usatvline Chapter 2065 Found it!
Chapter 2065 Found it!
Chapter 2065 Found it!
Monkey Dam.
Qiao Chuntao is washing diapers.
Xia Xiaoying cooked while playing with the baby in the rocking chair.
The little guy seemed to smell the aroma of pork cracklings in the air, and started waving his arms and legs and making babbling noises.
Monkey Dam No. 16.
There is a camphor tree at the entrance.
Mao Fulin remembered the address and the features in front of the house. Before he even arrived, he saw Zhou Yifeng sitting on a stool at the door washing diapers.
Hearing the clanging of the rickshaw, Qiao Chuntao looked up and saw Mao Fulin.
……
"It's you." Qiao Chuntao washed her hands, wiped the water off her clothes, and stood up to say.
"Commander Zhou." Mao Fulin was about to salute, but was stopped by a look and gesture from Zhou Yifeng.
“My identity is confidential, and I don’t want to attract the attention of my neighbors,” Qiao Chuntao said.
"Understood," Mao Fulin quickly replied, inwardly admiring the man's meticulousness and caution as a hero of the Shanghai Special Operations Bureau.
"Mr. Zhou, this is a holiday gift that my boss asked me to deliver," Mao Fulin said.
"A holiday gift?" Qiao Chuntao accepted it and asked.
“Everyone will receive a New Year’s gift,” Mao Fulin said. “Mr. Zhou, yours will be distributed first.”
"Please tell the boss for me," Qiao Chuntao nodded and said.
"clear."
"The food is coarse, so I won't keep you for dinner," Qiao Chuntao said with a smile, tossing half a pack of cigarettes to Mao Fulin.
"I wouldn't dare trouble you." Mao Fulin happily accepted the cigarette, smiled, and said, "Then I won't bother Mr. Zhou any longer. Farewell."
"Farewell."
……
"What are you carrying?" Xia Xiaoying asked as her husband carried things into the house.
"It's a New Year's gift from the boss," Qiao Chuntao said.
"Let me see," Xia Xiaoying said happily.
Although she and her husband were not rich, they were not short of money either. However, during wartime, some scarce supplies could not be bought with money alone.
Two cans of fruit and two cans of beef.
Twenty catties of flour.
Twenty catties of rice.
A tin oil can containing peanut oil.
There are also two bags of white sugar and two large bags of milk powder.
“America,” Qiao Chuntao said.
The canned beef and milk powder had English labels, so he guessed they were military aid supplies from the United States.
"Thank you so much, Boss Dai," Xia Xiaoying said happily.
Canned beef is fine, but the most important thing is the milk powder. Even if you have money, you can't buy this kind of imported milk powder.
Qiao Chuntao nodded without saying anything more.
However, he also guessed that the milk powder was definitely not among the normal holiday gifts, but must have been specially prepared by the family at No. 19 Luojiawan.
……
"Come to think of it, I seem to have gotten used to these quiet days now," Qiao Chuntao suddenly said.
"Isn't this life good?" Xia Xiaoying asked her husband.
She was not only a Mulan who fought against the Japanese on the hidden front and personally killed the Japanese invaders, but also a wife and a mother who longed for a quiet and peaceful life.
“Of course,” Qiao Chuntao said.
He naturally missed his comrades in Shanghai and longed to return to the front lines, but he didn't tell his wife this. He knew that telling her would only worry her and wouldn't have any other effect.
Qiao Chuntao knew very well that Boss Dai would never let a capable officer like him from the Shanghai Special Affairs Bureau rest. He figured that perhaps a mission would be assigned after the New Year.
……
"Lock the door, I'm going out for a walk," Qiao Chuntao said to his wife after lunch.
"I know," Xia Xiaoying replied, knowing what her husband was doing outside.
Qiao Chuntao was an extremely insecure person, and was also heavily influenced by his superior, which made him even more concerned about security, even in Chongqing, the rear area.
The accommodation at Monkey Dam was arranged by Boss Dai.
Chongqing is now overcrowded, and even many government officials do not have stable housing. If it weren't for Boss Dai's intervention, Qiao Chuntao and his wife and children would probably have to rent a damp and cramped house for temporary shelter.
Because she had only recently moved to Houziba and was not yet familiar with the surrounding area, Qiao Chuntao subconsciously felt unsafe.
So these days his main 'job' is to wander around the neighborhood and familiarize himself with the surrounding street environment.
Even the presence of a tree at a certain intersection, and whether that tree could stop a bullet in a dangerous moment, were all within Qiao Chuntao's investigation and calculations.
……
Seiichi Matsuo rushed to the vicinity of Monkey Dam.
He met his men at a teahouse.
"Are you sure?" he asked eagerly.
“It’s confirmed,” Junichiro Nakano said in a low voice. “The target lives at No. 16 Monkey Dam, where there is a camphor tree in front of the door.”
“Tell me the specifics,” Matsuo Seiichi said.
“According to information obtained from the neighbors, the male homeowner’s surname is Zhou, but his given name is unknown. However, the neighbors confirmed that the male homeowner is very handsome,” said Junichiro Nakano.
"Continue," Matsuo Seiichi said, overjoyed.
“And according to the neighbors, there is a baby in the house,” Junichiro Nakano said.
"Great, we found it!" Matsuo Seiichi exclaimed excitedly.
……
Not only does the situation of the male head of the household match what Naoya Tsuchiya said, but most importantly, Mao Fulin's visit to this house to deliver holiday gifts is itself a crucial piece of evidence.
In addition, there is a very crucial point: a man with a beautiful, feminine appearance, accompanied by his wife and baby, a feature that corresponds to the characteristics pointed out by Arao Tomohiro, the head of the Special Higher Police in Shanghai, in his telegram.
"Didn't we alert the enemy?" Matsuo Seiichi looked at Nakano Junichiro.
"Don't worry, team leader. We were very cautious. We didn't make direct contact with the target, nor did we pass by the target's door," Junichiro Nakano said.
“Well done,” Matsuo Makoto nodded and said.
"Is 'Master Xu' at home?" he asked.
“He’s not here.” Junichiro Nakano shook his head. “He left after lunch.”
He told Matsuo Seiichi, "Considering that this person is likely from the Shanghai Special Intelligence Bureau, I would be very vigilant and have not arranged for anyone to follow him."
"Well done." Seiichi Matsuo nodded with satisfaction.
In times like these, it's wise to be cautious.
Where 'Master Xu' went, what he did, and who he met are no longer important; what matters is 'Master Xu' himself.
If we can capture "Master Xu," we might have the key to cracking the Shanghai Special Operations Bureau.
However, now that he had identified his target, he couldn't help but feel an urge to find an opportunity to secretly arrest the couple.
"Keep a close eye on them," Matsuo Seiichi said. "As long as they're still around, don't let them get any closer, so as not to alert them."
"clear."
……
The sky was ablaze with sunset colors.
"Red sky at morning, sailors take warning; red sky at night, sailors' delight." Qiao Chuntao clinked teacups with Feng Mo, looked at the magnificent sunset, and said with a smile.
Feng Mo is the male owner of this house.
To be precise, Feng Mo was a figure with considerable influence in the local Gelaohui (a secret society).
In Sichuan, the Gelaohui (a secret society) is known as "Paoge".
There are two theories about the origin of "Pao Ge": one is that "Pao Ge" comes from the phrase "to share the same robe with you" in the Book of Songs; the other is that "Pao" and "Bao" are synonymous, so "Pao Ge" means "brother".
"One robe connects you to the world" means that Sichuan is full of secret societies, and becoming a member of a secret society means having friends all over the world.
In a proclamation issued at the end of the Qing Dynasty, the Sichuan Provincial Administration Commissioner wrote: "The people of Sichuan Province are arrogant and unruly. They readily burn incense and swear oaths, form alliances and call themselves brothers of the Jianghu. They do not realize that they have fallen into the behavior of bandits. This is all due to the fabrication of novels. They take the false as true and follow suit."
While this reveals some of the truth about the Gelaohui (a secret society), the frequent use of phrases like "the people's morale is high" in official documents suggests that local officials were being perfunctory and shirking their responsibilities.
Aside from official records, local chronicles offer a slightly more favorable assessment of the Gelaohui (a secret society).
When reviewing the custom of forming sworn brotherhoods in the county over the past three hundred years, the "Nanxi County Annals" pointed out that due to the influence of folk Taoism, "there are many books on cause and effect and retribution," and "the simple, bold and fierce ones are bound by the five cardinal relationships and eight virtues of the brotherhood, and dare not indulge their desires."
To put it bluntly, having someone in charge actually prevents major problems from arising.
After Chongqing became the wartime capital, the Gelaohui (a secret society) naturally attracted the attention of the Nationalist government. In 1935 and 1936, the Nationalist government issued regulations to ban the Gelaohui twice, but the results were not significant.
Now, the Nationalist government's attitude towards the Gelaohui has changed from its initial firm opposition to its current restriction on its use.
In order to survive, the Gelaohui began to cooperate appropriately with the Nationalist government, while also contributing to the war effort.
Feng Mo was one of the representatives chosen by the local Gelaohui (a secret society) to cooperate with the Military Intelligence Bureau.
After Dai Chunfeng settled Qiao Chuntao in Houziba for a temporary stay, he arranged for Qi Wu to introduce Qiao Chuntao to Feng Mo.
Qiao Chuntao was Xiao Mian's favorite general and also his good student, Dai Chunfeng. Not to mention anything else, he was very concerned about the safety of Qiao Chuntao's family.
With Feng Mo secretly looking after them, in some respects, their access to information was even more reliable than that of the Military Intelligence Bureau.
……
Feng Mo enjoyed chatting with his handsome new friend.
First of all, people are drawn to each other at first glance, and this new friend is good-looking and pleasing to the eye.
Furthermore, this Mr. Zhou is eloquent and knowledgeable, making conversation with him very pleasant.
Of course, most importantly, there was a special indication from No. 19 Luojiawan that this person's safety was of utmost importance.
Feng Mo was naturally willing to befriend such a mysterious friend, someone whom Dai Chunfeng personally greeted and looked after.
Moreover, people at No. 19 Luojiawan had hinted to him that this was a hero who had killed countless Japanese devils. Feng Mo admired no one else but anti-Japanese heroes the most.
……
A young man of about seventeen or eighteen years old came upstairs and whispered to Feng Mo.
A hint of surprise flashed in Feng Mo's eyes, then he waved his hand, signaling his subordinates to step back.
He looked at Zhou Yifeng.
"Brother Feng, it seems this matter concerns me?" Qiao Chuntao looked at Feng Mo and said with a smile.
“What you say is true, brother.” Feng Mo nodded and said, “When Boss Dai gave me his warning before, I was thinking that no one would dare to cause trouble in Chongqing, but I didn’t expect that someone would actually do it.”
He said to Zhou Yifeng, "Brother Zhou, someone is looking into your family's situation."
"Can you tell who they are?" Qiao Chuntao raised an eyebrow and asked, "For example, their accent or something."
“It’s impossible to tell,” Feng Mo said. “Even just looking at the accent, there’s nothing suspicious about it; it’s just a local accent.”
As he spoke, a puzzled look appeared on his face. "Brother, could it be one of your own people looking for you?"
He then shook his head, denying the guess. He didn't know about the Military Intelligence Bureau in other places, but he wouldn't do something like the flood washing away the Dragon King's temple in Chongqing.
Sure enough, Feng Mo saw Zhou Yifeng shake his head.
……
"Is the person still nearby?" Qiao Chuntao asked.
"There were two people we questioned, but one of them left, and the other is lurking near Monkey Dam," Feng Mo said.
He looked at Zhou Yifeng and asked, "Brother Zhou, do you need my help to arrest him?"
"No need." Qiao Chuntao shook his head. After a moment's thought, he said, "I need to go out for a while. I'll ask Brother Feng to take care of things at home."
"Don't worry," Feng Mo said. "I'll have my wife visit you."
"Thank you," Qiao Chuntao said, standing up and clasping her hands in thanks.
……
Qiao Chuntao left the Monkey Dam area, hailed a rickshaw, and drove around in circles until she arrived at a gambling den.
After playing a few rounds at the gambling den, he left through the back door and disappeared into the alley.
When it reappeared, it was in a phone booth.
"Get out." Qiao Chuntao showed her ID to the staff member in the phone booth.
The woman, who had initially been quite impatient, narrowed her eyes upon seeing the identification and left without hesitation.
"I need to go to No. 11 Yanhe Street, Rundu Foreign Firm, and find Manager Yang. My surname is Hu, Hu Siping," Qiao Chuntao said.
Soon, the call will connect.
“It’s me,” Qi Wu said.
The phone number for Rundu Trading Company at No. 11 Yanhe Street will automatically forward to Qi Wu's office at No. 19 Luojiawan.
"Director Qi, it's me, Zhou Yifeng," Qiao Chuntao said.
"I know." Qi Wu's expression was serious. "Something happened?"
The name Hu Siping is not an alias, but a code name indicating that something is going on.
“Someone is inquiring about me and my family in Houziba,” Qiao Chuntao said.
"Can we rule out the possibility that he is a notorious bandit or a robber who steals from an empty house?" Qi Wu asked.
"We can't rule it out," Qiao Chuntao said after thinking for a moment. "However, my intuition tells me that the possibility is slim."
……
"Where are you now?" Qi Wu asked.
Qiao Chuntao gave the address.
"Is it safe at home?" Qi Wu asked.
"It's safe, Feng Mo's people are taking care of us," Qiao Chuntao said.
“Okay,” Qi Wu said. “Just wait there, a car will come to pick you up shortly.”
He coughed a little, cleared his throat, and continued, "The last digit of the license plate is 'Sanyi'. The driver will ask if Manager Yang is picking someone up. Don't ask where you're going, just get in the car."
"Understood." Qiao Chuntao hung up the phone.
He took out his cigarette case, pulled out a cigarette, put it in his mouth, struck a match to light it, and took a light puff.
Is he Japanese?
He hoped it was Japanese; that way, these unbelievably peaceful days would be even more interesting.
Speaking of which, it's been a while since he slaughtered any animals, and he quite misses it now.
only--
Qiao Chuntao frowned slightly:
If he really is Japanese, then there's a problem, a big problem. How did the Japanese find him?!
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(End of this chapter)