Spy game? Stop guessing, I really am an undercover agent!

Chapter 252: The picture shows the dagger
"Mr. Sato, I really don't understand what headquarters means by making this arrangement?"

Chen Yang respectfully placed the internal notice in his hand on the table. "In addition to the normal minister and deputy minister, a transportation department is adding a deputy minister position to increase the cumbersome procedures. Isn't this just asking for trouble?"

"Minister Chen, watch your words. This is the Logistics Department, not the Land Transportation Section of your Transportation Department."

Sato reminded him, "Since headquarters has made this arrangement, they must have their reasons."

“Chen Sang, what you need to do now is not to question the headquarters’ decision, but to do your job well.”

"To be honest, I have always had doubts about the transport capacity of the South Manchuria Railway."

"Since the establishment of the joint department, the efficiency of transportation in the south and the speed of material allocation have far exceeded those in the north."

"If we were to hand over the dominant control of transportation to the South Manchuria Railway at this point, wouldn't all our hard work become a joke?"

"Therefore, you need to prove to everyone that we definitely have the ability and the strength to manage transportation matters well."

"As for having an additional deputy minister, that won't pose any threat to you."

Chen Yang bowed slightly and said, "Lord Sato's consideration is very correct. I should not only care about my own position and power. Serving the Empire is the ultimate goal."

"We're just worried that Yoshida Hirohiro might cause some obstacles to our current work."

“There are no obstacles, and there will be no obstacles.” Sato sat back down and said coldly, “His power will not affect you, as for the Shadow Sato you mentioned.”

"The General Staff is already making arrangements..."

Chen Yang's gaze sharpened instantly. "What do you mean, sir?"

"Since you don't want him to interfere with your work, then I'll help you out."

Sato slowly said, "The General Staff intends to recommend him to replace Harada Kumakichi as the chief advisor to the new government's military advisory group."

"When Mr. Wang arrives in Shanghai, Yingzuo will go with him."

"Also, Colonel Haruki's appointment letter has been issued. Tell him to do his job well during this time and make sure no one gets any leverage against him."

"Otherwise, even a god couldn't save him..."

“Hayi,” Chen Yang bowed slightly, “I will give him a good talking-to.”

The conversation quickly came to an end. Just as Ozaki Hotsumi was meticulously preparing for the "heart-to-heart meeting" in the south, Sato Fumitasu and Chen Yang were plotting countermeasures against the South Manchuria Railway, and various forces were silently weighing their options between Xinjing and Shanghai!
An urgent telegram from the northern border, carrying with it blood and fire, struck this murky water like a thunderbolt from the heavens!

On May 28, 1939 (Showa 14), Outer Mongolian cavalry crossed the Khalkh River and clashed with the Manchukuo garrison.

The long-brewing conflict in the Nomonhan region has finally escalated into an unprecedented border war!

The news shocked the world.

It happened at the exact same time as in history, but with some slight differences. It started with provocation by the Japanese army, which then escalated into a fight.

This time, however, the Outer Mongolian cavalry seemed to have made preparations in advance and struck first.

Whatever the reason, history remains unchanged, and the battle arrived as scheduled...

Inside the Kwantung Army headquarters, the generals who were originally troubled by internal power struggles suddenly turned their attention to the vast and desolate grasslands in the north.

The orders from the Imperial General Headquarters came one after another, demanding that the Kwantung Army "inflict heavy damage on the enemy" and "demonstrate the might of the Imperial Army."

The demand for personnel, equipment, and supplies was overwhelming, with requests pouring into the logistics department like snowflakes.

The pressure, like a tangible iceberg, crushed all the ingenious calculations and conspiracies.

Mei Agency, Kagesa's office.

The invitation to the "heart-to-heart talk" with Ozaki Hotsumi triggered by Aoki Yuki's testimony now seemed like a worthless piece of paper to Kagesa.

Standing before the enormous map of Manchuria, Yingzuo pressed his finger firmly on the Nomonhan site, his face terribly grim.

"Order!" He turned abruptly, his voice hoarse but carrying an undeniable resolve, "All internal investigations and personnel disputes are suspended..."

"All resources of the Mei Agency must be immediately redirected to ensure the security of intelligence support and logistical routes at the Nomonhan front!"

"Contact the Special Higher Police and 76th Division, and thoroughly investigate any hostile elements who might use this fighter jet to create chaos and sabotage transportation! Tell Li Qun that now is not the time for infighting. If supplies at the front are disrupted due to their negligence, I will personally kill him!"

Office of Fumita Sato, Logistics Department of the Expeditionary Army.

The "wedge" plan that he had just given Chen Yang in person seemed so pale and powerless in the face of the absolute priority of war.

What he needs now is not an "insider" who can maintain balance within the South Manchuria Railway, but an "executor" who can ensure that tens of thousands of tons of ammunition, fuel, medicine, and food can be transported to the north without interruption!
The battle for Khalkhin Gol has begun! The primary, and indeed the only, task now is to ensure that all transport routes to the north remain unobstructed!
All resources within the South Manchuria Railway Company must be given unconditional priority in military needs allocation!

As a competent logistics minister, Fumita Sato naturally understood priorities and knew that at such a critical moment, no one should try to manipulate transportation.

So he immediately called the Minister of Transport's office: "Mr. Oshima, I grant you the authority to make decisions on an ad hoc basis. Anyone who obstructs or delays transportation, regardless of their background or status, can be dealt with first and reported later! Efficiency! I need efficiency! Understand?!"

In the office, Oshima remained silent, immediately saluting with an unprecedented solemnity and "resoluteness" on his face. Speaking into the microphone, he said, "Hai! I swear on my life that the Ministry of Transport will do everything in its power to ensure the smooth flow of the Empire's bloodline!"

Shinkyo, where Hotsumi Ozaki stayed.

Hotsumi Ozaki looked at the battle report in his hand and let out a long sigh.

His meticulously planned "consultation" aimed at balancing all parties and maintaining stability has missed its best opportunity in the face of war.

He immediately sent a telegram to Tokyo, outlining the situation and suggesting that the only solution now was to expedite the "deliberative meeting" to ensure cooperation between the two sides, prioritizing the war effort above all else.

Upon receiving the reply, he immediately contacted Nakamura Isao by phone.

"Nakamura-kun, the situation has changed drastically. The top priority right now is to ensure transportation. We need to expedite the planning of the consultation meeting."

"Be very careful with your approach and methods, so as not to provoke dissatisfaction among the southern transportation departments and give them a reason to slack off."

“Yes, yes, yes,” Hotsumi Ozaki switched the microphone to his other hand: “You go to Shanghai first to arrange everything, Mr. Nishio and I will follow shortly.”

"Rest assured, we will provide strong support to the South Manchuria Railway Company."

Shanghai, office of the Vice Minister of Transportation. It was late at night, and Chen Yang was still receiving a phone call. At this moment, he was already wearing the nominal title of "Vice Minister of Transportation," but what weighed even heavier was the shadow of war and the heavy responsibility of transportation hanging over everyone's heads.

He stared sharply at the huge map of the Manchurian railway network that had just been hung on the wall.

Nomonhan's outbreak disrupted everything, but also gave him an unprecedented stage and cover.

Under the supreme directive of "everything for the front line," many operations that originally required caution and careful disguise can now be carried out more boldly and efficiently under the guise of "military priority."

Back in his office, Chen Yang turned on his desk lamp, pulled out his work notes, and quickly issued a series of clear and decisive orders to the supplies warehouse, adjusting railcar scheduling, planning the optimal route, and coordinating interfaces with all parties, demonstrating astonishing control.

Everyone was awestruck by the decisive and efficient actions of the newly appointed deputy minister.

Only Chen Yang himself knew that he was taking advantage of the chaos of the war and the power granted to him to do some more blatant things, such as accelerating the consumption of supplies and exchanging resources such as ores and oil.

Some special "supplies" were mixed in with the massive military trains and flowed to where they were really meant to go, possibly to the base area in northern Anhui or the harsh Taihang Mountains.

Some crucial information will also be quietly transmitted through this transportation artery spurred by war.

The artillery fire at Nomonhan lit up the northern sky.

Meanwhile, thousands of miles away in Shanghai, another war, fought without gunfire but equally crucial, was gradually unfolding...

The time has come to June of the 27th year of the Republic of China!

Shanghai Stock Exchange, Chongguangtang.

This Japanese-style building in Hongkou has now become a silent battlefield where various forces are vying for power.

Although the fighting at Nomonhan was thousands of miles away, the immense pressure it brought made every participant at the meeting look solemn.

Inside the meeting room, a long mahogany table was placed in the center. Ozaki Hotsumi, representing the cabinet, sat in the main seat, dressed in a dark kimono, his expression solemn, striving to maintain an air of detachment and authority.

To his left sat Nakamura Isao, representing the South Manchuria Railway Company. His gaze was calm, but his tightly pursed lips betrayed his inner tension.

On the right is Major General Fumita Sato of the Logistics Department of the Expeditionary Army. He is dressed in a crisp uniform, his face is ashen, and he makes no attempt to hide his anxiety and toughness.

Sitting slightly below Sato was Kagesa Yoshiaki of the Ume Agency. He was still gloomy, but now he exuded a more dormant, scrutinizing coldness.

On the other side, Transport Minister Kenjiro Oshima, along with two vice ministers, Yoshida and Chen Yang, sat in a corner. Although a vice minister of the Transport Ministry seemed to hold a high position, he had no place here at all.

The time was nine o'clock, and the meeting was opened by Hotsumi Ozaki.

"Gentlemen," he said in a steady voice, "the Nomonhan War has begun, and the Imperial Holy War has entered a critical stage."

"The previous internal turmoil was not beneficial to the overall situation, and was even more harmful to the front line."

"I have summoned you all today by order of the Cabinet, not to dwell on the past, but to clarify responsibilities, ensure smooth channels, and guarantee that all resources are available to the soldiers on the front lines. This is the highest and only priority at present!"

With just a few words, he set the tone for the meeting as "wartime priority, setting aside disputes".

As soon as Hotsumi Ozaki finished speaking, Fumita Sato almost impatiently waved his fingers and tapped the table: "Mr. Ozaki is absolutely right! The soldiers on the front lines are bleeding, and logistics is their lifeline!"

"On behalf of the Expeditionary Army Command, I demand that, effective immediately, all military-related transportation routes in Manchuria, and even North and Central China, be subject to military priority control!"

"The South Manchuria Railway must unconditionally obey the military's dispatch orders, and all wagons, ports, and warehouse resources must be prioritized and fully guaranteed for military supplies!"

"Any delay or discount is a betrayal of the front lines!"

Nakamura immediately chimed in, his tone calm but his stance firm: "General Sato, the South Manchuria Railway Company has an inescapable responsibility to ensure military supplies, both in the past and now."

"But 'military priority control' is not simply a matter of adding orders. Transportation is a sophisticated system that requires professional scheduling, reasonable planning, and smooth coordination of each link."

"Completely disrupting the existing processes and ignoring transportation patterns would likely backfire, causing even greater chaos and congestion."

"The South Manchuria Railway Company hopes that, based on the military's clear priorities and demand, we can leverage our expertise to develop the optimal transportation plan and maximize efficiency."

He was fighting for the South Manchuria Railway's autonomy in operation and opposing the military's brutal takeover.

"Professionalism? Efficiency?" Sato Fumita sneered. "Nakamura-kun, it was precisely because of your so-called 'professionalism' and internal wrangling at the South Manchuria Railway that all these problems arose! These are extraordinary times, and extraordinary measures must be taken! What we need is absolute obedience and execution!"

Seeing the tense atmosphere, Hotsumi Ozaki spoke up at the opportune moment: "General Sato's anxiety is understandable, and Mr. Nakamura's professional considerations are also reasonable. I believe the key lies in establishing an efficient collaborative mechanism, rather than simply replacing power!"

Kageyama Yoshiaki slowly raised his head, his voice low: "Ensuring the safety and efficiency of transportation is the Mei Agency's inescapable duty."

"Whether it's sabotage or sabotage within the South Manchuria Railway Company, or infiltration by hostile external forces, I will take responsibility for cleaning it up."

This statement was both a response to the military's demands and an implicit warning and pressure on the South Manchuria Railway Company.

Although he did not directly answer the question of power distribution, but emphasized that he would play the role of "supervisor" and "cleaner", his tough attitude made everyone take him seriously.

Hotsumi Ozaki nodded and steered the conversation to the core issue: "In that case, I propose that I, on behalf of the Cabinet, serve as the overall coordinator, while the military is responsible for submitting a priority list of transportation needs!"

"Mr. Yoshida and Minister Chen of the South Manchuria Railway Company are responsible for developing efficient transportation execution plans based on the list and have daily scheduling authority. The Ume Agency is responsible for security and discipline supervision throughout the process. Major disputes will be jointly decided by the Coordination Headquarters and reported to Tokyo for record."

This is a typical compromise, attempting to bring all parties into a framework where they are mutually constrained.

Fumitsu Sato frowned, clearly dissatisfied with the fact that the South Manchuria Railway still retained "daily dispatching authority," but with Hotsumi Ozaki representing the cabinet and Nomonhan under immense pressure, he could not completely oppose it.

Nakamura realized that this might be the best outcome they could achieve for the South Manchuria Railway Company, at least preserving the core of its operations.

Kagesa Yoshiaki neither agreed nor disagreed, tacitly accepting the arrangement.

All the arrangements seemed to be complete when, at that moment, a discordant voice suddenly rang out from the corner.

"Mr. Ozaki, I have another question. If the South Manchuria Railway Company and the Southern Transport Department are to cooperate, then a leading figure is needed. I would like to know who you currently prefer to lead this..."

Yoshida Hirohiro's gaze was fixed on Oshima and Chen Yang. "My suggestion is that I take charge..."

YOHO, what gives you the right? Are you finally revealing your true colors?
[To reiterate, the author is recovering well and is aware of their limitations. After all, the author took out a loan for this surgery and wants to pay it back as soon as possible. Therefore, the author will try to write as much as possible within their capacity, and will take a break if they can't keep up. Oh, and by the way, please give me some gifts and monthly tickets!]

(End of this chapter)