The charm of spy wars lies in the tricks of life

Chapter 32 July 1937, 3

1937, February 11th of the lunar calendar.

Gregorian calendar, March 3. Tuesday.

A few drops of water dripped from the red tiles on the roof.

Carrying a towel, washing his face, putting on his military uniform, he stood in front of the mirror, looking both cool and handsome.

Then he walked to the table, took a deep breath, put the large pill in his mouth, and chewed it. The bitter taste took over his taste buds, his thick eyebrows knitted together, and his eyes closed, messing up his facial features.

Thinking of the pain in my lower back as if it was broken, I swallowed it hard.

I drank a whole teacup of water, but the taste of the big pill didn't get rid of it. My mouth and cheeks felt numb, and I stirred it with my tongue from time to time, but it didn't help much.

When I went out today, I brought two guns with me, one was a Continental brand pistol assigned to the section chief by the Statistics Bureau, and the other was a flower-mouth pistol that I had collected. There was a small cherry blossom engraved on the handle of the gun.

The ground was slightly damp, as if it had rained early that morning. The air was a little damp and chilly, and occasionally, in the distance, a few shallow puddles could be seen.

The sky was covered with dark clouds. Shen Liushu looked up and saw that they were not dark black, but rather a light gray.

A brown house sparrow flew through the air, and the old trees on both sides stretched lazily and greeted it.

The municipal chores team was cleaning the streets, and patrol officers from the police station began to work in twos and threes.

Shen Liushu came to the stall of Uncle Wang and his wife, and ordered a few buns and a bowl of porridge just like yesterday.

Unlike my original self, I have many requirements for breakfast. I can only count the number of times I have eaten at street stalls in the past two years on my ten fingers.

Under the gloomy and dark sky, Shen Liushu's excited heart calmed down: "Because it is easier to save people in the rain without leaving any traces." The stomach-warming porridge filled his hands with warmth.

Gou San ordered some steamed buns and porridge, sat down at the adjacent small table, and tapped the bowl with his chopsticks.

This was the method Shen Liushu taught him. As long as there was a sound, the job was done, no matter what the sound was.

Gou San was unsure and wondered if Section Chief Shen understood.

Shen Liushu finished the porridge in the bowl, then walked to the shop, bought two pieces of chocolate, and drove to the office.

Gou San saw Section Chief Shen leave and carefully observed where he had been sitting. There was a bun left on the table. This meant that Shen Liushu already knew that Gou San had completed the task assigned to him.

Mrs. Wang sat down next to him warmly. Looking at the dog with some bruises on his face, she smiled and said, "San'er, I haven't seen you for two or three days. Are you okay?"

Dog Three: "Nothing, I just had a fight with some good guys from somewhere else and ended up in jail for two days."

Mrs. Wang asked with concern, "Will the police come looking for you again?"

Gou San shook his head confidently: "My superiors have already taken care of it. It's okay."

Mrs. Wang said respectfully, "San'er, you are really amazing, but I have something to tell you."

Gou San: "Sister Wang, go ahead."

Mrs. Wang pointed at Shen Liushu's back and said, "Yesterday morning, he asked you, 'Sister, let me tell you, he's wearing a military uniform, so you have to be careful.'"

Gou San smiled and nodded: "Don't worry, Sister Wang, it's okay. The people above me are very tough and not even afraid of the Japanese."

Mrs. Wang laughed and said, "Really? Oh, San'er is really promising. When you and your sister came here, I saw that you had great potential.

“Oh, the Japanese are not afraid, that’s very powerful. Listening to people coming and going and the daily routines at home, my sister knows a lot.

"Look, our Northeast has been occupied by Japan. They say the Nationalist army can't defeat Japan."

Gou San was intrigued: "We can't beat Japan, what do you say?"

Mrs. Wang said, "As the old saying goes, fathers and sons fight together, and brothers fight together. We Chinese are not united. I heard that many warlords cannot be mobilized by the chairman. How can we defeat them? Otherwise, how could the Northeast be occupied by others?" Gou San nodded and said, "If they come one day, Sister Wang, I will protect you."

Mrs. Wang laughed and said, "San'er, that's great. I'll treat you to breakfast today."

Gou San knew very well that when the Japanese army really came, there would be very little he could do.

He is just a pickpocket with a strong body, good resistance and quick mind.

But thinking about the figure in military uniform who had just walked away, an idea came to my mind: if I were under his command, perhaps I could do more.

........................

6 o'clock in the morning.

The drizzle sounded like a broken string, and a tense silence filled the Statistics Bureau.

The black car pulled up to the Statistics Bureau like a sharp arrow. Chen Cha, the head of the Second Operations Section, was there to greet them early.

As soon as the car stopped, Chen Cha ran over with an umbrella and opened the door. Zhou Lisheng got out of the car with a bad look on his face.

The two of them didn't stop for a moment. They hurried along the corridor, entered the hall, and strode towards the director's office on the third floor.

Chen Cha said to Zhou Lisheng, who had a gloomy face, "Director Liu said that Station Chief Wang Xinheng ordered Shuangyue to be handed over to the Party Affairs Investigation Section of the Central Organization Department for interrogation by Director Li Shiqun, who is under the command of Shanghai District Chief Ma Shaowu."

Zhou Lisheng was still walking in a hurry, without even looking at Chen Cha.

With a "bang", the door of the director's office on the third floor was opened.

Qin Jing saw Zhou Lisheng barging in, his face darkening terribly. He chose to sit quietly on the side and sort out the handover documents.

Liu Fangxiong said enthusiastically, feeling somewhat guilty: "Director Zhou, why are you here so early? Have you eaten?"

Listening to Liu Fangxiong's hypocritical concern and warmth, Zhou Lisheng felt a hint of displeasure and even disgust in his heart!

He knew his brother-in-law very well. He could promise some things but would fail at the critical moment.

He wanted to catch a big fish, a Japanese spy, but he threw it to the Party Affairs Investigation Section of the Central Organization Department. Overnight, all his credit was gone.

"Director Liu, why don't you fight for it? The fruits of our hard work are being harvested by others just like that?"

Liu Fangxiong's fake smile slowly faded, transforming into a kind and warm face. "The Party Affairs Investigation Section's responsibility is to investigate cadres. The station chief has spoken, and I have no choice. I can't disobey."

Zhou Lisheng was even more annoyed. What a disobedient man! He was using this to pressure Zhou Lisheng: "Why don't you try to negotiate? Even if we can conduct a joint interrogation, that would be fine."

Liu Fangxiong looked at Zhou Lisheng, who had a bad expression on his face, and said earnestly, "Stationmaster Wang, you need to maintain your reputation and show your loyalty to your superiors. Let the Party Affairs Investigation Section investigate. That way, it will be easier to explain to the higher-ups. You can't handle this."

Zhou Lisheng felt powerless. Stationmaster Wang decided that he didn't even have the right to talk to him. Doing work across levels was a big taboo in officialdom.

Liu Fangxiong could not fight for this matter. In his heart, Stationmaster Wang's face and reputation could not be touched at all.

Liu Fangxiong walked over, patted Zhou Lisheng on the shoulder and said, "Send Shuangyue to the Party Affairs Investigation Section this morning. However, District Chief Wang has also given you a convenience. When the 'Zero Clearance Plan' is implemented, you can access any information from the Shanghai Central Party Affairs Investigation Section at any time.

"This is a real benefit, not just empty praise."

Zhou Lisheng couldn't help cursing in his heart: "What a way of pulling teeth out of a tiger's mouth, what a way of usurping a magpie's nest! Those dogs, what kind of files can they let me check? It's good enough that they don't do anything bad."

Zhou Lisheng made a final attempt to negotiate: "Can you arrange to have it delivered in the afternoon?"

Liu Fangxiong stared at Zhou Lisheng, his face becoming solemn:

"This is an order."

(End of this chapter)