Espionage: You're tasked with spying, but you'll blow up the Special Higher Police?

156. My mind is made up.

After a moment's thought, Qingxia instructed, "Blind Man, Agui, and Fusheng, you go to the police station and wait for news. Xiaobei, you go to the Paramount and keep an eye on things. There was a shooting last night, so some well-informed people should be talking about these topics. Listen carefully and write down any information that you think might help Brother Zhou."

"Okay, Sister Qingxia."

Under Qingxia's arrangement, everyone took their positions and began to gather information that could help Zhou Hongyi and find someone to assist him. Qingxia herself, however, sat silently in the second safe house, looking in the mirror without saying a word. She recombed her hair and put it up in a bun, changed into her prettiest clothes, held her sleeping baby girl in her arms, and resolutely walked out the door.

Inside the Special Higher Police, Zhou Hongyi continued to feign ignorance, guessing based on the unfamiliar figure. Suddenly, as if he had realized something, he said, "Commander Kondo, I understand."

Kondo was confused by what he said and asked, "What do you understand?"

Zhou Hongyi slapped his thigh and said, "I understand now. This must be a conspiracy orchestrated by the Kuomintang or the Red Party to divide us from within! Why did they choose my shop this time? This proves that they want to frame me and throw mud at me! It seems that I have been targeted by them for ruining their plans the previous times. Commander Kondo, I feel that my life is now in danger. You must send someone to protect me."

Kondo was speechless for a moment after hearing what he said, but after thinking about it carefully, he also felt that it was not impossible. The underground members of the Red Party and the Kuomintang had targeted Zhou Hongyi with poison last time.

Kondo was a little confused by him and subconsciously turned his gaze to Yosuke Saotome. The latter still had that annoying smile on his face and said, "Sasuke-kun's guess is not unreasonable. The gunman we encountered in Cinnamon last night is quite telling. I think we should invite Aoka from Sasuke-kun's shop over for a face-to-face confrontation, and the truth will come out."

Kondo nodded and said, "Yes, Sasuke-kun, let's invite Miss Qingxia over and ask her."

Zhou Hongyi's expression remained unchanged, but his mind was racing, searching for a solution. Just then, there was a knock at the door. A Japanese soldier pushed the door open, stood up straight, and said, "Section Chief, we've caught a suspicious woman holding a baby. We found a booklet in the baby's swaddling clothes."

"what?"

This news not only startled Kondo, but also Zhou Hongyi.

"Where is she now?" Kondo asked immediately, but then added, "Bring her here."

Zhou Hongyi clapped his hands and laughed, "Could this person be the Qingxia you're looking for? Heaven is still on my side. As long as I find her, everything will be clear!"

Although Zhou Hongyi said this, he was already ready to kill at any moment. He couldn't just stand by and watch Qingxia and the child fall into the hands of the Japanese. These guys were inhuman and who knew what they would do? Besides, since Qingxia was helping him, he had a responsibility to protect her. Otherwise, how could he face the blind man and those who followed him in the future?

As Zhou Hongyi thought of this, a relaxed smile appeared on his face, but his hands unconsciously drooped down at his sides. This movement made Sasaki's ears twitch slightly, and he tilted his head in his direction. Saotome Yosuke also glanced at him intentionally or unintentionally.

"Hehe... With these two Japanese devils, one scholar and one warrior, watching over me, it's truly like walking on thin ice. But I'm sorry, even if it means risking my identity, I'm going to take a gamble here. As long as I kill you guys, I can use this opportunity to escape unscathed, and no one will know it was me."

Zhou Hongyi's smile widened. A moment later, a woman dressed in flamboyant attire, though past her prime, still possessed a captivating charm. Holding a child, she entered the reception room under the watchful eyes of several Japanese soldiers.

Upon seeing her in person, Zhou Hongyi's heart sank to the bottom. It really was Qingxia! What were Agui and the others doing? Why did they let Qingxia show herself in public alone with a child, only to be caught by the Japanese military police?

As Zhou Hongyi was pondering and looking for an opportunity to make his move, he saw Yamamoto Goro of the Saotome Squad hand the booklet he had taken from the baby's swaddling clothes to Kondo with both hands.

Kondo took the document and looked through it, his gaze falling on Zhou Hongyi. He said, "Sasuke-kun, this is your good employee. Look at what she stole from your store."

"what?"

Zhou Hongyi was slightly taken aback. He took the booklet and saw that it was one he had kept in the antique shop. This booklet mostly recorded his business dealings with the Sakura Trading Company, as well as details of gift lists given to Sakura Trading Company employees and government officials, including those given to the Special Higher Police and Kondo. He kept this booklet simply to make it easier to calculate the amount of money he needed to spend on bribes each year; there was nothing worth hiding, so he just left it in a drawer. Why was Qingxia carrying it with her?

Just as Zhou Hongyi thought of this, he realized the reason from the entry above Qingxia's head.

"Sister Qingxia, what are you doing?"

Zhou Hongyi sensed a resolute meaning in Brigitte Lin's biography. This woman, who usually seemed carefree and easygoing, was actually so resilient and strong-willed.

Zhou Hongyi's heart was in turmoil. His emotional fluctuations were quickly noticed by Saotome Yosuke, who chuckled and said, "Sasuke-kun, you seem quite emotional. What's wrong? Didn't expect her to do something like this? Holding evidence of your business dealings with the Empire, what is she trying to do? She's collecting evidence against you. If we hadn't caught her today, she might have used it to blackmail you into secretly transporting goods for them along this trade route."

After Yosuke Saotome finished speaking, Aoka sneered and said, "Hmph, now that you've caught me, I have nothing to hide. That's right, Zhou Hongyi, I've disliked you for a long time. The reason I approached you was to gather evidence of your treason! Do you think you can rest easy and profit from the national crisis just because you have a spy brother-in-law and a Japanese teacher? Let me tell you, you're dreaming! The Japanese will not have a good end; they will be driven out of our country sooner or later, and those spies and traitors will also receive their due trial sooner or later! Hmph, that's being polite. If you ask me, you should all die a horrible death!"

Qingxia became increasingly agitated as she spoke, and the spittle she spat out even landed on Zhou Hongyi's face. The Japanese soldiers standing on either side of her quickly restrained her, and the noise also woke up the baby in her swaddling clothes. The child seemed to sense her mother's emotional turmoil and began to cry loudly.

Kondo threw the ledger on the table and said to the soldiers, "Continue searching and see what else she's carrying."

The two soldiers snatched the child from Qingxia's arms, while Yamamoto Goro, ignoring her struggles, groped her and eventually found a folded piece of paper on her person.

"Sir."

Yamamoto Goro was holding the note, about to hand it to Kondo, when suddenly Qingxia, who was standing next to him, sprang up, snatched the note from his hand, stuffed it into her mouth, and swallowed it with a "gulp" in front of everyone.

"Bagaya road!"

Enraged, Yamamoto Goro drew his sword and stabbed Qingxia in the abdomen.