Ning Zhiheng has an exceptional memory for people's faces. Although only a day has passed, he remembers all the hotel staff he has met. However, looking around, he doesn't recognize a single face. It seems that all the hotel staff have been replaced.

Major Kasahara led the way, exchanging nods with several of the waiters, clearly indicating they were acquaintances.

It seemed that these service personnel were all intelligence agents of the Special Higher Police. Ning Zhiheng was secretly surprised. He had not expected that the Japanese would go to such great lengths for the security and reception of this trilateral meeting.

Ning Zhiheng asked, "Have all the personnel from the new government arrived?"

Major Kasahara quickly replied, "I just arrived and have been settled in. I'm right downstairs from you."

Where are General Kagesa and General Tsuchihara now?

"I'm currently speaking with people from the new government. If you need to speak with them, I'll report to them immediately!"

"No need, I've been out sightseeing for half a day and I'm really tired!" Ning Zhiheng waved his hand and said.

"Hi, please take a short rest."

Major Kasahara quickly nodded in agreement, then asked, "A welcome banquet will be held at noon to entertain the new government personnel. General Tsuchihara would like to invite you to attend. What do you think?"

Ning Zhiheng frowned and asked, "Will General Mitani and the others be attending?"

Major Kasahara paused for a moment, then shook his head and explained, "Only General Tsuchihara and General Kagesa are participating."

It seemed that the Japanese garrison didn't care much about the new government delegation; it was just an invitation from the intelligence departments of both sides hosting the meeting. Ning Zhiheng immediately lost interest and waved his hand, saying, "No need, I'm tired. Have lunch brought to my room!"

"Hi!"

Major Kasahara escorted Ning Zhiheng to the top floor and was about to turn and leave when Ning Zhiheng called him back and asked, "Is Chief Sagawa of the Shanghai Special Higher Police also here?"

Major Kasahara was taken aback, then replied respectfully, "They've arrived. Section Chief Sagawa and General Tsuchihara are together, talking with personnel from the new government."

Ning Zhiheng then asked, "Do you know his liaison officer, Major Takeshita Shinya?"

"Oh, it's Takeshita-kun? I know him. He came to pay his respects to General Tsuchihara last time with Section Chief Sagawa!"

"Alright, I'm acquainted with Takeshita-kun. Tell him to come over and chat with me sometime. I don't have many friends here, and I'm getting quite bored!"

"Yes, I will definitely pass on the message, please rest assured!" Major Kasahara replied with a bow.

After watching Major Kasahara leave, Ning Zhiheng returned to his room and immediately called Yi Huaan, who was left at the hotel to guard the radio station, to his room.

As soon as Yi Hua'an entered the room, before he could even speak, Ning Zhiheng abruptly asked, "Did you know that Xu Yongchang has come to Qingdao?"

Upon hearing Ning Zhiheng's question, Yi Hua'an was taken aback and shook his head, saying, "I really don't know. He didn't report this situation."

Yi Hua'an was directly under Ning Zhiheng's leadership in the Shanghai Intelligence Section and was mainly responsible for intelligence work in the Shanghai urban area. After Xu Yongchang joined the Intelligence Section, he and his superior Hong Shijie came under Yi Hua'an's leadership, which is why Ning Zhiheng asked Yi Hua'an.

Ning Zhiheng's face darkened, and he reprimanded in a low voice, "Your work arrangements have been overseen. Xu Yongchang has been in Qingdao for a week now. He came to Qingdao with Li Zhiqun and Wang Hanmin to investigate my personnel at the Qingdao station. Such an important situation, and you still don't know?"

Ning Zhiheng was constantly worried about Li Zhiqun and Wang Hanmin. Although he had previously warned headquarters to pay attention to Wang Hanmin's actions in Qingdao, he was still unsure. He wondered what Wang Hanmin and his group had been doing in Qingdao for the past week, whether they posed a threat to the Qingdao station, or whether they would threaten the upcoming actions to disrupt the trilateral talks.

If Ning Zhiheng had known earlier that Xu Yongchang was also involved in this operation, he could have made arrangements more easily, and might even have been able to bring Hong Shijie to Qingdao to contact Xu Yongchang and get the latest intelligence on the progress.

But now a problem has arisen: neither Yi Hua'an nor He Siming, among his men in Qingdao, can contact Xu Yongchang.

Because these two people were too important—one was his personal secretary and most important assistant, and the other was his ace intelligence agent, the deepest mole in the Japanese intelligence agency—Ning Zhiheng would never allow their identities to be exposed to Xu Yongchang.

Furthermore, Xu Yongchang didn't know them at all, nor could he trust them for no reason, so he couldn't establish contact with them, let alone receive their reports.

The token used to contact Xu Yongchang under special circumstances, the half-torn banknote, has now been handed over to Luo Xingchao and was not brought to Qingdao at all. So, Xu Yongchang's secret agent has been completely useless.

Ning Zhiheng couldn't help but feel a pang of regret. He couldn't very well make the contact himself. He had met Xu Yongchang before, but his identity was only known to a few close confidants and high-ranking officials in the Shanghai Intelligence Bureau. If Xu Yongchang found out, the risk would be far too great!