Ning Zhiheng neither agreed nor disagreed with Zhao Jiang's words; they contained a mixture of truth and falsehood, but were mostly flattery.
When the officers of the Second Division discussed the matter privately, there were good things to say and complaints, some were elated and some were jealous and resentful. Ning Zhiheng was very clear about this, otherwise he would not have taken such drastic measures to intimidate everyone and discipline the troops.
However, Zhao Jiang was right about one thing: since Ning Zhiheng took charge of the work, the morale of the Second Action Division has been completely renewed. The officers under his command are all on high alert, and the previous laziness and negligence have not occurred again. Everyone is afraid of making a mistake and falling into Ning's hands. The work efficiency of each department has greatly increased.
In this era, the spirit of an army is largely a reflection of the consciousness of its commanding officer, whose personal charisma influences the words and actions of everyone under his command.
If a commander is strict in managing his troops, then the troops under his command will be serious and conscientious in their conduct.
If the commander is brave in battle, then his troops will also be brave and fearless, advancing without hesitation.
Of course, if the leaders are content with mediocrity and live a lazy life, then the subordinates will also be mediocre and perfunctory.
Ning Zhiheng is a strong-willed and ruthless person who doesn't tolerate any wrongdoing. Working under him is never easy. Even someone as shrewd as Jian Zhengping almost lost his life after making a mistake. You can imagine how it is for others.
Ning Zhiheng smiled faintly and said dismissively, "You don't need to say nice things. I know exactly what these people are thinking. But no matter what they think, as long as there are no problems at work, I won't cause any trouble."
Seeing that the topic had gone a bit off track, Ning Zhiheng continued, "I have an idea: you should organize your celebration banquet properly."
Nie Tianming and Zhao Jiang were taken aback. Zhao Jiang hesitated and said, "Wouldn't that be too flashy? It's just a promotion to major, it'll only make us a laughing stock."
Nie Tianming seemed to understand what he meant. He asked in a low voice, "Do you mean to spread the news and attract the attention of interested parties, to see if we can lure the Japanese out?"
Nie Tianming reacted quickly, which pleased Ning Zhiheng. From this point of view, choosing Nie Tianming as the head of the Third Section was not wrong. Zhao Jiang was indeed a trusted confidant, but what Ning Zhiheng valued in him was his absolute obedience. In terms of ability, he was slightly inferior to Nie Tianming.
"I received information that after our repeated strikes, the Japanese intelligence network in Chongqing has gone into a state of complete hibernation and has ceased all intelligence activities. Such a hibernation is a significant loss for intelligence work. They will not allow this situation to last long. Therefore, they will spare no effort to take action against me as soon as possible. After the assassination is successful, they will reactivate the intelligence network. Their assassins will certainly not let any opportunity slip by."
Before the assassination attempt, we need to find out my routine and whereabouts. However, I've always been unpredictable, rarely returning home or to my residence, and I don't contact outsiders at all. It's very difficult for them to get information about me. So I need to give them an opportunity, and a very opportune one at that. Your celebration banquet is a perfect opportunity.”
Zhao Jiang then realized that the section chief was trying to make a scene and lure the snake out of its hole.
Ning Zhiheng continued, "We need to choose a suitable location. I think the Juxianlou Restaurant from last time is very good. It has a good reputation and is located in a bustling area with many buildings around it, making it suitable for sniping and easy to evacuate."
Moreover, it's quite a distance from our Second Operations Unit, and the route is through narrow streets. They could easily create a small incident to hinder our progress and deploy enough forces for a full-scale attack, which would be very difficult for us to defend against. In short, no matter what method they use, the success rate of the assassination is very high.
Nie Tianming asked, "Then how can we let the Japanese know your whereabouts?"
This is indeed a problem: how can the activities within the Military Intelligence Bureau be relayed to the Japanese without leaving a trace?
Ning Zhiheng waved his hand and said, "This is something you need to do. As far as I know, the Japanese have also planted spies in the Military Intelligence Bureau. I just don't know if they are hiding in the headquarters or have infiltrated our Second Division."
This time, we need to spread the word. You've all been with the Military Intelligence Bureau for years, so invite all your old friends and acquaintances. Also, spread the word that I'll be attending the banquet. I'm your former superior; it's perfectly reasonable for me to attend your celebration. The Japanese won't suspect anything. This is the only confirmed location of my whereabouts. They won't let this opportunity pass them by; they'll definitely make their move. Then it will be time for us to close the net.
After a moment's thought, Nie Tianming said hesitantly, "This plan is good, but your safety is of utmost importance. Isn't it too risky?"
Ning Zhiheng laughed heartily. Since he already knew there was an assassination attempt, how could he put himself in danger? He wasn't some reckless fool who didn't know the risks and would risk his life. He only needed to lure the opponent out, then he could take advantage of his home ground, deploy heavy troops to surround and block them from all sides, and cast a wide net. He was sure he could catch a few big fish. Then he could follow the clues and search all the way. He didn't believe he couldn't find the traces of these people.
"Don't worry about anything, I have my own plans. I think the time will be four days from now. You all spread the word and give the Japanese enough time to prepare. Let's see if they take the bait!"
Ning Zhiheng devised the trap plan in the blink of an eye. He believed that as long as the Japanese got the news, they would not let this opportunity pass.
The main reason was his own uncertain whereabouts, and the Japanese were eager to assassinate him. They couldn't let such a huge intelligence network remain dormant forever. Even the Japanese high command would not agree to do so. After all, the Battle of Changsha was in full swing, and intelligence work could not be stopped. Their determination to eliminate him must be great and urgent.
With everything agreed upon, the vehicle soon arrived at Huang Xianzheng's official residence. Ning Zhiheng and Nie Tianming knocked on the door, and Yu Guangyou led them into the living room. Huang Xianzheng, dressed in pajamas, was sitting on the sofa waiting for their arrival.
Ning Zhiheng quickly bowed and said, "Director, I'm so sorry to have disturbed your rest so late!"
Huang Xianzheng, however, did not care at all. He waved for the two of them to sit down and talk, and then said with a smile, "You didn't explain clearly on the phone what important matter it was that made you rush over here so anxiously."
Ning Zhiheng handed over an interrogation record and said, "It's about the case of the bombing of the Huangshan official residence!"
"What!" Huang Xianzheng exclaimed in surprise!
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