Chapter 60: Going Live

Chapter 60: Going Online

“This action of yours was justified and does not violate the organization’s principles. On the contrary, it benefits your undercover mission by adding an international intelligence channel. I will report this specifically to the higher authorities,” said Song Haifeng.

“The developments between Japan and Wang Jingwei are also the latest assignments from the organization. However, the information sources we currently have cannot yet provide intelligence on this matter,” he inquired.

If Wang Jingwei were to establish a puppet regime, it would undoubtedly have a tremendous impact on the current situation. He had been the vice president of the Shancheng government, holding a very high rank and status, with a group of supporters there. He was not comparable to mere traitorous local faction leaders.

“It’s highly likely that Wang Jingwei arrived in Shanghai from Hanoi. He was secretly escorted by Kagezo Masaaki, the Military Affairs Section Chief of the Japanese Army Ministry, who went to Vietnam. This information has not been confirmed yet. I plan to discreetly inquire about it tomorrow. During this period, I have also contacted several people, and I would like to give you a detailed report,” Xu Ruiyang explained.

In just over half an hour, he reported to Song Haifeng on his activities since arriving in Shanghai from outside the city.

The report mainly covered the various factions he had engaged with, such as the Japanese Garrison Headquarters in Shanghai, the Choguangtang secret service agency, the police station, and the western Shanghai gendarmerie detective team, as well as the arrangements made by the Military Intelligence Bureau.

Having been in Shanghai for just over a month, his information was still limited. Upon hearing that Hongyuan Trading Company could send goods beyond the Shanghai blockade, Song Haifeng was greatly pleased. This meant that the underground party’s procurement in Shanghai had gained an important logistical advantage.

“The company you established is of great significance. You must find every possible way to maintain it. The base needs supplies, and in the future, this channel might be used to transport goods out of Shanghai,” Song Haifeng said.

The underground army in southern Jiangsu had its own anti-Japanese base. Since Jiangsu Province was the wealthiest in China, supporting the war through war efforts played an essential role against the Japanese army. Therefore, the underground party's anti-Japanese base was a thorn in the side of the Japanese forces. The soldiers and villagers faced continuous attacks and required material support from the underground organization.

The most critical supplies were medicines, followed by seamless steel pipes for weapon manufacturing, small machinery, various tools, essential chemical raw materials, radio parts and batteries, printing presses, ink, and paper for the propaganda department. All these could be procured in Shanghai, but transportation posed a significant challenge.

“Currently, conditions are not ripe for transporting supplies to the base. The staff identities in my company are extremely complicated, posing huge risks. Yet, I must still utilize them to ensure the normal operation of the business, which will take time,” Xu Ruiyang said.

“Through Hongyuan Trading Company, I have also earned some money recently, most of which I used to smooth connections. I first supported the organization with twenty thousand US dollars as funds to purchase supplies. Apart from that, I am temporarily unable to do more. My foundation is indeed very weak,” he added.

The underground environment was extremely harsh, allowing no room for carelessness. If any link in this chain broke, Xu Ruiyang would bear the consequences.

The organization’s main task for him was intelligence gathering, not procurement and transportation. Whenever possible, such activities should be minimized, especially when conditions were not yet suitable.

“On behalf of the organization, I thank you for your contributions. The base’s financial income is minimal, so such a large sum of US dollars is truly a blessing in disguise. I will request approval from higher authorities to hand this money over to the underground party in Shanghai. The materials they purchase will be directly delivered to the southern Jiangsu base,” Song Haifeng said.

“The organization will give you time to develop. Intelligence gathering remains your core mission and will not change. Moreover, southern Jiangsu is not the only base; in the future, there will be bases in northern and central Jiangsu as well. When conditions mature, operations can begin,” he added.

“Teacher, will you be my handler?” Xu Ruiyang asked.

This was the pressing issue he needed to resolve. Only with a handler could he receive tasks from the organization and promptly relay intelligence to the base.

“I have other assignments and cannot stay in Shanghai long-term. After careful consideration, the organization has assigned an experienced and thoroughly tested comrade named Yang Xuedong as your handler. He runs a traditional Chinese medicine shop called Ji’an Hall in the French Concession. His daughter, Yang Ziyan, your junior schoolmate, serves as the radio operator but is unaware of your true identity,” Song Haifeng explained.

“If you need to pass intelligence to the organization, go to Ji’an Hall for the meet-up. The code phrase is: ‘Did you get the two jin and four liang of seahorse wine I ordered?’ If he replies, ‘You ordered three jin and four liang of seahorse wine,’ it means the meet-up is successful. If he is unable to meet, he will give a random number. If you sense danger, use the same method. Once a meet-up succeeds, the code becomes invalid,” Song Haifeng instructed.

The two talked until midnight. Xu Ruiyang drove Song Haifeng to a nearby inn to stay. Aware of the organization’s financial difficulties, he voluntarily gave Song Haifeng one thousand French francs as expenses in Shanghai.

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The next morning, Xu Ruiyang first went to around number 570 Fulu Li Road. Indeed, security was extremely tight here. Not only were guards stationed at the gate, but over a dozen people patrolled the vicinity, and several fruit vendors operated nearby.

Looking inside from the gate, people moved around the compound, and residents gazed out from their windows. There might even be machine guns or similar weapons. Given this level of vigilance, the Military Intelligence Bureau in Shanghai could not possibly attempt an assassination; even approaching the place was out of the question.

“Director, Sirius just reported that Wang Jingwei has arrived in Shanghai and is residing at 570 Fulu Li Road in the French Concession. However, the Japanese have set up such a strict guard that an assassination seems impossible!” Pan Qiwu reported with the telegram in hand.

The Sirius encrypted message contained critical secrets. Currently, only five people had access: Dai Li, Mao Renfeng, Pan Qiwu, and two radio operators.

“Inform Wang Tianmu and the assassination team. But if the timing is not right, under no circumstances should they act rashly. Sirius’s intelligence gathering is quick—he locked onto Wang Jingwei as soon as he arrived in Shanghai. The whereabouts of this great traitor are highly classified by the Japanese army!” Dai Li said with a smile.

“Sirius has requested the headquarters. The agents from the Special Service Department have gathered some leads in the concession. Although identities are not confirmed, they might be comrades. He cannot avoid capture operations, so he proposed a plan,” Pan Qiwu continued.

“If any of our comrades are caught, he will send a telegram to headquarters to sever related communications, hoping headquarters can cooperate by instructing comrades in Shanghai to hold out for at least twenty-four hours before confessing. Then, under the pretext of developing informants, he will release these people back into Shanghai,” Pan Qiwu explained.

“Reply to Sirius that if such a situation arises, it is an unavoidable necessity. They should respond normally. We must trust our comrades to withstand the test!” Dai Li said, regretting this statement almost immediately.

(End of Chapter)