Spy Wars: Return of the Red Luan

Chapter 174 Spy vs. Spy Before the September 18 Incident

Chen Jiehua thought, if I inform Zhang Xiaoliu of this news, and Zhang Xiaoliu takes down Yan Xishan, wouldn't Doihara achieve three goals at once?
The first proof is that Qing Tengqi was a spy I sent; the second proof is that I had a secret affair with Zhang Xiaoliu of the Republic of China; and the third proof is that I instigated the Jin-Sui Army uprising in Shanxi and disrupted the situation in the north.

You're really dreaming.

Unfortunately, you fat, stinking bug overestimate me. I have no interest in the feud between Zhang Xiaoliu and Yan Laoxi. I just want to oppose you and disrupt your progress in North China!
After thinking it over, Chen Jiehua decided not to reply to Qing Tengqi for the time being, but to observe further. He also decided not to change the frequency band and the two-way codebook for the time being, since apart from Zhu Huiwu, the rest of the group were Japanese and there was nothing he wanted to do with the Japanese.

Yan Laoxi's information was passed on to Yang Dengying, who was instructed to closely monitor the movements of Doihara's organization and sabotage it when the opportunity arose. But he was absolutely forbidden from killing Yan Laoxi.
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Zhao Shiyu, who was far away in the Northeast, finally recovered. Old Zhao contacted Shanghai and made it clear that the Northeast was too dangerous and he wanted to return to Shanghai.

After consulting with Shibayama Masao, Chen Jiehua transferred Zhao Shiyu back to Nanjing to replace Obata Kazuki and Aotoji in Shanghai. He also transferred Lao Xiong from Shanghai to Beiping to cooperate with Zhu Huiwu and Yang Dengying to strengthen the forces in North China.

During his hospitalization, Zhao Shiyu forged a “deep friendship” with Ijuin Seiki. After recovering from their injuries and being discharged from the hospital, they left Lushun on the same day, one heading south to Shanghai and the other heading north to Tokyo.

The second batch of men Chen Jiehua assigned to Yang Dengying were not all students from the second special class of Tongwen Academy, but were Kagoshima natives selected from the Marine Corps through secret reconnaissance.

There's a saying that goes, "When it comes to espionage, the Chinese understand the Chinese best, and similarly, the Japanese understand the Japanese best."

Throughout August, under Chen Jiehua's secret command and deployment, Yang Dengying and the Qing Teng Group cooperated with each other, engaging in fierce battles with Doihara's agents in Hebei, Shanxi, Beiping, and Tianjin.

In mid-August, Doihara even personally went to Beiping to take charge and try to stabilize the troops, but Yang Dengying fought him to a standstill. At the end of August, Doihara had to leave North China and return to Fengtian because "there were more important things to do in Fengtian".

Just as Bedbug returned to Fengtian, another fire broke out in his backyard in early September. The secret agents of the Lushun agency suffered losses from time to time, and he had to rush to Lushun to investigate the cause.
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In mid-July, after parting ways with his "fellow patient" Mr. Zhao, Ijuin Seiki returned to Tokyo and immediately went to the Prince of Bogong's mansion to cry to his father. He said that five of his childhood friends and playmates from his hometown had all been killed in Manchuria, and his son himself almost couldn't come back. It was all the fault of those idiots in the army in Choshu!

Ijuin Seiki's father, Ijuin Matsuji, is currently only a naval lieutenant commander with no real power. He serves as a guard in the Hirokō family. His son used to be a ronin, a scoundrel. Now that things have turned out well, he's come back for help. If his father doesn't offer him some emotional support, this kid will definitely ignore him even more in the future.
What should I do? How about I give you a suggestion? You go find your second uncle.

Ijuin Seiki's second uncle, Ijuin Ōno Takeji, is currently a staff officer in the Naval General Staff, but he doesn't actually have much real power.

However, Ijuin Seiki's grandfather, Ijuin Goro, was a naval admiral who controlled a naval ronin organization. After Goro died in 1924, the leadership of the ronin organization was transferred to his second son, Ōno Takeji! This was exactly what Ijuin Matsuji was planning!

Ijuin Ōno Takeji was also a restless fellow. His group of ronin were so idle their swords were practically rusting. "You can go avenge my nephew and train your troops," he thought. "Killing the Choshu Domain's army idiots is Satsuma Domain members' job, and the conspiracy between the Naval General Staff and the Army Chiefs can't interfere with my nephew's revenge." In early August, a large group of naval ronin split into two groups. One group traveled by ship to Lushun in batches, while the other went from Korea to Fengtian (Shenyang). Under Ijuin Seiki's arrangement, they continued to assassinate Choshu Domain soldiers and spies within the Kwantung Army and the Fengtian intelligence agency.

As the killing went on, they became so bloodthirsty that they couldn't find anyone from the Choshu Domain. They even killed anyone in the Kwantung Army who had previously clashed with the Navy or had friction with Ijuin Seiki. The killings were so intense that Kenji Doihara had to personally go to Port Arthur to investigate.
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A mysterious force in the Northeast region has been continuously killing officers of the Kwantung Army Headquarters and agents of the intelligence agency. Kenji Doihara had no choice but to investigate personally. This news was transmitted through a telegram from Aoto Roku, and almost immediately after, a message from Aoto Shichi arrived.

This time, Chen Jiehua had to take Qing Tengqi's existence seriously. There was absolutely no need for Kenji Doihara to deliberately reveal this information to him!
Therefore, it's quite possible that Aoto Nana really wants to get closer to her. As for her purpose, only she or Mio can ask her directly.

But before that, we must be cautious and not be fooled into falling into a trap, but we also cannot let Qing Tengqi's heart be broken.

Chen Jiehua began to recall the journey from Tokyo to Shanghai, when she took them on the ship, to the East Asia Tongwen Academy, to Meixu transferring her to her side, and finally to her last interrogation of Meixu.

When the phrase "Mio's favorite person is you" was mentioned, Aoto Nana cried. Later, he didn't torture her; he simply questioned her to confirm she wasn't one of Doihara's people. Then he told her to pack her things and leave.

This Japanese guy is really strange. I've already chased you away, why are you still willing to risk helping me? It doesn't make sense. Of course, this "sense" is based on Chinese customs and common sense.

Since you're willing to come closer, then let's keep you around for now. Chen Jiehua informed Zhu Huiwu to contact Qing Tengqi by telegram. He said that they could collect intelligence from him in the future, but to be careful and prioritize their own safety. Doihara is too cunning; to gather intelligence from him and then send it out is really like provoking a tiger.

It's just that Doihara has been overwhelmed by the Aoki Agency in North China lately; otherwise, if he had the energy to turn back, the skills that Aoto Nana learned at the East Asia Tongwen Academy would have been completely inadequate.

After pondering Qing Tengqi's question, Chen Jiehua began to pay attention to the almost identical messages from the two people: there was a mysterious force in Northeast China killing people from the Kwantung Army and the Fengtian Special Service Agency.

This is a bit strange. People in the organization wouldn't do such a thing. The Anti-Japanese United Army shouldn't have been established yet, since Japan hadn't openly invaded China, and the Military Intelligence Bureau hadn't been established either. It's impossible for them to do this. The bald man is also overwhelmed with problems right now and has no time to care about the Northeast.

Who could it be? A Soviet?

But no matter who it is, killing a spy from the Fengtian Agency, especially on the eve of the Kwantung Army's September 28 Plan, is such a good opportunity that I, Chen Jiehua, must lend a hand!
Inform Qing Teng Liu that pharmacies across the country, both overt and covert, are to provide assistance to these people. They will provide food, lodging, medicine, and money—whatever you want, we will give you; even if you don't want it, we will give it to you voluntarily!

I don't care who you are! I'll enjoy it as long as you cause trouble for Doihara!
(End of this chapter)