Chapter 103: The Officers’ Wives Circle

“What is the true identity of Liu Tao from Hengrun Teahouse?”

“He... his name is Endo Hiroshi. He’s Japanese.”

“Which Japanese intelligence organization does Endo Hiroshi belong to?”

“I don’t know!”

“You’re not being honest.” Cheng Qianfan shook his head.

“Ahhh!”

Lu Da immediately drove a punch into Gu Changyou’s stomach.

“Officer, I really, really don’t know.”

“Tell me then. When, where, and how did this Endo Hiroshi approach you? What did the two of you do together? How many times did you provide intelligence to the Japanese?”

“I’ll talk, I’ll talk. I met him a year ago. Officer, I swear, at that time I didn’t know he was Japanese. He had ulterior motives and deliberately approached me... Later, he asked me if I wanted to make a lot of money...”

The situation was more or less what Cheng Qianfan had guessed.

About a year earlier, Endo Hiroshi had deliberately approached Gu Changyou, intentionally befriended him, and introduced him to a life of luxury and indulgence. Endo Hiroshi paid for every expense.

Later, Endo Hiroshi deliberately distanced himself from Gu Changyou.

Suddenly deprived of his benefactor, and having grown accustomed to a life of pleasure, Gu Changyou found it impossible to maintain such a lifestyle on a hospital salary alone. He began borrowing money everywhere and even swindling patients to support his extravagance.

Later, when creditors came knocking at his door, Endo Hiroshi appeared at just the right moment and began coercing and enticing Gu Changyou into serving the Japanese.

It was an extremely old-fashioned scheme, very similar to the circumstances of the collaborator Old Mo, whom Cheng Qianfan had personally executed.

“Tell me about Luo Zhichuan.”

Luo Zhichuan’s situation was somewhat special.

To be precise, this deputy commander in the National Revolutionary Army had initially been trapped by his own brother-in-law.

Gu Changyou stole a military document from Luo Zhichuan and handed it to Endo Hiroshi.

The document was not particularly secret, but it was sufficient to serve as evidence of Luo Zhichuan’s collusion with Japan.

The Japanese used it to threaten him and drag him into the water.

Thus, under a mixture of coercion and temptation from Endo Hiroshi, Luo Zhichuan became a military spy cultivated by Japanese intelligence within the National Revolutionary Army.

“You’re still not being honest.” Cheng Qianfan slapped Gu Changyou across the face.

He had keenly noticed that when Gu Changyou spoke of Luo Zhichuan being dragged into the affair, he had hesitated noticeably.

There was definitely something he was concealing.

Cheng Qianfan pulled out a cigarette case from his pocket, flicked out a cigarette, and placed it between his lips.

Casually tossing the case to Lu Da, he said, “Need a light.”

Lu Da immediately understood.

With a grin, he picked up a branding iron glowing red in the charcoal fire and brought it over to light Cheng Qianfan’s cigarette.

Then he lit one for himself, clamping it crookedly between his lips while waving the branding iron before Gu Changyou’s eyes.

“Team Leader Cheng, I’m not bragging, but this branding iron is much better than a whip. When this thing sears flesh, it makes a sizzling sound. Combined with a man’s screams, it’s simply the most wonderful sound in the world.”

“Hearing is believing, seeing is believing,” Cheng Qianfan said, shaking his head.

“Just watch.”

As he spoke, he raised the branding iron and moved to press it against Gu Changyou’s face.

“I’ll talk, I’ll talk! It was my sister, it was my sister who persuaded my brother-in-law to defect to the Japanese!” Gu Changyou screamed.

A trickle of liquid immediately began dripping down between his legs.

After blurting out those words, Gu Changyou burst into loud sobs.

His earlier hesitation had been because, despite everything, he still felt genuine affection for his sister.

His sister had truly treated him with wholehearted devotion.

“Go on.” Cheng Qianfan pressed the cigarette butt directly against Gu Changyou’s face.

Ignoring the man’s screams completely, he smiled and said, “This is the last time. If you hide anything again, it won’t be a cigarette butt next time.”

Gu Changyou was terrified out of his wits.

He no longer dared conceal anything.

At first, Luo Zhichuan had been unwilling.

He had even considered placing righteousness above family ties and having his brother-in-law arrested and prosecuted.

At that point, Mrs. Luo played a crucial role.

In order to protect her younger brother, Mrs. Luo cried, made scenes, and threatened suicide.

At the proper moment, Endo Hiroshi presented gold and jewelry.

Mrs. Luo fell completely.

It could be said that Gu Changyou’s sister was the key figure who pushed Luo Zhichuan into fully defecting to the Japanese side.

Not only that, Mrs. Luo also drew in her mahjong companions, the wives of various military officers.

Through these wives, quite a few officers of the 343rd Regiment became connected to the Japanese to varying degrees.

Cheng Qianfan was utterly shocked.

He had never imagined that Mrs. Luo played such a critical role in the case.

An inconspicuous woman had directly led to an entire main-force regiment of the National Revolutionary Army being “captured” by the Japanese.

One could easily imagine that once war broke out, the 343rd Regiment might defect to the Japanese at any moment.

It was a massive malignant growth hidden within the Hangzhou garrison.

Cheng Qianfan dared not be careless.

He temporarily suspended the interrogation and immediately went to report to Yu Ping’an.

After hearing Cheng Qianfan’s report, Yu Ping’an was both shocked and furious.

He had not expected these officers’ wives to be even more deeply involved than their husbands.

Picking up the telephone directly, Yu Ping’an said, “Arrest them all.”

Seeing the surprise on Cheng Qianfan’s face, Yu Ping’an shook his head bitterly.

“Do you know that these wives have already sought out Madam Tan from the Women’s Association and are making trouble, demanding the release of their husbands?”

It turned out that after learning their husbands had been arrested, these officers’ wives had not fled.

Instead, they had gathered together and enlisted a high-ranking wife from the Women’s Association to protest and demand the release of their husbands.

What foolish women.

Even Cheng Qianfan did not know how to describe it.

Still, it could only be said that Mrs. Luo was highly skilled.

Her thinking was very simple.

The more people she dragged into the water, the safer she and her husband would be.

She had deceived these women by claiming she knew a wealthy Japanese businessman.

Because relations between China and Japan were poor, the Japanese businessman found himself in a difficult situation and wanted to become acquainted with their husbands. With military backing, it would be easier for him to conduct business.

As for whether these wives truly believed the explanation, or had guessed the truth but chose to feign ignorance, like covering one’s ears while stealing a bell, focusing only on the money and benefits offered by the Japanese, that was no longer important.

Thus, evidence of these arrested officers’ collaboration with the enemy had already been established.

Even if some of the officers’ wives were genuinely ignorant, how could the officers themselves not understand the seriousness of associating with Japanese nationals?

“In your opinion, does this Gu Changyou truly not know Endo Hiroshi’s real identity?”

“Gu Changyou’s value is limited. He doesn’t know much. Besides, he probably doesn’t dare conceal anything further,” Cheng Qianfan said. “By comparison, Luo Zhichuan likely knows much more.”

“Someone else is already interrogating Luo Zhichuan.” Yu Ping’an waved his hand dismissively.

Interrogating military personnel might uncover many sensitive secrets.

It was not appropriate for Cheng Qianfan to be exposed to them.

“Then I will prepare to formally interrogate Endo Hiroshi and the other Japanese agents.”

“Go ahead.” Yu Ping’an nodded.

“My interrogation methods are somewhat unconventional. There may be casualties.” Cheng Qianfan’s expression remained calm.

“I only want results.” Yu Ping’an’s tone was even calmer.

After a pause, he added, “Endo Hiroshi must not die.”

What did the deaths of a few Japanese agents amount to?