aircannonsinc Chapter 38 The Silent Struggle and the Wrong Judgment
Chapter 38 The Silent Struggle and the Wrong Judgment
As dawn broke, at the headquarters of the Special Higher Police in Shanghai.
Tsukamoto Kameichi's face darkened so much upon hearing his subordinate's report that it seemed like water could drip from it.
"Six men! Six experienced secret agents! Vanished without a trace right in the British concession?"
Not even a single useful clue was left? Even the traces of struggle and fighting were almost perfectly disposed of? His voice was not loud, but it was like the hiss of a venomous snake, sending chills down the spines of the section chiefs and captains standing below.
"Chief, we...we only found some extremely subtle traces at the scene, which appear to have been specially treated. The other party is very professional; it's definitely the work of an expert." The technician in charge of the scene investigation reported with a forced smile.
"And the ambush on the Kunming-Shanghai Highway!" Tsukamoto slammed his fist on the table. "Yamashita Hoyo, who just provided crucial information, was almost killed in a bombing! The Military Intelligence Bureau knows his every move! Is that just a coincidence?"
Have you ever thought that if Yamashita Takao were killed in the explosion, even if someone knew where the crows were, they wouldn't dare to report it to us anymore?
After all, whether you're rich or powerful, you still need to be alive to enjoy them!
He stood up abruptly, his hawk-like gaze sweeping over everyone present, from the Special Higher Police to the military police representative, his eyes filled with suspicion and scrutiny.
"I never believe in accidents! Especially this time, the mysterious disappearance of the personnel monitoring Lin Xiaowen and the attack on Yamashita-kun, the timing was so close, and the actions so precise! This is definitely not just because the Military Intelligence Bureau is powerful!"
He paused, then said, word by word, "I believe that within our ranks, whether it's the Special Higher Police, the Military Police, or even the consulate... there must be spies from the Military Intelligence Bureau!"
This conclusion sent a chill down everyone's spine, and the air in the office almost froze. Internal purges are often more brutal and bloody than external struggles.
"Immediately initiate an internal secret investigation!" Tsukamoto Kameichi said coldly, "Code name 'The Cleaner'!"
I will be directly in charge, with Chief Inukai carrying out the specifics. All those with knowledge of the operation will undergo the most rigorous scrutiny! This includes everyone involved in yesterday's operation! We must dig out this mole hiding in the heart of the Empire!
"Yes, sir!" Inukai Gakufu immediately bowed and accepted the order, a glint of excitement and cruelty flashing in his eyes.
After giving the order, Tsukamoto Kameichi's anger subsided slightly, but his thoughts quickly turned to the young man in the British Concession.
"That Han Zhenhua... no, Zhenhua Cole..." He tapped the table, "Have you found out his background?"
Another team leader in charge of intelligence gathering quickly stepped forward: "Section Chief, we have made a preliminary investigation."
This person is indeed a British citizen, and his passport was issued by the British Embassy in Shanghai. The information is accurate.
He is the Vice-Chancellor of St John's University and a direct disciple of Professor Albert Cole, a renowned British physicist. Judging from the fact that he is always protected by the British Royal Navy's Yangtze River Fleet, he should be a British nobleman, and possibly even a nobleman from the British Royal Navy. Of course, the specific situation still needs to be further verified with the British side!
However, academically, he is said to be a physics genius who transferred from Victoria University in Hong Kong.
Currently, they are conducting an important physics research project with Professor Cole. According to rumors in the British Concession education circle, their research results have been shortlisted by the Nobel Prize in Physics committee this year. Although they may not win the prize, just being shortlisted is already a remarkable achievement!
Alas! Since the Meiji Restoration, not a single scientific research achievement of our Great Japanese Empire has ever been 'selected'!
"A British nobleman? A physicist shortlisted for the Nobel Prize?" Upon hearing this, the anger on Tsukamoto Kameichi's face was gradually replaced by a complex emotion.
Japanese society is strictly hierarchical, with a natural reverence for the nobility and immense respect for scholars and educators. Teachers and scholars have always held extremely high status in Japan.
The value and status of such a young nobleman, a scientist who might win the Nobel Prize, suddenly became much heavier on the scales in his heart.
He carefully recalled the details of the conflict at the school gate recorded in the files:
Han Zhenhua's fluent English, his expensive Studebaker, and the British sailors guarding him...
His frail body, which was pushed away by Special Higher Police agents, fell heavily to the ground at a height of 3.7 meters.
And the unwavering stance he displayed in the face of threats, based on the "honor of the British Empire"... all of this seemed to fit the image of a highly regarded young scholar, possibly with an aristocratic background, and immensely proud of his identity as a member of the British Empire...
Out of respect for the nobility and knowledge, Tsukamoto Kameichi immediately became convinced that Han Zhenhua could not possibly be a Chinese spy!
No country would ever use a "national treasure" physicist who is "shortlisted" for the Nobel Prize in Physics as a lowly spy who could be killed at any time. This is completely contrary to common sense in any country in the world!
He firmly believes that Han Zhenhua and Lin Xiaowen's relationship is simply a romantic one, or rather, a physical relationship!
Kameichi Tsukamoto made a decision: "Send the order to lift the daily surveillance on Han Zhenhua. When you see him again, be polite and respectful. A potential future Nobel Prize winner in physics is worth the Empire's courting, not offense."
He paused, then added, "As for Lin Xiaowen... well, she's gone, so be it."
An insignificant female student, not a key figure, and besides, her father, Lin Yaodong, is still in our hands!
"As long as we catch Lin Wuyai, I don't believe he'd disregard his father's life or death! That's the real big fish!"
A few days later, a beautifully crafted and politely worded invitation was personally delivered to the villa at 169 Jing'an Road by a well-dressed junior official from the Special Higher Police.
The invitation was issued in Tsukamoto Kame's name alone. It expressed his apology for the "unnecessary misunderstanding" that occurred at the school gate recently, and his hope to have the opportunity to apologize in person and get to know Han Zhenhua, this "young academic elite".
The banquet venue could be chosen by Han Zhenhua at any restaurant within the British concession to ensure absolute safety, thus demonstrating that he had no ulterior motives.
When Han Zhenhua received the invitation, he was initially alarmed, but then breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing the contents, followed by a sense of absurdity.
The Japanese are actually coming to apologize? And they even want to befriend me? This is truly unexpected.
He immediately realized that this must be a gesture made by Tsukamoto Kameichi after investigating his "background." It seemed that his camouflage as a "British physics genius" was working even better than expected.
"Hold on, we must hold on!" Han Zhenhua thought to himself. "We absolutely cannot arouse any suspicion or hostility from the Japanese now. If we fall out with the Japanese, not to mention whether I will be kidnapped or assassinated by them, just the fact that the German army will invade Poland next September and a war will break out between Britain and Germany will mean that Britain will no longer be able to intervene in the Far East!"
The British concession became the Japanese's backyard. They could come and go as they pleased, arrest whomever they wanted. The British could only be angry but dared not speak out. Even the two warships of the Yangtze River Fleet, HMS Ladybug and HMS Honeybee, were sunk by the Japanese, and hundreds of British sailors died in battle. The British were powerless to do anything!
So by then, even the real British would be in trouble, let alone this fake British!