Spy war in the Republic of China, peak undercover

It was an obituary published half a year ago, signed by a woman named Lin Peilan.

Lin Peilan was the wife of an important figure in the Red Party.

"Her husband disappeared while on a mission a year ago." Ye Wanru flipped through the files. "No one has seen her since."

"If her husband died, she might turn to the Japanese?" Lu Yang whispered.

"It's also possible that he was coerced." Ye Wanru added.

"We must find her no matter what." Lu Yang said firmly.

The two decided to go to the mountain city where Lin Peilan was last seen.

This mission is more dangerous than before.

Because the mountain city was not only a base for Japanese espionage activities, but also the place where factional struggles within the Military Control Commission were most intense.

Dai Li specifically warned: "Be careful and don't reveal your identity."

"I understand." Lu Yang nodded.

The next morning, the two boarded the train to the mountain city.

There were not many passengers on the bus, and the atmosphere was dull. Ye Wanru sat by the window, and Lu Yang sat opposite her, observing his surroundings warily.

On the way, a woman in a cheongsam got on the bus, walked straight towards them, and sat in the empty seat next to Ye Wanru.

"Hello, both of you." The woman greeted with a smile.

Her voice was clear and pleasant, and her smile was gentle and amiable, but it made Lu Yang's heart skip a beat.

He instinctively felt a sense of oppression.

"Hello." Ye Wanru responded politely.

"Excuse me, where are you going?" the woman asked again.

"Visiting relatives." Lu Yang answered briefly.

The woman smiled slightly and did not continue to ask questions. Instead, she lowered her head and opened the newspaper in her hand.

Lu Yang looked at her calmly, but a sense of uneasiness arose in his heart.

The woman was too calm and composed, not like an ordinary traveler.

The train slowly pulled into Shancheng Station.

When getting off the car, the woman said softly: "I wish you a safe journey."

After saying that, she walked straight towards the station exit.

Lu Yang looked at her back, his brows furrowed tighter and tighter.

"Is she...?" Ye Wanru asked in a low voice.

"Very similar." Lu Yang nodded slowly, "Lin Peilan."

"So, she approached us on purpose?"

"Not necessarily." Lu Yang thought, "but there must be a purpose."

"Then what do we do now?"

"Act according to the plan." Lu Yang said firmly, "Since she showed up, it means our investigation is on the right track."

The two walked out of the station and disappeared into the bustling crowd.

The nights in the mountain city are cold and damp.

And a bigger storm is quietly brewing.

Where is the "Red Cloud" hidden?

How many hidden enemies are there behind her?

Lu Yang didn’t know.

But he knew that as long as there was a clue, he would follow it.

Even if there is an abyss ahead, he will never retreat.

Because this is his mission and his belief.

"Wanru." He suddenly spoke.

"Ok?"

“If one day I can’t come back…”

"Don't say that." Ye Wanru interrupted him with an unusually harsh tone.

Lu Yang smiled, but there was heaviness in his eyes.

"I'm not afraid of death," he said. "I want you to remember that no matter what happens, you have to live."

Ye Wanru looked at him for a long time before she whispered:

"I promise you."

The night was as dark as ink, and a damp mist drifted through the streets of the mountain city. Lu Yang stood at the window on the second floor of the hotel, watching the black car that had just parked downstairs. The headlights were still on, their beams piercing the darkness, casting a long shadow across the wet ground.

He gently drew the curtains, turned and walked to the table, and picked up the list of six people provided by Jin Yi.

The names of six people lay quietly on the paper, like an unsolved puzzle. But he knew that among these people, there was someone who was hostile to him and might even be ready to take action.

Lu Yang took a deep breath and gently ran his fingers over the names on the paper: Xiang Feng, Fu Yunpeng, Zhu Jinmei, Liu Yiguang... He remembered that he had caught a glimpse of these faces on the bus, especially the man with a sharp gaze, who seemed to be staring at him from behind, making his spine chill.

Now, he wants to meet them in person.

There were footsteps downstairs, followed by a knock on the door.

"Come in." Lu Yang said in a low voice.

The door was pushed open, and Jin Yi walked in with a smile on his face. "Sir, the car is ready."

Lu Yang nodded, folded the list, and put it in his pocket. "Let's go."

The two of them went downstairs and walked out of the hotel door. Sure enough, there was an old Chevrolet sedan parked outside. The driver was a young man in his early twenties. He looked a little nervous, but his eyes were calm.

"This guy is called Lao Zhao, I trust him." Jin Yi introduced.

Lu Yang didn't say anything, just nodded to the driver and got into the back seat.

The car started slowly and drove along the dim road of Tuqiao Town towards Ciyu Town.

Along the way, Lu Yang leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes to rest, but his thoughts never stopped for a moment.

He recalled the scene on the bus that day. The man sitting in the back corner had kept his head down, seemingly trying to hide his presence. But just as he stood up to get off the bus, he looked up at him—a glance that Lu Yang still remembers vividly.

Anger, hatred, and murderous intent were all condensed in that glance.

And now, this man's name was written on the list Jin Yi gave him.

**Xiang Feng.**

Jin Yi said he was a carpenter who had fled from Jiangsu to the mountain city two years ago and settled in Ciyun Town. He was currently working in Yongxiang Town, near Tuqiao Town, making furniture. He had taken leave today to go into the city to see off some fellow villagers who were about to go to the front lines.

It sounds reasonable and flawless.

But Lu Yang doesn't believe in coincidences.

He has fought on the intelligence front for so many years and knows that the real enemy is often hidden behind the most inconspicuous identity.

After driving for about forty minutes, we finally arrived at a house in Ciyun Town. It wasn't a big house, a bungalow made of bricks, tiles, and bamboo strips. A carpentry plaque hung at the door, inscribed with "Xiang Ji Woodwork."

Lu Yang got out of the car and looked around. Outside the house, there were piles of wood, shavings scattered on the ground, and a faint pine scent filled the air.

"Wait for me here." He whispered to Jin Yi, "If I don't come out in ten minutes, leave immediately."

Jin Yi nodded and retreated into the shadows of the street corner.

Lu Yang walked up the stairs and raised his hand to knock on the door.

There was a rustling sound in the room, and then the door opened.

The man who opened the door was a thin, bearded man, about thirty years old, wearing coarse clothes, with sawdust on his hands. He was slightly startled when he saw Lu Yang.

"Who are you?" Xiang Feng asked with a frown.

Lu Yang smiled and handed over a fake ID. "I'm an investigator from the Military Control Commission. I'd like to ask you a few questions."

Xiang Feng's eyes flickered for a moment, but he quickly regained his composure. "Please come in."

Lu Yang walked into the house, which was filled with unfinished woodwork. Hand saws, chisels, rulers, and other tools hung on the walls. The house was small, but very clean, with little to no signs of anything unusual.

Xiang Feng closed the door and stood at the entrance, his eyes fixed on Lu Yang.

"What can I do for you?" Xiang Feng's tone was calm, but there was a hint of vigilance in his words.

Lu Yang did not answer directly, but slowly walked to a wooden box in the house and patted the lid of the box.

"Is this the work you've been doing lately?"

"Yes." Xiang Feng nodded, "I made a bed and wardrobe for a family in Yongxiang Town."

Lu Yang nodded, then opened the box as if by accident.

There were a few wooden boards and some unfinished furniture piled inside, which looked very ordinary.

But he noticed a layer of plywood on the bottom.

"This board is a bit strange." Lu Yang said softly.

Xiang Feng's expression changed instantly.

"This is what I use as a cushion." Xiang Feng's voice was a little dry.

Lu Yang sneered and suddenly lifted the splint.

Under the splint, there is a small radio hidden!

Xiang Feng suddenly rushed over and tried to snatch the radio back.

Lu Yang was prepared and kicked him in the knee, causing Xiang Feng to fall heavily to the ground.

"Who are you?" Lu Yang asked coldly.

Xiang Feng gritted his teeth and said nothing.

Lu Yang squatted down and carefully examined the radio, and found the secret coding symbol of the Red Party on it.

He was shocked.

**This is not a Japanese, nor is he from the Military Control Commission - this is a Red Party underground intelligence agent who has been lurking for many years!**

"Do you really think you can hide under my nose forever?" Lu Yang looked at Xiang Feng coldly, "How did your Red Party's base in Shanghai get exposed? Was it you who leaked the secret?"

Xiang Feng sneered, blood seeping from the corners of his mouth. "You executioners, are you worthy enough to mention the organization?"

Lu Yang didn't ask any more questions, but took out the handcuffs he carried with him and locked Xiang Feng.

"Do you have anything else to say?" Lu Yang asked.

Xiang Feng looked up at him, his eyes filled with anger. "How many comrades have you killed? Do you know? Every life is engraved in my heart."

Lu Yang was silent for a moment, then whispered, "I'm not here to discuss faith with you. I want to know your intelligence network, your contacts, and your next plan in Chongqing."

Xiang Feng smiled coldly, then suddenly lowered his head and bumped into the edge of the table!

"Bang!" There was a muffled sound, blood splattered, and Xiang Feng fell unconscious on the spot.

Lu Yang was stunned. After a moment, he cursed softly and quickly squatted down to check his breath - he was still breathing weakly.

He immediately took out his medicine bag and gave him simple treatment to stop the bleeding.

"Jin Yi!" he shouted loudly.

Jin Yi rushed in from outside the door.

"Take him away and send him for interrogation." Lu Yang ordered.

Jin Yi nodded, and immediately called the two agents waiting outside the door to come in, and carried Xiang Feng away.

Lu Yang looked at the empty room with mixed feelings in his heart.

He knew this was just the tip of the iceberg.

Xiang Feng is just a grassroots intelligence officer, and the real intelligence network is far larger than imagined.

What he will face next will be the core of the Red Party’s underground party’s secret operations in Chongqing.

He picked up the radio and dialed Ye Wanru's number.

"We've found our target," he said, "but the trouble has just begun."

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone, and then Ye Wanru's firm voice came:

"We'll be waiting for you at headquarters. Bring all the evidence."

Lu Yang put away the radio, took a last look at the bloodstains left by Xiang Feng, and turned to walk out.

The night wind howled, ruffling his hair.

"Lu Yang, have you ever thought about how Zhao Hai sneaked in? Is there a bigger force behind him controlling him?" Ye Wanru's worry was like a stone thrown into Lu Yang's heart, causing ripples.

Lu Yang's brows furrowed, and after a moment's contemplation, he spoke slowly, "Zhao Hai is the head of the Inspectorate, and he holds considerable power. To reach this position, he must have gone through layers of scrutiny. He was able to remain undercover for so long, so he definitely didn't do it alone."

Ye Wanru nodded in agreement: "I think so too. Is there a deeper chess game, and are we just a chess piece?"

Lu Yang's gaze penetrated the night outside the window, as if he could see the hidden undercurrent. "It's hard to say now, but we must prepare for the worst."

He looked at Ye Wanru with a serious look in his eyes: "Zhao Hai's exposure may just be part of their bigger plan, to divert our attention."

Ye Wanru's heart tightened: "Then what should we do now?"

Lu Yang took a deep breath, knowing that every step forward would be a dangerous one. "We must thoroughly investigate all of Zhao Hai's social connections, from his superiors and subordinates to his friends and family. We must not let any one of them go unpunished. At the same time, we must also search for any trace of any possible connection to him within the Military Control Commission."

"This is a huge project," Ye Wanru said. "Moreover, it will involve many people within the Military Control Commission, even high-ranking officials. I'm afraid it will cause a huge uproar."

Lu Yang's eyes were sharp as knives. "Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures. Since it's cancerous, we must scrape the bone to remove the poison. Moreover, this investigation must be carried out in secret, without alerting the enemy. We must expose those cancers hiding in the dark."

Ye Wanru nodded, a determined glint in her eyes. "I understand. I'll arrange for someone to conduct a secret investigation. Starting with the archives, I'll review all of Zhao Hai's information, including his past history and all cases related to him."

"Okay." Lu Yang said solemnly, "I'll go to the director, report the latest situation, and seek his full support."

Dai Li's office was filled with smoke.

Lu Yang reported Zhao Hai's confession and his own inference to Dai Li in detail.

Dai Li listened to Lu Yang's report, his expression becoming increasingly serious. When Lu Yang mentioned that Zhao Hai might just be a larger pawn, Dai Li suddenly extinguished his cigarette and frowned.

"Are you sure?" Dai Li's voice was low and powerful, with a hint of unquestionable majesty.

Lu Yang nodded. "I dare not jump to conclusions, but judging from the current clues, Zhao Hai's identity and behavior are both strange. He was too calm when he was arrested, as if everything was within his expectations. Moreover, the 'Shadow' organization he confessed to, its infiltration capabilities and scale of operations far exceed our previous estimates."

Dai Li slowly stood up and walked to the window, his back to Lu Yang. He was silent for a long time, the only sound in the office being his breathing.

"If this is true, it means that there may be serious pests within our Military Control Commission." Dai Li's voice was filled with a hint of pain.

Lu Yang didn't say anything. He knew that Dai Li must be feeling very heavy at the moment.

"What are your plans?" Dai Li finally turned around and looked at Lu Yang with sharp eyes.

Lu Yang laid out his plan in full, including a thorough investigation of Zhao Hai's social relations and a secret investigation within the Military Control Commission.

Dai Li's brow furrowed after hearing this, but he ultimately nodded. "Alright, I'll do as you say. I'll give you the fullest authorization and support. But remember, this operation must be kept absolutely confidential. No word of it can leak out. Anyone who obstructs the investigation will be considered an accomplice and severely punished!"