Spy war in the Republic of China, peak undercover

Chapter 902: A dry sound

The car pulled away from the police station, the roar of its engine echoing through the predawn streets. Outside the window, a damp, cold fog, like a thick curtain, enveloped the mountain city in a hazy shadow. Lu Yang leaned back in the back seat, his body swaying slightly with the car's movement, his thoughts drifting far into the distance. He knew a deeper vortex awaited him.

He was taken directly to the Military Intelligence Department's Mountain City Special District headquarters. It was an old, unassuming building hidden at the foot of a mountain on the outskirts of the city. Its gray walls, eroded by moisture and stained with age, were unremarkable. Yet, this was the beating heart of the entire mountain city.

The car stopped inside the compound, and several agents in Mao suits quickly and efficiently alighted. They led Lu Yang into a brightly lit office. The room was thick with the smell of tobacco, and fine dust drifted in the air. Several maps hung on the wall, densely marked with red and blue pencil marks of unknown meaning.

Lin Shaopu, Deputy Director of the Intelligence Department at the Military Intelligence Department headquarters and leader of the Shancheng Special Operations Team, sat behind a large desk. He looked even more tired than he had sounded on the phone, his eyes sunken and his chin covered in blue stubble, as if he hadn't slept in days. In his hand, he held a half-burned cigarette, curls of smoke swirling before him.

"sit."

Lin Shaopu pointed to a wooden chair in front of the table and spoke in a hoarse voice.

Lu Yang didn't hesitate and sat down directly.

"You did a great job."

Lin Shaopu pressed his cigarette into the ashtray, and the cigarette tip made a soft hissing sound. He crossed his hands, supporting his chin, and his eyes were fixed on Lu Yang.

"Tell me more about the situation in the base."

Lu Yang took a deep breath and began his report. He described the structure of Liu Yiguang's residence, the layout of the hidden space, and every item he had found in meticulous detail. His voice was calm and composed, without a trace of superfluous emotion. He detailed the model of the radio, the type of weapon, and the characteristics of the code book. He even mentioned the overturned table and chairs in the room and the faint smell of chemicals that lingered in the air.

"...Finally, I found three hidden iron cabinets."

When Lu Yang said this, his tone paused slightly.

Lin Shaopu's gaze became sharper.

"what is inside?"

Lu Yang did not avoid the question, nor did he directly talk about money.

"In the first cabinet, there's a large amount of US dollars. Preliminary estimation is no less than 900,000."

he said calmly.

Lin Shaopu leaned forward slightly, a flicker of emotion in his eyes. Nine hundred thousand US dollars, in this era, was definitely a figure that could shake many things.

"In the second cabinet, there are French currency and gold bars."

Lu Yang continued.

“The amount is equally huge.”

Lin Shaopu's breathing became heavier. He didn't say anything, just listened quietly.

"In the third cabinet were two radios, two hand-crank generators, four Browning M1910 pistols, and plenty of ammunition."

Lu Yang told Lin Shaopu all the information he thought he needed to know.

"as well as……"

He looked at Lin Shaopu.

"A small booklet containing a code book with Arabic numerals and Japanese characters."

Lin Shaopu's eyes suddenly lit up. He put his hands on the table and stood up.

"Codebook!"

His voice was no longer calm, filled with excitement that was difficult to conceal.

"Are you sure it's a code book?"

"I'm sure."

Lu Yang said.

"There's a Japanese translation on it."

Lin Shaopu was pacing back and forth in the office. He suddenly stopped and looked at Lu Yang.

"And the money?"

His eyes fell on Lu Yang again.

"You left it at the police station?"

Lu Yang's expression did not change.

"Yes, Commander Lin."

Lu Yang said.

"The amount is huge. Bringing it back rashly would be inappropriate. I have instructed the police to keep it under guard and have left my assistant on duty."

Lin Shaopu's expression was somewhat complicated. He looked at Lu Yang with a subtle scrutiny in his eyes.

"You should be cautious."

His voice was very soft, but it made Lu Yang's heart tighten.

"But, with such a huge sum of money left in a place like the police station, aren't you afraid of something going wrong?"

Lu Yang met Lin Shaopu's gaze.

"I believe they won't act rashly before the special operations team arrives. Furthermore, there are my secret codes inside."

He told a small lie, but his tone was flawless.

Lin Shaopu nodded without further questioning. He walked back to his desk and sat down again.

He picked up a document from the table.

"The code book has been sent for decryption."

Lin Shaopu said.

"However, preliminary judgment shows that this code book is very complex."

He looked at Lu Yang.

"Our cryptographer, this might take some time."

Lu Yang's heart sank suddenly.

time.

What he lacks most is time.

"Commander Lin, I heard some clues about 'Shadow' in the base."

Lu Yang said.

"Seventh day, Hongkou Wharf."

Lin Shaopu's eyes became sharp again.

"you sure?"

"Yes, although it was only vague terms, I judge that it was most likely the time and place where General Ito and the commissioner from Tokyo handed over the intelligence."

Lin Shaopu tapped his index finger lightly on the table.

"Seven days."

he repeated.

"Time is really tight."

He thought for a moment.

"Lu Yang, the stronghold you discovered this time is extraordinary."

Lin Shaopu's tone became serious.

"This proves that the Japanese infiltration into the mountain city has reached an outrageous level."

"What's more, they're actually paying attention to one of our own."

His eyes fell on Lu Yang's face.

"What are your guesses about the identity of 'Shadow'?"

Lu Yang shook his head.