Spy Wars: I am the Captain of the Military Police

When Itai Yudai hurried into Zhou Zhengqing's office, he saw Zhou Zhengqing sitting behind the desk with a gloomy face.

Itai Yudai's heart trembled, and he even tried to slow down his breathing.

Did something go wrong with the transfer of Michikazuki Seiji? Could it be that those idiots from the Special High Police had messed it up?!

Or is it that Takeda Hiroichi is still alive and has made the general unhappy!

I just wanted to keep Takeda Hiroichi alive and torture him!

Besides, it’s not a big deal. We can just kill him later!

"General... I... we are here!" Itai Yusho said cautiously.

Zhou Zhengqing, however, seemed oblivious to his awkwardness. He tapped his knuckles lightly on the table and said in a deep voice, "Itai-kun, how's the war situation in Shanghai? Has Yoshida Hayato sent the latest telegram?"

"Ah! Shanghai!?"

It turns out it wasn’t because of the ambush just now!

Feeling relieved, Itai Yudai quickly said, "When I told him this morning to bring Hasegawa Kiyoshi back to the Third Fleet, he said the Chinese were trying to cut off contact between the Hongkou Concession and the Navy Headquarters. The latest news hasn't arrived yet."

Seeing Zhou Zhengqing remained silent after hearing this, Ban Jing hesitated and asked in a lower voice: "General, is...something wrong?"

Zhou Zhengqing closed his eyes, raised his head and sighed, then slowly opened them and said, "The military's actions are much faster than we expected. Two divisions of the Kwantung Army are about to urgently march south! I learned this news from Koto Saburo. It was revealed by Yoshibe Kazuma of the Kwantung Army's management department!"

"Our intelligence is too lagging!" Zhou Zhengqing slammed the table!

"General, calm down. It is only natural to send other divisions for reinforcement. The importance of Shanghai to the empire's strategic plan is self-evident." Itai Yudai tentatively comforted him.

"I know!" Zhou Zhengqing interrupted him. "I'm saying there are still loopholes in our intelligence network! Don't just focus on China, keep an eye on domestic intelligence too! Do you understand?"

"I understand! I didn't do my job well! I'll pay more attention next time!" Itai Yudai bowed and apologized, then carefully explained, "General, I'm in contact with the military every day. I didn't hear about the Kwantung Army withdrawing divisions for reinforcements yesterday. Was this decision just made?"

After hearing what Itai Yudai said, Zhou Zhengqing pondered for a moment and nodded slightly: "That's possible. After the military makes a decision, it will inform the Kwantung Army. The management department is responsible for logistics and will naturally get the news."

He waved his hand. "It's not your fault. I rushed to find you because I wanted to hear your assessment of the situation in Shanghai. Can the Chinese capture Hongkou before the two reinforcements from the Kwantung Army arrive?"

"Well..." Itai Yudai hesitated for a moment before speaking. "According to the intelligence from the Yoshida family, the Chinese attack is very fierce. If they continue to attack at this high intensity, Hongkou will be occupied sooner or later."

"If? What do you mean?" Zhou Zhengqing keenly grasped the key words in Ban Jingxiong's words and frowned.

Itai Yudai took a deep breath and said, "General, I've discovered a very strange phenomenon. The Chinese always suspend their attack when they have the upper hand! This is the case in Shanghai and in Nankou as well!"

We Japanese people value a single blow and completely crush the enemy, but the Chinese army doesn't seem to be like that!"

"Do you mean there's something wrong with their command system?" Zhou Zhengqing asked.

"I'm not too sure about the specifics, but just recently at Nankou, the Chinese deployed two armies, east and west, to attack Zhangbei Town in northern Chahar.

The Chinese almost succeeded in breaking through and occupying Zhangbei, but at the critical moment they suddenly stopped the attack and even retreated directly!

It's simply incomprehensible!

The result was that the 2nd Independent Mixed Brigade of the Chahar Dispatch Corps, which was originally marching to Zhangbei for support, did not see a single enemy when it arrived in Zhangbei.

They took advantage of the situation and launched a tentative attack towards Zhangjiakou.

What's even more bizarre is that the 2nd Independent Mixed Brigade actually successfully broke through the Great Wall defense line!

The two powerful armies that attacked us before were as if they had never existed!

I really can't understand this situation!

Later, through intelligence, I learned that one of the troops that attacked Zhangbei turned to support the main battlefield in Nankou, and the other group of troops that remained also dispersed and returned to their respective defense areas!

They didn’t even know that the 2nd Independent Mixed Brigade had arrived in Zhangbei!!!

It would be a great pity to leave the fruits of victory that are within reach ungrabbed.

But the Nankou defense line was under pressure, so we had to send reinforcements. Although I don’t agree with this, I can understand it.

However, right before their troops sent to reinforce the Nankou defense line arrived, the 2nd Independent Mixed Brigade, which had just arrived in Zhangbei, broke through the Great Wall defense line. The reinforcement troops immediately turned back to protect Zhangjiakou!

What a waste of several days, I’m probably still on the way!

General, can you understand this behavior? I really can't understand this kind of command!

Therefore, I can't guarantee whether the Chinese in Shanghai can quickly defeat the Marines and occupy Hongkou." Itai Yudai shook his head and said with emotion.

"Well, go contact the Chinese Military Control Commission.

Tell them that reinforcements won't be arriving in Shanghai anytime soon, and suggest they hurry up and drive the Marines in Hongkou out to sea! " Zhou Zhengqing didn't know what to say about the Nankou battlefield, so he could only state the purpose of his visit to Itai Yudai.

"General, I think... it might not have any effect." Itai Yudai spoke cautiously, his voice very low.

"Oh?" Zhou Zhengqing raised his eyebrows and tapped his fingers lightly on the table.

Itai Yudai took a deep breath and continued, "The Chinese are now fighting on two fronts, attacking and defending at the same time. The command system is in chaos."

He gestured and said, "Compared with the orderliness of our imperial army..." Itai Yudai didn't say anything else, just shook his head.

The sunlight from outside the window filtered through the curtains, casting mottled shadows on Zhou Zhengqing's face. He asked thoughtfully, "So what's your suggestion?"

"Let's wait and see." Itai Yudai straightened his back and said in a firmer voice, "Our current goal has been achieved. Kazuki Seiji, who was hostile to us, is finished.

Now we should focus on managing the two occupied areas of Tianjin and Peking."

He carefully observed Zhou Zhengqing's expression and continued, "Shanghai is thousands of miles away, and we have done everything we should do.

Simply delaying the arrival of reinforcements has bought the Chinese four or five more days. We have done enough."