Chapter 116: You Write The Report, I’ll Approve The Slip
“No, no, it’s not like that, Officer Chen. There must be some mistake here. Please hear me out.” Zuo Mingquan’s face instantly turned pale.
“Hear you out? What’s there to hear out?” Chen Yang’s gaze slowly swept over the surrounding crowd: “I heard when I arrived that you arrested dozens of Communist Party members in one go last night.”
“Director Zuo, arresting so many people—you’ve uprooted the entire Shanghai Communist Party intelligence network, haven’t you?”
“I have to say, Director Zuo is indeed an elite talent proficient in intelligence work. Talent cannot be buried.”
“Did you write the action report for last night’s operation? May I take a look?”
“N-not yet, no.” Zuo Mingquan stammered, not daring to speak loudly.
Chen Yang said mockingly: “Hm, it’s only been one night. Director Zuo must still be in the excitement and hasn’t figured out how to claim credit with the Nanjing side. I’ve interrupted Director Zuo’s work.”
Zuo Mingquan clearly heard the sarcasm in Chen Yang’s words and anxiously didn’t know how to refute: “I wouldn’t dare, I wouldn’t dare, Officer Chen. That’s really not what I meant. This matter has nothing to do with you…”
“Nothing to do with me? If it had nothing to do with me, why would I rush here first thing in the morning? Do you think I’m full and have nothing better to do?” Chen Yang’s face hardened, his voice suddenly rising sharply as he angrily said: “Director Zuo, have you gotten addicted to being an official?”
“Do you really think that if you pull me down, the position of Deputy Director of the Nanjing Special Affairs Committee will be yours?”
“I’m telling you, without the Japanese backing you, you can’t sit in that position.”
“Director Zuo, I have no grudge against you, right? At least we’re colleagues. I won’t stop you from climbing up.”
“But you don’t have to use my entire family’s lives as chips for your promotion. Do you really want to make the entire Lin family bleed rivers before you’ll stop?”
“This, this, this—misunderstanding, it’s really a misunderstanding.” Zuo Mingquan kept wiping away sweat beads; his back was already soaked with cold sweat, clinging tightly to his skin.
Chen Yang sneered: “Misunderstanding? What a misunderstanding. Then if I shoot you dead right now, would that be a misunderstanding too?”
As soon as the words fell, Chen Yang abruptly drew his pistol from his waist and pressed it directly against Zuo Mingquan’s forehead.
“Director.”
“Click click click.” Everyone present drew their pistols in unison.
Chen Yang stepped back, looked around with a light laugh: “Director Zuo is indeed good at managing his subordinates. Under your wise leadership, the Special Affairs Office is united as one. Good, very good.”
“If anyone dares to question in the future that our Nanjing Special Affairs Committee’s leadership lacks people who can lead troops, I won’t believe it first.”
“Put them down.”
Zuo Mingquan’s voice suddenly rose sharply: “All of you, put down your guns now.”
The surrounding junior agents saw the boss speak and reluctantly put away their pistols.
“Please calm down, Officer Chen. Hear me out.” Zuo Mingquan took a deep breath, his tone exceptionally devout.
“Fine, don’t say I didn’t give you a chance. I’ll listen to you slowly now.” Chen Yang casually pulled over a chair, sat down boldly with legs spread wide, crossed his legs, and let his gun-holding right hand dangle casually over his thigh.
“Officer Chen, this is really a misunderstanding. The Special Affairs Office received orders to assist in the case.”
“Your Elder Brother happened to appear at the International Wharf. We were just following orders.”
Chen Yang sneered: “What great ‘following orders.’ Whose orders?”
Zuo Mingquan wiped the sweat from his forehead and gave a look to Action Team Captain Liu Chang.
Liu Chang got the hint: “It was Section Chief Matsui of the Special Higher Police Affairs who required us to assist the Special Higher Police Affairs in capturing Communist Party team leader Qing Hu active in the French Concession, and New Army Special Commissioner Ye Xiao.”
Chen Yang looked at Liu Chang in surprise: “You’re saying my Elder Brother is Qing Hu? Where’s the evidence?”
“And that Special Commissioner Ye Xiao? Where is she now?”
Liu Chang puffed out his chest: “Officer Chen, the orders we received were to arrest. Arresting doesn’t require evidence.”
You’ve got some guts, huh.
Zuo Mingquan really wanted to give him a thumbs up…
The corner of Chen Yang’s mouth curved into a slight arc as he raised his right hand—bang, a shot.
Liu Chang looked incredulously at his chest, where his heart burst open and gushing blood instantly stained his clothes, like a bloodied plum blossom.
Thud. Liu Chang’s legs gave out, his entire body collapsing to the ground as massive amounts of blood spurted out, instantly filling the air with a thick bloody stench.
Everyone who saw this scene was immediately startled.
However, this time Zuo Mingquan’s reaction was faster. Before anyone could act, he shouted: “No one move.”
Hearing this, the crowd reluctantly stopped their actions. Zuo Mingquan wiped his forehead: “Officer Chen, is there some misunderstanding?”
Chen Yang stood up and said: “Director Zuo, do you know that our Nanjing Special Affairs Committee belongs to the General Staff Office?”
“An action team captain from the Special Affairs Committee actually follows arrangements from the Special Higher Police Affairs. What does he think he’s doing?”
“If Chief of Staff Suzuki finds out that the Nanjing Special Affairs Committee, built with so much effort by Senior Kagesa, has become a dog for the Special Higher Police Affairs.”
“What do you think he’ll think? I’m saving you.”
Zuo Mingquan said obediently: “Thank you, Officer Chen.”
Chen Yang stepped forward, used the pistol butt to lift Zuo Mingquan’s chin, and examined that fat face: “I’ve got the picture now.”
“You don’t have any evidence now proving my Elder Brother is Communist Party.”
“Can I take the man away now?”
Zuo Mingquan nodded repeatedly: “Of course, of course. Please help yourself, Officer Chen.”
Chen Yang nodded in satisfaction, put the safety on the pistol, tucked it back into his waist, and as if remembering something before leaving, turned to Zuo Mingquan: “Give this man a solatium for fallen in battle. You write the report, I’ll approve the slip.”
“If something like this happens again, hm.” Chen Yang bared his mouth, revealing a row of neat white teeth: “Director Zuo, I still have six rounds of ammunition in this gun. I’ll remember to leave them all for you.”
“No, no, I wouldn’t dare.” Zuo Mingquan nodded and bowed, repeatedly saying he wouldn’t dare…
Watching Chen Yang leave, Zhang Zixian couldn’t help muttering: “Fourth Uncle, we’re all from the same department, this Officer Chen is too…”
Zuo Mingquan angrily shouted: “Fourth what fourth? How many times have I said it—call positions during work. Call me Director Zuo.”
Zhang Zixian was slightly stunned and gave a look to Chang Mao on the side.
Chang Mao quickly called people to carry away Liu Chang’s body.
The office returned to quiet. Zhang Zixian then came forward: “Fourth Uncle, you don’t need to worry too much. I asked the people below—they didn’t do anything to Lin Xueli, just locked him up overnight.”
“Besides, Officer Chen made his move too. We’re even with him now.”
“Even? You say even and it’s even?” Zuo Mingquan laughed angrily: “What’s your position? What’s his position?”
“Whether it’s even or not isn’t up to you—it’s up to him.”
Zhang Zixian said softly: “No way, Fourth Uncle. You mean Officer Chen will still come after us?”
“Hard to say.” Zuo Mingquan undid the top few buttons of his clothes. At this point, he could wring water out of half his shirt.
“I hope Officer Chen isn’t that petty.”
“Little Treasure, go back and tell Fourth Aunt to send over a change of clothes.”
“Damn it, scared me into a full body sweat…”
