Chapter 378: Comics

The Military Senate focuses on the word 'senate'.

If others listen to you, it is the Senate. If they don't listen to you, it's bullshit.

Will the chairman listen? Haha.

So it is basically a decoration.

Since it is a decoration, naturally there is nothing real to do.

There is no need to go to work on time.

It doesn't matter if you go or not.

You can come and go as you please.

You can leave whenever you want.

But the security is still very strict.

There is still a lot of military secrets stored inside.

Basically, a copy of all the combat plans will be sent to the Military Senate for archiving. President Tang has seen it.

You let someone else become the president, but you won't even let them see the military plans. That's too much.

'Sir, please show your ID.'

'Here!'

Zhang Yong took out his ID.

The sentry quickly let them pass.

A captain came out and offered to guide them in. At the same time, he gave a brief introduction.

Zhang Yong politely responded while silently monitoring his surroundings.

He didn't see any red dots. That meant there were no Japanese.

In such high-level institutions, there were generally no Japanese spies. Because they couldn't infiltrate.

Those who could get close here were all veterans with many years of service. Some seniority was required. And Japanese spies happened to lack this most. They were afraid to take risks in the battlefield.

If ten Japanese spies are sent into battle, and they all end up dead, then it's all been for nothing.

Even the best trained spies can't guarantee they'll survive the chaos of battle. Bullets don't know if you're a spy or not.

So the Japanese spies must have bribed someone on the inside.

The question now is, who exactly had contact with the Japanese spies and then secretly defected to them?

In theory, a quiet office like the Military Senate should not have too much contact with the outside world, unless the spy was targeting someone and luring them in.

'Ring ring ring...'

'Ring ring ring...'

Suddenly, the sound of a tram came from afar.

Zhang Yong subconsciously looked back. He saw a tram passing nearby. It was across the street.

Vaguely, did the tram feel a little familiar?

Strange...

He racked his brains.

'Captain, what's wrong?' Luo Yiming asked, flattering.

'Don't talk,' Zhang Yong gestured.

He was trying hard to remember why this tram looked familiar.

As a result, after a moment, he actually remembered.

He thought of the tram they encountered on the way when Nightingale took him to Zhang Xiaolin's stash.

There was a Japanese spy on the tram at the time. The conductor.

Yes, that's it. That's the tram.

The tram passing by now has no Japanese spy. It may be on the same route. It's a different tram.

A flash of inspiration came to him.

Could there be a connection between the Japanese spy who was the tram conductor and the traitor in the Military Senate?

"Yiming!'

'Yes!'

'Go and investigate all the stops this tram goes to. Draw me a map.'

'Yes!'

'And secretly invite someone from the tram company.'

'Yes!'

Luo Yiming immediately agreed and left.

Zhang Yong was about to speak when he suddenly saw an automobile arrive.

It was a brand new Stepanek sedan. But there were no license plates. Nor were there any markings.

Zhang Yong: ???

Who?

Could it be President Tang?

Did President Tang travel without guards?

In the end, he realised that he had been thinking too much.

The person who got out of the car was Tang Shengming.

Oh, someone must have informed him, so he came to greet him in person.

'Master Tang!'

'Shaolong!'

'I'm afraid not. You can just call me Zhang Yong.'

'It's more intimate to call me Shaolong. I didn't expect you to come so early. The riverside was quite lively last night, and I thought you might want to take a rest these past two days.'

'Last night was pure luck. I'm not really tired. I didn't even go in the water.'

'I told you the other day that it had worked out. I didn't expect that you would do such a great job again yesterday. I think Madam may assign you more work.'

'Why?'

'Those who are capable should work harder!'

'Hmmm...'

Zhang Yong thought to himself, the Third Bureau of Intelligence doesn't even have the funds to pay for its operations.

By 'those who are capable should work harder,' does that mean that they will make the cow work harder without giving it any grass to eat, and they will also make it work overtime?

"Have you found anything?'

'Not yet.'

'What are your suspicions? Can you tell me? I'd like to expand my knowledge.'

'I suspect the tram that passes by outside...'

Zhang Yong told him honestly.

Since the other party was being honest with him, he would not hide anything either.

For the time being, he did suspect that tram. Because there was a Japanese spy on that tram.

'What's your reason?'

'I discovered earlier that the conductor on this tram is Japanese.'

'Really?'

Tang Shengming was suddenly interested.

He looked up and looked outside the door. Across the street was the tram line.

Every day, many people from the Military Senate took this tram to and from work. Including many colonel-level officers. Even a major general was a member of the Senate.

Don't think that every officer has a car. In fact, most officers don't have a car.

Being transferred to the Military Senate is the same as being benched. Without real power,

How can they buy and maintain a car on a meagre salary alone?

Some officers may not even be able to support their families. I'm not exaggerating. This is the reality.

If you don't own property or you don't know how to be flexible, the salary really isn't enough to get by. That's why those in power are all fighting to corrupt.

'I've already sent someone to investigate. The specific situation depends on the results of the investigation.'

'Okay. Let's go inside and talk.'

'Okay!'

Zhang Yong followed Tang Shengming into the office building.

The office building of the Military Senate was quite new. It had been completed less than three years ago.

The Military Senate had been established in 1929. It wasn't very old. Previously, it had been located on Shuiyin Road, but it was too dilapidated. Later, a new building was specially funded and constructed.

Tang Shengming's brother had taken office at that time.

The reason he was chosen was because he no longer had any real power. There was no way he could control the Xiangjun. But he had seniority. He had a lot of prestige.

With seniority but no real power, he was the perfect choice to be the president of the Military Senate!

As a result, he served as president for three years.

'That was the only place in the Military Senate that required 24-hour guard duty.'

'Where was that?'

'The Archives Building. It stored all kinds of military documents.'

'Oh...'

Zhang Yong nodded.

He believed what Tang Shengming had said. In fact, it was true.

No Japanese spies would go to any other place, even if it wasn't guarded, because there was nothing they needed there.

Only this archive building. It stores a large number of military documents. Among them are many secret combat plans. This is what the Japanese spies need. The traitor they have recruited is naturally also after the military secrets inside.

'I have prepared a list of all personnel who have access to the archive building.'

'Can't you screen it yourself?'

'I haven't screened it. I don't feel anyone is suspicious.'

'Let me have a look then!'

Zhang Yong actually didn't have much confidence in himself.

Just looking at the information, he wouldn't be able to screen it either. The traitor wasn't shown.

But it can be said for sure that the traitor's rank should be between the three ranks of lieutenant colonel, colonel, and major general.

If the rank is too low, the traitor will not have access to many secrets.

If the rank is too high, it will be difficult to bribe the traitor. It will also be easy to expose the traitor. It will be easy to narrow down the investigation.

Lieutenant colonel and colonel are the best. There are many of them, and they are inconspicuous.

In fact, there are thirty colonel officers circled by Tang Shengming. There are fifty lieutenant colonel officers.

Even the military advisers above the rank of major general numbered nine.

This military senate was full of hidden dragons and crouching tigers! They had no real power, but they were very rich in military ranks.

This was one way Chiang Kai-shek dealt with rival generals.

He would strip them of their military power, then promote and promote them, and then place them in the military senate.

You'll be promoted. But please sit on the bench. It never failed.

Within just a few years, the military senate was already overflowing with officers and overcrowded. When the war of resistance began, it was even more exaggerated. It could almost be said to have become a retirement home for military officers.

It can be said without any hesitation that simply by releasing the officers of the Military Senate, they could command armies of millions.

Among them, there were nearly 100 titular lieutenant generals at the peak of the period. This shows the extent to which military ranks have proliferated.

The only thing that depreciates faster than military ranks is probably only legal tender.

Looking at the personal information, which was as thick as a book, Zhang Yong had a big head for ten. He couldn't see a clue at all.

In the end, he could only pretend to flip through the book. Then he closed it.

He would rather wait for the tram.

'Come!'

'Sit!'

Tang Shengming invited Zhang Yong into his office.

He also had a title in the Military Senate. He was still a major general.

Haha, young and a major general. This is definitely a characteristic of this era.

If you don't have a major general title, you're not allowed to go out and greet people if you come from a family with some background.

'Huh?'

Zhang Yong suddenly felt as if he had discovered a new world.

It turned out that in Tang Shengming's office, he had actually seen a stack of comic newspapers.

At first, he thought he had made a mistake. Later, he discovered that it was indeed true.

Although it was in the form of a newspaper. But it was full of comics. However, the content of the comics was something he had never seen before. It wasn't the familiar superheroes, Batman and the like.

He was stunned.

Tang Shengming actually liked this.

He actually brought this back from the United States! It seems that he is quite obsessed with it!

'What? You know about this too?'

'When I was in Shanghai, I came into contact with some Americans.'

'I see.'

'I feel that this industry may have a very promising future.'

'Really?'

'Many Americans don't like to read large tomes. They like this kind of simple, easy-to-understand stuff. It may not take a few years, but it will spread rapidly.'

Zhang Yong also did not hide his own views.

In fact, by the time of World War II, comic books would have developed by leaps and bounds.

Many American soldiers carried comic books with them. They were used to kill time. They were used to comfort themselves. This thing was just like Coca-Cola. It became indispensable.

If only I had the money...

Yes. Zhang Yong suddenly found a new opportunity to get rich.

In other industries, he couldn't get involved. But the comic industry was still relatively barren. He could completely monopolise it!

Neither Marvel nor DC had yet appeared.

None of the superheroes have yet been created. The first Superman didn't appear until before World War II, right?

In any case, those superheroes don't have a chance yet.

But he can get ahead of the curve.

Other people travel back in time and copy books. He can copy comics.

It happens to be an industry that requires low costs. It also doesn't require a high level of technical content.

He has the images of so many superheroes in his head.

Whether they're from Marvel or DC, he can copy them all.

Ah...

It's a gold mine!

When the comic industry matures in the future, we can move into movies and television...

Forget it...

I'm thinking too much.

Let's just do something small for now.

'Oh? You think so highly of its development?' Tang Shengming seemed very interested.

'In fact, I have a lot of ideas...' Zhang Yong didn't hide it either, 'I've imagined before, drawing a Superman. Drawing a Flash. Drawing a Spiderman?'

'Superman?'

'Yes. Superman. Possessing very powerful strength. He can eliminate all evil.'

'The Flash?'

'He's incredibly fast. As fast as lightning. He can destroy his enemies before they even know what's hit them.'

'And Spiderman?'

'As the name suggests, he has spider-related superpowers. He can change into different forms. He can shoot out really strong webs that help him to jump around the city...'

'Wait, wait...'

Tang Shengming suddenly gets out a pen and paper. He starts writing furiously.

He thought it was a very good idea. If someone could follow this line of thought and draw it, the sales of the comic newspaper would definitely skyrocket.

Zhang Yong: ?

"You...'

'I have invested in this newspaper.'

'Huh?'

'I have 78% of the shares. Now, I have decided to transfer 25% of the shares to you. You will be responsible for coming up with ideas for me.'

'Great!'

Zhang Yong didn't hesitate.

He did have a lot of ideas. Ideas about comics. Marvel and DC, off the cuff.

Copying books was too difficult. He didn't have the writing skills for that.

It took him a year to barely finish Gone with the Wind.

Climbing the technology tree? Sorry, he used to study arts. Marketing. A jack-of-all-trades. In fact, it's useless.

After thinking about it, it seems like this is the only thing he can do.

Fortunately, Tang Shengming had the money and connections to make a good partnership.

He was already very satisfied with 25% of the shares.

He immediately sat down, took a sip of tea, and then spoke at length with Tang Shengming.

Tang Shengming seemed to have seen a new world.

They talked for more than half an hour. Luo Yiming had not yet returned.

There was no rush anyway. So they continued talking.

Two hours later, Luo Yiming finally returned.

At the same time, a red dot entered the map range. It happened to be the tram conductor.

Then...

Zhang Yong realised that he had made a mistake.

A complete mix-up!

Before, the nightingale was on the Bund! But this was Jinling!

Oh no...

Then it felt unbelievable.

Why would there be an almost identical tram in Jinling? It caused a disturbance in his memory.

Moreover, there was also a Japanese spy working as a tram conductor?

Could it be that it had been copied?

Or was it arranged in this way specifically?