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

Chapter 278 You Must Have Another Card
Everything for oil? Eiji Kujo was clearly stunned by Shinshiro Toyoda's words!

The tea stains on the table dried quickly, and Kujo asked with some confusion, "It's no secret that the Navy needs oil, but what does this have to do with the Department of Transportation?"

“Of course, there is a connection!” Shinjiro Toyoda sighed. “In January of this year, Minister Chen made an agreement with Chief of Staff Hirata that he could help us obtain a large amount of oil!”

"At first, Hirata was still a little uncertain, until Minister Chen stepped in to deliver oil from Shell and Total Energy, a French colony in Vietnam, into the Sasebo naval port."

"That's when we found out he really could get his hands on oil!"

"So, I issued him a secret order to purchase large quantities at prices 30% higher than the market price!"

"Isn't this a good thing?" Kujo Eiji laughed. "Mr. Toyota has always needed oil, and now someone can help!"

“Yes, that’s a good thing, but we underestimated Minister Chen’s abilities.” Shinjiro Toyoda looked somewhat troubled as he slowly said, “He spent two quarters’ worth of our budget in just two months.”

"Lord Yonai requested additional funding from Lord Suzuki of the Ministry of Finance, but the latter refused, citing the reason that the navy does not need to intervene in the war!"

"To be honest, that little bit of oil was almost used up in just a few exercises!"

"In order to ensure that there are no problems with the oil supply, we have no choice but to turn our attention to the supplies stored by the Navy Logistics Department!"

"You mean... sell supplies for oil?" Kujo Eiji was speechless with shock at their actions.

Shinshiro Toyoda didn't continue. Everything was already answered; further words were pointless...

He picked up the bowl of tea, which had cooled down, took a sip, and then picked up the file folder from Kujo. He didn't open it, but just weighed it in his hand.

"These things were done by Nantian and that guy surnamed Kazutoshi together? What a bunch of troublemakers!" Toyota's lips twitched upwards very slightly!
"I know what to do!" Kujo Eiji sighed, preparing to make the accusation letter disappear legitimately!

"Don't rush, this thing is still somewhat useful!" Shinshiro Toyoda said slowly, "Give it to Fujiwara and let him handle it!"

"What Vice Minister Toyoda means..." Kujo Eiji's voice echoed in the closed room, "is that he wants Vice Minister Fujiwara to take action and completely eliminate this 'internal noise' that is investigating military supplies?"

Shinshiro Toyoda did not give a direct answer.

He simply picked up the heavy envelope containing the accusation letter, weighed it in his hand as if assessing the value of a piece of cargo and its potential storm potential, then placed it back on the table, lightly tracing its sharp edges with his fingertips, and turned his gaze to Kujo.

“Fujiwara… Brother Kujo, please pass on a message to him for me,” Toyota’s voice carried an unspeakable sense of pressure, “say that, ‘Lord Yonai appreciates your sensitivity to foreign affairs. To demonstrate our sincerity in cooperation, we are entrusting you with the documents of concern from the Army.’”

"The Navy is currently overwhelmed with miscellaneous tasks and finds them quite challenging. We earnestly hope that Vice Commander Fujiwara can lend a hand. When the matter is resolved, the Navy will be deeply grateful for your assistance."

Kujo Eiji lowered his eyelids, concealing all his emotions.

Toyota's offer could leverage the resources available to the Army, South Manchuria Railway, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Navy through this whistleblower letter, drawing South Manchuria Railway, the Army Transport Department, and even the Fujiwara family behind them into a shared responsibility.

"This doesn't seem quite right. I have a feeling that Vice Commander Fujiwara might not be willing to take it on!"

Kujo Eiji said slowly, "He's a notoriously shrewd person. This matter won't benefit him; it will only get him involved. I can't think of any reason why he would take it on!"

“He certainly has a reason to do that,” Toyota said, pulling a note from his large kimono.
"This is intelligence sent back to the mainland by Qingqi Qingyin, deputy director of the Shanghai Municipal Government's Mei Bureau. German Ambassador Ribbentrop will arrive in the Soviet capital soon to meet with the leader."

"We all know that the army has suffered setbacks on its offensive against the Soviet Union, and although it is currently in a stalemate, the Naval War Command has, after extensive data analysis, concluded that even if the army were determined to fight a decisive battle against the Soviet Union, their chances of winning are less than 20%."

"If nothing unexpected happens, I can confirm that the army's offensive has ended in complete failure. Next, it will be our navy's turn to shine!"

"Therefore, Vice Commander Fujiwara naturally understands who can help him at this time!"

Before Eiji Kujo could speak, a knock on the door suddenly rang out.

"Come in!" Ono no Michizane, Shinshiro Toyoda's personal advisor, quickly walked to Toyoda's side and whispered a few words in his ear.

"What, bear hunting...?" Shinshiro Toyoda's expression changed drastically, and he stood up and bowed slightly to Eiji Kujo!

"Brother Kujo, I have something I must see Lord Yonai immediately. I'm entrusting this letter of denunciation to you!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Shinshiro Toyoda quickly left the room with his personal consultant...

Tokyo, Office of the Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs...

The heavy oak door shut out the noise from the outside world.

The air was filled with the unique aroma of precious incense mixed with the scent of paper and ink.

Vice Minister Fujiwara, dressed in a perfectly tailored dark gray kimono, sat behind a large desk.

The light only illuminated a corner of his desk piled high with documents, his face mostly hidden in carefully designed shadows, like a Noh master concealed behind a curtain.

A young confidant in a sharp suit stood quietly to one side, holding an open folder in his hands.

"Your Excellency, there is something I am not sure if I should tell you?" The secretary's voice was respectful and low. "The Special Higher Police, along with the head of the Ran Agency and Chiyoji, jointly signed a document that was forwarded through the General Nakamura Inspection Section of the Army Ministry and submitted to the Imperial Inspection Department with the highest level of secrecy."

"Lord Kujo has forwarded the documents again, saying he wants to get your opinion on how to handle this matter!"

"Oh?" Fujiwara's voice was like the smooth texture of ancient jade, devoid of any emotion. "What could possibly require such a grand fuss at this time, to be delivered from Shanghai to the mainland via a secret channel?"

He finally raised his eyelids, his gaze like a cold moon piercing through the thin mist, landing precisely on the Special Higher Police's cherry blossom seal and the Nakamura Department's eagle emblem printed on the folder.

The gaze lacked the eagerness to scrutinize the documents; instead, it carried a subtle, almost imperceptible, knowing, and amused quality.

He put down his teacup with such elegance that it made no sound, and then reached out with the hand that wore his ancestral jade ring to take the document.

He didn't open it immediately. He gently rubbed his fingertip against the "Top Secret" stamp on the cover, as if trying to feel the raised pressure and the anxiety hidden behind it.

"Let him handle it himself, I have no objection!" Fujiwara's voice was completely calm, as if he were dealing with an ordinary invitation.

He didn't open the document, but simply placed it gently on the desk where light and shadow met, and then gestured to his secretary to put the document away.

A hint of doubt flashed in Secretary Takagi Tetsuya's eyes, but his strong self-discipline made him immediately lower his gaze: "Your Excellency, I'm afraid things are not that simple."

"Lord Kujo means that Lord Toyoda of the Navy Ministry suggested that this document be handed over to you for processing!"

He hopes you will review it carefully!

"Moreover, they did this at His Excellency Minay's behest..."

The secretary emphasized the words "carefully review" quite a bit!

Fujiwara Tomoo's gaze sharpened slightly as he slowly leaned back in his chair, his figure blending even deeper into the shadow cast by the wide chair back.

He tapped his ringed finger lightly twice on the smooth wooden surface of the table, producing a barely audible crisp sound.

"What does Lord Yonai mean?" Fujiwara paused, his gaze drifting to the deep Tokyo night outside the window. "What matter warrants such a commotion from the Navy Ministry?"

He leaned forward slightly, and the light finally illuminated half of his face, which had a clear outline and hard lines.

Slowly opening the folder in front of him, Fujiwara quickly skimmed through the text.

Next, the evidence that Nantian and Chiyoji had found was re-examined.

He quickly realized the problem: "What is Chen Yang trying to do?"

Fujiwara had high expectations for this disciple, and he had witnessed Chen Yang's performance over the past two years.
His actions demonstrate both skill and emotional intelligence.
He gave everyone enough face, and when faced with provocation from his opponents, he acted decisively.

They never leave any evidence against them, but this performance was far below par.

Killing Yoshida wouldn't be a big problem, after all, power struggles are always a matter of life and death.

If Yoshida had the ability, he could also kill Chen Yang...

But why would Chen Yang leave Xiang Fang with such an obvious weakness?

They also had to guide others step by step to bring up Yoshida's past.
What was his motive?
“Choosing to turn against the South Manchuria Railway at this time doesn’t seem like a good choice.” Fujiwara murmured, his eyes narrowing slightly as he looked at the case files. “If these so-called clues are just Chen Yang’s excuses, then conversely, if all the clues are cut off, is it not the purpose? Is he keeping Xiang Fang around to use Xiang Fang as a lead to make the South Manchuria Railway turn against him?”

"Yes, that must be it. So he must be hiding another card."

"That card is his chance to turn things around, but what could it be? Is it worth all this effort?"

"We can't directly break ties with the South Manchuria Railway, but we have to make the South Manchuria Railway reopen its wounds."

"Chen Yang, Chen Yang, you've grown up so fast. You've really figured out how to navigate the officialdom."

"Whoever reopens this wound will embarrass the South Manchuria Railway Company and will surely face its furious retaliation. Only by reopening the wound themselves can they avoid taking their anger out on others."

"Poor Nantian and Kazue Takaji, those two idiots, were completely fooled by you. You kindly saved their lives, and they don't even know it yet."

"They even sent the complaint letter to their home country! Why bother saving these idiots..."

Fujiwara finally understood what had happened. Without saying much, he simply closed the file and calmly instructed, "Let's leave it at that for now."

"Lord Fujiwara, this report?" Takagi Tetsuya pressed.

"Stay in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs," Fujiwara said casually.
"Hai."

“By the way, Mr. Toyota said that if you accept this document, he wants you to take a close look at this,” Takagi said, handing a sealed document covered with sealing wax to Fujiwara Tomoo.

Fujiwara took the document, opened it, and after just one glance, he jumped up as if he had been electrocuted!

"They're insane! They're insane! What are those lunatics in the War Department trying to do?" "No one will agree to this plan!"

"Takagi-kun, quick, quickly send a telegram to Jiamusi. I want to have a proper talk with Lord Doihara."

***
In the 28th year of the Republic of China,

In August, Shanghai was still sweltering, with the oppressive heat like a giant, boundless, damp blanket covering the "Magic City".

The Huangpu River was turbid and swirling, covered with rust-colored oil stains.

The once-glorious Western-style bank buildings on the Bund now appear, under the leaden sky, stubbornly dilapidated and lifeless.

Deep in an inconspicuous alley in the French Concession, an unremarkable wooden door was pushed open; there was no sign for a clinic hanging inside.
The only smell was the bitter scent of disinfectant and a faint hint of Chinese herbal medicine.

The air was heavy and stagnant, as if even dust was struggling to drift.

Chen Yang sat in the only reasonably comfortable old rattan chair in the consultation room, a half-burnt cigarette between his fingers.

A bluish-white mist rose and swirled, blurring most of his face, leaving only his tightly pursed lips and sharply defined jawline, as if sculpted by a cold, sharp blade.

He was sitting across from Song Yilin, who was wearing a white lab coat. She was one of the few people he could trust in Shanghai!

Chen Yang frowned, his fingers unconsciously tapping on several yellowed sticky notes on the table, soaked with sweat. These were fragments of messages that had been relayed from the Shancheng headquarters.

The information above is a jumbled mess: The inspection department is furious, roaring as they track down the whereabouts of an important document that is "missing"!

An informant codenamed "Dragonfly" within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs system desperately transmitted a message: "The eagle has changed its mind; the message hasn't flown away."
A low-level naval communications station in Shanghai accidentally intercepted an undecipherable encrypted signal pointing to "Toyota," "Fujiwara," and the puzzling phrase "bear hunting."

Song Yilin's knuckles turned slightly white from the force, and fine beads of cold sweat appeared on her forehead.

"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has completely changed direction. Their actions seem to be related to the recent Soviet-Japanese War and Japan's defeat... Moreover, the navy, this big fish in the deep sea, has suddenly shown its fins?" Song Yilin's voice was dry and tight. "Something doesn't look right, sir. All the spearheads, all the turbulence, seem to... ultimately be forcibly distorted by something!"

"They mentioned a letter sent from Shanghai, but no one knows what it is yet?"

Chen Yang's cigarette burned to the end.

He casually stubbed out his cigarette in a chipped celadon dish next to him, the faint hissing sound unusually clear in the overly quiet room.

He raised his head, and most of his face finally emerged from the shadows, revealing not the anxiety or solemnity that Song Yilin had expected, but an ultimate calmness honed through countless trials.

"You sent an emergency contact signal just to show me this?" Chen Yang tapped on the jumbled messages, his voice low and flat, as if he were stating the weather.

“These things are none of your business. You can tell headquarters that they don’t need to pay special attention to them.”

"As for the movements of the Navy Ministry and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, I'll find an opportunity to probe them!"

"Sir, please be careful," Song Yilin whispered. "This information was risked to be transmitted back by agents who had infiltrated headquarters!"

"He also specifically emphasized 'bear hunting...', which sounds like a very confidential operation. Director Zheng, could you please investigate what it is?"

"That's not difficult. Here's what we'll do: go to the Dead Mailbox to receive the intelligence in three days. It's not convenient for me to meet with you often right now!"

"Sir, there is another very important matter that headquarters hopes you can handle well!"

"What is it?" Chen Yang asked in a deep voice without hesitation.

"Four days ago, the second National Defense Conference was held in Chongqing. The higher-ups wanted to launch a large-scale counterattack."

"Now, we need intelligence on troop deployments, weapon configurations, and so on in each major war zone. The more detailed the better. Of course, if you feel it's too much trouble, you can refuse!"

Refuse? Why refuse?

This would be incredibly difficult for others, but it was too easy for Chen Yang!
"I'll give it a try and collect as much useful information as possible!"

"I'm leaving now. Remember to keep an eye on the inbox I left behind if you get any information!"

Shanghai, Ministry of Transport, Vice Minister's Office!
It was already evening, and the twilight was heavy as lead, solidified in the air.

The milky-white building of the Ministry of Transportation, like a giant beast lurking in the shadows of the city, exudes an invisible restlessness.

Chen Yang paced back and forth in his luxuriously decorated office, a deep "川" character etched between his brows.

Outside the window, withered branches scraped against the glass like ghostly claws.

Chen Yang's anxiety stemmed from one simple reason: the letter of accusation that should have ignited the Army Inspection Department's fury had vanished without a trace.

This reaction is abnormal. He went through so much trouble to make things this big, but at the crucial moment, he was suppressed by someone else!

Nantian and Kazuyoji are not enough to warrant such a great deal of effort from the local authorities!
Could it be the South Manchuria Railway?
No, that doesn't seem right. To be precise, they are the ones who suffered the most. Yoshida is one of their people, and they should be more eager than anyone else for things to escalate.

Only in this way can they rightfully regain control of the transportation!
But why did this case, which should have caused a huge uproar in Shanghai, suddenly fall silent?
Chen Yang couldn't believe that the bigwigs in the Navy Department had used their power to forcibly intercept the letter of accusation because they were afraid that Chen Yang would suffer a loss.

Indeed, life is unpredictable; the large intestine wraps around the small intestine...

Sometimes, man proposes, God disposes!

A knock sounded on the door, and Secretary Li Ningyu gently pushed it open: "Minister, Consul Iwai from the consulate wants to see you!"

"Iwai Hirokazu, what brings him here? Quickly, invite him in..." Chen Yang pressed his throbbing temples, his knuckles turning white!
Footsteps, as light as a cat's, without any greetings, and the heavy solid wood door was silently pushed open.

The person stood at the door, his dark gray stand-up collar uniform pressed as if it were cast steel, his posture straight and his presence imposing.

"Senior Brother Iwai!"

Chen Yang bowed slightly as he looked at the person who had just arrived.

Iwai strode into the room, his leather shoes making a dull, oppressive sound as they stepped onto the thick carpet.

He ignored the sofa for guests, his sharp gaze sweeping over Chen Yang's wide mahogany desk before heading straight for it.

Chen Yang followed half a step behind, leaning slightly forward. The luxurious furnishings in the office shocked Iwai.

Iwai stood still in front of the huge desk, his body motionless, and swiftly extended his right hand, which was wearing a black lambskin glove.

With a soft "snap," a stiff black leather briefcase was slapped flat onto the glossy mahogany wooden table, the movement clean and efficient.

"Chen Yang, are you waiting for a reply from the local supervisory department? I'm here to tell you that there won't be a reply!"

"The letter of accusation is in the teacher's hands. This document is entrusted to me by the teacher to be given to you. It is a material transfer order specially approved by the Navy. You can use it to pay off all the bad debts you have... The teacher understands what you want to do!"

"I'm here on his behalf to ask you a question: You've made this plan so grand, so why did you still need to protect the lives of Kazue Takaji and Minamida Yoko?"

They're targeting you!

Chen Yang's gaze was fixed on the black document bag that had no markings, only a tight, bright red sealing wax seal.

The wax pattern is minimalist, with two cold, intertwined ears of rice surrounding a menacing ancient seal script character “令”.

It lay quietly on the valuable tabletop, yet it exuded an invisible, iron-blooded pressure.

“Senior Brother Iwai,” Chen Yang looked away and slowly explained, “it’s not that I wanted to save them, but that I had no other choice.”

“This matter has already implicated the Special Higher Police and the Lan Agency. If I don’t extricate them, the South Manchuria Railway will use them as scapegoats.”

"I don't want to do all this and end up with just two useless kills!"

"Those two aren't worth that much money..."

Iwai nodded slightly, which was considered as his approval of the answer.

"But how can you be sure that the South Manchuria Railway will follow your design? Frankly speaking, Yoshida is already dead, and he has already obtained the honor. Continuing to cause trouble will not do them any good."

Chen Yang smiled and said, "Of course there are benefits. What they care about is the control of transportation. Now that we have a good opportunity to take it back, they won't give it up so easily."

"Senior Iwai, tigers never eat chili peppers, so how can you get this big tiger to willingly swallow a chili pepper?"

Hiroichi Iwai frowned, momentarily at a loss for words.

Chen Yang shrugged and spread his hands, saying, "The simplest way is to smear chili peppers on the tiger's wound. Once it feels the pain, it will naturally swallow the chili peppers!"

"Yoshida is the scar that hasn't healed yet, and Xiang Fang is the chili pepper. They've brought this trouble upon themselves!"

Hiroichi Iwai's eyes lit up as he looked Chen Yang up and down, then suddenly laughed: "It seems that your teacher was right after all; you really do have a trump card up your sleeve!"

"Your answer has exceeded my expectations, so now I have a big gift for you. This is the teacher's idea; he believes you can handle this!"

As he spoke, Iwai Hirokazu took out a secret letter with a gold sixteen-petaled chrysanthemum pattern from his briefcase!
"Top Secret Document?" Chen Yang took the letter with a puzzled look, used a paper cutter to peel off the wax seal, revealing a few words at the top of the document. After reading only two lines, Chen Yang jumped up as if he had touched an electric shock...

"Bear hunting?"

"Holy crap, has the Army Ministry gone mad...?"

(End of this chapter)