Chapter 192: Superb Acting

In a dim, crimson-darkened darkroom.

Under the red glow, Cheng Qianfan and Yingzuo Eiichi admired photographs of Cheng Qianfan’s own corpse.

The film had not yet dried. Even under the dim red light, one could still clearly make out a corpse lying on the floor with a dagger buried in its chest.

Yingzuo Eiichi recognized the dead man as Cheng Qianfan.

The two tilted their heads and studied the photographs with great interest.

“Cheng-kun, who would have thought that after parting ways at the academy, we would officially meet again in such a manner?” Yingzuo Eiichi said, then began laughing, a laugh as unpleasant as the quacking of a duck.

Cheng Qianfan’s eyes appeared strangely enchanting and eerie under the red light. Looking at himself lying in a pool of blood, a peculiar smile curled at the corner of his mouth.

“Yingzuo-kun, if you haven’t experienced it personally, you probably can’t imagine what it feels like to kill yourself with your own hands. It truly is... indescribable.”

That was what he told Yingzuo Eiichi.

About half an hour later, the film had dried.

In the fully developed black-and-white photograph, Cheng Qianfan lay in a pool of blood, his eyes wide open in death.

“How was the body disposed of?”

“Thrown into the river,” Cheng Qianfan replied. “The head was smashed apart with a stone, stuffed into a sack, and weighed down with rocks.”

Yingzuo Eiichi glanced at the eloquently speaking Miyazaki Kentaro.

Clearly, this fellow had already recovered from the shock of accidentally killing Cheng Qianfan.

And listening to Miyazaki Kentaro calmly describe how he disposed of the body, he sounded extremely practiced.

Yingzuo Eiichi was not surprised.

During his travels, the itinerant poet Miyazaki Kentaro could not possibly have had few deaths on his hands.

Now that Cheng Qianfan’s death had been confirmed, the oppressive knot in Yingzuo Eiichi’s chest finally eased.

Even the way he looked at Miyazaki Kentaro seemed somewhat gentler.

However, killing Cheng Qianfan was only the first step.

The more important matter was whether Miyazaki Kentaro could successfully become Cheng Qianfan.

Cheng Qianfan discussed with Yingzuo Eiichi how to impersonate himself.

Yingzuo Eiichi had people bring over the French Concession police files compiled by the Special Higher Police Section.

Pointing to the people in the photographs, he introduced Cheng Qianfan’s colleagues to “Miyazaki Kentaro,” explaining their personalities, speech patterns, family situations, and other details.

Cheng Qianfan listened attentively and occasionally asked questions.

It was as though Yingzuo Eiichi had the personnel files of the entire French Concession police force stored inside his head.

Without even needing to think, he could immediately provide accurate answers.

“Miyazaki-kun, there’s no need to worry,” Yingzuo Eiichi said. “Compared with other officers, Cheng Qianfan’s interpersonal relationships aren’t particularly complicated. Moreover, he’s now a deputy inspector and enjoys a considerable degree of freedom, which makes impersonating him easier.”

“Yesterday was the death anniversary birthday of one of Cheng Qianfan’s elders. Miyazaki-kun can pretend to be in a bad mood today and act coldly toward others.”

“Half a day is enough time for Miyazaki-kun to observe and become familiar with his colleagues.”

“What about the voice?”

“Your voice actually does resemble Cheng Qianfan’s somewhat.”

After listening, Yingzuo Eiichi said happily:

“If you pretend your throat is bothering you and your voice sounds slightly different, no one will become suspicious.”

Cheng Qianfan frowned, still appearing worried.

“Yingzuo-kun, Miyazaki-kun,” Kouji suddenly said, “I don’t think there’s any need to worry too much. Miyazaki-kun and Cheng Qianfan look exactly alike. That’s the greatest disguise possible. No one will suspect anything.”

Both Yingzuo Eiichi and “Miyazaki Kentaro” nodded.

They had to admit that Kouji’s reasoning made considerable sense.

Playing himself.

And doing so while pretending not to know people he actually knew, identifying them through photographs and then behaving as though he were familiar with them.

There needed to be a slight awkwardness, yet the actor’s skill had to be good enough that no suspicion would arise.

It was a severe test of acting ability.

Cheng Qianfan passed the test.

In the span of a single day, he successfully progressed from being somewhat silent, in poor spirits, and reluctant to speak...

To gradually interacting with his colleagues, occasionally chatting, and slowly becoming familiar with them again.

It was a gradual process.

Cheng Qianfan was quite satisfied with his own performance.

Liu Bo’s expression was proof enough.

Yingzuo Eiichi had never informed him that there was another Japanese agent named Liu Bo among the Third Squad of the Central Police Station.

Cheng Qianfan judged that this was not because Yingzuo Eiichi suspected him.

Rather, it was a security precaution.

Yingzuo Eiichi wanted to avoid the possibility that Miyazaki Kentaro, who lacked intelligence experience, might accidentally implicate Liu Bo and expose him.

After work, Cheng Qianfan went directly home to Yande Lane.

He would not be meeting Yingzuo Eiichi for the foreseeable future.

That had been agreed upon by both sides.

During this period, Cheng Qianfan would minimize his activities and gradually observe and adapt.

More importantly, he absolutely could not have any contact whatsoever with the Japanese side.

Cheng Qianfan naturally had no objections.

According to his arrangements, Li Hao would be busy working overtime over the next several days and would not come looking for Cheng Qianfan.

This gave “Miyazaki Kentaro” a thoughtfully provided adjustment period.

The days passed one after another.

Even Yingzuo Eiichi was astonished by Miyazaki Kentaro’s capacity for learning and imitation.

By the middle of June, Miyazaki Kentaro had successfully integrated himself into Cheng Qianfan’s work and life.

Although there were occasional flaws during the process, overall, Miyazaki Kentaro had transformed himself into “Cheng Qianfan” remarkably smoothly.

Yingzuo Eiichi was very satisfied.

“Miyazaki-kun, this will be the last time I call you Miyazaki-kun.”

His expression was solemn.

“From today onward, Miyazaki Kentaro will exist only in the archives of the Shanghai Special Higher Police Section and other important imperial departments. In real life, this person will no longer appear.”

“And I, too, will regard you as Cheng Qianfan.”

“From now on, you are Cheng Qianfan, and Cheng Qianfan is you.”

“Miyazaki Kentaro’s” expression darkened.

He glanced at Yingzuo Eiichi.

He had fallen into a den of thieves.

The Miyazaki Kentaro who never wanted to become a spy had finally become a Special Higher Police Section agent.

Through his uncle, Yingzuo Teiaki, Yingzuo Eiichi had contacted Taniguchi Hiroyuki in Beiping.

Miyazaki Kentaro suspected that his teacher had reached some kind of agreement with the Shanghai side and had simply handed him over, ordering him to formally join the Shanghai Special Higher Police Section.

Thus Yingzuo Eiichi became “Miyazaki Kentaro’s” superior.

Not a particularly friendly superior.

“Understood, sir.”

Cheng Qianfan bowed slightly.

He was respectful, but far from enthusiastic.

After parting from Yingzuo Eiichi, Cheng Qianfan wandered alone through the streets.

A light rain drifted down and dampened his clothes.

As the rain gradually intensified, he finally opened a black umbrella, pulled out a cigarette case, flicked out a cigarette, and ignited it with his lighter.

He strolled to the riverside.

The smoke he exhaled drifted into the rain, and cigarette smoke merged with rain mist.

He let out a long breath.

Taniguchi Hiroyuki had ordered him to join the Special Higher Police Section and remain in Shanghai.

That suited him perfectly.

North China was an environment familiar to Miyazaki Kentaro, and that familiarity was unfavorable to concealment.

As long as he avoided North China in the short term, it would be virtually impossible for anyone to suspect that Miyazaki Kentaro was a fake.

After a year or two had passed, even if he returned to North China, times would have changed.

Any alterations in Miyazaki Kentaro’s habits could easily be explained as the result of changes in his living environment.

In Japanese eyes, he was now Miyazaki Kentaro.

A Japanese man.

This identity could provide temporary safety.

However, Cheng Qianfan would never naïvely believe that it made him completely secure.

When dealing with Japanese people, he still had to remain extraordinarily cautious.

The various Japanese intelligence organizations, including the Special Higher Police Section, did not focus solely on anti-Japanese forces.

They remained equally vigilant toward dissidents and resistance elements within Japan itself, within the Japanese military, among Japanese residents in China, and even within Japanese intelligence organizations.

The identity of Miyazaki Kentaro merely ensured that he would not be suspected without cause, provided he made no mistakes.

Or rather, the identity would allow him to avoid the first wave of suspicion.

But once he made a mistake, what awaited him would only be exposure and death.

In fact, even dying quickly would be a luxury.

He had to be even more vigilant.

Just as he had always believed:

Plausibility only prevents suspicion.

Once suspicion arises, exposure is not far away.

No one can withstand endless suspicion and investigation forever.

Many things had happened over the past month.

The Shanghai District operation of the Special Service Office to assassinate Zhou Huaigu had failed.

The assassins were the very pair Cheng Qianfan had previously identified.

After failing to complete the assassination, they detonated hand grenades before Japanese agents and International Settlement police could capture them.

They chose not to become prisoners.

At the end of last month,

De Wang formally announced the creation of a puppet Mongolian military government.

The entire nation condemned the move.

On the final day of May, Messrs. Shen and Zou launched the National Salvation Federation of All Circles in Shanghai.

The following day, they issued its founding declaration and political platform.

That same day, the Guangxi-Guangdong Incident erupted.

Soon afterward, Cheng Qianfan received a telephone call from Yu Ping’an instructing him to investigate French attitudes toward the incident.

The day before yesterday, Japanese troops entered Tianjin under the pretext of protecting Japanese nationals.

Yesterday, six thousand Japanese soldiers conducted offensive and defensive military exercises outside Beiping.

Also yesterday, students in Tianjin held anti-Japanese demonstrations, and multiple student protesters and civilians were shot dead by Japanese troops.

At almost exactly the same time, near Liu Bo’s residence.

Ding Naifei and a team of Party Affairs Investigation Department agents had already taken up their positions.

A thin agent emerged from Liu Bo’s house.

After cautiously checking his surroundings, he jogged over to make his report.

“Confirmed?”

“Confirmed!”

The thin agent was none other than Xiao Ou.

He spoke excitedly.

“There are several publications about the Red cause that have practically been read to pieces, and there’s also a study notebook filled with learning reflections.”

He paused, raised an eyebrow, and continued:

“Chief Ding, you’ll never guess what else I found.”

Nearby, Bai Pang rubbed his forehead.

That idiot Xiao Ou.

During recent operations, Xiao Ou had almost always been assigned to enter buildings first, or sneak in alone to conduct inspections.

Although the team leader and Chief Ding always claimed that:

Xiao Ou was especially skilled at that sort of work.

But really...

Xiao Ou, don’t you have the slightest idea why?