cicada

Chapter 1262 Inquiry

"This place is just across the street from the French Concession Municipal Council, and across the street is the police station. Even if the Japanese had ten thousand guts, they would not dare to come here and make trouble." Zheng Tingbing continued to say proudly in the room.

Zuo Zhong couldn't stand it any longer, so he pushed the door open and walked in. He saw Deputy Director Zheng sitting on the sofa, talking with a cigar in his hand, and the ashes were all over the floor.

Xu Enzeng and Shen Dongxin who were standing by knew whether to answer no or not, so they could only listen to Zheng Tingbing's nonsense awkwardly. When they saw Zuo Chong coming back, they felt like they had grabbed a life-saving straw and quickly stood up to greet him.

"Boss Suta, you're back."

Zheng Tingbing was not angry when his speech was interrupted. He patted the sofa beside him and waved to Zuo Zhongzhao with a smile: "Shen Zhong, come and sit here."

Zuo Zhong sighed, and while ordering Gui Youguang to take people to clean the hotel and check for any monitoring devices and identify personnel, he came to Zheng Tingbing and whispered a reminder to him.

"Boss Zheng, although we are in the French Concession, do you think the French will really tear their faces with the Japanese because of a few Siamese merchants? If they really dared, Annan would not be in the current situation."

Zheng Tingbing blushed after hearing this. He hadn't been out on field work for a long time, and being in his own territory, he couldn't help but show off and forget himself.

Seeing that he didn't say anything more, Zuo Zhong finally gave him some face and didn't continue to ask. At this time, Gui Youguang came in again and tapped his chin, indicating that the room was safe.

Zuo Zhong changed the subject and reiterated the operational discipline to everyone present: "Everyone, the chairman's order is very clear. This operation is under my command. I hope that before the operation is over, everyone will strictly abide by the discipline and not say what should not be said or do what should not be done."

Xu Enzeng had really learned his lesson. When he heard Zuo Zhong's words, he was the first to raise his hand to express his agreement. Shen Dongxin also nodded, and then everyone looked at Zheng Tingbing.

"Look at what I do. Of course, I have no objection. Everything is for the mission." Zheng Tingbing said it very nicely, but he didn't know if he could do it.

Zuo Zhong was too lazy to care about his stupid teammates. He called a few people to sit in the reception area and gave them a general introduction of the intelligence they had obtained. He also asked about the plans of the Central Unification Party so as to pool their ideas.

Xu Enzeng and Shen Dongxin were a little surprised. Zuo Chong got so much intelligence after just one trip. It was obvious that the Military Control Commission had spies in the Japanese high-level positions. But this was normal. Intelligence agencies are always intertwined.

After a few seconds of silence, Xu Enzeng and Shen Dongxin looked at each other and laughed dryly, "We will listen to Boss Suta. Just tell us what you want to do."

After repeated setbacks, Deputy Director Xu finally realized one thing, that is, the more you do, the more mistakes you make, and doing nothing will make no mistakes. There is no need for him to go against Zuo Chong, and everyone will get credit if the mission is successful.

Shen Dongxin thought more. He was sent to Shanghai very suddenly this time. He didn't even have time to report to his superiors. Next, he must find an opportunity to contact the underground organization in Shanghai.

After hearing the statement from the Central Bureau of Investigation, Zuo Chong turned his attention to Zheng Tingbing. After all, Zheng Tingbing had been engaged in intelligence work for more than ten years. After being reminded, he quickly regained his professionalism and made an opinion with a serious expression.

"Our business this time is very risky. I think we should not act rashly. We should protect our capital first and then find ways to make a profit."

As expected of "businessmen", their words always smell like money, but their truth is that they really need to pay attention to safety.

Zuo Chong'en gave everyone their respective tasks, "Old Xu, Dong Xin, take your men to collect information on the road conditions between the Officers Club, the Judas businessman's residence, and the Hardoon Garden.

I want to know how many intersections both sides have to pass on their way to the negotiation site, the total distance, how many Japanese strongholds there are along the way, how many people there are in each stronghold, and how long it will take for the fastest support to arrive. Can you do that?"

"Yes, it's not difficult. At most I can just drive a few more times." Xu Enzeng thought for a moment and gave an answer.

Zuo Chong nodded. That was indeed the case. Otherwise he would not have handed the matter over to the Central Bureau of Investigation. Shen Dongxin was a newcomer in field work, so it would be better for him to start with simple tasks first.

After arranging the Central Bureau of Investigation, he instructed Zheng Tingbing: "Old Zheng, your task is to stay at the hotel. I and Old Xu will contact you by phone if we find anything."

"Okay, okay, I will stay by the phone all the time."

Zheng Tingbing was happy. This was a good job. He didn't have to risk going to the Japanese-occupied areas and the International Settlement. He could just drink tea and smoke cigars in the hotel. Shen Zhong would definitely take care of himself.

Zuo Zhong felt that the other party might have the wrong idea, but he was too lazy to say it out loud. This was good for everyone, so he looked at his watch and ended the meeting directly.

"That's it. Youguang and I have a mission, so we won't stay here any longer. I'll leave a few people in the hotel, and you can pass on your messages through them."

After declining Zheng Tingbing's invitation to stay, Zuo Chong and Gui Youguang left the hotel by car. When the car drove for some distance, Gui Youguang curiously asked what the mission was, as he didn't know it.

Zuo Zhong in the back seat sneered: "Are you stupid? Staying with those two guys who are more likely to cause trouble than to help, something will go wrong sooner or later. Let's go to our own safe house. Remember to have someone remind Dong Xin to evacuate immediately if something goes wrong." Gui Youguang thought about it and it was true. Not to mention Xu Enzeng for now, Zheng Tingbing was so ostentatious that he might get into trouble.

During the conversation, the car circled the French Concession for a few times. After making sure that no one was following them, it drove back to the vicinity of the hotel and entered the yard of a villa. The hotel could be clearly seen from the roof of the villa.

This place is the safe house of the Military Control Commission. When the owner of the villa saw the two superiors, he hurried forward to greet them. Zuo Zhong waved his hand and told them to go and get busy, and he took Gui Youguang to the study.

"Go to the Japanese-occupied area again and deliver a letter to our business partners."

  In the room, Zuo rewrote an encrypted letter and handed it to Gui Youguang. Gui Youguang responded, put the letter in his pocket without even reading it, and turned to walk out.
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The next morning, Ryosuke Hase ran out of his residence with several bodyguards and went to the park to exercise. When he came to the bulletin board, he slowly stopped.

He pretended to do chest expansion exercises and glanced at a business advertisement on the bulletin board. The content of the advertisement was very ordinary, but it conveyed two commands.

First, Fat Tiger asked him to find a way to obtain information about the Japanese-Jewish negotiating representatives;

  Second, confirm through the Hase Agency’s channels whether there are any Japanese agents operating between the General Officers’ Club, the Judas businessman’s residence, and the Hardoon Gardens;

Hase Ryosuke immediately stopped exercising and returned the same way. When he got back to his residence, he picked up the phone and called the special envoy, inviting him to tour Shanghai, which was also what the two had agreed on last night.

The special envoy readily agreed and said that he would wait for him in the villa that Hase gave him. He was very humble. He had received so many gifts, so what did a few nice words mean? After all, corrupt officials can be considered as a service industry.

One party was deliberately flattering, while the other had ulterior motives. After meeting, the two parties talked and laughed as they strolled around the city, getting along very harmoniously.

In the eyes of the special envoy, Shanghai is more lively than a few years ago, which seems to prove the correctness of "Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Belt". However, in the dark corners out of sight, countless people are struggling to survive.

The influx of a large number of refugees brought about an abnormal prosperity to Shanghai on the one hand, but also brought about serious social problems and humanitarian crises on the other.

Material shortages and economic difficulties led to difficult lives for many citizens. Poverty and famine were serious problems. Coupled with the harsh exploitation of the Japanese army, people died on the roadside every day.

Time passed quickly and it was noon. In a high-end western restaurant, the envoy put down his knife and fork, picked up a handkerchief to wipe the corners of his mouth, and said goodbye to Hase with a smile.

"Hase-kun, I have official business to attend to. We will part ways now. I would like to invite you and Miss Keiko to dinner tonight. What do you think?"

Hase's eyes rolled, and he curiously asked the other party what official business he had and whether he needed his help. This matter was related to his South American farm, so he had to get to the bottom of it.

The envoy did not suspect anything and said frankly: "According to the order from Tokyo, I have to meet with Inuzuka Koreshige and Yasue Senhiro to convey the latest intentions of the cabinet to them.

If you have nothing to do, why don't you come with me? Inuzuka-kun and Yasue-kun are both young talents with great prospects in the military. It's always a good thing to meet more new friends."

It's different after receiving the money. The special envoy has already considered the financier, so the money is not wasted. Hase smiled and nodded in agreement.

Inuzuka Koreshige and Yasue Senhiro had long heard of Hase Ryosuke's name and knew that he was well-connected. They also planned to get to know him during their visit to Shanghai, so they naturally would not refuse the special envoy's face, so two more people were added to the team touring Shanghai.

The four of them had a lot of fun under the protection of bodyguards. During the time, Inuzuka Koreshige and Yasue Senhiro introduced themselves, talking in great detail about everything from their hometowns to their families, from their educational backgrounds to their military service experiences.

Hase smiled apologetically and memorized, gradually leading the topic to the secret talks between Japan and Yu. Faced with the inquiries of an intelligence agency chief and a distant relative of the royal family, the three naturally did not think too much and revealed more information.

For example, the Jewish negotiator Kaufman was born in Poland and moved to Harbin in the early 20s, where he served as the director of the Jewish Community Hospital.

Speaking of this, even Inuzuka Koreshige and Yasue Senhiro were full of contempt. The local people of the Republic of China had helped the Jewish community many times, but the Jews turned around and betrayed the government.

Having said that, if the Jews had not betrayed their trust, there would be no pufferfish plan. It can only be said that there are no eternal friends, only eternal interests.

In addition, Inuzuka Koreshige and Yasue Senhiro also teased Osako Michimasa, saying that the other party was becoming more and more timid and had arranged hundreds of plainclothes officers in the Generals Club. In response, Hase Ryosuke smiled slightly and did not respond.

That night, Hase and his fiancée Keiko attended the banquet hosted by the special envoy. They drank and talked happily during the banquet and said goodbye reluctantly only when the meal was over.

The next day, with only five days left before the start of the Japan-Jewish talks, Zuo Zhong obtained the information he wanted. The primary problem facing him was how to stop the secret talks without offending the Jews.

After thinking it over for a long time, Zuo Chong glanced at the hotel not far away and decided to meet with Xu Enzeng, Shen Dongxin and Zheng Tingbing again to see what these three had discovered.