Spy war in the Republic of China, peak undercover

Upon receiving the order, Lu Yang immediately opened the car door and got out, his movements quick and silent.

He walked to the back door of the black car and opened it respectfully, like a well-trained follower.

The back door was opened, and a faint smell of tobacco and wood filled the air.

The officer got out of the car.

He is not tall, but looks extremely capable.

He was wearing a well-tailored dark Mao suit, meticulously ironed, without a single wrinkle. He wore a pair of gold-rimmed glasses. His face was thin, with slightly high cheekbones, his eyes were deep and reserved, and his brows revealed the fatigue of years of worry.

His hair was meticulously combed and neatly pinned back, with a hint of gray at the temples. He wore a pair of white gloves, his knuckles slender, and he looked refined, like a scholar immersed in ancient papers rather than a military intelligence chief with the power of life and death. Lu Yang secretly observed him, secretly suspecting that this must be the legendary Director Dai Yunong, who was always in hiding.

The commander didn't say much, just nodded slightly and signaled Lu Yang to lead the way.

The two walked, one in front and one behind, along the irregular bluestone path into Sky Lantern Alley. The alley was narrow and deep, with houses closely connected on both sides, their black tiles and gray walls appearing dim in the night. The air was filled with the smell of damp earth and the faint aroma of food. The stone steps were a little slippery, polished by time until they were as smooth as a mirror. Lu Yang walked in front, his steps steady, each step catching the gaps between the stone slabs to avoid making too much noise.

Soon, they arrived at Liu Yiguang's residence. At the door, two agents in plain clothes stood as erect as stone statues, scanning their surroundings warily. Lu Yang instantly recognized them as colleagues from the mission he had carried out with him yesterday. When the two agents saw their superior appear, their eyes flashed with disbelief and shock. Their pupils suddenly contracted, their faces filled with surprise and a subtle awe. They immediately straightened their bodies and saluted their superior. Lu Yang sighed inwardly: life is full of surprises. Who could have imagined that a chance "encounter" would lead to such a significant figure?

The commander's eyes fell on the open door. He didn't go in, but raised his hand and pointed his index finger at the door.

"Liu Yiguang, live here?"

His voice was calm and questioning.

Lu Yang immediately answered affirmatively: "Yes, sir."

He bowed, gestured for permission, and then took the lead, entering the room. The officer followed closely behind him, while the two agents guarding the door remained standing outside, not moving an inch.

Everything in Liu Yiguang's room remained exactly as it had been when Lu Yang left it. The messy tables and chairs, the open drawers, and the faint smell of tobacco and sweat lingered in the air. Lu Yang walked straight to the center of the room and pointed at the open square entrance above the ceiling.

"Sir, the entrance is up there."

The officer followed Lu Yang's finger and saw the dark hole in the ceiling, with traces of prying around its edge. He didn't ask any more questions, but simply waved to the agents behind him.

"Go, open it."

An accompanying agent immediately brought a ladder from outside and positioned it securely beneath the ceiling entrance. Lu Yang also stepped forward to help, using his hand to push the loosened baffle open. A tiny cloud of dust fell from the ceiling, becoming noticeable in the dim light.

The commander assigned another agent who was thinner.

"Yang Zhongwu, go up and take a look."

Agent Yang Zhongwu, his form nimble and his movements quick, climbed the ladder without hesitation and slipped into the narrow space above the ceiling. There was a rustling sound from above, and a few seconds later, Yang Zhongwu's voice echoed from the ceiling, tinged with doubt.

"Sir, there are only a few old suitcases on it."

Lu Yang sneered inwardly at this. He knew Yang Zhongwu hadn't discovered the real secrets. He calmly pulled out his flashlight from his waist and turned it on. A bright beam of light immediately ripped through the darkness on the ceiling.

"Agent Yang, give me the flashlight. I'll go up and take a look."

Lu Yang's voice was calm.

Without thinking too much, Yang Zhongwu handed the flashlight to Lu Yang. Lu Yang took the flashlight, climbed up the ladder, and went into the ceiling.

The space above the ceiling was cramped and stuffy, the air thick with the smell of stale dust. Lu Yang crouched, illuminating the area ahead with the beam of his flashlight. He saw Yang Zhongwu standing next to several stacked old suitcases, a look of confusion on his face.

"Agent Yang, come here."

Lu Yang ignored the old suitcases and headed straight for the wall. In the dim flashlight, he spotted a few subtle cracks in the wall. He felt around for a moment, found the hidden mechanism, and deftly pressed it.

"Click!"

A slight mechanical sound was heard, and two hidden iron doors on the wall opened, revealing the space inside.

Yang Zhongwu's body trembled violently when he saw this scene, and his eyes widened instantly. His face was filled with shock, and he almost shouted out, "This...inside..."

In the iron cabinet, two radios, two hand-cranked generators, four Browning M1910 pistols, and sufficient ammunition were neatly placed there, shining with a cold metallic luster under the beam of the flashlight.

Lu Yang ignored Yang Zhongwu's shock and pointed his flashlight at the bottom of one of the radios.

"The code book is under the radio."

Yang Zhongwu woke up as if from a dream. He immediately stepped forward, carefully took out the booklet, and handed it to Lu Yang with trembling hands.

Lu Yang took the code book and without any hesitation, he turned around and handed the code book to the officer standing under the ladder.

The officer took the code book, stroking it lightly with his fingers before flipping it open. He looked at it carefully for a few seconds, a flicker of emotion in his eyes.

"This is indeed a Japanese code book."

His voice was calm, but there was a subtle hint of satisfaction in his tone.

Lu Yang pointed at another radio on the ceiling.

"Sir, there's also a code book under the other radio."

Yang Zhongwu stepped forward again, took out the code book and handed it to his superior.

The officer took the two code books, put them together and compared them.

"There are differences between these two code books."

The commander's voice was filled with a hint of hesitation.

"The level of secrecy needs to be determined."

He carefully put the two code books away and placed them in his arms. Then, he looked at Yang Zhongwu and Lu Yang.

"Carry all the items down."

There was an undeniable command in his voice.

Yang Zhongwu and Lu Yang immediately set to work, moving the radio, generator, and ammunition piece by piece out of the wall and carefully lowering them from the ceiling. The agents below met them, sorting the items into different categories and stacking them in a corner of the room.

After all the items were transported downstairs, the officer motioned for Lu Yang to remain in the room. He then waved his hand, dismissing all the accompanying agents. Soon, only the officer and Lu Yang were left in the room. The door closed gently, and the room fell silent once again, with only the heavy breathing of the two men to be heard.

The officer didn't say anything. He bent down and touched the floor lightly. He stretched out his finger, then borrowed Lu Yang's flashlight and shone it on his own finger. There was a thin layer of dust on his finger.

"Is this why you discovered the problem?"

The officer's voice was calm, with a hint of inquiry.

Lu Yang answered affirmatively: "Yes, sir."