Hidden Radiance

French Concession, Fourth Road.

On the second floor of an unassuming teahouse, the doors to the private rooms were tightly closed.

Lin Zhijiang sat at the round table, the tea in front of him long since cold. His eyes were sunken, his stubble was messy, and his once slicked-back hair now looked like a clump of dry straw.

The door was pushed open.

She Aizhen walked in wearing a dark red cheongsam with a mink vest over it and high heels.

Lin Zhijiang suddenly stood up, his knee hitting the table leg, causing the teacup to slosh water.

"Sister She." Lin Zhijiang's throat was dry, and his voice cracked.

She Aizhen didn't look at him. She pulled out a chair, sat down, took out a box of Sanpaotai cigarettes from her handbag, and pulled one out.

Lin Zhijiang quickly pulled out a match, struck it, and held it closer. His hands trembled violently, and the flame flickered incessantly.

She Aizhen lit a cigarette, exhaled a smoke ring, and glanced at Lin Zhijiang's face.

"Director Lin, it's only been a few days, what happened? You've become so disheveled!"

Lin Zhijiang gave a wry smile and sat back down in his chair.

"Director Li was detained in Nanjing, and Ding Mocun gave a death order to purge the Special Investigation Committee. My men have either fled or scattered. Now we don't even have a place to stay."

He placed his hands on the table and leaned forward. "Sister She, you're willing to see me today, is it because of Director Lu...?"

"Director Lu doesn't deal with these things." She Aizhen flicked her cigarette ash. "I just felt sorry for you and wanted to show you a way out."

Lin Zhijiang's eyes lit up. "Big sister, you said I'd do anything to save my life!"

"The guard battalion has recently expanded and is short of a deputy captain." She Aizhen looked at him. "The pay won't be as good as when you were the head of the action team, but at least you'll have some authority, and Ding Mocun won't touch you."

Lin Zhijiang nodded repeatedly. "The vice-captain is excellent, truly outstanding! Thank you so much for your guidance, elder sister!"

"Don't be in such a hurry to thank me." She Aizhen raised her hand to interrupt him. "I, She Aizhen, don't support idlers. Li Shiqun has fallen, and you, as his confidant, haven't you managed to squeeze anything of value out of him?"

Lin Zhijiang was stunned.

She Aizhen stubbed out her cigarette in the ashtray and tilted her head to look at him. "You came empty-handed, and I'm going to take you? The line for this seat stretches from Fourth Road all the way to the racecourse."

Lin Zhijiang opened his mouth slightly, then closed it again.

He pulled his right hand back under the table and pressed it against his underwear pocket, feeling the hard thing through the fabric.

"Big sister, once I hand this over, there's really no turning back."

She Aizhen didn't reply. She picked up the cold teapot from the table, poured herself half a cup, took a sip, frowned, and put it back.

He didn't look at Lin Zhijiang even once throughout the entire process.

Lin Zhijiang's Adam's apple bobbed. He reached into his pocket, felt the teeth marks on the key, and then released it.

He twitched his fingers in his pocket a couple of times, his palms were slippery and sweaty.

On the night before Li Shiqun left, he put this key in his hand and said four words: "Keep it safe for me."

A brass key lay on the table. The metal struck the wood with a crisp sound.

"What is this?" She Aizhen glanced at it.

"Li Shiqun has a secret apartment on Sichuan North Road in Hongkou District. It was bought under someone else's name," Lin Zhijiang said in a low voice. "There's no money or gold bars inside. Just a safe."

She Aizhen raised an eyebrow. "What are you pretending for?"

"The ledger." Lin Zhijiang swallowed hard. "It's not the ledger of the 76th Division. It's a secret collection by Li Shiqun, containing shady information about the Mei Agency and the Special Higher Police's high-ranking officials smuggling and reselling military supplies in Shanghai. He originally intended to keep it to save his own life."

She Aizhen stared at the key.

I didn't reach out.

She took out her cigarette case again, shook out a cigarette, put it in her mouth, and struck a match. The flame flickered twice on her fingertips, and she brought it closer to light it slowly.

Smoke billowed from his nostrils.

"The dirt on the Japanese," She Aizhen finally spoke, her voice low. "Whether you have it or give it to me, you'll die. The only difference is who dies first."

"Take this, sister. It's someone else who will die." Lin Zhijiang looked at her. "With this, even if the Japanese want to touch you, they'll have to think twice."

She Aizhen picked up the key, weighed it in her hand a couple of times, and put it in her handbag.

"Report to the guard unit at eight o'clock tomorrow morning."

She Aizhen stood up and walked out of the private room.

Lin Zhijiang slumped into a chair, letting out a long sigh; the back of his shirt was already soaked with sweat.

76 Jessfield Road.

Confidential Office.

Gu Yunqiu placed the brass key on Lu Minghui's desk.

"Lin Zhijiang handed it over. Li Shiqun's trump card." Gu Yunqiu recounted the conversation in the teahouse. "She Aizhen left her apartment address and asked me to bring the key back. Her exact words were—'I remember the address, but the key is too hot to handle; Director Lu is more suitable to have it than I am.'"

Lu Minghui picked up the key and glanced at the teeth marks.

"She's smart. What a pity—" Lu Minghui tossed the keys into the drawer and leaned back in his chair. His left hand rested on the table, his thumb unconsciously grinding against the edge.

Gu Yunqiu didn't leave immediately. She took out a hand-drawn sketch and spread it on the table.

"Lu Xuzhang has replied."

Lu Minghui leaned forward.

"Dong-A Chemical's electricity costs are very stable, with no signs of a surge."

Lu Minghui frowned. "No surge? Then what were all those bleaching agents used for?"

"That's the strange thing." Gu Yunqiu pointed to a building next to Dongya Chemical on the blueprint. "Lu Xuzhang checked all the factories around Dongya Chemical. He found that right next to it was a Japanese-owned transshipment company, Shanghai Transportation Co., Ltd."

Lu Minghui's gaze fell on that mark.

"The goods have been delivered to Dongya Chemical, but the electricity bill hasn't gone up." Lu Minghui pointed to the distance between two buildings on the blueprint. "What about next door?"

"Lu Xuzhang bribed the meter reader at the power company."

Gu Yunqiu pulled out a copy form from the folder and placed it next to the drawing.

Lu Minghui picked up the receipt.

Over the past month, Shanghai Transportation Co., Ltd.'s electricity consumption has increased fivefold.

Lu Minghui didn't put down the receipt. He rubbed his thumb against the edge of the paper twice.

"A company?" He stood up. "Matsui's company?"

Gu Yunqiu didn't reply, waiting for him.

Lu Minghui placed the document back on the table, pressing it down on the drawings. He walked to the window and placed his right hand on the window frame.

Matsui. Black Dragon Society. Transportation Company. Counterfeit money leaves from here and floods into the Nationalist-controlled areas. Every link in the chain operates on Matsui's territory.

He folded the blueprints.

"Notify Lu Xuzhang to evacuate all relevant personnel. Wipe away all traces."

Gu Yunqiu turned to leave.

"Wait a minute." Lu Minghui picked up the phone receiver, then put it back down.

"Matsui's business, the Black Dragon Society's channels, the company's factories." Lu Minghui looked at Gu Yunqiu, "To find out the details, investigating from the outside will always leave you with a layer of separation."

I picked up the phone and dialed a number.

"Matsui-kun? This is Lu Minghui. Are you free tonight? Would you like to buy me a drink?"

Two hours later.

Hongkou.

Sakura Izakaya.

Inside the tatami room, the charcoal brazier was burning brightly.

Matsui picked up the sake bottle and filled the porcelain cup in front of Lu Minghui. The sake was clear and steaming.

"Mr. Minghui, your injuries haven't healed yet, so you shouldn't be drinking. But this cup of warm wine will help you warm up." Matsui put down the wine pot.

Lu Minghui picked up the wine glass with his right hand, but didn't drink it. He just held it to his nose and smelled it.

"Good wine. Matsui-kun, you've gone to great lengths."

He put down his wine glass, and the bandage on his left arm was faintly visible under his suit jacket.

Matsui looked at the arm. "I've heard about what happened at Taihu Lake. The Special Higher Police lost a man, and Miss Yunko has a bad temper."

"She's under a lot of work pressure." Lu Minghui leaned back in his chair. "She really liked the pigeon blood ruby ​​necklace that Matsui-kun gave her that night at the Broadway Mansions."

Matsui smiled. "I'm glad Miss Yunko likes it. Aki-kun, you didn't just ask me out today to thank me, did you?"

Lu Minghui tapped the table twice with his right index finger. The rhythm was very slow.

"Yunzi has been transferred to Shanghai and promoted to head of the Special Higher Police Section. As her senior, I have to show my appreciation." Lu Minghui looked at Matsui. "But Matsui-kun is too generous, raising the bar too high. I'm just a confidential section chief with a fixed monthly salary; I can't even afford a decent gift."

"It's the thought that counts, no matter how small. Miss Yunzi will definitely like anything from you, Minghui-kun." Matsui's smile deepened. He leaned forward. "Minghui-kun, what's our relationship? Just name your price, ten small yellow croakers, I'll make a call and have them delivered within half an hour. If that's not enough, just say so."

Lu Minghui shook his head.

"I appreciate Matsui-kun's kindness." Lu Minghui picked up his wine glass, took a sip, "But once the ten small yellow croakers are gone, I'll have to come back to you again. That's not right. I can't keep asking for help every time."

Matsui's smile faded slightly. He picked up his glass and took a sip.

"Does Mr. Minghui mean you want to start a business?" Matsui asked.

"Make a little money," Lu Minghui corrected.

Matsui didn't respond. This guy never touched money at No. 76, even turning down the favors Li Shiqun offered him. It's strange that he spoke up today.

"Business in Shanghai is a complex and murky business," Matsui probed. "Which line of work is Minghui-kun interested in?"

Lu Minghui didn't answer directly. He took out a pack of Lao Dao brand cigarettes from his pocket and took one out. Matsui immediately lit a match and leaned closer.

Lu Minghui lit the fire and exhaled a puff of blue smoke.

"I don't know what industry to go for either," Lu Minghui said lazily, a cigarette between his fingers. "But Matsui-kun is a businessman, and his judgment is better than mine. Take a look at what I have and help me think of a way out."

He didn't say anything more.

Matsui looked at him.

Lu Minghui lowered his eyes, drank and smoked, as if he really just wanted to have a casual chat.

But Matsui had spent half his life in business and had seen too many people who pretended to be confused before speaking.

He controlled the allocation of supplies. Wan Molin of the Green Gang listened to him. She Aizhen's guard battalion was close to him. Ono of the military police treated him like a brother.

It goes without saying what kind of business one person can do with these four things in their hands.

Matsui picked up his glass, concealing the change in his eyes. He took a sip, then put it down, the bottom of the glass making a louder sound than usual as it tapped on the table.

"Mr. Minghui has connections everywhere, so naturally he makes money no matter what he does." Matsui put down his wine glass. "However, large-scale business requires capital and channels. Could you give me a few days to think it over? I'll help you find a reliable deal."

"No rush," Lu Minghui smiled. He stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray. "Matsui-kun, take your time to consider it."

Lu Minghui stood up and picked up his coat, which was draped over the chair.

He stopped at the door and looked back at Matsui.

"Matsui-kun can tell Section Chief Nakajima about this," Lu Minghui said casually, "but it's best not to tell Yunzi. You know how women are."

Matsui paused for a moment, then nodded. "Understood. Don't worry, Akira-kun."

Lu Minghui pushed open the door and walked out of the private room.

The door closed.

Matsui sat on the tatami mat, staring at the glass of cold sake in front of him.

I stood up, walked to the window, and pushed it open a crack.

Downstairs, Lu Minghui got into a Ford sedan. The car started and drove into the night.

Matsui watched the car's taillights turn into the alley and disappear.

He didn't rush to leave. He stood by the window, his hands behind his back, his thumbs gripping the wrists of his other hands tightly.

Half an hour later.

Hongkou, the headquarters of the Black Dragon Society.

Matsui sat behind a large desk. Two men in black stood in front of him.

"Check if any non-insider personnel have approached the factory area in the past month. Check the backgrounds of all employees to see if anyone has leaked any information."

"Hi!"

"Also," Matsui paused, "don't follow too closely anytime you see Lu Minghui—just keep an eye on him from a distance, not too closely, as he's recently met with people and visited places."

"Hi!"

The two men left.

Matsui leaned back in his chair.

Pull out another drawer, and you'll find a paper cutter inside.

He glanced at it but didn't take it.

I closed the drawer.