Holding the original shares, they fought all the way to the Korean War!

A while later.

Hata Shunroku finally spoke, his voice a few decibels lower than before, carrying a calmness born of contemplation.

"The fact that that person was able to carry out this level of operation outside the Military Intelligence Bureau's network indicates that his background is not within the Military Intelligence Bureau's system."

He turned around, walked back behind his desk, sat down, and placed his hands on the table.

His gaze fell on Kenzo Sato's face, and he remained silent for a moment.

"Besides arresting Kuomintang agents, what else have you found out in the past three days?"

There's nothing there.

Kenzo Sato answered truthfully, in a flat tone.

But what lies beneath that calm surface is more profound than any vehement words.

"We've investigated all the places that needed to be investigated—the Japanese concession, the Chinese concession, and the French concession—and questioned all the people who needed to be questioned."

"No one saw any suspicious persons, no shop served any suspicious customers before or after the incident, and no checkpoint intercepted any suspicious passersby."

"That person came like a ghost and left like a ghost, leaving no trace to follow."

Hata Shunroku did not respond immediately after hearing this.

He lowered his head, his gaze falling on the interrogation records on the table. He looked at them for a long time before looking up.

"What else did that Kuomintang agent say?"

That's all he said.

Kenzo Sato's voice carried an undeniable weariness.

"The intelligence station he was in was only a third-level contact point, too low a level to have access to more critical intelligence."

"They were just following orders; they had no idea why they were investigating or what to do with the findings."

Hata Shunroku nodded.

He was silent for a moment, as if weighing something in his mind, and then suddenly said something.

His tone wasn't loud, but it carried a chilling quality that sent a shiver down one's spine.

"Since we can't find that person, let's make him come out on his own."

Kenzo Sato's gaze shifted slightly.

He looked at Hata Shunroku without interrupting, waiting for him to continue.

Hata Shunroku leaned back in his chair, his gaze calmly fixed on Sato Kenzo's face.

It's like describing something that has already been decided.

"Starting tomorrow, a large-scale arrest operation will be launched throughout the city."

"Arrest all members of the Military Intelligence Bureau, the Central Bureau of Investigation and Statistics, underground Communist Party members, and gangs, regardless of their background, as long as they are suspected."

"No evidence needed, no interrogation needed, just arrest them and lock them up."

He paused, his gaze becoming even calmer.

But what lies beneath that calm is more vivid than any emotion.

"Then, they were executed in batches and publicly."

"The first batch will be implemented in the most conspicuous place in the International Settlement three days later."

"Three batches will be executed consecutively, with a two-day interval between each batch."

"Let that man see that every day he hides, more people die in his place."

Kenzo Sato paused for a moment.

He sat in the chair, his gaze fixed on Hata Shunroku's face.

He paused for a few seconds, then spoke.

"Commander, doing so may provoke even fiercer resistance."

"I know."

Hata Shunroku's tone remained completely unchanged.

"But what we need now is a result."

"Whether the outcome is catching the real culprit or causing the culprit to slip up under pressure."

"As long as he is still in Shanghai, as long as he has any reservations, he will not sit idly by."

He paused, his gaze becoming even sharper.

"If he really does sit idly by and do nothing, that also proves one thing."

"He doesn't care whether those people live or die."

"A person who doesn't care about anyone's life or death is actually harder to find."

"But that's at least a result, a result I can explain to headquarters."

"As for who those executed were or which faction they belonged to, it made no difference in the face of the Imperial Army's interests."

Kenzo Sato did not say anything more.

He sat there, looking at Hata Shunroku's calm face, and a very complicated feeling welled up inside him.

What Hata Shunroku said was logically sound; in fact, it could be described as an extremely efficient strategy.

Under the pressure of mass arrests and public executions, it is difficult for any perpetrator to remain completely silent, regardless of which side they belong to.

But he also knew that once this strategy was implemented...

Shanghai's underground intelligence network will suffer a devastating blow.

Regardless of whether those people were murderers or not, as long as they were associated with the Military Intelligence Bureau, the Central Bureau of Investigation and Statistics, or any anti-Japanese organization.

They will all become targets of this arrest operation.

And this kind of damage is irreversible.

Once you start, there's no turning back.

Looking at Kenzo Sato's expression, Shunroku Hata seemed to see right through his concerns.

But he was not given any room for negotiation.

"After you get back, draft a list overnight."

"The first batch of targets will prioritize those strongholds where we already have some leads."

"Arrest everyone whose identity can be confirmed."

Kenzo Sato stood up and stood at attention.

He was silent for a moment, then nodded vigorously.

"Yes."

He didn't say anything more, saluted, turned around and strode out of the office.

The footsteps faded into the distance in the corridor and disappeared around the corner.

Shunroku Hata sat alone in his office.

His gaze fell on the door, and he remained silent for a long time.

He leaned back in his chair and slowly closed his eyes.

If the killer truly cared about those people's lives, he would eventually reveal his true colors.

And as soon as he reveals a weakness, the Special Higher Police's net will tighten the moment that weakness appears.

Although Hata Shunroku knew that this was just a hypothesis.

What if the killer doesn't care at all?

What if he chooses to remain silent?

Hata Shunroku opened his eyes and his gaze returned to the statement.

If a person doesn't care about anyone's life or death, then he is a more difficult opponent to deal with than any other.

A person without weaknesses will not expose themselves because of the threat of an enemy.

But Hata Shunroku had no other choice.

He couldn't let the murderer continue to roam free, nor could he catch him using normal means within the time limit set at headquarters.

All he can do now is to do it in the shortest possible time.

Use the most extreme methods to force out a result.

Even if the outcome is bloody, cruel, and irreversible.

It's better than having nothing at all.

……

After Kenzo Sato returned to the temporary command post.

All team leaders were immediately summoned.

The first batch of arrest lists was drafted overnight.

Those names were written densely on the paper.

Some were targets he had been eyeing for a long time, while others were targets he only knew of but hadn't yet taken action against.

At this moment, they were all listed together, without any distinction of importance or urgency.

They all became the first batch of targets to be apprehended.

He knew the consequences of this decision.

Those on the list, regardless of whether they were the murderer or not, regardless of whether they were involved in the incident.

Once you're imprisoned by the Special Higher Police, there's almost no chance of you coming out alive.

But Hata Shunroku's orders had already been issued.

He doesn't need to question, he just needs to execute.

Kenzo Sato sat at his desk and took one last look at the list.

Then he put down his pen and let out a long breath.