Anti-Japanese War Espionage: I Have an Omniscient Perspective

Two sacks of coarse grains and several sacks of cornmeal were quickly divided up cleanly in the refugee quarter of Belle Street.

As Huang Dazhu handed out the last handful of cornmeal, his eyes welled up with tears as he looked at the old woman who was holding the coarse grains and kowtowing to him repeatedly.

He reached out and helped the old woman up, his voice hoarse but strong: "Grandma, get up quickly. This little bit of food is nothing. We have limited resources, we just want you and your child to have a full meal."

The old woman rose shakily, clutching the handful of cornmeal tightly in her hand. Tears streamed down her wrinkled face as she murmured, "Benefactors, benefactors...you are truly living bodhisattvas. Without you, my little grandson and I probably wouldn't have made it through these last few days."

The surrounding refugees also gathered around, bowing deeply to Huang Dazhu and his brothers, their words of thanks echoing throughout the empty refugee area.

Huang Dazhu waved his hand, a simple smile on his face: "We just did what we could. Remember our name, the Loyalty Gang. As long as we are able, we will come to see you again and bring you some food and supplies."

He deliberately mentioned the name "Loyalty and Righteousness Gang" not to show off, but to remember Lin Rui's instructions to leave a lasting reputation for the gang.

The brothers echoed his sentiments.

As the sun gradually rose, it shone on the thin, haggard yet hopeful faces of the refugees, and also on Huang Dazhu and his brothers. At that moment, they were no longer soldiers in distress, no longer men struggling to survive, but became a glimmer of light in the darkness for the refugees.

However, this warmth and kindness were ultimately confined to a small area within the Baylor Street refugee district.

The upper class in the French Concession were busy pursuing fame and fortune and maneuvering among various forces; the gangsters on the streets were busy fighting for territory, amassing wealth and committing evil deeds; even ordinary citizens were only concerned with protecting their own families and struggling to survive in the chaos. No one cared whether a group of refugees could have a full meal, let alone what chivalrous deeds an unknown gang had done.

...

Meanwhile, inside the Tongfu Society's premises, a murderous atmosphere pervaded the air.

Zhang Xiaolin sat in the main seat, his face ashen. He slammed the teacup in his hand to the ground, shards flying everywhere, and tea soaked his subordinates' trouser legs.

"Useless! A bunch of useless trash!"

He roared, his voice hoarse, his eyes filled with rage.

"A tiny opium den, guarded by seven men, and it got raided! The opium was burned, the money was stolen, and you couldn't even find out who the robbers were. What use are you bunch of useless trash to me?!"

The men below the hall all lowered their heads, not daring to breathe, their bodies trembling.

The foreman in charge of guarding the opium den's knees buckled, and he collapsed to his knees with a thud, his forehead pressed tightly to the ground. His voice trembled as he said, "Boss, I'm incompetent! I deserve to die! That night, after receiving the news, I immediately led my men there, but they acted too quickly. Only the subdued guards were left at the scene; no other traces were left. I've sent men to search the area around Belle Street, but after a day and a night, we still haven't found any clues. We don't know who did it."

"Investigate! Keep investigating!" Zhang Xiaolin slammed his fist on the table, his tone fierce. "Even if we have to turn Belle Street upside down, we must find these audacious bastards! They dared to touch my things, dared to burn my opium, I'll tear them to pieces!"

What he cares about most is money and power. Although the opium den is not big, it is one of his channels for making money. Now that it has been raided, he has not only lost money, but also lost face. He will naturally not let this grudge go.

"Yes, Your Majesty!" the subordinates replied in unison, quickly got up, and hurriedly withdrew to continue their search.

Zhang Xiaolin sat in the main seat, his chest heaving, his anger barely contained. He tapped his fingers lightly on the table, his eyes sinister, secretly pondering, "Who did this? Daring to touch my opium den in the French Concession, it's either some arrogant thug or someone deliberately targeting me." His first thought was Wan Heilin. Ever since Boss Du left, he and Wan Heilin had been constantly at odds over territory and the opium trade, almost coming to blows several times. If it weren't for Huang Jinrong's intervention, they would have already clashed. Now that his opium den had been raided, it was likely Wan Heilin who had secretly taken action, trying to weaken his power.

Thinking of this, a murderous glint flashed in Zhang Xiaolin's eyes. He immediately ordered his men, "Go, keep an eye on the Du family's men. Report any unusual behavior to me immediately! Also, take a few men and go cause trouble near the opium dens controlled by the Du family. Make a scene! Since Wan Heilin dared to secretly plot against me, I dare to retaliate openly!"

The men dared not delay and immediately obeyed the order. Soon, several opium dens controlled by Du Men were harassed by Tongfu Society members. Doors and windows were smashed, employees were beaten, opium was thrown around, and the scene was a mess.

Du Men's men were naturally not going to let it go, and immediately organized a counterattack. The two sides clashed in the street, exchanging blows with knives and sticks.

Screams, fighting, and the sound of breaking objects mingled together, causing passersby to flee. Police officers rushed to the scene but could only manage to separate the two sides, unable to completely quell the conflict.

For a time, people in the French Concession were in a state of panic, and the conflict between the Tongfu Society and the Dumen intensified again, making the situation increasingly tense.

When Wan Heilin learned that his opium den had been vandalized, he was furious and wanted to take his men to the Tongfu Society's headquarters for revenge, but was stopped by his advisor.

"Boss, don't be impulsive!" the strategist said, bowing. "Zhang Xiaolin is furious right now. If we go to him, it will inevitably trigger a large-scale battle, resulting in mutual destruction. This will only allow Huang Jinrong to reap the benefits, and it will also incur the displeasure of the French Concession police. It's not worth it. Besides, our power is not what it used to be. Zhang Xiaolin has more men than us. If a fight breaks out, we may not be able to gain the upper hand."

Wan Heilin took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down.

He knew his advisor was right. The Du family's power was declining, and it was the time to stabilize the situation. He couldn't act rashly.

But he couldn't just let Zhang Xiaolin's revenge go unpunished, otherwise others would think the Du family was easy to bully, and more people would come to provoke them in the future.

"Then tell me, what should we do?" Wan Heilin asked coldly, his eyes filled with malice.

After a moment's thought, the strategist slowly said, "Boss, the best course of action right now is to bide our time, send people to keep an eye on the Tongfu Society's movements, and at the same time, expand our manpower and strengthen our capabilities as quickly as possible. In addition, we can go to Mr. Huang Jinrong and ask him to mediate again to stabilize the situation. Once we are strong enough, we can settle accounts with Zhang Xiaolin, regain our face, and seize his territory."

Wan Heilin nodded, his expression gradually softening: "Alright, we'll do as you say. Immediately send someone to contact Mr. Huang Jinrong. Also, send people everywhere to recruit men. Anyone who can fight and handle things, regardless of their background, can be recruited. They'll be treated well." He knew that what the Du family lacked most right now was manpower. Only by having enough strength could they gain the upper hand in the struggle with Zhang Xiaolin and gain a foothold in the chaotic French Concession.