hotmtlnovel Chapter 5: Reaping the Benefits, A Fleeting Discovery
Chapter 5: Reaping the Benefits, A Fleeting Discovery
"A guess...maybe..."
Shen Lang softly repeated the information he had received, a playful smile creeping onto his lips.
The use of two consecutive uncertain terms proves that even those in the Chinese-controlled area did not know whether the female spy had infiltrated the French Concession.
It was simply due to uncertainty and some speculation, and we were just casting a wide net.
However, the last sentence should be true.
The loss of military equipment data is a huge deal, and the Chinese community will definitely do everything in its power to search for it.
In response to the Japanese spy incident, how could the Nationalist government's intelligence agencies not take action?
The infamous Blue Shirts Society would certainly do its utmost, mobilizing all its informants and gossips to search for clues.
If someone else finds the clue first, the reward will go to them.
Shen Lang's lips curled up, his gaze full of amusement.
It sounds like there's a lot of competition, but it's actually much harder.
The only clues we can provide so far are that she is female and that she has the Japanese name "Yagi Hata". There are no other clues.
Aside from the phrase "alluring and seductive appearance," there wasn't even a single photo.
In the decadent, neon-lit French Concession, the nightclubs at night were filled with glamorous and beautiful women!
Finding a charming woman in the vast French Concession was like finding a needle in a haystack.
No wonder they notified all the gossips they had just cast their nets, hoping to get lucky even if they didn't succeed.
Upon hearing about the mission, Shen Lang immediately felt bored.
Although he was a police officer, he had not received formal training and was a complete novice when it came to solving cases.
When I first entered the police station, I only received half a month of drill training and fired five bullets for practice before I was considered to have passed the training.
Finding a woman in a vast sea of people with no clues is no less difficult than finding an innocent woman in a brothel.
Although he had basically given up on the bounty, he was still determined to get his hands on the thief... no, more like a goose that plucks feathers from a passing goose, so how could he let the thief go so easily?
His slender fingers rubbed against his chin, and he looked on with a serious expression.
He pondered for a moment and said, "This task is very difficult and will require a lot of connections."
"But using connections isn't something you can do just by talking; you have to show some effort."
"But what if we can't find them in the end? Wouldn't all this initial investment have been wasted?"
"It's not worth it to end up paying out of pocket to help you gather information."
Shen Lang took out an "Old Knife" brand cigarette, lit one with a match, and put it in his mouth.
His brows furrowed in confusion, as if he wanted to earn that hundred yuan, but was also afraid that his investment would be wasted.
Feng Yichen took the cigarette offered to him, lit it, and remained calm without showing any disappointment.
Seeing the other person's serious and conflicted expression, he smiled with satisfaction.
The more seriously they think and struggle with something, the more it indicates their desire to find clues.
Those who agree with just a few words are actually just being perfunctory.
Feng Yichen had been working at the Lixingshe Society for less than six months after graduating from Whampoa Military Academy, a time when he was full of patriotic fervor and eager to save the country.
They were determined to capture Japanese spies and gain merit.
So today, I came to the French Concession and met with several of the people who were involved in the development.
Under the guise of an intelligence broker, they acquire clues about Hatayoshi at a high price.
Despite knowing that the police officer on the other side was very slippery and was deliberately saying that in order to get something in return.
However, if someone is eager to make a contribution, they can be satisfied as long as it's not excessive.
He asked, "What do you want?"
Shen Lang raised an eyebrow and gave a thumbs up: "Straightforward!"
He then leaned back and pointed to the grocery store next door, separated by a wall.
He chuckled and said, "We Chinese value interpersonal relationships; I can't ask someone for a favor empty-handed, can I?"
Feng Yichen turned his head and glanced at the grocery store next to him, then nodded slightly.
It's unrealistic to expect a horse to run without feeding it.
For these police officers who were not stationed in the foreign concessions, only profit could keep them obedient.
Having received tacit approval, Shen Lang grinned and strode to the counter, announcing loudly, "Boss Zhang, I'd like to buy 3 boxes of pastries and 5 packs of 'Old Knife Brand'!"
When the grocer heard that a customer had come in, he habitually replied, "Okay, you..."
He froze when he saw the police officers outside the counter, and his warm smile froze on his face.
My hand, which was reaching into the counter to take something, froze in mid-air, and I was momentarily at a loss for what to do.
If you only need one pack of "Old Knife Brand" cigarettes, you'll only lose a few cents and consider it a way to get rid of the pest.
But if I order 5 packs and 3 boxes of pastries, I'll be losing out big time.
Seeing the boss frozen in place, Shen Lang instantly understood what was going on.
They're afraid they won't give it to them!
Who told the predecessor to act so dishonestly, always trying to get things for free on credit?
He raised his head arrogantly and said, "Don't worry, Officer Shen will pay for what he buys!"
The shopkeeper hesitated for a moment, then gritted his teeth and took three boxes of pastries and five packs of cigarettes from the counter.
His rough face was solemn, as if he had already mentally prepared himself to throw the good stuff away.
Just when he had given up hope, the young man in the white shirt next to him took the initiative to pay the bill, and the boss suddenly realized what was going on.
So they've found other suckers to extort money from!
Feng Yichen shook his head and paid the money, as a small token of appreciation.
He whispered, "I'll be waiting for you here at nine o'clock tomorrow morning."
Then he turned and walked away quickly, continuing to find the next informant to assign tasks.
I didn't mind spending two yuan on the purchase; I just considered it a way to show kindness and win people's hearts.
In this foreign concession where various forces were vying for power, informants were in high demand.
A gossip might contact several different brokers at the same time, and there are varying degrees of closeness and distance between them.
If we have a better relationship, I can let him know first when I have news, right?
Don't underestimate the power of a little advance notice; in the ever-changing intelligence world, it can determine the life or death of many people.
It's worth spending a dollar or two to win them over.
Shen Lang watched the departing figure with a calm and serene smile on his face.
There was absolutely no worry.
If it were that easy to find information, there would be no need to cast a wide net.
Even if we meet again tomorrow, I can just reply with "wait for news" to stall for time.
After all, it only cost two yuan, so it's normal not to hear back.
If you burn two yuan's worth of incense and make a wish for two hundred million, even Buddha would probably get up and give way: You try it!
Shen Lang was in a great mood as he carried the pastry box.
With these pastries, dinner is sorted out for tonight.
Strolling along the streets lined with plane trees, I admired the unique charm that differed from that of China.
Interestingly, these so-called French plane trees did not originate in France.
Its scientific name is London plane tree, and it originated in England in the 17th century!
As a large number of Chinese flocked to the area to escape the war, the French Concession also developed rapidly.
As Shen Lang crossed the road, leisurely preparing to return to his dormitory, a sudden thought flashed through his mind.
I couldn't help but recall a system intelligence report I'd seen before: Police officer Liu Quan extorted a Japanese woman's silk scarf last night and exchanged it for 3 yuan at a pawnshop.