After clarifying the situation, Luo Xingchao ordered his men to take over the case and arrange for the body to be transported. Sheng Zhiyuan was, after all, an official of the Nanjing puppet government, and he had to be brought back to give an explanation. The necessary procedures still had to be followed.
Since Li Zhiqun, the director of the Special Agent Headquarters, went to Nanjing to take up his post, Luo Xingchao has been in charge of all the administrative affairs of the Special Agent Headquarters.
At this time, Luo Xingchao held great power, but he dared not be negligent in the slightest, because the entire Special Agent Headquarters was filled with Li Zhiqun's men, especially the Action Brigade, which was basically under the control of Wu Shicai. Although Luo Xingchao was temporarily in charge of the work, he could actually only truly control his own First Division and Wei Minglang's Second Action Brigade.
Since Wang Hanmin's death, Wei Minglang suddenly lost his backer at the Special Agent Headquarters. He quickly turned to Luo Xingchao, who also came from the Military Intelligence Bureau. The two had similar backgrounds and were interested in each other, so they hit it off immediately. Now, whenever Luo Xingchao needs something, he mobilizes Wei Minglang's Second Action Team for assistance, which is quite convenient.
To be on the safe side, Luo Xingchao brought a team of guards from the Second Action Brigade with him when he entered the International Settlement. It should be noted that he was now the main person in charge of the intelligence department of the Nanjing puppet government in Shanghai. In the eyes of others, he was a veritable big traitor. Entering the International Settlement rashly was risky.
With his staff busy, Cha Yutang invited Luo Xingchao to his office for a short rest, and Luo Xingchao naturally accepted the invitation.
The two sat facing each other. Cha Yutang personally brewed some fine tea and placed it in front of Luo Xingchao, saying with a smile, "Director Luo, you are now very successful, in charge of the Special Agent Headquarters. Please take care of me if there are any problems in the future."
Luo Xingchao and Cha Yutang had never met before. He had no connections in the concession and rarely interacted with him. However, Detective Cha was very humble and amiable, which surprised Luo Xingchao.
Luo Xingchao knew some things about Cha Yutang. This man was not from the Green Gang; he was just an ordinary policeman who was later noticed by the higher-ups of the Public Works Bureau and gradually rose to the position of Inspector Hua of the Police Station. He had been in this position for two or three years now. Logically speaking, in terms of both identity and background, he was not on the same level as the director of his Special Agent Headquarters, so there was no need for such formality.
He chuckled and said casually, "Detective, you flatter me. I'm just temporarily in charge of some tasks and looking after the director's house. I'm far from being in charge. If Director Li hears this, I'll be in trouble."
"Haha, Director Luo, you flatter me!"
Cha Yutang chuckled, pondered for a moment, and then asked, "I wonder if Director Li gave you any instructions before he left?"
"Confess? What confession?" Luo Xingchao looked at Cha Yutang in surprise upon hearing this. He keenly sensed the information contained in the conversation: Cha Yutang and Li Zhiqun had an unknown connection.
Looking at Luo Xingchao's expression, Cha Yutang hesitated for a moment. He had been persuaded by Li Zhiqun to work for him, tracking and monitoring the American consulate's military attaché, Phillips, and searching for members of the Military Intelligence Bureau's Shanghai branch in the intelligence network. So much time had passed, and some progress had been made. He was preparing to report to Li Zhiqun, but Li Zhiqun had been staying in Nanjing and had not returned for a long time. He couldn't help but feel anxious. Today, he happened to meet with Luo Xingchao and knew some things about him, so he had no reservations and directly asked about Li Zhiqun's whereabouts.
However, it seems that Luo Xingchao was unaware of this task, and Li Zhiqun probably assigned it to him alone. In that case, he couldn't say anything more.
Luo Xingchao, however, realized what was going on. He smiled slightly and asked, "What? Detective Cha and Director Li have a connection? I'm truly sorry. I knew it! A wise man knows when to yield. Detective Cha is a smart man too. In the future, the Japanese will still be in charge in Shanghai. The concessions? They won't last long!"
Now, with the outbreak of the European war, people in the concessions are unstable. Cha Yutang is well aware that the position of Chinese detective chief in the International Settlement is not secure. It was for these reasons that he was persuaded by Li Zhiqun to agree to work for the Japanese and the puppet government. Now, hearing Luo Xingchao's words, he does not shy away from the topic and says with a smile, "Director Luo, we are all family. You don't need to be so formal. If you need anything in the future, just let me know. I, Cha, will never refuse."
As expected, Cha Yutang's words made his meaning even clearer: he and Li Zhiqun were indeed in cahoots. Luo Xingchao knew that Li Zhiqun had always intended to infiltrate the concession area with his influence, so such an arrangement was not surprising. However, as the chief detective of the Public Concession Police Department, Cha Yutang held an important position. If such a person defected to the Special Agent Headquarters, he would likely cause great harm. He had to report this as soon as possible.
Unaware that the person in front of him was plotting against him, Cha Yutang continued, "By the way, did Director Li mention when he would return to Shanghai?"
Luo Xingchao shook his head: "I really don't know. The director didn't say anything when he left. However, the Nanjing police department has reopened and there are many trivial matters. The director is very busy in Nanjing and probably won't be able to take care of things in Shanghai for a while. What, Inspector, do you have something to discuss with the director? You can also tell me. As long as it's within my power, I will not refuse."
Since Cha Yutang knew that Luo Xingchao was unaware of Li Zhi's mission, he naturally wouldn't bring it up again. He quickly laughed and changed the subject: "Director Luo is joking. It's nothing. If there is something, I certainly won't be polite!"
The two chatted and laughed for a long time before Luo Xingchao checked the time, then got up to say goodbye and leave.
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