Chapter 52: Japanese Troops Enter the City

"The Security Corps will stay here to garrison," Lin Yu said to the officers lined up neatly before him, "Ma San, take these thousand brothers to the pier and rendezvous with the original troops."

"Yes! Big brother!" Ma San replied excitedly. With these thousand elite, his strength at the pier will increase greatly.

Lin Yu opened the system panel and checked the Security Corps' officer roster:

【Security Corps Main Officer List】

Commander: Yang Yongkang, Huangpu Phase I, former staff officer of the Beiyang Army

Deputy Commander: Fang Lie, Huangpu Phase II, former army colonel

Three battalion commanders:

1st Battalion Commander: Li Mingyuan, Huangpu Phase II

2nd Battalion Commander: Zhao Guohua, Huangpu Phase III

3rd Battalion Commander: Han Zheng, Huangpu Phase II

Special Operations Company Commander: Chen Hu, former Beiyang Army special forces

Guard Company Commander: Qian Feng, Huangpu Phase III

Logistics Company Commander: Liu Yong, graduate of the Ordnance School

Communications Platoon Leader: Zheng Gong, graduate of the Telecommunications School

Medical Office Director: Dr. Zhang, graduate of Peking Union Medical College

Lin Yu nodded with satisfaction. All these officers had impressive résumés, especially Commander Yang Yongkang, who after graduating from Huangpu Phase I served as a staff officer in the Beiyang Army and was very experienced.

"Commander Yang," Lin Yu turned to a burly, resolute middle‑aged officer, "this area is now yours."

"Yes!" Yang Yongkang stood at attention and saluted, "I will complete the mission!"

"Remember," Lin Yu instructed, "to tell outsiders that this is a storage base of the Fourth Bureau; personnel movements must be carried out secretly. Without my order, no one may act on their own."

"Understood!"

Watching Ma San lead the thousand Axe Head Gang members away, and then observing the Security Corps officers methodically arranging the garrison, Lin Yu felt very satisfied.

This Security Corps will be an important trump card for him in Shen City!

Shen City Security Army Command Headquarters.

"Report, Commander!"

Chief of Staff Li Mingze hurried into the office, holding a telegram.

"What is it?" Qin Dongzhi put down the documents in his hand.

"Japanese…" Li Mingze's face grew solemn, "they request entry into the city."

"How many people?"

"One full regiment, about 3,800 men, plus two independent companies, about 800 men." Li Mingze paused, "In addition, their warships have already docked at the port, and a naval infantry company is ready to land."

Qin Dongzhi sighed and leaned back in his chair.

He had known this would happen.

A few days earlier Lin Yu set fire to the Japanese consulate and battered the Health Union Association into ruins. How could these accustomedly arrogant Japanese possibly swallow that humiliation?

"How do they plan to enter the city?" Qin Dongzhi asked.

"They say…" Li Mingze gritted his teeth, "that they intend to move into the French Concession to protect their overseas compatriots."

"Heh, protect overseas compatriots?" Qin Dongzhi sneered, "Clearly they just want a pretext to clash with that kid Lin Yu!"

"Commander, should we…?"

"No need to intervene." Qin Dongzhi waved his hand, "This is a matter of the French Concession. Let them deal with the Public Administration Bureau and Lin Yu themselves."

"；but......"；

"I actually want to see," Qin Dongzhi squinted, "what tricks this Lin Madman will play this time."

Li Mingze opened his mouth but stopped.

He knew clearly that the Japanese came prepared this time.

A full regiment plus two independent companies, plus the naval infantry, already amounts to over five thousand troops.

Only wonder whether that young Fourth Bureau Chief can withstand this pressure......

"Commander," Li Mingze hesitated, "should we inform Director Lin?"

"No need." Qin Dongzhi waved his hand, "This is a disaster he caused himself; let him bear it."

He stood up and walked to the window.

"You also know that now the Japanese are powerful and have already occupied half of Great Dry's seven northeastern provinces."

"Even the imperial court dares not easily offend them; what right does our regional military district have to intervene?"

Qin Dongzhi sneered, "Moreover, we have no obligation to clean up after that kid Lin Yu."

"Isn't he capable? Isn't he reckless? Let him handle the Japanese himself."

Li Mingze nodded, "Understood. I'll go reply to the Japanese side and say… this is an internal matter of the French Concession; the Security Command Headquarters should not intervene."

"Right, say it just like that." Qin Dongzhi sat back down, "Let them argue with the Public Administration Bureau and Lin Yu themselves."

"We'll just watch the drama from the side."

French Concession Public Administration Bureau.

"Mr. Renault," the secretary handed over a telegram, "the Japanese request entry into the city."

Director General Lei Nuo frowned as he read the telegram.

"Whether they can enter the city depends on the Security Command Headquarters' decision," Lei Nuo said in French, "but we must never allow them into the French Concession."

"If a battle breaks out in the French Concession, whether Lin Yu wins or the Japanese win, the French Concession will suffer."

He stood up and walked to the window.

"Immediately notify the gendarmerie and the patrol office to strengthen border patrols of the concession."

All personnel and vehicles entering the French Concession must be strictly inspected.

Especially… Lei Nuo turned around and said, "We must be on guard against that lunatic Lin Yu."

Yesterday he summoned that many merchants and gang leaders to the Fourth Bureau and extorted a huge sum of Protection Fee.

Who knows what move he will make next?

If he ends up fighting with the Foreigners in the Concession…

Lei Nuo shook his head: "We absolutely cannot let this happen."

Send out the notice; if any abnormal situation is discovered, report to me immediately.

Also, have the Public Administration Bureau members hold an emergency meeting tonight.

We must prepare for this matter in advance.

The secretary nodded in agreement and hurried away.

Lei Nuo sat back down in his chair and massaged his temples.

This Lin Yu really has brought enormous trouble to the French Concession!

Night had deepened, and Lin Yu was eating a midnight snack in the Fourth Bureau office.

Bureau Chief!

Zhou Wei suddenly pushed the door open and entered.

"What's the matter?" Lin Yu picked up a piece of braised pork.

"The new consul of the Eastern Concession Consulate has come to visit."

"Snap!"—the chopsticks fell onto the table with a sound.

Lin Yu was slightly startled.

He had killed the previous consul himself, and only a few days ago had set the Eastern Consulate ablaze; now a new consul is appointed so quickly?

He the hell even came to his own door looking for me?

"The Eastern dwarf's speed is really fast…" Lin Yu sneered.

"Let him in?" Zhou Wei asked.

Lin Yu wiped his mouth and stood up.

"Have him wait in the reception room."

"I actually want to see," Lin Yu's eyes flashed with a cold light, "this new consul coming to see me late at night, what trick does he intend to play."

He walked to the window and gazed at the French Concession in the night.

The Foreigners' actions seem a bit too fast…