Spy wars start with lurking Secretary Hong

Chapter 535 I Swear to His Majesty the Emperor
Jinzhi was so frightened that she trembled and dared not say a word.

"Madam Li, I'll ask you one more time, what were you doing last night?"

"Think it over before answering."

Gao Bin stared at her impatiently.

Jinzhi's body trembled violently, and she lowered her head even further.

Seeing this, Li Guoyi was both anxious and angry. He suddenly grabbed Jinzhi's arm and scolded her in a low voice:

"You wretched woman, say something!"
"Are you mute?"

"What exactly did you do that night?!"

Jinzhi staggered, and finally couldn't hold back any longer; a soft sob escaped her throat.

Gao Bin gave a cold laugh and strode over to her:

If you can't say it, then let me say it.

Mrs. Li was not home that night.

"She and Lu Ming, the head of our Special Operations Section's Ideological Division, were having a date at the Love House at No. 63 Serbia Street."

The last two words struck Li Guoyi's heart like two heavy hammer blows.

There was deathly silence in the office.

The color drained from Li Guoyi's face instantly, and he stared at his concubine in disbelief:

"You bitch... Is this... is this real?"

Jinzhi looked at him, neither explaining nor denying, but just cried even harder.

Snapped!
Li Guoyi raised his hand and slapped her.

He instinctively reached for the pistol at his waist, only to find it had been confiscated by the guards when he entered.

Li Guoyi jumped up and down, roaring like an enraged wild beast:

"You slut! I've been feeding and taking good care of you, and you still dare to cheat on me with other men."

"Get back here and see how I deal with you!"

"Alright," Gao Bin interrupted him.

"Commander Li, the commander of Chengcang summoned you here not to listen to your ridiculous stories."

"Old Li, let me tell you the truth."

"The Security Bureau has now determined that Lu Ming is the red ticket for shooting the Imperial Military Police."

"If he is indeed convicted..."

“Then I have every reason to suspect that you are his accomplices.”

Li Guoyi's pupils suddenly contracted, and Gao Bin pointed at him and continued:

"Your wife colluded with Lu Ming, infiltrated the police department, and together they planned and carried out this heinous murder targeting the Imperial Military Police."

“He is Lu Ming’s accomplice, and you yourself are even a red flag officer infiltrated into the Nationalist army.”

These words struck Li Guoyi like a thunderbolt.

His pale-faced explanation:

"Section Chief Gao! Your Excellency Commander! This...this is no joke!"
"Injustice! Utter injustice!"

Gao Bin looked down at him.

I'm not kidding you.

"At least, that's what Commander Shirokura thinks."

"The current evidence is very unfavorable to Lu Ming. If he is the one who got the red ticket, can you get away with it?"
"Now, only you yourselves can prove your innocence."

"The choice is yours: admit to the shameful act of adultery or bear the stigma of receiving a red ticket."

"However, I must remind you of something."

Gao Bin glanced at the wall clock. "The commander's patience is limited."

Li Guoyi panicked completely. The crime of issuing counterfeit tickets was enough to kill him and even bring disaster to his entire family.

He suddenly scrambled to his feet and grabbed Jinzhi's hair:

"You slut! Stop crying!"

"Hurry up and tell me! Are you trying to get me killed?!"

"Yes!

"I...I was with Lu Ming that night."

"oops!"

Li Guoyi was furious and about to explode when Gao Bin stopped him, smiling as he said:
"Commander Li, you should be happy."

"A shameful incident has been uncovered. Although it was embarrassing, more importantly, it cleared you of suspicion of being a shill."

"You can go back and pop some champagne to celebrate."

Li Guoyi reacted instantly, and the anger on his face was immediately replaced by a fawning smile.

He nodded and bowed repeatedly, making obeisances to Cheng Cang and Gao Bin.

"Thank you both for clearing my name and capturing this vile woman! Well... if there's nothing else, I'll be going now?"

Gao Bin waved his hand impatiently.

"Let's go."

Li Guoyi felt as if he had been granted a pardon and scrambled out of the office, never once glancing at Jinzhi again.

In the office, only Jinzhi, slumped on the floor, remained.

She raised her tear-filled face and asked timidly, "Then... what about me?"

Gao Bin walked up to her, squatted down, and spoke with a hint of feigned gentleness in his tone.

"I'm sorry to trouble you, Madam Li, to make the effort for a few days."

"Until Lu Ming is completely cleared of suspicion, you, as the only witness, must stay here."

After saying that, he stood up and called out towards the door.

Two policemen came in, grabbed Jinzhi from both sides, and dragged her out despite her cries.

The office door closed again, and the world finally became quiet.

With no outsiders around, Gao Bin sat back down in his chair and let out a long sigh of relief.

"Commander, it is now quite clear."

"Lu Ming has been framed."

Shirokura, who had been silent all along, stroked the short mustache above his philtrum with his fingers, a chilling light emanating from his deep-set eyes.

He spoke in a deep voice.

"If Lu Ming is wronged, then who set up such a big trap to frame him?"

Gao Bin's heart jumped, and he quickly said, "Commander, it's definitely not Zhiyou."

“He stayed at my house all night the night the incident happened, and I can testify for him.”

Shirokura coldly interrupted him:

"I've said it before, I only look at the evidence."

“I know it wasn’t him, otherwise you wouldn’t be standing here today to seek justice for Lu Ming.”

"What we need to discuss now is how to find the real killer."

Gao Bin's spirits lifted, and he said:

"Commander, I have an idea."

"We can spread the word to the Security Bureau that we have found the key witness who was not present that night, namely Jinzhi."

"Then, we temporarily placed Jinzhi in custody and sent our police officers to guard her."

"We don't need too many people, just two or three will be enough. We can create the illusion that we are just routinely watching over the witnesses."

"If the murderer knew this news, he would definitely try to get rid of Jinzhi."

"Once Jinzhi dies, Lu Ming will never be able to prove his innocence again and will become her scapegoat."

Shirokura raised an eyebrow slightly: "Isn't what he's doing too obvious?"

Gao Bin said coldly:
"Isn't everything he's doing now obvious enough?"

"From stealing the gun, killing, hiding the gun, to making Lu Ming's confidant disappear, every step was precise and ruthless. They were almost ready to kidnap Lu Ming's mother to testify that Lu Ming was the murderer."

"What difference would it make to him to kill one more woman?"
"After all, in Harbin, there are too many ways to make someone die quietly."

"Moreover, the murderer knew very well that you were extremely busy and only cared about the evidence. This was precisely the biggest opportunity for him to exploit."

A glint of approval flashed in Shirokura's eyes:

"Gao Binjun, you understand people's hearts."

He leaned forward slightly.

"You want the person you suspect to be in charge of this security?"

Gao Bin immediately shook his head:

"No, that would startle the murderer; it would be too deliberate."

"Just arrange for regular personnel to guard it."

"If he's curious, he'll definitely find out through his own channels."

Cheng Cang pressed further, "What if he doesn't inquire? Don't forget, Lu Ming doesn't have much time left."

A smug, confident smile appeared on Gao Bin's lips.

“Then I will send someone to tell him this news ‘casually’.”

"I refuse to believe he won't take action."

Shirokura leaned back in his chair and let out a low laugh.

"You really are a professional."

"Alright, I'll wait for your good news."

Gao Bin stood up and bowed deeply.

"Thank you for your trust, Commander."

Cheng Cang nodded approvingly: "Gao Binjun, you are a loyal subject of the empire and a rare capable minister."

His gaze became somewhat distant.

"Shibuya-kun had a deep understanding of your country's culture during his lifetime."

He often said that the people who understand the Chinese best are always the Chinese themselves.

"The only one who can completely defeat the Chinese is the Chinese themselves."

"Now it seems he was right."

Chengcang stood up and walked to Gao Bin: "I will inform my secretary that from today onwards, your phone calls and appointments will have the highest priority."

"I hope you can come here for tea when you have time."

"I think we can become very good friends."

Gao Bin smiled appropriately. "Thank you, Commander. It is my honor."

He bowed to Shirokura again, then turned and calmly walked out of the office.

……

After Gao Bin left, the office door was gently closed by the secretary.

The gentleness and approval on Shirakawa's face vanished instantly, replaced by a cold, gloomy expression.

He walked to the window and watched Gao Bin's car merge into the traffic below and eventually disappear from sight.

Lu Ming was wronged.

This is almost a certainty.

The murderer's scheme was so meticulously planned that every step seemed to have been measured with a ruler, precisely pinning all the evidence on Lu Ming.

It's understandable that the security bureau staff were eager to take credit for him.

But what about Takeda?

As the captain of the Imperial Military Police, he had long served as Murakami's assistant in Harbin and was an experienced soldier.

He couldn't possibly be unaware of the strangeness in this.

But he chose to remain indifferent, focusing solely on closing the case as soon as possible.

There is clearly a selfish motive behind this.

Or perhaps he is using this passive-aggressive behavior as a silent form of protest against himself.

Either he's colluding with the person who set this up and deliberately turning a blind eye.

Ultimately, it all comes down to the four words: human relationships and social customs.

And this is precisely what Shirokura detests most and is most wary of.

He firmly believed that money and personal connections were enough to destroy any powerful army in the world.

The Anti-Japanese United Army in Manchukuo is a prime example. Its internal structure was so permeated by money and self-interest that it produced traitors like Cheng Bin and Zhang Xiufeng.

He would never allow such a corrupt atmosphere to erode the army of the Japanese Empire.

Takeda!

Shirokura slammed his fist heavily on the windowsill, making a dull thud.

Of course, he didn't rush to lash out.

Let's see how Takeda ultimately handles this case.

It's not too late to settle the score once the case is closed.

……

the next morning.

Gao Bin's car slowly pulled up in front of the security bureau.

The meeting room was filled with smoke.

Takeda, Chen Jingyu, and Gao Bin each occupied a corner of the black leather sofa, and none of them spoke first.

Finally, Gao Bin broke the silence, slowly tapping his pipe.

"I think Lu Ming's matter needs to be postponed for a while longer."

Chen Jingyu smiled:

"Section Chief Gao, we had an agreement."

"If you can't produce any new and compelling evidence by now, we'll have to close the case."

Gao Bin stated bluntly, "This is the intention of Commander Chengcang."

A slight change finally appeared on Takeda's expressionless face. He glanced at Gao Bin, asked no further questions, and stood up to walk to his desk.

He picked up the phone and dialed a number.

"Commander, it's me."

He listened quietly to what was being said on the other end of the phone.

"it is good."

"I see."

He hung up the phone, turned around, and gave Gao Bin and Chen Jingyu a slight bow.

"The commander agreed to extend the detention period for Lu Ming."

"Please continue your investigation. If you find any new leads, please notify me immediately."

After saying that, he walked out the door without looking back.

The meeting room door closed, and Chen Jingyu's smile widened.

"Section Chief Gao is really protective of his own people."

"It seems you're determined to protect Lu Ming at all costs."

Gao Bin packed the tobacco, lit it with a match, and took a deep drag: "I'm not going to die protecting Lu Ming."

"I just don't want my loved ones to suffer while my enemies rejoice."

His gaze fell on Chen Jingyu, sharp as a knife:
"Chen Jingyu, you used to work for me too, we know each other very well."

"I don't believe you can't see that this is a setup."

"I'm just curious now, do you simply want to climb up the ladder by stepping on Lu Ming's corpse and make a name for yourself?"

"Or are you one of the people who set this up?"

Chen Jingyu seemed to have heard the biggest joke in the world; he leaned back and crossed his legs.

"Section Chief Gao, my old leader, you are still so suspicious, you see problems in everyone."

"Back in Fengtian, we were all working under General Doihara. But you insisted that I was a member of the Military Intelligence Bureau and tried every means to force me out of Fengtian."

"Well, you've been investigating me for so many years, but you haven't found any fault with me."

"I finally managed to make a name for myself in the Security Bureau, and I've just started to gain some influence."

"Now you're starting to suspect me again. You're either Zhou Yi's accomplice or Zhi You's henchman, and you might even become a red flag."

He sighed, spreading his hands with a helpless expression.

"Sigh, sometimes I think about it, my life is just so hard, I'm not as well-liked as Lu Mingzhao."

"I've already hidden here, but you still won't let me go."

Gao Bin exhaled a puff of smoke and chuckled dryly:
"My statement that you were the one who set up the trap and my suspicion that you were a member of the Military Intelligence Bureau are not contradictory."

"Given the current cooperation between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party, if the murderer of the Imperial Military Police is that red-ticket mole lurking in the police department, it's not impossible that you would help him out of consideration for the greater good."

Chen Jingyu shook his head, the smile on his face gradually fading:
"I just don't understand."

"Why is someone like Lu Ming so trusted by you?"
“He’s even more reliable than your own nephew.”

Gao Bin smiled faintly:
"This is not difficult to explain."

"Because Lu Ming is an absolute scoundrel."

"A thoroughly evil and pure villain."

"He was like a blank sheet of paper, covered with greed, selfishness and stupidity. I could see right through him at a glance."

"And you, and Zhou Yi... it's hard to say."

The smile on Chen Jingyu's face vanished completely, and he stood up and straightened the hem of his suit jacket.

"Old leader, I can't argue with you on philosophical issues."

"I still have something to do, so I'll take the first step."

After saying that, he turned around and strode out.

Gao Bin sat alone in the empty conference room, slowly smoking his pipe, a faint smile never fading from his lips.

One is Chen Jingyu, and the other is Zhou Yi.

One green and one red.

Every time he saw those two people, he felt a prickling sensation in his heart, as if he were being pricked by a needle.

He trusts his instincts.

One day, he will personally pull out the tails of these two foxes.

……

Five p.m.

Police Department, Office of the Chief of the Special Affairs Section.

Gao Bin sat upright behind his desk, his hands clasped together, his two thumbs unconsciously fiddling back and forth.

A moment later, as if he had made an important decision, he quickly picked up the phone and dialed a number:

"Come to my office."

Soon, the office door was pushed open, and Hong Zhiyou walked in.

"Uncle, what's up?"

Gao Bin raised his eyelids and looked at him calmly: "Tell me honestly, was this scheme against Lu Ming set up by you?"

Hong Zhiyou's smile froze for a moment, then he resumed his nonchalant demeanor.

"Uncle, I don't quite understand what you're saying."

Gao Bin snorted coldly.

"Let me tell you."

"On the night Lu Ming had the accident, he was on a date with Jin Zhi, the concubine of Li Guoyi, the commander of the 26th Regiment of the National Revolutionary Army."

"This morning, Jinzhi explained everything to Commander Chengcang."

"In other words, Lu Ming had no time to commit the crime that night, and he did not fire a gun."

"He was set up by the murderer hiding in the police department."

Gao Bin leaned forward slightly and said, word by word:

"What I'm curious about now is who was able to equip the murderer with all the bullets without anyone noticing."

"Who stole Lu Ming's gun and also took the opportunity to eliminate those two good-for-nothings, Ma Qiang and Sun Xiaoliu?"

"Such meticulous and organized planning—looking across the entire city of Harbin, I really can't find anyone else with this skill besides you."

"Let me be frank with you."

"Commander Shirokura, they've already started to suspect you."

This is exactly the result Hong Zhiyou wanted.

He smiled sheepishly and spread his hands, saying:

"Uncle, you see, I've been ruined by this empty fame."

"I've always been someone who does things for money."

"Tell me, how much money would the murderer have to pay for me to go through all this trouble for him?"

Gao Bin's eyes grew even colder: "What if it's Zhou Yi?"
"What if you sympathize with the red votes, are brainwashed by their vague theories, and are willing to serve them unconditionally?"
"It's not impossible."

"I have seen many wealthy businessmen who give up their good life to donate their family businesses, or even abandon their wives and children, to join the revolution with the red flag."

"I'm afraid you'll become like that someday."

Hong Zhiyou's smile remained unchanged, but his eyes were completely calm: "Uncle, I didn't."

He held up three fingers, his expression serious.

“I swear to His Majesty the Emperor that if I were involved in this, I’ll have the head of the Manchurian Military Intelligence Station shoot me in the back as soon as I step out the door.”

He knows how to avoid prophecies.

Hong Zhi lowered his hand and added calmly:

“If Commander Chengcang has evidence, I am willing to submit to the law.”

"If not, then such speculation is meaningless."

He knew very well that one should never have any scruples.

You can admit your mistakes and correct them, but you must never admit them.

Never underestimate a person's words.

Sometimes, things go wrong because of what you say.

What we perceive as honesty is often the original sin that destroys everything.

Even with a gun to your head, as long as you don't admit your mistake, the bond of blood remains, the kinship remains, and there is still room for maneuver.

This gives the other party a way to pretend to be stupid.

It also gives me room to correct my mistakes.

But once you admit it, all your emotions and relationships will be instantly torn to shreds, like a broken mirror, never to be restored.

Gao Bin stared intently at him, trying to read even the slightest flaw from his face.

However, there was nothing.

Hong Zhiyou's expression was as firm as steel.

Gao Bin let out a long sigh of relief and leaned back in his chair.

"Don't say things like that again."

"The Iron-Blooded Youth Corps of the Military Intelligence Bureau is no joke when it comes to killing people."

"Tomorrow, Jinzhi will be going to the Security Bureau to testify, and I need to arrange for security personnel."

"Go and fetch Liu Kui for me."

He intentionally leaked this information to Zhiyou because if Zhiyou was the one who set up the scheme, and Zhou Yi had guessed that Zhiyou was the murderer, there was no reason for Zhiyou not to tell Zhou Yi this crucial piece of information.

Hong Zhi nodded, turned to leave, but then stopped.

"Uncle, how about I arrange this?"

Gao Bin's heart skipped a beat, then he shook his head:

It's not that I don't trust you.

"It's best if you stay away from this matter."

A subtle, enigmatic smirk appeared at the corner of his mouth:

"I have a feeling that a good show will be staged tonight."

"Also, don't wander around after work."

"Tonight, you're coming to my house, and you're not allowed to go anywhere else."

Hong Zhi nodded.

"understood."

……

(End of this chapter)