Spy Wars: Red Shopkeeper

Chapter 173 Speaking
He Xingjian is dead! The whole world rejoices!

Reporters snapped photos, and the onlookers screamed, making them even more reluctant to leave, knowing that the Kuomintang agents certainly wouldn't kill them.

Gu Yansheng had already crept into the dance hall and called out to Li Shiqun, "Shall we go first?"

Li Shiqun also thought it made sense; a wise man does not stand under a crumbling wall. "Drive the car over here."

As the car pulled up to the entrance, several men formed an impenetrable ironclad formation to escort the two officers into the vehicle.

Once in the car, Gu Yansheng kept his body hunched over, and Li Shiqun followed suit, also hunching over. Their hearts were racing, and they remained silent the whole way until the car drove into No. 76, at which point the two of them finally breathed a sigh of relief.

With a dark expression, Li Shiqun went upstairs to his office, took a big gulp of water, and slammed the cup down on the table with a bang.

"The Military Intelligence Bureau is courting death!"

He was almost dead. If it weren't for the fact that the Military Intelligence Bureau harbored even greater hatred for He Xingjian today, he would have been dead.

It's impossible to say I'm not afraid.

Gu Yansheng also had a gloomy expression, as if he had survived a disaster, and sat on the sofa without saying a word.

Seeing that Gu Yansheng remained silent, Li Shiqun knew that he was also frightened. After all, He Xingjian had died right in front of Gu Yansheng. One moment this person was talking to you, and the next moment this person died suddenly. The sensory impact of this was very strong.

Li Shiqun picked up the phone and called Wu Sibao, "Hey, where's Wu Sibao? He's gone out, where did he go? Find him right away!"

With a snap, Li Shiqun finished his angry drink and sat down in his seat.

After a moment of silence, he made Gu Yansheng a cup of coffee, handed it to him, and said, "Take a break, it's alright now. We came here because of He Xingjian."

Gu Yansheng's brows were still furrowed, but he took the coffee, took a sip, and belatedly closed his eyes and sighed, "I'm going to have nightmares tonight. Right now, all I can think about is He Xingjian smiling at me, you know?"

"I understand." Li Shiqun helped Gu Yansheng up and patted him on the shoulder. "I'll get on with the arrest of the Military Intelligence Bureau as soon as possible, and I'll help you get revenge."

"Who the hell cares about that? Can we catch them all?" Gu Yansheng leaned back and fell silent again.

Li Shiqun had nothing to say, but after thinking for a moment, he said, "We should go to such open areas less often in the future; it's really not safe."

After a while, Wu Sibao arrived in a flurry of activity.

"Brother, Director Gu, I've heard about what happened."

"Where have you been? I can't find you all day. Have you been playing the stock market again? You're the captain of the action team. Can't you do something productive all day?" Li Shiqun had nowhere else to vent his anger, so he scolded Wu Sibao.

Wu Sibao felt wronged. "I didn't go to trade stocks. It's so late, the stock market has already closed. I went to gather intelligence."

"What information?"

"Corporate intelligence, Wing On Department Store, I'm investigating their boss's information."

"What's wrong? Is there a problem with Wing On Department Store? Is it the Military Intelligence Bureau or the Central Bureau of Investigation and Statistics?"

"No, we're planning to take over Yong'an Department Store, so we need to do some research."

Li Shiqun originally thought he had really cursed the wrong person, that Wu Sibao was off doing something important, but it turned out to be about stocks again.

His temper flared up instantly. "After all that talk, it's still about stocks! You're the captain! You're the captain of the 76th Action Team! He Xingjian is dead, and you're still trading stocks. What are you trying to do?"

Wu Sibao felt wronged and shouted, "What's wrong with me investing in stocks? Aren't I helping everyone make money? Besides, my sister is also involved in this. She's the one who got the big money. She asked me to investigate. Why are you scolding me?"
"Besides, brother, you arranged He Xingjian's actions; I didn't interfere. I wasn't even there when he died. You can't blame me for this, right? Why are you blaming me?"

Li Shiqun's head was pounding, he felt a surge of heat rushing to his head, threatening to explode.

"You dare to talk back? You think you're all grown up now, daring to scold me? So what? I arranged this, so I'm the one to take the blame?"

"That's not what I meant. I didn't know, so I rushed over immediately?"

Wu Sibao lowered his voice and said with disdain, "Brother, I don't think you need to be so angry. To put it bluntly, He Xingjian is going to die sooner or later. Just like the Central Bureau of Investigation and Statistics issued a kill order against you, the Military Bureau of Investigation and Statistics has also issued a kill order against him. If he can live, what will happen? Where will Boss Dai of Chongqing put his face?"

"You're getting better and better at talking now, are you cursing me to die?" Li Shiqun glared.

Wu Sibao shook his head decisively, "That's not what I meant. I was just giving an example, a metaphor. Brother, your situation is different from his."

The Military Intelligence Bureau (MIB) in Shanghai has been in constant flux, and now its influence in Chongqing is growing stronger.

But the Central Bureau of Investigation and Statistics is different. Xu Enzeng is now like a useless piece of trash, suppressed by Boss Dai. He can't even take care of his own affairs, let alone us.
The Central Bureau of Investigation and Statistics (CBIS) in Shanghai was wiped out by us last time. Look at them now, are they making any moves? The CBIS people are no good, so you're safe.”

"Think before you speak, that's really rude." Li Shiqun glared at him unhappily and stopped bringing up the stock market.

After all, this matter involved his wife, and of course, Gu Yansheng, who was sitting next to him, was also involved.

Wu Sibao chuckled, "Brother, to be honest, He Xingjian is dead, so be it. His value was just bringing in the army, right? Once he's here, he's no longer of any value. Just replace him with someone else as commander. Aren't there plenty of people who want to be commander? I'd even take the job!"
"Of course, brother, you go be the watchman."

Li Shiqun rolled his eyes. "Don't go to the stock market too often lately. He Xingjian is dead. The Japanese will definitely put pressure on us. Don't give them any leverage, or no one can protect you."

“What’s wrong with the Japanese?” Wu Sibao scoffed. “When I went to investigate Yong’an Department Store, they didn’t know I was there to speculate on stocks. If I told them I was investigating the Military Intelligence Bureau, they would praise me for being diligent.”

Li Shiqun's temper flared up again. He really wanted to beat Wu Sibao up, but what Wu Sibao said didn't seem wrong. After all, he had thought the same thing just now.

So if you can't win an argument, just say, "Shut up."

Ding-ling-ling. Ding-ling-ling.

Speak of the devil, and he appears. Li Shiqun pointed to the phone and said, "Believe it or not, it's a Japanese phone call?"

Gu Yansheng raised his head: "Let's answer it first and see what the Japanese have to say."

As soon as Li Shiqun answered the phone, Wu Sibao excitedly sat down next to Gu Yansheng. "I investigated Yong'an Department Store today and have pretty much figured out the identity of the owner behind it."

Gu Yansheng raised his hand to stop him: "We'll talk about it later."

Wu Sibao is really on the right track now, playing the stock market every day. People really need to find meaning in life and do something worthwhile. Wu Sibao is doing pretty well now.

However, it's inappropriate for Gu Yansheng to join in his antics right now.

Seeing Li Shiqun answer the phone, and hearing him addressed as Lieutenant Colonel Qingqi, Li Shiqun explained a few words into the phone, describing the situation at the time, and boasted that he had already begun revenge and made some progress, before hanging up the phone.

Li Shiqun walked over with a stern face and scolded Wu Sibao, "Don't make me get scolded by the Japanese every day."

"Why are you blaming me again? Why didn't you say anything when we were dividing the money?"

What are you muttering about?

"nothing."

"Go! Immediately mobilize men into the concession and launch a search and arrest operation against companies related to Chongqing! We must put pressure on them!"

"Yes." Wu Sibao stood up. "What if the police in the foreign concessions try to stop us?"

"Can't you hurry up?"

"Yes."

As soon as Wu Sibao left, Li Shiqun said angrily, "He's the kind of person who gets carried away with his success. He spends all day speculating in stocks and does nothing productive. What is he good for?"

“Wu Sibao’s stock trading has nothing to do with me. Does that mean you’re insulting me?” Gu Yansheng was still unhappy when he heard that. “If that’s how you put it, then I won’t come anymore, okay? I’m leaving.”

Gu Yansheng got up, and Li Shiqun realized something was wrong. If Gu Yansheng left, his wife would surely make a scene.

"I wasn't talking about you, Brother Gu. Don't give me that look. I'm already at my wit's end. I must have said something wrong, okay?"

Gu Yansheng gave him a way out, sat down and said with a straight face, "Director Li, what Captain Wu said is not unreasonable. We are saddened by He Xingjian's death, but as for feelings, we didn't have any relationship with He Xingjian, did we?"

For this little bit of friendship, we almost lost our lives today!
I'd be willing to avenge him, but I'll not earn this money if the work is done.
Wing On Department Store was an opportunity I'd been considering for a while—a chance to make a lot of money. But now that the economy is bad and the timing is right, I'm just giving it up?

Is it appropriate?

Besides, even if He Xingjian were dead, wouldn't it be better to replace him with someone else as commander? Minister Zhou might even think it would be better.

So I think Captain Wu is just straightforward and honest with you, saying whatever comes to mind. He didn't say anything wrong, and his insight is quite clear.

Li Shiqun thought for a moment and nodded. He Xingjian's value was indeed limited. Like Ding Mocun, once Ding Mocun went to Shanghai and handed over all the intelligence, this man was essentially dispensable.

Ding Mocun's only value was to set up a target, to make the 76th Division take all the blame, and to make the retaliation from the Military Intelligence Bureau and the Central Bureau of Investigation and Statistics go after Ding Mocun first, because he was a high-ranking official.

The same applies to He Xingjian. Once the rebel forces were brought in, his existence became meaningless. The Japanese planned to set up a military office for him at the Special Agent Headquarters as a temporary measure, which was their way of taking away his power.

His death is a cause for celebration for everyone involved.

In fact, He Xingjian even helped him bring out the Military Intelligence Bureau's Shanghai branch, and all its last bit of value had already been squeezed out of it.

"It's still a bit of a pity, after all, we knew each other." Li Shiqun sighed, but his expression was much more normal now. "Now that he's dead, let's hold a proper funeral for him, so he can leave with some dignity, as a way of fulfilling our duty. What do you say?"

"Okay." It's just a little money. Gu Yansheng will buy a few more bundles of paper money as a way of cheering him on.

(End of this chapter)