Chapter 68: Fanning the Flames, Part Two

The pay at the Military Statistics Bureau did not follow the wartime salary standards of the Chongqing government, but after all, the wages were fixed. Take Wan Liulang, a lieutenant colonel, for instance; his monthly salary was one hundred and seventy legal tender yuan, which, supplemented by some operational funds, still meant that in Shanghai, eating a hearty meal of fish and meat was only an occasional luxury.

The compensation at the Special Operations Section was damn high!

"Section Chief Xu is right. Even if I go to the Special Service Headquarters, I will still maintain private contact with the Special Operations Section. In this day and age, having more paths to take is always a good thing!" Chen Mingchu said with a smile.

"That's the logic. Although the scale of the Special Operations Section isn't as large as the Special Service Headquarters, staying here is much more practical. A bigger crowd brings more trouble, not to mention having a Central Statistics Bureau person as the boss!" Lin Zhijiang said.

Both Chen Mingchu and Lin Zhijiang were very keen to stay in the Special Operations Section. They were not particularly enthusiastic about power, but they had an intense craving for wealth.

Look at the generous hand of the Special Operations Section; the Special Service Headquarters could probably never match it. The two red envelopes totaled around six thousand legal tender yuan, which was by no means a small sum.

"Don't worry, Section Chief Xu. Even when we get to the Special Service Headquarters, we will still have plenty of occasions to ask for your guidance in the future. I hope you won't mind when the time comes!" Wan Liulang said with a smile.

"As long as Section Chief Xu doesn't find it annoying, I will definitely come to disturb you often." Zhang Jinlu said with a smile.

Wan Liulang and Zhang Jinlu actually preferred joining the Special Service Headquarters. Wan Liulang lusted after power, while Zhang Jinlu hoped to find an opportunity to return to the Military Statistics Bureau.

In the evening, a celebratory cocktail party was held in the auditorium of the garrison headquarters in Shanghai. The guest list was relatively small, consisting entirely of personnel from various Japanese intelligence agencies and affiliated organizations in Shanghai.

A military institution like the garrison headquarters would not use ordinary people for service. The band was a Japanese orchestra from the Hongkou Japanese-occupied area, and the service staff were also Japanese expatriates, each of whom had undergone rigorous background checks.

Saburo Saburo was not one to swallow a loss quietly either. He was also using this occasion to publicize the achievements of the Special Operations Section to high-ranking officials of the Japanese military intelligence apparatus, subtly demeaning the upcoming Special Service Headquarters. Snatching the Special Operations Section's resources to build one's own achievements would bound to bring negative consequences.

"My dear brother, I just heard Colonel Yusa say that Ding Mocun and Li Shiqun are green with envy over your achievements and went a bit too far, actually using Lieutenant Colonel Haruki's connections to snatch away all the fruits of the Special Operations Section's labor!" Lu Ying, the Chief of Police, walked over to Xu Ruiyang with a glass of wine and said with a smile.

After Sadaaki Yusa arrived in Shanghai, Lu Ying quickly aligned himself with him. Given his "seniority" and the importance of the police department, Sadaaki Yusa held him in high regard.

"Indeed, good deeds never leave the house, while bad news travels a thousand miles. But this is something that cannot be helped. The Special Operations Section has shallow roots; how can it compare with the future Special Service Headquarters?" Xu Ruiyang said, puffing on his cigar.

"Actually, it's not entirely a bad thing. I was just discussing this issue with Colonel Yusa. The Special Service Headquarters has its functions, and the police system has its own functions; neither can replace the other. If we were to let them meddle blindly, we might as well let the Special Service Headquarters annex our police department!"

"If this bunch at the Special Service Headquarters are not kept on a leash, they will instead become the source of chaos in Shanghai. Who doesn't know what kind of virtue Wu Saibao and his ilk possess? A bunch of Green Gang thugs and hooligans, lacking any deterrence or self-restraint, will sooner or later cause a massive disaster!" Lu Ying said with utter disdain.

This old fox Lu Ying, relying on his position as the Chief of the Shanghai Police Department, backed by the Japanese, and enjoying a good relationship with the garrison headquarters, had a reputation that stank to high heaven across Shanghai.

Extortion, bribery, bullying the innocent, reversing right and wrong, trampling on human lives, and slaughtering anti-Japanese patriots—he was a traitor who had committed every evil imaginable.

Yet, he considered himself a "high-ranking government official," using the power in his hands to exchange for personal gain, which he believed conformed to the rules of the game. Unlike the Green Gang hooligans who forced women into prostitution, ran opium dens, smuggled raw opium, stole, robbed, and collected protection fees—all of which were base and lowly behaviors.

"Chief Lu is entirely right. During the startup phase of the Special Service Headquarters, utilizing Green Gang thugs and hooligans was somewhat acceptable to tide over an immediate crisis. But if they rely too heavily on them to get things done, it will indeed be a huge headache. The miserable days for us policemen are yet to come!" Xu Ruiyang said.

"Colonel Yusa said that he will not allow the Special Service Headquarters to excessively interfere in the administrative affairs of the police system. Doing their own job well is enough. Besides, the garrison headquarters would never agree to it anyway. My friend, our police department, although nominally managed by the Ministry of Police Administration, actually maintains a great deal of autonomy," Lu Ying said.

No one wanted others to trample on their shoulders. The reason he reminded Sadaaki Yusa to be wary of the vicious impact caused by Wu Saibao and others was precisely to ensure that the power in his own hands remained unrestricted. He also looked down on people like Ding Mocun and Li Shiqun.

"Xu-kun, won't you invite me for a dance?" Nanako Yoko walked over and said with a smile.

She was wearing a yellow cheongsam embroidered with lotus patterns, her skin fairer than snow, her figure graceful and swaying. Step by step in high heels, she displayed her charming curves with an added hint of seduction. Lu Ying could not help but secretly swallow a mouthful of saliva as he looked at her; this Japanese female agent was simply too captivating.

"Since Miss Yoko is doing me the honor, I would be presumptuous not to. Please!" Xu Ruiyang made an inviting gesture.

Back at Central University, he had frequently attended student-run dances. While he couldn't claim exceptional dancing skills, dancing a routine in public posed no difficulty at all.

However, he and this so-called spy queen of the Japanese military, Nanako Yoko, had barely met a few times to speak of. Her sudden approach to him surely had an ulterior motive.

"Xu-kun, you must be very disappointed about the Special Service Headquarters snatching the credit from the Special Operations Section, right?" Nanako Yoko murmured close to his ear.

"To say I'm not disappointed would be a lie. My heart isn't that magnanimous. Some people just sit there doing nothing, and pies fall from the sky. First, they surrendered to the Empire early; second, it's due to the Empire's grand strategy of supporting Mr. Wang. Luck seems much more important than strength!" Xu Ruiyang said with feigned indignation.

Although Nanako Yoko was charmingly alluring, their interaction remained within normal bounds. From this, one could tell that while she might employ any means necessary to achieve her mission objectives—including her looks and her body—at a formal function of the garrison headquarters, she was still very mindful of appearances.

"Hmph! Building merits and receiving awards by stepping on the garrison headquarters—that kind of credit is not so easy to keep! Xu-kun is a rare talent in the intelligence profession. Since you excel at arresting Military Statistics Bureau agents, you are naturally also an expert in covert operations and infiltration. With the Special Service Headquarters acting as a shield at the front, the Special Operations Section can focus on doing something more valuable."

"Let me leak a little news to you first. Colonel Yusa consulted my opinion and decided to let you join the secret intelligence department of the Doihara Organization, codenamed the Plum Blossom Operation, taking orders directly from Colonel Yusa," Nanako Yoko said in a low voice.