LRAB Chapter 65 I almost didn't recognize you!
Chapter 65 I almost didn't recognize you!
Watanabe Ichiro continued, "Zhang Wanlin had long intended to defect, but he was firmly held back by Lu Yusheng and Huo Tianhong, making it impossible for him to make any progress."
"The letter said that he planned to eliminate the two men and then lead Yongxin to surrender—given Zhang Wanlin's temperament, he was capable of doing such a thing."
Aoki Takeshige raised his chin: "Watanabe-kun, what's your judgment?"
Without this incredible handwriting reproduction, the entire game would have collapsed before the pieces were even placed.
Now, the two are absolutely convinced that the letter was written by Zhang Wanlin himself.
Watanabe Ichiro lowered his voice even further: "Section Chief, we've been watching him for a long time."
"This man calls himself 'General,' is arrogant and domineering, ruthless, and vindictive. Two years ago, when Huo Tianhong's second concubine was three months pregnant, she had an affair. Zhang Wanlin broke into the room in the middle of the night and slit her throat with a knife, without even blinking—he is so cold-blooded that he has no weaknesses."
"Now that Huo and Lu are blocking his path to defecting to the Japanese, why would he care about old friendships? Brothers? In his eyes, they are nothing more than obstacles that he can simply kick aside."
"This approach suits his taste and his methods."
"Besides, he's killed too many people, has enemies all over the city, and assassinations are practically commonplace. He can't sleep soundly at night, and he's always risking his life when he goes out—what way out does he have?"
"The situation in Shanghai is getting more and more chaotic every day. The only thing that can protect him is the Empire. Seeking refuge is his only hope for survival."
"So he was eager to clear away the obstacles—the sooner the better."
Aoki Takeshige nodded slowly, his gaze calm, clearly having taken Watanabe's words to heart.
A person like Zhang Wanlin should act in this way.
Besides, during their last meeting, the other party had already made their intentions clear and openly expressed their loyalty.
Aoki Takeshi asked, "In your opinion, should we keep the appointment?"
Watanabe Ichiro replied resolutely: "I will go! I must go!"
"Hasn't the section chief always wanted to win over Yongxin? With this, the Special Higher Police can finally truly penetrate deep into Shanghai!"
"Even a powerful dragon can't suppress a local snake—no matter how tough we are, we're still outsiders. Yongxin, on the other hand, has been rooted here for decades, with solid connections, resources, and information networks."
Aoki Takeshige's lips curled slightly: "I think so too. Someone like Zhang Wanlin is just what we need."
"Yongxin is one of the three major gangs in Shanghai. It has been entrenched for many years and has connections in both the legal and illegal worlds. If we can recruit it, it will be like having an extra pair of eyes, ears, and a knife—making intelligence gathering, arresting those on the front lines of the anti-Japanese war, and even tracing that printing plate much easier."
"More importantly, it can also help us bite those tough bones that refuse to give in."
Watanabe Ichiro chimed in, "Section Chief is wise. However, since Zhang Wanlin insisted on a secret meeting, it shows he is wary of Huo Tianhong and Lu Yusheng—we must also keep our mouths shut."
"If even the slightest word gets out, Yongxin will probably be torn to pieces, leaving only a few whole pieces."
Aoki Takeshige nodded deeply.
Huo Tianhong and Lu Yusheng's determination to resist Japan was already out in the open—not a secret, but an open secret.
If word gets out and Huo Tianhong and Lu Yusheng learn that Zhang Wanlin has secretly met with the Japanese again, the situation will be completely reversed—Zhang Wanlin will probably be shot before he even draws his sword.
Whether they tear each other apart and fight head-on or simply split up, Yongxin is destined to collapse and suffer heavy losses, making it difficult for it to support half of Shanghai's entertainment industry again.
This was by no means what Aoki Takeshige wanted.
He knew perfectly well that Zhang Wanlin insisted on a secret meeting precisely because he was afraid that the matter would be exposed and he would be punished instead.
Aoki Takeshige nodded in agreement: "Alright, then I'll make a secret trip and meet this 'unparalleled in loyalty and righteousness' Boss Zhang."
"The drama of brothers killing each other has always been the most intriguing."
Watanabe Ichiro hesitated for a moment, then lowered his voice and said, "Section Chief, since we are traveling in secret, the number of people accompanying us must be kept to a minimum. Your safety must be ensured."
"At present, anti-Japanese patriots in Shanghai are active and use ruthless methods."
Aoki Takeshige raised his eyes and looked at Watanabe's face: "Watanabe-kun, you're coming with me this time."
"Even if Zhang Wanlin is a local tyrant, he wouldn't dare to lay a finger on me—no matter how powerful Yongxin is, it ultimately wouldn't dare to provoke the empire."
"With you by my side, I feel much more at ease on the road."
"Besides, this trip was kept completely secret, even the military police were unaware of it. How could those underground party members have timed it perfectly and ambushed us halfway through the journey?"
That's what they say.
There's no fault in it.
Neither Zhang Wanlin nor Aoki Takeshige expected that Zhou Xiao had already deduced the entire game from beginning to end—they were not the players, but pieces placed on the chessboard.
Their every move was already pinned to Zhou Xiao's sand table.
The action team led by Mingtai had already thoroughly explored the streets and alleys of Chunxi Road, and had all the ambush points, retreat lines, and rendezvous points planned out.
The fish has taken the bait; now it's time to reel it in.
The next day, the sky was clear and the breeze was gentle.
Zhou Xiao did not go to the Special Forces Headquarters.
The area is currently in chaos due to Feng Manna's orders, with the entire city searching for banknote printing plates; while Zhou Xiao, as the de facto leader of the headquarters, has the flexibility to maneuver as he pleases.
Today, he will personally help Lin Yiyi sever the venomous snake that is Zhang Wanlin.
Lin Yiyi is indeed a woman who is just as capable as any man, as valiant and sharp as a blade when she is capable, and as sweet and gentle as candy when she is capable of being charming and innocent. But she is, after all, a girl. Is it realistic, and should she be asked to take on Zhang Wanlin all by herself?
More importantly, Zhang Wanlin and Aoki Takeshige are doomed to die today.
Losing one person means survival; keeping one person means becoming the root of disaster; the whole situation will spiral out of control and slide into an unknown abyss.
This is not the ending Zhou Xiao would allow.
Inside Zhou Enlai's Residence.
Zhou Xiao looked at Lin Yiyi: "Yiyi, are you ready?"
Her eyes shone brightly as she nodded vigorously: "I've waited so long for this day!"
The operation has officially begun.
Every step was executed flawlessly, with no time to spare!
As planned, Zhang Wanlin arranged to meet at an abandoned church on the Bund in the suburbs; Aoki Takeshige was led to Wantai Department Store on Chunxi Road—the two places were several miles apart, their times were slightly off, and they had no connection with each other.
To avoid being seen, Zhou Xiao completely changed his appearance: a thick, short black mustache, an old baseball cap pressing down on his brow bone, and a gray cloth jacket covering his broad shoulders and narrow waist, making him look exactly like an old-fashioned accountant from the streets.
Upon seeing him, Lin Yiyi's eyes lit up immediately: "Brother Zhou, this disguise is amazing! I almost didn't recognize you!"
"That's right, it's much more authentic than the 'young master's robe' you wore back then."
When they first met, Lin Yiyi was dressed in a simple long robe, with her hair tied up and adorned with jade, trying to act like a young master from a noble family. However, she was seen through by Zhou Xiao at a glance after only three sentences.
She couldn't help but press, "Honestly, where exactly did you slip up? Nobody else could spot the slightest flaw."
Zhou Xiao glanced at her, a slight smile playing on his lips: "What man's chest is as bulging and hard as yours?"
???
Lin Yiyi glanced down at her chest and snorted softly, "...This is indeed an undeniable flaw."
An abandoned church on the outskirts of the city.
Shanghai was once a city filled with foreign concessions, a place where foreigners lived, missionaries preached, and churches stood side by side.
This building on the Bund, destroyed by war and artillery fire, with its dome collapsed and stained-glass windows shattered, has been deserted for many years. Overgrown weeds cover the stone steps and spider webs hang from the pillars—perfect for clandestine operations.
Zhou Xiao chose this place so that Zhang Wanlin would die silently, his body sinking into the mud without a sound.
In Shanghai, no one, whether in the legitimate or criminal world, dared to touch Zhang Wanlin; but Zhou Xiao insisted on personally lifting the lid off his coffin.
Lin Yiyi had been waiting quietly deep inside the church for a long time.
It was exactly 2 PM.
Two sleek black sedans rolled over the gravel road and stopped in front of the rusted iron gate.
Zhang Wanlin got out of the car, followed by Tian Hu and six capable subordinates.
"Tian Hu, take some men and circle the area, examine it thoroughly." His voice was low and hoarse, his eyes sweeping over the broken walls and ruins like a hawk's.
"yes!"
Tian Hu accepted the order and led his men to quickly infiltrate the church, exploring each floor and even the basement sewers.
Ten minutes later, he turned back and whispered into the car window, "General, the area is clear; there are no ambushes."
Zhang Wanlin then slowly got out of the car, looked around to make sure no one was watching, and then stepped over the dilapidated door frame.
The main structure of the church still exists, with only one main door for entry and exit; although the other windows are broken, the high frames and thick walls make it difficult to climb and even more difficult to escape.
Zhou Xiao chose this place to block all avenues of survival—none of the seven people who came in today will leave standing.
He understood better than anyone else: as long as Zhang Wanlin and Aoki Takeshige lived, Yongxin would still have a chance to breathe; and if Yongxin survived, it would still be useful—what Zhou Xiao wanted was never ruins, but a weapon that could be used.
Zhang Wanlin led his men into the empty church, the sound of his boots striking the blue bricks echoing in the void.
He looked up at the weathered statue and the crooked bench, glanced at his watch, and muttered to himself, "Section Chief Aoki is really late this time... It's past 2:15."
Tian Hu leaned closer: "General, the Japanese are always punctual. Could something have gone wrong on the way?"
Zhang Wanlin narrowed his eyes, his fingers slowly stroking the holster at his waist, his voice deep and tense: "Wait ten more minutes. If they don't show up, retreat immediately."
"Everyone, open your eyes wide and prick up your ears."
Tian Hu solemnly accepted the order.
Time ticks by.
Ten minutes passed in the blink of an eye.
Zhang Wanlin glanced down at his watch, turned to leave, but just then, a clear, bell-like, yet chillingly cold female voice suddenly pierced the silence: "General Zhang, you've arrived. Why the rush to leave?"
It wasn't Aoki Takeshige's voice—it was a woman's.
The moment those words left his lips, even a fool could sense the murderous intent emanating from them.
The three Yongxin disciples immediately tensed up and rushed towards the church door.
withdraw!
But Zhou Xiao would never let them live.
boom!
boom!
boom!
Three loud explosions rang out, crisp and clean. The three men beside Zhang Wanlin didn't even have time to draw their guns before blood spurted from their chests, and they crashed straight to the ground, their eyes still open, their pupils reflecting no image of anyone—where the person was hiding remained a mystery until their very death.
"Protect the commander!" Tian Hu roared, and suddenly pulled Zhang Wanlin behind a pillar, his movement so fast that it created a gust of wind.
The remaining three looked around in panic, wildly firing their guns at the dome, stained-glass windows, and shadows of the columns, but only heard echoes that went unheard, and not even a corner of their clothes was moved.
boom!
boom!
Two more short gunshots rang out.
*Pfft—* A cloud of blood rose up.
Two more people collapsed at Zhang Wanlin's feet, their throats and temples bursting open, their bodies slumping and sliding down, splashing up a speck of dust.
In just over ten seconds, of the six elite soldiers Tian Hu brought, only one was left panting.
He never even pulled the trigger.
"Xiao Dao! Suppress your firepower and cover the commander's breakout!" Tian Hu roared.
The young man called Little Knife grabbed a miniature submachine gun and began firing wildly throughout the church—
Tap tap tap! Clap clap clap!
Bullets rained down, stone chips flew everywhere, and the walls were gnawed into honeycomb-like pits, with dust falling in clumps.
He had no idea where the enemy was; he simply used bullets as a last resort and fired them all at once.
They blew half the box clean, but didn't even wipe a single hair.
boom!
Gunfire erupted again, swift and decisive.
Xiao Dao was shot in the knee and fell forward, the submachine gun slipping from his hand and rolling into the shadows.
Zhang Wanlin and Tian Hu had just peeked out when they retreated again. Their dream of breaking through the encirclement was shattered.
"General Zhang, do you still recognize me?"
The sound came again, light and airy, yet like a knife tip scraping against the eardrum.