On the night of August 9, there was a crowd outside the Shanghai Security Headquarters. Dozens of reporters and hundreds of citizens blocked the door, asking loudly what the gunfire at Hongkou Airport was about.
Today's Shanghai is like firewood poured with gasoline. A spark will burn this Oriental Paris to ashes. This is something no one living there wants to see, even Japanese expatriates.
In fact, these are the people who are most nervous right now. Some Japanese businessmen who have made a fortune living in China have even taken the initiative to donate money to Guo Jun, proving that capitalists have no nationality.
The reason is very simple. In China, if they have money, they can live a life of superiority. If Japan occupied Shanghai, the nobles, military leaders, and royal family would not be able to spend their time with money.
No one understands the virtues of their compatriots better than them. Burning, killing, and looting are commonplace. It is okay to shout about the weather and black card for half a year, but it is related to wealth and life, and it will not work if the locusts really come.
Faced with the crowds of people, especially foreign journalists, the guards at the garrison headquarters were unable to hit or scold them. They had to join hands to form a human wall to block the door, and quickly sent someone to notify their immediate superiors.
"Bang~!"
A few minutes later, a middle-aged man with an upright face stood under the headquarters building, pointed a gun into the sky and pulled the trigger. The sudden sound of gunfire startled everyone, and the scene finally became quiet.
"Everyone, you should all know who I am."
The man who fired the gun glanced around with a very majestic expression. This man was the Shanghai Security Commander. Many people had seen this flamboyant local military chief. He put his hands on his hips and shouted loudly.
“I hereby solemnly declare that at about 5 o’clock this afternoon, two Japanese soldiers forced their way into Hongkou Airport with ulterior motives and brazenly shot and killed a guard. We had no choice but to fire back and killed both of them on the spot.
Two days later, we will show the evidence to all friends who care about this matter at the Shanghai Municipal Government and invite the concession area to witness it. I must say that this behavior of the Japanese deliberately provoking disputes is extremely irresponsible.
Here, I hope that the public opinion community can ask the Japanese on behalf of the citizens what they want to do with such a crazy move, and whether they want to reduce the prosperous Shanghai to ruins before they are satisfied. "
After saying that, he turned around and left. Everyone present was stunned. Something happened after all. A shooting incident that killed three people might be the beginning of the Sino-Japanese War.
"Boom~"
After being stunned for a long time, the crowd suddenly exploded. Some ran away. These were smart people who were preparing to leave Shanghai today. Some were desperately trying to squeeze in through the gate. These were reporters who were watching the excitement and did not take it too seriously.
With the help of caring people, the news quickly spread throughout Shanghai. The operators of the Secret Service learned about the relevant situation and immediately reported it to Jinling through He Yijun.
Since it was related to the war situation, the on-duty staff of the Telecommunications Section went to the dormitory in Bingdi. Zuo Zhong, who had already fallen asleep, heard a knock on the door. He held a pistol and put on his pajamas and opened the door vigilantly.
After reading the telegram, his face became extremely ugly. This was not a hasty act, but stupidity and self-defeating. Commander Yang really took the concession patrol and the Japanese for fools.
It’s okay to find someone to blame, but please be more careful. Modern forensic technology is advancing with each passing day. It’s no longer an era where you can just find a corpse and get away with it.
Without any time to think about it, he immediately went to Dai Chunfeng's residence and reported the bad news. When Lao Dai heard Commander Yang's tricks, he was so angry that he smashed the table with a loud bang.
Japan forced its way into the airport. This matter was originally justified by Japan, but when the other side took action, it was no longer justified. Once the public knows the truth, everyone knows how much trouble it will cause.
The master and apprentice discussed for a while, and then Zuo Zhong and Gui Youguang drove to Shanghai overnight. At this point, they must take decisive measures to prevent the situation from deteriorating further.
Otherwise, when the government is exposed in front of the whole world, the Secret Service responsible for intelligence work will easily become a scapegoat. Never underestimate the ability of the party-state elites to confuse right and wrong.
August 10 at noon.
Zuo Chong returned to the Yunkelai Hotel after a long journey, and immediately recalled Song Minghao, Wu Jingzhong, Wu Chunyang and others who were collecting intelligence, and introduced the whole story.
Several well-informed old intelligence officers looked at each other dumbfounded and couldn't help but wonder how Commander Yang got to where he is today. I'm afraid even a three-year-old child wouldn't be able to make such a childish decision.
"Deputy Director, do you want to silence the specific person in charge? Without witnesses and the Japanese have no conclusive evidence, the matter will inevitably go unresolved." Gui Youguang touched his bald head and said carelessly.
The rest of the people nodded slightly. Killing people and silencing them is a good way. If the problem cannot be solved, then solve the person who caused the problem. This is a common method in the intelligence industry.
Simple and crude,
But it works.
As the deputy chief of the Intelligence Section and the Chief of the Military Intelligence Unit, as well as a former arms smuggling tycoon, Song Minghao had extensive connections in the military and had already figured out the situation of the personnel who transported the corpse yesterday.
He vowed to do it: "Leave this matter to me and make sure it is clean. These people are from Jianghu guilds. They did a lot of immoral things in the past. Killing them will be regarded as eliminating harm for the people."
Find a deserted place to kill him and throw it into the river. It will soon float into the sea. Even if the Japanese are extremely capable, they won't be able to find it. Then burn the body and the matter will be over. "
Wu Jingzhong, who had listened for a long time, also joined in: "For the benefit of the party and the country, it is cost-effective to sacrifice a scum who deserved to die. At the worst, we can subsidize more pensions later and treat them as if they died in battle."
"This must never be done."
Wu Chunyang looked around, raised his hand, and expressed a different opinion: "Those officers were just following orders. If word of the silence spreads, the morale of the military will definitely be unstable, and it may even trigger a mutiny."
The Japanese army in Shanghai is currently aggressive, and a full-scale war may begin in the next second. The Japanese intelligence agency may be waiting for us to do this to undermine the morale of the national army.
And don't you think it's strange? It's such a good excuse to start a war. Why didn't the Japanese say anything after the incident happened for nearly ten hours? I think there must be something wrong and we can't act rashly. "
yes,
Why are the Japanese silent?
The agents stopped talking and frowned. It was indeed a bit strange to say this, so they turned to look at the deputy director who was lying on the chair with his eyes closed, wanting to hear his opinion.
Zuo Zhong seemed to have noticed something. He opened his eyes tiredly and said in a hoarse voice: "Chunyang is right. We who do intelligence must have a broad mind and not just limit ourselves to the situation itself.
If the situation in Shanghai is compared to a pair of dominoes, the government wants to try not to let the first one fall. On the contrary, the Japanese think about how to push the first card.
To be more specific, how much effort should be used and from what angle should we start? Because Shanghai is not Northeast and Peiping, it is the key to the interests of Western powers. If it is not done well, it will steal the chicken but lose the rice.
Don’t forget the past events of 128. At that time, the Japanese chose to withdraw their troops under external pressure. They never wanted to make the same mistake again. The best way was to shift the responsibility for starting the war to the national government.
How about missing a few more soldiers? This kind of little trick obviously won't work. So is there any way to win sympathy from the outside world and make the Western powers speechless? Naturally, they are dead.
Having determined this, we will go back and analyze this matter to see if we can see it more clearly. This is a bitter trick made by the Japanese. If I am not wrong, they already have evidence.
It may be photos or recordings, or it may be witnesses. In short, it can expose the lies of the police headquarters. Let me test you. When do you think the Japanese will announce it? "
"number 11!"
"tomorrow!"
Everyone shouted, as the saying goes, if you hit someone, you will be slapped in the face. Commander Yang announced that he would show the evidence on the 11th, and there were concession personnel present. In full view of the public, this was the best opportunity.
"Yes, it's tomorrow. Our opponent this time is a bit different. Different from ordinary little devils, this person is probably a rare strategic intelligence expert, but that's what's interesting."
Zuo Zhong mentioned how lazily he had just changed, and stood up suddenly: "Order that all personnel secretly assemble at the Shanghai Municipal Government to find Japanese intelligence agents lurking nearby and follow them.
I want to know how many there are, where they live, what weapons they are equipped with, which organization they belong to, who is the main person in charge, and to keep it confidential during operations and not let the other party see the problem. "
"What if I can't find it?"
Wu Chunyang hesitated and asked the most concerning question for everyone. There are less than 12 hours before the 11th. It is very difficult to find Japanese spies in such a short period of time.
Let's not talk about whether there are Japanese intelligence agents around the city hall. Even if there are, they won't be like the trash at the secret service headquarters, just standing there waiting to be discovered by them.
"Won't."
Zuo Zhong shook his head slightly: "The Japanese remain silent, not only to pretend to be pitiful, but also to give us time to act. Chunyang, you were right before, they are just waiting for us to take action, so that we can follow the clues and catch them all.
The other side has been defeated so many times and is very aware of our strength and destructive power. At this moment when the life and death of the two countries are determined, if the Secret Service is not removed as a thorn in the flesh, some people may not even be able to sleep peacefully.
Let me remind you that there are many ways to find people, and proactive exposure is sometimes a strategy. I won’t go into details about how to do it. It’s up to you to decide. After so many years of cooperation, I feel confident about you. "
Song Minghao and others instantly understood what he meant. It was nothing more than selling a flaw to the Japanese. A mantis would catch the cicada and the oriole behind them. As for whether there would be any danger, that was not something they should consider.
Everyone stood at attention and saluted, preparing to go back and organize manpower, but Gui Youguang asked again what to do after finding him. Zuo Zhong turned around and looked at the guy up and down, and asked in a puzzled tone.
"What's the matter with you kid? Did you forget to bring your brain back when you went back to Jinling? Do you still need me to teach you about this kind of thing? Why don't you kill the enemy? Of course it's to teach them a lesson.
As the saying goes, don't reciprocate, and people would almost put the muzzle of the gun to their foreheads. If they didn't say hello, they would think that our secret service is fake and that someone in me is easy to bully.
I'll leave this matter to you. The Japanese will definitely transport evidence or witnesses to the city hall tomorrow to create an excuse for war. I don't want to see the other party arrive alive. Do you understand?
Lao Song, you can direct the actions. Leaders and bureau chiefs are very concerned about the situation in Shanghai. When the time comes, I will have to go to the city government to keep an eye on it. You go to work first and report to me immediately if there is any situation. "
After arranging the task, Zuo Zhong waved his hand and drove his men out. He stood there alone with his arms folded and thought for a long time, silently thinking about something until night fell again.
On the other side, agents from the Secret Service in Shanghai appeared in various capacities around the Shanghai Municipal Government and screened pedestrians who stayed for a long time one by one. Unfortunately, no suspicious persons were found.
Upon seeing this, Song Minghao decisively shrunk his team, leaving only a few action experts to act as bait, while the others were waiting in hiding on the periphery to avoid alerting the enemy and failing to catch fish.
Around nine o'clock in the evening, Gui Youguang, who had been wandering around for a few times, was the first to be targeted. You can't blame him for this. A bald man with a strong build and sinister eyebrows did stand out in the crowd.
Following him was a barber who was carrying a load and was in tatters. His tracking skills were very amateur and he didn't look like a professional intelligence officer at all, otherwise he wouldn't have been discovered so quickly.
But the disguise was perfect, and the agent had tested him before. He had a standard northern Jiangsu accent, his words and deeds were consistent with his identity, and his hair-shaving skills were good, so he was ruled out as a suspect.
After receiving the news, Song Minghao observed in a hidden place for a while and listened to the report. There was doubt in his eyes. When did the professional level of Japanese spies drop to this point.
After dealing with the Japanese for several years, he had never seen such poor tracking. Compared with the other party, the people in the secret service headquarters were well-trained. Could it be that the person in front of him was not a spy.
Just when he was confused, the barber suddenly turned into the alley, and then the hawker who bought matches at the intersection took over and followed Gui Youguang while shouting.
This thing is getting weirder and weirder. To say that these people are professional, they don't even do basic cover-ups, but to say they are unprofessional, they even know how to track them in sections, the contrast is too big.
Song Minghao narrowed his eyes and whispered to the operators to follow the barber to see if anyone was spying on him. No matter what kind of god he was, he must have something to do with the Japanese.
The Japanese are suspicious and will not fail to take precautions. Since the target cannot be found through the stalker, then change the direction and start by monitoring the stalker. You will always find something.
As a result, the little spy came back to report not long after. After the other party ended the tracking, he went to a gambling house not far away, where he killed everyone and won a lot of money. There was no one around to monitor him.
A barber goes gambling?
Still killing everyone?
This is a Bodhisattva who has come down to earth to give money. Song Minghao has come into contact with many religions and sects, and he knows very well that no one can win money from gambling houses. Those who win money are trustworthy. Anyone who believes in it is not far from being a disciple.
Many gamblers saw others winning money and thought they could do it too, but ended up losing everything. Could it be that the target was someone from the gambling house? He was moved in his mind and quickly asked the little spy a few questions.
"What's the background of the gambling boss?"
"It is said to be a leader of the Cao Gang named Long."
"What's your seniority and who are you following?"
"Tongzi generation, I follow Chang Yuqing, a big-zi generation."
"Chang Yuqing..."
Song Minghao always felt that the name seemed familiar, as if he had heard it somewhere, but he couldn't remember it, so he ordered his subordinates to continue following him, and he called Zuo Zhong from a safe phone to report the latest situation.
Zuo Zhong did not express his position after listening. It was not the time to disclose the sanction task yet. He hung up the phone and pondered for a moment before dialing a number. After the call was connected, he started chatting politely with the person on the other side.
"Is this Du Gongguan? I was introduced by the boss of Jinling Wang Bo Wang."
"Yes, I have just arrived in Shanghai. I should have paid a visit in person, but I have no time to do it. I am really rude."
"Boss Du, you're welcome. I have a headache that I can't deal with. I hope you can help me."
"Okay, the situation is like this..."
The so-called Jinling Boss Wang is the pseudonym of Dai Chunfeng. It is said that some fortune tellers said that he was short of water in his life and had to have the word "water" in his name. This is pure nonsense. It should be because he was missing a parachute in his life. In short, this is Lao Dai and Boss Du. codes between.
Zuo Zhongzhi made this call because he thought it was best to say hello to Boss Du regarding matters related to the Cao Gang. Firstly, it was a taboo to cross the boundary. Secondly, he did not want to have too much dealings with gang members. Secondly, he wanted to give it a try. Test whether the other party is willing to cooperate with the country.
Boss Du's answer on the phone made him very satisfied. He was worthy of being an old man who had been in Shanghai for so many years. When he heard what he said, he agreed directly without asking anything. He didn't put on any airs at all. During the conversation, he was very satisfied. People are like a spring breeze.
With the help of the other party, many things can be solved easily. He only needs to watch the show tomorrow. Zuo Zhong took out a press card from "Shock News" and put it on the table, then turned off the lamp on the table.
Time passes quickly,
In the blink of an eye, August 11th came.
At two o'clock in the afternoon, Wu Chunyang appeared outside the Shanghai Special Municipal Government pulling a rickshaw. Zuo Zhong was wearing a top hat and a suit. He was sitting behind the car with a pen and paper in his hand and a camera hanging around his neck.
This kind of dressing up is very common in Shanghai, especially here. Hongkou Airport is a hot spot of public opinion. All the newspapers and newspapers sent people to block the road. A brick was dropped and hit ten people. At least eight of them were reporter.
The rickshaw finally found an open space and stopped. Zuo Zhong paid the fare and walked to the registration office. Wu Chunyang bent down and said thank you before pulling the rickshaw away. There was no unnecessary communication during the period.
After Zuo Zhong finished registering, just as he was about to follow the crowd into the city hall, several loud trumpets suddenly sounded, which aroused the anger of the uncrowned kings. They all turned around and glared, and then quickly turned into smiling faces.
What made them so humble was a beautiful car, or rather the public concession license plate hanging on the front of the car, and the plainclothes police officers standing on the running boards on both sides of the car. It was obvious that they were big shots from the concession who came to witness the truth of the Hongkou Airport incident.
At this time, a man with a moustache in the back seat of the car lifted up the curtains and whispered to the white man traveling with him: "Mr. Kai Ziwei, we are here. There are many reporters outside. Do you need to get out of the car to be interviewed? Public opinion is very concerned about this matter." thing."
"Just call me John, Kuang. You are the most powerful detective under my command. Unlike those guys who are patrolmen in name but are actually gangsters, I am willing to respect you.
As for the interview, forget it, this is an issue between the Chinese and the Japanese, it has nothing to do with the British Empire, oh, maybe it has something to do with it, after all, we almost lost an ambassador. "The white man smiled contemptuously.
This person was none other than John Kaiziwei, the intelligence chief of the public settlement. Unfortunately, he didn't know that the most powerful detective in his mouth was Kuang Fuan, the captain of the underground Special Branch Red Team, codenamed Chief.
After successfully "uncovering" the murder of an Indian patrolman by a Japanese consulate official, Kuang Fuan secured his position as detective. He later captured many criminal thieves and became a famous Chinese detective in Shanghai.
This made John Kaiziwei very proud. He felt that he had discovered a talent. Thinking that he would inevitably have to examine the corpse this time, he took the person with him. It was better to leave professional matters to professionals.
"Yes, sir."
Kuang Fuan's face didn't waver at all, and he replied seriously. When the car passed the door, his eyes scanned the crowd, and he saw a young reporter pressing the shutter in front of him.
Before the flash light came on, he turned his face slightly, closed the curtains of the car window, leaned on the car seat, looked at the city government building in front of him, and stopped paying attention to the movement outside the car.
After discovering that someone had noticed the candid photo, Zuo Zhong, who had returned to his old job in his previous life, put down the camera with a slight smile, raised his feet and continued to walk in. However, after taking two steps, his body suddenly stopped and his brows slowly wrinkled.
That person just now......
