Chapter 209: Doing The Impossible Knowing It’s Futile
“The blood of Imperial soldiers cannot be shed in vain.”
General Doihara said in a deep voice: “Mr. Chen, I have another plan here, hoping you can assist the Special Higher Police Affairs in completing it together.”
With that, General Doihara pulled a proposal from the pile of documents and gently pushed it in front of Chen Yang.
Chen Yang took it with both hands, opened the folder, and on top of the documents was printed a secret mark with the chrysanthemum crest, below which were written four large characters.
“Dull Blade Plan”
The entire proposal was only a few hundred words, and Chen Yang finished reading it quickly. Seeing the signature name, Chen Yang’s brows furrowed slightly: “Major Nantian wants to use Old Zhong as bait to lure the Communist Party to come and rescue him?”
“General Doihara, I think we still need to consider it, consider it.”
General Doihara looked at Chen Yang and said: “What’s the reason?”
“The Communist Party just carried out a retaliatory action against us, and Major Nantian immediately throws out such bait. Anyone can see there’s a problem with this.”
“Don’t think our opponents are all brainless guys. If they were really that easy to fool, the Empire’s encirclements and suppressions so many times wouldn’t have yielded nothing.”
“Section Chief Chen means my designed plan is completely useless?” At that moment, a clear and pleasant voice came from the office doorway.
“Major Nantian, I’m not saying the plan is useless, but throwing out this plan now makes it easy for the Communist Party to see through it.” Chen Yang patiently explained: “Instead of setting an ambush in Ruikang Apartment, it’s better to place the location halfway.”
“Military strategy says, surround on three sides and leave one open.”
“If you don’t leave them a way out, why would they easily take the risk?”
Nantian said in a deep voice: “Section Chief Chen, as the Section Chief of the Transportation Section, I believe in your expertise, but regarding intelligence work, I think you’re still an outsider.”
“You probably underestimate the Communist Party’s camaraderie with their comrades.”
“And also underestimate the importance of this Old Zhong to the Communist Party.”
“I’ve already had people spread the word that Old Zhong has mentally collapsed and started confessing some inside information.”
“In this situation, do you think the Communist Party can sit idly by?”
“They only have two choices: either kill him to silence him before Old Zhong confesses.”
“Or take the risk and rescue him.”
“Frankly speaking, Section Chief Chen, your main job is transportation. Leave this intelligence work to us professionals to plan.”
She says I’m an outsider, outsider, fine…
Chen Yang furrowed his brows and asked the sharpest question: “How is Major Nantian so sure that even knowing it’s a trap, they will still come?”
Nantian Yangzi smiled slightly, a hint of madness appearing in her eyes: “Because they are the Communist Party.”
“Section Chief Chen, don’t use the rules you followed in the Jinling Government to measure the Communist Party’s psychology.”
“China has a saying: knowingly doing what cannot be done?”
“That’s the kind of people they are…”
Hearing this, Chen Yang fell silent immediately. After a moment, he bowed to General Doihara: “If Major Nantian insists, our Special Affairs Committee can send people to assist, but I don’t want our people to suffer any more losses.”
“General Doihara, Section Chief Nantian, the Transportation Department has a lot of work, I’ll take my leave first.”
“Section Chief Chen, take care.” Nantian smiled and said.
After Chen Yang left, General Doihara stood up and said: “Yangzi, do you have confidence in this action? I can help you shift the responsibility for Mr. Nakamura’s death to Matsui-kun, but if you fail again this time.”
“I think General Headquarters will reconsider whether you’re suitable to hold a leadership position.”
Nantian Yangzi respectfully said: “Teacher, I admit that in Mr. Nakamura’s matter, I seemed to underestimate the Communist Party’s means. I didn’t expect them to use such despicable explosives.”
“However, this time please rest assured. I’ve made a detailed plan, and there certainly won’t be any oversights again.”
General Doihara furrowed his brows, pondering for a moment: “Yangzi, for this plan, I want Colonel Fujita to take charge, and you assist.”
Nantian Yangzi’s expression changed slightly: “Teacher, you still don’t trust me? You want me to hand over the merit that’s already in my hands to someone else?”
General Doihara said indifferently: “It’s not that I don’t trust you, but I think between having merit and having no faults, choosing the latter is more appropriate for you.”
“Moreover, the work of capturing Old Zhong has always been under Colonel Fujita’s responsibility. It was only because Matsui-kun and Ando had little energy that I let you capture Xue Lian.”
“Handing this plan to Colonel Fujita makes sense; it’s his matter to begin with.”
“You insisted on taking it over. If it’s a pit, that’s fine, but if merit is earned, you’d be robbing your superior’s merit as a subordinate.”
“That wouldn’t be good for you.”
“Yangzi, being a leader doesn’t mean fixating on your own patch of land; you need to learn unity.”
“I understand, Teacher. I will assist Colonel Fujita well.” Nantian Yangzi said, emphasizing the words “assist well.”
Anyone could hear her dissatisfaction. Before General Doihara could speak, Nantian Yangzi bowed and quickly left the office.
“Ah,” General Doihara looked at this student with some headache. Nantian was very qualified as an agent, but as a leader.
She was far from it. He didn’t know if she could change her mindset and not value merit so heavily.
Otherwise…
Shanghai, French Concession.
Inside Room 203 of Ruikang Apartment, the curtains were tightly closed, with only a dim yellow desk lamp lit.
Old Zhong was disheveled and injured on his face, tied to a chair, head lowered, seemingly unconscious.
In the corner of the room, Senior Section Chief of Special Higher Police Affairs Fujita Go was dressed in casual clothes, slowly and methodically wiping his glasses with a white handkerchief.
Nantian Yangzi wore a neat trench coat, standing by the window, coldly observing the wet street downstairs through the gap in the curtains.
“Is everything arranged?” Fujita slowly spoke, his voice steady yet carrying an undeniable pressure.
Nantian Yangzi didn’t turn around: “Colonel Fujita, please rest assured. The action team members are already in position. The wonton stall owner downstairs, the clerk in the bookstore across the street, and the one repairing a bicycle at the street corner—they’re all our people.”
“The apartment’s front and back doors, as well as all possible infiltration paths, are under our surveillance. As soon as they come, there’s no way they can escape.”
Fujita put on his glasses, a cold smile tugging at the corner of his mouth: “‘Qing Hu’ is very cunning, just like a fox.”
“His information has long been on file at the Special Higher Police Affairs, but we’ve never been able to confirm his identity. This time, the participants also include the Su-Zhe Action Team, all desperate outlaws who fear nothing.”
“Major Nantian, you’re very clever. Using Old Zhong as this rotten bait to fish out these fierce dogs eager to protect their master couldn’t be more fitting.”
Fujita walked to Old Zhong, reached out and lifted his chin: “Guess, will your comrades come to send you on your final journey? Or… come to accompany you on the road?”
Old Zhong struggled to lift his head and spat out a mouthful of bloody spit, laughing hoarsely: “Idiot…”
Fujita disgustedly let go, wiping his fingers carefully again with the handkerchief: “Whether it’s idiot or not, we’ll know soon enough.”
“Major Nantian, remember, I want ‘Qing Hu’ alive, at least leave him one breath to extract a confession.”
“Understood.” Nantian Yangzi’s gaze was sharp as a knife: “Colonel Fujita, please rest assured. I will be very measured.”
Across the road, second floor of a coffee shop.
Lin Xueli had changed into the attire of a concession clerk, wearing Western-style clothing and a felt hat with the brim pulled low, pretending to read a newspaper, but his eyes never left the Ruikang Apartment opposite.
Sitting across from him was his partner, the team member codenamed Carrier Pigeon, Sun Yong.
He appeared somewhat anxious, frequently checking his watch.
“Team Leader, from morning until now, the people coming and going don’t seem special. Are you sure the intelligence isn’t wrong?”
“Are they really that confident?”
“The intelligence should be real, but Comrade Carrier Pigeon, this place may not be as simple as it appears.”
“Too quiet…” Lin Xueli said in a low voice. “Old Zhong has been captured for over 24 hours. By convention, the Special Higher Police Affairs would either urgently interrogate or transfer him to Hongkou Headquarters.”
“Yet now it’s so ‘conveniently’ letting us know he’s still held in this not-so-hidden apartment in the French Concession… No matter how I look at it, it feels like a noose waiting for us to stick our heads in.”
“They know full well that Old Zhong knows too many important connections and top secret files. Once he talks, the entire Shanghai underground organization will face annihilation.”
“He’s forcing us to take the risk.”
Lin Xueli’s gaze swept downstairs: that wonton stall boss’s calluses were in the wrong position, not like someone who grips a ladle long-term.
The bookstore clerk paid too much attention to the street rather than the books in the store; the bicycle repairman’s tools were placed too neatly, and the tire valve stem model…
“Look at that repairman,” Lin Xueli gestured, “the ‘damaged’ bicycle tire under his feet has a new valve stem, not even stained with mud or water.”
“He’s pretending to be busy; he hasn’t actually repaired any bike.”
Sun Yong looked in that direction, his face changing.
“Also,” Lin Xueli continued, “that window on the third floor of the apartment—the reflection angle is off. There’s someone inside. If I’m not mistaken, someone’s holding binoculars right now, watching every move downstairs.”
“This is a meticulously set death trap, just waiting for us to jump in.”
Sun Yong anxiously said: “Then what do we do? Abandon Old Zhong?”
“Can’t force our way in.” Lin Xueli’s mind raced. “Special Higher Police Affairs’ Fujita Go loves to toy with people’s minds… He might be expecting us to make some ‘logical’ desperate attempt.”
“He wants us to use our comrades’ lives as the price to try?” Sun Yong’s face turned ugly.
Lin Xueli nodded, lowering his voice: “Don’t rush. Right now, both sides are waiting for an opportunity.”
“They’re waiting for us to act, and we’re waiting for them to show a flaw.”
“Now it’s about who has more patience.”
Sun Yong worriedly said: “But what if Old Zhong really can’t hold out and reveals some secrets.”
“He won’t,” Lin Xueli said in a deep voice: “Comrade Carrier Pigeon, believe in your comrades.”
Just as he spoke, several black sedans appeared on the long street. The sedans quickly stopped at the entrance, and a familiar figure got out of the car.
Lin Xueli in the coffee shop’s face changed abruptly, murmuring: “Why is he here?”
