He discovered that the river was narrowest at a bend, less than sixty meters wide, and there was a two-story building on the riverbank that could effectively conceal the location. Therefore, it was very discreet to enter the water from this spot, and it was also far away from the bridges on either side. Ning Zhiheng secretly memorized the location.
He arrived at the front of the two-story building and saw that the sign on the door read "Nanya Bookstore" in Japanese. It turned out to be a bookstore. Judging from the sign, it must have been run by Japanese people, and the people coming and going were all Japanese. There were quite a few people reading books inside.
This is an exquisite building with an overall Western style. It is clear that the building is not very old, but the building area is quite large.
Ning Zhiheng thought about it. His mission this time would be quite long. If he didn't have a job, it would easily attract the attention of those with ulterior motives. It would be best to find a job as a cover to completely dispel other people's suspicions. Moreover, the Nanwu Library was located in the best position on the evacuation route, so it was worth considering.
With that in mind, he stepped into the library. Ning Zhiheng looked around and saw that the library was very large. On the east side were layers of bookshelves, and on the west side were many neatly arranged seats for customers to read.
The entire bookstore was very quiet, with many customers browsing quietly. Occasionally, customers would take the books they had selected to the counter, pay, and leave.
Ning Zhiheng went into the bookshelves and pretended to select books. He quietly observed his surroundings and noticed a restroom in a corner of the library.
Ning Zhiheng walked over naturally and entered the restroom. The restroom was small but very clean, and a breeze blew in from outside the window.
Ning Zhiheng walked to the window and looked out. Not far away was the Suzhou River. From this window, he only needed to walk a short distance to enter the river.
Ning Zhiheng nodded in satisfaction. This was a good location; as long as they exited through this window during evacuation, the concealment and security would be very high.
While Ning Zhiheng was observing, a sudden commotion came from outside, startling him. He quickly stepped out of the bathroom.
A crowd had gathered around the counter, watching quietly, while two young men behind the counter were arguing loudly.
"I'll say it again, you're not Japanese, you can't buy any books here," a young man said sternly; he was clearly a librarian.
The young man opposite him glared at him and said in fluent Japanese, "I have immigration documents, my Japanese name is Takeshita Shinya, why can't I buy books here?"
The young man opposite him said coldly, "Because you are Taiwanese, Chinese people are not allowed to enter here. I advise you to be smart, or I will call the police. You know the consequences will be serious. If you don't want to be locked up, leave now."
As soon as he said that, everyone fell silent, and those who had been watching the commotion looked at the young man with disdain.
Seeing the scene before him, the young man felt a surge of anger, but he knew that if he called the police, they would not side with him.
Although Taiwan was still under Japanese rule at that time, the Japanese always treated them as Chinese and never truly identified with them.
Moreover, the Japanese people around him were glaring at him with hostility, so the young man had no choice but to put the books he was holding on the counter and turn away angrily.
At that moment, a voice came from the second floor: "Shengu, what happened?"
A middle-aged man dressed in a kimono descended the stairs. He was slender and refined, with a crew cut and short beard, and looked like a scholar.
"Mr. Kuroki, it's nothing serious. It was just a Taiwanese guy who snuck in, and I kicked him out," Keita Fukaya, a staff member at the library, quickly explained, bowing.
"Alright, get back to your work, and please refrain from making any noise. This is a library!" Kuroki Gakuichi said in a deep voice.
Clearly, Kuroki Takeichi held a very high position and prestige. As soon as he spoke, everyone bowed and went about their own business.
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