[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-spy-survival-guide":3,"chapter-spy-survival-guide-spy-survival-guide-chapter-17":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Spy Survival Guide",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2366333,4634,"Chapter 17: Fourth Master Zhang of the Boatmen","spy-survival-guide-chapter-17",17,"\u003Cp>An arms dealer?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The young lady of the Yong family?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hong Zhiyou was suddenly interested.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Last time he chatted with Anderson, he mentioned that his superior, Colonel Philson, felt there was no money to be made as a soldier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was preparing to retire and gather a group of old subordinates to establish an arms company in North America to make a fortune.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Anderson was highly likely to become the person in charge here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In other words, before the whole country turned red, Hong Zhiyou still had three golden years to rake in money.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he could catch this wave of immense wealth, he might just take off right where he stood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Yong family were favorites during the Beiyang era, but as that era ended and they were ransacked by the previous invaders, they had long since declined.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, a starving camel is still bigger than a horse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Yong family was still not to be underestimated in Jinhai; otherwise, Yang Wenquan of the 94th Army would not have pursued the third young lady of the Yong family so bitterly, leading to the later concubine incident.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was an opportunity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Captain Ma, I haven't even cleared the hurdle with the Zhang family yet, and now you want me to provoke another great deity? Even if I were a nine-lived cat demon, it wouldn't be enough to die for,\" Hong Zhiyou said, waving his hand in refusal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Why don't you ask Old Yu?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Him?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Who knows where he's out chasing flowers and seeking willows right now,\" Ma Kui sneered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Little brother, you're the only one in this station I trust.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Aren't you some kind of... king of ladies? Go talk to Yong Manzhu and see who she's meeting with.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I'll apply for a top merit for you later.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ma Kui said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Is the third young lady pretty?\" Hong Zhiyou asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Of course.\" Ma Kui pulled a photo out of his pocket.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yong Manzhu was indeed a little beauty, and her temperament was not bad either.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Does she have money?\" Hong Zhiyou asked again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Money?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ma Kui was stunned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a long while, he searched his person and pulled out a handful of worthless fiat currency and three silver dollars.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Hong Zhiyou’s mouth twist into a smirk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ma Kui scratched his head and laughed: \"Little brother, how about this, I'll give you my entire salary when it comes out next month.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Forget it, who in the station doesn't know you’ve already spent your salary through next year?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I'm off!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hong Zhiyou laughed heartily, stood up, and left.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he wanted to befriend the Yong family, he didn't need to do missions for a pauper like Ma Kui.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hey, little brother...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ma Kui still wanted to persuade him, but Hong Zhiyou had already walked out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With nothing to do, he went to the training warehouse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He practiced his marksmanship for a while, as well as his physical fitness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When dusk fell, he went to the small house on Hengshan Street to check the funds he had on hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had made quite a few kickbacks these past few times.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He now had over three thousand US dollars, over two hundred silver dollars, and eight gold bars; he was a proper little millionaire.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was eight o'clock.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He tucked a grenade into his waistband, put on a disguise, and quietly headed to No. 36 Erlong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That area of old houses was desolate and eerie, the perfect place for a meeting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Hong Zhiyou arrived, Xie Ruo was smoking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Secretary Hong, you, you finally came.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This ghost place has rats bigger than cats; if you hadn't come, I would have slipped away.\" Seeing him, Xie Ruo breathed a sigh of relief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It's better to be hidden.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Long story short, sell this intelligence to Ma Kui.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hong Zhiyou took out a note and handed it to him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Ruo shone his flashlight on it, took a look, and frowned:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Little brother, where did you get this intelligence?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Old Xie, is this your first day in this business?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This is yours.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hong Zhiyou counted out five ten-dollar US bills.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"US banknotes... I, I like them.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But I can't take this; it would smash my rice bowl.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"When you come out to do business, what you need is integrity.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Ruo shook his head and laughed dryly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Integrity is worthless in the face of money.\" Hong Zhiyou added another fifty US dollars.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Don't worry, Ma Kui won't be able to catch that person.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Without proof, you’re earning this money for nothing,\" Hong Zhiyou added.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This won't get anyone killed, will it? I'm on pretty good terms with your Captain Ma,\" Xie Ruo asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That is not something you need to consider.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You only need to know that Ma Kui is very poor.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"A pauper has no value to a businessman.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Unless you want to do charity.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You and I are the same kind of people, understand?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hong Zhiyou sneered and stuffed the banknotes into his jacket pocket.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Un... understand.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Little brother has good methods; I like people like you. Let's keep in touch.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Ruo smiled with satisfaction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As an egoist, he truly loved people like Hong Zhiyou.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Keep your mouth shut.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I want to see Ma Kui take action tomorrow night,\" Hong Zhiyou reminded him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Don't worry, no one goes against money.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I'm off.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Ruo walked into the darkness with his hands in his pockets.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Halfway there, he turned his head and said:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Did you really sleep with Qiu?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What do you think?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hong Zhiyou laughed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Grass... screw you, you scum!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Ruo spat a glob of thick phlegm and gradually walked away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hong Zhiyou was not worried that he would betray him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In Xie Ruo's eyes, his behavior was at most internal strife within the Jinhai station.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn't like Yu Zecheng’s big-ticket red business, and there was no one like Li Ya to pay a high price to get to the bottom of it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hong Zhiyou was in no hurry to return to the station.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instead, he circled around the Shuitun Prison area.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>During that time, he saw a military police convoy and soon heard a series of gunshots.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was for the execution of traitors.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Someone was bound to have a sleepless night tonight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Boatmen’s Guild, Zhang family mansion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the luxurious Chinese-style hall, the wine and meat were fragrant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sitting at the head was Fourth Master Zhang, fat and bald, with a face full of flesh and a pair of long, narrow triangular eyes emitting an aggressive, murderous glare.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were three others.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The person on the left was wearing a long gown, nearly fifty years old, with foundation on his face and hair combed until it was slick and shiny, emitting the scent of women's cosmetics.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This person was none other than Yang Wenquan, the deputy commander of the 94th Army.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Commander Yang was not good at fighting, but he had a hobby of being particular about his appearance; he believed that a man should be as refined as a woman.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just like his shirt, it could not tolerate the slightest stain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Face powder, hair oil, and shoe polish were his daily standard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Another one was Lu Qiao.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seated below was Zhang Shao, keeping them company.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Qiao, you're late today; you must hurry and punish yourself with a drink,\" Master Zhang Si laughed loudly from the head of the table.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"As I should.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Qiao raised his glass and downed it in one gulp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Immediately, he proudly began to build up his own capital:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"To tell you the truth, I attended a meeting at the Garrison Headquarters today on behalf of Station Chief Wu.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Oh?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yang Wenquan held his wine glass to his chest and let out a sound of surprise:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Today was the supreme commander's meeting; General Fu from Beiping sent a special envoy, Commander Chen Zhangjie presided personally, and only those at the level of Army Commander Mou are qualified to attend.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Isn't that a bit of an exaggeration, Brother Lu?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The 94th Army had always been at odds with the Jinhai Station, and Yang Wenquan naturally looked down on a dog secret agent like Lu Qiao.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Officer Yang is right; I originally had no qualifications.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But I was entrusted by Station Chief Wu,\" Lu Qiao said with a humble smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Wu Jingzhong is indeed a sensible man; Brother Lu has a boundless future,\" Yang Wenquan then slightly raised his glass to him in acknowledgment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Qiao hurriedly raised his glass to drink again: \"I am untalented, but I hope for Officer Yang's continued support in the future.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Haha, good thing.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Brother Qiao is a fellow townsman of Officer Zheng Jiemin; later on, not to mention becoming the Jinhai Station Chief, even going to Jingling to take charge is just a matter of time.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master Zhang Si raised his glass and laughed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Master Si, please don't mock me; regarding the grain firm matter this time, I, Qiao, botched the job, so I will have another drink,\" Lu Qiao said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Uncle Lu, please don't blame yourself; this is all that little secretary's fault.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It is also my fault for underestimating that brat, otherwise he would have been drinking tea with the King of Hell by now.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Shao said coldly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Master Si, is the wharf still running smoothly lately?\" Yang Wenquan asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had a batch of military supplies on hand, and as a direct subordinate of Jiang, those munitions were all top-tier goods, and he was anxious to transport them out through Master Zhang Si's wharf.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for whether they were sold to Bai Chongxi, Li Zongren, or the Reds, he didn't care at all; getting the money in hand was what mattered most.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Officer Yang, rest assured, it will be just these few days,\" Master Zhang Si said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This matter was too big.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were many of Long Er's confidants at the wharf, and Master Zhang Si had to deploy his own people, so the transfer was a bit slow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Better be quick.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hmm.\" Yang Wenquan lifted his chin and let out a \"humph.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Shao very tactfully took a small box and pushed it in front of Lu Qiao:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Director Lu, right now Boss Dai and the Inspection Division of the Garrison Headquarters are watching us very closely; I hope you will provide more support if there is any news from the Jinhai Station.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Understood.\" Lu Qiao opened it to take a look.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Several gleaming gold bars were inside, and he accepted them happily on the spot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"By the way, the guns in the north of the city should be ringing soon, right?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Shao, make a call to the Shuitun Prison and ask, has Long Er been executed?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After another round of drinks, Master Zhang Si remembered this major event.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although Long Er was the number two figure in the Cao Gang, he had always been loyal and had a high reputation within the Cao Gang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If this person did not die, he and his son would not be able to sleep or eat in peace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Alright.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Shao stood up and made the call.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After hanging up the phone, he shouted angrily:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Father, Long Er has escaped!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of this chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1869,"2026-06-25T10:22:48.848Z",1,"Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite","494ed3d9cfc673dfbcc3dfa6bc70921af31edae6f28c01307c40384b7015fa6e","spy-survival-guide-chapter-18","spy-survival-guide-chapter-16",395,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fspy-survival-guide-cover.jpg"]