Chapter 97: Popping Champagne At Halftime?
“Sang Liuji talking nonsense?” Cao Weida raised his eyebrows, “What, does he often gossip like that?”
“Hey, you haven’t been at the Police Station much these past two days, you don’t know, Sang Liuji has been so smug these days, saying he’s gained Ono Shiota’s favor and is about to soar to success.”
Yōshi, popping champagne at halftime.
Cao Weida chuckled inwardly; those who pop champagne at halftime usually don’t end well.
Soar to success my ass, he’s about to go into the land and become fertilizer soon.
After washing up, the two went to the Police Station to report for duty.
Sure enough, just as Duomen predicted, the Police Station received news from the little devils’ side, and the entire Police Station was mobilized to assist the Military Police in imposing a city-wide lockdown.
After reporting for duty, Cao Weida hurriedly went to Ono Shiota’s office.
As soon as he entered, he couldn’t help but be stunned.
Ono Shiota showed no sign of worry at all; instead, he was beaming with joy. Cao Weida thought to himself, could this little devil have gone mad from the stimulation?
“Ono-kun?” Cao Weida called out cautiously.
“Haha, Cao Sang, quick, come sit.” Ono Shiota gestured animatedly for Cao Weida to sit. Cao Weida sat down with a stunned expression, his mind a bit confused. He wondered if Ono Taijun had really been hit too hard by the shock—this reaction wasn’t right.
“Ono-kun, last night I heard an explosion from the Bei Xin Cang side, and today we received the lockdown notice. What exactly happened?”
“Mm hm hm, last night Bei Xin Cang was bombed.” Ono Shiota said with a grin.
“.” So, is that the answer I wanted? What I want to know is why you’re so happy.
“Cough~~ What?! Bei Xin Cang was bombed?!” Cao Weida’s expression was somewhat exaggerated, indignantly saying: “It must be those anti-Japanese elements again. These guys are really persistent!”
“Ono-kun, this incident won’t affect you, right?”
“Yōshi, thanks to Cao Sang’s relationship, this matter doesn’t involve me. On the contrary, the Bei Xin Cang explosion is great, great! This has really helped me out big time!” Ono Shiota cackled strangely, looking thrilled.
Cao Weida was puzzled inside, and Ono Shiota seemed to notice, explaining:
“The arms in the new Bei Xin Cang warehouse belong to those Naval forces from the Kōa-in!”
“Now that such a big thing has happened, those Naval forces from the Kōa-in are in for big trouble, heh heh heh.”
Hearing this, Cao Weida suddenly understood. So that’s how it is, no wonder.
He really hadn’t known before that the Bei Xin Cang warehouse belonged to the Naval forces!
But that didn’t seem right. Cao Weida asked doubtfully: “Ono-kun, I remember the previous Bei Xin Cang was always our great Army’s armory. How did it suddenly become the Naval forces’ arms warehouse?”
Ono Shiota was clearly very satisfied with Cao Weida calling the Navy “Naval forces” and delighted with “great Army,” casting an approving look, huffing:
“Three months ago, our Army shipped a batch of military equipment to the front lines, and that warehouse was emptied. Because they were transporting by sea, those damned Naval forces said, since the warehouse is empty anyway, let them borrow it temporarily!”
“The war situation was urgent at the time, and the higher-ups were pressing hard, so we had no choice but to agree.”
“It was supposed to be for just one month, but those damned, untrustworthy scoundrels! Three months have passed, and when the Gendarmerie Headquarters went to demand it back, they said there were still arms in the warehouse and refused to return it!”
“Even worse, those damned Naval forces deducted two-thirds of the weapons and ammunition we were shipping to the front lines and shipped it all back intact to Bei Xin Cang!!”
“When our headquarters went to demand it, not only did they refuse, but we were insulted too. Major General Miyamoto Ichiro was so angry he took to bed for three days.”
“Now it’s good, huh? They wouldn’t return it, and getting bombed is what they deserve! Hahaha.” Ono Shiota couldn’t help but laugh gloatingly, utterly delighted.
Cao Weida’s mouth twitched, nearly laughing out loud.
In World War II history, if the Osaka Division was known for loving to do business, then the Japanese Army’s Navy disputes were even more entertaining.
Can you believe that an Army and Navy from the same country would point guns at each other?
Japan’s Navy and Army contradictions go way back, with many reasons—not worth listing them all. So, how bad could the rivalry between the two armies get?
Put it this way: if the Army’s screw turns right, the Navy’s must turn left.
Army builds carriers, Navy builds tanks; even their rifle bullet calibers are different.
If given the chance, they’d kill each other without hesitation!
Due to the homeland’s scarce resources, they compete ruthlessly, neither side respecting the other.
On the battlefield, it’s you fight yours, I fight mine—not unrelated, but always looking for chances to screw the other side.
The only time they tacitly agreed was jointly opposing the creation of an Air Force.
So now, seeing the Navy’s warehouse bombed, it’s no surprise why Ono Shiota wasn’t worried but gloating like this.
“I see!” Cao Weida feigned sudden realization, sharing the indignation:
“Those Naval forces are too much, occupying the nest and doing such outrageous things. Getting this retribution is their own fault!”
“Yōshi, exactly!” Ono Shiota grinned from ear to ear. “Whoever raided the Naval forces’ armory is a hero! If I knew who did it, I’d have to thank him properly!”
Heh, no need.
Cao Weida found it amusing inside. Before, he’d just laughed watching short videos; now, seeing the gloating look up close made him want to laugh even more.
“By the way, Cao Sang, didn’t you say before you had business dealings with the Communist Party and Kuomintang sides? Can you contact their troops?”
Faced with Ono Taijun’s sudden question, Cao Weida was stunned, then cautiously replied: “Ono-kun, I’m really not sure. Though I know some customers are from those two sides, I don’t know who exactly, and I wouldn’t dare investigate.”
“If I startled them, it could affect our business.”
“That’s true, but didn’t you have some ‘friends’ who cleared up the misunderstanding with us before?” Ono Shiota rubbed his fingers, eyeing him.
Cao Weida’s heart skipped, but he didn’t panic, smiling wryly: “Yeah, there was that, but how could those guys let me contact them? They approached me.”
He didn’t deny it—after all, no one was a fool.
Denying it would only make Ono Shiota suspicious.
Sure enough, Cao Weida’s straightforward attitude didn’t upset Ono Shiota; instead, he sighed, “That’s too bad then.”
What are you regretting?
Cao Weida probed: “Ono-kun, what do you want??”
“Those Naval forces are shipping a batch of supplies to Zhengzhou. With Bei Xin Cang bombed, they’ll have to source from elsewhere.
Perfectly, I got some intelligence and a supply convoy route map by chance. I was going to sell it for a good price, but now it seems I can’t.”
“.”
Well, you’re planning to screw those Naval forces hard!
“Ono-kun, you could sell it to intelligence dealers. They’d definitely pay a very good price.”
In the World War II era, intelligence dealers were plentiful, active on battlefields and in warring countries’ rear areas.
There’s a saying: where there’s demand, suppliers will emerge.
Intelligence dealers were exactly that.
In war, demand for intelligence surged—military deployment, troop movements, economic resources, diplomatic moves—all were trading goods for these intelligence dealers.
They could be merchants, reporters, diplomats, ordinary folks, or double agents.
If Ono Shiota sold this intelligence to an intelligence dealer, they’d gladly pay a hefty reward.
“No, those damned intelligence dealers have no credibility. I don’t trust them.” Ono Shiota shook his head decisively without hesitation.
Regular intelligence dealers had no bottom line; for money, they’d sell any intelligence, including who sold it to them.
Unless you offered even greater interest.
But that would mean handing your leverage right into their hands?
And you’d only sink deeper!
Though the Navy and Army both wished the other dead, now at the point of face-to-face nose-pointing and calling each other Naval forces.
On the battlefield, if they saw the other’s soldiers fighting others, the side would leisurely sit smoking cigarettes and drinking coffee, watching the show.
But actively selling intel on them was different. Ono Shiota had good connections, but he couldn’t withstand the whole Navy’s wrath.
“How about I try contacting some of those buyers?” Cao Weida probed, adding: “But I can’t guarantee success—you know I don’t dare openly investigate them.”
“Usually, once the convoy leaves the city, we don’t ask questions.”
“Yōshi, then you go try, Cao Sang.” Ono Shiota paused, then said meaningfully: “The Gendarmerie Headquarters is holding some Communist Party and Kuomintang special agents. If no other way, you can work on them.
“As long as the money’s right, anything’s possible.”
“You only have two days—if you miss it, it’ll be too late. Hurry!”
Oh ho, to screw the Naval forces, you’re really putting in the effort—more eager than the anti-Japanese elements.
Cao Weida chuckled inwardly and nodded: “Got it, Ono-kun.”
“By the way, about this lockdown…”
“Go notify Xu Hancheng, put on a show—that’s enough. Don’t be too rigid. Public order in Beiping’s Outer Fifth District rests on his shoulders; don’t miss the forest for the trees.”
After chatting a bit more, Cao Weida left Ono Shiota’s office and was immediately grabbed by San’er.
“Cao Ge, the Bureau Chief told me to wait here for you.”
“Perfect, I need to talk to the Bureau Chief too. Lead the way.”
Knock knock knock~~
“Bureau Chief, hope I’m not disturbing you?”
“Cao’er! Quick, come in! Oh, you’re finally out! San’er, what are you standing there for? Pour tea for Cao’er!” Seeing it was Cao Weida, Xu Hancheng was even warmer than seeing his own dad.
