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

Chapter 245 Naizut
"Qingqi-jun, what happened?" Chen Yang waved for Li Ningyu to leave, then asked with a frown.

Qingqi Qingyin reached out and took out a copy of the "Hujiang Evening News" and placed it in front of Chen Yang.

Chen Yang picked up the newspaper, quickly glanced at the words, and his gaze suddenly sharpened.

"This is rebellion! This is rebellion! What are they trying to do?"

Qingqi Qingyin said worriedly, "Mr. Chen, rumors are flying around in Shanghai, targeting the Ministry of Transport. I don't think the culprits are well."

"They're planning to wipe us all out at once."

"Take them all down, based on these fabricated charges." Chen Yang slammed his hand on the table.

"I can guarantee that there is absolutely no evidence to support what is written here."

"The medical supplies sales mentioned in the newspapers are just their personal speculations."

Qingqi Qingyin smiled wryly and said, "Rumors don't need any evidence to support them."

"As soon as this newspaper was published, Lord Kageyama Masaaki called from Nanjing to inquire about it."

"They asked us if we had any leverage that the other side had against us."

“I told him firmly that nothing had happened, it was just some rumors.”

"However, Lord Kagesa solemnly reminds us that this matter has already attracted the attention of the supervisory department. He hopes that we can suppress the rumors before things escalate."

Chen Yang chuckled: "You think you can deal with me with these low-level tricks?"

"They probably don't know how many eyes Lord Ma has."

“Qingqi Jun, send people to take control of this newspaper. From the president to the editors, arrest them all without exception.”

"We must find out who is behind this."

"Actually, I could guess who was behind this without even interrogating him. I originally thought he had gone to the supply warehouse and was just being a good dispatcher, so I could let him off the hook."

"I never expected that he would mistake me for a horse herder."

"Since he has no shame, then don't blame me for being ruthless."

"You mean, this was all done by Nobuo Yasuda?" Haruki Yoshitane frowned. "What good would it do him?"

"The South Manchuria Railway Company is also involved in the transportation of supplies. If something happens to us, the South Manchuria Railway Company will also be affected."

“If he was afraid of getting involved, he wouldn’t have done this,” Chen Yang sneered. “Thinking that they can tear through my net is wishful thinking on the part of these small fry.”

"With so many unidentified corpses on the Huangpu River every year, it's not surprising that there's one more Yasuda."

"However, since he wants to play, I'll give him a chance and let him cause some trouble first. I want to know if anyone else will jump in?"

Qingqi Qingyin's pupils suddenly contracted as he looked at Chen Yang's sinister smile. In the end, he said nothing, bowed slightly, and withdrew.

The tiny light at the warehouse on Maigen Road seemed to have become a spark that ignited the wasteland.

What started as mere whispers and rumors gradually grew bigger and bigger as Nobuo Yasuda continued to "feed" details behind the scenes, and Yoko Minamida released them precisely through multiple secret channels, eventually igniting a media storm in Shanghai.

Initially, it was just vague speculation about the “too close” cooperation between the Kwantung Army’s logistics department and the South Manchuria Railway’s transportation system.

But soon, even more impactful "concrete evidence" began to emerge one after another.

First, the Shanghai Evening News, a tabloid known for its outspokenness and with a complex background, published an analytical article in an inconspicuous corner with a cryptic title: "On the Efficiency and Transparency of Wartime Material Circulation."

The article does not directly accuse, but cleverly lists some of the items and quantities on the "Yamamoto Special Approval List" provided by Yasuda, and compares them with similar scarce items that suddenly appeared on the black market at the same time in terms of timing and quantity.

The writing is sharp, and the data cited seems objective, yet it subtly guides the reader's imagination.

But after publishing this report, the entire newspaper suddenly fell silent.

From the company president to the cleaner, they disappeared overnight.

But things didn't stop there.

Immediately afterwards, a fragment of what appeared to be an "internal dispatch anomaly record of the South Manchuria Railway" was anonymously delivered to several newspapers.

The document clearly shows several "Special Class A" freight cars transferred by Adjutant Ken Onodera, whose reported destinations differed significantly from the actual recorded transit points.

Although the Southern Transportation Department immediately denied the rumors, claiming that the records were forged and that it was rigorously investigating the source of the leak, the seeds of doubt had already been sown.

The real bombshell came from a mimeographed pamphlet without an issue number, published by an underground printing press in the French Concession.

This booklet, titled "The Parasite," uses highly inflammatory language to detail numerous suspicious financial transactions between Lin Yongren, the owner of "Sunshine Trading," and an unknown distant relative of Tanaka, a director of the Osaka Chamber of Commerce, and a trading company he runs in Yokohama.

The pamphlet even included altered photocopies of remittance slips and pointed out that all of this was a "malignant abscess on the body of the empire," calling for a "thorough reckoning."

One stone caused a thousand waves!

The Chinese and foreign newspapers in the concessions, like sharks that have smelled blood, began to report, reprint, and comment on the matter extensively.

Despite the vehement denials by Japanese-controlled newspapers, which claimed it was "malicious slander by hostile forces to undermine the stability of the rear of the holy war," the rumors, with their "partially true" details and logic that aligned with people's imagination of bureaucratic corruption, spread like wildfire through the streets, alleys, teahouses, and taverns.

Even some foreign news agencies have begun to pay attention to this matter, issuing news dispatches to inquire about Tokyo's views on the matter.

The pressure, like the low pressure of the plum rain season, hung heavily over Shanghai, spreading all the way to Xinjing (Beijing), and reaching the headquarters of the Kwantung Army and the Tokyo Grand Headquarters.

In the Mei Agency office, Kagesa Yoshiaki flew into a rage, slamming a stack of newspapers onto the table and roaring at Haruki Yoshitaka, "Incompetent! Idiot! You can't even clean up your own mess! You've made the Empire lose face in front of the whole world!"

Li Qun and Qing Qiqingyin, who had just been urgently summoned, both lowered their heads and dared not utter a sound.

"Investigate! Investigate thoroughly!" Yingzuo's gaze was like a knife as he first swept over Li Qun. "Director Li, the 76th Division is in charge of internal screening. Everyone who has had close contact with the Logistics Department or the South Manchuria Railway Transportation Department must be thoroughly investigated! Better to kill the innocent than let the guilty go free!"

"Hai!" Li Qun was sweating profusely. He knew that the fire had finally reached him. Internal investigations were always the most likely to offend people and get him burned.

Kagesa's gaze then turned to Haruki Yoshitane, his tone softening slightly but still icy: "Haruki-kun, you were once the most outstanding investigator in the organization."

"He is also Lord Kujo's most trusted assistant."

"This matter concerns the empire's reputation and future prospects, and its impact is extremely negative."

"I order you to mobilize all resources of the Mei Agency to be responsible for the collection and verification of external evidence."

"Regardless of whether the so-called 'evidence' in the newspapers is true or false, I want to see the most professional analysis report!"

"I need to know where this information came from! Is it from the Kuomintang's Central Bureau of Investigation and Statistics in Chongqing? Or from the Communist Party's underground liaison station? Or is there really a traitor within our ranks?"

"Yes, Your Majesty! I understand!" Qingqi Qingyin stood at attention and bowed, his tone steady and firm, like a general who had been given a new important mission. However, a complex and unfathomable light flashed beneath his lowered eyelids.

This is exactly the situation that Nobuo Yasuda hoped to see. The bigger the turmoil and the stronger the pressure, the more pain those high-ranking figures will feel.

Upon receiving the order, Haruki Yoshitaka immediately sprang into action. She displayed the efficiency and meticulousness of a former ace investigator.

The technical investigation department of the Mei Agency began operating at full capacity, attempting to trace the source of the anonymous letters and printed materials; ...

The analysts meticulously examined the data published in the newspaper and the "evidence" in the booklet, scrutinizing every word to look for signs of forgery or possible sources of leakage...

Field agents were dispatched to secretly contact journalists reporting on the matter, printing factory workers, and even black market intelligence dealers, using coercion and enticement to try and pry open a gap in the information network.

Qingqi Qingyin himself was in charge, carefully reviewing each of the collected reports...

When Haruki Yoshitaka saw the "evidence" perfected by Yasuda, which was deemed by experts to be "highly authentic," "with extremely high consistency in details," and "difficult for non-insiders to obtain," a chill ran through him.

Nobuo Yasuda had such a deep understanding of that system that he skillfully used the actual process and the fragmented evidence to depict the complete process.

If, as ordered by Kagesa, these "investigation progress reports" were faithfully compiled and submitted, it would certainly further exacerbate the suspicion and panic among those in power.

If someone really can't hold on and jumps out, the consequences will be unimaginable...

If Chen Yang gets into trouble, it will be a huge mess, and a whole bunch of logistics and transportation officials in the south will be in trouble too.

Looking at the case report in his hand, Haruki Yoshitaka pondered for a long time before finally picking up the phone: "Please connect me to the office of the head of the Land Transport Division."

After a series of busy signals, Chen Yang's voice came from the other end, "Moshi moshi, Land Transportation Department, who is this?"

"Section Chief Chen, this is Qingqi Qingyin,"

"Oh, Deputy Chief Qingqi, what are your instructions?"

"Section Chief Chen, the Mei Agency has already issued a preliminary report on the source of the rumors about the Logistics Department colluding with the Transportation Department to embezzle supplies. Would you like to come and take a look?"

"Okay, I'll be there right away."

For several days in a row, after the arrest of people from the Shanghai Evening News, the storm of rumors about corruption in the logistics department in Shanghai not only did not subside,

Instead, the situation escalated further because several tabloids disregarded the ban and published even more "conclusive" fragments of financial transactions!
These new "evidence" were like firewood being added to the stove, making Kagesa Teisho's anger burn even more fiercely.

The pressure, like a tightening noose, began to strangle the officials named in the rumors.

Chen Yang sat in his office, with a gray sky outside the window.

He had just received an encrypted interrogation telegram from Xinjing, which was stern and demanded that he produce the investigation results as soon as possible, whether it was finding the source or finding a scapegoat, and give the military an explanation.

Meanwhile, the investigation into the rumors by No. 76 seems to have made new progress. Li Qun, like a hunting dog that has caught a scent, has begun to focus his attention on those marginalized former officials who may harbor resentment.

Unsurprisingly, Nobuo Yasuda's name came into Chen Yang's view...

“Nobuo Yasuda… Yoko Minamida… Rumors…” Chen Yang muttered to himself, his fingers tapping unconsciously on the table.

They originally planned to use this rumor storm to complete some other strategic arrangements.

But at this moment, the situation is getting out of control.

Nobuo Yasuda's obsession with revenge, coupled with Yoko Minamida's instigation, has gone beyond the scope of "reasonable chaos" that he could control.

If they are allowed to continue, not only will he himself be dragged into the abyss, but the entire transportation network in Shanghai and even Manchuria may be implicated and suffer a devastating blow.

Chen Yang has never underestimated the power of rumors and information warfare.

However, he underestimated Yasuda's madness. It seemed that the Japanese had already accepted their inevitable death and continued to expand the influence of public opinion.

Now that things have come to this, there is no other choice but to cut off the source.

Chen Yang walked to the window, looked at the bustling crowds on the street below, and finally turned his gaze to the turbid Suzhou River that meandered through the city in the distance.

That night, the warehouse district on Maigen Road was even quieter than usual.

Even the lanterns of the night watchmen seemed to have dimmed considerably.

Nobuo Yasuda remained huddled in his humble room, excitedly reading the latest intelligence sent by Yoko Minamida by the light of a kerosene lamp. It was a briefing about the Special Higher Police's increased focus on rumors.

At this moment, a sickly red glow appeared on Yasuda's pale face: "It's almost over, almost over... They're about to give up..."

Just then, there was a soft knock on the door. Knock, knock, knock knock.

The sounds were chaotic and rapid.

Yasuda instantly became alert, blew out the kerosene lamp, and reached for his waist, where he found a Nambu pistol that he used for self-defense.

Slowly reaching the door, Yasuda lowered his voice and asked, "Who is it?"

A muffled and anxious male voice came from outside the door, with a heavy northern Jiangsu accent: "Mr. Yasuda? Miss Nantian sent me! It's an emergency, open the door quickly!"

Yasuda was startled; Yoko Minamida had never mentioned sending anyone else.

But the words "emergency situation" made him panic.

He hesitated for a moment, but ultimately his desire to survive and get the latest information prevailed.

He carefully opened the door a crack.

The moment the door opened, a dark figure burst in like a ghost!

The force was so great that Yasuda staggered backward.

Before he could react and call for help or draw his gun, another dark figure covered his mouth and nose from the side, and a pungent chemical smell instantly filled his nostrils.

Yasuda felt dizzy, his limbs quickly became weak, and his consciousness dissipated like the receding tide.

The newcomer frowned as he looked at Yasuda, who was slumped on the ground unconscious. "Brother Liao, what do we do next?"

"What do you mean, what to do?" The man's lips curled up slightly, revealing a cold smile.

"The boss instructed that Naiyi Group..."

[First of all, congratulations to myself! Persistence pays off; I finally got a kidney transplant. Secondly, I need to take a few days off. There's one more chapter on the 7th, then I'll resume updates after a few days of recovery. I'll make up for the missed chapters later!]

(End of this chapter)