Spy Wars: Return of the Red Luan

Chapter 99 Brainwashing a Group of Classmates

On January 19, 5th year of the Republic of China (Showa 1), ​​New Year's Day, the expansion of the chain pharmacy came to an end because there was no shopkeeper!

The Red Party was organized in a secret building in Shanghai.

"How are our people being resettled? Have they all gone in?"

"The demand for jobs in various regions was so high that the supply couldn't keep up. Our first batch of people were arranged in advance. We were clean and could speak Shanghainese. We were very popular and all got in!"

"Inform all bases to quickly select the second batch of personnel and conduct preliminary training in Shanghainese dialect. Once completed, they will be secretly sent to Shanghai through the original channels."

"Those who have already broken in must abide by organizational discipline! Each group must control its members, and horizontal contact and inter-group probing are prohibited."

"Yes!"

On the afternoon of New Year's Day, Aoki Kyo went to the Aoki Agency headquarters (converted from a small building next to Nishi Honganji Temple) to pick up Fujiwara Mio and Higuchi Keishirou to go to the Hong Kong Japanese Club to attend the New Year's Day banquet.

It was only a few hundred meters from the Aoki Agency to the Japanese Club. Aoki Takashi and Higuchi Keishirou left first. Fujiwara Mio was a woman and didn't need to go so early, so she stayed behind to organize the intelligence.

"Mr. Aoki, as I reported to you last time, based on the information gathered by Run Kuai, we've discovered traces of the Chinese Red Party, and it seems they're about to make a big move. Shouldn't we respond?"

"Higuchi-kun, you know I have no interest in intelligence or special operations. Have you reported this to Miss Mio? What did she say?"

"Miss Mio said that our main goal now is to expand the pharmacy network, sell domestically produced medicines, and obtain high profits while gathering economic intelligence about the Republic of China. She asked me to stay out of her business!"

"Higuchi-kun, look at this. It's a good idea to stop interfering in other people's business. Haha, it's true."

"Think about it. Mio's statement may be simple and direct, but it's true. We just need to carry out the mission given to us by headquarters without any deviation. That way, there will be no complications and no danger."

"Our top priority right now is to expand pharmacies, collect intelligence, and submit it to the consulate. The consulate will then review it and send it to headquarters. The decision-making is made by headquarters, so we don't need to worry too much."

"I think, even if we have to worry about it, how do you think we should worry about it? Report it to the English police station? Or report it to the Party Affairs Investigation Department of the Republic of China's Fruit Party? Let them arrest people? What good will this do to the empire?"

"Don't we have a good relationship with Mr. Yang from the Republic of China Fruit Party's Party Affairs Investigation Department? Wouldn't it be beneficial to report it to them?"

"Higuchi-kun, there are dozens of us in the same class. Although I, Aoki, haven't attended classes for a few days, I'm very good at judging people. Although your grades aren't top or top, I know you have the brightest mind! So you're testing me with these words. Am I right? Higuchi-kun, you wouldn't be interested in a person's merits."

"Don't deny it yet. We're in a foreign country, classmates, and we should be honest with each other. We're at the door now. Let's talk inside later."

After the two entered the club, they found that several classmates had arrived and were eager to sit together and drink.

"You guys, are you really in such a hurry? You've had plenty of opportunities to drink in Shanghai, right?"

"Only you, Aoki-kun, are so full that you don't know the hunger of a hungry man. You and Miss Mio are always together all day long. What else can we do besides drinking?"

"I searched the internet and found out that Miyazaki-kun is thinking about his wife!"

"Who says it isn't? I've been out for a month! I've never been away for so long before!"

"You are blaming me for advancing too slowly, which prevented you from going home to see your wives!" "That's not the case. Aoki-kun's advancement is already very fast, beyond the expectations of the three commanders at the headquarters."

"They are here just in time! Mr. Zhao, Mr. Zhou, and Obata, here!" Aoki Qiao saw Zhao Shiyu, Zhou Yongsu, and Obata Ikki coming in together.

Zhao Shiyu and Zhou Yongsu are the chief and deputy chief managers and instructors of the most popular Qingmu chain of pharmacies, so they are often pulled in by the students to be corrupt. Therefore, they are familiar with the club, and the club doorman is also very familiar with them and allows them to enter and exit freely.

Obata Ikki completely mixed with Zhao Shiyu, helping to teach students and run chain stores. The key is that Aoki Qiao paid a high salary. As for the mission of the Special High Section? What mission?
"Come on, pour some wine! Mr. Zhao, Mr. Zhou, and Mr. Obata, thank you for your hard work! Let's drink the first cup first to celebrate our achievements!"

"Everyone, where were we just now?"

"Speaking of the past month, our pharmacy system has made rapid progress!"

"Yes, speaking of moving too fast, I also think we're moving ahead too quickly. It's just that we're still in the initial outbreak phase, and Shanghai residents are eager to try new things. Our drug prices are much cheaper than those in the West, so sales are impressive."

"But next, once Shanghai completes the first wave of filling, it will enter a relatively stable period, which will be a good time for us to open the second batch of stores."

"On the way here, Higuchi-kun told me that while collecting and sorting intelligence, he discovered traces of the Red Party's activities! He asked me if I needed to take further action!"

Chen Jiehua paused here and glanced at Lao Zhao.

"Higuchi-kun and I reached the door before we finished talking. I'd like to discuss this with you all, so you can all think about it."

“The first question we need to think about is, what is our main goal at this stage?”

"Expand a network of pharmacies, earn profits, and gather economic intelligence?"

"Tang Chuan-kun's understanding is spot on! Let me break it down a bit. We have a lot to do right now. Expanding the pharmacy network requires training batches of pharmacy owners. A month later, everyone's seen that the people sent in from headquarters are of varying quality. Zhou-kun, Zhao-jun, and Obata-kun, the three of you have been working non-stop for a month, and only just came out to relax today, right? Do we have enough people to train?"

"It's barely enough. It's just that the young masters of each family are too difficult to serve. They complain about the distance and the hardship. They are picky and not a single one is worry-free."

"Everyone, listen, the first problem should be two problems. Not only are we short of people, but the first batch of people will be difficult to serve. Also, think about it, Shanghai's urban area is already saturated with shops. If we continue to open more, we'll just be competing with ourselves for business, which is not worth the effort. So the second round of expansion will have to go into surrounding cities. Will the second batch of young masters feel that the journey will be even further and more difficult?"

"Plans are plans, but implementation can present various problems. Higuchi-kun, do you think Mr. Zhou and Mr. Zhao have the energy to worry about any traces of the Red Party's activities?"

"We have enough work to do ourselves, there's no need to meddle in other people's business!"

"Actually, I know that Mr. Yang from the Party Affairs Investigation Department of the Republic of China has a good relationship with us and often treats us to drinks. Some of you might think it's not a bad idea to do him a favor!"

"But think about it from another perspective. Doesn't this look like a quarrel between two brothers? We are outsiders. We earn money from other people's homes and yet we meddle in their affairs. Is that appropriate?"

"So, what Higuchi-kun and I discussed about our Imperial Medicine Plan is that the top priority given to us by headquarters is to expand pharmacies, deploy tentacles, and make money! Try not to get sidetracked by other things! Anything else will only lead to more trouble!"

"Come on, after all that talk, let's have another full drink!"

"Drink full!"

(End of this chapter)