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

Chapter 158 Poisoned Bait
"You want me to help you deal with Zhao Lijun?" Lu Tao looked at Ling Jing with surprise.

"What, is there a problem?" Ling Jing's expression was even more surprised.

"Sir, don't you know that Zhao Lijun is not only the head of the Military Intelligence Bureau's Shanghai station, but also one of Boss Dai's four henchmen?"

“If you arrest him, there will be nowhere for me to stay in the entire city of Shanghai.”

“Boss Dai will definitely do everything he can to kill me and avenge Zhao Lijun.”

Ling Jing glanced at Lü Tao and said, "Please rest assured, Mr. Lü, Director Zuo has already made arrangements."

"If we can successfully eliminate the Kuomintang's intelligence station in Shanghai and capture Zhao Lijun this time, Mr. Lü will be credited with the greatest contribution."

"The section chief will recommend you to Jinling. At that time, you can stay in Shanghai or go to Jinling if you want."

"To put it arrogantly, given the current situation, the Military Intelligence Bureau in the South is not in a position to act recklessly."

Lu Tao sighed: "Team Leader Ling, you may not know how terrifying the Military Intelligence Bureau is. If they want to kill someone, that person is doomed."

"However, this is not something that cannot be discussed."

"I can help you arrest Zhao Lijun, but I want more money."

"You think you can kill everyone at the Shanghai Military Intelligence Bureau with just one box of small yellow croakers? That's too cheap."

"I need ten thousand US dollars plus a ferry ticket to Hong Kong Island. I'll only start to consider it if you agree to that."

Ling Jing's gaze sharpened slightly, and he sneered, "Mr. Lü's appetite is too big."

"Ten thousand US dollars is more than thirty thousand dollars, which is ten times more than before. I can't make that decision."

“That’s your business,” Lu Tao looked up at the time. “Team Leader Ling, it’s getting late, I need to go back and submit the action plan.”

"Just a reminder, my time may be running out. If this operation fails again, Zhao Lijun will definitely suspect that I am the one with the problem."

"So you only have two days at most. If you don't reply by then, we'll call it quits."

Ling Jing pondered for a moment, "Okay, I'll go back and ask Director Zuo for instructions right away. Mr. Lü, please be careful."

"Thank you for your concern, Team Leader Ling," Lu Tao replied dismissively.

In Shanghai, at a secret military intelligence outpost on Jinbei Road, in a hidden room on the ground floor.

The secret room was very small, only big enough for a table and two chairs.

A greasy light bulb hung overhead, its dim yellow light like the gasps of a dying man, barely illuminating a small area of ​​the tabletop.

The old newspapers pasted on the wall were yellowed and curled, revealing the damp and moldy plaster underneath.

The only small window was completely sealed off with dark oilcloth, allowing no light to penetrate.

Station Master Zhao Lijun sat at the boundary between light and darkness.

He wore a worn-out dark gray long gown, his figure was as thin as bamboo, but his back was straight, like an ancient sword hidden in a box.

On the table in front of him was a piece of intelligence, brought back by the earthworm.

Zhao Lijun didn't look at it; his gaze was lowered and fixed on a cup of coarse tea in front of him that had long since gone cold.

The murky tea soup remained stagnant, reflecting the distorted halo of the light bulb.

After a long silence, Zhao Lijun finally picked up the intelligence report, his hands trembling. Every word seemed to mock the Kuomintang station chief's ignorance, his blindness, and his inability to judge character…

A mixture of shame at being fooled and a chilling killing intent silently churned and exploded in Zhao Lijun's chest, but was ultimately suppressed by his powerful willpower.

He put down the intelligence report, picked up the cold tea, and took a sip. The icy, earthy liquid slid down his throat, making his killing intent even more concentrated.

As a notorious serial killer in the Kuomintang's Military Intelligence Bureau, Zhao Lijun usually took pleasure in killing.

At this moment, the handwriting on the intelligence report recording Lu Tao's private meeting with Ling Jing, the head of the Jinling Special Service Committee's action group, made him almost unable to suppress the murderous intent in his heart.

However, he knew very well that now was not the time to take action.

The door hinges creaked, making a teeth-grinding sound.

The darkness was pushed open a crack, and a figure carrying the eerie wind of the alleyway swiftly slipped in, shutting the door and bolting it shut in one fluid motion.

"Station Chief, you wanted to see me?" The person who came was Xie Zhipan, the leader of the action team... Zhao Lijun pushed the intelligence in front of Xie Zhipan with a blank expression.

"The earthworm followed Lü Tao all the way and discovered that he met Ling Jing at the back door of Ruixiang Silk Shop."

"Now I can confirm that Lü Tao is the needle."

"Did you find anything during your investigation of Mao Qiuying?"

“A little.” Xie Zhipan reached into his robes and pulled out a document: “After the new codebook was changed, Team Leader Mao sent out a strange intelligence.”

"I did some research, and it turned out to be the Shanghai Stock Exchange's listing number for cotton trading."

Zhao Lijun paused for a moment, then said in a deep voice, "Don't follow any further. Just pretend you've never seen this thing before, or you won't even know how you died."

Xie Zhipan's pupils narrowed slightly. "Station Chief, do you know something?"

After a long silence, Zhao Lijun slowly said, "This matter is related to the Kong family. Don't ask any more questions."

"Pretend you didn't see this information, and whatever you do, don't let anyone know you were aware of it."

Xie Zhipan was shocked and immediately realized that the Kong family was using the stock market to fleece retail investors.

This isn't the first time the Kong family has done something like this; there was the February 23rd Cotton Yarn Incident and the Financial and Foreign Exchange Incident.

This was all orchestrated by Kong Yongzhi and Madam Song; this cotton transaction is likely following the same pattern.

At a time when the country is facing great difficulties, they are still thinking of making money off the people at the bottom. I really don't know if they even know how to write the words "propriety, righteousness, integrity, and shame".
Then again, given their character, they can't just give up all their money for the sake of their conscience.

"Put that aside for now, the priority is to deal with Lü Tao."

"Tonight's plans..."

Xie Zhipan said in a deep voice, "Station Chief, are you going to strike first?"

Zhao Lijun remained silent for a long time, then shook his head: "Right now, I can't be sure whether, besides Lü Tao, the second group has any accomplices."

"I want you to monitor Lü Tao's performance throughout the entire process."

"If it is confirmed that there are accomplices, we must find them all."

Xie Zhipan nodded, then asked worriedly, "Station Chief, if Lü Tao has a problem, has our base been exposed?"

"Is everyone safe?"

Zhao Lijun said slowly, "I know Lü Tao quite well."

“He won’t sell us for a pittance. Earthworm said he discussed it privately with Ling Jing for more than half an hour. The Jinling Special Service Committee has not taken any action yet, which means the two sides have not reached an agreement on the price.”

"We still have time."

"After tonight's operation, deal with Lü Tao immediately."

"As for the second group, to be honest, I can't completely trust them."

Zhao Lijun paused for a moment, then slowly said, "We two will personally handle the matter of killing Tang Shaoyi."

Xie Zhipan nodded, then suddenly said, "Should we have Team Leader Mao ask headquarters if they can help us?"

"Alright, it seems that Team Leader Mao is still trustworthy. Have Team Leader Mao send a telegram to headquarters."

“The content… I’ll tell you, you write it down.”

After pondering for a while, Zhao Lijun said in a deep voice, "Your Excellency, since taking over the Shanghai intelligence station, I, Zhao Lijun, have been working tirelessly day and night, and I fear I have failed your trust."

"Recently, the department received orders from higher authorities to assassinate Tang Shaoyi, but the operation failed."

"After careful investigation, we were shocked to discover that there was a traitor in the Shanghai station. The department was blind to the truth and failed to manage its subordinates properly, resulting in countless losses at the Shanghai station. They are truly guilty beyond reproach."

"After much painful reflection, I am determined to sacrifice myself for the cause, even at the cost of my life. I hope that the Director will remember my loyalty to the Party and the country and forgive my past mistakes."

"If we can get even a little help, our department will not hesitate to shed blood and perish together with that old thief Tang. Please grant our request, Director."

"September 9th, 1938, Shanghai, Zhao Lijun's last words..."

(End of this chapter)