Chapter 122 A God-Sent Opportunity

8 PM.

Lane 332, Xinchang Road.

There is an old teahouse deep in the alley.

When Wang Xuesen arrived, it was already completely dark.

Wanjia parked the car two blocks away.

He changed into a gray long gown, pulled his hat brim down, and wandered through three alleys before finally finding the back door.

A waiter in a short jacket was waiting at the door. He looked him up and down, but didn't say anything. He just stepped aside slightly to let him pass.

Wang Xuesen followed him through the cramped corridor and down a narrow, steep wooden staircase.

Once in the basement, the man pushed open a metal door and went out.

The secret room wasn't big, only about ten square meters.

A dim light bulb hung overhead, and Chen Gongshu was sitting at the table drinking tea.

Hearing the noise, he looked up and a smile spread across his face.

"ha!"

He barely managed to utter a single syllable of laughter before realizing it was inappropriate and forcefully suppressed it.

Chen Gongshu stood up, grabbed Wang Xuesen's hand, and shook it vigorously twice: "It really is you, kid!"

"Last time in the French Concession, if it weren't for you, I would have been killed by Wu Sibao."

"Thanks, bro."

Wang Xuesen sized up this top assassin under Dai Li.

Standing at around 1.7 meters tall, he wasn't particularly tall, but he exuded a rugged strength that was as resilient as a pine tree undeterred by wind and snow.

In particular, his eyes were as bright and piercing as those of his teacher, Shen Zui, and they seemed full of energy.

This kind of person is born to be an assassin.

His hands are steady, his heart is cold, and his mind is still sharp.

Wang Xuesen smiled and sat down, pouring himself a bowl of tea.

"District Chief Chen, I saved your life last time, but you almost killed me today."

"My chest still hurts terribly from those two shots."

Chen Gongshu waved his hand dismissively: "Everyone gets shot when they're in the game. It'll be fine in a few days."

He pulled out a cigarette case from his pocket, flicked out two cigarettes, handed one over, and lit it for Wang Xuesen with a famous match:

"I still have to thank you; the traitor in the Military Intelligence Bureau has been found."

"His name is Zhang Pingshun, the head of the intelligence group."

"Damn, this kid is from my hometown."

"If it weren't for you, I would never have believed he would betray us, even until I died."

Wang Xuesen had heard this kind of talk far too often.

Which of those Kuomintang traitors in No. 76 wasn't promoted by their former comrades? You can't see into someone's heart; in this chaotic world, you can't trust anyone but yourself.

However, the longer Zhang Pingshun's matter drags on, the greater the variables will become.

"You didn't harm him, did you?" Wang Xuesen asked in a deep voice.

Chen Gongshu, with a cigarette dangling from his lips, shook his head:

"No. Boss Dai gave instructions that everything regarding Shanghai should be done in your favor."

"Whether it's rescuing Wu Kaixian or assassinating Ji Yunqing, I'm completely convinced by your plans, brother."

"I can't just kill this thing to vent my anger and expose you in the process."

now it's right.

Wang Xuesen breathed a sigh of relief.

Although Chen Gongshu was ruthless, he still had a sense of the bigger picture. If it were Old Wang, who came from the Green Gang, he probably would have shot Zhang Pingshun dead long ago.

"District Chief Chen is very righteous."

Wang Xuesen took a sip of tea; the tea was a little cold and had a slightly astringent taste.

He put down his teacup and said crisply, "Let's get down to business."

"I've already persuaded Wang Tianmu privately, and Ma Hetu and his son-in-law should have contacted you by now, right?"

Chen Gongshu nodded: "Yes. I had been hesitant before, wondering if it was a trap set by Li Shiqun."

"Since it was your doing, I will go back and arrange the assassination plan immediately."

At this point, a fire ignited in Chen Gongshu's eyes.

"This is a golden opportunity!"

"If we can get rid of Chen Mingchu, Boss Dai and the Chairman will surely praise us greatly."

He rubbed his hands together, his excitement mixed with regret: "What a pity, your brother deserves the most credit, so I can't recommend you for the credit."

"Forget about the merits, just think of me when you give out bonuses." Wang Xuesen waved his hand, his expression indifferent.

Then, he added seriously, "Oh, I only want US dollars and gold bars."

"Also, if you ever get caught, don't sell me out."

Chen Gongshu was amused by him: "Don't worry, if I get caught, I'd rather sell out Lao Du than sell out you."

"Besides, with your brain, and being Li Shiqun's confidant, even if I betray you, you'll deny it, and Li Shiqun might not believe it either."

"Nothing beats Lao Du's value for money."

The two men exchanged a glance in the underground chamber and simultaneously chuckled softly.

This kind of laughter is a tacit understanding and dark humor that only those who have lived on the edge of a knife possess.

After Wang Xuesen finished laughing, his expression turned serious:

"Okay, I'm relieved to hear that."

"By the way, I need to talk to you about something."

"About Zheng Pingping."

Chen Gongshu's smile vanished: "That Central Bureau of Investigation woman?"

"Um."

Wang Xuesen recounted the plan he had been racking his brains over the past two days.

"It's easy to find scum in the Central Bureau of Investigation and Statistics (CBIS). Some of those guys are really dirty, and there are quite a few scumbags who extort money."

"I can gather intelligence and establish transportation hubs."

"I can sell Zhang Pingshun and his few corrupt Kuomintang agents to you as well."

Chen Gongshu thought for a moment, then stared at him scrutinizingly:

"But the problem is..."

"You're helping a member of the Central Bureau of Investigation and Statistics (CBIS). Right now, Xu Enzeng is arrogant and domineering, and the boss is unhappy with him. Plus, there's the feud between the two systems."

"It is unwise of you to help Zheng Pingping at this time."

That's very straightforward.

"No, it actually has nothing to do with Zheng Pingping. She's just a catalyst," Wang Xuesen said with a smile.

"What do you mean?" Chen Gongshu raised an eyebrow.

Wang Xuesen stubbed out his cigarette and leaned forward slightly.

"Since Li Shiqun has entrusted me with this task, I definitely have to do it well. Besides, I've been slacking off far too much since I took over the interrogation room."

"If I don't achieve something soon, Li Shiqun might transfer me to manage general affairs and logistics."

This is the core issue.

The position of head of the interrogation room may seem ruthless, but it doesn't actually offer much in terms of personal gain.

But it has one thing that other positions can't match: information.

Everyone arrested by No. 76 had to go through the interrogation room as their first stop.

He knew who the real spy was, who was framed, and what secrets each person was hiding.

This is the lifeline.

Once you're transferred to manage general affairs and logistics, it may seem like a lucrative position, but in reality, it's like cutting off your own eyes and ears.

He really became blind.

Dingmo Village is now close to being eliminated; it's no longer in a state of fence-sitting.

Different periods require different policies.

Wang Xuesen has already infiltrated Li Shiqun's inner circle; his main task now is to fight amongst themselves and wear them down.

His opponents changed to Wu Sibao, Hu Junhe, and Liu Zhongwen.

We must fight for certain important positions to gain the upper hand.

Moreover, this was something that Li Shiqun, who was skilled in political maneuvering, was happy to see.

Chen Gongshu understood and jokingly remarked:

"It's good to be in charge of general affairs and logistics; there's a lot of money to be made, and you can even skim some cash."

Wang Xuesen curled his lip: "Forget it, even No. 76 is almost starving."

"If you can help, then help. If you can't, then don't worry about it, we won't force you."

He genuinely didn't care.

If he can save Zheng Pingping, he can also take care of the job and make the interrogation room famous, which would be the icing on the cake.

There's no way to save her; Zheng Pingping isn't his lover. He'll just have to follow the proper procedures.

At most, one might lament that a beautiful woman has a short life, and then pretend that one never met her.

Chen Gongshu pointed at him and smiled: "Even heroes can't resist the charms of a beautiful woman. You've fallen for her?"

Wang Xuesen leaned back in his chair, his tone slightly somber:

"I have had contact with Zheng Pingping."

"Her father was a patriotic member of the Tongmenghui, and her mother was a friend of Japan who opposed the war."

"Her brother and fiancé were both pilots who were committed to resisting the Japanese."

"It can be said that the whole family was loyal and brave."

He paused.

"I know even better what she did to assassinate Ding Mocun. She sacrificed her dignity and endured so much infamy."

Chen Gongshu fell silent, a cigarette dangling between his fingers, his expression somewhat subtle.

"If you think I've developed feelings for her."

Wang Xuesen straightened his body.

"Then I can tell you, I love women like that."

There was a two-second silence in the basement.

Wang Xuesen's style suddenly shifts, adopting a roguish pose with a shrug and a pout:

"If you've seen her long stockings" , "Look at her breasts, and you'll know... the boss will love her too."

Chen Gongshu paused for a moment, then burst out laughing:

"You fucking!"

He raised his hand and touched the rough, thick stubble on the side of his face:

"Okay, you've really moved me. If I don't help you, it'll seem like I'm heartless."

"It's like he's impotent."

Wang Xuesen almost lost his composure.

Chen Gongshu stood up and paced back and forth a couple of steps:

"It just so happens that Wu Kaixian's Unified Committee for Work Behind Enemy Lines has officially started its work, unifying and integrating intelligence organizations such as the military, the central government, gangs, and the Three People's Principles Youth Corps."

"I sent Zhang Pingshun to make contact with the Central Bureau of Investigation and Statistics (CBIS)."

"That way, when the plan is executed, there won't be any loopholes in Zheng Pingping's testimony."

Chen Gongshu was actually very interested in this proposal.

You could even call it a godsend!

Not long after he took over the Shanghai Military Intelligence Bureau, there were still quite a few of Zhao Lijun and Wang Tianmu's old subordinates.

These people weren't part of his own team, so they weren't easy to use, and he couldn't figure out their backgrounds. They could be bought off as spies at any time.

One emperor and one courtier.

Openly persecuting people would affect internal unity and morale, so it was rare that Wang Xuesen handed over such a sharp knife.

Why not take advantage of it?

Wang Xuesen saw through his little scheme at a glance, and tapped the porcelain bowl with his finger, teasingly saying, "See? I'm the one who's helping you, but I have to use the pretense of helping Zheng Pingping to ask you for help."

"Old Chen, I've given you plenty of face."

"Can I get an extra 10% of the bonus?"

Chen Gongshu extended his rough fist and bumped it with his, approvingly saying, "Deal."

"The moment I saw you in the foreign concession, I knew you were the best. No wonder Shen Zui took a liking to you."

He leaned closer, lowered his voice, and said with a worried expression, "You know how tough it is to work in the Military Intelligence Bureau these days. The Japanese are putting pressure on the concessions every day. If I ever fall into Li Shiqun's hands, there are two things you'll have to help me with."

Wang Xuesen picked up his teacup and took a small sip: "Brother, please speak freely."

Chen Gongshu said in a low voice, "First, you have to protect me and help me deal with this."

"Secondly, Boss Dai, you absolutely have to speak up for me, at least don't cut off my escape route."

"I don't want to be a traitor for the rest of my life."

"Even if things don't go well, I'll stick with you. If we ever recover the country, we'll be heroes of the Party and the nation, won't we?"

Wang Xuesen put down his teacup and looked at him calmly: "It's my duty."

"But Li Shih-Chun is far more cunning than we imagined."

"He could have easily taken you all down this time with Chen Mingchu's undercover operation, but he didn't. He wanted to use infiltration to learn about your movements and catch the bigger fish."

"I suggest you set up more transportation hubs that seem important but aren't really that important, and keep some loyal or morally questionable subordinates as backup. Don't let them all fall into my hands this time."

"It would be best to transfer them to important positions and fatten them up a bit."

"If I get caught in the future, I'll have something to confess to."

"Even Wu Kaixian's enemy work committee could have some incompetent officials holding positions and wielding their authority like chicken feathers, especially those from the Central Bureau of Investigation and Statistics."

"Otherwise, you'll have a hard time getting past Li Shiqun's small fry.

Chen Gongshu straightened his expression and bowed respectfully to Wang Xuesen: "Brother, you've truly enlightened me with your words, showing foresight."

"With your trick, even if I fall into Li Shiqun's hands, I won't panic."

At this point, he burst into laughter: "Damn it, making us act like we're afraid of Li Gou, that's really bad luck."

He patted Wang Xuesen on the shoulder forcefully.

"It's getting late, and you're injured again."

"How about I let you have a few drinks?"

"They've withdrawn."

The two shook hands and said goodbye.

……

I returned home in the evening.

Wang Xuesen was very tired, his chest wound was still aching, and even breathing felt heavy.

Wanjia filled a basin with warm water, wrung out a hot towel, and carefully washed his body.

After washing him, I let him lie in my arms like a baby again.

They were served very attentively.

Wanjia gently stroked his hair with her fingers, her movements extremely tender: "Xuesen, I sat down at a table with Fang Yao today and talked about syphilis, which scared her."

She said her friend got it.

"I did as you said and recommended her to Renji Hospital."

"As for whether she went or not, I didn't dare to ask too much, for fear that she would suspect that I had ulterior motives. You can ask Dean Yang yourself later."

Wang Xuesen, with his eyes closed, answered indistinctly, "No need to ask, she went. Li Lu and Lao Si saw her at the hospital this afternoon."

Wanjia slapped him: "Be gentle, it hurts."

She asked, puzzled, "Why do you need her medical records?"

Wang Xuesen muttered, "It's related to Fujita Hajime."

He didn't say much.

I have to attend Miyako's wedding on New Year's Day, and I also need to start dating her. It wouldn't be good if Wanjia found out too much.

Seeing that he was unwilling to talk about it, Wanjia did not ask any further questions.

She has been open-minded and intelligent since childhood. She knows what she should know and doesn't force herself to know what she shouldn't. Knowing too much is just asking for trouble.

Anyway, Xuesen treats me well, and I'm happy as long as we can sleep in the same bed every day.

Even if the sky falls, Xue Sen will be there for you.

He tells you where to go, and you can't go wrong.

Soon after, Wang Xuesen's snoring could be heard.

This guy is asleep.

Wanjia gently helped him onto the pillow, covered him with the quilt, tucked the corners of the quilt in, and quickly got out of bed to wash up.

Wang Xuesen took two days off to rest at home.

Wanjia got some plasters and medicinal wine from Lao Du and applied them to him and massaged him every day.

Wang Xuesen had a good foundation and recovered considerably, with his internal injuries significantly reduced.

……

December 24th, morning.

Wang Xuesen changed into a sharp suit, picked up his briefcase, and walked out the door.

Wanjia took a thick coat and escorted him to the entrance of the courtyard. She carefully draped it over his shoulders and straightened his collar, saying, "Be careful. Don't wander around if you're not feeling well. Call me immediately if anything happens."

Wang Xuesen reached out and squeezed her firm, pert buttocks, which made Wanjia roll her eyes at him coquettishly.

"When you have some free time, ask your parents to distribute the family's legal tender. If they can exchange it for gold bars or US dollars, that would be best. If not, they can exchange it for medicine or food on the black market."

"According to feedback from Qingfu, there are more and more counterfeit coins on the market, some even indistinguishable from genuine ones, which may be the work of the boss."

"At this rate, the fiat currency will only collapse faster and faster."

"Of course, don't make it too obvious, otherwise the Japanese will easily notice it."

Wang Xuesen increased the force in his hands.

Wanjia nodded earnestly: "I understand, you can rest assured that I can handle things."

She tiptoed and kissed Wang Xuesen on the cheek.

Wang Xuesen reluctantly slapped her shapely buttocks, then got into the car amidst Wanjia's whimper and drove towards No. 76.

We arrived at the office building.

Wang Xuesen had just sat down in his office when the telephone on his desk rang.

Upon answering, it turned out to be Li Shiqun's inside contact.

"Okay, Director Li, I'll be right there."

After hanging up.

He stood up and was about to go to Li Shiqun's office when the phone rang again.

He answered the phone while loosening his tie: "It's me, oh, Director Ding. Okay, I'll be right upstairs."

Both sides were looking for him, and Wang Xuesen knew exactly what was going on, so he went to see Ding Mocun first.

I arrived at the director's office.

Pushing open the door, the room was filled with smoke, and the pungent smell made one frown.

The ashtray was overflowing with cigarette butts, some still smoldering.

Ding Mocun looked dejected, with bloodshot eyes and heavy eye bags. He was slumped on the sofa, looking terrible.

Her once slicked-back hair was now a mess, with a few strands hanging down her forehead, making her look particularly disheveled.

Upon seeing Wang Xuesen, he forced himself to be cheerful and pointed to the chair opposite him: "Sit."

Without uttering a single superfluous word, Ding Mocun cut to the chase: "Zheng Pingping is an assassin sent by the Central Bureau of Investigation and Statistics (Zhongtong). This is the second time she has attempted to assassinate me."

"I really like her."

I want to send her away.

Wang Xuesen nodded, his expression showing complete understanding: "Sending her away is a good idea. If she falls into Li Shiqun's hands, it will be very disadvantageous for you, Uncle."

Ding Mocun sighed, rubbing his throbbing temples with his fingers: "With such a commotion this time, Li Shiqun has most likely already been alerted."

"Pingping has been crying on the phone for the past two days, explaining and apologizing to me."

"Why!"

"Do you think she thinks I'm stupid, or is she determined to kill me?"

Wang Xuesen pondered for a moment, then bluntly shattered his fantasy: "I'm afraid the latter is more likely. Your aunt probably already knows about this."

Ding Mocun nodded, his face growing increasingly grim: "Yes, she said she would definitely kill Pingping."

"I really can't bear to part with Pingping."

"Her gentleness and her skills in bed are truly captivating."

At this point, he let out a heavy sigh, a ruthless glint in his eyes: "Xuesen, how about this, you go and persuade her to leave Shanghai immediately."

"If she insists on not leaving."

At this point, Ding Mocun made a throat-slitting gesture, his face turning fierce: "You should find someone to kill her."

Wang Xuesen blinked and said calmly, "I can go see her. As for whether or not to kill her, we'll talk about that later."

Ding Mocun smiled with satisfaction: "Xuesen, I don't have many people I can rely on now, so this matter depends entirely on you."

Wang Xuesen got up to take his leave.

He turned and went out, down the stairs to Li Shiqun's office.

Pushing open the door, I saw Li Shiqun sitting behind a large desk, flipping through documents, looking completely at ease.

Li Shiqun looked up and asked, "How are you feeling?"

Wang Xuesen thought to himself, "Old Li is still better at handling people; at least he knows to show some concern."

Old Ding is far from that level.

Damn it, I saved his life, and he didn't even say a kind word.

And you still want to kill for him? What are you thinking?

Wang Xuesen replied, "Thank you, brother. I feel much better."

He pulled out a chair and sat down, getting straight to the point: "Ding Mocun just contacted me and told me to go see Zheng Pingping. If I can persuade her, I should; if not, I should kill her."

"This is a perfect opportunity for me to ask her out."

"However, I'm afraid I'll still need your help, brother."

Li Shiqun put down his pen, interlaced his fingers on the table, and raised his hand to indicate, "Speak."

Wang Xuesen said, "Although we have been monitoring Ding Mocun's phone calls, we cannot rule out the possibility that Zheng Pingping will call him to confirm the situation."

"Therefore, I hope my elder brother can send someone to do something to ensure that Ding Mocun cannot answer the phone today."

Li Shiqun flicked his fingers, a look of admiration flashing in his eyes: "You and I are on the same page."

"Don't worry, as soon as you leave, I'll have the telecommunications department cut off communications under the pretext of checking and repairing the telephone lines."

Wang Xuesen was overjoyed: "Such a great thing can be accomplished!"

He glanced at his watch and estimated the time: "Okay, I'll call Zheng Pingping now and arrange for him to come see my brother after he gets off work in Linzhijiang."

"Let's postpone the plan as long as possible."

"By the way, it's Christmas Eve tonight, brother, you'd better not let your wife go out."

"The current situation is dangerous, and I'm worried about my sister-in-law's safety."

A hint of warmth flashed in Li Shiqun's eyes as he nodded and said, "That's what I thought too, but she's going. You know, this is one of the few high-society parties in Shanghai."

"Mrs. Okamura made an appointment with her, saying that she would be protected by military police."

"She insisted on going, and I couldn't persuade her otherwise."

"After you've finished talking to Zheng Pingping, come back and try to persuade her for me."

"Your sister-in-law listens to you."

"Hey, your sister-in-law is a top student and comes from a prominent family. I don't think I can persuade her otherwise," Wang Xuesen flattered.

Li Shiqun smiled and tossed him a pack of cigarettes: "If you can't persuade him, then there's no one in this world who can. Go on."

Wang Xuesen returned to his office and closed the door.

He sat down at the table, picked up the receiver, and dialed the Zheng family's number.

Crunch, crunch!

Good luck.

After ringing a few times, Zheng Pingping answered the phone.

Wang Xuesen didn't beat around the bush and directly arranged to meet at his home.

At that moment, I really didn't dare to go outside to see her.

Two of the Central Bureau of Investigation and Statistics' (Zhongtong) top agents have died.

If this operation fails, Zheng Pingping will likely be targeted and suspected by Xu Zhaolin.

Who knows if there are any Kuomintang agents around her?

If I were to shoot myself twice, then I would have died for nothing.

As for whether this would deepen Xu Zhaolin's suspicions about her, Wang Xuesen couldn't care less.

In any case, this woman has no chance of escaping Li Shiqun's inescapable trap.

The electric chair in the interrogation room.

She'll definitely go up and sit for a while.

After hanging up the phone, Wang Xuesen called Wanjia and asked her to cook more good dishes for lunch.

He wanted to personally teach Zheng Pingping a good lesson.

……

If you could only read one military novel in your life, it would probably be "Spy Code: Shen Gongbao".