Chapter 694: Carrot Plus Big Stick

"Yes!" Zhongyuan Shen and a few people, although doubtful in their hearts, still followed Chen Yongren's arrangement and lifted this box into the meeting room.

Zhongyuan Shen stood beside Chen Yongren.

The remaining few people stood at various places in the meeting room, surrounding these officers.

The people in the meeting room watched Chen Yongren and the others walk in, their expressions growing more doubtful, eventually focusing their gaze on Chen Yongren, seeing the lieutenant colonel insignia on his collar, their expressions showing some surprise.

"What a young lieutenant colonel officer, where does this kid come from?"

"Where is General Okamura? He said he would hold a meeting, but why did he only send a lieutenant colonel?"

"There's even a major sitting here waiting for the meeting; what does General Okamura intend to do?"

"I have a bad feeling…"

……

Having sensed the thoughts of these little Japanese devils, Chen Yongren remained calm, walked to the head seat at the long table, clapped his hands, and smiled, saying: "Everyone, I want to clear up your doubts; the sweep is imminent—why did General Okamura suddenly summon you?"

"Hey, stop beating around the bush—where is General Okamura, and who are you?" a colonel officer couldn't hold back, looking at Chen Yongren and asking proactively.

"I am the chief of the Special Investigation Unit, Yuan Chief; General Okamura is busy with military affairs, and I will take charge of the ensuing meeting." Chen Yongren continued: "I believe many of you do not know who I am."

"However, it doesn't matter; I will soon explain your doubts."

Upon hearing this, some Japanese officers' faces turned slightly unnatural; having heard the name of the Special Investigation Unit, they began to feel uneasy, wondering why they were being targeted by the Special Investigation Unit.

Moreover, those who had never heard of the Special Investigation Unit felt a mix of doubt and surprise.

Although they did not know what this new Special Investigation Unit was.

But they were very clear about the origin of the Yuan clan—a hereditary aristocracy passed down for a thousand years.

The originally noisy meeting room fell silent all at once.

Chen Yongren no longer wasted words, directly getting to the point: "Yuèshēng Hǔzhī zhù and Jǐngshàng Jùnxióng have already confessed their crimes last night."

"From their confessions, we have obtained much interesting information."

Speaking of this, Chen Yongren deliberately paused, scanning the officers on both sides of the long table, observing their reactions.

As soon as he said that, the Japanese officers on both sides of the long table turned pale, instantly understanding why they had been summoned by General Okamura Ningci to the North China Command.

In other words, they were lured in to be killed.

Bad news!

These Japanese officers were restless, as if sitting on pins and needles, and dared not even look Chen Yongren in the eye.

Chen Yongren still wore a full smile.

But at this moment, his smile, to these Japanese officers, was no different from that of a death‑sentencing judge.

Chen Yongren spoke while pacing to the box, and Zhongyuan Shen, understanding immediately, opened the box.

All the Japanese officers stretched their necks to look at the box.

When they saw that the box contained thin booklets, their faces changed abruptly and their breathing grew heavy.

Yuèshēng Hǔzhī zhù and Jǐngshàng Jùnxióng have both been captured.

At this point, producing these items could only be evidence of their embezzlement.

"I thought you would try to make excuses." Chen Yongren deliberately smiled and said: "It seems you are well aware of what these booklets contain."

Zhongyuan Shen and the others, watching the reactions of the Japanese officers present and then looking at the booklets in the box, couldn't help but give Chen Yongren a thumbs‑up in their hearts.

A box full of booklets with not a single word, and it just subdued this group of officers?

Although we couldn't see their faces, this bunch was already in a state of panic.

"Damn, I knew nothing good would come of this."

"General Yuèshēng Hǔzhī zhù, General Jǐngshàng Jùnxióng, what exactly are you doing? How could such a thing leave documentary evidence?"

"This time we're really done for; if General Okamura finds out, the internal North China Army will likely be awash in blood."

……

Upon hearing Chen Yongren's words, these Japanese officers looked at one another, knowing a great disaster was imminent, lowering their heads even further and not daring to take a breath.

"As members of the Younger Brother Country's locust army, you actually used your authority to collude with a bunch of corrupt elements, occupying the Younger Brother Country's interests and selling supplies that originally belonged to the locust army!"

"The faces of the Younger Brother Country's soldiers have been completely lost because of you!" Chen Yongren pointed at them angrily and shouted: "You bunch of idiots, do you know what you've helped them do?"

"These two bastards sold the supplies to the Military Statistics Bureau, the dirt‑eighth route!"

"Since the founding of the Younger Brother Country's army, there has never been such a disgraceful incident!"

Upon hearing this, the faces of the Japanese officers present changed instantly.

"It was merely assisting the superiors in allocating supplies; how did it become treason and collaboration with the enemy?"

"This must be a misunderstanding."

"I was just following orders; I certainly didn't inquire about the disposition of these supplies."

"I swear, I have never done anything to betray the locust army!"

……

Realizing the situation was dire, they could no longer stay seated, and they turned to Chen Yongren, explaining themselves in a jumble of voices.

"No betrayal?" Chen Yongren pointed to the box on the ground and said: "Then what are these things? Do you want me to read them to you personally, or would you rather take a look yourself?"

As soon as Chen Yongren finished speaking, a major officer stood up, seeming genuinely intent on taking a look at the booklet.

The other officers looked at him in astonishment.

Where did this idiot come from?

A colonel reacted extremely quickly, immediately standing up and kicking him: 'Bastard, isn't losing face enough? What business do you have meddling here?'

The major who had been kicked, seeing the almost man‑eating glares from around, instantly realized his mistake, promptly stood upright, bowed his head, and returned to his seat.

After a brief interlude, Chen Yongren looked at them with anguish and said: 'General Okamura was so angry last night that he didn't sleep a wink, deciding to let me handle these matters fully.'

"General Okamura currently does not know of the existence of these booklets; if he were to see them, what the consequences would be—I believe you know better than anyone!"

All the officers felt a thump in their hearts.

In this way, being able to shed the uniform and get away is the best outcome.

But from Chen Yongren's words, they also sensed something; General Gangcun was unaware of the existence of these books, and everything now had a turning point.

"Through these books, I believe many of you are innocent, merely because of the threats and lures of Yuesheng Huzhu and Jingshang Junxiong, helplessly drawn into this."

All the officers present, regardless of rank, nodded in agreement.

"Now the sweep is imminent; I also don't want to blow this up, lest the army's morale waver…" Chen Yongren said, bending over to take a book from the box and beckoning Zhongyuan Shen with a finger.

Zhongyuan Shen stared for a moment, seemed to realize something, hastily pulled out a lighter from his pocket and, taking three steps at a time, handed it to Chen Yongren.

Click~

Chen Yongren struck a match, lit the book, burned it thoroughly, then lightly tossed it into the box as the flames gradually grew.

Afterwards, he also looked at the officers on both sides of the long table, who were stunned.

"Gentlemen, do you want it this way?"