Agent: Intercepting Yu Manli at the start!

Chapter 53 preserved the last spark of hope!

Zhou Xiao nodded and smiled: "Nothing else, just a few words of encouragement and a promotion."

"They got me into the Special Affairs Committee and even allocated me a house—saying they wanted me to build a 'Zhou Mansion'."

Feng Manna chuckled: "Is Section Chief Aoki some kind of mind reader? You casually mentioned wanting to buy a villa at lunch, and he had it all ready for you by the afternoon?"

"Congratulations, Committee Member Zhou! Hahaha!"

"Don't joke around." Zhou Xiao waved his hand, his tone indifferent. "It's just a nominal title. The committee is full of people; one more or one less makes no difference."

"That's true," Feng Manna blinked, "but the title 'committee member' means they manage all sorts of informants and outposts, big and small, so they wield considerable power."

"That's right!" He suddenly laughed heartily, a surge of pride rising within him. "Tonight at the Shanghai Grand Hotel, it's my treat—everyone from headquarters, without exception!"

Infiltration is never about hiding on a deserted island and pretending to be mute; it's about blending into the crowd, plunging into the hustle and bustle, weaving a web amidst clinking glasses, and laying mines amidst laughter and conversation.

A keen understanding of human relationships is the strongest shield and the sharpest blade.

"Okay!" Feng Manna replied with a smile. "Then I'll thank Committee Member Zhou on behalf of everyone."

In the afternoon, Zhou Xiao drove to Qingke Road to personally inspect the mansion that Aoki Takeshi had so generously rewarded.

The site is spacious, with a three-story main building featuring white walls, gray tiles, and arched windows. In front is a courtyard with stacked stones and a spring, and in the back is a secluded bamboo grove with winding paths. Artificial hills are scattered, koi carp swim leisurely, and flowers and trees flourish, exuding an air of elegance and nobility.

The architecture blends Chinese and Western styles: under the upturned eaves are carved wrought iron railings, and stained glass is embedded at the corners of the corridors—it retains the essence of the East while exuding Western elegance, which suits Zhou Xiao's taste perfectly.

Aoki Takeshi gifted the house, ostensibly as a reward, but secretly as a way to win him over; Zhou Xiao accepted it readily—going with the flow, turning it into a cover. Future contacts, handovers, and hiding could all be carried out here with ease.

What's even better is the location: it's right next to the French Concession, and you can see the familiar gray brick wall of the Ming Mansion in less than a ten-minute walk.

The Ming Mansion is the old residence of the Ming family.

Zhou Xiao stood before the cast-iron gate, gazing up at the old plaque above the lintel that hadn't yet been removed, remaining silent for a long time. After a while, he finally spoke in a low voice, each word heavy and firm:

"Mr. Wang, I will continue what you left unfinished."

Wang Haoyang was the true owner of this house. He did not belong to any political party, but he had a burning passion for the cause—secretly supporting the anti-Japanese front, continuously sending medicine, radios, and funds to Shanghai, and quietly having people stuff intelligence into his medicine chest and sew it into the lining of his fur coat.

On the day the scandal broke, the Special Higher Police confiscated all of Wang Haoyang's assets. This house, along with Wang Haoyang himself, vanished without a trace overnight.

Fortunately, he had sent his wife and children overseas long ago, thus preserving the last bit of the Wang family line.

In times of chaos, the land of China has never lacked people like this:

Though they have no military rank, they are capable of shouldering the weight of the nation's burdens.

Not a warrior, yet daring to use flesh and blood as a shield.

When one falls, a thousand rise.

Four hundred million people—how could a butcher's knife possibly kill them all?

Zhou Xiao understood that Aoki Takeshige's handing over of the house was both a test and a gesture of goodwill.

He didn't refuse—taking it along was a good move.

With just a little tidying up and careful renovation, this villa can be transformed into a magnificent and imposing mansion.

That evening, Zhou Xiao, full of high spirits, hosted a lavish banquet at the Shanghai Grand Hotel, inviting all his colleagues from the Special Operations Headquarters—but they were all trusted confidants.

Chen Shen was also present.

During the banquet, glasses clinked and delicacies filled the table. Everyone frequently raised their glasses to congratulate Zhou Xiao on his promotion to member of the Special Affairs Committee. Zhou Xiao thanked them with smiles, showing humility and propriety.

The banquet was filled with laughter and joy; everyone ate and drank to their heart's content.

As the wine flowed freely and several rounds of dishes were served, everyone felt slightly full and their expressions gradually relaxed.

Zhou Xiao, holding a wine glass, strolled over to Chen Shen and said loudly with a laugh, "Congratulations on your promotion to section chief!"

Chen Shen took a sip of wine, a slight smile playing on his lips, but his tone remained indifferent: "It's just a temporary position—when someone truly capable comes along, I'll immediately step down."

He was appointed "acting director" without any warning, and even he himself was baffled.

While the person was still listening to the gramophone in the booth at the Paramount, the appointment letter had already been quietly placed on the desk.

Zhou Xiao raised his hand and patted him on the shoulder, his gaze resolute: "No, you're the right person. Trust yourself, you can handle this..." Before he finished speaking, he had already turned and walked away.

Chen Shen stood there, his fingers gripping the wine glass, momentarily lost in thought.

He hadn't initially had much interest in the position of head of the action department, but Zhou Xiao's words were like a ray of light piercing through the fog.

Yup!

Only by securing this position can one access higher-level intelligence networks, deliver more critical and lethal intelligence to the organization, and truly fulfill the mission entrusted by the Prime Minister.

In an instant, my mind cleared up, and my belief became as firm as a rock.

That night, in an old-fashioned cinema in the French Concession, a black-and-white romance film was playing slowly on the screen. It was a late-night screening, the audience sparse, and the dim lighting provided just that.

Midway through the film, Zhou Xiao and his online doctor, Li Xiaonan, secretly made contact while changing seats.

Zhou Xiao joked with a smile, "Dr. Li, how about we meet somewhere else next time? A nightclub or a dance hall would be fine. We can even dance afterwards, how comfortable!"

The two have been partners for a long time, and their tacit understanding has permeated their daily lives. They speak and act without any restraint, and are as familiar with each other as neighbors.

Li Xiaonan wrinkled her nose slightly: "You've been drinking?"

"I rushed over as soon as the party ended," Zhou Xiao nodded frankly.

She immediately straightened her face: "Next time, drink less alcohol before the meeting—who knows what unexpected situations might arise?"

She cared not only about the success or failure of the mission, but also about Zhou Xiao's safety.

"I'll remember!" Zhou Xiao felt a warmth in his heart.

Li Xiaonan stopped smiling and went straight to the point: "Organizational orders: eliminate the traitor Chen Mingfu."

???

Get rid of Chen Mingfu?

What a coincidence?

Zhou Xiao's eyebrows twitched, and he blurted out, "The person has been dealt with."

He never expected that the first task assigned by the organization would be a perfect match for the major traitor Chen Mingfu, whom he had personally killed that morning—the poisoned wine operation had only been completed less than ten hours earlier!

Li Xiaonan looked up in astonishment: "Are you drunk? I barely opened my mouth and you're already saying it's all taken care of? How is that possible?"

"Absolutely true."

"But Chen Mingfu was still talking eloquently at the press conference this morning! We received a secret report that the Military Intelligence Bureau originally planned to take action at the venue."

"Just in case, the organization also sent two comrades to lie in wait at the scene—if the Military Intelligence Bureau failed, they would immediately finish the job."

"As a result, the Military Intelligence Bureau personnel remained inactive, and our personnel had no choice but to withdraw as ordered."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Xiao's eyes lit up: Xiao Tu and Lu Wangshu's appearance at the venue was indeed not a coincidence, but rather an order to "clean up the mess".

Chen Mingfu truly deserved to die—he betrayed his country for personal gain, sold out his comrades, and was responsible for countless deaths. It was only natural that the underground party and the Kuomintang both targeted him.

This person was originally a key member of the underground Communist Party, but later joined the Kuomintang's Military Intelligence Bureau. When the Japanese invaded China, he groveled and knelt down to join the Japanese camp.

He possessed too many secrets, and each defection brought about a bloodbath—countless anti-Japanese patriots were slaughtered because of his betrayal, and countless intelligence networks were torn apart by his own hands.

"Chen Mingfu left the meeting peacefully after it ended, and no one attacked him the whole time. You're saying he's gone?" Li Xiaonan still couldn't believe it.

"Why would I lie to you?" Zhou Xiao smiled. "Tomorrow morning's headline will definitely be 'Pro-Japanese Ambassador Chen Mingfu Dies Suddenly After Accidentally Drinking Poisoned Wine'."

Chen Mingfu's identity is sensitive, and news of his death is currently being kept strictly confidential, making it extremely difficult for ordinary people to find out. But the truth cannot be hidden forever, and tomorrow the city's newspapers will be filled with it—this news cannot be concealed, nor should it be.

Seeing Zhou Xiao's calm expression and confident tone, Li Xiaonan finally believed him to some extent: "This... really was you who did it?"

"Yes." He made no attempt to hide it. "I personally administered the poison, disguising it as an accident. As for the details, you'll find out on the front page tomorrow morning."

Li Xiaonan gasped and whispered, "Zhou Xiao, you're amazing—the organization had barely made a move when you had already closed the net."

"Tsk, your move is truly masterful—to craft an assassination that looks like a divinely ordained accident. That's real skill, incredibly brilliant!"

Li Xiaonan, who had worked as a secret agent, knew very well: taking a life was not difficult, but it was difficult to do it without drawing blood, without leaving a trace, and without even leaving a trace!

Especially someone like Zhou Xiao, who infiltrates the enemy's heart.

He could kill without making a sound, and then use the opportunity to climb the social ladder, getting promotions, raises, living in mansions, and receiving rewards... That's not just impressive, it's practically cheating!

But Zhou Xiao really did it, becoming a veritable "shadow war god" walking on the edge of a knife.

"Sister Li, please don't flatter me." Zhou Xiao paused slightly, a slight smile playing on his lips. "Today, the Special Higher Police Chief, Aoki Takeshige, personally issued a commendation order, awarding me a detached villa at 168 Qingke Road—I plan to renovate it into 'Zhou Mansion.' In the future, if there's any emergency, just go there to find me."

Li Xiaonan nodded: "Okay, I've got it."

"Oh, right, there's one more thing." Zhou Xiao's tone became lighter. "Now I'm not only the head of the intelligence department of the Special Operations Headquarters, but I've also joined the Special Affairs Committee, which means I'm in a position of real power. I'll be dealing with far more classified files and confidential documents than before."

"This is great news!" Li Xiaonan's eyes lit up, but then her expression turned serious, and she lowered her voice. "But the higher you go, the more people will be watching you. If you make a mistake, someone will immediately pull you down and smash you to pieces."

"So you have to be careful and precise with every step you take. If you ever realize that the code name '210' might have been leaked, don't hesitate, retreat immediately—better to lose contact than to be exposed."

"Understood!" Zhou Xiao could tell that this wasn't a mission order, but a genuine expression of concern.

That concern had long since crossed the boundaries between superiors and subordinates, quietly seeping into other meanings.

After finishing their business, the two chatted casually.

Zhou Xiao asked with a smile, "Li, the great star, are there any new movies of yours on the big screen lately? I need to rent out a whole theater to support you."

"A celebrity? I'm just a stand-in and stepping stone at best." Li Xiaonan laughed, her eyes crinkling. "How can I compare to you, Committee Member Zhou—promotion, wealth, and a mansion, you've got it all, so impressive, hahaha."