Spy wars start with lurking Secretary Hong

Chapter 571 Zhang Pingru Descends the Mountain

The Madier Hotel was brightly lit.

Inside the private room, Liu Zhenwen sat in the main seat, holding a glass of red wine, with a perfectly appropriate smile on his face.

He was seething with anger, yet he had to keep going.

Zhang Tao is his person.

Although he messed up this time, and even betrayed himself.

But appearances must be maintained.

If he doesn't carry this sedan chair for Zhang Tao today, who will be willing to work wholeheartedly for him in the future?

Liu Zhenwen and Gao Bin exchanged a helpless glance, then Liu Zhenwen stood up and smiled amicably:

“Everyone.

"Today, we gather here to celebrate a joyous occasion."

"Zhang Tao personally joined the scheme and successfully assisted the Security Bureau in cracking a major red spy case and arresting He Qinghua, the bandit leader in Harbin!"

"This is the glory of our police department!"

"Come on, let's all raise a glass and toast to our hero, Officer Zhang Tao!"

Gao Bin also stood up at the opportune moment, raised his glass in agreement:
“That’s right, Director Liu is right.”

"Zhang Tao's spirit of self-sacrifice is something we should all learn from."

"Let us all take Zhang Tao as our role model and bring glory to the Police Department!"

Zhang Tao stood up amidst applause and cheers, his face flushed red with excitement and alcohol.

He looked around smugly, then raised his glass and drank it all in one gulp.

"Thank you, both directors!"
"Your subordinate will certainly continue to work hard and strive for new achievements!"

Lu Ming held his wine glass, a slightly sour smile on his face:

"Hey, you two directors, you can't keep all the good news to yourselves."

"Give us some work to do too. We're practically living off others, just sitting in the office drinking tea and reading newspapers all day."

Zhou Yi also smiled as he raised his glass and joked:
"Yes, Assistant Zhang."

"If there are any more good things like this in the future, you should think of our own people."

"After all, we shouldn't let the good stuff go to outsiders."

"The Security Bureau is an outsider, while the Special Affairs Section is one of our own."

"Take this time for example, it's just about arresting someone, right?"
"Our Special Service Section can handle this kind of work perfectly well too."

Zhang Tao's smug expression froze for a moment, and his smile became rather awkward.

He could sense the barb in Zhou Yi's words, but he didn't know how to refute them.

"Of course, of course.

"I will definitely cooperate with Section Chief Zhou if I have the opportunity in the future."

The atmosphere at the subsequent cocktail party was much more relaxed.

Liu Zhenwen and Gao Bin exchanged a few polite words before leaving, citing their inability to hold their liquor.

Once they left, the atmosphere in the private room became even more relaxed.

Zhang Tao became the undisputed center of attention, surrounded by a group of people praising him.

He held his wine glass, walked through the crowd, and stood in front of Hong Zhiyou.

"Section Chief Hong."

Zhang Tao adopted a very humble attitude.

"Thank you for gracing us with your presence. I am extremely grateful."

Hong Zhi leaned back in his chair, slowly swirling his wine glass: "We're all colleagues, let's encourage each other."

He raised his glass and lightly clinked it against Zhang Tao's, then took a sip.

The reason he stayed was certainly not to give Zhang Tao face.

He is waiting.

Waiting for the show to begin.

Judging by the time, it’s almost time.

……

A rickshaw stopped in front of the Madier Hotel.

Gong Qingshan got out of the car.

He calmly paid the fare, strode into the magnificent hall, and headed straight for the private room on the second floor.

Two waiters stood at the door of the private room.

Just as Gong Qingshan was about to push the door open, one of the men stopped him.

"Excuse me, sir."

"The officers inside are having a meal together. No one is allowed to enter without a special invitation from the police department."

Gong Qingshan looked at him expressionlessly: "I'm from the police department."

"Are you blind? Can't you see?"

The waiter felt uneasy under his cold gaze, but still forced himself to say, "I'm sorry, this is the rule..."

Before he could finish speaking, a manager in a suit strode over.

"Oh, isn't this Commander Gong?"

The manager's face was beaming with smiles.

Gong Qingshan forced a smile: "Manager Wang, it's been a long time."

"I was away on business for a few days and just got back. I heard there was a dinner party in the office, so I came over to say hello to everyone."

"What, you're not letting us in?"

The manager immediately waved his hand at the waiter and scolded, "You ignorant fool! Don't you recognize Commander Gong? Get out of the way!"

Then he turned around and bowed to Gong Qingshan.

"Commander Gong, please come in, please come in."

"Thanks."

Gong Qingshan nodded, pushed open the door, and swaggered inside.

The moment the door closed, the smile on Manager Wang's face vanished.

He sighed softly, then gestured to the two waiters who were still standing there in a daze.

This indicated that they could leave.

……

The atmosphere instantly turned awkward as soon as Gong Qingshan walked into the private room.

All eyes were on this uninvited guest.

"Qingshan? What brings you here?" Lu Ming asked in surprise.

Gong Qingshan smiled and said, "What's wrong? It seems like everyone isn't very welcoming to me."

Zhou Yi casually pulled out an empty chair next to him and calmly gestured for him to sit down.

How could that be?

"We're all old colleagues, please sit down."

"We're just waiting for you, have a drink." Hong Zhiyou leaned over and filled the empty glass in front of Gong Qingshan.

"Thank you." Gong Qingshan sat down without any hesitation.

His gaze swept over familiar faces and the delicious food on the table.

The familiar feeling made his nose tingle.

Unfortunately, tonight was the last time he would enjoy this kind of atmosphere.

Zhang Tao had no idea what Gong Qingshan was thinking. He assumed Gong Qingshan was deliberately coming to freeload and try to build connections to get back into the police station, so he immediately sneered:

"Section Chief Zhou, Section Chief Hong, today is an internal gathering of our police department."

"Some of them, it seems, are no longer police officers, right?"
"What, you couldn't make it at the Security Bureau, so you want to come back?"

Gong Qingshan ignored his sarcasm and simply raised his wine glass:
"I don't have your good fortune."

"Thanks to you, the matter with the Security Bureau has fallen through."

After saying that, he looked around at everyone and said, "I came here today to say goodbye to you all."

He drank the wine in his glass in one gulp.

"This first toast is to Director Liu for his promotion; at least he let me have a moment of glory."

He put down his glass and poured himself a second one.

"This second cup is to thank all my colleagues for their care over the years."

He raised his glass in Hong Zhiyou's direction.

"Section Chief Hong, thank you for your kindness. Please continue to take care of me in the future."

Hong Zhiyou's eyes flickered slightly, and he also raised his glass in acknowledgment.

After downing his second glass, Gong Qingshan slowly poured himself a third.

This time, he didn't look at anyone else, but stared straight at Zhang Tao, raising his wine glass in front of him.

"Brother, this cup is for you alone."

"Thanks to you, my brother, for pushing me so hard that I've finally gotten to where I am today."

Zhang Tao's expression changed.

"Today? What, what do you mean?"

An ominous premonition rose in his heart, and he subconsciously reached for the holster at his waist.

empty.

He then remembered that tonight was a victory celebration banquet, and for security reasons, everyone's guns had been collected before entering the room, as per regulations.

Seeing the panic that flashed across his face, Gong Qingshan smiled.

That smile was filled with smugness and determination.

"Brother, let's walk together on the road to the underworld, so you won't be alone."

As soon as he finished speaking, he suddenly pulled a pistol from his waist.

Amidst the horrified gasps of the crowd, the dark muzzle of a gun was pointed at Zhang Tao.

popping.

clap clap!

A crisp gunshot rang out in the luxurious private room.

Four bullets coated with deadly poison struck Zhang Tao in the chest.

Blood blossomed, instantly staining the white shirt red.

Just moments before, Zhang Tao had been smug and arrogant, but now his expression froze in terror.

He didn't even have time to say his last words before his body slumped into the chair, his eyes wide open, dying with unfinished business.

The private room was deathly silent.

Everyone was stunned by this sudden scene.

"Qingshan, you, you mustn't do this!" Lu Ming was so frightened that he trembled all over, and his voice changed.

Gong Qingshan ignored him, picked up the half-empty bottle of red wine on the table, raised it in the direction of Hong Zhiyou and Zhou Yi, and then tilted his head back and drank it all in one gulp.

The liquor dripped down the corner of his mouth.

He threw down the bottle and bowed to the crowd:
"Brothers, I've become a laughing stock in Harbin, I can't live like this anymore."

"Please take care of my wife and children out of consideration for our past camaraderie."

"please."

After saying that, he turned the gun around and pressed it against his chin without hesitation.

Snapped!
There was another gunshot.

Blood splattered.

Gong Qingshan fell heavily forward, slumped onto the table, convulsed a few times, and then died.

……

Late at night.

After Hong Zhiyou and Zhou Yi finished dealing with Gong Qingshan's matter, they got into the car.

"I never expected Zhang Tao to die like this." Zhou Yi's voice was flat, revealing no emotion.

Hong Zhi lit a cigarette and took a few puffs:
"Therefore, one should always leave room for maneuver in all things, so that you may meet again in the future."

"The same goes for power struggles. If you push someone to the brink, they'll do anything when they're really desperate."

Zhou Yi stared ahead, his fingers tightening on the steering wheel: "Zhang Tao is still too young and impetuous!"
"However, even if he doesn't die, he won't be of much use to Liu Zhenwen."

"Gong Qingshan's shot actually saved him some peace and quiet."

"I'll take you back first."

……

With Zhang Tao dead, Harbin enjoyed a few months of peace.

Time flew by, and it was February 1944.

After the Manchurian General Committee was reorganized, Lao Wei and others were able to turn their lives around and resume their work at the transportation station.

The wind was biting cold along the Songhua River.

The river was frozen solid. Old Wei sat alone on a small stool, smoking a cigarette. A fishing rod was stuck in the ice hole in front of him, motionless.

His face was covered with burn scars of varying depths, almost ruining his entire face and making it unrecognizable.

Having survived this ordeal, the impetuousness and anger within him had subsided considerably, leaving only a settled and peaceful demeanor.

Zhou Yi sat down next to him and offered him a cigarette.

"Old Wei, why are you doing this to yourself?"

Old Wei took the cigarette, lit it with a match, and took a deep drag: "I have to stay."

"After what happened last time, I understand even more how important my position is."

"It is thanks to my survival, your brother on the mountain, and Zhang Pingru and the others in Zhuhe that we were able to continue to trust us and restore communication."

Zhou Yi remained silent.

What Lao Wei said is true.

He risked his life and reputation to regain the trust of the entire underground organization in Harbin.

Old Wei exhaled a smoke ring and looked at the gray sky in the distance.

"Yes, it's all thanks to you that you held on back then," Zhou Yi said with emotion.

"Mussolini was hanged in the square, and the National Revolutionary Army inside the Great Wall began its counter-offensive in Burma."

"The Japanese seem to sense that the end is nigh, and they are launching a frantic counterattack both domestically and in the Pacific."

"Yoshijiro Umezu's dream of advancing north has been completely shattered. At the request of Yasuji Okamura, he is now fully cooperating with the military to send elite Kwantung Army troops, weapons, and supplies to the battlefield inside the Great Wall."

As Lao Wei spoke, he turned his head and looked intently at Zhou Yi.

"The higher-level organization urgently needs intelligence."

"Including details of military troop movements dispatched by the Kwantung Army Headquarters to the interior of China, including troop numbers, number of tanks, and number of aircraft."

"And there's also Shiro Ishii's latest plans for Unit 731."

"We must obtain these so that those inside the Great Wall can make preparations as soon as possible."

Zhou Yi nodded: "Okay, I'll contact Zhiyou right away."

"The Japanese are getting thwarted everywhere right now, and there are quite a few Japanese officers in the Kwantung Army headquarters who want to make a fortune off the war. This shouldn't be too difficult to get."

Old Wei nodded.
"By the way, Yuejian's place is now the second transportation and communication point."

"If you encounter any emergencies, you can use her website."

Zhou Yi replied, "Understood."

Old Wei took another puff of his cigarette, as if he had suddenly remembered something.

"I forgot to tell you, Zhang Pingru has gone down the mountain."

“There hasn’t been much fighting in the Zhuhe area lately, and the Japanese and the puppet Manchukuo army haven’t been conducting large-scale raids. He came to Harbin to see his children.”

Zhou Yi's brows furrowed instantly: "Does Qiu Yan know?"

Old Wei looked at him, his eyes filled with complex emotions: "This is what she meant."

"As you know, Zhang Pingru has never met Sasha in person."

"We're both fathers, you can understand, right?"

Old Wei thought he had a problem with it, so he explained.

Zhou Yi's gaze fell upon the frozen river, his voice tinged with coldness.

“I understand.

“But I’m different from others; Gao Bin has always been suspicious of me.”

"He only has one thing on his mind right now: to find the mole in the police department, get rid of this inner demon in me, and then retire and go home to be with his grandchildren."

"Nothing related to me or my family is safe now."

"Of course, you might think I'm being selfish by saying this, but it's the truth."

Looking at his tense profile, Lao Wei suddenly laughed: "Are you jealous?"

Zhou Yi turned his head, his eyes calm and without a trace of emotion.

Even you think so.

"But Qiu Yan and I really didn't do anything to each other."

Old Wei's smile faded slightly: "That's why she wanted to see Zhang Pingru."

"Let them meet."

"Zhang Pingru has been fighting as a guerrilla in the mountains for so many years, so he is very vigilant."

"His identity is that of a fur merchant from Fengtian, and he has all the necessary paperwork."

"I can use my status as Qiu Yan's old flame to meet and date her openly and legitimately."

"After all, Qiu Yan has a good reputation, so it's not like she's missing out on this little bit, right?"

Zhou Yi was silent for a moment: "Whatever makes you happy."

"I'll say it again: we must be careful."

"The control of Manchukuo is slightly looser now, but we cannot be complacent until we achieve a complete victory."

Old Wei nodded solemnly.

"I see.

"Let him stay for two days, then I'll send him away."

Zhou Yi stood up, dusted himself off, and quickly turned and left.

……

Romantic Restaurant, second floor.

The door to the temporary rest room was quietly locked.

It was during the afternoon when there were the fewest customers.

Hong Zhiyou pressed Liu Yawen down onto the soft sofa.

After Zhang Tao's death, Hong Zhi produced the recording and told her the real reason for He Qinghua's death.

After learning the truth, Liu Yawen was filled with remorse.

She finally understood that revolution was not a dinner party, but a bloody and cruel reality.

After realizing all of this, she felt at peace.

I stopped contacting the student council and stopped acting impulsively. I calmly waited for the day of liberation and victory.

Under Hong Zhiyou's onslaught of sweet words and tender rhetoric, this thorny rose was finally plucked.

After some clouds and rain.

Hong Zhi pinched her blushing cheek with a smug look:
"How is it?"
"I told you back then that this would be a sure thing, and that we should get together and enjoy it sooner rather than later. Now you believe me, right?"

Liu Yawen straightened her disheveled clothes and hair, walked to the washbasin, rinsed her mouth briefly, and then glared at him.

"Okay, okay, you're amazing, alright?"

She paused for a moment, then said, "I'll close the shop early tonight and go pick up Chengzong. We'll go see a movie together."

Hong Zhiyou had just lit a cigarette and pursed his lips:

"Why pick him up? The little brat will just cry and ruin my mood."

"If you want to see a movie, the two of us can go."

Liu Yawen walked over to him and sat down next to him: "The child is still young, now is the best time to get close to him."

“When he gets older, he won’t recognize me anymore, and I won’t be able to tame him.”

Hong Zhi laughed and put his arm around her waist: "You're so straightforward, you bastard."

Liu Yawen leaned on his shoulder, her voice carrying the straightforwardness characteristic of a Northeastern girl:
"You're the one who's taking a dump!"
"Aren't all girls from Northeast China like this? They say what they mean."

"Anyway, I've given you everything I have. I don't care what my ranking is, as long as you marry me."

Hong Zhi exhaled a smoke ring and readily agreed, "Of course."

In her past life, Wanqiu and the others never got to have a proper title or a wedding.

Ji Qing and the others had an accident abroad with Lao Xiao, and they died before that day came.

In this life, he didn't want to have any more regrets.

Liu Yawen seemed to sense his change in mood and said softly, "Okay, then let's wait until you have time off this weekend, pick up Chengzong, and invite Section Chief Zhou and his family to go out together."

Hong Zhi kissed her on the cheek and then resumed his carefree demeanor.

"it is good.

"As long as you feed me, I'll do whatever you say."

Liu Yawen blushed and punched him lightly.

"Ugh, is that all I have?"

Hong Zhi pinched her shapely buttocks, then got up and dressed.
"I have an appointment with a Japanese guy from Mitsubishi to discuss business, so I have to go."

……

(End of this chapter)