Anti-Japanese War Espionage: I Have an Omniscient Perspective

At this critical juncture, Huang Dazhu did not shy away from the topic. Meeting the bodyguard's gaze, he nodded frankly: "It was done by our Loyalty Gang."

The Green Gang members were stunned, clearly not expecting Huang Dazhu to admit it so readily.

Hou San frowned and asked, "Do you know who's behind that opium den?"

"We know, they're Zhang Xiaolin's men. We're all from the battlefield, and we can't stand guys who've sided with the Japanese. Anyway, we brothers are starving, so if we're going to make a move, we'll go after them."

"How dare you! If you don't choose the Zhang family, are you going to target the Du family?"

Hou San rebuked him sternly, but Huang Dazhu was not afraid at all.

It looks like they're about to take action.

Just then, a hearty laugh came from behind the screen in the living room.

Then, a middle-aged man in a brocade robe came out; he was Wan Heilin, the leader of the Du Clan.

Wan Heilin walked up to Huang Dazhu, looked him up and down, and a hint of approval flashed in his eyes: "Well done, you dare to take responsibility! Not bad, you have guts and backbone. I've long disliked Zhang Xiaolin's collusion with the Japanese in private, but I couldn't take action because of the Japanese's power. You've really vented my anger."

He paused, then said solemnly, "Now that Nanjing has fallen and the situation in the French Concession is complex, the Du family needs capable and courageous people like you. I ask you, would you be willing to join my ranks?"

"I'm willing," Huang Dazhu said without hesitation.

"Since you're willing to join me, then I'll follow the rules of the Green Gang and accept you as my disciple. From now on, you, Huang Dazhu, are one of Wan Heilin's men, and the Loyalty Gang will also be under the jurisdiction of the Du family. I guarantee that you and your brothers will gain a firm foothold in the French Concession, and no one will dare to bully you!"

Huang Dazhu was overjoyed and respectfully kowtowed to Wan Heilin: "Disciple Huang Dazhu greets Master! Thank you for taking me in, Master. I will be loyal and devoted to you, and I will follow you through fire and water without hesitation!"

Wan Heilin let Huang Dazhu kneel: "Our Green Gang has very strict rules for joining. Once you join my sect, I will be your master. There will also be an introducer, a preacher, and elders from the sect to take on these roles. I will have Hou San tell you the rules. Tomorrow, we will hold an incense hall ceremony. Prepare everything before you formally become my disciple."

After saying that, Wan Heilin left.

Hou San said, "Get up. Tomorrow is the formal apprenticeship ceremony. I'll tell you what to prepare so you don't make a mistake and break the rules."

Huang Dazhu stood up, listened carefully to what Hou San said, and after confirming it again, he said goodbye and went back.

..........

It was already evening when Huang Dazhu came out of Wan Heilin's private residence.

Returning to the alleyway where the Loyal and Righteous Gang was located, I took a deep breath and was filled with emotion.

He himself could not have imagined that he could turn his life around like this in less than a month.

All of this is thanks to my employer.

He entered the alley, and his men greeted him: "Boss, how did it go?"

Huang Dazhu nodded: "It's settled. We'll hold the incense offering ceremony tomorrow. From now on, our Loyalty Gang will be under the Du family's control."

The brothers were overjoyed.

Having barely escaped death on the battlefield, he struggled to survive in the cracks of the French Concession, where he was bullied and oppressed, and even a full meal required him to fight desperately for it.

But today, by following Huang Dazhu, I finally have the right to stand upright and live a decent life in this chaotic world.

They were about to have a big celebration.

Huang Dazhu stopped him, saying, "Don't be too happy yet. The Green Gang has strict rules. We'll be holding the incense hall to formally accept apprentices tomorrow. I have an important matter to attend to right now."

"Right, right, what does the boss need to prepare?" Da Niu asked.

"You can't handle this, I'll go ask Manager Chen for help."

"Yes, Manager Chen is an educated man, he must know these things. Boss, we'll go with you."

"No, why would so many people go? You all stay home, change into clean clothes, and you'll all be there to help with the socializing at the banquet tomorrow, so make sure you look presentable."

Immediately afterwards, Huang Dazhu went out and headed to Lianhua Film Studio.

Zhao Erzhu, who was guarding the door, greeted him with a smile: "Chief Huang, what brings you to Lianhua Film Studio?"

"I'm looking for your Manager Chen."

"Then I'll go ask."

Zhao Erzhu went upstairs, and came down a moment later: "The manager said you can go up by yourself."

Huang Dazhu entered through the main gate and went up to the second floor. The door to the manager's office was open.

Lin Rui stood up and asked, "How was it?"

Huang Dazhu's face revealed undisguised excitement: "Boss, it's done! Boss Wan wants to take me under his wing."

Lin Rui nodded, closed the office door, and said, "Sit down and let's talk."

Huang Dazhu calmed himself down and explained the situation: "Boss Wan has accepted me into the Du family, and we'll hold an incense ceremony for my formal apprenticeship tomorrow. But I need to prepare an apprenticeship certificate. You know I'm illiterate, and so are my subordinates. Could you please help me get one?"

Lin Rui was stunned upon hearing this.

He was a modern man and knew nothing about the apprenticeship rules and name card format of the Green Gang during the Republic of China era, so he couldn't just write anything and make a fool of himself.

Oh, right, there's another cultured person in the group, Chen Shan. Although he's a bit rigid, he's still quite knowledgeable.

Immediately, Lin Rui opened the window and shouted down, "Zhao Yong, tell Chen Shouyi to come to my office."

He called out their pseudonyms. Zhao Erzhu went to call Chen Shan, and soon Chen Shan arrived at the manager's office.

"Chen Shouyi, do you know how to prepare the apprenticeship application form for the Green Gang?"

"A formal apprenticeship invitation? Manager, you want to become an apprentice of the Green Gang?" Chen Shan asked in surprise.

"No, it's that Chief Huang is going to become Wan Heilin's disciple. If you can write, get him one."

Chen Shan cupped his hands in a respectful gesture towards Huang Dazhu:

"Congratulations, Chief Huang. The Green Gang's apprenticeship invitation has a fixed format and wording, and there can be no mistakes. I used to know a few Green Gang friends, and I've seen them write these kinds of things. Leave this to me."

Upon hearing this, Huang Dazhu was overjoyed and said, "Then I'll have to trouble Mr. Chen Shan!"

"It was nothing, no need to be so polite."

Chen Shan asked Huang Dazhu to bring a large red paper with gold flecks, as well as a writing brush, ink, and inkstone, which he then spread out on the office table.

With a brush in hand, dipped in rich ink, the strokes are steady and powerful.

As he wrote, he explained it to Lin Rui and Huang Dazhu, who didn't understand:

"The Green Gang's apprenticeship invitation card must have the four characters 'Unwavering Faith' written in the center. This is the foundation of joining the gang. A promise is worth a thousand pieces of gold and must be kept until death."

As the pen touched the paper, the four dignified and weighty characters "信守不渝" (meaning "unwavering faith") appeared prominently in the center of the red paper.

"The inscription above should read: 'Your humble servant submits to the tutelage of Master Wan Heilin. Master Wan is your patron master, so you must address him as 'Master Wan' to show respect."

"The text below reads: 'It is entirely voluntary.' This indicates that joining the group was not forced, but rather a voluntary decision."

"On the back of the name card, you must write an oath: 'The lineage of our ancestors will last for ten thousand generations; water flows eastward, never looking back.' This is the oath of joining the sect. Once it is made, you must never betray your master or fellow disciples for the rest of your life."