Anti-Japanese War Espionage: I Have an Omniscient Perspective

After drawing the topographical map, Lin Rui said, "Look, there are Indian red-headed guards at the entrance of Yongfeng Village, and there are also police patrols outside. There are also Japanese spies at the general store on Luban Road outside the entrance. Once a shot is fired, the police can arrive in three minutes, and the Japanese spies nearby will also take action."

His dagger pointed towards Lüban Road as he continued his analysis: "Lu Bohong's car drove from Lüban Road into the alley, a distance of only about a hundred meters, with two bodyguards in the car. Even if we could ambush him by the roadside and shoot him dead, once the gunfire starts, enemies will swarm in from all directions. Even if the eight of us are incredibly skilled, we won't be able to break through. In that case, if we kill him, we'll all perish here. Can you handle that situation?"

Lin Rui's words were sincere and reasonable, but they opposed Zhou Zhitang's proposal.

At first, the team members were somewhat displeased, but as they listened, their displeasure gradually faded, and their expressions became serious.

They were not afraid of death, but none of them wanted to die in vain after completing their mission.

Zhou Zhitang walked to the wall, staring at the topographical map on it with a complicated expression.

He was always forthright and fierce, used to head-on confrontations, but he overlooked the special environment within the concession.

This is not a battlefield. There are no open retreat routes, and enemy spies and patrols are everywhere. Fighting head-on would definitely be a losing proposition.

"You're right, I was too hasty." After a moment, Zhou Zhitang turned around, his tone sincere, "Brother Lin, you're familiar with the situation at Yongfeng Village and you're meticulous. What do you suggest we do?"

Seeing Zhou Zhitang lower his stance, Lin Rui pointed his dagger at the west wall of Yongfeng Village: "The safest way is to climb over the wall here. The west wall is covered with barbed wire; you can easily climb over by laying down a quilt. During my reconnaissance, I discovered that the police only patrol every two hours at night, giving us ample time to act. Moreover, the backyard of Lu Bohong's apartment at No. 17 is right inside the wall. Climbing over the wall will allow us to directly approach his house, sneak into the mansion, kill him, and then immediately climb back over the wall and escape along the narrow alleys behind it. Those alleys are crisscrossed, and with the cover of night, the police won't be able to catch us. This gives us the best chance of escaping."

He paused, then added, "There's another crucial point: we must first confirm whether Lu Bohong is home, and which floor and room he lives in. My previous plan to bribe his purchasing maid was precisely to gather this information, to avoid us breaking in and finding nothing, thus alerting him. As long as we get accurate information, we can strike decisively and finish the job quickly."

Zhou Zhitang's eyes lit up, and he slapped his thigh: "Great idea! It's both concealed and provides an escape route, much more reliable than a direct confrontation!" He looked at his men beside him, "Brothers, let's go with Brother Chen's plan. Next, we'll split into two groups. Old Wu and Old Zheng, you two keep an eye on that purchasing servant and try to make contact with him. Remember, absolutely do not alert him. Try to bribe him if you can, but if that doesn't work, don't force him, lest Lu Dahong become suspicious. The rest of you, follow Brother Lin and me, familiarize yourselves with the location of the west wall and the narrow escape alley, check your weapons, and get ready."

"Yes!" everyone responded in unison.

In the following days, everyone acted according to their assigned tasks. Zhou Zhitang led his men to familiarize themselves with the routes and test their weapons, while Lin Rui continued to shuttle between Lianhua Film Studio and Luban Road, keeping an eye on the movements in Yongfeng Village.

However, the matter of bribing the servant encountered a problem: a guard from the Lu family had suddenly appeared by the servant's side. It was clear that the Lu family had realized something was wrong and had taken some precautions.

In that case, we can't just contact the servants rashly; we have to change our approach and think of other solutions.

Days passed, and more than ten days went by in the blink of an eye. The temperature in Shanghai was getting lower and lower, and winter of 1937 arrived. The cold wind, carrying withered leaves, felt like a knife cutting into your face.

That afternoon, Lin Rui took some time to leave the film studio, bought a clean set of coarse cotton clothes and a pair of cotton shoes, and also took some rice and salted meat, before heading to the alley where Huang Dazhu was hidden.

Pushing open the warehouse door, a faint aroma of rice wafted out. Huang Dazhu was squatting by the small coal stove in the corner, stirring pickled vegetables with a spatula. He had changed into a clean short jacket that Lin Rui had given him, which he had bought with the copper coins. His hair had been cut short, and his face was clean. He was no longer the disheveled, madman he used to be.

"Sir, you've arrived!" Upon seeing Lin Rui, Huang Dazhu quickly stood up, a simple and honest smile on his face.

However, their accent is still the Southwestern Mandarin spoken in Guilin, which sounds somewhat out of place in the Jiangsu and Zhejiang area.

Lin Rui handed him the cotton-padded coat and shoes, saying, "The weather is getting colder and colder. Wear these so you don't catch a cold." He then placed rice and salted meat on the table, saying, "Keep these things. Don't just eat pickled vegetables all the time. Take care of yourself."

Huang Dazhu took the cotton coat with both hands, his eyes slightly red, and nodded vigorously: "Thank you, sir, thank you, sir! I've been doing odd jobs these past few days and saved up some copper coins. I bought some rice and pickled vegetables, and cooking for myself saves money, which will also save you some money."

He pointed to a bowl of brown rice and a plate of stir-fried pickled vegetables on the table, "Sir, would you like to try my cooking?"

"No, I have something to do. I just came to see you and then I'll leave." Lin Rui waved his hand. Although he was touched by Huang Dazhu's obedience, he still didn't want Huang to come with him.

Huang Dazhu had experienced the horrors of the battlefield and still suffered psychological trauma. He knew that being a spy was dangerous for him, and he didn't want this poor old soldier to fall into a desperate situation again.

"Stay here and don't wander off. Eat on time. I'll come see you again when I have time."

"Alright!" Huang Dazhu nodded vigorously. "Don't worry, sir, I won't run away. I'm willing to go through fire and water for you!"

Lin Rui smiled, patted him on the shoulder, and turned to leave the warehouse.

As he stepped out of the alley, the cold wind was still biting. He tightened his long robe and prepared to head to Lüban Road to meet Zhou Zhitang.

A man with a cigarette stand quickly walked up to him and said in a low voice, "Shuangmu Yilin, 754431, emergency order!"

Lin Rui's heart tightened. He stopped and pointed to a pack of cigarettes on the stall, saying, "Give me a pack of Hademen." As he handed over the money, he lowered his voice and asked, "What are your orders?"

"Urgent telegram from the stationmaster: Lu Bohong will be attending the preparatory meeting for the establishment of the puppet 'Shanghai Citizens' Association' tomorrow, presided over by the Japanese army," the liaison officer said rapidly and urgently. "As a Chinese director in the French Concession, his open defection to the Japanese has a huge impact. The stationmaster orders you to eliminate him as soon as possible to warn those restless elements in the concession and deter the arrogance of the Japanese and their collaborators!"

Lin Rui's heart sank.

Tomorrow night? Time is too tight. We haven't gotten the information from the servants yet. Taking action rashly would be extremely risky.

But he also knew that the station chief's orders could not be disobeyed. Once Lu Bohong attended the preparatory meeting, his attitude of surrendering to the Japanese army would be made public, and it would be even more difficult to kill him then.

"I understand. I will inform Captain Zhou immediately," Lin Rui replied in a deep voice.