In a large residential house outside Guide City, war was about to descend. The original owner had planned to leave, but he was reluctant to part with the family business. Coincidentally, someone wanted to rent the house, and the two parties hit it off. The people who rented the house were Kumamoto Shunji and Suzuki Ichiro.
In the days they had been staying, they had brought a radio operator and a liaison with two radio stations. One was responsible for contacting the 88th Division's communication company, and the other was responsible for contacting the Shanghai Sakura Communication Office.
The troops in Guide were frequently switched out, and there was a lack of coordination between the troops. The radio station management was chaotic, and there was almost no counter-spy force. Therefore, they were not interrogated during the few days they were here. This allowed the Cherry Blossom Party to fully display their ability to gather information, and their work progressed smoothly with remarkable results.
The two men disguised as soldiers from the 88th Division brought back the deployment of troops from various regions from Lanfeng, Kaocheng, Neihuang Market, and Chenliu Ferry. The agents who had infiltrated the communication company of the 88th Division had a clear picture of the number, direction, and deployment of the troops. They did not even need to use the communication station to send a telegram directly to the outpost of the Cherry Blossom Team.
Ichiro Suzuki had been helping Kumamoto Shunji sort out the intelligence these days. He gradually realized that Kumamoto Shunji's message clearly described the number, number, and deployment of the troops in the First Battle Area, but did not mention the combat strength of the troops.
As a soldier, Ichiro Suzuki naturally understood the current combat situation of the national army, and the combat situation was the most important thing in the intelligence.
For example, the elite troops guarding the front line of Guide Lanfeng were lost in the Battle of Songhu, and the Nanjing defense battle was almost lost. The 46th Division of the 27th Army and Hu Zongnan's new 1st Army lost more than 85% of their troops in Nanjing. The 88th division of the 71st division and the 87th division had a 90% chance of winning. As for the 74th division, the 36th division also suffered over 75% casualties. Their original German Armament had suffered heavy losses. Although they had only replenished their inventory, they could only maintain half German and half Nation Equipment. There were very few heavy weapons and a serious lack of anti-tank artillery.
If the elites of the Central Army were like this, the other troops could only rely on half of the country's machinery and half of Hanyang's manufacturing to maintain their strength. The new recruits from the various departments basically had no combat experience. Nearly half of the recruits did not even have basic training.
The worst was Li Hanhun's 64th division, which had just been established less than a year ago. He was not welcomed by the Guangdong army. Although it is a three-division army, it is made in Hanyang. The artillery battalion only had 20 old mortars and 3 Type 92 infantry cannons. The heavy firepower was only comparable to the Japanese brigade.
The 195th Division was a motley crew, so it was not worth mentioning. They were all adapted by local militia groups, not even made in Hanyang.
In addition, the three batches of artillery purchased from the Soviet Union had just been taken over by the artillery regiments and were still in training.
The 200th division had just participated in the battle of Xu Prefecture. His troops suffered heavy casualties and were undergoing training. Only one tank battalion and one tank company could be sent to participate in the battle.
After accumulating this information, they would discover that the original 150,000 troops only had 30% of their surface combat strength, and none of this information had been sent back to Shanghai.
Finally, that night, the two of them were enjoying the shade in the courtyard. Ichiro Suzuki couldn't help but ask,"Mr. Xiong, why didn't the telegram mention anything about the military strength of the Chinese army?”
Kumamoto Shunji had expected Ichiro Suzuki to ask. He sighed and said,""Yes, if the Central Army wants to reach the combat strength before the war, it will take at least another half a year under the premise of fully equipped weapons. However, conquering Guide was a matter of great importance. It directly affected the future of the war between China and Japan, and Cheng Qian was one of the few famous generals in the national army. I don't want General Dohihara to underestimate the enemy.”
"However, this should be something that the headquarters should consider.”
"This is a major event that concerns the success or failure of General Doheihara. Attaching importance to the opponent and underestimating the opponent will lead to completely different results. As for combat power, it wasn't only reflected in training and weapons, but more importantly, in spirit and will.”
"Yes, Mr. Bear, I understand."
Although he said this verbally, Ichiro Suzuki's heart was filled with a thick cloud of doubt that could not be dispelled. His expression darkened. According to his past self, he would not let things go so easily. In terms of solving cases, he couldn't compare to Team Leader Kumamoto, but he was a graduate of the Army University after all, so he had his own unique views on the military.
However, just as Kumamoto was worried about, Ichiro Suzuki no longer had his previous spirit and was in a depressed state.
For the past ten days, he had missed Yukiko every day, thinking about the person he loved deeply. That day at the Navy Club, Yuuko resolutely said that she was Chinese and that it was never possible between the two of them. The current life was what she wanted, and she asked him not to pester her in the future.
As a secret agent, how could he not see that she was acting? How could he not see the endless sorrow under her cold face?
His heart was crying and bleeding. Even the fatigue of the past few days of trekking could not wash away the pain in his heart.
Looking at the originally cheerful young man in front of him who was now silent and depressed, Kumamoto Shunji sighed secretly. He had already sent a special telegram a few days ago.
This time, Kumamoto Shunji had come with the determination to die, but he did not want to implicate Ichiro Suzuki. He wanted to leave Ichiro Suzuki with a thought, so that he would have a reason and hope to live on.
——————
Kumamoto Shunji could no longer face Cheng Xiaofeng like before, and he would not return to the Special Higher Police to continue living an ignoble life. The best choice was to die like a soldier of the Empire. This way, it would not bring trouble to his family. Once his student's whereabouts were exposed, his daughter Keiko would not be implicated too much. At the very least, she should be able to keep her life.
Having been in the detective industry for decades, he still pursued justice and punished criminals. However, he was a Japanese after all. It was impossible for him to join the enemy on the battlefield.
In reality, he couldn't take care of both. He could only think of ways to avoid war. It would neither hurt the Japanese nor cause casualties among the Chinese civilians. He couldn't control the war, but at least he didn't want to see a massacre while he was still alive. It seemed like there was only one way to make the 1st Battle Area look strong and secure, and that was to make Tufei Yuan retreat.
He was like a criminal, a criminal who was engaged in the investigation industry. He had made a counter-investigation plan for the entire process of the crime because he had to face not only Matsuta Yuta, but also Kenji Doihara, the godfather of the Japanese spy world.
Therefore, all the messages he sent out had to be true and could withstand investigation. As for the vague information, he would also urge the members of the Cherry Blossom Party to repeatedly verify it. However, he chose to deliberately leave out some information that could not be evaluated, such as combat strength, morale, training, the prestige of the general in the army, the character of the general, and other soft power aspects.
Therefore, the information he sent out was lacking, but no one could find any problems.
——————
The summer of 1927 came very early and was very fierce. Shanghai had just entered May, and the temperature rose sharply. The Xuzhou battlefield was like the summer in Shanghai this year. Once May entered, it suddenly became tense.
The situation in the battle of Xuzhou was gradually becoming clearer. The national army had already invested 800,000 troops in the battle of Xuzhou, but because their combat strength was not strong, the various departments were too concentrated. This gave the Japanese army an opportunity to gather their forces from all sides. The huge net woven by the Japanese army headquarters had been opened, and the situation had developed in favor of the Japanese army.
However, as the intelligence reports from the First Battle Area became more and more detailed, Katsuki Seiji, who had been ordered to cut off the Longhai Line at the right time, became more and more frightened. He did not dare to send the 14th Division out. Under the strict orders of Shouichi Terauchi, he finally sent the battle order that had been suppressed for many days to the 14th Division. He would wait for the opportunity to cross the Yellow River and attack Eastern Yu!
Kenji Doihara had already set his eyes on the first battle area and had obtained a large amount of information about the first battle area from Sakura Kogyo. His 14th Regiment had already assembled. The 14th Regiment was an A-class Regiment with two exploration teams and four regiments. It should have 23,000 people. However, in terms of military strength, there was a huge difference between the two sides. Under the current circumstances, Dohihara Kenji did not dare to venture into the first battle area alone.
He was like a lone wolf staring at a wild ox. The wild ox was so huge that the lone wolf looked at it like a tiger but did not dare to act rashly. The wild bull was also observing the lone wolf, putting up a defensive stance, not daring to relax.
During this time, the intelligence of the 1st Battle Area was continuously sent to the Shanghai Army Headquarters. At the same time, the strength and movements of the 14th Division were also continuously sent to the Changde Garrison Command.
The top decision-makers of both China and Japan had a strange scene because on their conference table was information on the attack and defense of Yudong. The information of the 1st Battle Area and the 14th Division was exactly the same. Only Cheng Xiaofeng and Kumamoto Shunji understood the situation.
As far as China and Japan were concerned, the other party had no secrets. It was like a game of chess. As for when and how to start the battle, it would depend on the situation of the Xuzhou battlefield. At present, the battle of Xuzhou had not yet entered the decisive stage. Both China and Japan were still planning and dispatching.
——————
The situation in Xuzhou was tense, and even Shanghai, which was hundreds of kilometers away, was affected. All the newspapers used the topic of the battle between China and Japan in Xuzhou as the topic of their reports, exaggerating the tense atmosphere of the battle. The topics discussed by the residents of Shanghai, the streets, and alleys, all revolved around the war between the two countries in Xuzhou.
The people of Shanghai had experienced two wars of resistance, so they were knowledgeable. When two citizens met, they could express their unique views on the war situation. However, almost all of them were entangled in the comparison of the numbers of the two armies and the conversion relationship. Each of them expressed their understanding of the conversion ratio, and they often argued about how many Chinese soldiers could be exchanged for one Japanese soldier.
The wonton stall at the corner of Zhapu Road had reopened. After that incident, Mr. and Mrs. Su had become bolder as they had returned from the gates of hell. They had rebuilt the wonton cart, but the stall was far away from the roadside. They had also set up a awning, added cold noodles and tea, and added two newspapers.
It was already nine o'clock. The wonton stall was past its busiest hour. The people under the pergola ordered tea and read the newspaper, discussing the war. Boss Su was also free. When he saw that Reporter Chen was also reading the newspaper, he came over and looked around. He asked,"Reporter Chen, you are a knowledgeable person. Please analyze for us what the outcome of the war in Xuzhou will be. Could the national army defeat the Japanese?”
Chen Licheng put down the newspaper, estimated for a while, and said,""Eighty against forty, the odds of winning are not high.”
"Then 800,000 is worth 200,000 Japanese, right?”
"Four to one, but the 80 troops of the national army are all lost in Xuzhou. What will happen in the future?”
"Then, let's recruit another 800,000. We have 400,000 people.”
"Isn't there 3 million in Shanghai? The Japanese stationed in Shanghai only have 20 to 30 thousand.”
"That's true. Damn it, the military police are indeed scary.”
"It's really not that algorithm." Chen Licheng smiled and sighed.”
Boss Su didn't say anything else and left silently.
Chen Licheng adjusted his glasses, put down the newspaper, and left. Today, he was going to a place that terrified him-the Special Higher Police.
Chen Licheng had followed Li Zongren for a long time and had been engaged in the intelligence work of the Gui Army. He was also an excellent spy. Chen Licheng's greatest credit was that he had seen through Fu Wenyun's identity very early on, so Li Zongren convinced Fu Wenyun. At that time, the Gui Faction was also a relatively large force among the warlords. Feng Ti also wanted to make friends with the Gui Faction, so he gave Li Zongren a favor. Fu Wenyun then transferred to Li Zongren's side to provide information on the Japanese army. Their liaison was Chen Licheng. It had to be said that Feng Ti's investment in Li Zongren was very insightful and far-sighted.
Chen Licheng still visited the wonton stall every day. As a reporter for the Huamei Evening News, he was responsible for collecting news in the Chinese region. The news of the Japanese army was of utmost importance. Of course, the Japanese army also needed to publicize the fishing vessels. Therefore, Chen Licheng would often appear in important institutions such as the Shanghai Dispatching Army Command as a special reporter. He was even often seen in the Navy Club. As a result, he got to know many high-ranking Japanese generals, interpreter, news spokesperson, and other reputable figures. Of course, Fu Wenyun, the translator of the Lan Agency, was also one of them. To outsiders, they were just acquaintances.
The ongoing battle of Xu Prefecture was also a major event that the Japanese army was promoting. The news spokesperson would release news about the battle situation almost every day. The news would be about how the Empire's army had captured a certain city, how many soldiers had been wiped out, how many soldiers had been gathered there, how many kilometers they were approaching Xu Prefecture, and so on. Almost all of them were exaggerated. The purpose was to publicize the strength of the Japanese army and the weakness of the national army. It was as if the Japanese army was about to achieve complete victory and the national army would immediately collapse. It was used to increase the pessimism of the Chinese and weaken their will to resist.
Although the spokesperson of the Supreme Command of the Shanghai dispatched army exaggerated, the national army in the Xuzhou battle was indeed not optimistic. What worried Chen Licheng even more was the secret information that Fu Wenyun had received. The Shanghai Special Higher Police had already planted a spy team in the First Battle Area. They were able to send intelligence about the First Battle Area to the Special Higher Police every day, especially the deployment of the First Battle Area and the mobilization of troops. It was very detailed and timely.
Chen Licheng was well aware of the importance of the First Battle Area to the battle in Xuzhou. It was a way out for the hundreds of thousands of troops in Xuzhou. The reason why the Chinese army dared to confront the Japanese army in Xuzhou was because of the safety of the rear. This spy group was a huge hidden danger. They had to be detected in time. However, there was still too little information about this group. They had to find out the specific location of this group. Otherwise, the hundreds of thousands of soldiers in Xuzhou would have to find another way to survive.
Chen Licheng was still afraid of the Shanghai Special Higher Police. The interrogation had always been a nightmare for him. The interrogators 'standard Mandarin and strange interrogation methods had caught him off guard.
His intuition told him that he had exposed his identity as a spy. However, the other party's interrogation stopped abruptly and he was released. This was simply too unexpected, but it was not a pleasant surprise. This was also what made him uneasy. As a spy, he had already put his life and death aside. What he was worried about was that the other party would use a long line to catch a big fish and find out the team behind him. Fu Wenyun said that this line was very important to the battle of Xuzhou and even the fate of the country's war of resistance. Nothing could happen to it.
What made him most uneasy was that right before he was released, Fu Wenyun and Hezhi Yingji came to the Special Higher Police. He understood that Fu Wenyun's purpose was to inquire about him. He was almost certain that the pair of eyes in the darkness had already seen the arrival of Fu Wen Yun and the others, and was even waiting for their arrival. It was highly possible that Fu Wen Yun had already fallen into the Special Higher Police's line of sight.
Therefore, he was very conflicted during this time. The war in Xuzhou had reached a critical moment, but he could not get in touch with Fu Wenyun in time like before. He had to spend a lot of energy to make friends with other Japanese commanders. The purpose was to hide Fu Wenyun in the forest.
Another thing that puzzled him was that their radio code had been cracked by a mysterious person. That mysterious person had sent a telegram of the same frequency and password to remind them to change the code. Obviously, this mysterious person with unknown background did not belong to the Japanese spy agency, but he was definitely an expert in cracking the radio station's password, and he also knew the Xuzhou war like the back of his hand.
He, who claimed to be a veteran spy, had his password cracked and his identity exposed one after another within a month. This was something that he had never experienced in his ten years of spy work. The uneasiness that danger could come at any time haunted him. According to the usual practice of spies, when he could smell a trace of danger, he should immediately disappear. At this moment, it was the most critical moment of the final battle between China and Japan. Even if there was no end to it, he could not leave. The life and death of an individual was nothing in front of the fate of a country. This was the realization of a spy.
Sensing the approaching danger, perhaps there was not much time left for him. He had to find out the spy team that the Special Higher Police had planted in the First Battle Area before the danger arrived. Also, he had to find out what the Special Higher Police officer who was interrogating him was thinking. Instead of waiting for danger to descend, it was better to take the initiative and challenge the Special Higher Police!
He was not a rash person. When he decided to go to the Special Higher Police, he had already done his homework. Hu Junjie's assassination a few days ago, the body of a Japanese spy outside the horse racing hall, and the Special Higher Police agent being arrested by the concession board for violating security. These sensitive topics were enough for an interview. He hoped to meet that opponent this time. Although he didn't know the opponent's appearance, he was confident that with his sharp hearing, he could immediately hear the voice that made his hair stand on end.
Although he knew the risks of this trip, he still decided to take the risk.
This book is provided by FunNovel Novel Book | Fan Fiction Novel [Beautiful Free Novel Book]