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

Chapter 268 Lan Agency

"Enough!" Tian Junliu shouted sternly, "Nakamura-kun, Chen-san, you two are the Chief of Staff of the First Army and the Deputy Minister of Transportation, respectively."

“They are all pillars of the empire, yet they are acting like old folks buying and selling vegetables at a market, throwing tantrums and blaming each other in public.”

"Where do you place the dignity of Imperial officers?"

"So, are you going to have a duel between samurai? Should I bring up two swords now and give you the office?"

"I'll come in and collect the corpses after you've decided who won!"

"Do you want it or not..."

As expected of the commander, Tian Junliu's angry roar startled everyone present!
Chen Yang quickly said, "Commander, please calm down, that's not what I meant!"

Masao Nakamura bowed slightly and said, "Commander, Vice Minister Chen is going too far. I was just stating the facts. He was the one who spoke rudely first!"

"Nakamura-kun!" Tajunroku said impatiently, "I already know the whole story."

"It's nothing more than that you, Nakamura-kun, have obtained some unverified information and want to use it to force the Ministry of Transport to give an explanation!"

"Excuse my bluntness, Mr. Nakamura, but the Department of Transportation accomplished a supply plan that was almost impossible during this period."

"Colonel Yoshida and Vice Minister Chen completed the northward transfer plan despite enormous transportation pressure. With the transport capacity overloaded, some losses along the way were inevitable!"

"Even the Kwantung Army headquarters hasn't said anything, yet you're judging Yoshida as having a problem based on some unverifiable evidence?"

"This is far too frivolous. Frankly, what you're doing will greatly affect the morale of the Department of Transportation."

"Furthermore, as far as I know, Yoshida worked continuously in the transportation coordination office for a month before his suicide!"

"He and his team worked almost day and night, non-stop!"

"Under these circumstances, how could he possibly have time to devise any ridiculous smuggling plan?"

Masao Nakamura insisted, "Even so, it still doesn't explain how the Red Party suddenly acquired so many weapons and equipment!"

Chen Yang angrily rebuked, "Alright, Nakamura-kun, you might as well just tell the Commander that I was the one smuggling, that I was the one who delivered all the supplies, and that I am the biggest parasite in the Transportation Department."

"This has nothing to do with Yoshida-kun or the Ministry of Transport. Are you satisfied now?"

Before Nakamura could speak, Shinichi Nakajima, who had been silent to the side, suddenly stood up!

He first bowed to Tian Junliu, then bowed slightly to Chen Yang, and said slowly, "Mr. Chen, thank you very much for your support of Lord Yoshida and the South Manchuria Railway transportation system."

“I think at this point, you don’t need to say such angry things. Headquarters may have already reached a conclusion on Yoshida’s matter.”

"This is an internal notice I received!"

Nakajima took a document out of his briefcase, walked up to Tian Junliu, and presented it to him with both hands.

Tian Junlu examined it carefully, then turned his gaze to Nakamura Masao, "Nakamura-kun, take a look at this first."

As he spoke, he placed the documents on the coffee table and slowly pushed them over!
It was an internal notification document from the Investigation Department of the South Manchuria Railway Company (i.e., the South Manchuria Railway), accompanied by a photocopy of a commendation order issued by the Tokyo Headquarters.

The commendation order prominently displayed Colonel Yoshida's name, praising his dedication and heroic command within the Ministry of Transport, ultimately "serving His Majesty the Emperor faithfully," and posthumously awarding him the Order of the Golden Kite, Third Class, and the title of "Heroic" Guardian.

The South Manchuria Railway's document, though worded with utmost care, conveyed an unquestionable tone, emphasizing Yoshida's "loyalty and bravery" and his contributions to the imperial cause, and expressing "high concern" about any attempt to tarnish the reputation of "gyokusai" officers.

“Nakamura-kun…” Tajiroku finally spoke, his voice calm yet carrying an undeniable pressure, “I admire your diligence. However, some things cannot be said lightly. I hope that the evidence you submit next time will not be based on analysis or guesswork…”

He stood up, walked to the window, and looked at the seemingly orderly street outside.

"Yoshida has already perished. He is a hero of the Empire. This was decided by General Headquarters to boost the morale of the soldiers on the front lines. If you were to investigate any possible flaws in his record now, you would be denying this 'heroism' and providing ammunition for the enemy's propaganda. Do you understand?"

Masao Nakamura's jaw tightened: "But, General, if corruption does exist and involves current high-ranking officials, it will seriously affect the material support for 'maintaining order' and harm the interests of the Empire..."

So, you still stick to your point of view.

Tian Junliu turned around abruptly, staring intently at Nakamura Masao: "You need to understand, you don't have concrete evidence, you only suspect that there might be corruption involved. If you had evidence, you wouldn't just want an explanation!"

“Nakamura-kun, I must remind you that the Ministry of Transport is the guarantee of the smooth progress of the Empire’s war, and Vice Minister Chen is the best in the field. He knows how to efficiently mobilize local resources to ensure that our supplies can be delivered to where they are needed.”

"At this stage, stability and efficiency are more important than investigating old debts that may not be verifiable. The South Manchuria Railway Company also highly regards his abilities."

"If you continue to target the Department of Transportation without cause at this point, I reserve the right to file a complaint with the Home Office. I hope you will stop making things difficult for me."

"My patience has a limit!"

Damn, they actually used the authority of the expeditionary force commander to threaten him. How much did they get in bribes to be so dedicated to supporting the Ministry of Transport?

This isn't just being biased; this is blatant and unreasonable favoritism towards the Ministry of Transport! Damn it, could Minister Chen be your illegitimate son?

Of course, this was just something Nakamura Masao thought to himself; he dared not say it out loud. Who knows if he would be able to return to North China if he said it!

"I won't let this go so easily." Masao Nakamura had guts, uttering a harsh remark before turning and leaving the office.

Tian Junliu rubbed his temples, waved to the crowd, and signaled them to leave.

The group of people were sensible; they bowed to each other and left the office.

Shanghai, headquarters of the Special Higher Police.

Back in the office of the head of the First Section under the Special Higher Police, Yoko Minamida felt an unprecedented pressure.

Outside the window was a gray, overcast city sky, much like her mood at that moment.

"Knock knock knock," the office door was knocked on, and before she could respond, Fujita Tsuyoshi pushed the door open and walked in.

This time he wasn't wearing a kimono, but rather a neat colonel's uniform, his face stern and his eyes sharp.

"Major Minamida." Fujita's voice was devoid of warmth, skipping all formalities. "I heard that you met with Chief of Staff Nakamura of the First Army."

Yoko Nanada's heart skipped a beat; she knew she couldn't hide it any longer. She stood up and said, "Yes, sir! I believe..."

"What you think is irrelevant!" Fujita abruptly interrupted her, his voice not loud, but carrying immense pressure. "I want to know why you leaked the investigation results to Nakamura!"

"What exactly do you want?" "Colonel Fujita, I hope you can hear my explanation. I think it's more appropriate for Lord Nakamura to intervene than for us!" Nantian hurriedly explained.
"You think everything should be done the way you want? Have you ever asked for my opinion?"

"Or do you think my opinion is completely unimportant?"

"Nantian, I must remind you, put away your arrogance!" Fujita's tone was chilling. "You need to know your place!"

"The Special Higher Police are the eyes and ears and the dagger of the Empire, but the direction of that dagger must be decided by who wields it! Right now, the one wielding the dagger is the Expeditionary Army Headquarters! Not your laughable 'intuition' and 'insistence'!"

"I now demand that you cease all your investigations and seal all documents!"

Yoko Minami suddenly looked up, a look of disbelief and humiliation flashing in her eyes.

She trusted her intelligence network and judgment; the leads pointing to the Department of Transportation were not unfounded.

The underlying reason might be to cover up dereliction of duty or even more serious crimes, namely, smuggling goods!
Moreover, it is very likely that the Ministry of Transport is a key link in this chain of interests, and that they have some shady connections with the resistance forces in the mountains by abusing their positions...

Fujita's gaze was icy, containing not only a weighing of pros and cons but also a warning against Nantian's overstepping of boundaries.

Although the Special Higher Police (THP) wields considerable power, it must still operate within the overall strategic framework of the military.

“I don’t understand how Colonel Fujita could issue such an order. If you can’t give me a legitimate reason, I can refuse to carry out your order.”

The army truly embodies the spirit of subversion, even a woman like Nantian is adept at it.

Fujita slowly put on his cleaned glasses, and his vision returned to clear. Only then did he take out a document and gently push it in front of Nantian.

"A notification from the South Manchuria Railway Bureau's Investigation Department, and a photocopy of a commendation order issued by the Tokyo Headquarters," Fujita said slowly. "These are the reasons to stop you from continuing!"

"Yoshida has been recognized as having died a heroic death, and the cabinet has specially awarded him a medal to appease the South Manchuria Railway Company!"

"In other words, he received an honor from headquarters! To question his loyalty is to question the authority that awarded this medal, and to question the purity of all the warriors who sacrificed themselves in this holy war! Do you understand?"

“As for Chen Yang…” Fujita’s tone softened slightly, “He is an important link in maintaining the ‘new order’ and ensuring the flow of materials for the ‘security and order’ plan in North China.”

"The Empire's transportation operations in China need such a partner. Without solid and irrefutable evidence, taking action against him would cause unnecessary turmoil and affect the overall situation."

"The South Manchuria Railway Company has already made its position clear."

"They acknowledge Yoshida's achievements, which indirectly recognizes Chen Yang's abilities, and they are willing to maintain the stability of the current transportation system."

"Therefore, stop investigating. This is not a suggestion, it is an order."

"Focus your energy and that of your men on dealing with those active anti-Japanese elements. That is the Special Higher Police's job."

"That's all I have to say, Section Chief Nantian. I hope you've thought this through!" With that, Fujita turned and left the office without saying another word, leaving Nantian Yoko alone, facing the two documents on the table with completely opposite contents, yet equally weighty.

“Changing orders from morning till night, outwardly complying while inwardly resisting, and compromising for the sake of peace,” Nantian murmured, looking at the documents on the table. “Can’t they see that so many supplies are disappearing for no reason and being sold off cheaply? Can’t they see that our enemies are growing stronger?”

"You'd rather be blind, but I'm not!"

After a long silence, Nantian seemed to have made up his mind. He took out the safe key and took out a thick stack of documents from inside!

Holding the documents, Nantian hurriedly left the office. She had no leverage left; no one in the entire Shanghai city would support her, and the South Manchuria Railway was now in cahoots with the Ministry of Transport.

Yoshida gained honor, Chen Yang gained power, and some unknown behind-the-scenes manipulators gained profits!

They were clinking glasses and chatting happily at the table, making some dirty and sordid deals, but Nantian wanted to overturn the table!
No one wants to see this outcome. Now it seems that only Nakamura can help at this point!

Two days later, in Shanghai, at the Hefeng Hotel!
Deep within the Japanese-style inn, in a secluded tea room.

Bamboo curtains hung low, and incense wafted gently.

Yoko Minami changed into simple casual clothes and arrived early, quietly kneeling on the tatami mat. Her inner world was far less calm than it appeared.

This was a risky move. If Masao Nakamura informed Tsuyoshi Fujita or the intelligence agencies that she had secretly taken the top-secret documents from the Special Higher Police audit team and met with him, her fate could be tragic.

However, Nantian believed that his judgment was not that bad.

Nantian had already made a deal with Nakamura before, and Nakamura showed great appreciation for her.

This is also why Nantian still chose to contact Nakamura; she didn't have many bargaining chips left.

After an unknown amount of time, the door was gently pulled open, and a middle-aged man with a lean build and sharp, eagle-like eyes, dressed in a dark kimono, walked in.

It was Masao Nakamura. He was alone, without any attendants, and closed the door behind him.

"Major Nantian." Nakamura's gaze swept over Nantian as if it were a physical object. "Last time, you didn't handle things thoroughly enough, which put me in a very passive position in front of Commander Tian Junliu."

“But I know that the information you presented is highly credible, except that it lacks some supporting evidence.”

"So, I'm willing to give you another chance. This time, I hope you're worth the risk."

Without any further pleasantries, Nantian directly pushed the carefully prepared copy of the report onto the low table in front of Nakamura Masao.

"Chief of Staff Nakamura, this is some of the information I compiled while investigating the unusual material losses in the Department of Transportation!"

"The formal investigation has been terminated for certain reasons, but I believe that the potential problems may directly affect the efficiency of logistical support for frontline troops, especially the First Army."

Masao Nakamura didn't immediately look at the documents, but instead stared at Nanta: "Oh? Who terminated it? Colonel Fujita?"

"So you've asked to meet me this time because you need my support, but I don't have that kind of power. Besides, Mr. Doi-Yuan won't give me any face!"

Nan Tian took a breath: "I am but a humble servant and cannot delve any further."

"But the thought that the soldiers on the front lines might lack ammunition and fuel because of the parasites in the rear makes me feel a little sad!"

"Mr. Nakamura, perhaps we can consider a different approach. While it may be inconvenient for you to intervene, there are still people in North China who can get involved."

“Oh,” Nakamura Masao paused slightly, “Section Chief Minamida, what are you trying to say?”

Nan Tian said, word by word, "Formerly a senior commander of the North China Information Section, currently the head of the Lan Agency, Colonel Kazuo Takayuki!"

(End of this chapter)