Chapter 150: Blood Debts Paid In Blood
At night, 9:20, the gunpowder smoke had not yet dispersed.
The wreckage of the ambulance was still burning, black smoke swirling with sparks rising into the night sky.
Corpses lay scattered across the street, some Military Statistics Bureau Agents, others from the Nanjing Special Affairs Committee, blood mixed with water from the fire hydrant forming dark red streams snaking across the asphalt road.
Soon, a black sedan appeared before everyone, slowly stopping at the street corner. The car door opened, and Kagesa Shinzhao stepped out.
He wore a crisp suit, his leather shoes stepping through the blood without a single frown.
Behind him, two Military Police protected Tang Shaoyi, following closely in his footsteps.
“Elder Tang, take a look.” Kagesa Shinzhao raised his hand to gesture, his voice mild yet carrying an undeniable pressure, “This is Chongqing’s sincerity toward you.”
Tang Shaoyi’s face was pale, his fingers trembling slightly.
His gaze fell on Yu Shi’an’s corpse, the young man lying face-up beside the ambulance, his chest riddled with bullets like a sieve.
Tang Shaoyi murmured, “They came to kill me.”
Kagesa Shinzhao smiled faintly, slowly walking to Tang Shaoyi’s side, and said in a low voice: “Elder Tang, you’re right. You should know the Military Statistics Bureau’s style of doing things.”
“Better to kill a thousand wrongly than to let one go.”
“Even if your status is more noble than most, in their eyes, since you haven’t clearly stated your support for Chongqing, they think you deserve to die.”
“I know someone passed a message to you, asking if you remember the oath before Dr. Sun Yat-sen’s portrait.”
“I believe that as long as it brings peace to the South and welfare to the people, it doesn’t violate the oath you made back then.”
Tang Shaoyi’s pupils contracted slightly. Clearly, all his actions were under surveillance by the Japanese.
The servants at home, even butler Tang De, could be their people.
“It seems Mr. Kagesa had arrangements long ago, which is why you invited me to watch this play.”
“Just preparing for a rainy day.” Kagesa Shinzhao chuckled lightly: “We’re not like Chongqing; we value Elder Tang greatly.”
With that, Kagesa waved his hand, and one Military Police opened the ambulance back door, dragging out a bloodied and mangled corpse.
The man wore a long gown identical to Tang Shaoyi’s, his face meticulously disguised, even the white hair at his temples matching perfectly.
Unless approached closely, no one could tell this was a substitute.
“This is…” Tang Shaoyi’s pupils suddenly tightened.
“The substitute prepared for you.” Kagesa Shinzhao said calmly, “The Military Statistics Bureau thought they killed you, but in reality, you were always safe.”
Tang Shaoyi looked around; the street was full of bullet marks, the air thick with the smell of blood and gunpowder.
In the distance, constables from the French Concession were sealing off the scene, but the Japanese Military Police had already taken over, and no one dared to interfere.
Kagesa Shinzhao observed his expression and continued: “Elder Tang, don’t you understand yet?”
“Chongqing has abandoned you. They’d rather kill the wrong person than let you live and join us.”
Tang Shaoyi closed his eyes, his chest heaving violently.
Kagesa Shinzhao knew the moment had arrived.
He slowly took a document from his pocket and handed it to Tang Shaoyi.
“This is the appointment letter for President of the Executive Yuan of the New Government. The terms are all listed; it just needs your signature.”
Kagesa Shinzhao’s voice was almost bewitching, “Sign it, and you’ll be the leader of the New Government. We can send you to a safe place immediately, and your family will receive the best protection.”
Tang Shaoyi’s fingers trembled, but he did not take it.
Kagesa Shinzhao was not impatient, merely raising his hand slightly.
In the distance, the door of a black sedan opened, and Tang Shaoyi’s granddaughter was brought out. The little girl was scared pale but did not dare cry.
“Grandpa…” She called out timidly.
Tang Shaoyi suddenly opened his eyes, his face instantly ashen.
Kagesa Shinzhao smiled: “Elder Tang, time is running out. You must make a choice.”
Tang Shaoyi looked at his granddaughter, then at the corpses everywhere, and finally reached out with a trembling hand to take the document.
Shanghai, Military Statistics Bureau Secret Stronghold on Jinbei Road.
In the Military Statistics Bureau Shanghai Station’s secret stronghold, Xie Zhipan’s fists were clenched tight, knuckles cracking.
A meticulously designed assassination plan had ended like this.
Two teams, twenty-six people total: seventeen dead, one missing, two seriously wounded, three lightly wounded.
Only Xie Zhipan and his auxiliary shooter and observer were unharmed.
“Why did this happen? Tell me the action from start to finish,” Zhao Lijun’s voice was low, cold as ice, “Don’t miss a single detail.”
Xie Zhipan swallowed hard, his gaze drifting to the window, as if back in that nightmarish night.
“According to the plan, we split into three groups. Old Yu led the first group for the frontal assault, I led the third group for backup in the back alley, and Captain Lu went to hold off reinforcements from the French Concession Police Station.”
“Deputy Station Chief Yu’s arrangement was to detonate explosives at the intersection of Jinxian Road and Fukaisen Road to create chaos. I led Gray Pigeons and Bamboo Leaf Green for high-ground lookout to ensure they could complete the mission smoothly.”
Xie Zhipan’s voice grew lower, “According to the plan, the ambulance carrying Tang Shaoyi did appear on time. But when Old Yu and the others rushed up…”
“Go on.”
“I shot the driver, and Old Yu dealt with Tang Shaoyi in the ambulance.”
“From the top floor, I saw Old Yu and them exchange fire with the agents escorting the ambulance briefly, then he suddenly shouted ‘ambush,’ and right after, the Japanese arrived.”
“They deployed a Military Police squad with heavy weapons, at least three tricycles with machine guns. Old Yu and the others didn’t even have time to react; in one clash, many brothers sacrificed…”
Xie Zhipan’s fists turned white, “I heard Old Yu shout ‘evacuate,’ but it was already too late.”
“To cover our retreat, he blew up a tricycle with a hand grenade, but he himself was riddled with bullets.”
“Rescue was impossible by then, so I had no choice but to lead the survivors out through the sewers.”
“Who had access to the full action plan?” Zhao Lijun was silent for a moment, then suddenly stood, his gaze sharp as a knife, fixed on Xie Zhipan.
“You, me, Old Yu, Team Leader Lu Tao of the second group monitoring the French Concession Police Station, and, and…” Xie Zhipan suddenly stopped.
“And who?” Zhao Lijun said impatiently, “Who else knew.”
Xie Zhipan hesitated before saying: “Miss Mao from the Telecommunications Group.”
Zhao Lijun’s expression changed slightly: “You mean Mao Qiuying?”
“You think Mao Qiuying has a problem?”
Before Xie Zhipan could answer, there was a knock at the door…
A soft female voice came: “Station Chief, urgent telegram from headquarters.”
This voice belonged to Mao Qiuying from the Telecommunications Group.
Zhao Lijun raised his hand slightly, signaling Xie Zhipan to relax, adjusted his expression, and said: “Come in.”
The door opened, and a young woman in a light blue qipao entered, holding a telegram.
Her gaze lingered on Xie Zhipan for a moment before quickly shifting away.
“Station Chief, telegram from Boss Dai. Please review.”
Zhao Lijun took the telegram and read it carefully up and down, his face flushing somewhat.
One action had cost a deputy station chief and over a dozen elite agents; Boss Dai’s tone could hardly be good—it was practically cursing Zhao Lijun’s entire family and ancestors.
However, at the end, Boss Dai issued instructions: “Order a thorough investigation of relevant personnel at the Military Statistics Bureau Shanghai Station, await next assassination instruction, and ensure Tang Shaoyi pays with blood for his blood debt.”
