Anti-Japanese War Espionage: I Have an Omniscient Perspective

Lin Rui listened quietly, a feeling of being touched welling up inside him.

Since his transmigration, he has seen too many opportunists and cowards, and too many people who betray their country and faith for profit, but he has never seen a pure person like Huang Dazhu.

Without complicated thoughts or excessive expectations, they were willing to give their all and be devoted to each other simply because of a debt of gratitude.

Perhaps in Huang Dazhu's heart, this is his life principle: simple, honest, and straightforward.

This just proves the old saying: "The most righteous are often the lowly butchers, and the most treacherous are often the scholars."

All the words I had prepared were reduced to a simple request.

Lin Rui patted Huang Dazhu's shoulder with moderate force, his expression conveying both approval and solemnity: "Dazhu, following me will indeed be very dangerous, but I assure you, as long as I, Lin Rui, am alive, we are family, and I will never let you down."

Huang Dazhu smiled broadly, nodded vigorously, and said firmly, "Yes! I'll listen to the boss!"

"Alright, you go home first. I'll think about what to do and then come find you," Lin Rui instructed, and then the two parted ways.

.......

Back at the film studio, Lin Rui closed his office door and sat alone.

Accepting Huang Dazhu meant that he began to have subordinates who were completely obedient to him.

This is just the beginning. What should we do next?

Although he was under the control of the Military Intelligence Bureau, he was unwilling to passively obey orders, as doing so would lead him into a dangerous abyss due to the Bureau's series of erroneous actions.

Therefore, one must possess one's own power, subordinates, wealth, safe houses, and even military reserves.

To do these things, we need to leverage external resources.

He spread out the paper, took out ink and a pen, dipped the pen in the ink, and wrote down what he knew about the forces in the French Concession.

From top to bottom.

French Consul General in Shanghai.

The Board of Directors is predominantly French, with five Chinese directors.

The Municipal Council has several departments, and all important positions are held by French people, while Chinese people can only hold middle and lower-level positions.

Police Department (commonly known as the Police Station): The most powerful department, headed by a Frenchman, with 7 police stations located in Central, Lujiawan, Xujiahui, Xiafei, Xiaodongmen, Laoximen, and Pétain.

Engineering Department: Responsible for the construction and maintenance of municipal engineering projects such as roads, bridges, and buildings within the concession.

Tax Office: Collects various taxes such as land tax, property tax, and business tax.

Health Bureau: Responsible for public health, epidemic prevention, and food and drug supervision.

Firefighting Committee: Responsible for firefighting and disaster relief work.

Education Department: Management of schools within the French Concession

Another source of violence was the French garrison in the concession: approximately 2000 French troops, along with a small number of tanks.

This is the power structure at the top.

The middle class consisted of gangs, the merchant class, intellectuals, and artists (Bale Street).

Among the gangs, the Green Gang was the largest, and Huang Jinrong, Du Yuesheng, and Zhang Xiaolin were the three tycoons of the Green Gang.

Huang was the former chief inspector of the Chinese police station and the most senior of the three big bosses of the Green Gang, wielding considerable influence.

Du has left and is now living in Hong Kong because he participated in organizing the "Special Action Team of the Jiangsu-Zhejiang Action Committee" to resist the Japanese.

Zhang is known for his ruthlessness and has a bad reputation. He is expected to collude with the Japanese in the future and will be on the Kuomintang's assassination list.

Among the gangs were the Northern Jiangsu Gang, the Small Knife Society, and the Axe Gang, which also had their own influence in the shadows of the concession, involving all walks of life in the concession.

Other influential entities included the consulates of various countries in the concessions and the Catholic Church.

The 1.5 Belarusian expatriates also constituted a significant force within the French Concession.

This is the power structure within the concessions.

Lin Rui looked at what he had written and fell into deep thought.

It is currently impossible to leverage the power structure at the top.

What about the gangs?

The Green Gang is based on seniority and social standing; it's not a place where just anyone can join. If you want to take a shortcut, you'd probably need someone of Huang Jinrong's rank to take you on as a disciple.

Other gangs are mostly formed by people from the same region banding together.

The Northern Jiangsu Gang is composed of people from northern Jiangsu, the Axe Gang is made up of laborers from Anhui, and the Small Knife Society is mainly composed of people from Fujian and Guangdong. If you are not a local, you cannot enter their circle.

Lin Rui thought and thought, but couldn't come up with a suitable solution.

Outside the window, on the streets of the French Concession, the occasional sound of police whistles and rickshaw bells mingled with the faint strains of jazz music in the distance, making him even more agitated.

Without leverage, all ideas about building one's own power are just castles in the air.

Just then, there was a gentle knock on the office door.

Lin Rui pulled himself together, got up and opened the door. Standing outside was Su Wan, her face pale and a hint of barely perceptible panic between her brows.

"Team leader, I have something to tell you." Su Wan walked into the office sideways, subconsciously glancing back at the corridor to make sure no one was there before lowering her voice and speaking with a hint of urgency, "I went out to buy something just now, and I saw my cousin on Belle Street."

Lin Rui raised an eyebrow. He remembered Su Wan's cousin; he had met her once before at the Contract Department Store. She was said to be an actress.

It's normal for them to come to Belle Street, since Belle Street is home to many intellectuals and artists.

"If you're worried she'll see you, then don't go out for now," Lin Rui replied.

Su Wan bit her lower lip. "I saw my cousin with a man. I've never seen this man before. Team leader, could you help me find out what their relationship is?"

"To keep an eye on your cousin?" Lin Rui asked in surprise.

"Yes, my aunt isn't in Shanghai. It's just the two of us here, and I'm worried she might get scammed."

Lin Rui pondered, recalling his cousin Su Wan's appearance. That charming and tall actress had probably long since adapted to the unspoken rules of Shanghai and become a socialite.

But seeing Su Wan's anxious look, Lin Rui decided to help her with this small favor.

"Alright, I'll go check for you. Where is he?"

Upon hearing this, Su Wan's anxiety subsided slightly: "Thank you, team leader. My cousin was wearing a moon-white cheongsam with her hair up. When I saw her just now, she was heading towards the Jincheng Grand Theater."

"Understood." Lin Rui turned around and picked up the scarf draped over the back of the chair. "You stay at the film studio and don't go out. I'll be right back." With that, he turned and walked out of the office, quickly leaving the film studio and heading towards the Jincheng Grand Theater.

She quickly found her cousin outside the Jincheng Grand Theater.

Just as Su Wan had predicted, the woman was wearing a moon-white cheongsam embroidered with magnolia blossoms, her long black hair was styled into a bun and adorned with a pearl hairpin. Her bright eyes and gentle smile were captivating. She was holding the arm of a middle-aged man, chatting and laughing as they stood by the steps of the grand theater. Their intimate behavior made them seem oblivious to the stares of passersby. Their demeanor suggested they were not just friends, but rather a couple deeply in love.