Spy Wars: Return of the Red Luan

Chapter 80 Chen Jiehua Analyzes the Terrain

In Qingmu Pharmacy, Zhao Shiyu and Chen Jiehua discussed the task of eliminating traitors.

"Shao Mazi in the Northeast has been temporarily transferred back to carry out this mission to eliminate traitors. Number Five requires that we kill them with one strike!"

"Okay, Mio and I will obey your instructions, but we will try not to meet our comrades. I have a rifle and my marksmanship is pretty good, so we can be responsible for the outer circle."

"If you're running low on guns and ammunition, you can ask me for them. I've got them in the safe house across the alley. They were all purchased in America and are in great condition."

In the end, Zhao Shiyu successfully applied for the position of pharmacy manager because he was a student of the 18th class of the Japanese Army Academy and an alumnus of his boss Aoki Qiao.

In the following ten days, Zhao Shiyu was responsible for the decoration of the large pharmacy and counter procurement and other matters. At the same time, he searched for and recruited a number of store clerks according to the requirements of the owner Qing Muqiao.

At the end of October, the decoration and layout of the Aoki Pharmacy chain was completed, and the first batch of medicines shipped by Aoki Qiao through Shimadzu of Japan also arrived. The Shanghai headquarters of the Aoki Pharmacy chain was officially opened.

In the evening, Colonel Aoki Kyo hosted a banquet at the Japanese Club, inviting high-ranking officials and ambassadors from Japan and other countries in Shanghai, including high-ranking officials of the Kuomintang government in Shanghai.

Aoki Pharmacy currently sells mainly Western medicines produced in Japan, mainly serving Japanese and upper-class people from other countries, so inviting these people to banquets is necessary and crucial to accumulate personal connections.

At this time, all the military attachés, ambassadors, businessmen and ordinary expatriates stationed in Shanghai by Japan, both the well-informed and the uninformed, knew that Colonel Aoki was the son-in-law of the Fujiwara family and that the Aoki Pharmacy chain was a joint property of the Emperor, the Fujiwara family, the Army Ministry and the Shimazu family.

On the evening of November 11th, the pharmacy closed after a busy day of business. After sending the staff away, owner Zhao Shiyu and his boss, Qing Muqiao, conducted a weekly accounting.

"The organization received news that Nanjing and Bai Xin have reached an agreement. They will send someone and a car to pick up Bai Xin on the 12th and leave Shanghai for Italy!"

"Is there a specific time? Are all the plans arranged?"

"It's all arranged. Plan 1 is the preferred option. We'll deploy our comrades at the front and back doors, three each for close combat. Several other comrades will be stationed outside to provide security and support. You, with your rifle, will be responsible for long-range fire at the back door, while Mio will be in charge of the front door."

"How do we confirm who Bai Xin is?"

"A comrade who knows Bai Xin will give a confirmation signal. Once we see the signal, we will take action!"

After Chen Jiehua and Zhao Shiyu discussed the arrangements for killing traitors, they discussed the arrangements for the Qingmu Pharmacy chain.

"According to the headquarters' Army Department's plan, the large pharmacy must complete the opening of stores in Shanghai and East China as soon as possible. Ultimately, it's my fault. Although the pharmacy network in Northeast China was quickly cleaned up, the Japanese also have some smart people who saw huge value in this. Not to mention the profits from the drugs, the key is this intelligence network. What should we do?"

"I received a telegram from our Japanese headquarters saying that the first batch of shopkeepers are currently undergoing training and will be here after the New Year. The first step will be to roll out a chain of drugstores across East China. I'm really shooting myself in the foot."

"Don't worry about this. There's still time. I'll go back and think about it and discuss it with the organization."

"Remember not to let Gu Shunzhang know!"

"Gu is the head of the Special Operations Group. It's a bit difficult to avoid him completely. Why do you have to avoid him? Of course, I respect your request." "He's a bit slutty, he's a drunkard, a gambler, and a dissolute man. I always feel uncomfortable with him." Chen Jiehua could only give such a reason, he couldn't say anything else.

The next day, Japanese Colonel Aoki Kyo brought his wife Fujiwara Mio to the streets around Xiafei Road to look at houses and select a site for the second Aoki Pharmacy store.

After on-site investigation, it was found that Hehefang on Xiafei Road is a Shikumen lane in the shape of the Chinese character "非" with a three-story structure. It was completed and put into use in the 17th year of the Republic of China. The residents are mainly businessmen, low-level government officials and intellectuals, making it very suitable for opening a pharmacy.

"Hey, Mio, the houses here are very new and have a high occupancy rate. The storefronts on both sides of the gate are suitable for a second pharmacy. Those 22nd and 23rd are also good locations! We've bought them both and can use them as storage or for family members to stay."

"There's no need to buy both. I only want to buy one. Let me think about it when I get back. We don't have that many medicines."

Chen Jiehua and Fujiwara Mio communicated in Japanese while observing the terrain.

At No. 43 Fan Mansion, Bai Xin and his wife were already like frightened birds, and they became nervous at the slightest movement in the alley outside.

Bai Xin and his wife were inside, watching the two people outside through the second-floor window. Just as he was about to ask, Fan Zhengbo next to him said, "There's nothing wrong with these two. The man is a Japanese colonel, and the woman is his wife. I heard she's from a Japanese aristocrat. They came to Shanghai to open a large pharmacy. A few days ago, they just opened a super large pharmacy near the Hao Garden. I was lucky enough to attend the dinner."

"Can you understand what they are saying down there?"

"They said they wanted to buy storefronts on both sides of the gate to open pharmacies, believing the staff level here is higher. They also wanted to buy No. 22 and No. 23 for warehouses. One wanted both, and the other only wanted one. No problem."

"Old Bai, stop being so suspicious. I've already told you this is the newest Western-style house in Shanghai. It's inhabited by the upper class. It won't be easy for the Reds to find this place."

"Please hurry up over there. I don't want to stay in Shanghai anymore."

"Don't worry, Lao Bai. Everything has been arranged. A car will pick you up on the evening of the 11th. We've already spread the word that you'll leave Shanghai for Italy on the 12th."

When he returned to the store, the pharmacy was already closed and the owner was doing the accounting. Chen Jiehua quickly found a pen and paper and drew out the structure of Hehefang, its entrances and exits, and the nearby streets, marking them.

"Old Zhao, Meixu, look at this Hehefang. Entering from the gate, the main alley is quite spacious, and a car can drive in. From the gate to the entrance of the small alley at No. 43, there are two rows of cars, about 30 meters apart. But it's difficult for cars to turn around here, so I predict that the car must have entered from the back, parked here, and then left directly on Xiafei Road from the front."

"The car can't enter the side lane, so if they want to get out, they must first go to the parking area in the main lane. There is a distance of 15 meters between the door and the middle of the car. This 15 meters is the best position to start."

"Whether they choose to exit from the front or back door, they still have to walk these 15 meters. If they can't reach the last step, I can kill the driver, and they have to run back, another 15 meters."

"Next, let's see how many people are inside. How many people should we arrange? According to the information you, Old Zhao, gave me, comrades, based on the meals the police bring in every day, there should be at least seven people in the Fan Mansion, right? Let me think about it. If I were Bai Xin, I would choose to have all seven people come out through the front door!"

　The houses in Hehefang, Xiafei Road, are still there! Interested readers can check out the location and the house numbers. The buildings back then were really solid.

　
(End of this chapter)