Spy wars start with lurking Secretary Hong

Chapter 554 Tricking the Old Horse
Old Ma's brow was still tightly furrowed, like a character that could never be relaxed.

Those eyes held a hint of impatience and anger in everyone they looked at.

He was tall and strong, and very tough.

In Harbin, where the temperature was below -10 degrees Celsius, this guy was wearing only a black leather jacket and a turtleneck sweater underneath.

It's fucking cold-resistant.

Hong Zhiyou had his sleeves rolled up and his hat brim pulled low. He only glanced at the person quickly out of the corner of his eye.

Ma Kui is very professional.

Hong Zhi dared not look too closely, for fear of arousing the other party's suspicion.

He walked slowly past the old bungalow, his neck hunched, like any ordinary passerby.

Behind him, Ma Kui lit a cigarette with a match.

His gaze lingered on Hong Zhiyou's tattered cotton-padded coat for less than a second before sweeping it away without any interest.

Hong Zhi crossed the street and turned into two alleys covered in dirty snow before getting back into the black sedan parked some distance away.

The warmth inside the car relaxed his tense body.

Haha, that’s interesting.

That unlucky guy Ma Kui actually came to Harbin.

Hong Zhiyou leaned back in his chair and laughed.

Killing Ma Kui was not part of the plan.

But when Hong Zhi thought of Ah Di, he wondered if he should teach this old acquaintance a lesson in advance.
The thought flashed through my mind.

Hong Zhi then smiled and dismissed the idea.

This disgusting matter should be left to professionals like Wan Lilang and Qin Shuangcheng.

The car slowly started moving and drove past a public phone booth on a street corner.

Hong Zhi stopped the car and went inside.

He picked up the cold receiver and dialed a number:
"it's me.

"It's time to move."

……

night.

Inside the cold, damp bungalow.

Ma Kui sat alone, drinking his sorrowful wine over a plate of stir-fried pork.

The noisy card game from his men in the next room only fueled his already irritable mood.

"Oh shit!"

He slammed his hand on the table and roared.

"Get the hell out there and play!"

The room fell silent instantly.

The henchmen trembled in fear and immediately stopped the card game, terrified of being beaten by this man.

A moment later, Yu Bo rubbed his hands together and cautiously walked in.

"Brother Ma, I have news."

Ma Kui didn't even lift his eyelids before taking another gulp of strong liquor.

Yu Bo leaned closer and lowered his voice, saying, "Mr. Zhou... he asked us to send a car over to pick up the things."

"They said they got gold bars from Hong Zhiyou."

Ma Kui curled his lip in disdain: "How many are there? Do I have to go and get them myself? Are those two under him dead?"

Yu Bo's face showed barely concealed excitement:
"I don't know how many there are, but that's what Mr. Zhou told me."

"He told us to get the car ready now and go to the usual place to meet him."

Ma Kui drank the remaining wine in his glass in one gulp.

"understood."

He lit a cigarette, slowly finished it, and then leisurely got up and put on his leather jacket.

The car drove through the night and finally stopped in the backyard of a secluded Western-style house.

This is another temporary stop for Zhou Xi.

In the courtyard, Zhou Xi had been waiting for a long time.

He saw Ma Kui's car, waved, and then turned and walked upstairs.

Ma Kui got out of the car and followed him upstairs without saying a word.

"Mr. Zhou."

Ma Kui's voice is usually stiff.
"You've been in Harbin for so many days, I hope tonight's answer won't disappoint you."

Zhou Xi turned around and sneered:
"Brother, I'm still working for Boss Dai, what do I care if you're disappointed or not?"

He took a step closer and stared intently at Ma Kui:

"Don't forget, even your Director Mao has to be very polite to me."

"Young people, you need to know the rules, don't be ungrateful."

Ma Kui's pupils suddenly contracted, his anger rising from the sharp retort:
"you!"

His chest heaved violently, then he let out a cold laugh:
“Ma only cares about the Party and the country. If Mr. Zhou is sincere in his work, Ma will naturally have to be polite to him.”

His hand unconsciously moved towards his waist:
"If you dare to dawdle or ruin Boss Dai's plans, my bullets won't be blind."

"And another thing, don't try to act superior to me."

"I'll urge you to do your job well; this is a task that Boss Dai asked Director Mao to pass on to me!"

Zhou Xi's heart sank suddenly.

Dai Laogou!

On the surface, he was completely open with me, but little did I know that he had secretly arranged for Mao Renfeng to keep an eye on me.

urge?

That sounds nice, but it probably implies they'll kill you if they don't get the money!

Hong Zhi's words echoed in his ears once again.

If a person does not serve himself, he will be destroyed by heaven and earth.

Dai Li, such a despicable person, is utterly unworthy of loyalty.

Looking at Ma Kui, who seemed oblivious to his own mortality, Zhou Xi's last trace of hesitation vanished.

He sneered:
"Then show some politeness."

As he spoke, he took out his key and opened the door to the room next door.

"Click."

As soon as you enter the house.

Ma Kui froze on the spot.

Nine huge black leather trunks were open and neatly arranged on the floor.

The roof lights were on, their dazzling light emanating from the nine boxes, almost blinding.

Each box contained stacks of heavy, bright yellow croakers.

Ma Kui's breathing stopped.

How many... how many are there?

Rich enough to rival a country!

His mind went blank, with only this thought swirling wildly within him.

Looking at his naive and ignorant appearance, Zhou Xi felt a surge of smugness.

He walked slowly to the box, casually picked up a gold bar, weighed it in his hand, and spoke in a calm tone, yet with an undisguised air of ostentation:

"Do you think I've been drinking for nothing these past few days?"
"Boss Dai gave me three thousand taels, but I took back all of Hong Zhiyou's share of ten years' worth of money in one go."

"Here is a full nine thousand taels, three times the amount of the mission."

He turned his head, staring intently at Ma Kui, and asked, word by word:

"Captain Ma, now tell me."

Am I indulging in debauchery, eating, drinking, and having fun, neglecting my duties?

Ma Kui's face turned pale and then flushed, and he lowered his proud head.
"Mr. Zhou, I...apologize to you."

Zhou Xi sneered inwardly.

An apology? Too late.

They'll be going to the police station to be tortured.

Zhou Xi immediately put on a warm smile.

It's not good to let things get ugly. If this idiot gets into trouble and suspects me, that would be a real problem.

He walked over and patted Ma Kui on the shoulder:

"Hey, Little Ma."

"We're all working for the boss, so we're all family in the end."

Zhou Xi sighed deeply, a look of exhaustion on her face.

"To be honest, debt collection is a tough job. I've been with Hong Zhi and his bunch of drunkards from Northeast China for the past two days, and I almost vomited blood from drinking too much."

"Fortunately, I have fulfilled my mission."

Ma Kui nodded, the anger in his voice dissipating considerably.

"Mr. Zhou, you've worked hard."

Zhou Xi smiled magnanimously, "I'm glad you understand."

He walked to the window and looked out at the dark courtyard.

"I've already arranged the train. It's a special coal train from Mitsubishi Corporation bound for the interior of China, and they've reserved a carriage specifically for us."

"Boss Dai has already made arrangements with the higher-ups in Manchukuo, so no one will check this train."

"Someone will be there to pick you up at the station at 11 p.m.

"You'll have to work hard to transport the gold bars over there."

"I promised Section Chief Hong that I would have a farewell drink with him, so I'm taking my leave now."

Zhou Xi was about to leave when she said that.

Ma Kui suddenly called out to him, "Is this Hong Zhiyou one of ours?"

Zhou Xi stopped in her tracks, a hint of impatience in her eyes:
"Your task is to keep an eye on him, and kill him if he doesn't pay you."

"Whether he's one of us or not is none of your business, isn't it?"

His voice turned cold.

"What, is this how Director Mao taught you to behave?"

Ma Kui's brows furrowed, then relaxed.

"Too.

"Once I've got the money, who he is is none of my business."

Zhou Xi nodded in satisfaction: "However, there's something I need to remind you of. "The Japanese are currently actively trying to persuade Chairman Chiang Kai-shek to negotiate, and Puyi also urgently needs our recognition of the legitimacy of Manchukuo."

"So, the relationship isn't as tense as it used to be."

"In this area, as long as you don't talk nonsense, no one will dare to touch us."

"It's safe if you don't speak."

"But speaking recklessly can kill you."

"Brother, do you understand what I mean?"

Ma Kui's Adam's apple bobbed.

He understands.

This is a warning, and also a gag order.

"I know."

"That's good."

Zhou Xi put on sunglasses and gloves, then turned and walked downstairs.

"I'm leaving this place to you."

"In addition, I had my informant take the intelligence about the shipment out last night."

"When we return to the mountain city with the gold, we can be rewarded for our merits."

Ma Kui responded, "Okay."

Zhou Xi's figure quickly disappeared at the top of the stairs.

Ma Kui stood still for a moment, then shouted downstairs.

"Brothers, come up here and take a look!"

Soon, Yu Bo ran up with several of his men.

When they saw the nine open chests of gold, everyone was stunned.

The room was filled with golden light, so dazzling it made one's eyes dizzy.

Looking at his men's spineless appearance, Ma Kui casually picked up a large yellow croaker from the box.

He put it to his lips and bit down hard.

A clear tooth mark was left on the gold bar.

"Damn, it really is gold."

"These guys from Northeast China are fucking rich."

Seeing that the others were still dumbfounded, he sneered.

"Alright, I called you up here just to broaden your horizons."

"These are military supplies that Boss Dai specifically requested, so you can forget about getting them."

Yu Bo rubbed his hands together and leaned closer: "Brother Ma, what time are we loading the truck?"

Ma Kui glanced at the watch on his wrist.

"11 p.m."

Yu Bo calculated for a moment: "There are still two hours left."

"How about... we brothers go out for a drink?"

“Brother Ma, the brothers have been in Harbin for so long, and we left without even eating out once. We feel a bit empty inside.”

"At least have some dumplings before you leave."

Ma Kui glanced at him sideways: "What's so great about dumplings?"

"I think you can't forget your homeland, can you?"

Yu Bo chuckled: "That's true. The last meal I had before leaving home was dumplings."

The other brothers also looked at Ma Kui expectantly.

Ma Kui thought about it and realized that he had done a great job on this mission. He would be a great hero when he got back, and it was time to let the brothers relax.

"Okay, let's go out for a couple of drinks then."

He pointed to the youngest brother.

"Seventh brother, you stay here and keep watch. I'll bring you some food later."

Ma Kui and his group went downstairs, got into their car, and headed straight for a nearby restaurant called Jubinlou.

……

street corner.

The cold wind whipped up snowflakes, stinging people's faces.

Shivering from the cold, Chun San emerged from a dark corner. He still didn't trust anyone to keep watch.

It's best to handle Little Hong's affairs personally.

He strode into a public phone booth by the roadside and quickly dialed a number:
"Sir, they have already gone."

"The assassins have been found."

I don't know what was said on the other end of the phone.

Chun San nodded and bowed repeatedly, his face full of fawning smiles.

"How could I not know your rules? You are a living bodhisattva."

"Don't worry, that guy is a consumptive and won't live much longer. He used to work under Commander Zhang and is a good shot."

"I'm not stupid, I definitely won't send money to his family now."

"Once this matter has calmed down, I will send money to his son, and I guarantee it will be handled properly."

"Alright, I won't disturb your sleep anymore."

Chun San hung up the phone, then took out a clean handkerchief from his pocket and carefully wiped the microphone and dial.

The Japanese are using increasingly advanced investigative techniques, so we have to be very careful when working for Master Hong.

……

Inside Jubinlou, the heating was on full blast.

Fearing his out-of-town accent would give him away, Ma Kui glanced at the lobby and then gestured to Yu Bo.

Yu Bo understood immediately and went up to talk to the shopkeeper for a few minutes.

The shopkeeper was very polite.

"What a coincidence, sir! We just happen to have a private room available. Please come in."

Upon arriving at the private room, Ma Kui gave a quick inspection, and the group sat down.

Soon, steaming hot dishes were served in a continuous stream.

Sweet and sour pork, braised pork slices, chicken stew with mushrooms, and a jar of authentic Shaoxing liquor.

Ma Kui was in a great mood and raised his glass in a toast.

After flattering everyone, who had been eating potatoes and cabbage for so many days, now ate heartily, devouring meat and drinking wine.

The atmosphere in the private room was incredibly harmonious.

It's quite lively there.

Several men with heavy local accents walked into Jubinlou.

The shopkeeper took one look and quickly went to greet him.

"Oh, Mr. Cai, you've arrived."

The man leading the group was around fifty years old. He wore a wrinkled cotton-padded jacket and had a spiky hairstyle that reached his shoulders. He exuded the air of a seasoned swindler.

Cai Dayong coughed twice and said in a hoarse voice, "Manager Wang, the usual, serve the dishes."

As he spoke, he was about to lead the group into the private room inside.

Manager Wang quickly raised his hand to stop him.

"Mr. Cai, didn't you call to cancel your private room? I... I've already given it to another guest."

Cai Dayong raised his hand:

What does that mean?
"Is Master Cai not going to give you money, or what?"

"Now you think you can talk big, huh? You old codger, you've learned to look down on people now. Believe me or not, I'll slap you across the face."

Manager Wang had a bitter face.

"Sir, we have to be reasonable."

Cai Dayong slapped him hard across the face.
"In Harbin, I, Cai Ye, am the law!"

"Brothers, let's go, this private room is ours tonight!"

Cai Dayong flicked his sleeves and led his buddies to the private room where Ma Kui and his group were.

He raised his foot and kicked the door open.

"boom!"

Ma Kui and the others were so shocked that they jumped up from their chairs, thinking that their identities had been exposed.

Upon seeing that they were a few seasoned veterans, Yu Bo roared:
"Who's blind and causing trouble here!"

Cai Dayong exclaimed "Yo ho!" and tilted his head to look them over.

"In this territory, is there anyone who dares to challenge me?"
"Kid, go out and ask around. Back when General Zhang was in charge of the three northeastern provinces, I was the one who looked after the family here!"
"Who dares to disrespect me, Master Cai?"

He pointed a finger at the aftershocks.

"You bunch of punks, if you know what's good for you, move aside right now, or I'll kill you!"

Yu Bo pretended to be drunk and started shouting along.

"You old bastard, you're trying to play dirty with me!"
"I'll show you something new today."

As he spoke, he suddenly drew a gun from his waist and pointed it at Cai Dayong's head.

Cai Dayong let out another "Yo-ho!" but his face showed no sign of panic.

"Ha, you still dare to point at your Master Cai."

"When your Uncle Cai was playing with guns with the commander, you were still wearing open-crotch pants and playing in the mud."

He suddenly reached out and shoved away Yu Bo's hand that was holding the gun.

At the same time, he drew his sidearm from his waist and pulled the trigger at several Kuomintang agents who were watching the commotion in the private room.

Snapped!Snapped!
Gunshots rang out in the confined space.

Those spies who hadn't even reacted yet had their chests burst open with blood and collapsed into pools of blood on the spot.

Ma Kui and Yu Bo were shocked and quickly hid under the table, drawing their guns to return fire.

boom!boom!
The bullets fired, leaving several bloody holes in Cai Dayong's body. He fell straight down, his eyes wide open.

Several of my old comrades also suffered terrible luck; some ran away, and some were injured.

Screams erupted throughout the restaurant, turning it into complete chaos.

Ma Kui peeked out and saw his men lying on the ground, shot in the chest, clearly not going to make it.

He dared not linger any longer and grabbed Yu Bo, who was still in a daze.

"go!"

……

(End of this chapter)