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

Chapter 274 How could an adult do such a thing?
Xingrongfeng Cotton Mill in Yangshupu District was ostensibly an ordinary cotton mill run by the traitor Qian Zhendong, but in reality, it was a cover for the Special Higher Police's surveillance department.

The Special Higher Police Section (特高局) is a police department; its correct name is the Higher Police Section (高上警局).
Like regular police departments, they are under the jurisdiction of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department, and even their positions are police ranks.

The difference is that the Special Higher Police (TAT) wields more power than regular police departments.
Because they have the power of internal oversight and adjudication,
Just like the Eastern and Western Depots during the Ming Dynasty, once verified, they could directly arrest suspects and conduct interrogations and other follow-up work without asking for permission.

That's what they say, but the purpose of this department is to assist the Army in better managing Shanghai and to provide services to the Army!

The right to supervise exists, but it applies externally, not internally, even though it is not clearly stated in the regulations.

But if they actually take this seriously, then they're being ungrateful.

The Army Department sent them to assist, not to hinder them.

Therefore, the Special Higher Police headquarters' monitoring department generally does not monitor messages from Japanese institutions themselves.

However, in order to control intelligence, the Special Higher Police secretly set up covert listening devices outside without coordination or notification, specifically for monitoring internal agencies, which is somewhat unethical!
It's clearly a setup to find something to use against someone...

This matter could be a big deal or a small deal. To put it bluntly, monitoring internal departments without authorization from headquarters is a clear overreach of authority.

On a smaller scale, this is a contingency plan to prevent intelligence leaks and does not pose a threat to other organizations.

In official parlance, this matter is barely worth four ounces before it's weighed, but if it were actually weighed, it would weigh a thousand pounds.

Yoko Nanta did not continue speaking. Instead, she quickly stood up, bowed to the group, and said, "Lord Nakamura, Colonel Kazuchi, given what has happened, I think I must return to the Special Higher Police immediately."

"Let's adjourn the meeting here for today. If Colonel Kazuchi has any requests, I will do my best to accommodate them if I can."

"Excuse me, everyone, I must take my leave now."

Before the others could object, Nantian strode outside.

"It seems the Special Higher Police are in quite a bit of trouble this time," said Kazuo Takaji as he poured Liu Yida a cup of tea.
Liu Yida took a sip of tea and said, "The Military Intelligence Bureau's goal this time is very clear: to eliminate the Special Higher Police's power."

"I'm not surprised by their actions, but I'm puzzled by how accurate the Military Intelligence Bureau's operation was this time."

“Accurate, that’s a rare adjective,” He Zhiying smiled slightly. “Why would Liu Sang think that?”

Liu Yida shrugged: "It's simple. This time, the Military Intelligence Bureau seems to have obtained some detailed list. The intelligence personnel they've targeted are highly specific. Apart from Section Chief Nantian, all the other informants have been killed."

"If you say this is a coincidence, probably no one will believe it. The most likely explanation is an intelligence leak, or something else."

Liu Yida didn't continue, but He Zhiying said without any politeness: "Traitor."

After those two words were uttered, the crowd fell silent once more.
After a long pause, Kazuyoji slowly said, "Mr. Nakamura, it seems that the waters of Shanghai are deeper than we imagined."

"They don't even respect an organization like the Special Higher Police. Haha, interesting, really interesting."

“Yes,” Nakamura nodded, “Kazuchi-kun, I’m counting on you to figure out how to break this deadlock in the future.”

Wachi Takaji did not answer, but picked up his teacup and took a sip. After a long while, he slowly said, "Lord Nakamura, this is also a challenge for our Ran Agency."

"I also want to know, what exactly is behind these secrets?"

………………

In the cold conference room of the Central Hospital of the Army in the Japanese Residents' District of Shanghai, the atmosphere was as heavy as lead!
The meeting a few days prior had made detailed arrangements, and Kazuyoshi quickly launched an investigation. After a thorough investigation, he identified one person: an internist named Nohara...

Sitting in the conference room, opposite Colonel Kazuchi, was Dr. Watanabe, Yoshida's former attending physician and Nohara's superior...

Director Watanabe was a law-abiding intellectual. Sensing the terrifying aura emanating from the other party, Watanabe's forehead was covered in a fine layer of cold sweat, but his back remained ramrod straight. This was probably the almost instinctive posture of a soldier when facing questioning.

“...According to the ward log of that day,” Kazuyoji’s finger slowly swept across one of the pages, “10:00...10:15, in just fifteen minutes, the record shows only one brief entry and exit, recorded as, ‘Dr. Nohara, ward rounds’.”

"Director Watanabe, I'd like to know where Dr. Nohara is. Also, what is the prescribed time and interval for 'ward rounds' in the special care ward of your Army Central Hospital? Do patients need to sign for confirmation during regular ward rounds?"

Watanabe's Adam's apple bobbed slightly: "There are no strict rules about the timing of ward rounds in the special care area. Depending on the patient's condition, we conduct rounds twice a day, morning and evening, to monitor changes in their condition. Each round usually lasts ten to fifteen minutes."

"The Dr. Nohara you mentioned is a resident physician. I received an invitation to a seminar that day and needed him to record the patient's condition. As for the signatures... since Colonel Yoshida's condition is stable, he doesn't need to sign for confirmation every time."

"Each round lasts fifteen minutes?" Wachi Takaji tilted his head slightly and asked in a deep voice, "Director Watanabe, there are two guards at the west end of the corridor outside the No. 3 ICU! This is the signature when they entered the ward at 10:00, and this is the signature when they left at 10:15."

"Dr. Nohara spent more than ten minutes entering and leaving the ward, and after he left, an urgent message appeared in the ward. Do you have any explanation for this?"

"Based on my understanding of the rules and regulations of the Army Hospital, doctors must be accompanied by someone when making rounds. However, the records clearly show that only Dr. Nohara stayed in the ward for more than ten minutes. Don't I have reason to suspect that she is the murderer?"

The ink stains on the log seem to tell from another perspective about the laxity of hospital management and the lack of rigor in the frequency of inspections!
Watanabe's face turned from white to green.

This is not just negligence, but close to dereliction of duty.

"If it weren't for him, the management procedures for the special care ward of the Central Army Hospital would have systemic flaws, which could have caused major security risks at any time. Director Watanabe, you must take responsibility for your inadequate leadership and supervision."

"Hey, I know my behavior has brought shame to the medical profession, and I will write a report as soon as possible!" Watanabe's tone was very sincere!
"Hospital rules and regulations are not my responsibility. I want to know, who else knows anything about Dr. Nohara's case?"

Watanabe said slowly, "Then we'll have to ask Secretary Kobayashi..."

"Secretary Kobayashi?"

"Yes, he is the hospital director's senior secretary, responsible for scheduling and hospital management. She is quite familiar with the situation in the hospital..."

"Yes, thank you very much for your cooperation, Director Watanabe. You can leave now..." After saying this, Kazuyoji did not look at Watanabe again, but turned to the agents next to him and ordered them to immediately summon Kobayashi Masako, the senior secretary of the medical department who was in charge of scheduling, as Watanabe had mentioned.

Kobayashi was in her thirties and had a handsome face. Her hair was neatly combed, and she was dressed like a professional, but when facing Kazuo Takaji, the fear in her eyes was hard to hide!
“Secretary Kobayashi,” Kazuchi said, his tone slowing down but his pressure increasing, “show me Dr. Nohara’s original shift schedule for that day.”

Secretary Kobayashi visibly stiffened and her breathing became rapid.

With slightly trembling fingers, she pulled a photocopy of a form from the bottom of a thick folder. "The original... after being routinely archived, was... due to the confidentiality requirements of the Colonel Yoshida incident, it was transferred and stored by a special security department..."

Kazuyo glanced at the photocopy of the form. Under Nohara's name, there was indeed a temporary handwritten change in the shift schedule for the day of the incident, adding a check-up for Special Care Unit 3.

The handwriting is very careful, with a deliberate fluency.

"This schedule change," Kazuyoshi's gaze was fixed firmly on Masako Kobayashi's trembling pupils, "who informed you of it? When was it made? Who informed you? What written document is the basis for this change?"

Kobayashi's lips trembled, his throat tightened, and sweat slid down his forehead: "It's...it's the temporary specialist newly transferred from the medical department, Takasugi...Takasugi-kun. He's in charge of hosting the seminar. Professor Watanabe is going to attend the seminar, but Colonel Yoshida can't be left unattended. Dr. Nohara's duty is to record the patient's condition and not to offer medical advice!"

"so……"

"Takasugi?" Kazuchi Takaji's gaze suddenly sharpened like a blade!
"The archives. Now." Wachi Takaji abruptly stood up, with Minamida Yoko following closely behind, asking with some doubt, "Colonel Wachi, what's wrong with this Takasugi-kun?"

Kazuyo walked away in a hurry, but still remembered to reply to Minamida: "I suspect the problem lies with this Dr. Nohara!"

“If he has a problem, then Takasugi-kun, who arranged the seating for him, must also have a problem…”

The corridors of the hospital's administrative area were dimly lit, and the huge double doors of the archives room resembled the mouth of a monster.

The heavy iron gate was pushed open by the military police, and a musty smell wafted out.

The interior was dimly lit, with only a few emergency lights dimly glowing in the corners.

The filing cabinets are like towering, silent cliffs, layer upon layer, their shadows engulfing every corner.

“Find all records of personnel changes, including those recently transferred, resigned, temporarily transferred in or out, as well as all personnel files stored in the past six months.”

"The key is to find all the information on this medical officer named Takasugi Keiji!"

"Hayi..."

The "Iron Felt" team members behind them, like well-trained machines, quickly located the sections in the maze-like sea of ​​documents in the archives.

Rows of files were pulled out and placed on the only large, empty desk in the middle, quickly piling up into several small mounds.

Kazuo Takaji ignored the mountain of files.

He personally walked to the huge categorized cabinet labeled "Personnel Changes - June".

He deftly took down a thick registration ledger.

The ledger cover is dark green, and the corners are worn.

He stood under the emergency light, flipping through the pages rapidly.

6月26日：木村英士（药剂师）退休离院，手续完备！    6月26日：高杉竟二（医疗事务临时助理员）调入行政部医务处，调配号 MTP-0412（备注：档案B-189）

June 27: Takasugi Keiji (temporary medical affairs assistant) temporarily suspended work due to "personal health reasons" without reporting his departure time from the hospital. His personnel status is frozen (Note: Freeze order number: GTC-7).

The details of "Takasugi" were clearly displayed on the paper!

His transfer and the hasty "freeze" seemed so bizarre within the highly disciplined, almost harsh, military hospital system!
This is probably the shortest-serving medical officer, less than twenty-four hours in total...

"Secretary Kobayashi, I'd like to know what circumstances would lead to a medical officer being hastily transferred from his post after less than 24 hours on duty?" Kazuki Takaji's brows furrowed suddenly!
“GTC sequence orders [i.e., temporary appointment authority] fall under the emergency personnel handling authority of the hospital’s medical affairs department,” Secretary Masako Kobayashi explained from behind. “These are orders to temporarily appoint a member of the management team to assist in a mission. Within the Army Hospital, only Vice President Masaaki Kono, who is in charge of routine medical work, or his direct appointee, namely, Keiji Takasugi, can issue GTC orders.”

"However, Vice Dean Kono himself went on a business trip half a month ago and has not returned."

"Takasugi-kun is here to assist him in management. What? Colonel Kazuchi thinks there's something wrong with Vice Dean Kawabe?"

"Freeze all data!" Kazuyoji slammed the register shut. "Check Vice President Kono's schedule records for the past three months and the signatories of his travel orders."

Kazuo Takaji's gaze slowly shifted away from the vast pile of personnel files and landed on Kobayashi, the secretary who was trembling in the corner.

Xiaolin kept his head down and clenched his fists tightly!

Kazuyo nodded slightly to his subordinates.

Kobayashi was pushed in front of him, and Chiyo looked at him without questioning him, only stating a calm statement that sent chills down one's spine: "Do you know Dr. Nohara Hiroshi? Tell me about his recent daily routine, especially... does he have a fixed place to rest when he's out?"

“He…” Kobayashi’s voice trembled with tears, “He was very family-oriented… He didn’t have many social engagements after get off work, so he would either sleep in the hospital’s on-call dormitory… or… or take the last train to the ‘Asakawa’ restaurant… and occasionally… stay overnight…”

Where is that shop?

"The West District of Shanghai was opened by Mr. Nishihara from Yokohama, and business is doing well..."

The "Qianchuan" restaurant in the western district of Shanghai?
Without a word, a single glance from Chiyoji sent an urgent investigation order through the team members behind him like a silent radio wave.

Having gotten the answer he wanted, Kazuki Takaji readily released Secretary Kobayashi!
Meanwhile, less than two hours after the order was issued, the members of the Iron Felt Operation Team had already brought back reconnaissance information!
Major Morishita handed the operation log to Takaji Kazuchi, "Reporting to the Colonel, Dr. Nohara's residence and frequently visited locations are being checked simultaneously. As for the 'Asakawa' shop... we just received a new report!"

"This shop has been closed for several days. The landlord said he vacated the premises a week ago after moving out! The key point is that when we raided the old storage room in the backyard, we found drag marks under the abandoned wooden platform!"

"Backstreet garbage collection point... A nearby sanitation worker reported... Five or six nights ago, someone threw away a large old suitcase! Its whereabouts... It may have been disposed of by the municipal waste transfer center!"

"A large, old leather suitcase..." Kazuyo's pupils contracted sharply, a chilling shiver creeping up his spine! Could it be a corpse...?

The bodies need to be packed in boxes for disposal!
Dr. Nohara himself?

From this perspective, the timeline almost perfectly matches the period around the time Noharamoto "disappeared"!
"Immediately retrieve all possible clues left around the target restaurant, Asakawa!" Kazue Takaji's voice was resolute, his gaze as cold as ice. "Pass the word down, find the whereabouts of the suitcase at all costs!"

action!

Shanghai, Japanese Residents District.

The atmosphere in the backyard of the Asakawa restaurant was like congealed blood.

"Colonel, we've found something in the backyard," an agent rushed over.

Kazuyo's face lit up with joy.

In the backyard, military boots crunched through the damp mud. The team leader, wearing a thick cloth mask, stepped forward beside Zhiying Er. The tip of his bayonet lifted the seemingly tattered bag leaning against the wall. Instantly, a strong smell of disinfectant mixed with the sweet, rotten smell of animal fat exploded out.

Deep inside the bag, several pale, stiff objects were revealed.

Beside several ribs, brutally severed by a sharp blade, and half an ankle covered in bluish-gray dead skin, a dirty, tattered white coat was crumpled into a ball and stuffed into a crevice.

On the edge of the breast pocket of the long gown, a small stainless steel name tag was attached, with the four characters "野原" (Yoruhara) spelled out in distorted but clear katakana.

Another member of the team dug out half of a broken suitcase handle from the mud next to it, with a small section of rough hemp rope, cut by a knife, curled up beside it.

Wachi Takaji slowly shook his head, his gaze sweeping over the scene inch by inch: "These clothes and some of the remains belong to Nohara. The perpetrator buried the body very hastily after the murder, leaving behind a lot of evidence and clues!"

"A doctor's uniform used for disguise. A vehicle damaged by violence..."

“Search every corner within a hundred meters carefully, paying particular attention to the source of any suspicious odors and any soil that has been disturbed or recently burned.” His voice, sharp and forceful, pierced the warm late summer breeze. “Also, send these collected samples for testing.”

Just then, a man stumbled in from outside, calling out, "Wa, Wa, Wachi, Colonel Wachi..."

The man, panting, said, "Nohara's body has been found. The old suitcase went to the junkyard and hasn't been disposed of yet..."

"We found Nohara's body inside the suitcase!"

"Okay, okay," Kazuyo slapped his thigh and quickly sent the body back to the forensic department. "I need to know how he died!"

Back at the Army Central Hospital, Ying Er pushed open the heavy iron door of the autopsy room.

Under the huge operating lights, forensic doctor Dr. Ogura's face appeared exceptionally pale and serious, his hands clad in gloves soaked in disinfectant.

“Hiroshi Nohara,” Kazutaka stared at the gruesome wound and the marks on his neck where he had been repeatedly cut by a sharp instrument, which looked even more grotesque under the operating lights, “Time of death?”

Kogura carefully examined the joints of the body parts with tweezers: "It's been more than a week. Because it was in a place like a garbage dump, it's hard to make a precise judgment."

"Yes, there was a fierce struggle before he died. The fatal wound was to his carotid artery. The method was brutal and swift... I can tell you with certainty that the real Nohara died a few days before Colonel Yoshida was assassinated."

The last lingering shadow in Takaji's heart was completely illuminated. He hadn't been wrong; the figure in the white coat by Colonel Yoshida's bedside was a complete imposter!
The real culprit is wearing the mask of "Nohara," mocking their investigation from behind.

“Here,” Ogura’s tweezers stopped on a particularly pale patch of skin and tissue on his ribs, where the skin was torn open, not from a cut, “the skin and muscle in this area… are frostbitten far more severely than in other areas.”

"The tissue cells have broken down and dehydrated over a large area. Only intense and sustained low-temperature freezing could cause this condition. The body had been frozen! Moreover, it had been soaked in a highly concentrated bleach solution before shipment."

This means that after killing Nohara, the other party did not immediately abandon the body, but instead froze it!

Only after the assassination was carried out and it was confirmed that the target, Yoshida, was dead, did they discard this used tool as if it were worthless!

Kazue Takaji's sharp gaze swept over the intelligence team beside him: "We can now basically confirm that the murderer impersonated Dr. Nohara to carry out the assassination."

"Therefore, our next task is to split into two groups. One group will be led by me, and we will start from the hospital and extend outwards to see if we can find the killer's escape route or even pinpoint the killer's appearance."

"The second group will be led by Section Chief Nantian."

"If this killer is a professional hitman, he can't have done all this without being an unknown. Section Chief Nantian is so familiar with Shanghai, I believe you should be able to find some useful information. Therefore, you will be in charge of screening suspects who match the characteristics in batches..."

"Hai..." everyone responded in unison and dispersed!

Night fell, the moon veiled in sand, the sky after the rain seemed to have been washed clean, and the moon became exceptionally clear...

Inside a private room on the third floor, Lin Su picked up the boiling water from the small charcoal stove and skillfully made tea for Chen Yang, who was sitting opposite her.

After a series of dazzling actions, Lin Su handed the teacup to Chen Yang.

Chen Yang took the tea, took a sip, and said repeatedly, "Not bad!"
Lin Su heard the praise, but she didn't seem very happy. She still looked worried and anxious.

"Minister Chen, Ando-kun sent a message that Nantian's group has identified their target for killing Yoshida, and I believe they will find Xiang Fang soon."

"I don't quite understand why you're keeping Xiang Fang here,"

“We’re keeping him around because he’s useful,” Chen Yang said calmly. “This matter is only temporarily over; it’s not officially finished yet.”

"Given my current relationship with the South Manchuria Railway, it would be a bit like kicking someone after they've served their purpose to bring it up."

"So we need to find someone to report this to higher authorities, forcing the South Manchuria Railway Company to take action and make this case airtight!"

"So, you want Nantian and his men to catch Xiang Fang? Aren't you afraid he'll talk nonsense?" Lin Su was still a little worried!
"He won't talk nonsense, because he knows that if he does, he might not be the only one to die."

"Besides, isn't Ando keeping an eye on things?"

"Besides, if we don't give Nantian and Kazuyoji some solid evidence, how will they cause trouble? Giving them evidence is like letting them overturn the table and put everyone on the spot. Otherwise, who will I blame for all the money from those material transactions? The South Manchuria Railway is so rich, it wouldn't be a big deal for them to share some of it!"

As he finished speaking, Chen Yang sighed softly, "These two are like the golden boy, jade girl, and money-bringing boy in New Year's paintings..."

"You mean they're all mascots?" Lin Su frowned. "But why are they all children?"

“Of course it’s a child,” Chen Yang scoffed. “What adult would do such a thing…”

(End of this chapter)