Chapter 82: A Greater Trap (Please Subscribe!)

"Mr. Akiyama, if I buy the photo studio, what happens when Obata returns?" Zhou Sen’s mind raced with thoughts. He hurriedly asked the question.

Akiyama no Suke replied, "After Obata completes his special training in Xinjing this time, he’ll be transferred from his position in the Tokko Division of the Nangang Police."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Sen felt a chill surge from his soles straight to the crown of his head.

"Has a successor for Obata been selected yet?"

"Not at the moment, but there are still over two months left. I believe a suitable replacement can be found in time." Akiyama no Suke glanced sidelong at Zhou Sen.

"Zhou Sen, why are you sweating so much?"

"Oh, your office fireplace is always so hot. Every time I come to report, I leave drenched in sweat," Zhou Sen hurried to explain.

"Is that so? I don’t feel it myself."

"You’re in the office all day, but we come in from outside—it’s not the same." Zhou Sen forced a strained smile.

Akiyama nodded. It was true; in his office, he could add or remove layers as he pleased, but those coming in from the biting cold—thirty degrees below zero outside—could hardly act so casually before their superior.

One wrong step leads to another, Zhou Sen thought. Though he’d prepared himself for this, he had still underestimated Akiyama’s methods.

"Mr. Akiyama, I’ve registered a company. Can I make the purchase in the company’s name?" Zhou Sen realized he had no choice but to respond.

"Of course."

"Can I change the name, or perhaps just hold it temporarily for someone else?" Zhou Sen tested the waters.

"No need to change the name. You’ll just hold it in secret for a while..." Akiyama was about to continue when suddenly the phone on his desk rang. He answered, and upon hearing the voice on the other end, stood up instantly, his expression grave. "Yes, sir. Understood. I will follow your instructions."

Zhou Sen kept his eyes lowered, not daring to show the slightest curiosity.

After the call, Akiyama paused for a moment before speaking. "Zhou Sen, you won’t need to act as the temporary owner of the ‘Chunming’ Photo Studio anymore. And from now on, don’t go there again. Anything you saw or heard there—forget it."

"What?" Zhou Sen was stunned. The change was abrupt. What new scheme were the Japanese plotting?

"Until your days of training at the police academy are over, just focus on your duties. Leave the rest alone."

"Mr. Akiyama, I really don’t need to buy the ‘Chunming’ Photo Studio?" Zhou Sen repeated.

"That’s correct," Akiyama confirmed.

Zhou Sen breathed a sigh of relief. If he had truly bought the ‘Chunming’ Photo Studio and been tasked with monitoring the Soviet consulate, it would have been a black mark on his record—one difficult to explain away in the future, even if he had been coerced.

Clearly, this change was prompted by that phone call, from someone of much higher rank than Akiyama—perhaps a senior official in the police headquarters, the gendarmerie command, or the intelligence agency based in Harbin.

After Zhou Sen left, Akiyama reached under his desk and pressed a red button. A bell rang in Kim Soyoung’s office.

Soon, Kim Soyoung entered Akiyama’s office.

"Secretary Kim, from today on, do not go to Zhou Sen’s workplace anymore. From now on, handle everything with discretion," Akiyama instructed.

"Mr. Akiyama, why is that?" Kim Soyoung asked in surprise.

"Don’t ask too much. In time, you’ll know the reason."

"Yes." Though filled with questions, Kim Soyoung obeyed.

"Prepare the car. I’m going out."

…

Pao Dui Street, "Fu" General Store.

"He was the one who contacted you first?" Poporov was somewhat surprised by Jiang Rou’s report.

"I posted a missing person notice on the bulletin board outside the New Stage Theater. He happened to see it and got in touch with me," Jiang Rou explained.

"You’ve met him?"

"Yes. He seems not to want others to know about our relationship for now, so…"

"Given his current circumstances, that’s understandable. The Japanese are sure to have new plans for him. When you interact, pay attention to his thoughts and intentions. Don’t reveal yourself carelessly," Poporov advised after some thought.

"I know. He’s a puppet policeman now, still officially registered with the Japanese. He seems very cautious. We’ve only just met—he won’t open up to me completely," Jiang Rou replied.

"Be careful. Now that you’re famous, trouble is sure to follow. You might need his help at some point."

"I understand. I’ll be mindful of the boundaries," Jiang Rou nodded.

"By the way, we know he’s close with Bai Yulan from the Ningxiang House. That’s something to keep in mind," Poporov reminded her. "He’s been a frequent visitor to such establishments in recent years—one of Harbin’s notorious playboys."

"Ningxiang House…"

"You’ve heard of it?"

"Oh, I’ve heard it mentioned in passing." Jiang Rou suddenly remembered the box of pastries she’d received—it was from Ningxiang House, wasn’t it? Could that have been arranged by her brother Xiaosen? Otherwise, what a coincidence. She resolved to find an opportunity to visit Ningxiang House herself. But this was not something she’d tell Poporov.

"Isn’t your coming here likely to arouse suspicion?" Poporov asked.

"No, I still have that bit of freedom," Jiang Rou answered. She had no relatives or friends in Harbin, and now that she was famous, earning several times what she made before, no one would ruin their future at such a time.

"If there’s nothing urgent, let Old Zhang handle the communication next time," Poporov said.

"Alright," Jiang Rou nodded. She had come here several times recently; it was fine if no one noticed, but if someone did, it would be trouble.

…

Leaving Akiyama’s office, Zhou Sen felt ill at ease. Akiyama’s sudden change of plans could only have come from above. If they’d abandoned the trap they’d set, there must be a bigger one ahead.

What were these damned Japanese really after? What secret could he possibly have that made them so persistent? Would they continue their vetting of him?

…

"Chief Shibuya, wasn’t it you who made the original arrangements for Zhou Sen? Why the sudden change?" At a Japanese-style hot spring bathhouse on Xiehe Street in Majia Gou, Akiyama no Suke and Shibuya Saburo soaked in the steaming pool. The place had clearly been cleared of outsiders; they were not to be disturbed.

Tap-tap… A young Japanese woman in a thin kimono and wooden clogs entered, carrying a wooden tray with a bottle of sake and two cups. She poured for them and left. Only then did Shibuya Saburo remove the towel from his face, reaching for a cup. "Akiyama, please."

Akiyama took the other cup and clinked it.

Shibuya downed the sake in one gulp. "Originally, I intended for him to do certain things in the Tokko Division, to mark him with the stamp of the Empire of Japan, so he’d have no choice but to work for us. But now things have changed. I’ve received word that the Soviets have recently sent an elite assassination team across the border, led by someone codenamed ‘Old Gun.’ I must be cautious. Zhou Sen is crucial to our next plan—if he’s exposed, the consequences will be grave."

"And the vetting process for Zhou Sen?" Akiyama asked.

"So far, there’s been no substantive findings, but he’s under constant surveillance," Shibuya replied.

"The roster is essential. Should we have Ivanovich try?"

"In matters of infiltration, Anthony never let Ivanovich get involved—he knows nothing about the roster. The more people who know, the greater the risk of leaks. And that man’s clever veneer hides his true foolishness," Shibuya said. "What we need urgently is intelligence on Soviet troop deployments and weapon allocations in the Far East. The people Anthony controls are vital; they’ve been embedded for years in key positions."

"But even if we get the roster, how do we contact these people?" Akiyama asked.

"Someone must infiltrate the Far East to awaken them," Shibuya replied. "That person is Zhou Sen."

"Why him?"

"Even if we know the method, gaining their trust will be extremely difficult. Anthony is dead; only he could command their loyalty. Zhou Sen is Anthony’s only adopted son. Even though he’s a Manchurian, he’s more likely to win their trust. And there’s only one chance—if we fail, these people will vanish into silence, their identities lost, and we will lose all use of them," Shibuya explained.

"Would Anthony have left the roster and the awakening method to Zhou Sen?" Akiyama doubted.

"He might have memorized the method, but the roster must still be hidden in Harbin—we just haven’t found it yet," Shibuya replied with conviction.

"Chief Shibuya, has headquarters reached any conclusions about the failure of our top-secret mission, beyond the possibility of a leak?" Akiyama asked.

"There was a leak; otherwise, the team wouldn’t have run into the border patrol on that route. Afterward, we learned through other channels that the patrol was a last-minute reinforcement, led by an internal security officer, not a border officer. That says a lot," Shibuya explained.

"Then the problem may not be with our team or us, right?"

"True, but you know, there were seven White Russians in the team. After the ambush, four died; we couldn’t recover the bodies. Though survivors saw them fall, Anthony among them—he was the key guide. That makes him most suspect, because he suggested the route."

"Was it the only route?"

"No, there were three. This was just one, and he didn’t have the final say," Shibuya said. "He’s only a suspect; we can’t be sure. After choosing the route, it still had to be confirmed and reported, and there were risks of exposure locally."

"So, Chief Shibuya, what do we do next?"

"Now that he’s aware he’s being followed, let’s just lay things out in the open. Arrange a meeting with him at ‘Musashino’—I’ll talk to him myself," Shibuya said.

"You’ll do it personally?"

"It will show our sincerity, won’t it?"