Chapter 190: Killing Cheng Qianfan

While chatting with Sakamoto Yoshino, Cheng Qianfan’s thoughts were actually focused on Yingzuo Eiichi.

He understood Yingzuo Eiichi very well.

This senior schoolmate of his was naturally suspicious, extremely conceited, and someone who acted decisively and swiftly.

Cheng Qianfan was certain that Yingzuo Eiichi had already dispatched people to investigate both the Central Police Station and his home in Yande Lane.

He had prepared for that.

Inwardly, Cheng Qianfan admitted that this was not a flawless plan without weaknesses.

But under the circumstances, it was the best response he could devise in an emergency.

Barring accidents, Yingzuo Eiichi would soon receive news that Cheng Qianfan was “currently at home in Yande Lane.”

Once that happened, the first hurdle would be cleared.

However, Cheng Qianfan knew that even if Yingzuo Eiichi now believed Cheng Qianfan and Miyazaki Kentaro were two different people, there was no guarantee that the naturally suspicious man would not continue testing him.

For example, Yingzuo could invite Cheng Qianfan to visit under the pretext of a school reunion while simultaneously inviting Miyazaki Kentaro.

There was no solution to that.

Cheng Qianfan and Miyazaki Kentaro could not appear at the same time.

Cheng Qianfan’s original plan had been for Miyazaki Kentaro to leave Shanghai immediately after the symposium ended.

However, just yesterday, Song Fuguo had relayed some intelligence.

The previous attack on Cheng Qianfan in Yande Lane had been arranged by Yingzuo Eiichi, who had used White Russians to impersonate Soviet Russians.

Yingzuo Eiichi wanted to kill him!

The news shocked Cheng Qianfan tremendously.

He believed he had always presented himself as “relatively pro-Japanese.”

He had never expected Yingzuo Eiichi to move against him “without warning” under such circumstances.

Cheng Qianfan understood Yingzuo Eiichi.

If he failed to kill someone once, he would keep trying.

The man was an obsessive fanatic.

Cheng Qianfan carefully analyzed the situation.

If Yingzuo Eiichi confirmed that Cheng Qianfan and Miyazaki Kentaro were two different people, then given their extraordinary resemblance and Yingzuo’s personality, he would very likely decisively kill Cheng Qianfan and arrange for Miyazaki Kentaro to impersonate him.

If Yingzuo Eiichi discovered that Miyazaki Kentaro was actually Cheng Qianfan in disguise, kill him.

If he had not previously killed Miyazaki Kentaro, and the real Miyazaki Kentaro attended the symposium, Yingzuo Eiichi would still choose to kill Cheng Qianfan and have Miyazaki Kentaro impersonate him.

If he killed Miyazaki Kentaro and then chose not to attend the symposium today, it would attract Japanese attention.

As the Japanese intelligence officer responsible for security at the symposium, Yingzuo Eiichi would quickly trace Miyazaki Kentaro’s movements before his death and eventually discover that Miyazaki Kentaro and Cheng Qianfan looked remarkably alike.

Kill him.

In short, after careful consideration, Cheng Qianfan concluded that Yingzuo Eiichi had long harbored an inexplicable desire to kill him.

The fact that he and Miyazaki Kentaro looked nearly identical only strengthened Yingzuo Eiichi’s determination.

This was not something he could avoid simply by choosing whether or not to impersonate Miyazaki Kentaro.

There was no solution to this problem.

The root cause was Yingzuo Eiichi himself.

More precisely, it was the man’s suspicious, obsessive, cruel, and bloodthirsty nature.

The arrangements Cheng Qianfan made in Yande Lane were intended to buy time.

At the very least, today Yingzuo Eiichi would not have time to arrange a meeting between Cheng Qianfan and Miyazaki Kentaro.

The setup in Yande Lane could temporarily convince Yingzuo Eiichi that Cheng Qianfan and Miyazaki Kentaro were indeed two separate people.

Next, Cheng Qianfan would wait for Yingzuo Eiichi to approach him voluntarily and discuss killing Cheng Qianfan and having Miyazaki Kentaro impersonate him.

What Cheng Qianfan needed to do was agree to the proposal as Miyazaki Kentaro without arousing suspicion, then personally take responsibility for killing Cheng Qianfan as quickly as possible.

Moreover, he had to avoid Yingzuo Eiichi and his subordinates during the process of killing Cheng Qianfan.

That should not be the greatest difficulty.

With Cheng Qianfan and Miyazaki Kentaro temporarily established as separate individuals, Yingzuo Eiichi would at least not suspect Miyazaki Kentaro today.

As for how Cheng Qianfan died, Yingzuo Eiichi would not care too much.

As long as Miyazaki Kentaro lived and Cheng Qianfan died, that result would be sufficient.

The most critical issue was how Miyazaki Kentaro could persuade Yingzuo Eiichi not to interfere and instead leave the matter entirely in his hands.

Furthermore, Cheng Qianfan’s belief that Yingzuo Eiichi would discuss killing Cheng Qianfan and impersonating him today was merely a prediction.

If Yingzuo Eiichi did not bring it up, Miyazaki Kentaro would have to find a way to raise the subject himself without leaving any trace.

However, that was the worst option.

Under those circumstances, it would be difficult to ensure that Yingzuo Eiichi would not become suspicious.

Therefore, the best scenario was that Cheng Qianfan’s judgment of Yingzuo Eiichi’s character and behavior was correct, and Yingzuo Eiichi would approach him voluntarily, today.

The only thing he could exploit was that Miyazaki Kentaro was genuinely Japanese.

Once that was confirmed, Yingzuo Eiichi’s suspicion of proposals made by Miyazaki Kentaro would be reduced to the greatest extent possible.

Even if some suspicion remained, it would stay within safe limits.

Because only if Cheng Qianfan died and Miyazaki Kentaro survived would his situation improve to the greatest extent.

This was the best and only solution.

A Japanese Miyazaki Kentaro impersonating Cheng Qianfan.

In Japanese eyes, Miyazaki was unquestionably one of their own.

That was the safest arrangement.

Most importantly, Yingzuo Eiichi insisted on killing him.

“Since ancient times, China and Japan have been good neighbors separated only by a narrow strip of water. Now that the Chinese people are suffering, the Empire of Japan cannot bear to watch. They have come to China carrying flowers and candy.”

On the stage, Zhou Huaigu was speaking eloquently.

Some pro-Japanese attendees listened with great interest, or at least pretended to do so.

Cheng Qianfan noticed that the female journalist he had previously observed was glaring in anger and about to stand up and refute him.

Her colleague beside her firmly held her back.

Kouji entered the hall and quietly approached Yingzuo Eiichi to deliver his report.

“Yingzuo-kun,” Kouji said in a low voice, “we’ve clarified everything.”

“For the past six months, Cheng Qianfan has remained in Shanghai and never left. Many people saw him almost every day during that period.”

“When Miyazaki Kentaro arrived in Shanghai, Mr. Aoki from Aoki Screw Factory and the Korean foreman Lu Bingjiu encountered him and spoke with him. During the following days, whenever Miyazaki occasionally went out, Cheng Qianfan was at the Central Police Station during those same periods.”

“Cheng Qianfan is currently at home. My subordinate and Ono conducted two separate investigations and confirmed it was Cheng Qianfan himself.”

Yingzuo Eiichi nodded upon hearing this.

His suspicion had only been instinctive.

Now it was confirmed that Cheng Qianfan and Miyazaki Kentaro were indeed two separate people who merely looked extraordinarily alike.

Hm?

Extraordinarily alike!

Yingzuo Eiichi looked over and saw Miyazaki Kentaro enthusiastically chatting with the youngest son of the Sakamoto family.

Looking at Miyazaki Kentaro’s face.

A thought suddenly struck him.

Kill Cheng Qianfan!

Arrange for Miyazaki Kentaro to impersonate Cheng Qianfan!

The idea practically leapt into Yingzuo Eiichi’s mind the instant it appeared.

Ever since his previous failure to kill Cheng Qianfan, Yingzuo Eiichi had carried an obsession in his heart.

That obsession made him extremely uncomfortable.

Only because of a reprimand from his uncle, Yingzuo Teiaki, had he temporarily suppressed the urge to kill Cheng Qianfan.

Kill Cheng Qianfan and then arrange for Miyazaki Kentaro to impersonate him.

What a perfect justification.

If his uncle learned of it, he would probably praise him.

Of course, to be safe, it would be better to act first and report later.

Once the plan emerged in his mind, Yingzuo Eiichi could no longer restrain himself.

He wanted to put it into action immediately.

Only by killing Cheng Qianfan would his thoughts find peace.

As for whether Miyazaki Kentaro would accept such an arrangement, Yingzuo Eiichi never even considered the question.

As a citizen of the Empire of Japan, should he not accept an imperial assignment without hesitation and serve the Empire?

Moreover, from what Yingzuo knew, Miyazaki Kentaro had long served the Empire as an itinerant poet, traveling throughout China.

That was difficult work.

The opportunity to impersonate a Chinese man, become a senior police officer in the police force, and enjoy the wonderful and colorful life of Shanghai was not the sort of temptation Miyazaki Kentaro was likely to refuse.

“Kouji, go invite Miyazaki-kun,” Yingzuo Eiichi said, his face flushed with excitement. “The third reception room on the second floor. I’ll wait there for you.”

“Yes.”

Miyazaki Kentaro, who was chatting with Sakamoto Yoshino, saw a short young man approach him.

He looked at the man with some confusion.

“Miyazaki-kun,” Kouji said respectfully, “Yingzuo-kun would like to speak with you about something.”