Spy wars start with lurking Secretary Hong

Chapter 545 Top Secret Trip
Tonghua Provincial Police Headquarters.

The director's office was filled with smoke.

Ryuichiro Kishitani, dressed in a crisp police uniform, had a half-smoked cigarette between his fingers, his eyes were vacant and he looked utterly listless.

His world changed after he killed General Yang.

He froze when he witnessed the soldiers removing those things from General Yang's stomach.

Withered grass, tree bark, and cotton wool.

He couldn't imagine what kind of strength a person could possess to fight a well-equipped punitive expeditionary force for five whole days and nights, all by himself and with only these things.

The shock was beyond the scope of war; it became a collapse that was almost a matter of faith.

These days, the image of General Yang dying with a furious look in his eyes is like an inescapable nightmare, causing him a deep-seated pain, sorrow, and even shame.

How can a nation with such heroes be conquered?

Once this idea came into being, it grew like a weed.

Kishitani Ryuichiro even had an absurd premonition that the Japanese Empire might ultimately fail in this war that swept across all of China.

Because on this land, there are still countless General Yangs.

"Dong dong."

A knock on the door interrupted his thoughts.

The assistant came in: "Director, they've arrived."

Ryuichiro Kishitani stubbed out his cigarette, his voice hoarse.

"Let them in."

Soon, Cheng Bin and another man, also dressed in a police uniform, walked in. Both men stood ramrod straight, their leather boots gleaming.

The visitor was named Zhang Xiruo, who was also a former subordinate of General Yang.

Ryuichiro Kishitani looked at them and said:
"At the invitation of Director Gongchuan of Harbin, we will depart for Harbin today."

He tried to make his tone sound more relaxed.

"Compared to Tonghua, Harbin is a beautiful paradise on earth."

"Perhaps you could bring your family along for a trip."

Cheng Bin immediately put on a smooth smile and cautiously probed:

"Director, can we...can we not go?"

As he spoke, he observed Kishitani Ryuichiro's expression.

"As you know, ever since we got rid of that guy surnamed Yang, those red flags have been like mad dogs, hunting us down all over the world."

"Going to Harbin, a place I'm completely unfamiliar with, at this time of year is really... a bit unsafe."

Zhang Xiruo, who was standing to the side, nodded repeatedly, her face full of fear: "Yes, Director."

"I personally shot General Yang to death with a machine gun, and I was the one who chopped off his head."

"If we go to Harbin, who knows how many snipers are waiting for us in the shadows."

Please reconsider.

A cold smile curled at the corner of Kishitani Ryuichiro's lips:
What are you afraid of?
"This is Manchukuo, under the control of the Japanese Empire."

"Chief of Police Miyagawa has repeatedly assured you that he will use all the resources of the National Police Agency and the Military Police to ensure your safety."

He abruptly changed his tone, his voice becoming unquestionable.

"Besides, you deserve the most credit for eliminating the bandit leader, and you possess exceptional experience that we lack."

"The Fourth Anti-Japanese Allied Forces in Laotuoshan, Harbin, has always been a stubborn problem. Your experience in passing on your knowledge has played a crucial role in the anti-banditry work there."

"This is not only my opinion, but also the opinion of the Kwantung Army General Staff and Headquarters."

"Before you come with me to North China, you must visit Xinjing, Fengtian, and Chahar, and pass on the valuable experience of the expeditionary force without reservation."

Cheng Bin and Zhang Xiruo exchanged a glance, both seeing a deep sense of helplessness in each other's eyes.

This was an order, and they had no choice but to obey.

Kishitani Ryuichiro seemed to have seen through their thoughts, softened his tone, and threw out a bait.

"rest assured.

"Once you have made contributions in North China, I will personally apply for Japanese citizenship for you."

"At the same time, I will recommend Cheng Binjun to the higher authorities to serve as the next director of the Tonghua Police Department or the director of the Security Bureau."

Cheng Bin's eyes lit up instantly, and he quickly bowed.

"Thank you for your guidance, Director!"

He secretly gave Zhang Xiruo a wink.

Zhang Xiruo immediately understood and stepped forward, saying:
"Director, given my unfamiliarity with the Harbin police and military police system, may I request a special security measure?"

Kishitani Ryuichiro raised an eyebrow. "Special security?"

Zhang Xiruo organized her thoughts and replied respectfully:

"Gao Bin, the head of the Special Affairs Section of the Harbin Police Department, is a distant uncle of mine."

“I’ve had some dealings with him privately in the past.”

He lowered his voice and revealed a secret.

"The person who turned me to defect was a mole planted by Chief Gao next to General Yang. This person... still holds an important position within the Anti-Japanese United Army."

"Therefore, I hope that Section Chief Gao Bin can be solely responsible for the safety of me and Cheng Binjun."

After a moment's thought, Kishitani Ryuichiro nodded.

"Can.

“I will discuss this matter with Director Miyagawa.”

"Your train is at 11 o'clock. Go and pack your things quickly."

Zhang Xiruo was moved to tears.

"Thank you, Director Kishitani!"

The two bowed and left the office.

As soon as they stepped into the corridor, Cheng Bin's eyes turned cold, and he lowered his voice to ask:
"Brother, is he reliable?"

Zhang Xiruo slapped her thigh:

"You've heard of Gao Bin's name before. He was once the living Yama of Fengtian, a demon whose name cannot be washed away even with blood."

"Besides, we owe our current success to him."

"Otherwise, do you think the Japanese would trust us so quickly?"

Cheng Bin nodded in deep agreement.

That's true.

"These days, traitors are sometimes much more reliable than the Japanese."

He gestured dismissively toward the director's office.

"Look at Director Angu. When he saw what General Yang was carrying, he was so cowardly that he almost knelt down on the spot."

"In the end, the job of chopping off heads will fall to you, my brother."

"When it comes to ruthlessness, those Japanese aren't even worthy of being our disciples."

Zhang Xiruo revealed a smug look: "That's right, who's as ruthless as you, little brother?"

"General Yang personally showed you the map of the secret camps, even marking out exactly how many pounds of cured meat were hidden in each camp. You turned around and sent it to the Japanese, who then destroyed all the camps completely, leaving none behind."

"Otherwise, with Old Yang's extraordinary abilities, he wouldn't have been trapped and died in the mountains."

Cheng Bin chuckled: "Don't make fun of me, kid."

“I wouldn’t dare chop off Old Yang’s head, much less shoot him with a machine gun.”

He suddenly sighed, a feigned sadness appearing on his face.

"To be honest, Lao Yang taught us step by step, he's like an older brother to us."

“If it hadn’t really come to this, who could bring themselves to do it?”

Zhang Xiruo scoffed and mercilessly exposed his lie.

"Alright, Lao Cheng, stop pretending to be kind here."

He changed the subject.

"Where's that kid Xiufeng?"
"He always called Lao Yang 'godfather,' and he managed all the organization's funds by himself."

"That kid is something else. He didn't do anything, but he got promoted and received rewards."

“I heard that he stole at least tens of thousands of yuan of Lao Yang’s funds.”

A glint of greed flashed in Zhang Xiruo's eyes: "Old Cheng, we're all from the same family, we should at least get a share of this money from him."

Cheng Bin waved his hand, looking sullen.

"Don't mention it."

"This kid just called the director, pretending to be sick and refusing to go to Harbin."

"I think he's just afraid of dying, afraid that the red ticket will set a trap to assassinate him."

Zhang Xiruo cursed, "That little brat, I'll teach him a lesson when he gets back."

……

3 PM, Harbin, Binjiang Provincial Police Headquarters.

Yoshio Miyagawa's office was warm and cozy, filled with the aroma of fine cigars.

Gao Bin strode in and gave a rough salute.

"Section Chief Gao, please have a seat."

"Want one? It's a foreign cigar that Tomoyu gave me." Yoshio Miyagawa raised his hand in greeting.

Gao Bin didn't stand on ceremony, sat down directly on the sofa, and took off his gloves:

"I'll stop smoking cigars."

"What does the director want with me?"

Yoshio Miyagawa personally brought over the tea set and poured Gao Bin a cup of hot tea.

"Director Kishitani called me this morning."

He said that Cheng Bin and Zhang Xiruo had known you for many years.

"They don't trust me, nor do they trust Captain Takeda of the military police. They specifically requested that you be in full charge of their safety in Harbin this time."

Yoshio Miyagawa sat back down in his seat and looked at Gao Bin with a smile.

"Do you have any opinion?"

Gao Bin picked up his teacup, blew on the floating tea leaves, but didn't drink it.

"These two are hot potatoes right now."

“The red tickets hate them far more than they hate us officials.”

Yoshio Miyagawa smiled and said, "Section Chief Gao, you can try to think about it from a different perspective."

"They are a hot potato, but also a hot commodity in the eyes of Commander Yoshijiro Umezu."

"If you can protect them and ensure they finish their lectures in Harbin safely, I can write you a promotion application."

He leaned forward slightly, his voice full of seduction.

"In that case, once Police Chief Bai retires, you can be promoted to Deputy Chief without any problem, right?"

Gao Bin glanced at him sideways, a hint of mockery in his eyes: "Isn't that a position reserved for Section Chief Zhu from Jiamusi? I wouldn't dare dream of it."

Yoshio Miyagawa immediately adopted a friendly and warm demeanor:

"Look, why are you still holding a grudge?"

"Zhiyou and I are now sworn brothers, so according to our relationship, I should call you 'brother'."

"But if we're talking about Zhiyou's side, I'd have to respectfully call you 'Uncle' when I see you. We're all family; how could I just stand by and watch this good fortune flow into someone else's field?"

He changed the subject and tapped his fingers lightly on the table.

"More importantly, Cheng Bin and Zhang Xiruo personally told Director An Gu that they were informants you developed in your early years."

"This must be the most brilliant move of your intelligence career, right?"
"If such a proud work were to be lost in Harbin, wouldn't that tarnish your reputation as Section Chief Gao?"

"You agree, don't you?"

Gao Bin finally raised his eyelids and pointed at him: "Director Gongchuan, it seems that spending too much time with my nephew has made you speak in a loud and boisterous manner."

"You've put it this way, how can I refuse?"

"Okay, I'll take the job."

He put down his teacup, his tone becoming serious.

"However, I have one request."

"During Cheng Bin's stay in Harbin these past few days, no one, including you, Director, is allowed to inquire about their whereabouts for any reason."

"In addition, please keep this a secret, Director, and do not tell anyone. I am fully responsible for this matter."

He paused, then added.

“Including my nephew, Hong Zhiyou.”

Yoshio Miyagawa raised an eyebrow slightly: "Tomoyu is also keeping it a secret?"

"This is just my personal, humble opinion."

"Zhiyou has extensive connections and many unorthodox methods in Harbin. With his help, your work might be easier."

Gao Bin shook his head and tapped his pipe lightly in his palm.

Of course, he couldn't say that his nephew was close to Zhou Yi and suspected of having illicit connections.

Gao Bin sighed and said, "That's a drawback too."

"With such a wild approach, I know a lot of people, from all walks of life, a real mixed bag."

"As the saying goes, you can't see into someone's heart. What if someone's mouth isn't shut and something gets leaked?"
"I prefer to do it myself; it's quieter."

Yoshio Miyagawa's smile remained unchanged: "This is just my humble opinion. In that case, I'll leave this matter entirely to you, Chief Gao."

"From now on, I will not ask any questions about Cheng Bin and Zhang Xiruo's movements."

Gao Bin slowly stood up and bowed to Yoshio Miyagawa.

"Thank you."

……

Back to the Special Operations Division of the Police Department.

Gao Bin picked up the phone and dialed an internal number.

"Come to my office."

His voice was brief and clear.

Soon, there was a knock on the door, and Lu Ming pushed it open and walked in, standing ramrod straight.

"Section Chief Gao, is there something you need?"

Gao Bin nodded, gesturing for him to close the door:
“Lu Ming.”

"You know, in this entire police department, you are the person I trust the most."

"I know your abilities perfectly well."

"Now, I'm giving you a top-secret mission."

Lu Ming's body stiffened, and he immediately stood at attention and saluted, his eyes filled with undisguised fervor and loyalty:
"Section Chief Gao, you gave me my life!"
"Just give the order, whatever the task, I guarantee I'll handle it perfectly!"

Gao Bin waved to him, signaling him to come closer.

Lu Ming immediately went over.

Gao Bin lowered his voice and carefully explained in a tone that only the two of them could hear.

As Lu Ming listened, he nodded repeatedly, his eyes growing brighter.

After giving his explanation, Lu Ming took down a map of Harbin's city from the wall and spread it out on the table.

The two huddled together in front of the map, their fingers moving and gesturing across it, carefully studying every street corner and every route.

Half an hour later, Gao Bin nodded in satisfaction and knocked the ash from his pipe into the ashtray.

"Hmm, your method is good."

"Let's do it this way."

"They only stayed in Harbin for three days."

"Our mission will be complete in three days."

He raised his head and stared sharply at Lu Ming.

"Note that the core of this operation can be summed up in two words... keep a low profile."

"We must act as if this matter has absolutely nothing to do with our police department."

Lu Ming revealed a shrewd smile: "Section Chief Gao, I've been with you for so many years, I know these rules."

"You can hold it then."

……

Five p.m.

Harbin Railway Station is under heavy security.

As soon as Kishitani Ryuichiro and his party got off the train, Miyagawa Yoshio greeted them with a beaming smile.

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, the group was taken to a high-class guesthouse that had been arranged in advance.

Cheng Bin and Zhang Xiruo were not among the people accompanying them.

Without asking any questions, Yoshio Miyagawa went straight to the point once they entered the reception room:

"Tomorrow morning at eight o'clock."

"Representatives from the military police, Manchukuo soldiers, and others will come here to listen to Captain Cheng and Mr. Zhang Xiruo's experience in suppressing the rebellion."

Will they arrive on time?

Kishitani Ryuichiro picked up his teacup, looking relaxed.
"Captain Cheng is always cautious and punctual, Director Miyagawa, don't worry, they will arrive."

Yoshio Miyagawa seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.

"Yes, then I can rest assured."

"To be honest, Harbin is a mixed bag. If they hadn't specifically asked Section Chief Gao to be in charge of security, I wouldn't know what to do."

"This is the commander's prized possession; I can't afford to lose it if it falls into my hands."

Ryuichiro Kishitani laughed: "Only three days."

"In a city as big as Harbin, hiding two people is a piece of cake."

"Besides, Gao Binjun is Mr. Doihara's prized student and an expert in intelligence work."

"With him in charge, neither you nor I need to worry at all."

……

Zhuhe County Town.

As night fell, two black Ford sedans drove slowly toward Harbin.

When it was completely dark, the convoy stopped in front of an inconspicuous mutton restaurant by the roadside.

Gao Bin got out of the car and went straight inside:

"Seventh Brother, bring me a mutton hot pot, with the skin on, and a few freshly baked sesame flatbreads."

The boss, who was doing the accounting, looked up and saw Gao Bin, and his face immediately lit up with a smile.

"Hey, Section Chief Gao! You've arrived!"

He quickly led the way and arranged for us to stay in the quietest private room inside.

Soon, the fragrant stewed mutton hot pot was served.

Gao Bin personally poured full glasses of baijiu for Cheng Bin and Zhang Xiruo:
"Relax."

"Treat this place as your home in Tonghua."

"You two are my precious darlings, whom I had to go through a lot of trouble to get. Do you think I'd let you suffer a loss on my turf?"

Cheng Bin was flattered and quickly raised his glass:
"That's it, that's it!"

"Section Chief Gao, if it weren't for you and Mr. Liao's help back then, my brother and I wouldn't be where we are today!"

Zhang Xiruo, who was standing to the side, quickly followed suit and flattered him.

"Yes, Section Chief Gao, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that you are our second parents!"

Gao Bin quickly waved his hand and laughed:
"Oh, that was too harsh, too harsh."

"In terms of relationship, we are distant relatives, so you have to call me uncle."

“I’ve seen your files. Captain Cheng was born in 11, and Xiao Zhang was born in 13. You’re about the same age as my good-for-nothing nephew, Zhiyou.”

"I dare not call myself your second parents. From now on, just call me Uncle."

Overjoyed, the two immediately raised their glasses and exclaimed in unison, "Uncle!"

Gao Bin took a satisfied sip of wine and put down his glass.
"Since you trust me, then leave your safety entirely to me this time."

"Look, this is how I've arranged it..."

He lowered his voice, leaned close to their ears, and explained the meticulous and detailed plan in detail.

After saying that, he sat up straight and asked.

"It's tough, but at least it's safe, isn't it?"

Cheng Bin and Zhang Xiruo nodded repeatedly, their faces full of admiration.
"As expected of a senior figure who dominated the intelligence community in Manchukuo!"
"Uncle, your arrangement is absolutely flawless!"

Gao Bin's smile remained, but his eyes suddenly turned cold:

"My plan is flawless."

"But you two have to cooperate well during these three days."

"Harbin was known as the 'Soul Cave' of Manchukuo, where women and opium were all available."

"You two better not get any funny ideas or run around, understand?"

Cheng Bin and the other man nodded quickly:

"Understood! Uncle, don't worry!"

……

As night deepened, the car drove into the city of HEB.

On a quiet street corner in Daoli District, the car stopped, and Lu Ming was already waiting in the shadow of the streetlights.

Gao Bin waved his hand.

Cheng Bin and Zhang Xiruo immediately understood and got out of the car.

Two rickshaws glided silently over.

Lu Ming remained silent, gesturing for the two to get into the car, while he himself got into another car.

The driver started the rickshaw and drove through the winding alleys. Soon, he stopped in front of a secluded warehouse.

Click!

Lu Ming took out his key and unlocked the heavy iron lock.

He turned around and waved to the two rickshaw pullers, who immediately pulled the empty rickshaw and disappeared into the night.

Lu Ming pushed open the creaking iron gate and led the bewildered Cheng Bin and Zhang Xiruo inside.

(End of this chapter)