Chapter 8: Landlady Madame Hu

"Speak." The boss spoke succinctly.

Shen Mingchen did not delay, immediately reported his findings in full, then cautiously asked.

"Boss, we still cannot confirm whether there is a mole inside us."

"At this joint meeting, government officials and senior officers will all attend; if we do not rule out security risks and hastily convene the meeting, any accident…"

The boss again said: "The old man's will is very firm; this meeting must be held no matter what."

"What our Intelligence Bureau must do is ensure the meeting proceeds smoothly."

The meaning of these words is already clear.

If there's a problem, you go investigate; if you can't find anything, you'll honestly take the blame!

"Yes, boss, I understand." Shen Mingchen replied in a muffled voice.

After hanging up, Shen Mingchen leaned back in his chair, pinching the bridge of his nose, feeling a bit headache.

The superior moves his lips, subordinates run themselves ragged.

Shen Mingchen felt the pressure double.

A mole?

Nobody knows who he is.

Moreover, the Action Bureau has already captured a Japanese spy team; other Japanese spies lurking in Gold Hill certainly won't show themselves easily.

Gold Hill City is so big that even if Japanese spies want to operate, they first need to know what they intend to do.

……

Elsewhere.

Having received the bonus, Chen Yongren was not stingy; he led a team to Celebrating Prosperity Pavilion for a big meal before everyone went their separate ways home.

Chen Yongren's generous conduct doubled the team's fondness for him.

The current legal tender still held firm; feeding a large group cost only 60 legal tender.

But Chen Yongren knew that this would eventually become toilet paper; he needed to find a way to exchange it for something more value-retentive.

Having eaten and drunk his fill, Chen Yongren hailed a rickshaw and returned to his home in the East City District.

There is some distance from Celebrating Prosperity Pavilion to the East City District; Chen Yongren shifted to a comfortable posture, sitting in the rickshaw while reviewing the situation.

The Black Dog Unit was wiped out; all five spies in the unit were captured.

But Chen Yongren knew that no matter what methods the Interrogation Bureau used, questioning the four newly captured Japanese spies would yield no valuable leads.

The reason is simple; such low‑rank members cannot know many secrets.

At most they would reveal that their mission was to assassinate the Gold Hill Mayor.

Watanabe Shun's Black Dog Unit was merely a disposable pawn in the overall plan; the Japanese spies sent them out to increase the credibility of the intelligence.

Secondly.

Namely, the meeting that made the Japanese spies feel like dogs sniffing blood and meat.

Who is the mole lurking inside the National Government?

Exactly where is he positioned, and aside from him, are there any other moles?

These are matters that must be resolved as soon as possible.

Chen Yongren is well aware.

To catch this mole, one must inevitably capture his superior.

But where is his superior?

Thinking of this, Chen Yongren felt a bit headache.

"Customer, we've arrived." The rickshaw puller stopped the vehicle and said to Chen Yongren.

Chen Yongren casually produced a piece of legal tender, handed it to the puller, then got off and walked toward the apartment building.

"Officer, too much, too much!" the puller hurriedly said.

"Officer?"

Chen Yongren frowned, activating his insight while his right hand rested on his Browning pistol at his waist, and said coldly: "How do you know I'm an officer?"

While on duty, Chen Yongren wears plain clothes; logically, no one should know his identity.

If the puller showed any suspicion, Chen Yongren would without hesitation send him to the Interrogation Bureau for interrogation.

"While you were eating, I've been watching outside the whole time." The pick‑up driver lifted the dark towel over his shoulder, wiped sweat from his forehead, and spoke with a hint of pride.

"The owner of Celebrating Prosperity Pavilion personally came out to receive you, his expression showing not only respect but also a hint of fear, as if you might take his life at any moment."

"Only someone bearing arms could make a merchant this fearful."

Listening to the puller's logical analysis, Chen Yongren couldn't help but laugh.

It turned out to be merely a rickshaw puller with a bit of cleverness.

"Today I'm happy; just keep the extra as your tip!" Chen Yongren waved his hand.

"Thank you, officer, thank you!" Xiangzi beamed with delight and slipped a piece of legal tender into his pocket.

This trip earned only four mao, yet unexpectedly he also gained six mao of legal tender for free.

If he could daily encounter such generous customers, it would be wonderful; he could then buy his own home, with wife and children enjoying a warm kang bed—just the thought is comforting.

Soon I'll go to the small tavern, order a cup of wine, a plate of peanuts, and add half a catty of beef to give the child a taste of meat.

Having sensed the puller's thoughts, Chen Yongren was certain he was just an ordinary rickshaw puller.

Looking at the rickshaw puller before him, Chen Yongren suddenly thought of something.

As a rickshaw puller belonging to society's lower strata, he often plies the city streets, coming into contact with people of all walks of life.

When they have no work and are resting, they also gather to chat.

Because they are of the lower strata, no one usually pays them any attention.

If we could develop a few rickshaw men as secret agents, perhaps there would be many unexpected surprises.

"Wait." Chen Yongren called out to the rickshaw man.

"Ah?"

The rickshaw man, who was figuring out to have a couple sips, slowly turned and looked at Chen Yongren.

He thought Chen Yongren regretted it and wanted to return the extra fare.

"What's your name?" Chen Yongren asked.

"Reporting, sir, I'm called Xiangzi." Xiangzi said cautiously.

"Xiangzi..."

Chen Yongren took out five francs from his pocket, handed them to Xiangzi, and said: "Come pick me up here at 7:30 tomorrow morning and take me around Jinling."

"A rickshaw doesn't need that much money." Xiangzi quickly waved his hands.

"Xiangzi, how long have you been pulling a rickshaw, and how much can you earn in a month?" Chen Yongren asked.

"It's been about ten years; in a good month I can earn twenty francs, in a bad month only a few francs. Last month I finally saved enough to buy my own rickshaw."

Having said that, Xiangzi glanced at Chen Yongren, as if making up his mind, and spoke rapidly.

"Although I'm just a rickshaw puller with little education, only capable of hard labor, I've walked every street and alley of Jinling; there's no place I don't know. If you have any orders, just tell me quickly."

Seeing the person before him act generously and possess an extraordinary demeanor, Xiangzi, who had long been at society's bottom, also did not want to continue like this.

Xiangzi's intention to defect was evident in his words.

He could endure his own hardship, but he could not allow his own children to grow up and also pull rickshaws.

But those customers usually look down on people with their noses; who would bother with someone at the very bottom of society?

But now, Xiangzi had a feeling.

As long as he clung to this person's thigh, his fate for the rest of his life would undergo a drastic change.

Chen Yongren, knowing Xiangzi's inner thoughts, would certainly not let him easily come aboard.

Having come by hardship, he knows to cherish; first, let's whet his appetite, then talk.

Chen Yongren slapped the money into Xiangzi's hand, pretended not to understand Xiangzi's words, and said: "Remember to come pick me up tomorrow!"

Having said that, Chen Yongren walked toward the apartment building without looking back.

Xiangzi stood where he was, quietly watching Chen Yongren's back until he disappeared from sight, then he pulled his rickshaw away.

Chen Yongren's residence was on the second floor of this six-story apartment building; he had just taken out his key from his pocket, ready to open the door.

Then he heard a coquettish voice from behind.

"A Ren, why are you coming back so late today?"

The voice's owner sounded somewhat familiar.

Chen Yongren turned around and saw that it was his neighbor across the hall, the landlady Madam Hu.

Madam Hu's husband had died early, leaving her this apartment building; she normally lives off the rent from here.

Her daily life consisted of strolling the streets, drinking coffee, and when in a good mood going to the nightclub to dance; her life was quite enjoyable.

Today she wore a form-fitting blue cheongsam, held a small folding fan, had a pretty short hairstyle, no makeup, and when she smiled she was quite sweet.

Madam Hu was currently leaning against the doorframe, looking at Chen Yongren with interest.

She wasn't particularly beautiful, but she was a woman with considerable charm.

It was her!

Looking at that familiar face before him, Chen Yongren finally remembered.

Whose face was that which had appeared near the mayor of Jinling?

No wonder it felt familiar; wasn't she his own landlady?

Chen Yongren instinctively felt something was off and immediately used his discernment on her.

"Idiot, what are you looking at."

"In three days, your government organs will all be paralyzed; by then you'll have to change masters!"

"That mole has finally played its part; our years of effort were not in vain!"