Chapter Sixty: The New Team Leader

“What’s happening?” Ning Zhiheng asked hurriedly. During this period, Cui Hai’s movements had been very regular, always shadowing Lin Mucheng. This sudden change surely meant something special had occurred—a good sign.

“Just now, Cui Hai abruptly stopped surveilling Lin Mucheng and quickly headed toward the southern street corner,” Wen Xingsheng replied urgently.

“What? Could he have noticed something, startled him? Isn’t Old Shao personally tailing him? What does he say?” Ning Zhiheng was surprised. At this time, Shao Wenguang was the one tracking, and with his level of professionalism, such a mishap shouldn’t have happened.

But nothing is absolute—unexpected situations can arise at any moment.

Wen Xingsheng shook his head quickly and replied, “Officer Shao says the chance of being discovered is extremely small. He believes Cui Hai is making a new move, unable to hold back any longer. Officer Shao followed him, and sent me back to inform you!”

Excellent! Diligence pays off. Ning Zhiheng excitedly struck his fists together and said, “Quickly notify Liu Yong and the others, dispatch rickshaw drivers to wait at all the street corners ahead of the target, and be ready in advance.”

He then patted the Browning pistol at his waist, turned to Sun Jiacheng beside him, and said, “Something’s bound to happen today. Stay sharp—this matter needs to reach a conclusion.”

He resolved that this time, if Cui Hai’s unusual behavior yielded results, they would continue tracking; if not, he would order an arrest today. The longer the night, the more likely things would go awry—he did not want to drag this out any further.

The group quickly followed, receiving updates along the way. Soon, they passed through two blocks, and Ning Zhiheng spotted one of his rickshaw drivers waiting outside a restaurant. From a distance, the driver signaled with his eyes.

Ning Zhiheng instantly understood—Cui Hai must be inside the restaurant, and Shao Wenguang had entered to monitor him, leaving the driver outside as a cue for Ning Zhiheng’s team.

“Check if this restaurant has a back door, spread out, Sun Jiacheng and I will go in!” Ning Zhiheng instructed.

After inspecting their attire to ensure there were no issues, Ning Zhiheng and Sun Jiacheng stepped forward and pushed the door open.

Inside, Ning Zhiheng glanced around and saw Shao Wenguang sitting by a window. Today, Shao Wenguang was dressed in an old suit, with short hair and a stubbly beard, his face weathered—a proper image of a middle-aged man down on his luck.

On the table, he’d ordered a plate of peanuts and a small pot of wine, but he hadn’t touched a single drop, not wanting the smell of alcohol to alert his target.

Ning Zhiheng and Sun Jiacheng did not look around, but walked straight to Shao Wenguang’s table and sat down, appearing simply as two men seeking out this weary, middle-aged individual.

Ning Zhiheng looked at Shao Wenguang with a questioning gaze. Shao Wenguang spoke in a very low voice, “In the easternmost private room, just went in five minutes ago. I asked the waiter, a man was waiting inside before him. They’re meeting.”

Ning Zhiheng’s heart leapt—finally, another piece on the board appeared. Yet whether this was a king or a pawn, today would reveal the answer.

Five minutes earlier, Cui Hai entered the private room, where a man had been waiting for some time.

Kawashima Kenta, using the alias Cui Hai, nodded slightly, gestured for silence, closed the door gently, then pressed himself against it, listening intently for a moment. Confirming that no one was outside, he sat opposite the other man.

The man, dressed in a long gown and presenting himself as a schoolteacher, spoke softly in Japanese, “Relax, I’ve already checked this room. It’s safe, the walls are thick, and if we speak quietly, nobody next door will hear.”

Seeing Kawashima Kenta’s cautiousness, he couldn’t help but ask, “Is something wrong?”

“At first, things went smoothly. After we parted at the train station, I began investigating the reason for Lieutenant Yanagida’s disappearance. It didn’t take long to confirm—he was captured by the Military Intelligence Investigation Division!” Kawashima Kenta replied in Japanese.

“The Military Intelligence Investigation Division, our greatest adversary these past years? That organization has grown steadily, becoming more dangerous to us! I never expected Yanagida to fall into their hands.” Shimazu Hiroshi’s expression darkened at Kawashima Kenta’s words.

Yanagida Yukiki was his friend, who had operated covertly in Nanjing for years. His sudden disappearance signaled serious trouble. Headquarters had now sent Shimazu Hiroshi to take over Yanagida’s responsibilities, to lead the Shadow Group anew.

Kawashima Kenta, sitting across from him, had come to Nanjing specifically to restart the Shadow Group, overseeing its personnel.

To ensure the organization’s safety, Shadow Group members were not allowed direct contact with the leader. If a member met their superior and was captured during a mission, it could easily compromise the chain, threatening the entire operation.

Thus, headquarters sent Kawashima Kenta, an experienced senior agent, to handle identification and the restart. Once his work was finished, he would hand over to Shimazu Hiroshi and return to headquarters.

“The origin of the trouble is clear. During re-identification, I found that Shadow Group member ‘Puppet’ was also missing. I investigated his residence secretly and confirmed he was captured by the Military Intelligence Investigation Division. They even set up surveillance at his home—fortunately, I was cautious, or I would have fallen into their trap as well! Curiously, ‘Puppet’ was arrested five days after Yanagida. That’s hard to explain.” Kawashima Kenta’s expression was grave. Though he had mentally prepared for difficulties, the complexity upon arriving in Nanjing exceeded expectations, with much that couldn’t be explained.

“You mean Yanagida’s capture led to ‘Puppet’s exposure? No, impossible! Kawashima, you don’t know Yanagida as I do—years of friendship and comradeship have proven his loyalty. Even at the cost of his life, he would never betray us! It’s out of the question!” Shimazu Hiroshi’s brow furrowed deeply, his last words weighted with conviction.

“Shimazu, don’t be agitated. It’s not so simple! I initially suspected Yanagida, but logically, it doesn’t add up. He controlled the radio pigeon and was also the Shadow Group leader; he knew the status of all five members. If he’d turned after capture, the other members would have been arrested in succession, not just ‘Puppet.’

There’s only one explanation: the Chinese first discovered ‘Puppet,’ but didn’t alert him. Instead, they followed his connection to Yanagida, leading to Yanagida’s arrest, while other members managed to remain hidden. Only afterward did they move against ‘Puppet.’”

“Can ‘Puppet’s identity be confirmed?” Shimazu Hiroshi agreed with this reasoning—it explained the current state of the Shadow Group.

“No. The Chief said ‘Puppet’s identity is top secret. His background is not simple. My guess is he’s one of the pieces planted years ago, but the plan is highly classified, and I don’t have clearance to inquire.” Kawashima Kenta replied, puzzled.

As a senior agent in the Japanese Ministry of Home Affairs’ Special High Division, he’d heard of the infiltration plan, but its secrecy was absolute, and he had no access to specifics.

If ‘Puppet’ was indeed a long-term sleeper, his loyalty should be trustworthy.

“Even if ‘Puppet’ is one of ours, it doesn’t guarantee he won’t betray us. He’s been captured for days—anything could happen. Time changes many things, including loyalty to the Empire,” Shimazu Hiroshi said anxiously.

They had no idea that there was no longer any need to worry about the loyalty of Windmill and Puppet; both had long since perished.

“Yes, the issue now is, if ‘Puppet’ was compromised, what was the cause? In Nanjing, only two people knew his identity—one was Yanagida, the group leader, the other was his subordinate, another member of the Shadow Group, ‘Swallow’,” Kawashima Kenta said slowly.

“Right, ‘Swallow’ is highly suspicious. He’s Chinese; if captured, he’d quickly betray ‘Puppet.’ How’s his re-identification going? If not, dispose of him—he’s not even an Imperial agent!” Shimazu Hiroshi said. He was always wary of recruiting traitorous Chinese, doubting their reliability—how could someone who betrays their country and people ever inspire confidence in their new masters?

“No, ‘Swallow’s identity is very important. His Chinese background is extremely strong. ‘Puppet’ observed him for a long time as executor, and we paid a heavy price to turn him. He cannot be discarded lightly! We must be cautious—his identification should be a long-term process, not a risk.” Kawashima Kenta insisted.

He would never agree to dispose of ‘Swallow’ arbitrarily; his importance was undeniable. The Chief attached great importance to ‘Swallow’—not only did he have deep connections, but he also held a key position in China’s main army. The military resources behind him ensured his future rise in rank and influence, and such potential was most valuable.

“Re-identification of ‘Swallow’ must continue?” Shimazu Hiroshi asked uncertainly. That would require extended surveillance, which he was unable to perform.

“Yes, but don’t worry. When I return, I’ll report to the Chief and arrange for someone to handle it. Nothing unusual was found during this surveillance; his actions and responses were perfectly normal, but I dare not risk contacting him. What concerns me, though, is that despite finding nothing wrong these days, I still feel something isn’t right—there must still be unsafe elements around ‘Swallow.’”