signingbooks Chapter 71 Hindsight is 2020!
Chapter 71 Hindsight is 2020!
Zhou Xiao's gaze swept across the entire room, his voice cold and dull: "Right now, all of China's ears are perked up in Shanghai."
Indeed, this isolated island city has become the eye of a storm attracting nationwide attention.
In just two days, the underground Communist Party and the Kuomintang's Military Intelligence Bureau joined forces to behead more than twenty traitors and Japanese invaders, achieving unprecedented success.
Public morale soared, and public opinion was in an uproar. Even radio stations as far away as Chongqing and Qingshan were broadcasting the story repeatedly.
Such a precise and large-scale elimination was enough to invigorate the entire resistance camp—it turned out that such a sharp dagger was hidden in the darkness of Shanghai!
The wind rises from the tip of a blade of grass. Inspired by this, anti-Japanese forces in Beiping, Nanjing, Fengtian and other places spontaneously launched a new wave of eliminating traitors, and the sparks of revolution spread like wildfire, with calls echoing from one place to another.
The calls to resist the enemy grew louder and louder, and the foundation of the Japanese puppet regime was being quietly shaken by this undercurrent.
The Japanese puppet regime's high command was naturally so shocked that they couldn't sit still.
They never expected that the Kuomintang's Military Intelligence Bureau, the Central Bureau of Investigation and Statistics, and the underground Communist Party in Shanghai could coordinate their efforts and launch a series of attacks to cut off their informants and mouthpieces one by one.
Some people feel triumphant, while others feel like they're sitting on pins and needles; this has always been the case.
Although the Military Intelligence Bureau and the underground Communist Party did not formally form an alliance, they secretly acted in unison, cooperating seamlessly.
This is tantamount to cutting off the lifeline of Shanghai's intelligence system.
The Special Operations Headquarters was the first to be hit.
"According to the latest intelligence, there have been a series of assassinations of our personnel in multiple locations in North and Central China," Zhou Xiao said grimly. "The source is this storm in Shanghai."
"To prevent its spread, I immediately issue four death orders—"
"First, effective immediately, all personnel at the Special Operations Headquarters are prohibited from leaving the building. All food and lodging must remain inside. Anyone who leaves without my personal written order will be treated as a traitor!"
"Secondly, mobilize all our investigative resources to monitor anti-Japanese radio signals day and night, follow the clues, and destroy their hideout!"
"Third, set up 'bait'—release false intelligence and false targets to lure them out, then capture them all in one fell swoop!"
"Fourth, Section Chief Feng, immediately activate your informants within the Military Intelligence Bureau. Make sure to uncover the core stronghold, execute one to deter others, and establish authority to quell the chaos!"
"The whole nation is watching Shanghai. We absolutely cannot let them let this trend turn into a raging fire—it must be extinguished, completely extinguished!"
"yes!"
Everyone stood up in unison, their voices thunderous.
This series of deployments sounds ruthless and relentless, especially the "bait" strategy, which is particularly cunning and insidious.
But what no one knew was that before Zhou Xiao spoke, Li Xiaonan and Mingtai had received the order that they were only allowed to act for forty-eight hours.
When the deadline arrived, both the Military Intelligence Bureau and the underground Communist Party went into hiding, the gunfire ceased abruptly, and the undercurrents disappeared into the shadows.
In other words, while Zhou Xiao was giving his impassioned speech and outlining his strategy, the anti-traitor storm in Shanghai had already quietly receded.
His ruthless methods were destined to miss their mark.
However, Kenjiro Oshima and the military police leadership would not scrutinize the time difference.
In their eyes, the moment Zhou Xiao made a move, the streets of Shanghai fell silent—look, that's skill! That's power!
The record of his achievements clearly states: Zhou Xiao was appointed to a critical mission, turned the tide, and extinguished the assassination attempt against the enemy in one fell swoop.
The credit, just like that, steadily fell into his pocket.
The two-day operation to eliminate traitors not only dealt a heavy blow to the enemy and puppet forces, but also stirred up a huge uproar within the enemy camp. Once the storm has passed, Zhou Xiao's "merits" will naturally come to light, and the roots he has planted under the enemy's nose will become even more unbreakable.
That was a brilliant move.
It was a stroke of genius.
They worked from both sides and achieved tangible results.
His shrewdness and skill are truly admirable.
Of course, Zhou Xiao also had another matter on his mind: to take advantage of the situation to expose Feng Manna's mole planted in the Military Intelligence Bureau.
Relying on her connection with Feng Zixiong, Feng Manna secretly planted a mole in the Kuomintang's Shanghai station.
However, this spy has been lying dormant for too long, and the intelligence it possesses is fragmented and peripheral, making it impossible to pry open any truly valuable information...
More importantly, Feng Manna kept the identity of this spy extremely secret—she was the only one in the entire Special Forces Headquarters who knew, and even Zhou Xiao had no clue.
If we can take advantage of her eagerness to make a contribution and induce her to activate this hidden informant, we can follow the clues and take them all down the moment she makes a move.
However, Zhou Xiao wasn't sure whether it would succeed or not.
The meeting adjourned.
Feng Manna stayed behind, her gaze fixed on Zhou Xiao's face: "Third Brother, are you really going to take down the piece of equipment I planted in the Military Intelligence Bureau?"
Zhou Xiao raised his eyes, his tone calm: "Manna, that was a scheme you set up yourself. Whether you use it or not is entirely up to you."
"I don't know how long the anti-Japanese forces in Shanghai will continue to run rampant, I don't know when their decapitation operations will stop, and I can't fathom what they're after instilling such fear in the entire city."
"All I know is that there are powder kegs everywhere right now. You'd better stay at the Special Operations Headquarters and don't go anywhere else."
"Mm!" Feng Manna nodded gently, her heart warming, her eyes slightly moist, and her voice softening: "Third Brother, I know how heavy the burden on your shoulders is... How about I tell you that person's name, and you can take charge of the arrangements?"
"No need." Zhou Xiao waved his hand, his tone light but firm. "As an undercover agent, the fewer people who handle your identity, the safer you are."
It wasn't that he didn't want to know—it was that he dared not.
Once she knew about it, if something happened to that person, Feng Manna would suspect him first.
If he secretly arranged for the Military Intelligence Bureau to keep an eye on him, he might be caught off guard and exposed.
To be absolutely safe, pretending not to know is the most prudent way to live.
Besides, the truth doesn't necessarily have to be extracted from her.
Deep inside enemy territory, every step was fraught with danger.
These words not only protected himself but also subtly earned him points in her heart—trust is often hidden in such quiet thoughtfulness.
Sure enough, Feng Manna's eyes lit up and she smiled slightly: "Okay, I'll go arrange it right away."
In fact, she herself knew that it was still unknown how much trouble this piece could cause.
Zhou Xiao simply said, "Go."
Feng Manna turned and left.
As soon as the door closed, Zhou Xiao's eyes turned cold—now, it was time to truly uncover the mole hidden in the Military Intelligence Bureau's Shanghai station.
This is the most important thing right now.
Bright Photo Studio.
With the mission to eliminate traitors just finished, Mingtai, Yu Manli, and Guo Qiyun found themselves bored and started chatting together.
Guo Qiyun glanced at Mingtai sideways: "Mingtai, isn't your home in Shanghai? You've been back in the city for so long, how come you haven't been home even once?"
Mingtai shook his head and smiled: "No rush, let's wait for the right time."
Yu Manli ran her fingers over an old photograph, her thoughts drifting away—the image of Zhou Xiao from their brief half-month time together at military academy had never faded from her heart.
I haven't seen him since we graduated and went our separate ways.
Although I knew he was also staying in Shanghai, the city was too big and the population too dense, so the reunion was almost like a stroke of luck.
She wasn't even sure if he was still alive, where he had been sent, or if he was doing well... Zhou Xiao had long become the deepest thorn in her heart.
Little did she know that the person she longed for was currently sitting in the intelligence office of the Special Operations Headquarters, strategizing and planning.
Seeing her lost in thought, Mingtai couldn't help but ask, "Manli, what are you daydreaming about?"
"Huh? Oh..." Yu Manli came back to her senses, smiled, "I just feel a little empty now that the mission is over."
Guo Qiyun wiped his sweat: "Manli, you're truly an outlier among secret agents."
Mingtai continued, "We've taken down so many traitors, lackeys, and Japanese devils in the past two days, the intelligence system must be on high alert—that's why 'Pluto' told us to take a two-day break and observe the situation."
"Honestly, Hades is the one who thinks things through and acts with precision. This move was brilliant."
Yu Manli casually remarked, "Here we go again, hindsight is 20/20."
Mingtai was both amused and exasperated: "Manli, those words really hit home."
He paused, then suddenly lowered his voice: "By the way, haven't you guys noticed... something's off about this operation to eliminate the traitors?"
Guo Qiyun and Yu Manli turned their heads at the same time: "What?"
Mingtai narrowed his eyes: "The underground party has infiltrated."
"They rarely killed people directly in the past, but this time, their shadows were everywhere—I ran into several groups while on a mission."
Guo Qiyun didn't take it seriously: "I thought it was a big deal. Aoki Takeshige just died, and with the situation so tense, it's only natural that the underground party would seize the opportunity to rise up."
Yu Manli nodded, "Yes, what's so strange about that?"
Mingtai didn't reply, but stared thoughtfully at the unwashed photo on the table.
The logic sounds right, but it still feels like there's a thorn stuck in my heart—things don't seem as simple as they appear.
What was strange about it? He couldn't quite grasp it, yet it wouldn't leave him.
For the next forty-eight hours, Shanghai unexpectedly fell silent.
There were no gunshots, no bloodshed, no sudden explosions or fires.
Special Higher Police, Military Police, No. 76, Shang Mansion, Special Operations Headquarters... all sorts of forces have set up defenses, among which the Special Operations Headquarters is the most efficient and meticulous in its deployment.
Zhou Xiao's countermeasures even earned frequent nods and public praise from Ken Oshima, the acting head of the Special Higher Police.
For two whole days, the weather was calm and no one was attacked.
The Military Intelligence Bureau and the underground Communist Party seemed to have been choked, and suddenly fell silent.
Zhou Xiao deserves much credit for this unexpected cessation of hostilities.
Special Higher Police.
Section Chief's Office.
Ken Oshima scrutinized Zhou Xiao with a keen eye, his eyes full of approval, and his tone was exceptionally gentle: "Director Zhou, please sit down."
Zhou Xiao calmly took his seat and nodded slightly: "General Oshima, what brings you to my court today?"
Kenjiro Oshima leaned forward, his voice carrying a hint of solemnity: "Director Zhou, your planning and decisive action in thwarting the anti-Japanese elements' series of assassination attempts are commendable. You are not only a trusted friend of the Empire, but also the sharpest blade of the new government."
"I have reported your merits in detail to the Special Committee and the Ministry of Home Affairs—His Majesty the Emperor will remember them, and the Empire will not fail those who are truly loyal."
Zhou Xiao's expression was humble, but his tone was as steady as a rock: "I am deeply grateful for your kindness. We Chinese have an old saying: 'If you eat the king's food, you should be loyal to the king's work' - this is my duty."