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

Chapter 138 I have a plan

Kenjiro Oshima's tone suddenly rose several notches: "Can't do it? What's your reason?"

Saito Koichi said slowly, "Activating the small docks and barge points requires a large number of additional workers and security personnel."

"Currently, among the dockworkers, due to... well... anyway, for various reasons, there is a serious loss of manpower."

"If we forcibly conscript them, it will be inefficient and prone to chaos. You should know that the navy's strength in port security is really limited and it is difficult to cover all the scattered unloading points."

"What if..." He didn't finish his sentence, but his meaning was clear: if some spies or agents infiltrated the area, the dock could easily be attacked by the Kuomintang, guerrillas, or various anti-Japanese resistance organizations, resulting in even greater losses.

Kenjiro Oshima took a breath and said slowly, "Regarding security, I will coordinate with the garrison and the military police to strengthen patrols and security."

"As for the labor force, I'll have Section Chief Chen assist you with the recruitment."

"In extraordinary times, extraordinary measures must be taken. Imperial soldiers are bleeding on the front lines, and the rear support must not falter!"

Before Saito Koichi could speak, a knock sounded at the door.
Kenjiro Oshima said, "Come in."

The office door opened, and Chen Yang walked in, bowing slightly to Kenjiro Oshima and saying, "Minister Oshima, you wanted to see me?"

Kenjiro Oshima said, "Section Chief Chen, you know Saito-kun too. This time, the Naval Transport Department has assigned Saito-kun as a special liaison officer. You have dealt with him before, and I would like to continue to have you and Saito-kun in charge of joint sea and land transport matters."

"Do you have any questions?"

Chen Yang bowed slightly and said, "I will do my best to serve the empire."

Kenjiro Oshima nodded slightly: "Very good, Saito-kun. You can now discuss the issues we discussed earlier with Section Chief Chen."

“If he can’t make the decision, I will report it to my superiors.”

Koichi Saito nodded slightly, then suddenly said, "There's one more thing we need to discuss in advance. According to weather forecasts and reports from upstream hydrological stations, there may be heavy rainfall in the Three Gorges area in the coming week."

"Once the floodwaters recede, shipping between Yichang and Hankou will face even greater risks. Our next batch of ammunition and medicines stockpiled at Yichang Port..."

Kenjiro Oshima waved his hand impatiently: "We'll address the Yichang issue as soon as Jiujiang is cleared. Right now, all our efforts must be focused on Jiujiang!"

"Tell your dispatchers that all ships coming from downstream that are carrying supplies for the 106th and 6th Divisions will have the highest priority in Jiujiang!"

"Everything else, including some of the navy's own supplies, must give way to it..."

"have you understood?"

Saito Koichi seemed to dislike the other person's tone, but he didn't show it. Instead, he bowed slightly and said, "I understand."

Kenjiro Oshima nodded in satisfaction: "You can handle the rest yourselves. Section Chief Chen, report any problems to me immediately."

Chen Yang and Saito Takumi bowed together and walked out of the office one after the other.

Office of the Chief of the Third Section, Southern Transportation Department.

Saito Koichi quickly recounted the difficulties encountered at the Jiujiang Wharf.

"Section Chief Chen, the biggest problem right now is not transportation, but a shortage of manpower."

"Without a labor shortage, it is difficult for us to deliver on time."

"Can you handle this?"

Chen Yang pondered for a while: "Lieutenant Colonel Saito is dedicated to the cause of the 'Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere,' and our unit will do its utmost to serve him."

"I will personally oversee the labor issue and find ways to draw more people from surrounding counties and townships."

"If necessary, I will communicate with Nanjing to ensure that enough manpower can be recruited as soon as possible."

Saito Koichi's expression softened slightly: "That would be best."

"Section Chief Chen, in order to ensure that the naval transport ships can successfully complete their transport missions, Jiujiang... must be opened up."

"Otherwise, Commander Okamura's anger will go directly to the Naval Transport Department and to me. I hope you understand the seriousness of the matter."

Chen Yang nodded and said, "Of course I understand. Lieutenant Colonel Saito, please rest assured that there will be good news within three days."

“Three days? I can’t give you that much time,” Saito Koichi said in a deep voice. “The situation is tense right now, and as you know, Hunan will be hit by torrential rains in the next few days.”

"If the cargo ships are still stuck in Jiujiang, the supplies will definitely be delayed in arriving."

"So, Section Chief Chen, I can only give you one day. I need to see the detailed plan by tomorrow afternoon, and the transportation plan must be completed within a week."

Chen Yang frowned: "Okay, I'll try."

Saito Koichi smiled with satisfaction: "Section Chief Chen, then I'll leave it to you. I'll go back and report today's communication results to Colonel Yamaki. If there are any further questions, please feel free to contact me."

"I'll take my leave now."

Chen Yang quickly stood up and said, "Saito-kun, take care."

Shanghai, Jiangnan Wharf, Linjiang Park. As agreed, Chen Yang went to the mailbox at Yong'an Department Store at 5 PM to receive intelligence from the mountain city.

To ensure he wouldn't be easily exposed, Chen Yang and Song Yilin agreed that unless an emergency occurred, Chen Yang would go to different locations every Wednesday and Saturday to receive intelligence.

Taking the intelligence out of the dead mailbox, Chen Yang glanced at the information and his gaze sharpened slightly.

Headquarters wanted to gather intelligence on the Japanese presence in Jiujiang, and Song Yilin even left a meeting address.
After pondering for a while, Chen Yang stuffed the intelligence into his mouth and swallowed it.

Evening, Linjiang Park
Chen Yang sat on a chair by the river with a newspaper in his hand.

The weather in July was still quite hot, and the Huangpu River was shrouded in mist, with the afterglow of the setting sun casting a blood-red hue on its surface.

In the distance, the outlines of moored ships can be vaguely seen at the dock.

There weren't many people in the park, just a few pedestrians hurrying by and a cigarette vendor.

Before long, a familiar figure appeared in Chen Yang's line of sight.

She was a young woman wearing a plain-colored cheongsam and carrying a small handbag.

Song Yilin naturally sat down at the other end of the bench and took out a handkerchief to wipe away non-existent sweat.

After scanning the surroundings and confirming that it was safe, he said softly, "Hey, the wind by the river is a bit dry today. I'm afraid the weather is going to change again."

Chen Yang put away the newspaper and looked at the murky river water, saying, "Yes, the rain upstream can't hold back any longer. There's a serious blockage in Jiujiang; all the big ships are stuck and can't move."

He tilted his head slightly, glancing around to make sure it was safe: "'The owner' is pressing hard, three times a day, and he's furious, saying his lifeline is being strangled."

Song Yilin said in a deep voice, "It's expected that the 'cargo owners' are anxious. How much 'hard goods' did they pile up in Wuhan? Are all the 'assets' of the 106th Division stuck in Jiujiang?"

Chen Yang glanced around warily and whispered, "It's not just the 106th Regiment, there's also the 6th Division's follow-up supplies, heavy artillery, tractors, ammunition... piled up all over the dock."

“That Saito guy is like a cat whose tail has been stepped on, forcing me to make a pledge that I must smooth things over within this week.”

"His prescription was to forcibly requisition civilian ships and docks, drive laborers to unload cargo day and night, and even disperse them to small docks, completely disregarding the risks."

"Distributed unloading? Specific locations? What about security?" Song Yilin asked urgently.

Chen Yang said slowly, "The Ministry of the Army will coordinate with the garrison troops and the military police to strengthen patrols, but do you know how much area the military police can manage?"

“Especially those remote small docks…the labor force is also a major problem. Under forced recruitment, there are many complaints and people are restless.”

Song Yilin pondered for a moment: "Is there any way to get the detailed plan? Headquarters was very satisfied with the intelligence you sent out last time."

“There is a lot of pressure in Wuhan right now, and the boss hopes we can do something within our power.”

Chen Yang put the newspaper aside and tapped an inconspicuous spot on the chair, seemingly casually: "The stuff is inside. The 'owner' needs to see my dredging plan tomorrow afternoon; this is a draft."

"Saito's urgency indicates that the front line is under tremendous pressure and logistics are strained."

"In my judgment, their attack is imminent, and Jiujiang is the choke point. This 'plan' is invaluable."

Song Yilin watched Chen Yang's gesture and deliberately moved closer to him. Then, while wiping away non-existent beads of sweat, she groped behind the chair and soon a folded piece of paper fell into her hand.

This is the caution of intelligence personnel; even if the two sides meet, the intelligence does not necessarily have to be on their person.

Firstly, it was to avoid being caught on the spot. If intelligence was received from someone, it would mean being caught red-handed.

Secondly, it's also to prevent unforeseen circumstances. If Song Yilin encounters a special situation and cannot arrive on time, Chen Yang can use the information he left behind to tell her the location of the intelligence.
Song Yilin suddenly said, "If an accident happens at the dock, won't the cargo owners suspect you?"

"After all, this is something you are in charge of."

“It’s not impossible, so,” Chen Yang frowned, “we must tell Shancheng that we can’t let the Military Intelligence Bureau handle this.”

“Jiangxi was a base area of ​​the Red Party, and there were still some guerrillas stationed there.”

"The best approach is to exploit the grievances of the dockworkers, create conflict, and then have the guerrillas intervene to make everything seem reasonable."

Song Yilin nodded, and Chen Yang said slowly, "Besides this, I have another plan that requires headquarters' cooperation."

"The first lesson from the Southern Transport Department, Jun Matsushima, shows that his transport capabilities are not outstanding."

I want to give him more responsibilities.

"If the plan goes smoothly, I have a chance to take his place."

"Go to the dead mail box at Mingzhu Park on Wutong Road three days later to receive the plan."

"Understood, I'll be going now. Take care." Song Yilin stood up and carefully folded the handkerchief. With just a simple movement, she had already folded the draft into the handkerchief and put it into her handbag.

Immediately afterwards, she got up and walked out of the park. After walking more than a hundred meters along the main road, she turned the corner and quickly slipped into a quiet alley.

Leaning against the cold brick wall, she quickly and carefully examined the information in the handkerchief. After confirming its accuracy, she carefully hid the crucial draft in a hidden compartment of her handbag.
(End of this chapter)