Chapter 778: The Japanese spies also knew about MacArthur

Imai Atsushi couldn't figure out why he had been captured.

He had only just infiltrated Jinling. Tonight was the first mission he was supposed to carry out.

Meet someone. Give the other person a drawing. It was as simple as that.

And then he was captured. A few people pressed him directly to the ground.

Who were they? Dunno.

Where did they come from? Dunno.

He didn't notice at all.

And now he can't see them either. His head is covered.

A black hood, covering his eyes. He can't see anything. He's in a daze.

The plans he was hiding in his bosom have been taken away. The few silver dollars he was carrying have also been snatched.

Damn it!

They even took the few silver dollars! Could it be that he's run into robbers?

Ahhh, this damned China! Why are there so many robbers everywhere? Isn't there anyone to restore law and order?

If this happened in Japan, it would be unforgivable!

Before he even set foot in China, he was warned by his seniors to be careful when walking at night. Little did he expect that on his first night out, he would actually be robbed.

'What's your name?'

'Wang Xueyi...'

'How much money did you bring?'

'What?'

'I asked you how much money you brought. Where's the money.'

'You are...'

'Beat him!'

As a result, Imai Jun was immediately beaten up.

The blows were all to non-vital areas. But it hurt. Because the other party used a whip.

Fists and kicks can easily kill someone. Zhang Yong has now learned his lesson. Use a whip first.

The beating left gaping wounds. But it didn't endanger life.

To make the Japanese spy talk, it was simple: keep whipping. Until the other party couldn't take it anymore.

'Pop!'

'Pop!'

The sound was especially loud.

The whip fell on Imai Atsushi's body, and the pain made him almost faint on the spot.

But he didn't faint. All he could do was howl in pain. As a result, his mouth was soon gagged as well. Then he could only mumble indistinctly.

'Pat!'

'Pat!'

The whip continued to fall.

It kept on whipping. It kept on whipping. Whipping in turns.

Imai Atsushi felt that every whip was equivalent to a trip to hell.

He regretted it.

He swore that he would never come to China again.

Not only did they rob him, they also beat him with whips. It was truly lawless.

'Stop it...'

'Stop it...'

He kept howling.

Although his mouth was gagged, he kept howling. He hoped that someone would hear him.

Finally, the whip stopped falling. The rag in his mouth was finally removed.

His whole body ached.

He regretted coming to China. He regretted coming to this world...

'Where is the money?'

'I don't have any...'

'Really?'

'No...'

'Snap!'

'Snap!'

The whip continued to fall.

Imai Jun suddenly broke down. Stop it. Stop it.

I really don't have any...

He had just landed, and had just started to lurk, where would there be any money?

The last few dollars were also taken away...

Snap!

Snap!

The whip lashed even harder.

'Yes. Yes. Yes,' Imai Jun had to cry out.

'Where is it?' The whip temporarily stopped. A hard voice came. As if there was no emotion at all.

'I, I...'

'We know you are Japanese. You are a Japanese spy. If you don't tell us, we will sell you to someone else.'

'No, no!'

Imai Jun hurriedly cried out.

Sell to someone else? No way. Absolutely not.

These guys in front of him might be gangsters. They just want money.

If they sell him to someone else, he'll be dead.

He knew his identity.

He was a spy.

If he was discovered, he would be dead at any time.

At this moment, he was no longer obsessed with why he had been exposed.

That was not important.

What was important was getting money.

He needed money to save his life.

'Snap!'

Suddenly, the whip fell again.

Imai, who had been hesitant, made a decision immediately. He cried out in a hurry:

"I know someone with money!'

'I know someone with money!'

Finally, the whip did not fall again.

Imai knew that he had called the right person. As long as there was money, it could indeed buy his life.

So...

'I'm here to pick someone up. As soon as I pick someone up, I'll give you the money.'

'Someone is meeting you, right?'

'Yes...'

'Did he bring the money?'

'I think so...'

'Think so? You mean you don't know for sure?'

'No. I'm sure. I'm sure. Really. He definitely has the money...'

Im Jun begged for mercy.

His reason told him that he could not betray his partner.

However, the other party did not ask him to betray his partner. The other party simply wanted money. So, he asked his partner for a little money to get rid of the other party. Yes. He only needed a little money to help him get through this difficult time...

No betrayal...

No confession...

No surrender...

'Take us there.'

'Yes...'

Imai Jun hurriedly took the lead.

The hood was not removed. He guided Zhang Yong with his voice.

They arrived near the entrance to the train station.

Imai Jun's hood was finally taken off. Zhang Yong and the others all put on hoods. Only two eyes were exposed.

'Damn Chinese...'

'It really is a robbery...'

Imai Jun was shocked and scared. Were the robbers here so professional?

He didn't dare to look around. He was afraid of being beaten again.

He walked to the message board next to the door and looked around with wide eyes.

The message board was actually a long row of wooden boards. There were many notes stuck or nailed to it. They were missing person notices or strange words and symbols. In the era before mobile phones, this was the most basic form of communication.

It was also the most common method of communication used in spy dramas. The person in front left a corresponding message, the person behind read the message, extracted the key elements, and then followed the deciphered time and place to meet with their companion.

Ancient. Simple. Effective.

Of course, the traditional method of catching spies involved carefully studying the message.

If the counter-decryption was successful, it meant that the target was your meal.

The intelligence department of the Rensheng Society's secret service and the Party Affairs Investigation Department both have informants here. Always on the lookout.

'Get lost!'

Zhang Yong waved his hand.

The informant from the Party Affairs Investigation Department hurriedly hid.

Imai Atsushi didn't know who Zhang Yong and the others were. But the informant from the Party Affairs Investigation Department knew.

Even though they were all wearing hoods, he could tell at a glance that they were from the secret service. The leader was Zhang Yong. How dare he say a word? He would definitely be beaten if he spoke.

Imai Jun searched repeatedly for a long time, but never found it.

He was puzzled.

He had been told that someone would leave a message tonight!

Why wasn't there one?

Zhang Yong knew full well why. The noblewoman had been killed. There had been no time to leave a message.

Wu Yuanfu had acted too quickly, and had not given the other party the chance to leave a message.

Nor did he know what Wu Yuanfu had taken from the noblewoman...

'Have you found it?'

'I'm looking...'

Imai Jun stammered. He continued to search repeatedly.

However, he still couldn't find it.

What should he do?

What should he do?

Imai Jun was desperate.

He felt the cold blade behind his back.

His life was in danger at any moment...

Suddenly, he felt a shiver run through his body.

'I'll tell you, I'll tell you, I know one thing. You can... You can probably make a lot of money...'

'Speak.'

'I know someone who kidnapped an American...'

'You Japanese?'

'...Yes,'

Imai Atsushi admitted honestly.

Indeed, if it wasn't for the Japanese themselves planning the kidnapping, he wouldn't know either!

Originally, he was required to keep this matter confidential. But at the moment, his own life was in danger, so he could only reveal it to save his own life. He couldn't care less about that anymore.

Besides, all the other party wanted was money, so it shouldn't be a big deal. It was just about money.

'Why kidnap an American?'

'Er...'

'Snap!'

The whip fell harshly.

Imai Jun's cheeks twisted, and he could no longer breathe.

It hurts.

It hurts.

I want to die.

As expected, there was no time to hesitate in answering. Otherwise, you would not be able to survive, nor would you be able to die.

'He, he is an American spy...'

'What?'

'He, he came from the Philippines. He is a spy sent by MacArthur.'

'Oh?'

Zhang Yong was a little surprised.

First, it was the first time he had heard of an American spy.

Second, he heard MacArthur's name.

Unexpectedly, these two pieces of information came from the mouth of a Japanese spy.

It was a bit interesting.

An American spy, that means an intelligence officer from the beautiful country.

It seems that at this moment in time, the CIA has not yet been established, so I wonder which department American intelligence officers belong to?

In addition, how did a Japanese spy know MacArthur's name?

It seems that Old Mac is really quite famous.

Therefore, the first ranking foreign military commander is none other than him. Fourteen hundred million Chinese people support him. Hehe.

'When?'

'Yesterday. Yesterday during the day. In the afternoon.'

'Where?'

'On Jin Chun Lu.'

'What was the name of the American who was kidnapped? What was his cover?'

'I don't know his cover. I don't know him. But I know his name is Mike, Mike Flanagan...'

'Mike Flanagan?'

Zhang Yong's mind twitched.

He had a vague impression. It was as if he had heard it somewhere.

No, it was a very strong impression. Oh, I remember. It was that salesman from Springfield Armory. He sold Garands.

Zhang Yong had met him in Shanghai. They had even had dealings in Hangzhou.

He was actually an American intelligence agent?

It didn't feel like it...

I never noticed before. There was no sign of it!

But Zhang Yong quickly dismissed his own thoughts. What could he possibly tell?

Since the Japanese spy said that the other person was a spy, there must be a reason. Michael Farland seemed to have been running around before, and then it seemed to be related to the Big Thunderstorm Project...

Let's put it this way, he seemed to be interested in the Big Thunderstorm Project. This is obviously not normal.

Then there was the death of the technical staff member from Curtis. Could it be related to Michael Farland? The more I think about it, the more I feel that something is wrong.

After the leak of the Thunderstorm Project, even the British MI7 was hooked. The Americans couldn't have been completely inactive! It turned out that McFarland had already been acting in secret! Frankly, Zhang Yong had completely ignored the other party before.

It was as if he had completely ignored Dickens and Catherine before.

Alas, his intelligence was lacking...

In terms of wit and cunning, he really wasn't a match for these professional spies...

'Where have they kidnapped the person to now?'

'I, I don't know...'

'Speak.'

'I really don't know. I was just the lookout. They kidnapped someone and left in a rickshaw.'

'Rickshaw?'

'Yes. The target was taken away on a rickshaw. It seems to be one of their people too.'

'Oh?'

Zhang Yong's eyes twinkled.

It wasn't a car? Were the Japanese spies so poor?

They used a rickshaw for kidnapping? Or did they use one of their own people? Was it to keep it a secret?

Perhaps. After all, kidnapping Americans is a serious matter. If it became known to the outside world, the Americans would definitely demand an explanation.

Back then, Perry used his big guns and huge ships to blast open Japan's doors, leaving the Japanese both angry and afraid of the Americans. They wanted to retaliate, but they were afraid to start a war so easily. In particular, the civilian groups in the Foreign Affairs Ministry and the Home Affairs Ministry would never have approved of a war with the United States. But then, the military took over the cabinet, and the civilians had no say.

Even a relatively fervent aggressor like Shigeaki Akiyama could not possibly support a war against the United States. This guy is no good. He was also a supporter of invading China. The reason he opposed going to war with the United States was not because he didn't want to invade. It was because he knew they couldn't win. He was just afraid of invasion failure.

The Japanese invaders' opposition to war was never a reflection on the invasion, but on why they had failed. If they had succeeded, they would never have reflected on it.

Rickshaw...

Is it not a short distance?

If it's too far, they must have used a car to transfer!

And it's likely to be inside an important checkpoint. So as not to be stopped by the roadblock inspectors.

'Poof!'

Knocked out the Japanese spy.

Then Zhang Yong began to make phone calls to shake people up.

If you want to rescue a hostage, one squad is not enough.

At least two squads.

Right now, there is only one squad, led by Shangguan Qing. We still need to call Lu Keming.

The black guy is good at fighting. He is capable and knows how to command. Of the three squad leaders, he is the most convincing.

After the phone call, he sets off. He goes to Jin Chun Road.

Looking at the sky, he thinks it's a good thing that it's not yet dawn.

It would be best if they could launch the attack before dawn. Or when it's just beginning to lighten.

The key is to find someone...

He arrives at Jin Chun Road.

He wakes the Japanese spy up. He makes him confirm the location of the abduction.

According to the description, the abducted American spy, McFarland, was also previously riding in a rickshaw. He was hit by someone. Then he was forcibly taken away.

It seems to have been done very skillfully. I guess they've done this more than once. They're pros.

The rickshaw went west.

Zhang Yong then drove along Jin Chun Road, searching everywhere.

If there was a side street, he would also go in and take a look. He wanted to make sure that his 'scan' had not missed anything.

Fortunately, the 500-metre radius scan range was still quite effective. One scan could cover two or three streets.

What he was looking for were two or more red dots.

There can't be just two or three people involved in this kidnapping. There should be more. Maybe there are more than five.

If McFarland really is an American spy, he must be able to defend himself. Two or three Japanese spies probably can't beat him. There must be more than five.

It's dawn...

Still no luck.

Keep driving in circles.

Finally, seven red dots are spotted. They are all gathered together.

Seven? That many?

And all of them have a weapon symbol. Everyone is carrying a gun!

Zhang Yong is secretly surprised.

It seems that this McFarland is indeed most likely an intelligence agent under MacArthur.

Otherwise, the Japanese would not have made such a big fuss.

Is MacArthur in the Philippines right now? I think so. He is no longer the president of West Point Military Academy, nor the chief of staff of the US Army, but the commander-in-chief of the US-Philippine Allied Forces. He is responsible for the security of the Philippines and the South Pacific. The biggest threat he faces is the Japanese invaders.

He cannot be completely unconcerned about the movements of the Japanese.

It is only natural that he sent his own intelligence agents to China to gather information on the Japanese.

As a result, the Japanese discovered their plan. They took action.

Next to the seven red dots, there is also a white dot.

It can be determined that this is the target Zhang Yong is looking for – MacFarland.

Approach quietly. It is found on Taoyuan Road. This side is full of single-family Western-style houses. Or villas. There are also bunker-like houses.

Using the map, Zhang Yong pinpoints the house where the target is located. Then he approaches without making a sound.

It comes into view. He raises his binoculars to observe.

It is a small three-storey building. It is not a villa. It is one of those brick-and-concrete houses. It is straight up and down. There is no balcony. It is bare all around.

Although it looks a bit ugly, to Zhang Yong and the others, it is a problem.

They cannot enter through the windows.

The walls are all bare. All the windows are also tightly shut. It is not easy to enter.

The point is, any noise would alert the Japanese spies inside.

The Japanese spies inside have guns! They will definitely put up a fight. There are seven of them.

It's not clear what the end result will be, but the American will definitely not be spared. If things go wrong, the Japanese spies will definitely kill McFarland.

Attack head-on?

Not impossible. But the same problem exists. It is impossible to guarantee McFarland's safety.

In the heavy firefight, bullets will fly everywhere, and the hostage may be killed.

That's Russian-style counter-terrorism. Although it's very effective. However, Zhang Yong still hopes that the hostages will be kept alive. He also hopes that there will be no casualties on his own side.

He did not continue to advance.

He definitely could not enter Taoyuan Road.

It is estimated that the Japanese spies are also quietly monitoring the movements around them.

If there is any unusual situation outside, the Japanese spies will immediately be on guard.

That would alert the enemy.

It is now bright and the visibility is good, making it difficult to hide.

What should he do?

Zhang Yong has not yet figured it out for the time being.

That's not his forte. He doesn't like games like Rainbow Six.

As long as you can't beat it. You have to cheat.

Unlimited bullets. Then lock the health bar.

In the end, you win.

The problem is, this is not a game.

There are no unlimited bullets. You can't lock the health bar. People will die at any time.

What to do?

What to do?

Zhang Yong decided to ask for help.

Who to ask?

Li Boqi is not at headquarters.

No one at headquarters is good at this kind of hostage rescue.

The director is in Guangzhou...

After thinking it over, the only person to turn to is Director Lin.

Although Director Lin is not a professional, Zhang Yong feels that he should be the one to turn to.

After all, if this matter is handled well, some benefits can still be obtained.

Look at the time, 7am.

Take a chance.

If there is a problem, turn to the leader.

If the leader is willing to take care of it, he is a good leader.

If the leader is not willing, he will ignore you in the future.

Call.

Transfer to the attendant's office and ask for Director Lin.

Identify yourself and say it's urgent.

After waiting for two or three minutes, Director Lin finally picked up the phone.

'Shaolong, go ahead.'

'Director, sorry to bother you...'

'Don't be polite. Just get to the point.'

'Director, I found that Michael Flanagan, the salesman from the American company Springfield, has been kidnapped by seven Japanese invaders...'

'Tell me in detail.'

'Yes. Director, it's like this...'

Zhang Yong reported the whole story. But he omitted the information that McFarland might be an intelligence officer.

If Director Lin felt that this was a case of dogs biting dogs, then the objective would not be achieved.

Director Lin must be made to feel that the Japanese kidnapped an innocent American businessman. A representative of a major American company.

That would provide motivation. It would also be taken seriously. It might even be reported to the President.

Diplomacy is no trivial matter. Foreigners are no trivial matter.

And then...

Zhang Yong didn't care about the specific results.

That was the leader's job.