Chapter 208: Traitors Must Die

“Is there anyone in the house right now?” Liao Zhishen asked, pointing at the simple map of houses and streets he had drawn himself.

Liao Zhishen had previously served as Song Fuguo’s deputy when Song headed the French Concession intelligence group. His current identity was leader of the French Concession intelligence group.

“It was confirmed at noon that nobody was there,” someone replied.

“Go confirm it again,” Liao Zhishen said with a stern expression.

Someone immediately slipped away to investigate.

Behind Eguchi Hideya’s house was an alley. Beyond that alley was Live Fish Lane, beside the river.

“Is the boat ready?” Liao Zhishen asked.

“Xitou is guarding it.”

Liao Zhishen nodded with satisfaction.

This operation had to succeed without the slightest mistake.

Although Haozai had previously been the one maintaining contact with Eguchi Hideya, he withdrew from the operation when the final action began.

This had been Cheng Qianfan’s request.

Out of caution, Haozai should avoid encountering Yingzuo Eiichi face-to-face.

Therefore, the final assassination operation was entrusted to Song Fuguo’s Intelligence Section.

By a strange twist of fate, Song Fuguo regarded this as Cheng Qianfan respecting his former superior and willingly handing over the greatest credit.

Seeing Yingzuo Eiichi arrive carrying gifts, Eguchi Hideya was extremely pleased.

He accepted the gifts with both hands and respectfully invited Yingzuo Eiichi and Kouji inside.

“I smell Hiroshima-style sauce noodles,” Yingzuo Eiichi said with a smile after sniffing the air.

After entering the inner room and seeing the food laid out on the dining table, Yingzuo Eiichi looked surprised.

He glanced at Eguchi Hideya.

“Eguchi-kun, you’ve put your heart into this.”

Eguchi Hideya had prepared authentic Japanese cuisine.

Large, plump, juicy oysters.

Salmon sashimi.

Sushi.

As well as Hiroshima specialties, Hiroshima-style sauce noodles and Hiroshima okonomiyaki.

Yingzuo Eiichi was from Hiroshima, so Eguchi Hideya had specifically prepared Hiroshima cuisine to entertain him.

This clearly pleased Yingzuo Eiichi greatly.

“After making inquiries everywhere, I learned that the head chef of a Japanese restaurant on Avenue du Roi Albert had once lived in Your Excellency’s hometown. I specifically invited him to prepare these two Hiroshima dishes,” Eguchi Hideya said with a smile.

As he spoke, he poured wine for Yingzuo Eiichi and Kouji.

Then he filled his own cup, held it respectfully, and said:

“Eguchi Hideya has always been reckless and slow-witted. Yet Your Excellency has thought highly of me. From now on, I shall wholeheartedly serve Your Excellency and die for the Empire if necessary.”

“Eguchi-kun is too modest,” Yingzuo Eiichi replied.

Growing increasingly satisfied with Eguchi Hideya’s attitude, he clinked cups with him.

“May the Empire prosper!”

He then drained the cup in one gulp.

“May the Empire prosper.”

Eguchi Hideya raised his cup toward Kouji as well and likewise emptied it in a single swallow.

Eguchi Hideya was very talkative.

Or rather, he knew exactly how to speak.

Although Yingzuo Eiichi knew he was being flattered, he still felt delighted.

There was no helping it.

The man’s subtle flattery was simply too comfortable.

As a result, Yingzuo Eiichi’s impression of Eguchi Hideya improved further.

Capable.

Loyal.

Fearless.

And good at flattering his superiors.

No superior disliked subordinates like that.

The atmosphere was excellent.

The two men drank and toasted one another repeatedly, gradually becoming tipsy.

At that very moment, Xiao Zhenzhong, accompanied by two Japanese bodyguards he had hired at his own expense and an antiques expert, arrived under cover of darkness at an antique shop on Gansei East Road.

Through the introduction of his fellow townsman and friend Ouyang Pan, the shop owner had finally agreed to sell that blue-and-white porcelain piece.

Overjoyed, Xiao Zhenzhong risked discovery by the Special Service Office and secretly came to inspect the item and complete the transaction.

Upon entering the shop, a clerk immediately came forward to greet them.

“We are friends of Director Ouyang. We made an appointment with your proprietor.”

“You’re Boss Xiao? This way, please, this way.” The young clerk eagerly lifted the curtain and invited them into the rear courtyard.

Xiao Zhenzhong glanced into the courtyard and nodded to one of his bodyguards.

That man remained in the front shop while the other accompanied him inside.

Since Xiao Zhenzhong had never been particularly interested in antiques and did not know the proprietor personally, Song Fuguo arranged for Gu Chufang, leader of the Nanshi intelligence group, to impersonate the antique dealer.

The two met in an inner room of the rear courtyard.

After exchanging pleasantries, Gu Chufang said, “Boss Xiao must be eager. It’s getting late, so let’s inspect the antique first.”

Xiao Zhenzhong naturally agreed.

He wanted to authenticate the item as quickly as possible and leave with it.

“Ah Hu, bring the vase over,” Gu Chufang instructed a clerk beside him.

“Right away, Boss.”

Ah Hu acknowledged the order, then cupped his fists toward the two men beside Xiao Zhenzhong.

“Which of you gentlemen can lend a hand?”

The expert raised his chin.

He had been introduced by Ouyang Pan specifically to authenticate the item, not to perform manual labor.

Xiao Zhenzhong could only wave to his bodyguard.

Although the Japanese bodyguard was displeased, the generous payment left him no choice but to help carry the vase.

Soon the vase was brought over.

Pretending to be highly knowledgeable, Gu Chufang pointed at it.

“Boss Xiao, look at this porcelain vase. The glaze is sky-blue, greenish-blue, and sapphire-like.”

Xiao Zhenzhong nodded repeatedly, pretending to understand as well.

At the same time, he signaled for the expert he had brought to inspect the piece.

Meanwhile, Ah Hu took a cigarette from his pocket and put one in his mouth.

Looking at the bodyguard who had helped move the vase, he thought for a moment and tossed him a cigarette as well.

The bodyguard accepted it and thanked him.

Ah Hu searched himself but could not find a lighter.

Slapping his forehead, he remembered where he had left it and pointed to a flowerpot not far behind the bodyguard.

“Brother, help me grab the matches.”

The bodyguard turned around and indeed saw a box of matches beside the flowerpot.

At that moment, the expert examining the vase suddenly let out a surprised sound.

“This vase...”

Pointing at the bottom of the vase, he said to Xiao Zhenzhong:

“Boss Xiao, take a look.”

Xiao Zhenzhong walked over, bent down, and lowered his head to inspect it.

At that instant, the expert suddenly grabbed him.

At the same time, Gu Chufang pulled out a dagger from behind his back and stabbed Xiao Zhenzhong in the neck three times in rapid succession.

On the other side, the bodyguard bending over to pick up the matches heard the commotion and instinctively started to rise.

Ah Hu pulled an axe from behind a potted plant and brought it down directly onto the man’s neck.

Xiao Zhenzhong was still struggling.

The expert held him tightly and gritted out in a low voice beside his ear:

“Traitor, die!”

Outside the shop, the Japanese rōnin bodyguard, who had been silently standing guard, suddenly saw two men approaching from opposite directions.

Before he could react, one of them lunged forward to distract him.

The shop clerk behind him pulled out a dagger and stabbed repeatedly into his back.

Hongkou District, Eguchi Hideya’s residence.

Night had completely fallen.

Both Eguchi Hideya and Yingzuo Eiichi were already half drunk.

Kouji was not drunk.

He had only taken a few sips.

His duty was to remain alert at all times and protect Yingzuo Eiichi’s safety.

Just then, someone knocked on the door.

Kouji frowned and instinctively looked toward Eguchi Hideya.

The half-drunk Eguchi Hideya also frowned and called out:

“Who is it?”

“Eguchi-kun, it’s me, Onizuka Koichi,” a voice answered.

Eguchi Hideya’s brow relaxed.

He muttered:

“That guy must have smelled the wine.”

Kouji also relaxed.

He signaled that Eguchi Hideya did not need to get up.

He would answer the door himself.