Spy wars start with lurking Secretary Hong

Chapter 563 The Best Candidate

night.

Romantic Restaurant.

To the sound of soft music, Zhou Yi cut off a small piece of steak, put it in his mouth, and enjoyed a brief moment of leisure and relaxation.

“You like sitting in the corner,” Zhou Yi said with a smile.

"I'm afraid of being shot in the back."

Hong Zhi grinned and pointed the tip of his knife at the French window next to Zhou Yi: "You like sitting by the window."

Zhou Yi gave a wry smile.

"Yes, those of us in this line of work only trust what we see with our own eyes."

"If you can't keep your eyes peeled for everything, you won't feel confident."

He put down his knife and fork, picked up his wine glass: "It's been a while since we had a drink together."

"No."

Hong Zhi nodded, a smile appearing on his face: "In the blink of an eye, that kid Cheng Zong is already chasing after me."

Zhou Yi's facial features softened slightly, but were quickly clouded over again:
"A message came from Lao Wei."

"He Qinghua, the group leader, decided to formally recruit Zhang Tao."

"I may meet him in person soon."

Hong Zhiyou's smile vanished: "Sometimes, fools are more terrifying than enemies."

"Now the Japanese and their puppet troops have completely taken control of the situation, and the Anti-Japanese United Army and other forces can no longer stir up any trouble."

"The working committee here in Manchukuo does not receive the wise guidance of those big shots in Yancheng, and makes decisions purely based on the whims of the person in charge."

He paused, his tone full of sarcasm.

"Unfortunately, judging from General Zhao's removal from the register and the dispatch of some worthless work group to the transportation station, I don't think the decision-making level of the work committee is very wise."

Zhou Yi nodded: "I've discussed this with Lao Wei as well."

"The situation has changed, and the methods of struggle must also change accordingly."

"To put it bluntly, there's not much intelligence left on the market that's worth risking our lives to gather."

"Yes, but they are all trivial matters, nothing serious."

Hong Zhiyou raised his glass again: "Yes."

"The right approach is to lie low and secretly gather economic data, cultivate the market thoroughly, lay out a network, observe the international situation, and wait for the right moment to change."

"If all else fails, we can send people out to do business, make more money, and provide funding and resources for organizations and institutions inside the pass. Wouldn't that be good?"

"To be honest, Manchukuo was quite wealthy on the surface, with plenty of ways to make money."

Zhou Yi took a sip of wine and said, "It's too difficult to change a person's mindset."

"I have checked the funding sources of the Harbin Institute of Technology Committee, and Ms. Liu has privately provided a considerable amount of financial assistance."

"Liu Zhenwen and Zhang Tao teamed up and completely fooled this girl."

"But at this crucial moment, no one can bring her to her senses. Once the truth is revealed, Liu Zhenwen will immediately realize that his plan has been exposed."

Hong Zhiyou suddenly smiled: "I know, I even donated some to her."

"However, this is fine."

Seeing Zhou Yi's puzzled look, he slowly said, "Isn't it good that we caught a few big fish?"

Zhou Yi's brows furrowed: "What do you mean?"

"Didn't I say that sometimes, stupidity and pedantry are more terrifying than the enemy itself?"

Hong Zhiyou's voice turned cold.

What are the key features of a transportation hub?
"It's about secrecy and single-line communication. Just like you, how much effort you put into establishing yourself here."

"The fact that the work team went directly to the transportation station is a fundamental violation of the principle of confidentiality."

"This is not just in Harbin, but also in Jiamusi. Any place that continues to operate in this model will be a disaster for underground work."

He stated it without any emotion.

“They will never retract these stupid ideas unless those hot-headed guys take a hard fall and pay a bloody price.”

Of course, Hong Zhi was annoyed, but it had little to do with this.

He only cares about his own interests.

Since He Qinghua arrived, Lao Wei has terminated his leather goods business to avoid involving Hong Zhiyou.

That's all pure silver.

He loses a lot of money every month he delays.

If we don't get rid of this damn work group, everyone's wallets will be in trouble.

Zhou Yi frowned: "How about... we kill Zhang Tao?"

“Zhang Tao is definitely going to die, but not now, and we don’t necessarily have to do it.” Hong Zhiyou shook his head.

"The problem now is that eliminating Zhang Tao is pointless."

"Zhang Tao has been infiltrating the academic committee for so long, Liu Zhenwen must have followed the clues and obtained a long list of names."

"Even without Zhang Tao, they can still find a lot of people."

"The only thing you need to do now is to keep Lao Wei out of it."

“Those under him who had contact with the student committee members must evacuate as soon as possible and cut off all contact.”

Zhou Yi's lips moved slightly.

"Can……"

“Good advice is hard to persuade a damned ghost,” Hong Zhiyou interrupted him.

"Old Wei and you have both done your best."

"So be it."

His tone was unquestionable.

Zhou Yi remained silent for a long time before finally nodding: "Okay."

After finishing the last piece of beef, he picked up the clothes hanging on his back and said with a smile, "Thanks to you, I haven't had meat in a long time. It tastes pretty good."

I have to go back.

"I'm a little short on cash lately, so remember to pay the bill later."

After finishing his meal, Hong Zhi went straight to the counter.

Liu Yawen was calculating the accounts with her head down, her well-fitting dress highlighting her hot figure.

Northeastern girls are tall with long legs, fair skin, and a fiery presence; the visual allure they exude far surpasses that of gentle and graceful Southern girls.

Putting everything else aside, if Wenwen were placed in a future Greater China beauty pageant, she would definitely be the champion of the Northeast region.

At least it's round and smooth, not square.

Hong Zhiyou walked up behind her, raised his large hand, and habitually tried to pat her shapely buttocks.

Unfortunately, luck wasn't on their side.

He'd become so adept at this move in the last two years that Liu Ya-wen was on guard. She deftly shifted her body to the side, causing him to miss his target.

Liu Yawen glared at him fiercely, took a small pair of tweezers from the pen holder, and waved them in front of his eyes.

"If you keep fidgeting, I'll prick you!"

Hong Zhi pouted, looking bored. "Boring."

"Looks like I won't be able to sleep tonight again."

He took out his wallet, counted the banknotes, and slapped them on the counter.

"Keep the change, consider it my donation."

"That's more like it," Liu Yawen scoffed.

Hong Zhi, having not gotten any advantage, lazily lingered by the counter:

"Did you dream about me last night?"

"Why would I miss you? Are you crazy?" Liu Yawen was speechless.

"But I miss you."

Hong Zhi leaned closer and lowered his voice:

"I have to take a shower every time I wake up. Haven't you noticed that I look a little pale lately? It's all your fault."

Liu Ya-wen knew what he was thinking, her pretty face flushed slightly, and she spat lightly:
"You are shameless."

"Damn it, I can't even think about it because I can't have it."

"Why are you so hard to please?"

"Oh, you said you hate men like me who lie, but when I tell the truth, you think I'm shameless."

So, does that mean I can't tell the truth or a lie?

He complained, clearly annoyed.

Liu Ya-wen snorted: "Tell whoever you want, just don't tell me."

"Of all the people in Harbin, I only want to talk to you."

Hong Zhiyou stretched out his arm, hooked Liu Yawen's slender waist, and pulled her into his arms.

Ever since that tentative slap two years ago, seeing that she didn't really get angry, Hong Zhiyou has completely let himself go, and he comes over to take advantage of her whenever he has free time.

Men, the bold get rich, the timid starve.

Sometimes, while wiping, it just ends up in the bowl.

Liu Yawen blushed to her neck and struggled, muttering under her breath, "Bastard! Let go of me!"

“I won’t let go. I’m here to seduce you on your mother’s orders,” Hong Zhi said shamelessly.

Just then, the wind chimes at the door started tinkling.

Zhang Tao walked in carrying a small cake box, beaming with joy.

Then, the smile on his face... froze.

"Section Chief Hong." Zhang Tao forced a smile and stepped forward to greet him.

Hong Zhi glanced at him, but instead of letting go, he pinched Liu Yawen's waist lightly, as if to assert his dominance.

"Oh, Assistant Zhang is here."

"Is there something you need from Wenwen?"

Zhang Tao quickly said:
"Oh, Director Liu asked me to buy some snacks for Wenwen, and I'm just bringing them over on my way."

Hong Zhi let go of her hand and said with a smile, "Then I won't disturb you any longer, you two chat."

Then, he leaned down, got close to Liu Yawen's red ear, and grinned mischievously:
"you are mine."

After saying that, he put one hand in his pocket and walked away with a flourish.

Liu Yawen stood there, furious but unable to retaliate, and could only watch helplessly as he swaggered away.

After Hong Zhi left, Zhang Tao could no longer hide the gloom on his face.

"Wenwen, you two..."

Liu Ya-wen rolled her eyes at him and said irritably, "What could possibly happen between us? He's a scoundrel, you know that."

She took the cake and turned to walk into the inner room.

Once they were in a secluded spot, she immediately lowered her voice and asked, "How is it?"

Zhang Tao's expression immediately became serious and excited.

"I have already handed over the gold bar you gave me to the higher-ups."

"The higher-ups expressed their gratitude to you."

Liu Yawen's eyes lit up instantly, and she exclaimed excitedly, "Really?"

"of course."

Zhang Tao stood tall and straight.

"Wenwen, don't worry, when the time is right, I will recommend you to join the Party."

"I'll be your introducer."

His gaze was fixed intently on her.

"At that time, we'll be true comrades."

Liu Ya-wen was both surprised and delighted, and even a little incredulous: "Thank you! Me...can I do it too? I just donated some money."

"In a revolution, different roles are assigned."

"You are just as important to us." He paused, then dropped another bombshell:
"I have some more good news to tell you."

Liu Yawen pressed on impatiently, "Tell me quickly, tell me quickly."

Zhang Tao glanced furtively at her chest heaving with anxiety, and swallowed hard twice before saying:
"I have passed the test of the Harbin underground organization."

"The committee leaders decided to personally recruit me."

"I'm going to see him later."

"When the time comes, I'll put in a good word for you in front of him, and maybe you'll join the organization soon."

Liu Ya-wen was overjoyed: "That's wonderful!"

"Thank you, senior!"

"It's all for the revolution, no need to be so polite." Zhang Tao adopted a senior's posture and handed over the cake box.

"Try it, this is a new flavor at this store."

Liu Yawen reached out to take it.

Zhang Tao decided to strike while the iron was hot.

With a flick of his wrist, he grabbed her snow-white hand.

Liu Yawen suddenly felt as if she had been pricked by a needle, and instinctively shrank back.

pat.

The cake box fell to the ground, the packaging broke apart, and cream and jam were smeared all over the floor.

"I'm sorry, senior." She quickly apologized.

A chilling disappointment swept through Zhang Tao's heart, but he forced a gentlemanly smile onto his face.

"it's okay no problem.

"I'll go buy you another one."

"no need."

Liu Yawen shook her head, her tone becoming somewhat distant: "It's getting late, you should go back now, I still have to go downstairs to entertain the guests."

Zhang Tao stood still.

He thought for a moment, then spoke in a serious tone.

"Wenwen, I know you've known Hongzhi for a long time."

"But I can tell you clearly that Hong Zhiyou is not a good person."

"He did business with the Japanese and even participated in the so-called peace negotiations between Japan and the Nationalist government in Tianjin. His hands are stained with the blood of countless patriots."

"This kind of traitorous dog deserves to be killed by everyone."

"You...you need to stay away from him."

Liu Yawen lowered her eyes and said in a cold tone, "I understand. You should leave now."

Seeing that she was unyielding, Zhang Tao's anger flared up instantly, but he dared not lash out.

He could only sigh and suppress his anger as he said:

Don't be fooled by his sweet talk.

"I go first."

Liu Yawen nodded and watched Zhang Tao leave.

She is not stupid.

How could she not see that Zhang Tao liked her?

However, she felt nothing but camaraderie with this "senior," and had absolutely no romantic feelings for him.

Even when I'm alone and quiet at night, all I can think about is that bad guy.

Love is one thing.

Career is another matter.

Liu Ya-wen doesn't want to be wronged in any way.

Thinking of this, she sighed softly, bent down, picked up a broom, and began to sweep up the mess on the ground.

Zhang Tao didn't leave; he quietly stood in the shadows outside the restaurant's glass.

He watched helplessly as Liu Yawen swept the carefully selected cake into the dustpan without a second thought, treating it like trash.

His heart ached terribly, and an overwhelming hatred surged through his blood.

Zhang Tao turned around and got back into the car, unable to contain himself any longer.

"boom!"

He slammed his fist hard on the steering wheel.

“Bitch!
"Stop pretending to be innocent!"
"Why is it that Hong Zhi has that bastard who can put his arm around your waist so easily, but when I touch his finger, you avoid him like the plague?"
"They talk about principles all the time, but all they really care about is money!"
"Isn't it just that Hong Zhi is richer than me?"

His eyes were bloodshot, and he growled through gritted teeth:

“Hong Zhiyou… Since you’re going to block my way, don’t blame me for taking your life.”

Zhang Tao is determined to win over Liu Yawen.

Liu Zhenwen's official career is going very well, and he will be able to continue working for many more years.

Only by becoming his son-in-law can one truly have a bright future.

All of this is predicated on getting rid of Hong Zhiyou, this eyesore.

……

In the coffee shop on the second floor opposite the Western restaurant.

Hong Zhi adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses, looked coldly through the window at Zhang Tao, who was spying on him and then left in anger.

He picked up his coffee and took a small sip.

Zhang Tao is an idiot.

Toad wants to eat.

Even without him, there are countless wealthy and powerful sons of officials in Harbin, so it would be impossible for Zhang Tao to stand out.

The most despicable thing about this person is that he uses the banner of "red faith" to deceive idealists like Wenwen.

However, this is fine.

It's time for Ms. Liu to see for herself that not everyone on the path she aspires to is pure and noble.

Of course, this is only one reason why Zhang Tao is still alive.

Hong Zhiyou is a businessman, and only secondarily a politician.

Politicians will stop at nothing to achieve their goals.

But businessmen value wealth from all directions, prioritize harmony, and always calculate the balance of interests first.

It's far more worthwhile to let Zhang Tao, that shrew, cut down He Qinghua and his meddlesome fools than to do it yourself.

After all, Zhou Yi and Lao Wei were friends.

If he were to take action, it would put his two friends in a disadvantageous position in terms of organizational discipline and morality.

Secondly, I was also afraid of arousing their suspicion.

These are extraordinary times, and even the best of friends must maintain a sense of boundaries.

Even with the most lucrative profits, it's essential to consider personal relationships in order for business and friendships to last.

Once the problem of He Qinghua is resolved, someone will naturally come to deal with Zhang Tao.

Liu Zhenwen's decision to transfer his trusted confidant Qian Bai was a gesture of respect, a compromise and concession.

If he were to eliminate Zhang Tao, whom Liu Zhenwen had painstakingly cultivated for so long, that would be a solid slap in the face.

Liu Zhenwen had deep connections in the upper echelons of the puppet Manchukuo regime and was also a deeply entrenched local elder in Harbin.

The key point is that Lao Liu and he currently have no conflict of interest, so there's no need for them to fight to the death.

Furthermore, Harbin has already lost two police chiefs. If another police chief dies, the bigwigs at the top might be furious.

One should not be too flamboyant or arrogant.

It's best to play it safe.

Just as he was pondering this, his ideal candidate arrived.

Soon, a gloomy-looking young man, guided by a waiter, strode over and said apologetically:
"Section Chief Hong, I'm sorry, my car broke down on the road, so I took a rickshaw here. I'm late."

Hong Zhi smiled and pointed to the seat opposite him: "Section Chief Gong, please have a seat."

The person who arrived was Gong Qingshan, Liu Zhenwen's former police assistant.

Now, he has been transferred to Li Xiangwu's criminal investigation department to manage files, and his status has plummeted.

Hong Zhi sized him up:
"Section Chief Gong doesn't look well. Is he feeling unwell?"

Gong Qingshan gave a wry smile and shook his head.

"To be honest with you, Section Chief Hong, I'm perfectly healthy, it's just that I'm feeling unwell."

He continued:
"I've been working with Liu Zhenwen since 1936."

"After working diligently for so many years, in the end, a greenhorn from the interior took my place and was sent to manage those moldy, unsolved case files."

"To be honest, I still can't figure out what I did wrong that caused me to lose to that guy who can't even speak Northeastern dialect properly."

Hong Zhi listened to his complaints and spoke up at the right time: "If you're really feeling frustrated at this job, how about I help you switch to another position?"

Gong Qingshan was taken aback, then deflated: "Personnel matters are now being handled personally by Director Liu."

“If I apply for a job transfer now, he will think I am dissatisfied with his arrangement and may not approve it. I will also offend people.”

Hong Zhi smiled:

"It's difficult to make changes within the police department, so we can transfer people out."

"You know I'm friends with Deputy Director Chen Jingyu. If you're really feeling stifled here, I can transfer you to the Investigation Department of the Security Bureau."

"Over there, they're even more impressive than the Special Service Division."

Gong Qingshan was overjoyed:
"Section Chief Hong, are you... are you serious? You're not joking with me, are you?"

"This... I'm so grateful!"

"Why are you so polite?"

Hong Zhi waved his hand, looking completely nonchalant.

"Since I came to the police station, I've received a lot of help from you. We've been old friends for so many years, it's just a matter of saying hello."

"The main reason is that my sister-in-law visited my uncle's house a few days ago."

“My aunt is a kind-hearted person, and she asked me to help you out.”

He changed the subject.

"Of course, don't get too excited too soon."

"I can talk to the security bureau, but it's hard to say whether Assistant Zhang will be willing to release him."

He looked at Gong Qingshan meaningfully.

"As you know, he's now an assistant to a department head, extremely popular."

"Even if I want to see Director Liu, I have to report to him first to make arrangements."

"Even if the Security Bureau is willing to issue an acceptance letter for your transfer, it's hard to say whether it will actually reach Director Liu's desk."

Gong Qingshan's face cooled from wild joy, and a trace of resentment and hatred flashed in his eyes.

"In any case, this is a tremendous opportunity for me."

"Section Chief Hong, I am deeply grateful."

He bowed and said.

"Alright, that's all I wanted to talk to you about."

Hong Zhiyou stood up: "I have an appointment with a friend, so I'll be leaving now."

"I've already paid for the coffee. Sit here for a while, relax, and don't always look so gloomy, or people will look down on you."

As he spoke, he reached out and gently patted Gong Qingshan's shoulder.

"everything will get better."

After saying that, he left leisurely.

Gong Qingshan sat by the window, holding a scalding hot coffee cup, and whispered with extreme resentment in his eyes: "Zhang Tao, if you push your luck to the limit, don't blame me for being impolite."

……

(End of this chapter)