Spy war in the Republic of China, peak undercover

The notebook was a bit worn and the edges were curled, but the handwriting inside was beautiful and neat, densely recording various information: the physical characteristics of the suspicious people, the time and place of their appearance, the key words captured during their conversation, and even the details of the cigarettes they smoked and the shoes they wore.

"I wrote down a few suspicious points I saw this morning, including the man carrying the sack. Although I couldn't see his face clearly, I drew his body shape and walking posture."

Chen Bin came over to take a look and couldn't help but admire it inwardly.

Lu Yang's records were indeed very detailed, and even included some simple sketches.

This is not something that an ordinary detective can do. It shows extraordinary meticulousness and sharpness, as well as habits developed through long-term training.

"Old Lu, your skills are definitely not comparable to those of ordinary plainclothes officers." Chen Bin said sincerely.

"Just experience." Lu Yang closed the notebook. "We need to go back and summarize these clues. Maybe we can piece together a clearer picture."

"Yes, if we act separately, it's too inefficient," Chen Bin said. "This afternoon I plan to visit some theaters and teahouses near the dock. I hear that's where all kinds of people gather, and they're well-informed."

"Theatre? That's what I was thinking." Lu Yang nodded. "Then let's go together. We can check the clues on the way."

The two were about to leave when suddenly, a rapid bicycle bell sounded in the distance.

An old man in an old gray robe was riding a bicycle and coming towards them in a hurry.

The old man looked tired and had an anxious look on his face.

It’s Mr. Sun, one of the organization’s liaisons here, and also an experienced intelligence officer.

Old Sun rode up to them, slammed on the brakes, and gasped, "Lu Yang! Chen Bin! Hurry, there's an accident!"

"What's wrong, Mr. Sun?" Lu Yang immediately stepped forward, feeling a bad premonition in his heart.

"The tomb robber... No, it's the smuggler! Our informant said he showed up!" Old Sun said hurriedly, "He's at the Yong'an Warehouse in the west of the city! He's got a lot of Japanese spies around him!

Lu Yang and Chen Bin looked at each other, and their expressions instantly became solemn.

They didn't expect the target to appear so quickly, and there were Japanese spies around them.

"Mr. Sun, let's go now!" Lu Yang made a prompt decision.

"Guns!" Old Sun said, "You don't have guns? Follow me!"

They quickly followed Old Sun into a more secluded alley nearby.

The deep part of the alley was filled with all kinds of debris and emitted a foul smell.

Old Sun stopped beside a pile of abandoned wooden boxes, squatted down, fumbled under a loose brick, and took out an oilcloth package.

He opened the oilcloth and found several old weapons lying inside.

One is a Mauser pistol, and the other two are slightly smaller pistols, commonly known as "Luzi".

The gun bodies are well maintained and have a cool metallic luster.

"This Mauser pistol has strong firepower. Give it to Chen Bin." Old Sun handed the Mauser pistol to Chen Bin.

Chen Bin solemnly took the revolver, feeling it was heavy.

Although he had received shooting training, this was the first time he had received a real gun during a mission.

Elder Sun looked at Lu Yang and frowned. "You're too conspicuous in your student uniform with a Mauser pistol. And where's that... that Lu Zi you were carrying?"

Only then did Lu Yang realize that because of his disguised identity, he did not carry with him the "rifle" issued by the organization, which was more suitable for concealed carrying.

The thin student uniform on his body could not hide any larger weapons.

Old Sun picked up a smaller "pistol" from the oilcloth and handed it to Lu Yang: "This one is small and easy to hide. The firepower is not as good, but it is enough for close-range self-protection. Use it carefully."

Lu Yang took the "rake" and felt its cool touch.

This detail reveals that in their underground working environment, identity disguise is even more important than the firepower of the weapon itself. It also reflects the pragmatic and even somewhat crude allocation of resources within the organization - at critical moments, they still have to rely on these old weapons and connections like Mr. Sun.

"Those plainclothes equipment the bureau gave you are just for fun. If you really want to catch the tough ones, you have to rely on these." As Mr. Sun spoke, he quickly put away the oilcloth package and hid it back in its original place. His movements were skillful and concealed.

He seemed to know everything about the internal situation of the police station. His disdain for the system and his reliance on his own strength made Lu Yang vaguely feel that there might be some unknown past disputes between Mr. Sun and official system figures like Section Chief Wang.

Perhaps Section Chief Wang was once a soldier under Boss Sun? The internal ecology of government agencies is always more complex than it appears.

"Is the information reliable?" Lu Yang asked, tightening his grip on the pistol.

"It's reliable. This is the news my informant just passed on. I didn't have time to report it to the higher-ups, so I came directly to you." Old Sun said, "The owner of the goods is dealing with the Japanese spies at Yong'an Warehouse. Hurry!"

"Let's go!" Lu Yang and Chen Bin took action immediately.

Leaving the quiet alley where Old Man Sun had taken refuge, Lu Yang and Chen Bin didn't waste a second. The sweltering air enveloped them, each breath akin to swallowing a wave of heat. The cold weapons in their hands reminded them of their purpose and the dangers that lay ahead. The narrow streets were lined with densely packed low-rise buildings, and the air was thick with coal smoke, the smell of the sea, and a myriad of other, indefinable, odors. They moved among the crowds, their steps hurried, their eyes scanning their surroundings warily. Chen Bin followed closely behind Lu Yang, his pistol gripped, his palms damp with sweat.

Yong'an Warehouse is located on the edge of the dock area and is a concentration of warehouses and cargo warehouses. The closer they get to their destination, the stronger the salty and humid smell in the air becomes, and the roar of machines and the shouts of workers become clearer and clearer. They stopped a block away from the warehouse and hid behind a pile of abandoned fishing nets to observe. Yong'an Warehouse is an old two-story brick and wood structure with a mottled exterior wall. It looks unremarkable. Two black cars are parked at the entrance of the warehouse. Several men in black suits stand at the door, looking around vigilantly from time to time. This is not an ordinary freight scene.

"It looks like there are a lot of guards." Chen Bin said in a low voice.

"There should be more inside." Lu Yang's eyes scanned every corner sharply. "The owner of the goods must have brought bodyguards with him." He recalled Old Sun's hurried voice and the mention of "Japanese spies." The situation was more complicated than expected. This was no longer a simple smuggling transaction, but a secret transfer involving Japanese spies.

"How do we get in?" Chen Bin asked.

Lu Yang didn't answer immediately. He carefully observed the guards' positions and patrol patterns at the gate, as well as the surrounding environment. Next to the warehouse was a smaller alleyway that led to the side of the warehouse. It was filled with miscellaneous items that might be useful.

"Go in through the side alley," Lu Yang said, "You provide cover, I'll go in first and check out the situation."

"No, it's too dangerous." Chen Bin disagreed, "Let's go in together so we can look after each other."

"My gun has low firepower and is more suitable for reconnaissance." Lu Yang said calmly, "You use the Mauser pistol, which is more effective for long-range support. Follow my instructions."

Chen Bin hesitated for a moment, but finally nodded. He knew that Lu Yang had more experience than him, and at this critical moment, he had to obey unified command.

The two men carefully made their way around to the side alley. The alley was filled with a sour, decaying smell, and the ground beneath them was slippery and muddy. They tried to move lightly, following the base of the wall. As they approached the side wall of the warehouse, Lu Yang stopped. There was a small door in the wall, ajar.

Lu Yang gestured to Chen Bin, telling him to stay outside and keep watch. Then, he took a deep breath, tightened his grip on the gun, and quietly pushed open the small door.

Behind the door was a narrow passageway, leading to the interior of the warehouse. The light was dim, the air murky. Lu Yang moved slowly, his ears catching every subtle sound. He heard faint voices and the sound of metal clashing ahead.

He reached the end of the passage, where a large warehouse lay ahead. In the dim light filtering through the skylight above, he saw several Japanese men in suits gathered around a few wooden boxes, discussing something. Nearby stood several Chinese men, also in suits. One of them was holding a sack, carefully placing its contents into a box. The shape of the sack was identical to the one Lu Yang had seen at the entrance to the alley.

The goal is right in front of us.

Lu Yang, tucked away in the shadows of a corner, quickly assessed the situation. There were six Japanese, three Chinese, and at least ten, including the guards at the gate. With only Chen Bin and him on their side, they were outgunned, and a head-on confrontation was unwise. He had to find a way to create chaos, or wait for the right moment to strike.

At this moment, a Japanese spy suddenly turned around and glanced at the corner where Lu Yang was hiding. Although it was just a casual glance, Lu Yang's heart tightened. He knew that he could not wait any longer.

He suddenly rushed out of the shadows and pointed the pistol in his hand at the Japanese spy closest to him.

"Don't move!" he shouted harshly in Japanese.

Everyone in the warehouse froze for a moment, then reacted.

"Chinese agent!" someone exclaimed.

"Bang!" Lu Yang didn't give the other party time to react, and he fired directly. The sound of a pistol was much quieter than that of a submachine gun, but it still sounded sharp and piercing in the empty warehouse. He hit one of the agents in the shoulder, and the agent screamed and fell to the ground.

The remaining Japanese spies and Chinese immediately scattered and drew their weapons. Gunshots rang out instantly, and dense bullets poured towards Lu Yang.

Lu Yang quickly found cover and dodged with agility. Although the pistol in his hand was weak, it was flexible and concealable. He dodged while looking for an opportunity to shoot.

Chen Bin heard the gunshots and immediately rushed into the corridor. He saw the chaos in the warehouse and without hesitation, he raised his pistol and opened fire at the area where the Japanese spies' firepower was most concentrated.

The deafening roar of the Mauser pistol and the whistling of bullets instantly suppressed the enemy's firepower. Several Japanese spies were caught off guard and forced to hide in panic by the powerful firepower of the Mauser pistol.

"Old Lu! I'm here!" Chen Bin shouted while looking for cover and moving forward.

Lu Yang took advantage of Chen Bin suppressing the enemy's firepower and quickly changed the magazine. He saw the Chinese man with the sack trying to escape through the back door during the chaos.

"Chen Bin! Stop the guy with the sack!" Lu Yang shouted, and at the same time, he flashed out from behind the cover and shot at the fleeing Chinese.

The bullet from the rifle struck the floor, raising a cloud of dust, but it failed to stop the man, who rushed in a panic for the back door.

Chen Bin adjusted the direction of his shooting and tried to intercept, but several Japanese spies took the opportunity to pounce on him, trying to stop him from pursuing his target.

A chaotic battle ensued in the warehouse, with gunshots, shouting, and the thud of bullets hitting walls and boxes all mixed together.

Lu Yang knew that the sack was likely to contain the rare metals, and he couldn't let it fall into the hands of the Japanese. He didn't bother to deal with the spy in front of him, but bypassed a few boxes and chased towards the back door.

He rushed to the back door and saw that the Chinese man had already opened it and was about to rush out.

"Stop!" Lu Yang shouted sternly.

The man shuddered with fear and turned around suddenly. Lu Yang saw his face clearly. It was the smuggler described in the intelligence, nicknamed "Lao Qian".

Old Qian looked at Lu Yang in horror, still clutching the sack tightly in his hand. He looked at the sack, then at Lu Yang, a hint of madness flashing in his eyes.

"I'm going to fight you!" Old Qian shouted, dropped the sack, took out a dagger from his arms, and rushed towards Lu Yang.

Lu Yang didn't expect the other party to do this. He dodged the dagger sideways and raised his hand to shoot Lao Qian in the leg with a pistol.

"Bah!"

Old Qian screamed and fell to the ground with a thud, the dagger flying out of his hand. The sack rolled to the ground with a crisp sound of metal colliding.

Lu Yang didn't care about Lao Qian and immediately rushed forward to grab the sack. The sack was heavy, and the hard feeling of the edge indicated that it was indeed something like metal ingots inside.

Just then, a gunshot was heard in the warehouse!

"Ah!" It was Chen Bin's scream!

Lu Yang's heart sank. He turned around and saw Chen Bin being pinned to the ground by two Japanese spies. His pistol had fallen to the side, and his left arm seemed injured, his clothes soaked with blood.

The guards at the door had also heard the noise and were rushing into the warehouse. Car engines blared outside, suggesting more enemies were approaching.

"Chen Bin!" Lu Yang knew the situation was urgent and he had to evacuate immediately.

He shouldered the sack and rushed towards Chen Bin. Several Japanese spies tried to stop him, but he pushed them back with the pistol in his hand. He ran to Chen Bin and grabbed him.

"go!"

Chen Bin gritted his teeth and stood up, covering his injured arm.

"Mauser pistol!" He pointed to the gun on the ground.

"I can't take care of it!" Lu Yang pulled him and rushed towards the side door quickly.

The gunfire behind them grew closer and more frequent. They stumbled out the side door and returned to the smelly alley.

Outside the alley, the sound of car brakes was heard, followed by more footsteps.

They must get out of here as soon as possible.

"Where are we going?" Chen Bin asked, panting, his face pale from blood loss.

Lu Yang carried the sack, glanced at the injured Chen Bin, and then looked at the end of the alley.

There is a complex network of buildings leading to the depths of the city.

"Let's go to the safe house," Lu Yang said, his voice calm and without a trace of fluctuation, as if everything that had just happened had nothing to do with him. "First, treat the wound, and then find a way to transport the things away."

He no longer hesitated, pulled Chen Bin, and limped into the depths of the alley.

Behind him, the sound of gunfire was still ringing in the Yong'an Warehouse.