"Alright, I'll wait for good news!" The bureau chief laughed heartily.
Inside the Luo Mansion in the French Concession of Shanghai, Luo Zidong, a leader of the Green Gang, paced back and forth in his living room, his mind filled with anxiety and unease.
He was fully aware of everything that was happening in downtown Shanghai, which was undoubtedly a heavy blow to his mental state.
I originally thought that the Chongqing faction was struggling and weak in Shanghai, so I secretly sided with the Japanese and the puppet government to prepare a way out. It was a prudent move to have multiple escape routes and hedge my bets. But now it seems that I misjudged the situation and have shot myself in the foot.
In just half a month, the situation in Shanghai underwent a dramatic reversal. The Chongqing elements made a comeback, and instead of being driven out of hiding, they displayed their prowess, turning the entire city of Shanghai upside down. The puppet government suffered heavy losses, and even the arrogant and domineering Li Zhiqun almost became a victim of gunfire. Now, he is severely weakened and ostracized by the puppet government's high-ranking officials, even losing his position as deputy minister of the police department.
As for Li Yunqing, the Green Gang boss who had introduced the two, he was also caught up in the conflict and was killed by Chongqing agents, which made Luo Zidong even more uneasy.
Now, whenever he closes his eyes, he tosses and turns, involuntarily thinking of his master Lu Tianqiao and Li Yunqing. He deeply regrets his rash and impulsive actions, realizing he failed to seize the opportunity and entered this murky water too early. But the water was too deep, and he was trapped in it as well.
Just then, Yan Xing strode in from outside, came to Luo Zidong's side, and asked, "Brother Dong, is there something you need to talk to me about?"
Luo Zidong nodded, picked up a photo from the table, and said to Yan Xing, "This is a photo that Li Zhiqun just sent. The man's name is Luo Xinyang, the former criminal investigation chief of the Shanghai West Police Bureau. But his true identity is a Chongqing element in disguise. This unrest in the city is closely related to him. Now he has disappeared without a trace, and it is very likely that he has infiltrated the concession. Send people to look for him and see if you can find any trace of him."
Yan Xing was taken aback upon hearing this. He hesitated for a moment, but still took the photo, nodded in agreement, and was about to turn and leave when Luo Zidong called him back.
Luo Zidong was shrewd and quickly noticed the unusual behavior of Yan Xing. He asked, "What's wrong? Is there something you want to say?"
Yan Xing was his confidant for many years, always loyal to him and never uttering a word of dissent when asked to do something. He always carried out the orders without question. But today, however, he seemed somewhat hesitant.
Yan Xing knew he couldn't hide it from Luo Zidong, so he simply nodded and said, "Brother Dong, those people from Number 76 are unreliable. They make us risk our lives, but they might betray us in the end. It's better to leave some room for maneuver!"
Upon hearing Yan Xing's words, Luo Zidong's expression immediately tightened. Based on his understanding of Yan Xing, he knew that Yan Xing would not say these things without reason.
"What, has something happened?"
Yan Xing nodded heavily. He went to Luo Zidong's side and whispered, "Brother Dong, these past few days, bad rumors have been circulating. Our information about helping No. 76 track down the Chongqing elements has been leaked. The brothers down there say that all the major gangs are talking about it now, saying that the Chongqing elements will soon enter the concession to cause you trouble. This matter cannot be taken lightly..."
"What?"
Luo Zidong was so frightened he almost jumped up. Yan Xing was right; this was a big problem.
He defected to the Japanese and the puppet government in order to save his life and wealth and leave behind this legacy.
However, this was on the premise of secretly joining forces and never revealing it to others. Otherwise, he would not escape punishment when the Chongqing elements finally settled accounts. Therefore, he had agreed with Li Zhiqun early on to keep the matter of assisting in the investigation of the Chongqing elements strictly confidential.
Luo Zidong was extremely cautious by nature. Since Wang Hanmin's arrest, he had hardly left his house these past few days, and all gang affairs were handled by a few trusted confidants such as Yan Xing, just in case.
But now that the news has been leaked, he's been thrust into the spotlight, making him a target for criticism.
Luo Zidong looked very nervous and asked, "How could this happen? Did one of your men leak the information?"
Yan Xing quickly explained, "They are definitely not my men. Those who participated in the operation were all our most reliable brothers, and the aftermath was handled very cleanly. Besides, they know what's important and wouldn't dare to talk about it everywhere. It wouldn't benefit them if they did."
At this point, his eyes darted around, and he continued, "Only we and the people from Number 76 know about this. It must have been leaked from them. In fact, I suspect that they did this on purpose!"
Upon hearing this, Luo Zidong was startled. He suddenly looked up and stared intently at Yan Xing!
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