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

Chapter 242 My Brothers and I Are of One Heart, But My Brothers Play Tricks on Me (Bonus Chapter for Monthly Tickets)

“Mr. Miyajima,” Chen Yang said in a deep voice, “these medical supplies do not meet the procurement standards. Gather all the supplies and destroy them immediately.”

"We cannot allow these supplies to leak out and cause casualties among Imperial soldiers."

Miyajima Masanobu bowed slightly: "Hai, Kitaoka-kun, Machida-kun, you two will be in charge of the disposal of the supplies."

"Carefully verify the incoming inventory figures against the total quantity of materials, and strictly prohibit any bottle of medical alcohol or any package of medical gauze from leaving the warehouse."

Kitaoka and Machida quickly bowed and said, "Yes, we'll verify it right away."

Chen Yang nodded slightly and said to Kenjiro Oshima, "Minister Oshima, you can leave the rest to Miyajima."

"Let's go back first."

Kenjiro Oshima's expression softened slightly, and he nodded. The group quickly left the warehouse, got into a car, and returned to the transportation department.

On the way to the Ministry of Transport, Kenjiro Oshima, watching the scenery rushing past, suddenly said, "Mr. Chen, what are your plans regarding Yasuda's situation?"

Chen Yang smiled and asked, "What does the minister mean?"

Kenjiro Oshima's expression was grave: "Mr. Chen, Yasuda is backed by the South Manchuria Railway Company. Shouldn't we consider their interests...?"

Chen Yang nodded and said, "Minister, your foresight is truly admirable."

"The minister is right. At present, the transportation lines within China are basically managed by our Southern Transportation Department and the South Manchuria Railway Company."

“We control the southern lines, while the South Manchuria Railway controls the northern lines. Offending the South Manchuria Railway for the sake of Yasuda would not benefit us at all.”

"Moreover, the discord between the Ministry of Transport and the South Manchuria Railway will not bring any benefits to everyone; it will only slow down the Empire's development plans."

"That's why I had Miyajima destroy all the supplies."

Oshima's eyes narrowed, and he instantly realized: "Chen-san intends to let Yasuda go?"

Chen Yang responded with a smile: "It's not as simple as letting him off the hook. He's caused us so much trouble, so we still have to put on a show."

"Otherwise, the South Manchuria Railway Company would really think that our Southern Transportation Department is incompetent."

"Yasuda is just a warning. We need to let them know that if they want to cooperate, they need to speak properly and not think that we are easy to talk to."

"Don't worry, we deliberately destroyed the physical evidence to give him a way out."

"Aoki Tomonari isn't stupid; he'll know what to do."

"Mr. Chen is indeed very capable," Oshima praised without revealing his true feelings, then turned and said with concern, "But what about the medical supplies heading north?"

"Minister Oshima, there's no need to rush," Chen Yang said calmly. "The medical supplies were handed over to the maritime transport department this morning, and the supplies collected by Yasuda were delivered to Huishan Wharf last night."

"Before we arrived, Lieutenant Commander Saito of the Maritime Transport Division had already confirmed that the loading was complete and that the Daiei Maru would depart from Shanghai and arrive in Lushun two days later, to ensure that it would not affect the war."

Oshima breathed a long sigh of relief: "Mr. Chen is reasonable and well-prepared, and he plans things out in a great way. It seems that it's time to replace Yasuda with someone else in the position of vice minister."

After saying that, the two looked at each other and smiled.
Shanghai, the interrogation room of the Mei Agency
There were no windows, only a glaring incandescent light hanging overhead, illuminating Nobuo Yasuda's pale face.

The air was filled with the smells of rust, sweat, and a faint, almost imperceptible stench of blood.

At this point, Yasuda had been stripped of his South Manchuria Railway uniform and was wearing only a thin shirt, with his hands tied behind his back to a cold iron chair.

"Yasuda Nobuo, do you know your crime?" The interrogating officer from the Mei Agency spoke softly, yet his voice was like a cold knife, scraping at his nerves. "Deliberately procuring substandard medical supplies to obstruct the holy war! This is treason!"

Yasuda's lips were chapped.
He wanted to explain himself, to recount how he had worked tirelessly and how he had tried his best to raise funds through various channels in Shanghai via Qingmu Youcheng.
He even tried to pin all the blame on Aoki, claiming that Aoki Tomonari was responsible for procuring all the supplies.
Aoki had previously stated that he could not guarantee that all medical supplies would be up to standard, but he never expected that Aoki would provide such maliciously substandard products!

Of course, these are just his plans; he can't shirk responsibility unless absolutely necessary.

"Someone framed us... It happened during transport, or in the warehouse..."

"Framed?" The officer sneered, slamming a report in front of him. "All seals are intact, the inbound and outbound records are clear, and the people involved are identified!"

"Besides you, Nobuo Yasuda, who else could have tampered with these supplies from their initial collection to their eventual storage?"

"The Kwantung Army had high hopes for you, but you betrayed them and lined your own pockets! Confess honestly! How much money did you take? Who was behind this?"

"No, no, no one instructed them. Perhaps, perhaps there was something wrong with everything from the beginning."

At this moment, Yasuda hurriedly defended himself, saying, "The medical supplies were raised by Director Aoki of the South Manchuria Railway Bureau."

"The warehousing is handled by Kitaoka, the team leader of the materials warehouse, and none of this has anything to do with me."

"I have no one behind me, and there won't be anyone behind me."

The officer sneered, "Minister Yasuda, do you think your explanation makes sense?"

"You weren't involved in any of the material procurement process, and the material storage was handled by others. You were just an outsider?"

"If what you say is true, then you should at least be charged with ineffective supervision and passive resistance."

"Minister Yasuda, you should think carefully before you speak."

Yasuda's expression changed drastically, and he hurriedly said, "That's not the case at all. If you want to find fault, you can always find a reason."

"No words, no horse!" The officer's face hardened, and the executioners beside him stepped forward and began to beat him with fists and feet.

A heavy fist landed on his abdomen, the intense pain causing him to curl up, almost suffocating.

If things had gone according to the old rules, the "whip, chili water, and tiger bench" combo would have been served long ago.

When the person was brought in, Chen Yang had given instructions not to use severe torture, so it was just simple punching and kicking.

But Yasuda was just a scholar, thin and weak, and he couldn't withstand even simple punches and kicks.

Just as Yasuda was on the verge of collapsing from the endless interrogation and physical torture, there was a knock on the interrogation room door.

A low-ranking officer from the Mei Agency walked in and whispered a few words in the interrogator's ear.

The interrogator frowned, a hint of displeasure flashing across his face, but he still stood up and gave Yasuda a cold glance: "You're lucky, someone still wants to get you out of here."

Meanwhile, in a reception room outside the Mei agency.

The atmosphere was equally heavy; the contest here was silent.

Aoki Tomochiro changed into a more formal and expensive suit. His face no longer had the shrewdness of a businessman, but rather the composure and pressure of a senior intelligence officer of the South Manchuria Railway.

Sitting opposite him was Chen Yang, still wearing that simple transportation department uniform, his gaze calm as still water.

“Section Chief Chen, let’s be frank.” Aoki spoke first, tapping the table lightly with his fingertips. “Yasuda Nobuo is a loyal employee of the Empire. This incident is clearly a frame-up.”

"We both know the methods of the Mei Agency. They only care about the result and don't care about the process."

"Yasuda won't last long. When that happens, the charges will be proven true, regardless of whether they are true or false. This will be a heavy blow to the reputation of the South Manchuria Railway and the logistics system of the Kwantung Army."

Chen Yang nodded slightly, his tone calm: "Mr. Aoki is saying that Mr. Yasuda has been wronged."

"You're being unreasonable. Hundreds of eyes have seen that there's been a problem with the supplies that Yasuda-kun was in charge of. The Mei Agency is just following the rules."

"In my opinion, although the South Manchuria Railway is large, it is difficult for it to intervene directly."

Aoki stared at Chen Yang, trying to find even the slightest flaw in his face. After a long while, Aoki said calmly, "Section Chief Chen, I have long heard that you have a lot of influence in Shanghai, and your ability to allocate resources is superb, with extensive connections."

"Especially some unofficial channels leading to the north... seem to give you some face."

He deliberately spoke vaguely, but his meaning was self-evident.

He practically said outright that he now suspected Chen Yang of having connections with the anti-Japanese forces in the north, or at least with certain underground channels, and that he might even know the inside story of this replacement.

Chen Yang calmly replied, "Mr. Aoki, you flatter me. I was simply doing my duty to ensure the smooth flow of supplies."

"As for the unofficial channels you mentioned, it is part of our duties that we inevitably come into contact with them, all for the sake of the Empire's cause."

Aoki knew that going around in circles with someone like Chen Yang was pointless.

He leaned forward and lowered his voice: "Section Chief Chen, we don't need to beat around the bush like those two old monks, trying to find out each other's bottom line."

"Simply put, I am willing to pay a certain price as long as Nobuo Yasuda can leave the Ume Agency safely and return to the South Manchuria Railway."

“I know you must have a way to make certain ‘key’ evidence less convincing or to make it disappear altogether, while also keeping certain ‘insiders’ silent.”

Chen Yang remained silent for a moment, seemingly weighing his options: "The Mei Agency needs a way out, and the Ministry of Transport also needs compensation."

"The Mei Agency is the Empire's most important intelligence agency, responsible for eliminating all resistance forces in the rear, including those who are disloyal to the Empire."

"What we in the transportation department hate most is the 'uncontrolled' flow of goods, especially routes to sensitive areas."

Aoki's eyes narrowed: "What did Section Chief Chen mean by that?"

"The branch line from Manzhouli to Chita, and the inspection rights for some non-military supplies north of Hailar," Chen Yang clearly stated. "The South Manchuria Railway Company needs to relinquish some authority, allowing inspectors from the Southern Transport Department to conduct joint inspections of specific types of civilian supplies during specific time periods."

"Of course, we do this simply to 'facilitate' monitoring of supplies that may be flowing to the enemy."

Upon hearing this, Aoki Yuki gasped in shock.
If Chen Yang's conditions are agreed to, it would mean that the South Manchuria Railway Company (SMR) has relinquished a portion of its core transportation control to the Southern Transportation Department.

This would cause a huge backlash within the South Manchuria Railway Company, but on the other hand, it did indeed hit the nerve of the Southern Transport Department, which was eager to expand its authority and penetrate the South Manchuria Railway Company's transport network.

The purpose of Yasuda's faction from the South Manchuria Railway was to control the Southern Transport Department, but now the Southern Transport Department is actually trying to extend its reach into the northern transport routes. "Section Chief Chen, I want to know if this is your intention or that of Department Head Oshima... Frankly speaking, the price is too high," Aoki said with difficulty.

“Yasuda Nobuo’s innocence, as well as the reputation of the South Manchuria Railway and the Kwantung Army’s logistics system, are worth the price.” Chen Yang’s tone remained calm. “Besides, this is only a temporary cooperation agreement.”

"The key point is that this can demonstrate the 'sincerity' of the South Manchuria Railway in cooperating with the Southern Transport Department, and it can also allow the Ume Agency to gain something from this incident, so that it is willing to 're-examine' the accusations against Yasuda."

"If Aoki-kun still has any complaints, perhaps I can have Haruki-san come down and talk to you personally."

Aoki stared intently at Chen Yang.

He was almost certain that Chen Yang's proposal was not a spur-of-the-moment decision.

This is like a trap that was prepared in advance, or rather, a scheme to kill two birds with one stone.

The Yasuda Incident not only disrupted the South Manchuria Railway's plan to control the transportation lines, but also facilitated the Ume Agency's infiltration into the north. It also firmly bound Aoki Tomochiro and the South Manchuria Railway's Investigation Bureau to this compromise deal, making them accomplices.

But does he have a choice?
Aoki was assisting Yasuda in his actions, and if Yasuda were executed for treason, he too would be held responsible for negligence and his future would be ruined.

It goes without saying how the top management of the South Manchuria Railway would choose between "preserving the overall situation" and "sacrificing a middle-level employee."

Minister Kazami made it very clear that if this mission fails, someone must take responsibility.

Yasuda may die, but Aoki will also be accused of incompetence by the South Manchuria Railway Bureau.

“…Okay.” After a long silence, Aoki squeezed out the word through gritted teeth, “I will do my best to push the South Manchuria Railway Bureau to agree to this condition. Director Chen, I hope you can also keep your promise and get the Mei Agency… to release the person as soon as possible.”

A subtle, enigmatic smile appeared on Chen Yang's face: "Mr. Aoki is a man of his word, and so am I."

Clap clap, Chen Yang clapped his hands lightly, the conference room door opened, and Yoshino Kiyoshi, Haruki Yoshihisa's private secretary, walked in slowly.

"Yoshino-kun, regarding the interrogation of Minister Yasuda..."

Kiyoshi Yoshino placed a statement in front of Chen Yang: "Section Chief Chen, there is currently no conclusive evidence to prove that Yasuda-kun is the one with the problem."

"We all agree that the problem lies in the procurement process; at most, it's due to insufficient oversight by Minister Yasuda."

Chen Yang nodded slightly, glanced at the statement book, and the smile between his brows deepened.

Chen Yang gently pushed the statement book in front of Aoki Tomonari and said jokingly, "Aoki-kun, it seems that Yasuda-kun is not as loyal as you thought."

There's a saying: "Drinking is all about brotherhood, confessions are all about brotherhood, my brothers and I are of one mind, and my brothers play mind games with me."

"Aoki-kun, you'd better be careful about making friends in the future."

"Ha ha.."

Aoki Tomonari picked up the statement book and glanced at it. His face instantly turned red, but he managed to restrain himself.

"Section Chief Chen, when can we release them?"

Chen Yang stood up and said, "Don't worry, I've already ordered Yasuda-kun's supplies to be destroyed. There's no physical evidence, so Yasuda-kun will be fine. I need to see good news from Aoki-kun within three days."

Was this all planned in advance? Aoki Tomonari's expression changed slightly. After a long pause, he slowly uttered the word, "Okay."
A few days later, after enduring physical and mental torment, Nobuo Yasuda was "acquitted" by the Ume Agency.

The official statement is that, after "further thorough investigation," it was confirmed that Nobuo Yasuda was at fault in the procurement of supplies, namely, he failed to strictly verify the final quality.
However, there was no malicious intent or treasonous act. The main responsibility lies with the "unscrupulous merchant" who sold inferior goods as superior ones. This merchant has already fled and his whereabouts are unknown.

However, although Nobuo Yasuda was released, he did not return to his original post.

He was temporarily assigned to a sinecure position in the Southern Transportation Department, ostensibly for "rest and recuperation," but in reality, he was isolated from core business operations.

Of course, the Ministry of Transport cannot demote a vice minister to a sinecure without a reason; ultimately, it comes down to Yasuda's own problems.

The few days he spent at the Mei Agency were like a nightmare from which he could not wake up. It not only ravaged his body but also left a deep mark on his mind. He became taciturn, and his eyes often carried a trace of bewilderment and uncertainty.

It was precisely this unusual work situation that gave Oshima a reason to demote Yasuda, citing his physical inability to handle high-intensity work.

The position of Deputy Minister of Transport seems to be a foregone conclusion.
However, just when Chen Yang thought everything was in the bag, an undercurrent began to surge within the South Manchuria Railway and the Kwantung Army's logistics system.

It is unclear when or where the whispers began to spread like a plague.

"Have you heard? Yasuda from the Land Transport Division is just a scapegoat who was pushed out."

"The real masterminds are those guys in the military logistics department. They colluded with them to resell high-quality supplies and replace them with inferior ones, lining their own pockets!"

"I knew it! How could Yasuda alone have the audacity and ability to embezzle such a large quantity of military supplies?"

"Hmph, the Mei Agency made a lot of noise but did little. In the end, they only caught a small fry. It's because they involved people above them that they couldn't do anything!"

"The South Manchuria Railway Company is probably not clean either. How could they have such flawless transport records without inside cooperation?"

Rumors spread like wildfire through corridors, cafeterias, and various informal gatherings.

It has no exact shape, but is full of details and "reasonable" inferences, pointing directly to collusion between military logistics officials and certain officials in the Ministry of Transport to embezzle imperial resources.

This is more likely to agitate people than simple individual negligence or unscrupulous businessmen committing wrongdoing, and it also better explains why things ultimately end so abruptly.

In the logistics department of the Kwantung Army, several officers who had been named turned ashen-faced.

They felt the strange looks from their colleagues and subordinates, looks that carried suspicion, alienation, and even a hint of schadenfreude. Although no one dared to confront them directly, this invisible pressure made them uneasy.

Privately, they angrily denounced the rumors as shameless, attributing the Yasuda incident to his personal incompetence or corruption, and firmly denying any systemic collusion.

However, the rumors had shaken their prestige and made them even more dissatisfied with the South Manchuria Railway. The officers of the Kwantung Army believed that the South Manchuria Railway was spreading rumors behind their backs in order to shirk responsibility!

The atmosphere at the South Manchuria Railway headquarters was equally somber. The higher-ups were furious at the accusations leveled against them. This wasn't just a smear campaign against individual employees; it was a challenge to the overall reputation of the South Manchuria Railway and its "loyalty to the Empire."

During an internal meeting, Director Nakajima roared in anger: "Investigate! We must find out who is spreading these remarks that are undermining morale and disrupting unity!"

However, rumors are ubiquitous and their origins are difficult to trace.

Some mid-level managers at the South Manchuria Railway Company (SMR), who were already dissatisfied with the company's compromise with the Southern Transport Department and the ceding of some transport authority, were now discussing the matter privately.
They believe this is the bitter fruit of compromise and concessions by the higher-ups. Sacrificing Yasuda did not bring peace, but instead brought trouble upon themselves.

Shanghai, Headquarters of the China Expeditionary Army, Logistics Support Center, Minister's Office.

Sato Fumiyasu sat quietly in his office, reviewing the latest detailed list of material requirements that had been submitted.

The nib of the Parker pen slowly glides over one familiar name after another.

After confirming the numbers and supplies information, Fumito Sato put an X on it.

The Japanese use of hooks and forks is completely opposite to that of the Chinese.

Throughout Chinese history, dynasties have always valued the use of vermilion ink to outline characters.

This means that if you approve of a major resolution, you should draw a checkmark on it with a brush dipped in red ink.

The Japanese, on the other hand, drew an X to indicate that the matter had been concluded.

A series of crisp knocks sounded on the door. Sato Fumio frowned, put down his pen, and said, "Come in."

Deputy Logistics Minister Ken Onodera opened the door, bowed slightly, and said, "Minister, you wanted to see me?"

Sato Fumiyasu rubbed his temples: "Onodera-kun, there are a lot of rumors going around lately."

"They say the Land Transport Division colluded with the Logistics Department to embezzle imperial funds under the guise of security funds. You must have heard about this."

"I want to know, who the hell spread all this information?"

Onodera Kenko was slightly taken aback: "Mr. Sato, Section Chief Chen has been paying attention to this matter."

"He suspected that the South Manchuria Railway had suffered a loss and was deliberately spreading rumors in the market to undermine the prestige of the logistics and transportation departments."

The goal is to make us distrust each other.

"You mean Aoki Tomonari?" Sato Fumiya's voice gradually turned cold.

“Yes.” Ken Onodera did not deny it, but calmly analyzed, “Because of the Nobuo Yasuda incident, the South Manchuria Railway was forced to give up some rights.”

"Although the Southern Transportation Department cannot interfere with transportation matters in the North, it has only gained some convenience in transportation and allocation of materials. However, this is already a great humiliation for the South Manchuria Railway Company."

"It's not surprising that they're doing some underhanded things."

Sato Fumita frowned and said, "Didn't Oshima-kun report that they had already demoted Yasuda Nobuo to the supplies warehouse as a dispatcher?"

"What could the South Manchuria Railway possibly be dissatisfied with at this point?"

"If you want to reap the rewards, you'll have to send someone capable of doing it."

"They sent an idiot to fight for power, and we refused to help. Are they planning to take us down with them?"

Onodera Ken didn't dare to reply: "Minister, actually I think Chen Yang is more suitable for this position than Yasuda."

"The South Manchuria Railway has been doing too well these past few years, and they really think they can do whatever they want without relying on our military."

Sato Fumiyasu's gaze sharpened: "Then let Section Chief Chen teach them a lesson on how to behave."

"Tell Mr. Chen that I don't want to hear these unfounded rumors anymore. If he can resolve this quickly, I can recommend him for Yasuda's position."

(End of this chapter)