Spy Wars: Get the Predator equipment at the beginning

French Concession Police Department.

Two uniformed police officers were yawning idly at the main gate when two cars drove up from the street, turned the corner, and headed towards the police station gate.

Two police officers carrying rifles immediately stopped the two cars when they realized that the vehicles were not from the police department or even had license plates from the French Concession.

"Identities!" The officer on the left walked to the first car, bent down, and looked inside.

Sitting in the back seat, Murata Takasuke pulled out an identification card and handed it to the police officer, saying, "I am Murata Takasuke, the head of the Special Higher Police. I have business to discuss with Chief Inspector Ma. Please inform him!"

The police officer took the ID, opened it, looked at it, returned it to Murata Kosuke, and then pointed to Li Qun sitting next to Murata Kosuke: "Your ID!"

“I am Li Qun from Unit 76. This is my identification. I am here with Section Chief Murata to see Chief Inspector Ma!” Li Qun said, handing over a document.

After checking the documents and finding no problems, the police returned the documents and said, "Wait a moment, I'll call and ask if Officer Ma is here!"

Ma Dazhi was processing official documents in his office when the phone on his desk rang urgently. He answered, "Hello?"

"Commander Ma, this is the gate. Chief Murata Takasuke of the Special Higher Police and Li Qun of No. 76 want to see you. Can you see them?" came the voice of the gate patrolman on the phone.

After listening, Ma Dazhi quickly understood the purpose of Murata Takasuke and Li Qun's visit. After a moment's thought, he asked, "How many people did they bring?"

“Two vehicles, eight people including the drivers!” the patrol officer at the gate said.

After hearing this, Ma Dazhi said, "Please invite Murata Takasuke and Li Qun in. Let the others wait outside. Take them to the reception room on the third floor!"

"Yes, Commander Ma!"

Murata Takasuke and Li Qun were taken to the reception room. The two drank two cups of tea and went to the toilet once. Half an hour passed, but Ma Dazhi was still nowhere to be seen.

"This Ma Dazhi is really too arrogant, making us wait for so long. He clearly doesn't respect Mr. Murata!" Li Qun said, feigning indignation.

Murata Takasuke said calmly, "Li Sang, calm down! Ma Dazhi couldn't possibly not know that we've arrested Liu Changhe. He also knows that we'll definitely come looking for him. He's trying to embarrass us, to make us agitated and lose our composure, so we can't rush things!"

"Murata-sama is truly brilliant. I admire him greatly!" Li Qun smiled and gave a thumbs up.

Two minutes later, Ma Dazhi finally appeared at the door of the meeting room, followed by several senior police officers.

"Section Chief Murata, Director Li, I'm so sorry, I've been in a meeting and couldn't get away. I'm so sorry to have kept you waiting. Please forgive me!"

Ma Dazhi, dressed in a crisp uniform, walked in, talking as he reached out his hand to Murata Takasuke.

“As Chief Inspector of the French Concession Police Department, Chief Inspector Ma is extremely busy. Our arrival was too sudden, and we didn’t give you any prior notice. We should apologize to Chief Inspector Ma for disturbing your work!” Murata Takasuke said, shaking hands with Ma Dazhi.

"No problem, no problem!" Ma Dazhi said, then looked at Li Qun and said with a smile, "This must be Director Li. In recent years, Director Li's name has been widely known in Shanghai. It's a pleasure to meet you!"

Li Qun shook hands with Ma Dazhi: "Commander Ma, it's a pleasure to meet you. Our visit this time was quite unexpected and we apologize for our intrusion!"

"Please sit down!" Ma Dazhi gestured for them to sit, and the three of them sat down on the sofa in the reception room, one as host and the other as guests.

The secretary quickly brought tea, placed it on the coffee table, and then stepped aside.

After inviting the two men to have some tea, Ma Dazhi asked, "I know you two are both very busy people. As the saying goes, you don't visit a temple without a reason. May I ask what brings you here today?"

Murata Takasuke put down his teacup, bowed slightly, and said, "I wouldn't presume to offer guidance, but something has indeed happened recently that concerns Commander Ma. Lately, large quantities of rice from rural areas have been purchased by the Grain Bureau, but the Grain Bureau personnel have colluded with a gang leader named Liu Changhe to resell the rice from the Grain Bureau."

"Because the grain bureau has run out of rice to deliver to the military logistics department, a large number of our Imperial Army soldiers at the front are not able to eat rice balls and can only fill their stomachs with coarse grains. This has seriously affected the army's combat effectiveness. His Excellency the Commander was furious about this and ordered us to thoroughly investigate the matter!"

"Liu Changhe is directly involved in this matter, so we arrested him and interrogated him. According to his confession, he said that he was coerced by Commander Ma into reselling rice. Is that true?"

Ma Dazhi lit a cigarette and took a puff. He looked at Murata Takayoshi and said, "Since you two are here today, I won't hide it from you. Since you already know, I can't deny it!"

"That's right, I did ask Liu Changhe to do this, but it wasn't coercion as you claim. It was an exchange of benefits. Liu Changhe and I had a business relationship; we each got what we needed. He sold me rice, and I paid him. As for where his rice came from, I don't know, and I don't want to know!"

Murata Takasuke and Li Qun exchanged glances. Li Qun said, "Commander Ma, you are a high-ranking officer in the French Concession Police Department. Not to mention that you have a generous salary, you also receive many gifts from your subordinates. You should not be short of money. Why are you still in the rice business?"

Ma Dazhi said, "Don't you know how high prices are outside? Prices are rising every day, but wages aren't. I think this situation isn't just in the French Concession, but also in the Chinese-controlled areas, right?"

"My men can barely support themselves on their meager salaries, let alone their families. So I have to find a way to supplement their income."

"So, this business isn't just mine; it's a joint business of all the Chinese police officers under the entire police force. We just want to take advantage of the good rice market right now and earn some money to support our families! Gentlemen, is there a problem with that?"

"As for your claim that your Imperial Army soldiers on the front lines can't get rice balls, that has nothing to do with me. I didn't cause them to not get rice balls. I just did rice business with Liu Changhe. This is none of your business, Special Higher Police and 76th Division, right?"

Murata Takasuke took a deep breath and asked, "Commander Ma, although this matter is not directly related to you, it is still caused by your purchase of a large quantity of rice!"

"Is that so? I'm sorry, but so what? You want to arrest me for interrogation? I'm afraid you don't have the authority or the ability!" Ma Dazhi finished speaking and let out a cold laugh.

Murata Takasuke quickly said, "Sir, please don't misunderstand. We have no such intention. We just want you to stop here. After all, we are allies with the French Concession, and we don't want things to end badly!"

"Also, I wonder where the 20 shi of rice you've already acquired are located? We're willing to buy them, but we hope Commander Ma can offer a price slightly lower than the market price."

Ma Dazhi shook his head and said, "I'm no longer in the rice business. After all, Liu Changhe was arrested by you, wasn't he? I've already sold all the rice I bought. Even if you want to buy some, I don't have any rice to sell to you!"

"By the way, on behalf of the Police Department, I formally inform you both that you must release Liu Changhe immediately. He is a resident of the French Concession, and it is outrageous for you to arrest our resident within the French Concession. If Liu Changhe does not return to the French Concession by 6 p.m. today, we will issue a formal note to your military leadership."