The Bravest

"We're here, get off." Gangcun's car stopped outside a seemingly ordinary building, an old three-story Western-style building, but from the outside, it occupies a large area. A plaque with the words "East Asian Political Research Institute" hung at the door. Gangcun handed his ID and a document from the Military Police Headquarters to the guard at the gate. The guard carefully read it and called the internal line to verify it before Gangcun and the flow meter's car were allowed to pass.

"What is this place? The Institute of East Asian Politics, I don't think I've ever heard of it." Lin Jie looked at the yard and saw that the security was not weak, and there were even mobile patrol guards.

"Let me tell you, it was only established two months ago. We may have frequent dealings in the future. Do you know who is here? Chen Gongshu, the former head of the Shanghai station of the Military Control Commission. You never expected that."

"Ah, is this guy imprisoned here?" Lin Jie asked Gangcun in surprise. Ever since Chen Gongshu was captured and betrayed the Military Control Commission's Shanghai Station, the Military Control Commission had been looking for his whereabouts, wanting to get rid of this traitor who caused huge losses. Unexpectedly, he was imprisoned in this inconspicuous old building.

"Haha, Mr. Lin, Chen Gongshu is already our partner. He cannot be said to be imprisoned. He is free. He also founded the East Asian Political Research Institute, which is mainly responsible for the analysis and research of international intelligence. It is closely related to our work, so I said that we will deal with him frequently in the future."

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"Welcome Major Gangcun to guide our work. Please come in." At the door of an unmarked office, Lin Jie saw the legendary Chen Gongshu, a man of medium build and ordinary appearance. He did not have the aura of the head of the Shanghai station of the Military Control Commission at all. It might be because of the change after he defected to the Japanese. Anyway, in Lin Jie's eyes, there was nothing special about him.

"Haha, Director Chen, you're too polite. How are you? Are you used to it here?" Gangcun laughed and sat down. Lin Jie didn't say anything and sat down next to Gangcun.

"Who is this?" Chen Gongshu asked, feeling a little dissatisfied when he saw the young man following Gangcun sitting on the sofa without any courtesy.

"Oh, I forgot to introduce Director Chen to Lin Jie, the director of the Japan-China Charity Welfare Institute, and also the chief of the Second Section of my Special Intelligence Investigation Office." Gangcun seemed to have just remembered it.

"Director Chen's name is well-known. I am Lin Jie, and I will rely on your care in the future." Lin Jie then stood up again and shook hands with Chen Gongshu.

"President Lin is really a young and promising man. Please take a seat." Chen Gongshu invited the two to sit down.

He started making tea and saying some polite words. After a few minutes, seeing that Gangcun had no intention of speaking, Chen Gongshu had to ask. "Major Gangcun, you didn't come here specially to see me today, did you? Just ask if you have anything to say."

"Haha, Dean Chen, I wonder if you are familiar with Mao Sen?" Gangcun finally got to the point.

"Mao Sen, I'm not that familiar with him, we've only dealt with each other a few times. How come Major Gangcun is interested in Mao?" Chen Gongshu didn't understand why Gangcun suddenly mentioned Mao.

"Oh, that's right. Mao Sen is visiting the military police, but he still has some doubts about cooperating with Japan. We came here today to ask President Chen to persuade him." Gangcun spoke big words, as if Mao Sen had been persuaded by the Japanese, but was still hesitating, and all he needed was Chen Gongshu's final push. In fact, Gangcun had not even started to contact Mao Sen. He said this just to give Chen Gongshu confidence, because after Chen Gongshu betrayed the Shanghai Station of the Military Control Commission, he started to play dead and set up such an East Asian Political Research Institute, staying there all day to do so-called international intelligence research. He was unwilling to do concrete work.

"Ah, Mao Sen is in your hands?" Chen Gongshu looked at Gangcun in surprise. No one knew who Mao Sen was better than Chen Gongshu. The area around Shanghai could be said to be Mao Sen's base, especially Hangzhou, which was the replenishment base for the military's operatives. He didn't expect that such an important figure would fall into the hands of the Japanese.

"Haha, there's nothing impossible about it. Most of China, and even the whole of East Asia, are already in the hands of Japan, so we hope that more knowledgeable people will join the cause of East Asian co-prosperity led by Japan." Gangcun, a spy who was a policeman, spoke more and more like a politician.

"Oh, Major Okamura, can I ask what Mao Sen is still worried about? The conditions for cooperation? I can't possibly agree to these. Even if I agree, Mao Sen won't believe it, after all, his position is not lower than mine." Who is Chen Gongshu? He is a veteran agent. He didn't believe what Okamura said at all. The Japanese must have no other choice but to ask him to come forward, just to let him, the former station chief, shake Mao Sen's beliefs. After all, with the predecessors, it won't be so difficult for the later generations to surrender, right?

"Let's not talk about this for now. Dean Chen, can you tell us in detail about Mao Sen's experience, hobbies and so on? Tell us about all aspects in detail." Gangcun knew that he could not deceive Chen Gongshu, and began to tell his main purpose for today. He came here to learn about Mao Sen's various situations through Chen Gongshu. To persuade a person to defect, he must first understand this person's past and various social relationships.

"Okay, then I'll introduce this Mao Sen to Major Gangcun..." People have to bow their heads under the eaves. Chen Gongshu was captured. In order to save his life, he betrayed the Shanghai station of the Military Control Commission. He felt a little regretful. He knew the methods of Boss Dai, so after saving his life, he refused to join No. 76. Instead, he proposed to the Japanese to open the current research institute, which specializes in international intelligence research. Gangcun wanted to know about Mao Sen, and Chen Gongshu did not dare to refuse. As long as he did not directly oppose the Military Control Commission, Chen Gongshu would still cooperate.

"What is the relationship between Mao Sen and Mao Renfeng? And Director Chen, please tell us in detail about his relationship with Dai Li." Lin Jie listened carefully and interrupted from time to time to ask questions.

"Let me put it this way, the relationship is deeper than mine." Chen Gongshu said frankly. Even if he didn't say it, the Japanese could find out from other channels.

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"Okay, let's stop here today. If needed, we will come back to ask President Chen for help." After Chen Gongshu had spoken for half an hour and had nothing new to say and started repeating himself, Gangcun interrupted Chen Gongshu, indicating that it was almost done.

"Okay, I hope what I know can be helpful to Major Gangcun." Chen Gongshu had nothing to say for a long time, but Lin Jie sometimes had to ask repeatedly, so he had to answer repeatedly.

After leaving the East Asian Political Research Institute, on the way back, Gangcun asked Lin Jie: "How is it going? Do you have any ideas?"

"According to Chen Gongshu's introduction, Mao Sen is not easy to deal with, and it's impossible to get a chance to cooperate with him." Lin Jie told the truth.

"Yes, he was able to withstand the torture of the military police, and he is experienced, so he is a tough opponent. But there is always a way. As a person, his courage will decrease as his status improves. Mao Sen may still be the same Mao Sen as a few years ago." Gangcun would not believe that anyone would not fear death, including himself.

"Can we meet Mao Sen now? Should we have a talk first and see what he says? It's better not to use torture until the very end, so as not to affect future cooperation. Besides, as long as Mao Sen is treated well by us, his old subordinates will have hope. The members of the Military Control Commission Shanghai Station are basically Mao Sen's old subordinates. Without Mao Sen's cooperation, Zhang Wu will have no way to mobilize his subordinates. Once Mao Sen gets into trouble, Mao's old subordinates will lose hope, and Zhang Wu can better control the Shanghai Station, which is disadvantageous to us." Lin Jie helped Gangcun analyze the importance of Mao Sen from another perspective. He hoped that the Japanese would not torture Mao Sen. Lin Jie believed that as long as Mao Sen was not tortured, with Mao Sen's rich experience, he could deal with the Japanese to the end.

"What you said makes sense. We should be cautious in dealing with Mao Sen." Gangcun himself didn't have any good ideas. Lin Jie came out today just because he needed a follower. He went to find Chen Gongshu to verify and compare the basic situation.

"However, we can arrange more collaborators like Chen Gongshu to go and persuade people. After all, people live in groups, and the power of example is still very strong."

"Okay, let's meet him now, and then arrange for some former Nationalist government personnel who are cooperating with us to persuade him. The teacher also said that this kind of thing cannot be rushed. Let's go and meet this big man of the Military Control Commission now."

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On Disiwei Road, Gangcun and Linjie went through several checks before they saw Mao Sen. He was not in a cell, but a suite with a small reception room. He was tall and well-mannered, like a teacher. His face was normal, not panicked or anxious. When Gangcun and Linjie came in, he was sitting on a small sofa reading a book. When he saw someone coming in, he raised his head and carefully observed the two of them, without any guilty expression.

"Mr. Mao, are you used to the environment here?" Gangcun took Lin Jie to sit opposite Mao Sen and greeted him with a smile.

"You two haven't introduced yourselves yet, so I wouldn't be able to say hello otherwise." Mao Sen was indeed experienced and took the initiative as soon as he opened his mouth.

"Mr. Mao, we met yesterday. Let me introduce you. This is Major Gangcun of the Military Police Headquarters, and I am Lin Jie, the major's subordinate. I am very happy to have Mr. Mao here as a guest." Lin Jie took the initiative to step forward. This is the job of a subordinate.

"It's a bit too much to say that I'm your guest. Mr. Major Okamura, since you invited me here, you can now tell me your intentions."

"Nothing much, I just want to discuss cooperation with Mr. Mao."

"Oh, how can a businessman like me cooperate with your military police headquarters?"

"Mr. Mao, there is no need to say more. Chen Jilian has already explained it clearly. You are the operations chief of the Military Control Commission's Shanghai Station. Otherwise, you would not have received such treatment. This is much better than the treatment Mr. Mao received three years ago." Gangcun's meaning was very clear. Your identity, Mao Sen, is no longer a secret, and we have given you the treatment you deserve. Let's speak frankly and there is no need to waste time talking around.

"Haha, it's indeed much better than three years ago. But you should know that your status is not high enough to negotiate with me. Please go back." Mao Sen said fearlessly. He didn't give Gangcun any face at all.

"Haha, Mr. Mao is so direct. But we are just paving the way. Mr. Mao, you can tell us your ideas or conditions first, and we can go back and report. This way, there will be equal people to talk to Mr. Mao next time. If there is no sincerity in the talk, you, Mr. Mao, may not be treated this way." Lin Jie, of course, acted as Gangcun's vanguard and threatened.

"Then change the treatment. I have experienced it three years ago. I don't know if there are any new tricks now." Mao Sen was certainly not afraid and responded to Lin Jie's threat indifferently.

"Mr. Lin, watch your attitude when you speak." Gangcun scolded Lin Jie at the right time and stood up to be a good person. "Mr. Mao, we can talk about anything. The overall environment is much better now than it was three years ago. The whole of Asia is already in the hands of Japan. It is a good time for people of insight to join in building Greater East Asia. After all, Asia is a place for Asians. Can't we drive the Baizhong people away together?"

"Major Okamura is right, but I still think that China is a place for the Chinese, and you Japanese should not come here." Mao Sen directly retorted.

While Gangcun was still thinking about how to refute, Lin Jie suddenly changed the topic: "Mr. Mao could surrender to Han but not Cao. I think Chairman Wang's national policy is the way out for China, what do you think?"

"Little brother, isn't he afraid that I am in Cao's camp but my heart is with Han?" Mao looked at Gangcun and provoked him meaningfully.

"Haha, Mr. Mao may not understand me. I have another identity. I am the director of the Japan-China Charity Welfare Institute. I have rescued 300 Chinese orphans of Your Majesty. I want to do things for the Chinese people. And this was done with the help of our Japanese friends. That's why I said that Chairman Wang's national policy is China's way out. It would be a good thing for Mr. Mao to come out and support Chairman Wang and build a brand new China with the help of Japan. This would be a good thing." Lin Jie spoke very tactfully.

Mao Sen glanced at Lin Jie secretly with complicated eyes, lowered his head and said nothing.

"Mr. Lin is right. If Mr. Mao has any doubts about us in Japan, he can support Chairman Wang. We can understand this." Gangcun added without losing time.

Mao Sen did not refute, and the reception room fell into silence. After waiting for a while, Lin Jie saw that the atmosphere had reached a stalemate, so he secretly pulled the corner of Gangcun's clothes and said, "Mr. Gangcun, it's almost time, why don't you let Mr. Mao take a rest first and think about our suggestions carefully."

"Okay, then we won't bother you anymore. Mr. Mao still needs to think about it carefully. I'll bring some of Mr. Mao's old friends to visit you another day. Goodbye."

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