Chapter 9: A Brief Interlude (Part 1)

  "Consul, what wind has blown you here today?!" Kiyotaro Koshiba walked into the reception room, closed the door behind him, and sat down beside Akira Shigemitsu with a smile.

  Chong Guang Hu picked up his teacup and played with the lid while saying, "Xiao Shan Jun, the Black Dragon Society is very active in Shanghai now!"

  Koyama Rikitaro smiled and replied: "Isn't being active good?! Let those who obstruct our affairs know their limits."

  "Ridiculous!" Akane Chigusa put down her teacup and stood up, walking to the window with her back to Ryōtarō Koyama. "Koyama-kun, although China is currently in a state of turmoil, Shanghai is a country within a country. Apart from the influence of the gangs, the Americans, British, and French also have considerable power that cannot be ignored."

  Koyama Rikitaro walked up to Shigemitsu Aoi and said with a smile, "They're all just cowardly bullies who only pick on the weak. Only we, the great Empire of Japan, are the strongest!"

  "Hah!" Akira Chō's angry roar echoed, his tone icy as he said: "Koyama-kun, our great Empire of Japan is indeed strong, but not to the point where we can look down on everything." Akira Chō took a deep breath to calm his agitated emotions, then continued: "China's territory is vast, and the Empire isn't fully prepared for war with China yet. For now, what we need to do besides gathering intelligence useful to the Empire is also to cultivate and buy off Chinese who are useful to us."

  "Are you saying that a Chinese should rule over China?!" asked Kojirō Shimoyama.

  "Go west!" Akira Kōga turned his head to look at Ryōtarō Koyama and continued, "Tomorrow you'll meet with Saburō Aota, you know what to do, right?!"

  Koyama Rikitaro, though feeling extremely displeased in his heart, still nodded slightly and compromised: "Consul General, I understand what to do now. Then, should we continue with the matter of Lin Guodong?!"

  Akira thought for a moment, shook his head and said: "At present, many people are staring at us. Now moving Lin Guotong has already passed the best time. Let's talk about it after a while! Besides, I want to remind you that Qingtian Sanlang belongs to the Navy, you and I belong to the Army, the black dragon will be surrendered to the army is still not publicly known, is still top secret. So on the surface, my relationship with you is still like in the past, do you understand?!"

  "Don't worry, I know what to do!" Hearing Kiyotaro Kosaka's assurance, Akira Shigemitsu nodded in satisfaction and was about to say something else when a knock at the door sounded. Kiyotaro Kosaka and Akira Shigemitsu exchanged a glance, and Kiyotaro called out: "Come in!"

  The attendant heard the call, pushed open the door and walked into the reception room, bowed and said: "Chairman Xiaoyama, Mr. Qingtian just called and asked you to meet him at 8 o'clock tonight at the Bailuomen Song and Dance Hall."

  "What?! Ryokou Aoi's eyebrows furrowed into a川character, and after about three or four minutes, he suddenly laughed again, shaking his head and saying: "It seems I overestimated Koutarou Aoida! Your subordinates have failed twice in a row, and the Navy Department's time for Koutarou is almost up. He wants to put pressure on you, force you to surrender to him, compromise with him!"

  "Your Excellency, should I refuse him first?" asked Koyama Ritaro, hesitating.

  "No need!" Chōkō Akira said with a smile: "Since he's in such a hurry to see you, take this opportunity to get out of this matter and let him think for himself. We'll retreat to the back and watch a good show, while also seeing if there's an opportunity to reap the benefits!"

  At dusk, the sky, which had originally cleared up, started raining again.

  "Feng Er, it's so late, where are you going?!" Lin Guodong, sitting on the sofa in the living room reading a newspaper, turned his head and asked upon hearing the footsteps coming from the stairs.

  Lin Aofeng smiled and walked to the back of Lin Guodong, leaning on his shoulder, saying: "Old bean, today is Xijunmai's birthday, we made an appointment a few days ago to go to Bailuomen for fun. Don't worry, I'll be back soon!"

  Lin Guodong put down the newspaper, pondered for a moment, and said: "I don't feel at ease with you going alone, let Anan follow you! Go early and come back early. Be careful on the road!"

  "I know! Don't worry, old man!" Lin Aofeng smiled and walked out. Just then, Cheng Xue Mei came out of the kitchen with a plate of fruit and called out to Lin Aofeng: "Aofeng, where are you going so late?!"

  Lin Aofeng stopped in his tracks, picked up an apple from the fruit platter and said while eating: "Today is Xi Junmai's birthday, he invited us to go to Bailuomen. Don't worry, with Uncle Lin around, nothing will happen!"

  Cheng Xue Mei glared at her son with a bad temper and said, "It's not safe outside now, don't just think about playing, go early and come back early, did you hear me?!"

  "Got it!" Lin Ao Feng responded with a hint of impatience and turned to rush out, as if worried that his mother would change her mind.

  "This child!" Cheng Xue Mei looked at her son's back as he walked away, muttered to herself, and sat down beside her husband, worriedly saying: "Zi Liang, in this chaotic world nowadays. I really worry about you and our son."

  Lin Guodong took the apple handed over by his wife and said, "Worrying is useless. We are in the light, they are in the dark. It will take some time to shake them off, just be patient for a while!"

  "It can't be helped!" Cheng Xue Mei sighed and picked up the fruit to eat.

  "Plum blossom and orchid, I love you, you are as charming as a person enchanted by the orchid, you are as evergreen as the plum blossom year after year..."

  It was just past seven o'clock in the evening, Lin Quannan drove a car with Lin Aofeng to Bailu Men Song and Dance Hall. After the car stopped steadily, Lin Aofeng said: "Uncle Lin, I'll go in first, you park the car and come over right away."

  "No need! I'll wait for you outside, just in case something happens and I can respond to it!" Lin Quannan handed a pistol to Lin Aofeng. Lin Aofeng smiled and said, "Uncle Lin, keep the gun. I don't need it!" After that, Lin Aofeng pushed open the car door and got out of the car.

  Xijun Mai and Hu Guofu, who had been waiting at the entrance of Bailuomen, saw Lin Aofeng smiling and walking towards them. Xijun Mai said: "Crazy guy, I thought you wouldn't come tonight!"

  Lin Aofeng smiled and gave Xi Junmai a punch, joking: "We've been friends for so many years, it's your birthday today, how could I not come?!" Then Lin Aofeng looked around and asked: "Where are Shen Sikang and the others?"

  "Aren't we here?! Hearing the voice behind him, Lin Ao Feng turned his head and pretended to look at his watch, saying: "We agreed on 7:30, but all of you are late!"

  Shen Si Kang glanced at Lin Ao Feng's watch, then looked at his own watch and smiled: "Sorry, my watch is slow by ten minutes. But don't worry, since we're late, we'll take the blame!" Then Shen Si Kang asked: "A Fu, why didn't your sister come?"

  Hu Guofu glanced at Lin Aofeng and said: "Isn't it because someone disappeared for an entire afternoon today, she's been sulking at home!"

  Lin Ao Feng scratched his head somewhat awkwardly, while secretly signaling to Xi Jun Mai and changing the subject: "Alright! Alright! Let's not talk about these unhappy things. Come on, let's go in and have some fun! Xi, did you buy the tickets?!"

  Xijun Mai took out the ticket and waved it, saying: "Need you say! It's getting late, let's go in!"

  "Now that the host has spoken, what are we still doing standing at the door? Let's go!" Hu Guofu glared at Lin Aofeng and followed Xi Junmai into the Bailemen Song and Dance Hall.

  When Lin Ao-feng and others walked into the Bailemen, three black cars stopped at the entrance of the Bailemen Song and Dance Hall. Eight bodyguards got out of the front and rear cars and surrounded the middle car. Then a middle-aged man wearing a suit, with a small parting in his hair and a big beard under his nose, got out of the middle car, looked around and walked into the Bailemen Song and Dance Hall with eight bodyguards.

  About half an hour later, two black Crown cars stopped in front of the Bailemen Dance Hall, and five Japanese ruffians got out of the car and walked into the Bailemen Dance Hall.

  Hu Guofu, who had just finished dancing to a song, saw Lin Aofeng sitting alone at the bar drinking wine, so he walked over and sat down beside Lin Aofeng, asking: "Aofeng, why are you sitting here by yourself? Why aren't you dancing?"

  Lin Ao Feng raised his wine glass, took a sip of wine, and replied: "I'm not in the mood today! You play on! I'll sit for a while and then head back."

  "You won't be so disappointed, will you?!" At this time, Xi Junmai also walked over, asked the waiter for a glass of wine and sat down on Lin Ao's left side, saying: "We all know what's going on in your family. We are brothers, we are buddies, if there's anything we can help with, just speak up."

  Lin Aofeng nodded, just as he was about to express his gratitude, five ruffians who walked in from outside caught Lin Aofeng's attention. Hu Guofu, sitting on the right side, followed Lin Aofeng's line of sight and said: "The one walking in the middle is the head of Hongkou Dojo, his name is Koyama Ritaro. Don't underestimate him, he is also the leader of the Black Dragon Society in Shanghai. Yesterday's attack on your father is probably related to him!"

  Lin Ao Feng sneered: "It's not 80 or 90% related to him, but 100% his doing!"

  "Hey, calm down! Even if you know he's behind it, don't be impulsive. A moment of patience can prevent a big mess. Let's endure this for now and find another opportunity later!" Shi Junmai advised from the side.

  Lin Ao Feng downed the wine in his cup with a resentful expression, suppressing the killing intent in his heart. He stood up and said: "Out of sight, out of mind! You guys have fun! I'll head back first!"

  Watching Lin Ao Feng's back disappear at the gate, Hu Guo Fu and Xi Jun Mai exchanged a glance. Xi Jun Mai smiled wryly: "Don't look at me like that. I didn't know either. If I had known earlier, I would have changed places."...

  As he walked out of the Bailemen, Lin Aofeng stopped in his tracks, turned around and looked back, hesitated for a moment before turning to return to the song and dance hall when Lin Quannan drove up in front of him and called out: "Young Master!"

  Hearing the shout, Lin Ao Feng came back to his senses and looked at the sedan in front of him. He sighed, opened the car door and got in.

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