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

Chapter 146 Traitors, Die

No. 625, Daxilu Road, Shanghai.

Chen Yang pushed open the carved bronze door of the Shanghai office of the Jinling Special Service Committee, and his exquisite calfskin shoes tapped rapidly on the floor.

"Good morning, Director Chen!" Xiao Lin, the guard on duty at the entrance of the director's office on the second floor, hurriedly stood up, his pen rolling off the table in his haste.

Chen Yang gently flicked the pen with the tip of his shoe, and the pen traced an arc in the air before landing steadily back on the table.

"Where is Director Zuo?"

Kobayashi respectfully reported, "Director, Director Zuo, Team Leader Ling from the Action Group, and Captain Zhang and Captain Gao from the Intelligence Group are having a meeting inside."

Chen Yang nodded slowly: "Alright, you go ahead and do your thing."

As soon as he finished speaking, Chen Yang pushed open the office door.

At this moment, the four people in the office were gathered around the table discussing the security issues of the Tang Mansion.

When Zuo Mingquan saw Chen Yang push the door open and enter, he jumped up and quickly bowed slightly, saying, "Good morning, Commander Chen."

The remaining people turned around and bowed to Chen Yang.

Chen Yang waved his hand and walked straight to the table, on which was a floor plan of the area near the Tang Mansion on Ferguson Road.

Zuo Mingquan quickly replied, "Sir, the entire Special Service Department is taking this operation very seriously after receiving your call."

"We've almost finished the research. Captain Zhang, go and gather the people from the intelligence department. Team Leader Ling, gather the people from the action department. Meet in the conference room in ten minutes."

"Commander Chen, I'd like to personally report to you on the security arrangements."

As soon as Zuo Mingquan finished speaking, his subordinates bowed slightly and went to deliver the message.

Immediately afterwards, Zuo Mingquan pointed to the floor plan of the Tang Mansion and marked out the locations of several hidden sentry posts.

After listening carefully to Zuo Mingquan's report, Chen Yang slowly said, "Director Zuo, I understand your arrangements roughly. This morning, the consulate sent word that people from Shancheng are contacting Tang Shaoyi, attempting to threaten him with their lives to prevent him from cooperating with the Empire."

Zuo Mingquan said respectfully, "Tang Shaoyi still has influence in the military and political circles in the south. If we can win him over, it will be of great benefit to the peace movement."

Chen Yang nodded: "That's right. We've been ordered to ensure Mr. Tang's safety and facilitate his cooperation with the Empire."

"But recently, the Military Intelligence Bureau has been very active, and suspicious people have appeared near the Tang Mansion."

Zuo Mingquan narrowed his eyes: "The Military Intelligence Bureau will not sit idly by and watch Mr. Tang side with us; they may take extreme measures."

Chen Yang sneered: "Therefore, your special service must act in advance; at least for now, Tang Shaoyi must not be allowed to get into trouble."

Zuo Mingquan: "I understand. I will send capable personnel to infiltrate the Tang mansion as servants or visitors to monitor and protect him. At the same time, I will arrange for people to set up surveillance around the perimeter, and eliminate any Kuomintang agents found."

Chen Yang nodded in satisfaction: "Very good, but remember, the operation must be discreet. We can't let Tang Shaoyi know that we are monitoring him, otherwise it will affect his attitude."

Zuo Mingquan said seriously, "Yes, I will have my men disguise themselves as ordinary bodyguards or servants so as not to arouse his suspicion."

Chen Yang nodded: "I greatly admire Director Zuo's attitude towards work. You must be very careful about the security of the Tang Mansion."

“Mr. Yingzuo is very worried about Mr. Tang’s safety. His entrusting us with the security task shows his trust in the Special Affairs Committee’s capabilities.”

"We must take this seriously and absolutely cannot let Mr. Kagesa down."

Zuo Mingquan took a quick step, bowed slightly, and said, "Understood. I will go to the conference room now to arrange the operation. Commander Chen, if there is anything I have overlooked, please point it out. This way, please."

The conference room reeked of cigarette smoke from the previous night. Chen Yang sat at the head of the table, with Zuo Mingquan beside him. Just as Zhang Zixian pinned the floor plan of the Tang Mansion to the blackboard, the last agent tiptoed in.

"Gentlemen," Zhang Zixian said, picking up his baton and pointing the tip at the southeast corner of the drawing.
"Tang Shaoyi received his third threatening letter this morning."

"The higher-ups are taking this matter very seriously and hope that we can protect Mr. Tang's safety and prevent him from being persecuted by some unscrupulous people."

Zhang Dalei, from the action team, grinned, revealing his gold teeth: "If you ask me, it's better if that old bastard dies."

“Nonsense.” Zuo Mingquan’s gaze sharpened, and his voice cut through the ice like a scalpel. “If Tang Gong dies in the French Concession, tomorrow the North China Daily News will publish the news ‘Japanese puppet regime forces a veteran of the Republic of China to his death.’”

"How are we going to explain this to Lord Yingzuo then? Zhang Dalei, if you can't speak properly, then shut your mouth."

"Yes, yes, I'm sorry." Zhang Dalei shuddered, cold sweat trickling down his temples onto his gold teeth.

Zuo Mingquan stood up and slowly walked past everyone, the sound of his leather shoes tapping on the floor tiles like a countdown.

“Listen carefully now.” He tossed out several brown paper bags. “Each group is responsible for a specific area and the code word for the rendezvous.”

"The first group is led by Team Leader Ling from the Action Department, the second group is led by Captain Zhang from the Intelligence Department, and the third group is led by Captain Gao from the Intelligence Department."

"Everyone must work together and absolutely cannot make any mistakes."

"Yes"

Mountain city, Hunan Guild Hall, Military Intelligence Bureau office...
At 11 p.m., only the footsteps of the night watchmen could be heard in the corridor of the Military Intelligence Bureau headquarters.

The curtains in Boss Dai's office were drawn, and the desk lamp cast a long shadow of him.

He was reviewing a top-secret document from the Shanghai station, his brow furrowing deeper and deeper.

Three cautious knocks sounded on the door. "Come in."

Mao Qiwu, deputy director of the secretariat, pushed open the door and entered, holding an encrypted document bag in his hands.

The deputy director of the Military Intelligence Bureau's secretariat had a grave expression, and fine beads of sweat from his journey still clung to his forehead. "Chief, an urgent coded telegram from the Shanghai station has just arrived through special channels."

Without looking up, Boss Dai stretched out his hand: "Give it to me."

Mao Qiwu strode forward and took out three photos and a translated telegram from the document bag.

The photo clearly shows Tang Shaoyi having a private conversation with Wen Zongyao and Kageyama Masaaki in the study of his French Concession residence.

One of the photos even shows the documents spread out on the table.

"When did this happen?" Boss Dai's voice suddenly became very soft.

“Yesterday afternoon, from 3 PM to 5 PM. Our informant risked his life to film it,” Mao Qiwu said in a low voice. “What’s more troublesome is that, according to the wiretaps, they arranged to meet again next week.”

Upon hearing this, Boss Dai fell silent. After a long while, he slowly stood up and walked to the window.

Outside the window, the mountain city was shrouded in darkness at night, with occasional beams of searchlight streaking across the sky.

"Tang Shaoyi, the first Premier of the Republic of China, is now also becoming a traitor?"

Mao Qiwu cautiously added, "According to the inside report, during the talks, Kageyama Masaaki promised that as long as Mr. Tang is willing to step forward as the leader of the 'new government' and help the Japanese stabilize the situation in the south, the Japanese side can meet all his conditions."

"Bang!" Boss Dai slammed his fist heavily on the windowsill. "That old fox Wen Zongyao! It must have been him who pulled the strings."

He turned around abruptly, "What's Tang Shaoyi's attitude?"

"According to inside sources, although Mr. Tang did not agree on the spot, he did not explicitly refuse either."

"He inquired in detail about the specific conditions offered by the Japanese side. He had also previously accepted gifts brought by Kagesa Masaaki."

"Director, I'm afraid that Tang Shaoyi really has the intention to defect to the enemy."

“He is not a clown like Liang Hongzhi. If he were willing to side with the Japanese, it would definitely have a huge impact on the situation of the War of Resistance in the South.”

"Perhaps a group of people who were originally wavering will follow him and side with the Japanese, becoming traitors."

"You really have to consider this."

“Yes,” Boss Dai knew how important Tang Shaoyi was: “Right now, the Blue Army is locked in a standoff with the Japanese, with Wuhan as the center.”

"If the old man hears that Tang Shaoyi wants to become a traitor, he will definitely put him to death."

"But I'm in a bit of a dilemma now. Tang Shaoyi's qualifications are there, and if we don't have solid evidence, it will give others a reason to criticize us if we take action against him."

“Director,” Mao Qiwu said in a low voice, “but if it really comes down to him making a clear statement, the impact will be enormous.”

"My advice is that it is better to kill a thousand innocent people than to let one guilty person go free."

Boss Dai's gaze sharpened as he coldly stared at Mao Qiwu, and the office fell into a deathly silence. The ticking of the second hand on the wall clock was exceptionally clear.

After a long silence, Boss Dai suddenly sneered: "What a fine 'elder statesman of the Republic of China,' truly a pillar of the nation."

"Qi Wu, do three things immediately. First, order the Hunan Special Agent Training Department to send more capable personnel to the Shanghai station to monitor the Tang residence 24 hours a day."

"Second, prepare a detailed report on Tang Shaoyi's treason; I want to present it to the Chairman in person."

Third, his voice suddenly lowered, "He instructed Zhao Lijun to have the 'anti-traitor squad' prepare to act."

Mao Qiwu's pupils contracted slightly: "What does the boss mean?"

“Tang Shaoyi’s identity is sensitive, so we can’t take action unless absolutely necessary.” Boss Dai walked back to his desk and tapped the surface lightly with his fingers. “Let the Shanghai station continue to collect evidence first.”

"If Tang Shaoyi is merely feigning compliance, we might as well observe further, but if he truly is..."

Boss Dai said, word by word, "Now that the country has fallen to this state, no matter who you are or what your status is, a traitor will die."

Mao Qiwu nodded and said, "As for the Nanjing Special Service Committee? Zuo Mingquan has definitely already sent people to protect him."

"They're just a bunch of clowns, not presentable," Boss Dai said nonchalantly. "However, we need to make Tang Shaoyi understand that some paths, once taken, cannot be reversed."

Mao Qiwu nodded slightly: "I'll make the arrangements right away. Should we give Tang Shaoyi a warning first?"

After a moment of contemplation, Boss Dai said, "Have someone at the Shanghai station try to pass a message in, saying that an old friend is asking if I still remember the vow I made in front of Dr. Sun Yat-sen's portrait back then?"

"Yes," Mao Qiwu bowed slightly, greeted Boss Dai, and hurriedly left.

After Mao Qiwu left, Boss Dai seemed to lose all his strength.

With the nation reduced to this state, these very people who once vowed to strive for the rise of China have, one by one, harbored such thoughts.

To defect to the enemy is to be a traitor, and a traitor has only one path: death.
Standing alone by the window, Boss Dai gazed at the faintly visible lights on the river in the distance and murmured to himself, "Old Tang, Old Tang, you've lived a life of integrity; don't let your reputation be tarnished in your later years."

(End of this chapter)