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

The Special Higher Police and No. 76 spent the entire night at the hospital without getting anything out of it. During this time, Ding Mocun and Feng Jinxiong both visited Zhou Hongyi, expressing their concern, and the latter successfully obtained some money for medicine from them.

"Hmph, I might as well take your money."

Zhou Hongyi finally found peace and quiet, spending three whole days in the hospital ward, pampered and waited on hand and foot. During these three days, Number 76 and the Special Higher Police came to question him again about the details of that day, and Xiao Bei was also questioned three times, but fortunately they managed to evade the questions each time.

On the fourth day, Kondo finally ordered Zhou Hongyi to be temporarily cleared of suspicion, allowing him to go home and return to work. If he wished, he could also join the Special Higher Police's investigation team for this case.

However, our young master Zhou did not agree for the time being, but he did not refuse either. He only said that he needed to take a few days to recover his health, and that he was determined to avenge Mr. Su.

Deputy Director Zhou, whom we haven't seen in a long time, appeared at the Second Branch once again. The police officers from each team burst into enthusiastic applause, clearly regarding him as their rightful superior.

"Director Zhou, you've worked hard!"

"Chief, you've once again displayed your prowess, driving away the assassins. People say that those who survive a great calamity are destined for good fortune. Chief, you can just sit back and wait for your promotion!"

"Yes, our Second Precinct will thrive under your leadership!"

Zhou Hongyi smiled and raised his hand to press down: "Brothers, I'm very gratified to have you supporting me. Ah Gui, distribute my gifts to the brothers. Everyone who follows me, Zhou Hongyi, will have plenty of good cigarettes and tea. I will also guarantee that you will earn more than your colleagues in other police stations. Of course, the premise is that you all listen to me and don't cause trouble. You can only do what I tell you to do. If I don't tell you to do something, pretend you don't see it even if you run into it. Understand?"

During the few days that Zhou Hongyi was recuperating, everyone had run out of good cigarettes and tea. However, they had tasted good things before, and their tastes had been cultivated by Zhou Hongyi. Going back to smoking those cheap cigarettes and drinking those cheap teas was unpleasant no matter how they smoked or drank them. This is a typical example of how easy it is to go from frugality to extravagance, but difficult to go from extravagance to frugality.

"Don't worry, Chief. All of us in the Second Branch will follow your lead. If you tell us to go east, we will never go west. If you tell us to beat a dog, we will never chase a chicken."

Wang Shun even started reciting a rhyme. Zhou Hongyi patted him on the shoulder with a smile, signaling everyone to return to their work stations, while he himself went to Feng Jinxiong's office.

The official transfer order for Feng Jinxiong has been issued, and he will soon be taking up his post at the Finance Department. Currently, several boxes of his belongings have been packed up in his office and are ready to be taken away. However, due to Zhou Hongyi's recent incident, his transfer has been delayed by a few days.

"Oh dear, Zhongliang, you've already survived two assassination attempts at such a young age. But things are turning around for the better!"

"Thank you for your concern, Director Feng. I'm tough, I can handle it."

Feng Jinxiong nodded, then took out a brocade box from the cabinet behind him and said, "Zhongliang, I'm about to be transferred. The personnel department has already agreed that you will take over my position. I believe the official documents will be issued in the next couple of days. Do a good job; your future is limitless. Don't say that your old leader didn't leave you anything. This is the operating fund for our Second Branch. Don't think it's too little; I know you don't lack this money. After I take office and get familiar with the work, let's not lose contact. Don't forget, I've always stood by you."

Feng Jinxiong opened the brocade box, and Zhou Hongyi raised an eyebrow. Inside, ten small, gleaming goldfish were neatly arranged. To be honest, this Director Feng hadn't accomplished much in his work, but his ability to amass wealth was truly remarkable, even Zhou Hongyi had to admire it.

"Don't worry, Director Feng. Zhongliang will definitely think of you first if there are any good things in the future. Besides, you are in your prime now. You can't stay in the position of director of the finance office until retirement. If there is an opportunity, you should try to move up the ranks."

Feng Jinxiong wanted to hear those words, but he also knew that these things couldn't be rushed. He should first solidify his position as the director of the finance office and get to know the job thoroughly before thinking about anything else.

"Hehehe, thanks for your kind words, Zhongliang. So, from today onwards, this office is yours, Director Zhou."

"Let me see you off, Director Feng."

The two reached out and shook hands, both with smiles on their faces, everything understood without words.

After Feng Jinxiong left in his car with his personal belongings, Zhou Hongyi immediately moved into his new office.

He leaned back in the large, comfortable leather chair, put his feet on the table in front of him, felt it for a moment, and said with a smirk, "Not bad, the height angle between this chair and the desk is just right. No wonder everyone wants to be a leader."

Just as Zhou Hongyi received his appointment document and officially took over the Jing'an Second Branch, Kondo and Li Shiqun, wearing masks, were already performing autopsies on Mr. Su's and the doctor's bodies.

"Sir, we found a special toxic substance—nitrobenzene—in the deceased's stomach and blood. It is a relatively common chemical raw material, but the amount ingested by the deceased should not have been enough to cause death. It is very likely that this substance combined with other substances to form a new toxin, which caused the poisoned person to experience symptoms such as difficulty breathing and cardiac arrest in a very short time."

With blood still on his hands, a military doctor from the Special Higher Police was already reporting his findings to Kondo.

"Investigate further. Turn his stomach inside out again, and his intestines too. I need to know exactly what nitrobenzene combines with to produce this new poison. Also, trace the source of these raw materials."

The military doctor nodded and accepted the order to continue the research and conduct drug toxicology analysis.

After giving instructions to the medic, Kondo turned his attention to the doctor's disemboweled body. After a detailed autopsy, it was found that the doctor died from excessive air injected into his aorta, while the nurse had her neck snapped in an instant. This seemed to confirm Zhou Hongyi's description that the assassin was highly skilled at killing with his bare hands, even surpassing Kondo's abilities.

"Baka yarou... Just who is he? Director Li, have you finished checking the list of assassins in Shanghai?"

Li Shiqun, standing to the side, immediately replied, "We've investigated them all. Several people we interviewed have alibis; they weren't in Shanghai on the night of the incident. There are still a few people whose whereabouts are unknown, but we can't rule out the possibility that they were top assassins sent by the Kuomintang or the Communist Party. However, based on our speculation, the Kuomintang is the most likely suspect, since the man surnamed Su was previously a liaison for the Kuomintang, and his defection has had the greatest direct impact on the Kuomintang."

"Hmm..." Kondo squinted, pondered for a moment, and asked, "But didn't you say that, based on his previous revelations, you had already conducted a surprise raid on all the underground Red Party contacts around Shanghai? This assassin didn't appear then, so why did he choose this time to appear?"

Li Shiqun tried to deduce: "Does Commander Kondo mean that this assassin has only been in Shanghai for a short time?"

Kondo said coldly, "There's another possibility: he's been lurking in Shanghai for quite some time, but hasn't made a move until now. It was only after Mr. Su joined our Imperial Army that an assassin of his caliber was able to activate his skills. However, there's still one question I can't answer."

Li Shiqun didn't ask; he knew Kondo would tell him soon. He just stood there listening carefully.

"I find it strange. If that assassin could poison Mr. Su to death without anyone noticing, why didn't he use the same poison when dealing with Zhou Hongyi? Could it be that his poison was only enough to kill one person? This Sasuke seems to be hiding many secrets. I should visit him more often in the future."