Espionage: You're tasked with spying, but you'll blow up the Special Higher Police?

However, while Zhou Hongyi admired them in his heart, he still had to maintain appearances. After all, he was in the enemy camp and needed to gain the Japanese soldiers' trust.

"President Hasegawa, please make sure to leave the three businessmen we met today to me. I guarantee they will come to us on their own initiative tomorrow, seeking cooperation with us."

Zhou Hongyi's face revealed a murderous intent as he volunteered to the club president.

Hasegawa was initially angry, but seeing that Zhou Hongyi had taken the initiative to take on the task, he decided to test him. He smiled and nodded, saying, "Alright, Sasuke-kun, I'll leave this to you. But remember, don't cause any deaths. After all, our empire is here to achieve common prosperity."

Zhou Hongyi sneered inwardly, but on the surface he still said respectfully, "Please rest assured, President, I know what I'm doing and I know what to do."

After receiving the orders, Zhou Hongyi, along with Chen Gong and a group of brothers from the Military Intelligence Bureau, rushed to the home of Boss Wan, the very place that had given them the first cold shoulder.

Chen Gong followed behind and asked in a low voice, "Brother, are you really going to take action against these patriotic anti-Japanese businessmen?"

Zhou Hongyi whispered, "We definitely have to take action, after all, we have to show the Japanese. But we absolutely can't let patriotic businessmen lose heart. However, the self-inflicted injury ruse still has to be staged. Afterwards, we must make up for it with the Japanese. Brother, the brothers are all professionals, can you make it look like they're in a terrible state, but actually not seriously injured?"

Chen Gong stroked his beard and pounded his chest with his fist, saying, "Don't worry, brother, we're experts in this area."

And so, Zhou Hongyi led a group of men to Boss Wan's doorstep, looking menacing.

Mr. Wan was in the grain business, owning more than twenty grain sales outlets and three granaries in the Jiangnan and Jiangbei areas. Before the fall of Shanghai, he had the opportunity to move his family elsewhere, but he resolutely stayed. Mr. Wan was born and raised here, and seeing his familiar neighbors suffering from the ravages of war, lacking clothes and food, pained him deeply. He thought that staying would help his fellow villagers no matter what.

However, after the outbreak of war, he did indeed do just that, often delivering food to his old neighbors at night. Of course, he didn't just give unconditionally; he would also gather women whose families no longer had men and who were unable to support themselves to work for him, which could be considered as saving their lives in a roundabout way.

Imagine how Zhou Hongyi could bear to harm such a good boss? But now time is of the essence, and the worse he is beaten, the more he is actually saving him.

Boss Wan's real name is Wan Chonglin. He is in his early fifties. He has a square face, big eyes, and thick eyebrows. Just by looking at his face, you can tell he has an upright demeanor.

When Zhou Hongyi and his men arrived, Boss Wan seemed to have anticipated it. He led his shop assistants and servants, armed with sticks, to block them at the door.

"Hmph, you bunch of Japanese lackeys, I knew long ago that if I refused to cooperate with you, you would definitely resort to underhanded tactics! I just didn't expect it to happen so soon... Don't think I don't know what you're up to. You want to control all the local merchants in Shanghai, monopolize the local people's food, clothing, housing and transportation, and control the people from the root!"

"Let me tell you, don't even think about it! You little Japanese devils are one thing, but do you even know what blood flows in your veins? Do you even know who your ancestors were? Do you have parents? Do you have children? How can you face them? Traitors, lackeys, collaborators!"

This Wan Chonglin, the boss, was quite capable of spewing insults. When he saw Zhou Hongyi and his group coming over, he pointed at them and kept cursing, making several of the Kuomintang brothers feel ashamed and wanting to back down.

Zhou Hongyi patted the shoulders of his brothers, telling them to step back, and then stepped forward with a cold smile, saying:

"Damn it, a bunch of scoundrels, they don't know what's good for them! Our Sakura Trading Company has taken a liking to you and wants to cooperate with you. That's a rare opportunity. President Hasegawa is also the purchasing specialist of the Ministry of Finance. As long as you work for the Imperial Army, you can make as much money as you want. Isn't that better than you struggling to make a living like this, barely earning any money every day, and having your earnings taken by those poor bastards?"

"I bother!"

Upon hearing this, Wan Chonglin sucked up a mouthful of phlegm and suddenly spat it at Zhou Hongyi. The latter dodged to the side perfectly, and the phlegm landed directly on Chen Gong's beard, making him extremely disgusted.

"How dare you say that? You're telling us to make money? I'm afraid that if we join your chamber of commerce, all our grain will be taken away and embezzled by those Japanese devils! What will our compatriots eat then? What will our neighbors eat? What will our descendants eat?"

Zhou Hongyi raised an eyebrow, kicked a servant beside him, knocking him to the ground, and roared, "I don't care what you eat! All I know is that if you don't obediently go to the Sakura Merchant Guild today and sign a contract with our president to join the business alliance, every single one of you standing here won't even get to eat lunch today. You'll be eating your last meal in the underworld! Get them! Take all their weapons and let these blind fools see what happens when they oppose the Imperial Army and the Sakura Merchant Guild!"

Zhou Hongyi put on a fierce look, waved his hand, and ordered Chen Gong to lead his men to charge forward, while he himself shrank back.

The bearded man had just wiped his face clean when he heard Zhou Hongyi's order. He was furious. "Why don't you do it yourself? You're making us do this kind of morally torturous thing! If it weren't for the generous payment you're making, I would have quit!"

Chen Gong steeled his resolve and gritted his teeth, saying, "Go!"

These assassins from the Military Intelligence Bureau were all highly skilled in individual combat. They were no match for these lacking martial arts skills and servants; they could easily take on three or even four men at once. Within minutes, they had all of them on the ground, groaning in pain.

Of course, they all kept their distance and followed Zhou Hongyi's instructions. They looked quite miserable, but in reality, they weren't seriously injured.

"What...what do you want to do? You think you can kill me in broad daylight?!"

Wan Chonglin was also terrified by the situation. He had thought that with so many people on his side and such a large business, even if the Japanese wanted to use force, they wouldn't commit violence in broad daylight. After all, they wanted to create a facade of "we're all getting along." But he never expected that these traitors would attack so suddenly, even beating all his employees and servants. Judging from their pained expressions, they seemed to be seriously injured.

Zhou Hongyi led Chen Gong to Wan Chonglin's side, put his arm around his shoulder, pulled him closer, and said through gritted teeth in the other's ear, "Boss Wan, you have to sign this contract today, whether you like it or not. Even if I drag your corpse over and press your fingerprint on the contract, I won't hesitate. No one dares to refuse what I, Zhou Hongyi, do."

Although Zhou Hongyi outwardly uttered these terrifying and infuriating ravings, he actually managed to squeeze out a sentence through gritted teeth that reached Boss Wan's ears:

"Don't worry, Mr. Wan. We're all just like you, putting on a show for the Japanese. Your employees and servants are fine. Just agree to the contract on the surface for now, don't be so adamant. I'll mediate, and then we'll work together to fleece the Japanese."