met free Chapter 58 Red Bean Squad Takes Over
Chapter 58 Red Bean Squad Takes Over
The next morning, a tightly sealed envelope was delivered to Yan Shuo. Inside was the activation order for the Red Bean Squad, as well as fragmented intelligence transmitted from the Shanghai station: Imai Tsubasa, a colonel, was directly connected to the Japanese Shanghai Expeditionary Army. His exact arrival port and time in Shanghai were unknown, and he was accompanied by no fewer than fifty guards.
In the conference room, the blinds were closed. Yan Shuo was tapping on the incomplete intelligence report and smoking. Li Zhiyao, Su Ling, Zhao Lie, Huang Mo, and Gu Xiang entered one after another. As soon as they stood still, they could feel the tension in the air.
"The Shanghai station has been breached." Yan Shuo pushed the intelligence report to the center of the table, his voice low and steady. "Imai Tsubasa, a Japanese colonel, was directly contacted by the Shanghai Expeditionary Army. His arrival at the Shanghai port and the timing are completely uncertain, and he has at least fifty guards. We'll take this job and spread the net first."
The group glanced at the intelligence report, their expressions hardening.
Li Zhiyao spoke first: "The training program has gathered thirty new recruits, all of whom have been trained in reconnaissance and communications. They will be assigned to various groups to provide support, which is enough."
"Perfect." Yan Shuo began assigning tasks:
"Zhao Lie, lead your men into three groups to stake out the three major wharves of Hudong, Huxi, and Shiliupu."
Yan Shuo looked up at Zhao Lie and said, "You disguise yourselves as porters and warehouse accountants, and remember every ship that flies the Japanese flag and the groups of Japanese guards. Have the new recruits pass the information to Li Zhiyao every two hours."
Zhao Lie nodded and said, "No problem. The new recruits are all top performers from the training class. They've practiced surveillance a hundred and eighty times already, so they won't give themselves away."
"Su Ling, Qingniao is in charge of the communications." Yan Shuo turned to Su Ling, who was wearing a plain cheongsam. "Shen Yanqing is leading a team to guard the hidden radio station in the tailor shop, focusing on the frequency band of the Japanese Shanghai Expeditionary Army. Imai's messages are definitely encrypted. Kobayashi Kaoru's communications class likes to hop frequencies, so have the new recruits take turns guarding it. Don't miss the keywords 'Imai' and 'dock'."
Su Ling nodded and said calmly, "I've checked the new recruit's recording speed; he can keep up."
"Gu Xiang, take charge of the Naval Intelligence Department." Yan Shuo looked at Gu Xiang, "Take some men and stake out the coffee shop across the street, focusing on whether they've sent anyone to the docks for reinforcements."
Gu Xiang hummed in agreement, his voice deep: "The coffee shop owner is our informant, so he's safe."
"Huang Mo contacted the informant in the Mei Agency and asked Imai if he was going to contact the Mei Agency; Zhang Duan, take a few men and keep an eye on Ji Chuan and Zhang Lin of No. 76 to see if they have received the defense assistance order."
Yan Shuo paused, then added: "Ge Haikun is stationed at the entrance of No. 76. If there's any movement, send a message directly to Zhang Duan. As for the Special Higher Police, Chen Rui, you and the others keep an eye on Fujii's intelligence section. If Otani and Miyamoto make any moves, report it immediately."
With all tasks settled, everyone around the long table remembered their assignments.
Li Zhiyao pushed the encrypted notebook to the center: "All information should be gathered here first. Imai has many guards, so let's pinpoint his location first and avoid a direct confrontation."
Yan Shuo nodded and was about to end the meeting when there was a light knock on the door. Meng Jia poked her head in, still clutching the foreign firm's account book in her hand.
"Don't wander around today," Yan Shuo said before she could speak. "The foreign company has a batch of German goods to process these days. Stay in the office and finish checking the documents. Don't go out unless I'm there."
Meng Jia's eyes widened: "But..."
"No buts." Yan Shuo's tone was firm as he tapped the ledger in her hand. "This is the foreign firm's job; you have to do it."
Meng Jia pursed her lips and agreed, then turned and left the conference room, her steps revealing her reluctance.
Two hours later, at the hidden liaison point in Shicao Lane, Meng Jia took advantage of the meal break to run over and tell Wang Li the news: "Team Leader Wang, Liu Jie called a lot of people out early this morning and even made me stay at the foreign firm to do the accounting. He was acting very mysteriously; something big must be going on!"
She clutched the hem of her clothes, sat on the bench, and said with a hint of uncertainty and anxiety, "Team Leader Wang, I just arrived at the foreign firm today and saw that Liu Jie had locked the door to the top-floor office. He never locks the door normally. Later, seven or eight unfamiliar faces came in one after another. They were all dressed inconspicuously, but they walked with very straight backs, which showed that they had been trained. Once inside, not a sound could be heard."
Wang Li sat behind an old wooden table, holding several crumpled pieces of paper in his hand, which were fragmented intelligence reports from different informants.
He first pointed to the top one, then looked up at Meng Jia: "The informant from the soy sauce factory reported that Ximei Trading Company dispatched three unlicensed trucks, and the driver is a familiar face from the Military Intelligence Bureau's Shanghai station; Teacher Liu from the academy also delivered a message that last week Liu Jie disguised himself as a businessman and met with the Military Intelligence Bureau's old contact at a coffee shop in the French Concession. He only stayed for ten minutes, but slipped a manila envelope over."
He picked up the second slip of paper: "Also, Count Lucas's trading company, ostensibly trades German goods, but secretly transported three shipments of Kuomintang medicines and ammunition. The invoices were from Ge Haikun's company. You didn't handle those, right?"
Meng Jia looked up abruptly, her eyes filled with surprise: "I've only ever handled our own orders; Liu Jie never lets me touch the foreign company's invoices!"
"That's right." Wang Li gathered the notes together. "The Shanghai station lost people yesterday, and the news of Imai Tsubasa's arrival in Shanghai just leaked out. Liu Jie made his move today. He has the cover of a foreign firm, a German background, and old channels of the Military Intelligence Bureau. At this time, only someone from the Military Intelligence Bureau could take on this job."
He stared into Meng Jia's eyes and said, word by word, "His public name is Liu Jie, and his German name is Bernd Kraus, but these are just shells. His purpose is most likely to keep a close eye on Imai Tsubasa's movements, either to intercept his intelligence or to find an opportunity to take action. After all, Imai is the person directly in contact with the Shanghai Expeditionary Army, and he must have a bottom line on military deployments."
Meng Jia tightened her grip on the hem of her clothes, her voice tinged with panic: "Then...should I keep an eye on his goods?"
"Don't touch his trading documents," Wang Li said solemnly. "He's in a tough spot right now, so just do as he says, keep the accounts straight, don't ask too many questions, and don't go near his secret office. If he makes a move against Imai, it will benefit our war effort. Keeping your position is more important than anything else."
Meng Jia bit her lip and nodded vigorously: "I understand... I will definitely listen and not wander off recklessly."
Yan Shuo knew, of course, that Meng Jia had run away again, disobeying orders, and gone to see Wang Li to relay his whereabouts. But it was alright; the Communists only cared about getting intelligence, and personal safety was guaranteed. He had discovered many Communist spies around him.
The people monitoring Meng Jia were a few kids he had released; he dared not ask the Military Intelligence Bureau to monitor Meng Jia, as it could lead to deaths.
Like the Kuomintang secret police in the mountain city, they had spies planted around him. Did they really think his mask and voice patch were omnipotent? The higher-ups already knew about it. Some people even coveted his mask, but he used the excuse that he had run out of them and had difficulty making them. Anyone who still thought of asking Yan Shuo to curry favor with him was asking for death. Several high-ranking officials came to Yan Shuo asking for the secrets of mask and voice patch production, and even threatened to transfer or demote him if he didn't give them to them.
Yan Shuo completely ignored him and then delivered an unexpected package: a car overturned, his license plate was smashed, he was hit by a car, he sneezed and got stuck in his airway, all sorts of things, well, anyway, he was gone.
As for his old subordinates and new subordinates who reported to their superiors, they either have to get out or die for their country. In any case, in his team, more than a hundred people have died in the past six months, and more than ten of them were gossips.