Chapter 750: Cut, Master

I hate the rain...

It just keeps raining. Pattering. It's annoying.

May in Shanghai has already entered the rainy season. It's wet every day. You step out and it's a muddy mess.

I don't want to go on a mission when it's raining.

What to do? Just keep resting.

Someone has already reported the black situation to the government, so why be so proactive?

Just lie down!

Just lie down!

I don't want to work this shitty job anymore!

Whoever wants to work, just do it!

Day 3...

He called Shen Ming and the girls over to play cards. He lost.

Each girl made a few dollars off him. Everyone was happy.

Day 4...

played hide-and-seek with Shen Ming and the others. Lost.

They took advantage of him. But he didn't catch any evidence.

Day 5...

Yang Lichu hasn't returned yet. The plane can't take off or land.

It's raining, and the plane can't operate normally. Because the airport has become muddy. The landing gear can't conquer the mud.

Before World War II, most airports were made of mud. There was no concrete.

If conditions permitted, a layer of crushed stone was laid and compacted. A layer of coal ash was then spread on top. This was considered to be quite advanced.

Only the very important international airports had the possibility of being paved with concrete.

Therefore, the primary requirement for military aircraft of this era was the ability to take off on soft, muddy ground.

Even in a wealthy country like the United States, the frontline airports were made of mud. Later, bulldozers were used in conjunction with perforated steel plates to quickly build hard airport runways. And they were bomb-proof. If a steel plate was damaged in a bombing raid, it could be removed and replaced with a new one. The runway could then be used again.

This is how the Henderson Airfield on the island of Kwajalein managed to maintain its combat effectiveness.

The Japanese navy thought it had destroyed the airfield, so that US planes could not take off, and sent warships to escort the army's landing.

As a result, the US air force swarmed in and bombed indiscriminately.

Several thousand members of the Japanese 2nd Division were drowned.

On land, it is extremely difficult to eliminate a Japanese infantry brigade.

However, at sea, it is only necessary to sink a few transport ships to feed the elite of a Japanese brigade, along with their equipment, to the sharks.

In the final analysis, air supremacy is still the key.

Gaining air supremacy is equivalent to taking control of the initiative on the battlefield.

If the Nationalist army had been able to control even a little bit of airspace, the war would not have been fought in such a disgraceful manner at the beginning.

Unfortunately, it is difficult to control airspace!

Building an airport alone is no easy task.

It sounds simple. But it involves a strong productive force. It involves a complete industrial system...

Bulldozers are needed. Cranes are needed. A large amount of steel plates are needed.

The Nationalist government definitely cannot do it.

Here, the airport is being built, and everything is carried on shoulders.

Suddenly, an idea comes to mind...

Should I start stockpiling bulldozers and such?

Actually, over in the United States, bulldozers, cranes and such are readily available. And they're cheap.

Before the war broke out, most machinery was not selling well. Especially after the Great Depression, many pieces of machinery were priced very low. If you buy now, you can get one for just a few hundred dollars. If you buy after the war breaks out, you won't be able to get one for even a few thousand dollars.

And all kinds of steel are also super cheap right now.

How cheap? Some of the steel has actually never been used and was sold to the Japanese as scrap.

The reason the Japanese were able to build monsters like the Yamato was that the scrap sold by the US empire actually contributed greatly.

Without the scrap sold by the US empire, the Japanese simply would not have had enough steel production.

There is also oil, which is also at its cheapest right now.

Many oil refineries have temporarily closed. Because the selling price is lower than the cost price. Rockefeller is in a low ebb.

If you had enough money right now, you could even buy some oil refineries.

And you could even buy some oil fields!

In the United States at the moment, foreigners can also buy oil fields.

As long as you have the money.

You can buy anything.

It's not an exaggeration to say that you can buy tens of thousands of square kilometres of land.

In the midwest of the United States, there are many large tracts of barren land for sale. They are tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of acres in size. If you buy them, all the resources underground belong to you. If an oil field or other minerals are found underground, you will make a fortune.

(10,000 acres = 40 km²)

Ahhh, I have a lot of economic intelligence at my fingertips!

Unfortunately, I don't have enough money...

Forget buying land.

With so little money, you can't even buy a few machines.

And even if you manage to buy the machines, you'll have to transport them back here. The shipping costs alone will eat up a fortune...

Wait!

Let me think.

Is there anyone who can...

Huh?

Tang Shengming?

He seems to be able to...

Yes!

That's him!

He's just making money from cartoons in the United States, and buying machines to use back home.

If he puts them in Kunming or Chengdu, they could come in handy in the future.

Look at Wang Yaowu, he has an imported tractor. He also wants to go back to the land and farm after the war. Unfortunately, fate has other plans...

Take out your notebook and write it down.

In case you meet the right person sometime, you can mention it.

Yes, Liao Panxi can do it too.

Get a few more.

You buy a few, I'll buy a few, and we'll put them aside for now.

When we build the home front later, we can pull them out and save a lot of time. Speed up the construction progress.

A bulldozer can do the work of hundreds of people in a day.

If there's an excavator, it can build an airport or something. Don't be too simple.

Suddenly, Zhang Yong remembered that he could drive an excavator.

Really. He had the certificate.

He really could drive an excavator.

After graduating from university, he didn't do well, so he paid for himself to learn to drive an excavator, and also upgraded his B2 driving licence so that he could drive a large truck...

He had driven all kinds of trucks, including those hundred-ton king trucks that couldn't stop braking for 200-300 metres.

But it was useless.

There were no excavators in those days. There were no hundred-ton trucks either. There were very few trucks.

He was just daydreaming.

'Clatter, clatter...'

'Clatter, clatter...'

The rain was getting heavier. The puddles on the ground were getting bigger.

Alas, is it already May in Shanghai, and the rain is already so heavy? He looked up at the sky, which was grey and gloomy, and wondered when the rain would stop.

Never mind, just keep resting.

There's no rush anyway. The sky can fall and it won't crush him...

'Ring, ring...'

'Ring ring ring...'

The phone suddenly rang.

Zhang Yong's first thought was Yang Lichu. It's probably that woman again.

She called the day before, yesterday, and today. Every day. When are you coming back? I'll get you right here...

The plane can't take off, but you can take the train! Take the train back...

He picked up the phone. It wasn't her.

It was Jia Tengying. He said slowly, 'Shaolong...'

'Stationmaster Jia, what are your instructions?'

'Shaolong, everyone encounters setbacks. Don't be discouraged...'

'I'm not discouraged!'

'It seems you've been taking a lot of time off...'

'Yes. I'm so tired. I want to take a long vacation.'

'You...'

'Whoever tells tales on me can go screw themselves!'

'Shaolong...'

'I'll say the same to whoever comes! Whoever tells tales on me can go screw themselves!'

'Shaolong...'

'Station Chief Jia, if there's nothing else, I'm hanging up.'

'You...'

Zhang Yong really hung up the phone.

Hmph, I'm angry. I'm not serving you anymore.

You're always snitching on me. You're so idle. Since you don't like me, I'm going on strike!

From now on, I'll just mind my own business.

Over there, Jia Tengying took the phone. He shook his head. Then he suddenly smiled.

Not bad. He's got character.

That's a good attitude. Just report directly to the top.

That's what we should have done in the first place. Tattling everywhere. Indiscriminate. So tattle away. Whoever wants to do this shit can do it.

Otherwise, everyone will think that our Special Branch is made of clay.

Pick up the phone and call Mao Renfeng.

Report the truth.

'This Shaolong...'

Mao Renfeng muttered.

That's fine.

Let Zhang Yong jump up and down in anger.

Otherwise, some people really think they've won.

...

Zhang Yong pursed his lips. He felt that he had not performed well just now.

It's a pity. The other person is Jia Tengying. If only it was the Director. Even if it was the Director, he would have said it straight out.

He just doesn't feel good.

He just doesn't want to serve anymore.

'Ring ring ring...'

'Ring ring ring...'

Suddenly, the phone rang again.

Zhang Yong picked up the receiver casually.

He was ready to scold someone.

If someone was going to 'admonish' him, he would definitely curse back. He would definitely not give face.

Oh, except for Li Boqi...

It turned out to be an unfamiliar voice. No. It was the man from before.

It was the man who told him to mind his own business. This guy actually found Zhang Yong's phone number and called.

'Zhang Yong, you've been having a good time lately, don't you want to taste it again?'

'Are you under Chen Jitang or Yu Hanmou?'

'You don't need to know.'

'Oh.'

Zhang Yong didn't say anything.

He didn't want to say anything. They hadn't even caught anyone yet. What was the point?

When they did catch someone, they would use a hammer to smash every bone in the person's body. It would be quick and painless.

The main thing was that he didn't want to do anything right now.

The rainy weather had made him feel like he was going mouldy.

Every day, he played cards with Shen Ming and the others, played tag, and laughed and joked, as if they were having a great time...

'I told you not to mess with us.'

'Oh.'

'I'm warning you, if you mess with us again, we'll make sure you die a horrible death.'

'Oh.'

'Don't you know who you're dealing with?'

'Oh.'

'Click!'

The other person hung up.

Zhang Yong yawned. Sigh. What a tragedy. Weak. Helpless. Pathetic.

Being bullied over the phone, one after the other. It's just a matter of time before they come knocking on the door. And yet, he still can't find out where the other party is. He has to admit, he's lost in the first move.

Well, if he's lost, then so be it. But the other party seems to be very rich!

There aren't many opponents like that these days. The fewer opponents there are, the more valuable they are. Is there any way to get the other party's money...

Well, let's try everything.

Let's try the traditional methods first and see if we can find anything.

Call the telecommunications bureau to find out where the call originated. It was said to have been made from the Paris Night Club in the concession.

Paris Night Club?

Dou Yishan?

Zhang Yong nodded thoughtfully.

Could it be that Dou Yishan had also made contact with the Guangxi and Guangdong region?

What a man of many faces!

He has connections with the Japanese. He also has connections with the Guangxi and Guangdong region. He also has connections with Sun Dingyuan.

How come I never noticed this Dou Yishan before, he's so well hidden? I must get to know him better if I get the chance. And then extort his money...

It's raining outside...

An operation in the rain...

Drive.

Splashing mud all the way.

Entering the concession. Arrived near the Paris Night Club on the sea.

Found many weapons symbols. And gold symbols too. Normal. After all, it's a nightclub. It's full of all kinds of people.

However, Zhang Yong's attention was drawn to a nearby residential building.

On a side street more than 200 metres from the Paris Night Club, a residential building also had weapons and gold signs.

Zhang Yong pondered silently.

The guy who made the call probably didn't live at the Paris Night Club. Otherwise, it would be easy to circle the area and eliminate suspects one by one.

As at the Hotel Mader, the person could have walked in from the outside and used the phone. As long as you're willing to pay, you can make any call you like.

Simple disguise. Entering the Paris-sur-Mer nightclub, he gathers relevant information.

'Did that person come by car?'

'No. He came on foot. He was carrying an umbrella. It was red.'

'A red umbrella?'

'Yes. It was red. We remember it very clearly.'

'Oh...'

Zhang Yong secretly despises the other person.

Damn, what a show-off! He actually used a red umbrella!

You're a man!

Are you a pervert? Trying to be a woman?

The investigation ends here.

After the other party finished the call, he gave 10 francs. Then he disappeared.

It can be confirmed that the other party is not a regular at the Paris-sur-Mer nightclub. It is likely that he has never been there before. No one around here knows him.

What should I do?

Cool...

Zhang Yong came out of the Paris-sur-Mer nightclub.

He kept staring at a nearby residential building. There was a white dot inside, with a weapon symbol and a gold symbol.

Okay, that's him.

Let's go see who this person is.

He approaches the target house quietly. He discovers that it is a small two-storey house.

The exterior is very ordinary. It is neither new nor old. There are some plants on the balcony. Some are in bloom. But he doesn't recognise them.

Soon afterwards, the local policeman is called.

Zhang Yong takes out the pass given to him by the British. He asks the other party for assistance with the investigation. Then he offers the other party five silver dollars. The policeman is more than happy to cooperate.

After a brief inquiry, Zhang Yong learned that the owner of the small building was called Wang Changshun. It seems to be a small business owner.

Small business owner? Then something is wrong. Carrying a gun at all times?

Nudge, let the patrolman go up and knock on the door.

The patrolman came to the door, patted on the door while shouting, 'Wang Changshun, Wang Changshun...'

Zhang Yong silently monitored the map and noticed that the white dot inside was quietly hiding in a corner. It wasn't moving. This corner happened to have a good view of the door.

There was a problem. This was a master. If they went in recklessly, they would definitely be attacked.

He waved his hand to indicate that the patrolman could leave.

It's fine. He can go. The rest is a matter of force.

Call Chen Hai and Lu Hai over.

'There is a target inside. He has a weapon. It's in this position.'

'If we storm the door, we'll definitely be discovered.'

Zhang Yong explained in detail.

In fact, grenades would solve the problem very well.

Just a few grenades thrown in, and the other side would be guaranteed to be left in pieces.

The problem was that if the grenades killed them, there would be no confession. He needed a confession now. Or rather, the people above needed a confession.

A confession was needed to make an announcement to the public. It was needed to prove that Minister He had been attacked.

The pier is still under lockdown.

Although everyone knows it was someone from Guangdong who did it. But you need to catch the person and get a confession. It would be even better if there was physical evidence.

Hey, if only there were tear gas...

This stuff is a godsend for arrests! And flash bombs and stuff.

Throw it in, blow it up, and people's eyes go dizzy and they can't see anything. They might not even be able to hold their weapons steady.

If it's a semi-enclosed space, a tear gas bomb would be awesome. Unless you commit suicide on the spot, you'll definitely be captured alive.

The system is really something. It's not giving me what I want. I don't want grenades right now. I want tear gas bombs. I want flash bombs.

Repeat. Also check weapons and ammunition. Unfortunately. There aren't any.

Okay, maybe the system needs a little time to accumulate energy...

It turns out that there seems to be some additional content in the remaining 20 blueprints.

What can I say? It seems to be more densely packed data?

There was some data before. But it wasn't detailed enough. Now it's written densely.

That's strange. Could it be that the system can also improve the data?

It's not surprising when you think about it. Improving the data is just a trivial task for the system. It probably doesn't even use any energy.

The more detailed the data, the more valuable the map. It must be sold for a good price...

Suddenly, the map prompts that the white dot has started moving. It is quickly moving towards the back of the small building.

Oh? So impatient? Trying to escape?

Immediately signalled. Signalled Chen Hai to get ready. Chen Hai was in ambush behind him.

Sure enough, a figure quickly jumped off the second floor.

Chen Hai and the others immediately pounced. All raised their guns.

The result...

Huh? The target is motionless?

Playing dead?

Vigilantly went over to check.

Fingers all on the trigger, ready to fire.

The result...

It was discovered by accident that the target had fainted.

It is possible that the target fainted from hitting his head on a stone when he fell from the building in the wrong position.

The initial judgment is that it was raining, the ground was too slippery, and when he fell to the ground, he fell backwards, and his head hit a stone...

It's a coincidence.

It's just that kind of coincidence.

When someone is unlucky, even drinking cold water will get stuck in their teeth.

Zhang Yong couldn't help but think of a certain scene.

Cut...

Still a master...

Well, since there is such a good thing, it must not be missed.

He immediately pulled the target up, and got the handcuffs and rope ready. He tied the other person up tightly, and then took him back to the small house.

Search!

First find the gold logo.

As it turned out...

it was easy to find.

It was in a room on the second floor.

It wasn't even hidden. It was just stored in a solid wood wardrobe.

Open it...

Zhang Yong was stunned.

My god, there were stacks of banknotes on the lattice.

There were silver notes, French currency, US dollars, British pounds...

And French francs!

And gold bars!

After taking a surprised glance, he discovered that there were several compartments for French currency alone. It felt like there were at least 200,000 to 300,000.

Ah...

Sure enough, lying low and keeping a low profile had an effect.

This is truly a case of 'if you don't open your business for three years, you can eat for three years when you do open it'...

Wife, come out and see the big fish!