Spy war in the Republic of China, peak undercover

The owner put down the rag and rubbed his rough hands, a subtle flicker of alarm in his eyes. "Sir, what can you do for 'Mountain Eagle'?" His slightly hoarse voice echoed through the small tavern, carrying the characteristic Northeastern boldness yet a hint of caution.

Lu Yang calmly took a sip of wine. The spicy liquid slid down his throat, warming his body but also making him more sober. "A little personal matter," he said lightly, his eyes scanning the others in the tavern sharply, confirming that no one was suspicious. "But I have to talk to him in person." He knew in his heart that caution was necessary, especially in this environment.

The boss's gaze lingered on Lu Yang's face for a moment, as if trying to gauge his true intentions. He picked up a dirty wine glass and wiped it absentmindedly. After a moment's hesitation, he slowly spoke, "Shanying... isn't very available to see guests lately." He lowered his head, not daring to meet Lu Yang's eyes, but his heart was pounding with anxiety, wondering who this suddenly appearing "Cheetah" was.

Ye Wanru sat nearby, seemingly calmly sipping tea, but in reality, she was secretly observing her boss's every move. She keenly caught the flicker in his eyes, and her mind was secretly on high alert. She calmly reached into her coat pocket and grabbed the pistol hidden there, ready to respond to any emergency.

Qinglan seemed a little anxious. She tried to speak several times, but Lu Yang's gaze stopped her. She knew that in this situation, speaking too much would only make mistakes, so she could only wait patiently for Lu Yang's instructions. She rubbed her frozen hands, exhaled a puff of white air, and tried to remain calm, but her heart was pounding like a little rabbit in her chest.

Lu Yang smiled, a hint of chill in his smile. "Boss, don't be nervous," he said casually, as if he were just chatting. "I just wanted to catch up with him." He paused, his eyes suddenly sharp. "I'm sure you don't want to get into unnecessary trouble over such a small matter, right?" There was a hint of threat in his words, and the boss's face suddenly turned slightly grim.

The boss's hand trembled unconsciously, and the wine glass almost slipped from his hand. He raised his head and forced a smile, "Sir, you are joking. I am just... worried about Shanying's safety." He secretly groaned inwardly. It seemed that he could not escape today.

Lu Yang pulled a pocket watch from his pocket, placed it on the table, and gently pushed it toward his boss. "You should recognize this, right?" The back of the watch was engraved with a soaring eagle, the symbol of their organization.

The boss's face turned pale. He trembled as he picked up the pocket watch, examined it carefully, and then carefully placed it back on the table. "I... I know it." His voice trembled, and his eyes were filled with fear.

"That's good," Lu Yang put away his pocket watch and regained his composure. "Now, can you take me to see him?"

The boss took a deep breath and nodded, "Okay, okay, please follow me." After he said that, he stood up and led the way to the back door of the pub.

Lu Yang stood up, winked at Qinglan and Ye Wanru, then followed the boss into the back door of the tavern.

The back door leads to a narrow alley. In the dim light, you can only barely see the road under your feet.

The boss walked in front, his steps a little hurried, and Lu Yang followed closely behind, observing the surrounding environment vigilantly, silently thinking about his next move in his mind.

At the end of the alley is a dilapidated wooden door.

The boss stopped and knocked on the door.

"Who?" A vigilant voice came from inside the door.

"It's me, Lao Li." The boss replied.

The door creaked open and a burly man appeared at the door, holding a hunting rifle in his hand and looking at Lu Yang and others with vigilance.

"This is..." The boss pointed at Lu Yang, a little hesitant.

"This is Comrade Cheetah," the innkeeper added, swallowing hard, afraid to speak too slowly and anger the demon. He forced a smile, his face wrinkled, "I'm here to see Comrade Mountain Eagle." He silently prayed that these gentlemen wouldn't cause any trouble in his little tavern, or he'd be in big trouble.

The burly man, known as the Mountain Eagle, looked Lu Yang up and down, his eyes sharp as a hawk's. His thick eyebrows twisted together, like two caterpillars coiled on his forehead. After a moment's silence, he slung his hunting rifle over his shoulder and leaned sideways. "Come in," his voice was deep, carrying an undeniable authority.

Lu Yang and the other two followed Shan Ying into the house. It was even simpler than a tavern. A single kang (kang bed) took up most of the space, covered with a thick sheepskin mattress. A strong smell of goat and smoke filled the air. In the corner lay some dry firewood and miscellaneous items, and in one corner there was even a pile of frozen potatoes.

"Sit anywhere." Shanying pointed at the kang and sat on a small wooden stool, his eyes never leaving Lu Yang. He wondered what this "cheetah" had suddenly appeared for. Could something have happened up there?

Lu Yang didn't hesitate and sat cross-legged on the kang, followed by Qinglan and Ye Wanru. The kang was warm, dispelling the coldness from their bodies and making the three of them feel comfortable.

"Comrade Shanying," Lu Yang said straight to the point, "We are in some trouble and need your help." As he spoke, he took out a crumpled piece of paper from his pocket and handed it over.

Shanying took the note and unfolded it, revealing a short, coded message. His brow furrowed, his expression darkening. After a moment, he crumpled the note and tossed it into the fire pit. "The Japanese 'Thunder Plan'?" He jerked his head up, his eyes filled with shock and confusion. "Is this information reliable?"

"It's absolutely true," Ye Wanru took over in a serious tone, "We saw the Japs' deployment with our own eyes. They are secretly mobilizing troops and preparing for a large-scale raid on our base." She still felt a lingering fear when she recalled the thrilling scene at that time.

"This is no small matter," Shanying said solemnly. After so many years in the Greater Khingan Range, he was well aware of the Japanese's brutality. If this "Thunder Plan" were implemented, the consequences would be disastrous. He paced back and forth, his heavy footsteps sounding particularly heavy in the small room. "We must get this news back to headquarters as soon as possible."

"That's why we're here," Lu Yang said. "We need your help to contact the organization."

Shanying stopped and looked at Lu Yang, his eyes full of scrutiny. "How did you know I could contact the organization?" He asked with a hint of suspicion. After all, this contact point was extremely secretive, and only a few people knew about it.

Lu Yang smiled and said, "Old Zhao told me." Old Zhao was the name of the tavern owner. He deliberately revealed Old Zhao's name to dispel Shanying's concerns.

Shanying's expression softened slightly when he heard it was Old Zhao. Old Zhao was his longtime friend, trustworthy. "That guy, Old Zhao, is still so loose-lipped." He shook his head helplessly, but he also felt relieved.

"This is an urgent matter. We must act quickly," Lu Yang urged. "The Japanese may attack at any time."

Shanying nodded, "I know, I'll prepare it right away." He walked to the corner and took out a worn-out radio from a pile of junk, and then took out a suitcase filled with various parts and tools.

At this moment, there was a sudden burst of noisy dog ​​barking outside the door, mixed with the rough shouting of men.

"Oh no, it's the Japanese!" Qinglan's face changed and he exclaimed.

Shanying's expression changed. He quickly gathered up his radio and tools and hid them under the kang. "Hurry, go out the back door!" He pointed to a small door at the back of the house and spoke in a hurried tone.

Lu Yang and the other two did not dare to hesitate and immediately rushed to the back door.

The back door led to a dense woods, and they plunged into the woods, running for their lives.

"Woof woof woof!" The barking of dogs was getting closer and closer, and the footsteps of the Japanese soldiers could be heard clearly.

"Damn it! They're catching up!" Ye Wanru looked back, her face pale.

Lu Yang made a prompt decision, "Let's split up and meet up at the old place!" "The old place" was an emergency meeting point they had agreed upon before.

In the woods, the snow was knee-deep, making running incredibly difficult. The biting wind cut into his face like a knife, making breathing difficult. Lu Yang's heart was pounding, his lungs burning. He glanced back and saw the Japanese were already very close. The wolfhound in the lead, its scarlet tongue bared, growled fiercely.