Chapter 773: I, Qin Shi Huang, will fight for money!

Drag the target back to the empty house.

Zhang Yong first put on a hood.

He was worried about being recognised by the other party.

He didn't know how to do makeup or anything like that. No one around him knew either. He didn't bother to learn.

It was just a black hood. It revealed two eyes.

He learned it from the special forces in later generations. It's as simple as that. It's most effective when it works. It doesn't matter if it doesn't. His level of disguise is as good as it gets for now.

He waves his hand. Everyone else also puts on a hood, revealing only two eyes.

In this way, the other party will not be able to identify their exact identity. They will also not be able to remember their appearance. In the future, they will not have a target if they want to take revenge.

Although it is simple, it is actually quite effective.

Especially against the ruthless Japanese invaders.

Everything is ready. Zhang Yong takes off the target's hood, so that he and Ke Shourong are face to face.

The target sees Ke Shourong. He is suddenly stunned. Then he looks at everyone around him. He notices that everyone is wearing a hood. This is not good.

Ke Shourong looks pretty miserable.

However, the target is also quite arrogant.

Even so, he does not seem particularly afraid. He is convinced that the Empire of Japan is invincible. He is full of fanaticism.

'Baka!'

He yells in Japanese.

Zhang Yong did not respond.

The others were also quiet.

The target cursed for a while and found that there was no movement. Finally, he became uneasy.

The worst thing was the sudden silence.

After a long time...

'Who the hell are you?'

'Hit the money.'

'What?'

'I, Qin Shi Huang, hit the money!'

'Baka...'

The target couldn't help but curse again.

Then he was subjected to a barrage of firepower. Splat, splat, splat. His cheeks were swollen like a pig's head.

His teeth flew out. His mouth was full of blood.

Simple.

Brutal.

Three teams took turns slapping him.

They all liked slapping people. He was slapped again.

Since that was the case, he was more than satisfied.

'Stop...'

'Stop...'

Finally, the target couldn't hold on anymore.

He didn't dare to be stubborn anymore. If he continued to be stubborn, his head would be smashed.

His head was filled with madness, and finally he could not withstand the repeated abuse. In the face of cold-blooded violence, all his madness vanished.

Zhang Yong waved his hand.

The people who were still beating him stopped.

Someone secretly rubbed their palms. Obviously, they had used too much strength, and their hands hurt.

'Who are you people...'

'You...'

the target asked, dying.

His mouth was full of blood, his speech was slurred, and he had almost no strength left.

In the end, there was no response.

Except for Zhang Yong, everyone else was silent.

This included Zeng Guangyuan, who was watching the fun from the sidelines. He had long since forgotten about buying coffee.

Zhang Yong didn't remind him either. Of course he couldn't remember. He had so much on his mind right now, he hadn't seen it for a long time.

'What do you want...'

'Money.'

'Money?'

The target was full of doubts.

Could it be that he had encountered a roadblock?

He was stunned. He had thought he had encountered an enemy. He had never expected it to be a roadblock.

He felt so unlucky...

He had actually been beaten up by a group of bandits...

Damn it...

'Who is he?'

Zhang Yong turned to Ke Shourong and asked.

Ke Shourong stammered and did not dare to answer.

How dare he answer when he was being asked like this to his face? The Japanese would definitely waste him if he turned his back.

Sure enough, the target stared angrily.

Zhang Yong stood up, walked to the back of the kitchen, and took out a kitchen knife.

The dagger was too small. It didn't feel intimidating. A kitchen knife was more imposing.

'He, he is Junjiro Koiso...'

Sure enough, Ke Shourong immediately caved in.

Ordinary people might not be afraid of a knife. But he was.

At this moment, if he didn't answer, someone would definitely give him a knife.

'Hagya! You betrayed me!'

'Hagya...'

Koiso Jūjirō angrily cursed.

The sound suddenly stopped. It was as if someone had grabbed his throat.

However, Zhang Yong had placed the cleaver against his throat. Koiso Jūjirō immediately wisely shut up. He didn't want to die either.

He vaguely heard it. The other party's goal was to get money.

It was probably a robbery.

If you were killed by a robbery, that would be a real injustice.

It was just that they were all wearing hoods, so he couldn't identify them at all. He couldn't tell anything at all.

The voices and everything were all unfamiliar. He had no recollection of them.

'You can go,'

Zhang Yong waved his hand. He ordered Ke Shourong to be untied.

Ke Shourong: ?

What? I can go?

His face was full of disbelief. At the same time, he was a little frightened.

Can I really go?

It's not some kind of trick, is it?

It's not a trap, is it?

'What? You have more fat lambs to offer?'

'No. No more,'

Ke Shourong replied hastily.

He did not realise that there was something wrong with his words.

In fact, there were none!

He just wanted to get out of this damn place as soon as possible.

However, what he said sounded to Kojiro Koiso like Ke Shourong had betrayed him.

Because in Chinese, more definitely means there has been one before.

Who was the fat lamb before? Of course it was him, Ko Shouying. So, he was definitely betrayed by Ko Shouying.

Hagah!

This damned bastard!

When he gets out, he must dismember him into eight pieces! And then make tempura out of him!

So, the problem is, he must get out alive.

If he dies, it's all over.

So...

'I, Qin Shi Huang, will pay!'

'How much?'

'Fifty thousand.'

'Hagah! No way! 50,000 yen, absolutely impossible!'

'I said 50,000 US dollars!'

'Hagah!'

Koiso Junjiro suddenly flew into a rage.

50,000 US dollars?

You might as well just rob it!

Wait...

It seems like the other party is robbing it.

He was the one at the mercy of the other party. He had to first protect his life.

Right now, he felt like half of his head no longer belonged to him. When he spoke, his mouth was full of blood.

'I can think of a way...'

Koiso Junjiro forced himself to accept the reality.

After all, he was the military attaché at the embassy. He was familiar with the situation in China. He knew that the consequence of resistance was to be killed.

It seems that the word is 'ripped'. Ripped means to tear him apart.

To put it bluntly, it means to die.

'You can call for help,' Zhang Yong said slowly, 'if you don't have money, you can provide me with a bigger fat lamb.'

'I'll call...' Koiso Junjiro felt that there was still hope for him to survive.

'Who are you going to call?'

'The Shanghai Consulate General.'

'Who?'

'Consul General Akiyama Shigeaki.'

'Good,'

Zhang Yong nodded.

This Koiso Junjiro is really a very flexible person.

He didn't call his local companion in Jinling. Instead, he called the Shanghai Consulate General. He chose to go the long way around, probably because he didn't want anyone to know about this matter.

Very good.

As long as he has a request, that's fine.

It so happens that Zhang Yong has something to discuss with Shigeaki Akiyama.

There is no phone in the empty house. It must be called from outside. Naturally, the closer the better.

Zhang Yong turns to Zeng Guangyuan and asks, 'Where is there a phone nearby?'

'East, east. Walk a few dozen zhang and there is a Western restaurant. There is a phone inside.'

'Good.'

Zhang Yong grabs a bundle of currency and throws it to Zeng Guangyuan.

Zeng Guangyuan: ?

What's going on? Throwing money at me again?

Dammit, this Zhang Yong!

Really...

He quickly reached out to catch it. But then another bundle came flying. He quickly caught it.

And another bundle...

And another bundle...

'This place is no longer safe,' Zhang Yong casually remarked. 'You should move somewhere else! The Japanese will get back at you!'

With that, he led Junjiro Koiso out of the house.

Ten bundles of 5 yuan banknotes, all of them thrown at Zeng Guangyuan. Haha.

You don't want it?

Well, I'm giving it to you, whether you want it or not!

Take out the little notebook. First, we'll register it. Later, when we meet those red bosses, we'll go through it one by one.

Hehe. The Governor likes to keep a diary. I like to keep a little notebook.

We both have a bright future...

Ugh, where did I go with that?

Put the black hood over Koiso's head. Then Zhang Yong himself took off the hood.

The point is to prevent Koiso from seeing him. He discovers his true identity. This guy has probably seen his photo before.

Everything is ready. They go to the Western restaurant. It's not busy. He takes out a 10 yuan banknote.

Koiso can't wait to make the call.

Of course he speaks Japanese.

Zhang Yong sits down next to him. He doesn't want to listen.

He's not afraid of Koiso causing trouble. At most, he'll just kill him.

He silently monitors the map.

There are a few red dots moving around. But they have nothing to do with him.

There are quite a few Japanese people hanging around Yuanyang Lake. I guess there must be a lot of traitors in their pay.

He surveys the surroundings aimlessly. Suddenly, his eyes flicker.

He sees a tram stop sign.

Huh?

Tram 107?

Zhang Yong's eyebrows suddenly rise. He's found something.

It turns out that Tram 107 actually passes through Yuanyang Lake! There are so many Japanese spies hiding here...

Almost all the shopkeepers are hidden Japanese spies.

If you want to catch them, you would need to mobilise at least a regiment of military police. You would need to catch them all.

That would cause a big commotion. Definitely not something he, Zhang Yong, could handle.

The last time there was such a big commotion on Huangshi Road, it was a joint operation by the military police headquarters and the police headquarters. And with the tacit approval of the entourage room.

For the time being, Zhang Yong doesn't have that kind of power.

Maybe in Shanghai, but Nanjing is the national capital, and mobilising troops is a very taboo thing to do.

'Please answer the phone,'

said the voice of Junjiro Koiso.

Zhang Yong then took the receiver. At the same time, he waved his hand. He told someone to take Junjiro Koiso away.

He and Shigeaki Akiyama's conversation must not be heard by Junjiro Koiso. Otherwise, Zhang Yong's identity might be exposed. That would be ineffective.

'Hello...'

'Who is this?'

'It's Zhang Yong!'

'You?'

Akiyama Shigeaki was shocked.

He immediately realised that things were in trouble. Super trouble.

That idiot Koiso Jūnirō. He thought the other person was a real robber. Who knew that the other person was actually Zhang Yong. Damn it! He was being hassled by Zhang Yong again.

He could tell with just his knee that Zhang Yong was definitely using Koiso Jūnirō to find him, Akiyama Shigeaki.

And what could be good about Zhang Yong looking for him, Shigeaki Akiyama?

Baka!

This money-grubbing bastard!

How could he have arrested Junjiro Koiso?

Did he know Junjiro Koiso's real identity? If he didn't know, it would be fine...

But if he did, then it would be his life.

'It's me. Your Excellency, it seems like we haven't spoken on the phone in a long time...'

'Baka!'

Shigeaki Akiyama couldn't help but swear.

What do you mean a long time? How long is it? You extorted tens of thousands of dollars! And you've already forgotten about it?

Baka!

I'm Kanayama, and I'll be cleaned out!

I've seen greedy people before, but I've never seen anyone as greedy as you. This time, I, Shigeaki Akiyama, will never give in.

'Your Excellency, please watch your language...'

'Baka! I'm telling you clearly, I don't have any money! And I'm not going to pay!'

'Oh? Is that so? I remember you have a precious daughter...'

'Baka! How dare you lay a finger on my daughter?'

'Mr. Akiyama, you've got it all wrong. It's not me. It's the army. It's the military.'

'What do you mean?'

'I've fought against the Seiryukai, which is under the command of the Kwantung Army Military Police. They're all Hideki Tojo's men. They're armed with Soviet Tokarev pistols. I've also fought against the Kakoukai. I even killed a woman called Tamarind.'

'What are you telling me this for?'

'What I mean is, if the military stage another 226, you will most likely be on the list of those to be killed. Your daughter may also be unaccounted for from then on.'

'How dare you?'

'It's not me who dares. It's the military who dares. You know that your military is already crazy.'

'You...'

Shigeaki Akiyama fell silent.

He was not a fool. Nor was he that fanatical.

He was a civilian.

He was different from those in the military.

He also wants to annex China. He wants to dominate this beautiful and rich place.

However, the civilian group and the military have very different views on the policy of invasion. Civilians are concerned about input and output. They are concerned about profits. They don't want to create a bottomless pit.

If there is only input and no output, it will be unsustainable. It will go bankrupt.

Therefore, the strategy of the civilian group is to take things step by step and steadily.

Investment – profit – reinvestment – re-profit...

to form a virtuous cycle.

Specifically, the first step is to build up the three provinces of Manchuria (Kanto Prefecture).

Once Kanto Prefecture's own income exceeds its output, then we can move on to the interior.

However, the military wants to expand like crazy. It's investing like crazy. But there's no income. The capital chain could snap at any time.

The three provinces of Manchuria are still investing, but they're also coveting North China...

The empire's finances simply cannot afford so many military operations at the same time.

Without income, only output, which is like a bowstring that gets tighter and tighter. It will definitely snap. There is no way to save it.

'What do you want?'

'Exchange Yan Guangkun.'

'Impossible. I absolutely refuse.'

'It's good for both of us.'

'Impossible.'

'You're new here, so there must be someone who doesn't listen to you. I'll get rid of them for you.'

'What do you mean?'

'Arrange for your political opponent to come out with Yan Guangkun and set up a plan to lure the snake out of the hole. Let him think that he can use Yan Guangkun to get rid of me, Zhang Yong. He can achieve great feats. As long as he leaves the Japanese-occupied zone with Yan Guangkun, you don't need to worry about anything else.'

'Can you do it?'

Shigeaki Akiyama's tone suddenly changed.

There was no choice. Zhang Yong's words had hit the nail on the head. He certainly had ideas.

He had been transferred directly from the Tianjin Consul to the Shanghai Consul General, and there were of course many people who were jealous. Among them, Bai Chuan Xiying's attitude was the most detestable.

Bai Chuan Xiying was a younger brother of Bai Chuan Yize and had a military background. Akiyama Shigeaki could not move him either.

However, if he were to be eliminated by Zhang Yong, then...

'I'll try.'

'You...'

'Whether I die or Hideo Shirakawa dies, it's good for you, right?'

'Hmph!'

Shigeaki Akiyama hung up the phone.

Zhang Yong knew that the matter was settled. He had just hit Shigeaki Akiyama where it hurt.

Shigeaki Akiyama had a strong desire for power.

Previously, he had never imagined that he would be able to sit on the throne of the Shanghai Consulate-General. Therefore, his ambition was not yet obvious. But now that he has taken this position, he wants to keep it. Power makes people crazy. Anyone who opposes him, even if they are one of his own people, Shigeaki Akiyama will get rid of them.

Fortunately, Hidei Shirakawa is the biggest stumbling block.

Hidei Shirakawa is the Deputy Consul-General. He is the number two person in the Japanese Consulate-General in Shanghai.

Originally, if Shigeaki Akiyama hadn't suddenly parachuted in, he would have probably succeeded him as Consul General. But now, his dreams had come to nothing.

Against this background, it was of course impossible for Hidekichi Shirakawa to give Shigeaki Akiyama a good face.

Nothing is new under the sun. The Japanese occupation regime was no exception. Cliques and mutual enmity were also very serious.

Seishiro Sakagaki and Hideki Tojo didn't get along. They were directly thrown onto the bench.

Yokoyama Isamu and Okamura Toshiji did not get along. Okamura Toshiji directly threw him into the reserve. He never had a chance to turn things around.

He put down the microphone.

He looked thoughtfully at the 107 bus stop sign in the distance.

His thoughts returned to the rattan box from before.

Would that rattan box be by the Mandarin Lake?

Was the bus stop sign just a coincidence?

"Team leader...'

'Follow me!'

'Yes.'

Zhang Yong led the team to a remote place to set up camp.

This was also a vacant compound. The courtyard was a bit overgrown. The weeds were as tall as a person's knees. Obviously no one had lived here for a while.

But that was fine, a little cleaning up and it would be ready for people to live in again.

It was just a bunch of bachelors. They didn't need much. As long as they could eat and sleep.

The main thing was that Junjiro Koiso couldn't take them back to the headquarters on Goose Lane.

If outsiders found out, it would cause trouble.

Therefore, this matter cannot be discussed or reported. No one can be told.

It was done in secret. The man was returned. The money was received. Then he was let go.

Someone was sent to bring food.

They ate.

They slept.

The day passed peacefully. Nothing happened at night.

In the morning, they got up and washed up. They had breakfast. They noticed that a symbol had appeared on the map. It was Little Nail.

This little guy is really good at following people! He actually followed them here.

So he came out and waved at the little nail, inviting it to come over. He also gave it a piece of breakfast.

'Officer, I've made a major discovery!' the little nail squealed excitedly.