Agent: Intercepting Yu Manli at the start!

Ken Oshima's voice came through the receiver: "Director Zhou, where are you now?"

"Still working overtime at headquarters."

"If it weren't for General Oshima's instructions, I would have left work long ago. To be honest, I prefer the nine-to-five life."

He used to work in the Special Higher Police, where his work schedule was fixed; now that he's still at the Special Operations Headquarters, it's naturally considered overtime.

Of course, working overtime was the norm in intelligence agencies—when it came to pursuing anti-Japanese patriots, it was always late at night.

"Hahaha, only when that day comes will Shanghai truly be at peace." Ken Oshima laughed heartily, then changed the subject, "Then come to the Military Police Headquarters."

"Okay, I'll set off right away."

Zhou Xiao hung up the phone, got up and went out, driving straight to the headquarters of the military police.

Everything was progressing steadily according to Zhou Xiao's plan.

To be honest, Zhou Xiao secretly hoped that one day he could really be a nine-to-five secret agent—that would mean the country was at peace, the Japanese invaders had been driven out, and there were no more traitors and lackeys causing trouble and disrupting the situation.

Unfortunately, that day has not yet come.

In the dead of night, Shanghai is enveloped in a profound stillness.

Apart from a few scattered dance halls and pubs that were still lit up and making some noise, the streets and alleys were deserted and quiet, and even the wind carried a chill as it swept across the streets.

Zhou Xiao arrived at the military police headquarters without any obstacles.

Military Police Headquarters, Commander's Office.

As soon as Kenichi Oshima saw Zhou Xiao enter, he grinned and greeted him with a smile, saying, "Director Zhou, thank you for your hard work! It's so late and you still have to come all this way."

Zhou Xiao nodded slightly: "You flatter me. But, General Oshima Ken, what urgent matter warrants this summons?"

The most demanding aspect of lurking in the shadows is this skillful "acting ability."

Only by acting convincingly can one remain hidden; only by remaining hidden can one save one's life.

He already knew everything perfectly well, but his face only showed a perfectly appropriate look of bewilderment and confusion.

Ken Oshima glanced down at his watch and said in a light tone, "I invited you here tonight to pick up a newly appointed superior—the new head of the Special Higher Police in Shanghai."

"After several days of selection, the Special Service Headquarters has officially appointed Hirofumi Asano as the new head of the Special Higher Police Section in Shanghai."

"He will arrive at Shanghai Airport in an hour, and we need to go there in advance to meet him."

"To prevent assassination attempts by anti-Japanese patriots and to avoid any unforeseen complications, this trip was kept completely secret: the arrival time, destination, and route were all top secret, and only a very small number of people knew about them."

No matter how tight the blockade was, it couldn't stop Zhou Xiao, a top agent, from making his move—he had already intercepted all the intelligence and quietly launched "Operation Green Lamp".

Even Zhou Xiao and Zheng Yaoxian hadn't expected that this operation would alarm the high-ranking officials in Japan.

Zhou Xiao nodded and replied, "I see."

"With two successive chiefs of the Special Higher Police in Shanghai having been killed, they should indeed be extra cautious in their actions."

"The new section chief is finally here, and I can finally relax a bit."

"Hopefully, this Section Chief Asano can really keep things in check in Shanghai."

"Hahaha!" Ken Oshima laughed heartily, raised his hand and patted Zhou Xiao's shoulder heavily, "Don't you Chinese always say 'the capable should do more'? Since Director Zhou is capable, it's only natural that he should take on more responsibilities."

Zhou Xiao responded with a smile: "This time, I really have to thank General Ken Oshima for his guidance."

A glint flashed in Ken Oshima's eyes, and he nodded slightly: Good, Zhou Xiao is indeed quick-witted.

This seemingly ordinary welcome was actually a deliberate step by Ken Oshima—to get Zhou Xiao connected with Hirofumi Asano early on and make him a familiar face, both as a gesture of goodwill and as a way to cultivate his talent.

Zhou Xiao naturally understood.

With the "Green Lamp Project" currently underway, he urgently needs an irrefutable alibi.

Accompanying Ken Oshima to the airport to pick up someone was the safest way to escape: the whole process had witnesses, a timeline, and a clear track, completely clearing himself of any suspicion and leaving no room for the Japanese to suspect anything.

To be honest, if it weren't for the fact that Ken Oshima's crimes were unforgivable, Zhou Xiao wouldn't have wanted to touch him—after all, the fact that this man currently trusts him so much is already quite rare.

But for the sake of "Project Celestial," and even more so for the sake of those comrades who died at the hands of Ken Oshima, this man must be eliminated.

Even Buddha couldn't stop it.

Ken Oshima glanced at his watch again: "Director Zhou, let's set off now."

"Okay, no problem," Zhou Xiao replied readily.

At that moment, a female secretary on duty from the secretariat rushed in, stood at attention, and saluted: "Reporting, General! At ten o'clock, Mr. Honda called to request leave."

"Taking leave? Taking leave at this time?" Ken Oshima frowned slightly, but didn't delve into it, simply waving his hand and saying, "Never mind, let Yasuda drive."

"Yes!" The female secretary withdrew briskly.

As Zhou Xiao listened, he immediately understood: the Mingtai Action Team had succeeded, and they had kept it a secret—even the Secretariat had not noticed anything amiss.

Immediately afterwards, the two left the military police headquarters together, boarded a car, and headed straight for Shanghai Airport.

On this trip, Ken Oshima dispatched a military police squadron to accompany him, making it quite a large-scale operation.

According to the Japanese military organization, a regular infantry company had a full strength of more than 180 men, with a company headquarters and three platoons attached, and was equipped with both light and heavy firepower; on the battlefield, a company could often suppress or even defeat an entire Chinese regiment.

However, the military police squadron is different—it does not undertake frontline assaults, has a streamlined organization of about 100 people, and its weapons are mainly pistols, rifles, and light machine guns, without heavy artillery or grenade launchers.

Even so, having a hundred guards is a rather rare sight.

Oshima Ken was on high alert for one reason: if Asano Hirofumi were assassinated as soon as he got off the plane, he, as the military police commander, would be held responsible.

That's why he didn't hesitate to go to the airport in the middle of the night.

Looking out the window at the convoy standing ready, Zhou Xiao secretly praised his sixth brother, Zheng Yaoxian, for his sharp eye.

Taking action along the way is certainly not the best strategy.

Buzz—buzz—buzz…

The convoy drove towards the airport, its engines roaring and crushing the night.

On the way, Ken Oshima and Xiao Zhou chatted and laughed freely, and the atmosphere was relaxed.

In his view, with such a tight defense, the anti-Japanese elements would never dare to make any rash moves.

He underestimated—underestimated the audacity and shrewdness of Zheng Yaoxian and Zhou Xiao, this "ace in the hole" duo...

At this moment, an airplane is piercing through the clouds and fog, steadily flying over Shanghai.

The passenger on that plane was none other than Hirofumi Asano, the newly appointed head of the Special Higher Police in Shanghai.

He leaned back in his chair, his eyes slightly closed, seemingly relaxed, but in reality, his blood and qi were surging and faintly burning.

In his view, taking up a post in the Special Higher Police in Shanghai was not an ordinary transfer, but a very significant and tough battle.

As a flight attendant walked down the aisle, Hirofumi Asano suddenly opened his eyes and asked in a low but clear voice, "Ms. Mei, how much longer until we arrive in Shanghai?"

The flight attendant smiled and replied, "Hello sir, your arrival at Shanghai Airport is expected in fifteen minutes."

"Very good." He raised the corners of his mouth, his smile deepening.

Seeing his relaxed demeanor and carefree expression, the flight attendant couldn't help but ask, "Sir, you seem to be in a particularly good mood?"

Hirofumi Asano chuckled softly: "Of course—I'm looking forward to an exceptionally enjoyable journey."

Two Special Higher Police section chiefs had already met untimely deaths, yet he showed no hesitation or apprehension. He adhered to his own principle: if something is suspicious and has no use, then there is no need to hesitate.

kill!

He had a penchant for slowly torturing people's hearts. He once tortured an interrogator into a vegetative state, and afterwards even praised him with great interest: "Although his body is ruined, his mind is still very sharp."

He was also extremely impatient. He never bothered to verify the truth or falsehood, and when it came to people and things, he only believed in the most straightforward method—if it could be eliminated, then eliminate it; if it was difficult to eliminate, then crush it, using pain to peel away the layers of the other party's will.

He once said publicly: "Our predecessors pursued quick kills, eliminating the enemy with a single blow. But I felt that was too hasty and a waste of life. I cherish every life and insist on prolonging it, brewing endless suffering in the limited time available—watching them struggle, roar, resist in vain, and finally have their eyes extinguished... That is my pleasure."

These words immediately revealed his true nature: cold-blooded, meticulous, ruthless, and particularly adept at using torture as a weapon to dissect a person's mind and body.

Anyone who fell into his hands, whether a frontline anti-Japanese fighter or a secret agent, would invariably suffer a fate worse than death.

Today he was dressed in plain clothes, not in military uniform, and the flight attendants treated him as an ordinary passenger, smiling and wishing him a pleasant journey.

He nodded in thanks: "Thank you."

Ten minutes later, the plane landed smoothly at Shanghai Airport.

The hatch opened, and not only Asano Hirofumi stepped out, but also many high-ranking Japanese and puppet officials and their families.

As soon as everyone stepped off the covered bridge, they were stunned by the scene before them—Ken Oshima and Xiao Zhou led the military police in a line to greet them, their steel helmets gleaming, their guns in perfect order, and a chilling aura emanating from them.

Some people whispered among themselves: Which important person has arrived?

Logically, welcoming a Special Higher Police chief shouldn't be such a grand affair. However, with his two predecessors having been assassinated, Ken Oshima dared not be careless and was determined to ensure Hirofumi Asano's safety.

The scale of the operation was indeed quite large.

Hirofumi Asano paused for a moment, then stepped forward and extended his hand to Ken Oshima: "Oshima-kun, thank you for your hard work."

Ken Oshima laughed heartily and shook hands firmly in return: "Welcome to Shanghai, Asano-kun!"

Hirofumi Asano glanced around, his tone gentle yet probing: "Oshima-kun, isn't this a bit too much of a show? Why would a Special Higher Police chief need such a grand display?"

Ken Oshima's expression darkened: "Asano-kun, you may not know this, but Shanghai is the most active place for anti-Japanese forces. The previous two section chiefs were both assassinated, so we have to walk on thin ice."

"It's always better to be cautious."

Hirofumi Asano didn't press further, only nodding slightly. His gaze shifted to Zhou Xiao beside him, and a smile returned to his face: "This must be Zhou Xiao, the Director of the Operations Department of the Special Operations Headquarters?"

Zhou Xiao bowed slightly: "It is indeed I."

Hirofumi Asano glanced at Ken Oshima without making a sound, then his gaze returned to Zhou Xiao's face: "General Oshima personally brought Director Zhou to greet you, which shows how much he values ​​Director Zhou."

"Director Zhou is definitely a trustworthy friend of our empire, with outstanding achievements."

Zhou Xiao replied calmly, "It's just doing my duty."

Ken Oshima chimed in, "Section Chief Asano, Director Zhou is my right-hand man and has even saved my life. He's absolutely reliable."

"Director Zhou, please do your best to assist Section Chief Asano in building the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere—I have always had high hopes for your abilities."

Zhou Xiao lowered his eyes and smiled: "I will do my utmost."