Wang Hanmin's analysis makes a lot of sense. Xiao Guoyuan must have left under a sudden situation, in a very short time, so short that he didn't have time to make any explanations.
Indeed, that was the case. Luo Yuze was afraid that Geng Ziping and Xiao Guoyuan might have something going on and that they were secretly in contact with Wang Hanmin. Just in case, he didn't give them any time to prepare. After conveying the order, he sent someone to watch them pack up briefly and then set off. Therefore, Wang Hanmin could clearly judge the situation at the time from the traces left in the house.
Li Zhiqun muttered to himself in bewilderment, "Yes! This can't be explained by mere coincidence! A Kuomintang agent who had been lying low for many years was urgently evacuated just hours before we arrived in Qingdao. How did he know that he was our target? It's simply unbelievable!"
Li Zhiqun still had some uncertainty about Wang Hanmin's judgment. He believed that Wang Hanmin's previous judgment was correct, and that Xiao Guoyuan had evacuated under very urgent circumstances, but whether it was because of his group was still debatable.
Li Zhiqun then asked, "How did the Military Intelligence Bureau know our whereabouts? Even within the Special Agent Headquarters, they only know that we went to Nanjing on a business trip! Even if the Military Intelligence Bureau knew our true whereabouts and that we came to Qingdao, how did they know that Xiao Guoyuan was the target we were looking for? You should know that only you and I know about Xiao Guoyuan; no one else has any way of knowing."
Wang Hanmin, however, had a different opinion. He had a deeper understanding of the Military Intelligence Bureau and said, "This last point is not hard to guess. If the Military Intelligence Bureau knew that I had come to Qingdao, they would definitely guess that I might use my previous connections to find out the whereabouts of the Qingdao station. My history and resume in the Military Intelligence Bureau are very clear. As long as they find someone who may be related to me, they can find Xiao Guoyuan and make him withdraw. It makes perfect sense."
Actually, the most difficult questions were the first two: how did they know we were coming to Qingdao? Especially since I was coming to Qingdao?
Wang Hanmin's analysis was extremely accurate, and he quickly figured out the whole story, but he couldn't find out why his whereabouts had been leaked.
"Damn it! That traitor is still alive!" Li Zhiqun said through gritted teeth, enunciating each word clearly.
Now he was even more depressed, not because of Xiao Guoyuan's escape, but because he knew that the mole in his life was probably not dead, and the four people Luo Xingchao had chosen should have become scapegoats.
Otherwise, how could they explain the leak of their whereabouts? It must be that mole who discovered their and Wang Hanmin's movements and reported it to the Military Intelligence Bureau headquarters. The headquarters investigated the situation, identified Xiao Guoyuan as a potential threat, and then urgently notified the Qingdao station to order Xiao Guoyuan's immediate evacuation! Yes, that must be it!
Wang Hanmin also realized that, following this line of reasoning, the mole lurking in the No. 76 Special Agent Headquarters was indeed still alive, which meant that the previous screening operation had failed and that the four people Luo Xingchao killed were all wrong!
Thinking of this, Wang Hanmin felt a tightness in his chest. This mole was so close yet so elusive, always lurking beside him like a venomous snake, ready to pounce and bite him to his death at any moment.
Thinking of this, Wang Hanmin felt anxious and uneasy. He and Li Zhiqun exchanged a glance, and their mood immediately darkened.
Li Zhiqun was unwilling to say any more. He waved to signal the group to leave and went to explain the situation to Major Yokota, asking him to clean up the mess. Only then did the group return to their lodgings to rest.
Back at the hotel, Li Zhiqun was restless. He went to Wang Hanmin's room, where Wang Hanmin was also awake. The two of them began to discuss things in hushed tones again.
Wang Hanmin spoke first, asking, "Director, this mole has a lot of influence. How did he know our exact whereabouts?"
Li Zhiqun also felt a little strange and said slowly, "There are quite a few people who know that the two of us left the Special Agent Headquarters. Before we left, I gave them each a task. Most of the high-ranking cadres, such as Luo Xingchao and Wu Shicai, know this, but they all think that the two of us went to Nanjing on a business trip."
Wang Hanmin also said, "Wei Minglang of the Second Brigade knew I was leaving, but he only knew that I was going to Nanjing. The trip to Qingdao should have been kept very secret."
Suddenly, he thought of something and looked at Li Zhiqun, asking, "Luo Xingchao, he's the Shadow Agency's informant. Could he know our true whereabouts?"
Li Zhiqun shook his head and said, "He doesn't know either. General Yingzuo specifically instructed me not to reveal our trip to Qingdao to anyone, not even Luo Xingchao. In other words, Luo Xingchao also doesn't know that we are in Qingdao."
At this point, he gave a wry smile: "If even Luo Xingchao can't be trusted, then who else in our No. 76 can be trusted?"
After listening, Wang Hanmin nodded in realization. Indeed, the personnel of No. 76 came from diverse backgrounds and were driven by self-interest, with low loyalty, making them prone to problems. If even Japanese spies like Luo Xingchao had issues, then who could they trust?
He said helplessly, "Could it be that we're being too suspicious? What if it's not a problem with my intelligence headquarters, but rather a problem with the Japanese intelligence agencies, such as the Kagesa Agency or the Special Higher Police? Both of these agencies know our whereabouts."
Li Zhiqun spread his hands, shrugged, and said helplessly, "I hope you're right, it's not our problem, but the scope is too broad, and there's no way to investigate."
Besides, the Japanese are very well-organized, and the chances of an internal mole are extremely small. I still believe the problem lies with our intelligence headquarters. When I get back, I'll personally investigate and find out who this mole is!
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