Chapter 223: There’s A Traitor At Shanghai Station
Shanghai, in an unassuming attic in the HK district, the room was filled with the thick mixed smell of alcohol and medicinal liniment.
The door was gently pushed open, and Military Statistics Bureau Shanghai Station Chief Wan Tianmu walked in with a grave expression. He brought the latest intelligence summary and a top secret telegram.
“Old Liu” Wan Tianmu’s voice was full of admiration, “Chen Lu has been eliminated, the Chairman personally sent a telegram to commend us, praising our Shanghai colleagues’ ‘unprecedented feat that chills the enemy’s hearts.’ This action has greatly honored the Director and us Shanghai colleagues…”
“Station Chief, you flatter me. To live and die for the Party and Country is what we soldiers should do.” Liu Geqing’s response was very official.
Wan Tianmu nodded: “This time we also owe much to Liu Haishan’s assistance. The Chen Mansion is currently in great chaos. The Director instructed that Liu Haishan has rendered meritorious service to the Party and Country and should be commended.”
“If he wants to evacuate, we will certainly assist with all our strength.”
“By the way, this is the address of his wife and children on Hong Kong Island.”
“Arrangements have been made on the Hong Kong Island side, no need to worry about their daily life.”
“Thank you, Station Chief.” Liu Geqing sincerely said thank you.
Wan Tianmu was slightly stunned and waved his hand. This guy didn’t thank him upon hearing about the commendation or promotions and wealth.
Instead, he thanked him for arranging housing for Liu Haishan’s wife and children. What a loyal and righteous man.
Wan Tianmu slowly paced to the desk, set down the telegram, and his gaze sharpened like a knife: “The commendation is a summary of the past.”
“We killed Chen Lu, the enemy will never let it rest! The Gendarmerie, Special Higher Police Affairs, Nanjing Special Affairs Committee are searching the whole city like mad dogs.”
“Chen Lu is dead, but they still have Fu Xiao’an! This die-hard traitor, Shanghai Mayor! His weight is no less than Chen Lu’s!”
“The Director’s personal order: Fu Xiao’an must be eliminated. We must strike a devastating blow before the enemy can catch their breath! We must use action to comfort the heroic spirits of the brothers who died at the Paramount Ballroom and prove their sacrifice was worthwhile!”
Liu Geqing suddenly raised his head and said in a deep voice: “When do we act?”
“Wait a bit longer,” a glint flashed in Wan Tianmu’s eyes: “Fu Xiao’an is the puppet Shanghai Mayor. His movements are secretive, he’s cunning and sly.”
“Liu Haishan infiltrated the Chen Mansion by utilizing the opportunity of the newly formed guard team there.”
“After Fu Xiao’an learned of Chen Lu’s incident, he became jittery and greatly replaced and strengthened the security forces around him..”
“Especially his personal bodyguards, almost all old soldiers directly assigned by the Japanese Gendarmerie special detachment. The core residence is guarded in rotation by a small team of elite Japanese soldiers, making it extremely difficult for outsiders to infiltrate.”
He paused, pointing to another thin intelligence report on the desk, “But we are not without opportunity. Fu Xiao’an is superstitious about feng shui, greedy for goods, and obsessed with antiques, especially paintings and calligraphy.”
“Every Saturday at three in the afternoon, he unfailingly goes discreetly to the Tian Bao Zhai antique shop near the City God Temple for ‘appraisal’ and to meet his lover. This is his only fixed regular itinerary, with relatively fewer accompanying guards. This is our only chance!”
“Tian Bao Zhai…” Liu Geqing murmured the name, his gaze gradually turning cold.
Knock knock knock, a knock at the door sounded. Wan Tianmu got up to open it. The visitor was precisely the Military Statistics Bureau Nanjing Station Action Team Captain, Xiong Jiandong.
“Station Chief, the movements have been confirmed.” Xiong Jiandong took off his jacket. It was still March in Shanghai, spring warmth had not yet arrived, and the cold wind was biting.
“I staked out outside Tian Bao Zhai for three hours, finally it wasn’t in vain.”
Wan Tianmu patted Xiong Jiandong’s shoulder, “A Dong, you introduce the detailed situation.”
“Good.” Xiong Jiandong nodded: “Fu Xiao’an, original name Zong Yao, courtesy name Xiao’an, from Zhen Hai, Ning City, Zhejiang Province.”
“He was born poor and at 15 went to work at the British merchant Yesong Shipyard in Shanghai.”
“This man is highly intelligent and learned some basic English in just a few months.”
“He curried favor with the foreign managers at the shipyard using this broken English and was quickly promoted to foreman, managing workers’ salaries.”
“During this period, he amassed wealth by deducting workers’ salaries and other means, buying properties in Pudong for rental profit.”
“As his wealth grew, he met Shanghai tycoon Yan Xinhou’s son Yan Zijun through foreign channels, managed the Yan family property leasing business, and recognized Yan Xinhou’s concubine Madame Yang as his ‘godmother,’ thereby climbing to the late Qing dynasty foreign affairs heavyweight Sheng Xuanhuai.”
“Afterward, he was taken as a ‘godson’ by Sheng Xuanhuai and gradually became his capable assistant and agent in finance and industry.”
“Under Sheng Xuanhuai’s recommendation, Fu Xiao’an successively served as Section Chief at the Steamship Company, Director, and Deputy Manager and Manager of Huaxing Insurance Company.”
“After Sheng Xuanhuai’s death in Republic Year 5, Fu Xiao’an revealed his true nature and used various means to devour and embezzle a large amount of Sheng family property, accumulating enormous wealth for himself.”
“After Shanghai fell in Republic Year 26, the Japanese sought influential Chinese to serve in puppet positions as part of their ‘using Chinese to control Chinese’ strategy.”
“On the recommendation of traitors like Zhou Wenrui and others, Fu Xiao’an officially took office as Mayor of the puppet ‘Shanghai Special City’ on October 16 last year.”
“After taking office, he zealously served Japan’s invasion policies: suppressing anti-Japanese activities, arresting anti-Japanese patriots, pressuring concession authorities to cooperate in arrests!”
“Fawning on the Japanese authorities: demanding concessions not hang the National Government’s blue sky white sun flag, but instead the puppet regime’s five-color flag.”
“Besides, his myriad evil deeds are too numerous to list, absolutely an unquestionable die-hard traitor.”
Xiong Jiandong’s tone unconsciously became somewhat angry.
Wan Tianmu raised his hand: “Jiandong, you are the action expert, meticulous, with godlike marksmanship. This operation, you take the lead!”
“Geqing provides intelligence support and peripheral coordination.”
“You two are old partners, with perfect rapport. Whatever personnel and equipment you need, just ask! All resources of the entire Shanghai Station will fully support!”
“I and Shanghai Station Intelligence Department Team Leader Zhou will assist you. On Saturday afternoon, I’ll arrange people to create small-scale chaos at nearby lane entrances to draw the attention of peripheral patrol police and some guards.”
“Jiandong, carry a high-powered Browning with silencer. After firing at close range, exit via the second-floor passage of ‘Si Shi Ju’ in the back alley. Geqing will be there to cover.”
“Remember, after killing Fu Xiao’an, evacuate within three minutes! His personal Japanese bodyguards react extremely fast with fierce firepower. No prolonged fighting! Ensure a one-shot kill, then vanish!”
Liu Geqing’s fingers lightly tapped the desktop, making faint ticking sounds, as if calculating every action node.
He did not immediately respond to Wan Tianmu’s arrangements but asked: “Old Xiong, have you done the final confirmation of the process? Could Fu Xiao’an temporarily change his itinerary after Chen Lu’s death?”
Xiong Jiandong confidently replied: “Done. Fu Xiao’an’s mistress is called Xing Huilan, former secretary to Shanghai Baibai Boss Guo Maosheng.”
“She caught Fu Xiao’an’s eye at a Shanghai Chamber of Commerce banquet and soon fell into his arms.”
“I had Fang Ze tail her the whole way. While getting her hair done in the afternoon, she personally said Fu Xiao’an invited her to Tian Bao Zhai on Saturday and prepared a gift for her.”
“Men, once ruled by lust, wouldn’t care even if it’s trials and tribulations ahead.”
“Good, no problem.” Liu Geqing nodded, his tone laced with calm killing intent, “Weapons, route map, pickup time points.”
“Weapons arrive Saturday morning, take the route map first and do on-site reconnaissance.” Xiong Jiandong handed the route map to Liu Geqing.
The two were partners in Nanjing and knew each other’s ways well.
“Then I’ll go first.” Liu Geqing picked up the hat beside him, cupped his hands to the two, pocketed the route map, and slipped out of the contact point.
Republic Year 28, March 13, Saturday.
The sky was overcast like a huge lead-gray curtain, ready to fall at any moment.
Cold wind swirled dust and paper scraps in the narrow lane.
Near the City God Temple, it was much quieter than usual; the shadow of Chen Lu’s assassination had not yet dissipated.
Wan Tianmu wore a thick cotton robe and an old felt hat, like a petty clerk crushed by life. Two hours early, he entered a window-side private room on the second floor of “Lu Yang Teahouse” not far from Tian Bao Zhai.
As action commander, though not personally participating in the assassination, he needed to control the overall situation and handle any contingencies.
In other words, he had to ensure Xiong Jiandong and Liu Geqing’s action went smoothly.
The teahouse had a broad view, clearly overlooking the black lacquered gate of “Tian Bao Zhai” twenty or thirty meters away at an angle.
He ordered a pot of scented tea and sipped slowly, but his gaze was fixed like a hawk on every corner of Tian Bao Zhai’s entrance and the street.
Liu Geqing blended into the crowd at the City God Temple snack stalls, wearing a tattered cotton jacket with hood pulled low, right hand reaching into his bosom to grip the Browning pistol wrapped inside.
This was the same gun that killed Chen Lu. Before the action, he had disassembled and maintained it twice, applying gun oil. Besides, in his other pocket lay three spare seven-round magazines.
At the stall by Tian Bao Zhai’s entrance, Xiong Jiandong was dressed like a middle-aged merchant, squatting in front of the stall picking over items, but his eyes never left Tian Bao Zhai’s gate.
Over a hundred meters from Tian Bao Zhai, Intelligence Group Team Leader Wu Ming and three subordinates sat around a noodle stall eating knife-cut noodles.
They were dressed as workers just off shift, with several handcarts used for work parked nearby.
The handcarts had several coarse burlap sacks strewn haphazardly, unclear what they contained.
Their task was to create a minor car accident at a T-junction about a hundred meters from Tian Bao Zhai around 2:50 pm without raising alarm, briefly blocking traffic and causing minor commotion to draw attention from some peripheral guard posts and patrol police.
Their position was relatively safe; they could evacuate after completing the task.
Time ticked by, exactly 2:50 pm.
Wu Ming, picking his teeth, suddenly tensed and nodded sharply at Fang Ze sitting opposite.
Fang Ze darted out, pushing the rundown handcart toward the intersection, deliberately “losing control” and flipping at the predetermined spot!
Sacks burst open, lime powder instantly billowing like a smoke bomb!
A rickshaw preparing to pass collided unexpectedly!
Smoke erupted, instantly alerting several nearby patrol police.
The chauffeur screamed, police cursed, lime choked, pedestrians and peddlers panicked and scattered!
The intersection instantly descended into chaos!
“Fire! Run!” Wu Ming and the others screamed in local accent, lit several pre-prepared small bamboo tube fireworks, tossed them to the edge of the chaotic crowd, then swiftly crouched and slipped into a nearby narrow alley they had scouted, vanishing.
Chaos successfully created! Several peripheral police and two plainclothes officers were indeed drawn over.
Wan Tianmu watched clearly from the teahouse window, a hint of approval in his gaze. Plan step one successful..
At this moment, Tian Bao Zhai’s entrance appeared relatively quiet.
A black sedan discreetly parked near the gate, driver leaning on the car smoking, two burly men in gray overcoats guarding the door. Distant sounds raised their vigilance.
They instinctively looked toward the nearby commotion.
Xiong Jiandong, who had been selecting goods at the stall, quickly stood and strode openly into Tian Bao Zhai.
Plan step two also completed..
Immediately after, a shout suddenly came from the direction of Tian Bao Zhai’s back door: “Murder! Murder!”
The two guards’ faces changed drastically. They rushed inside.
Tian Bao Zhai’s shop assistant bolted out the front door toward the street patrol guard post like mad, but at that moment, due to the intersection chaos, the patrol post was empty. The plan was going very smoothly.
Next moment, Xiong Jiandong, hat pulled low, strode out of Tian Bao Zhai. Seeing this, Wan Tianmu picked up his teacup, slowly drank the last sip of cold tea, pressed a silver dollar under the cup, swiftly and silently rose, left the private room, and headed via the predetermined route to the side door leading to the back alley behind Tian Bao Zhai.
After completing the assassination, Xiong Jiandong needed to further confirm the target’s death.
Of course, this was risky, but he had calculated: patrol police would take at least three minutes to respond to the assistant’s alarm, and he only needed one minute, pretending to pass by the back alley.
One step, two steps…
His heartbeat was steady as a cold machine. He passed through the narrow passageway behind the teahouse, reeking of mold and goods, ahead was the side door to Tian Bao Zhai’s back alley.
Pushing open that heavy wooden door would lead directly to the secluded back alley.
But just as his fingers were about to pull the latch, a beast-like instinct honed from countless near-death struggles suddenly stabbed his back like a steel needle, inexplicably tightening his nerves!
Wan Tianmu’s gaze snapped to the only window above the side door, where there seemed to be an extremely faint shadow moving?!
Wrong.
It felt like someone was monitoring his actions. In an instant, a terrifying thought flashed through his mind like lightning!
Wan Tianmu’s muscles instantly tautened. With almost no hesitation, his body jerked back, preparing to abort the action!
Unfortunately, too late.
The teahouse second-floor window shattered instantly! Several black submachine gun muzzles appeared!
At the same time, the latch above the side door was violently pulled open. Agents ambushed behind the door shouted loudly: “Don’t move!”
“Hands up!”
The roars were like thunder! Mixed Japanese and Chinese!
Secret agents ambushed front and back in the teahouse surged out like tidewater from narrow doorways, windows, and even shadows of goods stacks in the warehouse!
Instantly sealing off all his escape routes from every direction, dense muzzles forming a flawless death net!
Wan Tianmu didn’t even have time to draw his gun before being tackled to the ground by at least five strong enemies!
Knees brutally pressing his spine, arms twisted back, cold gun butts smashing heavily on his temple!
“Mr. Wan, we’ve heard so much about you!” Haruki Keiin walked over with an icy smile, leather shoes clicking crisply on the cold floor. “Allow me to introduce myself, I am Haruki Keiin, Deputy Head of Agency of the Ume Agency.”
Wan Tianmu’s vision blurred, head in excruciating pain, mouth full of salty blood.
He was pinned face-down on the cold filthy floor, cheek against the dirt.
Through the gaps between legs, he saw Fu Xiao’an’s squat fat figure quickly escorted into Tian Bao Zhai’s back door. The two “guards” at the door looked over, faces showing smug mockery.
The driver stubbed out his cigarette, opened the car door for the fat traitor to get in, then the sedan started and swiftly drove away from this carefully set slaughterhouse.
“Old Xiong…” Wan Tianmu’s heart turned ice-cold, anger and intense betrayal surging like magma.
He clenched his teeth, forcing the name he almost shouted back down his throat.
Xiong Jiandong! It must be Xiong Jiandong! He’s the traitor…
Haruki Keiin smugly looked down at the pinned prey, kicked the fallen Browning pistol by Wan Tianmu’s foot, and ordered the nearby agent in Japanese: “Take him away.”
Shanghai, Southern Transportation Department. Haruki Keiin smiled as he left the Land Transport Section office.
Once his back was out of sight, the smile at the corner of Chen Yang’s mouth slowly faded.
Military Statistics Bureau Shanghai Station Chief Wan Tianmu had been captured.
This news shocked him immensely. When Haruki Keiin smugly told Chen Yang, his first reaction was that there was a traitor inside Military Statistics Bureau.
Otherwise, how could the Station Chief of Military Statistics Bureau Shanghai Station be caught so easily.
After all, he was an old hand with over a dozen or twenty years on the intelligence front.
Without some tricks, he would have died long ago.
However, Haruki Keiin was very cautious and did not tell Chen Yang if there was really a traitor in Military Statistics Bureau.
Not because he didn’t trust Chen Yang, but Kagesa had long instructed that Chen Yang was not a professional intelligence worker.
Some secret intelligence work was best not to involve him in, lest action failure implicate him.
Perhaps his intent was to protect Chen Yang, but to Haruki Keiin, it was still because Kagesa thought Chen Yang lacked ability.
Of course, Haruki Keiin’s visit this time was not just to boast of achievements and tell Chen Yang that Ume Agency had caught Wan Tianmu.
He was following Kagesa’s order for Chen Yang to arrange a train to send Wan Tianmu to Nanjing for interrogation by Maruta Yuji and Kagesa.
Leaving Wan Tianmu in Shanghai, Kagesa worried Special Higher Police Affairs would intervene in the interrogation.
After all, the secrets a Military Statistics Bureau Station Chief knew were not accessible to ordinary agents.
Moreover, who was Wan Tianmu? He was Boss Dai’s top general.
From Blue Shirts Society to Military Statistics Bureau, he had served as North China District Chief, Tianjin Station, Nanjing Station, Shanghai Station, participating in building most of Military Statistics Bureau’s intelligence network.
If even a little could be pried from his mouth, it would be great merit.
Ume Agency had just been established with no notable achievements, already drawing extreme dissatisfaction from Special Higher Police Affairs.
Note that both Special Higher Police Affairs and Ume Agency required certain supplies.
The more intelligence agencies added, the more preset supplies would be divided.
Such inter-agency power grabs were like infighting between ministries in Chinese dynasties, seizing every chance to crush rivals.
Chen Yang held his coffee, slowly stirring while pondering Wan Tianmu’s matter.
Kagesa had made full preparations to extract useful information from Wan Tianmu.
This escort had a fully equipped small squad.
A Japanese Army small squad was not just a few or a dozen; it consisted of three squads plus a heavy weapons squad.
Equipped with four light machine guns, six grenade launchers.
With Military Statistics Bureau Shanghai Station’s strength, rescue would be extremely difficult.
Moreover, Chen Yang’s greatest worry was not whether they could rescue, but the traitor hidden in Military Statistics Bureau had not yet been found.
This was the key problem. If he didn’t surface, any message Chen Yang passed on could be leaked.
The Japanese would immediately suspect there was a spy in their midst.
And someone who knew the transport details so clearly, they would first suspect Chen Yang.
Current Chen Yang had a network, but he was still just a liaison, not indispensable.
For his own safety, after much thought, Chen Yang could only choose silence.
Perhaps Military Statistics Bureau, knowing Wan Tianmu was captured, had long prepared a rescue plan.
Night, seven o’clock, Moonlight Sand.
A black sedan slowly pulled into Moonlight Sand’s back door parking lot. The female waiter waiting under the eaves hurried forward with small steps and respectfully opened the car door.
“Minister Suzuhara, good evening.” Suzuhara Shingo had only come once, but the female waiter recognized him at a glance.
Lin Su was skilled at training people; she always maximized her subordinates’ abilities.
This female waiter was named Suzukawa Natsuki. Though not top beauty, her memory was the best Lin Su had seen; she never forgot any guest she had served, no matter how long.
One could say she already had the basic qualifications to become a mama-san.
Chen Yang also saw that this Miss Natsuki would likely return homeland in the future and open an izakaya in Shinjuku area as boss lady.
“Miss Natsuki, good evening. I have an appointment with Section Chief Chen.” Suzuhara Shingo smiled amiably.
Suzukawa Natsuki slightly bowed: “Section Chief Chen is already upstairs waiting for you. Please follow me.”
With that, Suzukawa Natsuki slightly bowed in invitation, then led the way with small steps, taking Suzuhara Shingo up to the third-floor private room.
In the private room, Chen Yang was waiting early.
“Minister Suzuhara, long time no see, you’re still so radiant and full of vigor.”
Suzuhara laughed: “Mr. Chen, you are too kind. I’m almost sixty, where is there any radiance.”
“Just barely alive.”
Chen Yang smiled in agreement and gestured for Suzuhara to sit.
“Minister Suzuhara, if I recall correctly, since Moonlight Sand opened, this is only your second visit.”
“I know you dislike socializing. Approaching me today must mean there’s something to discuss..”
Suzuhara nodded and said without evasion: “Correct, Mr. Chen. We’ve known each other for some time, no need for me to beat around the bush.”
“Take a look at this first.”
With that, Suzuhara took a document from his briefcase and handed it over.
