Rongcheng Road, Shanghai Public Concession.
It is bounded by Su Cheng River in the north and Aiwenyi Road in the south. It is not too far from the Chinese and French Concessions. Most of the residents are prominent figures in the Chinese circles and the middle class of the concession, and the public security is good.
Before the start of the Sino-Japanese War, this was the favorite place for people who pursued a high-quality life. After the war, housing prices rose day by day, and the market became a bit more prosperous than during peacetime.
A few days ago, a new "Tongheng Restaurant" opened on this lively street. The owner is a "fake foreign devil" who came back from Europe. He usually likes to speak French that even the French can't understand, and often attracts customers. make fun of.
However, this person was a kind-hearted person. As the war became more and more intense, countless refugees poured into the public concessions. The restaurant hired many people who had no food and clothing, which gave these poor people a way to survive.
Early in the morning on August 28, 1937, before the refugees on the roadside woke up, the door panels of Tongheng Restaurant were removed, and several boys came out with brooms to sweep the floor.
One of them, a short young man, bent over and seemed to be working, but in fact his eyes were aimed at the British-style villa across the road, especially the several bodyguards who were changing shifts at the door.
Not long after, another middle-aged woman carrying a vegetable basket came out of the gate. She just paused before being pushed by two gangsters and walked towards the market.
All this is seen by young people.
Ten minutes later, the open space in front of the store was cleared, and the boys walked back to the store talking and laughing. The person who had just been secretly observing came to an office and knocked lightly on the door.
"Entrez."
A French voice came from the office. The boy looked around and opened the door, got in, came to the desk, and whispered to a man who put his feet on the table and covered his face with a newspaper.
"The bodyguard shift times have been found out. They are once at five o'clock in the morning, once at two o'clock in the afternoon, and once at nine o'clock in the evening. There are four people at each time. There are no long guns. According to observation, there should be no grenades on them.
These people have been photographed in the past few days, and the outside brothers are checking their details to see if they can open a breakthrough from their family members. If necessary, they can kidnap or threaten them.
The number of people inside the villa cannot be determined for the time being. Our informants have no chance to go outside the kitchen, and there are people monitoring us when we go out today. Either the other party has discovered something, or they have stepped up their vigilance.
In short, the security measures of the target are well done, and they may have been designed by professionals, such as patrolmen and detectives. There are many people doing similar businesses in Shanghai. This is probably the case. "
"kindness"
The newspaper was lowered slightly, revealing half of the head with a head full of black hair, and then a calm male voice sounded: "Send someone to follow the cook immediately, and make sure to ensure her safety.
In addition, I informed the brothers in Hongkou that they would act according to the plan later and smash all the target stores. They should pay attention to safety during the operation and avoid being caught by the patrolling Japanese soldiers and patrolmen.
Remember to leave a sign at the scene. I want everyone to know that the target is cooperating with the Japanese and let them see that this is the fate of being a traitor. This is just a reminder to some people. "
"Yes, team leader."
The guy replied and turned around to go out.
Watching the door being slowly closed, the person behind the desk threw the newspaper aside, reached for his head under the dim light, and suddenly pulled off his scalp.
If a timid person saw this scene, he would be scared to death, thinking that he had encountered a ghost like a painting, but then the ghost started muttering in Chinese.
"Damn, this wig is too stuffy."
Gui Youguang looked at the wig in his hand with disgust, picked up a handkerchief and wiped the top of his head, mentally greeting the researchers at the General Affairs Office who designed camouflage supplies.
It's okay to wear this thing occasionally, but no one can stand wearing it every day. The glue is too irritating.
But it won't work if you don't wear it. The bald head is an obvious feature and must be disguised.
After wiping his head, he leaned back on the chair and lost himself in thought. Ji Yunqing, that old boy, was as timid as a mouse. He seldom went out, and even when he did go out, he would always be surrounded by people. He seemed to be afraid of being assassinated.
As a gang leader, this is normal. After decades of career in the gangs and lakes, he must have many enemies. The problem is that the other party's level of vigilance is definitely not to guard against ordinary gang vendettas.
There were twelve bodyguards at the door alone who were on call around the clock. Counting the guards in the house and the Cao Gang gangsters who accompanied the servants out, there were probably twenty or thirty people in total.
Gui Youguang felt that the deputy director's inference that Ji Yunqing and Chang Yuqing colluded with each other was probably true. Since the gunshots were fired at Lugou Bridge, the North China District has sanctioned many traitors who committed crimes.
If the target has done something privately that is disgraceful to the country and the nation, he will definitely be worried about following in the footsteps of these people. In this way, there is an explanation for the other party hiring so many bodyguards.
He looked at the light bulb above his head and thought for a while, and suddenly his eyes lit up. They were just checking people some time ago. What if the other party didn't use people to transmit information.
Gui Youguang sat up straight and thought of something. A few years ago, the secret service headquarters hid an underground party traitor at the Qunye Conference in Jinling, and used radio to communicate throughout the process to prevent leaks.
Although there was an internal problem in the end and someone took the blame, there was nothing wrong with this confidentiality method. Is it possible that Ji Yunqing, the Japanese, and Chang Yuqing were also connected in this way?
With the help of Japanese intelligence agencies, radio stations and radio operators can easily solve the problem. Moreover, in the public concession, the Japanese are not afraid of their own electronic reconnaissance, and there is a high possibility of using radio stations for communication.
First, the Japanese army is not far away and can provide support at any time if there is a problem.
Second, there were many Japanese police officers and officials in the concession, and they had official protection.
The third is that they are not afraid of eavesdropping. They don't have a code book and can only stare.
The deputy director asked them to change their thinking and put themselves on the weak side. Yes, spies and traitors can indeed mobilize more power than they do now.
Gui Youguang squinted his eyes and realized that the key to the problem was how to confirm this guess. It was obviously not possible to go in openly, and it was easy to sneak in secretly and alert the snake.
What about cutting off the power and checking the battery like they did to check for Japanese spies? They would lose the advantage of home field and they would be even less able to do it. They would probably be surrounded by the patrol room and Japanese intelligence agencies as soon as they entered the door.
And even if the existence of the radio station is proven, how to find Chang Yuqing through Ji Yunqing? These two old slickers can get from the bottom to where they are today. They are by no means easy characters to deal with.
He tapped on the table with his eyes closed, and a thumping sound sounded from time to time. After a long time, he didn't know what he thought of, and he stopped his fingers in mid-air and slowly opened his eyes, with a smile on his face.
Time passes quickly,
It was afternoon in a blink of an eye.
Ji Yunqing, who studied to be a silversmith in his early years, later came to Shanghai due to business failure, became a disciple of a senior member of the Caobang family, and became a very important figure in Shanghai and Xi City. Ji Yunqing was sitting in the living room, enjoying afternoon tea leisurely.
Recently, he has often told his disciples and acquaintances that at his age, his status and wealth are all fake, and living to a hundred years is real.
Therefore, not only did he find a family doctor, but he also followed the example of foreigners, eating small meals frequently and talking about health care. As for whether these words were true or false, everyone laughed it off.
If one really doesn't care about wealth, is the purpose of the other party's robbery, murder and arson to help the refugees? It's ridiculous for a green-skinned person to insist on imitating the upper class and being arty.
"Dingling bell~~"
Just as Ji Yunqing put a piece of pudding into his mouth, the phone covered with gold foil rang. The servant next to him picked up the phone and listened to a few words. His expression suddenly changed and he quickly leaned into the other person's ear.
"Sir, three of our opium dens, a gambling house, and two technical institutes in Hongkou were smashed."
"boom!"
Ji Yunqing, who kept saying that he wanted to cultivate his moral character, was furious. He lifted the coffee table in front of him and roared fiercely: "You are so brave. You even dare to destroy someone like me, Ji. Who did this?"
"I don't know, the other party is a good player, and they have guys in their hands. They left a lot of slogans before leaving."
"Slogan? What did it say?"
"this"
"Say it quickly, otherwise I will skin you alive!"
"Everyone can find a traitor and punish him."
The servant replied tremblingly. After speaking, he quickly took two steps back and lowered his head.
Besides, when Ji Yunqing heard these words, he felt dizzy and slumped down in his seat.
, muttering something in his mouth: "They are here, they are here, I know it, I know it..."
But he was the famous Cao Clan boss in Shanghai. He quickly realized what he was doing. He got up and ran to the second floor quickly to a room. He barged in without knocking and grabbed the collar of someone in the room to question him. road.
"Didn't you say that no one knew about our cooperation, why my place was destroyed, and the other party also left a slogan saying that I was a traitor? This bullshit is foolproof.
Let the Special Marines send someone to protect me. If it's too late, it'll be too late. The Secret Service people are everywhere. If I can't survive, you won't be able to leave here alive. "
The person who was threatened by Ji Yunqing was stunned when he heard this, and then he snorted and punched the ulnar nerve of his elbow. Ji Yunqing's arm went numb and he couldn't help but let go of the other person.
After breaking free from the restraints, the man shook his collar and sneered: "Ji Jun, please pay attention to the attitude of your words. I am a soldier of the Japanese Empire, not one of your lowly gangsters.
I am here to pretend to be a family doctor, for the great cause of the empire and Locust, not to be your servant. Please remember this, otherwise don't blame me for reporting all this.
Without the protection of the Locust Army, there will be no place for you in the whole of China, and all your wealth and status will be taken away by the three tycoons, so please calm down and let us talk calmly. "
After saying a few words sadly, he asked in a commanding tone: "You just said that your place was smashed, what exactly happened, explain it in detail, don't try to hide it.
Don't be jealous, things in Shanghai and even the entire Republic of China cannot be hidden from us. Since the Military Command has said to protect your life, it will definitely do it. Do you understand? "
Ji Yunqing, who had always only bullied others and had never been bullied, had never been so angry. He really wanted to ask someone to come in and shoot this bastard to death, but thinking about the Secret Service, he suddenly gave in.
He took a few deep breaths, suppressed his anger and answered the other party's questions, especially emphasizing how much money these opium dens, technical institutes and gambling houses could make every day. He suffered a huge loss this time.
At this time, this guy is still dreaming about getting compensation from the Japanese. He really wants money rather than his life.
"The Secret Service?"
After listening to his words, the Japanese soldier disguised as a family doctor was thoughtful. He dared to make such a big noise in Hongkou. This arrogant action style was indeed like that of the Secret Service.
The opponent has been targeting the Imperial Intelligence Agency since its establishment and has repeatedly undermined the Empire's plans. It would be a good thing if we could take this opportunity to get rid of this opponent.
Realizing that the opportunity to make a meritorious service had come, the man stopped nagging: "Ji Jun, I will report to the headquarters immediately and ask the Marine Corps to send personnel to protect you. We Japanese keep our word."
Ji Yunqing felt relieved and withdrew with a flattering look on his face. He didn't feel embarrassed at all. People are going to die. Is there any use in showing off? Only by living can you enjoy glory and wealth.
As soon as he went out, the Japanese soldier took out a booklet, paper and pen from his body, sat down at the table and quickly wrote the secret text, completely unaware that the light bulb above his head flickered on and off.
Due to the war, the power grids in various parts of the city were severely damaged, and voltage instability was very normal. Concession residents have become accustomed to this situation these days.
After getting ready to send the message, the Japanese soldier carefully opened a green iron box, took out the radio and assembled it, then pressed the button, and the radio waves flew into the sky along the antenna.
In the alley not far from Jizhai, three masked men in different costumes quietly appeared. One stood at the entrance of the alley to look for the wind, one rolled up his sleeves and looked at his watch, and the other stared at the electric meter on the wall.
"It's moving, someone is using high-power electrical appliances."
"Quick, we only have thirty seconds."
"yes!"
After a brief conversation, the person staring at the electric meter peeled off the outer covering of a wire and skillfully used tools to create a short circuit. Sparks crackled from the line.
At the same time, the Japanese soldier who was sending the telegraph saw the voltage indicator needle on the telegraph machine sliding towards the red (anti-peace) area. He yelled in his heart that it was not good, and decisively reached out to the power switch with his right hand.
Unfortunately, it was too late. There was a bang, and a burst of black smoke came out of the cooling hole behind the radio. The smell of burning filled the room, and the lights and fans in the entire Ji Mansion stopped running.
This made Ji Yunqing, who was already dissatisfied, jump to his feet, took out his pistol and pointed it at the door nervously, as if someone would rush in from the outside in the next second.
"I am the leader of the Cao Gang, you can't kill me!"
"I know Director Chen, I know Director Xu."
He kept screaming in despair, and occasionally aimed at the servants and bodyguards nearby, fearing that a Secret Service killer would jump out of these people and beat him to death.
It is said that the older people get, the less courageous they become. With wealth and power beyond the reach of ordinary people, who is willing to die? What they fear is not death, but losing these things.
"That's enough, Mr. Ji, there is something wrong with my treatment equipment, not someone coming to kill you."
Just when the servants were frightened and suspected that their master was crazy, a Japanese soldier with a dark face appeared at the stairs and yelled at Ji Yunqing angrily.
But after all, he cautiously walked to the window and looked outside. The pedestrians and vehicles on the road were as usual, there was nothing abnormal, and the bodyguards were patrolling the door as usual.
Considering that destroying electricity is a common method used by intelligence agencies, the Japanese soldiers thought about asking the electricians of the Jifu to check the circuit to rule out the possibility of the secret service's eastward attacks.
After a while, the electrician came back and said that the aging circuit had caused a short circuit, and there were also problems with the power supply of several nearby households. He was completely relieved.
At this time, Ji Yunqing finally regained his composure and sat slumped on the sofa, with beads of sweat on his forehead. It looked like he had just been frightened.
The Japanese soldier looked at him with contempt and said calmly: "I'm going to buy parts for medical equipment and meet some friends on the way. Please relax, Mr. Ji."
"good."
Ji Yunqing didn't want to say anything else. He simply replied with one word and walked towards the bedroom with heavy steps. He felt regretful in his heart. If he had known that the Japanese were so useless, he would never have agreed to cooperate.
If the other party couldn't bring the Marines this time, maybe he would have to make a new choice. As long as he was willing to spend money, colluding with the Japanese invaders could be a way of enduring humiliation. A stern look flashed in his eyes.
On the other side, the Japanese soldier who was about to receive a certificate of surrender came out of the Jifu in a long robe, looked around and pressed the brim of his hat, quickly walked into the bustling crowd, and started to do counter-tracking while sneaking in and out.
In the Tongheng Restaurant across the road, Gui Youguang was sitting behind the counter, thinking casually. The boy who was monitoring Ji Zhai in the morning came over quietly and reported in a voice that only two people could hear.
"Team leader, a brother is following."
"Be careful not to be discovered."
"yes."
Zuo Zhong didn't know that Gui Youguang sent people to destroy Ji Yunqing's store, and even if he knew, he wouldn't mind. The situation is changing rapidly now, and it's impossible for lurkers to report everything.
Moreover, due to yesterday's thunderstorm, he had been busy repairing damaged electrical equipment since the morning. He had no time to eat and had no time to care about what the big bald man was doing.
Thanks to the nine-year compulsory education, otherwise an electrical engineer wouldn't even be able to read a circuit diagram or repair a circuit, and even a fool would know there's something wrong with it.
It's about four o'clock in the afternoon.
The equipment room above the platform of Shanghai South Railway Station.
Zuo Zhong installed a motor casing and turned on the switch. Hearing the humming sound of the machine, he smiled with satisfaction. It seemed that even if he was not a spy, he could make a living as an engineer.
The accompanying train station staff gave a thumbs up when he saw this and praised: "Sir, your skills are very good. We found several masters, but they didn't even wait to repair this old machine. Thank you for your hard work today. Please come downstairs." Let’s have a cup of tea.”
"Haha, it's okay. The old machine is really troublesome."
"Woooooo~~~"
As Zuo Zhongzheng was talking, the sound of the whistle came from far to near. It was obvious that the train was coming. The crowds on the platform were squeezing around like loaches, rushing forward to try to get on the train earlier.
Due to the threat of war and the fact that the concession could not accommodate all the refugees, hundreds of thousands of Shanghai residents stayed around the train station, hoping to take a train to leave the place and stay away from the war.
But how many trains a day can take out how many people there are? Arguments and fights happen from time to time. Who can get on the train first depends on luck. Zuo Zhong looked down through the window and sighed.
The train entered the station slowly, and before it stopped, a dark crowd surged forward.
In just a minute or two, people were crowded inside and outside the carriage, and some even climbed onto the roof.
Those who got on the train were full of joy, as if they were far away from death and suffering, and the train would transport them to a happy country.
Those who didn't get on the bus were frightened, as if they had lost their souls. They stretched out their arms and stood on tiptoe, trying to seize the last chance to get on the bus.
In the chaos, someone heard a buzzing sound and followed the sound and saw a few black spots appearing in the sky. People stared blankly without any reaction.
The black dot swooped down, getting closer and closer to the ground. Everyone could see clearly that it was a plane. Plaster flags were painted on the shining silver wings, and aerial bombs were hung on the belly of the plane.
"Go! Run!"
Zuo Zhong, who was above the platform, had red eyes. He shouted to the people with all his strength, stretched out his hand from the window and shook it desperately. He felt extremely regretful about why he had forgotten this incident.
Historically, in order to intimidate the Nationalist government, destroy the Chinese people's determination to resist, and destroy the military's transportation network, the Japanese brazenly attacked civilian facilities.
It had been several years since he came to this era, and some memories deep in his mind began to blur. It was only when he saw planes and trains that he realized that a tragedy was about to happen.
Following Zuo Zhong's cry, the crowd immediately exploded and changed their goals one after another. People who didn't get on the train ran to open spaces to escape for their lives, and those who got on the train prayed for a quick departure.
The train driver's face turned pale. With the help of his assistant, he hurriedly started the train. He couldn't wait to drive the heavy train away in the next second. The white steam made a gurgling sound and shot straight into the sky.
Seeing the movement on the ground, the six Japanese bombers flew lower. The two at the front each dropped an aerial bomb, one landed on the locomotive and one landed on the platform.
"Boom, boom,"
There were two loud noises, and Zuo Zhong in the equipment room was knocked out by the shock wave before he could leave the window. He fell heavily behind a large piece of equipment and fell into a coma.
Almost at the same time, deadly glass fragments and shrapnel struck at high speed, leaving deep marks on the surface of the cast iron machine.
The staff member who also fell into a coma did not have such good luck. His body was riddled with holes and he stopped breathing on the spot.
The situation on the platform was even more miserable. Countless people were blown to pieces and their flesh and blood were scattered everywhere. Broken limbs and arms could be seen everywhere, and even people who had stumbled and fled for their lives could be seen.
The bright red blood soaked the ground and it felt extremely muddy when stepped on, as if it had just rained heavily. The smell of blood was in the air.
The surrounding houses were also blown up, and the gray cement mixed with blood was shocking to see. The survivors ignored the dust on their bodies and continued to run frantically for their lives. As a result, there were two more loud bangs.
The Japanese bombers bombed back and forth in two attack waves. After dropping all the aerial bombs, they accelerated and flew away from the Shanghai Railway Station.
When the smoke cleared, what was revealed to everyone was this scene. The prefabricated plate on the top of the platform fell on the track, smashing the solid track into a twist.
The overhead iron bridge used for walking was shattered into pieces in the bombing. The remaining fragments hung on it and swayed, and from time to time some parts fell off with flames and black smoke.
The dazed survivors climbed out of the collapsed ruins. They felt lucky to have survived, but the blood dripping around them and the collapsed buildings made them feel desperate.
Suddenly, a sharp cry came from the railway track. A child who was only one year old looked around and cried loudly. The clothes on his body were in tatters.
War, ruins, death, disaster, and children, this scene made a reporter who had a lucky escape with his life press the shutter blankly, and with a click, history was frozen.
There is an easter egg in the picture and it is still under review (-ι_-)
(End of chapter)
