Spy war in the Republic of China, peak undercover

In the conference room of the headquarters, Lu Yang was looking through a new file.

"The Japanese established an intelligence network in the rear," Chen Yijun said from her wheelchair. "It was codenamed 'Sakura.'"

Her face was still a little pale, but she looked much better.

"Sakura?" Ye Wanru frowned. "It sounds like a geisha organization."

Lu Yang put down the file: "Indeed, on the surface it is a song and dance troupe."

The cries of street vendors can be heard outside the window, and Chongqing is still bustling in the afternoon.

"They used the performance as a cover," Zhou Qing added, "but they were actually collecting military intelligence."

Lu Yang stood up and walked to the map of Chongqing hanging on the wall.

"In the past six months, there have been explosions at three military factories," he pointed to the red dots on the map, "all shortly after their performances."

There was silence in the conference room for a moment.

"The song and dance troupe will be performing at the Chongqing Grand Theater next month," Chen Yijun said. "This is an opportunity."

Lu Yang nodded: "Ye Wanru, go contact the Grand Theater."

"I understand," Ye Wanru stood up, "I know the manager over there."

At this time, there was a knock on the door.

Zhou Qing opened the door and saw a waiter delivering food.

"Director Lu," the waiter said, carrying a lunch box, "this is the lunch you ordered."

Lu Yang took the lunch box, which contained four servings of Chongqing noodles.

“Eat it while it’s hot,” he said, “and we can talk while we eat.”

Ye Wanru opened the lunch box: "Still the noodles from the usual place?"

"Well," Lu Yang said, "the owner of that store is very interesting."

Chen Yijun smiled: "You mean she is one of ours?"

"More than that," Lu Yang picked up a chopstick of noodles, "she knows the leading actress of the song and dance troupe."

The aroma of noodles wafted through the conference room, mixed with the river breeze coming in from outside the window.

"What's the name of the actress?" Ye Wanru asked.

"Aoki Sakurako," Lu Yang said, "but that's not her real name."

He took out a photo from the drawer and handed it to everyone.

The woman in the photo is wearing a kimono, but her eyes reveal the aura of a Jiangnan woman.

"She is..." Chen Yijun's voice trembled a little, "The eldest daughter of the Nanjing Shen family?"

Lu Yang nodded: "Shen Xue's sister, Shen Yue."

A whistle sounded outside the window, breaking the silence in the conference room.

"So," Ye Wanru said, "this is all a setup?"

Backstage at the Chongqing Grand Theater, Lu Yang is debugging the sound equipment.

He used the pseudonym Li Gong and sneaked in as a stage technician.

"Xiao Li," Lao Wang handed him a cigarette, "pay more attention during the rehearsal later."

Lao Wang is an old man in the theater and has been working on stage for twenty years.

Lu Yang took the cigarette but didn't light it: "Thank you, Brother Wang, I don't smoke."

The sound of shamisen came from the dressing room backstage; Sakurako Aoki was practicing.

"This girl," Lao Wang lowered his voice, "practices until midnight every day."

Lu Yang pretended to be nonchalant and asked, "Where does she live?"

"It's in the International Hotel across the street," Lao Wang said. "The Japanese have booked the entire floor."

Ye Wanru's voice came from the headset: "Boss, I have arranged it at the hotel."

Lu Yang coughed lightly in response.

At this moment, the door of the dressing room opened.

Sakurako Aoki came out wearing a lavender kimono.

“Mr. Li,” she said in standard Chongqing dialect, “there’s something wrong with the microphone.”

Lu Yang walked over and squatted down to check the equipment.

"Miss Shen," he whispered, "long time no see."

Aoki Sakurako's fingers trembled slightly, but quickly returned to normal.

"You've got the wrong person," she said. "My last name is Aoki."

Lu Yang stood up and said, "The equipment is fine, we can rehearse now."

Lao Wang shouted from a distance: "Xiao Li, come and help move the props!"

Lu Yang turned and left, leaving Aoki Sakurako standing there.

The backstage corridor was filled with props, and a cardboard box caught his attention.

It was a musical instrument case with a Japanese post office label on it.

"Zhou Qing," he said into the microphone on his collar, "check the nearest Japanese parcel."

"I understand," Zhou Qing said, "I'm already checking."

The rehearsal began and Sakurako Aoki stood in the center of the stage.

The sound of the shamisen sounded and she began to dance.

Lu Yang stood behind the curtain and watched her performance.

The moment she turned around, he saw tears in the corners of her eyes.

"Found it," Zhou Qing's voice suddenly came, "In the past week, twelve musical instrument cases entered the country."

Lu Yang narrowed his eyes: "Who is the sender?"

“Yamamoto Conservatory of Music,” Zhou Qing said, “is in Tokyo.”

Lu Yang remembered something: "Yamamoto... and the military doctor from last time..."

Before he could finish his words, a scream suddenly came from the stage.

Sakurako Aoki fell to the ground, her face pale.

"Call a doctor!" Lao Wang shouted.

Lu Yang walked forward quickly and squatted down to check.

"No need," Aoki Sakurako said weakly, "I'm just a little anemic."

She grabbed Lu Yang's sleeve tightly and slipped him a note.

Lu Yang pretended to help her up and quietly put the note away.

"Send Miss Sakurako back to her room to rest," said the theater manager.

There was chaos backstage and no one noticed Lu Yang's abnormality.

He found a deserted corner and opened the note.

There was only one line of text on it: "Ten o'clock tonight, International Hotel rooftop."

Chongqing is shrouded in darkness and is ablaze with lights.

Lu Yang stood on the rooftop of the International Hotel, overlooking the city.

The river breeze blew, bringing with it a light mist.

"You're here," a soft voice came from behind.

Lu Yang turned around and saw Sakurako Aoki standing in the shadow of the rooftop.

She had changed out of her kimono and was wearing a simple cheongsam.

"Shen Yue," Lu Yang said softly, "Why are you doing this?"

Sakurako Aoki walked up to him and looked at the river in the distance.

“I had no choice,” she said. “I was sent to Japan as a child to receive their education.”

Lu Yang nodded: "But you still came back."

“Yes,” she said, “because this is my home.”

There was a small table on the rooftop with a pot of hot tea on it.

Sakurako Aoki poured herself a glass and took a sip.

"I know you're investigating the Sakura Organization," she said. "I can help you."

Lu Yang looked at her: "What are your conditions?"

“Protect my family,” she said, “especially my sister, Shen Xue.”

Lu Yang was silent for a while: "She has been controlled by us."

Sakurako Aoki nodded, a complex emotion flashing in her eyes.

“I will give you the information you need,” she said, “but please don’t harm her.”

Lu Yang did not answer immediately, but looked into her eyes.

"I promise you," he said, "as long as she cooperates, we won't hurt her."

Aoki Sakurako smiled: "Thank you."

At this moment, the door to the rooftop was suddenly pushed open and Ye Wanru walked in.

"Boss," she said, "Zhou Qing found out something."

Lu Yang turned around: "What's going on?"

“Those instrument cases,” Ye Wanru said, “contain radio equipment.”

Aoki Sakurako nodded: "Yes, they use it to pass on information."

Lu Yang frowned: "Then Yamamoto Music College..."

"It's a cover," said Aoki Sakurako, "actually a cover for the Japanese secret service."

Ye Wanru looked at her and said, "You know a lot."

“I’ve been in Tokyo for many years,” Sakurako Aoki said. “They’re not wary of me.”

Lu Yang nodded: "Then do you know their next target?"

Aoki Sakurako hesitated for a moment: "Yes, the military factory in Chongqing."

Lu Yang's heart sank: "When?"

“It’s next week,” she said. “They plan to do it on the day of the show.”

The wind on the rooftop gradually grew stronger, ruffling Sakurako Aoki's hair.

“I’ll do my best to stop them,” Lu Yang said, “but you have to be careful.”

Aoki Sakurako nodded: "I will."

In the darkness of night, Lu Yang and Ye Wanru left the rooftop.

In the operations room at the headquarters, Lu Yang was assigning tasks.

The map on the wall marks the locations of all the military factories in Chongqing.

"According to Aoki Sakurako's intelligence," he pointed at the map, "their targets are these three factories."

Ye Wanru marked on the map: "They are all within five kilometers of the Grand Theater."

Chen Yijun pushed the wheelchair over and asked: "Will they do it at the same time?"

"No," Lu Yang shook his head, "They don't have enough manpower."

Zhou Qing was sorting out the intelligence: "In the past week, twelve Japanese 'entertainers' entered the country."

"Divide into three groups," Lu Yang said, "four people in each group."

The door of the war room was pushed open and the proprietress walked in carrying a few bowls of noodles.

"Have something to eat," she said. "You've been busy all day."

Lu Yang took the bowl of noodles and said, "Thank you, Mrs. Wang."

"You're welcome," the proprietress said with a smile. "By the way, a Japanese man came to eat noodles today."

Everyone's eyes were on her.

“He ordered Chongqing noodles,” the proprietress said, “but he doesn’t like spicy food.”

Lu Yang and Ye Wanru looked at each other: "Did he say anything?"

"He said he wanted to see a show next week," the landlady said, "and asked me for the show schedule."

Lu Yang put down his chopsticks: "They are scouting the area."

"I've arranged for someone to follow him," Zhou Qing said. "The Japanese man is staying at the International Hotel."

Ye Wanru suddenly remembered something: "Boss, on the day of the performance, was it..."

"Yes," Lu Yang nodded, "the mayor of Chongqing will also go to the performance."

There was silence in the war room for a moment.

“This is a trap,” Chen Yijun said. “They want to kill two birds with one stone.”

Lu Yang walked to the window and looked at the night outside.

Chongqing's night market is still bustling with the hawkers' cries.

"Ye Wanru," he suddenly said, "go contact Aoki Sakurako."

"I understand," Ye Wanru stood up, "What do you want her to do?"

"Tell her," Lu Yang said, "the performance plan has changed."

Zhou Qing smiled: "Boss, do you have an idea?"

"Yes," Lu Yang turned around, "we should also prepare a 'surprise' for them."

Chen Yijun thought thoughtfully: "You mean..."

"Since they want to act," Lu Yang said, "then we will play along with them to the end."

The lady boss cleared the dishes and asked, "How can I help you?"

"Sister Wang," Lu Yang said, "your noodle shop might be busy for a few days."