Spy war in the Republic of China, peak undercover

"Yes! Director!" Lu Yang saluted.

Coming out of Dai's office, Lu Yang felt even more depressed. He knew the next few days would be filled with blood and gore.

He found Ye Wanru and told her Dai Li's instructions.

Ye Wanru's expression also turned serious. "It seems that we are going to go through another tough battle."

Lu Yang nodded: "Yes. We must race against time and catch them all in one fell swoop before the enemy can react."

In the following days, Lu Yang and Ye Wanru led a secret team to conduct an in-depth investigation into the Zhao Hai case.

They first started with Zhao Hai's files.

The Military Control Commission's internal archives were filled with various documents and files. Lu Yang, Ye Wanru, and the rest of the team worked tirelessly, going through every file on Zhao Hai, from his enlistment records to his promotion reports and every case he had ever handled.

The archives showed that Zhao Hai had a very impressive resume, having made many contributions and was highly regarded by Dai Li. However, behind these impressive achievements, Lu Yang discovered some unusual details.

For example, Zhao Hai's several meritorious deeds seemed a bit too "coincidental", as if every action was secretly fueled by someone, allowing him to easily complete the task and thus get promoted.

"Look here." Lu Yang pointed to a report and said to Ye Wanru, "During one of Zhao Hai's capture operations, he was able to learn the Japanese spy's escape route in advance and successfully intercepted him. What a coincidence."

Ye Wanru took the report and read it carefully. She also noticed something strange in it. "Indeed, it is. Moreover, every time he achieves merit, there are always people who go against the crowd and strongly recommend him for promotion. There must be something behind this."

Lu Yang pondered for a moment and said, "We must find those who have strongly recommended Zhao Hai, and those who have close ties with Zhao Hai. They are likely members of the 'Shadow' organization, or pawns used by 'Shadow'."

Ye Wanru took action immediately. According to Lu Yang's instructions, she made a list of people who had worked with Zhao Hai or had close contacts with him.

The people on the list include senior officials within the Military Control Commission as well as some seemingly insignificant ordinary staff.

Lu Yang knew that these people would become the targets of their investigation.

They first started with those seemingly insignificant ordinary employees because these people were more likely to be overlooked and more likely to reveal their true intentions.

The secret investigation team conducted a detailed background check on each person on the list. They collected information about these people's living habits, social circles, financial status, etc. through various channels.

Lu Yang discovered some anomalies in the file of a man named Zhang Li. Zhang Li was an ordinary clerk in the Military Control Commission. His file showed that he had suddenly received a considerable amount of income a few years ago, but the source of this income was unclear.

Lu Yang's heart moved, he felt that this might be a breakthrough.

He ordered the team members to secretly monitor Zhang Li.

A few days later, the surveillance team received news that Zhang Li had been frequently visiting a secluded teahouse and meeting the same person every time.

Lu Yang immediately led the team to the teahouse.

In the teahouse, Zhang Li was talking in low voices with a middle-aged man. The middle-aged man was dressed in ordinary clothes, but there was a subtle shrewdness in his eyes.

Lu Yang found a seat in the teahouse and sat down, pretending to drink tea, but actually secretly observing Zhang Li and the middle-aged man.

He noticed that when the middle-aged man was talking to Zhang Li, he would tap the teacup with his fingers from time to time, and each tapping seemed to follow a certain pattern.

Lu Yang's heart moved, he felt that this might be a secret way of communication.

He immediately ordered the team members to secretly follow the middle-aged man.

The tracking team received news that after leaving the teahouse, the middle-aged man went directly to a dilapidated apartment in the slums.

Lu Yang immediately led the team to the apartment.

The apartment was filled with a musty smell. Lu Yang and his team members carefully sneaked into the apartment.

They discovered that there was a room on the second floor of the apartment from which came the faint sound of a telegraph.

Lu Yang was shocked. He knew that they had found a radio station.

He immediately ordered the team members to break into the house.

In the room, a middle-aged man in ordinary clothes was sitting in front of the radio, operating it nervously.

When the middle-aged man saw Lu Yang and others, his face turned pale instantly.

"Don't move!" Lu Yang shouted coldly.

The middle-aged man did not resist. He raised his hands and was subdued by the agents.

Lu Yang walked to the radio station and found a piece of paper next to it with a picture of an owl flapping its wings as if about to fly.

"Shadow!" Lu Yang's eyes were sharp. He knew that they had found an important stronghold of the "Shadow" organization.

The middle-aged man who was arrested was named Wang Lin, and he was the liaison officer of the "Shadow" organization.

During the interrogation, Wang Lin confessed everything he knew.

It turns out that the leader of the "Shadow" organization is not Zhao Hai, but a mysterious figure named "Mr. Chen". Zhao Hai is just an important pawn in the hands of "Mr. Chen", responsible for transmitting intelligence within the Military Control Commission and carrying out some sabotage activities.

Wang Lin didn't know the true identity of "Mr. Chen." He only knew that every time "Mr. Chen" issued an order, it would be delivered to him through a dead mailbox. The location of the dead mailbox also changed every time.

Wang Lin also confessed that "Mr. Chen" had a secret base in Chongqing, which was his core command center.

Lu Yang immediately ordered Wang Lin to lead them to "Mr. Chen's" secret base.

Under the leadership of Wang Lin, Lu Yang and Ye Wanru led the agents to a seemingly ordinary house.

There was nothing unusual outside the house, but Lu Yang knew that there was a huge danger hidden inside.

"Go in!" Lu Yang ordered.

The agents immediately rushed into the house.

The house was in a mess, as if "Mr. Chen" had known about their actions in advance and had already evacuated.

Lu Yang searched the house carefully and found a secret compartment in the basement.

Lu Yang opened the secret compartment, which contained some documents and a diary.

The diary records some fragments of Mr. Chen's life and some of his thoughts.

On the last page of the diary, Lu Yang found a passage written in Japanese.

Lu Yang immediately handed the diary to Ye Wanru and asked her to translate it.

Ye Wanru read the diary carefully, and her expression became more and more solemn.

"Lu Yang, this diary records the true identity of 'Mr. Chen'!" Ye Wanru's voice trembled slightly, "He is actually..."

"Lu Yang, this diary records the true identity of 'Mr. Chen'!" Ye Wanru's voice trembled slightly, "He is actually..."

Lu Yang's heart was in his throat. He saw Ye Wanru's face was pale and her eyes were full of disbelief. "Who is he?"

Ye Wanru swallowed hard, pointed at the Japanese text in the diary, and translated it word for word: "The owner of the diary calls himself 'Qianlong'. He said... he was a classmate of the Empire's special agent class at the Japanese military academy, and also... your fellow student."

Lu Yang was struck by lightning. He took a step back, shock written all over his face. A fellow disciple? How could this be possible? He had been trained in the military academy since he was young. His fellow disciples were all passionate young men, just like him, dedicated to serving their country. How could someone betray and become a Japanese spy?

"Are you sure?" Lu Yang's voice trembled slightly. He couldn't accept this fact.

Ye Wanru nodded bitterly and handed the diary to Lu Yang. "It details his childhood education and his experiences at the military academy, even mentioning some details only your classmates would know. He also mentioned his 'special interest' in you, saying you were a natural-born agent and that you had shown him the future of imperial espionage."

Lu Yang took the diary, his hands trembling slightly. He flipped open the diary and read the familiar descriptions of military academy life, the inside stories known only to him and a few of his fellow students. Combined with the almost obsessive attention and admiration the diary expressed for him, he couldn't help but believe that this "Mr. Chen," this "Shadow," was truly his former senior.

"This... this is impossible..." Lu Yang muttered to himself. He couldn't imagine that the comrades who had fought side by side with him had now become enemies, and were lurking so deeply beside them.

Ye Wanru walked over to Lu Yang and gently patted his shoulder. "Lu Yang, I understand how you feel. However, we must accept this fact. Now, we must find out why he did this. What exactly is he trying to achieve?"

Lu Yang took a deep breath and tried to calm his inner shock. He knew that now was not the time to act emotionally, and he had to stay sober.

"We must find him as soon as possible!" Lu Yang's eyes were filled with anger. "Since he is my senior brother, he must know many secrets of our Military Control Commission. In fact, his infiltration into our Military Control Commission may be deeper than we imagined."

Ye Wanru nodded. "The diary doesn't mention his real name, but it does mention a codename he used in military school—'Lone Wolf.' Furthermore, between the lines of the diary, there seems to be a certain resentment towards Dai Yunong. He seems to believe that Dai Yunong has let him down or hindered his 'grand ambitions.'"

Lu Yang's mind quickly recounted his memories from his military academy days. He did remember a senior who was low-key and withdrawn, yet brilliantly talented. The instructors nicknamed him "Lone Wolf." At the time, he'd assumed it simply described his unique ability to work independently, but now it seemed the nickname might hold a deeper meaning. As for his feud with Dai Yunong, Lu Yang knew nothing about it.

"Hate Dai Yunong?" Lu Yang frowned. "This is a troubling situation. The fact that he was able to lurk within the Military Control Commission for so long and even developed an organization like 'Shadow' shows that he is definitely not a simple person. His purpose may be far more than just sabotaging the economy."

Ye Wanru looked at Lu Yang worriedly. "Since he was able to infiltrate the Military Control Commission, it means he probably has other insiders. We must find them as soon as possible, otherwise, every step we take may be exposed under his nose."

A chill ran through Lu Yang's heart. If the "lone wolf" truly had spies within the Military Control Commission, then their previous actions might have been known to him. This filled Lu Yang with a wave of dread.

"Report to Dai Yunong immediately!" Lu Yang said in a deep voice, "We need a more thorough investigation, and the scope of the investigation must be expanded to include those around Dai Yunong."

Ye Wanru was slightly startled, then she understood Lu Yang's intention. This was undoubtedly a risky move. The people around Dai Yunong were all his confidants. If they were not properly investigated, it would likely arouse Dai Yunong's suspicion and disgust.

But she also knew that in extraordinary times, extraordinary measures must be taken. "I understand." Ye Wanru picked up the phone and prepared to report to Dai Yunong.

Lu Yang walked to the window and looked outside. He knew that since "Lone Wolf" was his senior, he must be familiar with Lu Yang's personality and style. He had to proceed cautiously and not leave any opportunities for him to exploit.

The report was quickly concluded, and Dai Yunong's reaction was even calmer than Lu Yang had imagined. He simply pondered for a moment on the phone, then said briefly, "I understand. You continue the investigation, and I will cooperate with you."

This surprised Lu Yang, but also made him more alert. The calmer Dai Yunong was, the more turbulent his heart was.

"Dai Yunong's response was a bit unusual," Ye Wanru said to Lu Yang after hanging up the phone. "He didn't seem overly surprised by the appearance of 'Lone Wolf'."

Lu Yang nodded: "This means that he may have noticed something, or he himself has a deeper understanding of the person named 'Lone Wolf'."

"Then what should we do now?" Ye Wanru asked.

Lu Yang walked over to the map, his gaze fixed on a certain area in downtown Chongqing. "If 'Lone Wolf' has been able to remain hidden for so long, he must have a very well-concealed hiding place. Since he's adept at psychological warfare, his next move will likely target our weaknesses. We must uncover his plans."

Ye Wanru looked at the map, thinking. "What could his target be? Since he's already destroyed the food reserves, could his next target be the military factory?"

Lu Yang pondered for a moment and shook his head. "Not necessarily. If his goal is to destroy the economic lifeline, then while the military factory is important, there are other more destructive targets. Moreover, his diary mentions his resentment towards Dai Yunong. So his goal is likely related to Dai Yunong, or the core interests of the Military Control Commission."

Ye Wanru's eyes lit up: "You mean, he might target senior officials within the Military Control Commission, or important intelligence systems?"

Lu Yang nodded: "This is the most likely possibility. He wants to achieve his goal by destroying the core of the Military Control Commission."

"Then what should we do now?" Ye Wanru asked.

Lu Yang took a deep breath, his eyes gleaming with determination. "We must take the initiative and lure the snake out of its hole!"

"Lure the snake out of its hole?" Ye Wanru looked at Lu Yang in confusion.

Lu Yang walked over to Ye Wanru and whispered, "We can use some of the 'secrets' within the Military Control Commission to attract his attention. Since he knows everything about the Military Control Commission, we can use his knowledge of it to set a trap for him."