Hidden Radiance

Night, the International Settlement, Ningbo Road.

The main entrance of Lita Bank was closed, but the lobby was brightly lit.

Abacus beads were scattered all over the floor. Several heavy account books were torn apart, their pages stained with mud and water. Two accountants huddled in a corner, trembling.

Wan Molin sat in the armchair in the center of the hall. The walnuts in his hand rested on the coffee table beside him, untouched.

Two armed Japanese military police stood behind him, their guns lowered.

Wearing casual black clothes, with his right leg in a cast and leaning on a single crutch, Takeda stood before Wan Merlin, holding a Nambu Type 14 pistol. The barrel struck the cover of the ledger with a dull thud.

"Director Wan," Takeda began, his Chinese broken, "fifty thousand yuan in legal tender. The accounts are completely blank regarding the whereabouts of this money. Where did it go?"

Wan Molin picked up the blue-and-white porcelain cup on the coffee table and blew away the foam.

"Team Leader Takeda, the bank's daily turnover is over a million. The allocation of a mere 50,000 yuan doesn't need to be reported to you. I'm the bank manager; can't I even allocate a mere 50,000 yuan?"

"Of course you have the right." Takeda took a half step closer, the muzzle of his gun pressed against the edge of the coffee table. "But I checked the timeline of this money's transactions. It was exactly one after the other day Li Shiqun broke in."

He tilted his head.

"Shouldn't the storage fees for those fifty boxes of penicillin also be covered?"

Wan Molin took a sip of tea and put down the teacup.

"I don't understand what Team Leader Takeda is saying."

"You won't talk, huh?" Takeda straightened up, raised his pistol, and said, "Search. Turn up every single record in the accounting office. If you don't find the record for that deposit slip, nobody's leaving here today."

The military police responded with a roar and turned to rush into the inner room.

boom.

The heavy wooden doors of the bank were pushed open. Leather shoes creaked as they stepped on the scattered abacus beads.

Lu Minghui walked in. His suit jacket was draped over his shoulders, and the bandage on his left arm was hidden in his sleeve.

Sun Yaozu followed behind and closed the door tightly behind him.

The hall fell silent.

"Director Lu," Wan Molin called out, without getting up.

Takeda turned his head and gripped the gun handle tightly. "Director Lu, your injuries haven't healed yet. What are you doing here in the middle of the night instead of resting at home?"

Lu Minghui did not look at Takeda.

He walked straight to the coffee table, pulled out another chair, and sat down. He took out half a box of Lao Dao brand cigarettes from his pocket with his right hand and bit into one.

Sun Yaozu lit a match and leaned closer.

Lu Minghui lit a cigarette and exhaled a puff of smoke. The smoke dispersed under the lamplight.

"I heard that Team Leader Takeda is looking for a deposit slip." Lu Minghui, with a cigarette between his fingers, finally fixed his gaze on Takeda's face.

Wu Tian, ​​leaning on his cane, took a step forward. "Director Lu's connections are really good. Li Shiqun took that deposit slip to Nanjing, and now he's being held by Zhou Fohai. Where are those fifty boxes of penicillin?"

"No penicillin." Lu Minghui flicked his cigarette ash.

Takeda sneered. "Director Lu, do you take me for a three-year-old? The deposit slip clearly states in black and white that it's a backup warehouse on the second basement level. You're hoarding strategic materials; that's a capital offense."

"I had the deposit certificates made," Lu Minghui said calmly, leaning back in his chair. "If you like, I'll have Director Wan make you another hundred tomorrow. Stamped and signed, all done. You can have them done now too."

Takeda was stunned.

"Are you kidding me?" Takeda raised his pistol, pointing the muzzle at Lu Minghui.

Sun Yaozu reached for his waist, but Lu Minghui pressed his hand back down with two raised fingers.

Wan Molin's hand rested on the edge of the coffee table.

Lu Minghui didn't even lift his eyelids.

"Takeda." Lu Minghui stared at the dark muzzle of the gun. "You've been guarding the iron door on the second basement level every day. Don't you know what's inside? Fifty boxes of penicillin? There's not even enough room to fit a cardboard box for medicine."

Takeda's gun swayed slightly. He didn't speak, but his Adam's apple bobbed. Everyone present had heard what was coming from behind the iron door on the second basement level.

"You suspect me of embezzling funds and hoarding supplies." Lu Minghui stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray. "You can't make that decision. Call Nanzo Yunzi and have her come and ask me personally."

Takeda stood still, without moving.

"Hit him." Lu Minghui's tone was slamming down.

Takeda stared at Lu Minghui for a few seconds, then put away his gun. He turned and walked towards the telephone on the counter.

The sound of the dial turning was particularly jarring in the empty hall.

Takeda turned to the side and whispered a few words in Japanese. He hung up. Turning back, he stood by the counter, leaning on his cane, and didn't come over again.

The only sound in the hall was the hum of the wall lamps.

Wan Molin held his teacup but didn't drink. The tea dust floating on the surface had already sunk to the bottom of the cup.

Lu Minghui leaned back in his chair, his right hand resting on the armrest, his thumbnail rubbing back and forth in the wood grain. Sun Yaozu stood behind him, his back ramrod straight, his hand never leaving his waist.

Occasionally, rickshaws patrolling the streets outside the gate would pass by at night, the sound of rubber wheels rolling over the wet ground carried in from afar and then dissipated into the distance.

twenty minutes.

Two black sedans were parked outside the bank. The engines were off, and the doors opened and closed repeatedly.

Nanzo Yunzi pushed open the door and walked in. She was wearing that oversized military overcoat, and her military boots made a crisp sound as they stepped on the terrazzo floor.

The military police in the hall immediately stood at attention and bowed their heads.

Nanzo Yunzi looked around, her gaze sweeping over the mess on the ground before finally settling on Lu Minghui.

She waved her hand. The military police withdrew from the hall and stood guard outside the door.

"Mr. Meiki." Nanzo Yunko walked to the coffee table but did not sit down. "Takeda was rude and disturbed you. I apologize on his behalf."

"No need for an apology." Lu Minghui remained seated. "It's just that the Special Higher Police are making such a big fuss. People who don't know the situation might think that I, Lu Minghui, am colluding with Chongqing."

Nanzo Yunzi pulled out a chair and sat down opposite Lu Minghui.

"Mr. Minghui, you flatter me." Nanzo Yunzi looked at him. "It's just that Li Shiqun took a deposit slip to Nanjing and hasn't returned. The Special Investigation Committee is now leaderless, and Dingmo Village is enjoying its greatest glory."

She paused for a moment, the curve of her lips barely visible.

"I put a lot of effort into keeping Li Shiqun under control. But before I could even put him to use, he was killed in Nanjing."

She leaned forward and lowered her voice.

"I have a feeling that with Li Shiqun's downfall, the biggest winner is actually Minghui Jun."

Lu Minghui smiled.

"Section Chief Yunzi, you flatter me too much." Lu Minghui met her gaze. "Li Shiqun is a mad dog, biting anyone he sees. He smelled something he shouldn't have. Zhou Fohai can't tolerate him, what does that have to do with me?"

"How do you explain that deposit slip?" Nanzo Yunzi pressed.

"Barefoot," Lu Minghui answered crisply.

Nanzo Yunzi raised an eyebrow slightly.

"There have been unidentified people loitering around Lita Bank lately." Lu Minghui took out a new cigarette and handed it to Nanzo Yunzi. "I had Wan Molin make a fake deposit certificate to lure out the Communist Party members lurking in the concession. Once they're interested in these supplies, we can follow the trail and wipe them all out."

The conversation turned.

"Who knew that instead of catching the Red Party, they attracted Li Shiqun, that hungry wolf. He snatched the bait and insisted on going to Nanjing to claim credit. Could I stop him?"

Nanzo Yunzi looked at Lu Minghui.

"Fishing for Red Party members?" Nanzo Yunko's voice turned cold. "Mr. Minghui is merely the head of the Confidential Affairs Department. Handling matters involving the Red Party seems to be overstepping his bounds. This is the responsibility of the Special Higher Police."

"I am still the leader of the Special Operations Team for Project Sugi." Lu Minghui took out a lighter and lit a cigarette for Nanzo Yunzi. "I was personally appointed by Advisor Nakajima. No accidents can occur during the execution of Project Sugi. I have the authority to eliminate any potential threats."

Nanzo Yunzi took a drag of her cigarette but didn't reply.

Smoke billowed from her lips, obscuring half her face. She stared at Lu Minghui through the smoke, her gaze shifting from his right hand to his injured left arm, then back to his face.

"Red Party members." Nanzo Yunzi repeated these four words, raising her voice slightly, "So, did you catch anything?"

"Not yet." Lu Minghui did not evade the question. "If Section Chief Yunzi is willing to cooperate, the efficiency will be even higher."

Nanzo Yunzi held the cigarette between her fingers and stood up. She straightened the collar of her military overcoat.

"From now on, inform the Special Higher Police in advance of any such plans," Nanzo Yunko said calmly, "to avoid misunderstandings like today."

"Definitely." Lu Minghui nodded, without getting up to see him off.

Nanzo Yunzi turned and walked towards the gate. After taking three steps, she stopped. She didn't look back.

"Minghui, I'm waiting for your good news from the Red Party."

She didn't give a deadline. But the last syllable of "good news" was drawn out.

Takeda followed behind, leaning on his cane.

I walked to the steps outside the door. The night wind blew by, carrying the fishy smell of the Huangpu River.

Takeda was about to speak.

Snapped!

Nanzo Yunko slapped Takeda hard across the face.

Takeda lost his balance, his cane slipped, and he nearly fell. He quickly straightened up and bowed his head.

"Section Chief."

"Who gave you permission to act without authorization?" Nanzo Yunzi's voice was icy. "You snatched back a piece of waste paper and disgraced the entire Special Higher Police."

"Oh, I didn't even manage to grab any waste paper."

Takeda covered his face, not daring to look up.

Nanzo Yunzi stared at the sign of Litai Bank. She didn't curse anymore, and turned to leave.

"Get in the car."

Takeda opened the car door and climbed into the passenger seat.

Nanzo Yunzi got into the back seat. The car drove into the night.

Inside the bank lobby.

Wan Molin let out a long sigh, picked up a towel from the table, and wiped the sweat from his forehead. He gathered the walnuts back into his palm, tapped them a couple of times, but still hadn't gotten back into rhythm.

"That mad dog Takeda was really about to tear my accounting office apart just now." Wan Molin put the walnuts back on the table, looked up at Lu Minghui, and said, "Director Lu, if you had come half an hour later, he might have pried my teeth out."

"He won't let this go." Lu Minghui stood up, threw his cigarette butt into the ashtray, and said, "Nanzo Yunzi backed down tonight because she had no evidence. During this period, the bank's accounts must be watertight. Every inflow and outflow of funds must be well-documented and verifiable."

"Understood." Wan Molin nodded.

Lu Minghui walked out of the bank.

The Ford sedan was parked on the side of the road. Sun Yaozu opened the back door.

"Chief, back to Unit 76?"

"Back to the French Concession." Lu Minghui leaned back in his chair.

The car started.

Lu Minghui closed his eyes. The wound on his left arm was faintly itchy.

Lu Minghui opened his eyes and looked at the street scene rushing past outside the car window.

His left hand rested on his knee. His little and ring fingers remained stiff, like two pieces that didn't belong to him. He pressed his thumb against the joint at the base of his ring finger, pressing down to the bone, but felt nothing.

"Let's change course. Let's go to Sakura Izakaya."

Sun Yaozu glanced at him in the rearview mirror and turned the steering wheel.