Hidden Radiance

Meiji Office, second-floor conference room.

The windows were tightly closed, and the exhaust fan was humming.

The smoke condensed into a gray mist in mid-air.

Shinichi Nakajima sat at the head of the long table, toying with an unlit cigar. Yunko Nanzo and Minghui Lu sat on either side of him.

Mao Sen stood beside the whiteboard, holding several file folders in his hand. He had changed into a brand-new No. 76 uniform, the collar buttoned up tightly.

"Takeda, Matsui, Ishihara."

Mao Sen took out three photos of the on-site investigation and photographed them one by one on the whiteboard.

"The deaths of these three people, along with the explosion at Chengda Company's Warehouse No. 3, I suggest that they be investigated together."

Nanzo Yunzi looked up, her gaze sharp. "Director Mao, the warehouse explosion case is closed. Li Kaifeng has been executed, and the ink has been destroyed."

"Li Kaifeng was a member of the Military Intelligence Bureau, so it's reasonable for him to blow up ink."

Mao Sen placed his hands on the table and glanced at everyone.

"But the Military Intelligence Bureau's style of operation is to carry out bombings and street assassinations, emphasizing momentum and deterrence."

"Takeda and Matsui died from gunshot wounds, while Ishihara died from a poisoned needle."

"This kind of silent infiltration, lying in wait, and fatal blow is not the work of the Military Intelligence Bureau."

Mao Sen stood up straight.

"That's the style of the Red Party."

The meeting room fell silent.

Lu Minghui leaned back in his chair, his index finger tapping lightly on the armrest. Mao Sen was willing to sacrifice even Peng Shou to gain a foothold in the 76th Division. Now, he's turned his blade against the Communist Party.

"Director Mao has only just taken office, yet he's already so concerned about Chengda Company?"

Nakajima spoke, his voice low but cold. The bait in Warehouse No. 3 was originally intended to lure in the thief from 1644. Mao Sen had taken the bait. Nakajima was wary of him.

Mao Sen met Nakajima's gaze without flinching. "I'm only interested in arresting people. These four cases all revolve around Project Sugi and are inextricably linked to Chengda Company. There must be something the Red Party desperately wants in Warehouse No. 3."

Nanzo Yunzi sat up straight. "Director Mao is right. The Red Party's underground network in Shanghai has always been very secretive. If we can break through it, it will be a great achievement."

Nakajima's fingers tightened around his cigar. He glanced at Lu Minghui.

"The Red Party is indeed cunning." Lu Minghui picked up his teacup and blew on the floating leaves. "But combining cases requires evidence. On what basis does Director Mao conclude that they are the same group of people? As far as I know, the Red Party rarely participates in assassinations."

"With Major Ishihara's sword."

Mao Sen walked back to the whiteboard and pointed to the enlarged photo of Ishihara's corpse.

"Before Ishihara died, his sword was pulled out an inch. The Special Higher Police's inspection report showed that there were very few pieces of skin and fresh blood on the blade."

"The culprit knew pharmacology and was extremely fast, but he was still scratched by Ishihara."

Mao Sen turned around.

"The assailant was injured. And it was a wound from a sharp weapon sustained in close combat."

Lu Minghui held his teacup, his gaze falling on the direction Mao Sen was pointing: Gu Yunqiu's right arm.

"How do you want to investigate?" Nakajima asked.

"Medical examination," Mao Sen uttered. "All Chinese employees of Chengda Company, including senior executives who have had contact with the warehouse, must undergo strip examinations. Anyone with fresh knife wounds will be detained immediately."

Nakajima's tense shoulders relaxed. Mao Sen's focus was on the knife wound and the capture, not on crossing 1644's bottom line.

"Okay." Nakajima nodded. "Yunzi, take the Special Higher Police's medic to handle it. Tomorrow morning, seal off Chengda."

Nanzo Yunko stood up. "Hi!"

Lu Minghui put down his teacup. The bottom of the cup tapped softly on the wooden table.

"Section Chief." He looked at Nakajima. "Chengda has just resumed operations, and Mr. Yamamoto's steel molds and formulas are still in my office. Openly sealing off the area for medical examinations will cause panic."

"Director Lu looked at him with a high gaze."

"Of course we need to investigate. But we'll do it in batches, secretly." Lu Minghui said calmly, "Start with the lower-level workers, then move on to management. We won't disrupt production, and we won't alert them."

Nakajima pondered for a moment. "Minghui is right. Yunzi, you take your men and move into Chengda Medical Clinic. Under the guise of routine health checks, conduct injury examinations in batches. No one is allowed to be absent without a valid reason."

"clear."

The meeting ended.

Lu Minghui walked out of the Mei Agency and got into his Ford sedan. "Back to the company."

The street scene outside the car window rushed past.

Lu Minghui leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes. Gu Yunqiu's knife wound was on her right forearm. The Special Higher Police's medics weren't stupid; they could tell the difference between a cut from a sharp weapon and a simple bump at a glance.

The medical examination starts first thing tomorrow morning. As a high-ranking official, Gu Yunqiu can only delay it by half a day at most. She must cover up that knife wound.

Late at night. Safe house on Avenue Joffre in the French Concession.

Paper Hawk sat in front of the telegraph machine, organizing the codebook.

The door was pushed open.

Lu Minghui walked in, bringing with him the coolness of the night breeze.

"Station Master." Paper Kite stood up.

"At 10 a.m. tomorrow, Gu Yunqiu, the commissioner of the South Manchuria Railway, will go to the Yokohama Specie Bank to reconcile accounts." Lu Minghui walked to the table and looked at the flickering flame of the kerosene lamp.

"Go yourself. Carry out the assassination outside the bank."

Paper Kite was stunned. "Assassinate Commissioner Gu?"

"This is an order," Lu Minghui said curtly.

The kite clenched its teeth.

"And one more thing." Lu Minghui reached out and placed his hand on the edge of the table. "It can't be a vital spot. The bullet must graze her right forearm. It has to draw blood, it has to leave a ballistic wound."

Paper Kite's mind raced. An assassination, but not a fatal one. Targeting specifically the right forearm.

"Cover?" he blurted out.

Lu Minghui withdrew his hand. "Don't ask questions you shouldn't ask. I trust your marksmanship. Half an inch off, and she would have died from an artery."

Paper Kite was silent for a few seconds. He understood the weight behind this command.

"Understood." He sat back in his chair and put on his headphones.

The ticking sound was particularly clear in the quiet room.

Lu Minghui stood by the window, looking at the dark night outside. The gunshot wound was large enough to completely cover the old scars. This shot had to be fired by Paper Kite himself. He couldn't let anyone else do it.

The following morning. Chengda Company.

The atmosphere was oppressive.

Military police from the Special Higher Police patrolled back and forth in the corridor.

Outside the first-floor medical room, workers lined up, taking turns to remove their protective gear for examinations. Nanzo Yunzi sat inside, personally overseeing each report from the military doctor.

The general manager's office is on the third floor.

Lu Minghui stood by the window, looking down at the courtyard.

The door was pushed open.

Gu Yunqiu walked in, dressed in a smart black dress, holding a document in her hand.

"The Yokohama Specie Bank is pressing us. The reserve accounts for the first batch of Central Reserve Bank notes need the South Manchuria Railway's signature."

Lu Minghui turned around. "Go on. Be careful on the way."

Gu Yunqiu nodded. She turned and walked towards the door, placing her hand on the doorknob.

"Yunqiu," Lu Minghui suddenly spoke.

Gu Yunqiu stopped.

"Come back early after you've finished checking the accounts. The Special Higher Police's medical check-up is this afternoon, it's the management's turn."

Gu Yunqiu didn't turn around. "Understood."

The door closed.

Lu Minghui glanced at his watch. 9:20.

10:00 AM. The Bund, in front of the Yokohama Specie Bank.

Gu Yunqiu's car was parked at the bottom of the steps. The driver opened the car door.

Gu Yunqiu stepped out of the car. The sunlight was dazzling, and she squinted. Carrying her briefcase, she walked towards the steps.

Across the street, a rickshaw driver pulled his hat down low. He lifted the seat cushion and pulled out a Browning pistol with a silencer. The muzzle peeked out from the gap in the rickshaw and was aimed at Gu Yunqiu.

Gu Yunqiu stepped onto the second step.

The driver pulled the trigger with his index finger.

puff!

The faint gunshots were drowned out by the noise of the street.

Gu Yunqiu's body jerked to the right. Her briefcase fell to the ground. The sleeve of her black dress was instantly torn. A bullet grazed the outside of her right forearm, spraying blood as it struck the granite steps, sending up a cloud of dust.

"There's an assassin!"

The driver shouted and drew his gun, standing in front of Gu Yunqiu. The Japanese guards at the bank entrance immediately rushed out, guns drawn.

The rickshaw driver across the street put away his gun, pulled up his rickshaw, and disappeared into the panicked crowd.

Gu Yunqiu leaned against a stone pillar, her left hand covering her right arm. Blood seeped through her fingers and dripped onto the steps.

She glanced down at the wound. The once slender knife wound was now completely covered by the flesh torn by the bullet. The burn marks from the gunpowder and the tearing marks from the bullet trajectory were clearly visible.

Gu Yunqiu raised her head and looked across the street. Her eyes were calm.

Half an hour later. Chengda Company.

Gu Yunqiu was urgently sent back.

The Special Higher Police's medic immediately rushed into the infirmary with his medicine kit. Nanzo Yunzi stood by the bedside, watching the medic cut open Gu Yunqiu's sleeve.

The mangled right arm was exposed to the air.

"How is the wound?" Nanzo Yunzi stared at the military doctor.

"A penetrating abrasion." The medic cleaned the wound with tweezers. "A laceration caused by a 9mm pistol bullet. The wound is fresh, with gunpowder burns. No bone or arteries were damaged."

Nanzo Yunko frowned. "Only gunshot wounds?"

"Yes, section chief. A typical ballistic graze."

Nanzo Yunzi looked at Gu Yunqiu's pale face. "Commissioner Gu, you've been frightened. The Military Intelligence Bureau is becoming increasingly arrogant."

Gu Yunqiu leaned against the pillows, his forehead covered in cold sweat. "Find out who did it. The South Manchuria Railway Company won't let this go."

The door to the infirmary was pushed open. Lu Minghui strode in.

His face was ashen, his gaze fixed directly on Gu Yunqiu's bloodied right arm. "What happened?"

Lu Minghui turned to look at Nanzo Yunzi. "Commissioner Gu was assassinated in front of the Yokohama Specie Bank?"

"Yes. It was the Military Intelligence Bureau." Nanzo Yunzi replied.

Lu Minghui walked to the bedside. He looked at Gu Yunqiu, his eyes filled with deep emotions. After only a moment, he turned around to face Nanzao Yunzi.

"Section Chief Yunzi," Lu Minghui's voice was flat, but every word was like ice, "A high-ranking official of Chengda Company was assassinated in broad daylight. Is this how the Special Higher Police handled security?"

Nanzo Yunzi's face darkened. "Director Lu, this was an accident."

"An accident?" Lu Minghui took a step closer. "Mr. Yamamoto's steel mold is still upstairs. If the Military Intelligence Bureau can assassinate even a South Manchuria Railway commissioner in the street, what security can Chengda Company possibly have?"

He paused.

"Isn't Director Mao Sen supposed to be investigating the Red Party? Now the Military Intelligence Bureau has guns pointed at their heads."

Nanzo Yunzi choked for a moment.

"Seal off the concession. Conduct a city-wide manhunt," Lu Minghui ordered. "Send Mao Sen and his men to investigate! If they don't catch the gunman, he's fired as the head of the telecommunications department!"

Nanzo Yunzi's eyes flickered, and she turned and walked out of the infirmary.

Only Lu Minghui, Gu Yunqiu, and the military doctor who was bandaging her wounds remained in the room.

Lu Minghui stood by the bed. The military doctor wrapped bandages around Gu Yunqiu's arm, layer by layer.

Gu Yunqiu looked up at Lu Minghui.

Lu Minghui's gaze fell on the red stain seeping from the bandage. His left hand was tucked into his trench coat pocket, his five fingers clenched into a fist.

"Take good care of your injury," Lu Minghui said.

Gu Yunqiu nodded.

Afternoon. Number 76, Telecommunications Department office.

Mao Sen looked at the assassination report on the table, his brows furrowing into a deep knot.

The Kuomintang's Shanghai station's action team assassinated Gu Yunqiu in the street. He didn't give the order. He's currently in a state of silence. The only one who can mobilize the action team is that mysterious station chief—Zhiyuan.

"The kite made its move at this time..."

Mao Sen tapped his fingers on the table. During his time at No. 76, he had reviewed Chengda Company's files. The explosion at Warehouse No. 3 pointed to Li Kaifeng, and all the ink was destroyed. Then Gu Yunqiu was assassinated, her medical examination was invalidated, and the knife wound lead was completely cut off.

Two moves, one before the other, fit together perfectly.

Mao Sen stood up and walked to the window. "Good tactic."

He spoke in a low voice, his tone filled with surprise, but also with a deeper wariness. The kite's reach was longer and faster than he had imagined. It wasn't just saving someone; it was precisely sabotaging the Japanese investigation.

The phone on the table rang. Mao Sen answered it.

"Director Mao," Nakajima's voice came through the receiver, "the medical examination results are in. No knife wounds were found on anyone at Chengda Company."

Mao Sen gripped the receiver tightly.

"Put the Red Party aside for now." Nakajima's tone turned cold. "The Military Intelligence Bureau assassinated a South Manchuria Railway commissioner in the street. Now that you've taken over the communications department, dig out this gunman for me."

hang up the phone.

Mao Sen looked out the window at the dark clouds. The kite's movements disrupted Nakajima's plans and presented him with a difficult problem.

He turned around, picked up his sidearm hanging on the coat rack, and chambered a round.

The crisp sound of the bolt returning to its original position was particularly clear in the empty office.