Espionage, codenamed Ant, moving expert

After the leg-breaking incident, the workers worked exceptionally hard, without needing the foreman to urge them on.

Oda's arrival made them even happier.

When it's time to work, you can boss the Japanese around like they're nothing, and they won't dare to talk back.

That was fucking awesome.

I'd do this job even if it were free, just for the sake of feeling good and having fun, so I can brag louder than everyone else when I get back.

Chen Zheng did not treat these workers unfairly, paying them double wages. In less than five days, the business opened.

The signboard has changed; it's no longer Mitsui Ichiro, but Miki Co., Ltd.

In Oda's view, this was precisely the temporary change made by the Mitsui family because they didn't want anyone to know.

Nobles have their own set of behavioral guidelines, especially when cooperating with the Chinese during wartime; the more discreet they are, the better.

It used to be called Mitsui Ii, which was too conspicuous, practically telling everyone that the trading company had shares in Mitsui and the Ii family.

The name Miki is understated and unassuming.

While the business was being renovated, Da Hu and Zhao Kui entered the city one after another, Er Niu's men stayed in the suburbs, and Chen Zheng had mountain guns that could be fired even in the city.

The reason for not allowing them into the city was the fear that the Japanese pirates, in a desperate move, would use naval guns, causing civilian casualties.

As planned, Xiao Wu led his group into the business, where they were presented as laborers.

Zhao Kui's men were scattered in safe houses throughout Shanghai.

Each group had a new type of walkie-talkie, allowing them to contact each other at any time, bringing manpower together to launch attacks on key points of the Japanese pirates.

Erniu had fewer than twenty men under his command, and he was equipped with four walkie-talkies.

To avoid alerting the enemy, the team remained silent after entering the safe house.

Their weapons remain the same as before, temporarily under Chen Zheng's control, with team members only carrying pistols.

Shanghai Railway Station is now employing a two-pronged approach: Li Ya is leveraging his connections at higher levels, while Chen Zheng, along with Tang and Zhang, is gathering information among the common people.

Since becoming the second-in-command, Tang Asheng has been living a very comfortable life.

Give Oda a good beating on the first day, then treat him to drinks that night, slap him and then give him a sweet treat.

Tang Asheng had a low alcohol tolerance and was worried that if he drank too much, he might say something he shouldn't.

It was later discovered that Oda's alcohol tolerance was even worse.

Tang Asheng drank half a bottle of sake and was fine, but Oda would definitely get drunk if he drank half a bottle as well.

When drunk, he boasts about his former glory.

A cargo ship shuttles between Japan and China, making a fortune!

If it weren't for bad luck—the boat suddenly and inexplicably sank in the river—he would have married all three wives by now.

Tang Asheng followed his lead and managed to extract all of Oda's secrets in one go.

Oda used to work on ships and has a thorough understanding of maritime affairs, which gave Tang Asheng a lot of inspiration.

Two days before the business opened, he approached Chen Zheng and presented him with a purchase order.

The list doesn't have many items, but they are all in-demand goods.

As long as there is a sufficient supply of goods, there is no worry about not being able to sell them.

Chen Zheng had everything he needed in his space. He told Tang Asheng not to leave anyone in the warehouse the night before the opening, and that he would send someone to deliver the goods there.

Tang Asheng didn't dare ask why; he just had to obey.

The night before, Tang Asheng invited Oda for drinks under the pretext of opening his business.

Xiao Wu then led his men to find their own way to eat, and they wouldn't be back until after midnight.

Tang Asheng and Oda drank until 10 o'clock, not knowing where to go.

Oda invited him to his home, and Tang Asheng didn't return to the trading company until 2 a.m. Sure enough, all the goods were ready and waiting for the opening the next day.

While the renovation was underway, Chen Zheng visited Boss Du to try and build a closer relationship.

On the opening day, Chen Zheng made a brief appearance before returning to the backyard for tea.

The outside was bustling with activity, filled with Japanese merchants who brought gifts and exclaimed in admiration after seeing the goods inside.

As expected of the Mitsui family, although the product range is small, they are all in high demand and can make a fortune immediately if you buy them.

Other companies keep these goods hidden and trade them privately.

No, the samples from Miki Trading Company are displayed prominently, with clearly marked prices, all 10% lower than those on the market.

Some people who do this kind of business will put down the gifts and then pull Tang Asheng aside to ask for goods.

Tang Asheng was indeed a natural businessman. He didn't get complacent because of this, but strictly followed the boss's instructions and sold in limited quantities.

Take gasoline as an example, we only sell five barrels a day, not a single barrel more.

Someone wants to buy five buckets at once. Sorry, we can't sell them to you; each person can only buy one bucket at a time.

No reservations accepted, first come, first served.

Other items like sugar and milk powder are limited to one pound per person per day.

What puzzled Japanese merchants was why the Mitsui family would sell rice in Shanghai.

Japan is short of rice, so why doesn't it sell it domestically?

However, they quickly realized that Japan was short of rice, but the Mitsui family certainly wasn't.

Given the Mitsui family's status, they would never deign to sell rice to the lower classes of Japan, because the lower classes are not worthy of it.

They should be shipped to China to sell, preferably to foreigners, to truly showcase the Mitsui family's status.

The merchants were secretly delighted; they could buy rice here, ship it back to Japan, and make a profit.

The Mitsui family must not find out, otherwise it might cause trouble.

Only then did everyone understand the real reason for the business's name change.

Honestly, Chen Zheng never thought that much about it.

He simply felt that calling him Mitsui I was too conspicuous.

If he were to encounter members of either of these families, not only would he become a fake, but he would also needlessly invite trouble.

They just randomly picked a name that sounds like a Japanese pirate, and somehow it makes that connection to this.

On the first day of business, all pre-ordered goods were sold out before noon.

Xiao Wu and his colleagues were so busy they barely had time to breathe. If it weren't for the newly hired sales clerks, ten people simply wouldn't have been able to handle the workload.

Once it was past midnight, the Sanmu Trading Company closed its doors and went out of business.

Oda shuffled closer to the accounting office, wanting to see the final sales figures.

Tang Asheng was always wary of him, and shouted from a distance:

"Oda, come here for a second."

Oda, unwilling yet forced to obey, took small, hesitant steps and approached Tang Asheng:

"Second Manager, what do you need me for?"

"Oda, the trading company has opened. We can't drink every day like before. Go around the area and see if any of our friends need our products. They can buy them in advance through you."

The price is the same as at the counter, no extra charge.

Oda was overjoyed and turned to leave, but Tang Asheng grabbed him:

"I haven't finished speaking, are you in such a hurry to go eat shit?!"

Oda wasn't angry; he smiled and approached Tang Asheng.

"No, no, Second Manager, I'll go back and tell Yako to wash herself clean and wait for you."

"Hey, stop! What happened last night is in the past. I don't want it to happen a second time. If the head manager finds out, he'll definitely break my legs."

Oda looked regretful:

"Second Manager, is there something Yako did wrong? Tell me, and I'll have her change."

"It has nothing to do with Masako, it's just that I want to live a few more years."

This morning, before the shop opened, Chen Zheng casually said:

"Old Tang, in the Japanese-occupied area, it's best to stay away from those Japanese women, be careful of encountering spies."

Tang Asheng broke out in a cold sweat. The boss was pointing fingers at him; the boss must know what happened last night and was saying this on purpose.

After Chen Zheng finished speaking and left, Tang Asheng, after thinking it over, made a decision: he would never go to Oda's house again.

No matter how good Masako's kung fu is, it's not as important as her own life.

He appeared and disappeared mysteriously on the first day, secretly possessing a secret force. It was truly not worth risking his life for a Japanese woman.