manynovel Chapter 85 Nightingale's Whisper: An Adventure to Deliver a Message
Chapter 85 Nightingale's Whisper: An Adventure to Deliver a Message
Look, the bottle is full of niche European labels, colorful tags, and vintage information. It instantly elevates the product's perceived value, doesn't it? So, charging you a few hundred French dollars or a few thousand silver dollars a bottle is reasonable, right? Otherwise, I'd be losing money.
Of course, both high-end and low-end drinks are available.
At this time, there were too many people who admired foreign things. Anyone with a little money was willing to show off and spend money here. Many people would even take a few bottles home to drink or entertain their friends. Even Japanese people often came to buy and taste the products.
As for the gangs and spies who came to cause trouble, Yan Shuo had already spoken to Hu Erkui, Ji Chuan, and other relevant people, and everyone received a share.
Naturally, there were several ledgers. Yan Shuo was an expert in bookkeeping, so he just inflated the costs a bit.
It's raining a cold, damp autumn rain with thunder and lightning, and the tavern is almost empty.
The outline of the oil-paper umbrella pierced the rain curtain, and Li Zhiyao's figure appeared at the door, the hem of his blue cloth shirt stained with some mud.
"We have news from Xu Li's side." Li Zhiyao walked behind the counter, unscrewed the handle of the oil-paper umbrella, and took out a roll of encrypted paper. "The Bluebird Team has been staking out Yangshupu for three days and intercepted a secret telegram from the Japanese Special Higher Police. They also arrested two peddlers who were selling counterfeit money. Their confessions have been prepared."
Yan Shuo's brows suddenly furrowed.
"The Bluebird Group also said that grain prices in southern Jiangsu rose by 40% in three days, and grain warehouses in Wuxi were emptied. The money used for payment was all high-quality counterfeit currency, with paper and ink that were very similar to genuine legal tender."
"The counterfeit currency printing factory is most likely in Yangshupu." Yan Shuo got up and walked towards the back door. "Call the core members and the four group leaders to the basement for a meeting. Also, have the Bluebird Group continue to dig deeper into the industrial area, focusing on the factories guarded by Japanese military police."
Half an hour later, the oil lamp in the basement illuminated the resolute faces.
The group leaders of the four groups were already seated around the conference table.
"Captain, news has come back from the Hongkou liaison point." Su Ling spoke first. She was the leader of the Bluebird Team. Beneath her gentle appearance lay a living map of Shanghai's underground intelligence network. "Special Higher Police agents were chatting and mentioned 'Mr. Wei' and 'Commander Zhou,' saying that Jingzhe was going to 'coordinate from the inside out.' We've verified that 'Commander Zhou' is Zhou Tianba, the former Zhili warlord who entrenched himself in Taihu Lake, commanding 20,000 troops and recently purchasing large quantities of weapons; 'Mr. Wei's' identity is unknown, and he is suspected of being a traitor."
"Zhou Tianba? That idiot is greedy for money, it's no surprise he was turned." Huang Mo, the leader of the Yellow Dog Squad, slammed his hand on the table. "I'll take some men to infiltrate the Suzhou River slums, they're full of Zhou Tianba's men, we'll definitely be able to find out his communication channels with the Japanese army."
The taciturn Zhao Lie raised his eyes. "I'll take some men to investigate the Yangshupu counterfeit money factory. If necessary, we'll carry out sabotage."
"I'll keep an eye on the Hongkou Special Higher Police Section." Yi Ying's voice was deep, his eyes sharp as an eagle's. A hunter by trade, he usually worked alone. "If any key targets appear, let me know, and I can snipe them anytime."
Yan Shuo nodded and turned to Li Zhiyao: "Zhiyao, first organize this intelligence and report the intelligence on 'Operation Orca'."
The boss from the mountain city called back quickly.
Yan Shuo received the telegram, which read: "Investigate 'Operation Orca' thoroughly, and provide full support in terms of supplies and intelligence. Also, dispatch Special Envoy Shen Qing with a secret order to Shanghai to coordinate follow-up operations with you. He will arrive in three days. The code word for the meeting is 'Jiang Feng Yu Huo' (River Maple Fishing Lights)."
"A special envoy?" Yan Shuo frowned. The situation in Shanghai was complicated at the moment, and sending a special envoy was quite risky. However, it was an order from his superiors, and he had no choice but to carry it out. "Arrange for the Bluebird Team to meet you at the rendezvous point in three days. Make sure you are safe."
"Yes, Captain!" Su Ling replied.
Over the next three days, each team proceeded with the reconnaissance of "Operation Orca" as planned.
The Bluebird team identified three factories in Yangshupu that were guarded by Japanese soldiers and were suspected to be counterfeit currency printing factories.
Huang Mo found the radio frequency used by Zhou Tianba to communicate with the Japanese army.
The Blackblade team drew up a defense map of the industrial area.
Yi Ying then established a sniping position near the Hongkou Special Higher Police Section.
The night before the special envoy was to arrive in Shanghai, Yan Shuo suddenly received an urgent warning from "Yingyu," an informant embedded in the Special Higher Police: "The special envoy's identity has been exposed. Miyamoto Ichiro has dispatched agents from the 76th Division to ambush and arrest him. Think of a way immediately! Also, my identity may be exposed, and I urgently need to evacuate!"
"This is bad!" Yan Shuo stood up abruptly, his face grave. "If the special envoy is arrested, the investigation into 'Operation Orca' could be leaked, and Yingyu is still trapped in the Special Higher Police!"
Li Zhiyao panicked: "I immediately notified the Bluebird Team to stop the contact. What do we do now?"
"Call everyone for an emergency meeting!" Yan Shuo made a decisive decision. "Summon all team leaders and core special operations dolls to the basement. We must reanalyze the intelligence and adjust our plans. We need to rescue Yingyu while also dealing with the crisis caused by the special envoy's leak!"
Half an hour later, the atmosphere in the basement was so oppressive that it was hard to breathe.
Yan Shuo recounted the "nightingale's" warning and the news of the special envoy's arrest. Finally, he laid out the intelligence report No. 76 provided by He Danming and the clues about "Operation Orca" discovered by each group on the table: "The situation is urgent now. Miyamoto Ichiro will definitely use the special envoy's confession to besiege our contact points and will also strengthen the deployment of 'Operation Orca'."
Xu Li adjusted his glasses and said in a deep voice, "Captain, the special envoy may not know our core stronghold, but he most likely knows some of the peripheral contact points and rendezvous methods. We must immediately change the codes and contact points."
"Yingyu's evacuation is the top priority," Yiying said. "He's inside the Special Higher Police and holds core intelligence on 'Operation Orca.' We can't let him fall into Miyamoto Ichiro's hands. I'll take men to meet him; we need Black Bee's cooperation to hold off the Special Higher Police guards."
Zhao Lie nodded: "No problem. The Black Blade Group can disguise it as a gang fight and create chaos at the Special Higher Police's gate to give you an opportunity."
Huang Mo slammed his fist on the table: "Isn't 76 supposed to be besieging the liaison points? We can turn the tables on them, set a trap, and wipe them out, while also giving those traitors a warning!"
Yan Shuo's gaze swept over everyone, finally landing on Li Zhiyao: "Zhiyao, you are responsible for integrating all the intelligence, marking out the outer contact points that may be exposed, and notifying relevant personnel to evacuate immediately. At the same time, closely monitor the radio stations of the Japanese army and No. 76, and report immediately if there are any new developments in 'Operation Orca'."
"Understood," Li Zhiyao replied.
Yan Shuo slammed his fist on the table, his eyes sharp as knives: "Now, everyone do their job, and the action must be fast, accurate, and ruthless! Yingyu cannot be lost, the investigation of 'Operation Orca' cannot stop, and we must let Miyamoto Ichiro know that our Red Bean Squad is not to be trifled with! You handle the ambush at the rendezvous point, kill as many Japanese spies as you can, I'll go pick up Yingyu. It's not worth it for you to cause trouble at the entrance of the Japanese spies' department, the support is too fast and too close, I'll handle it."
"Yes!" Everyone responded in unison, their voices strong and clear.
The basement doors opened one by one, and figures disappeared into the night.
The rain was still falling, but this time, the Red Bean Squad was no longer passively conducting reconnaissance; instead, they were going to take the initiative to launch a counterattack against the dark forces entrenched in Shanghai.