Chapter 7: The Real Motive
After talking with Lin Xueyi for half a day, Chen Yang, who originally wanted to rest, became completely free of sleepiness.
Rolling up his sleeves, Chen Yang moved the information brought from the Osaka Chamber of Commerce onto the table.
After brewing a cup of tea, Chen Yang flipped open the information with his right hand and picked up the steel pen and draft paper with his left hand to prepare a systematic analysis.
However, after just flipping through two pages, a voice suddenly sounded in his mind.
“Ding, large amount of analyzable data captured, system is entering data for comprehensive analysis.”
Chen Yang’s heart skipped a beat; how could he have forgotten about this thing.
This AI program was comparable to a supercomputer; as long as it was fed with sufficient data for training, its analytical level and computing power were incomparable to humans.
“Rustle.” Chen Yang quickly flipped through all the information in his hand.
It only took ten minutes to enter all the information in front of him into the AI program; the next moment, a perfect data analysis report appeared in his mind.
This report covered the Osaka Chamber of Commerce’s sales performance, goods inventory situation, and sales profit situation over the past six months.
The most important point was that the data report clearly indicated that at least 170 tons of materials had gone missing over the past six months.
There were no sales records or allocation records.
In other words, 170 tons of goods had been privately embezzled by someone; they had just found a method to balance the accounts.
According to the analysis report given by the AI program, Chen Yang pulled up the relevant information and looked it over once.
It was quite embarrassing to say, but if not for the AI’s prowess in drawing conclusions through big data analysis, with his own level, he fundamentally wouldn’t have seen the problem here.
That meant the person doing the accounts clearly knew about this matter; he had been ordered to make the accounts reasonably balanced.
170 tons of goods, calculated at the current market price of 500 silver dollars per ton for scarce materials, meant at least a shortage of nearly 100,000 silver dollars in materials.
It seemed that there were parasites inside the Osaka Chamber of Commerce as well.
Perhaps it wasn’t just as simple as inside the Osaka Chamber of Commerce; Chen Yang vaguely felt that he seemed to know some things he shouldn’t know.
Knock knock knock, a knock at the door sounded; Chen Yang quickly put away the Osaka Chamber of Commerce’s financial reports and sales information, got up, and opened the room door.
Standing outside the room door was Eldest Brother Lin, Lin Xueli.
“Chen Yang, I didn’t disturb you, did I?” Lin Xueli adjusted the gold-rimmed glasses on his nose bridge and asked amiably.
“No, no, Elder Brother, please come in.” Chen Yang politely stepped aside halfway to invite Lin Xueli in.
Lin Xueli walked into the room, looked around, and said: “In the years you’ve been away, Eldest Sister will have someone come in to clean every few days.”
“I don’t know why she lost her temper so much today.”
“How is Uncle?” Chen Yang casually asked, then said thoughtfully: “Elder Brother, has something happened at home these past few years? Why do I feel like there’s some conflict between Uncle and Eldest Sister.”
Lin Xueli had no intention of concealing it, sighed, and said: “It’s all because of the Japanese matter.”
“Last year the Japanese invaded, and now Shanghai is already the Japanese’s territory.”
“Dad is just a businessman, naturally he has to seek luck and avoid calamity, go with the flow.”
“Eldest Sister has argued with us many times over this matter.”
“She doesn’t think about it; our Lin family has finally built up this family business, should we just abandon it for nothing?”
“The two of them argue as soon as they meet now; Second Child and I can’t stand it, so we’ve each bought houses outside.”
“To be honest, if you hadn’t come back today, Second Child and I might not have been willing to return to the old house.”
“Look at Eldest Sister like that, as if our whole family owes her.”
“I’m not willing to come back and see her face.”
Chen Yang frowned and said: “Elder Brother, we’re all family; what matter can’t be discussed? Why make it like this.”
Hearing this, Lin Xueli smiled, his expression having a sense of words failing to express it.
“By the way, did Second Child come to see you just now?” Lin Xueli changed the topic and asked.
“Elder Brother, what do you want to say?” Chen Yang clearly felt that Lin Xueli had something in his words.
Lin Xueli said indifferently: “I know about Second Child wanting to do black market business; I’ve reminded him that he’s not cut out for it.”
“Black market business has no rules; it relies on reputation.”
“When their few batches of goods had issues, they resorted to knives to solve it; how can such people do business?”
“By the way, speaking of this, I have something I want to ask you.”
After beating around the bush, they finally got to the main topic; Chen Yang smiled and said: “Elder Brother, go ahead.”
Lin Xueli said: “I want to ask you for a batch of materials.”
“Materials? You’re asking me for materials?” Chen Yang exaggeratedly laughed: “I’m just a poor student who just returned from abroad; how could I have the ability to get materials for you, Elder Brother.”
Lin Xueli suddenly stood up, walked to the door, leaned close to the room door and listened for a while, then abruptly opened the room door and looked outside.
Chen Yang watched the other’s actions in bewilderment; before he could ask, Lin Xueli quickly closed the room door and gestured for Chen Yang to go to the window.
Lin Xueli said softly: “Chen Yang, some things can’t even be discussed thoroughly at home.”
“Some people in our family are not simple.”
“Do you know the Special Higher Police Affairs?”
Chen Yang nodded; this was Japan’s most famous intelligence organization.
Special Higher Police Affairs, established at the end of the 19th century and beginning of the 20th century, full name Special Higher Police Affairs, affiliated with Japan’s Ministry of Home Affairs.
Initially, the Special Higher Police Affairs was a safety defense organization to handle domestic incidents; its predecessor was the Aoki Agency founded by Aoki.
After Second Generation Sakanishi Riichiro took over the Aoki Agency, he reached an agreement with the Ministry of Home Affairs to incorporate the Aoki Agency’s spy training courses into the police department’s work and select suitable personnel for training.
Thus, the Special Higher Police Affairs, one level higher than ordinary police departments, was born.
Afterward, with Japan’s needs for invading China and various countries in Southeast Asia, the Japanese government gradually shifted the functions of the Special Higher Police Affairs.
While engaging in intelligence work, they also cooperated with other spy intelligence agencies to conduct espionage activities.
Its main duties, besides daily spy work, included enforcement and supervision powers overriding ordinary organizations.
That is to say, this organization not only dealt with external matters but also had internal supervision powers.
Once corrupt behavior was discovered within the military, it could directly arrest and interrogate without approval.
Most importantly, their spies were everywhere, and some important figures in Shanghai were also within their surveillance range.
Chen Yang asked suspiciously: “Elder Brother, do you suspect there’s someone from the Special Higher Police Affairs in our family?”
“Maybe.” Lin Xueli said: “I don’t dare guarantee it, but carefulness ensures long-term peace.”
“Actually, you don’t need to hide it from me; I’ve been doing business in Shanghai for over a decade. Though I can’t say I have connections everywhere, I still have methods to know some messages.”
“Before you returned, the Shanghai Osaka Chamber of Commerce received a telegram and suddenly began internal adjustments.”
“Some say it’s because their headquarters in Kyushu is sending some important figure over.”
“You got off the ship and went straight to the Osaka Chamber of Commerce without even returning home, then went to the Japanese Consulate.”
“From the looks of it, in this matter, even if you’re not a party involved, you’re at least aware.”
“Actually, my request isn’t high; now all big and small chambers of commerce in Shanghai are boycotting Japanese business firms.”
“Based on our previous sales research on the Osaka Chamber of Commerce, we can confirm that their warehouse now has at least five or six hundred tons of various materials piled up. If you can help us mediate in the middle.”
“My partner and I can take all of these materials.”
