My years of espionage

Chapter 2025 Prepare the Money
"Objectively speaking, Li Cuiqun has reason to be proud," Cheng Qianfan said thoughtfully. "He believes he is irreplaceable to the Japanese; they can't do without him."

“Irreplaceable…” Lu Dazhang pondered, “Following this logic, it does make sense. Let me speak first.”

He said to the two men, "Clean up the countryside and requisition grain."

"Last year during the 'cleansing' campaign, two million tons of grain were requisitioned in southern Jiangsu," Lao Huang said. "Li Cuiqun and the Special Agent Headquarters played a significant role in this."

“Then there’s the Special Agent Headquarters. Li Cuiqun has extremely strong control over the Special Agent Headquarters,” Cheng Qianfan continued. “I obtained some data from the Japanese.”

"Last year, No. 76 murdered more than 3,000 people from all walks of life who were involved in the anti-Japanese war. Among them, 38% were our party members, 35% were anti-Japanese civilians, 15% were from Chongqing, and 12% were from the cultural sector and other circles," Cheng Qianfan said.

"Judge Yu Hua, the younger brother of writer Yu Dafu, was arrested and killed by the Secret Service headquarters," Lu Dazhang added.

"And there was the 'dance hall bombing' case two years ago, where the intelligence headquarters framed anti-Japanese groups and arrested and killed 140 civilians," Old Huang said.

"From this perspective, the frenzied killings at the Special Agent Headquarters did indeed play a significant role in the Japanese regime's reign of terror," he said through gritted teeth.

His expression was extremely serious, filled with sadness and anger.

Just last year, a leader of the Jiangsu Provincial Party Committee was betrayed by a traitor and secretly arrested by the intelligence headquarters. After brutal interrogation, the arrested comrade remained steadfast and was eventually brutally murdered by the intelligence headquarters, and his body was dismembered.

This incident also earned Li Cuiqun commendation from the Japanese side.

……

"This doesn't even include the forced requisition of military rations by the 76th Army during the 'mopping-up' operation. Since last year, the famine situation in the 'mopping-up' area has been extremely serious," Lu Dazhang said. "The organization has preliminary statistics showing that the famine has continued into this year, and this great famine may cause 100,000 to 200,000 innocent people in the Jiangnan region to starve to death."

“Li Cuiqun’s perceived reliance was also based on his belief that he had powerful backers within the Japanese community, or that he had a good relationship with the Japanese,” Cheng Qianfan said.

"Shibayama Kenshiro, the highest military advisor to the Nanjing puppet regime, was previously the commander of the 26th Division of the Japanese Army. He was appointed as the highest military advisor in April of this year," Cheng Qianfan said. "After Shibayama took office, Li Cuiqun visited him many times and had drinks with him on several occasions. In Li Cuiqun's eyes, Shibayama obviously had a high degree of recognition and support for him."

"Major Okamoto Tadashi, of the Shanghai Military Police Headquarters, is a close friend of Li Cuiqun. The two often exchanged antiques and calligraphy," Cheng Qianfan continued.

Li Cuiqun presented Okamoto Tadashi, a great lover of Chinese antiques, with a Song Dynasty edition of the Records of the Grand Historian. In return, Okamoto Tadashi presented Li Cuiqun with an antique Japanese military sword.

……

“However, as far as I know, Okamoto is the one most determined to settle scores with Li Cuiqun in order to avoid suspicion,” Cheng Qianfan said.

"As for Li Cuiqun's biggest backer, Qing Qiqingyin, he has already been transferred. Even if he wanted to rescue Li Cuiqun, he probably wouldn't be able to do much," he continued.

"I have a question," Old Huang asked.

Cheng Qianfan looked at Lao Huang.

"Based on our understanding, Li Cuiqun and Haruki Yoshitane have the deepest relationship and the most intertwined interests. If the Japanese decide to take action against Li Cuiqun, will Haruki Yoshitane really remain indifferent?" Old Huang asked.

“According to Comrade ‘Fire Seed,’ the decision to settle scores with Li Cuiqun is a resolution made by the Japanese so-called Imperial Conference. Even if Haruki Yoshitane wants to protect Li Cuiqun, he probably wouldn’t dare to take action,” Lu Dazhang said directly.

“It’s not that simple,” Cheng Qianfan said thoughtfully. “Haruki Yoshitane is not a general without real power; he has a certain say in Japan’s affairs with China.”

“I understand what you mean.” Lu Dazhang pondered and said, “In other words, Haruki Yoshitane actually knew that the Japanese wanted to settle scores with Li Cuiqun, and it cannot be ruled out that Haruki Yoshitane tacitly approved it or even nodded in approval.”

……

“That is indeed a possibility,” Cheng Qianfan nodded and said.

“Actually, all our analysis is not very useful,” Lu Dazhang suddenly said. “Even if we send people to contact a die-hard traitor like Li Cuiqun, not to mention whether it will harm our own comrades, Li Cuiqun himself will most likely not believe us and will think that we are trying to sow discord.”

"Old Huang, what do you think?" Cheng Qianfan asked Old Huang, frowning.

“Unless we show him the resolutions of the Japanese Imperial Conference, a die-hard traitor like Li Cuiqun, he probably won’t believe what we’re saying,” Lao Huang said. “However, given that if Li Cuiqun could be turned, it would have enormous practical military and political significance, so it’s definitely worth trying.”

“Alright, I suggest we inform our comrades in Shanghai about the situation through Comrade ‘Abacus’,” Lu Dazhang said thoughtfully.

He looked at Comrade 'Flame' and said, "Whether or not to take the risk of contacting Li Cuiqun, and how to do so, is a question for Comrade 'Little Kai' to consider."

"Okay." Cheng Qianfan nodded. It was indeed Comrade 'Xiao Kai' who was in charge of the work of turning the enemy to defect.

……

The next day.

Comrade Yi Jun secretly contacted Comrade 'Xiao Kai'.

After a secret consultation, the two decided to arrange for an intermediary to secretly contact Li Cuiqun and convey the intelligence that the Japanese were going to take action against him, in order to test Li Cuiqun's reaction.

"Did he really say that?" Cheng Qianfan asked Lao Huang in surprise.

"The feedback from the Shanghai Party organization was something we heard Li Cuiqun say with his own ears through the middleman we hired," Old Huang said with a sneer.

"He brought this on himself." Cheng Qianfan sneered.

When the Communist Party sent an intermediary to warn him that the Japanese wanted to kill him, Li Cuiqun not only didn't believe it, but even made outrageous remarks in front of the intermediary:

If East China is separated from me, chaos will surely ensue within three days!
Li Cuiqun firmly believed that the Japanese would not dare to touch him because they could not afford the loss of the entire East China region falling into turmoil.

"This guy thinks too highly of himself," Old Huang said.

“Incredibly arrogant,” Cheng Qianfan said, then he suddenly frowned. “I always felt that Li Cuiqun had some secret trump card up his sleeve. He seemed certain that the Japanese wouldn’t dare to touch him.”

……

"Is there another secret to rely on?" Old Huang pondered.

Suddenly, a thought struck him, and he asked Cheng Qianfan, "If there's anything he's relying on, does Li Cuiqun perhaps have some leverage over the Japanese?"

“Now that you mention it, it’s actually quite possible.” Cheng Qianfan’s heart stirred and he said, “The Special Agent Headquarters was originally an evil tool used by the Japanese and their puppet regime to kill and suppress anti-Japanese forces. With the power of the Special Agent Headquarters, it is entirely possible that Li Cuiqun has some inhumane evidence against the Japanese.”

"If that's the case, then it's necessary to find out the truth," Old Huang said with a serious expression.

“It is necessary.” Cheng Qianfan nodded. “As the middleman, I can’t just collect the middleman’s fee once and then ignore it. It is still necessary to ask Kawada Atsuto about the progress.”

……

“Li Cuiqun must die,” Kawada Atsuto said coldly. “No one can threaten the Great Japanese Empire.”

He told Kentaro Miyazaki, "The living files must be silenced."

"Li Cuiqun has gone mad! He actually dares to threaten the Empire!" Cheng Qianfan said indignantly. "Just as Young Master Du said, the living archive must die!"

From Atsuto Kawada, Cheng Qianfan finally understood what Li Cuiqun's final reliance was in being so certain that the Japanese wouldn't dare kill him.

On the Zhejiang-Jiangxi battlefield, the Japanese dropped bacteriological bombs on the Zhejiang-Jiangxi region.

The Special Agent Headquarters played an abetting role, with Li Cuiqun providing the Japanese with hydrological data from Zhejiang to help them accurately release pathogens such as cholera.

Li Cuiqun secretly preserved complete records of his communications with the Japanese side and used them to threaten them. He threatened to release all the records to the public and expose to the international community the truth about Japan's use of biological weapons against innocent Chinese civilians should the Japanese side turn against him.

During his secret contact with Kawada Atsuto's representative, Ono Jishogo, Li Cuiqun made a veiled indication to Ono Jishogo, or more precisely, issued a veiled threat.

However, Li Cuiqun was unaware that his threat not only failed to frighten the Japanese, but instead strengthened their resolve to eliminate him.

To be precise, to some extent, it accelerated the Japanese decision to take action.

……

"So, you've already decided to take action against Li Cuiqun?" Cheng Qianfan asked.

“The liquidation was decided long ago, but there has been disagreement about the timing,” Atsuto Kawada said.

“However, after this incident, even Haruki Yoshitane, who is currently in Tokyo on official business, dares not protect Li Cuiqun anymore,” Kawada Atsuto said. “Lord Haruki has already approved the swift action against Li Cuiqun.”

“Li Cuiqun is too arrogant.” Cheng Qianfan nodded, his face grim. “What the empire needs are obedient hunting dogs, not mad dogs that dare to bare their teeth at their masters.”

"Is there anything I can help you with?" he asked Atsuto Kawada.

"The operation against Li Cuiqun is being personally overseen by His Excellency Kentaro Shibayama," Atsuto Kawada said. "Even I am not entirely clear on the specifics of the operation."

He glanced at Kentaro Miyazaki and said, "There are too many conflicting interests involved in this matter. It's actually a good thing that you're not really involved."

"I understand." Cheng Qianfan pondered for a moment, then nodded.

He understood the implied meaning of Kawada Atsuto's words:

After Li Cuiqun collapsed, the largest piece of cake had already been reserved for everyone to share, so he shouldn't even think about getting a slice.

That makes sense. From the perspective of the Japanese high command, Li Cuiqun was disobedient and posed a risk of backlash, so he had to be eliminated. On a more personal level, it was about the most direct distribution of benefits.

"However, the secret information that Li Cuiqun possesses is ultimately a hidden danger," Cheng Qianfan said worriedly. "This must be handled properly."

……

"Don't worry, Kentaro." Kawada Atsuto chuckled and said, "The relevant files of Unit 4461 have been secretly transferred. The remaining materials are forgeries. Li Cuiqun is completely unaware of this, which is simply laughable."

"Is that so?" Cheng Qianfan was overjoyed and nodded repeatedly, then smiled and said, "Li Cuiqun is utterly foolish to use a forged manuscript to blackmail the empire. How stupid!"

He was filled with regret. The Japanese were indeed too insidious. They even arranged for forged documents for their evil deal with Li Cuiqun. Clearly, the Japanese never truly trusted Li Cuiqun from beginning to end. Whenever it came to top secrets, the Japanese always took precautions against Li Cuiqun.

Cheng Qianfan sighed inwardly. The Japanese were cunning and treacherous, and this directly cut off his chances of obtaining the intelligence information.

As for Li Cuiqun, he used the evidence that had already been fabricated to blackmail the Japanese side. In reality, the Japanese side was not afraid of Li Cuiqun's blackmail at all. At the same time, this gave the Japanese the most direct and unified reason to take action against Li Cuiqun.

……

"Intelligence from our inside sources indicates that the Japanese have decided to take action against Li Cuiqun. The exact timing is unknown, but it should be soon," Zhao Shuli secretly reported to Comrade Yi Jun.

“Li Cuiqun doesn’t believe the Japanese would kill him. A killer like him, whose hands are stained with the blood of anti-Japanese patriots, deserves to die,” Comrade Yi Jun said in a deep voice.

"Our inside comrades say that after Li Cuiqun's death, the Special Agent Headquarters will be plunged into a temporary power struggle and chaos," Zhao Shuli said excitedly. "This is the best time for us to rescue our arrested comrades."

"What do you need us to do?" Comrade Yi Jun asked, his spirits lifting.

"Get the money ready," Zhao Shuli said immediately.

Comrade Yi Jun fell into thought. Soon, he nodded decisively and resolutely, "Okay, even if we have to sell everything we own and use every last penny, we must rescue as many comrades as possible."

……

No. 19, Luojiawan, Chongqing.

"The Japanese are about to make a move against Li Cuiqun," Qi Wu reported to Dai Chunfeng. "According to the 'Bluebird' coded telegram, the Japanese should be making their move soon."

"Those who do evil will not live long." Dai Chunfeng sneered.

The Military Intelligence Bureau also sent people to secretly contact Li Cuiqun and warn him that the Japanese were going to take action against him.

They also persuaded Li Cuiqun that as long as he was willing to revolt and lead his troops to Chongqing, Chongqing would be generous with its rewards, and that he, Li, could be listed in the biography of meritorious service after the victory of the War of Resistance.

Li Cuiqun immediately expressed his doubts, still not believing that the Japanese would dare to attack him.

The so-called warning from Chongqing was nothing more than a ploy to scare him and trick him into turning against him.

"Li Cuiqun, he thinks he's very shrewd, but he's actually outsmarted by his own cleverness," Dai Chunfeng said with a sneer.

Dai Chunfeng saw things very clearly; he could even understand Li Cuiqun's closed-loop thinking:

Japan needs me → I have bargaining power → and personal connections can mitigate the risks → therefore I am safe!

However, Li Cuiqun forgot that he was just a dog kept by the Japanese. When the Japanese wanted to kill the dog, everything the dog thought it relied on was completely false.

……

“Send a telegram to Shanghai.” Dai Chunfeng pondered for a moment, then said in a deep voice, “This is a golden opportunity to get Shanghai to prepare to rescue our arrested brothers.”

"Director, that will cost a lot of money," Qi Wu reminded him.

“Money is not a problem,” Dai Chunfeng said in a deep voice. “Talent is the most important thing. Tell ‘Bluebird’ to pay for it first, and I will definitely make up for it.”

"That might be a bit difficult," Qi Wu thought for a moment, then shook his head and said.

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(End of this chapter)