Ning Zhiheng readily accepted Liu Tongfang's overtures, after all, this was Liu Tongfang's territory, he was the local bigwig, and his actions in Hangzhou were inseparable from his help. In addition, with Zhao Ziliang's connection, Ning Zhiheng was naturally willing to coexist peacefully with him.
"Alright! Brother Tongfang, I'll be honest, you guys have been incompetent lately and have been making excuses to shirk your responsibilities, which has really displeased the section chief. Now that this task has been handed over to me, I hope that everyone at the Hangzhou station will cooperate fully. Otherwise, even for Section Chief Zhao's sake, we can't say anything!" Ning Zhiheng said slowly, the coldness in his tone making Liu Tongfang even more uneasy.
Ning Zhiheng naturally needed to give Liu Tongfang a warning first, otherwise he wouldn't be able to get things done effectively in the future.
Upon hearing Ning Zhiheng's words, Liu Tongfang quickly nodded and said, "Of course, of course. Actually, it's not that we're making excuses. Since Kawamoto Kuraji arrived in Hangzhou, he's been staying at the Japanese consulate and rarely leaves. We have no way to contact him and know very little about him. The director's requirements are even more stringent; we must act within the Japanese consulate and the Japanese concession. However, the Japanese consulate is heavily guarded, with a small army squad of about sixty well-trained soldiers stationed there. As for the Japanese concession, Kawamoto Kuraji doesn't even go there. Furthermore, we need to create an accident or cause death by illness. This is simply too difficult. If we act rashly and cause a Sino-Japanese dispute, how can I, a mere head of a military intelligence station, bear that responsibility?"
Liu Tongxiang poured out his grievances to Ning Zhiheng, listing all sorts of difficulties. He had indeed tried his best, but every plan was ultimately overturned for various reasons. In the end, he had no choice but to report to the director, since he could not bear the heavy responsibility of provoking a conflict between the two countries.
Ning Zhiheng knew what Tongfang was thinking, but the thought of taking on these troubles made him angry. He said, "Brother Tongfang, it's no use complaining to me. In the end, the Chief will only see the results. In short, this time, we are two grasshoppers tied to the same rope. We must cooperate sincerely to complete this mission."
In a car right behind them, Wan Yuanzhi, the deputy director of the Hangzhou Military Intelligence Station, and Yuan Sibo, the head of the intelligence department, were talking in hushed tones.
"Station Chief, how come there was no warning when Team Leader Ning from headquarters came down? He just pulled us over to pick up the people, making us all scramble. It seems like Liu Tongfang has some connection with this Team Leader Ning. Could he be planning something against us?" Yuan Sibao, the head of the intelligence department, said.
He and Deputy Station Chief Wan Yuanzhi were both men of Gu Zhengqi, the head of the Intelligence Section of the Military Intelligence Investigation Department, while Station Chief Liu Tongfang, Action Team Leader Quan Yulong, and General Affairs Director Lu Jingyi were all men under Zhao Ziliang. Both groups had their own agendas.
However, Liu Tongfang's forces still held the upper hand at the Hangzhou military intelligence station, as the authority of the commander could not be challenged.
Deputy Station Chief Wan Yuanzhi looked out the window, feeling somewhat uneasy, and said, "I haven't received any news from headquarters either. It seems that this Team Leader Ning was urgently dispatched by the Director, who said he was going back to his hometown to handle some personal matters. Do you think you can fool a three-year-old with such a story? Given the Director's style, I'm sure he came with an imperial edict. In short, we must be careful and not get ourselves into trouble."
Yuan Sibo nodded in agreement. These are extraordinary times, and they naturally understand the implications.
He frowned and asked, "We certainly can't neglect this Team Leader Ning. We don't want to be used as a scapegoat by Liu Tongfang and sent away. I wonder what Team Leader Ning likes? We can cater to his preferences and do some research in advance. Although it's like cramming at the last minute, it's better than not reporting anything at all. I'll contact headquarters tonight to find out more about Team Leader Ning."
The officialdom of the Republic of China was rife with problems, including corruption, factionalism, and a wide variety of shady tactics. Yuan Sibo was well aware of these issues. Although he was caught off guard, he still had to do the work that needed to be done.
Wan Yuanzhi waved his hand and said softly, "I know a thing or two about this Team Leader Ning!"
Seeing Yuan Sibao's gaze, Wan Yuanzhi continued, "A month ago, when I returned to headquarters for a report on my duties, I mentioned this Team Leader Ning to my colleagues in the intelligence section. He has extremely deep connections, with a background in the Baoding clique. He was a Whampoa Military Academy graduate specially recruited by Deputy Director Huang, yet he is the most favored by the Director. In just over half a year, he has been promoted three ranks and has become one of the military commanders of the Action Section. Zhao Ziliang relies heavily on him, and he is a backbone of the Action Section. He is in charge of every major operation, so he can be said to be a powerful figure in headquarters. He is ruthless in his actions and has a nickname, Ning the King of Hell. It is said that he is extremely cruel in interrogating prisoners, and almost all prisoners who have passed through his hands are either dead or crippled!"
With each sentence he spoke, Yuan Sibao's eyes widened in shock. Finally, he exclaimed in horror, "No way! This Ning Zhiheng is so difficult to deal with. The Nanjing headquarters is full of big shots, yet he can still be so arrogant. How can he possibly take us people seriously?"
Wan Yuanzhi said calmly, "He doesn't care much about us who are far from the central leadership. Now, the Action Section is gaining more and more influence at the Nanjing headquarters, making our Intelligence Section unable to hold its head up. Ning Zhiheng is a key member of the Action Section, so I'm afraid he won't give us a good look!"
"What should we do then?" Yuan Sibo said anxiously. "If this person really has come with a mission, wouldn't we be in a very passive position?"
Wan Yuanzhi glanced at him sideways and said unhappily, "What are you feeling guilty about? Although this person is troublesome, he also has weaknesses!"
"What weakness?" Yuan Sibo asked quickly.
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