Chapter 26: An ambush in Gourd Lane

To capture twelve Japanese spies at once, relying only on Lu Yan's team is clearly insufficient manpower.

Although Gourd Lane is located in North of the Lock and belongs to the Chinese Concession, they can call on police for help.

But Lu Yan feels it's not very safe; that police unit can handle bullying ordinary civilians, but...

Capturing well-trained Japanese spy agents is indeed somewhat difficult for them.

If they startle the snakes and scare off the Japanese spies, that would be a huge loss.

Thus, just after returning upstairs, Lu Yan again ordered Luo Mingyu: "Contact the station chief immediately and request reinforcements."

"Yes!" Luo Mingyu swiftly accepted the order and left.

At that time, the Military Statistics Bureau's Shanghai station had a total of three teams.

Moreover, Lu Yan's team, having lost some personnel recently, was the weakest in strength.

Only the core members remained: Lu Yan, Lin Fei, and Luo Mingyu—three people.

Therefore, Chen Yongren and Zhang Haifeng were transferred from Jinling.

After Luo Mingyu left, Lu Yan took out a key and threw it to Chen Yongren: "Yongren, there's a secret door north of the interrogation room downstairs; inside is our team's armory."

Our team still has eight gunners; to avoid exposure, they normally don't carry guns.

Take the guns and ammunition and come with me to Gourd Lane.

Chen Yongren took the key, nodded, and brought Zhang Haifeng back down to the basement.

The two took guns and ammunition from the armory, but when they returned to the surface, Lu Yan was nowhere to be seen.

Just then, Lu Yan came down from a room on the second floor.

He had changed into a black felt hat, a gray long robe, and wore leather shoes and trousers below.

In his right hand he held a black briefcase, making him look like a businessman discussing trade or a government official.

Lu Yan nodded at the two: "Let's go; take a rickshaw outside, stow the guns, and hand them to Lin Fei when we arrive."

For some reason, Chen Yongren felt that Lu Yan's attire gave him the impression they weren't going to catch Japanese spies but rather to have coffee and discuss business.

Perhaps it's because they've stayed long in the Shanghai Bund, this ten-mile foreign concession, where people dress more elaborately than elsewhere.

However, to some extent, this could be considered a fairly good disguise.

Never mind; as long as they succeed in capturing the Japanese spies, it counts as a great achievement.

He himself could also gain a new lottery chance.

After calming his restless thoughts, Chen Yongren and Zhang Haifeng fetched two suitcases, packed all the guns and ammunition inside, and left the photo studio carrying the cases.

They each hailed a rickshaw with Lu Yan and headed for Gourd Lane.

……

Hongkou, Japanese Concession.

Inside a tea room, Yanping Tarou, code-named Pangolin, sat cross-legged; beside him, a young woman in a kimono knelt on the floor, brewing tea for him.

Directly opposite him, another woman knelt similarly, but she wore a military uniform.

Compared to the kimono-clad woman nearby, they formed a stark contrast.

One was spirited and vigorous; the other, gentle as water.

The woman in the military uniform was none other than the current incumbent of the Japanese Special Higher Police Shanghai Station, Sakai Mihoko.

Taking a freshly brewed cup of tea from the kimono-clad woman's hand, Yanping Tarou glanced at Sakai Mihoko, took a small sip, and said: "Sakai, is everything arranged?"

Facing her direct superior, Sakai Mihoko shed her usual cold arrogance toward others, lowering her head slightly in respect: "Yes, Section Chief, following your orders, we have already set an ambush in Gourd Lane."

Once the Military Statistics Bureau personnel take the bait, we can net them all at once.

Yanping Tarou set down his teacup, a flash of hatred crossing his eyes, and said: "We suffered too great a loss in Jinling; this time we must recover from the Military Statistics Bureau with interest."

Sakai Mihoko lifted her head to meet Yanping Tarou's gaze: "From Ichiro Iwata to the Grey Dove, the Sino Military Intelligence Bureau certainly never expected that the bait you left ahead of time was all your doing, Section Chief."

"No one would have thought that, with our intelligence personnel completely wiped out, you, Section Chief, would immediately begin a new deployment."

Yanping Tarou enjoyed Sakai Mihoko's flattery, narrowing his eyes at her swollen military uniform: "Inflicting heavy damage or even annihilating the Sino intelligence apparatus in Shanghai, avenging the Jinling single-arrow grudge, is only one part."

Weakening the Sino government's intelligence capabilities in Shanghai facilitates our execution of a series of important operations: sabotaging the Hu-Hang and Jinghu railways, as well as key bridges and passes along the routes, and the secret munitions depots of the Sino in Shanghai and Suzhou.

According to reliable intelligence, the Sino high command has already decided to launch an offensive in Shanghai; we must spare no effort to destroy their logistics supply lines to coordinate with the Marine Corps' defense.

"This is the core purpose of the entire Rainstorm Plan!"

"These damned Sino people, actually ignoring the previous Songhu ceasefire agreement, secretly setting up munitions depots around Shanghai, are truly hateful!"

Sakai Mihoko's face grew cold with indignation.

Yanping Tarou, however, remained calm: "At present the Imperial Army has already engaged the northern Sino forces in the Pingjin region; these details no longer matter—if we can successfully complete the entire Rainstorm Plan, it will be a great achievement."

"Just in case, Sakai, you personally go to North of the Lock to hold the fort."

"Hai!" Sakai Mihoko hastily put down the teacup she had just lifted and bowed deeply in acceptance of the order.

……

North of the Lock, Suzhou North Road 223.

Hongchang Steel Shop.

This is the Military Statistics Bureau Shanghai Station, a secret outpost located in North of the Lock.

When Chen Yongren, Zhang Haifeng, and Lu Yan arrived by rickshaw, Lin Fei and the others were already waiting here.

The three alighted, posed as steel‑purchasing merchants entering the shop, and were immediately led by Lin Fei into the rear hall.

"Group Leader, I have placed two brothers in hiding around Gourd Lane, awaiting your arrival."

"Good." Lu Yan nodded, gesturing to Chen Yongren and Zhang Haifeng to distribute guns to Lin Fei and the others.

Lin Fei and a field gunner specially took two extra guns, preparing to give them to the two men on stakeout.

Just as they finished distributing the guns, Luo Mingyu was led in by a clerk from the steel shop.

The assistant had brought the person there and then left; Luo Mingyu didn't wait for Lü Yan to ask before saying: "The station chief sent twenty brothers over as reinforcements; to avoid people's eyes and ears, they have already disguised themselves as merchants and gone to Hulu Lane in batches."

"How far is it from here to Gourd Lane?"

Lu Yan nodded and then asked Lin Fei.

"Less than five hundred meters, go straight to the end of Suzhou North Road, turn into Tibet North Road, and the third lane on the south side is it."

Lin Fei answered immediately.

Lu Yan chambered his gun and ordered in a low voice: "Take action immediately!"

"Yes!" Chen Yongren, Zhang Haifeng, Luo Mingyu, Lin Fei and others replied in unison.

Immediately following Lu Yan, they brought people out of the steel shop in batches and rushed toward Gourd Lane.

Across from Gourd Lane, on the north side of Tibet Road, there is a teahouse named Qinghe Teahouse.

Because nearby Suzhou North Road has gathered over thirty steel-related businesses, and every day merchants coming to purchase various steel and iron products flow in an endless stream.

With heavy foot traffic, demand for teahouses, restaurants and the like is high, so this Qinghe Teahouse arose to meet the need.

Thanks to its good location, the Qinghe Teahouse does booming business, and also because many of its patrons are traveling merchants who need to discuss business privately.

The Qinghe Teahouse's second floor has several private rooms set up.

At that moment, in a window-side private room on the second floor of the teahouse, Sakai Mihoko, dressed in men's casual attire, was sipping tea while observing the bustling crowd on the street.

Suddenly, the private room door was pushed open from outside; the two Riben agents guarding the door immediately became alert, their hands slipping into the inner pockets of their chest-worn coats where their guns were hidden.

When they saw clearly who had entered and realized it was one of their own, the two Riben agents let out a sigh of relief.

That person nodded at the two agents, casually closed the door, and walked straight to Sakai Mihoko's table, bowing respectfully: "Section Chief, the Military Statistics Bureau has taken the bait—many unfamiliar faces have suddenly appeared near Gourd Lane."

Hearing this, Sakai Mihoko raised her eyebrows, set down her teacup, glanced at him, then turned to look out the window—and indeed, near the entrance of Gourd Lane, many people in rugged attire were gathering.

A triumphant cold smile curled at the corner of Sakai Mihoko's mouth as she, without turning, ordered: "Notify Matsushita-kun, prepare to close the net—make sure to annihilate them all!"

"Hai!" the person behind him replied, immediately accepting the order and leaving the room.