Chapter 48: Another ambush

Lin Dayou smoked at the street side, patiently waiting for the team to gather.

"A Ren, how do we get in?" Zhang Haifeng looked at Chen Yongren and asked.

He really hadn't expected to discover Lyu Yan's whereabouts at the same time as Lin Dayou.

"Never mind them, let's first go to the back alley to check the terrain." Chen Yongren said after a moment's thought.

This is Japanese territory; since Sakai Mieko dares to meet Lyu Yan here, she certainly wouldn't neglect any security measures.

Regardless of whether the assassination succeeds, we must first prepare an escape route for ourselves.

Liu Shuyun moved her mouth, wanting to say something, but finally said: "I'll contact the comrades from the Party Affairs Department to meet you outside."

Chen Yongren nodded, then immediately took Zhang Haifeng to the back alley to survey the terrain around the restaurant.

This is a prosperous commercial district, with big and small shops standing in a grid pattern, various alleys crisscrossing, interconnected, providing access in all directions.

Just as Chen Yongren finished surveying the terrain and was about to head to the Maeda Family Back Alley,

Lin Dayou's team had also finished assembling, and under his command they successively entered Maeda Sake House.

Five squads were scattered, sitting on the first floor.

Lin Dayou sat at a table near the wall corner, scanning the interior environment.

Besides him, a few tables of customers were seated in the shop, and their positions happened to surround Lin Dayou and his group.

No trace of Lyu Yan was found on the first floor, so Lin Dayou turned his gaze to the second floor.

But Lin Dayou hadn't yet realized that, shortly after entering the restaurant, he had already been spotted by the lurking Japanese spies.

Maeda Sake House, a certain private room.

Lyu Yan and Sakai Mieko sat facing each other on their knees.

"Lyu-san, you did well this morning; I hope you can achieve further merit for the Locust Army!" Sakai Mieko raised a cup of clear sake and laughed.

"Hai, hai!" Lyu Yan hastily straightened his knees, his face full of obsequiousness.

Since his body hadn't recovered, Lyu Yan picked up a tea cup nearby, deliberately lowered it a bit, clinked it with Sakai Mieko's, then drained the tea cup in one gulp.

He then spoke with some resentment: "It's a pity we couldn't capture Chen Xing alive; otherwise we could have gained more intelligence."

Seeing Sakai Mieko's displeased expression, Lyu Yan patted his chest and assured: "However, Chief Sakai, you can rest assured!"

"I am very familiar with the modus operandi of the Military Intelligence Bureau; I can guarantee you that as long as I am here, no agent of the Military Intelligence Bureau will be able to infiltrate our department."

Sakai Mieko gave a faint smile, about to speak.

Suddenly, a hurried knocking sounded from outside the door.

The two Japanese guards at the door tensed, immediately reaching for their waists, then carefully pushed the door open.

Upon seeing that the person outside was one of their own, they relaxed and gestured for him to come in.

The outside agent entered, stood straight, bowed to Sakai Mieko, and said: "Chief Sakai, everything is just as you anticipated—the Military Intelligence Bureau people have taken the bait!"

"Just now, many people suddenly entered the shop, forming groups of three, all disguised as diners, sitting on the first floor, their eyes constantly fixed on the second-floor seats."

"According to the report from the peripheral agents, they had gathered at the intersection earlier, but now they are entering in batches."

Hearing this, Sakai Mieko couldn't help but glance at Lyu Yan, a smug smile curling her lips.

Today's luck is really not bad.

This morning we took out the Shanghai station chief; this afternoon we can also wipe out the Military Intelligence Bureau's reinforcements!

"Pass on my orders..." Sakai Mieko grew increasingly pleased in her heart.

Perhaps it was because of the successive victories that clouded her judgment.

Or perhaps it was the home-field advantage that filled her with confidence; she, who had originally intended to directly order a dragnet, suddenly had a new idea.

Sakai Mieko stood up, looked at Lyu Yan, and said: "Lyu-san, it seems some new friends have come outside; come with me to take a look!"

"New friends?" The Japanese spy who had just spoken in Japanese, Lyu Yan didn't understand, hastily got up and followed behind her.

The two left the private room one after another and arrived at the second-floor corridor.

Lin Dayou and the others were impatient, wondering how they could get to the second floor.

Suddenly they saw a guy leading Lyu Yan out.

Seeing Lyu Yan, Lin Dayou widened his eyes, not expecting him to just walk out like that.

"Move!"

"Opportunity won't come again," Lin Dayou shouted, and he and his dozen or so subordinates all drew their guns.

However, before they could fire, the surrounding customers who were eating also stood up at the same time, drew their pistols, and encircled Lin Dayou and his agents.

"Don't move!"

"Surrender immediately!"

"Anyone who moves gets shot!"

The Japanese agents disguised as customers all shouted in awkward Chinese.

The sudden situation left Lin Dayou somewhat at a loss; the other agents were also startled, turning their guns from aiming at Lyu Yan to pointing at the people surrounding them.

"Damn, we've been tricked." Lin Dayou's heart sank sharply.

At this moment, Chen Yongren and Zhang Haifeng also arrived at the hotel's back alley.

Seeing two strangers walking toward them, the two Japanese agents who were smoking and chatting instantly became alert, tossed away their cigarette butts, and instinctively reached for their waists.

"Who are you!" the left-hand agent said.

Chen Yongren, however, feigned surprise, smiling as he walked toward them, speaking loudly in Japanese: "Sorry, sorry, I just wanted to ask you..."

In his previous life, Chen Yongren was a top-notch agent, proficient in many languages.

Hearing the familiar language in their ears, these two Japanese devils relaxed their vigilance, their expressions easing somewhat.

Seizing the moment the two Japanese agents let their guard down, Chen Yongren struck like lightning—one hand pressed the left agent's crown, the other his chin, and he twisted hard with both hands.

Only a sharp "kaba" sounded, and the Japanese agent's head twisted into an odd angle.

Another agent, just waking from a dream, instinctively opened his mouth to shout, and his hand unconsciously went to his waist, intending to draw his gun as a warning.

Before he could utter a sound, Chen Yongren slid forward in a flash, lightning-fast grabbed his throat, then his fingers clenched hard, directly crushing his windpipe.

The Japanese agent's body went limp, he collapsed to the ground, convulsed for a moment, then fell still.

Having quickly dealt with the two Japanese agents guarding the door, Chen Yongren didn't even have time to check the system rewards before leading Zhang Haifeng into the shop.

Just as they entered, Chen Yongren heard Lin Dayou's angry reproach: "Lü Yan, you traitor, actually colluding with the Japanese and harming your own brothers!"

"What do you mean by colluding? I'm turning from darkness to light." Lü Yan said proudly, "As the old saying goes, those who discern the times are outstanding."

I advise you to surrender to the Great Japanese Empire soon; Miss Sakai will certainly not mistreat you.

Lin Dayou angrily retorted: "Go to hell, I'd rather die than become a traitor to my own people!"