My years of espionage

Chapter 1817 We are fighting, this is the meaning!

"An artist." Tengchuan Yuto sighed.

His judgment was the same as Ogasawara Rikusuke's. It was very likely that Oizumi Takaya had great respect for Hokusai Chiba and was particularly fond of the painting of "Octopus and Ama", so he named this operation "Operation Octopus".

Of course, Tengchuan Yuto also considered that since the empire is an island country, using an octopus to swallow up China is also a very good metaphor.

This is in line with the artist's so-called literary temperament.

However, objectively speaking, there is actually nothing wrong with Oizumi Takaya naming this top-secret operation "Octopus".

As long as confidentiality can be maintained, it would be fine even if the action was given a more abstract or literary name.

However, the problem now is that he suspected that the enemy had determined the "Octopus" plan through Oizumi Takashi.

In fact, even Tengchuan Yuto found these speculations absurd:

Just because of a painting, and just because the painting was by Mr. Hokusai Chiba, Oizumi Takashi was exposed?
It's far-fetched.

However, from the perspective of Yuto Tengchuan, in the absence of any further clues, this far-fetched speculation made him take it more seriously.

"So, the Major still suspects Liu Xia and Cheng Qianfan from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs?" asked Ogasawara Ritsuki.

Unexpectedly, Tengchuan Yuto shook his head slightly.

……

"Objectively speaking, these two people have come into contact with this painting, so they are indeed suspects. However, judging from the current investigation information, they seem to be able to clear themselves of suspicion," said Yuto Tengchuan.

"Liu Xia's identity and Cheng Qianfan's identity, the possibility of these two people being problematic is still low." Tengchuan Yongren said, "However, we still can't let go of any doubts."

He looked at Ogasawara Ritsuki and said, "In Nanjing, I will arrange for Nanjo Naoshi to continue to keep an eye on Liu Xia. Ogasawara..."

"I'm here." said Ogasawara Ritsuki.

"You lead the team to Shanghai," said Tengchuan Yongren, "and you go and investigate Cheng Qianfan in person."

"Hayi." Ogasawara Ritsuki said, "Major, do you want me to work with the Shanghai Special High Section to investigate Cheng Qianfan?"

"No." Tengchuan Yuto shook his head. "It's an independent investigation. You don't have to contact the Shanghai Special High Section when you arrive in Shanghai."

He saw Ogasawara Ritsuki's puzzled expression and said, "As far as I know, Cheng Qianfan and Shanghai Special High Section's Araki Harima are very good friends. I'm worried that the Shanghai Special High Section may have overlooked some details because of this relationship."

"I understand." Ogasawara Ritsuki nodded. Even though the major didn't explain it clearly, he still realized that the major didn't really trust the Shanghai Special High Police.

"We are investigating more than just Liu Xia and Cheng Qianfan," said Tengchuan Yongren. "Do you remember that the investigation showed that Mr. Oizumi Takashi had held an art exhibition?"

"Major, what you mean is that the paintings in the exhibition may also include Mr. Oizumi Takaya's imitations of Mr. Hokusai Chiba's works?" Ogasawara Ritsuuke immediately understood what the major meant and asked.

"I can't rule out this possibility." Tengchuan Yuto nodded, "I will arrange for someone else to investigate this matter."

"Hayi." Ogasawara Ritsuji said. He thought for a moment, pointed at the painting on the desk, and said, "I think that even for this painting, it is not certain that only Liu Xia and Cheng Qianfan have seen it. Maybe Mr. Oizumi Takashi has shown this painting to outsiders before, or someone may have seen this painting by chance."

"Yes." Tengchuan Yuto pressed his thumb on his temple. "These are all uncertain factors, just like a lot of balls of thread. We need to carefully and seriously sort them out one by one."

"Take your people to Shanghai immediately," said Tengchuan Yuto, "I will go see the section chief."

"Hai."

……

Gold and Silver Street.

"Captain, the Japanese outside are checking very strictly. It is impossible to transport people out of the city." Lu Jie came back and reported to Lu Xingge.

Lu Xingge looked at Jiang Laosan, "Laosan."

"Captain, what Xiaojie said is right. It's not just the Japanese. The police department, the secret service headquarters, the Japanese military police, the Special High Section, and the Anqing Gang, the bastards. The enemies in Nanjing are all like crazy, searching everywhere and arresting people at random."

"Wait!" Lu Xingge said after a moment's hesitation, "We must not panic at this time. Any reckless action will bring disastrous consequences."

"However, Gold and Silver Street is not safe here. The enemy is searching every house, and they will find here sooner or later." Lu Xingge said, "We will move tonight and move Oizumi Takashi to safe house No. 2."

He looked at Jiang Lao San and said, "Lao San, I'm leaving the man in your hands. You must keep him under guard."

"I understand." Jiang Laosan nodded.

"Be careful," Lu Xingge warned, "If necessary, execute Oizumi Takashi immediately."

"I understand." Jiang Laosan nodded seriously.

Lu Xingge looked at Lu Jie again, "Ajie, you personally protect the third brother in secret."

"I understand." Lu Jie nodded and said.

That night, Jiang Laosan, Lu Jie and others hid Daquan Chongya in the secret compartment of a carriage carrying vegetables and moved him out of Jinyin Street.

Lu Xingge stayed in the room. He glanced at the iron box on the table and thought for a long time. Then he opened the iron box that had been pried open by his second brother and stared at the US dollar engraving.

Compared to the conspicuousness of a living person like Oizumi Takashige, this carved board is obviously easier to hide.

Therefore, this engraving was kept by him personally.

……

Lu Xingge found a hoe, dug a small hole in the backyard, wrapped the carved block with oilcloth and buried it, then moved a few flower pots over to cover up the traces of digging.

After doing all this, he breathed a sigh of relief.

Boss Dai called and ordered them to split into two groups to transport Oizumi Takashi and the woodblocks to Chongqing. The wording of the order was harsh, and Boss Dai used the order "at all costs".

Lu Xingge was fully aware of the arduousness of the task.

However, given the current situation in Nanjing, it was already very difficult for him to ensure that nothing went wrong and that they were not found by the enemy, let alone transporting the people and the engravings separately.

We can only wait until the storm has passed and then think of a solution.

……

Shanghai.

Ogasawara Ritsuki has been here for half a month.

On this day, he was dressed as a tourist, with a Citibank-made Browning camera hanging around his neck, strolling around Lafite Road, taking a few photos from time to time.

During the half month in Shanghai, he ordered his men to collect information about Cheng Qianfan.

The more intelligence he collected, the better he understood Cheng Qianfan and the more he paid attention to him.

This person has many identities, including Secretary Cheng of the Nanjing government's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, member of the Standing Committee of the French Concession Executive Committee of the Shanghai Kuomintang Party, Deputy Chief Patrolman of the French Concession Central District Police Station, and one of the two major owners of the large-scale black market merchant "Jiujiu Trading" in the French Concession.

In addition, Cheng Qianfan and Araki Harima, the captain of the Shanghai Special High Section Operations Team, are good friends.

He is an alumnus of the Secret Service Headquarters' Li Cuiqun and they have a good relationship.

It is said that he was also appreciated by His Excellency Imamura Heitaro, Counselor of the Imperial Consulate General in Shanghai.

It has some relationship with the Imperial Military Police Headquarters in Shanghai.

Cheng Qianfan is such a person who has extreme hatred for the red people, is close to the empire, and is a young official of the Wang regime. Logically, there should be no problem with him.

However, precisely because Cheng Qianfan has multiple identities, such a person should not have any problems. Once there is a problem, it would be a big problem.

Cheng Qianfan has backgrounds in the empire's special agencies, the Wang regime, and even the Green Gang. If there is any problem with such a person, he can be extremely destructive and threatening.

Because of this, Ogasawara Ritsuki became more and more interested in Cheng Qianfan.

……

"Hey, what are you doing?" Ogasawara Ritsuuke picked up the camera and took a picture of the gate of Cheng's mansion, which attracted scolding from the bodyguard at the door.

"I'm sorry, I'm an international student who just returned from the United States. I'm traveling around." Ogasawara Ritsuuke quickly clasped his hands together and apologized.

"You are not allowed to take pictures here. Move away," the bodyguard said.

"I'm really sorry." Ogasawara Ritsuki smiled and walked away.

"What's the noise outside?" Cheng Qianfan was resting at home today and was playing with Xiao Zhima in the living room. He asked with a frown.

"Brother Fan, I'll go ask." Li Hao said.

After a while, Li Hao came back. "Brother Fan, it was a returned overseas student from the United States. He was strolling outside and took a photo of the gate. Zhao Qi had already chased him away."

"International students returning from the United States? For sightseeing?" Cheng Qianfan frowned slightly.

"Yes, that's what Zhao Qi said." Li Hao nodded.

"Assign someone to secretly watch and see if they are really overseas students traveling for fun." Cheng Qianfan said.

"I understand." Li Hao nodded. He walked into the yard, waved his hand and gave instructions to his men.

……

The Cheng family is hosting a banquet to entertain Pete's family today.

Near noon, Pete, his wife Linda, and their two children arrived at the Cheng Mansion.

After lunch, Cheng Qianfan and Pete came to the study.

"Have you made a decision?" Cheng Qianfan handed a cigarette to Pete and asked.

"My friend, yes, I have made my decision." Pete lit a cigarette and smoked it quietly. "I am going back to fight for my country."

"What about Linda and the children?" Cheng Qianfan asked.

"Linda and the children will stay in Shanghai," said Peter. "I can rest assured that you, a friend, will take care of them in Shanghai."

"I wanted to persuade you, but I can see that you are very determined." Cheng Qianfan flicked the ash from his cigarette and said, "I won't say anything more. With me in Shanghai, Linda and the children will be safe."

"Thank you, my friend." Pete nodded touchedly and said.

"Are you going to join the Free French team of General Gao?" Cheng Qianfan asked.

"Of course." Pete nodded. "The Vichy regime is an illegal surrender regime. Only General Charles' Free France is a regime that truly belongs to the French people."

"Then you must be prepared for a civil war with the Vichy regime." Cheng Qianfan shook his head and said.

Peter was silent, the subject making him uncomfortable.

……

Yes, the British, in alliance with the Free French, are now fighting the Vichy French Army.

The cause was that in July last year, the Vichy regime surrendered to Germany, and the Germans agreed to the Vichy regime's naval fleet and allowed the French navy to remain neutral in the war.

However, the British obviously did not believe this. They were worried that the French fleet, especially the fleet stationed in Mers El-Kebir, Algeria, would fall into the hands of the German army, threatening their control of the Mediterranean Sea.

The British Navy issued an ultimatum to the French army, demanding that they join the British army, disarm or sail to a neutral country.

When the French refused, the British launched an attack, sinking a battleship, two destroyers, and killing 1,297 French soldiers.

The French Navy suffered heavy casualties in this naval battle.

It is indeed ironic that the only major victory the British army has achieved since the outbreak of the European War was against the French.

The French were filled with grief and indignation. In the words of Le Parisien: Germany defeated us and allowed us to keep our fleet, but our "ally" Britain was so cruel to us. Who is France's real enemy?
Vichy France immediately announced the severance of diplomatic relations with Britain.

Yes, although Britain recognized "Free France" when it was first established, it continued to maintain diplomatic relations with Vichy France until this time when the two sides broke off diplomatic relations.

This incident angered the French, and the French army subsequently took retaliatory measures against Britain.

The Vichy French army launched several rounds of air strikes on the British military base in Gibraltar.

Last September, the British Army, together with the Free French Army, launched an attack on the port of Dakar in French West Africa. The Vichy French Governor of Dakar, Boisseau, ordered a fierce counterattack and defeated the joint forces of Britain and the Free French.

After that, the guerrillas organized by the Free French Army and the Vichy French Army fought on the French mainland, and the battle was once brutal.

……

"So, you are going back to France to join the Free French guerrillas?" Cheng Qianfan understood and asked.

"In your country, aren't there also armies from Chongqing and Yanzhou fighting against the traitorous armed forces?" Pete asked in return. "Take Shanghai's vicinity as an example. Haven't the New Fourth Army and the Kuomintang troops been fighting against the pacification army from Nanjing?"

"That is the illegal armed forces of the Chongqing puppet regime and the Red Bandits!" Cheng Qianfan's face changed and he said seriously, "Peter, my friend, please be careful with your words."

His expression was serious. “I don’t want to hear such words, such wrong words, again.”

"Whatever you say." Pete shrugged. "As the saying goes in your country, justice is in the hearts of the people."

Not enough words to speculate.

Cheng Qianfan had no choice but to change the subject, "You're going back to France, so what about our supply of goods and transportation lines in Marseille?"

"I returned to France secretly. Linda is still in Shanghai. Linda will contact Marseille. You don't have to worry about that." Pete said.

"You're not naive enough to think that you left Shanghai and secretly returned to France to join the guerrillas. This matter can be kept absolutely confidential, right?" Cheng Qianfan said sarcastically.

"We'll keep it a secret for as long as we can." Pete said, taking a few deep puffs of his cigarette.

He looked at Cheng Qianfan, "Qianfan, my friend, if I die for my country, please take good care of Linda and the children for me."

Cheng Qianfan was silent. He looked at Peter deeply and said, "Peter, you are in Shanghai, far away from the war, with a comfortable life and our profitable business. There is no need for you to return to mainland France."

……

"I love my country," said Pete.

"Aren't you afraid of death? Don't you think about Linda and the children? Linda may lose her husband, and the children may lose their father!" Cheng Qianfan asked.

"Of course I'm afraid of death," said Pete, "but fear is no reason not to fight if you want to die for your country."

"As for Linda and the children." He suddenly smiled, "Linda will be sad, but also proud of me. The war is won. If I really die for my country, the children will proudly say that their father is a hero, a hero who bravely fought for a free France!"

"Are you so sure that the Free French will win, relying on those so-called guerrillas?" Cheng Qianfan raised a hint of sneer at the corner of his mouth, "You won't win, you might lose your life in vain, it's meaningless."

"How can dying for the country be meaningless?" Pete smiled, a bright smile, "Pick up the gun, fight, we are fighting, we have fought, we are willing to die for the country, this is the meaning."

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