“The Americans told me. Son, don’t forget that I have another identity.” Li Dexi blinked at him. “You do as well.”
Reinitz said, “…But where did the Americans get the news? Do they really have such advanced dark technology?”
“The Americans have their mysterious and elusive informants.” Li Dexi sighed. “Why else would I work with them?”
Not only did he work for them, but he’d joined the CIA…
Reinitz thought about it cynically, then he shrugged and said, “So the Americans haven’t revealed their source yet?”
“No, but I believe what they tell me. How could I have asked you to warn Huo Shaoheng if the United States hadn’t told me to cooperate?” Li Dexi smiled kindly and gently said, “…Do you know how many deals and negotiations he has ruined for the United States? As long as he is around, we can’t get rid of Gu Nianzhi. So, if we were to swap the now useless Hong Kangquan for Huo Shaoheng, who is the ace of the Huaxia Empire, both we and the United States would benefit massively.”
Reinitz secretly sighed inside, then lowered his head and puffed out his cigarette smoke, slowly exhaling a faint ring of smoke. His blond hair and blue eyes appeared particularly hazy through the rising white smoke.
“Son, don’t think so much. When Huo Shaoheng dies, that beautiful girl you are lusting after, Gu Nianzhi, will be all yours. You will marry her, have children, and be together forever.”
There was a gleam of light in Li Dexi’s eyes when he talked about having a child. Reinitz had his head lowered from start to finish, so did not see the gleaming look in Li Dexi’s eyes.
“But I always feel that using such a method against Huo Shaoheng would be too insulting to him.” Reinitz shook his head disapprovingly. “No matter how many of our deals and negotiations have gone down the drain because of him, he is undeniably a true hero.”
“The International Special Forces Association still has an unbeatable record set by him. He was the proudest disciple of the founder of Israel’s Mossad. I want to defeat Huo Shaoheng by my own hands, not only to strip him of his career, but to rob him of his woman, regardless of whether or not I have to resort to conspiracy or other deceptive means. That said, doing so through the hands of the Japanese seems dirty and immoral.”
As he said this, he threw the cigarette in his hand into the trash can under the window. “I’ve been feeling like I have filth on my hands lately, this is probably the reason why.”
Although Germany and Japan were allies during the World War, the Germans had always looked down on their Asian ally. Reinitz knew more about the history behind that war, and as a result, was even more disdainful of the Japanese.
“Son, don’t think about it too much. In our profession, as long as you can win, it doesn’t matter what means you employ to achieve your goal.” Li Dexi shook his head regretfully. “If you become too attached to the means you employ, you will never be ruthless enough to be Huo Shaoheng’s opponent.”
Reinitz was unconvinced, but he refrained from continuing to argue with Li Dexi.
…
Ito took Hong Kangquan to exchange seven strongholds in City C over the course of five hours. They were all Japanese moles who had been undercover in China for many years. But thanks to C City TV and the nonstop media broadcasts, there were eyes on them from almost every direction.
“Is this the police station? My neighbor’s house had two guests today. They looked like the wanted criminals on TV! Hurry up and come arrest him!”
“Is the police station? There are two men in our convenience store. I can tell at a glance that they are the two wanted criminals on TV! I also took a photo of that fake lawyer!”
“Is the police station? I saw the two men you wanted! They look exactly the same as the men in the pictures on TV! Arrest them now! My address is…”
…
After mobilizing the people, Hong Kangquan and Ito got some firsthand experience of what the “big sea of the people’s war” meant.
They’d originally thought that they would be well concealed among the 24 million civilians in City C. No matter how desperately the Special Operations Forces wanted to find them or how capable they were, it would be nearly impossible to find them.
24 million people, even if you check everyone one by one, how many years would you need to investigate thoroughly!?
But they hadn’t realized that Huo Shaoheng would have the audacity to brazenly broadcast the whole thing through the media!
Although he had not specified what Hong Kangquan’s exact crimes were, as the chief of the Special Operations Forces, his position and occupation were more than enough for the intelligent Huaxia Empire citizens to guess and fill in with their imaginations the missing crime scene stories and plots.
In this case, the entirety of City C was a little too excited. Everyone had their eyes wide open and were adamant about not letting the traitors escape from their country!
Because of public reports about suspicious personnel, many undercover Japanese moles in C City were being exposed one by one. The fake identities of these moles ranged from convenience store clerks to high ranking officials in government positions. Many were impressed by their diversity and how deeply they had infiltrated into foreign territory.
Huo Shaoheng declined to comment on this.
The people they arrested were all handed over to the Secret Service because the Special Operations Forces were not allowed to intervene in domestic affairs. But since the chief of the Secret Service was their suspect under arrest, it could be said that the servicemen in the Secret Service felt quite conflicted about their tasks. Despite their ambivalence, they knew that it was something that could only be done by them.
The Secret Service department was now under direct military control and was being directly supervised by the Supreme Military Commander. These procedures made Huo Shaoheng feel very assured and relieved.
…
“… Ito-kun, what’s the matter with you ?!” The Japanese Consul General in C City sounded like he was on the verge of crying on the phone. “Our elites in Greater Japan have been exposed by your recklessness! Can’t you be more careful?!”
Ito felt aggrieved and enraged.
How would he have known that the people of the Huaxia Empire would be so willing to go out of their way and play detective!
They must have loads of spare time!
How was a guest at their neighbor’s house any of their business?
How was someone shopping at a convenience store any of their business?
And then there was the C City TV station constantly broadcasting their photos. It was repulsive and disturbing!
Furthermore, due to the public’s vigilance, Ito had had a picture of his face taken and sent to the police station. After confirmation, the previous picture that had been broadcasting on the TV station was replaced by this news candid shot.
He and Hong Kangquan were living like infamous celebrities now that their pictures were flashing everywhere…
“Hirahara-kun, think of a way to get us out of this! We are close to the sea. There are many secret agents around us. I can’t say anything else.”
Ito hung up the phone. He was wearing big sunglasses over his eyes and a fake mustache under his nose. He also wore a padded suit under his clothes. Under this disguise, it would be difficult to recognize him from the picture on TV…
Although Hong Kangquan had disguised himself carefully too, it was still somewhat unsafe for them to appear together in public. They were now acting separately and using the telephone to remain in contact.
Their phone also had a dedicated satellite system provided by the Intelligence Department of Tokyo. This enabled them to bypass the communication lines of the mobile operators in the Huaxia Empire, ensuring that their phone calls would not be intercepted.
“…Wait for another two hours. After dark, we’ll change into wetsuits and swim 12 nautical miles. There will be a speedboat waiting for us.”
Ito looked at the coastline in the distance with optimism in his eyes.
Not only the speedboats, but the elite members of Japan’s most exclusive SAT special response force was also waiting for them.
This time, they’d sent 200 SAT Special Forces members, meaning that most of the SAT members would be there to receive them. It was said that 200 members of the Japanese SAT Special Forces were equivalent to a full regiment from the Huaxia Empire in terms of strength.
“For you, our Great Japanese Empire has put in a lot of time and effort,” Ito reminded Hong Kangquan over the phone. “You’d better not play any tricks. We can save you, but we’ll kill you if you lie to us.”
“Mr. Ito, please rest assured that as long as I arrive in Japan safely, I will hand over the entire first phase of the Huaxia Empire’s technology to you. But if you guys play tricks on me, my accomplice will not send you the technological data. He will ask to see me, and only after seeing a video confirmation of my safe arrival will he contact you.”
Hong Kangquan was also very cunning. All the cards were in his hands, but he’d lied and made it seem like they were in the hands of his accomplice. This was because he needed insurance in case the Japanese decided to betray him and kill him as soon as they got what they wanted.
Although he and Ito had fled together, they nevertheless did not trust each other.
They ceased their running for a moment, sitting down at a snack bar in C City to eat something. The two did not sit at the same table, sitting back to back as if they were strangers.
After they had disguised their appearances, no more sightings of them were reported. They still didn’t dare to stay in one place for too long. It probably wouldn’t take long for those nosy Huaxia Empire citizens to start looking for them again…
…
After two hours, it was finally dark outside.
Hong Kangquan and Ito found a quiet place to put on their diving suits. Seizing the chance when no one was in the area, they snuck into the sea.
However, they’d yet again underestimated the population density of City C. Coincidentally enough, as they were putting on their diving suits and slipping into the sea, they were photographed by an amateur photographer who happened to be sitting on the beach taking pictures.
When the young photographer examined the picture more closely, he noticed the two ghostly figures sneaking into the sea. The more he stared at those two mysterious figures, the more suspicious they seemed, so he finally decided to send the picture to the police.
Fifteen minutes later, the photo fell into Huo Shaoheng’s lap. He only needed to glance at the photo to instantly recognize the two men wearing diving suits.
Standing up, he immediately shouted, “Everyone, gather! Send speedboats out to sea at this instant!”
