If you had to choose an identity to go undercover, you'd choose a gynecologist.

The best way to get started

Minglou, Mingcheng, Wang Manchun, and Nantian Yangzi all arrived. They were all called over on New Year's Eve, and none of them were in a good mood.

Only Liang Zhongchun suppressed his joy and put on a sad expression.

"Commander Ming, Mr. Wang is your teacher, isn't he? Please accept my condolences."

Looking at Wang Fuqu's corpse, Minglou also put on a sorrowful expression and said in a deep voice, "They chose to strike on New Year's Eve to tell us that we will never have a peaceful life again."

Yoko Minami asked, "Was any evidence left behind?"

"No, nothing was left except the shell casings."

"Didn't anyone see what the killer looked like?"

"The restaurant staff said that there were too many customers last night, and they didn't notice the killer's appearance. Everyone who saw the killer's face is dead."

Minglou gritted his teeth and said, "The plan was meticulous, the method professional, and no survivors were left. This was a premeditated assassination. The first domino has fallen, and we don't know which one of us will be next."

Nantian Yangzi said sternly, "We must not let these anti-Japanese elements do whatever they want. We must dig out these moles."

Wang Manchun threw herself onto Wang Fuqu's body and cried so hard she almost fainted.

Minglou said to Nantian Yangzi, "Manchun is too sad and it is not appropriate for her to stay in this kind of place for long. I will send her back first. We still need to prepare for the teacher's funeral. I'm afraid we won't have a peaceful New Year."

Nantian Yangzi said, "Mr. Ming, please do as you wish. You can leave this to me and Director Liang."

After Minglou helped Wang Manchun leave, Nantian Yangzi called Liang Zhongchun over and asked, "Director Liang, what are your thoughts on the assassination case?"

"Wasn't this done by anti-Japanese elements?"

Nantian Yoko pointed at Harada Kumaji's corpse and said, "Section Chief Nantian, the three people who died were the Emperor's special envoy, Mr. Harada Kumaji, the senior advisor of the Finance Department, and Wang Fuqu, the Director of the Finance Department. With Mr. Harada dead, we can only rely on Minglou for economic policy. And Wang Fuqu, he is an enemy of the Ming family."

"Section Chief Nantian, what do you mean?"

"I didn't mean anything by it, I just think things are too strange."

"It might be a coincidence. It was Wang Fuqu who hosted the special envoy, with Mr. Harada in attendance. It has nothing to do with Commander Ming."

Yoko Nanada snorted: "It's best if you're not involved, otherwise I won't let any of you off the hook. I know someone who's really good at solving cases, and I think we should ask him to investigate."

"Who is Section Chief Nantian?..."

"Xu Tian from the Military Police Headquarters is a very capable man."

"That's not under our jurisdiction either. Can we even mobilize them?"

Yoko Nanta said coldly, "The one who died was the Emperor's special envoy, representing the Emperor. This is an insult to the Empire. If the murderer is not found, none of the officials in Shanghai, big or small, will get away with it."

………………

The Xu family in Tongfuli.

After the family finished their New Year's Eve dinner, they offered incense to Xu Yan.

After finishing the meal, Xu's mother said to Xu Tiandao.

"Xiao Tian, ​​come to my room."

Xu Tian was confused, so he followed his mother to the room. His mother pulled a wooden box out from under the bed and searched inside for a long time before finding a red cloth bag.

"This was left to you by your father. He said you could only see it after you died. I can't read, so can you see what it is?"

Xu Tian's heart sank. He reached out and took the red cloth bag, then untied the knot with a puzzled look. Underneath the layers of red cloth, a small red booklet the size of a palm was revealed, along with a neatly folded letter.

He first picked up the little red booklet, the cover of which was printed with gold lettering, which, although faded, was still clearly legible.

When Xu Tian opened the title page, his pupils suddenly contracted sharply and his fingers trembled when his eyes fell on the words "Party Member Certificate" and "March 1925" below.

My dad was a Communist?

The thought exploded in his mind like a thunderbolt. He subconsciously recalled his father working at the military police headquarters and his contempt and alienation from his father's "traitor" status over the years. A complex emotion surged into his heart.

Could it be that Father... is hiding somewhere?

He suppressed his inner turmoil and unfolded the letter with trembling hands. Familiar handwriting came into view; it was his father Xu Yan's unique, vigorous script.

"Xiao Tian, ​​by the time you read this letter, I will already be gone. Of course, if I were alive, you would never see this letter. I only hope that you can live a peaceful and safe life."

Over the years, you looked down on your father for being a traitor, but deep down, I was quite pleased. You were upright and didn't betray the Xu family's principles. I didn't actually defect to the Japanese; I was ordered to infiltrate the military police headquarters under the codename Viper, using my old friendship with Saburo Miura. Over the years, I used my position to transmit a lot of important intelligence, which can be considered as doing my part for the Party and the country.

Father knows this path is fraught with peril; a single misstep could mean certain death. But someone must step forward to protect this land. Father hopes you, like Father, will carry on this unfinished cause and uphold the faith in your heart. —Father Xu Yan, final words. Burn after reading.

The edges of the letter were crumpled by Xu Tian's fingertips, and tears blurred his vision without warning, rolling down his cheeks and dripping onto the letter.

All the misunderstandings and accusations he had made of his father over the years now turned into deep guilt, making his chest feel heavy.

"Xiao Tian, ​​what's wrong? Did your father leave something bad behind?" Seeing that he hadn't spoken for a long time and was just wiping away tears, Xu Ma couldn't help but worry and came over, reaching out to pat his shoulder.

"It's nothing, Mother." Xu Tian quickly wiped away his tears, clutching the red cloth bundle tightly in his hand. "I just missed Father. Don't worry, go and rest."

After comforting Xu's mother, Xu Tian turned and walked out of the room, climbing up to the attic with heavy but determined steps.

He stood in front of Tian Dan's door, took a deep breath, and gently knocked on the door.

"Who is it?" came Tian Dan's cold voice from inside the room.

"It's me, Xu Tian."

The door opened quickly, and Tian Dan, dressed in plain clothes, asked with a hint of confusion, "Xu Tian, ​​is something wrong so late?"

Looking into her eyes, Xu Tian could no longer hold back the question that had been weighing on his heart, and blurted out, "Tian Dan, my father... is he really one of your comrades?"

Tian Dan's eyes narrowed sharply. After a moment of silence, she asked softly, "You... know my identity?"

Xu Tian tightened his grip on the red cloth bag, his eyes welling up again: "Actually, I guessed it a long time ago."

Tian Dan nodded: "Actually, your father was ordered to infiltrate the Military Police Headquarters, codenamed Viper, but unfortunately he was killed by the Military Intelligence Bureau."

Xu Tian extended his hand: "I understand, I know what to do, Tian Dan. Now, we're comrades too."

Their hands were clasped tightly together, and Tian Dan nestled against his chest. The two stood side by side, watching the endless fireworks outside the window. Comrades and lovers, their revolutionary love was exceptionally romantic.

There were sounds of cars and urgent knocking on the door.

Xu Tian quickly grabbed a match from the table, burned the letter and his father's Party membership card, and then went downstairs to open the door.

It was someone from the Special Higher Police. A major case had occurred at the Peace Hotel, and the Emperor's special envoy had been murdered. The person who came was on orders from Yoko Minamida of the Special Higher Police to invite Xu Tian to investigate the case.

"Alright, let's go." Xu Tian didn't refuse. He went back inside to put on his coat and followed the person who came out.

………………