Chapter 39: Shocking Conspiracy

  Heavenly Conspiracy

  Honda Shōtarō, after calming down slightly, said: The Japanese army has dispatched two special task forces from the Kwantung Army in Japan to uncover the secrets of Fengling Mountain. One is led by Ono Jirō's "Sakura Action Plan" team, which infiltrated Lingfeng two years ago and successfully lay dormant in various mountain strongholds on Fengling Mountain, or planted informants in the strongholds. Before the Japanese army attacked Lingfeng, they coordinated with the Japanese army that came to receive them and occupied Fengling Mountain. The two special task forces have disguised themselves as locals and infiltrated the interior of Fengling Mountain, preparing to find opportunities to eliminate the mountain bandits on Fengling Mountain, in coordination with the Japanese "Golden Lily Plan", and responding to the Japanese attack on the Lingfeng area. Honda Shōtarō said: He left the Kwantung Army headquarters in Japan a year ago and selected a group of Japanese special agents who were fluent in Chinese for rigorous training, leaving behind seven people to form a small team called "Yu Weng Action Plan", responsible for instigating the National Government's garrison in Lingfeng. If the instigation was successful, they would attack Lingfeng, attract the 206th Regiment of the National Army back to defend Nan Shan Ao, and then launch a surprise attack on the Eighth Route Army in Qilin Mountain, occupying the entire Lingfeng area. If they failed to instigate the garrison in Lingfeng, they would organize assassinations, bombings, and other terrorist activities to create chaos. When the opportunity was ripe, they would contact the special task force to launch a strong attack on Lingfeng City.

  Huang Min was shocked and thought to himself, "What a meticulous and vicious plan! It seems that the Japanese are determined to take Lingfeng. Intelligence had shown that the Japanese army was gathering in the direction of Linping, but they hadn't made a move for a long time. It turns out they were waiting for this."

  "But is there anything else?"

  Honda Shōtarō thought for a moment and said, "There was a liaison officer named Kameda Iro who was between us. He was killed when the National Army destroyed the Fragrant Wine Workshop last time. But there's one thing that I don't understand: one night, Kameda Iro stayed at my place, and the next day he went back to find that all his entourage had disappeared, along with the hostages they were holding. This matter was secretly investigated by Kameda Iro for a long time, but no results were found. However, I think there must be some ulterior motive behind this; perhaps he deliberately created a smokescreen and arranged for his followers to carry out a secret mission."

  Yun Xiang Tian smiled and said, "His followers have indeed disappeared. I invited them to rest at the bottom of the city wall. I reckon it'll be a hundred or eighty years before they're seen again."

  Honda Shōtarō said in disbelief, "How is this possible? Kameda Iro was just in charge of liaison work and usually kept a low profile. Even I don't know where he lives, so how did you find out his address? This is simply unbelievable."

  Ye Zi Chun also asked with a mixture of surprise and skepticism: "Is it true? On the National Army's turf, you secretly took out one of the devils' intelligence stations. Are you bragging?"

  Huang Min knew that Yun Xiang Tian would always be unpredictable, and he laughed: "This cloud brother of mine is indeed capable of doing things beyond people's expectations. If he says it was him who did it, then it must have been him, no mistake. The destruction of the Fragrant Wine Workshop was also his doing, I just went to take advantage of the situation."

  "Who else could it be? He's got a lot of tricks up his sleeve, ask him what I said to him when I first came in. He went on and on about how great Tanijiro was."

  Qiguo curiously asked: "Yun Gongzi, what did Onji Shirō say?"

  Yun Xiang Tian was arranging for the prison guard to treat Honda Shōtarō well, when he heard Qi Guo Jiang asking and casually said: "Ono Jirō said that when eating braised donkey meat, don't bring you along, saying that since you are tall and big, you will definitely eat more."

  Qiguo got angry and said, "This Xiao Yecan is really too much! It's Ye Te who invited us to dinner, I didn't eat at his house, can he control how much I eat? No way, I have to go reason with him."

  Huang Min scolded Qi Guo, saying: "You're stupid! How dare you say Mr. Honda is stupid? You're the real idiot."

  Xiong Mu's face was red with laughter, she held her stomach with one hand and pointed at Yun Xiang Tian with the other: "You're really too bad! Vice Captain Qi, when I came in, I told him: Young Master Yun, you're too wicked!" After finishing speaking, she laughed even harder. The others also burst out laughing.

  Honda Shōtarō was also infected by them, and he smiled to think: "What a great nation, even in the face of great enemies, they can still be so happy." After sighing, he suddenly said: "Cloud Officer, has Ono Jirō ever told you about a top-secret piece of intelligence?"

  Yun Xiang Tian was not surprised, he smiled and said: "What intelligence?"

  Honda Shōtarō said, "A high-ranking officer of the 206th Division of the National Army is a senior spy of the Japanese Army's Tokkō Department. His only contact person was Ono Jirō." After finishing speaking, he took Ikegami Hideko's hand and walked out of the interrogation room door.

  Everyone fell silent. Qi Guo couldn't help but speak up, saying: "Commander, I'll go to the brigade headquarters right now and report the situation to Brigade Commander."

  Ye Zi Chun said: "Not good, you're so impulsive and reckless with your words, if there's a slight stir or provocation, the consequences would be unbearable. I think it's better if I go instead."

  Huang Min silently stared at Yun Xiang Tian. Yun Xiang Tian pretended not to know, he and Chuan Xiong Mu Ke were flipping through the intelligence gathered on the table, occasionally asking: What's this? What's that? Chuan Xiong Mu Ke translated for him one by one.

  Huang Min slowly walked up to Yun Xiang Tian's side, bent down and whispered in his ear: "Is it fun?"

  Yun Xiang said without turning his head: "Hmm, interesting. There's some intel here that we really didn't know about, but it's not very valuable."

  "Is that so? The high-ranking spy lurking in the 206th Regiment is among these things?"

  Yun Xiangtian didn't move, but just smiled and said: "How can such a big thing be here?"

  Huang Min said: "If you're not looking for him here, what are you looking for?"

  Yun Xiangtian was still flipping through the documents on his desk, and he said casually: "I'm looking for braised donkey meat."

  "Leaf Spring One heard that he was going up, so he said in a bad mood: 'Go go go, now take you to eat braised donkey meat, be careful not to burst your belly with the braised donkey meat.'" After finishing speaking, he laughed first.

  Huang Min said with a hint of embarrassment: "Alright, Yun younger brother, stop messing around. I want to borrow someone from you. What do you think?"

  Yun Xiang Tian's expression turned serious, and he said solemnly: "Borrow someone? I can borrow my way. But borrowing Cui Yu is not possible. In order to lure Honma Taro, she has already pretended to rescue Ono Jiro once in the mountain stronghold, although the plan was unsuccessful. But I won't let her take risks again. Although Cui Yu was born in Japan, she is kind by nature and has become an indispensable sister in Anmin stronghold after living with brothers day and night. When we went down the mountain, Hong Shan Jie Zhu reminded me repeatedly to bring her and Xiu Zhu back safely. Sorry, Huang Gege, I won't let her take risks again."

  Chuan Xiongmu Nashi, with a surge of excitement in his heart, gazed up at the sky where clouds were soaring.

  Yun Xiang Tian called Chuan Xiong Mu Nai Zi "Cui Yu", and Huang Min could hear the implication. After thinking for a long time, Huang Min said: "Alright, I'll think of another way. But you, Yun younger brother, are not being honest. Since you've seen through my idea, just say it directly, why bother beating around the bush?" He hesitated for a moment before continuing: "How about we interrogate Xiao Ye Zi Lang again?"

  Yun Xiang touched his chin and said: "Alright, I've met this person before. Probably won't get anything out of him."

  Qiguo rolled up his sleeves and said: "Damn it, I don't believe in that evil. Come on, bring that little devil Xiao Yecilang here."

  Ono Jiro was not as arrogant as Honda Shoutarou when he first came, he was calm and sat on the bench quietly looking at Yun Xiang Tian and others.

  Huang Min also looked at this Xiao Yezi and first opened his mouth: "Do you know why I brought you here?"

  "Got it," Ono Jiro said expressionlessly. "Because you want to get the information you want out of me."

  His answer was unexpected by Huang Min. Huang Min cleared his throat and said: "Then tell me everything I want to know."

  "Alright, what do you want to know?" said Ono Jirō with a crooked smile.

  It seemed that everything was going smoothly, Huang Min secretly rejoiced in his heart and couldn't hide the joy inside, saying: "Tell me who is the high-level spy lurking in the 206th Regiment?"

  Ono Jiro furrowed his brow, thought for a moment and said: "Let me think, who is he? Is it the regimental commander Fang Zhenqiang? Chief of Staff Yan Wen? Or are you the 2nd battalion commander Huang Min? For a while, I really can't remember. However, don't worry, I'll give you a way to let the Imperial Army wipe out the entire 206th Regiment, and that spy will naturally cease to exist. Right?" After finishing, he revealed a hint of cold smile.

  Huang Min didn't expect to be played, he suddenly became furious, stood up with a "whoosh", pointed at Ono Jirō and said: "Ono Jirō, you're quite skilled. You think you can play me like this? You think I won't be able to do anything to you?"

  Ono Jiro laughed, laughing very happily. He said: "Huang Yingzhang, I know you have a lot of methods. But that's only useful for the defeated class of the Empire. My Ono family is deeply favored by His Majesty the Emperor and swears to die for loyalty to His Majesty the Emperor. Bring out your method and let me try it, see if it works?"

  Qiguo could no longer hold back, he rushed over and punched Xiao Yecao's nose, blood instantly flowed out of his nose. Qiguo grabbed Xiao Yecao and said: "You damn bastard, I'll rip your tendons and peel your skin today to avenge the comrades you killed."

  "Ah, Qida Pao, deputy commander of the Qi camp, it's always more pleasant to deal with you than those nagging women like Huang Yingzhuang. Come on, bring out all your tricks."

  Kawara no Ki Nashi didn't want to see Qi Guojiang being rough with Ono Jirō, so she turned around and was about to leave after exchanging a glance with Yun Xiangtian. As she passed by Ono Jirō's side, he suddenly stretched out his left hand and hugged Kawara no Ki Nashi into his arms, pulled out Qi Guojiang's pistol with his right hand, pressed it against Kawara no Ki Nashi's head, kicked Qi Guojiang to the ground, and retreated to the wall. All of this happened too quickly, leaving everyone unprepared.

  Ono Jiro said with a proud smile: "Yun Xiang Tian, you have ruined my entire plan and made me ashamed in front of the Emperor. I can only atone for my sin with death, and it is impossible for me to leave an imperial traitor here."

  Yun Xiang Tian's right hand secretly reached into his bosom, and he said nervously: "No, Ono Jirō, let's talk this over."

  "Too late, everything is over," Ono Jiro said with a sly smile. "Let's go, Mokanako-san." He raised his head and shouted loudly: "Long live the Emperor!"

  Only two gunshots were heard, and Kawao Kiyoshi and Ono Jirō fell to the ground at the same time.