloomy as he looked at the mess on the ground and said coldly, "Friend, do you know whose territory this is? You dare to cause trouble here, you've got some nerve."

As he said this, he waved his hand.

"Take him away! Let him wake up!"

Several burly men immediately stepped forward, grabbed Cao Zhiqing, and dragged him toward the secret room at the back.

The room was dimly lit.

Cao Zhiqing was roughly pushed to the ground.

Peng Hu sat in a chair, toying with a sharp dagger in his hand.

"Tell me, how do you want to die?"

Several of his men were itching to teach him a lesson.

Just then, Cao Zhiqing, who was on the ground, suddenly raised his head and blinked rapidly at Peng Hu.

A subtle yet clear signal. Peng Hu paused.

He certainly knew Cao Zhiqing, a well-known intelligence dealer in Harbin and Gao Bin's old subordinate.

He also knew that Cao Zhiqing was a man who valued his life very much and would never cause trouble in such a place for no reason.

Cao Zhiqing knew very well that Peng Hu had been severely tortured by the military police in order to help Hong Zhiyou bring down Shibuya Saburo, and was Hong Zhiyou's trusted confidant.

This person is trustworthy.

Peng Hu's eyes sharpened, and he waved to his men.

"You all go out first and stand guard at the door. No one is allowed to come in without my order."

The men obediently withdrew and closed the heavy iron gate behind them.

Only Peng Hu and Cao Zhiqing remained in the room.

Peng Hu didn't speak, but just stared at him with his sharp eyes, waiting for him to continue.

"Master Peng."

Cao Zhiqing got up from the ground, dusted himself off, and his arrogant expression was gone, replaced by a solemn look.

"My name is Cao Zhiqing. I used to work under Section Chief Gao."

Peng Hu snorted coldly, his fingers lightly gliding over the cold blade of the dagger.

"I know you. What tricks are you trying to pull here?"
"If you don't give me a straight answer today, I guarantee you won't leave here alive."

Cao Zhiqing, with a bitter face, waved his hands repeatedly:

"Uncle Peng, it's a misunderstanding, a huge misunderstanding."

"I'm here today to see Master Hong."

Peng Hu's eyes grew even colder: "You think you can just see Young Master Hong whenever you want?"

"If there's anything, you can talk to Blackie."

Cao Zhiqing grew anxious, took a step closer, and lowered his voice to a whisper: "Master Peng, this really won't work."

“This concerns the life and safety of Master Hong, so I must talk to him in person.”

He glanced around, his expression extremely tense.

"Besides, whoever knows about this will be the one who suffers."

"Please don't cause any trouble for Master Hei."

Peng Hu stared at him for a few moments, then finally stood up.

He hurried upstairs to Lao Hei's office and reported the whole story.

Old Hei sat in his large leather chair, his fingers rhythmically tapping on the table. After a moment of contemplation, he finally picked up the phone.

……

Hong Zhiyou had just gotten home from get off work.

Xu Yunying had already skillfully cooked a few side dishes and was now pouring wine into two glasses from the bottle.

The aroma of food and wine mingled together, filling the room with a warm and inviting atmosphere.

Just as the two were about to sit down, the phone on the table rang shrilly.

Hong Zhi picked up the receiver.

"Hey."

Old Hei's steady voice came from the other end of the phone.

Hong Zhi listened with little expression on his face, only occasionally humming in agreement.

"Okay, got it."

After saying that, he hung up the phone.

He looked at Xu Yunying and said, "Yingying, put on your clothes and come out with me."

Xu Yunying put down her wine glass, somewhat surprised: "What's wrong?"

Hong Zhi smiled but offered no explanation.

Old Hei said on the phone that the pearl necklace he ordered had arrived and that he should come and pick it up now.

Hong Zhiyou understood the situation perfectly.

He never ordered any pearl necklace.

Given Lao Hei's composure, he would never call me in this way unless it was something extremely urgent.

Something happened to Yong Sheng Kui.

The two quickly got dressed.

Xu Yunying put on a fashionable mink coat and a white woolen hat. Her already fair face was flushed from the cold, making her look even more radiant and beautiful.

Hong Zhi looked at her and couldn't help but laugh: "Not bad, not bad, you're starting to look more and more like a lady of high society."

Xu Yunying adjusted her hat in front of the mirror, rolled her eyes at him, but couldn't help but smile: "Don't think I don't know what you're up to. Great responsibilities are bestowed upon those who are destined for them, and wealth and honor cannot sway their hearts. Even if you praise me to the heavens, I still have to go up the mountain to fight the Japanese devils."

"Wow, this bandit leader is quite cultured," Hong Zhi said as he led her along.

"Of course, just because you're educated? Old Li from our mountain is a great storyteller," Xu Yunying said smugly.

The two got into the car.

The car drove past a street corner checkpoint where a squad of heavily armed Japanese soldiers were patrolling.

Xu Yunying looked out the window, her eyebrows furrowed, and muttered angrily, "Damn Japanese devils!"

Hong Zhi smiled and started the car: "Go ahead and curse, if you want to curse, then curse louder."

“You can roll down the car window and point your finger at them and yell at them.”

“Your man is in Harbin, he has some ability.”

Xu Yunying curled her lip: "I'm too lazy to waste my breath on these beasts."

"If you're so capable, then I'll show you what it means to be able to shoot them whenever I want."

Hong Zhiyou shrugged: "Then let's forget about it."

The car soon arrived at Yong Sheng Kui Tea House.

Peng Hu was already waiting at the door, and as soon as Hong Zhiyou's car arrived, he immediately came to greet him.

He whispered a few words to Hong Zhiyou, and Lao Hei came out of the building with a big smile on his face. He personally invited Xu Yunying to the best private room on the second floor to drink tea and look at the goods.

Hong Zhiyou followed Peng Hu and headed straight for the basement.

When they reached the entrance to the secret room, Peng Hu stopped him.

"Young Master Hong, please wait a moment."

After saying that, he went into the house first and searched Cao Zhiqing carefully from head to toe, not even missing the soles of his shoes. After confirming that there were no dangerous items on him, he opened the door and invited Hong Zhiyou in.

Hong Zhiyou entered the secret room and immediately saw Cao Zhiqing standing in the center of the room, looking uneasy.

He raised an eyebrow in surprise: "Mr. Cao?"

When Cao Zhiqing saw him, it was as if he had seen a savior. He exclaimed and rushed over to greet him.

"Young Master Hong, you've finally arrived!"

Peng Hu tactfully withdrew and closed the door behind him.

Cao Zhiqing dared not delay and reported to Hong Zhiyou in detail how Gao Bin had approached him to investigate Gu Qiuyan, the so-called evidence he had found, and Gao Bin's ultimate scheme.

After listening, Hong Zhiyou remained expressionless. He simply took out a cigarette case from his pocket, handed one to Cao Zhiqing, and lit one for himself.

He took a drag, slowly exhaled a smoke ring, and then spoke, his tone tinged with a hint of mockery:

"Mr. Cao, by doing this, you are ruining your own reputation."

"You get paid to do things, isn't that the rule of your business?"

Cao Zhiqing's face scrunched up like a bitter gourd: "Oh dear, my ancestors!"
“If it were anyone else, I, Cao Zhiqing, would tuck my head into my belt and do my job perfectly. If I died, so be it.”

"But who are you? You're Young Master Hong!"
"You're saying there's no such thing as helping your uncle beat your nephew?"

"Don't I have to fight for my own survival?"

He lowered his voice and continued, "Besides, this is something only heaven, earth, you, and I know."

"If you don't tell, Section Chief Gao will naturally never know that I changed my mind and messed things up."

"My reputation is still pretty good."

Hong Zhiyou looked at him, who was on the verge of tears, and laughed: "Just kidding."

He patted Cao Zhiqing on the shoulder.

"Living is always the most important thing."

"Mr. Cao was doing this for my own good, so I should thank you."

Cao Zhiqing finally breathed a sigh of relief, feeling the cold sweat on his back soaking through his shirt.

"Young Master Hong, I can't stay here too long. Your uncle has people planted around me."

"Let's quickly think of a way to counter this tactic."

Hong Zhi nodded, his eyes sharpening.

"It's not difficult to break through."

"That is, to overturn all your intelligence."

He flicked his cigarette ash, his tone indifferent.

"First of all, Gu Qiuyan cannot be a telegraph operator, or rather, she was never a telegraph operator at all; your investigation was wrong."

Hong Zhiyou looked at Cao Zhiqing, who seemed quite surprised, and said, "Don't worry, I'm not a red ticket."

"You might be wondering why I would protect a woman in trouble like this."

The reason is simple.

"The child in her belly is mine."

He doesn't care to say that.

Because he knew that if his uncle investigated too thoroughly in the future, this would be the best reason to save his own life and protect Zhou Yi and Gu Qiuyan.

A reason to preserve his own bloodline is sufficient and selfish enough, perfectly in line with Hong Ji-yoo's character.

"Tell me all the information about the witnesses you found before."

"Especially that woman named Liu Ping who was imprisoned in North China."

A cold glint flashed in Hong Zhiyou's eyes.

We need to find a way to get her to recant her testimony.

"Not only should she recant her testimony, but she should also be made to identify the person who was coerced and bribed by your intelligence agent into making her talk nonsense."

"The purpose is to take advantage of the fact that the mountains are far from the emperor's reach, to fabricate some 'accurate' information that will satisfy my uncle, so as to swindle the bounty."

Cao Zhiqing's eyes lit up immediately upon hearing this.

He finally understood why even a genius like Shibuya Saburo had been defeated by Hong Zhiyou.

What was originally a dead end was easily broken by him with just a few casual words.

Overjoyed, Cao Zhiqing added, "Master Hong, there's something else. The students from Yenching University, those under Professor Liu Wensheng, are about to emerge from seclusion. One of them is a mole of the Japanese intelligence agency in North China."

……

(End of this chapter)