Hidden Radiance

Hongkou, Special Higher Police.

The new section chief's office was right next to Shinichi Nakajima's, with the door half-open.

Lu Minghui went inside and closed the door behind him.

Wearing a brand-new major's uniform, Nanzo Yunko sat behind a large desk, flipping through documents.

Lu Minghui walked to the table, pulled out a chair, and sat down.

"Section Chief Yunzi," Lu Minghui said, "is there anything I can help you with?"

Nanzo Yunzi closed the file and looked up at him.

"Mr. Minghui, you're too kind." Nanzo Yunzi leaned back in her chair. "Mr. Minghui, aren't you busy promoting the Central Reserve Bank's bonds? What brings you here today?"

Lu Minghui took out a box of Lao Dao brand cigarettes and pulled out one.

"I'll be free every day from now on." Lu Minghui bit his cigarette, lit it with a lighter, and said, "The Shan Project is essentially bankrupt."

Nanzo Yunko watched the smoke rings he exhaled.

Why?

"Li Shiqun is back from Nanjing." Lu Minghui looked into her eyes. "He brought with him Zhou Fohai's appointment: Director of the Special Economic Investigation Committee. He just left my office. Tomorrow morning, the Special Investigation Committee will be fully deployed to Litai Bank to audit its accounts. Any allocation of goods exceeding ten thousand Central Reserve Bank notes must be approved by him."

Nanzo Yunzi placed her hand on the table, her fingers curled up.

"An order from Nanjing?"

"Yes." Lu Minghui flicked his cigarette ash. "He handed over half of his fortune to Ono, then went to Nanjing to plead poverty. Zhou Fohai gave him this imperial sword. He wants to audit the accounts, specifically the accounts of Litai Bank, which is the core of the Sugi Project."

Lu Minghui stood up.

"Yunzi, you've just taken office. Li Shiqun's first move is to target you." Lu Minghui walked to the door. "I'm just the head of the confidential department; I can't stop the Special Investigation Committee. If Litai Bank is seized tomorrow, the implementation of the Central Reserve Bank's bonds will be completely aborted. I'll have to ask Yunzi to take the blame for me."

Nanzo Yunzi stood up.

"He dares." The voice was cold.

"He even dares to intercept Japanese goods, what wouldn't he dare to do?" Lu Minghui pushed open the door. "If Yunzi is free tomorrow night, let's have dinner together. It's been a long time since we've gotten together on our own."

The door closed.

Nanzo Yunzi stared at the door for a long time.

She picked up the phone on the table and dialed a number.

"Takeda," Nanzo Yunko ordered into the microphone, "Tomorrow morning, no matter who goes to Litai Bank to check the accounts, without my authorization, not a single person is allowed in. Anyone who tries to force their way in, shoot them on the spot."

Click. The call ended.

The following morning.

Ningbo Road, International Settlement.

The doors of Lita Bank were wide open. The lobby was deserted; the bank run had just passed, and people were avoiding China Reserve Bank bonds like the plague.

Wan Molin, dressed in a dark blue long gown, sat in the armchair in the bank president's office, his eyes closed as he played with walnuts.

Dressed in civilian clothes, Takeda sat on the sofa next to him, cleaning his gun. Parts of the Nambu Type 14 pistol were scattered all over the coffee table. He took a cloth soaked in gun oil and carefully wiped the barrel.

A series of noisy footsteps came from downstairs.

boom!

The door to the bank manager's office was kicked open.

Li Shiqun, wearing a black trench coat, strode in. Lin Zhijiang followed behind with four secret agents, each carrying a briefcase.

Wan Molin stopped eating the walnuts. He opened his eyes, looked at Li Shiqun, but didn't get up.

Takeda didn't even look up, continuing to wipe the gun barrel.

"Mr. Wan, it's been a long time." Li Shiqun walked to the desk, placed his hands on the surface, and looked down at Wan Molin. "How comfortable is this bank manager's chair?"

Wan Molin placed the walnuts on the table.

"Director Li, it's an honor to have you here. I'm so sorry I didn't greet you properly." Wan Molin picked up his teacup, blew on the foam, and said, "Whether a chair is comfortable or not depends on who gave it to you. The Japanese gave me a chair with knives underneath it. I'm just a laborer."

Li Shiqun sneered.

"Master Wan is quite insightful." Li Shiqun straightened up. "Since you're doing hard labor, hand over the account books. The Nanjing Special Investigation Committee has been ordered to investigate the accounts. I'm taking all the funds and material lists from Litai Bank with me today."

Lin Zhijiang stepped forward and slammed the letter of appointment onto the table.

Wan Merlin didn't even glance at the letter of appointment.

He put the lid on the teacup.

"Director Li, I'm a rough man and don't know the rules of Nanjing." Wan Molin leaned back in his chair. "All I know is that this bank belongs to the Special Higher Police. The ledgers also belong to the Special Higher Police. If you want to check the accounts, you need a warrant from the Special Higher Police."

Li Shiqun's face darkened.

"Wan Molin, don't push your luck," Li Shiqun said in a low voice. "You, a Green Gang thug, really think Lu Minghui can protect you forever? I have Mr. Zhou's orders; even if Nakajima Shinichi were standing right here, he'd have to hand over the account books!"

Click.

The sound of metal clashing echoed in the room.

Takeda put the cleaned barrel back into the gun and chambered a round.

He stood up and walked to his desk.

Takeda was half a head shorter than Li Shiqun, but he tilted his chin up and stared at Li Shiqun's face from below.

"What did you just say?" Takeda's Chinese words came out one by one, "Advisor Nakajima is standing right here, and you still want to hand it over?"

Li Shiqun looked at Takeda. He recognized this Special Higher Police assassin.

"Mr. Takeda," Li Shiqun softened his tone, "this is an administrative order from Nanjing. The Special Investigation Committee has the authority to take over the allocation of supplies in Shanghai. Please cooperate."

Takeda raised his Nambu Type 14 rifle and pressed the muzzle directly against Li Shiqun's forehead.

Lin Zhijiang and several agents suddenly drew their guns and pointed them at Takeda.

Takeda didn't even glance at the spies.

"Chief Nanzo's orders." Takeda's finger was on the trigger. "Without a warrant, touching the ledgers means death."

The muzzle of the gun left a red mark on Li Shiqun's forehead.

Li Shiqun clenched his teeth, and a vein throbbed in his temple. He looked into Takeda's eyes—eyes that held nothing.

"Put the gun down," Li Shiqun ordered Lin Zhijiang.

Lin Zhijiang gritted his teeth and put away his gun.

Li Shiqun slowly took a step back, moving out of the range of the gun barrel.

"Good, very good." Li Shiqun straightened his trench coat collar. "The Special Higher Police are quite arrogant. I will report this matter truthfully to Nanjing."

He turned and walked towards the door.

"Take care, Director Li," Wan Molin called out from behind. "Next time you come to the bank, remember to use the main entrance. Kicking down the door is the behavior of bandits; it's against the rules."

Li Shiqun didn't stop walking and quickly left with his men.

Takeda put away his gun, sat back on the sofa, and picked up the remaining parts to continue cleaning.

Wan Molin picked up the walnut again and twirled it in his hand twice. He glanced at the phone on the table, then at Wu Tian.

The walnuts were clattering at a slower pace than before.

76 Jessfield Road.

Confidential Office.

Gu Yunqiu pushed the door open and came in.

"Li Shiqun ran into a wall at Litai Bank," Gu Yunqiu reported. "Wu Tian pointed a gun at his head and forced him out. He didn't even get close to the ledgers."

Lu Minghui was reviewing a list of supplies, with a lit old knife tucked between his right fingers.

"Nanzo Yunzi has just taken office and needs a chicken to celebrate his newfound position." Lu Minghui signed his name, closed the document, and said, "The reinforcements he brought from Nanjing won't work in Shanghai."

Gu Yunqiu placed another intelligence report on the table.

"News from the Black Dragon Society. Matsui is hosting a banquet at the Broadway Building tonight and has invited Wang Puchen," Gu Yunqiu said. "Wang Puchen wants fifty cases of penicillin. Matsui can't afford it, so he's planning to have you take the fall."

Lu Minghui paused, his hand holding the cigarette still.

There were only four boxes left in the warehouse. Matsui didn't have any of the fifty boxes, and neither did Litai Bank.

"He's testing Lita Bank's limits." Lu Minghui stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray. "He wants to know exactly how much leverage I have."

Lu Minghui stood up.

"I'm not free tonight, I've made plans with Nanzo Yunko."