cicada

Chapter 1232 Xiang Fang Confession

In the dim interrogation room, sparks came out of the brazier, and the red charcoal fire made crackling sounds, illuminating the various torture instruments on the wall.

Zuo Chong and a few others were smoking, occasionally lowering their heads to chat or laugh, and no longer paying attention to the uneasy Xiang Fang.

Who were the Military Control Commission’s opponents in the past?

Either they are well-trained professional agents or they are determined traitors.

Even these people couldn't last a few rounds in the hands of the Military Control Commission, let alone a female student who had not received professional training.

No, it’s not accurate to say that she had no training. Xiang Fang did try to counter-track several times on the way from the park to Hongyanzui. It was a pity that her skills were too poor, and the spies who were tracking her had a hard time, for fear of laughing out loud on the road.

A rookie like this who has not systematically studied the underground party's ideology and has only a lot of enthusiasm will soon speak under heavy pressure.

Just as Zuo Zhong thought, after more than an hour, Xiang Fang, who was "ignored", finally couldn't help it, and she spoke to Zuo Zhong who was discussing the mountain city cuisine with Gucci.

“I am not an underground party member.”

Everyone laughed when they heard this. Was this considered confession? If all the interrogation subjects were so "innocent", then the work of the Military Control Commission would be easier.

Zuo Zhong spread his hands, looking helpless: "Well, Miss Xiang, Zuo didn't say you were an underground party member, I just asked if Sima Linglong was your superior."

Xiang Fang was speechless, her thoughts became even more confused, and she had completely forgotten the "training" she had received in the Jinlan Society. She hurriedly began to explain.

"I was wrong. President Sima is the president of the Jinlan Society, not my superior."

Not wanting to talk any more, Zuo Zhong sighed and nodded to a little spy. The little spy pressed a switch and the speaker played the conversation between the two at the Sihai Grocery Store.

"I am a friend of Captain Zhang, and this is something he asked me to bring to you."

"I am also a member of the organization. Captain Zhang is not feeling well and cannot come here."

After the recording finished playing, Zuo Chong tapped the table with a pen and tried earnestly to persuade the already panicked Xiang Fang.

"You know, based on these two sentences just now, I can charge you with colluding with the rebels. Not only will you be in trouble, Miss Xiang, but your father, mother, and brother will also be punished.

Don't expect those uncles to save your family. When it comes to dissidents, no one dares to intervene. Only you can save yourself. As long as you reform yourself, the party and the country will forgive you for your past mistakes."

Knowing that she had implicated her parents, Xiang Fang panicked, but the unreal fire of faith in her heart still supported her and allowed her to remain silent.

Zuo Zhong looked at Xiang Fang, whose hands and feet kept twisting, and realized that the time for a breakthrough was approaching. He tried to persuade her again in an unusually gentle tone.

"And according to our analysis, Sima Linglong is not an underground party member. We have dealt with the underground party so many times, but we have never seen the Northwest use female agents to rely on their beauty to get close to the target."

Xiang Fang raised her head and looked at Zuo Zhong in surprise and doubt, repeating over and over in her mind that this was impossible, how could President Sima lie to her.

Seeing his expression change, Zuo Zhong struck while the iron was hot: "I know you don't believe me, but it doesn't matter, you can judge for yourself.

You were the ones who told Sima Linglong the intelligence about the encirclement and suppression, but the Japanese army received the relevant information on the day of the meeting, or before the meeting ended.

You are a smart person, you should know what this means, so when did you tell Sima Linglong the information? "

"The day before the meeting."

Xiang Fang blurted out the answer, and only then did she realize that she had been fooled. She was angry at the spy's cunningness, and at the same time she hated herself for being so stupid that she fell into the enemy's trap so easily.

Zuo Chong laughed a few times and was not in a hurry to ask about the source of the information. Instead, he spoke well of Sima Linglong.

“Oh, Miss Xiang, you don’t have to blame yourself. Maybe the Japanese got the information through other channels. This matter has nothing to do with President Sima.

Now is the period of united resistance against Japan. The underground party and the Guo party are all people of the Republic of China. As long as President Sima is not a Japanese spy, Zuo is willing to give her a chance to live."

Faced with Agent Gou's "goodwill", Xiang Fang suddenly thought of something that made her question Sima Linglong's identity, and she muttered to herself in an inaudible voice.

"No, no, the president is not a Japanese spy. It was because we handed in the intelligence too late that the team failed to escape the encirclement and suppression."

Although her voice was soft, the interrogation room was small, so Zuo Zhong and others could hear it very clearly. In connection with the results of He Yijun's investigation on the Jinlan Society, Zuo Zhong hinted at it.

"Ms. Xiang, I heard that at the previous Jinlan Society gathering, you seemed to have something to ask Sima Linglong, but she stopped you. Could it be this?"

Xiang Fang immediately realized that the Military Control Commission had planted spies in the Jinlan Society.

A trace of fear arose in her heart. The joining standards of the Jinlan Society were very strict. How did the Military Control Commission do it?

"Well? Why doesn't Ms. Xiang answer Zuo's question?"

Zuo Zhong asked faintly from the other side of the interrogation room. A ray of light shining through the ventilation window seemed to divide the room into two opposing worlds of light and dark. Xiang Fang was in the light, and Zuo Zhong was in the dark. "Tear~"

The little spy next to the brazier poured a cup of water on the soldering iron at the right time, and a cloud of white smoke rose instantly.

Xiang Fang shuddered, lowered his head and said timidly: "Yes, I saw in the newspaper that the troops in Jiangnan suffered heavy losses, but I and others clearly told the president the information, so I wanted to ask the reason."

"Sima Linglong told you that this was because the information was delivered too late, and you believed it?"

  Zuo Chong still couldn't help but ask, why didn't he meet such a... simple spy? Unlike that guy Hase Ryosuke, he only knew how to ask for money, damn!

In response to this question, Xiang Fang nodded as a matter of course. They were only responsible for collecting intelligence, and the subsequent work was handled by Sima Linglong. Naturally, they believed whatever the other party said.

There really is such a stupid "spy". Zuo Zhong was speechless and went straight to the point, asking Xiang Fang about the source of the encirclement and suppression intelligence.

"Where did you collect the information? It can't have fallen from the sky."

Xiang Fang changed her previous attitude, shut her mouth tightly and refused to cooperate, which was within everyone's expectations.

After all, apart from Xiang Fang's brother who is a teacher, no one in the Xiang family has any connection with the military. Xiang Fang must have obtained the information through his brother's channels.

If this matter gets out, Xiang Fang's brother's future will be ruined, and he may even have to go to a military court. It is normal for Xiang Fang to refuse to confess.

Zuo Zhong, who knew human nature well, did not force the other party any further. Preliminary investigations showed that Xiang Fang had a good relationship with his brother, so he decisively changed the direction of his questioning.

"Okay, since you don't want to talk about your own affairs, then tell us who provided information to Sima Linglong. Don't try to hide it. Even if you don't tell us, we can find it out."

Human nature is very complex. When it comes to one's own interests, one can often keep one's mouth shut, but otherwise it is difficult for one to keep a secret, especially when sitting in an interrogation chair.

But Xiang Fang remained silent. Apart from being gullible, she was definitely a qualified friend.

"Deputy Commander, do you want to torture me?"

Gucci leaned over and asked, with a sinister expression on his face, he looked like a villain.

Zuo Zhong rolled his eyes at him with disdain: "Torture? What torture? Old Gu, how can you be so cruel? Besides, how many secrets do you think Sima Linglong will tell a deceived spy?"

Gu Qi laughed dryly twice and instantly returned to his harmless appearance. He knew that Xiang Fang's information was not of high value, but not torturing him during the interrogation was not in line with the tradition of the Military Control Commission.

To ease the embarrassment, he turned to Xiang Fang and asked, "Did Sima Linglong have any unusual words or deeds during the intelligence gathering period, such as her views on the war situation and current affairs, especially her views on the Japanese."

Xiang Fang shook her head blankly. Sima Linglong was very mysterious. Apart from asking for information or shouting slogans, they knew nothing about her.

Before, she thought it was a "discipline" requirement, but now it seems that Sima Linglong has never regarded them as comrades, let alone believed in them.

Xiang Fang felt despair and regretful when she thought about how she had put herself and her family in danger for a few empty words and the progressive book in her boudoir.

She did not regret sympathizing with the other person, but regretted trusting others too easily and causing losses to the anti-Japanese forces because of her actions.

Zuo Zhong watched coldly and knew that Xiang Fang's psychological defenses had collapsed, so he began to guide her to recall the details of her communication with Sima Linglong.

Information such as the time, place, tone, and words used in the conversation between the two people all have certain intelligence value.

The interrogation lasted for several hours. Xiang Fang's voice became hoarse. He confessed all the information except the source of intelligence and "accomplices". The young spy took notes on more than ten pages.

Picking up the freshly prepared confession, Zuo Zhong read it quickly. He found that the intelligence Sima Linglong had collected was of various types, covering military, political, economic, cultural, and diplomatic fields.

In addition, it is strange that the other party is not only interested in the intelligence of the Kuomintang, but also in the political and business intelligence of the Kuomintang and other countries.

The Japanese intelligence agencies have always been divided into different areas: the military is the military, diplomacy is diplomacy, and the government is the government. Crossing the line is a taboo, and even the internal intelligence systems of the army and navy rarely cooperate.

Is Sima Linglong really a Japanese spy?

If not, which side's intelligence officer does she belong to, and what is the other party's purpose in establishing the Jinlan Society?

Countless questions came to his mind, and Zuo Zhong had a hunch that the Plan B he had prepared for He Yijun as a safety precaution might have to be used.

But all these have to be considered after direct contact with Sima Linglong. With the testimonies of Bian Jichao and Xiang Fang, the Military Control Commission is enough to incriminate Sima Linglong.

After throwing the confession to Gu Qi, Zuo Zhong ordered someone to take Xiang Fang out. He looked at the time on his watch, stood up and gave orders.

"Prepare to arrest people. In one hour, we will unite and secretly arrest all members of the Jinlan Society!"

After a pause, he continued, "I will go to invite Miss Kong Er in person. Let's go."