Chapter 112 A Battle of Wits

Noon.

Wang Xuesen walked briskly downstairs.

Open the car door and step on the gas.

The car headed straight for the Red House Western Restaurant on Avenue Joffre.

From afar, he saw Wanjia standing at the door waiting.

A beige trench coat cinches her slender waist.

High heels and red lips.

She was also carrying a designer handbag she had just bought.

She wore an exquisite white princess hat, and her hoop earrings swayed gently.

Stylish and beautiful.

Wang Xuesen watched from inside the car, a smug smile playing on his lips.

Damn it.

A woman's life is completely different when she has a man to care for her and when she doesn't.

A few months ago, when I first met Wanjia, she was still a bit green.

She never had that alluring charm before.

"Darling."

When Wanjia saw the car come to a stop, she waved sweetly at him.

Wang Xuesen locked the car, strode over, and grabbed her hand.

It's icy cold.

"Are you cold?" he asked.

Wanjia shrank her neck: "A little."

Wang Xuesen glared at her with pity: "Prioritizing warmth over style, girl, do you really have to be so provocative?"

Wanjia immediately pouted and said coquettishly, "I rarely go on a date with you, and I dressed up to show you my best side, and you actually called me a slut."

"Ugh, I hate it."

Wang Xuesen squeezed her hand and said with a wicked smile, "Your most beautiful side is in bed."

Wear more clothes next time.

"I'd be heartbroken if I got frostbite."

Wanjia raised her chin in satisfaction: "That's more like it."

She took Wang Xuesen's arm and pressed herself against him.

"Thinking about it carefully, you haven't actually gone out with me on dates or for fun at all."

"This is the first time, isn't it?"

Wang Xuesen nodded: "It seems so."

As they spoke, the two walked into the Western restaurant side by side.

A waiter came forward, and Wanjia pointed to a seat by the window.

"Let's sit over there, the view is nice."

Wang Xuesen pulled her along and walked straight to the back row in the middle.

"Sit here."

Wanjia looked around, somewhat puzzled: "There are too many people here, it's not convenient to talk."

"How romantic it is to be by the window."

Wang Xuesen lowered his voice: "It's not safe to be near the window."

"What if someone's hiding in a car across the street and shoots us as they pass by?"

He pointed to the blond, blue-eyed foreigners at the next table.

"Sitting here, there are foreign devils to shield us."

"If someone really tries to assassinate us, we'll die even if the Japanese devils don't."

"We can still fight back and look for a chance to survive."

Wanjia pondered these words, her eyes lighting up: "That's true, how come you're so smart?"

"He can think of everything in such detail."

Wang Xuesen's tone was serious and low: "Did your mother only teach you how to send telegrams, and not these other things? This is common sense."

Wanjia said with some helplessness, "The time was too rushed, and I was only assigned to learn this at the last minute, so it's impossible to be proficient in everything."

"All right."

"I'll teach you slowly later," Wang Xuesen nodded.

Soon, the steak and red wine were served.

Wang Xuesen took Wanjia's plate and skillfully cut the steak into small pieces for her.

He picked up the wine bottle again and poured her a small half-glass.

He then casually asked, "How is Ms. Mao?"

Wanjia enjoyed his tenderness and care, and forked a piece of beef into her mouth.

"They've already been picked up by people from the Iwai Mansion."

"I didn't dare ask any more questions, for fear of causing trouble."

Wang Xuesen nodded.

He took an envelope out of his suit pocket and pushed it across the table in front of Wanjia.

"There are eight hundred US dollars in here."

"After you finish eating, go to the Okamura house and give the money to Mrs. Okamura."

"Let Okamura release Peng Sanhu, who was arrested by the Special Higher Police."

Wanjia put down her knife and fork, pouted, and said with a reluctant expression, "You just helped him clear out Ms. Mao's warehouse."

"They intercepted Bai Junqi's goods from the Special Higher Police again."

"He's already made a fortune, why would we give him more money?"

"That's eight hundred US dollars."

Wang Xuesen picked up his wine glass and took a sip.

"Two different things."

"Anyway, it's a matter of people asking for favors, and it's Old Hu who's bleeding money out of people."

"We've essentially gained this favor for nothing."

He moved closer.

"Sometimes this is more useful than money."

"It can save your life in a critical moment."

"We're not at a loss."

Wanjia nodded, seemingly understanding but not quite: "Alright, I'll listen to you, you shrewd one."

After dinner, Wang Xuesen drove Wanjia to the Wives' Club.

Watching her go inside, he turned back to No. 76.

The car was parked in the yard.

Wang Xuesen strolled up to the second floor.

As I passed the intelligence office, the door was open.

Hu Junhe was sitting behind his desk, scratching his head in frustration.

Wang Xuesen stopped and waved to him, making a gesture.

Hu Junhe's eyes lit up, and he quickly stood up and followed them out.

The two entered Wang Xuesen's office one after the other.

As soon as Wang Xuesen sat down, Hu Junhe eagerly came over.

"Hey bro, is everything settled with Captain Okamura?"

Wang Xuesen didn't say anything, but grabbed the phone from the table and dialed Okamura's office number directly.

Doodle.

The call was connected.

Wang Xuesen spoke fluent Japanese from the start:

"Captain Okamura, this is Gakusen."

"Yes, I'm sorry to bother you."

"That's right, Section Chief Peng from our intelligence department was arrested by Section Chief Fujita's men."

"right."

He spoke in a relaxed tone, as if he were chatting casually.

"It's a misunderstanding, purely a misunderstanding."

"He heard that there were transactions taking place at the docks, so he went there to arrest people."

"Look, the flood washed away the Dragon King Temple, and they ran into the Special Higher Police."

"If there are no problems, I would like to trouble Captain Okamura to give a word to the Special Higher Police."

"Okay, I'll treat you to drinks another day."

"goodbye."

Click.

Wang Xuesen hung up the phone and waved to Hu Junhe.

"nailed it."

"It was all a misunderstanding. Let's go pick them up."

Hu Junhe was overjoyed and punched Wang Xuesen in the chest:

"Brother!"

"You're really something."

"I knew it! Nothing can stump you!"

"I won't thank you enough, brother, I'll remember it all!"

Wang Xuesen waved his hand: "Old Hu, don't be so polite, we're all brothers."

Hu Junhe wholeheartedly agreed and nodded repeatedly: "That's right, you and I are brothers, we're family. I'll go pick them up now."

He turned and walked out, but stopped abruptly at the door.

After hesitating for a moment, Hu Junhe turned around and walked back.

He pulled out a chair and sat down opposite Wang Xuesen, his expression becoming unusually solemn:

"Brother, there's something I'm not sure if I should say."

Wang Xuesen looked at him.

"Of course, bro, just say what you want to say."

Hu Junhe lowered his voice, his tone slightly sour: "I've noticed you're quite favored by the director lately."

Wang Xuesen leaned back in his chair and shrugged: "It was nothing more than helping the director with his work and running errands for a little extra money."

"It's hardly a matter of being favored."

Hu Junhe let out a slight sigh and said, "Brother, you helped me get people out of trouble, and you kept quiet about that batch of goods in Liujiagang. I saw all of that."

"You've been absolutely loyal to me, Lao Hu."

"Well then, let me give you a heads-up."

"Director Li doesn't trust anyone."

"Think about it, he doesn't even trust me, how could he trust someone from a mountain town like you?"

Wang Xuesen nodded and replied knowingly, "Brother, I know my own limitations."

"In this number seventy-six, we're stuck in the middle, neither here nor there."

"This is true like-mindedness."

Hu Junhe smiled and said, "That's exactly the point!"

He brought his head even closer, almost touching the table.

"I'll tell you a secret."

"Someone from the First Division managed to recruit an important figure from the high-ranking officials of the Military Intelligence Bureau in Shanghai."

"Li Shiqun secretly ordered this person to submit an assassination list to the head of the Military Intelligence Bureau."

Hu Junhe stared intently into Wang Xuesen's eyes.

"The one who will be most affected is your younger brother."

Wang Xuesen felt a chill run down his spine, and the hairs on his body stood on end: "Brother, no, really?"

"I just got a huge sum of money from Mao Liying for Director Li."

Why would he want to kill me?

Hu Junhe rolled his eyes at him: "No wonder you couldn't see the situation clearly, and were fooled by Ye Jiqing's sweet talk."

"Their true confidants, their own people, are only Wu Sibao and Yang Jie."

Who do you think you are?

"He's using the Military Intelligence Bureau as a tool to test you."

"If the Military Intelligence Bureau had succeeded in the assassination, wouldn't your death have been for nothing?"

"If we don't assassinate you, you'll be a spy sent by the mountain city."

"Because everyone is a spy, everyone is a traitor."

"There's no reason why others can kill, but you can't."

At this point, Hu Junhe's eyes became quite strange.

He looked Wang Xuesen up and down.

"You little brother, you wouldn't actually be someone sent from Shancheng, would you?"

"Will you be able to escape this time?"

Wang Xuesen's heart was pounding.

Damn it!

What a vicious scheme!

This is practically putting him on the hot seat.

They would either be shot in the street by the Kuomintang secret police and die without knowing why.

Either you're unharmed, but your undercover identity is exposed, and you're dragged into the interrogation room by Li Shiqun and skinned alive.

Wang Xuesen is numb.

He quickly pressed, "Old Hu, where did you get this information?"

Hu Junhe glanced towards the door to make sure no one was there, then said in a low voice, "Chen Mingchu is my man."

"He told me that himself while we were drinking."

He patted Wang Xuesen on the shoulder, his tone revealing a hint of sincerity.

"It's only because we're brothers that I care whether other people live or die."

"It's also easy to offend Old Chen."

"Am I stupid?"

Wang Xuesen quickly grasped his hand and squeezed it tightly: "Brother Hu, I will definitely repay your life-saving grace in the future."

Hu Junhe chuckled twice, withdrew his hand, and patted his clothes: "Alright, we're brothers, you should stay out of the way for now."

"I've gone to pick up Sanhu."

He stood up, tugged at the straps of his overalls, and stepped out the door.

As Hu Junhe walked out of Wang Xuesen's office, his smile slowly faded.

To be honest, he didn't want to cause any trouble, so he never intended to tell Wang Xuesen about it.

There's nothing we can do about it.

Peng Sanhu, that idiot, was caught by the Special Higher Police, and his last remaining channel for reselling was completely cut off.

If you want to make money again in the future, you will have to rely on Wang Xuesen.

The key is that this kid's methods are safe, discreet, and profitable.

We have no choice but to win them over.

Hu Junhe touched the brim of his student cap, his mind racing with calculations.

If this favor isn't worth the price later, then Hu Junhe is no longer Hu.

He hummed a little tune as he went downstairs to pick up the person.

As soon as Hu Junhe left, Wang Xuesen got up and closed the door.

He sat back in his chair, his whole body covered in cold sweat.

The only person who could give Li Shiqun such a wicked idea was "Pang Tong" Liu Zhongwen.

As long as this guy doesn't die, he'll disgust himself like a maggot clinging to a bone.

What's infuriating is that Liu Zhongwen has been staying at No. 76, rarely venturing out.

They wouldn't even drink tea from outsiders.

Unless Ye Jiqing and Li Shiqun personally handed it over, there was no chance to poison it.

Not to mention, he was Li Shiqun's absolute confidant, so instigation was ineffective.

Killing this guy is a hundred times harder than dealing with Wu Sibao.

Hey.

To be stuck with such a creepy guy.

Hey.

To be stuck with such a creepy guy.

My head hurts!

Wang Xuesen grabbed a teacup from the table and took a big gulp, but the tea couldn't extinguish the fire in his heart.

The act of signing up a list, a simple and brutal scheme, has completely driven him into a dead end.

If it weren't for Hu Junhe's revelation...

That would be trouble for me.

It's not easy to break.

If the Military Intelligence Bureau really sent someone to kill me, those assassins wouldn't give me a heads-up. A stray bullet would come flying down the street; there wouldn't be a second chance.

But if the Military Intelligence Bureau doesn't take action, things will be even more interesting in Li Shiqun's eyes.

We are all spies, we are all traitors.

Those on the list should be killed if they deserve to be killed. There's no reason why others can be killed, but you, Wang Xuesen, can be crossed out.

You are the undercover spy sent by the mountain city.

Isn't this a life-or-death question?

Left or right, it's all death.

We need to find Lao Du right away.

Ding Mocun conveniently asked him to buy medicine, so he had a ready-made excuse.

Wang Xuesen grabbed his coat, put it on, and rushed downstairs to his car.

With the accelerator floored, the car sped straight towards Jishi Pharmacy.

When he arrived at the pharmacy, Wang Xuesen parked the car, straightened his collar, and went inside.

The shop is small, and the smell of Chinese medicine mixed with the aged aroma of wood wafts through the air.

Old Du was sitting behind the counter, packing medicine for someone.

"Avoid raw and cold foods when you get home. I'll prescribe three doses of medicine for you; try them first."

"Come back and tell me about the results. If it's not suitable, we'll change the formula."

Wang Xuesen sat down on a bench in the corner, crossed his legs, and waited.

After the patient took his medicine and left, Du Song took off his reading glasses and gestured with his chin at him: "Come in."

Wang Xuesen got up and went into the consultation room.

As soon as the door closed, the two spoke almost simultaneously.

"I'm here..."

Wang Xuesen did not allow it this time.

"I'll go first."

He moved a chair and sat down opposite Du Song, lowering his voice as he said:

"Li Shiqun secretly ordered Chen Mingchu to submit an assassination list to District Chief Chen through a defected Kuomintang intelligence informant."

"I'm the first one on the list."

Du Song slammed his reading glasses down on the table, his eyes widening in surprise.

"What?"

"Several underground drug trafficking points of the Military Intelligence Bureau have been raided recently, resulting in the loss of many skilled personnel," Du Song said quickly. "District Chief Chen has always suspected that there are traitors among the high-ranking officials in Shanghai."

He slapped his thigh sharply.

"Now it seems it's true!"

Wang Xuesen said angrily, "Damn it, it's easy to dodge a spear in the open, but hard to guard against an arrow in the dark."

"I'm not willing to die at the hands of my own people."

Duspine was silent for a moment, then tapped the table lightly:

"The only way is to be upfront with District Chief Chen."

Wang Xuesen's brows furrowed into a knot.

To reveal one's true identity to Chen Gongshu is tantamount to exposing one's true identity.

Once exposed, the more people who know, the greater the danger.

Du Song noticed his concerns and waved his hand, "But it was only a matter of time."

"You are the brain, Chen Gongshu is the hand."

"There are many things that need to be done by him."

"It's alright if you know."

He walked back and sat down, lowering his voice even further.

"He's a man of principle. To put it bluntly, if he were ever caught, he might betray some people, but he would never implicate you and jeopardize his chances of returning to the Military Intelligence Bureau."

"I've discussed the possibility of being arrested with him many times, and we've prepared several backup plans."

"Moreover, it was reported to the boss, who was prepared and agreed to it."

"So even if Chen Gongshu and I are arrested and become traitors to the 76th Division, we will never betray you and Huang Li."

"This is a condition that will be absolutely observed when I return to the core of the Military Intelligence Bureau in the future."

Wang Xuesen frowned and began to ponder.

Chen Gongshu was one of Dai Li's four top lieutenants. He was a seasoned veteran, and since he had made a contingency plan with his boss, it was like buying insurance.

Moreover, many operations require the cooperation of the Military Intelligence Bureau.

Although Lao Du and Chen Gongshu had only a single-line contact, Chen Gongshu was a witness to the rescue of Zhan Shen, especially in the Wu Kaixian incident, and had even met Lao Du at the police station.

If he weren't stupid, he should have been able to guess that Lao Du was working for his benefit.

It seems there's no other way besides revealing their identity.

After all, if we don't keep this information in mind, what if someone else puts us on their assassination list next time?

There's no guarantee that Hu Junhe will come to deliver the message a second time.

He thought for a moment, then sighed, "Fine, that's the only way."

Dusson laughed instead.

He stroked his short goatee, a shrewd glint in his eyes:

You have to look at this from the other side.

"If the Military Intelligence Bureau fires a few shots at you, wouldn't you be safe with Li Shih-Chun?"

Wang Xuesen was taken aback, but found it quite reasonable.

Du Song continued, "Isn't the other side using an overt strategy? We'll use an overt strategy too."

"Then assassinate him."

"Don't worry, District Chief Chen will arrange for someone to assassinate you."

"They're all good marksmen, they won't hit you."

He paused, then added.

"And by the way, you can also help me catch this spy."

Wang Xuesen's eyelids twitched, and he quickly waved his hand, "No."

"Don't rush to kill the traitor."

"Just keep an eye on things from the shadows."

He tapped his fingers twice on his knee, his mind racing.

"Otherwise, if I survive this ordeal but the traitor is arrested, wouldn't that mean I'm the one with the problem, or that I've uncovered Li Shiqun's plan?"

"After a while, you can have Boss Dai transfer him directly to the mountain city to report back, and then appoint him to a sinecure."

"We'll deal with it when the time is right."

Du Song nodded approvingly, "You've thought of everything very clearly."

"I'll discuss it with District Chief Chen later."

Wang Xuesen felt relieved for the time being and stood up to leave.

"etc."

Dusson called out to him:

"Be mindful of moderation."

"Look at you, there's no life in your eyes at all."

"Essence is the foundation of Qi and blood, why won't you listen?"

Wang Xuesen was speechless... Anyone would be exhausted if they had two shots first thing in the morning.

He drawled, "I understand."

"So nagging."

"Go tell Wanjia later."

He waved his hand, turned around, opened the door, and walked out.

Dusong's voice came from behind.

"I'm serious, if you keep ruining yourself like this, you'll have all sorts of health problems after you turn thirty."

"Don't come begging me then."

Wang Xuesen quickened his pace without turning his head.

He also had to confirm the information from the Special Higher Police and Bai Junqi, and write letters to Miyako and Mrs. Huixiang—a whole lot of things to do.

……