Chapter 4: A Chance Encounter

Chapter 4: A Chance Encounter

The military police squad did not severely punish Xu Ruiyang simply because they were well aware of the two deceased men's reputations. They were notorious for stirring up trouble, brawling, extortion, and causing scenes while drunk—even harassing the Japanese. Their deaths actually brought a sense of relief.

Freezing to death while intoxicated was such a shameful reason that the patrol officers could hardly be blamed for neglect of duty; they could not be expected to watch the men every second of the day.

If the military police had used this as a pretext to discipline Xu Ruiyang, it would have been unjustifiable. The Police Department was not without its own backers. If the matter were escalated to the Police Affairs Bureau or even the Ministry of Public Security, it would have sparked a conflict between the military police and the Kwantung Army’s Special Service Agency—two factions that were always looking for ways to undermine each other.

The military police were not afraid of the Special Service Agency making a fuss, but since the individuals involved were merely low-ranking patrolmen, the conflict would have been trivial and not worth the effort.

Furthermore, the moment Xu Ruiyang met them, he had tucked fifty Manchukuo yuan into the sign-out ledger. With that, the incident was treated as an accident and easily brushed aside.

Having received the money, Lieutenant Yoshida’s tone naturally softened. He had originally intended to slap Xu Ruiyang a few times to set an example for the other officers, but for the sake of the money, he let it slide.

Do not underestimate the sum of fifty Manchukuo yuan. This puppet currency was pegged at par with the Japanese yen, and the monthly salary of an average Japanese clerk was only a little over one hundred.

For a rank-and-file officer like Xu Ruiyang, whose monthly salary was a mere twenty-one yuan, being able to produce such a sum meant he would likely have to tighten his belt for the next six months.

By 1:30 PM, the snow on the road had been mostly cleared, leaving walls of snow on either side. The cold was bone-chilling.

"Damn it, those two Japanese bastards froze to death while drunk, and it cost you fifty yuan," his partner, Luo Shijie, said while pedaling his bicycle. "If I may say so, it’s lucky you’re a bachelor. If I had to cough up fifty yuan, my whole family wouldn't survive."

Luo Shijie was a veteran of the police station, the type who just coasted through his days. He couldn't even speak Japanese; if not for a brother-in-law working at the Central Security Bureau, he would have been kicked out long ago.

He enjoyed patrolling with Xu Ruiyang because the young man was sharp, learned quickly, and was clever in his dealings with people. Since they had started patrolling together, he had never once been slapped by the military police.

"Not getting beaten by the military police is a stroke of luck. Thank the heavens," Xu Ruiyang replied. "The Special Service Agency and the military police are constantly locking horns, often leaving the Police Department caught in the middle. The Special Service Agency would have loved for me to be dragged off and beaten to death by the military police; that would have given them an excuse to cause trouble."

The Japanese military police were under the jurisdiction of the Minister of War, and the Kwantung Army Military Police Headquarters reported to the Military Police Command in Tokyo—an organization established by Hideki Tojo, then Vice Minister of War. While they obeyed the Commander of the Kwantung Army, the Commander himself lacked the authority to discipline them.

Meanwhile, the puppet Manchukuo Special Service Agencies were led by the Harbin Special Service Headquarters and were established by the Kwantung Army, overseen by the Second Section (the Intelligence Section) of the General Staff.

Both the Kwantung Army Military Police and the Harbin Special Service Headquarters had the authority to command and deploy the police, but the high-ranking Japanese officials in the puppet Manchukuo Ministry of Public Security were all from the Special Service Agency. The military police were deeply dissatisfied with this, and the two sides were constantly bickering like dogs to gain dominance.

Major General Shirokura Yoshie of the Kwantung Army Military Police and Major General Hata Hikosaburo of the Harbin Special Service Headquarters were classic arch-rivals.

"I agree with that. Spending money to avoid disaster is the way to go," Luo Shijie said. "You’re sharp, though. With your adaptability, being a patrol officer is a waste of your talents. If you find a powerful patron, you’ll definitely soar."

"Between us brothers, the methods of the Japanese military police are too vicious," Luo Shijie added, lowering his voice. "The underground party members they capture are tortured so horribly that just looking at them gives you nightmares."

By custom, the two rode their bikes around their patrol zone twice before hiding in a corner to smoke and chat. They spent two hours in a familiar grocery store, and by five o'clock, they went to the station to sign out, as they did almost every day.

Tomorrow was New Year's Day, and there would be a series of celebrations. The police station would remain on duty as usual, with shifts rotating for time off.

"Xu-kun?"

Xu Ruiyang heard someone call his name. He turned to see Inoue Haruka, the Japanese girl he had saved the day before. She was also riding a bicycle and had caught up to him from behind.

"Miss Inoue, what a coincidence! Are you heading home from work, or are you out for something?" Xu Ruiyang quickly pulled over and asked with a smile.

"I just finished work and was heading home, but I didn't expect to run into you, Xu-kun. If you are free this evening, may I invite you to dinner at the Yamato Hotel?" Inoue Haruka also stopped, dismounted, and bowed before speaking.

Luo Shijie’s eyes widened. Since when did Xu Ruiyang know such a beautiful Japanese girl? And she was the one actively inviting him to dinner at the Yamato Hotel—that was unheard of!

"It is my honor that Miss Inoue would lower herself to invite me to dinner. I would be honored to accept," Xu Ruiyang said. "But we must agree that I will pay for the meal."

His purpose in saving her had been to leverage the influence of the South Manchuria Railway. Receiving an invitation to dinner was exactly what he had hoped for; the more contact they had, the stronger their relationship would become.

"The Yamato Hotel is managed by our South Manchuria Railway. I can expense it as a business meal, so there is no need to pay yourself. You don't need to insist," Inoue Haruka explained.

Luo Shijie caught the exchange, signaled to Xu Ruiyang, and quietly pedaled away. He could tell the girl had no intention of inviting him along.

Envy was written all over his face. The Yamato Hotel—the most high-end Japanese hotel in Xinjing—he had never even set foot inside!

This "Miss Inoue" turned out to be with the South Manchuria Railway, able to sign for meals at the Yamato Hotel without paying. She clearly had connections. His little brother Xu really knew how to cultivate the right relationships.

"Tonight, I will treat Xu-kun to some delicious Oden and Japanese Kikumasamune sake," Inoue Haruka said after ordering. "By the way, your accent doesn't sound like a local's, Xu-kun?"

They were in the dining hall of the Yamato Hotel. Had it not been for Inoue Haruka, Xu Ruiyang would never have been allowed in, as the hotel mostly catered to Japanese elites and high-ranking puppet officials—the status of a patrol officer was far too low.

"Miss Inoue is quite perceptive," Xu Ruiyang said. "My home is indeed not in Xinjing, but in Shandong Province. As for why I came to Xinjing, let me tell you the story slowly."