However, this leak case is different. Xia Bin's identity is special. He is a close confidant and former subordinate of Song Suyuan, the deputy minister of the Military Affairs Department of the Military Commission. Without solid evidence, it is impossible to confirm his identity as a spy.
Based solely on a portrait from his memory, he claimed Ji Yongyan was a Japanese spy and then concluded Xia Bin was an internal traitor. Not only would Vice Minister Song refuse to accept this, but even the Director and others would not believe it.
The only way at present is to capture Ji Yongyan himself, find the radio station or the codebook, pry him open, verify his identity, and make him identify Xia Bin and his wife as traitors. Only with both witnesses and physical evidence can the evidence be considered conclusive.
But how could they capture Ji Yongyan? Interrogating Xia Bin to find out was definitely not an option; it violated the agreement between the Military Intelligence Bureau and the high-ranking officials of the Military Commission.
Let's start with Xia Bin's wife, Song Anxian!
He couldn't lay a hand on Xia Bin himself, but he had fewer reservations about Xia Bin's wife. The Military Intelligence Bureau hadn't agreed to show any leniency towards anyone else.
Ning Zhiheng didn't distinguish between men and women when it came to Japanese spies. When he captured the Japanese female spy Kawada Misa, he tortured her until she was bloody and on the verge of death in just one hour. If Zhao Ziliang hadn't stopped Ning Zhiheng from continuing, Kawada Misa would have been tortured to death on the spot.
However, Ning Zhiheng was always cautious in his work. He took Song Anxian's investigation materials and read them through. Song Anxian's father was Song Yuankui, a wealthy merchant in North China. After the war, he fled to Chongqing and settled down. He ran a trading company, and his elder brother also worked in the company. They were not considered any powerful figures, so he was relieved.
There are too many high-ranking officials and powerful figures in Chongqing now. You might offend one if you're not careful. Although Ning Zhiheng has deep connections and is not afraid, he still needs to act cautiously and try not to make enemies.
No, that's not right. This line of thinking is wrong. Ning Zhiheng suddenly realized that he had been somewhat inconsiderate.
After the leak, Xia Bin had been detained by the Military Intelligence Bureau for a month. Neither Song Anxian nor Ji Yongyan could guarantee whether he had confessed. Given the vigilance of Japanese spies, Ji Yongyan was likely lying low, ceasing all intelligence activities and cutting off contact with Xia Bin and his wife. Or, to be even more cautious, he might have changed his identity and hiding place, waiting for the situation to calm down and confirming that Xia Bin had not betrayed him before making contact again. This would be the safest course of action.
In other words, even if Song Anxian is captured, she may not know Ji Yongyan's current whereabouts. Moreover, capturing Song Anxian may even alert Ji Yongyan, since he knows Song Anxian's identity. He is in the shadows while Song Anxian is in the open, giving Ji Yongyan the upper hand.
Therefore, the safest approach is to first find Ji Yongyan and find a breakthrough through him.
But Ji Yongyan has been missing for three months. How can he find him? All the problems have come full circle, and Ning Zhiheng can't help but feel a headache coming on.
He paced around the room, then returned to his desk, looking at the photos one by one, searching for hidden clues. Finally, somewhat disappointed, he threw the stack of photos on the desk, turned around, picked up the phone on his desk, and dialed a number.
"Da Tou, you and Yan Qing wait for me at the intersection of Yanbei Road in Yuzhong District. I have something to ask you."
Yuzhong Yanbei Road is where Ji Yongyan lived before he disappeared. Ning Zhiheng wanted to search for Ji Yongyan's whereabouts nearby. He believed that even if Ji Yongyan left, he would not be far from Xia Bin's home, because he would still be keeping an eye on Xia Bin and his wife's movements from the shadows.
After hanging up the phone, Ning Zhiheng packed up Ji Yongyan's materials and photos, put them in a file bag, and walked out of the office. He said to Zhao Jiang, "Make arrangements for the accompanying personnel to wear casual clothes. We're going out for a bit!"
"Yes!" Zhao Jiang immediately accepted the order.
Ning Zhiheng usually only has five or six team members protecting him when he goes out. When Zhao Jiang heard Ning Zhiheng's instructions, he did not dare to be negligent and decided to bring more people. He picked up the phone and began to gather his subordinates. By the time Ning Zhiheng came downstairs, the action team members had already assembled and were waiting for Ning Zhiheng's orders.
"Set off!"
At Ning Zhiheng's command, the group left the Second Compound and headed towards Yuzhong.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com