Chapter 60: Mention

Where is the Japanese spy?

Reporter Huang Yanfei is 100% a Japanese spy.

Wang Deling, the owner of Desheng Flour Mill, is also likely to be a Japanese spy. We'll find out when we meet.

And there's also Liu Xi in the concession...

'Assemble!'

'Yes!'

Soon, the whole squad assembled.

Zhang Yong is ready to take them to catch Huang Yanfei. Never mind. Just catch him first.

'Come here!'

But he is called over by Li Boqi again.

Zhang Yong doesn't want to see him now. He is distracted. But he has to pluck up the courage to enter Li Boqi's office.

'What are your actions?'

'Preparing to catch Huang Yanfei.'

'And then?'

'Catching him for interrogation!'

'And if you can't get a confession?'

'I'm not going undercover! No way!'

Zhang Yong sulked.

I'll arrest him!

Once I've arrested him, I'll find a way.

Since the previous punishments didn't work, I'll invent some new ones...

'The mission is cancelled.'

'What?'

'The mission to arrest Huang Yanfei is cancelled.'

'Yes.'

'Today, take a good rest. Tomorrow, take your entire team and go to the concession.

'What for?'

'To bring someone out of Tilanqiao Prison.'

'Huh?'

Zhang Yong is at a loss.

Tilanqiao Prison? Bring someone? What kind of someone?

A prisoner?

'I've already coordinated with the concessionary Public Works Bureau to bail someone out of Tilanqiao Prison to join your team.'

'For me?'

'Yes.'

Li Boqi nods.

Zhang Yong: ?

What's going on?

Add someone to my team? Get someone from prison?

Is there no one else?

Must it be someone from prison? What kind of special person?

"Here are his details.'

'Oh.'

Zhang Yong took the folder.

He noticed a document inside. It was all blank. Including the name.

Confused.

What's this about?

Why is there nothing in it? What's the point of giving it to me? A guessing game?

'His past is unimportant.'

'What's important is his current identity.'

'After you mention the person, figure it out yourself and give him a cover identity,'

Li Boqi said methodically.

Zhang Yong still didn't understand.

'Isn't he joining the Action Team?'

'That's right. He's part of your Action Team. However, he will assist in the shadows. Not in the open. And he won't make his identity public.'

'Then...'

'He can carry out some secret missions. Your hidden identity is only known to you. You don't need to inform anyone else. Including me. Including Boss Dai.'

'Yes,'

Zhang Yong replied slowly.

He was secretly resentful. Being an agent was really complicated. Was this considered a secret post?

It was nerve-wracking...

'The foreigners at the Public Works Department are all very slippery,' Li Boqi gestured for him to sit down. However, Zhang Yong remained standing straight.

'They are not willing to pay the reward of 5,000 US dollars that they promised you,' Li Boqi continued, 'In exchange, they have allowed us to select ten people from the Tilanqiao Prison to fill the quota.'

'Ten people?'

'Yes. Except for political prisoners and those sentenced to death. Everyone else is fine.'

'What is a political prisoner?'

'Someone who is identified as a member of the Red Party.'

'Oh.'

'Then why mention just one?'

'Because the quota is precious! Five hundred dollars each! Do you want to waste it?'

'That's right.'

Zhang Yong nodded.

In those days, five hundred dollars was very powerful.

Really, the price of a car is only two or three hundred dollars. Not just anyone can afford it.

Damn Americans and British, they are really crafty.

They actually came up with such a scheme. I guess the five thousand dollars must have ended up in their pockets.

Five thousand dollars! It hurts...

'You can decide on the other nine places yourself. You don't need to tell me. And you don't need to tell anyone else either.'

'What?'

'You were supposed to earn that $5,000. Now the foreigners are being dishonest and using people to fill the quota. Naturally, you get to decide on these ten places.'

'But I don't know anything!'

'Figure it out yourself. Everyone in prison is talented. Use them well, and you'll have your own team.'

'Er...'

Zhang Yong hesitated.

ADVERTISEMENT

It seemed to be the case. But weren't the others talented?

Why must they be from prison? And for 500 US dollars each! You must know that 500 US dollars in those days was equivalent to at least 10,000 US dollars in later times!

"By the way, Wang Deling is missing.'

'I suspect he has gone to the concession area. You go and check.'

'After you find Wang Deling, don't alert him,'

Li Boqi continued.

Zhang Yong: ???

Another long-term plan to catch a big fish? Not afraid that he will run away again?

It feels like taking the long-term approach is risky every time. It's safer to just shoot him in the knee and drag him back.

Of course, he was just thinking out loud. He definitely wouldn't object to this face-to-face.

Just listen to what the higher-ups say.

Even if something goes wrong, it's the higher-ups' fault. It has nothing to do with him.

Besides, there is some concern. If he gets caught and ends up not talking, it will really be difficult.

'I'll go to Tilanqiao Prison tomorrow.'

'Be careful.'

'I'll take Zhongyang and Wu Liuqi. And three more people. Two cars...'

'What did I tell you before?'

'Bring the whole team,'

Zhang Yong hastily corrected himself.

Since Li Boqi had repeatedly emphasised it, he of course gladly accepted.

Just bring the whole team.

And bring enough Thompson submachine guns. Just in case someone tries to sneak up on us.

The previous lesson was still fresh in his mind.

First, there should be a lot of people.

Second, there should be a lot of guns.

If there's a third thing, it's money!

That way, you'll be safe.

However, it's a bit difficult to bring Thompson submachine guns into the concession. They are long weapons after all. It's not as easy to hide them as handguns.

I remember Zhu Yuan.

Okay. First, I'll give this guy a call.

If Zhu Yuan is willing to cooperate, it'll be relatively easy to do something inside the concession.

Back in his office, he calls Zhu Yuan.

The call was put through with some difficulty. It took more than a minute before Zhu Yuan answered.

'Captain Zhu, it's me, Zhang Yong.'

'Oh, it's Captain Zhang. What can I do for you? When are you coming to the concession to have some fun? Dr Liu says she misses you.'

'I'm going to Tilanqiao Prison tomorrow. Do you know anything about it?'

'What are you doing in prison?'

'Something. Since you're not qualified to know, I won't tell you.'

'I...'

Zhu Yuan was silent.

Big brother, can you be a bit more tactful?

What do you mean I'm not qualified to know? I don't run Tilanqiao Prison. How could I possibly know?

Depressed...

'I'm going to take some Thompson submachine guns in with me tomorrow...'

'No.'

'Name your price.'

'This isn't about price...'

'Then forget it!'

'Wait!'

Zhu Yuan smiled wryly.

As soon as he heard Zhang Yong's voice, he knew he was going to be forced to do things his way.

In fact, the concession was so big and there were so many border areas, it would be no problem at all to bring in a few guns.

Most likely, Zhang Yong was a rookie and had not yet figured out the ropes. That was why he had called him.

Once this guy got to know the gangs, there would be nothing for the police to do.

The Green Gang, Hung Society, and the Dagger Society, what's a few submachine guns? He could even get you a light machine gun!

The most outrageous thing is that when Li Yuanqing cracked an arms case last time, there were even mortars!

They were American-made mortars with a caliber of 81 millimeters.

There were also a hundred rounds of ammunition!

It was downright outrageous!

'Tomorrow morning at 9 o'clock. I'll be patrolling the Zhabei intersection,' Zhu Yuan said angrily, "You owe me a favor!'

'Understood," Zhang Yong replied stiffly.

He was indeed annoyed by the Intelligence Department's plan to use a borrowed knife to kill.

If an order really came from above, Li Boqi would have no way to resist.

What would he do then?

Would he carry out the order? Or would he run away?

If he ran away, how would he do it? And where would he go?

The more he thought about it, the more annoyed he became.

'Tomorrow night, Dr. Liu and I will meet you. The usual place. The Kang Le Western Restaurant. You must be there!'

'What does she want with me?'

'Maybe she's taken a liking to you. She wants to recruit you as a son-in-law!'

'Okay. I'll definitely be there.'

'Good!'

Zhu Yuan hung up the phone.

Zhang Yong slowly put down the receiver. He thoughtfully tapped on the glass table top.

Li Boqi's desk had a glass top, so he had also installed one. It felt pretty good. It made him look like an old-fashioned cadre. Haha.

Zhu Yuan...

is a slippery one.

I owe this guy a favour, and it won't be easy to repay in the future.

But that's how it is with human relationships. You help me, I help you. Benefits are exchanged, and they last a long time. After December 7, 1941, maybe we can even join forces and fight together.

In fact, it doesn't have to be that long-term. Just two years later, Shanghai fell, and the concession was a good refuge.

The Japanese invaders didn't dare send troops to occupy the concession, and could only send in the Special Higher Police Department and the 76th Division, which were not large in number, so Zhang Yong had nothing to fear.

The only thing that was hard to defend against was the hidden arrow from behind!