You were allowed to marry into No. 76 family, and you were promoted to director?

Chapter 401 Colonel
But right now, Zhao Xuan is being hailed as a hero, and the Japanese army is being portrayed as the guardians of the people of Shanghai. Public opinion is leaning towards the Japanese, and no one believes the real truth.

The more Fu Zhengguo thought about it, the more he felt that Zheng Yi's words made a lot of sense and were very logical.

Fu Zhengguo is now worried that if Zheng Yi's words come true, how will the young tiger survive in such an extreme situation?

"Xiao Zheng, keep calling the cub to confirm if it is safe."

If a young tiger is lost because of the Sheshan Research Institute, Fu Zhengguo can forget about it; his job as station chief is over!
Another concern of Fu Zhengguo was that the Military Intelligence Bureau had a legendary agent like Young Tiger. If the war of resistance against Japan was won, the Kuomintang and the Communist Party would inevitably have to fight.

Fu Zhengguo's true identity is a high-ranking underground intelligence agent infiltrated into the Kuomintang's Military Intelligence Bureau, codenamed "Sound of the Horn".

As the station chief of Shanghai, Fu Zhengguo had an important mission besides infiltrating the Kuomintang's intelligence agency: to understand and grasp the true movements and potential threats of high-ranking agents within the agency.

Without a doubt, the young tiger has become someone that Fu Zhengguo must understand thoroughly.

However, the problem is that, even now, Fu Zhengguo still doesn't know the true nature of the young tiger.

After much deliberation, Fu Zhengguo felt that if he wanted to uncover the true identity of the young tiger, he could only do so through Phoenix Tail Orchid, who had been identified as the young tiger's subordinate by his superiors.

Phoenix Tail Orchid is the second link between Young Tiger and the Military Intelligence Bureau in Shanghai. Through her, perhaps he can follow the clues to find the real source.

In a secret room behind the Guanghua Bookstore on Hankou Road in Shanghai.

Under the dim light of a kerosene lamp, Wang Shuyu was sorting through a stack of fragmented intelligence reports. After piecing them together, she glanced at her watch and then looked toward the door.

Sun Jianzhong should be back by now.

Sure enough, a few seconds after Wang Shuyu turned her gaze away, Sun Jianzhong pushed open the door and entered.

"Shuyu, the Sheshan Research Institute has been completely destroyed and there is no possibility of rebuilding it. Although this is good news, you should still take a look at this newspaper first!"

Seeing Sun Jianzhong's expression, which was a mix of excitement and anger, Wang Shuyu curiously took the newspaper and began to read it.

After quickly scanning the front page, Wang Shuyu let out a slight sigh of relief:

"All of this was expected. The Sheshan Research Institute was burned down, and the Japanese will spare no effort to make up for the losses, even if it's just in terms of image."

"Anyone with eyes can see the problem with this newspaper, but we have no evidence. The Japanese army, however, provided photos of the scene at Sheshan. At present, there is no way to reverse this situation."

Sun Jianzhong snorted coldly; his anger stemmed from his own powerlessness.

"Let's leave the rest aside, but the Japanese actually turned Zhao Xuan into a hero. Shuyu, you were right before, this Zhao Xuan is indeed a big problem, and we should have dealt with him as soon as possible!"

But this time, Wang Shuyu shook her head with a wry smile:

"It is true that Zhao Xuan is a major traitor, but this time, Zhao Xuan can indeed be called a hero. He discovered a special drug for the Japanese army's virus. This contribution alone has prevented the possible residual virus from spreading further in the Songhu area."

Sun Jianzhong looked at Wang Shuyu with considerable surprise:
"Shuyu, this is the first time I've heard you praise Zhao Xuan!"

Wang Shuyu sighed:
“I can distinguish between merits and demerits. Zhao Xuan’s image in the eyes of the people has improved. If we continue to target him, it will be a loss.”

"Moreover, Uncle Sun, the Japanese say they discovered a new virus in Sheshan, but I'm certain that this virus leaked from the Sheshan Research Institute."

Sun Jianzhong smiled. Did this kind of thing even need guessing? It must have been a mistake by the Japanese that led to the virus leak. In the end, they messed things up and couldn't control the situation. The Japanese had no choice but to grit their teeth, abandon the Sheshan Research Institute, and destroy all evidence and the virus that could potentially spread widely.

Seemingly sensing Sun Jianzhong's thoughts, Wang Shuyu said with a solemn expression:
"Uncle Sun, you've misunderstood me."

"What I'm trying to say is that this virus leak was by no means accidental, and to a large extent, it was unlikely to be caused by operational errors by the Japanese."

"This is the intelligence I've compiled today."

As she spoke, Wang Shuyu patted the stacks of neatly organized and categorized documents on her desk and continued:

"We had received intelligence that, in order to ensure the smooth progress of the Sheshan project and to prevent a repeat of the first Sheshan incident, the original organization had dispatched a communications team to be stationed at the Sheshan Research Institute."

"If the virus leak was indeed caused by a mistake by the Japanese, the telecommunications team stationed in Sheshan would have reported the situation back to the original agency immediately, instead of being in a state of panic like yesterday."

"Therefore, I can conclude that the virus at the Sheshan Research Institute was deliberately released by someone with ulterior motives. The Japanese at the Sheshan Research Institute were completely unaware of it, and by the time they realized what was happening, it was too late to send any further information."

"Uncle Sun, do you think it could be a tiger cub?"

Before Sun Jianzhong could answer, Wang Shuyu continued to speculate:

"The intelligence that Comrade Hao Sheng sent back via the postman mentioned that Young Tiger, as the commander-in-chief of the operation to sabotage the Sheshan Research Institute, issued an order to remain inactive as the mission deadline approached."

"This doesn't make sense, but coincidentally, shortly after this order was issued, the Sheshan Research Institute had an accident."

"If this wasn't done by a tiger cub, I really can't imagine how such a coincidence could have happened?"

Looking at Wang Shuyu's increasingly bright eyes, Sun Jianzhong seemed to realize something and asked in a low voice with some excitement:

"Shuyu, have you guessed the identity of the young tiger?"

Wang Shuyu pursed her lips and shook her head. She did have some immature thoughts in her mind, but she felt it was best not to voice them for the time being, because she herself thought they were outrageous.

Wang Shuyu wondered if the young tiger might be Zhao Xuan.
The reason is simple: Zhao Xuan discovered the specific drug for the Sheshan virus, and shortly after the virus was leaked, he identified penicillin as the specific drug for the Sheshan virus.

Although Wang Shuyu had given up the opportunity to study abroad, she was still a top student who graduated from a reputable medical university.

When a new virus emerges, even with the best of luck, it's impossible to find a cure in such a short time.

Unless Zhao Xuan hits the target on his first attempt, the development of any drug in medicine is traceable, but Zhao Xuan seems to have known the answer all along.

This left Wang Shuyu no choice but to think about it in this direction.

This is also why Wang Shuyu doesn't want to talk about it for the time being, because no matter how you look at it, Zhao Xuan is the biggest traitor in Shanghai. How is he related to the Kuomintang?

Oh, no, the only connection Zhao Xuan has with the Military Intelligence Bureau is that his wife works for them.

Sword Face!
It seems I need to find an opportunity to meet Wang Yiya and learn more about this woman from her.

"Shuyu, I need to report this matter to the organization as soon as possible. Zhao Xuan's problem still needs to be resolved quickly. Although he did make some contributions to the people of Shanghai this time, it is not enough to erase his various acts of working for the Japanese."

"Zhao Xuan's reputation in Shanghai is growing, which is not a good thing. Public opinion is the most powerful tool to sway the people. We can't just watch the people be deceived by the Japanese!"

Wang Shuyu nodded and said nothing more. Zhao Xuan did indeed need to be dealt with!
Shanghai, Wusong Road Special Higher Police Section.

Aizawa Keiko is in a very good mood today.

The matter of the Sheshan Research Institute was of no concern to Aizawa Keiko, since it wasn't the Special Higher Police's responsibility anyway.

Early this morning, Aizawa Keiko convened a meeting with Special Higher Police officers at the captain level and above.

Looking at everyone sitting upright and proper, Aizawa Keiko said with a smile:
"Today's meeting is mainly to announce two things."

At this point, Lan Zehui smiled and glanced at Zhao Xuan:
"First, after discussions within the cabinet, the commendation decree, personally signed by His Majesty the Emperor, has been issued and will be delivered soon."

"The recipient of this award is Zhao Xuan, the head of the Intelligence Advisory Section of our Special Higher Police."

"After deliberation by the Cabinet, it has been decided to grant Zhao Xuan the status of a citizen of the Empire and promote him to the rank of Colonel in the Army, in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the Empire in the epidemic prevention efforts. This decree shall take effect immediately."

The hall was silent. The expressions of the people were varied. Some were shocked, some were indignant, and some secretly sneered.

Inside the meeting room, Osamu Kishimoto became the laughingstock of almost everyone.

Aizawa Keiko's words made it very clear that Zhao Xuan's position had been confirmed by the Emperor's decree and no one could shake it.

Kishimoto had questioned Zhao Xuan's loyalty on several occasions before, but now he not only failed to shake Zhao Xuan's loyalty in the slightest, but also made himself look foolish and ridiculous.

Lan Zehui's move was not only to reward Zhao Xuan, but also to purge internal dissidents and consolidate the power of her confidants.

In particular, the identity of being a citizen of the empire completely shattered Kishimoto Osamu's previous attacks on Zhao Xuan.

Kishimoto Osamu lowered his head, his face grim. Today was nothing short of a public humiliation for him.

He knew that his power in the Special Higher Police was being rapidly undermined, while Zhao Xuan had used this commendation order to firmly establish himself, and he might even be replaced as the head of the intelligence section in the next step.

Zhao Xuan remained calm, as if he had expected this.

Aizawa Keiko surveyed the room with satisfaction and continued:
"The second thing is that, in order to consolidate the results of epidemic prevention, the Empire will establish a 'Special Supervisory Group for Health and Epidemic Prevention', which will be fully responsible by Colonel Zhao Xuan and directly under the jurisdiction of the Cabinet."

The air suddenly became heavy upon hearing this.

This means that Zhao Xuan not only obtained a military rank, but also gained the highest authority in public health in Shanghai.

And every decision he makes will be disguised as "epidemic prevention" and quietly permeate every inch of the city's fabric.

Even Zhao Xuan was surprised that the Japanese cabinet would make such a decision. However, seeing the look in Aizawa Keiko's eyes, Zhao Xuan understood that the Watanabe family and the Aizawa family were working together!

Zhao Xuan nodded slightly, his gaze briefly meeting Lan Zehui's, knowing that this was the result of the joint efforts of the two major conglomerates.

Zhao Xuan took a slight breath, slowly stood up, his gaze sweeping over each face, whether gloomy or wary, his voice steady and clear:
"There is no small matter in epidemic prevention. Since His Majesty the Emperor trusts me so much, I ask that you all cooperate with my work. Anyone who obstructs me, regardless of their status, will be treated as obstructing official business."

"Of course, I believe that after experiencing the Sheshan virus incident, everyone should support the epidemic prevention work. I believe everyone has realized this."

As soon as she finished speaking, the conference room fell into a deathly silence. Lan Zehui smiled and said, "From today onwards, no one in the Special Higher Police will dare to provoke Zhao Xuan anymore, and the family will continue to exert its influence."

Aizawa Keiko believed that when the war was won, Zhao Xuan would definitely gain the recognition of the two major financial groups, Watanabe and Aizawa, one old and one new.

As Zhao Xuan sat down again, even those who were still unwilling dared not express any objection in the conference room, and they all applauded.

As the applause subsided, Aizawa Keiko seized the opportunity to say:
"Taking this opportunity, I'd also like to talk to you about something today, concerning the issue of the high degree of overlap between the duties of the Special Higher Police's Intelligence Advisory Section and the Intelligence Section."

Kishimoto Osamu's lips twitched. This woman was simply not giving him a way out!

Having just finished establishing Zhao Xuan's authority, they couldn't wait to make an example of him the next moment.

Now, no one will object anymore. The commendation order personally signed by Tianhuang is on its way. Who would dare to oppose Zhao Xuan?

"Kishimoto-kun, I believe you also know that although the Intelligence Advisory Section has not received any salaries since its establishment, the salaries of the Intelligence Advisory Section are calculated and distributed by the Finance Department of the Military Police Headquarters."

"But this is the Special Higher Police, and we have been separated from the Military Police Command for a long time. It is uncertain whether the Military Police Command can pay the salaries of the Intelligence Advisory Section separately, and it is even more uncertain when it will be paid."

"Considering the situation of the Intelligence Advisory Section and the Intelligence Section, I have decided to merge the two sections into a new Intelligence Section, with Colonel Zhao Xuan serving as the head of the Intelligence Section and Major Kishimoto serving as the deputy head. I think Kishimoto-kun should have no objection to this, right?"

"After all, the intelligence section is a permanent department, and the salary distribution does not need to go through the Military Police Headquarters. I am also considering everyone's interests."

Kishimoto Osamu was practically grinding his teeth to dust, but when Aizawa Keiko mentioned the ranks of colonel and major, she emphasized the words very heavily—she was pointing fingers at him!
After the Intelligence Advisory Section and the Intelligence Section were merged, how dare you, a mere Major Kishimoto Osamu, make a Colonel serve as the deputy section chief?

Kishimoto Osamu naturally dared not, so he gritted his teeth, clenched his fists, and nodded heavily.

Seeing this, Aizawa Keiko glanced at him disdainfully and continued:
"Alright, that concludes today's meeting. Kishimoto-kun, thank you for clearing out the office for the head of the intelligence department. I hope that the departmental merger can be finalized today."

"After all, our Special Higher Police Division still has a lot of work to do. If the division of labor in the Intelligence Section is unclear and there is no good leadership to control things, and problems arise, Kishimoto-kun, you can't bear that responsibility, can you?"

At that moment, Kishimoto felt like he wanted to die, but he could only stand up, bow to Aizawa Keiko, and accept the order.

Sasaki Yoshiaki saw this and shook his head helplessly.

I told Kishimoto Osamu long ago not to keep arguing with Zhao Xuan. Now look what's happened. He's lost his position as head of the intelligence department, and he's even been demoted to work under Zhao Xuan. Tsk tsk, what a pitiful guy!
However, Saki Yoshiaki was still very grateful to Kishimoto Osamu, because initially, he and Zhao Xuan were at odds, but it was Kishimoto Osamu who persuaded Saki Yoshiaki to come to his senses and stop targeting Zhao Xuan.

Ironically, Saki Yoshiaki stopped targeting Zhao Xuan and instead persuaded his friend Kishimoto Osamu to start targeting Zhao Xuan.

Office of the Chief of the Special Higher Police Section.

Lan Zehui handed Zhao Xuan a cup of tea with a smile and said in a cheerful mood:
"Ah Xuan, I thought your promotion to colonel would only happen after the mission was completed, but the Sheshan virus incident happened in the middle, which has brought the process forward quite a bit."

"Congratulations, Ah Xuan!"

Zhao Xuan clinked his teacup against Lan Zehui's coffee cup:
"Huizi, I know that your family must have played a role in this matter. Thank you, Huizi."

Aizawa Keiko blushed and quickly said:

"It's only right. After all... putting that aside, I didn't expect the cabinet to decide to appoint you as the head of the epidemic prevention supervision team."

"However, I heard from my mother that the members of the supervisory group will be selected from the original agencies, the Military Police Headquarters, and our Special Higher Police Section. There will be more big moves later."

"But I don't know what kind of big move it is, and my mother hasn't received any news yet."

Zhao Xuan never expected that this position would fall to him.

The head of the epidemic prevention supervision team was a minor official, and usually he was just another ordinary person. But this time was different. This time, the supervision team was directly under the cabinet, which gave Zhao Xuan the convenience of having direct access to the emperor.

While the power of such a supervisory group remains the same, its importance is entirely different.

"It's alright. Since His Majesty the Emperor trusts me, I will do my best to do this job well."

"Well, I believe you."

Lan Zehui took a sip of coffee, looked at Zhao Xuan with tender eyes, and whispered something.

Shanghai, Central Bureau of Investigation and Statistics (CBIS) station.

Li Zhiguo was hunched over his desk, rapidly calculating something. Yuan Feifei, who had just returned from get off work at the military police hospital, pushed open the door and saw the fine beads of sweat on his forehead. She asked softly:

"Again, checking the budget? This month's operating expenses have indeed exceeded the limit."

Li Zhiguo raised his head, his weariness tinged with a hint of alertness:
"Feifei, you've come at the right time. Have you noticed any unusual people entering or leaving the hospital?"

Yuan Feifei smiled:

"Station chief, as you know, a number of suspected cases have been admitted to the military police hospital in the past two days, and they are currently in the isolation ward. I don't want to come into contact with them."

Li Zhiguo sighed:
"I didn't want to either, but the higher-ups gave the order to find out as soon as possible what the name of the virus leaked by the Japanese is, and where the virus originated—Sheshan or Harbin?"

Yuan Feifei rolled her eyes:

"There's no need to confirm, it must be Harbin. Where in Shanghai would the Japanese have the resources to develop such a terrifying virus!"

Yuan Feifei naturally read today's newspaper as well, and the photos attached to the newspaper were chilling just to look at.

In just a few hours, his whole body festered and he died bleeding from all seven orifices. This kind of death is more terrifying than hell.

Li Zhiguo tapped his fingers unconsciously on the table, his eyes gradually becoming serious: "But the problem is, the higher-ups seem very interested in the virus leaked by the Japanese this time, and we must confirm where the virus was developed."

Yuan Feifei frowned:
"What is the higher-ups trying to do?"

Li Zhiguo coughed and glared at Yuan Feifei:
"Don't ask questions you shouldn't ask. We just need to complete the mission. Besides, come and take a look. Is this acceptable?"

Curious, Yuan Feifei walked to the desk and looked down at what Li Zhiguo was calculating.

"The price of a single penicillin has now risen to $15?!"

Yuan Feifei gasped, her fingers trembling slightly.

"The price has more than tripled... The black market must be going crazy for it."

Li Zhiguo nodded with a stern face:
"Not only penicillin, but also sulfonamide drugs are in short supply across the board."

"What's most infuriating is that the latest batch of penicillin on the market is all being held by the old factory area."

In the hands of Dao Ya and Sato Ai?
How did they get penicillin?
Li Zhiguo's eyes sharpened, and he lowered his voice:
"According to intelligence, they have someone connecting them, but we can't find out who it is at all. The source of this batch of penicillin is unknown, and its purity is extremely high, which is definitely not something that can be obtained through conventional channels."

"Currently, the price of penicillin stored up in the old factory area continues to rise. The higher-ups have asked us to find a way to purchase a batch of penicillin. This penicillin is crucial to the future war situation. If the Japanese use the Sheshan virus on the future battlefield, the consequences will be unimaginable if we do not have enough penicillin reserves."

Yuan Feifei bit her lip, her eyes flickering:
"Station chief, how about... we try the black market? I know a pharmaceutical dealer who has close ties with the director of the military police hospital. He definitely has a batch of penicillin."

Li Zhiguo sneered:
"The black market? The entire black market is now covered by Dao Ya's spies. I still can't understand how the Japanese could trust a Chinese person so much, especially since this person is Ding Moqun's niece!"

"Moreover, I'm certain that the drugs dealer you know has already had his stock snatched up by Dao Ya!"

Others may not know, but Li Zhiguo was well aware that the Central Bureau of Investigation and Statistics (CBIS) in Shanghai had a lot of cooperation with the Japanese. Mei Jiguan’s Shadow was always on guard against Ding Moqun.

Previously, Mei Agency and Dao Ya were at odds, but what about now?

Dao Ya could enter and exit the Mei Agency as easily as entering her own backyard, without any hindrance.

Even more strangely, Sato Ai also listened to Toa's every word. The two of them joined forces to block the flow of drugs, while at the same time seemingly able to obtain penicillin continuously.

Unless, of course, Daoya and Sato Ai have control of a production line for mass-producing penicillin.

But this is simply impossible. Even the US hasn't reached this level of technology, so it's absolutely impossible for China to achieve it.

Yuan Feifei looked at Li Zhiguo with confusion:
"Station Master, if that's the case, why don't we just buy penicillin from Dao Ya directly? I've never heard that Dao Ya doesn't sell it. The penicillin still being sold on the market is basically from the old factory area!"

Li Zhiguo chuckled:
"Don't I want to?"

"As you can see, this month, our entertainment expenses alone have already exceeded our budget significantly, and the price of penicillin keeps rising. How am I supposed to buy the batch of goods that the higher-ups want?"

(End of this chapter)