Spy game? Stop guessing, I really am an undercover agent!

Chapter 122 Adding fuel to the fire
Shanghai, French Concession, Fuxi Road.

On Fuxi Road is Zhang Xiaolin's biggest den of iniquity, the Great World Entertainment Center.

How to describe this place? It's like a combination of a "Heaven on Earth" nightclub and the Lisboa Casino.
The building has a total of five floors.

The first floor is a regular casino with a diverse clientele from all walks of life.

The second floor is a VIP room specially set up for the wealthy, consisting of sixteen luxury rooms and thirty-two VIP rooms.

The third and fourth floors are entertainment venues, where the women are carefully selected; their looks and service are impeccable.

The top floor is Yunyan Pavilion, which is an opium den.

Zhang Xiaolin has always been indiscriminate in his business dealings, daring to do any business as long as it can make money.

Whether it's immoral or simply following the rules
The Grand World Entertainment Center was where he made his money the fastest; the speed at which he made money there could truly be described as earning a fortune every day.

The Great World Entertainment Center occupies a full thirty acres. In a place like Shanghai, especially in a bustling area, acquiring thirty acres of land is not something that can be done simply by having money.

This largest amusement park in the Far East opened in Shanghai in July of the 18th year of the Republic of China.

There were seven shareholders at the time, including the three tycoons of Shanghai, Huang Xianggu and Chen Mingchu of the Shanghai General Chamber of Commerce, and two directors from the French Concession.

Of course, behind these two directors were the general director and consul of the French Concession.

These people hold positions that are too high for them to openly support such entertainment venues.

In 1937, after the outbreak of war, the shares here underwent a major reshuffle, and Zhang Xiaolin currently holds the largest share.

The rest were some directors of the French Concession Municipal Council.

The original owners, including Boss Du, Huang Xianggu, and Chen Mingchu, had long since left the place.

At 10 a.m., Zhang Xiaolin's car appeared at the entrance of the Great World Entertainment Center.

As soon as he got out of the car, Song Zushan thoughtfully opened the back door for him.

"Boss, something's not right. Last night, Director Zuo of the Special Service Department was attacked by gunmen."

Zhang Xiaolin, with an ivory cigarette holder dangling from his mouth, laughed upon hearing this, "That country bumpkin, is he dead or not?"

Song Zushan shook his head: "I heard he was injured, but I don't know exactly where he was injured. It shouldn't be life-threatening."

"Why didn't you kill him? This guy's life is really worthless, so hard to kill." Zhang Xiaolin tapped his cigarette holder, looking somewhat disappointed.

"Wait a minute." Zhang Xiaolin took a few steps forward, then suddenly stopped, turned to look at Song Zushan, and said, "You don't actually think I sent someone to do this, do you?"

Song Zushan quickly shook his head and said, "Boss, that's not what I meant. I know your plan. You won't touch Zuo Mingquan at this time."

"I suspect that someone might be trying to use this opportunity to stir up trouble?"

"Stirring up trouble? Do I even need to stir up trouble between us?" Zhang Xiaolin said dismissively. "Everyone in Shanghai these days knows that there's definitely no chance between us."

"Is there any need to stir up trouble at this time?"

Song Zushan lowered his brows, but inwardly he disagreed.

Zhang Xiaolin's words seemed to make a lot of sense, but he still used the mindset of a江湖人 (jianghu person, someone from the martial arts world), and his actions caused a great uproar.

Zuo Mingquan is different. He had no reason to take action before, but this incident seems to have given him a reason to stand on the moral high ground.

He was a victim.
"Boss, I think we should be careful and watch out for Zuo Mingquan's tricks." Song Zushan advised, "It's a dangerous situation, shouldn't you bring more people with you?"

Zhang Xiaolin's face darkened, and he said angrily, "Do you think I'm afraid of him? This is Shanghai."

Song Zushan quickly explained, "Boss, that's not what I meant. I meant, better safe than sorry."

Zhang Xiaolin has been a tyrant in Shanghai for nearly twenty years. From the establishment of Sanxin Company to the escape of Boss Du and his associates, he is the only one who can still stand here in the entire Shanghai market.

His years of experience had made him wary of a so-called special agent director who had just come from Nanjing.

This was a great humiliation for him.

If the other party dares to attack openly, he'll be looking for a reason to resort to underhanded tactics.

However, Song Zushan's concerns are not without merit.
Zhang Xiaolin lit another cigarette and said slowly, "Ah Shan, where are those unfamiliar faces I asked you to find now?"

Song Zushan quickly said, "You've arranged for them to be at the Datong Inn. Do you want to make use of these people?"

Zhang Xiaolin hesitated and asked, "Can we trust these people?"

Song Zushan nodded and said, "I picked them all myself, there's absolutely no problem."

Zhang Xiaolin nodded. "Let them come over. If that fat guy Zuo really dares to make a move, I won't hold back."

"Yes, boss." Song Zushan nodded, watching Zhang Xiaolin's back as he walked into the Grand World Entertainment Center, a complex look flashing in his eyes.

Datong Inn on Fuxi Road.

This is an extremely cheap hostel.

This hostel is very cheap, only one cent per night, and you sleep in a dormitory-style room.

The so-called shared sleeping area was just a few bed boards with some wooden stools on the floor. There was no cotton quilt or blankets, only straw mats.

Simply put, if you're sleeping here, you have to bring your own blankets and other bedding, otherwise you'll just have to make do.

The place is usually frequented by newly arrived migrant workers at the docks. The boss, also from out of town, knows the hardships they face leaving their hometowns, and at noon he provides them with two steamed buns and a bowl of vegetable soup.

Although the items were few, when even a hero is truly penniless, these two steamed buns and a bowl of vegetable soup could be lifesavers.

On the second floor of Datong Inn, several young men, shirtless, were chatting together.

After the Huayuankou Incident, the number of out-of-towners coming to Shanghai increased significantly.

These people also came from the disaster-stricken areas, but they gathered here not to find a stable job, but because someone had specially arranged for them to be here.

Creak, creak, footsteps echoed down the dilapidated wooden stairs. A young man hurried up the stairs and said to the crowd, "The boss instructed us to wait at the back gate of the Great World."

"Clothes and weapons are prepared downstairs. Everyone change into these clothes and take a weapon with you."

"Brother Lin, we have a job?" A man in the crowd stood up and asked, "Is the price as agreed before?"

The young man, known as Brother Lin, said impatiently, "That's right, you get fifty silver dollars for killing someone, and normally you get thirty silver dollars per person."

"There will be an additional fee for running away."

"Don't worry, Mr. Song's superior is Mr. Zhang, the biggest boss in Shanghai. Don't you trust him?"

"Brother Lin, don't be angry. We're just country folk. Country folk haven't seen much of the world, so we just wanted to ask a question."

"Thank you, everyone, Brother Lin." The group of men stood up with laughter and bowed to the newcomer to express their gratitude.

"Alright, let's get going. The boss doesn't like to wait."

At the man's command, everyone responded quickly and followed him downstairs to collect their clothes and equipment.
No. 625, Daxilu Road, Shanghai.

Zuo Mingquan's right hand is wrapped in thick bandages, and it is now late June or early July.

Wrapped in such thick bandages was like wearing a thick coat, making him feel hot and uncomfortable all over.

With a series of footsteps, Zhang Zixian strode into the office carrying a food box.

"Fourth Uncle, Fourth Aunt prepared pigeon soup for you,"

She said this stuff is good for wounds and told you to drink it.

Zuo Mingquan frowned, but still took the soup and drank it all in a few gulps.

"Xiao Bao, have any useful information been sent back by the people you sent out?"

Zhang Zixian leaned closer and said, "Fourth Uncle, someone saw Zhang Xiaolin recruiting some unfamiliar faces."

"Is he planning to take a hard line against us?"

Zuo Mingquan's face darkened, and he stood up: "A new face. So, he really did do what happened last night."

"Damn it, this old bastard is really going to kill me."

"I'm asking you to investigate if there are any leads on that Austin car from last night."

"As soon as I find the car, I'll go to their door right now and see if they dare to make a move."

Zhang Zixian frowned and said, "Fourth Uncle, there are so many cars in Shanghai, it's impossible to determine them all at once."

Zuo Mingquan angrily said, "If you can't be sure, then send more men. What? Did I take that shot for nothing?"

Zhang Zixian quickly waved his hand and said awkwardly, "No, no, Fourth Uncle, that's not what I meant."

Zuo Mingquan glared angrily at Zhang Zixian, but before he could speak, the phone on the table suddenly rang.

"The Special Service Office, who are you looking for?"

No sooner had Zuo Mingquan finished speaking than Chen Yang's voice came from the other end: "Director Zuo, it seems you're quite angry?"

Zuo Mingquan was so startled he almost dropped the phone: "Commander Chen, I'm sorry, I didn't know it was you."

Chen Yang said gently, "It's nothing. I just heard that Director Zuo was injured yesterday. I wonder how your injury is."

"Thank you for your concern, Commander Chen. It's just a minor scratch, nothing serious."

"It's good that it's not a big deal," Chen Yang said in a deep voice. "Director Zuo, this matter cannot be easily dismissed."

"Openly attacking the head of the Special Service Department is a provocation against our Nanjing Special Service Committee."

"If this gets out, how will we maintain our foothold in the Shanghai market?"

Zuo Mingquan said in a deep voice, "Commander Chen is right, and I won't let this go so easily."

"However, we can't force the issue without any evidence. Boss Zhang has people backing him up in Jinling."

Chen Yang said calmly, "Don't worry, Director Zuo, I've received word that a shipment from someone surnamed Zhang will arrive in Shanghai this afternoon."

"I will issue you a notice of assistance in the investigation in the name of the Inspector General of the General Administration of Customs."

"You can swagger into the World Trade Center to inspect goods."

"I've given you the opportunity; what you do with it is up to you."

Upon hearing this, Zuo Mingquan was overjoyed: "Commander Chen, I certainly won't let you down!"

(End of this chapter)