Chapter 92: Suspicious Points

Cheng Qianfan’s mind worked rapidly.

Doctor Gu Changyou.

The “patient,” Mr. Liu, a teahouse proprietor.

If Gu Changyou was not an agent, then there was naturally nothing wrong with him, and all of this was merely a coincidence. That was one possibility.

However, based on Cheng Qianfan’s observations over this period, that possibility was very low.

If Gu Changyou was an agent, then what kind of agent was he?

Special Service Office?

Party Affairs Investigation Department?

Communists?

A Japanese spy and collaborator?

An informant for a local warlord in Hangzhou?

There were too many possibilities.

Likewise, there were many possible identities for that Mr. Liu.

What Cheng Qianfan feared most right now was the possibility that either Doctor Gu or Mr. Liu might be Communists.

A Communist agent infiltrated within the enemy inadvertently uncovering a Communist intelligence contact point and arresting his own comrades...

In the complex environment of clandestine struggle, such a situation was entirely possible.

Despite this concern, Cheng Qianfan could not display any abnormal behavior.

Whatever actions he ought to take, he could only continue taking them.

At this moment, he was a Nationalist agent, a trainee of the Special Service Office Special Training Class, and the officer in charge of this investigation team.

Any action inconsistent with that identity, even in the slightest, could arouse suspicion.

“Maintain close surveillance on Gu Changyou. During his consultations, note which patients appear, which are regular patients, and which are unfamiliar faces.”

“After he gets off work, investigate where he goes and whom he comes into contact with.”

“Investigate Boss Liu of Hengrun Teahouse.”

“And his movements.”

Cheng Qianfan looked at the agents under his command.

“In short, I want records of everywhere these two men go, everything they do, and everyone they meet.”

“Yes, sir.”

“And one more thing.”

Cheng Qianfan added.

“Investigate this doctor’s recent financial situation, and also his daily habits. Haozai, I’ll leave that task to you as well.”

“Understood.”

A thin young man nodded.

Xiongzhen Tower, No. 30.

The Little White Building.

“Cheng Wufang suspects that this Gu Changyou is Agent Six?”

After hearing Wu Yuanfang’s report, Yu Ping’an asked in surprise.

“Yes. He has assigned people to investigate Doctor Gu.”

Wu Yuanfang smiled.

“Cheng Wufang is destined to waste his efforts.”

These examination reports were not classified.

As Yu Ping’an’s adjutant, Wu Yuanfang was qualified to read them.

This also fell within the scope of his routine duties.

He knew that Cheng Wufang had drawn the “empty slot.”

No impersonator had been assigned to Guangji Hospital.

Agent Six did not exist.

Therefore, there was no need for him to pay much attention to Cheng Wufang’s situation.

He had merely glanced through the report, and upon seeing that Cheng Wufang had assigned subordinates to investigate a doctor, he laughed and set the report aside without reading further.

Yu Ping’an smiled and shook his head without saying anything more.

Including an “empty slot” in the examination had been a stroke of genius by Director Dai Chunfeng.

A trainee who drew the empty slot could only be said to have bad luck.

Okada Hall.

Sanben Jiro hurried inside.

“Okada-kun, is there news of Kawada-kun?”

Sanben Jiro asked anxiously.

“Yes.”

Okada Toshihiko nodded, his expression grave.

“News has arrived from Nanjing. Kawada-kun has been secretly transferred there.”

“Nanjing? Is the information reliable?”

Sanben Jiro asked.

“Yes, Nanjing. In fact, he was most likely secretly transported there several days ago.”

Okada Toshihiko sighed.

“According to our intelligence, Dai Chunfeng of the Chinese Special Service Office is extremely excited about capturing Kawada-kun. The detention site is highly secret, and any rescue operation would be extremely difficult.”

“Damn it!”

Sanben Jiro exploded in anger and grabbed a vase, smashing it onto the floor.

Okada Toshihiko waved his hand, signaling the subordinates who had heard the noise and wanted to enter to stay away.

“Where is Wen Changjian? Where is that Chinese?”

Sanben Jiro asked with a twisted expression.

“Intelligence indicates that he never left Hangzhou and has very likely joined the Chinese intelligence services.”

“I’m going to kill him.”

Sanben Jiro’s eyes bulged and reddened, his voice becoming hysterical.

“I said from the beginning that Chinese people cannot be trusted!”

“Then kill him.”

Okada Toshihiko nodded.

The capture of Kawada Eikichi in Hangzhou by Chinese agents had had an extremely negative impact.

Even Dofihara Kenji had personally sent telegrams demanding explanations, subjecting Okada Toshihiko to considerable criticism and pressure.

Sanben Jiro and Okada Toshihiko had repeatedly analyzed the circumstances of Kawada Eikichi’s capture.

One question had always puzzled them:

How had the Nationalist intelligence services learned Kawada Eikichi’s identity and whereabouts?

After arriving in Hangzhou, Kawada’s group had maintained a low profile and remained inside the Japanese concession.

Their only departure had been to direct operations at Selling Fish Bridge Wharf.

After the operation was interrupted by unexpected developments, they had withdrawn to Yang Million’s residence to lie low temporarily.

The most likely place where Kawada Eikichi’s whereabouts could have been leaked was Yang Million’s household.

However, Yang Million had been killed by Chinese agents, and the Yang family’s assets had been confiscated.

To a certain extent, this supported the conclusion that the Yang household was unlikely to have betrayed Kawada Eikichi.

Moreover, when Sanben Jiro introduced Kawada Eikichi to Yang Million, he had presented him as Professor Yoshino Tasuku of the University of Tokyo.

No one in the Yang residence had known Kawada Eikichi’s true identity.

This further reduced suspicion toward Yang Million.

Ultimately, the two men focused their suspicions on Wen Changjian, the Communist defector.

Just as Sanben Jiro had said, the Japanese were naturally distrustful of Chinese people.

Now that they knew Wen Changjian had indeed survived and joined the Nationalist intelligence services, the suspicions surrounding him only deepened.

Sanben Jiro, in particular, firmly believed that Wen Changjian was the one who had betrayed Kawada Eikichi.

As for Sanben Jiro’s judgment,

Okada Toshihiko expressed his “firm” agreement.

Sanben Jiro came from a vassal family that had served the Kawada family.

His judgment carried significant weight.

Wen Changjian had been a member of Kawada Eikichi’s entourage from Manchukuo.

If something had gone wrong with him, leading to Kawada Eikichi’s capture, then the problem lay within Kawada Eikichi’s own team.

In that case, what did it have to do with Okada Toshihiko?

This was Okada Toshihiko’s best opportunity to escape blame.

As for whether Wen Changjian was truly the betrayer...

Did that really matter?

Cheng Qianfan had chosen an excellent position.

It was a table by a window in the corner against the wall.

Two sides were protected by walls, and one side faced the window.

From his seat, he could directly observe anyone entering the tavern.

By turning his head slightly, he could also glimpse the doctors’ dormitory of Guangji Hospital.

It was both convenient for observation and sufficiently safe.

No one could approach him from outside his field of vision.

The intelligence reports indicated that Doctor Gu would always return to his dormitory after work.

There, he would change into a handsome suit before beginning his colorful nightlife.

He owned three suits.

All were of the same style and had been tailor-made together.

He owned two neckties.

One was orange.

The other was dark blue.

Most of the time he chose the orange tie.

Occasionally, he wore the dark blue one.

Cheng Qianfan was very satisfied with the thoroughness of the intelligence.

The agent everyone called Haozai worked with exceptional care.

Although Doctor Gu had a brother-in-law serving as a deputy regimental commander in the National Revolutionary Army, and his salary was fairly decent, he spent money recklessly and was actually perpetually short of cash.

Not only that, he was buried in debt.

Had it not been for the prestige of his deputy-regimental-commander brother-in-law, debt collectors would likely have ruined his family long ago.

Yes, his brother-in-law was not a regimental commander.

He was a deputy regimental commander.

Claiming otherwise was simply the doctor’s boastfulness.

The biggest suspicious point was this:

Approximately six months ago, Doctor Gu seemed to become wealthy overnight.