Agent: Intercepting Yu Manli at the start!

Zhou Haichao immediately replied, "If Director Guan likes it, it's yours!"

"That won't do!" Guan Yongshan waved his hands repeatedly, verbally declining but not loosening his grip. "How can I accept your things?"

"Director Guan, I really don't know anything about this. If I kept it, I'd probably consider it beneath me to even use it as a teapot." Zhou Haichao's smile grew even more ingratiating. "You're the expert. Keeping it here is like putting it in a safe deposit box—consider it a way of storing it for your brother!"

"You can keep it! Hahaha!" Guan Yongshan held the pot in his palm and rubbed it back and forth, beaming with joy, making no attempt to hide his happiness.

Zhou Haichao stared at Guan Yongshan's raised eyebrows and lingering smile, then slowly asked, "Director Guan, if I may ask—just how capable is Zhou Xiao, who was recently transferred to our department?"

As the old saying goes: If you have nothing to hide, your knock on the door won't tremble; if you have even the slightest guilty conscience, you'll be startled even by the wind.

Zhou Haichao was preoccupied with something on his mind, which is why he was particularly concerned about who this person was, where he came from, and who he was after.

The night before, he secretly sent someone to follow Zhou Xiao, but before they could even catch a glimpse of him, the other party had shaken them off without a sound.

Zhou Xiao not only hasn't pursued the matter, but he's also sitting back and doing nothing—which is even more chilling.

"Zhou Xiao?" Guan Yongshan paused, the purple clay teapot hovering in mid-air, steam rising in wisps. He looked up and stared directly at Zhou Haichao. "Why are you asking about him?"

"Sigh, I just feel so suffocated." Zhou Haichao said it casually, but his stomach was churning inside.

Two hours earlier, the action team raided the Japanese spy liaison station, with everyone mobilized, except for him, who was specifically assigned to stay in the office and "guard the door".

Everyone in the room had left, leaving him staring blankly at the empty tables and chairs.

Frustrated? It's more than just frustrating.

Later investigation revealed that the one who ordered him to be silenced and his access blocked was none other than Zhou Xiao, who had only been on the job for a few days.

What made him even more uneasy was that the case of Xiao Zhengguo's attack was still unsolved, and Zhou Xiao had just arrived out of nowhere at this time...

Only then did he steel himself and go to Guan Yongshan to find out the truth.

Guan Yongshan rubbed the lid of the kettle with his fingertips, remained silent for a few seconds, and then slowly said, "He's really not a big shot. At most, he's a 'probationary' agent. He just came out of military school and hasn't even warmed up the smell of gun oil yet."

"Probation period?" Zhou Haichao's pupils contracted, and his voice rose a half-octave. "Director Guan, don't make fun of me! A greenhorn recruit, single-handedly uprooted the hideout of two veteran Japanese spies, and wiped out the entire intelligence line—you call that 'not yet warmed up'?"

He simply couldn't believe it.

In the second division, Zhou Haichao was also considered to have achieved early success, taking on the role of deputy section chief in his early thirties. He was efficient in his work and had a good reputation.

But this Zhou Xiao suddenly appeared out of nowhere, able to mobilize and suppress people at will. Even Guan Yongshan treated him with deference and spoke only in defense of him—this was hardly the behavior of a newcomer. He clearly came with a powerful sword!

"Hai Chao, he's really a trainee agent. Right now, he's learning skills from Sixth Brother Zheng Yaoxian." Guan Yongshan's tone turned serious.

Sixth Brother? Zheng Yaoxian?

Zhou Haichao's Adam's apple bobbed slightly, and a hint of envy flashed in his eyes.

"It's not that I don't want to support you." Guan Yongshan sighed and spread his hands. "Last time, regarding the Japanese spy case at the Shang Mansion, I mentioned to Zhou Xiao that I wanted you to lend a hand, earn some merit, and then be promoted to section chief. But he refused on the spot."

"In this raid on the intelligence station, he again specifically named you and excluded you—as the section chief, I can't just defy the rules and push my luck, can I? You know who's backing him."

After a pause, Guan Yongshan suddenly lowered his voice: "By the way, you and him... do you have a grudge from the past? I see that he's always on guard against you, pressing you relentlessly."

Zhou Haichao frowned, turning his memory upside down, and finally shook his head slightly: "Really not. I've never seen him at all."

"Sure?"

"Absolutely true," he answered decisively. "We've never even met."

Guan Yongshan was stunned, his brows furrowing deeply: "That's strange."

The two looked at each other, both completely baffled.

……

In the head of the action section's office, only Zhou Xiao and Chen Shan were present.

Zhou Xiao's gaze, sharp as a nail, landed on Chen Shan's face: "Have you thought it through? Going back to the Shang Mansion is like sending yourself to your death."

Chen Shan's jaw tightened, but his eyes were unusually clear. He simply nodded: "I've thought it through."

According to Zhou Xiao's plan, his return to the Shang Mansion was like a hidden blade plunged into the heart of the enemy, and also the only living chess piece that Zhou Xiao could hold in his hands in Shanghai in the future.

"Furthermore—" he gave a bitter laugh, his Adam's apple bobbing, "I have no other choice."

This is true.

The Military Intelligence Bureau wouldn't tolerate him, and the Japanese wouldn't trust him either. If he didn't take this path, only death awaited him.

"However..." Chen Shan raised his eyes, a hint of worry appearing between his brows, "Araki and Chida Eiko died in Yamashiro. If I suddenly appear at the Shang Mansion, will they really believe me?"

"I don't believe it," Zhou Xiao answered decisively. "Who do the Japanese trust? They're even wary of their own people. So when you go back, you're not going to beg them to believe you, but rather you'll make them have no choice but to believe you through your own abilities."

"You were trained by their own hands. Now that they're dead, there are fewer eyes watching you—the fewer people who know about you, the more room you have for maneuver."

"As for how to pass the test, you'll need to show off two 'swords':"

The first thing is emotion—tell them that Araki used your sister Chen Xia to force you to submit back then; now that Chen Xia has returned to your side, you are still willing to serve her, and this loyalty is hotter than blood.

The second tactic is about leverage—confess that the Military Intelligence Bureau has already discovered your identity, and you have no way out but to turn back for your life.

"They may not believe everything, but they will at least give you a chance to prove yourself. What follows is testing, interrogation, and setting a trap—it all depends on whether you can withstand it, endure it, and bite back."

Zhou Xiao is making his plans.

It wasn't for others, but to pave a secret path for survival for myself in Shanghai.

There was no one to entrust him with, no one to rely on; he had to rely on himself to build everything step by step.

Chen Shan's infiltration of the Shang Mansion was the first nail he planted himself.

Subsequently, the two meticulously went through the details of the plan: how to escape from the mountain city, when the Military Intelligence Bureau would launch a feigned attack to provide cover, how to change the rendezvous code, and how realistic the injury should be... They paid attention to every single detail.

After all, this is not only Chen Shan's life, but also the key to whether the entire undercover operation can be successfully completed.

The two spent an entire day refining the plan, finally getting it to fit perfectly.

One point is unavoidable—Chen Shan has to suffer a severe beating; the self-inflicted injury ruse must be bloody and visceral.

But once you've chosen this path, there's no turning back.

"When will we make our move?" Chen Shan asked.

"I'll go find Sixth Brother tonight to set a time, the earliest is the day after tomorrow," Zhou Xiao answered decisively. "You're on standby."

"Okay," Chen Shan replied succinctly and forcefully.

The two walked out of the office, and as soon as the door closed, they bumped into Zhang Li.

She smiled slightly, her expression gentle: "Zhou Xiao, we've run into each other again."

"Yeah, we've run into each other again." Zhou Xiao nodded, his expression calm as usual.

"I never expected that you would take down the Japanese intelligence outpost so easily and even personally kill the spy chief, Araki!" Zhang Li stared at Zhou Xiao, his tone filled with genuine admiration. "Heroes emerge from among the young, that's absolutely true—I admire you from the bottom of my heart."

"Sister Zhang Li, you flatter me." Zhou Xiao smiled slightly, his tone gentle yet measured. "You are the true master, and I am truly unworthy of such a small favor. I apologize, I have some urgent business to attend to right now, so I must take my leave."

"Okay, go ahead." Zhang Li nodded in agreement and watched him turn and leave.

As soon as the figure disappeared at the end of the corridor, the smile on her face quietly faded, her brows furrowed slightly, and her gaze became calm—Zhou Xiao's words were clearly like an unopened letter, plain on the surface, but with a lingering aftertaste.

Military Intelligence Bureau Headquarters.

As soon as Zhou Xiao stepped through the door, Zhao Jianzhi quickly came to greet him: "Brother Zhou, you're back? Sixth Brother just told you to come over as soon as you arrive."

"Understood," Zhou Xiao asked. "Is he in his office?"

"We're waiting."

Zhou Xiao didn't say anything more, quickened his pace, and walked straight towards Zheng Yaoxian's office.

Boom, boom, boom.

"Enter."

As soon as the door opened, a strong smell of tobacco wafted out. Zheng Yaoxian, dressed in a crisp military uniform, leaned against the large desk, a half-smoked cigarette between his fingers, the bluish-gray smoke slowly drifting in the slanting beam of light.

Seeing Zhou Xiao enter, he flicked away his cigarette ash, stood up to greet him, and said with a piercing gaze, "Well done! This operation was swift, efficient, and flawless."

"It's all thanks to Sixth Brother's guidance." Zhou Xiao bowed in gratitude. "If it weren't for your selection and paving the way, I wouldn't have had the chance to take the stage."

"I only talked the talk." Zheng Yaoxian waved his hand with a smile, turned around and strolled to the wine cabinet by the wall, took out a bottle of deep red wine and two crystal glasses, filled them steadily, handed one glass, "To celebrate your achievement - to make such a great contribution right after graduating from military academy, the first time since the establishment of the Military Intelligence Bureau. Come on, bottoms up."

The two lightly clinked their glasses together. Zhou Xiao took a small sip and said with a faint smile, "Just lucky."

"In the Military Intelligence Bureau, there is no room for luck." Zheng Yaoxian swirled his liquor, his voice low and deep. "Only those who lack ability keep betting their lives on luck."

The air lingered slightly after he finished speaking.

Zhou Xiao lowered his eyes, carefully considering the weight of those words.

Zheng Yaoxian's ability to stand firm in the Military Intelligence Bureau for many years and maintain such a high level of prestige was never due to empty fame, but rather to the clarity and sense of propriety he had honed through years of hardship.

"Thank you for your guidance, Sixth Brother." He took another sip of wine, his tone sincere. "I will remember this trust. And thank you for entrusting me with this important responsibility."

Zheng Yaoxian looked up, his gaze lingering on his face for a moment, and the corners of his lips lifted slightly—a smile that contained both approval and confirmation.

He is grateful yet humble, accomplished yet unassuming, and even more admirable is his ability to discern the unspoken meaning behind his words.

Indeed, this was a task that Zheng Yaoxian could have easily accomplished himself. No matter how cunning Araki was, he couldn't escape Zheng Yaoxian's trap. But he deliberately gave the opportunity to Zhou Xiao.

This isn't about releasing water; it's about putting gold to the test.

Others only saw the results, but Zhou Xiao understood the entrustment behind them.

Zheng Yaoxian tilted his head back and drank the wine in his glass. When he put the glass down, he said firmly, "After you finish this sip, come with me to the Dai Mansion."

"The Dai Mansion?" Zhou Xiao was slightly taken aback.

"Yes." He gestured, "Boss Dai specifically asked to see you."

"This operation was quite significant," Zheng Yaoxian said slowly. "Not only did we eliminate Araki, a major threat, but we also uprooted the Japanese intelligence center that had been lurking in Yamashiro for the longest time. At the old Paris barbershop, we found three whole boxes of classified documents that hadn't been destroyed—all top-secret information."

"When the news reached Weiyuan, even Boss Dai slammed his fist on the table and repeatedly said, 'Well done!' Even the director, who is usually not one to speak up, called specifically to inquire about the details. This time, you've truly caught the attention of those above."