Anti-Japanese War Espionage: I Have an Omniscient Perspective

Zhao Erzhu's face instantly darkened: "If Team Leader Fang defectes to the Japanese, all of us undercover agents will suffer..."

"It's hard to say, but we must prepare for the worst." Lin Rui interrupted him. "I'll try to find out about Lao Zhou. Your primary task is to protect yourselves."

Zhao Erzhu said in a low voice, "If I don't receive any news from you within three days, I will leave here and go to the new concession."

Lin Rui nodded in agreement and turned to leave the dock.

Next up was Yongfeng Money Exchange on Edward Road. The exchange was still packed with merchants withdrawing deposits, bustling with activity, and the queues in front of the counters stretched like a long dragon.

Chen Shan was not in the accounting office.

Perhaps he had gone out on business. Lin Rui waited across from the money exchange. If Chen Shan didn't come after a while, he would go to Ren'ai Hospital first.

A dozen minutes later, Chen Shan returned with two colleagues from the money exchange.

Lin Rui walked towards them, holding a copper key in his hand.

Chen Shan's pupils contracted slightly.

He said to his two colleagues, "You two go back first, I'll go to the bookstore next door to buy a book."

This was not only said to colleagues, but also to Lin Rui.

Following Chen Shan, Lin Rui entered the bookstore next door.

The two wandered around the bookstore and soon stopped in front of an empty bookshelf, each picking up a book to read.

"Two trees form a forest"

"It's you, secretly plotting something! What's going on?"

"An hour ago, Lao Zhou was arrested by the Japanese military police detective team."

Chen Shan's expression changed abruptly.

"I just heard about this, I didn't expect it was Old Zhou. What are you planning to do?"

"I've already informed Sun Xiaoliu and Zhao Erzhu, and now I'm here to remind you," Lin Rui said. "To prevent Lao Zhou from betraying you, you need to leave the bank and change your identity."

"Understood." Chen Shan nodded. "I have a place to stay on Lafayette Road. You have nowhere to go now, so why don't you come with me there?"

Lin Rui's heart skipped a beat, but he immediately dismissed it.

With Lao Zhou arrested, he became much more vigilant. Even if Chen Shan was innocent, he was unwilling to stay with him.

He immediately refused: "No need. I'll leave a code at the contract department store. You can contact them there once you're settled."

After the two finished their conversation, Chen Shan picked up his book to pay the bill, while Lin Rui put down his book and left.

The last stop was Tongren Hospital on Avenue Joffre.

There are still so many patients.

Su Wan, dressed in a white nurse's uniform, with beads of sweat on her forehead, was squatting on the ground treating a wounded soldier's leg.

Lin Rui, wearing small round glasses and a long robe, walked over.

Su Wan finished bandaging her wound, stood up, picked up the medicine tray, and walked towards the next patient.

Just then, I saw the copper key in Lin Rui's hand.

The two exchanged glances, and then Su Wan made an excuse to leave, with Lin Rui following her.

The two walked out of the surgical ward and into the deserted corridor.

"Two trees form a forest"

"Suqiao Evening Moon, what's wrong with you? You look so different now!"

"Old Zhou was captured by the Japanese army, and Huichuntang was also searched. I disguised myself and escaped."

Su Wan's fingers trembled uncontrollably, and her eyes instantly reddened: "How could Lao Zhou...?"

"The situation is critical. I don't know if Lao Zhou can withstand the interrogation. I've already notified the others, and you're the only one missing. You must leave the hospital as soon as possible. After you're settled, go to the Contract Department Store. I'll contact you there using a code."

Su Wan nodded vigorously, wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes, and forced herself to remain calm: "I understand. I will find a chance to leave. You must be careful too."

"Take care of yourself."

Lin Rui watched Su Wan disappear at the end of the corridor and let out a long sigh of relief.

All four members have been notified and should be safe for now.

He walked out of the hospital.

As the sun set, its afterglow painted the streets of the French Concession a dark red, and the distant sounds of gunfire could still be faintly heard. People hurried along the streets.

What should we do next?

Lin Rui pondered in his heart.

Now we must find a way to establish contact with the people at the Shanghai intelligence station of the Fuxing Society and report the situation.

Only Lao Zhou knew the method to contact the higher-ups.

It seems we'll have to wait until dark to go to the pharmacy and retrieve what Old Zhou hid.

But there are probably Japanese spies watching that area.

It will be dangerous if we go through daylight.

Looks like I'll have to use my superpowers to sneak into the pharmacy tonight.

......

As Lin Rui pondered, he strolled along the road and unknowingly arrived at Avenue Joffre.

In 1937, Avenue Joffre was the core commercial street of the French Concession in Shanghai and was known as the "Champs-Élysées of the East".

The western section is an upscale residential area, the middle section from Luban Road to Yarpe Road is mainly occupied by Russian émigré shops, and the eastern section is mostly occupied by Chinese-owned shops.

There were hardly any refugees on this road, and police officers patrolled along the way. Even now, the usual show of singing and dancing is still going on.

The aroma wafting from the Russian-owned bakery stirred Lin Rui's hunger. He had been traveling to several places since leaving the pharmacy and hadn't eaten anything. It was time to get something to eat.

He walked east for a while, and the shops ahead were all run by locals.

There were suit shops, watch shops, photo studios, some food stalls, and street vendors.

Lin Rui chose a wonton stall at the corner of a street. The stall owner was an old man with a wrinkled face, who was deftly wrapping wontons with his head down.

He pulled over a low stool and sat down. "A bowl of wonton noodles."

The old man responded and got up to get busy, soon bringing over a steaming bowl of wonton noodles.

Lin Rui picked up his chopsticks and ate in small bites, glancing around from time to time.

There's a hotel across the street, and the Xiafei Road Police Station is right next to it.

Renting a place there would be a good option.

After finishing his wonton noodles, he got up to pay, walked straight across the street, and went up through the stairwell on the street.

The hotel reception is on the second floor.

The proprietress, who had a perm and was eating sunflower seeds, stood up and greeted Lin Rui with a smile when she saw him come upstairs.

"Our guests have arrived. What kind of room would they like to stay in? How many days?"

"Do you have any private rooms?" Lin Rui asked.

"Yes, there are. 8 yuan per room. One month's rent as deposit."

Before the war, a single room in this mid-range hotel cost 4 francs; now the price has doubled.

Lin Rui didn't haggle with the proprietress and paid to rent the place for a day.

After receiving the money, the proprietress immediately led Lin Rui inside and used a key to open a room door.

"This is the place. Here's the key. You can pick it up when you check out tomorrow to get your deposit back."

Lin Rui took the key, went into the room, and closed the door behind him.

The room wasn't big; it had a bed, a small coffee table, and two chairs.

However, there are no toilets available, so people have to go to public restrooms outside to shower and use the toilet.

He sat on the bed in a daze, then lay down.

The fatigue caused by high levels of mental stress washes over you like a tidal wave when you relax at this moment, and you fall asleep without even realizing it.

.........

A few hours later.

Loud shouts came from outside the window.

"A curfew is about to begin in the concession area. Pedestrians, please return to your residences as soon as possible!"

The message was repeated over and over again.

Lin Rui woke up.

He sat up abruptly from the bed.

He got up, parted the curtains, and looked outside.

It was already dark outside.

Police officers were dispersing pedestrians on the street.

After a while, a long whistle sounded, signaling the official start of the curfew.

He took out his pocket watch, which he used to keep track of time, and opened the cover.

The clock hand points to nine o'clock.

The curfew is from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. the following day.

Apart from the police, there will be no one on the streets.

This is also the best time for Lin Rui to be active.

Using his superpower, he could evade the police and quietly make his way to the pharmacy.

However, it was still a bit early, so he planned to wait until midnight to make his move.